When does it end with Louise and her veterinary bill?

[weezyNollie]

Well.. just to entertain you all.

Louise broke her tooth, again. Back in August we fixed the slab fracture by doing a vital pulpotomy, essentially putting a cap on it and doing a fancy root canal.

So same tooth, same problem. I called in this morning to ask the dental department what they wanted to do. So i brought her in per request. We put her under anesthesia again and this time just extracted the tooth.

Oh wait.. it gets BETTER!

I induce Louise into anesthesia, intubate her, and hook her up to equipment. We are waiting for the doctor to come, and for the local block to kick in, and in the mean time she has an irregularity. Her EKG has an AV block on it. She has been under anesthesia (monitored by myself all times) four times this year. This has never been a problem before. We treated the heart arrythmia (and low heart/bradycardia) and it went away. But before doing so, I printed a copy.

Her dental vet suggested I show her internist and perhaps the cardiologist. Just great. ANOTHER problem.

I'm beginning to get quite worried that this dog just isn't supposed to live a normal, happy, healthy life. I do the best I can for her, but if she has anything seriously wrong with her heart -- those usually aren't fix it and move on, those are usually life threatening and hard/expensive to manage.

I'm so tired of complications. Can't somebody take it easy on poor Weezy?

[Camberaoh]

Awwwe, poor weezy.. Good thing you work there and get a discount, every penny counts ya know. Give her some lovins for me.

[weezyNollie]

Originally Posted by Sararee

Awwwe, poor weezy.. Good thing you work there and get a discount, every penny counts ya know. Give her some lovins for me.

Let's just hope she doesn't ever need anything my hospital can't provide! I am certainly lucky we have nearly every specialist (surgeons, dermatologist, internal medicine, cardiologist, neurologist, radiologist, emergency, anesthesiologist, dental specialty) and we also do general practice! The day this gets really expensive is when she needs an oncologist, opthamalogist, or radiation. Everything else we pretty much do! Thank goodness! I get up to 75% off care.. so my bill is relatively reasonable in comparison. But don't get me wrong, it's still over 1000 dollars right now.

She is doing very well right now! I gave her some injectable pain meds right before we left the hospital (and I just got off an hour ago). She's drunk and passed out on the bed. And don't think I didn't do that in purpose

[Camberaoh]

LOL!!! I dont doubt that you did. I would have done the same for sure. Well how about when she wakes up err sobers up lol give her that lovin.

I feel pathetic since i dont work at a hospital anymore.. i went to the shot clinic to save money cus i know how much those vaccs cost and it certainly isnt even close to what the vets around here charge lol.

[fairlight]

I am not scolding you Weezy, but a root canal for a dog would be out of the question, only because I had 4 root canals done when I was very young and yes, in the long run had to have the teeth extracted. I don't know what to tell you. When do you say enough is enough? I suppose it would depend on the dogs age, health, and also if I could afford an expensive surgery.

[weezyNollie]

Originally Posted by fairlight

I am not scolding you Weezy, but a root canal for a dog would be out of the question, only because I had 4 root canals done when I was very young and yes, in the long run had to have the teeth extracted. I don't know what to tell you. When do you say enough is enough? I suppose it would depend on the dogs age, health, and also if I could afford an expensive surgery.

I did it for a couple of reasons. It's her upper premolar also known as the carnassial tooth. It's the BIG chomper. Used to eating, chewing, biting. Clearly because she had fractured the tooth to begin with, it's her chewing side. The fracture was very clean, very minimal. Little pulp was exposed. I had caught it within 24 hours, so she was a candidate for the pulpotomy. I figured with my discount, and all that, why not? Give it a shot.

When i found it broken last night, I knew we were going to want to extract the tooth. No sense in fixing it again. Plus, this time MUCH more of it had broken off.

Everyone chooses different things. I think I feel partially obligated to do the best and most I can for her, because I do have an advantage. My discount. Plus, I know and understand medicine. With her other endocrine disorders, I went way above and beyond to diagnose and help her. We could have easily taken a short cut, or not done as many diagnostics (such as enodscopy) and just started to assume and treat. But, I try to do right by her. I guess that's the little vet tech in me?

[fairlight]

You are right. That is one of the perks of being a vet tech. Now a personal question. If you are in the room while prodeedures are going on with Louise, are you biased?.....do you have a clear mind with very little emotion? Gosh I don't know how you do it girl.

[Deb's Tiny Dogs]

Weezy, I feel your pain. Miko has had endless heart problems and now has three vets who care for him - a regular vet, a homeopath and a cardiologist at a teaching hospital.

Bogey had cancerous lumps removed followed by rounds of cancer treatment.

Oh, let's not forget TPO Tyler!

Can you say ca-ching!!!!!!!???

Sometimes I wonder if God doesn't put those type of animals in the care of people who will go the distance for them, even if it sinks them into debt.
Or, maybe he just puts them in the care of people who don't know enough to come in from the rain! HaHa!

I know boatloads of pet owners who take their dog in for yearly shots and every few years they have a uti or a thorn in their paw. How come I never get those dogs??

I would love to be in a position to get 75% off my dog's care, plus be able to be a part of the team who does the procedures. I envy you that way! I wish I had taken up that career.

[weezyNollie]

Originally Posted by fairlight

You are right. That is one of the perks of being a vet tech. Now a personal question. If you are in the room while prodeedures are going on with Louise, are you biased?.....do you have a clear mind with very little emotion? Gosh I don't know how you do it girl.

I like to be involved with her care. A couple of times, I have allowed others to do and I sit back and watch. The reason I like to be the one to do it as much as I can, is because then I'm in control of the situation. Nobody else is at fault, I can't resent somebody. I won't regret it, thinking I could have done better? Her anesthesia is a BIG example. Over the course of the year, I have perfected her drug protocol. The first several times, she woke up HORRIBLE. Today, she recovered very nicely.

I have also seen some accidents happen with her. Albeit, accidents.. I sit and think, I wouldn't have done that! Some times, with coworkers I truly trust, I allow them to do and I just help. Essentially hold her hand.

I'm not quite sure how I could be biased? Biased towards what? I mean today, when she had a low heart rate and needed some IV drugs to correct her heart today. I kept it cool, was able to do my job.

I think the key is that I go in to work everyday doing the best for each patient I can. Treating them as if they were my own. So, when it comes to my own.. why would it be any different?

Some of my coworkers don't know how I do it, or don't care to be around for these types of things. But everyone is different.

Plus, being there for every moment means I know every detail. It also means, I get answers faster!

[fairlight]

By biased I meant would you treat your dog/dogs with kid gloves because they are YOUR dogs. Let's face it...I know I would if it were my dogs, but then came your reasonings and explaninations. All I can say is BRAVO!