Disheartening time with my vet

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LydetteSimmie (Iceman)

LydetteSimmie (Iceman)

Member Since 2014
Hi all,

I'll be going to the TR forum after this post here. I mentioned to everyone that I was going to have a 'come to Jesus' meeting with my kitty vet to go over everything I've learned here...home testing, methyl-b12, low carb food, etc. Let's just say it was really stressful the first 15 minutes but got a bit better over time. At one point, after looking at my spreadsheet and discussing insulin adjustments and such she said that if this is what I am doing why do I need a vet as I am playing a vet myself. I was very depressed. I explained that I thought all of this data I am getting would be helpful. What she didn't like was me making insulin adjustments without consulting her. I explained that she is not always around to help me figure this stuff out - it just wasn't good all around. I do not feel she has any tolerance for this message board. I had also brought her some info on the methyl-b12 from Vetinfo. She was really irritated by that saying that if there is no name associated with this stuff then she cannot believe it is valid.

She also did not think the 0-carb diet was good - she asked if Simmie would still eat md. I told her I took him off both dry and wet md and it seemed to help. She was not impressed. I did bring her a can of the Tiki Pau Pau and told her she could take it home to give to her 'kids' as a treat. She then asked if I knew the caloric content of the food and if not, that could be a problem for Simmie. I said I did have Dr. Lisas chart and with the one can am, one can pm and some small snacks during the day should have been good since Simmie had always been a huge eater, and this was a lot less food for him overall. That's when she said that was 'one' of my other problems...the random feeding. But it is controlled! No more than 1/3 of a can during certain times during the day when he starts getting cranky (he used to free feed with dry m/d). I didn't bring a copy of Dr Lisa's food chart because it is very long and I didn't think I should print it out...but my vet also won't go online to see it so maybe I should have printed it out anyway. My vet said that she had some type of food chart she would give me but when I was leaving the clinic got busy and I never received it.

I am so incredibly sad right now. I feel like I am just about killing my Simmie though I am trying to do everything right. She eventually admitted that my home testing was a good idea but she trashed all of my decisions since I started it. What have I done? I don't know what I am doing right now. She did say that I should keep on my current course and do another curve in a weeks time. She also mentioned if I could get more of a curve format of the data vs just the color coded spreadsheet..is that possible?

I had another question but I am too down right now to remember it. Have a good night all!
 
OMG! Don't feel depressed at all. You are doing everything right! My vet was kinda the same way, but didnt bash me at least. If that was the case I would of found a new vet. Mine just shrugged off what I was doing, and really haven't talked to her since. Ive taken Hidey in and she'd say Hi and do her business but wouldn't bring up my doing what I need to. The food, how can she say that. Do you see animals in the wild eating carbs?????? NO, they dont need them, and as long as your feeding the right calories theres no worries. Tiki is a great food. Grrrrrr. Its because of stuff like this that I can't stand vets or drs. They just want to PUSH drugs to cover problems, not find ways to fix them or make them better, and another thing what the heck does she mean by curve format data not color? Ummmm you list the bg # the color is more for US to look to give an eye's glance. Your doing everything right! Keep up the good work and don't feel down because of a simple minded person that doesnt want to learn something new.
 
It sounds like she's trying to protect her wallet. She said it all when she said, "...then why do you need a vet?" You need a vet for the big stuff, not to nickel-and-dime you on the small stuff that you can take care of at home. And there are proven protocols with "names on them." The Roomp and Rand article on the TR Protocol, the AAHA diabetes guidelines, etc.... We're not a bunch of crazy cat ladies (and gentlemen) making stuff up as we go along; we research, we peer-review, we discuss, and sometimes we even "experiment" (I am the first person at my vet's to use Levemir and my vet even said that if it were anybody else, he wouldn't have prescribed it since he knows so little about how it works).

You did fine, you stood up for yourself and you didn't get into a pissing contest with her. At this point, if you think you can stick with her for just the prescriptions, then you won the war. If you think she'll continue to criticize you and disregard what you say, then maybe you might want to find a new vet.

