Not All Vets Are Wrong

[107barney]

I have a great vet. She's a wonderful person, caring, compassionate, and very very smart. Do I trust my dogs' lives in her hands? The answer to that, (and this is a lawyer talking (LOL), is:

"it depends."

It depends on the facts of each situation. It also depends on how I feel about it as my dogs' owner, their guardian, the one who has the best intuition or plain old gut feeling about what should happen next.

I've had mediocre vets who disappointed me and vets that I called ignorant right to their faces. But that is part and parcel of every profession. That is when we, the owners, use our collective resources and stand up for animals! -- These resources can be anything that we as individuals (again as the guardians and therefore the ones who know our animals best) feel should be part of our analysis and decision-making.

That analysis and decision-making and the road we choose to follow is different for every single person and every single set of facts. There is only one certainty here - and that is that there are NO TWO EXACT situations. There is no ONE RIGHT ANSWER.

What I choose for my dogs is extreme and I openly admit it. I am willing to cook three different diets for three different dogs and spend my weekends roasting chickens because that is a decision that I alone made. I also choose to bring my sick dogs to a specialist hospital if I think they are sick because I believe the care to be better from the acute standpoint. I think they are more experienced. This is extreme, because most people start with their general vet. Either road is A-OK because each of us is an individual.

So the message of my post is to say that is not a crime or a sin to trust your vet. Trust your heart, and make that the first order of business.

[dwerten]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

I'm not really comfortable with dosages either. I make an exception for Benadryl because I have Ellie's dose right in front of me and know approx. what dogs of her size should get. I also think when somebody comes on here at 3AM with a vaccine reaction and is an hour away from any vet that could help them, somebody needs to try to help. I may say if a dose looks right or not for other drugs. I try not to tive exact amounts. I won't even figure dosages for my own dog...

well I have seen it and have seen it was given wrong - you can call an ER vet or a 24 hr pharmacy they will give you the dose over the phone as I have done it. If they live far away from vet pick up the phone and CALL and we can tell them to do so. If you give to much of benedryl it can amp a dog up so high then that can cause a medical problem as that drug can amp a dog up or sedate a dog- all drugs can be harmful given in high doseages no matter what it is

[dwerten]

Do a search on here for say GME and see all those people helping out and guess what NONE OF THEM are helping anymore and that is SAD. They are so beaten down they do not even bother going to the sick and injured anymore to help people with what they know. I was shocked as i was going to do a link to library on GME and i searched on here for all the threads on it and was shocked whose dogs had it as they NEVER post to help people - WHY? Did they get tired of getting beat up so they figured not worth the aggravation anymore because they do not write it perfectly as to not ruffle some peoples feathers?

[BanditSocks2]

Originally Posted by Britster

I do agree with you. I don't think people should come to an online forum looking for a diagnosis, but rather just look for opinions and tips if their dog has also been through the same thing, etc. Too many people will take what they read on the internet as a fact when it's not *always* the case. A sick or injured dog should always be taken to a vet first.

With that said, I will highly disagree with vets on food. I often see so many pet owners get talked into buying Science Diet or Pedigree because it's what the vet said is the best. IMO, it's simply not the case and I will never suggest to feed the foods that most vets do and I do believe they are wrong on that issue. I've been lucky to never have a vet push their food on me, but it happens all the time. Vets get very little schooling on pet nutrition and honestly don't always know what's best, they are just selling what they've learned. SD also endorses and sponsors vet schools, I believe, so of course they are going to sell it.

Also, quite a few vets are not very knowledgeable when it comes to breeds specifics, which is where forums like this come in handy. Here I found out that a harness is best for small dogs and toy breeds for example. My vet never even informed me of such things as CT and other issues that could come along with it when I brought my 9 week old 5lb pup into the office for that first appt. My vet never informed me about reactions in the Lepto vaccine w/ small dogs (and Jackson did have a pretty bad reaction, and I later found out it's common in small dogs). So while I do think you should always get a vet's opinion before anything else, and should not come to a forum seeking medical advice without first going to vets, vets aren't God and they simply don't have all the knowledge every pet owner needs.

