BarbV
Forums Celebrity
Well, its been a week since I brought Bacca to the specialist....I was so mad, that I could not even post on this forum until I sorted out my thoughts on what occurred.
His hypo is under control, and his counts normal - finally
His skin funk is getting moderately better, but barely. He was on a 3 week stint of antibiotics, and it helped a little, but he's still scaly and oily and losing his undercoat, but less than before.
His liver counts still out of whack per his bloodwork in November. So my vet said, lets do an ultrasound. $700 later I'm told that if there is a liver shunt it is very small, but he could have bladder stones instead. I ask if bladder stones could give a false reading on his other blood work, and I'm told that's possible. But because his liver scores are so out of whack, time for a specialist for a biopsy. That will apparently tell all.
Bring Bacca to the appointment, and find out they didn't do a biopsy, but just another ultrasound and two rounds of blood work. $1200 later, and oh, for sure, he has a liver shunt and bladder stones. No biopsy done. And why pay $400 for bloodwork, if they didn't need it for diagnosis, since they they made the diagnosis the same day! And no, I've not seen the results of the new bloodwork either.
And yes, Madame! The surgery will cost between $4,000 and $5,700 depending on whether or not we do a biopsy first! Uuum! Why do a biopsy just prior to surgery, you might ask? Well, just to be sure.....so why they heck didn't they do the biopsy that I brought him in for in the first place, and use the ultrasound that my vet did as the starting point....they never freakin' saw it. Oh, well, "we don't use ultrasounds done by other firm's"
My vet is starting to back pedal, but now on vacation for two weeks. I'm spitting mad at the vetrinary practice in general. I don't feel I'm any further ahead than I was before. I feel like I'm getting bafflegab, and hosed.
btw....I was so angry at the specialists I threw my credit card at them and walked out....then had to skulk back in to retrieve it
I've now decided that I'm going to have to pay again to get another opinion. But insist this time that all the bloodwork and ultrasounds already done are used in the diagnosis.
Beyond that, what can anyone share of their experience with bladder stones, liver shunts or plain liver disease (i've not ruled that out, btw, since I've got one ultrasound that was inconclusive and another - from an aggressive clinic - that says yes) ? Are there non surgical remedies?
I'm so confused, I don't know what to do, frankly!
His hypo is under control, and his counts normal - finally
His skin funk is getting moderately better, but barely. He was on a 3 week stint of antibiotics, and it helped a little, but he's still scaly and oily and losing his undercoat, but less than before.
His liver counts still out of whack per his bloodwork in November. So my vet said, lets do an ultrasound. $700 later I'm told that if there is a liver shunt it is very small, but he could have bladder stones instead. I ask if bladder stones could give a false reading on his other blood work, and I'm told that's possible. But because his liver scores are so out of whack, time for a specialist for a biopsy. That will apparently tell all.
Bring Bacca to the appointment, and find out they didn't do a biopsy, but just another ultrasound and two rounds of blood work. $1200 later, and oh, for sure, he has a liver shunt and bladder stones. No biopsy done. And why pay $400 for bloodwork, if they didn't need it for diagnosis, since they they made the diagnosis the same day! And no, I've not seen the results of the new bloodwork either.
And yes, Madame! The surgery will cost between $4,000 and $5,700 depending on whether or not we do a biopsy first! Uuum! Why do a biopsy just prior to surgery, you might ask? Well, just to be sure.....so why they heck didn't they do the biopsy that I brought him in for in the first place, and use the ultrasound that my vet did as the starting point....they never freakin' saw it. Oh, well, "we don't use ultrasounds done by other firm's"
My vet is starting to back pedal, but now on vacation for two weeks. I'm spitting mad at the vetrinary practice in general. I don't feel I'm any further ahead than I was before. I feel like I'm getting bafflegab, and hosed.
btw....I was so angry at the specialists I threw my credit card at them and walked out....then had to skulk back in to retrieve it
I've now decided that I'm going to have to pay again to get another opinion. But insist this time that all the bloodwork and ultrasounds already done are used in the diagnosis.
Beyond that, what can anyone share of their experience with bladder stones, liver shunts or plain liver disease (i've not ruled that out, btw, since I've got one ultrasound that was inconclusive and another - from an aggressive clinic - that says yes) ? Are there non surgical remedies?
I'm so confused, I don't know what to do, frankly!
