Problem with local vet

Re: Problem with local vet

Glenn Hodgson — Sun, 12 May 2013 16:31:10 GMT

All sounds quite unusual.

I would certainly want to hear the other vets "side of the story" I would contact the other vet directly in the 1st instance.

For example. Not unheard of for one family member to request a pet pts when another doesn't.

Re: Problem with local vet

Braden Collins — Sun, 12 May 2013 13:53:45 GMT

We're still trying to figure out if it could have been a genuine mistake, but really can't see how. The dog had been hit by a car approx 2 weeks ago, and had been in with the referring vet for the whole time since then. It had developed some haematuria while in hospital, so that's what it was being referred for. The client apparently had the full case history, etc with them when they arrived at the other clinic.

Apparently it's going through the Vet Surgeons Board as a complaint by the owner and the referring vet so will update this when we get the official version.

Re: Problem with local vet

Stephen Courtney — Fri, 10 May 2013 23:24:06 GMT

I agree with Gareth - would not condemn the other vet out of hand especially based on the client's version of events.

Having said that if i was the other vet I doubt i would have seen them in the circumstances described without contacting the primary VS. But for all we know there was a particularly persuasive reason why the vet thought they should.

Re: Problem with local vet

Gareth C. — Fri, 10 May 2013 23:20:02 GMT

Where are you based? Was a post mortem done, as would be interesting to know what the vet thought was wrong with the dog and what was wrong with it. Even if he was right he shouldn't have got involved if he knew they were at the wrong vets. Also, these clients sound genuine but its not impossible they had a change of plan whilst driving along due to cost of referral vs pts.

Re: Problem with local vet

Michael Woodhouse — Thu, 09 May 2013 21:47:59 GMT

[quote user="Robin Grimmer"]Not defending the other vet, but the owner must have been a bit dense to say the least. They were specifically referred for ultrasound yet consented to euthanasia without an ultrasound being performed.[/quote]

Very occasionally I have referred animals for a specific intervention, but the skill of the specialist or referral practitioner has resulted in a different diagnostic path to the one I envisaged.

This could be a case of gross misconduct or we may be hearing one side of the story.

Re: Problem with local vet

Robin Grimmer — Thu, 09 May 2013 18:53:00 GMT

Not defending the other vet, but the owner must have been a bit dense to say the least. They were specifically referred for ultrasound yet consented to euthanasia without an ultrasound being performed.

Re: Problem with local vet

Hannah Wynne Richards — Thu, 09 May 2013 17:31:02 GMT

But surely this was an adult dog-so standard questions should have been "How long have you owned it? Has it seen another veterinary surgeon?"

At the very least there was a cavalier attitude towards supersession Evelyn Owners can say some stange and sometimes deliberately misleading things-but this wasn't an owner who had tried another practice themselves-these were owners who had been referred-so it's difficult to see any motive for them to lie

Another deploring the fall in professionalstandards

Wynne

Re: Problem with local vet

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:51:39 GMT

As Evelyn says, sometimes owners are a little economical with the truth but if it is in the hands of your professional body already I don't see what else you can/need to do until requested for your side of the story. The client maybe should however be encouraged to take legal action if the story is indeed completely true. Sadly this sort of unprofessional approach to practice is becoming all too common here as more and more vets scrabble for ever diminishing pieces of the pie. As I've said before many times, I'm glad I can retire when I want and leave the sh1theap our once proud profession has become behind.

Re: Problem with local vet

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:37:37 GMT

[quote user="Braden Collins"]I can't see this as being anything other than greedy and extremely unethical and can't see any way the vet down the road may have taken this case on in all innocence.[/quote]

Maybe, maybe not. You don't know what the owners said to the other practice or exactly what happened there.

Re: Problem with local vet

Bob Russell — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:30:47 GMT

Wow!

I would feel the temptation to pass the story to a local newspaper but of course that would be extremely unethical so would resist the temptation. Not sure the owner would be able to though!