My vet always performs the liver and kidney tests before surgery at no extra charge. He likes to know what he is walking into before surgery instead of getting in there and having a problem. You being a nurse I am sure totally understands this. In fact when our Skeeter-b had emergency surgery he still did the blood testing before. Teresa Yerbury
It is customary to ask if you want pain medication for your dog. Some people don't see it as something they would want to spend the extra money on. And as far as labwork goes, we have to ask prior to surgery if you want it done or not. Many many people refuse it to be done, they dont see it as being important. Every day I see labwork being refused on dogs that need it to be done, for example geriatric or ill animals. Then these same dogs dont recover well after anes. and we get blamed. And if we were to do the bloodwork or give the pain medication without client consent, then we get yelled (yes, yelled) at and called names I cant mention, or called greedy and un-caring. Please dont be shocked at what they asked you or the price of the pain medication (its expensive for vets to buy too) they just want to do whats best for your pet and make sure you are aware of all the options available. A lot of us in the animal care profession are between a rock and a hard place. We want to offer the best care we can, but sometimes cant give it because many dont see any point in spending any money on their pets other than food and maybe vaccines once a year. I sincerely hope your pupper is doing great, and I hope people dont mind me sharing things from the other side of the fence. Amy
Garnet's vet always insisted on using a brand called Canlan for her shots. He always kept a supply on hand for his dachsie clients. There was something different about it, although I'm not sure what. Unfortunately, they stopped making this brand here in Canada. They did find another brand that they recommended called Dermune Puppy. Garnet had her shots with it and was fine. (although they wouldn't normally get a reaction until the second time around anyway).
The vet also gave her a dose of a homeopathic treatment that is being used on children in the U.K. to prevent reactions to immunizations. He gave her a little right away, and then sent some home for her to take first thing the next morning. I don't recall the name, but I'll let you know if I find out. Kathy and Garnet
When Schatzie was four months old she was given her last puppy shots and her rabies shot. We left the vets and she was perfectly okay then two hours later she collapsed on the floor and was totally limp. I checked her gums and they were white. I picked her up and took her back to the vet's immediately. He gave her a shot of epinephrin and we waited in the waiting room for a half hour and she had regained her color and we went home. About fifteen minutes after we got home she was running all around the house rubbing her face on the floor and rolling and scratching. I picked her up and looked at her face and she was breaking out in hives. Twenty minutes after that she had so many and such huge hives that she looked like a sharpei. By then the vet's was closed and I had to drive 45 minutes to the 24 hour vet. They laughed when they saw her and they gave her a shot of benedryl and told me it would take about two days before all the hives disappeared. Now when Schatzie gets her yearly shots the vet gives her benedryl ten minutes before her shots and does not give her leptospirosis vaccine. Shatzie is also allergic to spider bites. Eileen