What do you call your vet?

[Simbalism]

I voted first name. I have used the same vet for years and am older than he is. If I were introducing him to someone in a vet capacity I would introduce him as Dr,first name, last name.

[mvp]

There Will Be No Dr. First Name.

I call plenty of well educated people I work with by their first name. Lawyers, professors, stockbrokers, whathaveyou.

I have a PhD and outside of academia, it's inappropriate for me to be called Dr. or Professor. But I don't ask people to call me by either of those titles inside academia, either.

If I can go by my first name, then so can the pros I work with, pay and respect for their bad-ass skills.

I think it's a little silly when an MD or DVM wants to have me address them as Dr. Lastname well into our working relationship. But if it's important to them, then I'll comply. I do start with Dr. Lastname until I get the permission or hint that I can take it down a notch to using our first name.

[TheJenners]

Doc. As in "What do you think about this Doc." But, if I am talking to his office staff or anyone else it is Dr. (last name).

Same here. I had ONE vet I addressed by his first name, but he was also a friend.

[Beverley]

First name for 'regular' large and small animal vets. And I have their personal cell numbers for judicious use in need.

Otherwise, regardless of their age relative to mine, I'd address a vet as Dr. Lastname unless/untill invited to do otherwise.

It's the way I was raised. Although it drove my Mom nuts that when we were kids, we addressed our tennis instructor (who was/is her age) by his first name- because he told us to.

[Beverley]

I'll add an observation based on MVP's post.

I would and do generally call MDs, Dentists, Vets, etc 'Dr. Whatever.' But you know, when, say, you go to see a doctor for medical treatment, and they (regardless of their age) greet you as patient by YOUR first name, well, again, as I was raised, that rather seems to invite reciprocity, I think. If they say 'Mr/Mrs/Ms Whatever' as they should, then sure, 'Dr. Whatever' works for me. But since I'm paying them, if they want to go first name, fine, but it's a two way street.

[phoebetrainer]

First name, every time - but then I call my person Dr by her first name and all the Drs, including consultants and specialists that I work with every day by their first names. I also call all my Dr and vet friends and PhD friends by their first names.

I think that my vet would wonder who I was talking to if I addressed him as Dr.

[copper1]

Since my vet is also a client of mine, we use first names but when I introduce her to others, I use Dr.

[S1969]

I call all DD's teachers Miss or Mrs. Last Name. And DD is not allowed to call any adult by first name, except for family. She has to use Miss/Mr. First name, or their last name, or the courtesy title Auntie or Uncle.

We also don't let the children address our employees bytheir first names

It is so southern to say "Miss First Name"....if you did that in New York people would laugh. OK, maybe some people say it and don't get laughed at, but it is not typical. I would never call a Dr. by "Dr. First Name"....reminds me of Driving Miss Daisy. My sister lives in TX and her daughter calls everyone "Miss First Name" and we all laugh.

We homeschool and it is the norm to call parents of other kids by their first name. Maybe it's also a NY/Northeast thing too because we did that even when they were in school (with the exception of teachers.)

[goeslikestink]

it hink it depends on one circumstances lol
but with all my vets its first names well i am old client of there practice
if major stuff then its the bosses i deal with if rountine then its the newbiesbut all 1st name protocol lol

[ddashaq]

I have been friends with one of my vets since she was 5 so unless I am calling the office, I use her first name. For emergencies, I use one of the big clinics and I call whichever vet they send out Dr. Lastname.

I had used my vet in Iowa for about 15 years so I used her first name at the barn but called her Dr. any time we ran into each other anywhere else. She preferred it that way as it encouraged people she did not know to call her Dr.

[exvet]

I voted "other". My clients and my staff (I have 32 who ultimately report to me) call me Dr. D which is the first initial of my last name. It's been that way since I was practicing all large animal, small animal, teaching, editor, research and now being the medical director of a small private humane society. It actually started when my husband and I both worked in the same practice. We have different last names but both start with the letter "D". The clients and staff use to call us Drs. D1 and D2 more as a joke at first. It kind of stuck. I also found that male clients preferred to call me Dr. D as oppose to my last name. I've been called many things, particularly now a lot of it is four-lettered, (people getting out of jail and finding out we have their animal or had their animal due to the court system) and unless it's something meant or stated with a condescending tone I really don't care; so, I tend to answer to anything.

Now at horse shows, even my staff who might be there, call me by my first name, no Dr. Because that is my escape..........I may be on call..........always am 24/7.............but my horses are my hobby and I prefer to forget what I do for a living when I'm doing anything with them (well except when I do have to wear the vet hat but luckily that is not very often).

[Mosey_2003]

If I'm talking to him in person or about him to someone that understands what I mean, it's Doc. If I call the office or introduce him it's Dr. Lastname. The first year he was my vet it was "Sir"

[downen]

My vets been around FOREVER and everyone calls him Doc _______ or Doc. I voted other.

[Bacardi1]

Just like every other professional I retain, I call my vet by "Dr. last name" until invited to do otherwise. It's simple courtesy.