Re: 4/6 Tugger PMPS 72 +2 55
My approach to working with new MDs or vets is to let them do their thing -- do the exam and tell you what they think. At that point, you can start to ask questions and figure out whether the vet is digging him/herself into a hole. If no mention is made of home testing, you can then ask what the vet thinks of it. If you get a song and dance about how hard it is, that human meters aren't accurate, it tortures your cat, etc., there is the Roomp & Rand (2009) article you can share. I attached a copy. (If vet makes a face when you hand over a research article from a top line vet journal, find another vet.) If the vet suggests getting bloodwork that's fine. It is a check up and it's good for a new vet to have baseline lab values. I agree with what everyone else has said about a fructosamine test -- with the amount of testing we do it's unnecessary. It's also a perfect opportunity to hand the vet a copy of Tugger's SS and sweetly ask whether a fructosamine test is really necessary with ALL of the data you have. (If the vet insists, find another vet.)
It would be wonderful if all vets were up to speed when it comes to FD. The reality is that many are not. That doesn't mean they aren't good vets. I think it's got to be an overwhelming task for a vet to be knowledgeable about every disease and its treatment in every possible species of animal that a vet may see in his or her practice. What I look for is a vet who is willing to work with me. The resources on FDMB are huge. It's not surprising that some of the people here are better schooled in FD than many vets who see a small number of cats with FD. I want a vet who can say, "I don't know, but I can find out." or who won't get completely whacko if I do the research. My vet knows I am fully capable of picking up the phone and calling the Dept. of Veterinary Pharmacy at my university vet school. I've also called ans spoken to specialists (e.g., a veterinary dermatologist) when Gabby was dealing with ringworm. I don't want a vet who is going to get bent out of shape because I have a medical and veterinary library at my disposal, I can read a research article and understand it, or if I challenge them if I don't understand or agree with something she suggests.
