[Mr. Vega]

Hello, also new here. I've already made a few posts but thought I should introduce myself. I am currently a student in veterinary school and I have a few dogs (funny how I'm the person that everyone brings the sick, stray dogs to in the middle of the night and they never end up leaving ) and a snake (they don't play together). I'll probably do most of my talking (when I have time) on the dog health forum as that's where most of my interest is.

[Corky/Max]

Originally Posted by Mr. Vega

Hello, also new here. I've already made a few posts but thought I should introduce myself. I am currently a student in veterinary school and I have a few dogs (funny how I'm the person that everyone brings the sick, stray dogs to in the middle of the night and they never end up leaving ) and a snake (they don't play together). I'll probably do most of my talking (when I have time) on the dog health forum as that's where most of my interest is.

Nice to have a vet student on board. As you prob. have gathered from my posts--I'm not very trusting of most vets--Hope you will be of a 'new breed' of hopefully changing ways things are done. Do you believe in holistic methods? One thing is for sure--You are bound to get a lot of different views about what members feel about things in here and another thing for sure---You will of course know that all of us love our dogs as one of the family! (And I am sure you feel the same way about your family of dogs!)
What kind of dogs do you have--names--ages--characteristics? :mrgreen:

[MrAndrew]

Welcome to the forum! I look forward to chatting with you, good luck with your schooling too

[Lara's mom]

Hi! Welcome to the forum!

[Mr. Vega]

What about vets do you not trust Corky? I've had many converstions with people that said similar things, and, most of their dislike for vets was just stemming from a few bad encounters. Hopefully, I can help to answer some questions you might have that about subjects circulating in the veterinarian community and maybe even make you feel a little better about veterinary medicine in general.

Do I believe in holistic methods? Yes and No. As I'm sure you already know, there isn't really much of that taught in vet school. However, I personally think that there are certain practices within the holistic veterinary community that I intend on learning after school and incorporating within my own medicine. On the other hand, I have met some holistic vets that I, honestly, thought were just nuts. It's funny really - I find the veterinarian community to be like most things in life, there are extremists from both sides that give each side a bad name.

But, yes, I think that it will be well worth my time to gain some knowledge from the holistic/homeopathic vet community. One of the most important objectives for me will be to get through some of the more anecdotal practices and find worthwhile healing methods that will ultimately benefit my patients.

[Mr. Vega]

Forgot my fam!

Vega - Doberman - 6
June - Stray pit mix - 3-4?
Oshkum - Stray lab mix - 4-5?

[Corky/Max]

Originally Posted by Mr. Vega

What about vets do you not trust Corky? I've had many converstions with people that said similar things, and, most of their dislike for vets was just stemming from a few bad encounters. Hopefully, I can help to answer some questions you might have that about subjects circulating in the veterinarian community and maybe even make you feel a little better about veterinary medicine in general.I especially don't like the use of Rimadyl, Proin, and prednisone!! Vets seem not to be warning people of the 'killer' side effects of the 1st 2 I mentioned! Most don't seem to do bloodwork to check how the kidneys and liver are before giving this 'crap!" If the dog is not healthy, these should not be given!!! And when a dog dies from these ---They either stick their head in the sand and/or try to blame it on something else. And I wonder how many are reporting reactions to these drugs that should never of been put in use in the 1st place!! I just can't believe this killer crap is still prescribed! As far as prednisone---does nothing but mask the problem and shuts down the immune system and allows other diseases to enter esp. when given for long periods of time--diabetes and a couple of other diseases that I can't think of right now. Try to fix the problem--Don't cover it up! Then there are greedy vets selling crappy dog food like Science Diet and Hill's, etc. Sorry, but my take on most vets are either ignorant, not caring, and/or greedy.

Do I believe in holistic methods? Yes and No. As I'm sure you already know, there isn't really much of that taught in vet school.And I wonder why not?! However, I personally think that there are certain practices within the holistic veterinary community that I intend on learning after school and incorporating within my own medicine.I am glad to hear that! On the other hand, I have met some holistic vets that I, honestly, thought were just nuts. It's funny really - I find the veterinarian community to be like most things in life, there are extremists from both sides that give each side a bad name.

But, yes, I think that it will be well worth my time to gain some knowledge from the holistic/homeopathic vet community. One of the most important objectives for me will be to get through some of the more anecdotal practices and find worthwhile healing methods that will ultimately benefit my patients.

