choosing a vet...advice needed!

[kyser]

When our choc. lab (Kyser) passed away this summer, our vet said he thought it was probably e-coli or salmonila. Severe vomiting, bloody diareaha, very high temp, and some loss of muscle function in hind legs, were the obvious signs.

Now, when we picked up our new pup, Kobi, we were discussing this with the breeder and she said she would question the vet's knowledge since she believes that dogs can carry these viruses and fight them without any problems so long as they are otherwise healthy.

So, who do we believe? Do we search out another vet. I have not researched this out yet as I have little time to spend in front of this screen.... with a new pup and all and a backlog of "honey- do " things.

We really like this vet as he is very compassionate and reasonably priced. We have few other choices.

[RottiMomCT]

E-coli and Salmonella are food borne illnesses and unless his immune system was compromised he should have been able to fend off either of these illnesses. Complications from either one could have contributed to his death because of some underlying illness.

If you trust the vet and you make sure your dog gets the best of care, both form YOU and your vet, he'll be fine. Feed a high quality kibble (or feed raw or BARF diet - do a search in the archives here - TONS of info!), make sure he gets routine, regular care, and he'll be fine...

Keep him out of the trash - thats a big trouble spot for pups and spoiled food. What smells beyond gross to us is a smorgasbord of yummy stuff for a dog!!!!!

[KatMc]

I don't know anything about that, but as far as even looking for a new vet, I wouldn't do it online.

When we moved to Oklahoma City, we called and made interview times, because I wanted to meet them face-to-face. I wanted to see their faces when I asked questions about how they felt about certain breeds and birds and I wanted to see how they treated 'me'. If they had time to talk to me for this, then they should have time for treating my animals and discussing with me what was going on.

Kathy

[kyser]

Thanks CT,
Yes, she gets the best large breed puppy food we can find, in our area. We just want to be sure that should anything arise with Kobi, that it is properly diagnosed and treated. Kyser was with us a short four years and I would hate for our family to go through an experience like that again if we can prevent it. Yes, we need to do our part 110% of the time but when you take your pet to the vet I think it's only reasonable to expect proper daignosis and care just as we humans do from our family MD's.
Parnoid? maybe...

[kyser]

Kathy,
I hope it did not seem like I was searching for a vet via the net.
No, we are just concerned with his line of reasoning reagarding the cause of our labs death.
I will be talking to his assistant today or tomorrow... asking about our new breed and seeing their reaction. This will be the final decision maker. I wish there was one question I could ask to check his knowledge of rotti health.

[austin]

If you have any trainers in your area that you trust or friends who have had pets for a long time, I would ask for them for their experiences with local vets and their recommendations. That is usually the best way to find someone reputable.

Now that you have the thought in your head that maybe the vet you were using misdiagnosed your lab, you will probably have a hard time trusting him now. Unless you get an explanation tomorrow that you are satisfied with, I would suggest moving on to someone new.

[spidey]

E. Coli and Salmonella are not all created equal, some strains are worse than others. E. Coli is a naturally occurring gut bacteria (a "good bacteria") in one form and can be fatal in another (people die from E. coli infections as well as dogs, if it's the right/wrong strain with which they're infected, the fact that it's a natural gut bacteria in one strain doesn't change the fact that other strains can cause severe illness or even death). Your BREEDER is the one who needs to do some self-education here, nothing your original vet said (with regard to this, anyway) was incorrect.

[TrishB]

I agree with Austin. Ask around! When you bump into friendly people on your walks with your puppy, ask them!

Once you have a few recommendations, I'd make an appointment to go and meet the vet. Get a guided tour around the office. Find out what services they offer and what they don't. Be sure to ask how they handle after hours emergencies.

Then trust your impressions! :) You MUST be comfortable with your vet. If you aren't, keep looking!

But if you ARE comfortable with your current vet, ask them to give you some additional reading on the topic. Tell them that you're a little nervous about your pup picking up the same thing Kobi did. I'm sure they'll be able to point you in the right direction.

Best of luck with your new little one! :)

[Sharon Marples]

I also agree with asking people in your area who they use and then setting up an appointment and going to visit the new vet. Take your dog with you, make sure they have no problems in treating a rottie.

Also, before making a judgement on your last vet.......did you authorize him to do an autopsy and/or tissue tests, etc. and really determine the cause of death? Unless you did, it is not uncommon for a vet to say "........could have been the cause of death." Withouth you authorizing specific tests, etc., there is no way to REALLY know what the cause of death was.

ALL of our dogs who pass away from unknown causes have tests run to determine the cause of death. They can be expensive, but at the same time, it may also open your eyes to the specific cause of where the illness came from. There are too many diseases, genetic problems, etc. that can have the same symptoms, etc. of each other. I personally WANT to know exactly what the dog passed away from.

If you have so few choices of vets and if you like this vet, I would stay with him. But, at the same time, you need to authorize testing to determine cause of death if and when it happens again. Your vet is not all-knowing, they sometimes need the help of labatories and testing facilities to determine the exact cause of any death situation.

Sharon Marples

[kyser]

Hmm... some excellent points/idea's mentioned here, thanks.
I do have a confession - we were asked if we wanted an autopsy done. At the time (understand that I had just found out about his death about two hours privious. I was out of town at work when it happened and my wife did not want to tell me until I was in the privacy of our home) I was in such shock and greiving terribly (I know it sounds like a lame excuse but it's true) that it made no difference to me , at the time, to find out how he died. He was gone and nothing would change that. Now I wish I had had it done... I also thought it would be a very long time before I could hancle another dog... but hindsight is 20/20.

I like the idea of asking him for more details on E-coli and such. I guess I really should give him the benifit of the doudt. We do like their operation. A very caring place.

[Teena]

I have had 3 vets in last few years. Our first one was a jerk, we didn't stay there long. The second was a wonderful caring vet, but she could not help Axel with his autoimmune problems. The traditional methods of treating him were making things much worse.
Now I know this might not sound to cool, my third vet I did find online. ;)
I was desperate to find a holistic vet who could help Axel. I did a search for holistic vets in my area and set up an apointment for Axel. I wanted to hear his thoughts on how to treat Axel & see what I thought about him. He's wonderful and I never bothered to see about any of the other vets I found. He made a new dog out of Axel without powerful drugs. :D
I think you have to find the vet that you have confidence in. You will have to do some searching and might drive out of your area to find him/her tho.
Our vet is an hour's drive one way for me. There are lots of vets much closer, but skill is more important than location. ;)
I think when you find the right vet, you will know. :)