When my canine Baxter was sick, I wished that he could tell me what was wrong. “Gör det ont? Vad känner du?”
Unfortunately, he couldn’t answer me.
But I feel we got as close as possible to the answer through a consultation at a veterinary medical facility that takes the human model of care and translates it to animals.
Our previous veterinary experience had been, in my opinion, pretty typical. Yearly check-ups, vaccinations, a teeth cleaning and some stitches for an injury.
Our local vet clinic is common with its single waiting room, exam rooms, surgery rooms, a recovery/kennel area and some outdoor space. The staff do x-rays, blood and urine tests, surgeries, examinations and prescriptions.
The team there has always been kind, well-informed and conscientious. but as Baxter’s disease remained a mystery, they were limited.
Image courtesy of animal health Partners
So, our local vet referred us to a veterinary specialty medical facility called animal health Partners in Toronto. We hoped that their expertise and diagnostic abilities would help us find an answer of what was happening.
Veterinary specialty medical facility – animal health Partners
As I looked up animal health Partners online, I felt like we were going to the best place for us.
I had known that human-style animal care existed, but I had never experienced it, and I was right away blown away.
The specialties of the vets, the technology available and the procedures they provided were equal to or beyond that of human hospitals! There were much more than 20 vets on staff. They focused on decreasing stress, worry and pain. There was a lab and pharmacist onsite.
They had departments for:
neurologi
intern medicin
medical imaging
kirurgi
kardiologi
anesthesiology
an ICU
24/7 emergency services
Here is a video showing much more about animal health Partners:
Even the design is thoughtful. The walls are painted yellow, blue and grey, colours dogs can see. There are multiple waiting areas and lounges for clients, and separate waiting areas for dogs and cats. animal health Partners only treats dogs and cats, and their clientele is about 70 percent dogs and 30 percent cats.
Our appointment was with internal medicine. This department focuses on gastrointestinal, renal, immune-mediated, urinary, infectious, hepatic, and respiratory conditions.
Our regular vet had offered all of Baxter’s medical records in advance. I then had a comprehensive intake conversation with one of the technicians where I went over everything that had been happening, what I’d observed, what we’d done, and what my own opinions were.
My canine Baxter (at home)
The staff seemed to want as much information as possible. I never felt rushed or intimidated. They made me feel comfortable and confident that they had Baxter’s best interest at heart.
Ultrasound for my canine Baxter
My big wish for our appointment was an ultrasound. Our family vet had recommended that as the next step for Bax, but it wasn’t something they were able to carry out at our clinic.
An ultrasound was going to be part of our appointment—in fact, it seemed to be a conventional part of many internal medicine appointments. and if we needed much more assessments, animal health Partners also had CT, MRI, endoscopic and various other imaging options.
Despite all of the tools available to the vets, Baxter’s diagnosis was still inconclusive after his appointment with internal medicine. They also discovered neurological symptoms, which led the internal medicine vet to speak with with the neurological department.
Image courtesy of animal health Partners
Having all of this expertise available in one place was very helpful. I felt like they were taking a look at Baxter’s case from multiple perspectives and were committed to finding an answer for us.
Neurology is one of the specialties of animal health Partners. They have advanced imaging capabilities that rival those of numerous hospitals, including high-field MRI (3 Tesla) and 32-slice CT.
They are able to diagnose and treat:
svaghet
förlamning
smärta
seizures
movement disorders
balance issues
and cognitive changes
Image courtesy of animal health Partners
Ultimately, Baxter’s condition had worsened so much that I chose not to put him through even more tests. but the vets still supported me, providing guidance over the phone and by email. They asked me to describe what was happeningoch skicka videor så att de kunde se sitt beteende själva.
Kostnad för vård på ett veterinärs specialhospital
Vet vård är dyrt. En specialklinik som djurhälsopartners, med specialpriser, utrustning och förfaranden är extra dyr. Jag tänkte på att kosta gången och visste att jag var will att spendera cirka $ 1000. I slutet av dagen, efter att ha öppnat till ytterligare test och fylla recept, betalade jag nära $ 1500.
Bild med tillstånd av djurhälsopartners
Jag inser att inte alla har tillgång till en klinik som djurhälsopartners, oavsett om det inte är tillgängligt i ditt område eller det är inte överkomligt för dig.
När ditt husdjur är sjuk och inte kan berätta vad som är fel, vill du ha de bästa diagnostiska alternativen, och jag känner att det är en stor fördel som människans kliniker som djurhälsopartners erbjudande.
Djurhälsopartners är den typ av plats som du hoppas du aldrig behöver gå till. Men när jag behövde det var jag tacksam att det är där.
Bild med tillstånd av djurhälsopartners
Vilken specialhälsovård har du upplevt med ditt husdjur?
Julia Preston skriver för den mutten om hundbeteende och träning, arbetande hundar och liv på sin gård i Ontario, Kanada. Hon har en söt, avslappnad boxare mix som heter Baxter. Hon är också en bloggare hemma på 129 hektar där hon skriver om sina äventyr av land som bor och DIY renoveras.
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