Tracy -- you bring up the other awesome point -- my vets. They ARE awesome .. but it hasn't been 'easy'.
You often hear me say to people "maybe you should seek a second opinion." That's been my own advice to myself more than once.
It's SO easy to get ticked off and walk away -- but making the huge effort to work WITH a vet pays off. These vets know we'll spend money on tests ... sometimes finances are tight and thankfully right now it wasn't terribly.
But sometimes it is admittedly important to CULTIVATE the relationship with your vet. I never *ever* badmouth one to the other. I make sure that when Dr D does a test that I remind them kindly to send it to Dr. B. THEN I CALL -- "Did Dr B get Tuesday's tests??"
In short -- I DO baby them. and I take care to speak kindly -- if Dr. B says something nice about Dr D **SHE HEARS IT** from me. If Dr D says something nice about Dr B **HE HEARS IT** from me.
When I'm taking in a newbie, or if I know we're gonna do something *tough* today -- I take treats. Yeah -- the vet has some there, but I take 3 bags -- some for the reception staff -- some specifically for the techs and one bag solely for the vet. I toss them on the table before he comes in, or I hand them to a tech and I say "he can have any or ALL of these -- it's part of his food allowance for today".
It lets them be HEROs. I know that needle hurt buddy but let this soothe the hurt.
It encourages the vet and the staff to spend good quality "friendly" time making nice with MY dogs. Not only does it ensure that my dogs think the vets is a FUN PLACE to go -- but my vet's staff don't dread seeing them.
But on an entirely different level -- my vets know I care about their relationship with MY dog. So frankly? In a case like this it pays off. Because then it's ok for them TO care.
I've told both vets in the past 3 weeks how much I appreciate them. I'm not a big present giver -- but when Dr B's wife had a baby you KNOW I brought a present for her.
Someone told me many years ago "You have to BE a friend to MAKE a friend." I try to apply that to everything. If I break down the care of my precious 4 foots to just "this vet provides a service and I PAY for it -- they OWE me that" -- then I may get a good value, but I may not get extra special care when my dogs are REALLY sick.
My point is you don't walk in and make a relationship happen fast -- it takes time.
But I haven't said much about the fact that I've been to half the vets in the Orlando area. And I've got a lot NOT GOOD to say about a lot of them. I talk to tons of people. I go to every seminar I can find. I learn. I educate myself and yeah -- sometimes I super clash in a BIG way with vets who don't want me to have any input into my dog's care.
Too bad. So sad. We looked for vets for a long time. I drive 40-60 minutes to Deland (depending on traffic) from my home to go to Dr. B (that is totally the opposite direction from work!!!!!It's up to 90 minutes or more in traffic to get there from work). That's darned inconvenient -- that means I leave the house at 6:30 a.m. to have the dog thru traffic TO the vets at 7:15 so I can make it all the way up there and back past my house into Orlando to work by 8:30or 9:00. That means one of us has to leave work by 3:00 or 3:30 in order to pick UP the dog (who may have been kenneled all day long at the vets just so I didn't have to miss work to TAKE him to the vet because he was too sick to wait) and talk to the vet for a few minutes (and not totally inconvenience his staff).
We have a standing monthly acupuncture appointment that I zealously guard with the holistic vet. Not just for when he's sick ... but a monthly chiropractic adjustment and acupuncture treatment for the allergies. "zealously guard"?? YOU BET cos it's the one evening a week she's open so I don't have to miss work to take him!!!
I've been half over the darned planet looking for GOOD vets, but once I find them I try to treat them with respect and make sure they know I'll sacrifice for me so the dog can have care.
That pays off in a situation like this.
But when I suggest to folks you might want to find a different vet and they tell me "but the only other vet is half an hour away!!" and I want to say "SO FREAKIN WHAT??" (not aimed at anyone at all -- I'm astounded I will drive by 50 vets to go to the ONE in the next county I do like!!!)
I've also lost four dogs in the last two years. Two of those were heart-wrenching. One an awesome dog who succumbed to side problems from renal failure, an abused pup who never had a chance but who DID know love -- and two old dogs who gave us THEIR BESTEST.
Sorry -- this is long but like I said, I feel like I've had a huge weight taken off me with this-== and we don't KNOW he's gonna respond to the doxycycline!! But I'm still prayin about that one.
Thanks you guys. You are the BEST!!!