Urgent: Need Good Quality Veterinarian

[cneuy3]

Hello,

Yesterday my girlfriend and I picked up our new puppy. He is a 40 day old golden retriever named Rigs. The pet shop owners recommended to us a dog food brand for small dogs, bananas, and goat milk for his daily intake.

We brought Rigs home last night and fed him the mixture of dog food, bananas, and goat milk and again, today this morning.

Rigs seemed in good health throughout yesterday and most of the day today. His bile movements were normal and he seemed to have the normal energy of your every day puppy.

However today in the afternoon about an hour after Rigs most recent bile movement(complete solid, no diarhea) he started to vomit a foamy white mucus. He also did not have an appetite for his evening dinner. Over the coarse of about two hours late day Rigs vomited ~5 times and all the same foamy white mucus.

Out of concern for him we quickly called the owners of the pet shop and they came to our house to examine him. After witnessing the vomit they decided it best to take Rigs to a hospital in Hong Dong and have him examined.

The Pet shop owners called back about two hours later. They told us the doctor diagnosed Rigs with "Gastroenteritis" and my girlfriend is quoting them at saying the Rigs has an infection inside. They say that left untreated that Rigs has a life expectancy of only a couple of months. Again, something might be lost in translation but the doctor is saying that Rigs can be fixed but the procedure or medication will be 10,000 baht plus.

It's not about the money as I want Rig's to be our dog and live a healthy and full life but this diagnosis seems suspect. My girlfriend is trying to tell me that Thailand is not like other countries and that it's quiet normal for young puppies to get sick and die here. She says they normally wait until they are 40 to 45 days old and have them examined and vaccinated. Rig's had a routine check up the day we bought him and the doctors told us everything was normal. He was scheduled to return for his vaccination in one week. Apparently we had to take him around 45 days old.

All in all I'd like a second opinion. My girlfriend has made it seem as if the doctors are giving up on Rigs. The owner has mentioned something to her about Rigs going back to the farm where he was born for a bit to be with his mother. I'm not really sure what to make of all this as to me it seems as though Rigs might have just eaten something that his stomach was use to for the first time.

If anybody knows of a good veterinarian, english speaking, that would be interested in looking over Rigs I'd really appreciate it. He's at the Hong Dong hospital right now but I'd like to pick him up and take him somewhere for a second opinion.

Thanks.

[uptheos]

Ban Mha Ka Maew Animal Hospital

255/10-12 Mahidol Road

T. Padad

0900-2000 (Sunday 0900-1800)

I like Dr. Piyapong - I'm sure there will be other recommendations coming along.

I hear good things about Dr. Nook's Animal Clinic on Changklan road

Good luck, hope all ends well.

[el jefe]

there is a thread here with several vet recommendations:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/482144-vet-clinic/

40 days is too young to separate a dog from its mother and siblings.

[chiangmaibruce]

I agree with the recommendation above for Baan cat and dog (adjacent to ChiangMai Land)

[cneuy3]

Thanks for the quick replies.....

Girlfriend just showed me a link online that further explains the condition that the doctor from Hong Dong has diagnosed Rig's with.....

http://www.minidoghome.com/index.php?mo=3&art=302314

Rig's temperature was in the 100 to 102 degree range yesterday when he had his checkup. It still doesn't make much sense to me why the doctor would clear him to be in good health or why Rig's has/had to wait another week for his vaccination shots.

Rig's was born on a farm in Lampoon and he only made it to Chiang Mai this past Wednesday. My girlfriend believes he may have picked up whatever virus or bug this might be from the Pet shop where many dogs have been before Rigs.

Regardless, Thanks for the suggestions and I'd appreciate any others and anybody that has a familiarity with this condition in dogs.

Thanks.

[cmsally]

Thanks for the quick replies.....

Girlfriend just showed me a link online that further explains the condition that the doctor from Hong Dong has diagnosed Rig's with.....

http://www.minidogho...mo=3&art=302314

Rig's temperature was in the 100 to 102 degree range yesterday when he had his checkup. It still doesn't make much sense to me why the doctor would clear him to be in good health or why Rig's has/had to wait another week for his vaccination shots.

Rig's was born on a farm in Lampoon and he only made it to Chiang Mai this past Wednesday. My girlfriend believes he may have picked up whatever virus or bug this might be from the Pet shop where many dogs have been before Rigs.

