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Honestly, I'd look for a new vet or only see Dr. Green from now on. Granted, that doesn't help with emergency situations. Maybe call the emergency vet if Dr. Smith is the one answering the phone just for a second opinion. So glad Boris is going to be okay.
I'd treat it the same way if I called my pediatrician and he told me not to worry about my daughter and then she ended up very seriously ill: I'd find another vet.
Awwww, I'm so sorry to hear about this. It makes my heart break that because of someone's dismissal, you almost lost your pet.
I think you should speak directly with the doctor and ask what the situation was. What made her think that there was nothing to worry about? Regardless, I would write a review saying that you've had a bad experience here and that you don't recommend using their services. It's unfortunate because you got one good doctor, who did help you. But you don't want others to put their pets at risk!
Again, so sorry to hear this, hopefully he is still doing well!
let go of the "what if" thinking. it will only drive you crazy. i know my dog has had a few close calls, but i just have to let them go.
i would find a new vet. i wouldn't want to risk having to talk to the other vet in an emergency. alternatively, keep seeing dr. green and use a different emergency clinic (but then they don't know your dog as well). find out if you can report dr. smith somewhere (who licenses vets?)
1. Never go to Dr. Smith again. Build a relationship with another vet clinic so you have a 2nd option if Dr. Smith is the only one available at your current vet clinic.
2. Report the Dr. Smith to your state Veterinary Medical Association. http://www.aspca.org/about-us/faq/veterinarian-complaints.aspx
I think vets are a lot like doctors in that they have to SEE what is going on rather than being told. Honestly, I would of taken my dog to vet emerg, regardless of expense if that happened because even for humans, ODing on an inhaler is very dangerous. I am not placing judgement, as I know how emotional I get when I am dealing with a pet issue but a doctor can't make a proper diagnosis over the phone, neither can a vet.
There isn't really anything you can do about Dr. Smith, other than choose not to see him again.
p.s: I am glad your puppy baby is ok. Must be having a quite a comedown!
I know exactly what you are going through...we actually had a dog die bc an emergency animal clinic told us not to worry about something that our dog ate. She died several days later.
I would find another vet and I would make sure they know why you are leaving and taking your animals elsewhere.
@kitzy: I know. My husband keeps telling me the same thing about letting go of the what-ifs. I will do my best. Thanks so much!
@abbyful: Thank you SO MUCH for this link.
If anyone on here 'knows' me from just the board, you know how important my dogs are to me/us. Thanks for everything. :o)
The only thing I would want to double check is the message from the answering service that Dr. Smith recieved/gave. The person who answered the phone could have messed up either your message or the message from the clinician. If they ahd a few calls on hold he/she could have picked up the wrong line and gave the wrong info-which also needs to be addressed. I only say this because I used to work in a vet off ice and it happened once. Everyone was okay, but the receptionist got in big trouble.
If there's one thing I've learned with all our dog trouble, you really need one super amazing vet who you can 100% trust in everything they tell you. Dogs are like our babies, and if a pediatrician told me "not to worry about it" after my baby ingested an inhaler, I'd run outta that office real fast and never come back. You need someone who will really listen, and not dismiss you and your emergencies because of their busy schedule.
Either you need to transfer all your care to Dr. Green, or find another office entirely. Good luck!
ETA: I'm glad he's okay!
@stephinPA: I don't have anything to add, but I just wanted to say that Boris is an adorable boy :)
oh phew, i'm so glad Boris is okay! that sounds so scary! i think i agree with the other bees, i'd make sure to complain a lot about the first vet, and then find a new office
When my cat fractured her hip and dislocated it we took her to the vet and he said that it was fine and it would fix itself. He said to come back in a month if it was still bothering her. About a month later we took her back and the other vet was working that day (like what you experienced) and he took xrays and said that waiting so long messed up her hip and it's too late for it to heal naturally, all because the other vet thought it was nothing and didn't bother to do xrays. Because of the other vet's mistake she had to have a huge (very expensive) operation to replace her hip! She's only two and now she'll always have a limp, but there wasn't any other option and at least her hip doesn't hurt anymore. I definitely understand your frustration, even if my situation wasn't as serious. Luckily right after her operation the first vet retired, so I don't have to worry about him doing the same thing to other pets.
