Neglect and the RSPCA

Re: Neglect and the RSPCA

Catherine Williams — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:11:26 GMT

[quote user="karen jones"]

we have had cat dumped outside our surgery door by a "lady" who said she couldn't keep it and obviously didn't take any notice of us saying that we didn't take healthy cats in. We know who she is but according to RSPCA this isn't abandonment because she left it where it could be found and now they don't want to have anything to do with it Poor cat is now sitting in one of our cages while we try to rehome

[/quote]

We recently had a gentleman walk in with a cat in a basket, put it on a seat and told reception he'd carried it in for an old lady who was struggling and was just coming around the corner. Walked out never to be seen again, no old lady ever arrived (and we did go out to check there wasn't someone collapsed around the corner)

The cat ended up being rehomed with one of our nurses after a wk or 2 in kennels.

Have to give him points for creativity.

At least the cat ended up somewhere safe. We had a phone call from a client recently describing myxi in their rabbit, when we discussed it they got a rather hysterical & didn't want the kids to touch it in case they got myxi (we did explain!). We booked a pts appointment, an hour or 2 before hand another client brought in a matching myxi bunny found in a sealed airtight plastic box in the local cemetery. When we called the bunny's owner, something had come up, she was about to call us because she couldn't make the appointment, she'd call us back, funnily enough she didn't. Can't prove it was her rabbit so nothing we can do.

Very frustrating sometimes. Have to say rarely call on RSPCA as doesn't often seem to achieve anything. Most commonly seem to hear "the RSPCA told me to call the vet" for everything from a baby bird to a fit healthy found dog. I've had several clients call the RSPCA over concerns and then regret it when they have been identified as the source of the report and ended up with abuse from the subject as a result.

Re: Neglect and the RSPCA

Mark Holmes — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 21:09:06 GMT

[quote user="karen jones"]

[/quote] Take it and leave it outside the RSPCA where it will be found!

Re: Neglect and the RSPCA

Sara Ramsey — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 20:57:50 GMT

the cat was microchipped. Cat had been missing for less than two days and O had rung all local vets (including

the second practice) asking them to keep an eye out for it.

Re: Neglect and the RSPCA

karen jones — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:09:02 GMT

Re: Neglect and the RSPCA

Niall Taylor — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 18:43:28 GMT

[quote user="Rob Davis"] An old thin cat was brought in as a stray, renal failure was diagnosed on blood tests, and the cat was euthanased.[/quote]

It never fails to amaze me how quickly charities brand friendly, socialised animals as 'strays'. They are NOT strays, they are pets who have got a bit lost. Pathetic.

Niall

Re: Neglect and the RSPCA

Niall Taylor — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 18:41:13 GMT

[quote user="SER"]The cat went walkabout for a day, was taken to a different vet by a member of the public who called the RSPCA. They refused to return the cat and insisted on euthanasia[/quote]

Absolutely disgusting but depressingly familiar high and mighty attitude from the RSPCA - I've heard variations on this story so often it makes me sick.

Niall

Re: Neglect and the RSPCA

Rob Davis — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:58:03 GMT

Some years ago the practice I worked at did a lot of work for another charity. An old thin cat was brought in as a stray, renal failure was diagnosed on blood tests, and the cat was euthanased. Unfortunately it became apparent over the following few days that it belonged to an eminent small animal medicine specialist (who I am sure many of you will know/have heard of...). The owner was obviously aware of the cat's problems and was treating accordingly. I was very glad that I had not been involved in any of the decision making, and it has made me very cautious of euthanasing "strays" without giving a few days for owners to come forward.

Re: Neglect and the RSPCA

Nixthevet — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:32:02 GMT

If the details above are correct it says that the VET didn;t want to sedate/GA to dematt....not that the owner refused. Therefore surely it would be the vet that was reponsible..not the owner.

Also, I agree that heavily matted cats can be painful...but lets not go mad here....many are not in any pain and it doesn't say whether this cat was in any discomfort at all..or for how long the owner had opted to keep the cat going for.

Re: Neglect and the RSPCA

Mark Holmes — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:22:55 GMT

[quote user="Simon Neuhoff"]

With regards to untreated hyperthryroid cats though I must disagree. i know two people who have had hyperthyroidism and they both felt absolutely dreadful. Added to this the stress of the dyspnoiea associated with heart failure and I believe these cats DO suffer.

[/quote]

I think so too, thats why if I have to balance renal failure w hypert4 I tend to focus on t4, At least they die fairly quickly with renal disease, end stage hypert4 can drag on.

Re: Neglect and the RSPCA

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 11:46:33 GMT

[quote user="Simon Neuhoff"]i know two people who have had hyperthyroidism and they both felt absolutely dreadful[/quote]

Had it. It does make you feel awful.

Re: Neglect and the RSPCA

Simon Neuhoff — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 10:54:21 GMT

[quote user="alison howell"]

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]Anaesthesia can be made as safe as possible but risk of GA can not be used as an excuse for neglect.[/quote]

Yes - 'GA risk too great' often used as excuse for 'don't want to spend money on my cat'!

