Do it your self vet...how much do you risk doing?

[wuyang 513]

One of the dogs got a good inch cut to her inner top thigh when out for a walk in the woods today (it was a deep open cut..no blood). Ive never done any home vetting so to speak and as usual took the dogs to the vets. He gave the dog two injections...forgot what for, one in the neck and one in the lower back. He then sorted the cut with four metal staples (look like metal anyway). I was also given a course of tablets and have to go back in ten days. The total cost (including the next visit) £85, which i suppose isn't too bad, but what shocked me was that he said if he had put her to sleep to do the staples it would have cost another £100...wow.

 

Anyway i was just wondering how much of your own vet work do you take on and how much do you think the average sensible person can be expected to do safely?

[Shazza 52]

Jabs were most likely painkiller + AB's.

If you did loads of research & feel confident enough to know when your dog needs a vet or not & your own capabilities then go for it. I certainly dont race off to the vets for anything minor but i do know when a vet is needed and take the dog straight away.

[Saiger 2]

i can remember watching my dad use super glue on a cut on his dogs leg and he left a gap at the end of the cut

[iworkwhippets 12,521]

Running dogs get running injuries, and ive treated many on one of my bitches, and treated them accordingly, all healed up fine, but i no how far to go, if i think vet, then vet it is,

[Simoman 110]

Some injuries can be treated with experience and knowledge, others require veterinary treatment, BUT this can be a grey area and folk can be prosecuted under the animal welfare act nowdays...........

[baldockbanks courser 598]

a draw the line at heart bypasses and amputations. thats about my limmit anything more serious then i call in a profesional.

[shushycatcher 219]

skin tears etc,no problem,but the bitch hit an artery in her foot not long ago,and i couldnt stop the bleeding,so off to the vet she went!

[scalesntails 118]

If it can be done with the animal awake then I prefer to do it myself. It's not a money issue as I have insurance on all my dogs I just prefer to know its done properly.

 

I have one very good friend who is a vet but unfortunately doesn't live near me any more that has vouched for me in the past when the RSPCA have tried to cause problems for me. I usually give him a quick call and tell him what I plan on doing and then proceed from there.

[Tomm Parr 30]

I reckon if you have to stop and wonder whether to take them to the vet or not, then you probably should do.

I wouldn't sew up my own leg if i cut it open, or build my own garage, replace my car's engine etc. There are specialists for those jobs.

[Top Lamper 2k10 169]

last year i think it was on here i got slagged off because i couldnt afford a vet bill for my dog to have stiches wich it healed it self with in 2 month so i brough the skin stapler out of the country man weekly best thing ive brought cost me 15 pound and when i took my dog to the vets (this is another time) when he cut him self they were goin to charge me 40 pound constiltation fee then pound for the stiches i laughed at them then walked out n stapled the cut myself wich was easy one of the best kitt ever brought save me a fortune

[lurchergrrl 1,441]

When my greyhound had a tear on her shoulder the RSPCA turned up at my door about a report of a dog with an open wound. I told her it was being treated and shoo'd her off my property lickety split.

 

Just over a year ago my lurcher bitch ripped her chest open on a barbed fence. Normally I'd have handled it myself, but it was fair large, big flap of skin hanging off, and I panicked a bit. So took her to the vet and the b@stard buggered the job up and it took her SIX MONTHS to heal. If I'd done it myself it wouldn't have been half as bad as what he did to her.

 

I worked for vets when I was younger and I'm pretty comfortable about doing minor things. As with most things in life tho, you need to learn about first aid before you do it commando stylee. When in doubt, be sure you've got a good vet number in your phone. I consult my old boss back in Canada if I need advice. I've yet to meet a vet here that I trust.

[chartpolski 23,279]

It's very simple.... If you are not 100%, absolutely confident in what your'e doing; GO TO A VET !! Yeah, vets rip us off, but they know their job. If you try to do it yourself, and get it wrong, you will pay far more in the long run, or even lose your dog !

 

Cheers.

[all.rounder 3]

Edited March 26, 2011 by all.rounder

[Moll. 1,770]

Not all cuts and tears need stitching, depending upon where it is etc. As long as they are properly cleaned initially and the dog rested, most of the time they can be left alone for nature to heal. Most people are far too quick to rush to the vet or try DIY

I personally never mess with antibiotics, if i need any i get to the vets, too many people messing about with something they know nothing about, wont be long before we have MRSA/Clostridium difficile's of the dog world.

[bird 9,872]

It's very simple.... If you are not 100%, absolutely confident in what your'e doing; GO TO A VET !! Yeah, vets rip us off, but they know their job. If you try to do it yourself, and get it wrong, you will pay far more in the long run, or even lose your dog !

 

Cheers.

 

 

spot on ,never done any stitching my self , my last dog bullxgrey ripped its calf inside muscle. And The vet did great job on him, and to be honest ive seen some lads stitch work and it was ok , but the vets was 100% better, ok you have to pay but you do get a better job+care