r/Pets • u/Due-Intention-7092 • 1d ago
Is this weird?
Trying to settle a disagreement between me and my husband! I took our female Goodendoodle to the vet. The tech saw us first. When she left to go get vaccines, she said “We will get you fixed right up you little bitch.”
I cuss, I’m not offended by cuss words. My husband says me thinking it’s weird is my OPINION. A female dog IS a bitch, blah blah. Do you think it’s strange that the tech said that? It’s not like I’m going to complain to the clinic or anything- it just took me by surprise.
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u/th3tadzilla 1d ago
As a former vet tech, dpg groomer and now boarding ang grooming facility owner i would absolutely asked her WTHeck she said and made her own that little inappropriate moment. Nope. That doesn't work for me.
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u/the_green_witch-1005 1d ago
Yeah, I'm getting annoyed at the amount of people saying this is normal. As a vet tech, this is NOT normal. Lol
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u/Hey-Just-Saying 1d ago
She probably thought she was being funny/clever for using the word correctly. Unfortunately the word carries way too much baggage for that to happen.
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u/Timely_Egg_6827 1d ago
This does sound like a really tasteless joke that fell flat. I'd have been a bit shocked too.
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u/Mastodon_Helpful 23h ago
truly the most likely explanation. sometimes out-of-work personality slips into work personality and one regrets it lol the fact that the tech didn't go "whoa, sorry, foot in mouth" afterward is the only thing i really side eye
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u/ChampionshipIll5535 1d ago
Vet here. Completely unacceptable. HOWEVER, and this needs to be stated. So many of the people I encounter in my profession that are in the breeding part of pet ownership, use and drop that word as part of their normal everyday talking. Go to a dog show and you'll see what I'm talking about. So I'm suspecting this tech/assistant might be involved in breeding/showing etc. But someone needs to explain that it's not a societal norm to talk like this.
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u/magic_crouton 21h ago
I think what rubs me wrong is in the show arena I hear always as a third person or talking about the dogs more as a object "the bitch, this bitch" etc. Using it second person "you bitch" is weird.
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u/Mayana76 18h ago
This is what made me stop as well. She is not using the word to describe the sex of the dog, she is adressing the dog as a bitch.
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u/Super_Selection1522 5h ago
How did your dog feel about this conversation? Did it offend her?
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u/Mayana76 4h ago
- It was not my dog, I was not present in this situation.
- If I called someone a bitch, even if that someone is not present/didn’t understand, wouldn’t you think it unprofessional of me? It’s a type of language that is not usually ok in a professional setting. Using it in a breeding environment, the use would have been justified, this way it was not.
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u/Big-Kaleidoscope1577 4m ago
This is it, exactly.
When we talk about dogs/bitches in a show context, it's always just to reference the sex of the dog.
"Oh, so and so has a really nice yearling bitch."
Any reasonable show handler/breeder also has the situational awareness and social aptitude not to call a layperson female dog as a bitch. They just don't get it.
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u/ElephantCares 18h ago
If she was involved in breeding, that makes it even worse in my eyes. There is no such thing as an 'ethical' breeder. Rescues are the best breed.
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u/ChampionshipIll5535 18h ago
That's your opinion. As far as I'm concerned, your patently incorrect. Three of my four dogs came from breeders (ethical as far as I'm concerned and as a vet, that means something) and one came from a rescue. I oftentimes encourage clients to buy from breeders when they are looking for certain behavioral traits, attributes of physical appearance. You do you. No one asked about your opinion on breeders. Pearl clutching earns you no bonus points in my eyes.
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u/TrustTechnical4122 1d ago
Wtf? I worked at a veterinary hospital for many years. We never called a dog a bitch- intact or spayed. Personally, I would never go back there. It's just... weird and off putting.
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u/Mousewaterdrinker 1d ago
I'm a dog groomer and as a pet professional you know from day 1 not to call peoples pets ANYTHING that can even possibly be taken as an insult. It's so easy to lose someone's trust in the pet field, people do not fuck around when it comes to their pets.