I agree with Brit on the food issue. Many flat out suggest "Science Diet" because they were trained that way, even my vet who I unparallely LOVE and trust. I do give that to Bandit when he's sick or after spay/neuter and I'm sure I'll do it when he has his teeth cleaned, but that's the one point I fee like I'm a little more knowledgeable about and the issue is never pressed.

I do like coming on here for medical opinions though I do trust my vets though! If anyone needs a phenomenal vet in Maryland, Dr. Klickman is SUPER.

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by dwerten

well I have seen it and have seen it was given wrong - you can call an ER vet or a 24 hr pharmacy they will give you the dose over the phone as I have done it. If they live far away from vet pick up the phone and CALL and we can tell them to do so. If you give to much of benedryl it can amp a dog up so high then that can cause a medical problem as that drug can amp a dog up or sedate a dog- all drugs can be harmful given in high doseages no matter what it is

And for the owners who say they live in a small town and no vet is answering? I certainly understand people not wanting to give dosages, but there are always exceptions to the rule. And this is the exception that I make. It makes some dogs hiype and some dogs tired and still some others, it does nothing of the sort. If feel like as a pet owner, this is one drug I sure better be able to calculate dosages for because if I am at home with a dog in anaphylactic shock and no vet is answering, it's time to do some math!

If it's a little allergy or something, sure, definitely ask the vet. But if a vet says give 4ml to a 4 pound dog (saw it recently), then I'd have to question whether there was a misunderstanding or something...

[dwerten]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

And for the owners who say they live in a small town and no vet is answering? I certainly understand people not wanting to give dosages, but there are always exceptions to the rule. And this is the exception that I make. It makes some dogs hiype and some dogs tired and still some others, it does nothing of the sort. If feel like as a pet owner, this is one drug I sure better be able to calculate dosages for because if I am at home with a dog in anaphylactic shock and no vet is answering, it's time to do some math!

If it's a little allergy or something, sure, definitely ask the vet. But if a vet says give 4ml to a 4 pound dog (saw it recently), then I'd have to question whether there was a misunderstanding or something...

so you think no ER in the country is open or not answering the phone sorry I would call and get the doseage from a professional. When it comes to drugs I do not mess around

But this is what i am talking about some say it is ok and some say not ok - you cannot have it both ways - if it is wrong to help people with sick dogs it is wrong all they way around so people need to stop being hypocrites and do what you are comfortable with

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by dwerten

so you think no ER in the country is open or not answering the phone sorry I would call and get the doseage from a professional. When it comes to drugs I do not mess around

But this is what i am talking about some say it is ok and some say not ok - you cannot have it both ways - if it is wrong to help people with sick dogs it is wrong all they way around so people need to stop being hypocrites and do what you are comfortable with

Never said it was wrong to help people with sick dogs and never said it was wrong to question vets. I think it's wrong to tell people to do something their vet didn't say to do in a way that makes it more than an opinion, but a "You should do this."

As I said, if people aren't comfortable dosing, then by all means, don't. I'm not normally comfortable with it either. But I have seen a lot of people come here and say they have no vet to call. And they can call an ER hospital in their state, but some don't seem to want to do that. And not all ER vets will give it over the phone. Once Ellie had a little sore on her ear and we called to ask if we could use Neosporin. The tech wouldn't answer and said they would need to see it. lol. Um, I'm not paying $85 for you to look at a little bleeding dot. So if they can't get ahold of somebody or are concerned, then I have no problem helping. It's the same thing I would do for family. I will not tell them what doses to give. I will tell them if it looks wrong and I would tell them how much benadryl to use in an emergency.

