surgery.

 That really seems expensive; it's about what my vet charges for a complete checkup. Your vet should call you when the tests are back; at least that's what mine does.

They usually do as well. I have to say I am happy with the treatment of Kale in this instance, but there was some stuff pre surgery that had me scratching my head.

Then the thing with Maven's rabies vac in the butt and the reaction and now waiting for results and not having heard anything... Sort of less than perfect service. Maybe I am being overly picky.  I don't think I am.

I could easily do the bandage myself or have any number of equine people do it. I chose to take him to them because if there was a problem I wanted them to see it first. $30 seems excessive.

I will say something to the surgeon tomorrow. IF it is not her I will throw a wreck. As I had to take Kale in twice to look at the cysts and the probable cushings and the associates were unconcerned with any of it.

If they weren't so highly recommended I would have gone elsewhere.

Foxysox

If they weren't so highly recommended I would have gone elsewhere.

  Sometimes it takes a little searching to find the right vet. I left our first vet about 3 years ago because there were too many things that bothered me such as no blood work before surgery, prescribing pred for allergies, and resisting my request to refer us to a nearby vet teaching school when Jessie's head swelled and she had sores on her nose and eyelids and they had no idea what caused it. I love the place we go to now. I hope you get the test results tomorrow and it's not serious or at least treatable.

Sounds oddly familliar.

We were back today, and I had to prod for any answers regarding the labs. I finally get a vet that I have never seen... all benign. Good news, but where is "my" vet???

They pull the bandage off of the leg that 2 were removed from, and he(Kale) comes out with a bandage of the opposite foot. They tell me his is missing some skin and is really sore... really??? I help diagnose "sore" for a living. I have had him for the better part of 9 years. Tell me something I don't know.

He has always been a self mutilator to a certain degree. If I thought him licking his foot till it bled was a new of big indicator of his comfort level, I'd do something about it. If they want him to leave the leg that was surgical alone without a bandage, they might want to leave the foot uncovered... Just a thought from the only person who knows him.

An unwanted bandage cost another $28.55. for a bandage that was on for less than an hour.

by comparsion, an equine bandage change is $25 or less with more than 5x the bandage material. Is my math somehow skewed??

He has another appointment to remove a bandage he never needed on thursday. Barringing infection, do I take him?

Should I be this crabby about the care?? Am I maybe being unfair??

  First of all, I'm so glad he doesn't have cancer.

Foxysox

He has always been a self mutilator to a certain degree. If I thought him licking his foot till it bled was a new of big indicator of his comfort level, I'd do something about it.

  Jessie used to lick her feet until they bled, and she would get some pretty bad infections too, caused by the licking. What have you tried to stop it: I tried antihistamines, fish oil, and other supplements. I also tried (and still do) to control allergens in the house, by frequent vacuuming, washing our bedding in hot water, etc., but it didn't help. When I took her to a veterinary dermatologist, who put her on an elimination diet, I learned that a lot of the foot licking was due to food allergies. Have you tried a very simple allergy food like Natural Balance Potato and Duck to see if that would help?

I feel alot of the same pain, Jessie's... Kale has been on anything and everything or so it seems. Weve done hypo allergenic. we've done vegan, raw, Atopica, allergy shots, pred, different antihistamines. I vacuum, buy vacuums with heppa, have air filters, Don't let him in the house for an hour after vacuuming. Don't let him out of the house at least an hour after they do their thing. 

I wish to God that I could find a way. Omegas, pred, antihistamine, etc etc. that would help him be more comfortable.. and without the pred. Unfortunately, We do live in a never freezing and year round state of allergans for him.

It sucks. But 5mg pred a day helps a ton. And I might be at a point where I keep him comfortable and maybe increase quality of life as opposed to lengthening it and him being miserable. Tough spot to be in, but I know which choice I'd make

If you are going to go with the Prednisone you might want to look into these two things they just put Willow on--one's called Denosyl and the other is called Marin.  They are liver protectants and you do not need a prescription to get them.  They are milk thistle and Sam E but formulated in a special way that they are absorbed well.  Willow's liver values went down in just two weeks on them. 

They aren't hard to give either the Denosyl you have to fast at least four hours so I do mine in the early morning and then she waits one hour before she can eat.  The Marin is chewable. 

 It sounds like you've tried everything; the allergy shots have helped Jessie a lot, but they don't work for about 30% of dogs who get them. 5 mg of pred is a small dose for a dog Kale's size, and I agree with you; if Jessie needed it to be comfortable, she would get it. My vet was treating a Newfoundland and had tried an allergy diet, immunotherapy, and Atopica but the only thing that helped was steroids.The only hair the poor dog had was along his spine because he couldn't reach it to chew it off.

 In addition to the products Lori mentioned, the same company makes one called Denamarin which is milk thistle and SAMe combined;  

http://www.nutramaxlabs.com/products/animal/denamarin/index.asp 

I believe the Marin and the one Jessie's mom mentioned are the same thing.

It has silybin -- which I *think* it's a pharmaceutical version of silymarin -- not the herb.  It's more liver support -- than a detox.  It's really not the same as milk thistle -- you can use milk thistle in addition -- with any pharmaceutical you're still going to get some chemical side effects because the body's not quite going to absorb it the same way.

I just checked and the product Janice mentioned is different from what Willow has, she's got Denosyl and Marin.

 Lori, Denamarin is the same as giving Denosyl and Marin; they're combined into one pill. I'm glad Willow's liver values are better; how's she feeling?