Pet Loss

ReRe21

Thank you very much for your kind replies.

Further to my original post I've decided that I'm going to write a letter to the Vets in order to get answers to the questions that I have.

The issues that I want to raise are below:-
- why the mass was not picked up earlier - they told me it would have taken 2-3 years to grow to that size?
- during the pre-op meeting - why we were not told of any risks involved even though we'd expressed our concerns with regards to operating on an 'old' dog?
- why were we not given a post-op recovery plan?
- why pain killers were not prescribed?
- why did we not have a return call from them once they'd been informed of the death?

Any advice on the best way to write it would be appreciated.

Thank you

zaksmum

So sorry for your loss ReRe...your story is similar to what happened to my last dog.

I'd had him checked at the vet just a month earlier and asked specifically about his swollen abdomen. Just age related thickening, the vet said - the dog was nearly 13.

Much reassured! Then my dog stopped eating altogether 2 weeks later but still had this swollen abdomen.

Back to the vet - they kept him in for 3 days and did all kinds of tests, scans and xrays and found nothing.

My poor dog was still totally refusing food - I was demented with worry.

The vet referred him to a veterinary teaching practise where they found a massive tumour on his spleen, which had ruptured and was filling his abdomen with blood...poor dog must've been in agony. And several other tumours elsewhere in his body.

I was beyond gutted to discover he couldn't be saved and had to be PTS.

I was fuming with my own vet, and he even had the cheek to send me a letter demanding payment of about £20 outstanding after I'd paid all my bills immediately via credit card (about £4000) which the insurance reimbursed.

They messed up totally in failing to find my poor boy was riddled with cancer and like you I wanted someone to be accountable, but couldn't find out how to make a complaint.

I've since found that there's a governing body overseeing vets, so if you google that you can get details.

Good luck.

ReRe21

At the moment I just want to see what response I get from them to the questions I raise.

I'm not too sure though how to start and finish my letter without it sounding accusatory.

Any ideas with regards to this would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

zaksmum

ReRe21 wrote: »

At the moment I just want to see what response I get from them to the questions I raise.

I'm not too sure though how to start and finish my letter without it sounding accusatory.

Any ideas with regards to this would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Why should you worry about seeming accusatory? If they messed up, you have every right to be.