I would not bring a pet to Animal Clinic in Pasig Boulevard after hours. I have been very dissatisfied with their night-time vet (Manny something I forget).

I have been a bit conflicted about writing this, but thought I would try to save you potential distress. This is my opinion based on my experiences ok?

I have brought my cat to their clinic in the middle of the night 3x (seizures), and I felt that the vet had no knowledge or experience in dealing with this previously. Buti nalang I was reading up about this on the net, because I was able to ask him to take the necessary tests, and to give him a list of possible causes he should consider or rule out.

The most horrible time was when Ita had 5 seizures in the span of 3 hours. We rushed him to Animal Clinic as he was screaming and writhing during the seizure. We took a cab carrying Ita in his bed. I kept calling the clinic during and after the seizures. No one answered.

We ended up banging on the door and ringing the clinic doorbell for more than 10 minutes. I saw the vet assistant look out and see that people were waiting outside, pero the fucker just walked around and carried his mat. Baka he was fixing things, or waking up the vet. Pero come on, it was an emergency. We could have had a dying pet. He should have at least let us in at once.

Vet inspection. Manny seemed barely awake. He took Ita's temp, said to give him calcium because the seizures were caused by lack of calcium. No tests no nothing. It was only after I listed the possible causes that he tried to take blood from Ita for a test. I knew something was up because he and his assistant were discussing. So I went near to try to listen. Apparently they couldnt find the little needles, or ran out of them. So the vet tried to take blood from Ita using a large needle. Of course Ita was screaming in pain the whole time. The vet then went near me to tell me that they couldn't get blood from Ita because he was a small kitten with small veins and the needle was larger than his vein. :(

It was in and out of Animal Clinic for Ita. I was a bit annoyed when I would always get a different vet assigned to him. There was no in-depth discussion about how to handle the seizures...one vet said hold him gently, the other said leave him alone.

The last straw was when I brought Ita back to the vet after another night of 5 seizures. The vets took his temp again, got blood (finally) for testing. I spoke with one vet and asked for possible causes of the seizures, and the possibility of epilepsy. This vet didnt answer me and just looked at the reception table. I asked if he knew what caused the seizures, he said "malnutrition". I said " The other vet here said worms. The other one said hypoglycemia. The other said calcium deficiency. Did you know that? Did you read his chart? What about other causes you need to test for? Do you want to know other possible causes? Here they are: Feline Panleukopenia, Feline AIDS, Feline ...... blah blah ...allergies and also Toxoplasmosis. Do you know what toxoplasmosis is? Do you?" He just kept silent. Omigod, he didnt even know toxoplasmosis - a common cat disease. : o : o : o A vet, ffs.

I asked for another vet. This vet said we should give Ita phenobarbital. He read him PIMS / MIMS (medicine book) and made some computations based on Ita's weight. 1/4 tablet 2x a day for 3 days. I asked him if he was sure (because as far as I read you should not give cats pheno and then stop the meds abruptly...seizure galore kung ganon). He thought a bit, and then said "give 1/8 tablet nalang" :( :( :(

Then yet another doctor said for him to write the prescription using the prescription pad with his PRC number. So what did he do? The pheno-prescribing doctor cancelled the prescription :( :( :(

That was it. I surfed the net and forums, found recommendations for the new vet, and switched.

I feel much more confident with our new vets (1) they seem genuinely concerned about my cat, and any pet-owner can tell this by the way they handle the animals, (2) when I called them in the middle of the night because Ita was getting attacks again, the vet prompty answered the call and was waiting for us when we got there. (3) The vet gave Ita a shot of valium, which is an acceptable practice based on my research. (4) They discussed possible causes and treatments with me in detail.

I'm not asking for miracles naman. Just concern and competence.
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For pet emergencies, you can call Vets in Practice. They're not a 24-hour facility but there is always a vet on hand to receive your pet.

VETS IN PRACTICE
Dog, Cat and Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery
#148 San Francisco St., Plainview, Mandaluyong City
Tel: (02) 5337965 Fax: (02) 5355673
clinic hours: 9am to 6pm, Monday-Sunday
After clinic hours, emergencies, and holidays: by appointment only
map here
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I'm going to have the gallbladder operation before 03 May (at least thats what my surgery referral form says). It won't be a laparoscopy, just the regular slice and dice operation with a 4 to 6 inch incision under my rib. Yummy.

I'll prob be at the hospital for a couple days and then will take a month to recover fully. This will be my first major operation, I'm both scared and excited (and worried that the stitches will be itchy). Pwede ba isabay ang lipo and boobjob hahaha.
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I just heard from Milett that our college dean passed away yesterday from a heart attack. I think he was only in his mid-50s. Still very young.

Last week one of our contractor's engineers died of a heart attack (27 years old) and one of our IT vendor contacts died din (35 of a vascular problem leaving behind a wife and 3 little kids).

My lola just died (old age / aging). Our best man's dad just died din (organ failure due to kidney failure at 58).

O why is everyone dying?

Stress? Pollution?

I am baffled, but hope they have found peace and comfort where they are.
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J I miss you.

This entry was posted on 4/26/2005 at 4/26/2005 07:00:00 am. You can skip to the end and leave a response.