Bre to the Eye Specialist

MamaAndi

Moderator
Staff member
Nov 20, 2011
3,371
136
Nebraska
Bulldog(s) Names
Tank
Took Bre to the eye specialist today and I was not impressed one bit. I told them about all the tests she had done a week ago at our primary vet (and he faxed all the records too!) and before she even saw the specialist they started doing all these non-standard tests, stained her eye again, checked her tear production, checked her eye pressure again. They didn't ask before they did any of these tests (and I hadn't signed any "concent to treat" forms) and they weren't covered by the "office visit" cost. So we were racking up money left and right before poor Bre even saw the vet/specialist. So...

The specialist comes in and says that all her tests look great. There is still no ulcer on her eye, her pressure is elevated but within normal ranges, and she is producing tears just fine. She said that her eye is a little cloudy and she is loosing vision on her right side (but we already knew that). She tells me that she doesn't know if it is glaucoma and doesn't know what is wrong period. She wants to prescribe a steroid eye drop (even though she was just on a steroid/antibiotic ointment last week and it didn't help). Then she says maybe this isn't eye related at all...maybe Bre has an underlying health issue and they want to do bloodwork. So a tech takes her away to draw another $100 worth of tests. They have to send their tests out and tells me they will call tomorrow and hopefully have results.

Maybe I'm just cranky because Bre had to wait almost an hour to see the vet and I could tell she was uncomfortable but I really don't see that the specialist did anything that my primary vet wasn't capable of. And I really wish they would have asked before they started doing all these tests!

So this evening I'm irritated and poor! LOL Thanks for letting me vent guys....if I hear something tomorrow I will post the bloodwork results.

Oh and I would like to kick myself and say I should have listened to [MENTION=1209]savemejeebus[/MENTION] she said I should ask for blood, fecal and urine tests. This is what I get for not listening to my fellow EBN'ers recomendations! LOL
 

Twice

My Bully Gave Me Wings
Feb 3, 2012
2,686
311
Woodbridge Township, NJ
Bulldog(s) Names
Abby (my Sweetie Head 10.24.11-11.23.12) and Otis
ok wait. They ran all those tests without asking you first?!?! And they want to do treatment that was already done!!?!?
 

acarabias

New member
Sep 15, 2011
1,551
90
El Paso, Texas, United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Aldo Chocolate, Katara Fiona, Bruno Cannoli
I do agree the bloodwork should have been done first., I really dont know why your primary didnt suggest it. I cannot believe they didnt discuss the plan of care with you. Andi, whats done is done and hopefully Bre is just experiencing a lot of symptoms to a condition that is minor.. I have been praying for her and waiting for the specialist visit I was hoping he would give you more answers.. Lets wait and see what the bloodwork shows!! Bigs hugs to you! You are a great bully mama!
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jul 28, 2011
48,581
3,673
Gilbertsville, PA
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Chelios (Frenchie), Nitschke (2004-2011) Banks (2005-2014) and Lambeau (2014-2024)
:hug: to you and Bre. I would be done right PO'd if I were you too.... you don't do tests/treatment without first asking. Hell, my regular vet still does that with us and we've been going there for 8 years!!!
 
OP
MamaAndi

MamaAndi

Moderator
Staff member
Nov 20, 2011
3,371
136
Nebraska
Bulldog(s) Names
Tank
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #5
I thought maybe I was just spoiled by my regular vet because he would ALWAYS ask before doing anything. He says "Here's what I'd like to do" then we discuss. Not so much with this specialist. My regular vet said he wanted to get Bre's eye under control before we worry about her other problems. I called him this morning to ask if we should cancel the specialist and do something else first because Bre hasn't had much energy...she just wants to sleep on her bed. He said that glaucoma in dogs can actually make them feel nauseated and he was thinking that was what was making her tired/less hungry. I see where he was going with it....unfortunantly we didn't really get anywhere today. I guess we got bloodwork sent out and that's great but I still feel like all we did was spend a bunch of money on things we already knew!
 

cowsmom

..........
Apr 27, 2011
6,996
384
Virginia
Country
usa
Bulldog(s) Names
Sarah aka cow
wow thats awful. i would be upset at them doing all these things and not even asking. thats just incredible. it just amazes me how some places will treat you. ill be watching this to see what the labwork shows. i hope its something minor and bre will be better in no time. :hug:
 

izstigspunks

Moderator
Sep 16, 2010
5,939
336
Toronto, Ontario
Country
Canada
Bulldog(s) Names
The Stig Racecar Driver and (Sweet Angel) Punkin Brutus
All the vets we've visited have always asked first if the procedures aren't included in the consult. It really is bad manners if they don't. I'd be po'd too if they didn't.

Crossing my fingers that the blood test either shows nothing, or something very minor and can easily be treated. Poor Bre, she deserves to be comfortable. :hug:

And poor momma, you deserve to be less stressed. Another :hug:
 
OP
MamaAndi

MamaAndi

Moderator
Staff member
Nov 20, 2011
3,371
136
Nebraska
Bulldog(s) Names
Tank
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #8
Now I'm really peeved. The specialist said they would get the blood test results back today and would call me. I hadn't heard anything so I called an hour before they closed and asked if the results were back. The tech said "Yes" and didn't say anything else...silence on the line...so I said "Well is the vet going to call me then or what?" She said "Oh yes, she hasn't had a chance to look at them yet but she will look and call you today". So here we are an hour and a half after they are closed and no longer answering the phones and guess what...I haven't heard a thing about the results. Now I am very very irritated with them! :cursing:
 

