Poor Colonel, another surgery today!!

bama · Post by **bama** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 2:56 pm

A CASE FOR BEING PRO-ACTIVE IN YOUR CHOWDREN'S VET CARE...

Oh boy, what a time poor Colonel has had???
Colonel had a follow up appointment with the surgeon to re-check his eyes, but I took him in two days early, because I saw he had a bump on his lid and some drainage.
That was on Wednesday. I pointed out the bump to his surgeon and informed her I saw drainage from the bump.
Well, Colonel was a bit snippy that day, so the Doctor asked me to step out of the room. Reluctantly, I did so.
When I was "allowed" back in, the doctor told me that Colonel's lids had HEALED over and no longer needed his e-collar. I asked her, but what about the bump and the drainage, (I supspect an abcess)?
The doctor told me the drainage that I saw were the remainder of portions of the stitches falling off.
And the bump was just some swelling that would go down in a few days. "All of this is normal", she said.
I'm thinking...what, how could she have looked into Colonel's eyes and say that is normal?
To say the least, I was NOT satisfied with that diagnosis, OK?

So, today (Good Friday) I took Colonel to see a new/different doctor for the bump and drainage.
Yep, Colonel has an abcess on his eye lid.
The new doctor performed surgery right then and there!

Just when I declared that Colonel had been through enough, the new doctor tells me that he would need to sedate Colonel for his follow up appointment in 2 weeks.
I told the doctor that before there was any sedation given to Colonel, I would like for him to work with me, by removing his white lab coat prior to seeing Colonel.
If Colonel still responds negatively, then I would consider sedation.
I feel so badly for Colonel, I believe he is thinking, "what did I ever do to deserve this?
The streets were kinder to me than these people"!

Every time he is forced to be poked on and stitched on, and pulled and tugged by people he doesn't know, only impedes his acclaimation to his new home.

Jeff...you know I thought of you and Pekoe today,
while I was waiting on Colonel .......VETs, hmmmm?

JAYGOW1 · Post by **JAYGOW1** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 3:04 pm

Hurray foryou for seeking a second opinion. The days of just swallowing the medical "opinions" of one vet are LONG over. Hopefully EVERYONE will follow suit when they are not satisfied with the answers they're hearing.

Here's to a speedy recovery !!

zingara_princepessa · Post by **zingara_princepessa** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 3:10 pm

Good for you for speaking up, BamBam. If you don't advocate for yourself and your dog, who will??? It's clear we must ask for what we want.

Speedy Recovery and xoxoxo for Colonel.

Dogdad · Post by **Dogdad** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 3:27 pm

Good for you, I am so glad you sought a second opinion. Hoping that the check up goes well in 2 weeks without sedation

David

Jeff&Peks · Post by **Jeff&Peks** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 3:32 pm

Gotta love those Vets. If it wern't for the fact a Vet has to go through so much to get licensed I would think being a Vet was just a weekend scam. Sell used cars on the week days and part time Vet care, drug pusher on the weekends.

I hope I never walk in to a Vets office and the Vet says, Oh yea I read your post all the time on the ChowChow site. Sure just leave your Chow with us.

Boogie and Linda · Post by **Boogie and Linda** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 4:13 pm

Poor Colonel.

I wish him a speedy recovery.

And good for you Bama for getting a second opinion. I don't know how anyone with or without a veterinary license could tell you that is normal.....

chowfrnd88 · Post by **chowfrnd88** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 4:27 pm

Oh poor Colonel.

I'm so glad you sought that second opinion. Give him lots of hugs from us. Don't worry, he'll see you as his refuge from all the poking and proding. Special didn't need surgery, but we spent a lot of time at the vet for poking and proding in the first few weeks between getting all his shots, bloodwork, medication for every worm imaginable, and medication for an eye infection. And then follow up visits. They just love you for getting them out of there.

LOL Jeff.

janet · Post by **janet** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 4:45 pm

go bama!!! good for you, unfortunate for the colonel. i hope he feels better soon. the poor little guy( and mama). he has been through so much. but just look at it this way bama, in a couple of months you could look back and say,
" see big guy i told you everything would be ok". thats when he will shower you with purplekisses of love. hang in there. hugs to all of you from us.

sit_by_the_beach · Post by **sit_by_the_beach** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 4:56 pm

Good that Bama went to get a 2nd opinion. The colonel would have had to suffer more if you hadn't. I hope he'll be fine.

Karin

vicster605 · Post by **vicster605** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 5:03 pm

Hate to think of how bad it could have gotten had you not gone for the second opinion, Bama......YOU GO GIRL!!!Give the Colonel HUGS for us!!! He won't even remember all of this in a few weeks, just that his eyes feel better and you and Mark love him.
The days of taking what your Vet or your own MD has to say for gospel are long overwith........You have to be proacive in all heathcare, and always if you are uncomfortable go for a 2nd or even 3rd opinion.

LEO's mum · Post by **LEO's mum** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 5:05 pm

Good for you, Bama, to have gone that route! If Colonel is more comfortable with men in plain cloths, it's a good choice all over. I'm sorry he had to go through with all the prodding & poking, but it's all for the best. Hope the plain cloths strategy works.