I'm so glad that Boris is okay (:
First of all, I'm glad he's ok!
Secondly, this makes me sick! I would be irate. My dog is like my child and I would be totally freaking! I definitely wouldn't be going back to the first doctor. I wouldn't be able to trust that person ever again.
@AnneTossy: I was so upset last night. And now it's turning to being severely pissed off. However, I'm still experiencing the guilt of how this all could've been prevented if I would've zipped my gym bag. I'll never have an appt with Dr. Smith again. We don't have kids...our 'boys' are our kids, so I feel the same way.
forgive the bad form as i am writing this on my phone. just a couple weeks ago our dog, belle started throwing up and wouldnt eat. we took her to her regular vet and they took xrays and said she would be fine. they gave her soft food to eat and said they didnt know what it was but she would be fine. the next day she wasnt eating or drinking. we tried to pour water down her mouth and she just let it fall out. so we took her to a different vet because ours was closed on saturdays. they took another xray and saw something lodged in her intestine. they had to do surgery immediately and pulled a corn cob that i would assume she got outside from a squirrel out of her intestine. she would have died had she not had the surgery.we were pissed at our vet but happy the mystery was solved. a couple days later our vet called my fiance to see if she was better. he said, ya but she is in the hospital recovering from surgery. the vet sounded embarressed and didnt ask further questions he said. well we decided to switch vets and i think you should too.
@mlharrison23: omg. That's terrible. I'm glad she recovered. Poor thing.
When I was in HS our family dog had big mass on her side. My parents took her to see a soft tissue specialist and during the x-ray they saw half of a tennis ball, a chain collar, a huge lump of grass, and a penny just sitting in her stomach. lol. The collar had been missing for a month She was fine-they did endoscopy to get everything out, in addition to the testing for the tumor which was begnine and unrelated to all of the treasures in her tummy.
I know this has nothing to do with the OP but I though the dog lovers would like this story.
I am so happy Boris is okay! I would never see Dr. Smith again...EVER. In an emergency situation where he is the only vet available I would definitely call another clinic for a better opinion, especially since you know you can't trust him now.
@mrs.peters.to.be: Thanks. I'm so relieved.
I was shopping around earlier for a veterinary practice and found one closer to home. They are accepting new patients, so I think this is a step in the right direction. I just hate leaving Dr. Green. But what can you do?!
A few years ago, my mother woke up in the middle of the night with severe head pain, an inability to talk, and numbness on her right side. Her bf called the dr. He told him not to worry about it and if she wasn't better in the morning to come into the office. My mother had a f-ing STROKE that could have been REVERSED if the f-ing dr had been paying attention to her symptoms. My mother will forever pay for that dr's mistake.
I'm sorry about Boris. I'm glad he is doing OK. I would be f-ing livid if I were you too.
Honestly I recommend going to a Petsmart on Saturday and talking to the rescue volunteers and getting a vet recommendation from them. Rescue groups know the scoop on all the near by vets- who is good and who is affordable. They are an excellent rescource for any pet related questions.
WOW this really scared me... My DH sometimes keeps his inhaler on the table near our bed.. Our doggies can reach to it and once i found my khloe chewing the outside of it, She didnt punture the inhaler i caught her with it right when she took it. How scary!!! So sorry you had to go thru this and I am so glad he is okay... Poor guy!
@jaylovessteez: Yes, please keep ALL medication in a place/drawer/med cabinet where your pets cannot get into it. I honestly am making this my own, personal PSA.
Boris is back to himself. Praise god. I would've died if I something happened to him full well knowing I could've prevented it.
@stephinPA: I told DH about this story he got so sad.. because he is the one who usually leaves his inhalers everywhere! so glad he is better :)
I would be fuming if I was in the same situation,and the first thing I would do is ind out exactly what happened and whether it really was a mixed up message or jus an ignorant vet.
