Animal Mediums

Re: Animal Mediums

Vikki Halliday LLB — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:47:33 GMT

[quote user="Vikkivet"]I've always been fairly intuitive with some cases, and trust my gut feeling quite a lot about things[/quote]

I mentioned this earlier in the thread, nice to know I'm not the only one that doesn't rush straight to the Vetest..................

Re: Animal Mediums

Vikki Moran — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:41:07 GMT

back to the original question, my friend claims to be an animal psychic! I have no experience of this. in fact what amuses me is that she never used to be, but she's been on "a course" to learn HOW to be an animal psychic. She has asked if she can come and practice on my crazy horse. I will be interested to see what she says! I'm completely sceptical about it, but prepared to humour her (she knows that, and she thinks I'll be convinced by her!).

I will let you know if she's any good!

I've always been fairly intuitive with some cases, and trust my gut feeling quite a lot about things. though someone recently pointed out that my gut feeling is a subconscious recognition of clinical signs and diagnosis based on experience, not relaly gut feeling. That I look at a patient, hear the history and think - yep, that's such and such, is less because my instincts tell it me, and more my experience does. dunno.

Re: Animal Mediums

Vikki Halliday LLB — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:11:24 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]I guess I should have included a smilie - I wasn't telling you what to do [/quote]

No offence taken!

Re: Animal Mediums

Gillian Mostyn — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 10:21:36 GMT

[quote user="Vikki Halliday"]Thanks everyone for your input so far, but I am not looking to be told to treat the aforementioned cat. Believe me when I say that I have tried and failed to take this course with the owners, a previous vet has also pointed out the folly of their current views. I however am also aware that these clients are BIG fans of my boss, and have to tread carefully (he's into complementary therapy and giving clients what they want regardless of conventional views....).[/quote]

I guess I should have included a smilie - I wasn't telling you what to do - simply stating that it is a horrible condition to live with!

Re: Animal Mediums

Hannah Wynne Richards — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:57:47 GMT

Vikki I note that you said "over the years ", and I think that is exactly what it is ! When you were a new grad, you depended on lab results, rads, etc. With experience, some sub-concious part of your brain says "I've seen this b4. It's XXX"

Wynne

Re: Animal Mediums

Vikki Halliday LLB — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:01:58 GMT

[quote user="Niall Taylor"]Vikki, why don't you tell her that you too can read animals' minds and the cat is saying that it actually does want to be treated [/quote]

Niall, thanks for that suggestion, I might try it, but having already stated that I was a little sceptical, it might not work.

However at the risk of sounding like a complete loon: I have noted over the years that there are some animals that I see that I can almost immediately draw a conclusion on the diagnosis, where others I cannot do this, no matter how hard I try. I have always put this down to an almost subconcious association of signalment and clinical signs, however maybe I should start advertising my services as an animal medium!

Re: Animal Mediums

Niall Taylor — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 07:56:48 GMT

[quote user="warwickshire vet"]We have a local lady who is reputed to 'talk' to the animals.. She offered to talk to my lurcher... produced facts about the dog that she could not have known (old injuries and previous owners)... also told me about the confused spirit of a dog that I had put down in that room (it wasnt a consult room but it was true that I had pts's a dog there) and pin point where it had died exactly ( I was the only witness to that). She also 'spoke' to the nurses dog, and drew an exact likeness of her garden and house plan, pin pointing where the dog used to sleep and liked to sleep... all uncannily accurate. very bizarre. I think you have either got to dismiss it out of hand or remain a confused sceptic..[/quote]

Mediums and psychics use well recognised techniques to do this sort of thing. The more well-meaning types probably quite unconsciously use something called 'cold-reading' where they will extract information from their clients by means of subtle questioning and observation of body language, tone of voice, that sort of thing. Less scrupulous mediums use something called 'hot-reading' where they use information they have obtained by other means prior to the reading to make themselves look as if they are obtaining information psychically.

Could this person have had prior knowledge of the layout of the nurse's garden? When she was telling you about your lurcher how many times did she make suggestions about previous conditions that were wrong and not followed up? What other commonplace explanations might be possible before turning to the supernatural?

When people who have had sessions with mediums have had their recollections of events compared with actual transcripts of the reading it can be seen that mediums make far more mistakes than is remembered by either party but they are very quickly brushed aside by the medium as pert of their technique and the sitter will always remember positive hits far better than misses (same reason that we all feel the doorbell only ever goes when we're in the shower )

I certainly wouldn't dismiss such things out of hand, only after careful consideration, and when you look at the big picture it simply has never been shown to be possible to read animals' (or peoples') minds.

The 'medium' in the initial post is simply an empathic person, picking up the beliefs and anxieties of the cat owner and reflecting them back to her to reinforce her belief that the doesn't want to treat this cat - obviously that is what the owner wants to hear so she is going to believe it.

