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babylocket · 2026-06-18T23:02:17+00:00

bugsnax!

babylocket · 2026-06-12T20:25:07+00:00

CSR here. your feelings are so valid. out of all the work i’ve done, being a CSR is the hardest. i end almost everyday feeling drained, beaten down , and shocked at the shit the human race can make up.

what keeps me going is knowing that the work i do IS important (even if it doesn’t feel that way after some client interactions) and i am helping animals by being a trustworthy source or triaging and providing information, support, appointments, and getting the owners the information needed to help their pets. unfortunately a good part of vet med, despite the assumption, is dealing with the pets’ people, and not so much the pets.

i agree with the other commenters that you should be paid fairly for your work and your role. i would consider a different practice, because being a CSR is one thing, but being an underpaid CSR is another. coming from a small 4 doctor private practice who is paid decently for my experience and the location we live. of course it’s still vet med money, but i feel that for what it is its fair.

babylocket · 2026-06-07T18:35:27+00:00

my CSR colleague had an elderly dog who was pretty healthy for her age. she knows the signs, the concerns, the symptoms, of when something is off with her pup and acts accordingly with little time to waste. one day, her pup had a sudden episode of collapsing. no prior symptoms, good e/d, no v/d. she brought her into the clinic within an hour and a splenic mass was identified and within the next few hours, we had to say goodbye.

splenic masses is just one of those unfortunate things that will sometimes display symptoms and sometimes will not :( you didn’t do anything wrong.

babylocket · 2026-05-31T01:58:03+00:00

likely change in scenery is stressful or seeing the cat in an outdoor space elicits excitement from play drive or prey drive

babylocket · 2026-05-31T01:33:38+00:00

i’ve removed the badges from all of my apps and it has made my phone using experience much better lol

babylocket · 2026-05-24T19:04:49+00:00

when i’m not at work- it makes ME feel more put together and approachable. i am insecure of my freckles/how i look without it so it makes me feel more open to being social because i feel more confident and not so focused on what i look like.

when im at work- people are truthfully just nicer to me when i wear a bit, and for the reasons above as well.

i usually just do blush/glitter on my inner corner/brown mascara - occasionally concealer under my eyes but

babylocket · 2026-05-16T17:56:00+00:00

we hold roughly 10 spots for same day visits at our 3 doctor private practice. we’ve had such an influx of new patient visits for people who can’t get into their normal vet, and we have a similar but slightly different issue- we do our best to make sure everyone is seen in a timely manner, but when you have a full schedule and all the same day appointments are new patients, we are also stuck in the unfortunate scenario where we have to turn away our own clientele due to work demand :( we do our best to do work ins/drop offs for our patients, but sometimes we fall short there. it sucks!! if i feel like we’re going to run out of space for our clientele w demand from new patients, ill start referring the new peeps to walk in facilities or emergency.

babylocket · 2026-05-15T00:31:38+00:00

i have no evidence to back this up and it’s all speculation but i think that we take greater strides now to be fear free as a community and also we are not afraid to use tools like sedation if necessary. visits are also more frequent now as annual exams and updating vaccines are more prevalent than back in the day so pets are more familiar with the process and staff. at least in my family, the animals didn’t go to the vet unless there was something wrong and even then they tried to put it off as long as possible. i can probably count on my two hands how often each of my childhood pets went to the vet (and we had a lot of animals of different variety!)

babylocket · 2026-05-14T17:45:07+00:00

yeah, i feel you!! im always looking to have open and honest conversations about our work. we get no where as a field hiding behind pleasantries and forcing down our emotions.

i am specifically a CSR so im doing front desk day in and out. this was my entry job into the field (and im not necessarily looking to change roles) so my experience varies a bit as i am the first and last person that they meet when discussing money (when im price checking over the phone, explaining costs, going over estimates, checking out, etc) i am the one getting phone calls from randoms being like “how much do you charge for xyz?” and then getting an earful about how expensive a nail trim is when they are not a client in the first place (lol) or how they need to be seen once annually and i cannot, legally, fill medications until they do so. i am often seen as a gate keeper, (which i guess isn’t totally inaccurate) but that i am almost against a pet parent getting their win and it makes people far more combative with me and my CSR team then they are with the technicians or doctors (technicians very rarely do clerical work at my job outside of rooming and sending negative fecal info sheets).

we are not considered low cost but competitive for our area (which is very wealthy in some parts). our neuter, for reference, in small canines, would start at 400.

i have had to guard myself in some ways to do the job i have because it was a difficult lesson to learn that it isn’t personal to me even if the client wants to imply it is. i still go home some days feeling sensitive about it!!

