Ears! - Page 5

jdd · 04-14-2008, 08:43 PM

For the first couple of weeks after cropping they shouldn't even be taped. You should be able to check the ear daily, clean the edges, medicate if needed and see what is going on.

dobieluvrKLE · 04-15-2008, 12:20 AM

Let me be clear here - the ears were NEVER taped!!! 'This aint my first rodeo' as we say down here in TX. I am also not an idiot. As stated before, my mother has had dobies since she was a child - for 40+ years and my father is a test short of being a DVM - he didn't want to be a veterinarian - AND he's an RN. BOTH of them saw the ears the DAY that I took them down and the very day that I put them in the gauze. His ears were 100% healthy at that time. His ears never went 24 hours without being cleaned and checked out. Baron has been checked by a vet in some form or fashion 9 times in the last 2 weeks. I am NOT a medical professional, I am an accountant for Christ sake - it was their job to tell me that Baron was sick. She didn't do tests that I requested and she did tests that I didn't authorize - that's the reason for the lawsuit. The doctor would have seen the signs of an infection beginning had she done what I asked. It wasn't just the ears but the ears are what caught the brunt of the whole thing. Obviously there is a ton more to this situation that is difficult for you all to see without the vet documentation that I have, so it would be hard for you to understand that I DO have cause for a malpractice lawsuit.

Also, I have NEVER heard that someone should wait more than a week or so - when stitches come out - to tape ears. Every vet that we've ever dealt with has said the same thing. The first dog that my mother got as our family dog was cropped and cared for by the head of the Texas A&M Veterinary School and she's done it just like he did and taught her for 31 years. I did my other dog's ears just like she taught me. Baron never made it that far.

VaBtrfly · 04-15-2008, 04:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dobieluvrKLE

Let me be clear here - the ears were NEVER taped!!! 'This aint my first rodeo' as we say down here in TX. I am also not an idiot. As stated before, my mother has had dobies since she was a child - for 40+ years and my father is a test short of being a DVM - he didn't want to be a veterinarian - AND he's an RN. BOTH of them saw the ears the DAY that I took them down and the very day that I put them in the gauze. His ears were 100% healthy at that time. His ears never went 24 hours without being cleaned and checked out.

There is no way in hades that this pups ears were checked out and re-wrapped every 24 hours without someone (you possibly) being aware that gangrene was setting in. I'm sorry but, having been around this breed for over 30+ years... personally, I find this difficult to believe. Someone *chose* to ignore the signs of infection. Again, this is a SMELL that is *impossible* to ignore, given the absolute best circumstances. I have probably "racked" more ears than I care to remember and I CAN NOT recall one single set that ever went unchecked to the point of resulting in total ear amputation, especially given the timeline that you suggest. Now, I'm sorry but, I call it the way I see it. I find it even more difficult to believe that *any" vet worth their grain of salt, would ignore such a horrific odor as gangene??? Again, I will say that this is not a smell that is likely to be overlooked by vet or novice alike. You can wrap it in the prettiest bow you can find, and it will still be horse-sh*t (as we say, in my neck of the woods.)

Baron has been checked by a vet in some form or fashion 9 times in the last 2 weeks. I am NOT a medical professional, I am an accountant for Christ sake - it was their job to tell me that Baron was sick. She didn't do tests that I requested and she did tests that I didn't authorize - that's the reason for the lawsuit. The doctor would have seen the signs of an infection beginning had she done what I asked. It wasn't just the ears but the ears are what caught the brunt of the whole thing. Obviously there is a ton more to this situation that is difficult for you all to see without the vet documentation that I have, so it would be hard for you to understand that I DO have cause for a malpractice lawsuit.

Quote:

Also, I have NEVER heard that someone should wait more than a week or so - when stitches come out - to tape ears.

Then you haven't been around dobes as long as you suggest. Every dobe breeder/ owner knows that it is absolutely imperative to *wait* until the ears are healed before they post the very first time.

