[Patricia A]

Peace to you also. Just wanted to add that have had dogs in my home for over 25 years and always took my vets advice regarding their health. However, there have been times they were just outright wrong and caused more harm then good. My first dog was a Doxie. A tough little dog and just wonderful with my two young children at the time. This was over 25 years ago and when my vet said he is due for his shots after a well check up I started questioning if he had my dogs best interest. He was 16 at the time and starting to loose bladder control as well as his appetite. Our visit was REALLY to ask if he feels it might be time and if he was suffering . I am glad I went against his push for the shots. He always had bad reactions to them. The lepto was the culprit that made his face swell so that was discontinued the last year. When I showed concerned that he can no longer receive the lepto my vet said don’t worry since it would be rare for him to actually contact the lepto virus. Anyway we had Pookie for three more months before we decided it was time.Looking at some old VHS videos the other day and so glad we had so many with Pookie always in the middle of everything. Then came my Chloe a rescue Chihuahua. Took her in for a cough and exercise intolerance that came on quickly. This was about 12 years ago. Vet gave X-ray and said pneumonia. Gave us antibiotics and said take her into the steamy shower and tap on her chest to move fluid. He said not to worry. Well by early morning we were rushing her into office and they said hurry to the big hospital emergency 20 minutes away. She was turning blue on her gums and gasping. She died on my lap on the way there. I got a ton of apologies from the “head” vet who owns the business and also from my vet who said “don’t worry just give the antibiotics”. She was 13 and I trusted him that even though my intuition said she looked really sick and she’s 13 withpneumonia and maybe we should take her for another opinion we didn’t. We just put our trust that she’ll be getting better by morning with the two antibiotics already in her. I think they thought we would sue because I got calls all week with the “so very sorry”. Very hard to even think or talk about it without crying again after all these years. Next comes my Hannah. She needed surgery for luxatting Patella. Very common in small breeds with their knees not staying in place . Vet gives all the blood tests before surgery AND her shots. I asked vet if they could be given seperately because the last year she was not right for two weeks after all the shots. He said no they are all in one. So three weeks later take her to the big animal hospital for her surgery and they give another blood test before surgery. Surgeon calls that surgery could not be done because she had hardly any white cell count. Mind you she had a clean bill of health at her checkup and blood work three weeks before. So now she needs a bone marrow test. Results are immune mediated hypo lymphocyte or something like that caused from vaccination. Thank goodness months later her white count went up and got her surgery. She was 8 at the time and I stopped all vaccinations for her. She is the one now that is 17 . At that time I had her and a one other little rescue Loli. I took her in for spaying. She had all her shots and would get the boosters at a year. So vet said she has to have the kennel nasal vaccine before she goes for the spaying . Well within three days this healthy little puppy was coughing, sneezing and had mucous pouring out of her nose . So the vet actually GAVE her a cold to prevent others from catching a cold while she is there. If I would have brought her in for the surgery with that cold she would have infected all the dogs there . Also why give a bad cold to a dog getting surgery. Not only that he knew that I had an immune compromised dog to boot that could catch the cold.
Onward to the present. Hannah was diagnosed with very likely mitral valve disease by stethoscope , breed and of course her age. She developed a cough a few months ago. But to give her the prescription she needed the ultrasound. Vet said ultrasound guy comes in twice a week and I would have to bring her in at 7 in morning and leave her in cage. The cardio/ultrousound Dr. might not be in till late afternoon. So I asked if I could have an estimate so I could bring her in and sit with her in office. I was willing to wait a few hours. I explained to vet she is almost 17 and her heart is very bad. I do NOT want a phone call that she passed in that cage from the stresss without me. Vet said there is no way to know when he will come and if she’s not there he will not wait. I live like five minutes away. All they had to do was call me when he comes in and do the other dogs waiting and I would be there way before he’s ready for her. Well he did not agree to that. So there is NO exception for a very elderly dog who doesn’t have long and give her more stress and fear by waiting all day in a cage. I would have been a wreck waiting for that phone call that she passed and how would I live with that ? After many pleading phone calls the head vet agreed to call me when he’s on the way. They did her last I waited over two hours.. I guess that was my punishment for being a pain but so relieved I didn’t have to leave her waiting in the cage.
Sorry so long but feels good getting all this out. Maybe you can now understand being a little questioning when it comes to SOME practices of SOME vets with my pets.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 7 months ago by Patricia A.