This from the mobile vet service website just threw up a MASSIVE red flag for me:
How does working with Atlanta Mobile Veterinary Specialists differ from traditional referral?
Our service differs from referring to an outside specialty hospital in that all communication will be done with the primary veterinarian. We do not offer direct consultations or follow up with clients.
They make a point of saying it twice:
Please note that we do not meet directly with the client. All communication will be with the referring veterinarian, who remains the primary contact on the case.
[Emphasis mine]
If I'm reading this right (and I believe that I am), this means that you don't get to have ANY dialogue with their specialists whatsoever; you would be reliant solely on what your own vet tells you about what they said. Also, in terms of any potential diagnosis the external service might come up with, because they refuse to deal with clients then their diagnosis will only be based on what the referring vet tells them about Blue's history. All the valuable information that could be gleaned from your intimate knowledge of Blue wouldn't be taken into consideration at all.
In situations like this, you need to have direct access to the specialist who will have responsibility for Blue's care. You need to be given full and comprehensive details of the diagnosis and have all your questions answered so that you'll be able to make fully informed decisions.
That service only provides diagnostics, not specialist surgery. This reinforces my worry that your vets are not looking to refer Blue to a specialist for any surgery that may be required. Blue Pearl have already confirmed that they would have to perform their own diagnostics and if your vets are seriously planning to refer Blue to a specialist facility they should know that and should not be recommending additional diagnostics that are of no value to a referral hospital (and which would be an unnecessary additional cost).
I'm really worried for you. You've already told us that they don't have overnight nursing facilities (and it doesn't sound like they can provide much in terms of intensive care). Would they be looking to shuttle Blue back and forth to an ER facility for night time care???
I think the practice should be proactively recommending urgent referral to a specialist hospital, not faffing around with an external diagnsotics-only service whose USP seems to be a promise not to poach their clients.
(
@tiffmaxee - As soon as you can, Elise, I'd be grateful if you could have a look at this and tell me whether or not my interpretations are reasonable and whether or not my concerns are valid.)
Mogs
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