[NAGDU] Veterinarian Advocacy

Mon Jul 10 21:16:36 UTC 2023

O yes, you have every reason to be upset.

I took my first dog to a new vet shortly before she retired. Before I
knew what was happening, the vet was taking her back outside the room
without me. Everything happened so fast I didn't know what to do. No
one warned me my dog would be taken away. I thought this vet had
simply taken my dog to begin examining her. It was terrible. I didn't
have a cane with me, and no one told me how long they would be with my
dog. After that I will never let any vet take my dog out of my
presence for an examination. If there's surgery or something else,
that's a different story. I have also made this clear with every vet.
Even during Covid, I refused to wait outside the vet's office and
would go in with my dog.

I would absolutely follow up and fight this. You need to be with your
dog during examinations for so many reasons.

Julie

On 7/10/23, Brent Franklin via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hello Rachel,
>
> Good to hear that you decided to take your dog to convention, I had been
> wondering what you would do. Good decision.
>
> I'm thinking you have done the right thing as far as this vet is concerned.
> I would go further and explain that it takes no extra staff member to be
> present for you to walk with your dog to the doctors room, and as it is a
> Guide Dog you require to be present with your dog at every stage. Explain
> being blind actually makes it easier on everyone if you are present, because
> at times you might need to show the doctor something or the doctor might
> need to show you something. Communication is key, and you could explain
> being present with your dog is the very best way to communicate with the
> doctor.
>
> I'm sure that should work, and if it doesn't suggest a trial of your way so
> that everyone working there can be put at ease. Now if that doesn't work it
> is time to find another vet.
>
> You have the right to be present with your dog, and just be as diplomatic at
> getting this point across.
>
> I can admit I've never struck this problem, and I'd be very pissed off if I
> did.
>
> Rachel, let us know how this works out, and the very best of luck.
>
> Cheers.
>
> Brent.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rachel Grider via
> NAGDU
> Sent: Tuesday, 11 July 2023 3:31 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Cc: Rachel Grider
> Subject: [NAGDU] Veterinarian Advocacy
>
> Hello, everyone:
>
> First of all, thank you to those of you who responded to my previous
> question about taking my guide dog to convention soon after surgery. I did
> take her, and she did well.
>
> The results from her biopsy came back about two weeks ago, and one of the
> masses removed was a mast cell tumor. It was low-grade cancer, but the
> doctor is confident that all of it was removed. She did say, however, that I
> need to be extra vigilant to check for lumps on Demi and to get them
> examined and tested as early as possible.
>
> On Saturday morning, I found another lump under one of Demi’s legs, and I
> called the vet to make an appointment. I was told that I would not be able
> to go into the examining room with Demi, but the doctor would come out to
> talk with me about what she finds. I asked why this policy was in place,
> especially since they allowed me to go in for her last exam, and I was told
> that they didn’t have enough staff (whatever that means). I explained that
> Demi is my guide dog, and I don’t feel comfortable having the doctor examine
> her without me, and I was told that there was a possibility that I could go
> in.
>
> I have only been going to this vet for about a month, and while I really
> like the doctor, I am very upset and frustrated by this ridiculous policy.
> What adds to this frustration is that the doctor left the message about the
> biopsy results the day before Demi’s stitches came out, but when I brought
> Demi in, they wouldn’t let me talk to the doctor because she was supposedly
> too busy. Who wouldn’t have questions after hearing that their dog had
> cancer? I was able to email the doctor, but it wasn’t the same.
>
> This pattern is very concerning to me. Demi has a lot of anxiety about the
> vet, and she was very resistant when they took her back for the surgery and
> for the stitches without me. I don’t want this anxiety to cause problems
> with her work later on, and it just isn’t efficient for the doctor to have
> to examine her and then come out to talk about her results, especially since
> the lump I found is hard to find and would probably need to be shown to the
> doctor.
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions of how to go about dealing with this
> situation? I thought about emailing the doctor directly, but she isn’t the
> one who created this policy, so I don’t know if that is the best strategy. I
> am already considering another vet, but I really do like this doctor and
> don’t
> want to change because of this.
>
> Thank you, and all best,
>
> Rachel
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-- 
Julie A. Orozco
MM Vocal Performance, 2015; American University Washington College of
Law, JD Candidate 2023