Ddog is not elderly but is getting on a bit. She has a bit of arthritis, and was diagnosed with pancreatitis a few months ago, which we have been managing through diet. She's been a bit off the last week or so, mopey, lethargic, picky about food.
We took her to our usual vets yesterday as we though perhaps the pancreatitis was flaring up, but they did a blood test which showed nothing unusual, and a snap test which didn't indicate pancreatitis. And basically said they can't tell what's wrong with her, they felt her stomach and said it felt painful and they need to refer her on.
They have referred us to a 'specialist' vet an hour away (apparently this is the closest one). Hoping it will be covered under the insurance so money not such a concern right now, but she absolutely hates the car, and the vet, and strange places, and is reactive with other dogs and strangers, so both of us will have to take time off work every time we need to go. They've said for the first appt we will need to leave her there all day for them to run tests etc.
I am just a bit bamboozled as to how we got from 'she's a bit mopey and not herself' to 'you need to see a specialist'. Is this normal when it's an older dog and they don't know what's wrong? I am debating whether to try another 'normal' vet locally first for a second opinion as ours seems to have gone really quickly to 'we can't help you any more'.
We obvs want to do whatever is best for her but this feels a bit drastic and could end up stressing her out needlessly and making things worse if we regularly have to go back and forth. WWYD?