Has anyone else watched this fantastic man at work?

He truly deserves the title Super vet, Professor Noel Fitzpatrick

Yes very good. Very expensive and he does not mention charges.

He recently said that the treatments are going too far in some cases, with animals being kept alive more for the owners benefit, than the quality of life left for the animal.

Vets are expensive... pet insurance is expensive... my dog's insurance with Sainsburys rose from £18 to £56 over a five year period... when I tried to claim for a skin complaint, they turned me down, saying there was a pre existing illness... there wasn't, it was an ear infection which cleared up with treatment... They also acccused me of being out of time to claim... also untrue... I let them know when he started the treatment and because the drugs were new and only sporadically available, I didn't claim straight away... I would have been better off putting my money into a savings account... what a rip off! TB

I can not get pet insurance for my dogs! Had to take my Weimaraner to the vets at the weekend and that cost me £100, most of that cost was for a blood test

Owners are surprised/dismayed at vet costs because we're used to the NHS for humans. It's on a par with the price of private medicine, significantly less in some cases.

As both my dogs are elderly ( both rescue dogs ) , ( one is nearly 12 and the other nearly 11 ) a lot of insurance places will not give you insurance, specially if they have ongoing medical problems.

Weimaraners get fatty tumours, ( something to do with genetics ) and most give no problems but some are cancerous, if you can move the lump then fine it is when you can not .

The vet wants my dog to have CT,MRI, X-RAYS etc costing up to £400 and she said even then the outcome may not be good.

I did watch The Super vet last night and the surgery on a Great Dane, I have heard him mention costs before and he has actually at times paid for the surgery himself .

Veterinary medicine has come on in leaps and bounds, mainly for dogs. I do think as owners we need to keep some sense of perspective and not be made to feel guilty because we cannot or choose not to spend thousands of pounds on major procedures. We do have a duty to our animals to keep them properly fed, housed and free of pain, to ensure they get necessary veterinary treatment. I see owners prepared to risk the roof over their family's head for an expensive op when there is an alternative at a fraction of the cost and I'm told it's because 'they' love their animal - the obvious implication being that I don't love mine. I see owners putting elderly pets through regimes the like of which they wouldn't dream of making their own grandmother endure. The supervet is a great watch and I do like the guy but there's no way it's the norm and there's no way the rest of us should see it as a measure of a good owner.

Vets are expensive... pet insurance is expensive... my dog's insurance with Sainsburys rose from £18 to £56 over a five year period... when I tried to claim for a skin complaint, they turned me down, saying there was a pre existing illness... there wasn't, it was an ear infection which cleared up with treatment... They also acccused me of being out of time to claim... also untrue... I let them know when he started the treatment and because the drugs were new and only sporadically available, I didn't claim straight away... I would have been better off putting my money into a savings account... what a rip off! TB

Owners are surprised/dismayed at vet costs because we're used to the NHS for humans. It's on a par with the price of private medicine, significantly less in some cases.

The Insurance for both my dogs jumped dramatically when it was confirmed they both had allergies. I took out a 2nd insurance via the vet. This covers them for all their flea / worming treatments - 2 check ups a year and a percentage discount off any item that is not already covered by their main insurance.

I worked out that the cost of the allergy serum and injections was not that expensive so I have cancelled the insurance for her as it was approaching £175.00 per month and they only pay out £100 if she were to die of old age or ill health. Obviously if there was an accident then they would pay out more. The younger dog is a little more adventurous so I am not going to risk him needing expensive vet treatment. so I have continued with his..

Veterinary medicine has come on in leaps and bounds, mainly for dogs. I do think as owners we need to keep some sense of perspective and not be made to feel guilty because we cannot or choose not to spend thousands of pounds on major procedures. We do have a duty to our animals to keep them properly fed, housed and free of pain, to ensure they get necessary veterinary treatment. I see owners prepared to risk the roof over their family's head for an expensive op when there is an alternative at a fraction of the cost and I'm told it's because 'they' love their animal - the obvious implication being that I don't love mine. I see owners putting elderly pets through regimes the like of which they wouldn't dream of making their own grandmother endure. The supervet is a great watch and I do like the guy but there's no way it's the norm and there's no way the rest of us should see it as a measure of a good owner.

