A vet’s dilemma…

By dnp-team On Nov 14, 2005

Dr. Aradhana Pandey tells how important it is to know the history of the pet for proper treatment.
Every vet works with an intention to provide best cure to his patient. For treatment success, a vet’s expertise should be complimented by owner’s co-operation, understanding and patience.
Treating a pet is unlike treating a human being since they cannot tell their plight; hence it becomes completely important to know the history. And to my dilemma, I come across people who just present the case without telling anything about the ailment. At these times, it really becomes difficult to correctly diagnose and treat the case. In vet practice, history of the case is the key to diagnose the problem. So, if a proper, detailed and correct history is not available, the vet is placed in a very uncomfortable situation. I would briefly like to discuss a case that pulled me to a serious state of dilemma – what to do and what not?
“A GSD pup, four months of age, was presented with the problem of diarrhoea and vomiting. Nothing could be pinpointed from the vague history provided by the owner. The pup was symptomatically treated and was all right in two days. But the problem recurred after a day. The laboratory examination done this time hinted towards toxemia (poisoning) but the cause could not be pinpointed since the owner was non-cooperative. With symptomatic treatment, the problem again subsided in two days but recurred again after a day. To find a clue, I made a visit to their house and inspected the place. Fortunately, that was the time when the maid was cleaning the floor with phenyl water and the pup was happily drinking the water and this was the problem.”
Many such incidents happen wherein a vet cannot do anything without the help of the pet’s owner.
Basic questions for proper diagnosis and good treatment response

When it happened?
How it happened?
How it progressed?
Was it treated? If yes, how?

Common poisonous cases in pets, which only owner can tell

Pet getting exposed to manure put in the garden.
Pet eating cement and licking paint during construction in the house.
Pet picking toxic substances from the park.
Pet given bath with an insecticidal shampoo.
Pet getting exposed to certain poisonous compounds present in house.

Steps for effective treatment outcome

Pets cannot voice their ailments. Being a responsible owner also means to help the pet to speak out through your voice. Only then, the vet can help your best friends to live a healthy life. Bringing the pet immediately to the vet- Avoidance in timely turn up to the vet may have serious consequences since the damages to various systems of the body may get aggravated. Since the pet cannot tell his plight, it is your prime responsibility to take him to a vet for timely diagnosis and treatment.
Avoiding self-medication- Some pet owners do not take the ailments seriously and indulge in self-medication. This not only kills time but also any wrong treatment done may turn a simple case to a complicated one, making it difficult for a vet to handle.
Following the prescribed treatment schedule- Treatment is not magic. Every disease has a course of therapy, which if not followed properly, may lead to treatment failure and disease relapse.
Carrying the vaccination and other treatment records- Certain viral diseases are very dangerous and difficult to treat. Present the record of the vaccination against these diseases to enable your vet to determine the course of treatment. Absence of the previous treatment records also poses difficulty in deciding the further course of treatment.
Caring for the sick animals- Love, care and affection is the key to successful treatment. If ignored, even the most effective treatment could also go down the drain.
(Dr. Aradhana Pandey runs Doggy World – the pet’s paradise catering to all doggy needs under one roof. A veterinarian with MBA in marketing, she believes in service to the customer at an affordable cost, without compromising on quality. She can be contacted at Tel: 9811299059, 011-27942285, 011-55817851 or e-mail: aradhana14@yahoo.com)