Interesting thoughts on vet care / ethics of life

[junglefries]

Being I am 'QOL' patient, I would sell my kidney, cornea, partial liver, lung, etc.. to keep my cocker spaniel alive. Seeing, as I have had to be in pain management from the age of 25, anything or anyone who can make me smile or forget for 3 seconds is priceless. Three carwrecks in 6 months, on the same road (2 rear ends & 1 head on, none my fault) hastened my bad genetic dna. At 30, I was told I was comparable to a 65 year old in osteoarthritis, neuropathy, cervical degenerative disease, and a crapload of other stuff I can't spell. To the point now, I don't even research new diagnosis, as I am destined for the infamous Ankylosis Spondylosis, most likely. I have had a permenant handicapped card since the age of 30(?). Great parking, but really not worth it. On top of that, imagine being opiod resistant. Got enough to kill 4 elephants, great, it won't even phase me. I have to have two anethesiologists for every surgery, because of resistance. So, for me this one is personal, what will you buy and where do I sell it? That being said, I have had to put down one cockapoo from my childhood at the age of 17, for me 22. Tumors on his legs made it impossible for him to walk. Having three tumors removed from my feet in the next 6 weeks, I will though, for my current dog put him down if I think he is anyway at that point of wanting to go. Nothing I wouldn't do for him, as he has done twice as much for me.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Some people have the means and desire to treat their pets with the best veterinary care available and some don't have the money or are unable to dedicate the time. Neither is especially wrong and both have the best interest of the animal and their families in mind. Its the vets job to give them the options and let them decide for themselves. Yes, a vet will always look for the best way to give your pets a longer healthier life but if you'd rather not have that expense or don't have the needed time for more intensive care then its up to you to say no. A diabetic cat is expensive and time consuming and that should have been explained. We've all had to put some of those cats down because of expense or owner objection. No blame for either the owner or the vet.

Your position, above, makes a lot of sense. In general I agree with what you have written but, unfortunately, that is not how it (usually) plays out.

My racehorse vets have always presented a problem completely and thoroughly. Expected costs are laid out along with a reasonable prognosis and time lines. Problems and complications that could come up are also discussed before decisions are made or treatment is commenced. After speaking with my racehorse vets, I am quite clear on the problem. I've never been surprised.

That's not how my pet vets work. All but one of my dogs and cats are geriatric, so I am dealing with end-of-life issues with a lot of animals at the moment. I've used four different vets recently for animals at the end of their lives, so I have a fair amount of experience with how this situation plays out. In almost all cases, the vets did not give me a complete picture of the problem, the expected outcome or of the costs involved. I've been unpleasantly surprised in almost all cases.

I use vets a lot. My vet bills are in the tens of thousands of dollars a year. Why am I so often surprised that things cost many times more than I expected for my pets. Why do my pet vets never seem to give me the whole picture? They seem to give me the glossed over picture.

When I asked how much insulin costs, the vet said he didn't know but would write me a prescription. I couldn't imagine insulin, a very old drug/hormone that is needed by so many people in the US could ever cost so much. He had to have known and just kept that information to himself.

 

[MissLissa]

jajeanpierre, I think you have been going to the wrong vet clinic, if you describe yours as "insidious"! That sounds terrifying. Like I said, the vets I have worked with have all been fantastic, conscientious people. Good vets exist, I promise! Perhaps a change is in order. You vet seems to have a history of not going over the expected charges with you. A discussion about the expected costs of treatment should definitely occur, especially with a chronic illness like diabetes and where cost is a major concern. Have you discussed your concerns about the service you received with the clinic manager? Or maybe look into a different clinic entirely. Maybe you know someone who could refer you to a clinic that has a more transparent cost estimate policy.

Edit: And, actually, vets are notorious for not knowing their own product costs. If you want to know with more accuracy, ask the receptionist, technician or clinic manager. It's actually gotten to the point of being an almost veterinary-field-wide joke: "If you want to know what drug, ask the vet. If you want to know how to use it, ask the tech. If you want to know how much it costs, ask the receptionist. If you want to complain about that cost, yell at the clinic manager."

I to am not over keen on the over sentimental terminology used upon death of a cherished specimen(pet), and when people take their care to the extremes we see, like treating there animals like a human being, well in my opinion that more than borders on perverse.

Yet people have been treating animals like people for thousands of years. While I personally cringe when I see dogs who aren't allowed to walk for themselves, or rabbits wearing t-shits, I can appreciate the need for some people to have a ritual to relieve their grief. In my family, after we euthanized a pet, we would go for ice cream and talk about what a great pet they were. Even now, after I euthanize a pet I usually ask one of my sisters or a friend over for dinner or coffee, just so I don't have to be alone for that first while. Some families choose to drop their pet off at the vets or the local shelter for euthanasia, because they are unable to stay themselves. Some families chose to have their pets buried, or cremated and either spread or keep the ashes. Some people chose to have their pets taxidermied, or attempt to clone them. While some of these may personally disgust or alarm me (the taxidermy and cloning options really creep me out, honestly), the grieving process is different for everyone because everyone processes grief in a different way. Whether we call them a pet or a specimen or a family member, we can still get emotionally attached and when that attachment is broken, however and whenever that may come about, grief is a natural consequence. I find it difficult to judge someone when they are trying to work through a difficult emotion the best way they know how- even if it entails deciding to have their golden retriever taxidermied. Or cloned. Which is creepy. Don't do it (haha).

 

[Scoobthenoob]

There is little anthropomorphic personification, I talk to my pet's, I will hug the fluffy ones, and will wind up my chameleon.

However I treat and respect them as animals, I try to adapt my environment to suite them, I do not expect them to adapt to my environment.

A loss is a loss, it is upsetting and sad, and I would not be human to not feel some empathy, I just sometimes want to vomit when people talk of crossing the rainbow bridge into the paddock, where all the fluffy animals are, people are however entitled to cope with loss as they choose, just sickly sweet makes me recoil.

 

[jajeanpierre]

jajeanpierre, I think you have been going to the wrong vet clinic, if you describe yours as "insidious"! That sounds terrifying. Like I said, the vets I have worked with have all been fantastic, conscientious people. Good vets exist, I promise! Perhaps a change is in order. You vet seems to have a history of not going over the expected charges with you. A discussion about the expected costs of treatment should definitely occur, especially with a chronic illness like diabetes and where cost is a major concern. Have you discussed your concerns about the service you received with the clinic manager? Or maybe look into a different clinic entirely. Maybe you know someone who could refer you to a clinic that has a more transparent cost estimate policy.

Insidious wasn't the right word. I have a really bad migraine. After I hit "send," I thought perhaps I might have posted incomprehensible gibberish.

Those were four different vets from four different clinics. Two of the four were the owners of the only two vet clinics on the Caribbean island I lived on so there was no option to switch. The other two are are from two of three clinics I've used since I moved to the mainland.

None of them have ever explained the long term implications or costs involved with some of these animals. I have made it clear that I did not want to spend money a lot of money on my old animals. You would think that when a client repeatedly voices those sentiments that they don't want to spend any money other than general health care that the vet would be pretty clear that a diabetic cat is not cheap nor easy to deal with. Did he gloss over it because he knew I could and would pay? Would he gloss over the costs with someone living on a limited fixed income? I sure hope not.

At the moment I'm just not very enamored with pet vets.