How do I tell my best friend that she shouldn't trust an old family friend?

Tell her that seeing as how the cat is so precious to her, she should double-check and get a second opinion, just to have her bases covered.

She wouldn’t do it… she blindly trusts this man too much.

Well, then there’s probably nothing you can say to change her mind. But I’d try first before giving up – she might surprise you.

I would ask her how the vet made the diagnosis. Hepatitis simply means inflammation of the liver, but he should have run some very specific bloodwork to make the hepatitis diagnosis. To specify which Hepatitis (A, B, etc.) he would have had to do a liver biopsy.

While I don’t encourage people to treat themselves with Web MD, the fact that people do it anyway may mean your friend is open to what the internet has to say about cats and Hepatitis. Here are a few articles that might interest her:

Here and here

Suggest to her that she get a second opinion.

Ask your friend if you could pay for a second opinion, from another vet.

At first, your friend may object. But, after some thought, I believe she will realize that you only have her cat and her friendship at heart.

If she really rejects your offer, then let it be. Your friendship is worth more than losing it over a cat.

I hope she listens. Thank you, all.

I question your objectivity and facts. “A majority of people in the city” is a pretty high bar – do you know even 1% of the people “in the city”? And does “a majority of people in the city” even have pets? That’s a hyperbolic and unsupportable claim for you to make, I think.

It may also be that the people you know who have taken their pets to this vet have waited until the animal is in extremis and beyond hope. Let’s hope your friend has a better result.

I’m also in agreement with @Kayak8: What tests and observations led the vet to make the diagnosis that he did? That’s what I’d believe in, not your wild accusation or a shot-in-the-dark diagnosis. Let’s have some facts, please.

Tell her exactly what you told us.
Call the person who’s dog died. Have them speak to her.

@CWOTUS I simply phrased my sentence in correctly. All the people I have spoken to about this vet have not told me good things about him. Other than that he is generally not known to be very competent. Either my friend is not aware of his reputation or choses to ignore it, I don’t know.

But if I am asking this question it is not based on a few experiences or just a hunch. I know of many other people whose pets seemed only slightly ill to begin with and then ended up dying. I once took my dog to him (when I didn’t know much about him) for a skin condition and this doctor gave me some sort of disinfectant spray which was way past its expiration date. The interesting thing was that he had attempted to scratch out the date on the can as well meaning he intentionally wished to mislead me.

My accusations are not wild! I would not have asked this question if I thought I was being unfair or if it would not benefit my friend. I only have her best interest at heart.