Perhaps indeed the surfacing of this issue, megacolon, was due to his “holding it in” after having been locked in someone else’ house for almost a full day (which we informed you of during the consultation) and not due to days/weeks of feces backing up? We do not know. Is this totally irrational, wishful thinking? Again, we do not know and this is another reason why I wanted a conversation with you.
In my line of work, patients and families who ask questions tend to have better outcomes. Research shows that patients who remain passive do not do as well and have poorer outcomes. If our questions about the cat we love put you off, oh well.
OC is not eating the Prescription Hills WD Diet and he appears to continue to lose weight. For survival, I am giving him pureed wet Friskies tuna and white fish and salmon. He is not eating much but did have a nice size, soft BM yesterday. I am giving him less lactulose then you prescribed since he did have diarrhea on Friday and is not eating the two cans/day cat food you said he should eat.
What do I do when I run out of the lactulose? What is your experience giving MiraLAX to cats with megacolon?
I liken my experience at Med Vet to the restaurant experience where the food is good (your expertise perhaps?), but everything else at the restaurant is less than acceptable.
Please know I am not confronting your experience or expertise, but I am the lack of communication with me, within the facility operations, and competency of your staff. I understand your facility on the south shore to be new and I understand growing pains of a start up, but investment in staff training and demonstration of competencies is warranted.
Please call me at 678-644-2100 or email me the answers to my questions at:
Jeanette.ray@touro.com.
Thank you in advance.
Jeanette Ray Walsh, “OC’s Mommy” (and advocate)
Cc: Dr.XXXXXl, DVM
Jeanette Ray - 10 years ago
XXXXXX, DVM
by Fax
Dear Dr.
I waited for more than 10 minutes this morning to speak to you and decided a letter was warranted since it would appear on the surface you have some hesitance to have a conversation with me or my husband about OC.
You informed me Thursday, when pressed, that you would call me to let me know how things were going “between 11 and 12;” I never heard from you.
You may recall my husband, Kevin, asked you on the phone Friday morning if you would be at the clinic when we arrived to pick up OC at 1:00 PM; you responded that you would not be. The reason Kevin asked is because he wanted to thank you in person since we were very grateful to hear that OC had made it through the procedure and was, to use your words, “doing well.”
We arrived at the clinic to pick up OC promptly at 1:00 PM on Friday. I asked the front office staff for the insurance form that was left on Wednesday when we had our consult with you. The form was returned to me exactly as I had left it…blank. I asked the staff member to please have you complete and sign the form and also asked for the insurer’s required copy of medical records. The staff member returned with the form with your signature, but stated the discharge instructions were the only records you send to insurers. I informed the staff member that I have years of experience with this particular insurer and the medical records are required before a claim will be processed. At that time, the staff member offered to send the records to the insurer directly, but would not provide me with a copy. I told her I would discuss this with you on Monday, as I suspected she was doing as she was instructed and I really didn’t want to debate this with her. Curious that you were there to sign the form after telling Kevin you would not be there.
A tech came out and said, “Yes, that is your cat you hear. We are removing the catheter. He will be out after he gets cleaned up.” I asked the tech if OC had eaten; she did not know. Another tech proceeded to bring out OC in his carrier and he was wearing a cone collar. We asked why he was wearing a collar. Again, the tech stated she did not know. Kevin posed, “Maybe because he had a catheter in?” The tech agreed, “Yes, that is why.” She then added, “You can take it off when he gets home.” Kevin asked, “Can we take it off now?” She responded, “Yes, sure.” The tech then proceeded to open the carrier and remove the collar. It was apparent OC barely had room to lay down with the collar on. How uncomfortable this must have been for him!
We were handed discharge instructions and told, “You can read them.” I was not given the opportunity to read them with anyone who could answer even the simplest of questions…and I did have questions.
We proceeded to take OC home in the car. I sat in the back with him so that I could pet him on the trip home. I was taken aback to feel that on his neck was a large sticky coating of what I now know is lactulose. Is it such that the techs do not know how to administer medications even at a veterinary specialist’s office? Did OC even get his RX that day or did it all end up on his fur? As if OC didn’t have enough to deal with, he now has an approximate 1.5 inch bare area of skin under his neck, due to the combination of sticky lactulose left on his skin and a tight cone collar. Our house is full of clumps of his white fur that have proceeded to fall from his neck. I am trying to wash him twice a day with a very mild aloe, but the stickiness remains and his fur continues to fall out. What do you recommend for his wound? What do you recommend I use to remove the remaining lactulose?