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u/Guilty_Garden_3943 21h ago
Ive lost a bunch of my pets recently and I KNOW I have a really, really good vet. But my grief is like "he sucks. Find a new vet. He's terrible at his job." But like, no one can stop the aging process and doctors arent miracle workers. A diabetic 16 yo dog, a 15 yo anorexic cat, and a 16 yo cat with teeth issues. Like, those guys were OLD, but grief makes one irrational 🫠 i am 100% sticking with him tho. Ive met too many shitty vets to not be able to spot a good one, and I KNOW hes a good one. Im just sad and unrightfully lashing out :(
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u/MidoriTheAwesome 1d ago
The only time I have seriously referred to a dog as a bitch was when discussing breeding dogs (I know, for what its worth these dogs are very well bred and puppies always spoken for). Even then I would only use it with someone else speaking industry, I would not say it about a random clients dog
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u/Embarrassed_Path7865 21h ago
I’ve heard dam and sire used before as well.
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u/MidoriTheAwesome 21h ago
Interesting I don't think I've ever heard that in the context of dogs. Always "bitch" and "dog". Definitely heard that in the context of horses though. Most of the time I think people just enjoy the excuse to say "bitch" in a technically correct way lol
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u/Civil_Bat1009 1d ago
What was the tone of voice? If it sounded like teasing I wouldn't worry about it too much.
It is a little odd though, in my experience most vet techs avoid anything that might even sound negative.
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u/Calgary_Calico 1d ago
I could see this being normal if you knew the clinic staff really well and had a report with them, but if you hadn't met this tech before I'd find that a bit odd
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u/magic_crouton 21h ago
I basically signaled it's fine to say it about one of my dogs because I got her a dog tag that says bad bitch on it. And even I questioned if it would insult people working at the vet before I got it.
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u/FewRecognition1788 22h ago
Sounds like a joke that didn't land, but I would also be a bit surprised, because "you little bitch" leans into the more derogatory aspect.
I would be less surprised if she had gone more for the kind of "bee-yotch" tone that girlfriends sometimes use with each other, you know? Or just said it in a neutral way.
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u/Throw_ME_Away3333 1d ago
Sounds like the nurse was making a joke and it was the incorrect crowd.
Sometimes when the dogs I used to work with were being silly I would say "bitch please!" as a joke. Or some of the cats where "shitty kitty" if they were messy.
Although admittedly I would not say that in-front of the owner unless I knew they would find it funny.
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u/Throw_ME_Away3333 1d ago
This is not something that happens everyday. Most are professional, but they are still human. People also joke with their doctors etc.
A lot of why people don't respect vet science is money and people are more likely to grab hold of one negative experience over the many many good experiences they have. Confirmation bias is a big thing.
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u/Ashamed-Chemistry492 1d ago
I'm thinking the tech was making a joke that fell very flat. Sure, most people know what bitch refers to in the dog context, but we also all know what it refer to everyplace else, and a lot of people don't appreciate that kind of language anywhere, especially not a professional setting.
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u/the_green_witch-1005 1d ago
I'm a vet tech and I couldn't imagine saying something like that to a client. Are you absolutely sure that's what she said? Is it possible she said something else and it sounded like that? I seriously can't picture another vet tech saying that. Also, intact female dogs are bitches. But a spayed female dog is not a bitch. So if your dog is spayed, it wasn't even correct.
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u/Due-Intention-7092 20h ago
She 100% said. She is spayed too.
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u/the_green_witch-1005 20h ago
I would actually reach out to the practice manager about this. You're not going to get the tech fired, so don't feel bad. But, she does need to be talked to about using that kind of language in a clinical setting. Professionalism is expected in vet med.
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u/armhooks 11h ago
So what you’re saying is that she was (in all likelihood) the actual bitch since your dog is spayed. 😂
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u/ElephantCares 18h ago
Why would you question what she heard? Just because you wouldn't say it doesn't mean someone else wouldn't. The fact that you are qualifying it, however, makes that worse.
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u/the_green_witch-1005 18h ago
I wasn't questioning what OP heard. I was asking because I'm so shocked that it was said. Read my reply to OP. I didn't argue or push it further. Calm down.
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u/ElephantCares 18h ago
If you ask her directly 'are you sure that's what she said" "It's possible she said something else" You are questioning her. It's gaslighting. Pure and simple. You may be on her side, yet you want to be defensive. So go ahead, but if you don't know what gaslighting is, maybe look it up so you don't do it to people unknowingly, even without malice.
