From some replies it looks like there are at least a couple people on
the FML that put complete faith in veterinarians and apparently, by
extension, doctors. However there seem to be at least as many, if not
more, that have run into situations where the "professional health
expert" offered less than stellar information and even a wrong
diagnosis! Hmmm - could it be that vets and doctors might not be quite
as perfect as some would presume?

It is rather difficult to bring up actual numbers of misdiagnosis by
vets and doctors but one website has devoted a lot of information to
just that: www.wrongdiagnosis.com

and an article on MSNBC delves into veterinary mishaps:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35286379/

IN a perfect world every veterinarian (and Doctor) would have identical
skill sets and be able to offer correct diagnosis - but that just does
not happen!

Why should it be necessary to spend years encountering wrong veterinary
diagnosis, poor judgment calls, or pay for ineffective treatments in
the ferret realm if one has already encountered such actions in the
dog, cat or horse veterinary realms? Why would the experiences gained
in OTHER areas be LESS significant or NON essential when dealing with
ferrets?

In just the few years I have been dealing with ferrets it has become
ABUNDANTLY clear that there are many veterinarians that CLAIM they
are familiar with ferrets - but when it comes right down to it
anything much past innoculations, dental observations, and kibble
recommendations is simply hit or miss whether the veterinarian has any
ferret skills at all! Through in some one who has a decent grasp of
medical knowledge and is progressive in ferret care and management
(free roam 24/7 and an all natural diet) and this seems to completely
befuddle many vets!

As popular as ferrets are, they simply are NOT seen regularly by many
veterinarians nor even seen regularly by the SAME veterinarian! If
veterinarians were so perfect in their diagnosis and treatments then
why would ANYONE seek a second OPINION? Take a good look at that last
word - "OPINION" - because when you seek veterinary care - or go to a
doctor that s EXACTLY what you are getting - THEIR OPINION of what the
ailment is! Their opinion of the proper course of treatment for the
ailment will be based upon their education, their exposure to the
ailment and their success with treating similar cases in the past! Why
is it so hard to accept that not every health care professional is
going to have been exposed to the same things and therefore will NOT
have skills necessary to treat the ailment?

What pet owners do encounter quite often is a rather young veterinarian
who may be well read and eager to please and not so eager to admit they
do not know what to do! OR just the opposite an elderly veterinarian
who has been in practice for many years and STILL refuses to admit they
don't know what to do! the letters after their names do NOT make these
people perfect or turn them into gods! Those letters merely mean that
the person has passed a particular test at a specific point in time -
nothing designates they now know all there is to know about any animal
that comes to their practice!

Veterinarians, like doctors, often over book their clinics (probably to
offset cancellations and no shows) so this tends to severely limit the
time they can spend examining the patient and discussing observations
and symptoms. This can short change the patient severely. Some vets
that don't know will take a very conservative approach and this too can
short change the patient. Others want to run every test in the book
when an obvious ailment is staring them in the face! And this may end
up short changing the patient too!

There is absolutely NOTHING wrong to second guess the veterinarian,
or to arm yourself with research you've done yourself! And there is
nothing wrong with using past experiences in other venues to guide
your interactions with the current veterinarian!

Cheers,
Kim

please visit:
for ferret help and info:
http://holisticferret.proboards80.com/index.cgi
http://ferretopia.proboards51.com/index.cgi
yahoo groups Natural Ferrets

[Posted in FML 6619]