I Made Four Trips to the Vet's Office Yesterday

Mr. Squiggles did eventually figure out how to get into those treats.  Again.  And Again.  And Again.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

5:20 am:  Wake up.  Eat breakfast.  Feed the dogs but not the cats, because Q*bert is going in to see the vet, because his paw is massively swollen.  He still feels fine though, so there are four really annoyed cats who don't understand why the dogs are being fed but they are not. 

8:20 am:  Feed the other three cats, because Q*bert is outside, and we'll be leaving in a few minutes.  After all the complaining at 5am, I fill the food bowls and no one cares. 

8:40am:  Get Q into the vet.  Because we adopted/found 800 cats last year, and took them into the vet the before they had names, there are a million nameless files to sift through to figure out which cat is which.  Mr. Squiggles has two files.  Confuse poor Lynda at the front desk.  Finally get correct cat names with correct cat files. 

9:00am:  Marathon Starbucks get-together with friend Amanda.  Spend hours talking animals and life.  The happiest, sanest part of my day. 

12:45pm:  Sitting in the Starbucks parking lot, making a cell call to vet to check on Q.  Get put on hold.  And hold.  And hold.  Fifteen minutes later, decide to hang up and just drive the two minutes back to the office to check on him in person.  Realize this would have been a smarter decision fifteen minutes ago.

12:50pm:  Find out Q is currently in with the vet, getting his paw fixed.  No other info, but they'll call when he's done. 

1:00pm:  At Razzle-Dazzle Doggie Bowtique, picking up food, because the house is somehow devoid of everything all at once.  Get a call from the vet that Q is done and will be ready to be picked up in just over an hour.  Would we prefer liquid medication or pill form?  Finish picking up two bags of Freeze Dried Stella and Chewy's, one bag of Frozen Stella and Chewy's, one bag of Northwest Naturals, one case of Wellness canned cat food, one case of Tiki Cat canned cat food, 7 cans of Weruva dog food, four small cans of Wellness canned turkey cat food, and one shaker of appetite stuff that Samson goes nuts over (not because he needs it, but simply because we got some free samples and he really loved it).

1:40pm:  At home.  Discover Indiana is outside, stuck under the deck.  Crawl under the deck, calm the freaked-out dog, and push her out from under the deck.  Have 20 minutes to unpack the pet food purchases, wolf down some trail mix, feed the dogs and cats, and get out the door to pick up Q. 

2:00pm:  Headed back to the vet.

2:15pm:  At the vet's office.  Q is pretty alert for having been sedated, and I am handed a large bag of medications.  Thankfully, most are from an order placed earlier in the day for Indy and Isis.  There is no info on what happened to Q's foot, but the doctor will talk to me about it at my 4pm appointment later that day.

2:40pm:  Back at home with Q.  He is annoyed with me for his ordeal, but is more hungry than mad.  Feed Q and sneak his antibiotics in with the food.  He doesn't notice. 

3:00pm:  Oh my gosh, 20 whole minutes before I have to leave again.  Spend 10 minutes on the chaise lounge looking over some music scores.

3:10pm:  Start wondering where Sam and Mr. S are, because we have to leave for the vet in 10 minutes. Sam is in the kitchen, but Mr. S is nowhere to be seen.  He's never outside.  Well, hardly ever.  Except now.  He'd better be close by.  Oh, good, he's on the porch, just hanging out.  Hmmm...Samson just crawled into the small cat carrier.  Was going to put him in the large one, but, hey, a bird in the hand.  Close the door and decide to leave a few minutes early.  Pluck a happy Mr. Squiggles off the back porch and shove him into a cat carrier.  He is inexplicably not so happy any more. 

3:15pm:  Realize preparing the car for two cat carriers would have been a good idea prior to taking said carriers to car.  Decide to wing it.

3:20pm:  Back to the vet.

3:40pm:  Arrive early to fill out paperwork but run into a family I know from doggy physical therapy.  Spend time reassuring Mom about her dog's recent kidney disease diagnosis and talking to the adorable daughter instead of filling out paperwork. 

4:00pm:  Appointment time, but we're just getting into an exam room now.  The doctor will be running late (as usual) but this time it's sort of my fault, as my cat's paw played a role in her delayed schedule. 

