Confused & Frustrated (long)

[StarIsMyBaby]

I'm really just having to vent here, and please let me know if I'm over-reacting. Hopefully I'm posting this in the right place!

Background: Star is very itchy, and is on her 3rd food (in a year and a half). She first ate Innova (green bag), then Innova EVO (large bites, orange bag), and then Hund-n-Flocken. She has really improved with the itchiness though - she used to chew her feet constantly and they were red and inflamed something terrible. That is now gone. She does still do the "corn cobbing" - - that's what my husband & I call it!! She looks like she's eating corn on the cob - but she's lightly chewing & scratching her skin with her mouth. She also used to have severe ear (yeast) infections. Those have subsided as well.

Now, on to the vent. We have been taking Star to one of the Petsmart (Banfield) vets here where we live. We took her in last week for a check-up (paid for by our wellness plan we have for her), and some shots she was due for. I talked to the vet as we were checking out, and he began to discuss her skin allergies. He then said "are you ready to go with Royal Canin and stick with it?". I told him that we had switched her food several times and that we were considering the Wellness Simple Solutions, and possibly a raw diet at this point. He all but laughed at me and told me that I need to feed her Royal Canin foods - either the hypoallergenic or some other one he mentioned that I can't remember the name of. I told him very kindly that I preferred a more natural food that did not contain by products or corn, and he continued on pressing the Royal canin food. He told me it was "the cadillac of dog foods" and that it was rated at the top of all dog foods. I told him that I had done my own research, and mentioned the dogfoodanalysis site - he totally discounted it and said that the group that rated Royal canin was the one that mattered, and that he'd never heard of that site. He then proceeded to tell me how skin allergies work and what hydrolyzed proteins are. I was really frustrated at that point, and decided to bow out of the conversation. I told him "thank you", and began to walk toward the door, and he said "whenever you're ready to treat your dog's skin allergies, you give me a call".

I was so offended by what he said, because to me, he implied that I had not done anything to help her. He also implied that Royal Canin is the only food that would work for her, which seems ignorant. I know that veterinarians are well educated on how the dog's body works, but it seems very similar to a human doctor's education. Allopathic doctors told me that I needed to take some particular medicine to well myself from digestive issues, but I was actually able to solve it myself without medicine, purely by changing my food. I'm feeling like we should probably find a holistic vet who does not try to push a particular food, and act as though everything else is ridiculous. It just makes me wonder if he is making any kick-backs from Royal canin for pushing their food so hard.

Thanks for reading. Comments are welcome - thanks in advance.

 

[laurelheebsh]

I think you were very civil to walk out calmly--I might have decked the guy! You're also right to start looking around for another vet. This one probably isn't bad or out to do Star any harm, but he may very well be getting kickbacks from pet food companies. I've also read on other threads on this forum that the classes vet students take about nutrition sometimes are actually sponsored by certain pet food companies. You may want to try a grain-free food (or is Hund-n-Flocken? I thought EVO was too, but I don't know).

Now to play devil's advocate--there may be other types of treatment that could help Star's allergies as well--topical products? I would do some research and see if there are any boxer-knowledgable vets in your area who are willing to try a variety of strategies to help Star feel her best. If there aren't many options, are there at least different vets at your Petsmart? Maybe even one of them could see her instead.

 

[kayboxer]

There is a good chance he is getting kick backs from the company. I would find a new vet. There is no need to be condescending towards a customer, I find that very rude. Have you thought about Natural Balance dog food? It is a 4 star food, and a good food for dogs with allergies. They have the Sweet Potato and Fish, Potato and Duck, etc. The only con with those on the dogfoodanalysis site is meat content, and you could aways add meat to it if you felt you needed to. I used to feed Roxy that (she is allergic also) and she did very well on it. Just a thought, good luck.

 

[StarIsMyBaby]

Thanks for the comments. I just found a holistic vet here in Nashville, and spoke with someone there for the last 15 minutes. She told me that they can do some alternative testing to try to find out what her allergy is, and then go from there. They do advocate a raw diet, but do not judge you if you choose to stick with kibble. She also said that they do not give the rabies shots every year as the regular vets do, that they give them every 3 years like the shot is intended for. I told her they gave Star a lyme disease vaccination and a lepto, and she said they were not needed unless she lived on a farm or in the deep woods. I'm even more frustrated than before! She said they never give more than one vaccination (except 2 they will do together but I can't remember what) at a time because they believe it is too taxing on the immune system, so they like to space them apart. They also do not give the combo vaccinations every single year (or every 6 months as Banfield does), that they instead do blood tests to see if they need to give them, and usually it's every 3 years. She said they do a particular vaccination but I'd never heard the term before. Lots of information!

I just called to try to cancel our Wellness plan with Banfield and they said they could not do it unless we paid like $500 or something dollars. That's because with their plan, they have you come in 2 times a year and give full vaccinations, and all sorts of tests (which seem frivolous), and that's the amount of money we've saved by having their plan. I talked to someone "at corporate" and told him how I felt about what the vet said to me. He asked me a lot of questions, and I'm so proud of myself for keeping calm, but told him we would not be back to Banfield. I told him I guess they'll have to keep taking the $16.95 out of our account for the next 6 months (better than $500), but we would not be bringing her back. He said he'd "pass on the comments" about what I said.

 

[AmandaH]

I grew up in Tennessee and the very first Vet I ever worked for is in Mt. Juliet (which I know is a drive for you) Animal Care Center. However, there is a receptionist/tech there by the name of Micah that you can call for advice. She has worked there for 11 years. She is a Boxer mommy (f-fawn named Sassy). I know for a fact that she would give you sound, educated advice. Although the clinic does normally recommend the normal science diet and typical other "vet sponsored" brands. She and some of the Vets there (there are a total of like 8, its a huge hospital) respect owners who wish to use the more natural foods and treatments. Good luck!!

