'Our vets are animal lovers or butchers' Animals and Pets

Our vets are animal lovers or butchers

My white male German Spits of 12 years was hale and hearty until July 2009 when within 10 days of annual vaccination and coronavirus its hind legs started to collapse, cataract development accelerated in both eyes (it is near blind now within a span of 3 months), and it developed bowel and bladder incontinence. This vaccination was given by Dr. Sudhir, President of the Veterinary Association of Uttar Pradesh and a government employed vet at Horses (godha-ka-haspatal) Hospital at Havelok Road, Lucknow. He is supposed to be a canine specialist!! He just refused to accept any error on his part and defended himself theoretically that it was the onset of osteoarthritis rather than immune-mediated polyarthritis due to excessive vaccination. Ever for a minor ailment of cold or fever, Dr. Sudhir used to prescribe antibiotics with prednisone regardless of taking the age of a dog into account.

After a month, on advise of another vet, I had taken my pet to a surgeon-cum-radiologist for ultrasound which along with a blood test showed that its renal, liver, and spleen were okay but there was now a small prostate problem of it pushing into the rectum above and a small calculi in the gallbladder partially blocking the flow of bile. On my questioning of cataract treatment/surgery, the surgeon could only provide pinhole surgery that I did not accept.

I contacted another vet, Dr. Rajiv Pandey, Gomti Nagar who had earlier taken care of my pet and who had a few years back prescribed Neurobion coated tablets twice a day for 30 days on account of some stiffness in my dog’s hind legs on standing up from a sitting position. For osteoarthritis or polyarthritis he prescribed Bayer’s Megaflex for animals comprising of glucosamine and chondroitin at 4-5 g per day. An expensive nutraceutical product – 100 g for Rs. 330, I was asked to give my pet every day for at least three months before any results could be visible if at all. He later prescribed four homeopathic medicinal drops for arthritis, 10 drops of each on the dog’s favorite biscuit three times a day. These drops were so bitter that my dog once nearly choked on the same. All that Dr. Pandey could say was to discontinue if not able to give to the dog. That is when I got down to writing this essay on the callous attitude of our vets towards animals though there is an impotent Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act in India.

Most of these vets who are in government service also run veterinary clinics in the evenings where they push their wares of supplements, vaccinations, and canine/feline feed especially Pedigree which is fit for omnivores rather than canine. This is where they make their extra money including that via commissions. They do not seem to update their knowledge (say) from the American Council of Veterinary Science towards canine/feline feed, vaccinations, and treatment. Whenever one visits these vets they inquire of the vaccination card and if that is not up-to-date first suggest the annual vaccination before any further treatment.

I wonder if they have ever heard of The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) which is the only organization that accredits animal hospitals throughout the U.S. and Canada and read the canine vaccination guidelines that recommends revaccination with MLV CPV-2, CDV and CAV-2 “at intervals of every 3 years OR LONGER”.

Again, the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) guidelines recommend revaccination with core MLV vaccines “SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN ANY MORE FREQUENTLY than every three years after the 12 month booster injection following the puppy/kitten series.”

The AAHA and WSAVA guidelines note that duration of immunity with MLV CPV-2, CDV and CAV-2 vaccines is 7 years. Over-vaccination can make dogs and cats very sick. It can even make them die…

As dogs cannot communicate and a titer study before vaccination is very expensive, these vets are able to browbeat the pet owner to an annual vaccination program for a tidy sum.

• AAHA

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