Doggie Vet vs. THE NURSE

LasVegasRN · Jun 03, 2002 01:49 PM

I have a 13 year old male Rott, 138 lbs, arthritic hips, but he's still perky and fiesty. He did a full run through the house (after seeing some jogger out of the window) out through his doggie door and hit his neck pretty hard. The next day, I woke up to him yelping every time he tried to lean down to drink some water. So.....after doing my little cursory don't-know-much-about-animal-physiology exam, off to the Vet we go...

Dr. Vet says, "we need to do a bone scan!" (translated as, $$$).

Nurse: What's wrong with him?

Dr. Vet: "He has a severe sprain of his neck, possible herniated a disc and nerve damage."

Nurse: Isn't the initial treatment the same with humans, treat with anti-inflammatories if he doesn't show any outward signs of nerve impingement - he's not limping on his front legs and I don't see any signs of nerve damage, and then get the bone scan?

Dr. Vet: "Oh yeah, you're the NURSE. Yes, we could treat him a few days with over-the-counter Ascriptin, maximum strength, 2 tabs BID".

Nurse: Thanks, I'll see how he does with the conservative treatment.

A week later, my dog is FINE, as if it never happened. Still running through that doggie door but slows down now

Gotta watch those Vets....

fedupnurse · Jun 03, 2002, 02:32 PM

LasVegasRN,
My primary vets are great but they often refer out to a specialty hospital in my area. I have had 2 bad experiences with them, the last (I will not go back there again) was when they lied to me about what was wrong with her. Well actually what wasn't wrong with her. Money hungry vets are as bad as money hungry human docs. Find a new vet. This person isn't in it for the right reasons. No one, human or animal, should be subjected to unnecessary testing or hospitalization. I warned everyone I work with and anyone I meet with pets about the liars I had to deal with. Even my vets usually refer to another hospital now for many of their clients.

*cheerfuldoer* · Jun 03, 2002, 02:38 PM

Good for you, LasVegasRN! Your situation reminded me of one hubby and I had with our 3 yr. old Miniature Pincher a while back. Our dog refused to eat, then started vomiting, then would just lay around the house almost lifeless one day. I took him to the Vet, only to have the Vet tell me he needed blood draws, stool sample, X-rays, and so forth. I said, "And the grand total of that would be?" She said, "About $350.00 to start. Do you have pet insurance?" I called my hubby at work, gave him the monetary news, and my hubby said "Bring him home! I'll get him well!" For the next 24 hours, we rested his little belly. Starting hour 25, we started feeding him small amounts of a chicken/rice soup I made from scratch. Within four hours, our little canine was running around the house like a frisky little puppy, and all it cost us was about 30 hours of tender loving care and my homemade chicken/rice soup. I called the Vet to let her know our little canine was doing just grand! She was thrilled that our home remedy had made our dog feel better, then suggested we invest in pet insurance which we did not do.

LasVegasRN · Jun 03, 2002, 03:18 PM

You know I really think if we knew what meds our dogs and cats could take we could avoid the Vet situation almost completely. I know some equine folks that give their horses their immunizations and boosters themselves. I also know of mail order catalogs that provide veterinary medicine but try to get your Vet to write a prescription for you!! Ha!! I know they are starving for business like everyone else, but if I can get the medicine for $$ less out of the Vet warehouse catalog... I believe we could give those injections just as well as they can. But, the Vet will give you every excuse in the world, including flat our refusing to write a Rx for you to be able to so....

Furball · Jun 03, 2002, 03:32 PM

Many years ago my then 14 year old bro in law came over crying with a half dead cat in his arms....hit by a car. A stray. I felt terrible too so we took her to the vet. I was certain that she would be "put down" to end her misery. The instant we walked through the doors the vets yanked her out of my arms and the scene looked like something you'd see in the show ER! A little tiny o2 mask was put on her, another vet was placing an IV and another was getting the x-ray machine ready. Meanwhile, little quiet me was standing in the corner saying "um..excuse me...excuse me (a little louder) ......EXCUSE ME!!!! HOW MUCH WILL ALL THIS COST FOR THIS STRAY CAT??"

I ended up okaying the rx....ended up with the best cat in the world.

cargal · Jun 03, 2002, 03:32 PM

My queen bi*&% of a cat never came home with a scratch-until after one particularly loud evening came home with a puncture-like wound L shoulder. Not bleeding. Called a vet-wanted to check her overnight (=boarding fee), IV antibiotics, and surgery fee. I stated the cat did not need surgery, just stitches. They refused to change their "policy". In other words, they want to put the cat in a cage and do the surgery after hours. Not acceptable. Called another vet that does not do assembly line practice, explained what the cat needed, and did warn that the cat would need sedation as she was %*&# on wheels. Vet tried without sedation, got nailed, sedated cat, stitched, IM antibiotic, home, end of story. I am assertive when it comes to saving money and time for health care to my family and my pets.

fedupnurse · Jun 03, 2002, 04:15 PM

I am lucky! My regular vets will usually let me know stuff over the phone. I wonder if it is because my little prescious one lunged and tried to bite one of them right after I got her????? Maggie caught a squirrel and I ran out to see if it was all right. It had gotten away from her 3 or 4 times and ran up a tree and was laying lifeless. Turns out it was playing dead! I turned to tell Maggie she needs to start picking on animals her own size (40 lbs) and I saw she had blood pouring from 3 or 4 different places on her snout. I called the vet, they always answer with "what did she get into now?" and asked if she would need antibiotics for the squirrel bite/scratch. I know you do for cat bites. He said no but if you think she needs stitches let us know. I checked and it was very superficial and stoped bleeding with light pressure. I do hate it when they refer out though.

Ortho_RN · Jun 03, 2002, 11:35 PM

Being a Certified Veterinary Technician, I do have to admit that dealing with people who are in the medical field can be a pain in the ass..... ALOT of them think they know what is going on and how to fix it... when they don't.... But you do have to be careful with the Vets though, some will take advantage of someone with NO medical background.. Then again having a nurse or former nurse as a patient can be just as bad..

micro · Jun 03, 2002, 11:52 PM

about two months ago........
our "king cat"......he rules the roost entirely....

started limping and hiding, ;-(
he is old and even though animal physiology is not my forte, i can place two and two together and how much should and would be done...

he has already had surgeries in his past life.....
not going to the vet.....
decision.....
little bit of crushed medicine into his water, lots of love and talking to.....
changed the house around for his comfort........
and worried.....i have had him forever it seems.....

it lasted about one week, he slept a lot.....didn't cry out in pain.....
oh, yes, cats can cry.....
but he didn't seem in pain.....

and lo and behold.....
thinking we would have to lose him shortly.....
he quit limping, quit hiding.....
can jump up on the bed maybe just a little slower than before.....

but kiki is alive and doing well.....
know will lose him someday.....
but not this year..........

yeeah!!!!! we love our children.....
I am their mom.....

las vegas, great thread......

thanks for letting some of us share about our family that are a bit furry.....
AM SO GLAD FOR YOUR ROTT'.........can picture you with him.........

caroladybelle · Jun 04, 2002, 01:30 AM

A friend of mine, a nurse practitioner, who had obtained her first cat was trying to adopt out some kittens. I knew that her cat had been spayed, so I had to ask. Seems that the Vet told her that the spay must have reversed.

After I picked myself up off the floor, after dying laughing - I explained to her why that was not possible - that reputable vets remove EVERYTHING!!!! She went back to the Vet, who told her that it was a different cat.

Needless to say she now has a different vet.

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