It is unfortunate that events occur which lead pet owners to be
less-than-trusting of veterinarians.  However, these events DO occur,
primarily (IMHO and IME) because veterinarians often will not admit when
they don't know what to do, and hesitate to make referrals when warranted.
IME, they also tend to overstate their experience with ferrets.
 
Zet owners put the lives of their loved ones in the hands of veterinarians,
and feel deeply responsible for their welfare.  Learning after the fact
that your vet didn't know what to do and that your pet is dead because of
it results in an understandable feeling of betrayal and tremendous guilt.
 
I am fortunate to currently have a veterinarian that is extremely
experienced in ferret care, but have known (been a patient of)many that,
as it turned out, were out of their element when dealing with complicated
medical conditions.  And I didn't find that out until a bad result
occurred.
 
I would have been much more understanding if I'd been made aware that the
vet didn't know what to do and was just doing his best.  I would have felt
more a part of the process, and not felt so badly afterwards.
 
Certainly, we all try to find the best vets we can in our communities, but
sometimes there isn't a good, experienced vet nearby.  Especially in those
situations, we all need to be vigilant in determining why each treatment
is recommended and past experiences with that course of treatment.
Ultimately, we as ferret owners have the responsibility for the well-being
of our pets, and must be as educated as possible!  Hooray for the FML!
 
Melissa
[Posted in FML issue 3679]