Questions and Answers:- About our Clinic and Veterinarians:
Q: How did The Country Vet come to be?
A: It was literally a family project that started at the kitchen table where we were seeing clients who followed Dr. Yates after his departure from Phelps Veterinary Hospital. The name came from some serious brainstorming, trying to embody the idea of a veterinary clinic that still cared about the patients and clients. The goals were always to provide the best of medical care to our patients, but to make it as affordable as we could and still pay the bills at the end of the month! We also felt - and still feel - that educating our clients was the best way to help them help their pets.
Q: We always saw Dr. Yates at Phelps, and were saddened when we heard he left. Why didn't he continue at Phelps?
A: The long story short of it is that Dr. Yates has different and irreconcilable goals, ethics and beliefs than the current ownership of Phelps Veterinary Hospital. He did not feel it was in the best interests of his profession, family or his clients to remain in there.
Q: We were told you were moving back to Georgia and would not be around to see our patients?
A: This is simply not true. Several years ago, Dr. Yates had considered moving back to his home state for personal reasons. However, Dr. Jack Wright became sick at that time and Dr. Yates felt it was more important to stay and help his employer and friend. Dr. Yates and his family love the Canandaigua community, St. Mary's School and the clients of The Country Vet, and hope to be here for many, many more years!
Q: We were told our pet was operated on at Phelps Veterinary Hospital by Dr. Yates in late April {or} May of 2009, but we were unable to ever talk to him about it. Why would he not speak with us?
A: Dr. Yates left Phelps Veterinary Hospital on April 9th, 2009. He did not set foot in the building after that day. For the two weeks preceeding that date, the only procedures Dr. Yates did were routine surgeries (spays and neuters). He did not see any complicated cases, or cases that would need follow-up. If you still have questions about the procedure done on your animal, or any complications that followed, we suggest you directly ask for copies of the written medical records for that procedure. Dr. Yates would be happy to go over those records with you and to try to address any concerns you have about your pet's health.
Q: How did Dr. Casale come to work for the Country Vet?
A: We were very fortunate in that Dr. Yates had met and worked with Dr. Casale for a short time at Phelps. So when Dr. Casale asked if there might be a place for him with The Country Vet, we welcomed his experience, knowledge and helping hands with open arms! Dr. Casale has strong ties to the community, years of veterinary experience and if you get him started talking about dental care, you might have to sit a while - but's its a guarantee you'll learn something about your pet.
Q: Who is the new vet?
A: Dr. Bolton grew up in Shortsville on her family's horse farm. She actually met Dr. Yates many years ago on a farm call when he began working for Jack Wright and was seeing horse clients. During her final year at veterinary school, Dr. Bolton asked if it would be possible to intern with The Country Vet. We were impressed with her skills and willingness to learn, as well as the fact that she immediately fit right in with all the varied personalities of the staff. When she received her board results during her last week of her internship, and officially became "Dr." Bolton, there was no doubt she could be a great asset to The Country Vet. The rest, as the story goes, is history!
- About New Patients:
Q: I'd like to transfer my pets over to The Country Vet, but I'm not sure how to go about it. How do I make the transition?
A: First and foremost, if your pet is sick or if you know what vaccines you need, you can just make an appointment and come right in. As to medical records, there are several ways to get copies of your pets medical records sent to us. You can call or visit your previous veterinarian and request them to be either given to you, or sent to us via mail or fax. You can also fill out a form we have at the office that we will then send to your previous veterinary clinic, requesting copies. Many of the veterinary clinics will only send an abbreviated version of the medical records - much like what they send home with you on your invoice. In most cases, this is all we need as we can just pull off the information for due dates on vaccines and see what medications the pet has been on. However, if your pet has a chronic health issue, is being treated for an ongoing problem or surgery complications, we ask that you call or visit your veterinarian and ask specifically for the written records as well as any lab and bloodwork results pertaining to the problem. This will give us a better background to the issue, and possibly prevent duplication of procedures or tests.
Q: I'd like to bring my pet to you, but I don't really want to transfer my records away from my previous veterinarian...just in case!
A: When you "transfer" records, you are actually only requesting a copy of those records. The original records will stay with the veterinarian who created them. Veterinary clinics, just like medical doctors, send copies of records for clients seeking second opinions, or referral cases all of the time. Most veterinary clinics will respect your request without "closing the doors" so to speak. More so, it is a veterinarian's ethical obligation to honor a client's request for their records as well as for a referral.
Q: Can you fill a prescription from {previous veterinary clinic} if we transfer our animals to you?
A: No. New York State law says that our veterinarian MUST have examined the pet in order to prescribe medication for your pet. The Country Vet can not refill another veterinarian's prescription, even with the records. This is for the health and safety of your pet. If your previous veterinarian refuses to honor their prescription, The Country Vet will need to have the pet in for a simple office visit and possibly bloodwork for certain medications in order to prescribe that medication.
Q: I am a client of Dr. Yates or Dr. Casale from their previous place of employment. Do I have to see them? Can I specifically see them?
A: You are not restricted to just one of the veterinarians. And yes, in most cases, you can see whichever veterinarian you have a preference for - just be sure to let the receptionist or tech know when you make the appointment that you have a preference. However, there might be instances, especially with a sick pet that needs to be seen immediately, when the veterinarian you prefer is not available. Rest assured that all of our veterinarians are very capable of caring for your pet!
Q: I have heard you do house calls? Is this true?
A: In the beginnings of The Country Vet, we saw animals on the kitchen table, in the garage and at their own homes. The "house call" portion of the the business began as a necessity but we felt it might be something worth keeping. However, it is not economically feasible for us to do it for everyone, and it also has it's own set of complications because obviously we can not fit the whole vet clinic into a vehicle and don't wish to run into issues of not having the needed medications or restraints on hand. We continue to do them as we can for elderly clients who have problems getting their pets in to the clinic, or for those who have large, geriatric dogs for whom bringing them in to be euthanized would be more stressful and painful for both the owner and pet. In the situations where we do come out to the client's house, there is a significant charge for the service. A house call takes considerably more time and is more of a risk to the veterinarian and technician, than having the animal in an exam room at the clinic. We ask our clients to understand this and not abuse the offer.
Q: Does the Country Vet see horses?
A: With the addition of Dr. Bolton to our clinic, we are now very excited to be able to offer equine services! As this side of the clinic grows, we hope to be able to offer "on site" services as well as the farm calls that Dr. Bolton is doing currently.
Q: Does the Country Vet see cattle, goats, or other livestock?
A: Currently, our plans are to stick with small animal and equine patients - but who really knows what the future holds. If you are in need of veterinary services for your other livestock, you might try Keseca Veterinary Clinic in Geneva, as they have been very helpful to us in the past. Their number is (315) 781-1378.
This site is a work in progress! Please be patient with us as we get our clinic and all of it's bits and pieces pulled together. If you come across links or pages that just aren't working, or if you have some suggestions for this site, please feel free to contact Janelle with them! Please also note that these pages are also copyright protected. If you wish to use the images or text from these pages, please have the courtesy to ask permission and give proper credit. Thank you!
