Folks, we had a terrible thing happen to us back in September.  Luna, our
10 month old baby girl began acting lethargic so we took her to our local
vet immediately.  They said she had an enlarged spleen and couldn't find
anything else.  They gave her an injection of antibiotics and sent her
home.  The next day she wasn't doing any better so took her to another vet
who gave her fluids and put her on baytril.  She also did bloodwork and
suspected a bacterial infection.  I was feeding her soup every 2 hrs and
stayed up with her all night doing this.  The vet called a couple of days
later and said that her bloodwork was alarming and that I should get her
to a specialist.  I took her to the only vet I had ever heard was a
"specialist".  He did no bloodwork and said that the original bloodwork
was "no good".  He diagnosed an enlarged spleen and insisted that it
should come out.  He only did a physical exam, no other tests.  I left her
there thinking this man knew what he was doing.  He called the next day
(didn't do the surgery for 24 hrs.) and said that she could come home that
afternoon.  What I saw when I picked her up was the most scary thing I
have ever seen.  She cold not move her back end and was soooooo weak.  He
told me to feed her 5 cc's every hr.  of clinicure, and to get some sleep,
that it wasn't necessary for me to sty up with her.  I stayed up with her
any way.  The next morning I called him to say that she wasn't doing good
at all and he stated that I was probably overreacting and that she was
weak from the surgery.  I took her to my vet who gave her fluids and
dextrose and called him to say that I was on my way back.  When I got
there (2 hr trip) he insisted that she probably had an infection and put
her in ICU.  He told me that I could probably come and get her in a couple
of days----I did----IN A CARDBOARD BOX.  When asked what happened this man
told us that we had a "very sick ferret and that if we didn't want this to
happen to the rest of them we would bring them to him for regular cancer
screenings".  the bill was $830+.
 
We consulted with several specialists after this and believe that this man
knew nothing about what he was doing.  I looked for help in the way of
calling Troy Lynn Eckart and she referred us to a wonderful veterinarian
in Topeka, Ks.  Our "kids" now see him on a regular basis and we fully
trust him.  Please, Please, do your homework before it's too late!!!!!
Don't make the mistake that we did.  Luna's bloodwork showed a very low
glucose level and very high insulin level.  Her pacl cell volume was in
the high 40's and the vet insisted that this was very low and that she
must be bleeding internally.  Her histopath (if it was in fact hers) came
back showing lymphoma.  My husband and I (especially me) will never
forgive ourselves for taking her to him for we believe that she might
have survived if taken elsewhere.  She was the light of my life and went
everywhere with me.  We have adopted two others which Troy Lynn set up for
us who are delightful babies but there will always be a void in my life.
Luna passed to the bri dge on September 22, 2001.  She was also known as
the Q-Tip Queen as she like to sleep in the Q-Tip drawer.  She is very
missed.
 
Angie George
Humboldt, Ks.
[Posted in FML issue 3658]