Personally, my vet is still gung-ho about the prescription foods (Mikey's allergic to red meats so this is not really an issue for us since the prescription foods contain pork), but at least with everything else he's fantastic. You won't ever find a "perfect" vet, but you can find some really good vets who will work with you and learn with you or you can find some vets who are willing to be hands-off and let you do your own thing. It's your money and your fur baby so it's your choice.
 
Oh, and with the "curve format," there's a pivot table-like feature in google docs that you can use to plot the numbers onto a graph or you can export or copy/paste into excel and do it from there. Some people prefer that type of visual vs. color-coded number ranges. I've never personally done it so I don't know the steps off the top of my head to do it, but you might ask in the Tech Support forum to see if someone else has already written up the steps. (If not, I might just go ahead and do it myself one of these days.)
 
We're on vet #5 due to the same kind of thinking

At this point, I don't even discuss China's diabetes with my vet other than to have her write our prescription for Lantus. I nod my head and say "uh huh" when she goes on her little rants and then go home, kiss my cat and know I'm doing the right thing taking my advice here.....from people who have no agenda other than to help another sugarcat feel better

Please don't let your vet's ignorance get to you. Most of us have been there too
 
Lydette - just want to give you a big HUG!!! :YMHUG:

If it were me, I would be looking for another vet. Alice hasn't even been to the vet since I adopted her. She is on Day 7 without any insulin at all (originally the vet had her on 3 u BID). Alice's success is based totally on the sound and knowledgeable advice I have received here at FDMB and at Dr. Pierson's excellent site. If I only listened to Alice's vet, she'd still be on those 6 units a day, scarfing up carby dry food, just waiting to die.

The spreadsheet is an invaluable tool - whoever created it is a genius in my book. If your vet can't appreciate that, she has no business treating diabetic animals.

I agree with dirtybirdsoaps, YOU are doing everything right ... don't get discouraged. I'm glad to read that you've joined one of the Lantus forms. It will make a world of difference.
 
Hi Lydette, I don't normally post here but saw your post and it really hit a nerve! I just have to say - Please don't let yourself be depressed over what your vet has said!! I am with the others, you are doing a fantastic job with Simmee! It is a pity your vet is so blind! It sounds like your vet is really pushing the MD food? I think they do that because it means $$$ to their wallets! You already have read Dr. Lisa's list and know the better low carb foods that is key! I am very lucky, the vets at Tiger's clinic are very supportive of home testing and this website, but they are the exception rather than the rule.

Give yourself a big pat on the back, you are doing a great job, maybe look for another vet - hugs from Tiger and I! :YMHUG:
 
hi lydette
i am new to this forum but i do know one thing. everyone here has tons of experience and their advice is great. if your vet doesn't want to learn everything that you have learned here, maybe it's time for a new vet who is willing to work with you and not against you
you are doing the right thing. everyone here is an expert with diabetic cats. please don't let your vet make you doubt yourself. my vet listens to everything i have learned here and we work together to get my baby better. you need a vet like that too. please take care & big hugs to you.
nadine
 
Oh my gosh!!! I could have written this post myself yesterday! In fact, my vet pretty much dumped me yesterday and we had to scramble to find someone else, which fortunately we did because Noodle isn't even regulated yet and we are right in the middle of getting him on track. All those things you mentioned, the vet having no tolerance for this board, the feeding arguments, criticizing all your decisions, and on and on. Don't listen!!! YOU are Simmie's best advocate and the advisers on this board are your best resource. I am a newbie myself but have learned SO MUCH in the very short time I've been here, and it has been my best education. Sure, vets have some necessary uses, but in the ongoing day-to-day treatment of Simmie, you known him better than anybody are see his habits and progress constantly. Oh, I could go on and on because my recent experience is so similar to yours. All I can say is keep researching on your own, asking questions here and listen to your gut about your precious furbaby. Don't let the vet get you down. If she persists in chipping away at your efforts, it might be time to consider a new vet. Just hang in there!

