TAKE IT TO THE VET

by Barbara J. Andrews

Even experienced breeders can be intimidated by the veterinarian’s superior knowledge of medicine. Indeed, he or she has spent many years in training but that doesn’t mean that the veterinarian is any more intelligent than the average dog owner.

Admittedly, some vets do act as though owning a dog deprives one of the ability to reason. The more unscrupulous ones hope that is does because they are less concerned with cure than with the predictably repeating income generated by certain chronic conditions. Fortunately, they are in the minority and this information will help you to avoid falling prey to that sort. If your vet occasionally acts as though you are only a superfluous object attached to the canine patient, forgive him because it is quite likely he is concentrating on the dog and has a habitual disregard for people-babble!

Seriously though, good vets know that no one knows your dog better than you. For example, if your dog is sleeping on new carpet, the vet has no way of knowing that, yet the dermatitis could be related to the carpet dye and chemicals. A behind-schedule vet may not do the Sherlock Holmes routine so it’s doubly important that you’re prepared to help him reach an accurate diagnosis in the shortest possible time.

Look at it from the veterinary practitioner’s side of the table. Can you imagine his exasperation with the owner who plunks a dog on the table and prattles on about FiFi’s preference for pillows rather than dog beds and perhaps her tummy is upset because she lost her pillow? Experienced breeders are not likely to bore the vet with such inane speculation but still, when we are worried about our best friend, we do tend to carry on a bit don’t we?

When taking your dog in for diagnostic work, here are some tips that will facilitate an accurate and speedy diagnosis of the problem.

Keep your dissertation brief. One way to insure that you do is to write it out. You might use an outline form to present the highlights of your assessment and the period covering the onset of symptoms. The structure of having jotted down the problem will organize your thoughts. Many owners, nervous and stressed, are uncomfortable with a verbal presentation. You however, can refer to your notes rather than stand there trying to remember what it was you intended to say as soon as your tongue comes unstuck from the roof of your mouth. The good vet will listen closely and prompt you for pertinent details. Better yet, give your vet a copy to peruse as you talk.

Keep a notebook or file folder of “the dog records.” Write down a brief history of each dog with a running record of any recent or current medications, treatments, known allergies, or peculiarities. In an emergency situation this can be critical. Whoever must rush the dog to the vet need only grab the already prepared file!

Your vet can’t exercise the full scope of his training unless you provide him with proper information. Depending on the symptoms, a good vet will explore most of the areas covered in the form below, particularly when a dog is presented with possible immune system deficiency or an allergic (over-stimulation) reaction.

Vet-check every six months. That is equivalent to the recommendation of a yearly checkup for yourself. Remember, a year in a dog’s life is like six or seven of our own so things happen faster in a dog. The “yearly checkup” for the dog is poor advice because a bump or behavior that you became accustomed to six months ago could be terminal by the time you take him in for a yearly exam! If you are making a routine visit rather than going for a specific problem, it is even more important to notate changes that might otherwise slip your mind. Routine visits are too often just “And how’s Bowser?” as the yearly shot is given. The busy practitioner is on to the next patient before you’ve had time to ask him why the dog has been biting at his tail lately or coughing after he chases the Frisbee.

Prevention or cure follows accurate diagnosis. Shame on the vet who fails to probe the cause of the problem but who instead, treats only the symptoms. If your dog is given a cortisone injection for joint pain, stiffness, itching, rashes, hot spots, etc. but no real diagnosis is made and you received no recommendation prevent reoccurrence, you should see a different veterinarian if in fact, the same problem comes back. You should not become a repeating bank deposit for the vet at the expense of your dog! Do not get caught in that loop.

