So upset! Need to vent!!!!

[Venomous_RBB]

Sorry to hear this, its really sad
I love my cat heaps, she is such a great cat and if the vet made such a big error with my girl, I would be so...... annoyed.
Anyway let us know what they said to explain themself?
Also what did happen with the cat, did it finally pass away?

 

[Skelhorn]

Thats a bit wrong. I am pretty sure you are entitled to a refund on any fees that you have spent. Did you get proof to show the vet (as wouldn't surprise me if he/she denies it). They are meant to do several checks to insure that the animal has passed before returning it to the owners.

 

[Bluetongue1]

The vet would weight the animal concerned and then determine a minimal effective fatal dose of whatever was administered according to a chart of body mass and strength of solution. I don’t know where the error occurred but to my mind there are four possibilities: (1) Miss-reading of the weight; (2) Miss-reading of the chart; (3) Miss reading of the syringe when extracted the recommended amount; (4) Miss-reading of the strength of the solution used. There may well have been no initial pulse for some period of time but lack of appropriate concentration of the injected solution has only had a temporary affect as body neutralises the foreign chemical.

It needs to be addressed with the vet concerned. The point to make is that you have paid for a service that has NOT been delivered. In addition, their error has caused immense unnecessary grief to the owner. I would be asking for financial recompense as well as a heartfelt apology.

You and your mum have my empathy. Quite simply, it should never happen! I hope your mum is coping OK now.

Blue

 

[Fantazmic]

You can complain tot he Vet and that may suffice.

But...if you want to make sure that they have to 'officially account' for what happened and not just say sorry sorry and keep going in their practice as if nothing happened.....then write a letter to the Veterinary Association in your state.

This should ensure that the Vet takes sufficient notice and puts in place adequate procedures to ensure that this does not happen again to anyone else.

 

[Jay84]

Oh Sarah that is awful! I am so sorry to hear that

I have known Sarah and her mum for a number of years and her mum does not have it in her to deliver a blow to an animals head. Julie is one of the most gentle caring people I've ever known and I can't imagine how distraught she would have been

I can't believe that happened, so negligent. Sorry Sarah, please pass my love to your mum xx

 

[sarah_m]

I can't believe that happened, so negligent. Sorry Sarah, please pass my love to your mum xx

Thanks Jay, and everyone else for their comments.
As it turns out, when I spoke to the vet in question I was told that there was no way that could have happened, that sometimes involantary muscle movement post mortem can feel like breathing/heartbeat, that given the distraught state mum was in at the time it is possible she interpreted the spasms as the cat still being alive etc.

Maybe that can happen, I'm not a vet and didn't understand alot of the big medical words she threw at me but to me it all sounded like an excuse, especially when she kept refering to mums emotional state at the time (she didn't actually say that mum had imagined it but that was what I felt she was getting at). As I have no "proof" there was nothing much else I could do.

So all in all not a very satisfactory ending but hopefully if nothing else it will prompt the vet to MAKE SURE they have done the job right next time they have to put someones pet to sleep.

It makes me really appreciate what a fantastic vet we have!