In yesterday’s post I mentioned an article I had read in Reader’s Digest, 50 Things Your Vet Won’t Tell You. 

While some of the comments were basic, common sense advice, the following revelations actually made me seriously wonder, how would you know these things unless you asked?

1)  “A lot of veterinarians have told me matter-of-factly that they still don’t use painkillers for procedures that we know are painful. They think that dogs and cats don’t need it or that feeling pain after surgery is good because it keeps them from moving around too much. But research has shown that pets who are in less pain heal faster, sleep better, and don’t move around as much.”

Well you know how I reacted to this one as I actually questioned my vet about the procedure used for cleaning a pet’s teeth. 

My dogs love going to our vet’s office, they are super excited to be there and are happy to see everyone, if one of my dogs was afraid to go, I think I’d wonder if my vet was telling me everything I needed to know about how comfortable my pet was during certain procedures.

2)  “I’ll let you in on the secret of no-kill shelters: We had a contract with our local Humane Society that stated we’d euthanize the animals in their care that needed to be put down. One Sunday, they sent us 72 cats to put down. By the end, we were all emotionally devastated.”

Are they saying that the shelter presents themselves as no kill, because they aren’t the ones actually euthanizing the animals? 

The shelter can SAY we’re NO KILL because we aren’t the ones doing the killing?  Instead we’ll send the animals off to a local vet. 

That is downright wrong, as well as misrepresenting themselves, I imagine a Humane Society that is no kill gets more financial support from donors than another one that might have a higher kill rate.  I’d like to find out which Humane Society is doing this, and spill their dirty little secret.

3)  “Your vet may not have gotten into vet school! Vets who can’t get into traditional U.S. veterinary programs due to bad grades and poor test scores often go to for-profit schools in the Caribbean, where, basically, if you can pay the tuition, you get in.”

Seriously? So any Joe off the street with money can get a veterinarian degree?  I wonder what my vet will say in two weeks when I ask her where she went to school?

Pardon the interruption, I had to go to Expedia and book my trip to the Caribbean. Yes, very soon you shall be referring to me as Dr. Stone.  I wonder if they offer online classes?

4)  “No regulation says vets have to check certain lists before they euthanize an animal, and lots of vets still do convenience euthanasia for owners who prefer the easy way out. We see a lot of euthanasia in November and December, for example, just because people are getting ready for the holidays. I refuse to do it.”

This makes me sad.  First that people feel their pets are disposable and secondly that a veterinarian would euthanize a healthy animal.  I’m glad this vet does not practice in this manner.

There’s something fundamentally wrong with a society that thinks animals are disposable.

5)  “Unfortunately, I’ve had to work in low-cost clinics, and many of them are cutting corners to make a profit. Some places give half doses of vaccines instead of full doses, which is totally illegal and ineffective.”

OMD, so I already HATE the over-vaccinating that takes place in this country, but can you imagine thinking your pet is protected from Rabies or Distemper and finding out they weren’t properly vaccinated?

6)  “Home cooking for your pet is harder than you think. I once saw a dog who was fed a home-cooked diet of chicken breast and vegetables for a year, and his bones became so weak that his jaw broke. If you would like to cook for your pet, find a veterinary nutritionist who can help guide you, or check out balanceit.com.”

I would hope that anyone cooking at home for their pet, would do some research before proceeding, I felt bad that I waited to take Sampson to the vet for his ‘bruise’ I can only imagine the guilt associated with feeding your dog something which made their bones so weak they broke!

7)  “You can go to an online pharmacy and get the same exact drugs you would get from your vet for 10 to 20 percent off. But check first to make sure it’s certified as a Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Site (VIPPS certified). Some vets will also match online prices—you just have to know to ask.”

8)  “A lot of pet medications are available at human pharmacies for lower prices than we charge. Walgreens even has a list of veterinary medicines for $4 per one-month dose. These are medicines that you would pay $20 or $30 for at your vet.”

The above two should be kept in mind.  Hello, my dog’s on the human drug Meloxicam!

9)  “If the plaque sprays and dental water additives actually worked, none of us would be telling you to brush your pet’s teeth.”

Personally I haven’t used either of these products, heck I’m so bad I don’t even brush their teeth (hey, I just got my dental kit from My Brown Newfies.)  But I do know people who swear by them, so this really makes me wonder, do these work, or is someone standing a little deep in something?

Did any of the nine items mentioned above shock or dismay you?  Are there any questions you will be asking your vet at the next visit?

And just because I can, here’s one of my favorite Sampson pictures.

This is Sampson in Emerald Isle, North Carolina in Sept of 2006. He had just turned two.