I think my vet has been negligent. Any advice? (dog given Nexguard flea treatment)

edwardsl1985

I have a 2 year old whippet and all his life he has been having episodes of nausea, vomiting (bile normally), loss of appetite, diarrhoea. Also other odd symptoms his behaviour has changed lately, now becoming a bit dominant around other dogs, also he itches and sometimes trembles when lying on the sofa.

The episodes last a few days and normally self resolve. I have been to the vets several times and each time they say there is nothing obviously wrong and always try and send him in for expensive tests or prescribe extra medications.

i have tried every type of expensive food and probiotics and any change in diet seems to work for a bit then he reverts back. Having done my own research all his symptoms are well known side effects of Nexguard worm treatment. I said this to my vet and she had to look up the side effects.

I am medically trained and a prescriber for humans so have some reasonable understanding. It is common practice to review medications when assessing and minimise extra medicines and invasive tests wherever possible. 

Although it is going to take a few months of using a different medication to see if this is the cause, however reading various articles, forums and journals I am convinced this is the cause. I have lodged a complaint with the surgery.

My question, Is this negligence?

In medicine prescribing a medicine without the full knowledge of the drug, its interactions and side effects would be. So would prescribing a medication and not explaining risks and giving the patient full informed consent. When reviewing a patient and not completing a thorough medication review and trying an alternative medicine would be. 

Wonder if any pet owners have had similar experiences? Any vets on here that can give me your perspective?

DullGreyGuy

What outcome do you want out of this?

In the eyes of the law a dog is chattel, or property, and so there is no claim for pain, suffering and loss of amenities just as you couldn't sue DFS for the pain your sofa suffered when its leg broke off. 

If there is negligence you'd be looking at what your financial losses were as a direct consequence of the negligence. 

Not being a dog owner... presumably it's this vet that prescribes the Nexgard flea treatment? a google suggests its prescription only but presumably there are places it can be bought without. 

Really need to first confirm this is the cause of the problem before looking for the big bucks. 

edwardsl1985

Haha I like the DFS analogy. Poor sofa 

I’m not particularly bothered about financial restitution. I may argue the last round of tests should be refunded but no I’m not after some big pay day. 

But the more I read up on the nexgard it seems so obvious and they should know what they are prescribing and its side effects. I want the practice to recognise this and if it is proven to be the drug they need to investigate if it’s caused adverse events in other dogs 

tacpot12

Negligence would be prescribing Nexguard again without having looked into whether your suspicions are potnetially correct and not considering whether there are alternatives that could be tried. If the vet has medical notes that confirm that they have considered whether the symptoms could be side effects from Nexguard and that there are no alternatives, and they have discussed this with you and you haven't said you wouldn't administer Nexguard again, they they wouldn't be negligent in prescribing Nexguard again. It's about them taking the reasonable steps that their Royal College would expect them to have taken.

35har1old

edwardsl1985 said:

I have a 2 year old whippet and all his life he has been having episodes of nausea, vomiting (bile normally), loss of appetite, diarrhoea. Also other odd symptoms his behaviour has changed lately, now becoming a bit dominant around other dogs, also he itches and sometimes trembles when lying on the sofa.

The episodes last a few days and normally self resolve. I have been to the vets several times and each time they say there is nothing obviously wrong and always try and send him in for expensive tests or prescribe extra medications.

i have tried every type of expensive food and probiotics and any change in diet seems to work for a bit then he reverts back. Having done my own research all his symptoms are well known side effects of Nexguard worm treatment. I said this to my vet and she had to look up the side effects.

I am medically trained and a prescriber for humans so have some reasonable understanding. It is common practice to review medications when assessing and minimise extra medicines and invasive tests wherever possible. 

Although it is going to take a few months of using a different medication to see if this is the cause, however reading various articles, forums and journals I am convinced this is the cause. I have lodged a complaint with the surgery.

My question, Is this negligence?

