Jesse and others that may think this a dream job. First off let it be known that in my previous life I was a Toolmaker for 25 years. I enjoyed the work but it was a poor way to make a living. I would not go back into a shop for nothing unless I owned it. I have had pointing dogs for over 25 years and trained many dogs before I started this business. I am an independent cuss and enjoy working for myself. I enjoy the dogs that come here for training and boarding. I enjoy helping people with their dogs and many times work for free. I enjoy helping others out. It was how I was raised and my folks are the same way and that is where I get it from. I grew up on a dairy farm and learned early in life what a days work is. I am good with animals and that certainly helps in this business.
With that being said, what I am about to write is not complaining, just an example of what you can expect.
Recently I had a customer bring in his dog for boarding. This dog is a very nice dog that I trained steady to shot. I enjoy this dog and the owner is a nice guy and it seemed we enjoyed each others company. The dog is now 2 years old and he informed me that it would need phenobarbital because the dog has been having epileptic seizures. Just so happens he bought this dog from a Vet that doesn`t have a clue about breeding but may know something about making money. The customer was going on a big game hunting trip with the Vet. He told me he was going to be out of touch and of course use my best judgement in case of emergency. Standard operating procedure here.
I noticed that the dog had a cloudy eye when he arrived but did not think much of it. We got talking about his upcoming trip and hunting and because this dog lives in the house with him I just assumed he noticed it also. He leaves and I check the eye several times per day to see if it is getting better or worse all the time wondering if it has something to do with the phenobarbital.
After a day or so I happened to be on the phone with my Vet, who is a friend of mine and I asked him if this medication could cause a cloudy eye? He told me that eyes can be very tricky. He asked if it was swollen or if the eye seemed painfull?
I said no. The dog acted normal and was as always happy as a clam. He didn`t think the medication was the issue. He told me to just keep an eye on it and see if it gets better or worse or the same, which I did. Just so happens he himself was in N.D. hunting so having him see the dog was not an option.
I kept watch on the eye and the condition never really changed.
When the owner came to pick up the dog I told about the condition. He wasn`t shocked or overly concerned at that time. I told him I discussed it with my vet and was told too monitor the condition. He told me he would take the dog to his Vet in the morning. So the next day I was in my car traveling and gave him a call to check on the diagnosis. He told me the Vet squirted some saline solution or something similar into the dogs eye and the third eyelid receded and all was well. I was happy to hear there was nothing terribly wrong. Never heard another word from him until a couple of days ago.
He sends me an e-mail informing me that his vet gave the dog some ointment to put into the eye for ten days and it did nothing to help the condition. The Vet then tried some other type of ointment for ten days and still not better. So they decide 25 days later that the dog should go to the UW vet clinic in Madison for a diagnosis. The UW says that the dog has a detatched retina and the eye would need to be removed.
He then goes on too tell me, basically that I dropped the ball and this was all my fault. He thinks one of my 40lb Vizsla females caused this by clawing the dogs eye or sudden impact, like one of my dogs can box. He felt that I should pay for this operation, and give him his money back for the time of boarding. This would be approximately $1500 total.
NEVER did he or his Vet think that the dog may have had a seizure and hit its head on something. NEVER did he mention that his vet misdiagnosed the situation for over 25 days.
I don`t know if he is going to sik his lawyer on me or not at this time. But just want to let you know that this is the kind of stuff you deal with in this type of business.
The dogs are usually fine, it is the people that make it not worth it sometimes.
Be careful what you wish for.
Stuff like that will make the inside of your mouth scarred and like shoe leather after a while :roll:
