Tummy Troubles

   One of the things I meant to do as soon as we were settled was to find a new veterinarian office for the boys. Well, time has a funny way of slipping by and suddenly you find yourself in need of a vet. What to do, what to do…

My defense: I have talked to some neighbors and family members about which vet they use for their pets. I also read reviews and checked out Facebook pages of the clinics closest to our home. Still, I had not taken the time to visit any of them.

My predicament: Pierre’s tummy was giving him trouble. He has always had a sensitive stomach. It makes insanely loud noises if it gets empty and he will occasionally throw up some bile. This rarely happens but when it does, it’s usually in the wee hours of the morning. I feed him, and he is fine. We have even been giving him a little midnight snack to help.

   Yesterday, his stomach started making “those” noises. He wouldn’t eat his dinner and began to whine like he was hurting. We didn’t want to take any chances, so we hurried to a vet that I had read and heard good things about in hopes they could see him. It was close to closing time when we arrived, but they were wonderful and signed us in.

   Having a long history of dealing with Pierre’s gastrointestinal problems, I was prepared for the questions from the doctor. The first thing they ask is what food do they eat. That is ALWAYS followed up with the suggestion of a prescription diet they sell. That is understandable because many people feed their pets inadequate dog food which can cause problems. I was fast to tell her it was not their food. We have tried a variety of diets over the years and none have made any difference. This includes a prescription diet. The boys eat Dr. Harvey’s. It's an extremely high-quality pre-mix. I add the meat/protein and the oil, so I know it is fresh and premium grade. It is not the food. It is just his stomach.

   She listened to his belly noises and said, “It sounds like he is about to have explosive diarrhea.” I nod and assure her that he is not. His stools are perfect thanks to Dr. Harvey’s. It is his stomach and if he’d eat it would stop.

   She made several suggestions for tests to eliminate causes. I declined all of them after questioning the symptoms of each one because none of them fit Pierre’s problem. Saying “no” to the vet is something that I never used to do. What the vet said was gospel and if a test was suggested, I okayed it. I’m not sure if I’ve become more assertive because of age, knowledge or being hit with a $700 to find out Bentley had a stomachache, but I am no longer afraid to say “no.” It’s probably a combination of all those things! (I'm the same way with my doctors)

   Believe me, if I thought for one minute that he was in danger or suffered from some rare form of Westie stomach disease, I would not hesitate to run tests or do whatever I could to help him. After living with him 24/7 for the past five years, I know it is none of those things. It is just his stomach.

   It took a few minutes before she told me that she could give him a shot to quiet his tummy and a couple of prescriptions for gastric grumblings. Then, she wrote two OTC products that he can take in the future. The vet and her staff were very nice and I’m sure we will use them in the future.

   The good news is Pierre was feeling better almost immediately. We gave him a bland dinner of chicken and rice. He ate it all and is now sound asleep in his new bed.

   Obviously, this isn’t the post that I had planned for today. I got to thinking after we left the vet about how I used to just blindly let our vets run unneeded tests and x-rays because I didn’t want to look like a bad pet parent. I’ve bought $80 prescription food that I knew was not going to help. I almost had Bentley’s ears operated on when all I needed to do was use The Purple Stuff every month.

   There came a time when I had to say, “No More!” A veterinarian is a doctor and just like our doctors, they work for us. We hire them for their expertise, but they don’t know everything. You must do your research and find the most compatible one for you and your pets.

    Always find a veterinarian that you can speak honestly and openly about what medical care you are comfortable with and what you know is not necessary. Don’t be afraid to tell them “no” if you don’t agree with their recommendations.

   Also, don’t put off finding a trusted veterinarian when you move to a new city. You never can plan for an illness or injury.

   Now, Skipper and I have to get busy finding us a new doctor!

I'm an ambassador for Dr. Harvey's and proud to have them as a sponsor for Barking from the Bayou!