Getting a second opinion

kateincornwall

kateincornwall

Location
Cornwall , UK
Just wanted to share this , as a good example of a second Veterinary opinion sometimes being the best way forward . My best friend Karen , herself a cancer sufferer non hodgkins lymphoma , has been going through hell with her little dog Peggie . Karen noticed the lump on Peggie`s leg and took her to the Vet . He carried out a fine needle aspiration which he said was non conclusive but he felt absolutely certain that the lump was cancer , urging Karen to go for amputation for Peggie . Karen felt unsure , as her dog is 12 years old , and so she and her husband decided to hang fire for a little while . Karen rings me often and in one of our chats , I asked her about getting a second opinion , something she had already thought about , and so they went to another Vet in their home town of Bristol . This Vet said that she felt equally sure that the lump was not cancer , she suggested an operation as the lump was starting to impact on the dogs walking , and then a sample of tissue would be sent away for a definitive result .The tissue test was the same one that Sam had , exceedingly complex and involving staining the tissue with various chemicals , results can take two weeks to come through . They went ahead , Pegs had her operation two weeks ago , Karen rang me earlier with the wonderful news that it is Lipoma , a fatty harmless lump ! I guess the moral is to get a second opinion if there is any doubt , so happy for her xx
 
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SteffiS

SteffiS

Location
Norfolk
This actually both frightens me and encourages me. I've always believed in my vet implicitly so I probably wouldn't have even thought about a second opinion, but having read this I can see that getting a second opinion for something so major should always be a consideration.
I'm so pleased for your friend and Peggie that she took that step, I hope her original vet was glad that the final diagnosis was so positive.
 
M

M.F.

That is just sad, to think a normal leg could’ve been pointlessly amputated. It makes me very angry. Did the first vet even think to ask another vet for a second opinion?

I’m so pleased for the outcome. What a relief. And well done to you for suggesting it to your friend. Certainly a lesson for us all, especially in areas where we aren’t ourselves the experts, and we rely on the authority figure to make the correct decision.
 
Candy

Candy

Biscuit Tin Guardian
Location
West Yorkshire, UK
Took Joy out for a very wet walk thismorning, met up with her friend Tess and they raced around, played and had a bit of a swim as usual. She was completely her normal self all afternoon until it came to her afternoon/evening walk. We set off as normal but a few yards along the road she laid down and clearly didn't want to go any further. I turned round with her and she pulled all the short way home, obviously really wanting to be back in the house. I put her tea down for her as normal, she sniffed it but won't eat it. She's slightly subdued, but doesn't appear particularly poorly otherwise, still running to the door and barking as usual if she hears someone come through the gate. I sent Tess's dad a text about this and he replied that Tess didn't eat her tea straight away as she usually does although she did eventually eat it all but in several stages. He also said she seems a bit subdued. I then rang the vet for advice, luckily I got Chris, the one at the practice who knows Joy best (and keeps threatening to steal her) He asked a lot of questions, and had me checking various things. He said that as I didn't feel she looked particularly poorly and it's quite a way to the out of hours surgery he would advise half a paracetamol and to repeat the checks I had done hourly. If she appears to be deteriorating he wants to see her. I gave her the paracetamol in a piece of cheese, which she gulped down with no hesitation and then sat and asked for more. She keeps sniffing at her tea but won't eat it. I have just cooked some rice and she's shown an interest in that. Apart from not wanting to go for her walk and not eating her tea, she's behaving exactly as she normally would at this time in the evening. I'm tempted to try her with some tuna and rice, or is the fact that she's not eating a sign that she needs to not eat for a bit? She's drinking water quite normally and at the first hourly check doesn't appear to have got any worse. I'm a bit flummoxed. Any advice/words of wisdom/similar experiences anyone?
 
Loraseal

Loraseal

Location
The Hague, The Netherlands
Is there a chance they have both caught a bug or something from the water? Does her tummy seem bloated and has she has a pooh? For the rest sorry but I really cannot help with any advice. Hunter will only not eat when he has bad pain. Fingers crossed you all get a good night's rest and Tess feels better tomorrow.
 
Candy

Candy

Biscuit Tin Guardian
Location
West Yorkshire, UK
That's OK! I hope they both feel better tomorrow. Tummy bloating was one of the things the vet asked me to check for and so far, so good. She had two normal poos thismorning and nothing so far thisevening but that's not unusual for Joy. I think I'd be more worried if she wasn't eating at all but she demolished the piece of cheese disguising the paracetamol in the blink of an eye and is now hanging round me giving me her 'It's Kong Time' look. Think I might just see if she'll have a Kong, pour myself a very small glass of wine rather than my usual Saturday evening one :wasntme:, carry on with hourly checks and keep my fingers crossed. It's such a worry when they're not quite right though isn't it?
 
Granca

Granca

It certainly is a worry when they’re not right, but very often it turns out to be nothing. Fingers crossed here for Joy too.
 
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