forwarded with permission
Dear all,
We're deeply upset about the unnecessary loss of our Hattie, and I want
you to know about the catalogue of disasters that lead to my Cavalier
losing her life... We feel so bitter at the moment, and this is making
her passing even more painful. I've written this all down in detail,
because I'll be reporting the entire event to the BVA, but I'd like you
all to be aware that this could happen to your beloved pet if they
become sick 'after hours'... so please read on so that you can protect
the loved ones in your lives from suffering the same or a similar fait
in the care of after hours emergency vet practices.
Hattie refused her evening meal on Saturday evening, she was a bit
quiet, but not noticeably unwell. At 2 in the morning the other girls
who sleep in the lounge with her alerted us that something was wrong. We
investigated and found Hattie was quite disorientated, and when I
examined her it was obvious to me that she had an open Pyometra.
I knew my regular vet was contracted to attend a horse show in his
professional capacity 300 miles away, so there was no way he could get
out of attending that event.... but I rushed her over for him to assess
before he left to fulfil his previous commitment. After he'd seen Hattie
at 3am Sunday morning our fears of a Pyo were confirmed, so he had to
refer her to another vet practice who would see her through her surgery,
and after care... or so we thought...
I was running a 'Health & Welfare' day on Sunday as some of you will
know, so hubby Colin took over at that point and drove our little one on
the hour long journey to the referral emergency clinic in Witham. The
necessary 'emergency' surgery was EVENTUALLY carried out at this
'out-of-hours' practise all of 13 hours later, and the care she got was
appalling. What I didn't know at the time was that this 'place of
excellence' only have the building and facilities for weekends and
overnight week days from 8pm at night until 8am in the morning. The rest
of the time it's a totally different Vet practice with a completely
different name and staff ... none of the business is connected, they
just use the same building and facilities but will not care for
each-others patients. They delayed surgery after receiving Hattie early
on Sunday morning ... saying she needed to be 'rehydrated and
stabilised' before they could operate. Even I know that with an advanced
acute pyometra you have very little time to save them, and by the
evening as her condition deteriorated I was begging them to remove her
uterus. Eventually at 11 .45 pm Sunday night they did just that, but by
then it was too late, and she never recovered. She died in my arms at my
Vets from acute septicaemia 24 hours later, her little body no longer
able to cope, although we were willing and praying for her to stay with us.
This practise in Witham has to clear all patients out of the building by
7.30am.... regardless of how sick they are. It's outrageous. As I waited
at 7am on Monday morning for them to discharge Hattie, they bought out
the poor dead animals to their distressed owners, not a pleasant thing
to witness at anytime...my heart bled for their loss. Huge bills were
being paid for these poor animals who didn't make it through the night.
....
They eventually brought my poorly little Cavalier out to me, but only
after I settled their massive bill in full... ( see attachment) My
Hattie was still comatosed and in a very unstable condition...
. so they carried her straight out and rigged up her IV drip-line inside
my car, I pointed out immediately that the drip wasn't running and that
the cannula must be blocked, but the vet just said Hattie would be OK
for the hour long drive. Her breathing was laboured and I thought she
was going to die on the journey back to the Critical Care Unit at my Vet
practice. Despite all my vets wonderful efforts and dedication once
receiving Hattie back into their care, She died of septic distress
brought on by the delayed Pyo surgery and the resulting Peritonitis.
I'm distraught at her unnecessary death... All the out of hours vets
were interested in was MONEY, and heads are going to roll over this
unnecessary loss of my lovely girl...
I keep looking at her 12.3/4 year old mother ( my Klancy) who is still
as fit and agile as any five year old, and her father 'Int. Ch. Telvara
Incognito' who at 9 is still Cardiology clear, but their beautiful
daughter is dead thanks to this catalogue of malpractice and lack of
veterinary care. At the Witham practice they wouldn't even look at
Hattie until Colin paid £350.... then they wouldn't release her into my
care until I paid in full the fee for her overnight spay surgery. This
few hours in their 'care' came to £1,783. 18p....
Be warned... they serve 25 practices in Essex as 'emergency cover' so
make sure you note the name. They also have 'outlets' all over the
country. This isn't about money ... I lost my beautiful gentle girl
because of their incompetence. A dear friend has found a link to sign a
petition against this Veterinary Group, and if you feel you'd like to
make a stand about this situation that will apply to many of us who
occasionally need night assistance , please sign it.
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/vets-now-poor-out-of-hours-veterinary-servic\e.html
<http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/vets-now-poor-out-of-hours-veterinary-servi\
ce.html>
Thanks for listening, RIP my baby.... we WILL get justice for you....
Veronica.
