Terrible vet locum story - do not read if easily upset

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

I'm not doubting the validity of this story but I'm always loathe to attach blame to anyone when I only hear one side of a story and that is 3rd hand.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you've got the facts wrong but I would hate to be judged on my ability to do my job without any opportunity to defend myself.  When I hear these kind of stories I always prefer to sit on the fence a bit and not judge as I don't have all the facts and I don't know how easy it is to not give enough drug to euthenase a pet.  Nor do I know how easy it is to pick up a heartbeat if it's very faint or spasmodic.  It's very easy to throw around accusations of malpractice and negligence but for all we know the vet may have given what s/he thought was an adequate dose, had a quick listen for a heartbeat and not heard anything and assumed everything had gone ok.   S/he may have been horrified at what later happened.   I would imagine experience is an important factor in this kind of thing.

[Mark]

I know what you mean Lynn - it's just that when they told me the story, I thought it was the most horrible things I could imagine and no punishment would be enough for any vet guilty of this. It has destroyed my faith in vets.

[CurlyCatz]

I'm sure you actually knew what i meant mark.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Lynn's comment isn't really Mark, I have heard some horror stories with euthanasia, fortunatley the worst I have dealt with is them needing more, and Pebbles had some very weird movements after which the vet said only happened on in every thousand cats - so it obviously had to happen to her, I was already on edge as the vet wanted to sedate her. I do agree that vets should be struck off for not checking a hearbeat, but not sure I would go as far as prosecution. I would be warning everyone I knew of the vet though.

[Mark]

better euthanasia. 

A dichotomy if I ever heard one. It's one f the most upsetting things for any cat lover but it's malpractice unless it is done properly. I would go as far to say that any vet guilty of this should be struck off AND prosecuted.

I personally would have not given up until everyone in the area knew what happened.

[CurlyCatz]

its often when the heart is weaker or they have a sedative (which is to make things better for owner / animal) that it doesnt go so well or takes longer as the circulation will be poorer, normally a strng heart / good circul will end in a better euthanasia. 

[maz]

How awful, it must have been an horrific experience for your guests Mark, shoot the locum I say!!

Luv
Maz

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

Only one of mine didn't go with the first injection (she had been sedated first), she had to have slightly more, that wasn't pleasant,

I remember when i was a child (early teens) the vet came to our house to PTS our cat ^Sweep^.
She has cancer of the mouth and i remember my Mum saying that the vet had to give her 2/3 times the normal dose as her heart was so strong and she fought it.

[ronandcats]

How sad for the owner and more so for the poor little cat,R.I.P little one, I think the vet should be struck off, and i have never heard of a cat carrying on breathing after its been PTS I think if was my cat I think I would have put the vet to sleep.

[Ela]

[quote, none of mine have ever looked like they were still breathing afterwards,[/quote]

I too have never witnessed a cat that looked like it was still breathing after PTS. The only thing I have seen occasionally is a little movement due to muscles relaxing.

[Christine (Blip)]

That is dreadful, Jas and my heart goes out to you. It must have been hard to write it all down. 

[Desley (booktigger)]

What an awful story Jas, it sounds like you didn't have a very good vet I'm afraid, none of mine have ever looked like they were still breathing afterwards, and vets are supposed to check for a heartbeat, as they do occasionally need a second dose.

[Jasmine]

I had a similar experience with my Smudge who I had pts in Jan 05. 

Smudge was my first cat, the light in my life and forever number one in my heart.
Aged 15, after 6 weeks illness, he was finally diagnosed with a particularly aggressive form of cancer.
My world turned upside down.
He was given a strong painkiller to see him through the weekend, so my ex-husband could visit to say his final goodbyes.
On Tuesday, 18th January at 12 noon, the vet who had seen him through his illness, came to relieve him of his pain, I was incredibly brave & composed, the vet left.
We were warned it might look like he was breathing for a while, we sat talking to him, telling him how much he was loved and stroked his body, we did this for some time, for almost 2 hours, when my boyfriend finally said: 'he is still breathing you know'.
We had to ring the vets, the vet came out again to administer another injection, into the heart, I flipped, I was a wailing wreck.

I've never mentioned this to my Ex, it would have been far too distressing for him, or my parents.
I have only ever mentioned it to the lady who runs the local CP, as I have had to avoid this vets practice.
I know I should have complained, I never even got an apology, but I haven't been able to put this is in writing until now.

