|
Gina's note: These stories aren't all about the author curing animals. One in particular stands out in my mind, where the author's own dog Pischka was sick and no vet could diagnose:
"She acted like a horse with colic, sitting with her head held low, her nose hovering just above her toes, refusing to eat. I took her to my regular vet seeking help.
He diagnosed an upset stomach from eating garbage. I knew he was wrong because Pischka didn't have access to garbage. He insisted. I followed his advice, giving her mineral oil for an upset stomach, the same treatment horse vets use for colic, but I know she got better on her own.
When the problem recurred, I took Pischka to a different clinic. The vet again diagnosed "garbage can gut". When I described her symptoms, he told me dogs don't get those kind of symptoms. He implied that I was crazy, because dogs don't get colic. And he recommended mineral oil.
When the problem occurred the next time, I tried a third vet, who said Pischka wasn't sick. I was frustrated that none of the vets tried to figure it out. The problem recurred several times a year, but she remained undiagnosed until I became a vet student. The next time she was sick I took her to the teaching hospital. A senior vet student, in less than five minutes, using only her hands, diagnosed a rare liver condition based on the size of her liver. She just did a thorough physical exam, including palpating her abdomen, and lab tests later confirmed her diagnosis."
.... the book goes on to describe the condition in detail ... the author continues:
"I was so grateful for the care the gentle senior student took with Pischka that day. ... I will not forget the thoroughness of that student, and would emulate her when I entered practice. I would never dismiss an owner's complaint, because I remember how I felt when vets dismissed Pischka's illness, never trying to find out what made Pischka so sick."
|