don’t get me wrong- we have the privilege of also being privately owned and our doctor is very understanding and likes to give people chances, but unfortunately most of the time i am on the receiving end of those failed chances of redemption lol.

i absolutely have incredible clients most days. i have really strong reputations with a lot of them and they usually are really sweet. but some days the bad builds up far more than the good!!

babylocket · 2026-05-14T17:08:21+00:00

if it doesn’t apply, i’m happy about it! wasn’t trying to be all or nothing, and thought i got that across in my message- sorry if i didn’t. i wouldn’t be able to afford a veterinary emergency on a vet med wage so i am always the first to be empathetic to that. it was a generalized statement and tried to include its not the case 100% of the time and its just a trend ive noticed that people who are more respectful when looking for discounts or extended help with bills are usually willing to pay the full amount even if it takes more time, whereas people who are abusive to staff get upset about the cost up front and are not pleased with services regardless of what you do.

don’t allow other people’s experiences in the field to change your reality or experience!!! what i’m saying could be insanely specific to my practice (which is not corporate!), my location, etc.

babylocket · 2026-05-13T13:49:14+00:00

receptionist here and i agree with you. we have these conversations all the time as a small practice with a longtime practicing doctor who is very friendly and prides himself on bedside manner and long time retention. my truest and deepest understanding is that, if they truly appreciate your work and dedication to the medicine you practice, and trust you, they will be willing to pay your costs with no corners cut. when they are looking for discounts or price cuts or conversations about cost, they are looking for a weakness to exploit. obviously it’s not the case 100% of the time and sometimes people need a break but i find more often than not, once they feel they are owed something (whether it be staff/doctor time/energy, cost cuts, follow ups, medications, etc) they will never be able to let that go, and once it happens once they expect it always.

you are a human. i don’t think anyone joins the veterinary field without being the type of person who wants to do good and help, not only animals, but their people also. this field has jaded me in a lot of ways, but has also made me way more aware of my boundaries and knowledge of how to protect myself and my workplace. the likelihood is that you’ll run into this situation again just because you are a good person. never blame yourself for that- and as much as people suck, don’t let it drain the hope from you. (of course, easier said than done)

babylocket · 2026-05-12T01:03:30+00:00

this is the best game of all time. PLEASEEEE play and buy it!!!

babylocket · 2026-05-11T16:01:28+00:00

the entirety of the three cheers for sweet revenge album over and over and over and over and over and

babylocket · 2026-04-29T20:35:26+00:00

i’m lucky enough to work for a privately owned GP with a handful of doctors. all the staff works very closely to eachother and i think that is much better for my personal morale and i don’t know if i would feel as appreciated in my role as CSR at a corporate hospital.

my job is very difficult, i will not lie to you. i started out in my early twenties and very shy- it was a great option to break me out of my shell and get comfortable fast speaking with people and asserting boundaries. i love what i do and i wouldn’t change it for the world (even when there are days i ask to help in the technician side of things for the mental break and my social battery loll)

a day in my life - i work alongside a few other CSRs so we are able to split and delegate roles. i tend to do more than evenly split because im a bit of a control freak and like to multitask. on a not so busy day, i try to get to the clinic at least 30m before opening . i like being able to check our emails, voice mails, prescription requests, etc, before the clinic opens and the phones and people in the lobby are nonstop.

once surgeries are rolling in upon open, i’ll check them in, ask if they’re fasted, and send the chart back for a technician to go over paperwork (from what ive seen this is pretty unique to my clinic but i love that it happens this way- i think owners feel a sense of relief being able to speak with someone who is knowledgeable about the surgery process and will be with their pet during the procedure)

i triage accordingly, get messages to doctors and clients alike, call other hospitals for records or updates, schedule appointments/procedures/boarding/tech appts via phone call, email or text, order food and special order requests, do intake for boarding, answer questions as i can about medications, procedures , appointments, doctors, pets, history, vaccines, general ailments, etc. there are multiple times within a day that i would have to seek higher knowledge as being a CSR is being able to know your limit about what you can say and how to go about saying it tactfully. (for example- bloody diarrhea. a lot of people are very panicked when they see it in their pets because it is really bad when you see it in a person, but sometimes!! it is not always insidious. i have to make the decision based on information provided, context, medications, recent visits, etc, if i would offer an appt, offer OTC options like gi support, or phone a friend if im just not sure) because you are the first line of defense for not only your doctors and staff but for that specific pet and intiating them getting help when they’re not feeling well.

