Need Vet Help!

[RKbusy]

Hey, so just to update, I actually went in for an exam at Hull Veterinary Clinic.

As opposed to on the phone, the receptionists in PERSON were actually really really nice! They were all ohhhh-ing and awwww-ing over Sketch and Sammy (they were in my jacket). They reassured me that Dr. Kader was very good with small animals and one of the receptionists was all like "oh he's great! He neutered my chinchilla for me, blah blah blah" (I was like... "uh huh... relevance?")

Anyway, met Dr. Kader, and WOW! I love this guy!

First of all, he was incredibly funny. Really friendly. Super open (he took out all his vet books and pointed stuff out to me after he realized I seemed to know a little about the rattie meds and all that). He was very comfortable handling the rats and even though I was only there to get Sammy checked, he checked over Sketch too.

My favourite comment from him: "Wow! He's really soft!" And then he went all baby voiced and was like "You're so SOFT!" Sketch was like "Ack! Strange male thing!"

Anyway, he wants me to wait another 7 days before bringing Sammy in for her spay. He's hoping she'll gain some more weight, and he wanted me to start her on Chlor Palm 250, do the surgery on day 7, then do another 7 days of Chlor Palm after the surgery.

I was in chat the other night, and people mentioned that Chlor Palm is like... an old school antibiotic. So I donno. He's definitely never spayed a rat before (though he has neutered them, and spayed rabbits/a guinea pig). All I know is that I trust him to do his absolute best.

*sigh*

So I think I'm going with Dr. Kader for the spay. I feel confident right now, but I'm afraid I'm making the wrong decision and that I'll regret it if something happens to Sammy.

 

[jorats]

Is she sick? is that why he wants her on chlor palm? Chlor palm is not necessarily old school but it whacks a punch and you need that for the real tough infections. Otherwise he sounds very good.

 

[lilangel]

He also gave that meds to me for Money after his neuter. He is a wonderful vet for me i did not know how good with spays but for Neuters i will for sure go back to him. Like said before he was also so nice to me and gave me his home cell number in case anything should happen to Monkey after the neuter.(i kind of asked if anything should happen you know after hours and all)

And if you do go to him for your Sammy for her spay i will for sure also follow lol as here it is very hard to find a good fordable vet around Ottawa/Hull. And if you do not go there even i will still most likely go when i can get a girl spayed as i did feel comfortable with him and with my rats.

And thee deesk peeople i think there is always new ones lol i had mean ones (almost two years ago though) i am also glad thee desk people are friendly and nice too.

 

[RKbusy]

@jorats

Sammy HAD a really bad URI (audible wheezing, tons of red stuff from her nose, etc). I had her on both "doxy" and "enrofloxacin" for 2 weeks (one of the meds) and 3 weeks (the other med). When she's at home, with Sketch and just out for play time, her breathing is just fine. Not labored and completely silent. However, when she gets stressed (like when I took her in to get her teeth trimmed and when I have to restrain her slightly to clip her nails), she starts breathing heavily (still silent though).

Anyway, Dr. Kader listened to her breathing (she was totally stressed, vet trip... you know?) and said there was still a bit of infection. He wanted her on the Chlor Palm 250 both before and after the spay. I guess... just to make sure her breathing doesn't increase the risk involved with the surgery?

I know he explained it to me, and at least that's what I understood >.<
Should I be alarmed? Is he completely just bs-ing me?

 

[jorats]

Ah, ok, that sounds good. After the spay too is good because it can stress her out and get the fight going asap.

 

[ChrisK]

I'm so intrigued by this thread. I confess, I'd been to Dr. Kader last year, when my girlie needed her first surgery, and I had a very different experience with him. I'm NOT casting doubt on his abilities, but I confess I did not like him much. And on the other hand, I've had a very good experience with Dr. Liston, by and large. So chalk it up to experience or maybe just bedside manner, but we all have different impressions/comfort levels. We're really lucky to live in a town with so many options!

 

[RKbusy]

What happened with Dr. Kader?

I don't care if it casts doubt! At this point, doubt is just precaution in my opinion.

As for Dr. Steve Liston, I know that he's great will small animals. And that he's great with tumor removal and just general check-ups, but I would NOT trust him with spays. The guy doesn't even have a digital scale -___- (Or the last I checked at least).

 

[ChrisK]

Right. Dr. Liston does not have much experience/comfort with spays. But I have seen him use a scale -- don't recall if it's digital or not.

My experience with Dr. Kader was only one visit about one year ago. I was checking him out for my girlie's minor surgery (external mass removal). He seemed to know his stuff pretty well, and he had a good track record, but did not have much bedside manner, which left me feeling he had no particular concern for my pet. I found his manner rather rough, including the way he handled my little girlie. It sounds like he's changed a lot in that regard! Also I remember the clinic was dingy and the floor of the clinic was dirty looking and I recall wondering if there was a risk of infection when surgery's done.