I agree, it is amazing what they can do for animals now. I was at the Cambridge Vetinary Hospital a few years ago with my younger dog - he has a design fault (he isn't a dwarf, but wouldn't grow as large as his parents). He is a Jack Russell. The Consultant said that as Toby had the design fault then it wouldn't be necessary to treat him for the "Antebrachial deformity" which was causing his front paws to turn inwards. The cost however, would have been absolutely horrendous and the treatment positively medieval. Anyway, whilst we were waiting for him to be returned from x-ray - I was looking at the Success Board. Prosthetics for dogs who had lost legs/paws. Mobile support trollies for those who had serious hip deformities, absolutely amazing.

It's not the cost of treatment, but the shenanigans of the insurance companies who look for any loophole they can to get away with not paying out.. Because of my low income, I am entitled to go to the PDSA, however, they refuse to continue to treat any unneutered animals and I won't put my dog through an unnecessary anaesthetic, having previously lost a healthy dog whilst it was undergoing a scan….TB

As both my dogs are elderly ( both rescue dogs ) , ( one is nearly 12 and the other nearly 11 ) a lot of insurance places will not give you insurance, specially if they have ongoing medical problems.

 

Weimaraners get fatty tumours, ( something to do with genetics ) and most give no problems but some are cancerous, if you can move the lump then fine it is when you can not .

 

The vet wants my dog to have CT,MRI, X-RAYS etc costing up to £400 and she said even then the outcome may not be good.

 

I did watch The Super vet last night and the surgery on a Great Dane, I have heard him mention costs before and he has actually at times paid for the surgery himself .

I read somewhere that there is a scheme which vets can join and they can provide you with a loan for expensive treatments… TB

Veterinary medicine has come on in leaps and bounds, mainly for dogs. I do think as owners we need to keep some sense of perspective and not be made to feel guilty because we cannot or choose not to spend thousands of pounds on major procedures. We do have a duty to our animals to keep them properly fed, housed and free of pain, to ensure they get necessary veterinary treatment. I see owners prepared to risk the roof over their family's head for an expensive op when there is an alternative at a fraction of the cost and I'm told it's because 'they' love their animal - the obvious implication being that I don't love mine. I see owners putting elderly pets through regimes the like of which they wouldn't dream of making their own grandmother endure. The supervet is a great watch and I do like the guy but there's no way it's the norm and there's no way the rest of us should see it as a measure of a good owner.

I agree… I definitely wouldn't want to put a pet through chemo… it's very sad but you need to do right by them so that they don't suffer.. sometimes that means having to let go. TB

I worked out that the cost of the allergy serum and injections was not that expensive so I have cancelled the insurance for her as it was approaching £175.00 per month and they only pay out £100 if she were to die of old age or ill health. Obviously if there was an accident then they would pay out more. The younger dog is a little more adventurous so I am not going to risk him needing expensive vet treatment. so I have continued with his..

Hi CitizenB… Did you ever find out what your dog is allergic to? Mine is not seasonal, not food… was wondering about house dust mite. He has been on a new immune suppressant called Apoquel, but although it worked great at first, he has started to scratch more and more again… I'm thinking of trying something called Respit… is that the serum you mention? more importantly, is it safe and does it work? I am very reluctant to keep my dog's immune system damped down, especially as he gets older and more susceptible to infections… but I can't bear to see him scratching away… I will do ANYthing to find him some relief! Dreading the summer… not pollen but Adders… I've had THREE dogs hospitalised in the past… the horrible things are in my garden, waiting to pounce on the dogs... TB

Hi CitizenB… Did you ever find out what your dog is allergic to?

 

Toby the JR is also allergic to dandelion

and Amber, the Goldie is also allergic to the dry air caused by central heating.

They have monthly jabs which work very well, although in Amber's case it took nearly 2 years for the vaccine to become effective.

