My puppy (not even 2 yrs old) died on Sunday after being neutered. I AM POSITIVE the vet did something wrong. I had an appt with the doctor to discuss the surgery, did a full exam, blood panel & EKG. He came off like a cocky AHOLE to me but my husband thought cocky = experienced & confident. We brought him home after & never fully came around. He died while my husband was doing CPR on him on the way to the vet. The vet was (once again) a cocky AHOLE, unfeeling, and flippant about the whole thing.
They said they will pay for his private cremation & they will "waive" the emergency from when I brought him in not breathing but I still have to pay for the surgery. I can't believe that I have to pay for the surgery that killed my puppy. I'm devastated, I'm lost, I'm angry. I just don't want this guy to EVER do this to someone else & I don't know what to do or where to start.
I wanted to have a necropsy done but I found out there is nobody in my State that does this anymore. So we're going to have him cremated. I have asked for his medical records & haven't received them yet. What should I do?
It wouldn't matter if my puppy was from the pound or if he was expensive but he WAS expensive. He was a pure bred pug, AKC registered, I have his pedigree & certificates, etc. But mostly he was EVERYTHING to me.
Should I dispute the charge with my veterinary care card? Should I file a small claim? Should I ask them for their insurance info & go through them? I have NO idea where to start. I'm reporting them to the vet licensing board, the better business bureau, the ASPCA, and giving them my HONEST review online of their facility. What am I supposed to do? I honestly feel that they were 100% WRONG and they know it.
And they asked ME what happened when I brought him in barely breathing with no pulse???
DR. SNARK . . . You have used this forum to be hateful & hurtful & I pray that people have more sensitivity towards you when you need it than you have had with me. Karma really is a biaaaatch, look out for it :-)
MSAD . . . I make regular donations to the Pug Rescue in my area. Thanks for the thoughtful answer.
Dr. Snark
I bet your husband killed him while trying to do CPR. He probably would have been fine but your knuckleheaded spouse took it upon himself to clumsily recall his Boy Scout CPR training (which I guarantee didn't include pugs) and probably interrupted the rhythm of that poor puppy's heart. Exactly where was your husband doing the chest compressions? Does he know where a dog's heart even is??? How does your husband know where to look for a pulse in a dog?
ADD: I'm not being hateful or hurtful. I truly believe that your husband could have killed your puppy if he truly tried to do CPR on it. If the puppy had a weak pulse and your husband didn't know how to properly feel for it, he could have interrupted the rhythm of that poor dog's heart by pressing on it when he didn't need to. If the dog was breathing, even if it was shallow, then his heart was probably beating weakly. Is your husband a vet or a medical professional? If not then he probably did more harm than good.
Michael H
If you are positive that they did something wrong, tell me what it is they did. if you can't, then you are saying that you ASSUME or THINK they did something wrong.
1) Should I dispute the charge with my veterinary care card?
You can certainly do that, it would be a good place to start.
2) Should I file a small claim?
The burden of proof is on you, how can you prove that it was them that made a mistake? Could the dog have had a reaction to a medication that neither you nor the vet were aware that the dog would have a reaction to? Any number of things could have happened that are not negligent on the part of the vet.
3) Should I ask them for their insurance info & go through them?
You can, but realize that they are under no obligation to submit it to you either.
I feel for you and the loss, I really do. However, unless you have irrefutable proof that the vet was negligent, then you will have no recourse.
MSAD
If you want to pursue a law suit, then you will need to find a doc that does a necropsy. Even if you have to take pup out of state.
In order to prevail in court, you have to have evidence that the vet was negligent and that negligence is the cause of your puppy's passing.
Any time you have a medical procedure involving anesthesia -whether on people or animals- there is a chance of risk.
Where to start? By getting proof that the vet was negligent. Right now, you don't have that. The fact that your puppy passed away is not proof of negligence. It's possible that it was a complication of anesthesia.
I am very sorry for your loss.
My dogs are everything to me too. I understand you there. I'd be hurt and angry too. But if you want to make a court case out of it - you have to stop looking at it through hurt/angry eyes and start looking at it through pragmatic eyes.
Maybe you could make a donation to a local rescue group or shelter in your Pug's honor. The donation can even be of your time - does not have to be money. It would be a nice way to honor his memory.
I am sorry for your loss.
JenVT
In all honesty, there is a greater anethetic risk for snub nosed dogs. And there is always a risk any time anesthesia is used in dogs and in humans. Things happen. It's doubtful there was any malpractice or even bad intent. I am sorry for your loss but every surgery has it's risks.
Pat D
Yes you should, too bad you didn't have a necropsy. I would have found a University and Never let them cremate your dog. You need to find out what drugs were used, and write a complaint to your state veterinary boardMy dog was also died when I took him here in Md to have a neuter surgery, that never happened and he died. They used Xylazine a drug the drug manufacturer stated , Not recommended for cats & dogs. It was labeled for Cattle & Horses. Even if they dismiss your case you need to file so if and when someone else has a problem you can have a trail. So what did they say he died from. You also should dispute the charges, even though it is not about money you can't let them get paid and they should not charge you. Go on the site that they advertise on and rate them, be careful only say your dog died there and a that they charged you despite losing him. Warn others , DO not say they killed your dog, yet anyway. They can sue you. www.mutleyandme.org this is what happened to my dog. I have to add names and will soon. I am so sorry , because I know how you feel. I will never fully recover from this. And the veterinarians don't care because they gert away with this all of the time. Email me if you need to talk. What state are you in? Can you find anyone else that had a bad experience there? Don't stop fighting for justice. If you requested his medical report, and they haven't sent it go there with the police and let the veterinary board know they have not complied. They can not keep this from you. Check everything on the medical record when you get it. they had the wrong color of dog on my dog's medical record. Ask for the surgival record as well.
Orignal From: Veterinary malpractice . . . what should I do?
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