Frequently Asked Questions
&
Finding a Good Vet
Last updated September 29, 2006

Information on this page is added as I encounter questions requesting solutions and information, and therefore is forever in flux!

Are you a vet? No, but I'm willing to play one on TV. The closest formal education I have related to the medical field is Neural Antatomy and Psychoactive Pharmacology. My education focuses mainly on social science research in the field of Psychology (although I also have Architecture and Art degrees and have worked in Art related fields, go figure!) I was raised by a doctor. I do have many years of experience dealing with several personal medical disabilites and those of several dogs. I have researched any tips I pass on.

Why are you qualified to give out advice? I do not diagnose or prescribe any treatment. This site is meant to share information learned from personal experience, share professional resources and to share information about hazards to dogs with similar problems. Also included is some general information on things to AVOID that can hurt your dog. The only thing you have to lose by taking the advice is that you may avoid injuring or killing your pet.

Why should I believe what is written here? You don't have to. If you find it here, check it out yourself. Everything has been confirmed by multiple, reliable sources. Asking your vet is not always the best way to confirm everything though. Not every vet is a good vet, not every vet stays on top of information. After I lost my vet of 25 years, it took me a long time to find one that I could trust. What I like most about him is that he checks information with other specialists! If you find pertinent information that is not listed here, send it along!

My animal was sick, the vet could not find out what was wrong. A friend of mine gave me a recipe of home-made food consisting of rice, spirulina and garlic After two years of feeding this to my animal he got better. But you say garlic is toxic? How can this be? I have researched several medical databases and so far there seems to be no data on the levels of garlic that may be toxic. But even the ASPCA lists it, and animals at risk for AIHA are more sensitive. Cats are more sensitive. However, some animals may be less sensitive, case in point: While we know smoking causes cancer, some can smoke and never get it..or...some people who are bitten by poisonous snakes that are lethal to most, have survived. I still would not recommend getting bitten by the snake! This is also fitting for..I give my animal garlic, onions, chocolate (or any other known toxin) all time and he has never been sick. The friend you recomend this to may not be so lucky. Garlic has no factually verified benefits. Those that are supposed, can be gained in other, safer, TESTED ways.

I think the garlic in the "special food" cured my animal (from scenario above). In research we call this the "man-who" theory. "I know a man who..." so it must be right (or wrong). In research, you must have a practical design that is repeatable with the same results and one that none of the variables can be the source of fluctuations in your data. So....... I am experiencing stomach trouble because I am allergic to citrus, which is a regular part of my diet. I go on a month long diet of nothing but Kool-ade and Snickers bars and the stomach trouble goes away. This does not mean that my stomach trouble was "cured" by Kool-ade and Snickers! In fact, if I am diabetic (which I am) but able to control it without medication by limiting carb and sugar intake (which I do), my new diet may have some very dangerous effects! Over a two year period whatever was bothering the animal may have taken care of itself, or whatever the cause was may have been coincidently been removed. If the animal had gone along eating whatever it did and the garlic only was added to the diet, there might have been a little more cause to hope it had some curative power. More than likely the causes for recovery were: bland diet, time to heal naturally and the addition of spirulina (very nutritious, full of all sort of healthy stuff!) Whenever you "test" something where there are several factors that may be responsible for your outcome, your testing is sloppy and essentially worthless. DItto, if you test on just one or a few cases, have no control cases, and cannot repeat your testing with the same results repeatedly.

Why did you want to "fix" Rosie's leg, I hear three-legged dogs get along just fine? While three-leggers do get along wonderfully and lead full lives, they have increased risk for muscle strain and joint disease. Dogs were meant to walk on four legs. Putting all their weight on just three increases risk for spinal and leg damage and joint disease such as arthritis in the healthy legs. Also, losing one leg means that an injury to another leg could be more devastating later in life. When I set out to save her leg, I was positive that it could not be made perfect, although lack of perfect outcome was an excuse some vets used to avoid treatment. All I wanted to do was give her the chance to use her leg as much as she could, for as long as she could. Hopefully, it will reduce the risk and severity of disease that usually comes with age anyway. Most importantly, she is able to sit, stretch, balance and do all sorts of things that she was not able to do before. She uses her special paw all the time now! Putting weight on it while walking with her brace helps to keep it healthy. We may be able to do more for her, she may still have to lose it someday. But there is no doubt that she has benefitted greatly from from having the use of it.

