Where to start...... (?) Our cat had been sneezing and carrying on for awhile and started having foul smelling breath. Finally I had taken her in to this new veterinarian, because my vet just couldn't seem to get us in on our time schedule. HUGE mistake on my part. Dr. Flanders explained the herpes virus to me and how it affects cats etc..... our cat had also lost her canine tooth a month or two prior to me taking her to see this man in December. Dr. Flanders had also informed me that she had a "severe" sinus infection. He gave her several different kinds of shots, and had also drawn her blood to see what her condition was. Plus sent us home with 3 additional medications for her. All of that helped for only about one week, and we (family) noticed a huge change in our cat, not eating, drinking, losing weight, the list just went on.............. One month later - went back into his office, for him to walk into the room and look at her and cringe up his face and say "ew, that's cancer!" - before he even greets me or I have a chance to even talk with him about what's been happening with our cat and the changes we have seen in 1 months time. I was quite shocked by his unprofessionalism. I really began to question my own actions and trusting this man with our loving cat. She had gotten so sick and lost so much weight just within the month since we had first went to see this doctor.
I believe that this doctor lied to me in December. I think he KNEW that this cat was "really" sick, but he gave me hope, by giving her all these shots and sending me away with a lot more medicine to give to her.
How could we be there in December and this veterinarian say NOTHING about "cancer", and one month later, he walks in and say 'yuck, that's cancer' no chance for her ?
I tried to talk about options for our cat - based on previous information he gave to me about "severe" sinus infection. I was asking about debriding her sinuses and opening up her nasal way - so she could smell her food and eat. He kind of chuckled and said 'ah, that's like opening up Pandora's toy box, all the issues that can arise from that'. What! I was trying to talk to this doctor about possibilities, and weighing ALL my options............ he just went on to say, how old is this cat, she looks like a 20 year old cat. Our cat was only 10 yrs old.
I had her put down, but I was willing to put her down back in December, because something just wasn't right about how she was acting and behaving. Our cat suffered unreasonably, and my children now have forever etched upon their minds the behaviors that our cat displayed the weekend before I had her put down. She cried, she was hungry, she was thirsty, she couldn't eat or drink because she had a hole in the roof of her mouth. Yes, from her canine falling out, but the whole roof of her mouth was missing.
I have NO respect for this Dr. Jerry Flanders because he IS very arrogant and misleading. I would not trust this man ever again with any of my animals, because his story changes from one visit to the next. He really doesn't get to know the situation or even act like he's interested in "helping" the animal. I'm not even sure how much he really wants to do for animals, based on his quick judgment when he doesn't even really take the time to listen to the owners of the animal.
Sitting in his exam rooms, you can hear everything that is being said in the next room and at the front desk.
Right before he entered our exam room, he was saying to his staff members at the desk - nay, there's no hope for this one, she's really advanced quickly, then our door opens. That damn doctor had already made up his mind that he was putting our cat down, before he even saw her, talked to me, found out what was going on or why we were even there. This is WHY I believe this doctor knew - our cat was really, really sick with NO HOPE of recovery back in December.
Also, just an FYI - he had asked in December who our regular vet was, I told him, and he instantly started putting that veterinarian down negatively, not because of poor practicing habits, but because of his age. I thought that was rather odd. Never in my life have I experienced another doctor putting another doctor down due to their age, or putting a doctor down in general. I should know - I've worked in healthcare for over 25 years. read more