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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
Name:
greenfreak
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Your Vet knows best. True or false?
Once you've chosen your Vet and are happy with them, do you follow whatever they say because they are an expert in their field? Do you ever question a course of action, or their opinion, or educate yourself further on things they've told you and found you don't agree?
I'm asking because I told someone that I use Bug Off Garlic instead of Frontline and they asked if my Vet "approved" that. I told them I had a long conversation with my Vet and in the end, disagreed with them based on a variety of factors. They said then they don't think it's a good idea.
It became clear that they thought the be-all end-all answer was that if your Vet says it's so, it must be so. No room for disagreement, opinions, additional research. If you go against your Vet, you are doing your pet a disservice.
What do you think? Have you ever disagreed with your Vet and if so, about what?
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Posted 4/6/10 8:11 AM  |
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Long Island Weddings
Long Island's Largest Bridal Resource |
RadioLau
LIF Adult
Member since 4/07 2179 total posts
Name:
Laura
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Re: Your Vet knows best. True or false?
LOL my vet and I disagree all the time. He is wonderful though and he respects my opinions. I question EVERYTHING and I am personally with you. I hate the idea of putting frontline or any other pesticide on my dog and have not done that ever as of yet. I am very holistic in my views of feeding, vaccines, and overall care of my dog which many conventional vets (and pet owners) will not always agree with or even be open to. A lot of people don't agree with some of my practices with my dog. I feel they just haven't researched some things or care to and that is completely their right. For me it is more of a hobby and for others it is not. I respect what anyone has to say (including the vet) and I don't know who is right all the time but I believe in the things I do. You have to do what is comfortable for you.
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| Posted 4/6/10 8:25 AM |
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SweetTooth
I'm a tired mommy!
Member since 12/05 20105 total posts
Name:
Lauren
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Re: Your Vet knows best. True or false?
I think in general, yes, my vet knows best. But on certain issues, there can be varying opinions. Just like with humans, we can disagree with those opinions and seek others. I think flea treatment is a good example of that. But if my cats or my dog had a serious medical condition, then I would rely on the advice of my vet.
BTW, what is this Bug off Garlic? I am really hesitant to use Frontline on my dog, especially with the babies around.
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| Posted 4/6/10 9:18 AM |
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roxygrl8
......
Member since 6/06 2987 total posts
Name:
Nicole
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Re: Your Vet knows best. True or false?
Posted by greenfreak
Once you've chosen your Vet and are happy with them, do you follow whatever they say because they are an expert in their field? Do you ever question a course of action, or their opinion, or educate yourself further on things they've told you and found you don't agree?
I'm asking because I told someone that I use Bug Off Garlic instead of Frontline and they asked if my Vet "approved" that. I told them I had a long conversation with my Vet and in the end, disagreed with them based on a variety of factors. They said then they don't think it's a good idea.
It became clear that they thought the be-all end-all answer was that if your Vet says it's so, it must be so. No room for disagreement, opinions, additional research. If you go against your Vet, you are doing your pet a disservice.
What do you think? Have you ever disagreed with your Vet and if so, about what?
How long have you been using the Bug off garlic? Besides garlic breath, does the dog smell of it (like it would come through our pores)? Have you had success with it?
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| Posted 4/6/10 9:32 AM |
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lucyloo
nope
Member since 1/06 9758 total posts
Name:
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Re: Your Vet knows best. True or false?
About 1x a year Katie gets an ear infection. The vet tells me to clean the ear every day and put medicine in it.
I've found cleaning it every day makes it more irritated so I do it every other day.
Also the vet wants her to be 15.5 lbs and I think she looks great at 16lbs. Just like my doc I don't listen to everything they say.
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| Posted 4/6/10 9:39 AM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
Name:
greenfreak
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Re: Your Vet knows best. True or false?
Here's the thread/EPA article that prompted me to check out BOG: http://www.lifamilies.com/chat/topic.aspx?ID=412103
It's just shy of a year, no ticks, no fleas. We go walking the trails at Blydenburgh park every week now, Avalon in Stony Brook, the beach, some woods and fields by my parent's house. So we've been putting it to the test.
In my research, I've read that there are concerns about it thinning the blood and causing anemia in some dogs and cats. It can also exacerbate problems with animals with diabetes. So it may not be for all dogs, especially if they have other underlying health problems.
In our case, Brinkley does just fine with it but he's only 2 and doesn't have any other issues. Ginger is going on it in one month, and we will watch her closely for any changes in behavior, energy, etc. to make sure she's handling it well.
