Update on Gunner - more worries

1223 Views 9 Replies 4 Participants Last post by GunnersMom, Apr 14, 2008

GunnersMom

Discussion Starter · Apr 14, 2008

Well, we had our appointment with the vet yesterday morning and now it seems that I have more questions than answers.
He wasn't concerned about the blood in his stool. It still hasn't happened again, there wasn't any in the stool I took in for the test and given all the details I relayed to him, he seems to think that it's nothing to worry about. He has no idea what may have caused it. There were no worms, no parasites and he did a rectal exam and said that he didn't notice anything that would be a red flag. I asked him about doing a CBC and he said that he really didn't think it was necessary. He sent me home with a 10-day course of Amoxi (500 mg twice a day) in case it's a bacterial thing.

What bothers me and has me worried is that Gunner has lost 9 pounds since he was last weighed, 11 months ago. Not that you'd know it. He certainly doesn't LOOK like he's lost weight! Even the tech was surprised and reset the scale three times to make sure it was accurate. The vet asked me about his diet and exercise - I told him that over the past nine months, since we've had the puppy, Gunner has been getting quite a bit more exercise than he had before. (He not only wants HIS exercise and play routines - he has to keep up with Cyclone Riley, too.) And there has been a change in his diet, as well. He hasn't been getting any 'people food' mixed with his kibble for about the past nine months now. We used to do that because he was a horribly picky eater, but since Riley came along and tried to steal his food a couple times, low and behold... Gunner will now stand there and empty his bowl, even if it's just dry kibble. So that's all he's been getting.

Do you think those factors could combine to equal a 9-pound loss in just under a year? The vet told me that it's not a huge weight-loss and those factors could easily explain it. And since he's certainly not ACTING like a sick dog and looks good, I shouldn't worry. Does that sound right, or does it sound like something is going on here that I need to be getting a second opinion about?

I really don't like having to question this vet. I like him, but right now I'm not real sure about him. He mentioned that Gunner is due in about a month for his yearly distemper/parvo booster. I just learned about the new vaccine protocols a few months ago, and if I know about them, HE knows about them. The fact that he's obviously still pushing the yearly vaccines really upsets me and it makes me question everything he tells me.

Sorry for rambling. But, any thoughts?

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ldpeterson

· #2 · Apr 14, 2008

My thoughts are that 9 lbs. in one year would be normal if he is getting more exercise and less food.

As long as he look to be of normal weight and is still acting healthy I would feel ok about it for now. No, I would still worry, but that's me! LOL! Logically it makes sense though.

I would run a CBC anyways. Whether the vet said to or not, but then again that's always one of the first things I do when one of my dogs is sick. My vet doesn't recommend them to me either, he just knows I'm going to want one.

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GunnersMom

Discussion Starter · #3 · Apr 14, 2008

Originally Posted By: mamagooseMy thoughts are that 9 lbs. in one year would be normal if he is getting more exercise and less food.

As long as he look to be of normal weight and is still acting healthy I would feel ok about it for now. No, I would still worry, but that's me! LOL! Logically it makes sense though.

Okay, that makes me feel a little better. Of course I'll still worry, too, but it does make me feel better! lol.
He's always been on the thin side and he's not a very big boy, at all. I'm guessing, but I'd say he stands about 26" at the shoulder. (My 9-month-old Golden is taller than he is, just to give you an idea.) He weighs 74 pounds right now. I can't help thinking that's too thin, but everybody seems to think he looks good.
And yeah, he's acting like his usual hyperactive self. lol.

The vet did say that I could increase his food if I was concerned about it and check his weight again when he goes back in a few weeks. I'm doing that, but I think I will go ahead and tell him to humor me with a CBC in the meantime.

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BowWowMeow

· #4 · Apr 14, 2008

I don't think that's a huge weight loss especially considering he's exercising more and eating less. I would up his food a little and wait on the CBC but I'm conservative. I wouldn't be giving the ABX either!

As for the vaccine protocols, he absolutely should not be getting yearly vaccines. That three year protocol is not new at all. The recommendations came out in 2003! Some of the vet schools are just now getting around to adopting and publicizing them but if your vet isn't doing continuing ed then and doesn't follow the literature then he wouldn't know.

