Horrible vet visit - extremely frustrated!

[Penelope88]

I noticed earlier this week that Penelope's eye was watery again and thought perhaps the infection she had in March had come back. I took her out of the cage and noticed her other eye was watery as well and had some white discharge in the corner. She has also been crumbling food, and pawing at her mouth. (I figured she was a messy eater, and was probably just grooming her face) So I call the vet this morning, and make an appt to drop her off for x-rays. When I get there they ask me to stay and talk to the vet. The vet looks in her mouth and says "I can't see the teeth crossing over her tongue so we don't need an xray." (I wasn't aware that vets had superpowers and could see through skin to look at the roots) "She probably has a URI." I tell her I haven't heard Penelope wheeze, sneeze, no discharge from nose etc, that I really think her symptoms point to teeth and she says "well the teeth can grow up into the sinuses which would make her more susceptible to URI" UGH! Exactly the reason I wanted xrays! They showed me how to give the medication then two techs smooshed her against the table and force fed her two syringes of baby carrot food just out of the microwave. So I left the vets almost in tears from being so mad, with no sure diagnosis and a bottle of Sulfa? (the pink stuff.):hair:
I guess my question is, am I being a worry wart over nothing or should I try somewhere else for x-rays? Does it sound like a URI? Should I continue with medicine and force feeding carrots? I just don't want to wait until it's too late to find out something is wrong.

 

[ticklechin]

Give me the syringe of carrot so I can shove it down the vets throat, what a deek. I would find another vet and start over. The pawing of the mouth and the eye infection returning does point towards something going on in the mouth so you are on the right track wanting a oral exam and x-rays. Do you have the eye drops or eye ointment from the last infection left? If you you can use them along with the pink stuff to get rid of the infection in the mean time while looking for another vet. Also start weighing the chin to look for weight loss, another sign of teeth issues.

 

[RDZCRanch]

I think your gut is right in this one. Find a different vet that isn't a forceful prick.

 

[Penelope88]

I do have some ointment left, I'll start that tonight. My next step is going to be to call Cornell University. Hopefully they can get us in soon and take xrays. Does anyone have any experience with or heard anything about them? I guess they have a pretty big exotic and companion animal hospital so I'm praying they can figure out what's going on.

 

[ChinnyMom]

omg, i would have flipped out if i had been in your position! no vet gets to do anything to my pets without my authorization for every and any procedure.

dawn, i can think of a much better way for those vet techs to receive their syringes

 

[Dolyphinm]

That's really just not right. Good Luck with Cornell. Maybe warn them that you have access to people who have been breeding chins for years so you have an idea of what should be looked at.

 

[Penelope88]

I just want to know that Penelope is okay. I read thread after thread on here and articles on the internet until my eyes bled to be sure that there was a possibility of a tooth or mouth problem before I called the vet and then for them to basically tell me I have no idea what I'm talking about, I just want to scream! I still can't figure out why they refused to do them - they're making money and I'll get a diagnosis or piece of mind if it's not her teeth. I did find two other exotic specialists so I'm praying one of them will be able to take xrays, and read them correctly.

 

[ChinnyMom]

perhaps that vet knew that they knew nothing about a chin's teeth, and didn't want to make a fool of themselves by doing the x-rays?

 

[3CsMommy]

Honestly, if a firm but polite "Please take films anyway to ease my mind," and more importantly a "Do not give my pet that baby food; I'll get some Critical Care on my way home" didn't stop them, I'd have a license # to report to the state board and be on the way out the door with my animal. That kind of behavior from a "professional" is utter horse****e.

Definitely a good idea to head to Cornell and get a second opinion.

 

[Penelope88]

I found a vet that will do the exam and xrays today, I'm just waiting for a call back to see what time to bring her in! I was a nervous wreck all weekend, I hope it's nothing serious. I did get her to munch on a few pieces of hay last night and this morning but I also noticed she has a small spot under her nose that looks almost bald ... possibly from rubbing it? Maybe it's not her teeth ... I'm so confused.

