People Who Are So Clueless That Dogs Can Get Many Of The Same Illnesse

[Guest EmilyAnne]

So, do any of you get people looking at you all puzzled and like your strange or must be confused when you try to explain to the your dog has epilepsy or cancer or etc.? I was walking Henry a couple weeks ago, and was still in recovery from his Big Cluster and I did not want anyone to pet him because he was spooky and snapping at anything unexpected, etc. Anyways, I told a man who wanted to pet Henry, that my dog had just had a seizure and so it would be best if he didn't touch him. And he says, "Really?" I was confused and didn't know what he meant by that at first. And then later he goes, "So, you think dogs can get epilepsy like humans do?" Think????? Umm...no, I KNOW! After all I've been through! I briefly explained that Henry had been properly diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy by a vet and was on meds for it, in fact, the same meds humans very often take for epilepsy. He seemed to be like, "OK, if you really think so." *scratches head*

 

 

Anybody else run into people like that?

 

Oops. sorry the title doesn't make sense. It was too long and didn't all fit.

[Guest ss556]

I have, when I have said that Alan has high blood pressure and kidney disease. Some smile and say they can get that???

[RobinM]

Well, yeah, I'm beginning to see that there are several "types" of people when it comes to certain illnesses, RE: AMP in particular:

 

The Judgers-- how could you do that to her-

The over sympathizers-OMG that poor dog...

The Curious ones- wow- will she be ok, etc

The indifferent ones.--get that da*N dog off my planet.

[Guest EmilyAnne]

Well, yeah, I'm beginning to see that there are several "types" of people when it comes to certain illnesses, RE: AMP in particular:

 

The Judgers-- how could you do that to her-

The over sympathizers-OMG that poor dog...

The Curious ones- wow- will she be ok, etc

The indifferent ones.--get that da*N dog off my planet.

 

Oh, it is just amazing how insensitive some people can be. People who judge or are indifferent and etc, it's like they have a limitation on their soul, so they are not able to appreciate that dogs are living beings, with souls of their own, and so therefore they can't 'connect' to the soul of a dog, like we can. I don't know how to explain it, so I hope I make sense.

 

I learned the hard way to be careful who I seek sympathy from when my dogs are sick. (I have been told by many to put a pet to sleep) It's hard, cause theres times it takes over 99% of your life and it's all you can think about, so what else do you talk about? Nothing else seems that important in such times you know? At times like that, you come to GT!

[ZoomDoggy]

I do get incredulous looks if I mention taking my dog to the eye doctor for a checkup.

 

I usually tell them it's off to the orthodontist after that to get his braces adjusted.

Edited October 21, 2008 by ZoomDoggy

[Jiffer]

Yup, it's the same when you mention that you take your dog for blood donation, chiropractic and acupuncture. As if it's impossible that dogs would be able to do these things.

[Guest EmilyAnne]

I do get incredulous looks if I mention taking my dog to the eye doctor for a checkup.

 

I usually tell them it's off to the orthodontist after that to get his braces adjusted.

 

:rofl

[kamsmom]

It is funny sometimes the looks I get from people when I tell them that I have 7 dogs and they live in the house. I get the eyerolls sometimes when they know I am taking the dog on vacation but not my family. However, I also have to remember that at one time I didn't do these things and I didn't know everything there is to know about dogs... still don't. So I give people some slack. It doesn't really bother me if people don't know what I am talking about and if they want to learn I am willing to talk, but if they just want to pet my "plain ole dog" then I let them. If I don't want them to pet them then I just say, "sorry, she's having a bad day, maybe tomorrow tho?". I've never had anyone disagree or argue with me.

 

Now if you want to learn some interesting facts about squirrels.... my 12 year old would love to educate everyone on them I learned this morning that there is a colony of red squirrels that almost became extinct because they contracted squirrel pox ... never knew there was such a thing, my daughter looked at me like I had three heads because I had never heard of squirrel pox.

[Guest EmilyAnne]

It is funny sometimes the looks I get from people when I tell them that I have 7 dogs and they live in the house. I get the eyerolls sometimes when they know I am taking the dog on vacation but not my family. However, I also have to remember that at one time I didn't do these things and I didn't know everything there is to know about dogs... still don't. So I give people some slack. It doesn't really bother me if people don't know what I am talking about and if they want to learn I am willing to talk, but if they just want to pet my "plain ole dog" then I let them. If I don't want them to pet them then I just say, "sorry, she's having a bad day, maybe tomorrow tho?". I've never had anyone disagree or argue with me.

 

Now if you want to learn some interesting facts about squirrels.... my 12 year old would love to educate everyone on them I learned this morning that there is a colony of red squirrels that almost became extinct because they contracted squirrel pox ... never knew there was such a thing, my daughter looked at me like I had three heads because I had never heard of squirrel pox.

