One of my customers

[LizStreithorst]

She has phoned me 8 times today.  8 times, no shit.  From what she said the first time she called I thought the dog might have pancreatitis.  Her husband said to wait till tomorrow morning and see how the dog was doing then.  She took the dog to the vet.  He does indeed have pancreatitis. 

She called me several times because she just needed a kind ear.  She wanted me to tell her that her dog would not die but I told her that I was not God and couldn't tell her that.  That a dog can die from that but that she got him to the vet fast.  That IV fluids and antibiotics and pain meds should work.  She said that the vet did blood work as well, which was a good idea I didn't think about.  He has an elevated white blood count (of course) and his blood sugar was high which surprised me but shouldn't have since the dog is somewhat over weight for it's size. 

The poor lady is at her wits end.  She is so stressed.  She has no medical knowledge at all.   She needs me to translate the vet words that she can't pronounce into plain English that she can understand.  The poor woman called me because she hoped I could help her.  She picked the right person to call.  I'm not a vet nor do I play one on TV put I can give strong advice.  I'm not half bad at empathizing, either.

This woman is really bad at explaining what she wants when it comes go grooming her two dogs.  Heck, she asked me to clip her poodle coated cock-a-poo like a Cocker   I had to use all my powers to dig deep inside her to find out what she really wanted.  She ain't right.  Neither am I, so bid deal, right?

[Mugwump]

It's good that you're able to help her....I can imagine that she's at wit's end.....

[Ron Sower]

Any more work on the lady's dog?

[LizStreithorst]

The blood work is looking better which means the dog is getting better.  They did an ultrasound to look for a tumor.  There was not one.  The vets are thinking that it's Cushings disease but I don't see the dog as having symptoms of Cushing's   I think that it's just a plain case of pancreatitis. 

[Ron Sower]

That's better...right?

[LizStreithorst]

The dog must be feeling better because the lady never called me even once today.  She was a part time job for the previous two days.

If the dog just has pancreatitis, it's better.  If something else is going on like Cushing's it isn't good at all.  Personally, I don't see how it could be Cushing"s.  The dog doesn't show any of the symptoms,  the vet found no tumor, and the dogs doesn't take steroids.  I wish I knew what they were basing their probable diagnosis on.

[LizStreithorst]

I'm a bit disappointed.  I was there when she needed me and she hasn't even bothered to call me to tell me how the dog is doing. That seems unappreciative to me.  Not a big deal but still disappointing.

[Ron Sower]

Unfortunately some people are like that, Liz.  It's a shame, but it happens to many of us...

[LizStreithorst]

I finally heard from her yesterday after her dog had died.

Little Bo was doing much better.  He was eating and drinking.  the vet she chose kept telling her that he needed more fluids so she took him in every day for fluids and took him home every evening.  Friday morning he was having difficulty breathing.  She rushed him back to her vet.  Poor little guy couldn't even stand up by then.  He died on the exam table.  They called it congestive heart failure.

This dog never showed signs of congestive heart failure just as he had never showed symptoms of Cushings.  I know what happened but I didn't say a word until she asked if the dog had been given too much fluids.  I said, "I thought of that but I didn't want to say anything".  I advised her to use my vet but she decided against it.  All I can do is advise.  Hell, I'm just a dog groomer!

What happened is her vet made the correct diagnosis of pancreatitis.  Then he proceeded to bleed her dry by recommending an ultrasound to rule out Cushings.  Then he continued to pump the little guy so full of fluids that he didn't need until he could no longer deal with it.  When the dog died they said it was congestive heart failure. 

I've worked with good vets, vets set in their ways, and cheap vets who ran their hospitals on a shoe string.  I have never worked for a vet who would get every penny from a client for unnecessary stuff  and then send the dog home dead and not fess up.  Congestive heart failure my ass.

I couldn't post this story yesterday.  It's still hard writing it. 

[Mugwump]

That's sad....there a few fresh out of college practicing around here too...always ordering tests...like they're afraid of making a diagnosis....and/or just driving up the bill....

We are now going with a 'cow town pill roller' country vet.....they know their business  ...and most affordable 

[LizStreithorst]

It doesn't take much for me to tell a good vet from a bad one.  Most folks just fall apart when their dogs get sick and do as the expert says because they know nothing and the vet is aware of the fact that they know nothing.  It makes me fighting mad but there is nothing I can do about it.  I wish there were.

[BallAquatics]

... We are now going with a 'cow town pill roller' country vet.....

The very best by far.  The guy I go to now is only in the office a couple of days a week.  The rest of the time he's out on the farm tending sheep, goats, cattle, etc.....

Billy has his anxiety issues so the vet makes the effort to see him just before heading home at the end of the day.  The office is usually empty and the visit doesn't stress him out to much.

Dennis