 

[BxrMommieNAZ]

Personally I'm not a fan of Banfield vets, never met one that I felt was worth seeing. As for foods, someone mentioned Natural Balance and I have to say this food has saved us. My dog is allergic to gluten (barley, wheat, millet, and oatmeal), dairy, beef, and has an intolerence to chicken (gives him HORRIBLE gas) so finding a food he could eat was like finding a needle in a haystack. I started him on Natural Balance's Lamb Meal and Brown Rice with GREAT success and now switch between that and their Duck and Potato and have fabulous success with both and am thrilled. I personally also vaccinate every 3 years on all of the vaccinations and I personally do not vaccinate for kennel cough (Bordatella).

Sounds like the holistic vet you spoke with is on the right track I would totally give them a shot. And if the person who answered the phone took 15 minutes with you it sounds like they aren't a rushy practice which is great. I can't believe a vet's office would do all vaccinations every 6 months wow, I've heard of every year, my vet does yearly for all but the Rabies I simply decline them, but every 6 months? Wow!

Good luck and I hope that you are able to find someone you are comfortable with and who doesn't insult you.

 

[StarIsMyBaby]

Thanks everyone. I have heard about Natural Balance and have a friend who swears by it for both of her pugs.

Personally I'm not a fan of Banfield vets, never met one that I felt was worth seeing.

I have to agree with that. I took Star to a vet right after we got her, and they charged us through the roof, so my husband suggested Banfield and we went. I don't see that they're any less expensive than anywhere else though. The other vets there have been ok, it's mainly this one guy that's been a real jerk. He was that way to my husband too, pushing R.C., so I know it's not just me.

I can't believe a vet's office would do all vaccinations every 6 months wow, I've heard of every year, my vet does yearly for all but the Rabies I simply decline them, but every 6 months? Wow!

Yeah, it does not seem right. They may not do every single shot every 6 months, but I know they are at least doing the Bordatella every 6 months. It seems like they are WAY over-vaccinating, so we definitely will not do that again. They seem to be over-doing it and I'm not sure why, other than for $$. They pushed us really hard to have the wellness plan, and now that we do, we have most things paid for, but I feel like they are just doing too many things.

I'm an earthy girl, and like to follow a natural path in my own health. I don't run to the doctor for every little thing, and come to think of it, I'm rarely sick. Knock on wood though! I want to do the same for Star as well, and I think after talking to the holistic vet, I agree much more with their philosophy and approach.

Thanks!!

 

[Loladog]

That's great that you walked out on that jerk of a vet! I too follow a more natural, holistic path for my own health and try to do the same for my dog and kitties.

I definitely think that finding the right food will help with the allergies. I've heard that California Natural is a good, simple formula for allergies and I personally have had very good luck with the grain-free Honest Kitchen varieties. I think that going with something as minimally processed as possible will be your best bet.

In terms of vaccines, Lola only gets Rabies as required by law (every 3 years). We do titer tests for Distemper and Parvo and only vaccinate her for these as needed (she usually makes it 3 years or more). She's never had Lepto as I've been told that Boxers are very likely to have an adverse reaction to this vaccine (they're very sensitive). We also don't do Bortadella because we never board her (also, if your dog were to come down with Kennel cough, it's not life threatening).

Good luck with following a new path and congratulations on finding a good holistic vet (they can be hard to come by depending on where you live).

 

[DiverDiva]

You could try writing a letter to the manager or customer service representative at that Petsmart and explain that you feel you can't get adequate veterinary care for your dog there, so you should be allowed to terminate the contract. The veterinarian appears to have a conflict of interest and will only support products sold at the store, advising you against buying a product not sold at the store. You could even cite dogfoodanalysis to illustrate your point about the veterinarian giving you inadequate information on nutrition. If You still can't get out of the Banfield contract, you could contact your local Better Business Bureau. I don't think Petsmat/Banfield would want to have an unsatisfactory record at the BBB, but if they won't resolve the issue, at least the record will be there for others to see, and maybe someone else will be saved from having a similar experience.

 

[HurricaneBox]

Yeah, it does not seem right. They may not do every single shot every 6 months, but I know they are at least doing the Bordatella every 6 months. It seems like they are WAY over-vaccinating, so we definitely will not do that again. They seem to be over-doing it and I'm not sure why, other than for $$. They pushed us really hard to have the wellness plan, and now that we do, we have most things paid for, but I feel like they are just doing too many things.

I'm an earthy girl, and like to follow a natural path in my own health. I don't run to the doctor for every little thing, and come to think of it, I'm rarely sick. Knock on wood though! I want to do the same for Star as well, and I think after talking to the holistic vet, I agree much more with their philosophy and approach.

Thanks!!

You know, its VERY possible that these every-six-months vaccinations are the root of Star's problems, too, especially if she is allergic to an ingredient in the vaccine carrier. Any food allergy or sensitivity would be making it worse, but reading your story my first guess was all those shots are causing her troubles!

I agree with everyone else, I have never met a Banfield vet I thought was worth anything. I find it odd that they are refusing to let you out of the Wellness Plan, but I don't know anything about it one way or the other. I am glad you were able to find a holistic vet... from what I have heard, they are the best! I live in the boondocks (about 45 mins away from Chattanooga) so I am not near any holistic vets or behaviorists

I don't have any experience with Natural Balance, but I do know that each dog is different and it may take some experimentation to find the perfect food for Star. My boy is very sensitive (although he shows it in the form of nearly chronic diarreah rather than itchy skin) and we have been through 7 or 8 different foods before we finally found one that worked for him. Don't give up, you will find one for Star too! Best of luck to you, and sending lots of fell-better vibes to your baby!