How did the procedure go? How expanded is the colon? You indicated in the consultation that the feces might be “hard like a rock and might not be removable.” Since you were able to remove the feces, I would like to know how bad it was. Perhaps indeed the surfacing of this issue, megacolon, was due to his “holding it in” after h
marge perri - 10 years ago
We took our beloved Rocky to one of the top recommended animal hospitals in NJ. He had been retching for several days from his tail area to his throat and laying prone of the floor with legs extended. Went in as an ER patient. Had a wonderful, caring Vet. EXPLAINED WE THOUGHT IT WAS A HAIRBALL. Stomach radiographs were taken. NO SIGHTING OF HAIRBALL.
Tech reading x-ray saw something was going on in the chest area. Second radiograph was done and the radiologist's diagnosis was PNEUMONIA and ASTHMA. Lung had fluid in it and there was pleural effusion around it and in his chest. Ayrithomyicin and Prednisolone in liquid forms were prescribed. Purchased meds and plungers in their pharmacy. After one use the plungers would jam up and stick. Rocky ended up getting jabbed several times in his mouth. Just what a terrified cat needed!! Called, was told to come in to see a tech the next day. He was given shots of Prednisolone and the Antibiotic. We were given a script for Prednisolone pills . No more Antibiotics were ordered. Rocky was eating and eliminating normally during this period. We saw improvement in his breathing, but he still had episodes of wheezing. The Vet called often to check on him. He finished his pills. About a week later the symptoms returned.
We went to see for a second opinion, a Vet with forty years experience. We took his records/films. The Vet examined him & listened very, very carefully with his scope. Then said: "I think they missed something." He went to look at the films. On return, he said: 'they did.' Then he showed us Rocky's gums..very pale with a purplish cast to them. His diagnosis..CHF...Congestive Heart Failure! Pleural effusion evident in lungs and chest, an enlarged heart with something pressing on his windpipe!! Gave him a shot of prednisolone. 'If he's not better in two days see a cardiologist ASAP.' We were in a state of shock!!! How did the radiologist miss all this?
Two days later Rocky took a turn for the worse. Another trip to the ER. Had to see a new Vet. Put Rocky in an oxygen chamber, then took two radiographs. Radiologist's diagnosis: 'maybe the old doctor was on to something.' THANK YOU!! NOW Lasix was ordered twice daily. Got home & received a call to increase Lasix to three times a day. Another medication was ordered. Picked it up, read the insert: DO NOT GIVE TO ANIMALS WITH CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE! SCARY!! Did not. Started Lasix. Rocky fought so hard we had to hire a tech to come in & do his meds. Tried to see a Cardiologist. IT WAS ONLY 4PM! NO Cardio Dr. on duty/call until the next day. What happens in an emergency? Called the Client Service Office & she couldn't find a Cardio Dr. either.
Spoke with our original Vet. Asked what more could we do to help Rocky? She said: 'he could be hospitalized, have new procedures done, but there was no guarantee he would survive.' "I DON'T BELIEVE WE GOT HIM OUT OF IT (CHF) THE FIRST TIME." THEY NEVER MENTIONED CHF AT THE FIRST EXAM!! If he survives the treatment what is his prognosis? "MAYBE TWO MONTHS!!" WE'RE IN ABSOLUTE SHOCK!! WE LOVED ROCKY SO MUCH. WE COULDN'T DO THAT TO HIM. SO WE TOOK HIM HOME.
Then he stopped eating. The following day he lost control of his urine. That afternoon HE VOMITED A HUGE HAIRBALL, BLOOD & PIECES OF PINK SKIN. WAS THE HAIRBALL WHAT WAS PRESSING ON HIS WINDPIPE?? Next he lost bowel control. Soon too weak to lick water off our fingers. We cried our hearts out. 9:30 PM I said: 'IT'S TIME!' Couldn't see him suffer anymore. Back to the hospital. Wonderful Vet cared for Rocky & me. 'No rush, when you are ready.' Those last minutes we shared were filled with such love & Rocky knew he was not alone! I felt his last heart beat as I held him in my arms!