I have to be honest, I dont know the name of the vaccine - but I will ask when I go next. Yes, it is very safe and there have been no side effects whatsoever.

That is very scary about the adders in your garden !

We also use a shampoo called malaseb for them both. That helped reduce the itching before their allergies were catalogued.

pork (although neither of them have eaten this, it is apparently in a lot of dog foods

Manufacturers have to put a minimum 4% of the 'named' flavour meat in their product but the rest can be anything else and it doesn't have to be the same recipe for every batch. Beef flavour will have a minimum of 4% beef and the rest of the meat content can be chicken on one run and pork on the next. This is one reason animals will suddenly appear to become intolerant to a food which has previously suited them. The only way round this with manufactured foods is to buy a brand which guarantees novel protein content ie only beef or only chicken. It does cost more but it isn't as expensive as the vet and a lifetime of drugs and there are manufacturers/suppliers who make good, novel protein foods at reasonable prices. I have a 'sensitive' GSD who hasn't had a skin outbreak since I went novel protein and wheat free.

but I can't bear to see him scratching away… I will do ANYthing to find him some relief

Have you tried the Dermacton range? Not cheap but I know owners who swear by it.

Wow… thanks for all the posts! I shall definitely look up Dermacton and the novel protein route… (Any more info on that would be greatly appreciated)...I am already using Malaseb twice a week. At one point I spent weeks living on beans on toast so that he could have duck fillets, sweet potatoes and green beans all freshly cooked… didn't stop the itching but he certainly looked forwards to dinnertime! I have tried raw, and again, it didn't make any difference and he wasn't too keen… the other dog throws up raw stuff, too. I have tried really expensive (£2.50 a can) Lilly's Kitchen, but nothing seems to work, so I really think it could be a house dust mite thing… I have very litre in the way of soft furnishings and mop and hoover our hard floors. The vet even suggested that he may be allergic to the other dog's dander! I had to laugh at dandelions… never heard of that one! But it's really no laughing matter when your dogs can't rest. The Apoquel works up to a point, but he gets flare ups and hot spots… I have been using a steroid cream on him this week…The last vet consultation was £120… my income is about £140 a week… so what with the insurance premiums and the Apoquel, I can hardly afford to eat. I would like to try the serum and vaccine… just worried that his immune system having been damped down for so long will go into overdrive with the vaccine… many thanks again for all the advice to help my dear little dog. I will let you know how I get on. TB

That is very scary about the adders in your garden !

I hate the nasty things… I am so nervous about the dogs being bitten as I am half an hour by car from the nearest vet… a bite can kill in minutes, especially when it involves the face… they ALWAYS bite the face. I have been 'lucky' so far as we manage to stabilise the dogs in time… but it always involves the dogs being put on a drip, etc...… just awful, and so expensive, too! TB

pork (although neither of them have eaten this, it is apparently in a lot of dog foods

 

 

Manufacturers have to put a minimum 4% of the 'named' flavour meat in their product but the rest can be anything else and it doesn't have to be the same recipe for every batch. Beef flavour will have a minimum of 4% beef and the rest of the meat content can be chicken on one run and pork on the next. This is one reason animals will suddenly appear to become intolerant to a food which has previously suited them. The only way round this with manufactured foods is to buy a brand which guarantees novel protein content ie only beef or only chicken. It does cost more but it isn't as expensive as the vet and a lifetime of drugs and there are manufacturers/suppliers who make good, novel protein foods at reasonable prices. I have a 'sensitive' GSD who hasn't had a skin outbreak since I went novel protein and wheat free.

Really, only 4% is that not misleading the customer ?

I hate the nasty things… I am so nervous about the dogs being bitten as I am half an hour by car from the nearest vet… a bite can kill in minutes, especially when it involves the face… they ALWAYS bite the face. I have been 'lucky' so far as we manage to stabilise the dogs in time… but it always involves the dogs being put on a drip, etc...… just awful, and so expensive, too! TB

Is there no way of getting rid of the adders ?

Is there no way of getting rid of the adders ?