The Animal Doctor

DEAR DR. FOX: Thank you for writing that strong, factual column about Blue Pearl's misdeeds. It was exactly on the mark when it comes to assisting pet owners to make the wisest choices for their pets.

I decided to write to the Florida attorney general (about the issue of emergency vet clinics taking advantage of customers, especially elders like the person who wrote to you). The AG's office responded within days, telling me to also write to the state's Department of Elder Affairs, its Department of Business and Professional Regulation and its Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services -- along with the Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau, which I had already done.

I sent out letters to all of the above. The AG also said that your reader might want to consult an attorney -- obviously believing, as you have from the start, that your reader's problem should be addressed. -- L.C., Fort Myers, Florida

DEAR L.C.: Thanks for the update. This gives me faith that the power of the press has not been lost, and that responsible public action can keep fairness, honesty, integrity and justice alive and well in these dystopian times.

DEAR DR. FOX: I read the recent letter from a concerned friend regarding a $5,000 bill that an elderly woman accrued at Blue Pearl vet hospital. If I could find out more, I would call that hospital and help out by paying some of it. I can't pay it all, but I would help.

It really struck a nerve with me: I had a dear aunt who helped me pay for an MRI on a beloved pet once, when there was no way I could come up with the $5,000 it cost. -- S.D., Loxahatchee Groves, Florida

DEAR S.D.: Your generous offer is much appreciated, but at this moment in time, it is too late. But there will be more such instances in the future, along with fake appeals for donations to help pay for pet bills that have been fabricated. There is so much corruption and exploitation in these times that it is difficult to know who to trust.

In the "old days," one could usually trust one's veterinarian, and I am doing my best to help restore that in my column. A few bad apples in this profession rot the reputation of the lot.

DEAR DR. FOX: I share your outrage over the unscrupulous charges the poor woman received from Blue Pearl for the care of her dog. I did not know that Banfield Hospital is also owned by Mars Inc. My cat gets her care at our local Banfield. I hope the vets there are on the up-and-up.

My Ginger, an indoor-only cat, is on the top insurance plan that they offer ($40/month). I have been very satisfied. At her most recent checkup, the doctor did standard tests, plus several others I didn't know she needed. My cost was $0.

One more thing that should make you smile: Ginger and I both take amlodipine for our blood pressure. She gets the liquid in her wet food, and I take the pill. -- D.L., West Palm Beach, Florida

DEAR D.L.: Thanks for sharing your experience with veterinary services and pointing to the benefits, for those like you who can afford it, of comprehensive pet health insurance coverage. This enables veterinarians to do often-costly diagnostic tests and provide thorough wellness examinations, especially for older animals.

As you have discovered, many of us -- and our cats -- develop high blood pressure with age, and we both benefit from similar medications. Cats can have strokes, go blind, become partially paralyzed or even die when their hypertension is not regulated with proper diet and medication. But monitor your cat's kidney function, since this medication can have adverse consequences.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: I made your cat food recipe and I cannot get my cats to even taste it. What can I do or add to it? -- M.S., Trenton, New Jersey

DEAR M.S.: As you have discovered, cats can be very finicky eaters. Do not do what some people do -- contending that a hungry cat will eventually eat, so they just keep putting out the new food until they do. Cats who go without food for 24-48 hours can become seriously ill. (In contrast, most dogs are more omnivorous, and will eat almost anything when hungry.)

The best way to get cats to accept a new food is to mix a very small amount in with their regular food and remove what they do not eat. Ideally, offer your cats three or four small, fresh meals daily. Once they consume all that is offered, add more of the new food and less of what they are used to eating.

This can be a challenge, however, when they are addicted to unhealthful dry kibble. Cats manifest what I call "food imprinting," a kind of food addiction about which pet food manufacturers have known for some time. They have researched and cat-tested dry kibble products to develop a taste and texture that cats will be drawn to. This essentially overrides cats' innate nutritional wisdom.

Addiction to these foods is a major contributing factor, because of the products' high content of plant protein and carbohydrates, to a host of cat health problems. (This is documented in the book "Not Fit for a Dog: The Truth About Manufactured Cat and Dog Food," which I co-authored with two other veterinarians.)

Regrettably, many cat owners let their cats feed when they want from dry kibble dispensers and never give them canned or rehydrated freeze-dried cat foods, which all kittens should be weaned to, rather than allowing them to become kibble addicts.

DOGS HELPING SOLDIERS, AND VICE VERSA

A new federal law directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to set up a five-year pilot program to cover the costs of training service dogs for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. At least five VA medical centers will work with accredited service dog organizations, and if the program is successful, it may be expanded to veterans with other mental health conditions. (Full story: Stars and Stripes, 8/25)

A veteran British Marine commando, Paul "Pen" Farthing, who ran an animal shelter in Kabul, Afghanistan, for 16 years, was able to bring 140 dogs and 60 cats in the cargo hold of a charity-funded chartered plane to the U.K. The government agreed to allow him to bring the animals, as well as the shelter's staff and their families. But at the last moment, the Taliban refused to allow any of his devoted staff and their families to board the plane. Events are still unfolding. (Full story: The Guardian, 8/25)

BANFIELD FOUNDATION: HOPE FOR COMPANION ANIMALS IN NEED?

