Dusty

[mamabear]

My sister's dog, Dusty was diagnosed with cancer. I was trying to keep this to myself but can not right now. There is a bit of confusion and thought things were getting taken care of. They are not.

I left a message for their vet to call me tomorrow so i may speak to him. He is either giving my sister the run around or she simply does not understand what he is saying. I sure hope that it is that she doesnt get it.

I ask that you pray for Dusty and that you pray that I keep my wits about me. I know what to ask and what to say , my problem is that I am so angry right now and want to curse this dr. out so badly because I was now told that this dr. thought the cancer in her lungs was a fungal infection and then saw the 2nd xray and said no it's cancer. Yet he told sister yesterday "weeeeellllll IIIIIIf you want to get a real person to look at it it will cost you $50 for an xray technician to look at it to see if its cancer! "What the hell is that crap? Wait he is the Vet and cant read an xray? Am i missing something here. I sure know that people do get their xray lisences now a days and just like everything everyone has a degree for something but what is that garbage?

Thank God I wasnt on the phone Because I would have told him that i would be there in an hour to stick that film up his (BEEP)!

So you see why Dusty and I both need prayers.

She is my baby and of course my sister adores her and is frantic over everything and her dh is the same. She wanted to do this on her own and of course this dr. seems to be a jerk and I can not help but, but in and find out what his deal. She wants me to do this so thats fine but good Lord he has no idea who is he dealing with. I demand the utmost care when it comes to me and my kids, can you imagine what I am like with my animals. LOL OH and I hate being railroaded to think that I have no clue what I am talking about so therefore I must go get someone else to look for me. Oh good Lord help him! LOL

Ok needed to vent on that one. So sorry!

I would appreciate any advice on what type of fungal infection this Yahoo of a dr. was talking about. He just told sister that eh it coudl be anything and you have to go in to do a biopsy now to find out if it is cancer or fungal infection.....Jeez so which is it? OH and i'll be asking him that question for sure. Probably a bit loud i might add as well. Since this isnt her regular vet and the regular one I am not thrilled with either right about now .

[Traci]

One does not have to have to be a lisenced xray technician to be able to make a diagnosis from an xray, least of all a vet. Unless this vet utilizes other radiology people for his clinic, which to me, seems bad practice (not to mention the added expense to the client).

Forget this vet, get Dusty to a new, more competent vet immediately...if you and/or your sister are not comfortable or trusting of her regular vet either, see only a new more experienced vet, preferrably one who is established and has a good reputation in your area. Even a qualified, well-established emergency veterinary facility would be an option.

It may not even require a biopsy, get all Dusty's records from this vet and get them faxed to the new vet so he can review them and so he can review any treatment this vet has already prescribed (if any)...the xrays should also be included, but it's better to ask the new vet to aquire these for you, since the xrays technically belong to the other clinic. The new vet can then make his own judgement on the xray and recommend further testing if necessary. If heartworm testing wasn't done, do that as well. Rule out pneumonia, bronchitis, bordetella, bacterial infection, etc, and do be sure to mention the original reason for seeing the vet, the swelling in the legs, the lameness, vomiting, and anorexia.

Don't wait on this, get Dusty to a new, more qualified, competent vet TODAY.

[JUDY S]

Good luck mamabear, I will definately keep you and Dusty in my prayers.

[Tambrey]

prayers for Dusty and her Humans...I agree with Traci about a new vet completely at this point in time...
you probably have already spoken with the current one, so hope things went well there...
keep us posted!

[mamabear]

Thank you girls! Prayers must have been with me because I was so calm when he called. I told him straight out that I had been a tech years ago and actually use to go over to them and help out as well when needed facilities they offered. He said oh really? I said yes so please talk to me as though I work for you and dont sugar coat anything. Please professional to professional. He said sure and we had a great talk.

The bottom line is sister and her dh were confused and just put blinders after hearing cancer. Which of course is understandable. THey are both still in shock and still in denial. He explained that yes it is cancer and explained what he said about the fungus and that it was misunderstood and that next time he will not try to compare. I agreed and said that yes saying that it "looks" like something you would see in such in such country certainly didnt get heard that way.

He explained that he didnt tell sister that she should get a tech to look, he said if she wanted a second opinion that he was more than happy to give her what ever she needed so she could get it. He was competant and I liked him, and thats a lot to say since I dont like anyone LOL He asked me If I was still in the field and why i left and if i was interested. I said no thank you I dont even live over there anymore. LOL But did tell him about my dogs and stuff so he said that at least I was sticking with it even if it is part time.