 

[mishellyshel]

i agree with dawn.....on all points! your best bet is to go to the office armed with info and stand firm on what you want done to your pet and most of all what you do not.
in addition to what ever is going on with your chin, she is probably now stressed from some idiot forcing her to eat carrots, holding her donw and proding her mouth unnecessarily.
when getting xrays, ask for a digital copy. you can post here and many members can view them and give an opinion.
the more informed and prepared you are with her doctor the better off you will be. you can make suggesstions to the doctor as well. write down medications and procedures that you would like more info on. they dont have to follow them but it will show that you have researched and you will not just stand by and do nothing!
a good vet will be willing to try different things that are better for the pet. a vet that only does things one way will be much more difficult to deal with. there are few experts in the field of exotics and while they may claim to be there is NO reason that you cant interview them and find out exactly how much they know!

 

[Penelope88]

The new vet called me back and we talked for awhile and she thinks it would be best to go to Cornell because it definitely sounds like it could be teeth, and they can do a lot more for her. I called Cornell and spoke with the specialist, and we're going in at 1 tomorrow. They're going to do a comprehensive exam, then a ct scan (will that show any problems as well as an xray will?) and go from there. From everything they said on the phone, they sound very knowledgeable and I feel much better going there. I'll definitely write down everything I've read on here as far as tests, treatments and medicine to take with me.

 

[ticklechin]

A CT is much better than a x-ray, its just that most vets do not have the unit in office is why you don't see them being done. I had to drive 180 miles to go to a imaging center that did rodents for a CT so I feel you are lucky to get one!

 

[Penelope88]

Oh, I'm so glad its better than an x-ray. I just hope they can figure out what is wrong. I was afraid Cornell was going to be outrageous but I read what you paid and the $200 they're charging doesn't sound so bad after all. Do they give you a copy like with an x-ray so I can post it here? I'd like to thank everyone for all the advice, I'll be sure to update everyone when we get home tomorrow!

 

[Brittany]

if it's digital they can put it on a disc or email it to you. If it's not digital bring a camera to take pictures. Not the best option, but we've had members do it. Good luck!

 

[Penelope88]

Just got back from Cornell and I'm just about ready to give up! My mom & I took long lunch breaks so we could go up there, drove 1.5 hrs away and waited on the vet for an hour. She came in, talked to us and said well it'll be about 4 hours till CT is open! UGH! We had to get back to work so she took her in the back did a quick exam, a simple oral exam and took blood. So I have to schedule the CT for later this week, drop her off before work and go all the way back and pick her up that night. I did get critical care and Metacam and I'm waiting on the email with the discharge info and lab results. Just a couple questions for you guys ... she said she was giving me an anti-inflammatory, isn't Metacam a pain med? How long can mixed CC be stored? (I got a little in her but she's still pretty p-oed so I wanted to give her awhile to calm down) and the vet never mentioned it but we just saw a band-aid on her leg, tried to take it off but its almost like a cast ... any idea how long it should stay on and an easy way to get it off? Thanks for all the help!

 

[ticklechin]

GAHHHH, you must have bad vet germs in the water there! That rant said, metecam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to treat pain and inflamation, works OK for mild pain. I would mix CC in the AM and use it all up by the PM, stored in the fridge. Longer than that chins would get pissy about the flavor and not want it. Kind of scares me they took blood on a awake chin since its hard enought to get it on a asleep one. The bandaid thing I have never heard of or seen before.

 

[Penelope88]

Yeah I'm so irritated with vets but I'm gonna suck it up and try to get her in Friday for CT just to get this over with. She said they would try to get blood but usually its too hard when awake but when they came back she said it was a breeze. The "band-aid" is weird, there's a cotton wrap underneath and its like the petflex bandage over it. She won't walk on that leg so I want to get it off but I don't want to rip her fur. Poor thing hates me enough already lol.

 

[ticklechin]

I have had blood drawn on chins quite a few times and no band aid, wonder what its covering up?

 

[Penelope88]

I can't get it off and she's chewing her foot so much its turning red. I pulled and pulled and about an inch of it came undone, but I stopped because I was afraid I was gonna break her leg.