2 Emergency Visits, 1 Neurologist Visit $3000.00 Still have no clue
 

Hi all, I have had my Harley since birth 6 years ago.. Perfect health, happy, energetic, most loving pet we have ever had. We went on a cruise Nov. 13th - 20th and I boarded him at a new animal 24 hr hospital. All vaccines were up to date except they said Harley HAD to had a canine flu shot.. I said ok, paid for the tender loving care package every other day ( brushing, treat, walk, and bath at end of week ) we left and came back 7 days later.

He didn't seem quite right as in laying around more and not giving us kisses like usual, I thought maybe he was mad at us or separation anxiety, then my mother in law came over for 3 days and he was quite but thought prob all the unrest and people around had him freaked out....

ONE week back from cruise he started laying there, not responding, not wanting to eat or drink, when he sat up he would start swaying back and forth and front and back legs go like jelly and fall over, trying to walk he would walk like he was drunk and stumble into the walls .. His back looked hunch backed and his tail STAYED tucked under and he would yelp sometimes, when touched...

Saturday night Nov. 27th , took him back to the animal hospital he stayed at while boarding ( the EMERGENCY after hours this time tho) and Doctor said he had back pain and gave pain meds --$ 250.00 ** BUT THATS OK HE IS WORTH IT **

Monday Nov 29th he was moving slow but seemed to feel better until 8:oo p.m. then when I took him out to tee tee he started face planting after every 5 or 6 steps!! I picked him up and sat him in grass and he fell over.. I swooped him up and went back to emergency.. The doc saw how he could not even stand up without falling on face, his legs just went like jelly :(.. they did X-ray, blood tests for EVERYTHING and they called 2 neurologists for advice and asked to keep him overnight for observation..
This was $950.00 but he is my baby and family !!!

Tuesday Nov. 30th Doctor called me at work telling me Harley needs to see a neurologist for an MRI because he felt Harley may have inflamation of the brain or spinal cord or possibly bad neck/back disc.. I left work not caring if my supervisor cared or not I had to save my baby and they said it was URGENT to get him to another hospital with the equipment needed...
Met with Neurologist he was 98% sure it was bad neck disc and said prepare for surgery and told me what he would do while doing the surgery, if not that he would test for meningitis. HE didn't feel the need for an emergency MRI after seeing Xrays and etc... SOOOOO I was nervous and patiently waited for the back surgery to be completed the next day and for the doctors update..

Wednesday Dec. 1st Neurologist called me said he was numb founded, no neck/back discs were bad like he supected, Spinal fluid was good, no tumors in brain, no meningitis or inflamation in brain or back.. AFTER ruling everything out, he feels it is just neck spasms!! Gave me some valium to give him... $1895.00 , but worth it to know all tests are clean! no signs as to why he WAS doing what he was doing.. Since Harley was out so long he wanted to keep him over night for observation.

Thursday, called me to set up meeting and get him, he is walking outside, looks perfect health they said!! YAY... I get there, he is soooo excited to see us we could barely hold him..
We get him home -----> after 10 minutes stumbles, looks and acts alot better, but his balance is still off and front legs go weak... Doctor said he gave a steriod and should be better in 2 weeks...

I hope so!!!! This was baffling to all doctors involved.. I asked repeatedly if it may have been the flu shot?!?!?! they say no... but... he was PERFECTLY fine when we left for cruise.. I have a sick feeling something happened while boarding or the the flu shot :( I pray he gets 100% soon... I love him with all my heart.. :aimeeyork Just wish I knew what is wrong with my little fella ...

Hello and welcome to YT! Unfortunately it's not under better circumstances.

I am not a vet but I have a dog with disc issues and it was the first thought in my head when I read your post. Can you tell me what the neurologist did to know there was no disc problems? It sounds like he didn't do an MRI, but did he do a myelogram or anything? It is very hard to find a disc issue in an x-ray.

Beware
 

Hi ~ our baby of 14 recently passed. He had disc problems and we did the neurologist thing too. He also had kidney problems. I am telling you this because we have been through many diagnosis' in the past 7 mos. Be careful of the valium. Gizmo had a bad reaction 'coming down'. Also you may want to have his inner ear checked. This has to be done by CT Scan not MRI. Inner ear is not accessible any other way. I understand all too well the $$ thing but as you said this is your family! When Giz was 6 he got pancreatitis very badly - 900 ER vet bill. It was my car pmt or him - so there was no choice - it was him. They took the car but I still had the love of my life for an additional 8 years. They are always worth it.