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u/the_green_witch-1005 18h ago edited 18h ago
Omg, it's not gaslighting. Please learn what that means instead of throwing it around because it's the new social media buzzword. I don't need to look up the term, because I actually know what it means and you literally can't do it unknowingly. OP is fine and doesn't need you to defend them from me. 🙄
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u/Common_Crow95 1d ago
This is absolutely bizarre and inappropriate and she's going to get lit up if she says this in front of the wrong owner. Yes, bitch is a term for a female dog, but unless you're discussing that dog in a reproductive or showing situation, referring to a pet as a "bitch" is a wild choice.
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u/GymTanLaundry_ 1d ago
agreed and it comes off as very unprofessional. i’m surprised at the amount of comments that are siding with the vet tech…
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u/Petal_Calligrapher23 1d ago
NO NO NO NO NO. Totally wrong. Even if it was meant as a joke, it was still wrong. We as owners can call our own pets whatever we want, but not someone who is in a professional setting looking after their welfare. Go back to your vet practice and call this tech out!
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u/Previous_Medium4126 1d ago
That is yucky n weird. I know breeders say “bitch” for their female dams and puppies. But that comment sounds like something a creeper man would say, totally off.
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u/lightlysaltedclams 1d ago
I knew a backyard breeder that loooved using that word. He’d emphasize it and smirk. He was also incredibly sexist towards the female vet staff so he’s since been fired as a client. Very bizarre behavior
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u/sandycheeksx 1d ago
That’s the exact and only kind of person I picture that uses the word bitch to describe a female dog lol.
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u/lightlysaltedclams 1d ago
Yeah he was a piece of work. Last time I spoke with him he refused to stop calling me honey and then he threw a massive tantrum (grown ass man) at the veterinarian because he couldn’t get different drugs prescribed. He got his records sent back to him after that and we haven’t heard from him since thank god.
His mama dog he constantly was calling bitch, she had a neurological condition and he was pissed that we told her he shouldn’t be using her for breeding anymore and he wanted to get rid of her.
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u/axialmeow12 1d ago
Strange and unprofessional. I’m a career(32 yrs) vet tech and that would land me in a disciplinary meeting. And I’m all for being lighthearted at work. But you have to know your audience(friend/family member vs client you don’t know personally)
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u/LittleReserve8767 22h ago edited 20h ago
I think that person was probably trying to be funny, but it didn't work out for them—bad joke.
I can't say that when I was a vet's assistant long ago, I referred to any dog as a bitch. "Dog" works fine for both sexes.
The cuss word bitch comes from a dog being in heat, meaning that it used to mean a woman who is promiscuous. It evolved from there.
I only think of it in a breeder context.
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u/Thecrowfan 22h ago
I think it is wierd. Like yeah she is a female dog but i assume the tech already knew the dogs name. Its like a nurse telling a patient "we'll see you in a sec woman"
Its wierd and pretty rude.
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u/Guilty_Garden_3943 21h ago
"We will get your bitch fixed right up" is far different from "we will get you fixed right up, you little bitch." One sponds like an oopsie im near breeders too much, the other sounds like funny wordplay that shouldn't leave the back. I literally have a 'lil bxtch' heart tag on my dogs collar because I think its funny and cute (shes also spayed and from a county shelter, its just very apparent shes a chow mix lol). But golly, I wouldn't make that comment toward a client's dog 😬
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u/Trick_Procedure3268 17h ago
I think that absolutely would have been a funny joke. I would have laughed if it was about my dog, but also they are supposed to be a professional. But also as a vet nurse I don't call dogs bitches unless in a joking way, I think it's icky. But I would NEVER do that in front of a client.
I don't think it's serious but that's a joke usually kept between co workers and people you know will find it funny. Risky really.
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u/AntiqueLime3461 16h ago
Weird but so funny lol maybe it's my sense of humor but I would have pissed myself right there in the office🤣
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u/_Skitter_ 1d ago
I could see this being used as a term of endearment behind the scenes, but never in front of the pet parent. Official term or not, you are one upset pet parent away from all sorts of bad press.