WHY WAS FLUID NOT DRAINED AT HIS FIRST EXAM? WHY WAS LASIX NOT STARTED ASAP? WHY WERE X-RAYS MIS-READ MORE THAN TWICE? WHY DIDN'T THE HAIRBALL SHOW UP ON THE X-RAYS? O
June Davis - 10 years ago
Our cat was given Metacam for arthritis and we trusted our Vet. Our cat got sicker and sicker and we lost him. Our second cat loss with this vet. Our new Vet told us that the amount of Metacam prescribed was triple the amount that should have been given to our cat for his age and weight. We just believed we were doing what was best for him and continued to push that darn stuff down him even though he tried to hide from us. Why we didn't stop giving it to him is something we will always question. We still grieve his loss and believe me we question any medication prescribed for any of our other cats and always research all the side effects. Even research doesn't tell you the amount of medication to be given, you just have to be able to trust your Vet.
Crystal Griffith RN - 10 years ago
Dog was diagnosed with auto-immune hemolytic anemia d/t infection. We were feeding her high iron meats as recommended. Next blood test was really off kilter & vet said "Probably cancer of some type". Was going to send blood to Auburn Vet School. I cried for 2 days & then began to think about the blood draw I saw. Very lipemic. Talked to head of lab at hospital where it was run. Told me they ran it regardless of lipemia. Don't do that on humans. Decided to wait 6 weeks, take dog off liver & other high iron organ meats. Asked vet to re-draw the blood. He seemed to think it wouldn't make a difference. Lo & behold, blood work was stone cold normal! Vet admitted to me that he never would have dreamed that lipemia of blood would make such a difference & THAT HE HAD LEARNED SOMETHING NEW!!!
I just wish he had read all the warnings about eating raw shellfish when you are immunocompromised!! He ate raw oysters on Fri at lunch and died Mon AM from Vibrio vulnificus sepsis. He had multiple health issues prior to his death.
Mary Ann Littlefield - 10 years ago
Took Cat to vet....given booster and rabies shot in the back of the neck (not in the leg). Brought him back to the vet 25 days later, as he was "glowing" with jaundice. Test were done...diagnosed with Large granular lymphoma (at injection site), as seen on x-rays. Took him to Oncologist and was receiving chemo treatments for the next 8 months until he passed away(quite hefty bill).......still heartbroken about "doing the right thing" especially since he was an indoor cat. I raised him since he was 5 days old...my child!
Went to vet with a new little one for shots and initial exam. Spoke to him (the head of the practice. I was speaking in a quiet voice, mentioning my finding(from research I had done as well as knowing a couple of friends which had gone through the same thing with their pets after these shots). He started yelling, that he has been in practice for over 40 years and that it doesn't matter where shots are given.....) all I wanted was to let him know what my findings found so he can inform his other Drs. in the practice not to give them in a cats back.....hopefully saving others from the fate my little one went through.....I now fear for his brother( of the one I lost) who does need to go to vet and get his booster and rabies shot....I can't bring myself to take him and get them.
He passed away in March and still trying to cope with the loss of "my child".
cheryl poole - 10 years ago
The reason veterinarians put so much faith in Hills food (which I have never found any animals to like it) is because they sell it and get money from the sale! Also, vets are not taught in vet school anything about nutrition and nutritional healing. Just like human doctors, medical schools teach healing by drugs and surgery. It is up to us both for our animals and ourselves to take control of what happens to us. We have the right to say NO. Purina puts out veterinary diets that are more palatable and affordable. And I have no connection with Purina whatsoever. Just a lot of experience with feeding many, many animals.
june - 10 years ago
My (ex) vet had told me that the kitty that adopted me was a female!!! Well, after six years and calling the kitty a (her) name............another vet (present one) informed me that she is a HE................ we never could tell the difference until we started to let the cat stay indoors and he started to spray.............
We can't or couldn't believe it............but it's true.................the vet couldn't even tell............so how would we know...................................
