pet connection

I was practicing with my colleagues at North Idaho Animal Hospital in Sandpoint, Idaho, a couple of days ago, and we saw a broad cross section of accidents and illnesses: Dog hit by a car (we did an MRI later in the day), bilateral inguinal hernia in a cat, grossly overweight miniature pinscher with luxating patella (knee cap), Lhasa Apso with a sore left ear, resuture a canine castration incision that had pulled loose, semi-annual wellness exam, etc.

Will Rodgers complimented veterinarians one time — when comparing them to human doctors —when he said something like, “Pets can’t tell the vet where they hurt…vets just have to know.” The truth is, there are varying levels of thoroughness on physical exams (depends on the vet, how busy the practice is, how close it is to quitting time), and even those most highly trained and experienced vet need help in coming up with an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. Help comes in three primary forms:

1. Diagnostics – Just as infants can’t give a pediatrician a history or tell them when and where it hurts, neither can pets to their vets. Therefore, we often need labratory analysis (blood, feces, urine, skin scrapes, etc.) and imaging (radiographs, ultrasound, MRI) to look past obvious problems to potential ones. Remember the dog who had been hit by the car? We could see obvious lacerations and bruising on the skin, but what about damage to the liver, spleen and diagphragm? Only an MRI would reveal those possible life-threatening problems. Just remember, when your vet recommends tests, it’s because he or she needs help in finding or confirming potential problems.
2. Consultation – If you look at it, vets are internists, pharmacists, surgeons, radiologists, dentists, behavioral advisors, physical therapists, and bereavment counselors. Add to that the fact that they treat all age groups (pediatrician to gerontologist AND treat multiple species. To wear all those hats and be competent, confident and compassionate is worthy of awe. No veterinarian can expect to know the current best thinking on every disease or condition. That’s why your veterinarian may consult with colleagues at the practice, call someone at the local veterinary school, use trusted online resources like the Veterinary Information Network, crack open textbooks, or refer you to a specialist. Trust me: You should trust a veterinarian who isn’t afraid to say, “This case has me stumped, but I’m going to consult with others and do some research and we’ll figure this out. If we can’t, I’ll refer you to someone who can.”
3. Dr. Mom – Nobody knows the habits and health of a pet like Dr. Mom. According to surveys, about 80 percent of the primary caregivers of pets are women. So, Dr. Mom, you know when your pet doesn’t have a normal appetite, is drinking more or less water, has different bowel movements, moves with increased difficulty, doesn’t greet you the same, has new sleeping patterns, and on and on. Recently at the practice I had a very observant client who brought her cat in because the vocalization had changed;the cat meowed differently at night. Rather than thinking of her as a crackpot, or worrywart, I thought of her as Dr. Mom from the Meow-O Clinic (sorry, I couldn’t resist). We ran blood tests, they were normal. We took radiographs, again normal. Finially we sedated the cat and found that she had an abscessed tooth, which we pulled. Sent home with some antibiotics, and the owner said on a recheck a week later that the cat acted like she had new batteries, a kitten again. She was eating well, playing and was more affectionate. If the owner, Dr. Mom, had ignored the subtle signs of illness, the cat would still be suffering in pain.

So in summary, to safeguard your pet’s health and happiness, and to save money in the long run:

1. Say “Yes!” when your vet asks to run diagnostics.
2. Thank your vet for saying “I don’t know, but I’ll find out.”
3. Be a Doctor Mom for your four-legged kids, and if you notice the slightest thing out of the ordinary call your vet’s office and at least ask them if it’s something you should be worried about.