Great---It is too bad that all vets don't think like this---Then I know that they would be in it for the benefit of the dog which is to my way of thinking what a vet is suppose to be doing in the first place! And I do hope you are an example of the future generation of vets to come.

And about vaccinations---Something needs to be done about them too--Way too many given and repeated over and over again--esp. the d__ned required by law Rabies shot---1 or 2 should be enough--My 11 yr. old dog has now had 5----What the h_ll do they think this is doing to the immune system--I feel like my dog is being injected with poison and there is nothing I can do about it!! But some greedy people are making money off of these 'required' shots and could give a s__t what it is doing to the poor innocent, taken advantage of dog. Because of the vaccinations, poison crap medicine, and the no nutrition crap they call dog 'food' ---What chance do these dogs have?!! They should be living a lot longer than they do!! Food for thought: A dog gets to be 10 years old and starts getting cancer and other problems --liver and kidney, etc----It is not old age--It is a breakdown of the immune system from all the 'crap' they have been subjected to!!

Note: I am not 'yelling at you'---Just get so da__ mad at what is happening in this greedy world!

[Mr. Vega]

Well cork, I will say I'm glad you're passionate about the well-being of the animals, but, I'd be lying if I didn't feel some of your strong opinions might be a little displaced.

The reason that all of the holistic methods are not regularly taught is that their results are often difficult to quantify for repeated success in a laboratory setting. You have to understand where your vets are coming from. Medicine and prooven techniques thrive on the ability to readily reproduce them and also to quantify them so that the results can be measured against a control. This is important (to me) for to main reasons: It will give confidence to the person prescribing the treament, and, it allows for a defense in the instance that everything goes wrong - unfortunately, the latter is absolutely necessary in today's world.

As for Rimadyl/carprofen - As far as NSAIDs go, this is actually a good drug. You're spot on about pre-treatment testing. I personally almost consider it malpractice to prescribe any NSAID without blood work. They do not kill the liver, but, that is where these drugs are metabolized. You couldnt be more right about not prescribing them in dogs with liver dz. However, a dog with a perfectly healthy liver can benefit greatly from one, such as rimadyl, if it is in need of a drug with good anti-inflammatory properties. Yes, there can be GI reactions (and ulcers if the vet prescribes too much). But, the risk is low enough to warrant using this drug where it is indicated and needed. I know you don't like this drug, but, you have to understand that most of the time medicine (i mean ALL medicine) is just a matter of playing the odds.

Pred (and any other steroids) - don't get me started. On this subject, I can and will completely agree with you. And please listen to this: the root of this problem DOES NOT lie within the veterinary schools (NOT mine at least). Every, i mean EVERY, clincian that teaches here is just irate over the amount of glucocorticoids prescribed in private practice. This is due to 2 things: The first is that the vet may just be too lazy, the second is due to the fact that the OWNER doesn't want to spend the money on diagnostic work up to find the root of the problem and just wants the quick fix! Most people do not consider the latter, but, I can assure you it happens all the time. But, in my personal opinion, the vet should not just do the bidding of the owner if that owner is too ignorant to realize that their cheaper wishes will ultimately harm their pet.

Again, I like you passion and enthusiasm. Ask me any individual questions (about treatments, anything) you like - I have no problem telling you the bad side of things, as long as you're willing to recognize the good side as well. And, I'm always open to hearing about ideas in alternative medicine as now is my time to do most of my learning...

[johnstrategy1971]

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Best regards

[Lara's mom]

I'm blessed with a wonderful veterinarian who I have a great deal of trust in. However, I don't just blindly follow his advice without doing some research on my own. I consider my relationship with my vet as a partnership in the health and longevity of my dogs.

As for the drugs that Corky mentioned, there is a post somewhere on this forum that is filled with people who suddenly lost their dogs after taking these medications. When that many people have their dogs die so shortly after taking any medication, in my mind, those drugs are highly suspicious. Something is seriously wrong. Why are these medications still being dispensed? There is a note on my dogs files indicating that they are never to be given Rimadyl or Proin. From what I've seen in the heartbreaking stories in this forum connected to these two drugs, I'm just not willing to take the chance of an adverse outcome. Too many dogs are dead from these meds, especially Proin who shouldn't ever have died.