Although I don't have a problem with owners refusing to treat certain conditions as long as they accept that the pet should be pts'd rather than left to linger on once it starts suffering. For example hyperthyroidism could arguably be left untreated if the only other option costwise is pts. I don't think that would be neglect as long as the cat is active, coping etc.

[/quote]

I agree that it is worth checking the story carefully before ripping into the RSCPA and the second vet - quite often only part of the truth is told. As Alison says "the vet said my cat is too old for ga" is often what the cleint reprots when what was in fact said is that there are increased risks but they may well be worth it!

Re: Neglect and the RSPCA

Bob Russell — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 10:29:39 GMT

I wonder where this 'GA risk is too great' comes from. The oldest 'dental' I have done was documented as 23 years old (dog!!!) - the mouth was so painful that (as a third opinion) I recommended surgery or euthanasia - owners elected for surgery. No problems at all, sailed through and left that evening with no teeth. As for as I know it died later that year but had a comfortable mouth for that time.

Is this a record for old age anaesthesia or has someone else anaesthetised an older pet?

Re: Neglect and the RSPCA

vs0u — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 01:07:08 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]Anaesthesia can be made as safe as possible but risk of GA can not be used as an excuse for neglect.[/quote]

Yes - 'GA risk too great' often used as excuse for 'don't want to spend money on my cat'!

Re: Neglect and the RSPCA

Gillian Mostyn — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 22:36:27 GMT

I'd be checking that this story is actually the facts, and not just someone's subjective version of them.

As far as its matts, lack of treatment etc, I feel strongly that an old cat should receive the same care/treatment as a young cat. They feel the same distress and pain from the same conditions. Anaesthesia can be made as safe as possible but risk of GA can not be used as an excuse for neglect.

Re: Neglect and the RSPCA

vs0u — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 19:43:37 GMT

Sounds a bit of an odd story. How were the second vets to know who the cat belonged to, or which vet it usually attended in order to check the history with them? Of course they would call the RSPCA if someone brought in a sick stray cat. And I can believe that the RSPCA would euth the cat straight away if there was no owner. But if the owner is known they normally just tell them to take it to the vets. How did the original owner find the cat, or the RSPCA find the owner? The RSPCA has no right to steal someone's pet anyway - they have to go to court to get the right to take someone's cat off them. Which they would never get if there was evidence of recent vet visits.

Surely there must have been something worse wrong with it than matts and emaciation for them to insist on euth?

Re: Neglect and the RSPCA

Rob Reid — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 18:31:58 GMT

[quote user="Louise Alexander"]I saw an 18yr old cat this week that had such bad, tight mats over its spine and ventral abdomen that it hissed and growled when it was touched. The owner knew the mats were bad but just thought the cat was grumpy. I advised that we either bite the bullet, give it some Sevo and shave the mats off, with the risk of the cat dying under anaesthetic, or we will have to PTS. The cat was so painful that going home on pain relief was not an option. Owner opted for Sevo and shave, as soon as the cat came round (it survived the anaesthetic!) it was happy to be stroked.[/quote]

I find that with a lot of these matted cats that you have to look beyond the matts and look at why they aren't grooming. A lot of them have underlying orthopaedic or dental disease that makes it painful for them to groom. Clipping the matts off is therefore often just a short term fix.

Going back to the original topic, I think the RSPCA and second vets have a lot to answer for.

[quote user="Evelyn Barbour-Hill"]The RSPCA (a private organisation with no statutory powers) is far too fond of throwing its weight about and it is not as competent as it thinks. [/quote]

Couldn't agree more - problem is that, as the richest charity in the UK, unfortunately they are too good at it.

Re: Neglect and the RSPCA

Louise6732 — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 17:16:04 GMT

I saw an 18yr old cat this week that had such bad, tight mats over its spine and ventral abdomen that it hissed and growled when it was touched. The owner knew the mats were bad but just thought the cat was grumpy. I advised that we either bite the bullet, give it some Sevo and shave the mats off, with the risk of the cat dying under anaesthetic, or we will have to PTS. The cat was so painful that going home on pain relief was not an option. Owner opted for Sevo and shave, as soon as the cat came round (it survived the anaesthetic!) it was happy to be stroked.

I believe that older cats with mats suffer just as much pain as that caused by OA. I feel that those (owners or vets) who let these cats go by without any help are guilty of neglect. It is not hard to bring the cat back every so often to have them shaved consiously/under whatever anaesthetic necessary before they get too severe.

It is lovely when you turn a 'grumpy' older cat into a friendly one by simply shaving off some mats

Re: Neglect and the RSPCA

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 16:47:39 GMT

That is absolutely outrageous. If the cat was properly under the care of a veterinary surgeon, it should have been returned immediately to the owner and the case closed. It is a pity the owner was bullied into accepting a caution.

A more confident owner would have insisted that the cat's veterinary surgeon was contacted immediately to ascertain the facts. (Why didn't the second practice contact the owner's practice immediately? It was highly unprofessional of them not to.) A more confident owner would also have threatened legal action against the RSPCA and the practice if the cat were not returned to them.

The RSPCA (a private organisation with no statutory powers) is far too fond of throwing its weight about and it is not as competent as it thinks.