61: A Sad Day for Veterinarians

 

Veterinarians are people that we need to look up to, having undergone rigid training in animal health and like the human doctor, must be someone that we can trust. Not only do we expect them to give professional advice, but we also expect them to be concerned about how about the human side when it is about the health of our beloved dogs; ie, feelings of the dog owner.
I say it is a sad day for veterinarians because this encounter illustrates my disappointment in one of them. I have no desire to put down or embarrass anyone. I rather be focused on issues rather than on the person. As such, I will refrain from giving the names of the customer, veterinarian and vet clinic concerned…but if I am asked privately, I will not hesitate to divulge their identity.
So, here is the story.
DAY 1 A customer named MT bought pet puppy from me. The puppy was 3 ½ months old, active and healthy with no visual signs of sickness having been vaccinated 3 times with parvo distemper shots. 
DAY 2 The following day, the customer calls and complaints that the dog has a soft stool with a dark color and that the dog appeared to weak. He is not active in the company of an adult Yorkshire Terrier they own. The customer further complainted that the previous day, the dog coughed once and was salivating in the mouth. I suggested that to be on the safe side, that they bring the dog to a vet….no quacks please! Given the area that they lived in, I suggested a perceived large reputable clinic in her area…Clinic A.
Shortly after, the customer called complaining that according to the vet, the dog was tested positive for parvo and distemper and that she wants me to have the dog collected because the vet clinic refuses to keep contagious air bourne distemper cases in their clinic…and that I should take care of the hospital bill. (Bastos! Rude! I believe that the general rule of behavior is that if the dog is to be returned, the buyer should take the initiative to do so…and pay for the hospital bill. Never mind, I accommodated paying for the hospital bill and having one of my staff pick up the dog.) I called the vet who made such a diagnosis(Dr ML) and was informed that indeed the dog tested positive for parvo and distemper and the distemper was at stage 2…with very little chance of survival.
The dog arrived at about 5 pm in my house appearing to be healthy and active without any signs of sickness, barking and jumping inspite of the fact he was on IV fluid. One arm with the IV was swollen and the other appeared to have had lots of unsuccessful IV tries. The dog had an empty stomach and seem to want to lick and eat our hands…he must have been very hungry. He also came with Health Certificate from Clinic A signed by Dr ML saying that the dog was Parvo Positive 1 and Distemper Positive 2. I decided to leave the IV, just in case the dog proved to be really sick but I had him tested inhouse for PARVO…using the Anigen Rapid CPV Ag Test kit which proved to be negative. So, was the dog sick? He did not appear so. He did not poo up to the next morning continuing to be active…barking and jumping whilst confined in a large box. There was no vomiting or any bloody stool.
DAY 3 During the morning, my retainer vet, Dr Cabanlig, who is one of the old timer in the industry, came and visited. I asked him to look at the dog. After examining the dog, I asked Dr Cabanlig to issue a certification on his clinical examination and he certified that the dog did not show any specific symptom of Distemper or Parvo. He relayed to me his experience in Distemper many many years back when a big room was filled with Distemper cases…and this certainly is not distemper…and this is not parvo. If it was parvo, there would have been a lot of vomiting and bloody poo poo discharge. He tells me that these tests made should always be done in conjunction clinical observations and not on a stand alone basis. Unfortunately, he says, new vets use this as their crutch in their evaluation process resulting to wrong conclusions.
In the afternoon of the same day, I decided to approach another high profile vet clinic in the name of Vets in Practice. Dr Jess Jerome Aycocho examined the dog and did issued a written certification stating “ The dog was tested for Parvovirus and Distemper antigen test and it was negative. Confirming that it was negative for communicable viruses. “ He explained that the test he did was an antigen test which was the appropriate test to be used. Most likely, the earlier test done by the first vet(Dr ML) was an anti body test which must have resulted in a false positive. The reason he cites is that since the dog has already been vaccinated with anti bodies for parvo and distemper, it is likely that they will test false positive…even if they are really negative. You NOT do an anti body test on a sick dog that has been vaccinated with the same anti body…that is common sense. You only use anti body test on a sick dog than has not been vaccinated with the said anti body.
I called Dr ML of A Vet Clinic and stated the preceeding. I explained to her that her report was faulty and that it was damaging to me and not true. I said that I did not want to embarrass anyone but I told her that she needs to correct the wrong information that she has issued to my customer…though I have NO intention of dealing ever with that person again. She said she needs to consult with a more senior vet in their clinic. After about 10 minutes, she calls and said that based on their protocol, she has to stand on what she has said. I responded, that surely, with the dog presently healthy, had the dog been sick of parvo, he would have been down sick vomiting and discharging blood…did she not observe this in her clinical findings? She responded, that her certification was based on the test and based on what the customer MT described to her since the dog was in the clinic for only a short time; ie, vomiting and loose stool(which was not what MT told me when I asked her to bring the dog to a vet clinic). 
I could not believe my ears. I was expecting her to be concerned and possibly ask to see the dog again for her own verification. But with this “I do not care” attitude …the lack of concern for others and the consequences of her misdiagnosis and the feeling of others…I really wonder if I can respect such an individual who has been called to be trusted? Would you trust a stupid vet? Would you trust a robot vet? Would you trust a vet who gives judgmental diagnosis without really doing a clinical evaluation of the dog? Would you trust a vet that would cause you panic and emotional stress by saying that your dog is going to die due to a fatal sickness and super contagious when this is not true at all? Would you trust a vet who would cause a misunderstanding between a breeder and his customer based on her misdiagnosis and without any interest in straightening up the wrong she has done? I know everyone makes mistakes but I strongly believe that a wrong should be made right. Truly, to have a licensed vet like this is sad for the veterinary profession…and the clinic that she is associated with.
Day 4 The dog continues to be healthy , active and strong with no sign of sickness. His stool is well formed. His temperature is normal. I believe that this dog will continue to be healthy. Most likely, the dog was stressed in the new environment plus his exposure to an adult Yorkshire Terrier …and possibly not fed properly resulting to his earlier condition. 

