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Most vets don't know what they don't know - for example, treating cancer. Most vets would tell you all the bleak statistics about the prognosis and recommend you put your pet to sleep. The reason they don't know is because they personally haven't had a client that pursued treatment options.
My vet knew our cat's problem was beyond his expertise. We coordinated with a couple specialists and outlined a plan of treatment. She was 16.5 years old. With treatment, she had a wonderful quality of life and we enjoyed her for 13.5 more months before she passed away to non-cancer and non-chemo related problems.
Do your own research and check out your options - vets just can't know everything. Mutiple species, multiple breeds - it's impossible.
This may sound horrible...but I always went to the vet more with my dog...he always needed more treatment than the cats. That is why I went to the expensive vet. The cats seem to be pretty good to go...horrible as that sounds. But I have shelled out money for vets for cats..just not quite as much as it costs for dogs. I don't know why that is...
Just watch - things will be very different with Jasper. You are pretty attached to him.
Most vets don't know what they don't know - for example, treating cancer. Most vets would tell you all the bleak statistics about the prognosis and recommend you put your pet to sleep. The reason they don't know is because they personally haven't had a client that pursued treatment options.
My vet knew our cat's problem was beyond his expertise. We coordinated with a couple specialists and outlined a plan of treatment. She was 16.5 years old. With treatment, she had a wonderful quality of life and we enjoyed her for 13.5 more months before she passed away to non-cancer and non-chemo related problems.
Do your own research and check out your options - vets just can't know everything. Mutiple species, multiple breeds - it's impossible.
I agree with you that vets can't possibly know it all, but I disagree with "most vets" type statements. The range of veterinary care is wide and it can take time and work on our parts to find a vet we are happy with.
But vet bashing in general gets my back up. As has been said here, many people don't think for themselves. They read these threads and form the opinion that "most vets are useless" so when their pet gets sick they don't bother taking them to the vet.
They've "tried everything" already, what could a vet possibly know, more than they do?
And so on.
So, yeah, I get annoyed with the "most vets are: .....greedy....unethical...out to rip you off...out to make your pets sicker so you keep coming back....uneducated....do more bad than good.....only going to tell you to have your pet put to sleep" and so on. Some are, it's true, but not "most".
There are bad vets and good vets and everything in between. But if there weren't vets, many of our pets would not be with us today.
But vet bashing in general gets my back up
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There are bad vets and good vets and everything in between. But if there weren't vets, many of our pets would not be with us today.
I agree. Personally, I love my vet. We can talk about different options. He treats me like a participant in my cats well-being. He thinks out loud while examining my cats - problems are a challenge for him. He doesn't have all the answers - but he'll do research to find out. I love that.
and catsmom i do agree on that front, but i also think people need to be aware so they CAN think for themselves...
just like the topic of vaccinossis and "good food" just cause your vet says so, doesnt nessicarily mean it is the universal rule.
and i have NO grudge against my former employeese, i enjoyed working with them, they wenrt "my kind" of vet in that they did push "dont ask dont tell" kind of practices in reguards to food and vac's but it was a good place to work and the only reason i left was because i was offered my ultimate dream job as a specialty zoo keeper working with large canids and greater apes...hyena, gorilla and orangutan, my life was complete. lol.
i worked directly with the vet in that position too and have alot of respect for them...
but, just like with human drs...i dont belive anyone shoudl feel they HAVE to do it their way just because they say so, do your reserch use your brain, your not an expert, but your vet (and dr) is only human...education is the key.
As for me being attatched to Jasper, he is okay. No one will ever replace Mickey though. I think once you go through a severe grief when a pet dies, you almost keep the rest at arms length.
and catsmom i do agree on that front, but i also think people need to be aware so they CAN think for themselves...
just like the topic of vaccinossis and "good food" just cause your vet says so, doesnt nessicarily mean it is the universal rule.