Christi
 
See my signature link Vet Interview Topics to use if you decide to search for another vet.
 
Funny, a few weeks ago I did write a topic very similar to this. Sadly It seems this is the norm from a lot of vets out there. All I can say is give your kitty a big hug and remember all of this is for them. :-D
 
((Lydette)) you are doing everything right.

It sounds like your vet either is not up to date with the latest research or dose not have Simmie's best interests at heart. I found a list of cat only vets in the us here's the link to my post. Not sure if any are near you xx
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=120831
 
My vet gave me the link to this Forum and was more than happy that I was playing vet and making my own decisions regarding Dusty's dosage and diet. I bounced a couple of suggestions and questions off of her and she always concurred on my suggestions based on what I was told and read here. Get a new vet!!! ;-)
 
(((Lydette))) What a rough morning for you. I hate it for you. Like Chris, we are no longer with the vet that originally diagnosed Cobb. We are now on our 3rd vet - who, thankfully, trusts my judgment. The second vet I did the same as you and came armed with our spreadsheet. She was just awful, and tried to get in a pissing match with me about who was in charge of Cobb's health - when I was asking about possibly boarding him and how she could not shoot him blind without testing him, and how I had a no shoot number and she said she would shoot him with however much insulin she deemed necessary, NOT what I instructed. :-x Obviously that board never happened.

The vet we are with now, I didn't really expect a fight from her because she was Cobb's original vet before we moved out of town. But I went armed with my tablet so she could scroll through and see all the pretty colors :lol: . Also, when I was talking with her, I dropped references to the Roomp and Rand protocol, the AAHA diabetes guidelines - so she knew I was incredibly educated about what I was doing. She said her initial concern was a possibly hypo episode, but then she saw how much I was testing, and turned to me and said, "well, I guess I don't need to worry about that. You test him often enough to catch a hypo. You probably know more about this than I ever will." It was refreshing. Because she is out of town, we'll take Cobb to her just for his annual check up and to write prescriptions. She said there was no need to send her a curve because she wouldn't even begin to question how I was dosing him.

I hope you can find a vet that works WITH you. It really will alleviate your stress. You are doing GREAT!

~Suzanne
 
Suzanne - I see you're in Georgia. Does Cobb's current vet have any like-minded colleagues across the border in South Carolina? :razz:

It's just sickening to read these horror stories, and they are horror stories, about hard-headed vets. Suzanne, that second vet you mentioned could have killed poor Cobb if you had boarded him there! :-x
 
Geneva said:
Suzanne - I see you're in Georgia. Does Cobb's current vet have any like-minded colleagues across the border in South Carolina? :razz:

It's just sickening to read these horror stories, and they are horror stories, about hard-headed vets. Suzanne, that second vet you mentioned could have killed poor Cobb if you had boarded him there! :-x
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And THAT is why we did not board him. I will never take him back to her again.

We do live in Georgia. However, we make the 4 hour trip to take Cobb to a vet in Columbia. Dr. Shawn Verbrick at The Cat Clinic on Trenholm Road. She only deals with cats. I don't know if that is close to you. After our return to her in April, I trust her implicitly with Cobb, and would recommend her to every cat owner in the state. :lol:
 
Lynnette

Hugs you're doing everything correct but as they say pictures are worth a thousand words so let me present you with two pictures of my guy Cassanova.

this is Cassanova when I first adopted him already diabetic being shot blind 11u twice daily and free feeding on dry md. He could barely walk, his eyes were foggy, his coat was falling out in handfuls. He was a wreck and only 8 years old. His previous owner was doing everything his vet told her to do. And he was still failing. Then she passed away and her family couldn't care for him due to extreme allergies so I adopted him.


This is Cassanova today a mere 9 months later. His coat is lush and silky soft, his eyes sparkle, not only does he walk, he runs, jumps, chases his adopted siblings through the house and can even leap to the top of the fridge in a single bound. He is also now on a skinny .5u twice daily and working off that. In short he's a very normal 8 year old.

