Issues needing tissues

[Lindsay]

Oh Donna, I had no idea that Wallis was not doing well!

Please do not blame yourself. You cannot be held responsible for bad medical advice. You were doing what you thought was best. Remember hindsight is always 20/20. We all know you would never compromise the health and/or happiness of any of your babies!

Please know we are thinking of you and sending postive vibes to you and Wallis!

How old is Wallis?

[JaneB]

Donna, I'm just heart-sick for you and your sweet Wallis. You did the best you could given the information you received. It's always so difficult when you find that it was not the right info. There was absolutely nothing more you could have done. I think the letter idea is a good one, it always feels better to get something off your chest. You're doing the right thing, just love her and make her comfortable. Hang in there, we are all here for you!

JaneB

[*Pauline*]

Dear Donna, I'm so sorry you and your family are going through this. I really don't know what to sa...it's heart breaking. I think your letter to the vet is a good idea, maybe put it away and don't post it or maybe you would be educating him, I don't know. I'd put it away for now and vocus all of your attention on Wallis and enjoy her. Give her a kiss from Auntie Pauline

[KimNIndy]

i'm so sorry to hear about wallis' illness and we will all be thinking about you and your family.

thank you for telling us about it---it must have been very hard to put into writing. i hope it helps having shared with us.

please do write the letter---i have done this before and it really is a good help because it helps to clarify and express everything that you are feeling...if you feel the need to send it remember that several drafts are better for both ends!!! just don't hold in the anger because it will only result in making you feel worse----trust me i know

i think we all feel a bit guilty when anything happens to our dogs (i think it's their eyes that do it) but there is absolutely no reason to. you love wallis to bits and are a wonderful mommy to her.

please keep us updated and lots of hugs to you both!

kim

[Scouty girl]

Donna,

You have to realize that you would never jeopardize wallis' health. You were doing what the rest of us would have done, listening to the professional.

I'm sure you will do whatever it takes to help your special girl and make her comfortable. We will all be thinking of you. Be strong.

[Karlin]

I'm so sorry to hear you are tackling these health challenges with Wallis . You really cannot blame yourself -- it can be very hard to know that things should have been done; hindsight is indeed 20/20. It is easy to blame ourselves for not asking for things to be checked but often there was no reason why we would have at the time, especially not if the vet wasn't overly concerned. It is a shame the situation with the tumours didn't trigger more action from your previous vet to give you the detail you now have from your new vet, but this is hardly your fault. Also keep in mind the majority of vets do not pick up heart murmurs or grade them correctly when they do -- an awful lot miss them entirely.

It sounds like you and Wallis are in very good hands now and Wallis will get the best treatment she can. We will all be here thinking positive thoughts for you and Wallis.

[Crittercall]

I can't thank you guys enough for all the encouragement and support. It makes me feel better just having shared something that is so much on my mind with everyone here; I feel so close to you guys even though I don't know your faces. I guess that's the spirit of the Cavalier running through all of us.

Right now I need to concentrate more on the fact that Wallis looks okay and is acting fine, although inside I feel like we are walking the Green Mile.

Thanks again. I'm overwhelmed and almost speechless.

[CavyGirl]

thank you for sharing during this heart wrenching time... I completely understand your anger with your first vet. I had a puppy that wasn't doing very well just days after getting her so I brought her to the vet and they kept her over night for observation. They sent her home the next day and said she was fine -- she died that night from parvo in emergency care. I wrote the vet a letter, as well as the pet store I got her from (I know...but I didn't know how bad this was at the time) and I vented every emotion I had in 4 pages. In the end I did feel better because it forced me into all the grieving emotions (it took me a day to write it!). After editing out the profanities, I sent it hoping that it might prevent obvious oversight or neglect from happening again to other puppies in the vets care, and from the pet store selling sick puppies. I don't know if it did or not, but I definitely got reaction from both.

I felt so guilty too, as all the symptoms indicated there was something wrong. But when you identify the concerns, we trust our vets to go through the process of eliminating the possible problems. You can't hold yourself accountable as you trusted your vet, a professional trained to treat and understand the health symptoms and concerns of our little ones -- if they find nothing wrong, how can you be expected to?

Enjoy this time with Wallis. We're thinking of you...

[Cheryl V]

Donna,

Ditto to what everyone said about hindsight. Just enjoy Wallis and give her all the love she needs. Don't blame yourself. We're all behind you. Please keep us posted and let us know how she is doing.

[selina]

I am so sorry to read that Wallis is so ill. Cancer is sucha hard thing to deal with. And your right you need to vent at the vet that miss diagnosed her, but I would be sending that letter so that they know what has happened and how badly you and Wallis have been treated. I did this when a vet killed one of my dogs and I got a phone call and an apology from them. It wasnt much but I certainly felt better after when I made them realise there mistake.