If it was a mixed message,a firm phone call or letter should deal with the issue. If it was an ignorant vet,you NEED to contact the vetinary medical association,that way the Dr can get up to date relevant training and stop it from happening to another families beloved baby.
Im so glad boris is ok,hes such a beautiful baby!!!
xx
@SoontobeMrsA: OMG...I am not even a doctor but reading the three symptoms you described I knew your mother had had a stroke. I cannot believe someone made it through med-school without that knowledge! They even teach people now the smile, reach, speech test so laypersons can get medical help if they or someone near them is having a stroke. :(
To the OP: I am so glad Boris is okay! He had ingested drugs and had a racing heart...I don't understand HOW they didn't tell you to contact Animal Poison Control immediately on that one.
@jaylovessteez: Thanks! You just don't think they'll ever take something like that. But you can never be TOO careful!
Oh a side note, our other dog, Milo is seeing the new vet Monday night for a minor issue...we'll see how it goes. I guess it's kind of a test.
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Wednesday after I came home from work and changed, I noticed that one of our dogs, Boris, got into my gym bag. I realized this when I saw my punctured inhaler laying under his dog bed. I didn't put two and two together because I then noticed and heard his breathing get heavier. I went over to him and his pulse was about to beat right out of his skin.
Funny is though, as I was petting him, he was relaxed but his breathing and heartrate were crazy. I then knew what it was (inhaler) and called our vet. It was after hours (7:15pm) and vet was just finishing up with last patient when I called the answer service picked up. I explained what happened and soon received a call from our vet's office. Dr. Smith (name is changed) was finishing up with her last patient. I explained what happend again. They called back and I was told that Dr. Smith said she wasn't worried about it and to just monitor him.
So I did. If the vet wasn't worried, I wasn't going to be worried...but I was. I made Boris sleep with me in the guest room that night and while he didn't stir very much, I knew he had a fever because he was so hot to the touch. I kept checking his pulse throughout the night.
Now we're at Thursday morning when my husband told me he thought something was wrong. Boris is VERY VERY food motivated. And when eating his breakfast, he stopped closed his eyes, stepped away and went to lay on his bed. He soon got back up and finished breakfast. But he was acting like Boris, so I didn't take it for major concern. I alerted our dog walkers as to what happened the night before. Got home last night to a normal greeting by the door, nice walk and he ate dinner. Then I started noticing how lethargic he was acting and when I tested him to see if he would come into the kitchen for a 'cookie' he did perk up and come in. But once he was there, he was moving in slow motion. His eyes weren't open as usual...rather 1/2 open and he took his cookie in slow mo, didn't close his mouth and let the cookie drop out onto the floor. Again, from a dog who will turn cartwheels for treats, I immediately knew something was wrong.
I called the vet again. Dr. Green (name changed) was there. We like Dr. Green. I explained to girl on phone everything. I was told to call Animal Poison Control. So I did and at their suggestion, they wanted me to take Boris to vet so they could work with Dr. Green in helping Boris feel better. Off to the vet we went.
Dr. Green was finishing up with last patient and the girls who work there were all coming out and taking his heartrate and listening to his heart. Everything was normal. Finally go to see Dr. Green and discussed everything. She told me that he could've died last night (the inhaler night when Dr. Smith told me to not worry about it). And seeing that he did not die, he would pull through and be fine.
Pretty much he was amped from being on an amphetamine the night before. And now he was crashing and burning. Disoriented a little from the drug and being so tired from wearing on his system.
So I asked her, if YOU were on call last night (inhaler night) would you have told me to NOT worry? She looked at me and was like, 'Are you trying to get me in trouble?' I just told her...well, what if he did die and I didn't bring him in because Dr. Smith said to not worry about it. She told me that she would've sent me to the closet emergency clinic to have him monitored, especially for heart issues.
Boris is doing well today, I'm actually leaving work at 2 today to just be there with him, as I can't help but to still be a little worried.
Now what do I do about this Dr. Smith? I'm not happy AT ALL about her dismissal of my call...especially since my dog could've died. Now, I know he didn't but in the back of my mind, there is always the what-if scenario. I'm a tad pissed off.
What would you do?