What changed? I used what I had learned here. I took him off the dry md, fed it to the racoons, and put him on Friskies pate. I started testing him at home and adjusting his dose accordingly. And you see the results. To date my own vet hasn't even met him although she will August 15th when he needs his vacs updated.

Cassanova is number 3 here for diabetic kitties. I defy anyone that doesn't know who is who to pick the 3 diabetics from the 16 cats here. In fact even my vet has to ask.

I'm blessed I have an excellent vet who was willing to learn from me. They are hard to find it took me 5 tries but so worth the search. In defense of vets, most don't meet folks like us. They aren't use to having a client that wants to work with them as a partner. Plus they have to know every species out there from snakes to elephants and everything that can and do go wrong with them. Its not humanly possible to stay current on it all. The good ones understand that and will work with you.

Mel and The Fur Gang
 

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Suzanne & Cobb said:
Geneva said:
We do live in Georgia. However, we make the 4 hour trip to take Cobb to a vet in Columbia. Dr. Shawn Verbrick at The Cat Clinic on Trenholm Road. She only deals with cats. I don't know if that is close to you. After our return to her in April, I trust her implicitly with Cobb, and would recommend her to every cat owner in the state. :lol:
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OMG, Suzanne! Just googled, and Dr. Verbrick's office is less than 4 miles from my daughter's house, a 10 minute drive. I was just in Columbia yesterday (and last weekend and the weekend before, lol). I live about 2 hours away, on the other side of Columbia. :-D

Mel - Cassanova is GORGEOUS! I've always loved orange kitties, but haven't had one since my Jonesy boy passed away. What a handsome fellow he is! dancing_cat
 
MommaOfMuse said:
I took him off the dry md, fed it to the racoons, that and will work with you.
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LOL not to highjack the thread but I didn't even know racoons would eat dry food until I left dry and wet out for a stray kitten I was trying to catch. I left a bowl out and one night seen my cats at my door crying so I go and look out my door. It was nighttime and I thought there was a cat at my door hissing at them.....NOPE! It was a racoon sitting at my door hissing at my cats lol. It was from me leaving the food out.

and OMG! Great work on that weightloss. That is amazing!!!!!
 
Years ago I came home and found two raccoons eating dry cat food and cleaning themselves from the cat's water bowl. Not something one would expect. They come down the wood-burning fireplace chimney.
 
Raccoons are omniverous. And they were quite happy to eat the garage cat's catfood. Also brave enough to come down and get it while I was sitting quietly about 12 feet away.

They were trapped and euthanized as Ohio law does not allow relocation.
 
Raccoons also love dry dog food. We routinely buy a bag and feed them every night, especially when the moms come and bring their babies. They also love sweets. Anytime we have leftover ANYTHING, it never goes to waste :-)
 
Mel and the Furgang, the story of Cassanova is truly amazing! :-D

P.S. Raccoons will eat anything, including catfood, dogfood and if you happen to feed birds, they will raid that too! ohmygod_smile And they are fearless, so be careful if you leave food out, they can't be chased away easily. :shock:
 
Geneva said:
OMG, Suzanne! Just googled, and Dr. Verbrick's office is less than 4 miles from my daughter's house, a 10 minute drive. I was just in Columbia yesterday (and last weekend and the weekend before, lol). I live about 2 hours away, on the other side of Columbia. :-D
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I know how inconvenient it can be to travel with a cat, but I think she's worth the trip. If you decide to see her, PM me and we'll talk.
 
WOW Simmie and Cobb look almost identical!

Hi everyone. Sorry I haven't responded to all the wonderful advice and comments you all sent me as of yesterday. I got really down and had a terrible pain episode so I thought it best to 'hide' for a bit. Simmie is doing just great and I am happy with his number right now, though they need to go a lot lower.

I will test him a couple of times tonight before going to bed. I am just very tired.

Good night you wonderful people. I wish you all the very very best and Simmie sends his giant hugs of love.

Sleep well!
 
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