When a 12-year-old dog came to us with a stubborn cough, Cari had already sought help from two other specialists. Both had ruled out heart disease and suggested a collapsed trachea, despite no clear evidence. The advice was to rely on cough medicine indefinitely, with little hope for improvement.
Looking for answers, his family sought a third opinion with Dr. John Hertzer. What stood out immediately was his thorough, methodical approach. After running diagnostic tests and asking a series of detailed questions, Dr. Hertzer was able to rule out a collapsed trachea. Instead, one of his questions uncovered an important clue: had there been any new plug-ins or diffusers in the home? There had.
Dr. Hertzer suspected environmental triggers were contributing to airway inflammation and prescribed a short course of steroids. The results were remarkable – the dog’s cough significantly reduced, and he no longer needed to rely on long-term cough medicine.
What left the greatest impression on the family wasn’t just the medical insight, but the personal care. As they shared, “Dr. Hertzer even called me today to follow up, and his caring, personal touch left such a positive impression on me that I felt compelled to write this review.”
Stories like this remind us how a fresh perspective – paired with compassion and attention to detail – can make all the difference.