Friday, January 08, 2016

For The Love Of Brandon

This article I saw on Facebook really broke my heart
I tried to keep mum on the death of our 10 year old German Shepherd Brandon two days after Christmas but upon reading this article regarding the death of a healthy Pomeranian after it’s owner took it to the vet just for grooming, I decided to share what me and my family accounted as "veterinary medical malpractice" to increase awareness that these things actually happen and it can happen to any of our beloved pets.


Brandon recuperating after he was confined for 2 days due to infection

We took Brandon to the vet last November 6 because of loose stool and dehydration. We had his cbc (complete blood count) checked and the numbers didn’t come out good. Brandon’s kidney (Renal Failure) and liver was badly affected by the infection and we were told that he may not live long partly because of his old age too. He was confined for 2 days but we took him home because they couldn’t make him eat we thought maybe he’s not very comfortable with strangers around and doesn’t trust anyone but us to feed him which is typical of canines like him. They are really suspicious especially with strangers. To be honest I was scared of large dogs before but when I got to know Brandon, he was actually just like any small or medium sized dogs, playful and very easy to love.

As expected, Brandon ate few hours after he got home. He was on IV for just a day and a half and started taking oral meds for a week. He was back on track after 2 weeks. There was no sign of him being sick, it’s like a miracle. We got our hopes up that he will live a little bit longer.

During Brandon's follow up check up on November 28 the vet advised to have his vaccines updated and to have him dewormed. My dad bought Brandon as a puppy from a family in Cavite and he had papers but we’re not sure what type of vaccines was injected to him so we thought maybe it is necessary to have his vaccines updated to keep him healthy. The vet administered a 5 in 1 shot on December 7 and gave us 3 Canex deworming tablets. As per the vet, we need to deworm 5 days after his 5 in shot 1 and that’s what we did. 

We dewormed Brandon on December 12 and 3 days after he started losing appetite again. 4 days later we started forced feeding him. He won’t eat or drink on his own. He’s become lethargic, drooling until he cannot stand on his feet again. I couldn’t stand looking at him like that, he’s like a vegetable but we couldn’t take him to the vet immediately because my elder sister was away that time and we waited for her to come home so for the time being I went to the vet alone to ask if it was caused by his 5 in 1 shot or deworming but the vet insisted that other factors might have caused his sickness again like the weather perhaps? I was like, seriously? I told myself I don’t think she will admit that she might have done something wrong. She was groping for words. Is she clueless or something? Unbelievable. I was told that we need to have Brandon confined again. I was totally disappointed that I insisted we take him to another vet. 

We rushed Brandon to another vet clinic on Christmas eve. They took his cbc as usual and later found out that he's kidney and liver were failing. The vet told us that the previous vet should have make sure that he is 100% well before the 5 in 1 shot and the deworm should’ve come first. He was also positive for blood parasite which means that he still wasn't well and if, only IF they had him go through several tests before the shot, they could’ve at least saved his life. We left him in the care of his new vet but was a little too late. The next day when my sister paid Brandon a visit she was given a heads up that he has a 50/50 chance of survival. We were hoping for another miracle but 2 days after Christmas I got a text message from Brandon’s vet that he already passed away. My family was totally devastated losing Brandon because he is not just a dog, he was family to us.  


The camera shy Brandon 
This goes to all pet lovers/owners and veterinarians out there. To veterinarians, what happened to Brandon made me doubt you and your expertise. Brandon is just a poor animal who left his faith in your hands because you are supposed to be an expert in your field but you cut his life short, slowly and painfully. As owners, we may be at fault too for believing and trusting that these guys know what they are doing. Providing proper care to animals espcially senior dogs should be your primary concern but what happened to Brandon gave me a notion that it’s all for the money, it’s a monkey business sort of thing.





RIP Brandon

Surely, my sentiments will not bring Brandon’s life back but I hope that this experience will serve as an eye opener for all pet owners to be vigilant. When in doubt and you suspect a vet malpractice ask for your pets medical records and a second opinion because it is your right to know what is going on with your pets and not just pay a hefty amount without asking questions. Remember, you are your pets protector, their voice.

To Brandon, you will be missed. May you rest in peace. 

Back at It: A Long Overdue Update

It's been three months since I last sat down to write, and I've missed this more than I can express. Life has a way of throwing unex...