I have an odd thought about your vet. If your GS is shaking and that afraid then someone done something to him terribly when you did not see it. I would find a new vet. Dogs don't shake around people they don't fear or are happy to see.

 Quote: RobbinMann

Once again I thought, why would we question anyone who (supposedly) had more knowledge than me. Don't I see news reports of doctors and their drug addictions almost nightly or how about the fact that they survive on so little sleep it is unlawful for them to even be performing on a functioning level? HMMM??? We live in a world of very little work ethic and even less business ethics. I question everyone, everything, all the time. It's not a nice existence but it is reality. One of the reasons I love this board so much! Opinions may differ on occasion but knowledge is power! Note to self: Ask Steve where he got his rose colored glasses, I want a pair!

And it's a good thing to remember...when thinking of hiring an MD, Vet, Attorney, or anyone of that nature...someone ALWAYS graduates LAST in their class...

Hi Robin:

Interestingly enough, i received my rose colored glasses from my Vet. They have a Hill's logo on the side, but other than that, they sure are purrty!!! :-)

 Quote: Steve Behnam

Hi Robin:

Interestingly enough, i received my rose colored glasses from my Vet. They have a Hill's logo on the side, but other than that, they sure are purrty!!! :-)

My first Monday laugh out loud.

I absolutely ask my Medical Dr. as many questions as I can regarding all areas of my health. I do the same for my dogs. And yes, we even ask to sit in on some surgeries or surgery 'prep' for individuals with disabilities (I work with an organization that supports individuals with mental and physical disablities) all the time! I have seen and heard medical Dr.s refuse to 'treat' some individuals with disabilities as they feel they won't have a long or 'good' life anyway. It happens ALL the time. If it happens to people...you bet it happens to animals and often.

I can tell you 2 incidents FIRST hand where my dogs 'lives' have been put into the 'best' hands possible for treatment( specialists that are highly respected in 'big name' clinics) where the Dr.s/Vets/Specialists were TOTALLY wrong on thier diagnosis. One was with my 8 yr. old gsd. She has been loading sheep and had an injury. Next day, could barely move and had her abdomen 'tucked' up. I will make this a 'short' story. Took her to my local vet first who did x-rays and told me they thought it was cancer of the spleen. X-rays were then sent to a 'top' speicialist in the U.S. to 'read'. Same thing was said. They told me ALL the bad things about this cancer and that she only had a few months to live WITH Surgery to remove the spleen and it was a painful 'death' etc. I then asked to be referred to the 'top' emergency clinic in Vancouver. There many more tests/ultrasound and biopsies were done. ALL the specialists that saw her said the exact same thing. Recommedation was to put her down. The "only" ray of hope was an intern who was actually treating her (but had to report to his superviosor findings etc) phoned me and said he had some reservations. He recommeneded we wait 2 wks. and do the ultrasound again. SO, we did this. I should note here that ALL her tests came back 'negative' for cancer. But they ALWAYS had some reason for it. Biopsied the 'wrong' part of spleen etc. After the second ultrasound the 'top' Dr. came to talk to me and told me it was way worse and definately cancer. Again went into treatment and how it does not really work etc etc. I thought about it and went with my 'gut' feeling. I asked them to do surgery and remove the spleen. Well....to everyone's surprise, when they did the surgery it was NOT cancer. Was what I had thought and TOLD every Dr. we saw....an injury where the spleen was involved/bruised with some fluid around it. They removed the spleen and she was fine. Lived many more YEARS. Had I done what EVRYONE and EVERY specialist told me...she would have been put down for no reason. To my horror when I actually did more research, I had found that mine was not the first or only incident where having them mercifully put down a very sick dog was reocmmended and in some instances done. Some of the owners asked for autopsies, where the 'true' findings were found out. Clinic paid 'compensation' to family but that is NOTHING compared to the life of the dog.

