Wrong cat pts!

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Anonymous — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 16:25:34 GMT

[quote user="Sal the 1st"]

Yes I would imagine the practice would be feeling pretty low over this and probably feeling a lot worse with it splashed in the Daily Mail and other places I understand the owners are very upset (who wouldnt be) but to have gone to a national newspaper with the story it does make me question their motives.

[/quote]

The owners would have spoke to their local paper and the Daily Mail picked the story up from there as is often the case.

Re: Wrong cat pts!

PHA86 — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 21:18:23 GMT

I haven't read the article, but it is sounding very Mr Chinnery, League Of Gentlemen...for those who remember!

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Phrin Vernon RVN — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 13:09:27 GMT

[quote user="Tracy Windler RVN"]

But I just hope that this doesn't ruin the lives of any of the people involved. There's a good chance it might. That's just as sad as a "healthy" cat being put to sleep accidentally, in my opinion.

[/quote]

I agree

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Tracy Windler RVN — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 11:43:22 GMT

[quote user="Phrin Vernon RVN"]No matter how dodgy the story is, This kind of problem could be avoided by placing a hand written ID tag round the patients neck on admission - then checking before you do owt![/quote]

We simply do not have enough information, or correct information to draw any conclusions about what happened. Do you know that this really was just a simple mix-up? Did both cats actually need PTSing and the owners are just in denial or didn't understand what was going on? Was the wrong cat put to sleep, or did the owners just think the wrong cat was put to sleep? Its all well and good jumping to conclusions and I wouldn't want to do that for either side- merely giving an alternative view.

But I just hope that this doesn't ruin the lives of any of the people involved. There's a good chance it might. That's just as sad as a "healthy" cat being put to sleep accidentally, in my opinion.

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Kim Buckley — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 09:31:48 GMT

If they don't like having them around their neck or are having neck surgery then put the the name tags around their legs, just above their hock so they can't fall off.

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Caro Laithwaite VN — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 09:19:20 GMT

For those who hate collars could always go for the T Spot ...... a blob of tipex on the head or 2 blobs on back or whatever/wherever combination you want.

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Katie Mansfield — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 08:25:22 GMT

Do you not routinely remove collars for GA?

K x

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Sal the 1st — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 00:19:29 GMT

[quote user="Steph Worsley"]

We routinely name tag our canine patients, but I actually hate name tagging our feline patients....find they get in the way when we need to blood sample them (a lot of ours need daily sampling) (dogs usually have enough neck that you can lift it up when you raise their head) or the cats hate them and end up with paws stuck through the or even with them stuck in their mouths

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must admit I dislike them with a passion on cats too. Have seen a few cats with them stuck in their mouths and I think they really wind some cats up.

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Steph Worsley — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 23:43:02 GMT

With regards to the story, it is a sad sad mistake, however not knowing both sides of the story we don't know exactly what happened, were both cats under ga at the same time when the pts occurred, what conversation had gone on between the vet and the owner prior to admission. etc etc.

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Phrin Vernon RVN — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 23:12:59 GMT

[quote user="Michelle Rewcastle"]

The metro mentioned that one of the cats was falling over due to its leg problems... you would think that if this is true, it would have been an indicator to show it was the wrong cat. Whenever ive put a healthy cat on a table ( presuming they done ths before euthanasia) they generaly stand and then sit down, not keel over.

[/quote]

Quite true , but something went wrong, and I'm sure they were qualified & experienced staff - just so sad - we all make mistakes, i freely admit I've made the odd one or two,

No matter how dodgy the story is, This kind of problem could be avoided by placing a hand written ID tag round the patients neck on admission - then checking before you do owt!

I worked at a practice once where a v good VN brought the wrong CKCS up for a dental.................... it was in for a cardiac referral , not dental, but was knocked out= lots of panic! Pooch was fine thankfully1

name tags round the neck should be standard! And this practice now make a big deal of ensuring this happens.

I tried to implement this at my last practice with zero success - they just used the write on tapey neck things to label cat boxes

Its not difficult, time consuming or expensive - lets just place an ID tag on all patients, at admission with owners present!?

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Michelle Rewcastle — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 22:47:45 GMT

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Tracy Windler RVN — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 19:54:56 GMT

I'm taking this entire story with a pinch of salt. There are far too many inconsistancies and its ringing an awful lot of alarm bells. There are a few stories- Shropshire Star, Daily Mail and The Sun (must have been a slow news day) and if you read them, it just doesn't make sense. The story of how the kitten has a leg condition, but can barely stand...not just a leg condition, how they "apparently " tried to give them the sick kitten back and hadn't noticed by that time that it was the wrong one, despite considering this leg problem? I'm also not keen on the use of the term "the vets refused to comment". I would imagine they have been advised by the VDS not to comment.

