treating stray animals

Re: treating stray animals

Rachel Jayne — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:59:18 GMT

However....

Today, we had a lady ring up who'd had a guinea pig dumped on her front doorstep (she used to run a rescue years ago apparently)It was in a really bad state, very thin, almost collapsed & had horiffic skin/mange...

I advised her to contact the RSPCA, only for her to say that she'd rung them & they'd said why couldn't she pay for it, or wasn't there someone else she could give it to....

Re: treating stray animals

Rachel Jayne — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:56:40 GMT

I've just moved to the Midlands & am pleasantly suprised with how helpful the RSPCA are up here.

However, our head receptionist is well practised in obtaining log numbers, if a client rings first, we tell them to ring the RSPCA first, then when they come, we take their name/address/phone number & call the vet-line for a log number.
We often bend the truth slightly as to when the cat was brought in, but to date we've never had them contact the finder to verify this.

They've paid for stuff I wouldn't think of too - like Itrafungol for some scabby kittens!

Re: treating stray animals

Rachel Jayne — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:53:55 GMT

[quote user="wilkoannie"]

Maybe it's just Wales where we have problems.

[/quote]

I'd have to agree with you there - the RSPCA in South Wales are shocking!!!

Re: treating stray animals

Julie-Anne Wilson — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:01:53 GMT

When I've had an animal brought in by SSPCA they'll give a log number and generally a topline for Treatment. Sometimes been told to give emergency first aid only and no x-rays etc. I've worked with Vets that have taken x-rays anyway and just not charged. Think of how many x-ray films are wasted through bad positioning or chemicals needing changed etc. Well that was the Vet's reasoning anyway, lol, I just went along with her.

As for in practice, I think it's Vet's discretion. Yeah give emergency first aid but if animal is beyond saving the only ethical thing to do is PTS. Better PTS than let it suffer and die in pain. I don't think I've seen any genuine strays with injuries come into my present practice so I can't comment on our protocol.

Re: treating stray animals

wilkoannie — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:01:49 GMT

Yes dog wardens are fab in our area just feel sorry for half the kennels they end up in though, been to a few and I am suprised they are still open but treatment has been given and dogs are off the street! Though very depressing where some of them end up. As for cats well it seems to be up to us vets to re home them so they dont help us with dogs or help us re home the stray cats so I sometimes wonder what they actually do for veterinary practices as we have to treat wildlife to for free. I just dislike them as a charity at the moment and support the dogs trust, cats protection league and our dog warden. Maybe it's just Wales where we have problems.

Re: treating stray animals

chris beasley — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 18:30:36 GMT

[quote user="wilkoannie"]We have to get the member of the public who brought the animal In to ring the RSPCA, RSPCA then gives them a log number! Vet examines cat and then the vet has to ring the rscpa with an update and how much the procedure is going to cost? I think they will only pay up to £60.00 then In our area we have to re home the cats cause there is no where for them to go as our centre is always full. I don't like to say this but I ain't impressed with the RSPCA. Could be in Wales where they seem to not want to help you unless you have a good court case for them. That's my opinion after having more than several dealings with them where they don't help you at all.. But In answer to your question yes the RSPCA should help you lol xx

[/quote]

I have spoken to so many RSPCA people (difficult as you have get past all the automated phone calls 1st) basically in this area they have no responsibility for stray dogs. Now taken on by borough council via dog warden. They can allocate 1st aid money!

