Money Grabbing Vet!!!

dangeroussports

They didnt have pet insurance in the olden days and we survived. BUt then again we didnt have fancy vets with their xray machines either.

I suggest we treat pets like animals.

Chesnut1

dangeroussports wrote: »

They didnt have pet insurance in the olden days and we survived. BUt then again we didnt have fancy vets with their xray machines either.

I suggest we treat pets like animals.

Would you please like to elaborate on that comment? Are you implying that if an animal is very ill then just destroy it and get another??? If that is the case and from your prior tone it appears to be then no wonder an awfull lot of people prefair animals to some humans!!!!!! It could also be pointed out that if vets did not have such expensive equipment to preserve life then not only would the family pet suffer and their owners (often chidren and the elderly) but also military animals, rescue service, guide dogs, police animals and all the other animals who do sterling work to help/protect mankind!

gregg1

dangeroussports wrote: »

They didnt have pet insurance in the olden days and we survived. BUt then again we didnt have fancy vets with their xray machines either.

I suggest we treat pets like animals.

Yeah WE survived - the pets didn't!

kipperman

As a practicising Veterinary Surgeon qualified 22 years, of which 12 were spent as a Partner I felt somewhat obliged to comment on this thread............

1) What exactly was said in the consulting room? I agree with previous posters that so far this is a rather one sided debate that relies purely on the original posters version of events. My own experience can be that given the often fraught and emotionally charged atmosphere that can be present in emergency situations exact words and phrases can get somewhat misconstrued later. This is especially so where such selective editing can be used to a clients advantage at a later date when a complaint is made.

2) I'm not sure that being kept waiting for 20 minutes prior to be being seen is entirely unreasonable, especially when I would imagine that the clients being seen in the period would regard their situation as being an equal emergency.

3) Having said that - on the assumption that the the original poster was quoting verbatim as to what was said and happened, then it would take a rare Veterinary surgeon( and not one I have met thankfully) to not administer pain relief as a bare minimum. As I understand, we are obliged to provide this irrespective of any financial status. We would not be obliged however to continue treatment, although in most cases some form of arrangement is made either to treat within the practice or elsewhere. Fortunately (IMO) the number of clients who deliberately attempt to defraud( I have been given false names, addresses etc) is small.

One of the problems of out of hours emergency clinics is that it is unlikely that the clients are known to them - it's much easier to give a client (financial) latitude if they have been known to a practice previously.

4)It doesn't seem reasonable to criticise the original poster for not having pet insurance - many clients don't but are still able/willing to pay. The original post only suggests a cash flow problem, not a lack of it.

I'm sorry to hear of such a tale and appreciate that at face value this does not show the profession in a great light. However, you need to have both sides of the argument, and it can be all too easy to jump to an unfair conclusion.

I'm glad to hear the dog is doing well.

smartsuit

Thankyou all for your kind comments and thankyou to the others with the not so kind comments.
Daisy has now completed her treatment and had the pins removed from her leg on Tuesday. She is running around like an idiot as if nothing had ever happened.
Since this thread was started my complaint with the RCVS has progressed and we are now waiting to see if it will go to a hearing or not. I cannot comment on much now as I dont want to jeopardize the progress of the complaint. What I will say is, I stand by every part of my complaint and everything I have said on this subject is the truth, there are no elaborations in my posts or my letters sent to various organizations. I did recieve a copy of the vet in questions statement and I am shocked by what was written in there. He mentioned that I have set up a "Website" about this! All I have done is post on this forum, thats a long way from setting up a website!
Kipperman, I appreciate your comments and if you would like some answers to your questions I would be happy to answer them privatly via email david(at)smart-suits.com.
As for the insurance debate, I do not have insurance as I own 3 dogs and 5 cats. I am not an irresponsible pet owner, I just cannot afford £100 a month 2 insure them all, and if I just insured 2 or 3 you can bet that the ones not insured would need the vet! I am not poor, I normally have the money in the bank to pay for this kind of thing but I am self employed and at the time I was waiting for a customers payment to clear in the bank, I said all along I would be able to pay in the next couple of days.
I will post here with any updates as I get them if I can and if anyone has any questions about this situation then please email me and I will be happy to reply.

the_flip_side

for the record this case has been reviewed by the preliminary investigation committee of the royal collage of veterinary surgeons, it was heard on the 25 july where BOTH parties had the opportunity to forward written statements about the incident. suffice to say it has now been closed.

marleyboy

slinks wrote: »

i don't think i'll bother readin this... it just looks like 'blah blah blah'

TROLL ALERT!

marleyboy

the_flip_side wrote: »

for the record this case has been reviewed by the preliminary investigation committee of the royal collage of veterinary surgeons, it was heard on the 25 july where BOTH parties had the opportunity to forward written statements about the incident. suffice to say it has now been closed.

So what was the outcome of the meeting?

When I was a student (a good 10yrs ago), my cat became ill, the first sign I noticed of it was one morning i could see he was suffering in agony, I had the cat from being born, and he was a good 3yrs old by then, so I was very attached. I didnt have any money or pet insurance, but regardless I rushed him to the vet and explained the situation, the vet said it was no problem for now as he could see the cat was suffering, I could pay in installments at a later date.

On checking him, the vet advised that they kept him overnight and to call back the next day to see how things are. I did so, the next day I arrived at the vet, he told me the cat had developed a tumor in his stomach, but sadly passed away during the night. I was heartbroken, it was as if I lost a child, I didnt think it would hit me like.

He asked if I wanted to take him for burial, or leave it with him. I chose the latter. even though he said it would cost extra. I got the bill a few weeks later, he only charged for keeping him overnight and the funeral. Allowing me to pay it off in £5 instalments (about as much as I could afford back then). I never got over the loss, but I will never forget vet for that, since then I always make an effort to put whatever change I can into their charity.

I have a dog now, he gets all his jabs, regular check ups, a chip in case he gets lost, but I dont have insurance for him. Not everyone has insurance for their pets, I dont even have Life insurance for my family.

If my dog has an accident, I will take him to be checked, if I have to pay for his injuries, so be it. For those that cannot afford a vet bill, there is the RSPCA. all they ask is for a little donation.

Those posters whom mock people for not having insurance on a pet, I guess you can afford BUPA for your family. Or are you also saying that if you cant afford BUPA for your kids, you shouldnt be having them? The majority of people whom live on the breadline, rely on the heroic NHS and the heroic RSPCA for our families very survival.

dangeroussports

Your post was very warm yet really depressing.

Reading it made me want to listen to Phil Collins and drink red wine until I collapsed with depression.

the_flip_side

the outcome was that the complaint was closed with no indication of serious professional misconduct