10 Things Your Vet Won't Tell You

[RebelOne]

I received this from one of my animal rescue lists. Some good info.

http://www.smartmoney.com/10things/index.cfm?story=september2005

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Good post.. Very good info in that article. Thanks.

[IndyOp]

2. Now I feel sick thinking about the dog who chewed out

his sutures (and intestines) when left alone overnight.

I left my dog at the vet without asking about overnight accommodations and later found out that the vet put the dogs in indoor/outdoor runs after surgery. When the office was closed the dogs were locked outdoors! My dog was there to be neutered, so he wasn't seriously ill and the night was dry and warm - but I was *really* angry not to have been informed about this substandard treatment. It had not occurred to me that he would not be in a cage inside the building.

On the other hand, when my cat had her thyroid removed, the vet took her home with her that night to keep an eye on her -- and to be able to give a life-saving med if she started to go into shock. Cat recovered wonderfully well.

You gotta ask...

[Lorien]

4. I know, that poor dog!

Horrible. :cry:

When my kitty Peewee was so sick I left him at an emergency vet overnight several times, but not at his regular vet's; I did think to ask about whether or not they were staffed at night, and they were not, yet they wanted to charge me a huge fee to keep him there until morning! Nope, I took him home and brought him back when they opened the next day.

[ernstbass]

6. I have always been concerned about animals staying overnight

and I have argued to convince the vet to release my dogs the same day of spaying/neutering. (mine releases the males but not the females) I have always worried about fire if no one is in the clinic. On the other hand I had a very ill dog once at the vet school of a university and they sat in the cage with him all night to comfort him!!

[Kolesar]

10. That story made me lightheaded and nauseous

a nightmare

[superconnected]

3. When I had my two kittens Sasha and Mischief spayed a few

months back I picked them up and they were far more out of it- totally acting crazy, than the others had been when I brought them home. I mean I've had out of it cats from the spay meds but these two were really nuts -heads hanging on the ground crying and sleeping and crying more. Not fully conscious.

The vet explained that they were given too much of some drug, pain killer maybe, when I had picked them up.

Okay, so the next day the vet calls me for the check up surgery and actually acted surprised that the cats were alive and okay. They were also surprised the cats could eat the next day without vomiting.

The normal spays have normal cats eating by late evening the same day.

But what struck me odd was they actually were surprised the cats were alive. It was like:

Vet: How are your kittens doing?
Me :fine.

Vet: fine? Then.. they're alive?
Me: Yes. They were really out of it all night but they're fine now.

Vet: Really! Are they awake?
Me: Yes they're runing around.

Vet: Wow. Can they eat????


Seriously, I got the idea they weren't supposed to have made it by the voice. by the end of the call they double cheked to make sure the kittens were "alive" again even though we just talked all about them.

[IndyOp]

5. OMG -

That is so f*'ed. To actually ask "they're alive?" - that is seriously sick. If they thought that a mistake could kill the kittens they should've come completely clean with you.

I was alarmed by the statement in the article that there is no state or AAVA list of complaints against vets - even if you wanted to file a complaint there isn't a way to do so. I admire the woman who got a complaint system set up on a website.

:grr:

[superconnected]

9. I should include the place.

Value vet in Everett, WA was where I took them.

Other than that value vet was always good.

[Eurobabe]

7. I have often felt that Vets were a $$$ mill

Only one wonderful male vet that I really became attached to back in PA. (He loved the Daemon.) I trusted his judgment implicitly.

Thanks for posting that article, I've always thought that vets try to push push the vaccinations for my indoor only kitties.

[smurfygirl]

8. I had always wondered about the vaccinations

Being that all my fur babies are rescues. I have wondered time and agian if they have been over vaccinated. Most vets tell me there is no such thing but Sheba turned epileptic soon after I know for a fact she was over vaccinated! My new vet is aware of this issue and is always cautious of over vaccinating.