Because it's a business decision...:mad:
This is the same vet who wants to keep a case that should have been referred out long ago.

ETA from one of my last posts. Contrast can also be used (air or something I think) to see urates on xray. I don't think they did that in this case. Unless there are others types forming around the urates making them visable, u/s is the better choice.

I was offered a referral when Ellie's bile acids were 47 post with no real symptoms with the stipulation that if she got sick in the month that regular vet tried low protein diet, we were immediately directed to a specialist. When they got to 106, I was pretty much told to go. With bile acids this high and stones, a general vet should really be referring out.

Oh and I forgot to mention... When my vet called the U of Tenn about my dog, they said to put her on Hill's L/D., and that with that single change alone they have seen the most improvement in dogs that were showing symptoms.... mine had just come through a bout of Hepatic Encephalopathy. She was on the meds, but I was feeding her a regular diet cut with easily digested proteins, and vegetables. On the L/D, she's actually gained 2.5 pounds, she doesn't have the skinny, half starved look of a shunt dog anymore. And by the way she acts... one would never guess she has liver shunt.

And just for the sake of comparison: If you buy all the meds and special food for 1 year, including $500.00 for Office visits and bloodwork to monitor the health of the dog... for a 12 pound dog the yearly total is $1857.16. Plus time involved giving meds and preping special food. I also have to watch my dogs eat... they all want the L/D.:confused: So, surgery looks like a really good deal, at $2000.00 all inclusive. Usually 4-6 months after the surgery, they can be transitioned back onto a regular diet. :D

I'm really over concerning myself about the money... I've spent almost 10K and Brodie's only been with me for a year. Has anyone brought there pup to Cornell? How long does he have to be there?

Hello all. For all of you who have been following Brodie's thread I need some QUICK advice. Brodie is once again straining and crying. He has been passing dribbles of urine mostly on himself. I want to bring him to Cornell rather than back to my vet. Do I call the emergency number? Do I make an appointment for tomorrow? When do they perform surgeries? How long would he have to stay? Would I have to be there the whole time? Sorry for all the questions, I'm worried!!!:confused::(

Oh, dear! I am so sorry Brodie is sick again.

I think you will have to go through your vet to get a referral. You'll need to see your vet asap anyway, won't you?

Here is Dr. Center's contact information:

Faculty of the College of Veterinary Medicine - Sharon A. Center

I just saw my vet today, and am suppose to call her again tomorrow. Were you the person who said that there was a internal med specialist close to where I live? Where is that? I do still live there. I really have no idea what to do now and feel horrible :( I just want my little guy to feel better and don't want to have to go through 2 more surgeries - stone removal and shunt surgery. It's so much on him and I.

I'd call their emergency number. I'm sure they could fill you in from there as to the best course of treatment for him.

From Cornell:

The Animal Hospitals at Cornell University


Take current Rabies certificate with you.


Appointments and Directions
Making an Appointment
Appointments can be scheduled at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals for animal medical care Mondays through Fridays from 8am to 5pm and on Saturdays from 9am to noon.To schedule a hospital appointment, please call the appropriate number:

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/images/square20px.gif Companion Animal Hospital
Companion animals including dogs, cats, and exotic animals. 607 253-3060
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/images/square20px.gif Equine and Farm Animal Hospitals
Horses and farm animals, including cattle, sheep, goats, llamas, camels, alpacas: 607 253-3100 http://www.vet.cornell.edu/images/square20px.gif Ambulatory and Production Animal Medicine Service
Staff will travel to your farm to provide care for horses or farm animals: 607 253-3140

When you arrive at the hospital, check in at the admissions desk to sign in your animal and register your vehicle for the parking lot. You will be greeted by a DVM student or animal technician who will escort you and your animal to an examination room, where you will meet the veterinarian. New York State Law requires a valid rabies certificate to be presented upon arrival to our hospital. Failure to do so may result in your pet not being evaluated.
Emergency Care
Life-threatening medical emergencies are treated 24 hours a day. Before bringing your animal to the hospital, please call so that our staff can give you special instructions and prepare for your arrival. Please call the appropriate number for the hospital you wish to contact.