I've tried that, people seem offended. I don't want them to think it's anything personal. The straight out seizure explanation they seem much more understanding of. 99% of the time, I very much welcome pettings so people get confused as to why all of a sudden it's hands off.

 

You tellin' me you never heard of Squirrel Pox?? Where ya been woman?!!!! (I'm kiddin', I hadn't heard of it either)

[Guest Javagirl]

Can we add a part A and part B to 'The Judgers'?

The Judgers -- A) how could you do that to her?

B)That money could have educated a village in Africa for a year. It's a dog.

 

My boss was asking me how Dewey beach was and I mentioned I was involved in raising money for the Knuckles raffle because the surgery was very expensive. He was just astounded that we would 'waste' the money like that.

 

Sorry boss, I've only dedicated my entire CAREER to international development, now I can't save puppies on the weekend because its cheaper to educate people in Africa? Maybe I should let him know what he could do with all that money he uses flying around the world and polluting the air with CO2?

 

Well, yeah, I'm beginning to see that there are several "types" of people when it comes to certain illnesses, RE: AMP in particular:

 

The Judgers-- how could you do that to her-

The over sympathizers-OMG that poor dog...

The Curious ones- wow- will she be ok, etc

The indifferent ones.--get that da*N dog off my planet.

 

[Guest HeatherDemps]

Yeah.... I found that after Dempsey's amputation, most people assumed he had been in an accident- like hit by a car. When I would explain that he had cancer, they were usually pretty stunned. Not sure if it's because they figured dogs didn't get cancer or if they were shocked that we would treat it with amp and chemo. I just ignored most of them. Unfortunately, the world is full of idiots.

[LBass]

Sorry boss, I've only dedicated my entire CAREER to international development, now I can't save puppies on the weekend because its cheaper to educate people in Africa?

That attitude is annoying, even though I think I understand what is behind it. When people feel passionately about any particular cause or issue, they sometimes have a hard time allowing other's the freedom to have a different passion., or to recognize that it is possible for some people to be passionate about more than one cause. The "I'm on my soapbox and I've got blinder's on" approach to life. They need to mature a bit, no matter what the calendar says. about their age

 

I've run into a number of people who are surprised by Piper's epilepsy. I look at it as an educational opportunity. I always tell them that dogs can get just about any illness that people can and that the treatments can be surprisingly similar. I also find maybe a little corner of my self envying their blissful ignorance. Even if they are animal lovers, they've clearly never had a beloved animal who had a serious health issue. I hope they never do.

 

--Lucy

[Guest Pipi5]

Yep, here at work. When I said I had a greyhound who had cancer, they said Dogs get cancer.

When Snowy had a stroke, someone asked how did that happen?

Of course I was amazed when my vet told me one of my elkhounds had strep throat...

Edited October 21, 2008 by Pipi5

[Hubcitypam]

Of course I was amazed when my vet told me one of my elkhounds had strep throat...

OK -- you win the prize...I'd have probably looked at the vet like he had 3 heads on that one.

[Guest koko9281]

My cat has diabetes and I have to give her insulin once a day through a subcutaneous shot.

 

She doesn't mind it and neither do I.

 

But, when I tell people this... they are always like "are you serious? You give her a shot every day? Why don't you just put her down?"

 

I always have to explain that it's treatable and she has many quality years left in her.

[gryhndsr4us]

Lots of people still don't see animals as part of the family.

I used to get weird looks when I picked up Phenobarbital elixir for Squeaker Sweet at the pharmacy. People would ask if that was my child's nickname and I would tell them no it was my birds name and he had epilepsy.

Also I have had a few co-workers look at me crazy when they overhear one of my friends asking about how Neko is doing with his chemo. They ask why I would do that to a cat. I tell them why not, he still plays and has a good quality of life.

[Guest EmilyAnne]

My cat has diabetes and I have to give her insulin once a day through a subcutaneous shot.

 

She doesn't mind it and neither do I.

 

But, when I tell people this... they are always like "are you serious? You give her a shot every day? Why don't you just put her down?"

 

I always have to explain that it's treatable and she has many quality years left in her.

Oh!!! I can relate!! Alfalfa, my late pointer mix, had Diabetes in the last 4 years of his life. He got two shots a day and was FINE!!!!! You woulda thought he was suffering SO horribly by the way people responded. Freakin' nitwits! Diabetes is TREATABLE, and with treatment, they can lead NORMAL lives, thus euthanisia is NOT warranted. Why would I immediately put a dog to sleep over it? Talk about overreacting to suggest a pet be euthanized simply because it has Diabetes. Guh! I never argued with them on it. I usually just zipped my mouth and walked away cause it annoyed me so bad I know nothing nice would have come out of my mouth.