EVERYONE makes mistakes. The above vets/specialist truely felt that they were RIGHT. HOwever, they also had preconcieved thoughts/experiences that led them down the path they took. Gsd's are high risk for spleen cancer. It appears at this age most often, it showed these symptoms,looked like it would on ultrasound etc etc. EVEN when ALL tests came back negative, they still held to thier preconceived diagnosis/assumptions.

I always question my vets. It is not done out of disrespect to them and thier training/expertise, but out of respect for my animals. Good vets KNOW that they can be wrong and do not take offence when they are questioned. I want a relationship with my vets period. If they can't give that to me, I find one that will. I want to be able to talk about ALL possiblities and I want to be part of the processes.

Shelley, beautiful post, amazing story. Wonderful to hear how it played out for your GSD.

I love that you said you question your vets out of respect for your animals. Can't get any more simply put than that.

Business reasons about a treatment difference with his partner??? Not a good reason and probably not a good vet. Recommending that you find another vet, however, begs the question. HOW do you find a good vet? If you don't have a dog-owning neighbor who has had a good experience, you might try calling the breed rescue group in your area and ask if they have a list of trusted vets.

Oh my God.......Get away from that vet!!!! What a shame...
You will have to take some time to help your dog get over this. When you find a new vet, interview THEM first, don't hesitate to ask lots of questions....a good one would NOT mind!!!! Some vets are not for the raw thing, but that is ok, what matters most is how they take care of our pets and us, too. I have 2 wonderful vets..that I love and respect equally.
Take your dog into the offices, say we're just here to say hello and have them give your dog a treat...say thanks and head out. Be calm...take a deep breath and relax...if you are tense or nervous your dog will feel this. Be matter-of-fact, don't coddle the dog, praise when the dog is calm...NOT when it is nervous and shaking. It will take some time...trust has to be restored. It is not a quarantee that things will be fixed, but
it will help in the future. Also explain what happened to your new vet....they will be even more considerate and helpful if they know the dog has had a bad experience.
Good Luck.
Cindy

I think the best way to find a new vet is to talk to reputable breeders and trainers (that train in your sport) in your area. From there, use the computer to look them up on on your states vet board to make sure they don't have any complaints or disciplinary actions that may send up red flags for you. Then I would either have a phone conversation (or more fairly to them because the vet deserves to be paid for his/her time), make an appt to talk to them - WITHOUT the dog. I would want a tour of the facility too. I would want to know the assistants are Vet Techs or the equivalent (vet school students for example). My goal is to be sure the hospital is equipped and has the profession knowledge to handle my dogs' medical needs. I want to see that cleanliness is as important to them as it is to me. What's that old saying, god is in the details?

I wouldn't ask the rescues because many times they are stretched financially so they may be going to a vet with a big heart, but not necessarily the best vet.

I find that when I have confidence in a veterinary hospital, more often than not, a good relationship develops, at least this has been my experience.

As an aside, when I was researching my new vet, I DID find a disciplinary action against the hospital on the Vet State Boards! Turns out when my vet purchased his clinic, there was a disciplinary action attached to the vet who sold the hospital. My vet was grateful to me for showing it to him, they sent an email to the vet board, who sent a written apology & removed the action from the computer.

My Vet for the Two Pups is only 32 years old but we get on well He too is a pigeon Fancier and when i take one of the Dogs to him, like the Baby Pup Goran last week he had diarrhoea, I believe it was my fault it happened, well i take the blame for it happening,
He took his temperature which was fine, and asked me a lot of Questions of what i had done in the last few days with the Pup
Afterwards the Vet said not to feed him for a day then only a little at the time, and not to leave water in front of him all day but to give him a little drink at an hourly intervel for a day he then gave me some Paste in a tube to give him for two days, a little on a treat. He always explains what he is doing and why and if i think something is not to my liking i say so, He listens and never takes offence of what i say need less to say the Pup was fine again with proper stools in two days