? Did your vet fire you?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Shiloh & Rhonda (GA)

Shiloh & Rhonda (GA)

Member Since 2015
I have just forwarded Shiloh's recent numbers to the vet, and told him that I didn't follow his recommendation for alternating between 2u and 2.5u, based on the numbers I was seeing. Given the lack of information that he gave me when he diagnosed Shiloh, other than how to actually give the shot, I think he may be surprised that I didn't strictly follow his instructions. But this is my baby, not his. Just had a discussion with DH about this. Not sure he agrees, but he will go along with whatever I decide. I hope my vet will be like some others I have read about on here and encourage my independent efforts, but if not, I WILL move on, despite the fact that he has been my vet for 14 years.
 
They didn't fire me, no. Our regular vet asked A LOT of questions and was quite clear with me that she wasn't entirely happy with what I was doing/didn't trust the protocol etc even after I sent her all the information. But she did respect that I could choose how to treat my cat (though she did try pushing me for extra testing/curves/fructosamine tests to be done in their office which I kept politely refusing). Oh, and she really, really wanted me to use an Alphatrak not a human glucometer - again, I refused politely. And prescription food, which I simply told her Rosa refused to eat (the truth being she would eat a little of it if I coaxed her, but I didn't have 2 or 3 hours every single day to try and convince a cat to eat food she didn't want that wasn't even all that good for her anyway). The senior vet (also the owner of the practice) seemed much less concerned on the one occasion I spoke to her during a visit for something else. She was good with the numbers I was getting, wasn't worried that I was feeding Friskies and seemed to think that as long as Rosa was happy and I was happy and no harm was being done, we were good to continue. The last visit I had with Rosa and Regan for a nail trim, our regular vet just asked me if Rosa was still on insulin (at that point she was on 0.05u twice daily), I said yes a very small amount, she asked me again about a fructosamine which I refused again but they didn't push it when I pointed out that I knew it wasn't going to tell them anything. And a couple of weeks later I was able to send in the spreadsheet showing Rosa had gone OTJ. I've never heard back from her after that, strangely enough though I know they haven't fired us as we've been able to get prescriptions for our CKD kitty since then! ;)

However, I would agree that if any vet takes a "my way or the highway" approach with you, it's time to find a new vet. We have not only the right, but the responsibility on behalf of our cats to question anything we're not sure of or don't agree with.
 
I haven't been fired by a vet, but I've fired a few...we're on vet #5 now who still doesn't fully understand TR, but doesn't press me when I do the "smile and nod" approach when she makes suggestions.

Our first two were "my way or the highway" vets, so we never graced their doorstep again...and despite vet #1 being China's vet for over 12 years at that time, they've never even called to check on her.
 
i haven't been fired...
the most my vet and I argue about is food choices.... she wants science diet. I say no way.

She also pushes wrong medications and I just go to one of her partners who listens to me and so far, gives me what I ask for.
 
Well, this was not the response I was expecting, but I am pleasantly surprised.

"As per increasing to 2.75 units... you may certainly do so. Remember our goal is to get her well under 200, but we want to be careful and not get her to low.

Sometimes diet changes will cause the glucose levels to change thus requiring changes in the insulin dosage. As you continue to monitor her, you'll become more and more comfortable with adjusting her insulin up or down as needed. "
 
Your vet sounds great! How lovely to get a reply like that when you were expecting so much worse. It sounds as though you might well have a vet you can really work with there! :D
 
The vet that diagnosed Ben admitted that she didn't know much about FD. I printed out the "flyer" about the website and message board. She makes copies and gives them to her other diabetic cat owners. And she told me that it sounds like I got this so she just refills my prescription and leaves it at that.

On the other hand, the other vet that saw my kidney cat wouldn't be quite so understanding.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top