# What to ask the vet?



## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Original post at http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...um/107183-help-trying-rescue-golden-long.html

Long story short:

My uncle is a moron. I'm taking possession of his sweet, underweight, untrained golden with hair and weight loss of unknown origins. I want to be prepared before I get the dog. I already treated the dogs for fleas and bombed his trailer for fleas. I got him dog food (dog chow) that is what he feeds all the dogs. Only the golden is skinny and the other 2 are of normal weight. His neighbors are checking daily to make sure the golden is eating and applying doggie topical hydrocortisone that I got til I can take the dog. My uncle claims the dog is doing much better. He leaves3 hrs each way from me for it will take a full day to pick up the dog and get him vetted. 

I talked to my vet. He said he would recommended bringing him straight to the office once I pick the dog up and he will probably have to be left at the office for several days to be isolated and started on treatment.

Is there anything I should make sure the vet does? Blood work and skin scraping? Oral flea treatment? Supplements? 

I imagine vaccinating as well as neutering would have to wait.

I plan to feed him Proplan Performance at first.


----------



## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Taking the dog to the vet is important but I wouldn't want to leave him there unless absolutely necessary. Poor thing needs TLC and bonding. Make sure they test him for heartworm, although if positive I would imagine they'd want him in good shape before starting treatment. If he's negative, start him on the preventative right away. Also, get some eqyss microtek shampoo. It's excellent in helping soothe and treat any sort of skin issue and gives immediate relief from itching. Many feed or tack shops carry it. Also, you can do a search on here and read about it. 

Also, transition him slowly to his new food. That's so important in minimizing any GI issues.


----------



## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

Thank you for helping this poor dog. Having a CBC (complete blood count) is just a start. With them wanting to keep him for a few days sounds good to me. Don't be surprised at the bill. 

The joy in your heart seeing the transformation in this boy will be priceless.


----------



## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

Penny & Maggie's Mom said:


> Taking the dog to the vet is important but I wouldn't want to leave him there unless absolutely necessary. Poor thing needs TLC and bonding.


JMO, but plenty of time for bonding later. He will probably be thrilled to be at the vets. Bet he gets more TLC there than from his former owner.


----------



## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

I'd want the vet to do a CBC, fecal exam, and a thorough physical exam of the dog. Check for worms (heartworms especially) and get him UTD on his vaccines and heartworm preventative.

And if the vet wants him to stay there overnight, so be it. As mentioned, the dog will have plenty of time to bond and love on you once he's at your home. Thank you for rescuing this poor guy, you're a saint.


----------



## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Thanks for the quick reponse. If he is heart worm negative I already have revolution to start him on.

I don't like Dog chow that is why I'm going to transition to Proplan performance. Lucky did great on it.

Thanks I will be on the look out for that shampoo. Would the vet have it? 

Just trying to stay in front of the curve. I can't go til next week due to work and other commitments this week. I'm trying to keep a watch now that I know of the problem by bugging the crap out of him over the phone. His neighbors also have my number. I told them if the dog looks worse on their daily visits for them to just take the dog and run to the vet. I would cover all costs.

His one neighbor does some animal rescue herself. She had no idea the dog was this bad. She feels horrible for not knowing about the dog being this bad. She said she sees him with his other dogs all the time but had not seen the golden recently and did not know about the fleas. She said she can't take the dog on because she is already stretched too thin but would make sure to check at least once a day and call me immediately. She says the dog seems more comfortable much less itchy and the flea bomb looks like it worked so far. The dog is being feed twice per day alone on the front porch with my uncle sitting next to him. He told the neighbor he doesn't want me bitching at him anymore or her to give me a bad report.


----------



## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

He knows the dog is going to get much better care and the other dogs will benefit too.


----------



## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

I've never seen a vet carry Micro-tek. I order it off of Amazon. Just make sure you're buying the shampoo and not the conditioner or the spray. The shampoo is great, I love it.


----------



## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

GoldenCamper said:


> Thank you for helping this poor dog. Having a CBC (complete blood count) is just a start. With them wanting to keep him for a few days sounds good to me. Don't be surprised at the bill.
> 
> The joy in your heart seeing the transformation in this boy will be priceless.


I know pets are expensive. I just sent almost $1,000 on Cozy my one yorkie last month for tumor removal for stage 1 cancer on her neck. The vet says he got it all with clean margins but the cancer could come back. 

I go to work to pay for the animals. The vet did think it was odd that I did not blink at the bill. I just paid it. I would have spent more in pet insurance premiums if I had it then the vet bills.

My parents have already said they will pay for some of the bills. He got a golden because we would not give him Lucky and Lucky was such a good dog. He did not know that he spent a few thousand every year on him for severe allergy to ticks.


----------