I'm seriously considering asking my Vet if they can do blood tests to see if they have any anemic affects from it, just to give myself peace of mind.
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| Posted 4/6/10 10:05 AM |
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
Name:
greenfreak
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Re: Your Vet knows best. True or false?
Posted by dita
About 1x a year Katie gets an ear infection. The vet tells me to clean the ear every day and put medicine in it.
I've found cleaning it every day makes it more irritated so I do it every other day.
It's funny, that's exactly what we have been doing the last month. I was cleaning and applying the medicine daily and her ears were actually bleeding.  Once I switched to every other day, it was better.
The way I look at that is, they can tell you what works for the majority of animals, but each of them can be different, and you should change it a little to suit your own animal's needs.
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| Posted 4/6/10 10:09 AM |
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JessInCA
live laugh love
Member since 8/06 5082 total posts
Name:
Jess
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Re: Your Vet knows best. True or false?
Posted by SweetTooth
I think in general, yes, my vet knows best. But on certain issues, there can be varying opinions. Just like with humans, we can disagree with those opinions and seek others. I think flea treatment is a good example of that. But if my cats or my dog had a serious medical condition, then I would rely on the advice of my vet.
ITA. I've also had situations where from one vet to another we will get different advice (the place where we go has 2 vets on staff, who we see depends on the day), so some issues can definitely be a matter of opinion with them.
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| Posted 4/6/10 4:21 PM |
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thewinterone
You make me happy
Member since 5/05 2474 total posts
Name:
cause you are gray.
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Re: Your Vet knows best. True or false?
FALSE!
My vet was at a loss as to what was making Bruno so sick.
There was a large mass intertwined with his intestines and other organs.
Even after opening him up, biopsies, test galore, still no solution.
In his phone call to us he just kept saying... "I need to know how to proceed".
We took that as he wanted to put him down.
I was not going to let the opinion of one man make me lose my big boy.
That was over a year ago and Bruno will be celebrating his 9th birthday next month!
Just like any other person in any field, there is always more to learn so I firmly believe in second, third etc. opinions and further research.
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| Posted 4/6/10 5:51 PM |
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MsMBV
:P
Member since 5/05 28602 total posts
Name:
Me
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Re: Your Vet knows best. True or false?
Posted by dita
Just like my doc I don't listen to everything they say.
Same here. Sometimes you just know if your instinct is on, and what the vet/dr says is not breaking that.
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| Posted 4/6/10 8:56 PM |
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HeatherRose
Life is Good :)
Member since 11/07 6605 total posts
Name:
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Re: Your Vet knows best. True or false?
I really like my vets office but I do sometimes disagree with them or do my own research.
I took a great book out of the library and I have to try and find it again. it was written by a medical doctor who had pets and started doing research on how to take care of his cats and dogs, and then wrote a book. it was excellent and I think I might buy it.
Like it mentioned how its very important to have a dogs blood pressure taken. it can mean signs of heart disease which is very easily treated and controlled in dogs, yet my vet has never once taken my dogs blood pressure. the only time I had this done on him was when we went to specialists. the book really opened my eyes to a lot of "truths" and preventative stuff that I can do on my own and things I should always have a vet check.
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| Posted 4/8/10 9:56 AM |
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MrsFrizzle
<3
Member since 9/09 4628 total posts
Name:
Kristin
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Re: Your Vet knows best. True or false?
I dont generally agree with my vet, we limit the number of vaccinations we gave our dog, and we feed him according to what we feel he needs. Our vet prob hates us! 
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| Posted 4/8/10 10:13 AM |
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Coosie
So in love with my little boy!
Member since 1/10 1889 total posts
Name:
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Re: Your Vet knows best. True or false?
Yes! Although I trust their opinions on most things, there are times where I feel like my (and DH's) common sense is more realiable than the vet's "expert" answers!
For example - my vet tried to talk us into having Jake get the flu shot! DH and I have had dogs our whole lives and have NEVER gotten a flu shot for the dog! I don't even get a flu shot for me!!!
The vet also was very insistent on giving him the Frontline throughout the entire winter. We live in Nassau and are no where near wooded areas. Grant it, I know fleas and ticks can be year round and not live only in the woods, but I once had another vet (from a previous dog) tell me there was no reason to do the Frontline in the winter months because most of the fleas and ticks die off with the cold weather and they won't be outside as much then to pick anything up. Frontline is expensive so we stopped it in December and just started it back up in April.
I would say to trust your instincts and do what you feel is best!!
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| Posted 4/8/10 4:25 PM |
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