Do a bunch of research on the internet - find matching symptoms and make suggestions to the vets. They try to think of everything but cannot always do so. Also, if you have a veterinary college in state - make an appointment there. they are on the cutting edge of all the latest health news and technologies.

Much luck and love to both you and the baby ~

I'm so sorry this has happened to you. I'm thinking it may have been the shot, or perhaps something happened while he was boarded there, a fight with another dog, or some type of accident? The problem is either way, the hospital might be liable, and I'm not sure they are willing to give you the correct diagnosis because of this, there just might be a conflict of interest. :confused: I would find another vet not associated with the hospital. Sending prayers your way, I hope you get to the bottom of this.

I would contact Dr Jean Dodds, about the effects of the flu shot (I have heard a few bad reports on this vaccine) and also send her a blood sample for analysis. Her website is: Welcome to Hemolife
You can also email her. I would contact her asap.

Sorry this has happened... forgot to ask... Did the vet specifically check for Chiari? GME?

Maybe consider having a vet/Chiropractor evaluate him, and/or see an animal accupuncturist.

Hope you can find out something.... Keeping you all in my prayers.

Anyone with an older Yorkie had any problems with incontinence? My male
(neutered) Yorkie Sassy, 15 years old in two months, started peeing on the floor instead of asking to go out. This was a couple months ago. Sometimes he would ask to go out, but sometimes not. Had him to the vet and she said
he has demenia. I now have him on a drug called Selegiline, to improve symptons of cognitive disfunction. Now, about a week ago he started peeing quite often and sometimes a small amount--- on the floor.. Had him back to the Vet and she checked him out for diabetes, and other diseases and can't find anything wrong. She says the problems are his age, senility, and probably bladder muscle weak. I started him on a pill yesterday called Proin, for urinary incontinence in dogs.

Because of this problem I have to keep him in diapers. I have used the
doggie diapers from Petsmart but don't seem to completely cover him, so
have a regular diaper on him too. He eats well, sleeps all night, but it
is hard to accept the fact that if these pills (Proin) don't do anything for
him I will have to deal with keeping diapers on him the rest of his life.

What do you all think about this, and do you know of any better doggie
diapers or other ways to keep the pee from getting all over the floor. I have one of those washable wraps, and that works well but have to wash it.

The only Yorkie I have had that was older passed away in my yard. She lived to be 17 years old, but had congestive heart failure. So, therefore I have never had to put one to sleep, so that fact I would have a hard time dealing with. Especially under these circumstances. This diaper thing isn't that bad anyway. It would help if it were summer here, as he loves to be outside in the yard.

I will plan to keep on with the diapers for now, and hope somebody can
give me some tips or advice. These pets become JUST LIKE YOUR OWN KIDS. And when your own kids are grown up and gone, they are so much company.

I am sure that this has happened to others, so would like some input from whoever can give me some advice regarding diapers, etc.

I can't help you with your question, but you'll get better answers if you write your own thread with your question. Click on this to write a "new thread" in the General forum. http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/new...=newthread&f=2

Hi.. Dr. Cook gave Harley a CT MYELOGRAM. He said he did check for inner ear infection, absessed tooth, tumors , spinal fluid, brain abnormalitiy, after ruling out bad neck/back disc... I did mention some things I found on the internet like pancreatitis and even idopathic vestibular disease. He checked all that as well he said..

I am so sorry to hear about your baby as well. I can't even imagine the pain you are going thru, this episode had me so sick, I couldn't even eat or sleep and cried all the time last week...

Harley does seem a bit more peppy but still not wanting to drink any water, but is walking more steady! I gave him chicken and rice and added water so it was soupy.. He ate it all so at least he is getting some fluid.

Hi.. yes, he did a CT MYELOGRAM which he told me he would enter dye to get better images... He seems better today, the funny thing is like when he walked to door just now, when I called him to come back to me, instead of using all fours to turn around like ususal, he used his front legs to turn, back legs just stayed stiff like? Last night he would take a few steps and just drop on his bottom and scoot a few steps using front legs, but his anal glands are fine. Had that checked while in hospital..

