Re: [pyrnet] loss of faith (long)

["Barb Bowes" <bamb@monmouth.com>]

Roz, how you get past this, is you Ask. Any medication, anytime!
And INSIST on having your questions answered. I've had the same
Vet for 24 years. She knows me well. I don't even have to ask
anymore, the info is offered. But then, since she knows me so
well, she also knows that I don't "project" drug reaction
symptoms onto my dogs. It's a real dilemma for Vets. They see you
once or twice a year. They don't really know you, and they don't
know how you will react to the listing of side effects of any
drug. With all drugs there are side effects, many severe. But
most of the severe ones are quite rare. In the specific case of
Rimadyl, I do happen to believe it is overprescribed. Do you
remember the TV commercials with the Golden for Rimadyl? (or was
it a Setter?) Anyway, when it came out, it was pretty much touted
as a wonder drug, and it can be in lots of cases, but with the
severity of the side effects, and their frequency of occurring,
it should not be prescribed in such a cavalier manner, for
relatively minor injuries. (not speaking specifically of Mel
here) There's someone on another list who has a Pyr that was
diagnosed with osteosarcoma. Rimadyl was prescribed, but it
wasn't doing much good. The owner wanted Piroxicam, which is
quite similar to Rimadyl but much stronger. The Vet did not want
to prescribe it as it may kill the dog. (side effects can be much
worse, so it must be given in conjunction with another drug that
mitigates these side effects) Well, sorry to say, with bone
cancer, and the severity of this dog's bone cancer, the dog will
not live long anyway. So why worry about the problems the drug
will cause? The Vet was up front with the owner, but she decided
on the Piroxicam. The dog is certainly more comfortable. At least
he was, last I heard. There are other choices, but this has
worked for them so far. Do whatever research you are able to do
when your animals need drugs, and ask, ask, ask. Refuse to be
denied the answers to your questions. And remember, even natural,
homeopathic remedies have side effects, it's just harder to find
the info on them. Rimadyl was originally developed for human use,
but it did not work for people. But it does work in dogs. You
just need to be informed on what to watch out for, with this or
any other drug. It's pretty much a trade off. Generally, the
benefits outweigh the negatives, but this is not always the case.
So we need to insist on knowing. WE are the ones paying the bill
and purchasing the medication. WE have a right to know what it is
we are paying for! JMO. BTW, my Vet knows me well enough to know
that I am not questioning her professional judgement, that I am
only trying to do the best for my animals. And, she knows that
I'm VERY hands on with them. I take an extremely active role in
all their care, and I know them best. She listens to me, and I to
her, and together we make the best decision possible for the
problem at hand. IMO, a Vet that will work WITH you, who will
treat you like you have at least a modicum of intelligence, and
who understands that you truly CARE about your pet, is worth
their weight in gold. And they are hard to find. Knowing my Vet
so well, I also know that a very large portion of her practice
consists of pets who belong to people who have no interest in
knowing much of anything when it comes to dealing with their
pets. They may care about their pets, but they do not want to
take an active role in their recovery. They want a "pill" to fix
the problem, then be done with it. Many of the dogs I see there
may be well loved, but they are for the most part, untrained.
They are tossed out in the yard to do their business, fed and
watered, and perhaps receive a pat on the head occasionally. It
really is up to you to explain to your Vet that you are not this
type of pet owner. That you take a proactive role in your pet's
care. You'd be amazed at what you learn from your Vet, and how
forthcoming they are with info when they understand this. And if
you cannot find this kind of understanding with your current Vet,
find another Vet. I trust my Vets, and they have done very well
by my animals for all these years. One of the hardest things
about moving will be finding another Vet I can trust.

Barb Bowes
Bo & Chelsea (Pyrs), Flopsy (Pyr Shep) & Machin (Doxie)
The more people I meet, the more I like my dog!
bamb@monmouth.com