dog PTS with owner present - "by mistake"

Faith177

Quote from the vet on this report
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2673906/Family-took-Jack-Russell-vet-cough-asking.html

gingin_2

I know our story isn't nearly as shocking as this but it did make me think of it.

We took my daughter's hamster to the vets last month, we strongly suspected he would need to be pts after a lump grew very rapidly on him. I wanted to take my daughter despite knowing this because I felt it was her pet and she had to see it right through to the end.

I signed the permission form and the vet said nothing, scooped him up and started to walk out the door, it took me a second to realise that she was taking him away to euthanize him and I had to holler to get her back so we could actually say goodbye to the little guy. It was all so quick, so clinical and really very odd. Up to that point the vet had been brilliant, so I am still scratching my head over it.

Person_one

Faith177 wrote: »

Quote from the vet on this report
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2673906/Family-took-Jack-Russell-vet-cough-asking.html

Trying to blame the receptionist. Nice, how about taking responsibility as the highly trained and much better paid so-called professional?

Faith177

Person_one wrote: »

Trying to blame the receptionist. Nice, how about taking responsibility as the highly trained and much better paid so-called professional?

I know what a cheap shot.

I had a bad experience with a vet once our little tabby kitten lost the use of his backlegs. It wasn't our usual vet and I was shocked by the difference

The vets kept him for 2 night racking up a bill of £800. When we went to collect him the vet didn't know his name and kept calling him she when I pulled him up on it he waved his hand in the airs and said "details, details I don't have time for the details" he then said he believed he had either a hole in his heart or a heart problem gave me a perscription for human aspirn and told me to bring him back in 4 days for a heart scan. I pointed out that my usual vet had only checked his heart 3 weeks before as he had been nutured and they always check before doing the op and he told me flat out that my usual vet was wrong.

We took him home he stunk! He was covered in his own wee and was so distressed we had to give him a bath as he was trying to clean himself and just couldn't do it.

We took him to our usual vet the next day they said it was spinal leasions nothing to do with his heart and his heart was healthy. We opted to pts as there was no chance of recovery.

I complained to the RCVS and the practice manager and they couldn't have cared less.

It destroyed me and the OH as we feel the last few days of our little boys life were spent in pain, discomfort and away from his family

Caroline_a

It's really tragic, but surely when you take your animal into the consulting room you have a conversation? So in this case something like 'Morning, he's still coughing, those tablets don't seem to be working..'?

All a bit fishy if you ask me...

Angelicdevil

Very odd!

When my kitten was PTS the vet explained exactly what he was going to do and what would happen as kitty went to sleep and checked I was happy to proceed.

sheramber

When I have had a dog pts the vet gave me a form to sign agreeing to the procedure and also asked if I wanted to stay with my dog while it was done.

zaksmum

Caroline_a wrote: »

It's really tragic, but surely when you take your animal into the consulting room you have a conversation? So in this case something like 'Morning, he's still coughing, those tablets don't seem to be working..'?

All a bit fishy if you ask me...

Apparently the vet asked the owner if the dog had "had enough" and the owner, thinking the vet was asking if the dog had enough of the cough, said yes.

Upon which the vet put the poor dog to sleep:eek:

And the vet then apparently said it was a mistake and he'd apologised! Like that makes it all ok???

I'm amazed the vet doesn't even seem particularly bothered. I know it's no consolation to the owner but at the very least we would hope bad publicity will wreck his business! What an idiot!

ivylinn

This is an odd story. I have never heard of a vet that didn't tell an owner what to expect while an animal is pts, then ask if they understand and want to proceed.

I am wondering if this dog had heart problems (congestive heart failure ?) that the vet failed to explain adequately because of the persistent cough.

heartbreak_star

When we had our poor kitty PTS the vet asked us at least 3 times if we were OK with it and aware of what was happening as well as signing forms.

She talked us through it very gently and explained everything as she was doing it. She was awesome.

This vet, OTOH, is a disgrace and I hope he gets put out of business. How on earth can this happen??

HBS x