Can you see another neurologist for a second opinion? That's what I would do. You may also want to crate him until you can see another vet. Whatever it is may get worse the more he moves around. Maybe that's why he seemed better after staying the night, he would have been crated there.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Did you ever get a diagnosis? My yorkie is experiencing similar things to yours? He is at the vets now! It is frustrating.

Welcome to YorkieTalk. I'm sorry to hear your yorkie and you are going through this. I hope the vet can find answers for you and get your yorkie on the road to recovery. How old is your baby and what is his name?

I sure hope this little guy has improved since the orig post. Hoping you get answers to what is going on. What an ordeal for him & you. Sending Prayers for both babies!

Checking in for an update.... hope your baby is doing better....

I just read this....I hope things are getting better for you. Did they ever find out what was wrong?

What an awful thing to have to go through :( I hope and pray your baby is getting better!

Sorry to hear this...sending lots of prayers for all of you and hope they figure out what is wrong and he gets better.

I realize this is an old post, but I think it's a reminder to get a good vet. Many years ago I had a little cocker doing much of the same things (though not after boarding) I was new in town, recently a single mother, so I started calling vet after vet...all quoting me ridiculous prices. I was devastated as there was no way I could afford at the time even 1/2 of what they were quoting and of course all the vets wanted the money up front. Finally, I decided I'd have to put her down but not wanting to give up I decided I'd call one more vet. Turned out that one has been our vet for 20 years now. He makes house calls (back then for $27) examined her and said he was appalled at the money grabbing vets out there that quoted me the other prices. He said she needed a steriod shot, gave it to her and she never had a back problem again, went on to live 13 more vigorous healthy years.
He came out today, checked all the dogs/cats, wellness checks, shots as needed,etc - the bill for 5 dogs/2 cats/house call: $48 -- he's honest, knows his stuff and cares about the working person's checkbook -- (the bonus: you can make payments when needed)
He and I were talking today and he said so many vets are like so many medical doctors, test after test after test, for things that are so common and obvious to a medical professional that it's a crime to even run the tests...and they are either so inept or just rip offs.
Anyway, I just wish people would call around before committing to these expensive - often unnecessary tests - it allows these "professionals" to get away with such things/playing on people's love of their animals. (I realize an ER situation is different - I just paid approx $400 for an ER run for one of the pups, so sometimes you can't avoid the ER costs)
Sorry about the rant - I just get so upset to hear someone has to practically take out a second mortgage for care for their pet.

Your vet's comments about other vets are unprofessional on their face. Perhaps you should enlighten him to the current costs of veterinary school because back in his time (prehistoric) things were cheaper.

As for the second mortgage - who has a $3,000 mortgage? Last I checked, people had mortgages a lot higher than that. Sheesh you can't even buy a car for $3,000 let alone a house. If you can find me a house with a $3,000 mortgage, let me know so I can sell my house with a much bigger mortgage and assume the $3,000 debt! Then, maybe I can pay off my vet's school loans since she probably still has them even after many years of practice.

Your comments serve no effective purpose other than to dissuade people from seeking real and appropriate veterinary care for their pets and to disparage a profession. I think this OP should be commended for her financial expenditures for her pet -- if more owners were as committed as she perhaps rescues and shelters would not be the overburdened sad operations they are.

Old post? there are some post on here that are brought back to life after a few YEARS:rolleyes: 2 months isn't old. We're just looking for an update on the current status of this pup...just saying....:)

I understand the need to rant...healthcare (human or animal) can be frustrating.

In every profession, there is a full range of how skilled a person is at their profession. That said, a vet has a lot of training and their diagnostic process is so much more complicated than we might assume when we're being armchair vets. Diagnosing is a balance of art and science -- and complicated diagnoses can require a great deal of testing - again, human or animal.

Thankfully, not all people are just out for a buck. Many vets love what they do, despite the fact that their jobs are extremely demanding -- and the pay really isn't commensurate with the level of difficulty. If someone really wants get rich, being a vet is not a likely path.

I will probably not express this well...but I would be a little concerned if my vet was charging what your vet is charging. It just doesn't really add up, in a way...? It sounds too good to be true. And, you know what they say if things sound too good to be true. I dunno, maybe vet care is priced lower in your area, in general. So, I don't mean to say the wrong thing here.

I'm not sure that I can word this right, but will try.

