[Liz S]

Really need some help here. My moms chihuahua just turned 10 years old. A few months ago at her check up she had everything checked ( and more since she’s considered senior now ) – as well as blood work. Everything came back fine.
Brief back story: her old vet whom she went to for over 10 years and cared for many pets, told her a few years ago that although her ( Qtip is her name ) breath was REALLY, REALLY BAD, and her teeth were as well, she wasn’t in any pain. That dogs don’t have pain when they get cavities etc. BS!!!! She had never had a teeth cleaning. I was so upset. But my mom trusted him. * Please NO COMMENTS about how she should have had her teeth cleaned several times by now. * —- I know that. My mom now does too. And please no comments about her.

Fast forward to her check up a few months ago at MY vet. I recommended her to mine. I’d been with them for about 2 years and am happy with them for the most part. One of the reasons I also bring all my furbabies there is they treat ferrets. I have 4. Couldn’t find any other vet that took them.

They discovered Qtip has a small heart palpitation. And of course we spoke of her teeth/gums etc. Of course they said she absolutely needs a cleaning and teeth pulled. But they won’t do the anesthesia until they do an MRI. Which I totally understand and agree! Apparently they don’t have an MRI machine on site. So between the cleaning, extra time for pulling teeth, anesthesia and a truck having to come with an MRI machine the cost is going to be outrageous. I know it would’ve been either way but the mobile MRI added a lot of money.

*Please, no comments on ” if you can’t afford a pet don’t get one. Or have a savings account for things like this. ” * —- My mom knows this. I know this! My family ( fiance and toddler ) ourselves have 2 cats, 3 dogs and 4 ferrets. And after caring for a sick ferret for 9 months this past year we understand the extra costs that may come.

I’m just wondering if anyone has any advice. Similar situations. Etc. I guess I’ll call for her and get a breakdown of everything. I should probably call around and see if any other vets have an MRI machine on site or whatever else I can find out about saving some money on this. I want to help my mom. She has an extremely rare tumor and her husband is a truck driver and is almost never home. I’m just looking for any help/ideas you guys might have.

Breaks my heart seeing Qtips mouth :'( – breaks my moms too but there are other things going on financially that aren’t her fault.

Thanks in advance and thanks for reading

[Cheryl Pepper Millie Sophie]

Liz,
It breaks my heart to hear your story,
A few pieces of advice-do you live in a town or city? Is there a veterinary teaching hospital that isn’t too far away?
Why, If you don’t mind me asking and if you know wasn’t an ultrasound suggested 1st an MRI seems like the last step not the first.
In my experience with my schnauzer, when i got her 3 yrs ago her teeth & gums were so bad and infected I cried when I saw them,no one ever cared for them and it was a disaster, I still say to this day 3 yrs later this is why her immune system is so bad. But I am getting off topic.
My Pepper has mild mitral valve prolapse, what I would do is ask to have an ultrasound done find out what grade the murmur is I-IV ( i think it may be grade 1-4 not 5 ) then go from there, ultrasounds are not cheap, but they are less costly and less invasive to Qtips-all they do is shave her tummy a bit, put jelly & pass the thingy(sorry forgot what’s it called) along the heart area. Then & only then with a detailed explanation get an MRI done. I can’t put Pepper under anymore because of her age and her pulmonary hypertension,so I use a product called Oravet that I get on Amazon( I can tell you more about that if you decide not to do the dental) Also ask if a course of antibiotics might help her-to get the infection under control-if she has a bad infection & there is bleeding you don’t want her to get sepsis, or a bad infection circulating through her entire body
I hate to say this but someone wants your money-you must be very forthright and question,question everything-if i told you how many vets I have taken my angel to how many disagreements i have had your jaw would drop.
I look at it like this-I have her for a reason, she came into my life for a reason I am her caretaker ,advocate , guardian & I will fight for her to get the best that is possible.
I shouldn’t say this but vets are in it for the money (most vets are)-they can size a person up in seconds & see who treats there pets as pets or as a fur-kids as a child with 4 legs, and then the bleeding starts. Stay strong.
Please keep me updated, I will offer any help I can, because believe me in the last 3 yrs I feel like I have been through so much with my baby girl.
Good luck.

[neezerfan]

I also question why an MRI and not an ultrasound. I am no expert but I know when I’ve needed testing for my heart it was either echocardiogram (ultrasound) or EKG. I don’t know what an MRI would show. Perhaps ask specifically what they are looking to learn and what an MRI will tell them?

[Melissaandcrew]

What do you mean by heart palpitation? Do you mean a murmur . Or ..arrhythmia?? Most times these are checked by ecg or echocardiogram.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 3 months ago by Melissaandcrew.

