I'm not sure if any of you remember the story of Kaiser and his boo boo which started in December of 2007. A few links for reminders http://www.quakerparrots.com/forum/index.p...c=32674&hl= and http://www.quakerparrots.com/forum/index.p...mp;#entry410586


After a long year of fighting with 3 different vets over what I felt like needed to be done it finally all blew up last Thursday. This experience has taught me now to trust my gut instinct and that no matter what everyone else has to say I should listen to myself.

For the last year we have been going back and forth with different vets, trying to get at least one of them to understand that I wasnt crazy and that this dog was actually growing hair under the skin. Three weeks ago we went back in for the 10th time to get antibiotics to treat his wounds and it now had a mass under the skin about the size of a large gumball. Once again I was told NO surgery for the millionth time and that the vet wanted to clear up the infection before even attempting it. My husband was in agreement even though I tried once again to tell both of them this wasnt going to fix the problem. My dog was never going to absorb this hair because the hair wasnt just stuck under there, it was growing under the skin. Again I was looked at like I was crazy. After 2 1/2 weeks of antibiotics it caused his drainage holes to close up and within 2 days he had a knot the size of a softabll on the back of his neck. I had scheduled for him to go in last Thursday and the vet told me he would put a drain in it to release the fluids. Unfortunately when we got there we were turned away and I was spitting mad and completely distraught. I knew Kaiser was running a high fever and I knew he had to be treated NOW. I looked at Alan and told him we had two choices, either we take this dog into the ER right now and have this cut open, cleaned out, drains put in and fix the entire issue or we PTS. I was done allowing everyone else to make this decision and it was going to be either my way or the highway.

Our trip at the ER was the same. I told the Vet the story, explained there was hair growing out of these 2 holes on his neck and that fluid was under the skin causing it to be so large. Of course her response was that she thought it was a solid mass (The entire softball sized area) and that it was most likely a tumor or something. I told her no..this had just gotten that large over a two day period and that I KNEW there was hair growing under the skin that there were follicles under there growing it. She gave me the "Your crazy" look and said "Fine..I'll cut it open and remove whatever is in there for 400.00 (which was how much we told them at the begining we had to spend)" She thought I was a nutjob basically and that if it was just fluid she would open it up and nothing would be there except infection, boy was she about to have a HUGE eye opener. 2 1/2 hours later the vet calls me and the first thing she does is apologizes. Apparently when Kaiser got his nip on the back of the neck it caused some strange reaction to happen inside that was like a tumor as the area had spread out and was growing and all of the area had hair follicles and was growing fur underneath the skin. They took out a fur ball almost the size of a tennis ball that had all been growing under the skin. She said it was the strangest thing she had ever seen. YEAH for me being right!! And Boo for the fact that Kaiser had to suffer a year long ordeal with this crap. He now looks like frankendog as the incision site goes all the way across the back of his neck from one ear to the other. But...at least it finally looks like this ordeal is over after his mend.


Again..I'll never allow anyone vet, husband, friend anyone persuade me into doing something other than what I think or feel needs to be done. This was the second time I had allowed others to persuade me into doing some type of treatment for an animal that I felt like was wrong and both times I was correct. Unfortunately for Kaiser it took me 10 months to stand up and say "Ive had enough". My husband says I need to just be given my vet degree now...lol.

I'll see if I can get some pics of him so you all can see the damage.

Well done for standing up to them.
You have to trust your "gut instinct".
No matter what.

Glad to hear that Kaiser is on the mend.

Tricia

That is so odd, I was just wondering about Kaiser the other day. I am SO glad to hear that he is finally done with his ordeal.

You should get a vet license! I can think of worse things than helping puppies feel better all day

Maybe you ought to study veterinary medicine! Clearly you've already got the diagnosing part down pat. Poor Kaiser! Give him extra hugs and treats to make him feel better. At least the problem is finally fixed. You'd think at least one of those vets would have at least checked to see if you were right.

I think
our own instincts are normally always right
I mean thats why they are there afterall
at lest your vet had the decency to say she was wrong
in the end and say sorry as well.

Good for you for persisting and caring about your dog
so much!

Sorry guys. Ive been so busy and Kaiser had to have a second surgery because he blew out all of his stitches....uhhgg.


These are some pics of him on the mend. In one of the pics you can see that the cross incision runs all the way across and under his ear, which it does that on both sides. Originally he just had the one across but when he blew out his stitches they had to cut out some of the skin and he made it a T shape. Thankfully as you can see from the pics its on the mend. No more drain tubes and he gets some if not all of the stitches out tomorrow...weeeee.









And here's one of my foster...isnt she a cutie!

Gosh you two have been throught the wringer...so glad you finally got them straightened out and poor Kaiser is on the way to recovery. Poor baby!!

WoW what an ordeal and so very glad that you stood your ground. Very glad to hear Kaiser is doing better and hopefully those stitches will stay and all will heal.

So glad he's on the way to recovery. I read this before when you had posted and could not believe it, and now I see that you are in Irving. We just moved from Valley Ranch last month, so I'm wondering which vet you went to (the one who didn't listen to you) so I make sure I don't go to the same one...lol. BTW, love your malamute. I fostered a 3 legged one many years ago and he was so awesome. I showed my hubby (he wants a "real dog" so badly...I have pomeranians) and he said "wow...a foster dog? Is he up for adoption?" Hehehe...that's when I looked and saw you were in Irving. Unfortunately our back area, which really isn't a yard per say, rather just a small strip of grass, has no fence and we can't get a big dog right now. Just wouldn't be fair to have one like that cooped up in a house all day!

Wow, poor Kaiser! I'm glad that he's finally on the road to recovery, he is such a beautiful dog!

*Hugs*

Aww Man! what an ordeal!

I'm so glad he is mending so well. His incisions look like they are healing well.
I'm so glad it is nearly over.

Good Job for standing your ground and making them listen to you!

Poor Kaiser what a awful time you have both had, I am glad that he is finally on the mend, and that they decided to listen to you in the end.

So good to hear Kaiser is on the road to a full recovery.

He looks like he is "none the worse for wear"

Tricia.