Carol - 10 years ago
My wonderful kitty was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and said to be an ideal candidate for radiation treatement. She passed her preliminary tests beautifully - tapazol brought T-4 levels down; xrays showed no problems when the T-4 levels were normal; urine sample good. Taken off tapazol so T-4 levels went back up prior to treatment. Went in for radiation treatment - first 4 days, glowing reports of progress; the day she was to return home, they did not know whar was wrong with her. Said a 'bit dehydrated'; saw her the next day - did not look like the same cat that was brought in. The 'little' dehydrarted was dehydrated to the point of organ failure. Two days later, her liver failed so she was euthanized. Looking back, liver failure was not surprising as she had lost about half her body weight. Needless to say, I am still broken-hearted listenint to teh vets that this treatment was a 'cureall' for nearly all cases of hyperthroidism. Her loss broke the heart of a younger companion who had issues with her death (too); he seemed to be coming back to normal aand we unexpectantly lost his second favorite companion to canceer (fast spreading, aggressive) . He lost the will to live and was euthanize a month later due to weight loss and liver failure.
Her regular vet and the vets at the emergency vet agreed this was the proper course for her treatment for thyroid. The thryroid food wasn't available while she was alive . She should not have still been osing weight when she was taking the tapazole.
Carol - 10 years ago
My wonderful kitty was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and said to be an ideal candidate for radiation treatement. She passed her preliminary tests beautifully - tapazol brought T-4 levels down; xrays showed no problems when the T-4 levels were normal; urine sample good. Taken off tapazol so T-4 levels went back up prior to treatment. Went in for radiation treatment - first 4 days, glowing reports of progress; the day she was to return home, they did not know whar was wrong with her. Said a 'bit dehydrated'; saw her the next day - did not look like the same cat that was brought in. The 'little' dehydrarted was dehydrated to the point of organ failure. Two days later, her liver failed so she was euthanized. Looking back, liver failure was not surprising as she had lost about half her body weight. Needless to say, I am still broken-hearted listenint to teh vets that this treatment was a 'cureall' for nearly all cases of hyperthroidism. Her loss broke the heart of a younger companion who had issues with her death (too); he seemed to be coming back to normal aand we unexpectantly lost his second favorite companion to canceer (fast spreading, aggressive) . He lost the will to live and was euthanize a month later due to weight loss and liver failure.
Her regular vet and the vets at the emergency vet agreed this was the proper course for her treatment for thyroid. The thryroid food wasn't available while she was alive . She should not have still been osing weight when she was taking the tapazole.
My 14-year old beloved friend passed away a month ago and I'm still heartbroken. I spent 4 months taking him from vet to vet, including the chief cardiologist at the only animal hospital in our country, trying to find a solution to what was, apparently, a problem they had never encountered in a cat before (pleural effusion caused by a rare type of heart disease). It's a very long and sad story, and I won't go into it unless someone is interested in the details.
What sticks in my mind even today and which I can't get rid of, is the realization that the cardiologist (who came highly recommended by the other 3 vets, among them my own vet who had taken care of Boubou for 14 years and should perhaps have known better?) is that the cardiologist had no experience in treating cats. How did I reach that conclusion? My poor Bou was so scared when handled by the cardiologist that he started purring heavily, which was problematic because the cardio could not hear his heart very well. He therefore asked me whether it was alright for him to throw Bou in the air to try and scare him into stopping to purr. I told him he was purring because he was scared! His answer was that cats don't purr if they are scared..and I stood there like an idiot and let him do it! At that moment I should have known that he had no idea how to treat cats. It also turned out that the drug he gave him was very controversial and had been known to cause death in cats. How was I supposed to know that? I'm not a vet! I asked my own vet who told me that he trusted the cardio to do what was right. well, apparently not, because G-d was good enough not to let my beloved friend suffer and took him from me two weeks later. I am still crying when writing this, but somehow I thank the good Lord that I was not forced to see my friend be in pain and have to do the unthinkable - for which I could never have forgiven myself even knowing all the while it was the right thing to do. The Lord stopped his heart and he passed quickly and quietly.
What I did discover from my subsequent research is that my country is a "dog" country and there are very few vets, if any, that know how to care for cats.
I am left with the company of darling Charlie, a 7-year old tabby who greatly feels the loss of his friend and went into a deep depression - going from room to room looking for his friend and mentor, listening, listening, hoping against hope, like I do, to hear him come around the corner of the room and give his regular "Hi, I'm here" meow....We miss you, Bou!
I had a diabetic cat and the vet insisted that she be put on Hill's Precription WD food. I found websites saying that Fancy Feast Classic was a better choice (higher in protein, lower in carbs) but the vet refused to believe it; WD was the only option. So she learned to eat WD even though she really didn't like it. As her health and appetite waned, we went back to Fancy Feast, or whatever I could get her to eat. Why do all vets push HIll's food?
continued.
