Beautiful Lives, Gone too Soon: Vet Victims Lost to Vaccine Associated Sarcoma

Kes, a VAS Angel

One last post (for now) on the subject of VAS – vaccine associated sarcoma. 

And a favor to ask. Watch this short but beautiful slideshow tribute to VAS Angels on Jena Gonzalez' site, Educate Before You Vaccinate. She did a wonderful job of paying tribute to these innocent victims. 

There are no stories, not a word of copy. Just slide after beautiful slide of handsome, gorgeous, quirky, comical, much-loved family members of pet owners who likely never knew of the dangers of vaccination and overvaccination until it was too late. All set to the  heartbreaking "Don't Cry for Me." But I warn you: It will be hard not to. 

If it makes one pet owner demand more information from veterinarians about the risks of vaccination and over vaccination, if it keeps one pet somewhere from being yet another victim of ignorance, fear, and greed, then these cherished companions did not die in vain. 

Share it, Tweet it, Facebook it to every pet owner and guardian you know. It might save a life.

Stimpy's Journey: A Day in the Life of a Cat with Cancer (VAS)

Miss Stimpy, a sweetheart lost to VAS

I just love web sites that kick ass and take names. Stimpy's Journey is one of those. Stimpy the Cat was lost to vaccine associated sarcoma in November 2011. The site has a lot of information, photographs (warning: some are graphic), and a chronological account of the physical, emotional and financial toll that fighting a vaccine associated cancer takes.

In the impassioned words of Stimpy's human, left behind to grieve:

"Stimpy was killed by a Boehringer Ingelheim rabies vaccine....I want Boehringer Ingelheim to know that I have not forgotten what they have done to Stimpy and all the other victims." -- Stimpy's Journey

Unfortunately, Stimpy had lots of company on her tragic journey. And Boehringer Ingelheim has lots of company in their apathy, greed, and lack of accountability.

Check out more sites covering vaccine associated cancer and other disorders. 

Read what some vets have to say about how their formal education sometimes lacked in the area of vaccine dangers. 

Pet Parents Action Group

Outstanding source of breaking news on new guidelines and other vaccine news.

Rabies Challenge Fund

And one of my favorite all around dog sites, Jan Rasmussen's stellar round-up of articles, videos, and blog posts, many on overvaccination risks and what you should know. Truth4Dogs

Tomorrow, a last look at some VAS victims. 

Vaccine Associated Sarcoma: Texas Victim Challenging the Court's Decision in Her Case Against Corpus Christi Veterinarian

Kitty Kat Gonzalez, Corpus Christi
Victim of Vaccine Associated Sarcoma

If you are one of those pet owners who never give vaccinations a second thought, think that nothing bad can happen to your pet because you follow your vet's recommendations to get your pets regularly vaccinated, or believe that veterinarians and state vet boards would never do anything to endanger the lives of our beloved companions – you better run, do not walk, to this excellent new web site, Educate Before You Vaccinate. 

Site owner Jena Gonzalez is a Corpus Christi, Texas, resident who found out the hard way (and don't we all when it comes to questionable veterinary practices) that vaccinations are not always the harmless panacea that they seem. In fact, they can sometimes be the cause of illness, injury and even death. And Jena is fighting back. 

Vaccinations: What You Don't Know About Them Can Kill Your Pet

I realize the subject of pet vaccinations is not a sexy one. But it's an important one – important enough to do a series of posts this week that I hope you'll read, even if you think they'll bore you to death. 

Some pets have been vaccinated to death because 1) their owners thought they already knew everything they needed to know and 2) they followed the vet's orders to get their pets vaccinated, no questions asked.

As one who dutifully followed a vet's orders all the way to the collapse and subsequent death of my cat, let me tell you that blindly following a vet's orders on any subject can be one of the biggest mistakes of your life. This goes double for the topic of vaccinations. Fortunately some pro-animal voices are making it easier on you to learn what you need to know about vaccination and overvaccination for Fido and Fluffy. Read on.

Life, Interrupted: Veterinary Victims Deal with the Aftermath of Loss

Suki and me and happier times,
before Edward J. Nichols, Crestway
Animal Clinic, took everything.