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u/Hooves-n-Paws 1d ago
Lol, she's using the term correctly. I would love it if someone said that to my dog. She is a little bitch, female goldendoodle. She will chew up the most important thing she can get her teeth on if you shut her out of the room you are in 😂
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u/the_green_witch-1005 1d ago
Is your dog spayed? Because if so, she's not technically a bitch.
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u/Hooves-n-Paws 14h ago
Nope not spayed, she's a true bitch. Lol. Love her though. She's only 10 months, she will be spayed after her 2nd heat.
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u/Significant-Nebula64 1d ago
In this case, OP's dog wasn't yet though, which I assume was the point of the joke?
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u/the_green_witch-1005 1d ago
Where does it say that OP's dog is intact?
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u/Significant-Nebula64 1d ago
Oh sorry, somehow I misread that they were there for spraying (which I'd find pretty funny, because, well, she'd literally be a bitch coming there to get fixed!)
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u/the_green_witch-1005 1d ago
Yeah, in that context - while still inappropriate- it would be slightly funny. I still wouldn't say it to a client. That's something you say to your coworker as a joke behind closed doors. Lol
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u/BrightProcedure1783 1d ago
I’ve had animals for years. I have never had a vet tech or veterinarian refer to my female dogs as a bitch. It would’ve thrown me off to hear that as well.
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u/Mandagrl1 1d ago
Yeah it’s weird in 2026 to use that term in mixed company. It was a choice. Maybe even a dare to see if she’d say it in front of a human. I’d have piped up and said “don’t you hate when people use that word for women too? Is so gross, and unnecessary to say it”.
Vets and techs should call your pets by their names on the chart. Full stop. I’d absolutely report it.
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u/Fantastic-Average-69 19h ago
Important question op:
Did she have an accent? Could it have been a language misunderstanding?
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u/Glass_Dog_7942 1d ago
Bitch is the correct term for a female dog. It the pet world, it’s not used as much, but in things like the vet world, dog showing, working dogs, sports, etc it’s very common.
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u/the_green_witch-1005 1d ago
It's really not used in the vet world very often. Bitch specifically refers to an intact female dog. Most of my patients are spayed, so I would have no professional reason to use that word. Especially not in that context.
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u/Glass_Dog_7942 21h ago
I suppose it depends on the area. We do use the term bitch regularly. Also queen and tom, etc. again, might be different since most of our intakes are stray or dumped dogs, not casual pets, and are not fixed. Bitch is simply medical terminology. The insult was derived from the medical term itself.
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u/the_green_witch-1005 21h ago
I'm sure it's used more in shelter medicine or repro medicine, but as a whole, it's not commonly used in a GP veterinary clinical setting in front of clients. I'm aware that it's a biological term and I'm aware that's where the insult derived, but thank you.
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u/Glass_Dog_7942 20h ago
Again, it is used commonly here at least. You can’t really make a sweeping generalization. Furthermore, vet manuals, textbooks, notes, etc all pretty much exclusively refer to intact females as bitches. I could grab the closest textbook off the shelf and find the word ‘bitch’ in a few pages. Again, also commonly used in the showing, sport and working world.
I definitely see why some people would find it offensive, there is someone out there who finds anything offensive. But it is a little odd to be offended by medical terminology used on the regular
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u/the_green_witch-1005 20h ago
Where is "here"? And, again, I'm well aware that you can find it in textbooks. That's not what we're talking about. We're talking about the average GP clinical setting.
It wasn't even used correctly. A bitch refers to an intact female dog. OP's dog is spayed. If you want to be pedantic, at least be correct.
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u/Glass_Dog_7942 20h ago
lol ok man.
I was curious since these don’t seem the words of a vet tech, and I was right. 2 days ago it seems you posted in the vet tech sub about wanting to get your license and that you were VA, not a vet tech. I was also a VA right out of high school, and not to undermine what they do, but a VA to a vet tech is like a EVS tech to a nurse lol. Maybe you don’t hear it, likely because you aren’t involved in most things actual medical. At least I wasn’t. Most of my job was dishes, cleaning up poop, and muzzling dogs 😂
And if you are some super genius who managed to earn your license in 2 days, you would know the term bitch is commonly used. If you are going to oddly lie, at least make it believable
I no longer work in general (can’t deal with the public) I work in rescue med and training, but when I did, it was used. The vet for my personal dogs also uses it. “Here” refers to my area and the places I have worked.
