Actually, you're wrong about my being determined. What's the point? I go in, I ask, they say no. They say why they say no, but it's about their own expertise. If they refuse to give me what I ask for, what am I going to do, go to another vet? (Yes, but usually not after having already paid the exam fee with one. Edited to add: and not to counteract treatments either until all courses have been run.). Because they haven't been open to trying new therapies in the past, I don't expect to discuss new approaches now. That way I'm pleasantly surprised when they give me new information, such as that injecting Baytril directly causes necrosis at the injection site, so to administer with the sub-Q fluids. I deal with the issue with what they are willing to give me and just be happy if it works and it is in line with what I read on here. My giving them new information usually results in skepticism.
When a treatment doesn't work, I say so, but they think I'm a pain in the ass so they don't take it seriously (e.g., when I called about trying to find some way to stimulate Archie's appetite, they didn't call me back) until I show up with the rat in no better (if not worse) condition. I do appreciate that they do half-price reevaluations, though in going over my files, this was not always done consistently and I did pay full price on a re-eval once. I have just really had to be evidence-based on my own experiences such as one rat dying of pneumonia after only getting oral antibiotics, so that the next one I've had to say "Oral drugs are not strong enough, I need injectibles." "Two courses of baytril doxy isn't working, let's try something else." I would just really like them to be less risk-averse when it comes to client requests, and a more holistic aggression in treatments. And, like with all vets, who the public sees as if they had a license to print money, we need them all to be a little more aware that their choices have a price point and to be sensitive about that. (Edited to also add: I feel sorry for people in Ontario when it comes to prices of vets, and feel lucky to be here. Ontario needs to fix their vet pricing!)
For example, the concentration of the doxy they prescribe you has a big price difference. I'd rather give 0.12 cc at $18 per 2-weeks than 0.03 at $36.
Lasix is EXACTLY the case I've had issues with there. If it works in relieving symptoms, why can't that be used as evidence in the diagnosis? But they really want to see the excess fluid around the heart showing up in the $50 x-ray before they go there - and yet Lasix is not as risky a drug to use as prednisone, for example.
It's not like I get novelty and everything I ask for when I see Dr. Woodlock, but I know it's worthwhile reading up because he'll tell me more about it, or he'll take my reading and add it to his research. And he will also sell me an entire bottle of Metacam for the same price that a dispensed amount of Metacam will be at any other vet, which is less than $25.