It was 13 years ago tonight that I held my Suki for the last time. It's funny how you can pinpoint the exact moment that your life changes – but not at the time it's happening. It sometimes takes years to realize the full extent of the damage and devastation the complete betrayal by a incompetent, negligent, and abusive veterinarian can cause. Only in hindsight can you see the wreckage – in many cases a hit and run.

Like most every other veterinary victim I've ever met, known of, or heard from, my life has never been the same since this happened on April 26, 1999. Actually, make that April 19, the day Suki collapsed and I made the biggest mistake of my life: trusting a “doctor” to not do anything to harm or kill her. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish I could turn back the clock and never allow the monster anywhere near her, or me.

Think There Are No Cruel Vets? PETA Exposes Texas Vet Gene F. Giggleman, DVM, and His Smashing Squirrels Video -- and What You Can Do

Credit: scarysquirrel.org

Maybe you'll think this is okay because it's about squirrels, rats, and snakes. You know, those “unfuzzy” creatures who always seem to get the short end of the stick – or in this case, their heads against a cinder block – but I hope not, because it's tough to watch this very disturbing video caught by a PETA undercover investigator at U.S. Global Exotics, Inc., in Arlington Texas.

Because you have to wonder – if USGE attending veterinarian Gene F. Gigglemen, DVM, of Grapevine, Texas, inflicts such cruelty with such nonchalance to these "lesser" beings, what else is this freak doing to other animals behind closed doors? If he's like some other coldblooded vets out there, my guess would be...anything he wants.

Baltimore Sun Investigates State Veterinary Board Policies and Disciplinary Actions

Stefani Olsen (Bad Vet Daily, The Toonces Project) sent us links to recent coverage in her state on the veterinary board system:

Reporter Yvonne Wenger of the Baltimore Sun did a great job with two recent articles covering what Maryland pet guardians need to know about their state veterinary board. Be sure to check them out.

Mattie's Story: Pet Guardians Entitled to Informed Consent and Consumer Information Sheets (CIS) on Veterinary Drugs

One of the topics I get the most mail about – next to complaints about unauthorized procedures and how to find a good animal law attorney – is the subject of informed consent, especially on veterinary drugs that are prescribed to our companions.

I often think of Mattie, beloved dog of Ohio journalist Kelly Kaczala, who took her grief over what happened to Mattie in 2005 at the hands of veterinarians Robert (Bob) Esplin, DVM and Ross Mahowald, DVM at Sylvania Veterinary Hospital in Toledo, Ohio, and used her journalistic skills to help others avoid tragedy.

Barbara A's Blog: Pocket's Story from New Hampshire

No single event in a beloved pet's life is as heart-wrenching as a guardian's decision to humanely end it. When that moment is tainted by suspected veterinary negligence or incompetence, it becomes unbearable.

Veterinary victim Barbara Albright of New Hampshire took her eyewitness account of her beloved Scottish Terrier Pocket's inhumane euthanasia, along with some interesting public record information she located, straight to her lawyer – and to the Internet. Refusing to bow down to the vet's counterclaim for defamation and attendant legal demands, her suit settled last year. She bravely continues to write and blog about a variety of subjects, including Pocket's case, no matter what is thrown at her. One of her recent posts, March 17, 2012, addresses the most recent threat from vet John M. MacGregor's lawyer, to which Barbara replied with documents she received as a result of a FOIA request.

Bad Vet Daily: We Are Not Making This Up!

It is a brilliant concept: Highlight a bad vet every day of the year. Heaven knows there's more than enough to go around. While veterinary victim Stefani Olsen's initial plan didn't quite work out that way -- blogging is very time-consuming and emotionally draining when dealing with accounts like these -- the result is no less stunning. The Bad Vet Daily blog showcases an astounding array of some of the most despicable, incompetent, and arrogant vets imaginable.

There's a Reason It's Called 'Safe Haven'

This is probably a good time to tell you that this will not be an interactive blog. Sad to say, I will not be accepting or publishing comments. While the vast majority of people are understanding and supportive of victims of veterinary abuse, you can't imagine some of the vile, cruel, abusive, and downright threatening statements that “fans” of vets (i.e., staff, techs, family, friends, and of course, the vets themselves) will say and do, and the unending flaming, taunting and ridiculing that takes place of those who dare to speak out for those who have no voice.