He said , he was happy that she was feeling better(which she is, not weezing anymore either) but if we needed drugs to help aleviate the discomfort that he would be right there to provide them and what ever they needed to help her through this. He said that the best thing to do is give her what she wanted to eat as long as I was helping out with the do's and dont's.

Thank you for the prayers and words of advice. I sure needed them! Dusty is home with sister and wasnt real thrilled about eating today but sister is trying to doctor up her food to see if she eats it. even if we have to do a few times a day at just a tiny bit each time is better than nothing.

hugs to you all.

MamaB

[Traci]

Well, in my opinion, that doesn't explain anything he told your sister, and I can't imagine how your sister misinterpreted that, even as badly as the vet said she did.

How does this explain the fact he told her a biopsy would be required to differentiate between a fungal infection and cancer?

How does this explain the $50 mentioned for a lisenced xray technician to review the xray?

Do you really think your sister and her husband misinterpreted this to such an extent?

Just asking, but could it be the vet was telling YOU what YOU wanted to hear? If he knew your sister misinterpreted everything he had said prior, then he darn well should have got on the phone with her right then and there and apologized for the misunderstanding, and then proceed to discuss at length what he meant in the first place. I commend you for going to him and searching him out for the "truth", and nothing against you, but the vet wasn't even obligated to discuss it with you...he WAS and still IS, obligated to pick up the phone and talk to your sister, in a consulting manner. That's what makes this fishy, why talk to you when he should have been talking to your sister and making a concerted effort to ensure she understood.

[mamabear]

He was the ER vet unfortunately everything that my sister heard was from her very blinded husband. He never gets anything said to him respoken to anyone else right.

The other vet about biopsy was the original vet and I was furious with him because all he was looking at was dollar signs. When speaking with the ER vet I told him what the original vet said and he was angry as well.

He said to my sister that if she wanted a 2nd opinion about the xray that he had no problem giving them someone to go to that could read it as well and he gave her a cost so she knew what it would be before she got there.

Yes i do believe they misinturpreted many things that is why i stepped in. She was going by what her dh told her and what he said was all wrong. I know them well enough to know when they panic they dont hear what is being said. I cant blame them for that as I was upset too about Dusty BUT at least I have the experience to step away for a minute and ask what needs to be asked.

The ER vet will be the one they deal with from now on when it comes to her care. When I spoke with him he was so upset that they misunderstood and wanted to call her. I told him that that was not nessesary and that I would tell her what was going on. He will be doing a follow up call that is why he was happy I told him about my grandfather and uncle dieing of the same thing. So he can at least show compassion.

Dusty is doing well so far and we are not looking for a miracle, we are just making sure she is not in pain or wheezing which right now she isnt. When she starts to we will be seeking the help of the ER vet again since he said that the biopsy the other vet said was unnecessary and very unprofessional and uncaring of the other vet . And I agree.

This could have been avoided if her dh had not been in shock during the visit once the dr. said Cancer he did not hear anything clearly, the poor man. Of course he went home and said all this stuff to her and was unclear about it as well.

I like this man and I trust him for now. Since Dusty is doing ok right now they are in less shock and do hope when her time comes that it be in her sleep. I of course do as well.

Traci thank you for asking questions, i like to keep on my toes and make sure I got hte right info and asked hte right things and got the right answers. (thanx)

[mamabear]

It is with a very heavy heart that I tell you that Dusty has crossed over the Rainbow Bridge.

The whole family came home to her passed away. Please pray for them and their 4 little kids that they heal and mourn the way they need to to get past this.

traci i pm'd you

mamabear

[Traci]

Mamabear, I am so so sorry, my heart just breaks for you and your family. I know how much you loved Dusty, and I so hoped she had much more time with all of you.

Please pass on our thoughts and prayers to your family, Dusty is in my heart and prayers for a safe and gentle journey......I'm so sad for you

(((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))

[E's]

I am sorry for your family's loss, mamabear. As I've said here before, I sometimes think the unexpected death of a beloved pet is easier to deal with than knowing beforehand... but both are awful. It is good that your anger has gone - now the necessary acceptance can begin.
Dot B
(Still E's Hobbit in my heart)