Re: treating stray animals

wilkoannie — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:17:07 GMT

We have to get the member of the public who brought the animal In to ring the RSPCA, RSPCA then gives them a log number! Vet examines cat and then the vet has to ring the rscpa with an update and how much the procedure is going to cost? I think they will only pay up to £60.00 then In our area we have to re home the cats cause there is no where for them to go as our centre is always full. I don't like to say this but I ain't impressed with the RSPCA. Could be in Wales where they seem to not want to help you unless you have a good court case for them. That's my opinion after having more than several dealings with them where they don't help you at all.. But In answer to your question yes the RSPCA should help you lol xx

Re: treating stray animals

chris beasley — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:36:04 GMT

The poor little lad eventually started to recovery, only to start fitting and screaming in pain. No use of Fore limbs and poss spinal damage! We did pts later that morning,

Re: treating stray animals

Tracy Windler RVN — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:05:44 GMT

Any excuse not to pay! I have been asked recently for details of the person who brought it in, which I luckily had, as they were a client, but the RSPCA didn't actually say that it was essential information- sneaky! But they refused to pay anything anyway, because it had been over 24 hours since the cat came in. Came in on a fri and we didn't call up for log number until Monday, as we were busy saving its life!!

Re: treating stray animals

ShropshireLass — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:47:38 GMT

Phoned the RSPCA a week ago for a log number for a cat rta, no chip, no collar and now they will not give one unless we have taken the full name, address and a contact number of whoever brought the cat in. I'm sure this is new, or is it just me?

Re: treating stray animals

Angiy Michael — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:15:57 GMT

It is a duty of care situation...vets are obliged to give life saving treatment or treatment that alleviates pain or prevents suffering..how vets choose to interpret this is debatable..certainly it can be argued that euthanasia is a means of alleviating suffering. When I worked for an RSPCA clinic we intpreted this this as giving life saving/emergency treatment to stabilise a pet ..this might mean pain relief and O2 therapy for an RTA followed by continuing analgesia until stablised ..it might mean dressing a fracture and then amputating a leg 7 days later if not claimed, or repairing a leg 7 days later if not claimed..or euthanasia if not claimed. We would sometimes euthanase immediately in cases of severe injury , all injuries would be very throughly documented and two vets would sign in agreement in case an owner came forward. X

Re: treating stray animals

Lynne Vickers — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:18:31 GMT

How about going to the local paper and radio stations and tell his story, you may find that pet lovers club together to help towards his treatment.

Re: treating stray animals

chris beasley — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:36:24 GMT

We have put the dog on a drip and given emergancy treatment. But what now.? Normally we would absorb some of the costs, or if well enough send to belmead for re homing. But this little lad is going to need a lot of treatment to pull through. V good chance that whatever he has he has had for quite a while.

Re: treating stray animals

julie cozze — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:28:13 GMT

I always thought it was a duty of care that vets are required to give emergency treatment only and anything else is discretionary. Most places I have worked will give basic pain relief at least . The rest depends on the individual circumstances.

Re: treating stray animals

chris beasley — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:38:08 GMT

no afraid not.

Re: treating stray animals

Lynne Vickers — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:10:56 GMT

And I guess it's not micro-chipped either?

Re: treating stray animals

chris beasley — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:48:48 GMT

Have done the above this morning for a collapsed stray dog and they say they no longer pay for treatment unless a rspca inspector has brought the dog to us. Suspect the people who brought the dog in are the owners but are saying they found it!

Re: treating stray animals

Roseann21 — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:07:23 GMT

Yes, that's my Fred!

Re: treating stray animals

bongo — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:21:59 GMT

thanks, its all coming back to me now! rose is that your cat on your profile pic- he's handsome, looks like mine, love the gingers!

Re: treating stray animals

Roseann21 — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:12:08 GMT

As far as I know it is up the individual vet. You can get a log number from the RSPCA but they have changed their rules recently - they will still pay up to £60 plus VAT, but they will only pay for certain treatment, we usually ring up and check they will pay for the treatment we want to give before we decide what to do. You have to give them full details of the person bringing the animal in too

Re: treating stray animals

nin86 — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:14:03 GMT

If you phone the rspca central database you can get a log number for the animal and they will allow you £60 (or it was last time i did it) to administer emergency treatment. Obviously if the cat is injured and has no microchip or i/d it as at your discresion as to what basic treatment you give in order to act in the best interests of the animal. Aside from that im not really sure where we stand. I used to work with a vet who was very generous when it comes to treating strays- if they were saveable he would do his best.