XXXXXX, DVM
Perhaps indeed the surfacing of this issue, megacolon, was due to his “holding it in” after having been locked in someone else’ house for almost a full day (which we informed you of during the consultation) and not due to days/weeks of feces backing up? We do not know. Is this totally irrational, wishful thinking? Again, we do not know and this is another reason why I wanted a conversation with you.
In my line of work, patients and families who ask questions tend to have better outcomes. Research shows that patients who remain passive do not do as well and have poorer outcomes. If our questions about the cat we love put you off, oh well.
OC is not eating the Prescription Hills WD Diet and he appears to continue to lose weight. For survival, I am giving him pureed wet Friskies tuna and white fish and salmon. He is not eating much but did have a nice size, soft BM yesterday. I am giving him less lactulose then you prescribed since he did have diarrhea on Friday and is not eating the two cans/day cat food you said he should eat.
What do I do when I run out of the lactulose? What is your experience giving MiraLAX to cats with megacolon?
I liken my experience at Med Vet to the restaurant experience where the food is good (your expertise perhaps?), but everything else at the restaurant is less than acceptable.
Please know I am not confronting your experience or expertise, but I am the lack of communication with me, within the facility operations, and competency of your staff. I understand your facility on the south shore to be new and I understand growing pains of a start up, but investment in staff training and demonstration of competencies is warranted.
Please call me at 678-644-2100 or email me the answers to my questions at:
Jeanette.ray@touro.com.
Thank you in advance.
Jeanette Ray Walsh, “OC’s Mommy” (and advocate)
Cc: Dr.XXXXXl, DVM
XXXXXX, DVM
by Fax
Dear Dr.
I waited for more than 10 minutes this morning to speak to you and decided a letter was warranted since it would appear on the surface you have some hesitance to have a conversation with me or my husband about OC.
You informed me Thursday, when pressed, that you would call me to let me know how things were going “between 11 and 12;” I never heard from you.
You may recall my husband, Kevin, asked you on the phone Friday morning if you would be at the clinic when we arrived to pick up OC at 1:00 PM; you responded that you would not be. The reason Kevin asked is because he wanted to thank you in person since we were very grateful to hear that OC had made it through the procedure and was, to use your words, “doing well.”
We arrived at the clinic to pick up OC promptly at 1:00 PM on Friday. I asked the front office staff for the insurance form that was left on Wednesday when we had our consult with you. The form was returned to me exactly as I had left it…blank. I asked the staff member to please have you complete and sign the form and also asked for the insurer’s required copy of medical records. The staff member returned with the form with your signature, but stated the discharge instructions were the only records you send to insurers. I informed the staff member that I have years of experience with this particular insurer and the medical records are required before a claim will be processed. At that time, the staff member offered to send the records to the insurer directly, but would not provide me with a copy. I told her I would discuss this with you on Monday, as I suspected she was doing as she was instructed and I really didn’t want to debate this with her. Curious that you were there to sign the form after telling Kevin you would not be there.
A tech came out and said, “Yes, that is your cat you hear. We are removing the catheter. He will be out after he gets cleaned up.” I asked the tech if OC had eaten; she did not know. Another tech proceeded to bring out OC in his carrier and he was wearing a cone collar. We asked why he was wearing a collar. Again, the tech stated she did not know. Kevin posed, “Maybe because he had a catheter in?” The tech agreed, “Yes, that is why.” She then added, “You can take it off when he gets home.” Kevin asked, “Can we take it off now?” She responded, “Yes, sure.” The tech then proceeded to open the carrier and remove the collar. It was apparent OC barely had room to lay down with the collar on. How uncomfortable this must have been for him!
We were handed discharge instructions and told, “You can read them.” I was not given the opportunity to read them with anyone who could answer even the simplest of questions…and I did have questions.
We proceeded to take OC home in the car. I sat in the back with him so that I could pet him on the trip home. I was taken aback to feel that on his neck was a large sticky coating of what I now know is lactulose. Is it such that the techs do not know how to administer medications even at a veterinary specialist’s office? Did OC even get his RX that day or did it all end up on his fur? As if OC didn’t have enough to deal with, he now has an approximate 1.5 inch bare area of skin under his neck, due to the combination of sticky lactulose left on his skin and a tight cone collar. Our house is full of clumps of his white fur that have proceeded to fall from his neck. I am trying to wash him twice a day with a very mild aloe, but the stickiness remains and his fur continues to fall out. What do you recommend for his wound? What do you recommend I use to remove the remaining lactulose?
