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Pet Forum / Miscellaneous / Animal Health / January 2004



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Munchausen Syndrome By Proxy in Pet Owners.

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Andrew T. Austin - 04 Jan 2004 15:09 GMT
Hi,

I`m putting together an article for a magazine on the Munchausen Syndrome By
Proxy and am looking for anecdotes from vets.  Has anyone here encountered
this syndrome in a pet owner, as i`m sure this must be as common with pets
as it is with children - maybe more so?  Although, i wonder if the costs of
veterinary fees may act as a dissincentive.

Any thoughts, anecdotes or stories much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Andrew Austin.
__________________
NLP, Neurology, Schizophrenia:  http://www.23NLPeople.com
Phantom Limbs:  http://www.PhantomLimb.org.uk
Ebbtide - 04 Jan 2004 15:12 GMT
Sounds so interesting.  I have read several books on it related to kids.
Keep us posted.

Joyce, RN

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> NLP, Neurology, Schizophrenia:  http://www.23NLPeople.com
> Phantom Limbs:  http://www.PhantomLimb.org.uk
Betsy - 04 Jan 2004 15:54 GMT
LOL, I've always wondered if my vet suspects me of it.  This has been such a
tough year, with a dog with epilepsy and pancreatitis and a cat with EOG and
another with mysterious weight loss and yet another with breast cancer.  So
I've been VERY jumpy, to say the least about any problem in my crew!  Not
that I have the money for vet visits right now, but I quake at any lump bump
or symptom, and have made a couple of vet visits that needn't have been
made.

Guess what my 2004 resolution is?  :)

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> NLP, Neurology, Schizophrenia:  http://www.23NLPeople.com
> Phantom Limbs:  http://www.PhantomLimb.org.uk
Susan - 05 Jan 2004 03:18 GMT
"Andrew T. Austin" <> wrote in message > > I`m putting together an article
for a magazine on the Munchausen Syndrome By
> Proxy and am looking for anecdotes from vets.  Has anyone here encountered
> this syndrome in a pet owner,

Her dogs are in to the vet weekly, she spends over $20,000 a year on fees
for diseases/problems that don't exist, she knows the address of her
favorite vet and has his cell phone number.  We always had to move other
clients to fit her in when she called at the last minute.  She would always
denigrate whoever the new employee was at the front desk and made sure to
complain to the vet.  Even though the employee did nothing wrong, they were
corrected and told to brown nose this particular client.  The vet was never
sure whether symptoms she referred to were real or imagined but meds, xrays,
etc. were always dispensed.  Her dogs were given referrals to the state
veterinary teaching hospital with results that indicated nothing wrong with
the animal.
This was all from a couple years ago when I worked for this vet.  She now
has new dogs (the others died of old age) and currently a young (1-2 yr.
dog) is on Rimadyl for the rest of his life for HER perceived pains.
Unfortunately, another one of her new dogs needed surgery for OCD or
something like that which just reinforced her other imaginative problems.
She's a bitch and none of the vets take ethics into consideration in
treating her pets with unnecessary medication.  The almighty dollar rules in
her case.
A few years ago, when I was assisting her favorite vet in restraining her
dog, I whispered into his ear "Munchausen Syndrome By Proxy".  He burst out
laughing and said he never considered that but that's exactly what it
called.
Sue
Northern Wisconsin
remove YOURPAWS when replying
buglady - 05 Jan 2004 11:16 GMT
She now
> has new dogs (the others died of old age) and currently a young (1-2 yr.
> dog) is on Rimadyl for the rest of his life for HER perceived pains.

............Totally unethical.  The woman is not the only one with problems
if the vets are dispensing possibly harmful drugs for nothing.

buglady
take out the dog before replying
Rosa Palmén - 23 Jan 2004 18:04 GMT
> She now
> > has new dogs (the others died of old age) and currently a young (1-2 yr.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> buglady
> take out the dog before replying

Well maybe, but if she didn't get some medication for her dog from that vet,
she would probably go elsewhere and get even more drugs for her dog. The
best thing would probably be if the woman went for homeopathic drugs for her
dog. Those shouldn't be able to do much harm.

Rosa
John Hasler - 23 Jan 2004 18:51 GMT
Rosa writes:
> The best thing would probably be if the woman went for homeopathic drugs
> for her dog. Those shouldn't be able to do much harm.

If they are truly homeopathic they will have no effect whatsoever.
Signature

John Hasler
john@dhh.gt.org (John Hasler)
Dancing Horse Hill
Elmwood, WI

Rosa Palmén - 24 Jan 2004 13:18 GMT
> Rosa writes:
> > The best thing would probably be if the woman went for homeopathic drugs
> > for her dog. Those shouldn't be able to do much harm.
>
> If they are truly homeopathic they will have no effect whatsoever.

well if the dog is small and given very many sugarpills the bloodsugar may
rise =)
Sharon Talbert - 05 Jan 2004 21:46 GMT
Sounds more like a hypochondria by proxy, if there is such a disorder.
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy indicates a serious form of child abuse,
where the parent/caretaker actually inflicts harm (and sometimes death) in
an attempt to gain attention and sympathy (for themselves, not the child).

I am more concerned that the vet is actually dispensing unnecessary
medication to this pet owner.  If this enabling and unethical behavior is
common practice, that could be the basis for a whole other sort of
article.

Sharon Talbert
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