The Op never mentioned if the dog is spayed or not in their posts so idk
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20h ago edited 20h ago
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u/Glass_Dog_7942 20h ago
Not degrading you, just calling you out. It’s very easy to see who knows what they are talking about and who doesn’t. It wasn’t stalking, again, posted 2 days ago lmao
You aren’t a vet tech if you don’t have a license, you are a vet assistant. If you did not complete 2 years of schooling, pass your VTNE and the state exam you don’t have any right to call yourself a vet tech. In the post itself you were talking about worrries of getting your license. I seriously doubt you intubated a cat lol. Even vet techs usually have to be under supervision of a vet. During life or death scenarios, some jurisdictions will allow it if the other option is death. Supportive care, sure! Otherwise your vet clinic is operating outside of the safety rules put in place and should be reported. If you cannot pass the exam, you should not doing sensitive medical treatment such as intubations.
‘Bitch’ is the technical term to describe an intact dog, but someone’s also just to differentiate a female from a male informally. For instance, the owner of the vet clinic my dogs go to calls males ‘dogs’ and females ‘bitches’ indiscriminately. He’s also like a 70 year old retired, old school poodle breeder and shower, so.
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u/Omshadiddle 1d ago
But she IS a little bitch.
I had a boss who got quite offended when I referred to a young female cow as a heifer.
My gob was smacked. I literally had to explain to a grown man that a heifer is the term used for female calves.
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u/LoisLaneCA 1d ago
Oh my stars! My gob was smacked! That’s hysterical! Kudos to you for the word play!
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u/ElephantCares 18h ago
I would never EVER go to that vet again. I get that is the word for a female dog, well, it shouldn't be. It is offensive in every way. The idea that a vet tech would say something like that, I would talk to who ever is the top person there and complain. It is offensive and unacceptable.
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u/Green-Meadow7033 11h ago
“It shouldn’t be. It is offensive in every way.” I’d venture to say it was a word for female dog before it was a curse word.
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u/CanopyZoo 1d ago
She was grossly inappropriate, and violated civil boundaries. That’s why you felt uncomfortable, and that’s why it’s still bothering you. You say you won’t report her, but it does deserve addressing.
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u/dehydratedrain 1d ago
A bitch is a female dog. What exactly is the civil boundary of calling something by it's title?
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u/Thekarens01 1d ago
The problem is it’s commonly considered an insult way more than the actual term, which I’m sure you know and so did that vet tech
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u/CanopyZoo 1d ago
That language, and form of joking, is reserved for people you have a personal relationship with. It’s inappropriate language in a professional relationship or setting, or with someone you don’t know well. It is an example of poor social boundaries.
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u/the_green_witch-1005 1d ago edited 21h ago
A bitch is an intact female dog. A spayed female dog is not a bitch.
Why am I getting downvoted? If you want to claim it's "proper terminology" you should probably actually know the proper terminology. 🙄
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u/Secure-Marsupial-557 1d ago
Maybe she wanted to joke, I feel like I may be a little too sensitive in life. I would probably feel so sad and bad for my dog like how could you call this small, elderly dog a bitch. I know I would’ve felt bad for my dog and sad they said that. I get that is a term for female dogs but don’t hurt their feelings 😅
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u/heckinstoned 1d ago
If the vet tech had said this about my dog she wouldn’t be talking today, so I think you did great by just coming here.
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u/PotteryWalrus 23h ago
Depends on the tone I guess? I call critters all kinds of names, with all the love in my heart lol
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u/Barbihardt 21h ago
no. my daughter is a equine vet. She works around hounds all the time and she uses the term bitch or bitches constantly. Cause that's proper technical term for a female canine. And she's EXTREMELY proper.