Best wishes for Colonel's quick recovery,
Leonora & mum

Juniper · Post by **Juniper** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 5:38 pm

Well done Bama! I'm certainly a believer in second opinions!
As others have said, the Colonel will just be frolicking in happiness once he's through all this broohaha of health stuff and shower you with love and kisses.

emmapeel · Post by **emmapeel** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 5:44 pm

Sherril: I'm so glad that you followed your gut instinct. Sometimes it's tough to get through these intial problems, but you are on the up side of this now. The Colonel is in good hands with you. I recall that when I got my Dinah (Persian Princess) from the North Shore Animal Rescue and then discovered that she was one very sick cat, and had to be given oral antibiotics twice a day for 30 days, I felt that she would never forgive me. Here I was a total stranger, who now has her contained and am "torturing" her twice a day. I had to chase her down and figure out all different ways to contain her enough to force a pill down her throat 60 times. Then we had to go through another round when she wasn't still quite up to speed. I had to enlist friends because she was such a fighter..ouch. But it was over and everything was forgiven and forgotten (I hope). The Colonel knows that you are trying to help him. Good for you for what you are doing. Please give the Colonel a big hug from me and Olivia.
Jan - (The Colonel's Godmother) and Olivia - Basset Hound

precious's mom · Post by **precious's mom** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 5:54 pm

awwww, poor Colonel. So sorry buddy that you had to have another eye surgery. Not very fun being poked at I know, but so glad to know that your mommie is so very good and speaks up for you on your behalf! Bravo Bama, bravo!!!

Speedy recovery Colonel. Much love and big sloppy kisses,
Precious and Naomi

bama · Post by **bama** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 6:33 pm

Thank all of you for your support. I don't believe I did anything that all of you wouldn't do in the same situation.
We keep going until we get answers for our chowdren, right?
I know I've waited too darn long to have another chowkid,
I couldn't bare it if anything bad happened to him.

I honestly believe that the first doctor was afraid of Colonel and therefore, she did not thoroughly inspect his eyes. I'm sure this kind of thing happens fairly often, and with no negative consequences to the pet.
However, it is a concern for all of us who have furkids that act like little stinkers while at the vets office.

sit_by_the_beach · Post by **sit_by_the_beach** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 6:44 pm

I adopted my first chow in 1996, I had Luna spayed 6 months later. I had never owned a dog, I didn't worry. Mikki will be spayed in 2 or 3 weeks, I worry already. I don't think I'd cope too well, if anything were to happen to her.

Maybe I ought to just relax and not worry. I am taking Mikki chow to the same vet who spayed Luna 10 years ago.

Karin

Post by **Auddymay** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 6:41 am

I certainly hope you called the first vet, told them of their foul up, and got a refund plus expenses. That was inexcusable. If you voice a specific concern, and they can shine you on while looking you in the eye, it's time to see a new vet!

bama · Post by **bama** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 7:09 am

Auddymay wrote:I certainly hope you called the first vet, told them of their foul up, and got a refund plus expenses. That was inexcusable. If you voice a specific concern, and they can shine you on while looking you in the eye, it's time to see a new vet!

Auddymay,

I have put my concerns in writing. At the time, all I could think of was how this would set Colonel back and more pain for Colonel.
Now, that he is ok, of course I'm thinking about the money!
We have paid twice for the same surgery!
I have spoken with the first Vet. She admits that she didn't have a "really good look" at his eyes.
In short, she tossed the blame on me, because Colonel was so unruly.
Then, the first doctor went into a diatribe of the importance of her own safety.
Still, I believe she should not have rubber stamped Colonel's wellness, when she didn't truly examine him.

The second vet, in an attempt to support his colleague, says that he believes the abcess was there for 3 or 4 days.
I replied, "and a thorough examination would have given us that diagnois on Wednesday, would it not"? He said, "uh".
Although, the second doctor proved my point, he started to back peddle. Then, he sidetracked the issue with his diatribe on the importance medicating for safety.

I can see that the two doctors are going to back each other.
I could throw a hissy fit, but why?
Let them keep the money, I have learned a valuable lesson.

Layla · Post by **Layla** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 1:37 pm

bama wrote:Then, the first doctor went into a diatribe of the importance of her own safety.
Still, I believe she should not have rubber stamped Colonel's wellness, when she didn't truly examine him.

The second vet, in an attempt to support his colleague, says that he believes the abcess was there for 3 or 4 days.
I replied, "and a thorough examination would have given us that diagnois on Wednesday, would it not"? He said, "uh".
Although, the second doctor proved my point, he started to back peddle. Then, he sidetracked the issue with his diatribe on the importance medicating for safety.

I can see that the two doctors are going to back each other.
I could throw a hissy fit, but why?
Let them keep the money, I have learned a valuable lesson.

That is terrible that she didn't take more effort to look at the Colonel's eyes. She should've worked harder to calm him, or asked a colleague to look if she couldn't risk her safety. Vets have a professional responsibility to their patient's health & they failed here. The second vet should have more backbone. As for supporting each other, SHAME ON YOU! It's in the interests of the vet profession to not let these things happen. All that he is achieved is making Bama distrust him as well

Sorry for the rant. This stuff just annoys the hell out of me. Off the soap box......