Vet second opinion - is it okay?

Margaret_Skinner

I'm registered with a local vets and have no reason to doubt they are not efficient and professional. The other day I took my eleven and a half year old black lab there because he's been panting heavily at night and I'm not convinced it's just the heat. In fact I'm pretty sure it's not because there were 2 evenings where the panting was pretty bad and then the following 2 evenings the temp was exactly the same and he was fine. He's also clearing his throat or coughing a lot - again more in the evenings and I think he's drinking more than usual.

I really wasn't sure if I was being a 'worried mum' so had a look on the Internet and discovered all these symptoms or at least 2 of them can point to possible congestive heart failure and it's important to get it checked out.

So off we trundled but the vet couldn't come up with any reason for the panting despite all the other symptoms. That's the bit that worried me most - that she just couldn't suggest anything. She gave me tablets for 10 days to try and help his circulation and asked me to do a urine sample to see if there's anything going on with his kidneys and also note what he's drinking and give her a total of his input in 24 hours.

I'm doing all that but meanwhile have to listen to him doing this awful panting every night and I'm just so worried she's missing something.

My question is - just as you might go to another doctor if not satisfied with one - can you do that with a vet? Do you have to stick with the one you're registered with? Even if it's just for advice? How do I know if I'm just being paranoid and overprotective? After all she's the professional - I'm not.

SavingPennies_2

I've not been in the same situation. But, if it were my cat, and it had been more than a few days with no improvement I'd ring another local vets and ask if they will look at her. Of if there is more than one vet at your practice just ring and specifically ask for another person, but maybe say "Id like to see xxx, rather than, I don't want to see xxx" if you don't want to seem rude. Hope he is okay.

chris_n_tj

Had I stayed at the first Vets with Teeg we would have lost him within months. We changed Vets and I thank god we did.
If in doubt then go to another Vet, go with your gut instinct no one knows your dog as well as you do.
Better safe than sorry. I hope your boy feels more like his old self soon xxx

arbroath_lass

Of course it is ok to see another vet. But I would assume you chose (in your opinion) the best in the first place. Did you tell your vet what your concerns are?


Hope your boy feels better soon.

stir_crazy

Yes, please go and see another vet if you're not satisfied. I wish I had done this with my first cat because my vet diagnosed him with IBD. I went for a second opinion and he was then diagnosed with chronic heart failure. By then it was too late to help him and I had to have him PTS.

ETA: I should say the vet was treating him for several months for IBD, so he was getting progressively worse all the time.

Margaret_Skinner

Thank you everyone - you've made my mind up! En route to the vet with his urine sample this afternoon I'll pop into the other local vet and see what they say

Arbroath lass - the vet is a well respected chain of vets but I have to say it's really difficult to 'chose the best'. How do you decide? Just as how do you decide on the 'best' doctor, dentist, whatever - it's a bit of a lottery in my opinion because we don't have the professional expertise to let us know if they're doing anything wrong. I'm not being negative - just saying it's hard to know.

stir_crazy

Margaret_Clark wrote: »

Thank you everyone - you've made my mind up! En route to the vet with his urine sample this afternoon I'll pop into the other local vet and see what they say

Arbroath lass - the vet is a well respected chain of vets but I have to say it's really difficult to 'chose the best'. How do you decide? Just as how do you decide on the 'best' doctor, dentist, whatever - it's a bit of a lottery in my opinion because we don't have the professional expertise to let us know if they're doing anything wrong. I'm not being negative - just saying it's hard to know.

I've just noticed you're in Aberdeen, I'm in Aberdeen too. It is hard to choose "the best" vet; a practice which may have glowing reviews from others may let you down, which is what happened to me with my first boy. The practice I'm with now have been good for both of my cats, but I know others who havent been happy with them.

arbroath_lass

Margaret_Clark wrote: »

Arbroath lass - the vet is a well respected chain of vets but I have to say it's really difficult to 'chose the best'. How do you decide? Just as how do you decide on the 'best' doctor, dentist, whatever - it's a bit of a lottery in my opinion because we don't have the professional expertise to let us know if they're doing anything wrong. I'm not being negative - just saying it's hard to know.

Of course it is difficult to decide. I wasn't having a go at you, sorry if it came across that way.


I hope your boy gets the help he needs.

krlyr

No harm in getting a second opinion - there are no rules that you can only register with one vet at a time, though your first vet would be entitled to charge you for the second vet wanting copies of any notes etc.

Alternatively, approach your current vets and express your desire to do some further diagnostics. I have done this with my vets before - Kiki had an intermittant limp they felt was 'just' arthritis, given her breed and age. I had a niggle about it and after the last episode, asked that we x-ray to rule out any alternative issues, and get an official diagnosis. Turned out she had tendonitis of the shoulder, and the action plan for arthritis wouldn't have really helped her condition long-term.

teddysmum

I'd ring your practice and ask to speak to a specific vet. If they are like my practice, a vet will be quite happy to ring you back.


This way there are no vet ethics involved, as if you go to another practice it is required that they consult your vet for permission, as they are already 'treating' your dog. (This isn't the case , if you want to go elsewhere for cheaper vacs or for a first time consultation for another ailment).

toniq

Our local vets misdiagnosed my dog I insisted on a second opinion as they said my dog was suffering too much when all I could see was bloody urine but him running around and being his mad cap self.

The second vets, which I took him too said the original vet had misread the xrays and he would be fine after antibiotics and a change of diet to cope with his sensitivities.

I never knew the importance of sourcing a decent vets and will never just think local vet is fine without research.