Saturday, September 22, 2012

I am a magician!

Yes, its true. Apparently, I am a magician. 

With no magician training, nor experience, it appears I can do magical things.

Of course, the audience (owner) then gets disappointed, when they come in with their pet, expecting me to wave my magic wand, or weave a magical spell, and magically cure or fix the problem.

I often have consultations where pets have been showing signs for many months, and suddenly, the owner wants the problem fixed in a week.    Why let the pet suffer for that long if you honestly thought a weeks treatment would fix it?

Many a time a client will walk through the consultation room, and not even before I get a chance to put the pet onto the table to examine it, I am asked for the diagnosis and treatment of the problem. And the owner then gets all huffy and puffy, when I say " I need to examine your pet first"

Another classic case is the client who says "my dog has conjunctivitis and just needs some drops". When you go to actually conduct a complete eye examination, they go on about how they just needs the drops, and don't understand that an examination is needed.  "What if your dog had a grass seed? or a scratch on the eye".

Disappointing people is something I hate to do, and, not giving them the answer they seek about their pet's medical condition, equally hits me hard.

But, sorry, I am not a magician. I refuse to come up with a diagnosis of your pet's condition unless I am pretty sure.  This doesn't equate to "I  have no idea what was wrong with your pet", but, simply means "unless I can say 100% your pet as ABC disease, I will leave my diagnostic options open".

And no, I have no magical therapy that will cure your pet's skin problems, or fix their arthritis, guaranteed.  That magical potion doesn't want to exist in my veterinary hospital.

But I do have treatment plans and options, which will, at least, make your pet as comfortable as they can be.

So, sorry that my title disappointed you.  I am not a magician.   Just a humble vet, trying to do the best she can for her pets.