Every vet that we've ever dealt with has said the same thing. The first dog that my mother got as our family dog was cropped and cared for by the head of the Texas A&M Veterinary School and she's done it just like he did and taught her for 31 years. I did my other dog's ears just like she taught me. Baron never made it that far.

The times... they are a changing. Those of us who have had dobes for years, know that there are always new and improved ideas that enhance our knowledge for the better of the breed. This would include ear taping amongst other, more important things. That is a given. Make no mistake.

I am sorry for the issues that you now face with your doberboy but, somewhere along the line... you dropped the ball yourself, and trying to place all of the blame on your vet (in totality) is unrealistic in this day and time. As the owner, it was your responsibility to provide the best veterinary care available. Sadly, your dog didn't benefit from your vast knowledge. I fail to see where suing the vet for something you, yourself missed... is in any way justified. How can you hold the vet to a higher standard than you, (as the owner) hold yourself? I can tell you one thing right now... if my doberboy had some gangrenous infection involving an extremity, (or anything else that I had a suspicion of) I would move heaven and earth to rectify it. Even if that meant taking his ears down to be sure. You want to sue the vet for a "lack" of adequate care? Where do you take responsibility for allowing this inadequate care yourself????

dobieluvrKLE · 04-15-2008, 08:02 AM

VaBtrfly, maybe you didn't fully read my posts. His ears were NEVER taped up - that was the first sentence in my last post. There was never a point that I couldnt see the ears. When I took him to the Emergency clinic on the Thursday after the regular vet vist his ears WERE NOT gangrene at that time. The ears did not show signs of gangrene for a few days after that. At the emergency vet, I was given 2 different antibiotics that he is still taking. He went to the vet on Saturday morning after the Thursday night vet visit and I was sent home by them because the ears WERE NOT showing signs of gangrene at that time either. On Tuesday when we went back AGAIN because there was an odor developing, that's when they told me that gangrene was setting in. His ears were cut again on that Thursday.

As I also stated, my father saw the dog on the Thursday that the ear posts came down - 3 days after ear crop AND the saturday that he began to get really sick. The ears showed zero signs of anything at those times. He lives in LV, NV so he wasn't around after Saturday so I was relying on what my vet told me after that.

I am 29 y/o and my mother got OUR first family dobie almost 3 years before I was born so YES, I have been around them my WHOLE life.

DLS · 04-15-2008, 11:55 AM

dobieluvrKLE, It has been awhile now since you first told us that Baron has to have his ears amputated. Has the operation been done yet? If so, how is he doing? If not, WHY not?

VaBtrfly · 04-15-2008, 05:35 PM

For the sake of research, and to let dobielvurKLE know that I did not intend to insult her for the situation she finds herself in right now....I did find some valuable information for ALL of us. We've all heard of MRSA? Well, it affects animals the same way it does us. This may account for Baron's "upset tummy" prior to the signs (or lack thereof) of infection with the ears.

Pets with MRSA superbug infection: MRSA in dogs cats animals: Bella Moss Media - National Papers

My apologies for the pointedness of my posts to you dobieluvrKLE. Thanks for sharing your story. It looks like we all have something new to watch for in our pets.

Having said this, you should make sure the vet who did the crop does a total sterilization of his offices since this seems to be where the problem actually originated from.... *IF* this does turn out to be MRSA.

Best of luck and I hope that you'll keep us updated.

**dobesrule** · 04-17-2008, 12:19 AM

I to want to know how you guys are doing??? How's your boy?

dobieluvrKLE · 04-17-2008, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VaBtrfly

For the sake of research, and to let dobielvurKLE know that I did not intend to insult her for the situation she finds herself in right now....I did find some valuable information for ALL of us. We've all heard of MRSA? Well, it affects animals the same way it does us. This may account for Baron's "upset tummy" prior to the signs (or lack thereof) of infection with the ears.

