:eek:
I'm sorry, but after her rant about worming him, I'd of picked up my cat and said, "Good Day." and let myself out.
:mad:
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:eek:
I'm sorry, but after her rant about worming him, I'd of picked up my cat and said, "Good Day." and let myself out.
:mad:
The Rant--Part 2
:D
After the Great Worm Debate…..
At some point it came up in conversation that Rizz is easily put off his food if he’s stressed, like after a vet visit. To which the vet replied that we should socialize our next cat better…for future reference, because it was “too late for Rizzo.” Now, how many of you have cats that don’t get stressed at all by vet visits? Show of hands?
So then she did his exam, which all went ok, besides Rizz making a lot of very unhappy faces, until she shone a light in his face. At which point she said (in a tone that can only be called accusatory), “What’s up with his nose?” I said, “I don’t know. Is something up with his nose?” I wanted to add that SHE was the doctor, but didn’t. She said, “There’s some discharge here.” In a tone that made it clear that such a thing should NEVER be allowed to happen. I said, “Yeah?” and she said, “Do you want to look?” – not in a way that made it seem like an informative exercise, but rather like she thought I was saying I didn’t believe her. I looked, and sure enough my pooky had some nose crusties. “Huh,” I said. She asked questions: has he been sneezing? No. Coughing? No. She looked a minute longer and said, “It’s probably the herpes virus. It could also be (a b-word and a c-word, both of which I can pronounce but not spell, so I’m not trying :) ).” She did NOT say that it could be an allergy (cats get allergies, don’t they?), a cold, a minor irritation, or anything small, simple and unimportant. She did not say to keep and eye on it and let her know if it doesn’t go away within a few days. Nothing like that. Just, “It’s the herpes virus.”
She proceeded to tell us to buy some L-Lysine and powder it into some wet food for him every day, and then come back in about 8 weeks to see if he’s improved. She talked about herpes viruses in general, and all of the different forms they can take in both humans and cats. She explained the benefits of L-Lysine in bolstering the immune system, and then she said, “I take it for my herpes.” Now, I know she meant cold sores or something, but as irritated as I was by then, I needed some sort of catharsis, and that just did me in. I spent the next three minutes thinking “DON’T look at Seth; DON’T look at Seth…” because my sweetheart has a very immature and infectious sense of humor, and I knew that if I looked at him it was all over. I also couldn’t look at the vet, b/c I knew I was making faces at her without meaning to. So, I looked at Rizzo for the remainder of the appointment. Good thing he’s so great to look at!
So, that’s that. I made an appt. to bring him back in May so that she could look at his nose again, but don’t think I’m going to, unless it’s still a problem. Yesterday, we shone a flashlight in his face, and there were no nose crusties at all. The day before he sneezed a couple of times and his eyes were a little runny. I’m willing to bet that he was having some sort of reaction to sleeping in the open windowsill with his nose stuck in the wind all night a few nights ago.
Honestly, though, what do you guys think? Am I being too sensitive? The more I think back on the whole appointment, the madder it makes me. And you know what? If I had a suspicion that something MIGHT be wrong with Rizz…if his appetite dropped a bit or his runny eyes had kept on for more than a morning or something…I don’t think I would call this vet office to get an opinion. I don’t trust this lady. I’d be afraid that she’d drag Rizzo into the office, hang him by his back claws, administer twenty different shots and put him on three types of medication, just in case. You know? I really would like your opinions, though. Or failing that, I would simply like to thank you all for letting me get this off my chest!! I know it’s a couple of ridiculously long posts, and I won’t to it again. *is sheepish*
:D
I have three healthy cats. I just inspected them all. Two have eye boogers and one has nose crusties. I am NOT going to rush them to the vet. My wacko health nut friend also uses L-lysine because she is SURE it prevents herpes and also takes megadoses of vitamin C to prevent colds. HER colds last only seven days while MY colds last an entire week! SHE also takes her pooch to a dog psychiatrist. MY neurotic and mistreated felines must simply suffer without a therapist because I obviously do not want the BEST for MY animals. OH! Emily sneezed. Sorry but I must rush her to the 24 hour vet care place!!! Oh wait, she just left her litter box where she frantically does litterbox patrol so I can relax....
