Snake Bite For Dogs

[quigleysharps4570]

the cost of the treatment and the cost of the cremation and ash ern was well over $400.

Lordy. I've always been to poor for that route...always had to bury ours out back.

BTW...didn't take no offense to what's been said and wasn't meaning any harm.

[fabsroman]

No offense taken and no harm done. If anybody understands that people treat dogs differently, it is me. I love my dad, but when it comes to dogs he and I have very different opinions. For instance, he wants me to keep Nitro outside after I have children. I completely disagree with that. Good thing is that I have my own place now.

[myEspringr]

gsp , it's our second. we attemted to plan it for dec. or jan. it didn't work that way oh , well there's always next year, kinda hopin' to get a little huntin' partner outta this one.

as far as how our dogs are part of our family (3) 1 is the wifes and the other two are the hunters, we will prob. end up cremating them. one thing about dogs( unlike spouses) they don't talk back and are always happy to do what you want them to. now if i could get my wife to wear the shock collar then i'd be set.

[huntingvet]

I understand everyone's opinion, but I have something to add.

A "good vet" is one that does not try to make a buck off of everything, does not force you into certain therapies, and will not make you feel guilty for not following his/her recommendations. However, the difference between a "good vet" and an "excellent vet" is that an excellent vet will always surpass your expectations. He/She will always be able to offer you and your pet the best possible veterinary care options. That does not mean that you have to pursue them.

The biggest crime in veterinary medicine is for a vet to pre-judge your feelings on your dog and to limit your options without your consent. If I was presented with your dog after a rattlesnake bite, I would urge you to have me examine your dog, admit it to my care, administer various medications including antivenin and monitor it for 2-3 days. I would be very clear as to why I recommend those things, but if you desired, I would also advise you on other "treatment" options which can include a couple of shots or doing nothing. But be sure that I would let you know what chances you are taking.

Wouldn't you be pissed if you took your 3 year old son into your pediatrician for vomiting for 3 days, not eating anything, and now acting very lethargic if you pediatrician just replied... "Ah, pretty sick kid. You know, he's only 3, so why don't we try you giving him some aspirin and seeing if he get's better." Doesn't seem appropriate does it? Now I know dogs do not equal kids, but wouldn't you be happier with your pediatrician if he replied, "I'm very concerned, I will do my best, and here's my thoughts..."

As far as not doing anything and expecting your dog to be ahright after a rattlesnake bite without any medical therapy, I have a few things to add. First of all, yes most will probably "survive." But I guarantee all will be significantly painful during the rehabilitation process and a few will have major complications that can include death. Is that right for your four legged hunting pal? More importantly, is it right for your vet to make that judgement for you and tell you not to do something especially if you were intending on pursuing more aggressive care?

Many feel that vets are in it for the money. That is really unfortunate. Did you know that the current veterinary medical student will probably graduate with over a 1/4 of a million dollars in student loans and hope to land a job that pays on average $60K a year? That's barely enough to pay back the student loans. Trust me when I say that if vet's were in it for the money, we would get a different job. There are easier ways that are significantly less stressful to make money. Most of us do our job because we love being involved with our client's lives, caring for your pets and trying to make a difference. Making money is the last thing on our minds. Just ask any veterinary industry consultant... veterinarians are terrible money managers and business owners. We would rather give things away than make an honest living.

[fabsroman]

Huntingvet,

I agree completely with what you just posted. That is why I love my current vet, because he seems exactly like you. He doesn't push treatments on me and I don't feel bad about saying no thanks. I told him that I was going to need a prescription to order heart worm medication from Drs. Foster & Smith and he said he would match the price with the shipping included. Of course, I could have been a wisequy and said, but the shipping isn't significant because I am ordering a bunch of stuff from them. However, I figured since he was lowering his price by about $25 and I really liked him, I didn't care about paying a little more than what it would cost me at Drs. Foster & Smith.

With any professional service, the client/customer needs to feel good about the relationship. I know that is how it is in my profession.

As far as having it bad, when I graduated from law school, the average starting salary for an attorney was $35,000 and most had $100,000 in undergrad debt and $100,000 in law school debt. I was smart/savy enough to avoid incurring debt, so my life has been a little easier than most attorneys.

[Andy L]

http://www.coyotegods.com/ubb/forum.shtml

Hope I dont get in trouble for this, posting a link, but here is thread I have followed because I was interested about snake bites as well.

I know alot of these guys and they are the real deal when it comes to dog men and they live where there ARE rattlesnakes to deal with daily.

I trust em enough, I think I would probably evaluate the situation, but would probably do the same as 4570. And, before you say it, I DO love my dogs.

Andy