Vikki, why don't you tell her that you too can read animals' minds and the cat is saying that it actually does want to be treated because it feels anxious and get palpitations - how is she going to prove you wrong, especially when she googles hyperthyroidism in cats and finds it causes palpitations and anxiety - a miracle!?

Cheers,

Niall

Re: Animal Mediums

warwickshire vet — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:36:13 GMT

We have a local lady who is reputed to 'talk' to the animals.. She offered to talk to my lurcher... produced facts about the dog that she could not have known (old injuries and previous owners)... also told me about the confused spirit of a dog that I had put down in that room (it wasnt a consult room but it was true that I had pts's a dog there) and pin point where it had died exactly ( I was the only witness to that). She also 'spoke' to the nurses dog, and drew an exact likeness of her garden and house plan, pin pointing where the dog used to sleep and liked to sleep... all uncannily accurate. very bizarre. I think you have either got to dismiss it out of hand or remain a confused sceptic..

Re: Animal Mediums

Alex Gough — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 23:22:42 GMT

Ive had a couple of people come in over the past couple of years who claimed to be healers. One healer-owner whose cat had neuro problems said she had visualised a mushroom shaped problem. Bizarrely, on one slice through the MRI scan of its middle ear mass, it did look a bit like a mushroom and when I showed her the picture she just nodded like it was obvious. From another angle it looked like an apple though lol. And a recent case they visualised a mass behind the dogs eye, and couldnt believe it when MRI failed to demonstrate it!

Alex

Re: Animal Mediums

Vikki Halliday LLB — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:26:09 GMT

Thanks everyone for your input so far, but I am not looking to be told to treat the aforementioned cat. Believe me when I say that I have tried and failed to take this course with the owners, a previous vet has also pointed out the folly of their current views. . It might also interest those who have commented that the cat was once on felimazole, however apparently reacted badly to the sunset yellow dye, (?!) and so the owners stopped treating her.

Please note I have therefore tried my best. but I can not get the owners to purchase any hyperthyroid medication, no more than Canute could turn the tide.

What I was asking was if any members have had experience of these types of people, and if so were any of them in any way accurate or helpful.

I agree that under normal circumstances I would seek advice from Trading Standards, however as this lady appears not to charge a fee for her "intervention" they are unable to make any further inroads.

I have thought about asking her to give me some info on selected cases to see how accurate she is, but looking at a thin stary-eyed cat with a dull coat would undoubtedly lead even an internet diagistician to a possible differential of hyper thyroidism! (ditto that for itchy westies, lame labradors etc.)

I had heard of a veterinary practice who employed an "animal communicator", and wondered if anyone else had heard of/dealt with these people?

I have personally seen human field mediums produce some surprising facts to which they could not have been privvy, however am aware that there are a whole load more who are just very good at reading people and preying on their insecurities.

Just thought it would be an interesting thread topic!

Re: Animal Mediums

Gillian Mostyn — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:30:06 GMT

[quote user="alex gough"]hyperthyroid people often feel chronically anxious, not a nice emotion to feel permanently[/quote]

Been there. Done that. Not nice. Treat it!

Re: Animal Mediums

Alex Gough — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:48:42 GMT

[quote user="Martin Jones"]Can't wait to be ripped to bits on this one.[/quote]

I'll try to be gentle :)

Totally disagree. If you get this person in to see cases with you, she will gain massive credibility with people by seeing she is associated with you. No doubt she will tell her clients that she is called in by vets as a consultant.

Regarding her specific advice on not treating hyperthyroidism, even if she is correct that the cat "feels" fine, which is unlikely (hyperthyroid people often feel chronically anxious, not a nice emotion to feel permanently), it will have increasing subclinical problems such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and hypertension, and when the cat suddenly blows its retinas or throws an aortic thromboembolism it certainly wont feel fine then. The advice makes about as much sense as someone not getting their cholesterol and blood pressure sorted or an early tumour removed because they feel ok.

There, Martin, that didn't hurt too much did it?

;)

alex

Re: Animal Mediums

Martin Jones — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:54:23 GMT

Just before the floodgates open......

You could report the woman to trading standards / the RCVS / your MP / the WI and so on and so forth. Sounds like you're doing just fine by keeping an open mind and not railing against it. The more you try to tear it down, the more established will be the position of this lady.

My advice? Ask if she'd like to come in one day, when you're on an afternoon off or some such, so that you can see a few in-patients together. See whether she's the real deal, or just a well-meaning charlatan. We did this once; the guy was hit-and-miss, but there were a couple of bullseyes, and I liked his manner with both staff and patients. It's got to be worth an afternoon of your life.

Can't wait to be ripped to bits on this one.

Martin