50 Things Your Veterinarian Won’t Tell You

[Karen]

“New staff or training students sometimes practice injections or catheter placements on your pet. If you’d rather not allow your pet to be used this way, make sure you say something beforehand.”

I volunteer to be the one new phlebotomists practice on when I give blood, as my veins are easy to spot, and extract blood from, and I know that will help build their confidence for the next person.

[pomtzu]

Interesting, enlightening, and sometimes humorous. Thanks for posting, Pat.

[kaycountrygal]

I volunteer to be the one new phlebotomists practice on when I give blood, as my veins are easy to spot, and extract blood from, and I know that will help build their confidence for the next person.

- - -
Wow! Karen, I'm impressed with your attitude and your veins LOL. I'm the opposite. I always look for the person who "doesn't hurt me". Once I was at lab and there were three women sitting in waiting room drinking water. They said the lab person had had trouble finding their veins and hurt. I got up, took my sign-in paper, and went to another one of their labs.

[kaycountrygal]

I took little Sissy Pom to vet a couple of weeks ago because she acted as if something was in her throat and she vomited twice. Knowing her history of swallowing wrong things, I thought something might be hung but vet did not find anything except a red throat. Sissy got an exam, xray, did fecal, and some medicine sucralfate. Vet crushed sucralfate with some water and I gave it to Sissy by syringe in her mouth.

Here's the part about cost of medicine. I didn't know what kind of med it was (I didn't really hear what vet said) until I read the bill; it was sucralfate--EXACTLY what I take (same mg etc and I let mine dissolve in water). I've been at vet since then with LilGirl (toenails) and I mentioned the sucralfate that I take (even showed her one of my tablets and she confirmed that indeed it is the same as what she gave me for Sissy. If Sissy ever needs sucralfate again per vet, I can use mine. I get 100 tablets for $24 and guess what TWO cost at the vet--$8.51. I know vets have to make money but I thought that was a bit much. I've since learned there is a regular (people) pharmacy near me that fills rx for pets at cheaper prices than those at vet - or - if med is needed for pet and the vet doesn't have it on hand, I can go to this particular pharmacy. Of course, if any of my dogs needed immediate medicine, I would not go around trying to find the cheapest price. I still don't know why Sissy was acting sicky. Oh yes, little Sissy was her regular active little self the next day.

[lizbud]

I took little Sissy Pom to vet a couple of weeks ago because she acted as if something was in her throat and she vomited twice. Knowing her history of swallowing wrong things, I thought something might be hung but vet did not find anything except a red throat. Sissy got an exam, xray, did fecal, and some medicine sucralfate. Vet crushed sucralfate with some water and I gave it to Sissy by syringe in her mouth.

Here's the part about cost of medicine. I didn't know what kind of med it was (I didn't really hear what vet said) until I read the bill; it was sucralfate--EXACTLY what I take (same mg etc and I let mine dissolve in water). I've been at vet since then with LilGirl (toenails) and I mentioned the sucralfate that I take (even showed her one of my tablets and she confirmed that indeed it is the same as what she gave me for Sissy. If Sissy ever needs sucralfate again per vet, I can use mine. I get 100 tablets for $24 and guess what TWO cost at the vet--$8.51. I know vets have to make money but I thought that was a bit much. I've since learned there is a regular (people) pharmacy near me that fills rx for pets at cheaper prices than those at vet - or - if med is needed for pet and the vet doesn't have it on hand, I can go to this particular pharmacy. Of course, if any of my dogs needed immediate medicine, I would not go around trying to find the cheapest price. I still don't know why Sissy was acting sicky. Oh yes, little Sissy was her regular active little self the next day.

I just learned the other day that Walgreens has a Vet pharmacy, but I've never had occasion to use it. I looked up the med (sucralfate) & it said it is used to treat ulcers.
Does Sissy have stomach problems? Hope she feels better soon.

[pomtzu]

I just learned the other day that Walgreens has a Vet pharmacy, but I've never had occasion to use it. I looked up the med (sucralfate) & it said it is used to treat ulcers.
Does Sissy have stomach problems? Hope she feels better soon.

I was wondering about Sissy's med too, since this is what Myndi took when she had that bleeding ulcer that nearly killed her. Must be good stuff tho, since she bounced back in less than 2 weeks.

I also have gotten meds from Walgreen's for furkids. I got the sucralfate there, and also Tramadol when Myndi took that for her arthritis issues. Many years ago I had 2 Lhasas that were diabetic, and I got the insulin and syringes there also. Vets don't necessarily carry every med that your pet might need one day, and have no problem writing a script for what they need and can be purchased from a "people" pharmacy.

Hope Sissy is feeling much better now, and back to her old self.

[pomtzu]

I volunteer to be the one new phlebotomists practice on when I give blood, as my veins are easy to spot, and extract blood from, and I know that will help build their confidence for the next person.

My veins are like threads - very tiny and difficult to find. When I had my gallbladder out and was in the prep area getting an i.v. started, it took 7 tries before they finally got one. My arm was black and blue and purple from my hand to my elbow. That was the worst ever - usually it only takes 3 or 4 tries before they get a good one that doesn't blow !

[Karen]

My veins are like threads - very tiny and difficult to find. When I had my gallbladder out and was in the prep area getting an i.v. started, it took 7 tries before they finally got one. My arm was black and blue and purple from my hand to my elbow. That was the worst ever - usually it only takes 3 or 4 tries before they get a good one that doesn't blow !

Yes, the last time Paul was in the hospital, I was sitting with him as person after person tried, they finally got the head of Phlebotomy to come, and even she had trouble on him, at one point she said, "I know there must be blood in there, as you are talking to me ..."