[nagdu] Noticing medical issues?

[Karyn & Thane]

Healthy dogs and I mean truly healthy ones are very few and far between 
unfortunately. I don't have a program to rely upon to pay the bills or tell 
me when I can have certain tests run. This has given me more opportunities. 
In this sense what I mean is the opportunity to stand my ground and get 2nd, 
3rd, 4th, 5th opinions if need be.

Met and Thane have both taught me great lessons to seek the answers I needed 
to give my dogs the best possible lives.

As service animal handlers, we are often so intune with our dogs that the 
teenest variation and we notice it. Like Rox'E noticing issues with LaVeau's 
energy and guide work.

I've had to educate myself in alternative treatments (for both my dogs, but 
mostly for Met) That said, Thane has taught me that just because a treatment 
is the commonly used one, doesn't mean it is the right one for him.

There's been good to come from not having vets like Rox'E has. I have 
learned about many conditions, learned to ALWAYS have a baseline full panel 
run on my dogs soon after I get them (but wait a couple months if recent 
vaccinations have been done). I have learned symptoms of hypothyroidism very 
well (thanks to two dogs who developed it and were inadequately treated) I 
have learned much more than I ever wanted to about chronic Lyme disease in 
areas where ticks are not as commonplace. Above all I have learned that lab 
reports are ONLY a tool and they do not always represent the situation 
accurately.

I have learned so much in alternative fields-- herbal, homeopathic, TCM, 
massage. Each dog has benefitted immensely from my determination to help 
them when available vets could not or would not do what they needed.

If your gut tells you something is wrong and you have what it takes to fight 
for your partnership, by all means do so-- but if your circumstances don't 
allow you to keep seeking answers, do what is right for both of you.

Karyn and Thane