XPost: rec.pets.dogs.health, rec.pets.dogs.behavior, alt.animals.dog   
   XPost: alt.pets.dogs.labrador   
   From: dermer@alpha1.csd.uwm.edu   
      
   In article <1107490047.729426.324730@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> "Candy"   
    writes:   
      
   > My days of blind   
   >trust are OVER. *sigh*   
      
   Dear Candy,   
      
   I just want to note that no one is perfect and that I often   
   question my physician, veterinarian, etc. Several times my   
   physician has made an incorrect diagnosis before he finally   
   found "the cause."  But I do understand your frustration and   
   anger.   
      
   >competent vet BEFORE anything snowballs out of control.   
      
   Above you write about a "competent vet." Most people talk/write   
   this way, but you would be much better off questioning   
   the particular behaviors your vet did or did not do.   
      
   Years ago, I had sent out a letter of concern about some   
   of the activities of my son's teacher. I had tried to talk   
   to the teacher about my concerns, but she would not talk   
   to me. So, I sent a letter to her and sent copies to   
   the parents of the students that she teaches. (This is   
   a private school; my wife teaches there.)   
      
   Several parents wrote to me complaining about my questioning   
   the teacher's competence but as I pointed out I was in no   
   position to question all of the teacher's activities. I had   
   instead focused on particular behaviors that had occurred   
   at particular times, and in particular settings. All of   
   these behaviors had produced written records. I had focused   
   on these records so as to avoid being convicted of libeling   
   the teacher. (The best defense against charges of libel   
   or slander is that what was said or written was true.)   
      
   I SUGGEST that you question the diagnoses, question the   
   particular treatments, question the prognosis, but don't   
   question the veterinarian's general competence.   
      
   Good luck to you and yours,   
      
   --Marshall   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)