Don't get mad, here, Rocky, but I do think you should go see him, if you can stand it. Every time I've had a dog in the clinic for a long period of time, I go in grubby clothes and just sit on the floor with him for several hours every day. I take him out for his pee-runs and hold him for minor procedures. Here's the reason why. All sorts of studies have shown that people and dogs have a real connection. When petted and stroked by "his person", his blood pressure drops and breathing slows (and so will yours) ....all which aid in recovery. My Newf, Cowboy, who cluster seizures has been in the emergency clinic more times than I can name is SO bonded to me and I'm convinced it is because of the time he's laid across my lap on the clinic floor. Even the director of the clinic says that she now encourages pet lovers to visit their pets while being treated because they do so much better. They don't have the feeling of being abandonded. The secret is to ignore everything that is going on around you and just focus on Rocky. I've become good friends will all the specialists and vet techs in the clinic and Cowboy gets the VERY best treatment! (Cowboy was even asked to be the flower dog at his internist's wedding)
The story of Lucille, my female Newf brought this in to sharp focus. She got ITP (immune mediated thrombocytopen ia) from her immunizations and had to go in to a speciality clinic for a blood transfusion. They took her in to the back and said I could come get her later in the day. When I went to get her, they said she wasn't well enough to leave and that I could get her the next day. I called in the morning and said I could come visit for a short time, but she wasn't feeling very well. When I saw her I was shocked. Her front paw was swollen beyond belief and totally non-responsive to my being there. What that showed me was that nobody was watching over her. I called the emergency clinic from that clinic and begged them to take her in THAT DAY. I put her lead on her and told the clinic that I was checking her out (over their most strongly stated objections) and took her to the ER. She had pancreatitis, the vet had missed the vein while giving her an IV, had the beginnings of pneumonia, and her heart rate was WAY off! I stayed with her while they treated her and got her stabilized and then visited her a couple of times a day for the three days she was being treated. It was an AWFUL time but she did survive that round (she died two months later of complications of ITP).
From now on, I insist that if they are going to treat my dogs, I'm going to check! I promise to be respectful and not interfere with their treatment of any other animal, but I'm going to watch over my dogs. In return, I'll be happy to pay their bill.
