Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi All-
I wanted to share, for those of you who have not seen this already. A segment was aired on ABC's 20/20 this past Friday night entitled "Is Your Veterarian Being Honest with You?" that I wanted to bring up here. Upon watching the segment, I was ENRAGED. It was one of the most irresponsible pieces of journalism I have ever seen. The main source of information in the piece is a "vet" who is no longer practicing in Canada and what ABC airs him saying, without providing an alternate opinion, in my mind, could cost many pets their lives.
My main issue with the segment is at the beginning when this "vet" tells a story of being scolded by his boss at a clinic. He told a patient who saw a lump on his dog to wait and see. His boss than scolded him for not "up charging" the pet's owner and scaring the pet's owner with "the c word". I found this incredibly offensive and harmful. If I would not have been so-called "up charged" when I brought Jill in for a lump in her thigh, she would most likely no longer be here today. Using a scary graphic and then scoffing when asked "and was it cancer", "huh no, it was a fatty mass" was not funny, ironic and can result in putting many pets in harms way.
So I wanted to share this with you in case any of you heard about the story. It's spreading around pretty rapidly on the internet. The AVMA and many other veterinary professionals have issues statements regarding the segment its the inflammatory nature. Having been a communications major, I'm truly disgusted by ABC and its actions and will never watch this program again.
Here is the segment if anyone wants to watch, followed by a few articles and the AVMA statement.
http://abcnews......t-20987714
AVMA Statement:
http://atwork.a.....mpaign=gen
Blog Post by Dr. Ernie Ward:
Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo kitty. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in June 2012 on her toe in her right hind leg. Her leg was amputated on 12/12/12 and she completed four rounds of chemo (2 of Carbo, 2 of Doxy) in April 2013. "Like" Jill's facebook page: https://www.fac.....tty?ref=hl Proud member of the WINTER WARRIORS!!!! Her blog can be read at http://jillsjou.....ipawds.com. xoxo
Thanks Erica....I will definitely check these out.
Thank Goodness Tucker has an excellent vet who can tell the difference between a lipoma (he has had a few of those removed already) and a "mass" for which she recommended the surgical opinion that eventually sent us down the road to amputation.
Linda and Tuck
I did see this and it was a pretty one-sided piece. Most vets really are not in it for the money and we do not have "quotas" of procedures that need to be performed. All of the vets I know out here are already following the 3-year vaccine recommendations although to be fair high-risk dogs in other parts of the country may need annual vaccines (especially for Leptospirosis).
It would have been nice for them to include another point of view.
Pam
Why attack a portion of the medical profession that practice because they honestly have a love for animals (most of them anyway). Bad form ABC!
Spirit Shooter was a Miniature Australian Shepherd who was diagnosed with a MCT and had a LF amp 1/28/13 at 13-1/2 years old.
Shooter crossed the Bridge on 8/28/13, his 7 month ampuversary and two weeks from his 14th birthday.
Geeeeeez... Though I do have to chuckle, as my experience with veterinarians (and I've been to several) has overwhelmingly been pro "wait and see" and, since Yoda and his osteosarcoma, I have to prod, even push them to give me more proactive (and therefore more expensive) options that I feel better about. Sometimes I've been right to push, and sometimes they have been right about waiting.
I wonder sometimes what kinds of reactions they get from other pet owners that they seem so hesitant to suggest options beyond wait and see. Along that vein, when I had Gerry in recently for, yes, more GI upset problems, I had made a statement that "I have a decision to make," referring to an earlier comment that Gerry is a therapy dog and his frequent GI issues has made keeping some of our commitments impossible and stressful (for me). The vet thought for a second I was talking about whether to keep him!! Haha! As if!! I was sure she had a better sense of me than that, even though she's not a vet we see that often at the clinic. So, it made me wonder how often clients have actually said that kind of thing to her that that's where her mind went.
Gerry has been a tripawd since 12/16/2009.
He was a shelter dog with a mysterious past and an irrepairable knee injury.
Videos and pics of Gerry's pawesomeness can be found at: http://gerry.tripawds.com
Thanks for sharing this Erica, as I was just as enraged about it when you brought it to my attention. And Pam, thanks for sharing your point of view as a vet, it's greatly appreciated.
That stupid show and its staff will have a lot to answer for if there is even one animal whose life is cut short by their sensationalistic, pathetic excuse for journalism. 
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
As a follow-up, Dr Marty Becker has decided to sever all ties with ABC....I think this must have been a hard decision for him as he is so often on good morning America, but so admirable. Good for him.......
Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo kitty. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in June 2012 on her toe in her right hind leg. Her leg was amputated on 12/12/12 and she completed four rounds of chemo (2 of Carbo, 2 of Doxy) in April 2013. "Like" Jill's facebook page: https://www.fac.....tty?ref=hl Proud member of the WINTER WARRIORS!!!! Her blog can be read at http://jillsjou.....ipawds.com. xoxo
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