For what it's worth, that was my experience. One visit, one year ago. Sounds like a lot has changed since then!

 

[lilangel]

When i went with Monkey back in early 2009 it was changed and nice looking but i remember going back maybe 2007/2008 and it was a little less welcoming i guess you can say that is when i had my experience with the desk staff being rude and not all helpful, i went for my cat being declawed(before anyone wonders it was ether get rid of cat for destroying the furniture or declaw and we did try everything else before deciding on declawing we even tried the soft claws they worked for a bit until she figured out how to take them off >.<)

With Liston i have still to this day never seen him use a scale on my rats that is why when i get meds i get the right dose for them here most times he has been wrong in the dose since he does not weigh them but maybe its because he knows ill do it myself? who knows but Liston i like because he listens and does come around to things like when we wanted to change meds for girly he listened and gave me what i asked for as for others they go for the basic baytril try always, Liston did at first but like said i called him and told him how it was not working so we decided to change meds, But for surgery im not sure with him never done one, every time i had a rat with even the smallest tumor he told me not worth it and so on like he did not feel to do it. Or it was already to big or what not. But i am now thinking he was thinking on the Rescue and knows maybe that we do not make millions of money or something.

 

[ChrisK]

With Liston ... i am now thinking he was thinking on the Rescue and knows maybe that we do not make millions of money or something.

I couldn't say what was meant in that discussion, but that's possible, as I find Dr. Liston to be very astute in caring for the pet owner's situation. (I'm not running a rat rescue.) I'm very upfront with him, and my husband says too much so, but he always tries to oblige me. (and I can be one of those very annoying neurotic people when it comes to my ratties ).

I was pleased with the job he did with the tumor removals for both Lollipop and Skittles, as well as Lollipop's first surgery last year. However, I have noted his discomfort around doing spays and would not ask him to do a spay.

Anyway, that's my thought on the matter. As I mentioned before, I think we all find different comfort levels with different doctors/vets. And when it's the care of our beloved pets at stake, I think it's important to go with what works best for you!

 

[lilangel]

I am glad though i will push the next time. As i did not really push it >.<

 

[xenrielle]

I don't know if this helps at all, but currently I go to Carling Animal Hospital. I have been there a couple times, and everyone I have seen has been very knowledgeable about rats. I have seen two different vets there, and they were both very thorough, spent about 20-30 minutes with my rats. It's slightly more expensive, about $60 a checkup, but I feel very comfortable with them there, so I'm okay with that. There is also a vet there who specializes in pocket pets (exotics), Dr. Saye Clement.

Hope this helps in the future maybe.

 

[ChrisK]

I don't know if this helps at all, but currently I go to Carling Animal Hospital. I have been there a couple times, and everyone I have seen has been very knowledgeable about rats. I have seen two different vets there, and they were both very thorough, spent about 20-30 minutes with my rats. It's slightly more expensive, about $60 a checkup, but I feel very comfortable with them there, so I'm okay with that. There is also a vet there who specializes in pocket pets (exotics), Dr. Saye Clement.

I liked Carling Animal Hospital too, until Lollipop needed her first surgery last year. They're the ones who wanted to charge me $1000 to do the surgery -- to remove a growth behind her ear which was not attached to any organs, etc.


RKBusy : how did the spays go with Dr. Kader? Would you recommend him?

 

[lilangel]

RKBusy girl passed away from unknown reasons i think she did not get to make it to do the spay

 

[ChrisK]

oh no! I'm so sorry to hear of her passing.

 

[ChrisK]

I called a different vet's office to make an appointment, because I want a second opinion on Lollipop's balance issue. I only intend to go to the new vet once, for this issue, and not to switch vets.

The new vet's office wants to contact our current vet to get all the records of Lollipop's history. While that sounds very smart on their part, and I get the idea, I'm also feeling terribly uncomfortable with that, as I don't intend to switch vets, and I don't want my create bad feelings with my current vet.

How do you handle these situations?

Am I being too worrisome, or do vets take these kinds of things as a matter of course usually?

 

[jorats]

Have you told the new vet you were looking for a second opinion only? I would not agree to the files being sent either.

 

[ChrisK]

I may not have been clear about only wanting a second opinion. I'll call back tomorrow. I'm thinking if they still insist on all the records, maybe I just go elsewhere. Fortunately this is not an urgent situation.

 

[smmmiley]

oh wow not good yeah.

With Liston hes always telling me how removing tumors does not help as they almost always come back.

His wife does research on rats so he may know something we don't?

I don't know. Obviously, there are more folks on here who have had many girls, etc... But, from the post I've read, it does seem as though tumor removal is somewhat of a "crap shoot".

This is a good post on vets in the Ottawa/Hull area...