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/images/square20px.gif Companion Animal Hospital 607 253-3060
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/images/square20px.gif Equine and Farm Animal Hospitals 607 253-3100 http://www.vet.cornell.edu/images/square20px.gif Wildlife 607 253-3060

Other Useful Hospital Phone Numbers

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/images/square20px.gif Business Office
Companion Animal Hospital 607 253-3215
Equine and Farm Animal Hospitals 607-253-3100
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/images/square20px.gif Pharmacy
Companion Animal Hospital 607 253-3231
Equine and Farm Animal Hospitals 607 253-3230
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/images/square20px.gif Main Phone Number for the College 607 253-3000 http://www.vet.cornell.edu/images/square20px.gif Flower/Sprecher Veterinary Library 607 253-3510

Our Mailing Address

Cornell University Hospital for Animals
Box 20, College of Veterinary Medicine
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853-6401

Directions from the East - Passenger Vehicles or Trailers

From New York City, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania
Approximate Driving Times:
1.0 hour from Binghamton
4.5 hours from Albany
5.5 hours from New York City 1. Take I-88, NYS 17, I-84, I-80/I-380, or I-81 to Binghamton.
2. From Binghamton, take I-81 north to exit 8 at Whitney Point onto NYS 79 west.
3. Continue on NYS 79 west for approximately 28 miles toward Ithaca.
4. At the sign for Cornell University, turn right onto Pine Tree Road (Tompkins County Route 174). Continue straight on Pine Tree Road (across the intersection with Ellis Hollow Road and past the shopping center on the right) until it ends at a blinking light at NYS 366.
5. Turn right onto NYS 366; take the second left onto Tower Road and take the first right onto Campus Road. Park in the designated client parking areas, on the left, for the Companion Animal Hospital, Equine/Farm Animal Hospital.

you might try a search on:

www.acvs.org

If I were you, I would insist upon a referral to a board certified specialist!

I'll be keeping you both in my prayers...

I was the one who said there were specialists near Westbury, NY.
Here is a link to a vet specialist hospital in Plainview - they have internal medicine vets on staff.
http://www.livs.org

This is who she wants to see:



Sharon A. Center, DVM

Diplomate - American College of
Veterinary Internal Medicine Professor of Medicine
Attachment 322968

sac6@cornell.edu

Education and Training
University of California, DVM (Cum Laude), 1975
Cornell University, Rotating Internship, 1975-76
Cornell University, Residency in Small Animal Medicine, 1976-77, 1980-81 Board Certification American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine

Cornell may take emergencies. If you left now, you might get there in time, otherwise you will end up somewhere local again. This place is supposed to be good, but I don't know how close it is to you: Animal Medical Center - New York City They may not be great with shunts either.

My guess is that a scintography would have to be done to r/o shunt not just a look at the liver, but could be totally wrong. While they are removing the probable stones, they can get a liver biopsy if you want, but dogs can have both LS and MVD, so having MVD doesn't r/e LS.

It would be nice of your vet to refund what they did today b/c they knew darn well that if he got stones again, they wouldn't be able to see them. So unless they contrasted the xray somehow, I'd be upset.

Hopefully he is just inflamed, but it is more likely another stone or sludge.

It would be nice, but I know there is no way it is going to happen! I called the emergency number for Cornell and spoke with a very nice attending. She explained that all they could do for him tonight would be stabalize him so if he was stable I could keep him at my house but if he showed any signs of getting worse to bring him to an emergency vet here to get him on fluids. She told me to talk to my vet this morning and get a referral to the medicine specialist at Cornell. She said that Brodie should be on medication to better manage his condition. Unfortunately Cornell will not accept any of the tests that my vet did. So all of the xrays, ultrasounds and blood work that was done will have to be redone (even though they were just taken yesterday and my vet gouged me for another $130 blood panel). She told me that Brodie would have to be there 24 hours and if the stones looked serious they would have to remove them. I had told her about the livershunt and she said they would do more tests to see if it actually was a shunt but that surgery probably wouldn't be performed at this time. Why would that be? I hate that he might have to be opened up twice more (stones and possibly a shunt!).
I work full time and have to tell my manager in advance what days I want off. Since I am a new employee I haven't accrued much time. Anyone have any idea how long I'd be in Cornell if I went today? She said at least 24 hours but I know when he had his first surgery he was at the vet for 3 additional days. I don't want to leave him up there by himself but there is no way I could get off Monday and Tuesday on top of today and Friday! I only have 2 accrued days :( Do you think he would be able to come home by Sunday?