 

The above was posted in the Facebook account of Canton Poms.  Follows are some of the comments received after less than 17 hours of posting:

 

Melissa Barnett [1] Very sad story indeed....but I must say, I would be happy that you have that sweet baby back and that the customer did NOT keep the dog. It would kill me to know that one of my pups was with someone like that. So sad about the vet issue but maybe a blessing in disguise as it got rid of the buyer. Ha! Sorry though it had to cost you a vet bill and that someone out there is operating with that lack of professionalism!!  

17 hours ago [2] · Like [3] · 1 [4]

 

Canton Poms [5] Of course, I had to pay another vet bill from another clinic to retest the dog and do a certification for future purposes should a need arise. 

17 hours ago [6] · Like [3] · 1 [7]

 

Markish Persimoone Poms [8] that is embarrassing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 

15 hours ago [9] · Like [3]

 

Dina Brown-Tall [10] In this litigious world, everyone is more concerned with protecting themselves...than doing "the right thing." I'm so glad for you that the pup is well 

14 hours ago [11] · Like [3] · 2 [12]

 

Roberta Malott [13] So very glad it all worked out well - and that the pup is ok. So very sad though - 

13 hours ago [14] · Like [3] · 2 [15]

 

Curtiss Smith [16] That is when you go to the veterinary board with your information and turn them in .. That is what they are there for . 

16 hours ago [17] via mobile [18] · Like [19] · 2 [20]

 

Delilah Olivier [21] well said 

16 hours ago [22] · Edited [19] · Like [19]

 

Jackie Rowe [23] So unprofessional
Can not say sorry
I was wrong
I wouldn't trust any diagnosis from these vets
And as for the customer - obviously has no common sense. Any animal going to a new home is stressed. They need reassurance and love

No sense

Xxx 

16 hours ago [24] via mobile [18] · Like [19] · 2 [25]

 