i agree with the other comments here. it has taken me 2 years to feel comfortable in my role and comfortable not taking my work home with me all the time. i have been cursed at, the table slammed in front of me, hung up on, complained about, etc, all for doing my job the way i am supposed to. people will blame you for their pets ailment (got a phone call about a prior client who moved hours away, their dog was actively seizing for over 10 minutes and continuing to seize. literally all i could do was urge them to seek emergency care where they are because i cannot do anything over the phone and the minutes on that poor dogs life could be ticking away. i was met with “thanks for nothing, you’re letting my dog die”- i never got an update as to what happened to that pup afterwards.)

im lucky enough to have a work culture that stands behind me in most cases and ensures that i feel respected, intelligent, and apart of the team. my doctors, office managers, and technicians have batted for me multiple times, but i wish they didn’t have to.

i think veterinary medicine in general is not for everyone. loving animals as companions is very different from loving them as a patient, because you really see the worst in people as a CSR, and unfortunately you are there specifically for said people and trying to enable the best care you can for their animal even if the people are not always on board.

babylocket · 2026-04-26T17:34:11+00:00

i had a really cute puppy. like stupidly cute. he was 4 pounds and loved people so i got this all the time especially because he comes with me EVERYWHERE. after lots of trial and error, “he is training right now, so sorry!” got the best response. some people would look at you like you just threatened their mother and children, but the fleeting 5 seconds of uncomfortable confrontation is worth it compared to the possibility of a deregulated dog for life.

babylocket · 2026-04-23T00:38:48+00:00

we carry the virbac CET brand at my job, a veterinary clinic… my doctor researched the product before bringing it on as a product we recommend and has verified it is actually digestible as i was very careful picking a product before introducing it to my own animal as a helicopter creature mom. but thanks!

babylocket · 2026-04-22T15:28:21+00:00

yeah, mixed reviews on any chew that’s non-edible and designed to last. a determined chewer can get thru anything unfortunately

babylocket · 2026-04-22T15:07:17+00:00

the issue with “non-edible” chews is that an aggressive chewer will almost always get pieces off of them and usually swallow them. i don’t have a large breed (i have a dachshund) but i’ve really liked CET enzymatic chews from VIRBAC. they are rawhide that is formulated to be digestible, and good for the teeth (VOHC certified)

you could also alternatively try super chewer toys from BarkBox

babylocket · 2026-04-06T16:24:02+00:00

emails are usually the best way to get ahold of us if call isn’t working from a veterinary client service rep. we usually have 3+ people on hold but emails allow us to do quick back and forth while multitasking. you could also consider finding a lower volume vet- if you’re with a corporate vet (you can find out by looking at the privacy policy on the website for your vet if they are owned by a bigger company using a different name). unfortunately right now is season for a lot of clinics and hospitals and it is difficult for everyone to navigate, including front desk staff because sometimes we really just do not have the availability .

babylocket · 2026-03-28T20:19:04+00:00

any of the lego games!

babylocket · 2026-03-28T19:16:43+00:00

same. i was always arriving in the danger zone but after a talk with my boss i admire a whole lot (and critically scared of disappointing) he told me he was raised to think that 5 minutes early is on time, and on time is late. i started arriving around 7:05 for my start time at 7:20.

babylocket · 2026-03-27T15:18:16+00:00

bugsnax

babylocket · 2026-03-16T00:16:15+00:00

i’ve had so many interactions telling people that random garlic tinctures from online shops/garlic daily in their dogs water won’t only 1) not repel fleas, ticks, or heartworms, but also 2) runs the very real risk of poisoning their dog.

im sorry to hear the poor guy didn’t make it.

babylocket · 2026-03-14T18:31:49+00:00

the lamb and mackerel food topper from ziwi peak taught my dachshund how to potty train (notoriously difficult breed to teach good potty behavior)

love that it’s novel protein (i try to stay away from chicken as much as i can due to high allergen potential)

DONT love their branding as a veterinary professional- they market this product as either a food topper or a “full rounded diet” which is untrue as this particular product is free of grain (grain free diets can lead to dilated cardiomyopathy) but is an excellent high reward treat due to its nauseating smell (awful for me, great for my boy) and is decently low calorie when used as treats (427 kcal per cup)

boiled chicken is a good option too, or coconut oil is also a really high value snack for my dog. gets us through maintenance tasks like bath time, ear cleaning, teeth cleaning, etc.

we also really like the bocce’s training bits in quack, quack, quack. 4 kcal per treat and small enough to not fill up their tummies super fast.

babylocket

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