Kat…

by annemariedemyen, posted in March 2022

We have been using the same veterinarian clinic for ages – through the comings and goings of three dogs and two cats.   Our issues have been minimal at most and we have been fortunate to work with some very compassionate and professional vets and technicians.   Until now…    A  few weeks ago, we had Kat to the clinic  for  some dental surgery.   The vet who did the surgery was terrific and very good at communicating with us.  She checked Kat out thoroughly before the surgery including doing blood tests ad dental x-rays.    Then a couple of weeks ago I took Kat back to the same vet for a follow-up visit and a vaccine that was due.  Everything was good!

A day or two later, Kat started coughing and choking.   I called the vet’s office but the vet who had just been seeing her was not in so another vet returned my call.  I have worked with this vet before and she is not my favourite.  Anyway, I told her what the issue was.  She said it sounded like kennel cough.  I asked if there had been an outbreak in their offices lately because other than going there, Kat had not been anywhere near another dog, or out of our yard, since last fall.   Well that did NOT go over well.   She said it was obvious that Kat had kennel cough and that she DID NOT pick it up at their clinic.   It’s not like I was threatening, or thinking of, suing or anything.  I let Kat play with a couple of other little dogs when I was settling up my bill there after her visits.    I just wanted to know if it really was likely that she had kennel cough. 😕

Anyway, after getting her panties in a bunch over that, the vet said she could write up a prescription for codeine if I wanted to come and pick it up.  She said it would calm the cough and help Kat to get the rest she needed to recover.  (Note: Kat is hardly the most active dog at the best of times.)

I asked the vet if it was safe for Kat to have codeine, since she has a very mild heart condition.   Well good grief!  That started her on another rant.  I agreed to pick up the codeine and give it a try.  Dan picked up the pills and we started giving them to her (3 pills a day – morning, noon, and night).  A couple of days later, Kat was totally wasted.  Her back end was no longer operating in sync with her front end, she was sleeping, eating, and spending a considerable amount of time standing in one spot, weaving side to side, and gazing at an imaginary spot on the floor.  Obviously the codeine was the issue, but I wasn’t up to another chat with the vet.  I cut Kat back to one pill in the morning and one pill at night.

With the lower dosage, Kat has been more functional, but she is still has a cough and she snuffles when she breathes.  Occasionally, she chokes.  So, I took to the internet yesterday.  I found an article on kennel cough that suggests it can cause swelling/inflammation of a dog’s nasal passages,  trachea, or bronchioles.  Following up on that, another article suggested coconut oil, cinnamon, or honey to reduce the inflammation. I decided to try a mix of all three. One teaspoon of coconut oil, half a teaspoon of honey, and a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon. Mixed together, it smells amazing and Kat loves it.

It is early to tell if she is on the mend, but she seemed to sleep better and quieter last night and today she seems to be feeling pretty good. Remains to be seen!

I don’t know if it is me or if vets (and human doctors for that matter) are just not as competent as they used to be – which is bizarre for all of the technology and treatment options that they have at their fingertips. 🤔

Anyway, Kat is happily rearing at the moment. Have other things going so that is that for today. Take care and have a great day! 💞

51 thoughts on “Kat…”

  1. Wow, that’s a terrible way to work with clients! I hope that you have other veterinary options available. I hope Kat is 100% percent soon, AnneMarie. 🙏🏻

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  8. I’m sorry Kat’s not feeling well. It’s just so disheartening to read how someone with authority gets so defensive when asked a simple question. Ugh. Not a great bedside manner or making their client feel like they’re doing the best for your fur baby. Hope she’s better soon…

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  9. I am so sorry to hear about sweet Kat and I hope she is all well very soon. I am also sorry that you did not have a good experience with the vet. That kind of attitude is not good for business. Get well nose kisses for Kat and hugs for you. Hope your day is going well.

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  16. AWW! I’ve been treated like that with my kids when they were little from physicians office calls, so belittling of these professionals and makes you not ever want to call them! Sounds like you are on the right path with your sweet Kat! ❤️ I hope she’s much better soon. 💞

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  18. It’s always strange when they, vets, doctors, etc., become immediately defensive. I’m sorry, Doc, but…” Some of them (not all, but there are some) have either a God complex or such an inferiority complex that they overreact. And some just plain flunked Socializing and Bedside Manner 101.

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  33. It’s bad enough when the fur babes are sick but when the people you seek help from give an attitude – it compounds the issue. I guess they were on edge for the liability / but the facts were there it is totally possible to pick up germs there. To deny it is silly. Hope your baby is better soon!

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  35. In my humble opinion, whether it is a vet or a human doctor, personality is key. Some vets/doctors don’t like to be challenged no matter how you say things. I bet Kat will do better with a “home” remedy. She certainly got kennel cough somewhere!

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  39. We had to leave three vet practices before we finally found a vet who really gets how to be there for us and the dogs. She is the daughter of our old vet who was outstanding. I think she learned from the best before she opened her own practice. I do know just the kind you encountered.

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  40. Should it really be that hard to find professionals now days? Kat is worse again and I don’t even know what to do. We don’t want to take her back to our clinic, don’t want to start shopping around, and we do not want to take her anywhere where she will spread this bug to other animals. She still eats and walks around with her tail wagging but she’s coughing again and either has laryngitis or her throat hurts when she coughs. 😢

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  42. Sadly not. Her ongoing health issues continued to get worse so I took her back the the vet yesterday. She was in congenital heart failure. The vet was a really good one. She did what she could but it became obvious any further efforts would only cause our little girl more distress. We had to let her go but we were with her to the end. She passed peacefully and left us with countless precious memories.

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  43. Oh I am devastated for you. We lost our dog last year whose only symptom of a fatal illness was a raspy breath. We had to put her down once the vet told us letting her die “naturally” would be cruel. Much love to you and Dan.

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  44. Thank you.💞. I am so sorry for your loss as well. Kat ate all of her breakfast yesterday morning and was still walking around wagging her tail. The vet was just blown away. It was sad. 😢

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  46. That sounds nice and peaceful but it is always heart wrenching. When we got home, I asked Dan if I should keep Kat’s dish. It was fairly new, but I couldn’t imagine going through that again. Dan said really? He has two more years of working 24/7 shift work and he knows I am not comfortable being alone for night shifts. So… Remains to be seen but I have decided that the years of companionship and entertainment are worth the inevitable loss. 💞😢

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  48. That sounds like fun. 😉. At least I will be home all day with this one. When we got ‘my’ dog Casey, Dan was laid off for a few months. Our pack ran the lines of Dan, Casey, Anne (unless the grandbabies were here and then I dropped in rank). When we got Kat, we were both working so for her the pack was Casey, Dan, Anne (Unless the grandbabies or the squirrels were here. 🙄). It was really funny how she never listened if we called her until Casey came to the door and let out one bark – than she came running. 😂 After we lost Casey, Dan moved up in rank for her.

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