Cook Eileen DVM

We had an 11-year-old Chihuahua Pomeranian mix named Poncho that was very healthy before I took him to the Veterinarian to get his Rabies Vaccination. That was in February of 2017. From that point on his health started to decline. We took him back to the Imlay City Vet because he was not eating and was acting Lethargic. The doctor said he had Pancreatitis caused by the food he was eating. She would not admit that the Rabies vaccine could have something to do with his condition. She told us that he needed to be on fluids and that we could leave him there but no one would be there to watch him at night. We did not think he should be alone so, that evening we took him to the Wilson Vet Hospital in Romeo. They did blood work on him and said that he was in complete kidney failure NOT Pancreatitis. Doctor Wilson told us we should just “put him down” (So Cold Hearted) because we would need to give him fluids at home and we would not be able to do it because he was too mean. If the Doctor saying that did not wrench our hearts enough, while he was in there one of the interns fractured Poncho’s jaw trying to give him oral medicine. No one at the Wilson Veterinary Hospital apologized or claimed responsibility for what happened to his jaw. They did do x-rays on his jaw free but Geez that is the least they could do. They charged us for the rest of it, though, around $700.00 There is a test that the Veterinarians fail to tell you about, it is a called Titer (Tighter) test. It measures your pet’s immune system level. A rabies shot is a booster shot that boosts your pet’s immune system. Every 3 years your pet is supposed to get this shot but sometimes this shot is in their system for 7 to 10 years. Therefore, your pet should not need a shot. Unless the Titer (Tighter) test is done, you never know what their immune system level is and unless you know that, the Vet will give them a booster weather they need it or not. I never knew about the Titer test. The Vets never told me about it and I think if Poncho would have had it, it would have saved his life. The shot he got was directly responsible for his death. I blame the Veterinarian’s for not giving us the option to get this Titer (Tighter) test. He was too small of an animal to have all those vaccinations in him. Poncho was like a baby to us and our hearts are broken because he is gone. We lost him August 14, 2017. A part of us is gone forever. Please, if you love your pets, do not believe that you have to give your pets these vaccinations every year or 3 years. Have the Vets give them a Titer (Tighter) test to see if they need them. Go on the Internet, look it up, and be informed.