 

Thanks for putting up with my venting.

[Guest suzye]

On not realizing dogs can get diseases like that, that's funny. It's just biology. A rhinoceros can probably get cancer and a sea lion can probably get diabetes. Maybe not, but it wouldn't surprise me.

 

There are plenty pf people out there who can't fathom spending much time or money on a dog (or other pet). It's their loss. I just hope I don't have to talk to them!

[RobinM]

Just today, we were walking the pack and Polli of course was hopping. "Gary" who lives 3 houses away, noticed and asked what happened. I told him, it was cancer, osteo to be exact and that she had her 1st chemo already.

 

He (while shaking his head) asked me if I remembered his dog, Dudley, a beautiful GSH. I said, yes of course. He said Dudley died of lymphoma and when the doc asked him if he wanted chemo he said- Chemo didn't save my mother or my father - it's not going to save him. He's gonna die anyway.

I said that was almost 17 years ago, Gary, things have come a long way. He kept on going and I kept on walking. I did hear him say "good luck".

 

There you have it- " the judge".

[Guest ejw]

You should have seen my doctor's face when he told me I might have to go on insulin and I told him I'd had practice with a diabetic dog! Guess it never crossed his mind that dogs can have it too. He'd have been even more surprised that DD's cat was diabetic for years.

 

Seems people think things like diabetes and cancer are limited to people. When your experiences are limited, it just never crosses your mind. I never heard of a brain injury in a bird until I had a canary with swelling of the brain, poor little fellow.

 

I get angry with people whose first response is "Put it down." One of these days I'm going to ask if they should be put down, too, if/when they have a "defect".

[Guest EmilyAnne]

Just today, we were walking the pack and Polli of course was hopping. "Gary" who lives 3 houses away, noticed and asked what happened. I told him, it was cancer, osteo to be exact and that she had her 1st chemo already.

 

He (while shaking his head) asked me if I remembered his dog, Dudley, a beautiful GSH. I said, yes of course. He said Dudley died of lymphoma and when the doc asked him if he wanted chemo he said- Chemo didn't save my mother or my father - it's not going to save him. He's gonna die anyway.

I said that was almost 17 years ago, Gary, things have come a long way. He kept on going and I kept on walking. I did hear him say "good luck".

 

There you have it- " the judge".

You say to people like that, NOTHING will save us, we are ALL going to die. Shall we all just stop eating?

 

It's possible, Henry's epilepsy may be what takes him someday. But I know if it weren't for medicine, he would have died two weeks ago. I'm glad for every day I have with him, and I know Henry is glad for every day he has of life here on earth, and I see nothing wrong with taking advantage of modern medicine to help our pets.

 

I'm really sorry you had to come across a jerk like that Robin. And yes, medical technology and science has come a *very* LONG ways in the last 17 years.

[RobinM]

really sorry you had to come across a jerk like that Robin. And yes, medical technology and science has come a *very* LONG ways in the last 17 years.

 

Actually, Gary is one of the nicer neighbors in my lovely, friendly neigborhood! No joke.

 

[Neighsayer]

I haven't seen it with my dogs, but one of my horses has COPD. I share a small office with 2 nurses. They were amazed to hear that horses could get COPD and even more amazed that I treat it with clenbuterol. Many of our clients with COPD use some form of that.

The nurses are convinced I'm nuts when I tell them that one bottle costs almost $200 and only lasts a month or so.

We all spend our money the way we want but those judges are out there to keep us on the right track!

[GreyKarma]

Sometimes it does get frustrating dealing with "clueless" people. But the more that we talk about and pass on the knowledge there is hopefully one less "clueless" person.

 

I deal with this daily,

Me: "your dog can get breast cancer if not spayed"

Clueless: Really!

I could go on and on.

 

I applaud all of you tackling difficult situations and teaching others along the way.

 

Yes, veterinary medicine has come along way in 20yrs. It is fantastic what we can offer our pets today.

 

But there are still those that want a "crystal ball diagnosis and a pill to fix it" They decline bloodwork, or xrays for a limping or vomiting dog etc etc.

 

And the worst is the "its just a dog" person, but they will always be there frustrating all of us.

 

I have been following Henry's story because my co-worker has a GSD in the same situation. In fact Lilly had a bad cluster two weeks before Henry. I mentioned Henry and showed her your Blog.

Last night she emailed me when she found out that you both were on the EPI board and already had communicated.....small world.

 

Keep up the good work

[MP_the4pack]

Pearl's outlived her prognosis from her heart disease by 2 yrs. She's on a plethura of meds. And she turns 11 this Friday. I can't be more thankful for her cardiologist and her heart and BP meds.

 

Yes.....medicine, especially for our furkids have come a long way.