4:01pm:  Wonder whose brilliant idea it was to bring the two smartest cats in the house in at the same time. 

4:02pm:  Pluck Mr. Squiggles off the counter for the third time.

4:03pm:  Cats are weighed.  Mr. Squiggles has gained 3 1/2 pounds and is almost back to his pre-missing weight of 10.5 pounds.  Samson weighs in at a whopping 13.5 pounds, which is amazing because he's a skinny guy.  Just huge.

4:10pm:  Vet assistant comes in to procure cats for blood draws.  Samson volunteers to go first but changes his mind when the vet assistant touches him.  He freaks out, and there is 13.5 pounds of cat legs flying everywhere.  Decide that Mr. Squiggles with go first.

4:15pm:  Mr. S is back, and it's Sam's turn again.  Vet assistant is less than enthused about grabbing a squirmy, sharp creature.

4:20pm: I hear a cat yelp.  Ooops.  Vet assistant returns, wordlessly opens the door a crack, hands me my cat, and, just as wordlessly, closes it again.  One fewer person on Sam's "friends" list.

4:40pm:  Finally, the vet.  Find out that Q basically pulled out the nail of his "thumb," and it's infected.  She gave him a little gas, squeezed out the pus, cleaned up the wound, and is putting him on the highest dose of antibiotics.  Time for exams.  This vet's never met Sam before, so we go over some of his greater virtues, and he's a big, loving blob of Maine Coon for her.  Unhappy about a liver palpation, he hides under the couch while Mr. Squiggles is examined.  Find out that Mr. S is probably mostly blind in his bad eye.  His teeth, while bad, don't need to be seen by a dentist just yet.  Mr. S is sweet and loving, and melts against the vet's leg while she examines him.  He is okay with having his liver palpated, unlike Sam.

5:00pm:  Vet gets tools to lop some tartar off of Samson's tooth.  This could go very badly, but he's actually pretty good for it, and the procedure is successful.  Mr. Squiggles takes advantage of our focus on Samson to jump onto the counter and steal treats out of a bag.  The vet and I both think this is pretty cute.

5:05pm:  Time for rabies shots.  There is much confusion over how many cats need the rabies shot (Samson got one in '09, but apparently, our state, in its infinite wisdom, makes owners revaccinate Animal Control adoptees after the first year, even though it's the same darn shot and is actually good for three years, not just one.  Grrrr.)  So two shots it is today.

5:10pm:  Time to put cats back in carriers.  Samson goes in easily, but Mr. Squiggles resists.  Realize this is because he has both pooed and peed in the carrier.  Clean up the poo and pee and shove cat in.

 

5:11pm:  At the counter, ready to check out.  Have to wait for another client to check out first.  I know this client as well (we met at a dog show years ago, while her dog was undergoing treatment for cancer).  I kill time by getting kisses from her adorable yellow lab. 

5:15pm:  My turn.  I have several more medications to pick up.  Then I remember that the doctor and I never talked about Indiana's urine culture test results.  Front desk manager Lynda talks to the vet, finds out the tests came back negative for bacteria (a good thing), but since Indiana is still leaking urine (a bad thing), she'll be going on some supplements to help that.  Have to wait for the assistant to bring that up.  Finally check out.  My total is over $1000 for the day, but I've gotten something for five of the six of my animals, so I guess it's not too awful...I still have a minor heart attack though.  Ask if I'm the highest total for the day and am told no.  Am sort of surprised, but not really.

5:16pm:  Lynda has to fill out rabies vaccination paperwork for the two cats, who are being really good and quiet.  So we're in no big hurry.

5:20pm:  Out to the car!  Toss the cats in and get out of here! 

5:45pm:  We're home!  Both cats whine and cry on the trip from the car to the utility room but have been oddly silent during the ride home.  Both cats bolt out of the carriers as soon as I open the doors.  Immediately grab the smelly towels from the carriers and wash on the hottest setting. 

5:50pm:  Call my Mom to catch up on both of our days.  I care about her day, but I also really want to just whine about my own.  Am exhausted but happy when Jim pulls up early from work.  Crap.  Now I have to feed us both.

