Dental abscess

HAH

HAH

Moderator
Location
Devon, UK
edzbird said:
Well vet James was absolutely brilliant with Meg. The receptionist, Laura, remembered her from last time when she took Meg in for her booster vaccs, so she put us at ease straight away.

James was already chatting in the (empty) waiting room to another staff member, so we sat and waited. After she left, he came over and sat near us and chatted to Meg and me. He was so good, he didn't make eye contact, just kept encouraging her, then he got a biscuit out and asked for her paw - and she obliged. He took her lead and I moved over to sit next to him and he chatted more, taking a really kind and professional approach to Meg. Then we went into the consulting room. He was still doing all sorts of things to make Meg comfotable. Eventually the muzzle came off and it was up to me to try & expose the molar for him to have a look. He gave her more biscuits and explained how we move forward.

In a nutshell, she's got 5 days of antibiotics and some metacam. If it comes back she will have to go in for xrays and extraction. He said that is usually a 2 stage process, but if he were to do it himself, he would try and do it in one. For that we'd have to go to the Onchan branch (some 10 or so miles away). He put me at ease about that, should it come to pass.

We came out and weighed her (20.8kg), and Laura got some more biscuits for Meg, again asking for her paw, saying she was trying to make Meg's visit a positive experience, especially at the end of her visit. She's put a note on her records to say that James is her preferred vet. I honestly cried tears of joy and relief when I got back in the car.

Meg now has 2 new friends.

** We didn't teach Meg or Coco "paw", it seems to be one they do at the MSPCA. It's a trick that can lead to the dog badgering you with their paw (and boy, does Meg badger. Coco is good, he doesn't), but today I'm glad it's a trick she knows, it was an ice breaker for her.
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This is just brilliant, I'm so happy for you and Meg! And textbook from James the vet, and Laura the receptionist who sounds worth her weight in gold and like she may have been instrumental in laying sound foundations for Meg's visit. But mostly this is also down to you for being Meg's best advocate. I love the use of 'paw' as a temperature test to see how Meg was feeling, and to leave on a positive note. How very sensible.
 
Candy

Candy

Biscuit Tin Guardian
Location
West Yorkshire, UK
I'm so glad it went so well for Meg and you. It's very heartening to hear about people like Laura and James, who are prepared to work with the dog and owner, putting the dog's wellbeing and comfort at the forefront of the treatment they give. Well done to you, too, for being clear and firm about how Meg needs to be treated. Of course, well done Meg, for being Veryvery brave and such a Goodgirl! I do hope the antibiotics do the trick and nothing further is needed.
 
edzbird

edzbird

Location
Isle of Man
Jelinga said:
How encouraging to have an empathetic vet who understands animals. You must be so relieved that it went well.
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Absolutely. He really was empathetic and understanding, and he narrated all his actions and her reactions for my benefit which I really appreciated.

Meg says she was indeed, VeriVeriBrave and also VeriVeriGood for eating her tablets (from a dollop of Yoggies).

I keep my fingers crossed that James stays, and Laura. We seem to have a high turn-over, though I did see the lady vet (who Meg didn't get on with, nor she with Meg) milling around, so she must have been there a couple of years now. Coco loves her. Coco loves everyone. She was good with Coco. Our vets have merged with another set of vets so maybe he was with them.
 
Granca

Granca

That’s a brilliant experience, Sue! Let’s hope the antibiotics solve the problem. If not, though, it seems that James has a good plan.
 
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