Twice

My Bully Gave Me Wings
Feb 3, 2012
2,686
311
Woodbridge Township, NJ
Bulldog(s) Names
Abby (my Sweetie Head 10.24.11-11.23.12) and Otis
Now I'm really peeved. The specialist said they would get the blood test results back today and would call me. I hadn't heard anything so I called an hour before they closed and asked if the results were back. The tech said "Yes" and didn't say anything else...silence on the line...so I said "Well is the vet going to call me then or what?" She said "Oh yes, she hasn't had a chance to look at them yet but she will look and call you today". So here we are an hour and a half after they are closed and no longer answering the phones and guess what...I haven't heard a thing about the results. Now I am very very irritated with them! :cursing:

wow! I'd be FUMING! Are you going to call them again today? Or just show up to the office with a bat?
 

izstigspunks

Moderator
Sep 16, 2010
5,939
336
Toronto, Ontario
Country
Canada
Bulldog(s) Names
The Stig Racecar Driver and (Sweet Angel) Punkin Brutus
Geez, how rude and unprofessional of them. I'd go to another specialist if you Bre needs to see another one and tell your regular vet what happened.
 
Last edited:

bullmama

Owner/Administrator
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jan 28, 2010
24,756
1,251
Tucson, Arizona
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
The Home of the Desert Sky Pack
Took Bre to the eye specialist today and I was not impressed one bit. I told them about all the tests she had done a week ago at our primary vet (and he faxed all the records too!) and before she even saw the specialist they started doing all these non-standard tests, stained her eye again, checked her tear production, checked her eye pressure again. They didn't ask before they did any of these tests (and I hadn't signed any "concent to treat" forms) and they weren't covered by the "office visit" cost. So we were racking up money left and right before poor Bre even saw the vet/specialist. So...

The specialist comes in and says that all her tests look great. There is still no ulcer on her eye, her pressure is elevated but within normal ranges, and she is producing tears just fine. She said that her eye is a little cloudy and she is loosing vision on her right side (but we already knew that). She tells me that she doesn't know if it is glaucoma and doesn't know what is wrong period. She wants to prescribe a steroid eye drop (even though she was just on a steroid/antibiotic ointment last week and it didn't help). Then she says maybe this isn't eye related at all...maybe Bre has an underlying health issue and they want to do bloodwork. So a tech takes her away to draw another $100 worth of tests. They have to send their tests out and tells me they will call tomorrow and hopefully have results.

Maybe I'm just cranky because Bre had to wait almost an hour to see the vet and I could tell she was uncomfortable but I really don't see that the specialist did anything that my primary vet wasn't capable of. And I really wish they would have asked before they started doing all these tests!

So this evening I'm irritated and poor! LOL Thanks for letting me vent guys....if I hear something tomorrow I will post the bloodwork results.

Oh and I would like to kick myself and say I should have listened to [MENTION=1209]savemejeebus[/MENTION] she said I should ask for blood, fecal and urine tests. This is what I get for not listening to my fellow EBN'ers recomendations! LOL

Oh I hear you girl! Money is no object when it comes to our babies but the same thing happened to me going to an eye specialist when Tidus had an ulcer... The same day with two vets.... Same exact tests, no asking, they just did it, so $250 twice in one day. Then they put staples in cuz his lids were swollen, both eyes, even tho the other was fine. Add $80 per eye. Then they had me come back in a week and "they would remove the staples". After about 48 hours they were all loose and no longer doing their job. Return in a week, run all same tests, looking good, healing well. Asked about the staples. "we will leave them in, come back in a month for a recheck". For the next many one month rechecks I got the same feedback. $150 each visit for the tests. The staples were loose and one even had scabs around it. The last visit I begged them to take them out and they said no!! After totaling my bills for the ulcer it was $1500 withall the re checks. Finally on the end Tidus ended up with a hot spot so we went to my regular vet and he took the dang staples out for me. Please note he was shaking his head in disgust because they were not doing anything for him! I will never go back there and the vet was an awesome nice guy, but it was ridiculous!!! It was like they kept me coming back for no reason. This was when my trust in vets seriously went down, before I found my awesome vet I use now. Learn from this experience!
 
OP
MamaAndi

MamaAndi

Moderator
Staff member
Nov 20, 2011
3,371
136
Nebraska
Bulldog(s) Names
Tank
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #13
Yea...they wanted to recheck her after a week of drops. I politely told them I wouldn't be returning. Still haven't heard a thing back about the bloodwork and they have been open for an hour and half. Guess it's time to start calling repeatedly. I would show up there and raise hell but they are 40 min away and I don't feel like spending my moring off driving there so they can be rude to me in person LOL
 
OP
MamaAndi

MamaAndi

Moderator
Staff member
Nov 20, 2011
3,371
136
Nebraska
Bulldog(s) Names
Tank
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #15
LOL! [MENTION=4225]Twice[/MENTION]

I got ahold of them a bit ago and guess what...they have no idea whats wrong. The vet said all her levels are normal. She said she would send the paperwork to an internest for dogs to see of they saw anything worth noting.
Something isn't right with her though and it's not just her eyes. Her eating is really starting to taper off. She will eat her yougurt and pumpkin but wants nothing to do with any kibble/wet food. She did snag a french fry from one of the girls last night though so...I guess it's good that she has interest in something (even if it's not something I let her have normally!)
I'm really starting to wonder if we aren't just going through one of life's changes and she is feeling her age? I don't like to think like that but all her exams and bloodwork suggest that there isn't really anything majorly wrong with her. :confused:

As long as she isn't in any distress we will just continue on as best we can...even if it means some major deviation from her "healthy" diet.
 

Most Reactions

📰 Latest posts

Members online

No members online now.
Top