How do you decide if it is right to help a disabled dog? This is a question that involves personal attitude, dedication and ability. It also involves assessing an ethical approach to each individual situation. As there is no magical answer to any question in life, it takes thought and energy to arrive at an answer. You will have to live with it. Fortunately or unfortunately, so will the animal; so take your time, think carefully, and chose wisely. I advise that you start with hope and work from there. If you start without hope, your outcome is guaranteed and you might as well not even bother with the journey. Have faith and search for answers, but be willing to accept all possibilities. Check out some of the links on the resource page, read statements and musings on ethics in myths and some of the other writings here. Hopefully there will be some guidance and some inspiration.

Are dalmatians deaf? About 8-9% are genetically deaf. Another 22% suffer from deafness in one ear.The problem is derived from the extreme piebald gene, the gene responsible for the white coat, probably a link similar to albinosim and it's comorbid symptoms. http://www.geocities.com/sommersprasse.geo/deafness.htm Also see our new page about Facts & Myths.

Is it true that dalmatians were intentionally bred to be deaf as firedogs? This is aboslutely false! I have found no supporting evidence and loads of research refuting this theory. Here is a cute and simple history of the breed: http://www.petcaretips.net/dalmation-fireman.html.

Why is what my vet says and what I read on the internet different? No matter what the subject, you will always find conflicting views. You have to learn to use your head and resources to sort out what is best. A veterinary license, just like an M.D. does not come with an assurance of quality and ethics. It even sometimes comes with more ego than dedication to animal care. I cannot stress enough how important it is to find a good vet and develop a relationship, now, before you NEED one.

How do I find a good vet? This is the biggie. There is no magic formula. No guarantees. Short of a crystal ball, I have some "guidelines" I can offer. These are based on several criteria: Experience (especially with rescue, disabled and special needs dogs), common sense, formal education in Business Psychology, statistical research data and personal preference. None of the guidelines will guarantee a good choice, but they should increase your chances.

HOW TO FIND A GOOD VET

1. A Board Certified vet is always a plus. This means your vet has had extra hours of study and passed extra examinations in a particular field of specialization. I make it a habit to read all those diplomas and certificates on the wall. Programs, education and associations can be very telling about anyone. When they are all framed differently, in modest frames of varying design and hung in an random manner, it suggests that they were honestly collected and earned one at a time and not hung to enhance the decor. I am suspicious of neatly framed diplomas and certificates, all framed and matted alike and hung with an obvious plan to impress. It makes me wonder if they are real and if someone is working TOO hard to convince me that they are "good" at what they do without showing me how good they are. This is by no means a perfect strategy, bottom line, does the vet look like he is trying to impress you more than he is trying to take care of your pet? Dr. Olds has a modest award from the FBI on his wall, for work saving an abused dog involved in a federal case. He then became the dog's owner and best friend for the rest of it's life. It is framed inexpensively and almost hidden behind medical equipment. I can tell that it is there because it is special to him, not to impress me.

2. Take a tour of the facility. If they won't show you the entire operation, there may be something that needs to be hidden. Use your head to decide if the faciities are clean and humane. This might give you an opportunity to see some employees at work.

3. Make sure that there are certified vet techs working in the office.

4. Find out who takes the x-rays and make sure they are certified to do so.

5. Ask people. Just like finding a good doctor for yourself, ask those people that that you think have high standards about such a issue. It's a good place to start. Ask a dog trainer, advocate or that woman down the street that is so crazy about her animals and goes the extra mile for them. When I need a doctor I ask other doctors that I feel are high quality and friends that I know are very serious about their health.

