I am an animal lover. Having all types of animals as pets since I was a child, I feel that I am somewhat knowledgeable in loving and caring for them. I have gone through several experiences with veterinarians in the past that have left me questioning the reliability of those who have gotten a professional education in order to treat our pets.
This article is focused on a particular experience with one of my dogs whose good health had been compromised because of a visit to the veterinarian's office. I had been a firm believer in taking my dogs in for annual examinations and vaccinations before this incident.
A couple of years ago, I took one of my older dogs in for his yearly appointment. He was a larger dog, ten years old and in great health, his name was "Nike". He was "the guardian" of our household, always on the lookout at home and while protecting my children wherever they went. He was loyal, dependable and the "perfect" dog. After having him vaccinated in the afternoon on a Friday, he started having seizures and became completely unresponsive to our attempts to talk to him or comfort him.
As this had started happening after our vet's office had closed on Friday, I immediately ran Nike to the nearest emergency vet clinic to see why he was having seizures and what could be done. The kids wanted to go as well; they were understandably upset and wanted to make sure he was going to be okay.
I was told that his seizures were caused by his recent vaccinations and that his brain had swelled to the point where he would have permanent brain damage. I had no choice but to have him put to sleep.
The following Monday, when I went to the vet's office to inform him of what had happened, the vet said that "yes, this happens sometimes" and showed absolutely no remorse. This was a highly unexpected response at the time. My whole family was upset and I guess I expected at least a little show of genuine sorrow. However, I just received a casual dismissal of such an important family members passing.
After Nike's death, I started conducting much more research on the vaccinations and "veterinarian recommended" treatments of our animals. I encountered several other controversial discussions regarding whether or not we were "over treating" our animals. What is legitimately necessary and what is not?
I have since run into another scenario that leaves me wondering about whether we should place so much trust in our veterinarians. My next article will disclose the details of a terribly inaccurate prognosis made by a veterinarian that would have been deadly.
