If a Sasquatch was badly injured do you think you could convince a Veterinarian or other medical practitioner to treat the subject patient? What do you think their reaction would be? If a Vet refused to help what would you try next? Or would you give up?

hey dudlow WOW.... im sure it could happen maybe wait see. thanks bill updates as it continues..

Be the first to examine a squach? I'm sure any vet would jump on it, that is , until the thing tries to rip his/her head off.

Probably he or she asked, would in a heartbeat. That's after you figure out a way to treat the sasquatch without getting hurt. Sasquatch is obviously going to be stressed out, A because it's hurt and B that it's captured and amongst beings it's not used to. My question would be, do you get a vet to look at it, or a medical doctor? Sass is believed to be half ape and half man. What do you do?

Hi

I would have to say all of the vets that i have known and used for my pets over the yrs ~ Dogs, Cats, Birds, Rodents, Reptiles and over the phone fish advice, All of them would have jumped at the chance to treat or be involed with a Squatch . . . Or any type of Animal

Peace
Tim

Note: I have moved this topic from News & Magazine Articles to General Discussion, as I can not see an attached News Article.

If I brought a bigfoot to the Veterinarian and it didn't kill me in the process, I think the Vet would say "take that wet, smelly, 450 pound, violent and crazed thing out of my office please".

If I didn't bring one to the Vets office, it would pretty difficult to convince the Vet that I had a wounded bigfoot. I picture phone call after phone call going badly, well into the night. To convince any type of official to come out to where I am, I would have to fool them. Tell them I was hurt, and when they got there just say, "hey look a wounded bigfoot".

I would have thought any Vet would jump at the chance to treat a BF, so long as he/she could get over the initial shock of it all..

Thanks for moving it to the correct location, 'tugboatwa'. Moments after I opened the thread I realized it was in the wrong discussion category.
Dudlow

(Edited to add: The reason I asked this question is because I know of two Vets in my city who wouldn't give anything BF-related the time of day because they simply don't believe in 'all that weird stuff' and want nothing to do with it. I have been on the receiving end of their rather condescending, eye-rolling, "ya, sure, then another cow flew by" attitude.)

Might also depend on the location. One in WA/OR/CA would probably be more receptive than one in CT/RI/DE...

I feel a Vet would treat a wounded animal, it is their profession. I also feel that a Vet regardless of where they reside in the US or Canada (etc) would be absolutely fascinated if an injured BF were brought in front of them and I'm pretty sure that unless it were dead, they would take the proper precautions with expertise to sedate it from harming them or their staff. Just because a Vet rolls their eyes at the hypothetical, doesn't preclude they would do what is necessary if presented with the physical animal in need of medical treatment, let alone be the first Medical person to examine an undocumented species.

In all honesty, I'd take an injured BF to a large mammal Vet or nearest University that has a Vet Hospital and I'm pretty sure that would be the advice of the State Dept of Natural Resources, State Fish and Game and Wildlife Biologist of the USFS of whom I would call first.

BF being a docile creature, and injured. May allow someone to examine and treat him. As long as there were no sudden movements or alarming sounds.

But all bets are off when it comes time to take the rectal temperature. =)

I think it's fair to say that if you rang a vet out of hours in the middle of the night claiming to have an injured Bigfoot, it is highly likely that he or she would hang up the phone, however if you contacted a vet and explained you had an injured animal, I would be very surprised if they would not care for a wounded creature.

If a Sasquatch was badly injured do you think you could convince a Veterinarian or other medical practitioner to treat the subject patient?
As an MD I did take an oath, and one can safely assume a Bigfoot is genetically closer to a human than it is to a dog. Short answer is yes, I would treat the injuries. Keep in mind mammalian injuries aren't astronomically different than human injuries. The vertebral column in an upright primate should be fairly similar to ours. And a laceration is a laceration, dog, cat, or Loch Ness Monster.

What do you think their reaction would be?
Same as anyone's. We're not super-human nor do we differ in this way because we know medicine.

If a Vet refused to help
I'd be surprised if a veterinarian refused. Just make sure you go to one that specializes in larger animals such as horses, cows, etc.

what would you try next?
I'd personally make a couple of phone calls to a few contacts and trusted colleagues and start the job myself to save its life. I have enough equipment in my home, minus the machines and proper anesthetics, etc., to perform life-saving surgery.

