Diabetic what?

Dear transferred for overnight care from the local rDVM client:

Thank you for bringing in your Schnauzer-Terrier cross with diabetic ketoacidosis today. No, his muffin top is not normal, and no, McDonald's chicken is not a good diet despite the fact that it is grilled chicken and you squeeze the fat out of it before feeding it to your pet. You're very lucky he doesn't also have pancreatitis with his DKA.

Thank you for reminding me seventeen times during our lengthy discussion of DKA that your other dog died here 4.5 years ago, before I even worked here. And thank you so much for explaining that it's because he didn't receive his ultrasound.

I especially appreciate how you don't make eye contact with me or respond to me when I talk to you. I liked how this morning when I cordially greeted you to give you an update on your pet's condition that you kept your back turned on me and barely answered my questions. I also especially love how you accused me of leaving your pet lying in urine through the night (he was not, my tech took EXCELLENT nursing care of him and walked him very frequently, as we do with diabetics!) and also telling me that my tech reported vomiting, when in fact - there was NO vomiting, and my tech took great pains to tell me (and you) that very fact. Thank you for also accusing me of causing his blood glucose to swing by giving him too much sugar in his fluids. The wild fluctuations couldn't be because he has a SEVERE form of diabetes that can take days to weeks to regulate!

Oh, and no - you won't be visiting him MORE often than you did last night. Every 2 hours was plenty, and I was being flexible. Friday's nights are usually pretty busy times in the clinic. Oh, and I especially appreciate how you said that you don't know us, don't trust us, your other dog died here, and basically acted like I was the enemy when - in truth - I'm NOT out to kill your dog, I actually do like animals, and actually DO care if I do a good job.

Thanks!

Dr Please take your dog to a referral practice tonight!