In medicine prescribing a medicine without the full knowledge of the drug, its interactions and side effects would be. So would prescribing a medication and not explaining risks and giving the patient full informed consent. When reviewing a patient and not completing a thorough medication review and trying an alternative medicine would be. 

Wonder if any pet owners have had similar experiences? Any vets on here that can give me your perspective?

Simparica Trio is another flea and worming tablet .
Being dominant could be down to him now being a adult dog.
Is he nurted? How is he showing his domince?
Itching could be a yeast infection.
Changing a dogs diet can cause diarrhoea if it's not done gradually 
Is he sleeping when he trembles?

sheramber

As a  medically trained and a prescriber for humans  did you not check out what your  dog had been prescribed?

I am not medically trained but do check medicines that i am prescribed and that my dogs are prescribed.

Do you need to use flea treatment regularly? 
I only have used it twice in over 50 years of dog ownership. I only treat when I see signs of fleas. otherwise I do not use any.

I would be wary of using another treatment if he is still showing symptoms .

I knew someone whose dog suffered seizures for a year after one treatment of  Frontline,  which is widely used. 

elsien

All medications will have adverse effects on some of the dogs they are being prescribed for - the same as in humans, as you will be aware. It doesn’t mean that it never gets prescribed, or that it is negligence when it is prescribed and it obviously causes side-effects.
You claim the vet has been negligent, but you haven’t said what the outcome was of you, raising your belief that it was the flea treatment caused the symptoms? Or how often he’s actually had the worm treatment. 

Much too big a leap as things to stand. 

35har1old

sheramber said:

As a  medically trained and a prescriber for humans  did you not check out what your  dog had been prescribed?

I am not medically trained but do check medicines that i am prescribed and that my dogs are prescribed.

Do you need to use flea treatment regularly? 
I only have used it twice in over 50 years of dog ownership. I only treat when I see signs of fleas. otherwise I do not use any.

I would be wary of using another treatment if he is still showing symptoms .

I knew someone whose dog suffered seizures for a year after one treatment of  Frontline,  which is widely used. 

You seem to concentrate on flea treatment edwardsl1985 said:

I have a 2 year old whippet and all his life he has been having episodes of nausea, vomiting (bile normally), loss of appetite, diarrhoea. Also other odd symptoms his behaviour has changed lately, now becoming a bit dominant around other dogs, also he itches and sometimes trembles when lying on the sofa.

The episodes last a few days and normally self resolve. I have been to the vets several times and each time they say there is nothing obviously wrong and always try and send him in for expensive tests or prescribe extra medications.

i have tried every type of expensive food and probiotics and any change in diet seems to work for a bit then he reverts back. Having done my own research all his symptoms are well known side effects of Nexguard worm treatment. I said this to my vet and she had to look up the side effects.

I am medically trained and a prescriber for humans so have some reasonable understanding. It is common practice to review medications when assessing and minimise extra medicines and invasive tests wherever possible. 

Although it is going to take a few months of using a different medication to see if this is the cause, however reading various articles, forums and journals I am convinced this is the cause. I have lodged a complaint with the surgery.

My question, Is this negligence?

In medicine prescribing a medicine without the full knowledge of the drug, its interactions and side effects would be. So would prescribing a medication and not explaining risks and giving the patient full informed consent. When reviewing a patient and not completing a thorough medication review and trying an alternative medicine would be. 

Wonder if any pet owners have had similar experiences? Any vets on here that can give me your perspective?

edwardsl1985 said:

I have a 2 year old whippet and all his life he has been having episodes of nausea, vomiting (bile normally), loss of appetite, diarrhoea. Also other odd symptoms his behaviour has changed lately, now becoming a bit dominant around other dogs, also he itches and sometimes trembles when lying on the sofa.

The episodes last a few days and normally self resolve. I have been to the vets several times and each time they say there is nothing obviously wrong and always try and send him in for expensive tests or prescribe extra medications.

i have tried every type of expensive food and probiotics and any change in diet seems to work for a bit then he reverts back. Having done my own research all his symptoms are well known side effects of Nexguard worm treatment. I said this to my vet and she had to look up the side effects.

