Mri Report For Bertie/advice Please

Bertie had his MRI scan quite a while ago, I was referred by my vet to a vet hospital where a MRI scanner visits every month or so.It was £132 for consultation and a further £1155 for the scan. After the scan I picked him up, and was told that the vet would ring me with the results, he did and said that he had fluid on the brain also the twitching was due to distemper before he had his vacinations. He went on to say he was sending the scan to a Mike Targett for his report. After almost 4 weeks I had another telephone call to say that Bertie had quite a few abnormalaties, including the fluid and twitching, he said he would be in touch with my vet. After many telephone calls from myself re the report, my vet only last thursday received a letter stating what was wrong with him and it turns out that he is showing early signs of Syringomyelia. I have telephoned the vet hospital many times asking for a copy of the report as I would like to send to The Cavalier Health Club and also for my reference, I feel I have paid almost£1800 and all I have had is a verbal report. My husband said when you take a car for a service you get at least a report what is wrong with it. I am asking for any advise as to other members who have had their pets scanned, and what they actualy received after the scan, it may be that I dont gey anything. Please reply. Thank you

Hi!

I am so very sorry that you have had such a poor experience, and am also sorry to hear of Bertie's test results :hug:

When I had my 2 girls scanned I received the xray film itself from the scans and a certificate for each of the girls stating the results on the actual day, I have since taken the film to another neuroligist and shown it to my own vet, I am about to send it of to Clare Rusbridge for grading.

As you have parted with so much money I would certainly expect to have received your own copy of the film and a certificate from the scan stating what was found! That scan sounds horribly expensive, more than I have ever heard of previously, if the clubs can get the scans done for £200 and my girls were done under a block booking scheme for £100 each and that was what I was given!!

You are right to be annoyed about this and i would be back on the phone to your vet demanding hard proof of what you have paid out for!!

In the mean time a big kiss and a gentle :hug: for Bertie!!

Cathryn said:

Hi!

I am so very sorry that you have had such a poor experience, and am also sorry to hear of Bertie's test results :hug:

When I had my 2 girls scanned I received the xray film itself from the scans and a certificate for each of the girls stating the results on the actual day, I have since taken the film to another neuroligist and shown it to my own vet, I am about to send it of to Clare Rusbridge for grading.

As you have parted with so much money I would certainly expect to have received your own copy of the film and a certificate from the scan stating what was found! That scan sounds horribly expensive, more than I have ever heard of previously, if the clubs can get the scans done for £200 and my girls were done under a block booking scheme for £100 each and that was what I was given!!

You are right to be annoyed about this and i would be back on the phone to your vet demanding hard proof of what you have paid out for!!

In the mean time a big kiss and a gentle :hug: for Bertie!!

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Me Too
Aileen was (Matties mum)

I agree with Cathryn and Aileen but wanted to add a :hug: for you.

Thank you for your replies, I will def be on the phone tomorrow to vet hospital, will keep you to date what happens

Just to clarify a bit here -- you would have needed the more involved MRI (that you have paid for), for a medical diagnosis for treatment. The low cost programmes wouldn't be thorough enough, nor would you get much feedback, as they are intended only to give breeders information on the status of their dogs, and if actual treatment is needed, this involves a more thorough MRI of the full spine and further consultations (the low cost schemes only do the skull and top vertebrae, and a minimal report and certificate or grading certificate).

However at the *very minimum* I would expect them to give you:

1) copies of the key shots from the MRI so that you can see the issues they are talking about. These can be on film or can be digital images on a CD.

2) a full report on what the issues are and guidance on treatment.

3) a grading certificate, according to the Rusbridge grading scheme, if the facility does this. If not, a certificate that at least lists the results.

At this price I would also want to have spoken directly to the neurologist who did the reading and get a direct explanation of what is going on and what you should do next.

I'd be very frustrated to have had all of this take so long and to have been left in the dark for so long not least as you had the MRI for medical reasons to help a problem, not just for research purposes or breeding purposes, where there might be a less urgency.

I hve a lot of information on MRIs and links on how to understand them, and you will also find Clare Rusbridge's information on SM plus her treatment diagram, here:

www.smcavalier.com

Both of the latter, you can download for yourself and your vet. This should help you get an idea of how to start some possible treatments. But again your neurologist should have been helping with this and I don't understand why they haven't.

I'd consider getting copies of all the MRI materials and then getting in to see a neurologist who specialises in this condition. On the SM site I also have a list of neurologists in the UK. Depending on where you are some of us can probably make a recommendation about the nearest good neurologist to you.

I am sorry you have had so many frustrations in getting some answers but hope you will find some ways of helping Bertie now. :flwr: