So Important - Be Your Own Advocate

Today was somewhat a nightmare of a day. It all ends well - but reaching the good ending was a long drawn out emotional experience. We have an older doggie that just isn't feeling well.  She started feeling poorly Thursday night and I almost took her to the vet then, but it was one of those situations where she felt fine - and then felt sick - and then fine again.  Yesterday was more of the same and last night she was vomiting and had diarrhea and clearly wasn't well.  I went to the vet first thing this morning and the vet I love, the vet I adore, the vet that I can never thank enough for all he has done...was NOT in.  I had a different vet that I have never met before.  I told the vet that I thought my doggie had a minor gastrointestinal issue and she needed IV fluids to feel better.  That the illness kind of just ran her down and she needed re-hydrated and some tummy meds.  Well - this vet didn't listen to ONE word I said. She was one of those vets that clearly believes you have had to go to veterinarian school to know anything. I gently let her know that I have been raising puppies for over 15 years and really know a lot about dog illnesses, general dog health, and animal husbandry. I said I really think she needs an IV.  She didn't hear one word I said. She ordered a whole chem panel, CBC, blood clotting tests - the works.  She said that my doggie didn't have an infection and had no elevated white blood count but she wanted her sent to a different animal hospital right away for a blood transfusion.  She was sure that my doggie needed emergency surgery to have her spleen removed or at least she needed exploratory surgery but that she was in such poor shape - she had a 90% chance of dying from the surgery before they figured out what was wrong with her. She said if we operate - she will die.  If we don't operate - she will die. The whole thing was a nightmare and it ended up with us leaving with our doggie - convinced that she was going to die before the morning. I didn't feel right about taking our doggie in for the blood transfusion and surgery.  I just wanted her back home. I paid the ridiculously expensive bill and drove home. Once I got home, it became clear that our doggie was feeling worse.  We ended up loading her in the car and driving quite a distance to an emergency vet. That vet confirmed my original diagnosis.  He started an IV drip, gave us some meds (that I had originally requested) and now we are finally home with....a happy, tail wagging, perky, FEELING MUCH BETTER doggie. To think that we almost lost our doggie over all of this is just awful.  I am sharing this story with you so if you are ever at a physician's office or veterinarian's office or any other professional type office or situation where you just know in your heart that you are right.....maybe just maybe YOU ARE RIGHT.  Don't give into the pressure.  Listen to your gut instinct. Be your own advocate. It just might end up that you get to spend the evening snuggled up with your doggie - grateful that everything worked out in the end.