I am medically trained and a prescriber for humans so have some reasonable understanding. It is common practice to review medications when assessing and minimise extra medicines and invasive tests wherever possible. 

Although it is going to take a few months of using a different medication to see if this is the cause, however reading various articles, forums and journals I am convinced this is the cause. I have lodged a complaint with the surgery.

My question, Is this negligence?

In medicine prescribing a medicine without the full knowledge of the drug, its interactions and side effects would be. So would prescribing a medication and not explaining risks and giving the patient full informed consent. When reviewing a patient and not completing a thorough medication review and trying an alternative medicine would be. 

Wonder if any pet owners have had similar experiences? Any vets on here that can give me your perspective?

Is this Nexguard Spectra?

sheramber

35har1old said:

sheramber said:

As a  medically trained and a prescriber for humans  did you not check out what your  dog had been prescribed?

I am not medically trained but do check medicines that i am prescribed and that my dogs are prescribed.

Do you need to use flea treatment regularly? 
I only have used it twice in over 50 years of dog ownership. I only treat when I see signs of fleas. otherwise I do not use any.

I would be wary of using another treatment if he is still showing symptoms .

I knew someone whose dog suffered seizures for a year after one treatment of  Frontline,  which is widely used. 

You seem to concentrate on fleas  treatment edwardsl1985 said:

I have a 2 year old whippet and all his life he has been having episodes of nausea, vomiting (bile normally), loss of appetite, diarrhoea. Also other odd symptoms his behaviour has changed lately, now becoming a bit dominant around other dogs, also he itches and sometimes trembles when lying on the sofa.

The episodes last a few days and normally self resolve. I have been to the vets several times and each time they say there is nothing obviously wrong and always try and send him in for expensive tests or prescribe extra medications.

i have tried every type of expensive food and probiotics and any change in diet seems to work for a bit then he reverts back. Having done my own research all his symptoms are well known side effects of Nexguard worm treatment. I said this to my vet and she had to look up the side effects.

I am medically trained and a prescriber for humans so have some reasonable understanding. It is common practice to review medications when assessing and minimise extra medicines and invasive tests wherever possible. 

Although it is going to take a few months of using a different medication to see if this is the cause, however reading various articles, forums and journals I am convinced this is the cause. I have lodged a complaint with the surgery.

My question, Is this negligence?

In medicine prescribing a medicine without the full knowledge of the drug, its interactions and side effects would be. So would prescribing a medication and not explaining risks and giving the patient full informed consent. When reviewing a patient and not completing a thorough medication review and trying an alternative medicine would be. 

Wonder if any pet owners have had similar experiences? Any vets on here that can give me your perspective?

edwardsl1985 said:

I have a 2 year old whippet and all his life he has been having episodes of nausea, vomiting (bile normally), loss of appetite, diarrhoea. Also other odd symptoms his behaviour has changed lately, now becoming a bit dominant around other dogs, also he itches and sometimes trembles when lying on the sofa.

The episodes last a few days and normally self resolve. I have been to the vets several times and each time they say there is nothing obviously wrong and always try and send him in for expensive tests or prescribe extra medications.

i have tried every type of expensive food and probiotics and any change in diet seems to work for a bit then he reverts back. Having done my own research all his symptoms are well known side effects of Nexguard worm treatment. I said this to my vet and she had to look up the side effects.

I am medically trained and a prescriber for humans so have some reasonable understanding. It is common practice to review medications when assessing and minimise extra medicines and invasive tests wherever possible. 

Although it is going to take a few months of using a different medication to see if this is the cause, however reading various articles, forums and journals I am convinced this is the cause. I have lodged a complaint with the surgery.

My question, Is this negligence?

In medicine prescribing a medicine without the full knowledge of the drug, its interactions and side effects would be. So would prescribing a medication and not explaining risks and giving the patient full informed consent. When reviewing a patient and not completing a thorough medication review and trying an alternative medicine would be. 

