Posted on 09/16/2024 7:57:01 PM PDT by OldGoatCPO
What is going on with veterinarians?
Today, I was really worried, something with him was off. This pup has been my constant buddy for nearly 9.5 years. He appears to be gaining weight, but I am very careful about his diet as his bred is known for heart issues. He only gained 1/2 pound since June. But he has a belly. I asked the vet (again a different vet) why. He looks at me as said “I have no idea.” He massages his abdomen and says he feels fine. No blood in stool, again good blood work, gums a healthy pink. This time I insisted on imaging. There is a round maybe fist size mass between the spleen and pancreas, pushing on his stomach. He then said it is most certainly a tumor. He said he could get me in for an Ultrasound in 2-3 weeks. What the hell? I am no vet, but I have raised and lost a lot of dogs. That mass could very easily be inside the spleen. It could burst in 2-3 weeks. I need a referral to a local emergency hospital, I asked for it and he said he would call them before HE left for the day.. Why not call them now? It’s an “emergency”pet hospital. They have an ultrasound. This is the third time I have told them there is a problem, if it is the spleen it needs to be removed ASAP. I left my vet of many years because his office was swamped and I could not get appointments.
This last vet graduated from one of the best vet schools in the country. I don’t get it. I trusted them. I understand the odds are stacked against my boy. To be safe I put him on a cancer diet, no carbs no sugars. Meat and veggies. I will not do radiation treatments. Did that to one dog, will never do that again. Any ongology vets out there, what are my options. I have read that if the spleen is removed and it is cancer, 6 weeks max with no treatment. Best case five months with treatment. But what treatment besides chemo? Today was not a good day.
Oh, I am so sorry to hear of your frustration and fear about your dog’s health. I cannot explain as to what you are facing, but will offer prayers that you are able to get the help you need for determining a care plan.
Thank you need the prayers.
Our dog was 12 when a mass like this was also found. Not sure it was the spleen. He had lymphoma. With chemo, he got another 10 months and enjoyed most of them.
Some vets do seem less compassionate and urgent than in the past. I will pray for you.
I’m so sorry to hear that about your pup. There is a vet school in Raleigh. Might be worthwhile to call them.
Are you anywhere near a veterinary school? When desperate, I’ve gone to Tufts in the Boston area.
Good that you’re trying to find a stable vet, but remember that vets that don’t know your dog won’t have a history to rely on for comparison with his current condition.
And beware with large dogs. A vet killed my Irish Wolfhound because he’d never treated one so large and was too scared of it. Gave it too much sedative and wolfhounds have a different bone/muscle ratio than other dogs. He should have called me as he could have worked on the dog, who was pain insensitive, without any sedative.
I live near a vet school and work with them on disasters and through my daily work. Like medical school, vet school is woke and students are selected on other things other than merit. The school is overwhelmingly female and those who aren’t are quite effeminate.
When I need a vet I tend toward older or old males who have worked in ag.
Sorry to hear about your troubles.
I have to agree with your post. There are a lot of similarities between the composition and output of Medical Schools and Veterinarian schools, IMO.
Get an abdominal ultrasound asap. Go in as an emergency if you need to get in front of the line. Will cost you more, but you get in sooner. Do not wait for referral.
If there is a mass, then need to search the rest of the abdomen and especially the thorax to see if spread.
The US doc can and usually will offer a needle biopsy of the mass US guided. This may shed light on type of mass.
They will need his previous blood panel for the info, and likely will run a coagulation panel first.
If the mass has escaped to other areas, prognosis is bad.
If contained within the spleen, better odds to get it all.
His pot belly and difficulty in respiration sounds like it may have already spread.
Good luck.
You have my sympathies.
Part of problem is corporate vet clinics that strive on ordering costly diagnostic exams rather than good old fashioned veterinary care. These large clinics are offering graduating veterinary students a $200.000 salary with a $100,000 signing bonus. Their job is to look at the pet for a few minutes and then order tests. Unfortunately, it’s mostly all about money now!
So sorry to hear. Hope you can find some treatment options for your boy.
I’ve had a string of dobermans, sadly they live a short life, 9 is about it. I have heard breeders are trying to change that with mixed results through selective breeding.
Dogs are such loyal companions and their owners ARE there life.
Best wishes
No X-ray? Is this an experienced vet?
A few dogs ago my dog had trouble breathing too. Vet took an X-ray and knew the problem the some day. She had an enlarged heart.
That doesn’t sound much different from human medicine, these days...
There is also pet insurance. So the docs know what their pay is per job they do. Why not gouge as much as they can?
Sorry to hear about your pup. I have owned and responsible for dogs for over 50 years. It is not easy when they get sick and vet cost now days are almost equal to human care, especially near high population areas. As much as I have loved all my canine friends they have a relative short life span compared to humans. My oldest one now is 15 and am very grateful she has been with me this long but I have lost them as early as 11 to just plain old age. Animals have the same genetic problems some humans have and no matter how much we care for them, they sometime leave us sooner than we wish. I will not pay large sums of money to save a pet no matter how much I love them,Just keep them comfortable until it is time for them to go. Just an interesting tid bit of info. Vets have one of the highest suicide rates ever.
Sounds like my old german shepherd. She had lymphoma. Chemo in dogs works and it doesn’t knock them down like it does in people. The opposite, they feel better right after they get it. Not as expensive as you’d think. Her cancer went into remission for another 10 months. At that point I had to put her down due to loss of ability to use those back legs, but that cancer never came back. Check your freepmail
Good luck. I went through the worst experience of my life with one of my dogs last year, and can’t even talk about it. Advice is to be diligent and call every possible appropriate vet. Stick with board certifieds. Waste no time. I’ve had very good luck with the corporates like VCA, Thrive, Blue Pearl etc. Godspeed to you and dog.
I am so sorry to hear what you are going through. I have had many bad experiences with vets over the years and have come to the conclusion that many are gougers.
I was fortunate enough to have found one in Reno who was awesome. He would call us to check on my dog and even offered for us to come out to his ranch to pick some apples and to bring our dog with us so he can check him out. He was an old-fashioned vet with a heart for pets and their owners. Unfortunately, he was forced to retire from the clinic he started by the younger vets who didn’t agree with his methods. It seems nowadays to be about money over compassion.
I will keep you and your pup in my prayers. Best of luck to you.
It may be hemangiosarcoma. It’s a fairly common cancer of the spleen in dogs, and it’s a bad one. I lost mine to it about a year ago. He was almost 16. Not much can be done. Spleen removal buys a little time but not that much.
You might find this research paper of use. Treating it with turkey tail mushroom extract may buy a little more time. You might ask your vet about it.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/2012/384301
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