Real-Life Decision Making -- Solution
You treat the dog.
Radiographs and a further examination support your initial instinct that the dog has a pinched nerve. You tell the owner to bring him back a few days later.
With just a few well-coordinated thrusts of your hand, the dog seems to have livened up. He turns his head and starts licking your hand -- always a good sign.
After several more visits, the owner reports a miraculous change in her dog. The vomiting has completely stopped and he seems much happier. You're glad for them, but anxious that word will get out you treated the dog without a referral.
Unfortunately for you, the woman decides to call her vet to complain about his premature verdict that the dog should be put down. When he finds out that she went to you, he informs his veterinary association, which lodges a complaint against you to your chiropractic association.
You get the call you've been dreading. The chiropractic association orders you to stop performing animal chiropractic work and places you under investigation.
At the very least, the chiropractic association will censure you. At most, it could revoke your license. You've lost money and the respect of veterinarians, which you need to have in order to obtain referrals.
On the plus side, your clients support you, while your fellow chiropractors offer you their sympathy. Perhaps by bringing the issue to a head, you might get the veterinary and chiropractic associations to start addressing the issue of cooperation more seriously.