>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]