Manage Your Pet's Medical Situation

I wrote the below article for my website, but thought I would share it with you. If it helps to save one pet, it will have been worth my time and effort - Judy

English Bulldog Medical Overview
Manage Your Bully's Medical Situation

Complicated, serious medical situations require a second or third veterinarian opinion
We saved the life of this Bully by using the techniques I am outlining for you below. Three veterinarians, one general veterinarian and two specialists, misdiagnosed his situation and recommended "putting him down". Because we didn't believe what we were being told, he is alive today. Jeb's Story www.puppygal.com/jeb.html

If your Bully has a disease or illness of great concern, you owe it to yourself and your Bully to get a second or maybe even a third opinion. I have been instrumental in saving the life of three Bullies, because I insisted the people take their dog to another veterinarian. These were people who I did not know. They called me in desperation after having searched the Internet for Bully Breeders.


You're The Bully Parent!!!
To your veterinarian your Bully is only a dog, but it is much more to you, so ensure that the treatment your veterinarian is giving "your baby" is CORRECT and the best that is available!! If your Bully is sick, take charge of its recovery process by being knowledgeable about every detail of what has transpired, the prognosis, what treatments your veterinarian is proposing, and what new treatments may be available elsewhere, like a Veterinarian Medical School. Get a second or third opinion if the situation warrants it.

- Get copies of the medical records, compile a medical history especially of the current illness. What drugs have the doctors used? Validate via the Internet that the strength and length of time are correct. (I always request that my Bullies get the maximum dose of any drug because they are seldom sick and when they are it is serious.)

- Search the Internet for any new medicines, techniques or information of which your veterinarian might not be aware.

- Put your Bully on vitamin and mineral supplements to help it's immunity system fight off the illness. Plan out the supplement regimen (Dr. Wendell O. Belfield, a San Jose, CA veterinarian www.belfield.com) and ask your veterinarian if they know of any negative impact the supplements would cause.

- Join an online Support Group if your Bully has a severe illness or disease these groups are most often "pro-active" and can relate to you their experience, their research, etc.

You can do all of this without being rude and a good veterinarian will appreciate your deep interest and understanding of the situation.If your veterinarian gets offended, find yourself a new veterinarian. You have a right to ask questions, get answers and make suggestions. You are paying the bill.

Understand that veterinarians are people, some are good and some are not. Some are quick to blame a continued illness on genetics and therefore the breeder, so they will not look incompetent. Look at Jeb's story as an example of misdiagnosis. A good way to get rid of a problem is to get rid of the Bully, i.e. put it down. In situations where it actually is genetics, the breeder may or may not be at fault. While visiting Mississippi State University veterinarianerinary School, one of the professors of radiology told me they had been working with a breeder of Champion Labs and discovered that in her bloodline hip dysplasia skipped 5 generation!!!

Then again, unfortunately there are breeders who are only doing it for the money and do not care about genetics or the quality of the puppies. I've had my share of disappointments in pups that I have purchased. (I thought surely I could trust the word of a retired veterinarian. I should have trusted my instincts!!!) BUT that is another situation altogether, your primary objective should be ensuring that everything that can be done is being done to get your "baby" well. DO NOT EXPEND VITAL ENERGY POINTING FINGERS AND ACCUSING, WHEN YOUR BULLY'S WELL BEING IS AT STAKE. There is time enough for that after your Bully's situation has been resolved.




This message was edited Mar 17, 2005 4:08 PM