Pets with MRSA superbug infection: MRSA in dogs cats animals: Bella Moss Media - National Papers

My apologies for the pointedness of my posts to you dobieluvrKLE. Thanks for sharing your story. It looks like we all have something new to watch for in our pets.

Having said this, you should make sure the vet who did the crop does a total sterilization of his offices since this seems to be where the problem actually originated from.... *IF* this does turn out to be MRSA.

Best of luck and I hope that you'll keep us updated.

I kinda did take that personally since it seemed like an attack on me. The other situations that I haven't shared here are that I just got a divorce 4 weeks ago (I am a bit on edge with everyone - my fault

) and that my son went to the emergency room on the Wednesday night that I checked Baron's ears for infection (night I talked to mom). SO, I had to choose - take my son to the doctor or take my puppy to the doctor. My human child will come first over the dogs always! I appreciate the apology and the research. The tests that I requested of the vet when Baron went in "sick" would have caught something like MRSA in the early stages. (my dad told me to ask for a CBC and a chemisty which would have shown signs of a low WBC count or a high RBC count) Possibly MRSA is an explanation as to why my son and I both got sick about the same time as Baron! Baron seems to be fine now but my son and I are both still sick!!!

Baron goes back today to get the stitches removed from his 2nd ear crop. I know this will sound funny, but he's actually very cute. The ears took some getting used to but they are growing on me and he is still a gorgeous dog nonetheless. I will post pics when the ears completely heal.

saesms · 04-17-2008, 11:14 AM

ooops, i prefer normal ears, it looks good and when they run it just swings so beautifully,

should appreciate people who take so much care after cropping

VaBtrfly · 04-18-2008, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dobieluvrKLE

I kinda did take that personally since it seemed like an attack on me. The other situations that I haven't shared here are that I just got a divorce 4 weeks ago (I am a bit on edge with everyone - my fault

) and that my son went to the emergency room on the Wednesday night that I checked Baron's ears for infection (night I talked to mom). SO, I had to choose - take my son to the doctor or take my puppy to the doctor. My human child will come first over the dogs always! I appreciate the apology and the research. The tests that I requested of the vet when Baron went in "sick" would have caught something like MRSA in the early stages. (my dad told me to ask for a CBC and a chemisty which would have shown signs of a low WBC count or a high RBC count) Possibly MRSA is an explanation as to why my son and I both got sick about the same time as Baron! Baron seems to be fine now but my son and I are both still sick!!!

Baron goes back today to get the stitches removed from his 2nd ear crop. I know this will sound funny, but he's actually very cute. The ears took some getting used to but they are growing on me and he is still a gorgeous dog nonetheless. I will post pics when the ears completely heal.

You know, I was thinking (unfortunately, after I posted) about how this infection spread so fast and with so few symptoms. It just didn't seem possible, that ears could go bad in such a short period of time for no apparent reason. That's when I decided to search for MRSA in pets. I was shocked to see how pervasive it is rapidly becoming. I wanted to warn everyone about this since the introduction of the infection can occur with ANY surgical procedure... as well as ANY cut, scrape, or break in the skin. More frightening is the fact that IT can be passed from human to pet AND pet to human. This should be a HUGE concern to parents, as children are in the high risk category. I truly hope that this is not what's ailing you or your son. Then again, if it's not... I'm worried that we may be seeing more situations like yours in the future, and it is scary to have no other answers as to why. At any rate, it's valuable information to have either way.

I don't think it sounds funny at all that you find Baron's new ears cute. I'm sure they are. His ears are but a small part of the puppy he is, and the dog he will become. Personally, I find perfection boring, lol. Baron's ears will just give him more personality and who can't appreciate that in a dobe?

I'm sorry that you're having to deal with so much right now, and I hope that you and your son feel better soon. Best of luck to you, and I'm looking forward to seeing pics of your doberboy.

Take care,
VB