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but, just like with human drs...i dont belive anyone shoudl feel they HAVE to do it their way just because they say so, do your reserch use your brain, your not an expert, but your vet (and dr) is only human...education is the key.
This is absolutely true. Most people posting on here realize this, that it's critical we be informed. Information online is of course widely varying in opinion and quality, so it's important to not only research but research in as many different ways and sources as possible then you have to use your own brain to come up with your own approach. Note: the resulting approach will not be the same for everyone!
Also, this is a far cry from suggesting the vast majority of vets are out to rip you off, or uninformed, etc. I think it's quite worth being choosy with vets, as I always have been, but I do not believe that a majority of them are in it to rake in cash for unnecessary stuff.
As for me being attatched to Jasper, he is okay. No one will ever replace Mickey though. I think once you go through a severe grief when a pet dies, you almost keep the rest at arms length.
No, that is not the case with me. I get just as deeply bonded and involved with every cat I live with. Not every bond is instant (though some are), but I don't let the knowledge of the inevitable devastation that will come some day keep me from enjoying the deepest bonds I can form with them.
My first cat as an adult, my soulmate, when I lost him to acute kidney failure January 2, 1998, I never thought I could ever recover from such devastation and desolation. Just typing this now, brings tears to my eyes. But I had other cats then, and I have other cats now, whom I am just as attached to.
Jasper and you haven't been together all that long, have you? Give it time.
This is absolutely true. Most people posting on here realize this, that it's critical we be informed. Information online is of course widely varying in opinion and quality, so it's important to not only research but research in as many different ways and sources as possible then you have to use your own brain to come up with your own approach. Note: the resulting approach will not be the same for everyone!
Also, this is a far cry from suggesting the vast majority of vets are out to rip you off, or uninformed, etc. I think it's quite worth being choosy with vets, as I always have been, but I do not believe that a majority of them are in it to rake in cash for unnecessary stuff.
It is important to be choosy with vets. It took me 7 years and four other vet practices, before I finally found this clinic I've been going to for six years. And it took another 8 or 9 months of seeing each vet in the clinic in turn, before I chose 'my' vet and stuck with her, ever since.
But I don't "follow blindly". She and I work as a team. We don't always agree, and I have sometimes gone against her better judgment, and as it turns out, all but once so far, she was right and I wasn't. But she listens to me, I listen to her, and she freely admits she has learned from me, and is not afraid to say "I don't know".
I love my vet, I respect her and trust her. And my cats love her, too. But it took a long time and a lot of work to find her.
Things your vet doesn't tell you is somewhat less sinister than "things veterinarians don't want you to know" which is the title of the thread.
I get that you apparently have mainly dealt with sinister, sales-oriented vets, but your experience doesn't imply that this is the norm. I managed to find two different ones at least that don't operate that way, and that was by chance. I just picked out the ones who saw only cats.
Your implication is that the vast majority of vets are of the sinister, looking to keep things from you and take all your money variety. My main point is that while I know such vets are out there, and I've even experienced them (particularly at specialty/emergency vets), I have no reason to believe that this is the norm among vets. You, on the other hand, appear to have a grudge to hold against a former employer.
I think the whole premise of the thread is misguided and thus I posted what I did originally, links to things that great vets do without you even knowing, and a comprehensive guide on how to work with a vet, including when to stop using one. When they try to gouge you for unnecessary stuff, that's a good time to stop using them.
I think you may be challenging the wrong person. I posted the thread because I wanted us to be even more informed and proactive before our next crisis.
I took the the most common search results on the first few pages, figured they were on top for a reason and went with that.
But thank you (No Sarcasm) for making me seem more intellectual
BWA HAH HAH, sinister hand rub, than I am.
And I'll take Sinister any day.
Off topic or not I had actually planned to tell that I appreciated your post as much as the others.
The spirited nature of this thread betrays our common passion, this one was for the kittys.
Oh, on topic: Your vet doesn't want you to know that grieves with you, but has to remain professional.
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