Sorry - all tongue in cheek but this vet sounds like a total wacko. When care is needed, I am the first to rush out for it - BUT this is ultra preventative care pushed to an extreme and I could not stand the holier than thou Lazarus complex either. I HATE the guilt factor - so subtle. You will likely lay in bed tonight and break into a sweat wondering about those nose crusties - is it feline URI? hmm....Gizz is going to the box again - could it BE a tapeworm??? Am I a BAD Meowmie?
Oh, and I would also love to hear from any PT'er who has a pet who is NOT stressed by whitecoat visits. My RB Bert used to actually FAINT from fear. The vet finally told us to just keep him home (he was 17) unless absolutely necessary and spare him the trauma.
So, you had him treated for tapeworm right? You know, I would really be looking for another vet. This should be a *partnership* in healthcare for your animals - with your wishes and concerns respected. Mutual respect and partnership is not what this sounds like. Some people may need and want what this vet offers - but I personally could not stand it. The highest technology is not always the best. My very BEST vet was a little hole in the wall country vet in Nebraska. Treated horses, cows, dogs, cats, everything. One treatment room and he made housecalls! Common sense goes a long way - along with a dose of modern prevention.
I am done now:p :p
RUN...do not walk...the other way!
BTW Hallie does not like the vet either! The last time she went to the vet she was pretty hostile...and she is usually sweet with other people (someone new to play with!)
Sure you don't want to move a little west?:D
Way too much information :DQuote:
Originally posted by Twink
The Rant--Part 2
:D
... and then she said, “I take it for my herpes.” :D
I think she's lost the plot, truly, totally, completely :eek:
It sure sounds like this vet is trying to overdose Rizzo on things! Granted tapeworms, though disgusting to look at, are the LEAST hazardous parasite a cat can contract. The "B" vaccine you refered to before is probably bordatella vaccine which in a shelter setting, or boarding facility is invaluable, but routine vaccination for this is absurd! I have dealt with many different shelters (as I do wayyyyy too much rescuing) and several shelters found that vaccinating cats & kittens for bordetella (similar to kennel cough in dogs) cuts way back on the U.R.I outbreaks. It certainly won't hurt Rizzo to get a tapeworm pill, but some of the other procedures this vet wants to do are a bit overboard in my opinion. Give Rizzo a noserub from my herd! :) Jan
Actually, we would both looooove to get out of Raleigh. Seriously need a change of scenery. But I have a standing veto on the Charlotte area because it's too close to my in-laws. Don't get me wrong, I love my in-laws...but I refuse to live less than an hour away from either set of parents!Quote:
Originally posted by halliecat
Sure you don't want to move a little west?:D
:D
Anyway, I feel much better about this vet situation now. I feel like I can calmly get a new vet for Rizzo and any potential new cats (she said, crossing her fingers), without screaming at the old one or something. :D
Deb--THANK you for your co-rant! I had the exact same sort of snarky, sarcastic monologue going on in my head while I was talking to the vet, and it does my heart good to know that my reaction was normal!
Aw ....welll...I was going to say a word but it isn't nice for this forum.....not socialized because they are stressed at the vets....give me a FREAKING break!!! What a nut case this vet is. My Deirdre gets so stressed going to the vet that her blood sugar goes from the normal of about 60 at home to almost 300 at the vets!! I know this because a couple of times she has had to have a blood workup and it is always around 300 and my vet is worried so she has me take her blood sugar test at home (I am diabetic so I have the tester) and it is always around 60! And Deirdre is extremely well socialized for the highstrung cat she is. She allows strangers to pet her when they come over.
Just remember this...and I can't say this often enough.
Not every vet graduated from vet school with an A.
Denyce
LOL *snicker* *chuckle*Quote:
Originally posted by Denyce
Just remember this...and I can't say this often enough.
Not every vet graduated from vet school with an A.
Denyce
Thanks, I think you just made my afternoon. :D :D
And thanks to everyone for replying and assuring me that my "maternal" instincts aren't all out-of-whack. It's really no fun to disagree with a vet. Especially since this is my very first kitty, and I don't want to break him!