Perspective is everything

[Lawman]

My daughter (Hayley), took her Yorkie (Pledge), to the vet to have her euthanized on Saturday. Pledge had suffered much too long from cancer and it was time. Pledge's favorite food is grapes. In tears Hayley held Pledge in her arms as the drug was administered. All she could do for her beloved companion of 11 years was give her a few grapes until the clear liquid took the pain away. In his wisdom and with all his knowledge about animal nutrition the vet began to scold Hayley regarding the harm done from feeding grapes to dogs. Hayley politely listened to the wise Dr. without comment. Tough weekend for Hayley but Lord willing she will work her regular 10 hour day on Monday as a palliative care nurse at Harris Methodist Hospital in Ft. Worth.

 

[Whip]

I am so sorry.

 

[Twisties]

My daughter (Hayley), took her Yorkie (Pledge), to the vet to have her euthanized on Saturday. Pledge had suffered much too long from cancer and it was time. Pledge's favorite food is grapes. In tears Hayley held Pledge in her arms as the drug was administered. All she could do for her beloved companion of 11 years was give her a few grapes until the clear liquid took the pain away. In his wisdom and with all his knowledge about animal nutrition the vet began to scold Hayley regarding the harm done from feeding grapes to dogs. Hayley politely listened to the wise Dr. without comment. Tough weekend for Hayley but Lord willing she will work her regular 10 hour day on Monday as a palliative care nurse at Harris Methodist Hospital in Ft. Worth.

 

Anyone who can work in palliative care is an angel. So sad to hear of this.

[SageRider]

RIP Pledge.

+1 on perspective.

[Nice n Easy Rider]

Billy, my heart goes out to Hayley. It is always so painful to lose a best friend.

[RichEdwards]

Billy, my heart goes out to Hayley. It is always so painful to lose a best friend.

 

+1

[Mike05]

We are very sorry for Hayley's loss.

 

Mikr & Joyce

[Rocer]

Billy, seeing your pet off is tough business and my heart goes out to you and your family. As for the vet, I think your daughter needs to take him/her to work with her and maybe the insensitive lout might learn a well needed lesson in compassion.

 

As a parent, and if I could control myself (not sure that I could in this case), I would be tempted to phone the vet and talk calmly about perspective and suggest that an apology to your daughter was in order. I would not like to think that whenever she sees grapes that she has guilt ridden thoughts imposing on warm memories of good days with Pledge.

[Bob Palin]

I agree that it was insensitive of the vet to mention the grapes but please bear in mind that these events are stressful for the vet as well. I worked at a veterinary clinic for several years while in high school and participated in many euthenasias, it was hard on the vet who loved animals just like their owners did. It was hard on me too and was a minor contributing factor in my not persuing that career which I had intended to do since a young age.

 

Very sorry for her loss but glad she had good times with Pledge as well.

[Twisties]

At first I thought of the vet as insensitive, or worse. Then I thought, he is thinking so many go right out and find a new best friend right away, and he is hoping to prevent a new tragedy, following so soon on this one's heels. Sometimes you need to say something hard at a hard time.

 

I wasn't there, don't know the vet, don't know how it went down, and make no assumptions. But, I could see it being either way.

 

I can only hope it was said gently.

 

 

[4wheeldog]

Sorry for your daughter's loss (And yours). Losing a pet is always an emotional process.

 

To clarify the Vet's concern with grapes, It is a fairly recent bit of knowledge that grapes can be very toxic to dogs. If they are toxic for a particular dog is not obvious without a possible sad outcome. They may not have been harmful to Pledge, but they certainly could be to your daughter's next puppy. I bet that was the Vet's concern.

[Rocer]

 

...I can only hope it was said gently.

 

 

I think the key word in the OP is "scold". I fully expect a vet to enlighten a pet owner about care and feeding of their pet(s) but to choose the appropriate time to do so ie. "Perspective is everything". There is no ambiguity (for me) in the word "scold".