Or would you give up?
Don't give up. Someone out there with the required knowledge will be willing and able to assist. If it dies on you before it can get treated that is life, not to sound cold. If you kill it I promise you, without a shadow of a doubt, a necropsy will reveal the cause of death.

Furthermore keep in mind what types of injuries you are dealing with, are they life-threatening, are you going to get your skull re-invented by an animal in pain? (animals automatically go on the defensive when injured, so I'd be damned careful). Worst case scenario, nothing says "emergency tranquilizer" like a Louisville Slugger to the lower mandible. It will knock anything out as, if the mandibles are separated by more than a half inch (the lower mandible of humans and primates naturally rest so there is space between the teeth) and once there is blunt force trauma and the jaws "click" there will be a short moment where it cuts off oxygen to the brain resulting in temporary unconsciousness or a very dazed primate*.

*As an MD I do not advocate the practice of this and if you find a Bigfoot injured, please, call the police. Don't hurt the creature. Exercise extreme caution. Talk to any hunter who has had to track a wounded bear. Same story, fight or flight. In the scenario above you are not giving it the "flight" option.

Great point, 'username taken'. I have cudgelled my brain about this dilemma a few times in the past and wondered about disclosing the truth or, as you suggest, just get the Vet to the scene without disclosing that BF is the job at hand. The other thing I have pondered is how one might find a Vet with actual primate experience.
Dudlow

Thank you for your most encouraging response, 'bluforMD'. If I was an injured BF in the hands of humans I would just as soon be taken to your place for care!

While I did read your personal introduction synoposis (from when you joined the Forum) I wonder about the following. As I understand it -- and please correct me if I am wrong -- your active medical practice was with the military. My question therefore concerns what fear of so-called malpractice liability a public medical practitioner (as opposed to a military practitioner) might fear if asked to treat a BF; given that MDs generally are (either unofficially or otherwise) advised by their insurance (and, again, informally, by their colleagues) not to treat animals and not to stop at public auto wrecks (just an example) due to liability issues.

I could imagine that treating an 'unknown' primate would let any medical practitioner off the hook since there would be no officially recognized guideline for any cryptid by which to assess the competency of treatment. On the other hand, if DNA came back as largely human and minimally primate the plot might thicken somewhat. Wow, so many complex issues.
Dudlow

Right, it would also depend on if you had the animal with you (back of pickup) or you were trying to take the vet deep into the backwoods.

The anatomy, etc, would be somewhat alien. COuld he get sued if he screwed something up?????

If I was an injured BF in the hands of humans I would just as soon be taken to your place for care!
Thank you. I have done everything from deliver babies (in my career I personally delivered 169 babies) to field surgery to fully equipped ORs.

As I understand it -- and please correct me if I am wrong -- your active medical practice was with the military.
I was sworn military for three years of med school and one year of internship (now I believe one must perform two years). During my internship I worked exclusively in civilian hospitals despite being an officer. I've done both but yes, my practice was primarily military.

My question therefore concerns what fear of so-called malpractice liability a public medical practitioner (as opposed to a military practitioner) might fear if asked to treat a BF;
A doctor is a doctor, military or civilian. However as a military physician, and given who I directly answered to, I was pretty much untouchable the latter part of my career. With that being said I've never put myself in a position where someone could touch me.

