>From:    Sunshine <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Ferret Expenses/Outlawdook
>Should explain what I wrote.  Maybe I've been reading too much about Vet's
>misdiagnosing a ferret and them being sick more and some dying.  Some
>doing tons of tests with nothing being found wrong even tho the ferret is
>sick.  Maybe I'm a bit upset about hearing these things.  Or a ferret
>having surgery and being in pain afterwards.  Here a vet is supposed to
>help and sometimes they make things worse.  I hate when I write something
>and the meaning comes out wrong from what I meant to say.  When we had a
>ferret put to sleep we did see a vet, but the ferret was dying and nothing
>we did helped.  Maybe it's not the money as it is the suffering or
>misdiagnosing which does bother me so.
 
Vets are only human, doing one of the hardest medical jobs there is --
treating patients incapable of telling all of their symptoms and ailments.
They aren't animal psychics or living embodiments of Dr. Doolittle able to
magically communicate with our animal friends.  So tests are a necessity
for them to diagnose and develop a plan of treatment that provides the most
benefit with the least harm to the patient.  And, yes, sometimes it does
take repeated testing to get a correct diagnosis.  Many ailments have
similar symptoms, but very different treatments.
 
On the FML, or any other list, there will always be those who are quick to
blame a ferret's suffering and death on the vet's misdiagnosis.  And, while
there are some vets who are guilty of misdiagnosing an illness, it happens
far less often than the reports would make it appear.  Part of that comes
from the fact, that more people complain of unwanted outcomes.  Part of it
comes from a human weakness that someone has to be responsible when bad
things happen.  It's the "I am a good care-giver, this can't be happening
to me, so the vet must be bad" syndrome.  Bad things happen regardless of
how good a care-giver we are to our animal companions.  We can do
everything in our power to provide an environment condusive to good health
and still have our ferret friends fall ill.  That is a part of life -- the
good and the bad come, but not necessarily in equal measures to us all.
 
It might be a symptom of modern culture that more and more people don't
seem to understand that not all pain is a bad thing.  Yes, there is post
operative pain and discomfort -- but, that is nothing compared to the pain
and discomfort of the untreated ailment.  Pain is also a part of the
healing process, and while vets or human doctors can dull or deaden the
pain, it is still there.  Pain does serve a function -- it reminds the
patient to rest and allow the body to heal itself.  Remember, doctors and
vets only assist the body to heal itself -- they can do phenomenal things
to that end -- but what they really do is to make it possible for the body
to heal itself.  And, sometimes the disease or illness is too far spread,
or too tenacious for even their abilities.
 
Scott
[Posted in FML issue 2804]