Thor is due for his annual Holter monitor. It is a 24 hour heart monitor. He suffers from arrhythmia's and takes medication for it. His prescription will run out this month. I called the clinic that has done it in the past and I asked for an appointment even saying he needs this test. They told me the cardiologist is no longer with the practice but another doctor, and internist, is taking his patients for now. I'm not thrilled but he needs the test.
( A little warning this next part is going to be a bit gross.)
Monday morning I let Thor out to potty after my shower. After he comes in, I go to blow dry my hair. As I am leaning over Thor walks by and I notice blood between his back legs. (Thor had a blockage in his urethra and has been rerouted to potty like a girl.) I get a little freaked. I grab a tissue and wipe and I hear something hit the floor. I find a small off white chunk of something. I wipe Thor some more and several chunks are now in the tissue. Now I am really freaked. I am thinking, "OK, so maybe God planned for us to see the internist today."
We get there on time for our appointment, they are running behind. Not a big deal, things happen especially at a vet's office after the weekend. 30-40 minutes later we are taken to an exam room. I mention the Holter, and I am informed, they don't have any. OK, now I am getting a little ticked I just waited and I am not getting what I came for. Fine, next issue. Thor is passing stones. Well they could do the the test but it would be less expensive if my regular vet did it. OK, yes Iam glad to save the money, but it was the way they said it. It was like it was going to use their precious time up to take care of my dog. So I left there and got into see my regular vet that afternoon.
I get to my vet and explain what is going on. They run a complete blood count and chem panel on him. Which I got a copy emailed the next day. They are also sending the stones out to be analyzed to make sure it is just and infection. My vet says he believes they are just bladder stones caused by the infection.
Now for the kicker, when Thor's tumor was discovered they knew there was a bladder stone. They told me about it, but never mentioned it was caused by an infection. Don't you think this would have been something I needed to know? Granted they thought he was close to to death but they even said it could take a month. Would you want to spend your last month with a bladder infection? They also didn't mention it in the report to my regular vet. I was livid! My boy has had an infection for 2 1/2 months.
He is doing better now, no blood and no more stones. I am going to contact Kansas State University and get his Holter done through them. I do not think I want to walk into that other clinic again. It used to be great. I had a lot of confidence in them, but they changed hands a year to a year and half ago, and I don't think it is the same quality. Maybe that is why the cardiologist left. I did find out he left to open his own practice but due to a competition contract clause has to wait two years. He is practicing about 1 1/2 hours away. Even though I do like him I think I am going to go to K-State just the same.
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