How do you know if your vet got the diagnosis wrong?
When a vet's exam contradicts what you are seeing at home—like ongoing ear trouble or an animal that clearly isn't just overweight—it leaves you stuck between trusting the professional and second-guessing their findings. This doubt makes it hard to decide whether to push for another look, risk missing something serious like hidden kittens, or try finding a new clinic when options are already limited.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Seeking a second opinion from a different veterinarianDid this help you?
- 2Requesting additional testing such as bloodwork, X-rays, or more fecalsDid this help you?
- 3Waiting, watching closely, and monitoring for changes in appearance or behaviorDid this help you?
- 4speculating with online photosDid this help you?
- 5using rolled tissue to clean cat earsDid this help you?
- 6Taking the pet to another veterinary office for a second opinionDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“VetCo told my dad and I... that if we couldn't afford the 8 thousand dollar surgery needed to even have a chance at fixing his legs, he would have to be put to perma-sleep so he wouldn't be in pain.”source ↗
“I didn't and still don't want my fuzzy boy to be in any amount of pain at all, so I told my dad that if it's a necessity, I was okay with it being an option.”source ↗
“Now, I want to believe the vet, but I also have been around my fair share of fat cats.”source ↗
“I just can’t shake this feeling that she isn’t “just fat.””source ↗
“Is it possible the ultrasound missed kittens?”source ↗
“I’m not sure whether to go back to the same vet or not… they have good reviews, and a lot of other ones I called in my area aren’t taking on new patients”source ↗
“I was after more advice because I’m not sure if I should even go back to the same vet or not as she said his ears were fine, but it seems like they’re not.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 5Should I biopsy my dog's tumor if it might spread?
- 3The agony of waiting for cat tumor biopsy results
- 29Accidentally cut my pet while grooming do they need the vet?
- 8Mechanic changed battery CCA specification on test report
- 7Am I too unstable mentally to be a teacher?
- 20Is it safe to use a plastic fuel filter near a hot engine?