6. Is the office an overly expensive, state of the art showplace? I have found that any doctor, medical or veterinary, that spends TOO much time and attention on their office and facility, usually has priorities that I do not find desireable. When a vet spends more money trying to impress me with the decor of his office than my new truck cost, usually my interests and the care of my animal are low on his list. This can either translate into such over-confidence that they take unreasonable risks with the animal, or such ego that they will refuse to treat many cases unless they can be sure that there will be a perfect outcome. In the medical world it's called "pushing stats", keeping their statistics for success high at the expense avoiding higher risk patients. Likewise, an office that is dirty or in ill repair is just as bad a sign. Look around, what does the office say about the vet? Idealy, it should say conservative, but proactive; focused on care, not decoration; it should be clean, neat and in good repair; proud but not prideful. What is your vet trying to tell you through his choice of decor? I am practical, tasteful and warm. Or...I am egositical, SO much more than just your vet, make a lot of money and want you to be impressed by it? (If your vet has his golfing trophies in the waiting room..leave...his mind is probably on the course.)

7. Does your vet refer you to a specialist when dealing with any issue outside of his practice or anything that seems unusual or serious? (this is also a good indicator of human health professionals, too). If your dog has cancer and your vet is not veterinary Oncologist, he should suggest that you see one! A vet in general practice, or one who is a specialist in an inappropriate field, should always suggest and refer you the right specialist!

8. When your dog is sick, does your vet personally phone you with results from tests? If your vet is too busy to call you and discuss results and treatment with you, she probably does not have time to pay attention to other important issues.

9. How does your vet interact with animals? It is not hard to tell the difference between professional demeanor and REAL care and concern! Although I already knew that my vet was devoted to his patients, it was confirmed as I sat daily with Rosie while she was hospitalized and watched him visit his patients during his off time. The runs are solid about 3 feet from the ground and he had no idea I was sitting in hers with her! I watched him take time to visit and speak kindly to his patients during his lunch hour and free time.

10. If your animal must be hospitlaized are you allowed/encouraged to visit? If you are, not only does your vet value the connection between you and your pet, but he is confident in the state of his kennel area. Need I say more?

11. Does your vet give the office staff a list of over-the-counter products to try to sell you on they way out? This happened to me! These were not issues that she even discussed with me during my visit with her. Later I learned that the counter staff received commission on the products. I should have been tipped off by the fact that the office was nicer than my house! Joking aside, it was one of those very expensive, meant-to-impress facilities. After seeing her for about two years, she had just read my chart incorrectly and chastised me for 30 minutes about not having brought the dog in for 12 years ( I was only 3 months overdue for yearly vaccines because my husband had just had a heart attack). On the way out she gave the girl at the counter a list of 22 products to try to sell me, starting with daily flouoride tooth swabs, for a 15 year old golden retriever. She spent so much of her time at her hobby (competitive boxing) that she was not giving full attention to her patients and was relying on product sales to fund her newly built, expensive facility.

12. Does your vet offer you options that focus on the health of the animal? These should always be fully explained to you. He should explain what the risks and benefits are for each option. He should always do this while offering his opinion on what he considers to be the best course of action. That course of action should always be predicated on what is the best decision for your pet.......not the cheapest.

13. It bears repeating: Does your vet recommend a course of action that is the best for the animal or the cheapest? I don't think I can say that enough! Find a vet that wants the best for your pet at a fair price, and develop a relationship now. Do this before you are in a situation where time does not permit you to research whether or not you are being overcharged for the best care. Don't use a vet that tries to pry every dime out of you that he can, but don't put your pet's life and health at risk for a couple of hundred extra bucks. Your pet is part of your family, not a possession. Be reasonable, but don't scrimp on their care. Give up take-out food, cigarettes, movie rentals, soda, oreos, coffee or something unimportant in the grand scheme of things rather than choose "cheap" over good care and treatment.

NOTHING TAKES THE PLACE OF A WELL-RESEARCHED, TRUSTED VET WHO REFERS TO A TRUSTED NETWORK OF SPECIALISTS WHEN NECESSARY!
Develop that relationship before you NEED it.

Learn WHERE your Animal Emergency is and KNOW how to get there.

Pack an emergency bag for your pets too! Leashes, meds, food, treats, bedding, bowls, water, folding kennel, first aid, bandages for feet. In an emergency or disaster, many shelters will not be prepared to house your pets.