Regardless, Thanks for the suggestions and I'd appreciate any others and anybody that has a familiarity with this condition in dogs.

Thanks.

The link above suggests he's been infected with Parvo virus and if so should be kept AWAY from other dogs.

I believe keeping the dog hydrated is one of the most important things to do probably on an IV. Doesn't seem to be a cure as such for it. Then of course when old enough the vaccinations

[funcat]

We've got our beagle at the dog market last year...the puppy got sick within hours....got her to the vet in Sanpong ,took a long time, several test and only after the puppy did throw up some white ,long "things" it as finely diagnosed with intestinal worms.She was almost gone...get your puppy check for these...the seller did admit that it happens quite often that the puppy can picked it up from the mother at the farm..Hope your puppy will get well...

[Tywais]

I agree with the recommendation above for Baan cat and dog (adjacent to ChiangMai Land)

Also agree, that is where we always have taken our Golden.

[elektrified]

Ban Mha Ka Maew Animal Hospital

255/10-12 Mahidol Road

T. Padad

0900-2000 (Sunday 0900-1800)

I like Dr. Piyapong - I'm sure there will be other recommendations coming along.

I hear good things about Dr. Nook's Animal Clinic on Changklan road

Good luck, hope all ends well.

+1

Dr. Piyapong is also known as Mor Aaa and is one of the best veterinarians in Chiang Mai. Get the dog over there ASAP.

[Nienke]

Rig's temperature was in the 100 to 102 degree range yesterday when he had his checkup. It still doesn't make much sense to me why the doctor would clear him to be in good health or why Rig's has/had to wait another week for his vaccination shots.

Actually waiting a week before starting the jabs was quite a sound advice. The chance for such a little puppy, taken away from his mother, weaned, transported to a pet-shop or directly sold to his new owners, new people, new environment and the loss of his litter-mates, gives a lot of stress. Vaccinating during that time is not advisable.

Also during this week possible infectious diseases show up, as it did with your puppy. Vaccinating the dog (or cat) with a multiple modified live virus vaccine, while it possibly is carrying the virus (is in the incubation time) can trigger the disease it is vaccinated for and increases the chance on complications.

Furthermore, pups receive maternal immunity from their mother's milk. When vaccinated too early the vaccines can neutralize this immunity and vice versa, leaving your pup unprotected.

I suspect this vet was quite aware of this and therefore asked you to come back in a week. Proper advice.

[Mapguy]

Dr. Nok ---- absolutely!

Office very near the Shangri La Hotel on the next road west, the road the veers off SW from Chan Khlan just to the south of Pantip Plaza.

PM for telephone number.

[Beetlejuice]

Trust me on this one; you want the small animal hospital on the Canal road near the Chiang Mai University.

Here is the website with full details.

http://www.chiangmai...animal-hospital

As far as I am concerned these are the only Vets in Chiang Mai.

Really, don`t waste your time taking the dog anywhere else.

Now, would I lie to you?

[elektrified]

Trust me on this one; you want the small animal hospital on the Canal road near the Chiang Mai University.

Here is the website with full details.

http://www.chiangmai...animal-hospital

As far as I am concerned these are the only Vets in Chiang Mai.

Really, don`t waste your time taking the dog anywhere else.

Now, would I lie to you?

Why should we "trust you on this one"?

Did it ever occur to you that some of the top Professors there (like Dr. Piyapong) have long since moved on to private practice? I would guess there are others around town too. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure they always have a good team there but as can happen in any teaching hospital, you could get an inexperienced intern or resident that is on duty at the time you show up.

"Really, don`t waste your time taking the dog anywhere else." Wow quite a statement. I guess you have never been to Ban Mha Ka Maew Animal Hospital?

Edited April 28, 2012 by elektrified

[Tywais]

"Really, don`t waste your time taking the dog anywhere else." Wow quite a statement. I guess you have never been to Ban Mha Ka Maew Animal Hospital?

You mirrored my thoughts.

[misterfloppy]

Just after Xmas we took three dogs and two cats to the vets just up Hang Dong Road from the Airport Plaza, on the left. Two of the dogs were neutered and the other was too young to be spayed so got her jabs. The male and female cats were neutered and spayed.

One of the dogs refused to take his medicine so got sick, and the vet's taking a sample was, in my opinion, a bit unprofessional - the poor beast was screaming in pain. Anyway, he had to be kept in for a several days as he "might not survive - 50/50 chance." A few thousand baht, rather than the ten you mention. He survived.