[Mom2Cavs]

My 2 senior Cavaliers with MVD see a cardiologist who did echo cardiograms on them, not MRIs. While it was still expensive it was cheaper than MRIs. There is such a thing called Care Credit that I’ve used. It’s a credit card meant just for health issues (human and pet) that charges no interest if you pay it off by 6 months. Quite a help to us.

[Liz S]

Sorry for the late reply!

Cheryl & melissaandcrew,
I meant to say murmur. I think I was just thinking of so many different things at once…

Cheryl, I would cry too 🙁 – Glad your girl found you. I love Amazon- I will check Oravet out. I really, really want/need Qtip to have a dental. Maybe Oravet could be afterwards-maintenance? Will have to look at it in a bit.

You know, I think you are right about my vet. They have snuck in little ( odd ones IMO ) charges many times now. Twice now they have taken our pets information incorrectly. Meaning they kind of quickly put things in but they always seem distracted. The 1st time I found out was when we were discussing our buggs vaccines. Age was way off. The 2nd time was fairly recent. My 2 year old Chihuahua went in to be spayed. Mind you she had been going to them since she was a puppy. Well, the vet called me afterward and said ” there was no way this was the uterus of a 7 month old puppy. ” I was like WHAT?!?! She was 2! The worst visit was when we had to help our Annabelle ( ferret ) cross the bridge. My fiancé and I walked into the room while I held her in a fuzzy blanket. Anthony was so upset and had tears in his eyes since we walked in the door. I felt horrible 🙁 – I told him earlier that day that he didn’t have to come. It was okay. He said ” No, I’m coming. I’ve just never had to put any of my pets down before. I’ve never seen an animal die. ” — phew it broke my heart for him. Anyway- We get in the room. A tech brings in a card reader and tells us the price. It was not the “exact price” that I was told over the phone. It was $60 more. But, ok. Fine. She left and then came back saying ” we have it down as you ordering 30 cans of A/D and never paying for them.” — I was enraged. Not only did we not order them, but we never picked them up. We had even been there 3x AFTER the so called time the cans were picked up. I couldn’t believe she was asking about it at this time! She left again. Came back and said it was a mistake on their end. No ” I’m sorry about that.” No nothing. Oh it was just a really bad experience. 🙁

I guess I’m going to have to call vet after vet and explain/get prices etc? That’s hard because most won’t say much until the pet is seen, right? 🙁

I wonder what my next move should be? I have an appointment with the current vet on Tuesday and have to keep it since it’s for my ferrets. But I’m not sure what to do after that?

Honestly anyone that comments, I appreciate the advice more than you know.

Liz

[Liz S]

^ Besides them working with ferrets, I chose this vet because my childhood best friends mother has been the ACO one town over for over 30 years and she takes her pets there. She recommended them to me….Pffffffft……………

• This reply was modified 9 years, 3 months ago by Liz S.

[Cheryl Pepper Millie Sophie]

Liz,
So glad you posted-I understand people have lives and posting takes time-lots of it,for me weekends work better lately.
Anyway, I feel I have to be honest with you. IMHO RUN DON’T WALK AWAY FROM THIS VET-too many mistakes have been made. i understand they treat Ferrets, but I wouldn’t let them touch Qtip at all, honestly I wouldn’t let them touch a house fly!!!!
Get all blood work, x-rays etc. You paid for them they are yours-don’t take no for an answer!!!
you are now Qtips voice-she can talk for herself-she needs you.
Vets will quote you prices over the phone-Dentals are not cheap, but, more important you want her to survive the dental-if she has an infection in her gums,get her antibiotics first before the dental, no MRI -ultrasound only if needed most females including 4 legged ones have mild heart murmurs -I don’t mean to repeat myself -find out EXACTLY WHAT SHE HAS EKG are ok but in canines like us its a snapshot of when its taken -if it was me & what I learned with my Pepper save your money for the cardiac ultrasound.
YOU MUST GET ALL HER RECENT TEST Results- you should see my file on Pepper-evey test ,anything done I get a copy of.
This vet is a money hungry so & so stay away-do some research find a teaching hospital if its not too far to travel-
you want someone who asks you is Qtip a pet or a member of the family-you get my drift-you want someone with compassion & who cares for them-yes it’s a business but IMHO there motto should be first do no harm & don’t bleed the caretakers of these baby’s
You can ask me anything-if you want my email address, so we can email off DVA-i will give it to you – I will share & try to help yo anyway I can.
Please keep me posted.
Cheryl

[Liz S]

Cheryl,

I contacted FACT ( Ferret Association of Connecticut ) and they gave me names of a few places that take ferrets. I didn’t get a chance to call them since FACT just got back to me this afternoon. One is close to me.

Will get on the phone tomorrow. Been looking around on the internet. I’m not sure what to say first when I call around. ( especially about Qtip. )

Would love to email. Goes right to my phone.