I don't think anyone has enough information to come to a conclusion about this case, although I'm sure mistakes were made. But does it really deserve this level of response? As already mentioned, it seems its become a reason to slag off the veterinary profession and our "extortion" of people and their sick animals, yet again.

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Cazza — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 19:39:57 GMT

Awful situation but I wonder what was actually wrong with the kittens leg? I wonder if the clients were offered surgery, eg amputation but they couldn't afford it. I'm getting fed up of all the negative publicity that our profession gets.

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Sarah Bolton — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 18:57:12 GMT

I think this is so sad.

Re: Wrong cat pts!

BengalcatRVN — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:58:35 GMT

If you read, they were both in for neutering, then the vet informed the owner that the sick one needed PTS-ing, maybe they were already GA'd when they made the call to inform of the PTS. I'm always careful to check "twin" cats for identifying marks (these are recorded on the consent form), and ensuring they remain in sep kennels until operations are completed, even if that means taking them from the nurse room to the kennels one at a time (in cases where the client only has 1 basket)

I think we all need to learn from this very sad and unfortunate case to ensure something like this does not happen again. I feel for everyone involved.

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Steph Phillips — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:28:41 GMT

[quote user="Selena (Hypnorm) Carnell VN"]Awful but make me think - the cats were both very similar, i would have been paranoid about double checking.

[/quote]

Exactly!! Plus - the owners would have signed consent forms - one for pts, another for the other cat.. you'd think that they'd be in separate kennels with the consent forms attatched to their notes!

So so tragic.. makes it even more tragic that it could of been avoided!

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Selena Carnell — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:02:59 GMT

Awful but make me think - the cats were both very similar, i would have been paranoid about double checking.

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Sal the 1st — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 10:11:55 GMT

[quote user="Princess Ophelia Hermione MacBeth"]

I thought that too although they are probably just very angry and lashing out. If I was that upset/mad, etc I am not sure a complaint to the RCVS followed by a couple of years of the cogs turning slowly, followed at some point by them saying that it is a civil matter and to go through the courts would satisfy my immediate unrelenting desire to punish the b*****ds who murdered my cat. I don't think there would be any forgiveness in my heart if this happened to one of my dogs. It would take amazing strength for me not to go 'hell for leather to destroy the vet concerned' in the immediate aftermath. It would definitely take a lot of time before I would be more rational, forgiving and understanding....

The really sad thing thing is being on the other side of the fence I can so feel for the staff concerned as it is so clearly a tragic accident. I can so imagine the scene out the back as the penny dropped. This practice does loads of charity work as well for cat rescues, boards strays at their practice and advertises in the local papers to try and find them homes. That makes it even more devastating to me.

[/quote]

yes I see your point. If it was my cat(s) I would be mortified too but I dont think I could react in that way. For me I know that I have made mistakes in my life and I accept that others have made and will make mistakes in theirs and until I can hand on heart say that I have never made a mistake I find it really difficult to not forgive somebody for making a mistake that could have happened to me - I suppose I am a bit odd that way

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Elvira — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:55:13 GMT

[quote user="Phrin Vernon RVN"]

Wow - what an awful situation - so tragic - poor vet staff & owners

Highlights my challenge to my last vets that every animal should have one of those tape collar thingys that you can write on (can't remember the name!) fitted at admit appointments

[/quote]

I so agree, especially when you get two cats in,both the same colour, both the same sex.... Such a tragic scenario, I feel for everyone involved.

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Louise B — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:41:52 GMT

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Sal the 1st — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:25:09 GMT

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Sally Seddon — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 07:30:11 GMT

Thats an awful situation for all concerned. The owners must be gutted but then the vet and nurses concerned must also be devastated.

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Phrin Vernon RVN — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:12:11 GMT

Wow - what an awful situation - so tragic - poor vet staff & owners

Highlights my challenge to my last vets that every animal should have one of those tape collar thingys that you can write on (can't remember the name!) fitted at admit appointments

Re: Wrong cat pts!

Louise B — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 23:54:45 GMT

What an awful situation for all concerned! I know of that practice - they are very pro-cat welfare so they will have been absolutely gutted! What a tragedy