6:40pm:  Making dinner for me and Jim, eating dinner, then feeding the clan.  Everyone is happy and well, and I'm glad that my day is finally over!

Thoughts About Vaccines

Happy Noodles

Last week,  we took Isis in to the vet for her twice-yearly checkup.  This appointment always includes routine bloodwork, a heartworm test, and vaccine titers.  Ever heard of titers?  (I hope so, but I won't be surprised if you haven't)

Titers are blood tests that measure the amount of vaccine antibodies in the bloodstream.  If the level of antibody is high enough, then the dog is still immune to disease.  High enough titer levels = no vaccination. 

I was thinking about this topic on Tuesday, because I got Isis' test results back, and not only was her bloodwork great (yay!) but her titer results were normal as well.  Even though I've titered for years (and have never had to revaccinate my animals), it still amazed me that Isis was vaccinated yearly for the first 7 years of her life (before I knew better) but now has not needed a vaccine for 5 years.  (This doesn't include rabies--that's a whole 'nother subject) 

Vaccines are a controversial topic in the veterinary world.  I'm not by nature a conspiracy-theorist, but in the animal world, unfortunately, profit tends to rule above all else.  Animals do not need yearly vaccines.  In fact, there is much evidence that yearly vaccines not only damage the immune system (leading to diseases like cancer), but the side effects of the vaccine can cause certain diseases as well.  Read this great article by Dr. Karen Becker to learn more.  Vaccines have even been proven to cause cancer in cats, at the injection site.  Read more about that here (and though I generally love this site, I don't agree that every cat should always be vaccinated). 

Most traditional vets push yearly vaccines, not only because this is what they're taught in vet school, but also because vaccines have a high profit margin.  It's sad.  The tides are turning a bit now, as some vets still advocate yearly vaccines but at least will provide titers if they are requested by the client.  Some vets "don't believe in titers," which I don't understand.  The results are there in black and white, on paper.  The testing lab even makes the determination if the pet has sufficient antibodies.  If your vet is "against" titers, ask yourself why.

Additionally, rabies vaccines are controversial, for no good reason.  The rabies vaccine is the most toxic of all vaccines but is required by law.  (Except for animals with long-term illnesses, like cancer.  Then a waiver is usually granted if a signed letter is provided by the treating veterinarian)  However, no animal should be given the rabies vaccine every year.   The one year shot is exactly the same as the three year shot, and the three year shot is all that is required by law (in most states, but not all, sadly).  I hear from so many pet owners whose vets give the vaccine yearly, for no apparent reason other than profit (I'm in Illinois, where the three-year vaccine is what's required).  I always encourage those pet owners to do their research on vaccines, and then find a new vet. 

To learn more about the rabies vaccine, visit The Rabies Challenge Fund, an organization started to prove that the current three-year rabies vaccine is actually good for 5 or even 7 years.  They even advocate around the country to get states to change vaccines laws to the standard (accepted) three years.  It's a great organization. 

So what am I trying to say?  Do I think people who vaccinate yearly are bad parents?  Not at all.  We are a product of our veterinary teaching.  I vaccinated my pets yearly for 8 years until my new vet taught me about titers.  I researched them, they made sense to me, and now it's something I believe strongly in.  My animals all receive a rabies vaccine every three years (except for Indy, who gets an exemption because of her cancer).  We do yearly titer tests, but no one has needed a booster yet. 

My recommendation to you is, if you haven't already, read up as much as you can on titers (the links I've provided here are a great start).  Read the good and the bad.  Talk to your vet about it.  Form your own opinion and do what makes sense to you.  Sometimes what makes sense to you isn't what your veterinarian recommends.  That's okay too.  An educated owner is an empowered owner, and our pets are better off for it.

If you're interested in learning more about vaccine issues, I encourage you to read the book Stop the Shots.  It's a complete look at the vaccine and veterinary world.  It'll probably scare the pants off of you, but that's alright.  We parents need to be shaken into action sometimes. 

Also, here is a list of recommended vaccines by Dr. Jean Dodds, a leading veterinary hematology researcher (and one of the founders of The Rabies Challenge Fund).  She lists the shots she recommends for the first year of a puppy's life (followed by titer tests at least every three years thereafter) and also talks a little about vaccines and health.