Despite this, two weeks after, I re-homed a 13 year old stray.
His name was Reg and as many of you will have read, I had to have him pts a few weeks ago, almost 2 years to the day.
In a way, Smudge has also been laid to rest properly, as he should have been too.

My heart goes out to your guests Mark.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

What a horrific experience.  It's your worst nightmare.  I must admit, am a bit like Ela - when we lost our last dog it was deeply upsetting and we swore we wouldn't have another.  We lasted two years.  We stopped going for walks - no fun without a companion with us.  we started "just looking.."  At what?!  Then, we saw Tess, and just knew we could make room for another.  There's always another loving soul looking for a forever home, cat - dpg - whatever.  But this  - this could really cut me up.

[JackSpratt]

That's utterly disgusting. Those poor people, not to mention the poor cat.

I hope in years to come they feel ready to care for another cat and don't end up missing out on years of wonderful companionship because of this incident.

[forever_missing_my_boys(Lisa)]

Thats awful

[Desley (booktigger)]

That is a terrible story - my vets always always check the heartbeat of mine, even when I know they have gone cos I felt them go they dont believe me and check anyway. Only one of mine didn't go with the first injection (she had been sedated first), she had to have slightly more, that wasn't pleasant, and I was in two minds whether to say no when the vet wanted to sedate Pebbles in case it happened again, fortunately it didn't.
I do hope they can get over this and open their hearts to another needy furbabe soon.

[CurlyCatz]

Well 1st question is how can a cat break 7 bones in 1 leg ???  unless you are meaning bones in the foot aswell ??

onto main point.  This is very unfortunate, the cat was basically anaesthetised.  It is possible that the heart was listened to and no heart beat detected if it had been so weak or very very slow (and wasnt perhaps listened to for long enough)

I have to say i have personally euthanasied many animals and also assisted in euthanasia of many many more and its the single thing i always worried about and paranoid and double. triple checked.  My old boss was a bit of a skinflint and would work the dosage out correctly ie dolethal inj was 0.7ml / kg and this always troubled me, whereas if i was doing it (and the boss wasnt observing the amount i was drawing up) i'd be giving prob twice that much LOL

the people in question should of and had every right to make a formal complaint to the rcvs and it would have been followed up.

[ccmacey]

Wow, although quite horrid to have to go through the sadness of doing it again I would of seen this as a sign that the cat was to live longer. I have never heard of this happening, and is it possible for the cat to live on?

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

How awful as if having to go through it once isn't bad enough having to go through it a second time must be devasting.

Mark I'm sure after a weekend with you and the furries they will see what they are missing out on and hopefully be able to open their hearts and home to another kitty.

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

Oh my God that is terrible 

[Ela]

This has bothered me all day

It would me too, almost unbelievable. However, what is also sad is that they let the bad experience put them off from owning another cat, I always think when I lose a little one thats it I am having no more then I realize I am being a little selfish as I am thinking of my own feelings when there are so many out there that are in desperate need of a new home. Also I think that I have not lost a little one in vain as I can help another and also make space for another little soul to come into rescue.

[Millys Mum]

They should check for a heartbeat.
How terrible for them   

[Mark]

My guests this weekend are real animal lovers. They said they don't have pets any more but their last cat story probably upset them too much. Their cat used to jump out of a velux and through a wndow. One day he slipped and fell.. He had broken 7 bones in his leg and the vet said either amputate or PTS. They said naturally they amputated and shortly after he was fine, climbing trees etc. A while later the cat was ill and they took him to the vet again. The vet said he had a large tumour on his liver and had about a month to live. He started getting very ill so they took him to the vet again. This time there was a young locum who said it was time to PTS so the husband held kitty in his arms while he was injected. He said he was upset and took the cat home to bury in the garden as he had buried all his cats and dogs in the garden over the years. He said he was digging a hole a noticed something - the blanket was moving and his poor cat hadn't been PTS properly. He said it was awful and he had to go back to the vet to have the injection repeated. The poor cat could have been buried alive! - I said the vet should have been struck off and surely there must be tests they do to check. He said he doesn't know why he didn't take the mattter further but he was very upset at the time. This has bothered me all day