[Cheryl Pepper Millie Sophie]

Liz,
I will give you a list of questions if you want about what to ask for Qtip.
Were you able to call & get her records from that WONDERFUL vet?
I am a little busy this am, but I WILL GET BACK TO YOU WITH A LIST OF QUESTIONS.
STAY STRONG

[Dori]

Liz, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not take any of your pets or your mothers or your friends to that vet ever again under any circumstance. I can’t even hardly believe the things you have incurred there. What surprises me is that you have stayed with them as long as you have. If they are making these types of mistakes (some intentionally, others not?), God only knows what’s going on in the areas of the practice you cannot see. This is a very frightening tale you have told and have gone through. The vet and his staff seem equally ignorant. Please find another vet. Even if you have to use two different vets. One for your ferret and one your dog. Years ago when my son had ferrets we would take them to a completely different vet than the one that saw our dogs. It wasn’t a big deal. It’s not as if I needed to take dogs and ferrets to the vet at the same time.

As Cheryl said, RUN, DON’T WALK TO A NEW VET. OR TWO NEW VETS!

[theBCnut]

Until recently, it’s been overlooked by vets too. I have to wonder if that’s because they have bought into the myth of kibble cleaning teeth for so long. Now they are finally having to admit that that didn’t work.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Mabel,

What’s your connection with Generic Frontline Plus dot com? You mention that you’re associated with the website. Do you receive a financial benefit from the site? I notice you’ve referred to it in each of your posts.

[theBCnut]

Also, just what dental care do you think a vet wants to do on a monthly basis?

[Dori]

BC, I’d like to know the answer to that question also. It’s what stuck out to me on her post. I don’t think she means that they should be put under for a full dental once a month, that’s not right, but I can’t figure out what she meant. I’m certainly not paying my vet (probably vet tech) to brush my teeth once a month. ?????????? Hope she comes back and explains what she meant.

[theBCnut]

I know for a fact that there is nothing my vet wants to do to any dog or cat’s teeth once a month for life. They would think that’s just plain silly. Why would vets want to do more to dogs’ teeth than dentists do to humans’?

[Cheryl Pepper Millie Sophie]

Mabel,
I am a bit confused also. Did you mean that a vet tech should check their teeth once monthly?? That could cost a great deal. I am sure you don’t mean a full dental monthly where they are put under anesthetic.

Liz,
Hadn’t hear from you I do hope Qtips is doing o.k.
Post something if you can

[Liz S]

Hi everyone,
Haven’t had the chance to get on here. So much going on!

Cheryl if you see this I would definitely love some help on questions to ask etc. I’ve had many furbabies for over 15 years but with this current vet I am just like…. sick to my stomach. The day you posted I didn’t have a chance to respond because I did want to get my 4 ferrets in to at the very least get checked out and I already had the appointment made. Anyway get this- my 3 girls tested negative for ear mites. Our new little boy we’d had for 3 weeks tested positive. Plan was to give them all a dose of revolution. Well after I left the exam room and spoke with the techs/front desk and they gave me the box I said “wait a minute. this says for cats 5-15lbs. ” So the girl goes in back, comes out says the vet I saw stepped out for lunch but they asked the other vet and she said ” yeah. if that’s what he wrote, then….” I thought to myself, are you kidding me?!?! My ferrets are under 2lbs. NO WAY was I going to give that to them. They’d be poisoned and die a horribly death. But I just wanted to get out of there. So I did buy the box ( $80 ) but again I was not going to give it to them. I was going to come back in 2 hours and demand to speak directly to either of the vets. Ha. I couldn’t answer my phone after I left because I brought my mom to her oncologist. We get back to her house and in the span of 1 hour I received multiple calls and voice mails from the techs saying ” Do not give it to them!!!! We’re working on what the proper dosage would be and see if we have the kind ( it metabolizes differently ) that is safe for ferrets.” —- they were frantic on all of the messages and I was thinking to myself… NEVER EVER WILL THIS OFFICE SEE ANY of my or my moms pets again!!!!!! I was just livid. If I wasn’t a veteran ferrant and applied it, they’d be gone! It’d be horrible! Just thinking about it makes my BP raise. The carelessness & negligence that day just set me off. But anyway… I did end up going back and speaking with the actual manufacturer and I received the correct kind. UGH. I wanted to tell you about it that day but it was just too hectic. I DID pick up ALL of our pets records as well as my moms dog, Qtip. I made sure to get everything.

I wish this site was a little more mobile friendly. The pages cut off and I write a big reply and then I can’t find the submit button!!!! I hope they work on it in the near future. It’s easier for me than getting on the laptop. Oh well. Anyway. Thankfully it’s tax time and I can help my mom out. We filed today but I saw on the news to expect delays in returns, so who knows. – Liz

[Author]

Posts