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Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - Being your dogs voice
| Having been on this board for almost 4 years now I am still stunned when someone posts about a bad interaction with their dogs caregivers. I read this information in a publication I receive and think that it is just as important for the care of our furkids as us. Will Your Doctor Get Mad? Some people worry that by doing their own health research and introducing conflicting or additional ideas, they’ll insult or alienate their doctors. I took this issue to Daniel Hoch, MD, PhD, a neurologist and epilepsy specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, and founder of BrainTalk a collection of more than 200 online support groups for people with neurological disease. He told me that good doctors are generally pleased to work with a patient who is a collaborator. After all, he said "You share a common goal -- your health and well-being. It’s your illness and you have a right to learn about it and to take charge." The trend is toward greater patient involvement, not less -- and the more you know about your own medical problems, the more you'll be able to contribute meaningfully in decisions about your care. The bottom line is this: The Internet offers good information, and lots of it, if you’re very careful about whom you trust. |
| Penny Lytle Creek |
| Well said Penny....and no one (no matter how great the vet) will care about your baby like you do. -Darren |
| Darren Long Beach |
| Hi Penny Great post and one I have worried about. I did a lot of research in regard to what was going on with Riley, and I think I was a bit of joke with my long list of questions that I would take to the vet, but my vet was patient and answered everything to the best of her ability, including the specialist I also saw - I did have problems when I would suggest something that was said her, also from another board. It would be then that I would get the disapproving look that the internet is not always a safe place, and what would they know about Riley, having not seen him first hand, and that doing too much research on the internet is not always a good thing. My vet also told me about a pet she had personally a few years ago, she did not know what was wrong with it, and spent a lot of money going around to specialists and nobody could help her - her husband inferred that she wasnt a good vet because she couldnt even help their own dog - she said sometimes these things happen and they cant do anything about it. I guess time will bring new research and developments, as long as someone is actually working on them. I got the impression here that they dont see too much of these types of dogs, and its a guessing game with the medications, getting the balance right, sometimes they respond, sometimes they dont. I am amazing at some of the success stories on Joanne's site, how serious some of them were, but they pulled through. I dont know whether I could have helped Riley more if I had been stronger with things, and I will never know. The questions are always there. Silka |
| Silka Melbourne Australia |
| Absolutely Penny. I am going down the IMHA road now with my 8 month old vizsla (who also have meningitis) and am going through the same battles I had at the start of treatment of my other Vizsla who has cushings. Some vets just feel threatened by your knowledge yet really they should be using you as their free "research assistant". My vet would also rather listen to her own colleague and the pathologist than listen to someone like Jean Dodds!!!!! Mmmmmmm .... We are now going through gastric ulcers ... due to my vet not agreeing to put him on a gastroprotectant (after getting it from a forum) for the first 5 weeks. She only agreed when we had to put his dose up to the initial dose due to the IMHA diagnosis. I really thought we had built a good relationship with treating the old dog and did not think that she would put up walls with our little one. They have never treated a meningitis dog before and I'd only say a few IMHA so you would think that they would be up for all the research I can get my hands on! Angela |
| Angela New Zealand |
| LOL, if anybody can insult or alienate their doctors it's me. They used to see me coming with pages of questions when Tessy first got sick!!! You'd be surprised how easy one can stump even the best of doctors!!! Personally and in my opinion, if a doctor gets insulted or feels alienated by a pet owner trying to help then they aren't that good of a doctor and should be dropped!!! The same thing can be said about doctors that aren't really willing to consult with specialists. I don't care what kind of genious they are...GET RID OF THEM FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR DOG! ....just my opinion really. |
| Johnny |
| It is a shame that a lot of Doctors/Vets feel that after they get their diploma they do not need to continue to learn. Angela, I am sorry your dog was not put on something to protect their stomach right away and for all the other battles you have faced. Hopefully your input has opened your Vets eyes just a wee bit? Johnny I know what you mean. I left my one Vet after he called Dr. Dodds a quack. Another Vet said Joanne's Meisha could not have had AIHA because she would not have survived that long. I don't know why they can be so closed minded when all they have to do is read their own Vet med journals. Silka, The key words in your post is "As long as somebody is actually working on them" If you haven't visited the Meisha's Hope page at Morris Animal Foundations page please do. Every single dollar raised there goes to research for better treatment for this awful disease. I lost my dear dog a month into the fight in 2006 but I send donations every chance I get in the hopes that someday it will help someone elses dog. |
| Penny Lytle Creek Calif |
| Lets remember that there are vets that are open to suggestions, take the time to answer questions and consult with specialists and Dr. Dodds. Joanne's yearly award to these special vets prove it. I hope my vet is not the exception. She sometimes even asked what is happening on this board and was clearly interested in how other dogs are treated. She was willing to learn and also went to a seminar that Dr. Dodds put on in BC. I must say I never felt looked down on. I was sometimes wishing that I could have a caring doctor like her for myself! It was also pretty easy to find her. She does not need to advertise, word goes around pretty quick if a vet is this great. So shop around, after all we are the ones to pay the bill! Best wishes, Brigitte |
| Brigitte BC Canada |
| I agree with you about vets Johnny .... however ... sometimes the choices are limited in some instances. I seriously was going to change vets a couple of weeks ago ... but the three options I looked into were none the better for various reasons. Sometimes the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know. Angela |
| Angela New Zealand |
This thread was discussed between 05/03/2010 and 07/03/2010
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