calliecritturs
Posted : 5/25/2010 10:02:33 PM
You know -- you really ought to drop the Dean of the Small Animal HOspital a line -- you'd be amazed at how they will sometimes listen. Tell them you're on a messageboard and when your dog was sick one of the suggestions was 'vet school' and exactly what your reaction was (*and how you've heard it from others*).
There's usually almost an outline format -- they should diagnose according to a pattern. The dog presents with:
Bloody diarreha and vomiting
A. List the possible causes
B. How does the dog present
C. What test can you do first to rule out the most - and get to the most likely
From there they generally go down whatever list "A" creates. When Billy had IMHA -- the very first 'tag' was "Anemia". What things can cause anemia?
I can remember the first time I was there I was prepared for a bone marrow aspirate -- b/c I'd heard it was often done. And she looked me straight in the eye and said "OH NO ... not yet. That's an expensive test and it's only warrented later on if other stuff fails.
They went thru such a logical progression -- and I'm surprised. It tells me that MSU's vet school isn't as stellar as it used to be -- or at least some of the departments aren't.
Dealing with students? Yeah -- they do the initial exam and intake. And some students are good and some are ... not. And as you can imagine I'm not shy and if I think I've had a sucky student ... I tell someone about it. Cos it's the only way they're gonna know. But I'm equally as verbal the other way too.
But $110 to walk in on a non-emergency basis is steep -- and getting a reputation for a buffet-style round of testing isn't good.
Is there anywhere you CAN get an ultrasound done? Sometmes it's the most cost-effective way to a diagnosis cos it can zoom in where a zillion tests may not be conclusive. They're pricey -- but I'd rather have $400 TELL me something than 6 $99 tests that don't. If that makes sense.
Gosh Julie ... I am SO sorry.
I assume they checked platelets as well as other stuff?