How did the procedure go? How expanded is the colon? You indicated in the consultation that the feces might be “hard like a rock and might not be removable.” Since you were able to remove the feces, I would like to know how bad it was. Perhaps indeed the surfacing of this issue, megacolon, was due to his “holding it in” after h
We took our beloved Rocky to one of the top recommended animal hospitals in NJ. He had been retching for several days from his tail area to his throat and laying prone of the floor with legs extended. Went in as an ER patient. Had a wonderful, caring Vet. EXPLAINED WE THOUGHT IT WAS A HAIRBALL. Stomach radiographs were taken. NO SIGHTING OF HAIRBALL.
Tech reading x-ray saw something was going on in the chest area. Second radiograph was done and the radiologist's diagnosis was PNEUMONIA and ASTHMA. Lung had fluid in it and there was pleural effusion around it and in his chest. Ayrithomyicin and Prednisolone in liquid forms were prescribed. Purchased meds and plungers in their pharmacy. After one use the plungers would jam up and stick. Rocky ended up getting jabbed several times in his mouth. Just what a terrified cat needed!! Called, was told to come in to see a tech the next day. He was given shots of Prednisolone and the Antibiotic. We were given a script for Prednisolone pills . No more Antibiotics were ordered. Rocky was eating and eliminating normally during this period. We saw improvement in his breathing, but he still had episodes of wheezing. The Vet called often to check on him. He finished his pills. About a week later the symptoms returned.
We went to see for a second opinion, a Vet with forty years experience. We took his records/films. The Vet examined him & listened very, very carefully with his scope. Then said: "I think they missed something." He went to look at the films. On return, he said: 'they did.' Then he showed us Rocky's gums..very pale with a purplish cast to them. His diagnosis..CHF...Congestive Heart Failure! Pleural effusion evident in lungs and chest, an enlarged heart with something pressing on his windpipe!! Gave him a shot of prednisolone. 'If he's not better in two days see a cardiologist ASAP.' We were in a state of shock!!! How did the radiologist miss all this?
Two days later Rocky took a turn for the worse. Another trip to the ER. Had to see a new Vet. Put Rocky in an oxygen chamber, then took two radiographs. Radiologist's diagnosis: 'maybe the old doctor was on to something.' THANK YOU!! NOW Lasix was ordered twice daily. Got home & received a call to increase Lasix to three times a day. Another medication was ordered. Picked it up, read the insert: DO NOT GIVE TO ANIMALS WITH CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE! SCARY!! Did not. Started Lasix. Rocky fought so hard we had to hire a tech to come in & do his meds. Tried to see a Cardiologist. IT WAS ONLY 4PM! NO Cardio Dr. on duty/call until the next day. What happens in an emergency? Called the Client Service Office & she couldn't find a Cardio Dr. either.
Spoke with our original Vet. Asked what more could we do to help Rocky? She said: 'he could be hospitalized, have new procedures done, but there was no guarantee he would survive.' "I DON'T BELIEVE WE GOT HIM OUT OF IT (CHF) THE FIRST TIME." THEY NEVER MENTIONED CHF AT THE FIRST EXAM!! If he survives the treatment what is his prognosis? "MAYBE TWO MONTHS!!" WE'RE IN ABSOLUTE SHOCK!! WE LOVED ROCKY SO MUCH. WE COULDN'T DO THAT TO HIM. SO WE TOOK HIM HOME.
Then he stopped eating. The following day he lost control of his urine. That afternoon HE VOMITED A HUGE HAIRBALL, BLOOD & PIECES OF PINK SKIN. WAS THE HAIRBALL WHAT WAS PRESSING ON HIS WINDPIPE?? Next he lost bowel control. Soon too weak to lick water off our fingers. We cried our hearts out. 9:30 PM I said: 'IT'S TIME!' Couldn't see him suffer anymore. Back to the hospital. Wonderful Vet cared for Rocky & me. 'No rush, when you are ready.' Those last minutes we shared were filled with such love & Rocky knew he was not alone! I felt his last heart beat as I held him in my arms!