There are a portion of vets who are incompetent or who like money a little too much or who just don't care. I agree. Now what I'm seeing though is most vets getting grouped together into a "runs too many tests" category. Who decides how many tests is a good number to run? There are, of course, a few things that can be treated without testing as long as the drug isn't going to makes things worse if the diagnosis is wrong. Really though, this isn't that often. I really prefer not to drug my girl without knowing that I need to. And I like giving the right drug the first time. You can treat worms without a fecal if you see them in the stool, but when talking about UTIs, pain, GI issues, there are just too many variables. Vets don't have crystal balls and I'd be concerned if they acted like they did.

Fifty dollars for 7 pets is $7 per pet. So then, no blood work or anything for early detection of disease? There is simply no way that a facility could be maintained for that. Even if a vet makes housecalls, most still have an office. At a minimum there really should be a small lab on-site, anesthesia and surgery equipment (tens of thousands of dollars), xray (digital), a wide selection of drugs, scales, kennels, computers (for digital xray), tables, and that is just to name a few things. That is the standard of care I expect for my dog. I would rather pay what it is worth and have peace of mind that problems can be taken care of when my dog gets sick. The cheaper that vet care is, the more likely something that is important (but expensive) is missing. For instance, injectable anesthesia is cheaper than gas, but not maintaining with gas is not a good idea.

I'm a pre-vet student and spend quite a bit of my time around vets. They run tests even for seemingly obviously things because 1) they believe it is right and 2) if they are wrong they will probably get sued if something is missed. So I guess they are either inept or money grabbers?

This is one of the most trying professions on earth and I don't like to see so many accused of something they aren't guilty of.

I did get your whole picture.... you think $7 per pet is "reasonable and legitimate" for veterinary care based on conjecture or guesswork, and that conventional testing as a means of diagnosis is a waste of money.

Bargain shopping for vets is a scary thing. I had a foster that almost died because of a vet who offered a very reduced "rescue discount". The vet actually contacted us...that should have been my first clue. In the end we saved the pup .. but it cost over $2,000 for a specialist. Using money as a determining factor for choosing a vet is dangerous imho. I see nothing wrong with asking about fees, but that should not be the only consideration.

Any vet who would come to my home and treat 5 pups for approximately what should be an office visit for one would scare me.

I think a $48 house call fee is very reasonable and appropriate for the situation, and then to take the time to exam all the animals was truly an act of kindness and more than generous on the vet's part. "since I'm here for this one, let me give all the others a check..." Not to mention since I told him I was now going to be giving the dogs the vaccines myself, he took the time to show me the correct way to do it.
And what exactly is wrong with all that? Could he have charged me individually for each animal? Sure...any other vet would have --- but he didn't. Being considerate of people and animals isn't the sign of an inept and "prehistoric" vet, rather it's the sign of a truly good and caring individual who is also a vet. If he had discovered or suspected some serious condition would he have referred me to a specialist? You betcha.
He has been right 100% of the time over the course of many years. I'm very grateful to have such a skilled professional who actually cares about his patients. How do I know he truly cares:
Many years ago our old dog had a stroke and had to be put down, he made sure I held her and after she died and he knew how upset I was he sat with me until I could compose myself. He called his next appointment and said he'd be running a little late (because he was taking the time to sit there with me) He sent a condolence card and about a week later he stopped by the house "because he was in the area" and wanted to see how we the family were doing/feeling after losing our beloved pet.
He has the best reputation in our city, and despite being heavily booked he always goes out of his way, will work late to make sure everyone animal that needs to be seen is seen. He's philosophy is when prices are reasonable and appropriate people are more likely to get the care their animals need. His prices are for all, for those who can only afford the minimal care and for those that have money to burn.
I feel very fortunate to have found this incredible caring and skilled vet for the care of our animals.

$48 for 7 pets = inappropriate standard of vet care.
I'm done here.

I am curious as to why you feel you should vaccinate your pups at home. Are you a breeder?
I just don't totally understand, I guess, that a pet owner would short cut on vetting their pups. I am thinking that it might be wiser to lower the number of animals rather than to take a risk of an allergic reaction to a vaccine that could be deadly at home. In other words, only keep the number that you can reasonably afford to take to a vet for such things.
I am a firm believer in doing yearly exams which include blood work. Vaccines are now only given every three years, so why the need to have them at home? Unless you are a breeder and doing large numbers...I have heard of that. I would not do that as a breeder either, but I know that many do.