Leny Arvisu [26] I just had an experienced with one vet hospital, a Big chain of hospital at their QC branch last black Saturday. Jasy & I went to this hospital coz she had discharge and her temp is high and chilling. My vet Doc Rico of Dog's Land was out of town but with continuous communication with him even he is out.We don't have any choice. I cut short my stay with my mom in Sta Cruz, Laguna, arriving there Friday & left by lunch time Saturday to have my Jasy checked up and be given proper medication & treatment. It was an open Pyometra case and the hospital did an x-ray & blood exam.The Vet want her operated right away, even her WBC is high, RBC, hemoglobin & platelet are low, elevated liver exam & so forth and even threatened me about her case. When I ask how much to have a surgery, their fee is so overcharge. Just for the surgery, price is 10,000 pesos, blood exam & x-ray cost me 2800 pesos & additional bills for 2 days stay with out any assurance that my dog will survive.. because of her low condition. So I decided to wait for Doc Rico since he is coming back on Sunday. The vet gave her 4 kinds of medicines and I bought it at Mercury for a thousand pesos. Overnight, I monitored Jasy's condition, when I gave her the medicine by 11pm the discharge stopped and made Jasy suffered more in pain. The following morning, I called another vet, asking her if she can do surgery on a Sunday. She asked me if it's open or close pyometra, I answered, open since I already had my researched about Jasy's condition. I also told her all the medicines that was prescribed and about the exorbitant fee the clinic is asking......... do you know what the Lady Vet told me.... if it's an open pyometra they don't do the surgery right away... what they do is inject a medicine in order for the puss cells to come out and it will be for 5 consecutive days( thought after injection she will vomit as a side effect) and she will change all the medicines that the other clinic prescribed. The lady vet charge for the doctor's fee is 250.00 pesos (1 time charging) and 200.00 pesos per shot for 5 days and gave her antibiotic for 2 weeks at 95.00 only. All the medicines prescribed the previous clinic was waste of money. It doesn't mean that Jasy will not be operated, but she wants her condition to improved first, before doing the surgery...It will be done by Doc Rico after another round of blood test and once we feel Jasy's condition has improved at a very reasonable price... Jasy is now in good shape still taking her antibiotic but she showed at lot of improvement just after the first injection.I was so disappointed with that clinic coz I feel, their clinic is no longer have the heart to serve their patients but to make money out of the patients. That there is alternative medications that can be done, but they did not gave Jasy right one. I don't know, if they know the proper treatment on Jasy's condition or maybe they know,but they just want to have a surgery at once so they will make money. I ask Dra, on how can I make a complain on this clinic at the phil. vet assn. of the phils. or any government agency that governs them, coz it's the 2nd time they made wrong prescription and evaluation on my dog's case. Last saturday April 6 2013. I received a text from the vet hospital asking me about Jasy's condition....2 things....it's either they have an after sales service ( follow up) or just checking if my Jasy is still alive. I texted them what I felt and how disappointed I was with them. 

15 hours ago [27] · Edited [19] · Like [19]

 

Chantelle McCrillis Miller [28] One yucky vet, two good vets. So sad the yuckies give a bad name to the goods. Second opinions are valuable.... I love my vet! 

16 hours ago [29] · Like [19]

 

Paula Pascoe [30] It's very unfortunate to hear of such incompetence and stupidity. You should absolutely report this officially through the appropriate channels. So glad you got the puppy back and he's well! 

15 hours ago [31] · Like [19]

 

Elizabeth Heckert [32] What Curtiss said, definitely lodge a complaint. I hate it when vets won't admit they were wrong. I had a problem once where a vet clinic doing puppy teeth removal and spay on one of my 1 yr olds that was going to a pet home, pulled out EVERY INCISOR - all of them adult. How does one make that mistake?? When I complained about it i was told they MUST have been loose or they would not have been pulled. Yeah, right, a 1 yr old with 12 extremely lose incisors? Her teeth were not even dirty, and I had photos taken a month before to prove that. I did not pursue it but it made me angry that they couldn't just say "sorry, we must have thought they were baby teeth." 

15 hours ago [33] · Like [19] · 1 [34]

 

Eve Smail [35] Many of these young Vets just have no idea, especially the large "franchise" Vet Clinics. Thankfully your puppy came back to your professional and experienced hands xx 

15 hours ago [36] · Like [19] · 2 [37]

 

Sandy Willhite [38] I agree. It seems that a lot of Vet clinics want to run expensive tests for common sense problems. I'm not a Vet, but if a client came to me with a brand new adopted puppy that had diarrhea and a sick stomach and told me they'd only had the puppy for a day, the first thing I'd consider is the puppy was upset about being in a new home with new people and new pets. The second thing I'd do is ask to see the puppies vaccination records, which I know for a fact is given by the breeder to the owner. It sounds to me like the client is ignorant AND having 2nd thoughts about their purchase, using a misdiagnosis as an excuse to get their money back. People like that don't deserve to own pets. 

15 hours ago [39] · Like [19] · 1 [40]

 

Tarun Preet Singh [41] Ignore them! Stupid careless people. 

14 hours ago [42] via mobile [18] · Like [19]

 

Marion Mages [43] Its very sad to hear about such a bad performance of a vet. Very good, that you was so straight 

14 hours ago [44] · Like [19]

 

Michael Hughes-Halls [45] These are nothing else than the 4x4 vets......inject 'em, castrate 'em, tell the client never have a pure bred dog...... supply a SPECIAL feed......and then they head for the purchase of the 4x4.....not vets of the old school dedicated to care, love and benefit the animals brought to them and treated with that care and attention...... 

7 hours ago [46] · Like [19]

 

Walden Poms [47] I agree with Curtiss and Liz...u should lodge a complaint Basilio please..

about an hour ago [48] · Like [19]

 

MrChico Pomeranians [49] Definitely needs to be complained. It's very disturbing news for the owner and breeder to get a parvo and distemper positive only to find out it's a false positive. We need more competent vets locally!

42 minutes ago [50] via mobile [18] · Like [19]

 

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April 11, 2013