Health problems are either fixable or terminal. For example; I have no medical training but as a breeder with over forty years of clinical experience, am firmly convinced that there is no such thing as “flea allergy”! There are however many immune system deficiencies, allergens, and toxins in our environment and you must help your vet to pinpoint the cause of persistent itching. A healthy dog can carry a few fleas and you will never know it. A dog whose immune system is stressed or under assault, will quite likely develop an over-population of fleas and thus, symptoms of “flea allergy.” Do not buy into a “cure” that isn’t. The vet may administer temporary relief until diagnosis has been confirmed. That is good medicine. It is even possible (and sometimes more cost effective) to arrive at a diagnosis based on the dog’s reaction to a certain treatment. In the case of skin problems however, the cause of his lowered defenses must be discovered and treated or the dermatitis will likely reoccur after the shot wears off. This will ultimately drive you and the dog nuts!

A good vet will respect the owner who concisely sums up the symptoms and who also provides relevant information about the dog’s daily life and medical history. If you are on a referral, particularly to a teaching hospital, or it is a new vet who has not previously seen the dog, it’s even more important that he be given a written summation.

Running through the checklist provided or making your own notations prior to your clinic visit will help you help your vet achieve a prompt and correct diagnosis. That will in turn lead to an efficient remedy rather than a shot in the dark approach or a series of expensive hit and miss treatments.

If you are not much on the “outline” idea, make a few copies of the form that follows. You then have only to circle or check off those symptoms that apply to the problem for which you are presenting the dog! What could be easier? Your vet will help you to elaborate in areas he or she needs more information. Depending on the reason for your visit, include any or all of the following in your checklist.

SYMPTOMS, BEHAVIORAL and PHYSICAL: Day first noticed 

vomiting? diarrhea? eating unusual things? refusing food? thirst? lethargy? vacant staring? hyperactivity? disinterest? irritability? loss of balance? changes in expression? difficulty swallowing? self mutilation? obsessive or repetitive actions? changes in bowel or bladder habits such as: soiling bed or inside house, frequency, color, volume, or consistency?

Other: _________________________________________________

HOME MEDICATIONS, PRESCRIBED TREATMENT

When started, dosage and frequency of administration. Better yet, take the bottle!

          Prescriptions: ____________________________________________

Supplements: ____________________________________________

Herbal: __________________________________________________

GASTROINTESTINAL or FOREIGN OBJECT:

new dog toy? child’s toy? visitors? Poison, anti-freeze - new neighbors? auto repairs? evidence of chewed objects, particularly foam products

Other: __________________________________________________

CHANGES IN or TO THE IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT:

new carpet? remodeling? neighborhood construction? cleaning substance? rodent or pest control? landscaping; fertilizer, lawn spray, poisonous plants? new shampoo, grooming preparations, flea or mange treatments? (11/00 rotenone causes Parkinson’s in humans!)

Other: _______________________________________________

CHANGES in DAILY ROUTINE? WHERE DOES HE SLEEP?

Under the pine tree? In damp hole he just dug under the corner of the house? Stretched out on the cool garage floor- on top of the transmission or engine leak? recent trips away from home? escapes from yard?

______________________________________________________

DIET: _________________________________________________

change of basic food? new brand? supplements? visitors and treats? Holiday turkey? Chocolate éclairs? That new ice cream you shared? Check for MSG and other additives to foods, canine or shared.

STRESS FACTORS:

new family members? new pet? new job? neighborhood female in estrus? suspicion of children fence teasing, throwing food or objects into yard? recent illness? new training, crating, restriction, or correction regime?

______________________________________________________

OTHER QUESTIONS or CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 

______________________________________________________

Your Best Friend thanks you for taking time to help him
And so will the Good Veterinarian!

Published in the following:
Premier All Breed  SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE 
TOPNOTCH TOYS MAGAZINE
Best Single Breed Award THE FRENCH BULLYTIN
TERRAH TER-AH, Terrier Magazine
CANINE SCIENCES INSTITUTE course material, Basic

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Copyright © 2000 Barbara J. Andrews.  All rights reserved  except for brief reference quotations citing author and source.  Article Reprint rights granted only when working link to this page is provided or if print media, TheDogPlace.org is listed as source. No portions may be otherwise stored, used, or reprinted in any form without prior express written consent of Barbara J. Andrews.

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