ChatterBank0 min ago
Vet problems - do i have any comeback?
11 Answers
After getting the dog spayed, i noticed what appeared to be a hole at one end of the stitching. I took the dog back to the vets 2 days later for something else and pointed this out to him. He said it was nothing, just a drop of dried blood. Now the area around that hole is infected and will no doubt generate a bill to fix it. Am I entitled to get it fixed for free as it was their bad stitching that caused it.
p.s. don't worry about the mutt, money isn't an issue.
p.s. don't worry about the mutt, money isn't an issue.
Answers
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I think it would be very difficult to prove that their stitching caused the infection, if indeed that is the case.
Sometimes wounds just become infected for no apparent reason.
To illustrate: my two GSD's had a fight. They tore identical wounds in each others cheek. This was on Sunday. On Monday I took them in turn to the vet. The first one had her cheek stitched up. The second dog had to have her wound left open as it had already turned grey (become infected). They both healed identically.
Possibly the wound from your dog got a bit of dirt in it or something or maybe she licked it. A simple course of antibiotics should clear it and to be honest I would not fall out with your vet over it! (You never know when you might need his good will!).
If you are unhappy with the vets attitude it might be worth changing vets to someone that you can get on with better.
I tend to try not to fall out with vets, like I say you never know when you might need them, and I certainly would not like to put my dog in the hands of someone that I had fallen out with previously, in case they took any bad feeling out on the dog.
Sometimes wounds just become infected for no apparent reason.
To illustrate: my two GSD's had a fight. They tore identical wounds in each others cheek. This was on Sunday. On Monday I took them in turn to the vet. The first one had her cheek stitched up. The second dog had to have her wound left open as it had already turned grey (become infected). They both healed identically.
Possibly the wound from your dog got a bit of dirt in it or something or maybe she licked it. A simple course of antibiotics should clear it and to be honest I would not fall out with your vet over it! (You never know when you might need his good will!).
If you are unhappy with the vets attitude it might be worth changing vets to someone that you can get on with better.
I tend to try not to fall out with vets, like I say you never know when you might need them, and I certainly would not like to put my dog in the hands of someone that I had fallen out with previously, in case they took any bad feeling out on the dog.
Thanks kita, thats a fair point. I was just a bit miffed that something I pointed out was dismissed, and they appear to be wrong. However their attitude has always been very good and they have always taken care of our dog (3 major ops, 2 of which were life saving, pedigree dogs eh!). I'll take a chill pill and have a chat with the bank manager.
Was it that the dog ripped the stitches open, rather than their bad stitching? I had a dog some years ago that ripped her stitching open, and they couldnt stitch it back up in case any infection had got into the wound and we had to pour some horrid stuff into it - fortunately the dog would let us do anything to her.
Well Iheartruby, it may surprise you to know that even if you ask another question on here, I will be more than happy to give an answer, whether or not the advice is accepted. I just hope that you never need to ask a question that is a matter of life or death, in case you decide not to accept my help.
Now to Bigeye's question, unfortunately there is no way of proving whether or not the vet was negligent, and they may have left the hole to drain the wound. It might be worth a try making a bit of a fuss about having to pay for a follow up visit, but as kita says you might be as well not upsetting your vet unless you can find another one fairly nearby.
Now to Bigeye's question, unfortunately there is no way of proving whether or not the vet was negligent, and they may have left the hole to drain the wound. It might be worth a try making a bit of a fuss about having to pay for a follow up visit, but as kita says you might be as well not upsetting your vet unless you can find another one fairly nearby.
The stitches were internal so that dog isn't responsible. Also it wasn't left open to drain. Fairly sure its just a bad job.
Lankeela, you do give good advice, but if you don't like the question you don't half give the poster a hard time. I'm just as guilty if I don't agree but try to ensure that I don't put posters off asking advice by being too blunt.
Lankeela, you do give good advice, but if you don't like the question you don't half give the poster a hard time. I'm just as guilty if I don't agree but try to ensure that I don't put posters off asking advice by being too blunt.
I always give genuine advice, its not a case of not liking the question, but when the advice you give is rubbished by people who don't know any better themselves, you tend to lose patience and think 'let them get on with it' although its the animals I feel for.
A lot of what I have learnt is from personal experience and from others that have suffered a similar problem, and if it helps other people (or animals) to avoid problems them I make no apologies for seeming blunt.
A lot of what I have learnt is from personal experience and from others that have suffered a similar problem, and if it helps other people (or animals) to avoid problems them I make no apologies for seeming blunt.
OK, here's the senario...I'm a little bit shy. I've seen those big dogs on the TV and they look really nice and cuddly, i think i want one. I'm too shy to go to a breeder to see them so i'll look on the internet. Oh, i'm not going to ask for advice there, the people are really rude. I'll just get the worlds biggest man eating dog from the nice man in the free ads. He seemed really friendly, said i'd have not problems.
This is what i feel could (and may have been) the result of blunt, to the point of rudeness, answers.
Anyway the dogs is off for a checkup in minutes few so i'll report back then.
This is what i feel could (and may have been) the result of blunt, to the point of rudeness, answers.
Anyway the dogs is off for a checkup in minutes few so i'll report back then.
Glad she is OK. Sometimes these things happen and it really is not worth falling out with the vet over.
Vets are not always right, and some do make mistakes but you have to give and take a little, as long as it is not life threatening or major.
I once had a vet put a dog on antibiotics which she turned out to be allergic to. To cut a long story short he told me to continue giving the antibiotics, but that she was a very sick dog and was probably dying. It suddenly occurred to me that I am sick with antibiotics, could she be? I stopped the tablets and within 24 hours she was back to normal!! I saw him once more to let him know (without making him look silly) and then made sure that I never saw him again. I simply went to other vets in the same practice.
If you go to a practice with a number of vets it is worth remembering that you can insist on seeing one particular vet if you prefer them. I know of people that will only let one vet treat their dog and will not let the other vets in the practice anywhere near their animals.
As long as the leaking stays clear fluid and she is not lethargic or off her food she will probably be fine.
She will probably be back to bouncing around in no time.
Vets are not always right, and some do make mistakes but you have to give and take a little, as long as it is not life threatening or major.
I once had a vet put a dog on antibiotics which she turned out to be allergic to. To cut a long story short he told me to continue giving the antibiotics, but that she was a very sick dog and was probably dying. It suddenly occurred to me that I am sick with antibiotics, could she be? I stopped the tablets and within 24 hours she was back to normal!! I saw him once more to let him know (without making him look silly) and then made sure that I never saw him again. I simply went to other vets in the same practice.
If you go to a practice with a number of vets it is worth remembering that you can insist on seeing one particular vet if you prefer them. I know of people that will only let one vet treat their dog and will not let the other vets in the practice anywhere near their animals.
As long as the leaking stays clear fluid and she is not lethargic or off her food she will probably be fine.
She will probably be back to bouncing around in no time.
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