Wonder if any pet owners have had similar experiences? Any vets on here that can give me your perspective?

Is this Nexguard Spectra?

You seem to concentrate on fleas  treatment 

Because Next guard is a flea treatment

35har1old

sheramber said:

35har1old said:

sheramber said:

As a  medically trained and a prescriber for humans  did you not check out what your  dog had been prescribed?

I am not medically trained but do check medicines that i am prescribed and that my dogs are prescribed.

Do you need to use flea treatment regularly? 
I only have used it twice in over 50 years of dog ownership. I only treat when I see signs of fleas. otherwise I do not use any.

I would be wary of using another treatment if he is still showing symptoms .

I knew someone whose dog suffered seizures for a year after one treatment of  Frontline,  which is widely used. 

You seem to concentrate on fleas  treatment edwardsl1985 said:

I have a 2 year old whippet and all his life he has been having episodes of nausea, vomiting (bile normally), loss of appetite, diarrhoea. Also other odd symptoms his behaviour has changed lately, now becoming a bit dominant around other dogs, also he itches and sometimes trembles when lying on the sofa.

The episodes last a few days and normally self resolve. I have been to the vets several times and each time they say there is nothing obviously wrong and always try and send him in for expensive tests or prescribe extra medications.

i have tried every type of expensive food and probiotics and any change in diet seems to work for a bit then he reverts back. Having done my own research all his symptoms are well known side effects of Nexguard worm treatment. I said this to my vet and she had to look up the side effects.

I am medically trained and a prescriber for humans so have some reasonable understanding. It is common practice to review medications when assessing and minimise extra medicines and invasive tests wherever possible. 

Although it is going to take a few months of using a different medication to see if this is the cause, however reading various articles, forums and journals I am convinced this is the cause. I have lodged a complaint with the surgery.

My question, Is this negligence?

In medicine prescribing a medicine without the full knowledge of the drug, its interactions and side effects would be. So would prescribing a medication and not explaining risks and giving the patient full informed consent. When reviewing a patient and not completing a thorough medication review and trying an alternative medicine would be. 

Wonder if any pet owners have had similar experiences? Any vets on here that can give me your perspective?

edwardsl1985 said:

I have a 2 year old whippet and all his life he has been having episodes of nausea, vomiting (bile normally), loss of appetite, diarrhoea. Also other odd symptoms his behaviour has changed lately, now becoming a bit dominant around other dogs, also he itches and sometimes trembles when lying on the sofa.

The episodes last a few days and normally self resolve. I have been to the vets several times and each time they say there is nothing obviously wrong and always try and send him in for expensive tests or prescribe extra medications.

i have tried every type of expensive food and probiotics and any change in diet seems to work for a bit then he reverts back. Having done my own research all his symptoms are well known side effects of Nexguard worm treatment. I said this to my vet and she had to look up the side effects.

I am medically trained and a prescriber for humans so have some reasonable understanding. It is common practice to review medications when assessing and minimise extra medicines and invasive tests wherever possible. 

Although it is going to take a few months of using a different medication to see if this is the cause, however reading various articles, forums and journals I am convinced this is the cause. I have lodged a complaint with the surgery.

My question, Is this negligence?

In medicine prescribing a medicine without the full knowledge of the drug, its interactions and side effects would be. So would prescribing a medication and not explaining risks and giving the patient full informed consent. When reviewing a patient and not completing a thorough medication review and trying an alternative medicine would be. 

Wonder if any pet owners have had similar experiences? Any vets on here that can give me your perspective?

Is this Nexguard Spectra?

You seem to concentrate on fleas  treatment 

Because Next guard is a flea treatment

Next guard Spetra is a combined treatment for flea and worms

sheramber

35har1old said:

sheramber said:

35har1old said:

Next guard Spetra is a combined treatment for flea and worms

Would it make you feel better IF i said fleas and worms then?

I do not treat for either inless I see signs of  them.  As I picj k up after my dog I would see any worms.