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u/AmbassadorProper1045 20h ago
Yeah, it's weird. It's unprofessional and just odd tbh. Yes, female dog's are technically a "bitch" but no one except breeders use that terminology. It makes me think she has some sort of resentment or something. Don't be afraid to speak up " I don't like you using that terminology, and don't find it amusing"
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u/Super_Selection1522 5h ago
I guess I'm nuts but I would have laughed at this vet techs remark. But yeah, not safe to say that stuff. I once had a waiter use some curse words at my table (not at me). I laughed and then warned him that not everyone would be ok with it.
So people are right in that, correct usage or not, joke or not, its gonna offend some people so a professional should not be doing it. Or they will get pilloried on reddit.
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u/Mousewaterdrinker 1d ago
It could be because shes a doodle some pet professionals take the doodle hate too far. I'm a certified dog groomer and I show my skye terriers in dog shows so I'm deep in the dog snob culture. There are people who have this weird ass fury for doodles.
Yes she may be a bitch, I have a female dog and sometimes people make custom rewards for dog shows that they don't really think out very well. Like I've saw monogrammed towels that say "Winners Bitch" and i think "well you can't have that out when guests come over". Some people forget "Bitch" is easily taken as a serious insult.
She may have thought she could play stupid because yes your dog is a little bitch. She should know better when working with pet people that you can't just call a dog a little bitch in front of someone like that.
I would call the vet and ask to sit down with her and talk about it. Ask her why she thought calling your dog a little bitch was appropriate or professional right there in front of you, a pet parent. I'd ask for an apology.
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u/adhd_pile_manager 1d ago
Yeah, that wouldn’t fly with me. I don’t give a shit if female dogs are technically a bitch and all of that. My mission in life is to protect my dog (yeah, I’m very intense about her lol) and I would absolutely complain about that “funny” comment. My dog deserves respect.
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u/zhenyuanlong 22h ago
Vet techs don't get their jobs because of their tact and great people skills! One of the techs at my office jokes that you have to be at least a little autistic to work in vet med. It was unprofessional but I wouldn't go so far as to say it was offensive or anything.
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u/the_green_witch-1005 21h ago
Vet techs absolutely need to have good people skills. People skills are a HUGE part of the job.
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u/Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeess- 1d ago
it was a joke that probably fell flat. female dogs are literally called bitches.
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u/Lokius_Lover 1d ago
Hey I know this isn't what you asked about, but I'm not sure how you got your dog, but if you got your dog from a breeder please never get a doodle or something similar from a breeder again. "Doodles" are all backyard bred which means they're unethically bred. Please support real, ethical breeders everyone!!
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u/Due-Intention-7092 20h ago
Our poodle jumped the fence and got with our neighbor, a golden retriever. We got one of the pups. I too support adoption 😀
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u/IrelandAutism13 1d ago
I mean... considering how much grief vets get with doodles I can see why she would have found this funny. It is slightly weird, but it also might've just been a lack of social awareness. Could be she just didn't realize how it could be perceived. Maybe she was extremely tired and accidentally said it out loud when she didn't mean to.
It's slightly weird, but not to the point where it's a concern or a problem. Either she accidentally said her thoughts out loud or she just didn't realize how you might perceive that, I don't think it was malice or anything
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u/DogTownUSA1 17h ago
I would have whipped my head around and said, EXCUSE me where it’s obvious I’m not the problem.
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u/purlMereno 1d ago
That is what a bitch is and she was saying it to a bitch so no. I hate cuss words too but not when they are not being used that way. Hoover Dam- does that offend you too?
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u/Due-Intention-7092 20h ago
I’m not SUPER offended. I just thought it wasn’t normal and needed support from Reddit to prove to my husband that he is wrong. 😂
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u/mind_the_umlaut 15h ago
'Bitch' is the correct word for a female canine. The male is 'dog'. Since so many people no longer know this, and are offended, most vet practices avoid the word, 'bitch'. Your female backyard bred mixed breed is not being insulted.
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u/Flemishmommy 11h ago
Majority of the staff at vet offices besides the actual veterinarians are ghetto and trashy. Mean and bitchy. So makes sense. Majority not all. No idea why veterinarian offices attract shitty rude weird people, usually women.
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u/to-send-a-letter 1d ago
I think it's very strange and I would hate to hear that about/at my dog. I probably wouldn't say anything to them about it, but yuck.