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- This topic has 19 replies, 14 voices, and was last updated Dec 22, 2009 at 3:13 pm by
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Eric,
I am not one to speak to regarding any kind of reimbursement you could pursue, but allow me to pass along my condolences. I simply cannot imagine going through that with my pup. I would also think that the vet. would recognize the issue and offer something.Man, I am very sorry this happened to you and your family.
D.The vet did not kill the dog. The dogs reaction to the vaccination (required by pa law) most likely killed the dog. Now, an autopsy should be done to determine if the dosage was wrong, or the vaccine was tainted.
Eric, I am forwarding you some info provided by one of my vet friends.
Dave
Eric that is horrible. I can’t imagine the pain you are going through watching your best buddy die right in front of you. I can’t think very much about a vet that would still except money after something like that! Though it may not have been their fault I still think it is wrong to take the money.
I wish I had words that could make you feel better Eric. Hang in there.
Joel
Eric, I hate to hear that. loosing a pet is a painful experience, especially when it happens unexpectedly.
Glad to hear that the vet stepped up and was also upset. I am very sorry for the loss of your family buddy Eric.
That is terrible news Eric. As a veterinarian myself maybe I can help you get through it. For me the most devastating thing that can happen is to unexpectantly lose a young healthy patient during a routine procedure. I have never had a dog die from a vaccine reaction in my 35 years of practice but it did happen in my practice to one of my employed vets two years ago. That dog also was leaving the building when it collapsed and we couldn’t save it even with all the drugs and IVs we gave it. I have had dogs and cats die during a routine anesthetic procedure, thankfully I can count on my fingers the few times it has happened in all these years but that is a hard phone call to make. Sounds like the practice owner handled things like I do, I don’t accept payment on such incidents even though we didn’t do anything wrong. The employed vet that day probably didn’t feel he had the authority to refund the charges or was just in shock. I have always disagreed with some of the advice from our malpractice insurance companies and their lawyers. I have attended talks where they tell us not to refund because it may be interpreted as admission of wrongdoing. Hogwash. As to what happened to your dog, we will never know for sure. The timing is typical of a vaccine reaction but that usually doesn’t cause seizures. The heart disease that was mentioned is probably cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle and can cause sudden arrhythmia and collapse. Vaccine reactions can occur in animals or people, most are the type where we see hives and facial swelling. The anaphylactic shock type is much more rare, similar to what can happen to people with allergy to bee stings. The vaccine manufacturer typically will cover any treatment fees etc. but we don’t charge for that anyway. If your dog was about a year old I would assume this was his first rabies booster since he received his first rabies shot at 3 to 4 months old. That would be typical since we have to be exposed to something first (actually our immune system exposed to it) to become allergic to it, so her immune system reacted inappropriately on the next exposure. Mercifully, the owners I have had this happen to were feeling almost as sorry for us as the patient, they were really saints. An autopsy would have been able to diagnose heart muscle disease but wouldn’t have confirmed vaccine reactions or other vaccine issues. Sounds like the owner is a caring, responsible doctor, I hope if you get another dog your will let them take care of it.
I plan on living forever, so far so good.
Hey Allan –
I’m one of those insurance lawyers who defend businesses like yours from liability claims.
Allan you are a great asset to this site. I think the vast majority of us here are dog owners and you have helped a lot of us (myself included) get through some tough times with our pets. Your explanation here was great!
Eric, that’s a horrible thing to have to experience.
FWIW, there has been a growing concern about rabies vaccines. We have a PBGV, and there has been quite a bit of discussion on this topic on the PBGV list serve, which my wife follows.
As I understand it, the rabies vaccine commonly given in the US is a three year vaccine. Most states require an annual vaccination. Some studies done in France and antibody studies done in the US have indicated the immunity lasts much longer than three years. The concern is there are a number of possible reactions to rabies vaccines and a fear vaccines have been over administered.
Some in the PBGV community have talked with their vets about a three year vaccination regime. There are efforts to get state laws changed. Arkansas just changed its law and approved a three year vaccination. http://arkansasmatters.com/content/news/fulltext?cid=275031
I know this doesn’t help you with your situation, but perhaps a vet here on the board (Allan or others) could discuss these issues (new thread?), and perhaps this can help reduce other similar painful situations.
Empathizing with your loss, man.
Scott, you are right about the 3 year Rabies vaccines, it is up to the state as to how frequently the vaccine is required.
I plan on living forever, so far so good.
I have had dogs and cats die during a routine anesthetic procedure, thankfully I can count on my fingers the few times it has happened in all these years but that is a hard phone call to make. Sounds like the practice owner handled things like I do, I don’t accept payment on such incidents even though we didn’t do anything wrong. The employed vet that day probably didn’t feel he had the authority to refund the charges or was just in shock. I have always disagreed with some of the advice from our malpractice insurance companies and their lawyers. I have attended talks where they tell us not to refund because it may be interpreted as admission of wrongdoing. Hogwash.
Wish there were more vets like you.
Between the cost of a procedure, subsequent bloodwork to find out why he was having seizures once back home and finally putting him down, I once paid a vet over $600.00 to “kill my pet”.
What galled me wasn’t the fact something went wrong. It was the fact he
A) Charged full fee for the procedure
B) Charged me full rates for lab work to determine why the seizures started after leaving their care
C) Suggested I leave him in their care ($70 per night, not including medications) and *hopefully* they could save him
D) Charged me full rates for the shot and “removal” fees.Had the vet simply expressed some regret that he had a reaction to the anesthetics, and offered to waive or reduce the fee for the labs and euthasia I wouldnt have batted an eye lash.
Any surgical procedure carries a risk, Id have never thought to “blame” the vet.. Things happen
As is, anytime anyone mentions taking their pet to him, or that they are looking for a vet I have nothing good to say about him and have probably cost him, more than he made…..which is all that seemed to matter to him.
Still remember the look on his face when I insisted on being in the room and holding him while the shot was administered.
Case of a vet in it for other things than than the welfare of pets imo
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