WHY WAS FLUID NOT DRAINED AT HIS FIRST EXAM? WHY WAS LASIX NOT STARTED ASAP? WHY WERE X-RAYS MIS-READ MORE THAN TWICE? WHY DIDN'T THE HAIRBALL SHOW UP ON THE X-RAYS? O
Our cat was given Metacam for arthritis and we trusted our Vet. Our cat got sicker and sicker and we lost him. Our second cat loss with this vet. Our new Vet told us that the amount of Metacam prescribed was triple the amount that should have been given to our cat for his age and weight. We just believed we were doing what was best for him and continued to push that darn stuff down him even though he tried to hide from us. Why we didn't stop giving it to him is something we will always question. We still grieve his loss and believe me we question any medication prescribed for any of our other cats and always research all the side effects. Even research doesn't tell you the amount of medication to be given, you just have to be able to trust your Vet.
Dog was diagnosed with auto-immune hemolytic anemia d/t infection. We were feeding her high iron meats as recommended. Next blood test was really off kilter & vet said "Probably cancer of some type". Was going to send blood to Auburn Vet School. I cried for 2 days & then began to think about the blood draw I saw. Very lipemic. Talked to head of lab at hospital where it was run. Told me they ran it regardless of lipemia. Don't do that on humans. Decided to wait 6 weeks, take dog off liver & other high iron organ meats. Asked vet to re-draw the blood. He seemed to think it wouldn't make a difference. Lo & behold, blood work was stone cold normal! Vet admitted to me that he never would have dreamed that lipemia of blood would make such a difference & THAT HE HAD LEARNED SOMETHING NEW!!!
I just wish he had read all the warnings about eating raw shellfish when you are immunocompromised!! He ate raw oysters on Fri at lunch and died Mon AM from Vibrio vulnificus sepsis. He had multiple health issues prior to his death.
Took Cat to vet....given booster and rabies shot in the back of the neck (not in the leg). Brought him back to the vet 25 days later, as he was "glowing" with jaundice. Test were done...diagnosed with Large granular lymphoma (at injection site), as seen on x-rays. Took him to Oncologist and was receiving chemo treatments for the next 8 months until he passed away(quite hefty bill).......still heartbroken about "doing the right thing" especially since he was an indoor cat. I raised him since he was 5 days old...my child!
Went to vet with a new little one for shots and initial exam. Spoke to him (the head of the practice. I was speaking in a quiet voice, mentioning my finding(from research I had done as well as knowing a couple of friends which had gone through the same thing with their pets after these shots). He started yelling, that he has been in practice for over 40 years and that it doesn't matter where shots are given.....) all I wanted was to let him know what my findings found so he can inform his other Drs. in the practice not to give them in a cats back.....hopefully saving others from the fate my little one went through.....I now fear for his brother( of the one I lost) who does need to go to vet and get his booster and rabies shot....I can't bring myself to take him and get them.
He passed away in March and still trying to cope with the loss of "my child".
The reason veterinarians put so much faith in Hills food (which I have never found any animals to like it) is because they sell it and get money from the sale! Also, vets are not taught in vet school anything about nutrition and nutritional healing. Just like human doctors, medical schools teach healing by drugs and surgery. It is up to us both for our animals and ourselves to take control of what happens to us. We have the right to say NO. Purina puts out veterinary diets that are more palatable and affordable. And I have no connection with Purina whatsoever. Just a lot of experience with feeding many, many animals.
My (ex) vet had told me that the kitty that adopted me was a female!!! Well, after six years and calling the kitty a (her) name............another vet (present one) informed me that she is a HE................ we never could tell the difference until we started to let the cat stay indoors and he started to spray.............
We can't or couldn't believe it............but it's true.................the vet couldn't even tell............so how would we know...................................