[chachi]

I think we need to stop criticizing and realize people are taking their time to help people here and focus on the positive not the negative.[/QUOTE]

I agree. I have never seen the forum this divided and the # of long time members gone is incredible. If you don't want to help and all you want to do is nit pick then get out of the way so those that do help can

[megansmomma]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

Never said it was wrong to help people with sick dogs and never said it was wrong to question vets. I think it's wrong to tell people to do something their vet didn't say to do in a way that makes it more than an opinion, but a "You should do this."

As I said, if people aren't comfortable dosing, then by all means, don't. I'm not normally comfortable with it either. But I have seen a lot of people come here and say they have no vet to call. And they can call an ER hospital in their state, but some don't seem to want to do that. And not all ER vets will give it over the phone. Once Ellie had a little sore on her ear and we called to ask if we could use Neosporin. The tech wouldn't answer and said they would need to see it. lol. Um, I'm not paying $85 for you to look at a little bleeding dot. So if they can't get ahold of somebody or are concerned, then I have no problem helping. It's the same thing I would do for family. I will not tell them what doses to give. I will tell them if it looks wrong and I would tell them how much benadryl to use in an emergency.

I am following along here and don't understand the Benadryl issue and why it keeps getting brought up.

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by megansmomma

I am following along here and don't understand the Benadryl issue and why it keeps getting brought up.

lol, I have no idea. Somebody else said something about it first.

[Jilleen]

Knowledge is the key to everything and true knowledge can't come from one source no matter who or what it is.

[107barney]

Originally Posted by megansmomma

I am following along here and don't understand the Benadryl issue and why it keeps getting brought up.

I can't figure that out - it's the calculator vs. the pharmacist calculating dose argument. I'm just wondering why we should trust the pharmacist when we should not trust our vets!

[AllDogBoots]

If anyone in this thread is feeling offended, re-read my original post. The title says "Not All Vets are Wrong" and it is merely my opinion, which is by no means hypocritical of anyone in this thread. If anyone is offended this posting, then you should probably look at your own habits and why you are offended. I was simply saying that "not all vets are bad" and we should heed the advice of people in a forum with open ears, but not always with complete certainty.

[dwerten]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

Never said it was wrong to help people with sick dogs and never said it was wrong to question vets. I think it's wrong to tell people to do something their vet didn't say to do in a way that makes it more than an opinion, but a "You should do this."

As I said, if people aren't comfortable dosing, then by all means, don't. I'm not normally comfortable with it either. But I have seen a lot of people come here and say they have no vet to call. And they can call an ER hospital in their state, but some don't seem to want to do that. And not all ER vets will give it over the phone. Once Ellie had a little sore on her ear and we called to ask if we could use Neosporin. The tech wouldn't answer and said they would need to see it. lol. Um, I'm not paying $85 for you to look at a little bleeding dot. So if they can't get ahold of somebody or are concerned, then I have no problem helping. It's the same thing I would do for family. I will not tell them what doses to give. I will tell them if it looks wrong and I would tell them how much benadryl to use in an emergency.

Just how you feel strongly about dosing on meds I feel just as strongly that people need to question their vets if something does not seem right. How many times have we seen on here over and over and over the vet cannot figure out what is wrong with my dog as the blood work looks good but my dog keeps having diarhea and as soon as the antibiotic is done the dog has diarrhea and they are at a loss. More than I can count and we all know ibd runs in this breed and the dog is eating a chicken based diet. So should we say - oh bc your vet cannot figure it out just keep giving the dog the chicken diet and hopefully after running thousands of dollars in testing and sedating your dog and doing endoscopy to come up with the same diagnosis - up yes IBD and your dog cannot eat chicken diet - I think that is less invasive than giving doseages of medication when some of us have been down that road and spent thousands of dollars figuring it out.

[megansmomma]

Originally Posted by AllDogBoots

If anyone in this thread is feeling offended, re-read my original post. The title says "Not All Vets are Wrong" and it is merely my opinion, which is by no means hypocritical of anyone in this thread. If anyone is offended this posting, then you should probably look at your own habits and why you are offended. I was simply saying that "not all vets are bad" and we should heed the advice of people in a forum with open ears, but not always with complete certainty.

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