given that MDs generally are (either unofficially or otherwise) advised by their insurance (and, again, informally, by their colleagues) not to treat animals and not to stop at public auto wrecks (just an example) due to liability issues.
This is largely incorrect. There have been a few ridiculous cases (the clinically dead man who 'got the paddles' leading to burns and a subsequent lawsuit against the doctor and won). However, you must keep in mind we have The Good Samaritan Act in both the United States and Canada. As a military doctor I have stopped for many auto wrecks. It is ethical malpractice not to stop if you can save a life in my opinion. I'm being dead serious, any doctor that bypasses potentially saving a life because they are worried they might get sued should have their license to practice revoked in my opinion. I'd rather be sued by someone having saved their life than letting them die because I was worried about a lawsuit. With that being said there is a gray area. Anyone who has passed cardiopulmonary/artificial resuscitation classes and is certified knows they must ask an injured individual if they need help. If they decline there is not much that can be done. With that being said, and here is where the gray area comes into play, and here is an example. En route to one of the facilities under my command a motorcycle beamed past me at about 120 mph. I noticed traffic got slower a few moments later. As we moved up I saw one individual from the bike on the highway and about 50 yards down the road was the operator (this was rush hour, the bike carrying a female passenger was going between cars on a two-lane) then I saw what was left of a motorcycle. People were just driving around these lifeless bodies. I jumped out and ran to the first individual (the rider) where another man had gotten out to assist. I told him I was a doctor and he retorted "I'm a doctor too, get the other guy" (he was civilian) so I immediately ran up to the second casualty. It was the female passenger and she had a clearly broken leg, arm, and I suspected internal injuries such as at least a fracture in the spine and a smashed femur (this is dangerous as the femur is surrounded by large muscle mass and arteries - femoral inuries must be treated seriously as there's so much muscle mass that a person can actually bleed to death internally because the muscle takes in so much of the blood). She was in worse shape than the operator but conscious. She refused treatment but was clearly in shock (this is where a decision is made on the spot as to help them, if they are of the right mind to make that decision on their own. Clearly she wasn't). I stabilized her as much as I could and had another motorist call an ambulance and the police. The rationale of calling the police was first there were cars and trucks passing inches away from us, but because treatment was refused by her (when in doubt, call the police. I stated that earlier. I was not in doubt) I wanted a police presence. Through my contacts I learned both survived but the female passenger, as I suspected, had multiple internal injuries and bleeding, her femur was broken in multiple places and because of spinal injuries she would be partially paralyzed for the rest of her life. Two things saved their lives that day. Their helmets and the treatment by the civilian doctor who stopped, myself, and the third motorist who called an ambulance and the police. Out of hundreds of people on the road that day only two people (aside from myself) stopped.

This wasn't the first nor was it the last auto wreck I've stopped for to assist, and not the only time another doctor was present. I want to clarify one thing, however, people assume doctors in these scenarios can do things we cannot. I don't have my tools with me, I'm not in an OR. I have a better understanding of medicine and will take control of the situation but I'm limited to what I have. In my vehicles I carry a carefully put together emergency first aid kit, and that is what I used to treat the motorcycle casualty until an ambulance arrived. I've read a report of a doctor performing a tracheotomy with a car key and a straw from McDonalds. I (and any good doctor) knows what needs to be done with any injury/incident, and improvising has saved countless lives.

I did digress there somewhat but no, I do not know a single doctor who would not stop at an accident scene where paramedics were not present.

I could imagine that treating an 'unknown' primate would let any medical practitioner off the hook since there would be no officially recognized guideline for any cryptid by which to assess the competency of treatment.
I do not feel there would be any 'hooks' to get off of.

On the other hand, if DNA came back as largely human and minimally primate the plot might thicken somewhat.
This is largely irrelevant.

Wow, so many complex issues.
It is as complex as you want to make it, that is, it's going to be a while before any DNA comes back vs. when you help the Bigfoot in question. I highly doubt Bigfoot is going to sue. On the plus side you'd have the backing of all of the animal right's activists who can sure as hell make noise when they want to. In this case it is to your benefit.

I'll leave you with this. Doctors get sued like the dickens for malpractice every now and again. Justified or unjustified (such as saving a life and getting sued cause you caused burns and scars while you were clinically dead and every second counted) it will happen. I've never once in my life been afraid of legal action against me, and doctors look after their own. If you sue a doctor (such as the burn case I am using as an example) you better find a charity hospital because NO doctor is going to want to touch you. Unless your heart stops again and then the doctor will do everything in their power to save your life (again). See the conundrum? We all took an oath, and in that oath is says nothing about worrying about getting sued for trying to save a life.

The anatomy, etc, would be somewhat alien.
I would give it almost 100 to 1 the anatomy is similar to primates which share similar anatomy across the scope.

COuld he get sued if he screwed something up?????
Again, I highly doubt Bigfoot is going to sue you. Read my above reply, I answer this in more detail. You can get sued for almost anything (not so much in Canada as opposed to the US). Whether or not it will hold up is a matter for the courts. I'm not a lawyer or a judge. I'm sure we have one or the other on the board. They can better answer this aspect. Even now, semi-retired, I'm not worried about getting sued if I try to help.

Many thanks, 'bluforMD'. Your candor has gone some distance to restore my sometimes flagging faith in humanity!
Dudlow

I think a small amount of people are missing the point of the question asked. We all belong to this forum because we have some sort of interest in BF. The question asked should not be answered through our eyes. A majority of the population do not belong to this forum because they think BF is BS. It's not a question of what WE would do if we were a vet. The main question is how would you get a person who probably doesn't believe that there is such an animal to even respond.