My wonderful kitty was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and said to be an ideal candidate for radiation treatement. She passed her preliminary tests beautifully - tapazol brought T-4 levels down; xrays showed no problems when the T-4 levels were normal; urine sample good. Taken off tapazol so T-4 levels went back up prior to treatment. Went in for radiation treatment - first 4 days, glowing reports of progress; the day she was to return home, they did not know whar was wrong with her. Said a 'bit dehydrated'; saw her the next day - did not look like the same cat that was brought in. The 'little' dehydrarted was dehydrated to the point of organ failure. Two days later, her liver failed so she was euthanized. Looking back, liver failure was not surprising as she had lost about half her body weight. Needless to say, I am still broken-hearted listenint to teh vets that this treatment was a 'cureall' for nearly all cases of hyperthroidism. Her loss broke the heart of a younger companion who had issues with her death (too); he seemed to be coming back to normal aand we unexpectantly lost his second favorite companion to canceer (fast spreading, aggressive) . He lost the will to live and was euthanize a month later due to weight loss and liver failure.
Her regular vet and the vets at the emergency vet agreed this was the proper course for her treatment for thyroid. The thryroid food wasn't available while she was alive . She should not have still been osing weight when she was taking the tapazole.
My wonderful kitty was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and said to be an ideal candidate for radiation treatement. She passed her preliminary tests beautifully - tapazol brought T-4 levels down; xrays showed no problems when the T-4 levels were normal; urine sample good. Taken off tapazol so T-4 levels went back up prior to treatment. Went in for radiation treatment - first 4 days, glowing reports of progress; the day she was to return home, they did not know whar was wrong with her. Said a 'bit dehydrated'; saw her the next day - did not look like the same cat that was brought in. The 'little' dehydrarted was dehydrated to the point of organ failure. Two days later, her liver failed so she was euthanized. Looking back, liver failure was not surprising as she had lost about half her body weight. Needless to say, I am still broken-hearted listenint to teh vets that this treatment was a 'cureall' for nearly all cases of hyperthroidism. Her loss broke the heart of a younger companion who had issues with her death (too); he seemed to be coming back to normal aand we unexpectantly lost his second favorite companion to canceer (fast spreading, aggressive) . He lost the will to live and was euthanize a month later due to weight loss and liver failure.
Her regular vet and the vets at the emergency vet agreed this was the proper course for her treatment for thyroid. The thryroid food wasn't available while she was alive . She should not have still been osing weight when she was taking the tapazole.
My 14-year old beloved friend passed away a month ago and I'm still heartbroken. I spent 4 months taking him from vet to vet, including the chief cardiologist at the only animal hospital in our country, trying to find a solution to what was, apparently, a problem they had never encountered in a cat before (pleural effusion caused by a rare type of heart disease). It's a very long and sad story, and I won't go into it unless someone is interested in the details.
What sticks in my mind even today and which I can't get rid of, is the realization that the cardiologist (who came highly recommended by the other 3 vets, among them my own vet who had taken care of Boubou for 14 years and should perhaps have known better?) is that the cardiologist had no experience in treating cats. How did I reach that conclusion? My poor Bou was so scared when handled by the cardiologist that he started purring heavily, which was problematic because the cardio could not hear his heart very well. He therefore asked me whether it was alright for him to throw Bou in the air to try and scare him into stopping to purr. I told him he was purring because he was scared! His answer was that cats don't purr if they are scared..and I stood there like an idiot and let him do it! At that moment I should have known that he had no idea how to treat cats. It also turned out that the drug he gave him was very controversial and had been known to cause death in cats. How was I supposed to know that? I'm not a vet! I asked my own vet who told me that he trusted the cardio to do what was right. well, apparently not, because G-d was good enough not to let my beloved friend suffer and took him from me two weeks later. I am still crying when writing this, but somehow I thank the good Lord that I was not forced to see my friend be in pain and have to do the unthinkable - for which I could never have forgiven myself even knowing all the while it was the right thing to do. The Lord stopped his heart and he passed quickly and quietly.
What I did discover from my subsequent research is that my country is a "dog" country and there are very few vets, if any, that know how to care for cats.
I am left with the company of darling Charlie, a 7-year old tabby who greatly feels the loss of his friend and went into a deep depression - going from room to room looking for his friend and mentor, listening, listening, hoping against hope, like I do, to hear him come around the corner of the room and give his regular "Hi, I'm here" meow....We miss you, Bou!
I had a diabetic cat and the vet insisted that she be put on Hill's Precription WD food. I found websites saying that Fancy Feast Classic was a better choice (higher in protein, lower in carbs) but the vet refused to believe it; WD was the only option. So she learned to eat WD even though she really didn't like it. As her health and appetite waned, we went back to Fancy Feast, or whatever I could get her to eat. Why do all vets push HIll's food?