MRI for domestic pets opens at N.C. State

[dappledoxie]

Here's an article on the new MRI our vet college has gotten, I found it pretty cool! Just though I'd share.

Article

[dragondawg]

But I hope the NC State Vet school has become a little more professional in their attitude toward their patients. I will never take any of my dogs there again.

[dappledoxie]

Oh no! What happend?

[Logan]

I hope this will be a successful venture for them and for the pets who need it!!!

[dragondawg]

My Daisy dog was nearing the end with her Lymphoma. After going back into a second remission Lomustine had been tried as maintenance and it was a disaster. I wanted to see if NC St could give radiation to the 3 nodes that were really swollen and/or had any other possible novel treatments such as antiangiogenesis or other trials.

The Vet who was overseeing the Vet student came in, and immediately dismissed all idea of radiation because after all she had "gross" disease. He then proceeded to start a lecture on the theory of drug resistance in cancer explaining in general terms the mechanism of the p-glycoprotein pump. It was all I could do to keep from interupting and asking him if he could at least tell me something new like : "Could you please describe how the M1 and M2 beta components relate to each other?". But of course I really hadn't come there to listen to something I already knew about. What I came for was to see if radiation could be given on the 3 problem nodes that were becoming totally unresponsive to Chemo.

Each time I tried to steer the conversation to radiation he would steer it back to Chemo. The Vet was adamant that the way to go was with the MOPP rescue protocol. But then he said a curious thing- "Mustargen is in very short supply and only Vet research hospitals can get it, so we would be glad to administer it and the protocol to your dog". My reply was something to the effect that if I selected the MOPP protocol I would only be bringing the dog for the Mustargen-assuming my Oncologist could not get it. The Oncologist that I had worked with for over a year would get to administer and oversee the rest of the protocol. Almost immediately the reply was "well let us know if you would like for her to receive her treatments here". In another words the NC St Vet there saw my Daisy as an opportunity for them to literally steal a patient away from a private practive Oncologist.

I then had to go out to the lobby and sit there for 45 minutes before receiving a 1 paragraph note, and a $325 bill for 30 minutes of consultation.

As things turned out an alternative rescue therapy started 5 days later was totally ineffective, and I had to part with my Daisy 4 days later with the cancer completely out of control, and a life threatening infection having set in. Two of the 3 problem nodes were massively swollen in the 10 days that elapsed with a lot of necrosis. I still believe to this day that low level radiation on the 3 nodes might have given her a chance with the rescue therapy the Oncologist adminstered. But due to the increasing tumor load no Chemo rescue protocol was going to work alone at that stage. Between that and the whole attitude NC State presented, along with a ridiculous bill - I will never recommend anyone take their dog there. Also there front office was a bureaucracy not to be denied.

Probably diagnostics with an MRI would be worthwhile, but there is no way any of my dogs will ever end up under their care.

[dappledoxie]

Oh my, that is awful. I'm so sorry!