Now we come to the reason I write this:

- The young bitch died.

- One of the kittens back home died.

- The other kitten contracted feline polio.

- The female cat turned purple and started to bleed from every orifice - but eventually survived, and is fit and healthy now.

These are the facts - you can draw your own conclusions.

As an aside, the kitten with polio could do with a home since the new apartment doesn't allow pets, and the land she is now living on is not really suitable. This is a house-trained and reallly affectionate tortoise-shell kitten who likes the company and physical contact of humans. She is playful, like others of her age, but the back legs are a bit stiff and don't always do what she expects of them.

We will be sad to see her go, but know we can no longer provide the home she needs - get in touch if you're interested and we can come and see if you can provide a suitable home for her.

[elektrified]

Just after Xmas we took three dogs and two cats to the vets just up Hang Dong Road from the Airport Plaza, on the left. Two of the dogs were neutered and the other was too young to be spayed so got her jabs. The male and female cats were neutered and spayed.

One of the dogs refused to take his medicine so got sick, and the vet's taking a sample was, in my opinion, a bit unprofessional - the poor beast was screaming in pain. Anyway, he had to be kept in for a several days as he "might not survive - 50/50 chance." A few thousand baht, rather than the ten you mention. He survived.

Now we come to the reason I write this:

- The young bitch died.

- One of the kittens back home died.

- The other kitten contracted feline polio.

- The female cat turned purple and started to bleed from every orifice - but eventually survived, and is fit and healthy now.

These are the facts - you can draw your own conclusions.

As an aside, the kitten with polio could do with a home since the new apartment doesn't allow pets, and the land she is now living on is not really suitable. This is a house-trained and reallly affectionate tortoise-shell kitten who likes the company and physical contact of humans. She is playful, like others of her age, but the back legs are a bit stiff and don't always do what she expects of them.

We will be sad to see her go, but know we can no longer provide the home she needs - get in touch if you're interested and we can come and see if you can provide a suitable home for her.

Without mentioning any names can you be a little more specific as to where this clinic is "just up Hang Dong Road from the Airport Plaza, on the left." I can't think of any veterinary clinic on the Hang Dong Road on the left side heading away from Airport Plaza.

[playyer]

Bit too late i guess, but get him to a good vet. Parvo can be expensive to treat as the dog may need to stay at the clinic to be treated. 10 000 sounds like to much though. Depends on how long it needs to stay there. Three things you have to do to treat parvo, the dog need fluid, or will die of dehydration, the clinic will give it IV. The dog vomits up all food so need nutrition or it will die, the vet will give goatmilk or glucose i think. The dog also needs to be on an antibiotic because some bacteria associated with parvo will really mess up the stomach, and there will lots of blood in the feaces. Without it the dog will likely die. Even with treatment some dogs lose too much blood and die. Some animal hospitals do blood transfusions though.

[Krupnik]

I would definitely recommend Dr Nook they saved my dog's life when she he had a small chance of living, I would completely trust them. Any update on Rigs, OP?

[cneuy3]

I would definitely recommend Dr Nook they saved my dog's life when she he had a small chance of living, I would completely trust them. Any update on Rigs, OP?

Hi,

Upon posting my original post we took Rigs to the emergency room of the "Small Animal Hospital" listed above located near CMU. The doctors examined him and diagnosed him with the beginning stages of the parvo-virus. Alot of blood work was done and Rigs was given antibiotics to fight the infection.

The expensive treatment which was referred to in my original post is known as "Virbagen omega" Viral stimulating therapy. The doctors told us that if Rigs did not respond well to his antibiotic treatment that that might be a viable option.

Fortunately for us all Rig's blood work came back normal. His white blood cell count was in the normal range and he responded very well to his antibiotics and his temperature returned to normal. He stayed overnight at the animal hospital for three days while on the IV and was closely monitored. The doctors cleared Rigs for return to our house the other day and he has been home and doing well ever since. He's still taking oral antibiotics but his appetite and playful puppy behavior has returned to normal.

Thanks everyone for your best wishes towards Rigs and suggestions in this thread.

[misterfloppy]

The vet we went to was on the west side of the road - on the left as you go north. Probably less than half-a-mile past the Airport Plaza. Best avoid....

Good luck with Rigs -