From banfieldfoundation.org:

"During a year that brought a range of unanticipated challenges, we are overcome with gratitude for the work we were collectively able to do. In 2020, we helped more than 475,000 pets receive access to veterinary care, shelter and disaster relief, including more than $500,000 in COVID-19 relief. We also celebrated our five-year anniversary, marking an incredible milestone of 5 million pets helped since we first began in 2015.

"The Banfield Foundation and Idexx Foundation are collaborating with others to establish the first veterinary care facility and services on the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Reservation in South Dakota. This initiative is long overdue but is a promising start to reach these underserved Indigenous communities and their animals."

Dr Fox here: In 2007, Mars Petcare acquired Banfield, which is the largest general veterinary practice in the world. Some veterinarians -- including myself, at times! -- are critical of large franchised practices like Banfield and Blue Pearl, also owned by Mars Inc. But the ethical responsibility to provide low-cost, charity-subsidized basic veterinary services to all communities in need is enlightened corporate self-interest. It is also a public One Health mandate, in my opinion, because human health and well-being are dependent on domestic animal health and well-being.

I would like to hear from any nonprofit organization that has received financial support from the Banfield Foundation, and what the funds were for.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: I just read an article about the lady who got overcharged for her sick dog's treatment. I had a similar thing happen to me this summer.

My dog was limping, and I thought he had hurt his foot, so we took him to Blue Pearl specialty hospital late that night. When we got there, they told us that my dog had a fractured bone in his neck! We were so upset to hear this, as he had seemed fine except for a sore foot.

I asked if they did any X-rays to determine that. They said no, but they wanted me to take him to another doctor to have a scan Monday morning. So I called and set up an appointment with this other doctor, who said they could do surgery on him -- the cost would be $2,000 for the scan and $6,000 to $7,000 for the surgery. I canceled that appointment, as I could see he did not have a fractured neck.

Blue Pearl had given me some pills ($374) to give my dog, but he would not take them. I took him home, crying my eyes out, and we put him in bed with us. Come morning, the dog jumps out of bed, never having taken any pills, and seemed to be in great shape, no problem. A few neighbors came by and I told my story, and they were shocked -- no one saw any problems with my dog. He is still doing just fine.

I feel like something should be done with this type of thing. What this vet is doing is not right -- just to make money off people who love their dogs. -- J.A., Bonita Springs, Florida

DEAR J.A.: What you document with your dog's misdiagnosis, proposed treatment and costs, and the inflated cost of the medication prescribed, is totally outrageous. It is also a blight on the veterinary profession. You should file a complaint with the state board of veterinary examiners and the Better Business Bureau for a start, with full details -- including the name of the attending veterinarian and anything that was provided to you in writing. But first, you should politely contact this veterinary clinic for a copy of your dog's records.

Clearly, this is a money-driven racket. It is tragic that your dog could have fallen victim to unwarranted surgical intervention and risk, for which you would have been out of pocket -- and for what?

Read on for another reader's experience with Blue Pearl.

DEAR DR. FOX: My wife and I have had to utilize Blue Pearl on a number of occasions when our cats became gravely ill. When you need after-hours emergency care for your pet, there are very few options available. I am concerned that Blue Pearl might be taking advantage of that fact.

Our cats were old and were suffering from chronic conditions when we made the decision to put them down. And, as these things often work out, our pets went into crisis in the middle of the night on a weekend. As expensive as the services were, we were fortunate they were not the $5,000 mentioned in your last column.

Thirty years ago, we had a dog who suddenly started throwing up blood and bleeding internally. At that time, there was a local emergency hospital that was owned and operated by a graduate of the Oklahoma State University vet school. They were very clear about our dog's poor prognosis in the beginning, and were upfront about what they could attempt, how much it would cost, and what the chances were it would be successful. The treatment wasn't inexpensive, but I felt they did the best that they could. It was clear that their concern was our pet, not the money.

Ironically, this emergency pet hospital was purchased by Blue Pearl shortly before we had the emergency with our cats. We are fortunate to have the resources to pay for our emergency pet care; at those moments, you would be willing to pay a substantial amount to get your pet well. My worry with these corporate-owned hospitals is that they are aware that pet owners just want their pet to be well, and they take advantage of that.

I believe there are many pet hospitals out there that do put the patient first. But I am concerned they're all going to be bought up by corporations that put the dollar first. -- J.H., Edmond, Oklahoma

DEAR J.H.: Thanks for sharing your experiences dealing with emergency veterinary care services with your animal companions. I am afraid your concerns about corporate entities putting profits first are valid, as this seems to be the way of the times. Profits rule over ethics! This is the essence of spiritual corruption.

It is a crisis indeed when animals in need of veterinary care are not examined or treated because their owners lack the financial resources to cover these inflated costs. But there are glimmers of hope in some communities, where charities and veterinarians are collaborating to bring essential veterinary services to all in need.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)