What would you do??

[Ocean]

Hello

During the past few months my dog has been quite ill, She was chewing around her backside and was chewing off the hair on her tail, She is always scratching. I automatically thought it could of been her anal glands so we did them and gave her a bath in sensitive shampoo and she seemed a bit calmer, She's regularly flead and we checked her over so many times.

The next few days she was scratching more and more and going off her food so we took her to out usual vets who checked over her tail and told us it looked like a food allergy to which she then tried to get us on some prescription medications which is all honesty, We couldn't afford. We did at this time mention we have a lot of foxes in our backgarden and maybe it was a type of irritation from that? She then gave us steriods and told us to come back in a week. During this time we had her on a basic diet of James Wellbeloved and we got 3 bags for her to try and nothing could get her back to wanting food and normally she's a proper little pig

We took her back and they insisted we needed more steroids in which this time her tail was red raw and bitten to the extend that she had no hair on her tail, We took the decision to put on a cone to stop her chewing and it was very obvious she was in a lot of pain so we took her back the next day, the vet insisted we stick to the steriods as it was definatly an allergy and we needed to let it ride from her system. failing that we needed a lot of blood tests done and the quotes were well over £500 which again we couldn't afford but seeing how distressed she was we could of got the money together some how.

we've done this for a few weeks and then one day we get home and find that she's wee'd and poo'd over the house and there is a lot of blood in it, this isn't like her at all, she never does this in the house and she's always barking to go out etc.

We phoned another vet and asked for an emergency appointment, We took her in and straight away the vet told us she has sarcoptic mange, She said she wanted to do a test just to be certain to which she took a sample and done an in house test for £15 and them confirmed it.

She said that our dog has suffered because the vet failed to pick up what in reality is a very easy thing to spot to a trained vet.

I'm not sure what to do about this, I feel like we've been conned a lot from this original vet, we've used this practise for well over 20 years and this just seems so totally wrong that someone could let an animal suffer if it was so easy to pick up on

We're being told that we should contact our vet and tell them what's happened and to see what they say, we've been told that we should at least get some money back because we've spent a lot on medication that wasn't needed as well as consultation and jabs etc while she was there. I'm not sure what to do but if something is really that easy to spot then why didn't she??

It was a lot of money but at the end of the day I would find money to make sure my animals have their health and are never unwell but I just get the feeling I shouldn't let this lye so easy when it was apparently such a easy thing to spot, it does should some lack of knowledge as far as I'm concerned.

It's really been playing on my mind that she's been suffering for a few months now and there really wasn't any need for it at all.

What would you do in my situation? I'm certainly never going back to that vet again, they've lost a customer for life and I won't be having much good to say about them again.

Sorry it's so long

[Catty1]

Maybe have the emerg vet fax over a copy of the diagnosis to the other vet?

Or take a copy in personally and drop it off, maybe saying that you have an answer for your dog. If the people there have half a brain in their head, they should offer to make some things right financially.

You might also write a letter and send a copies of the two different diagnoses to the Veterinary Board in your are.

[Karen]

I would contact the Better Business Bureau and lodge a complaint. Also send a letter to the vet office that missed the diagnosis, and ask for reimbursement, and CC that to the BBB. You can ask for an explanation, as well, and see how they response.

[Freedom]

I agree the first vet certainly needs to know.

I would send a letter, and copy the vet licensing board.

And I would not wait for them to offer reimbursement; I would ASK for it!

Hugs to your dog!

[Taz_Zoee]

I agree with the above posts.
But, more importantly, how is your dog now? I hope all is better now that it has been correctly diagnosed.

[SWHouston]

Ocean,

First of all, I want to tell you how sorry I am, that your animal has been through so much misery. And, you as well. We count on Professional help SO much, and it is a real tragedy when we hear of failures on their part.

All the advice here is so well placed, those who are compassionate of your trials through this, but, I wonder if we haven't missed something, I don't think that you live in the United States, therefore, the recommendations about the Better Business Bureau may be for naught.

Do you live in the US ?

If not, is there some facility/legal agency, which has influence over a reasonable provision of services, to which you might report this incident ?

If you are in the US, keep in mind that the only recourse that the BBB has, is to and with IT'S members. They have no influence over some business which is not a member of the BBB.

My "theory" that you are not in the US is based on your reference to the "£500" you mentioned. US currency is noted with a "$".

If you live somewhere other than the US, can a business like your "old" vet be sued ? Is that permitted where you are at ?

If that is the case, the least expensive "leverage" you may have, is to get a Lawyer/Barrister to just write a letter to the Vet. Threaten him/her with a Law Suit to recover your unnecessary expenses. Frequently, that "legal" threat will cause a LOT more compliance in your recovery, weather it actually goes to Court or not.

In any case...
Make sure you hold onto ALL the original documents concerning this.
If someone needs to see anything, COPY it and let them have that.
TAKE PICTURES, and only let your legal council see them.
Make sure you keep a written record of everything. Visits, comments, EVERYTHING !
if you don't have this, think back and create one !

The better documented you are, the better chances of recovery exist !

I wish you luck...

Have a good Day !
S.W.

[ChrisH]

I certainly would do something. Because of a wrong diagnosis your poor dog has been suffering unnecessarily, and what makes is so much worse is that the wrong diagnosis made was of something that a vet should have found easy to see.

You are in the UK right? If so this may help in deciding what to do next.

http://www.provet.co.uk/petfacts/dis...terinarian.htm

Good luck and please let us know how your dog is doing now.