It's absolutely your right to refuse those yearly vacinnations and say that you'd like to put him on the 3 year protocol.

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GunnersMom

Discussion Starter · #5 · Apr 14, 2008

Originally Posted By: BowWowMeow I wouldn't be giving the ABX either!

As for the vaccine protocols, he absolutely should not be getting yearly vaccines. That three year protocol is not new at all. The recommendations came out in 2003! Some of the vet schools are just now getting around to adopting and publicizing them but if your vet isn't doing continuing ed then and doesn't follow the literature then he wouldn't know.

2003?! I've been going to this guy since 2003 and he's never mentioned it. I only learned about it a few months ago, after joining the couple forums I belong to. And thank god I did that, otherwise I would still have no clue!
If it's a matter of him not bothering to keep up with continuing education, and being unaware of the changes, then I don't know that I want to trust my boys to him.
If it's a matter of him knowing and continuing with the old protocols anyway, then he's just flat-out unethical in my book and my blood pressure is going up just thinking about that!
I've lost two of my boys now, too soon, to immune disorders. This guy knows that. He euthanized one of them for me. If he can know that and still encourage me to get yearly vaccines...??

As for the Amoxi - I had some reservations about that too, but I thought it was just me. I've always been leary about antibiotics, in general (for people AND pets!) I started them yesterday, so he's gotten three pills total, as of right now.
Is it worse to stop them now, at this point? Should I just go ahead and finish the 10-day course now, or stop, do you think?

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BowWowMeow

· #6 · Apr 14, 2008

I don't like treating with ABX "just in case." I need a definitive diagnosis. But I'm not a vet and didn't see him so I'm just saying what I would do. I did take Rafi off of a course of abx when I adopted him, before it was finished, because he was having horrible diarrhea. That was 7 days in and he was fine afterwards.

And I would be concerned about a vet who's still on the one year vaccine protocol, especially given the history of your dogs!

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chruby

· #7 · Apr 14, 2008

I would not be worried about it. My dogs weight can fluctuate a lot based on exercise alone. As long as he seems normal in other ways I would not worry about it. I have seen blood on occasion in one of my dogs stool and vet said no worries and we have not had any problem either.

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ldpeterson

· #8 · Apr 14, 2008

I love my vet! Absolutely LOVE him! However, he still encourages the yearly vacinations.

With that said he will gladly work up a protocol for vaccinating if yearly is against your wishes. All you have to do is say something.

So just say something! lol

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ldpeterson

· #9 · Apr 14, 2008

Also I would have done the CBC before the antibiotics. I mean after all if the dog had a fever and the WBC count was up then it would point to infection.

I've learned though that vets often will treat conservatively due to the fact that people don't like to spend a lot of money when they go in there.

Personally? I just hand them the debit card and say "have fun!". I REALLY need to stop doing that!!!

*goes off to look up the word conservative*

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GunnersMom

Discussion Starter · #10 · Apr 14, 2008

Originally Posted By: mamagooseAlso I would have done the CBC before the antibiotics. I mean after all if the dog had a fever and the WBC count was up then it would point to infection.

I've learned though that vets often will treat conservatively due to the fact that people don't like to spend a lot of money when they go in there.

Personally? I just hand them the debit card and say "have fun!". I REALLY need to stop doing that!!!

*goes off to look up the word conservative*

Thanks, chruby! It's good to know that others have seen weight fluctuations like this. I never have, so it sounded like a really big deal to me!

I have no idea if Gunner's temperature was up, or not. He didn't bother to say. He just handed me the antibiotics and said "in case" it's a bacterial thing.

And he can't possibly think I'd be concerned about the bill. I'm the same way - I've always told them 'do whatever you have to do.'

And yes, now that I know about the three-year protocols, I could just simply explain to him where I stand and what I want to do. But what bothers me is the fact that he's never mentioned it, once, in five years. I can't help but feel like it's his job to educate his clients and do what's in their pets' best interest - not just continue with the old way of doing things unless the owner knows better. That seems unethical to me. I don't know... maybe I'm overreacting a little bit, but I don't like it.

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