Looking for some advice regarding the family kitten.

The kitten went in for surgery earlier in the week to be spayed. The vet gave the kitten pain killers and asked for her to be brought in for a check up on Thursday. All duly done however there was concern from ourselves that something was up but informed on Thursday all was good.

Come last night the kitten isn’t well, my sister has been with her near constantly since the surgery, and noticed a bulging stomach. This was 1am and the kitten was rushed into emergency surgery at another vet and they’ve found:
– not enough stitches
– stitches torn
– the bladder and intestine ruptured through the 1st layer of skin

The kitten is currently on a hot water bottle as she is struggling to come round and she may not make it. Question is how does liability to work in these situations? If there is negligence do vets have insurance covering this type of situation. The kitten is my sisters world but she doesn’t have the £1,000 to cover the (to date) bill, google is throwing up nothing so any help is appreciated.

Reread and my post sounds financially driven and unempathetic. I’ve agreed, to help my sister, I’ll deal with the vets and finances so it’s one less thing to worry about as she’s in bits and running on a lack of sleep.

Sounds like the vet has made a mess of a standard operation, with the rupturing of the bladder and intestine.

The vet will, of course, have insurance. First step would be to get a written report from the emergency vet detailing the problems. Then you need to talk to the original vet.

Vets will have negligence cover but proving negligence may be difficult. The involvement of a second vetinary practice will have made things more complicated too, it would have been easier for the original vet to have continued the care (but I appreciate that not all vets provide emergency cover) as emergency providers are very different to traditional veterinary practices. Pet insurance would seek to make recoveries against vet 1 etc but I am not sure how far you will get on your own (surgery is never 100% successful and so what is the line between bad luck and negligence?). I can only suggest talking to the original vet and then taking steps from there….good luck.

Spoken with original vet and explained the situation and obvious frustration. They were apologetic and agreed to review with all people involved within their practice. He also stated that if they are liable the cost would be passed to the vet who performed the procedure.

I’ve requested a report from vet 2 following the outcome of today, fingers crossed.

Speaking with the original practice should be your first port of call before worrying about suing people.

All vets have to provide some form of 24 hour cover – using that is generally the best idea as they will have your pets records and it’s likely to not cost you as much as going to a different practice.

It’s entirely plausible that the kitten has jumped off something / scratched / rubbed and torn it’s internal stitches. They don’t understand why things hurt or feel funny – they just do cat things and you get to deal with the consequences – shit happens and it’s not always negligence.

I would expect you vet to have a complaints procedure should you not be able to resolve it amicably – again talk to them.

Not trying to be smug, but no-one should have a pet without insurance for this very reason. Bills can easily be several thousand pounds, and pet insurance is quite cheap. Hope the cat gets better.

It’s entirely plausible that the kitten has jumped off something / scratched / rubbed and torn it’s internal stitches. They don’t understand why things hurt or feel funny – they just do cat things and you get to deal with the consequences – shit happens and it’s not always negligence.

This

Our old dog recently had the same op as the OP’s cat, everything 100% fine for 2 days then he lunged at a cat that walked in front of the garden gate – torn stitches, licked his wound then got infected. Lots of misery, weeping wounds and antibiotics followed together with a lampshade for a fortnight

Incidentally pet insurance can cost thousands (over an animals lifetime) and vets bills can be relatively cheap. We set money aside for pet care so we have an emergency fund for this sort of thing. YMMV of course.

If you look up Civil Procedure Rules and the pre-action protocol on professional negligence claims that will give you an idea of how these things progress . Get the report from the second vet.

Maybe I’m a cold-hearted monster, but when there are cats everywhere desperate for a home (and in some cases getting put down simply because they are surplus to requirements) I don’t see the point in spending thousands prolonging the life of a particular one. Of course if the OP wants to spend his money, fair enough.

Kitten update Ian?

Maybe I’m a cold-hearted monster, but when there are cats everywhere desperate for a home (and in some cases getting put down simply because they are surplus to requirements) I don’t see the point in spending thousands prolonging the life of a particular one. Of course if the OP wants to spend his money, fair enough

Ever had a pet? For many people they become part of the family. They are not a possession like a car, that can be repaired or replaced. That individual cat/dog is irreplaceable. I’m not saying it makes much sense, or is even logical, but they have substantial emotional attachment. Not everyone gets this.

Maybe I’m a cold-hearted monster,

Basically yes.

The same logic applies to humans, why bother with the NHS when you could just import a replacement from a Moldovian human trafficking gang?

Thank you for all the advice, it’s been taken and both a formal report requested from vet two and contact made with vet one.

The kitten is doing better, temperature plummeted and rose which led to a day of worry that she wouldn’t make it but she’s turned a corner. Currently on a drip with drains in from where the surgery took place but, as long as infection stays at bay, she should survive.

As much as I understand the questioning regarding prolonging life, this is a kitten with a full life ahead of it. What the last few days have shown are that the little thing has a huge, positive influence on my sister in terms of her own well being making the financial implications are somewhat irrelevant for us as a family.

import a replacement from a Moldovian human trafficking gang?

Do they do wife replacements?

Yes I’ve had pets and I’ve currently got a really delightful cat on my lap and another looking jealously at her 🙂 Technically more of a loan than a pet this time.

Point still stands, it’s only an animal, they are available free (or for a nominal charge) from the local pet rescue. Paid three quid for another animal a couple of days ago and had it for dinner, very tasty it was too. I don’t object to people spending their money in this way if they choose, but the OP seems to be aiming to spend the vet’s money instead.

As for the NHS, yes we generally prolong the lives of people who would be better off dead, in a way that would probably be illegal if we did it to animals. Having two relatives heading for death row (though not quite there yet) I’m not exactly thrilled at their prospects.

Hope your kitten continues to improve… And you’r sister isn’t too stressed…

The othe stuff can be sorted later…

Good to hear the kitten is doing better. I hope the worst is now behind it.

As much as I understand the questioning regarding prolonging life, this is a kitten with a full life ahead of it. What the last few days have shown are that the little thing has a huge, positive influence on my sister in terms of her own well being making the financial implications are somewhat irrelevant for us as a family.

+1

We’ve spent £1000s in Vets bills on our cats…

Captain, I understand where you’re coming from.

Having seen my father keep the ashes on one dog in a teak box by his bedside and not have a foreign holiday in 10 years with his current dog ‘as he (dog/him=not sure) couldn’t cope’ I think a lot of pet owners are a bit mental and odd.

We’ve got a cat, one of two brothers we adopted, the now run over one turned out to have dodgy knees and without insurance we’d have been in for £2000 per knee, he actually got run over on the evening of getting the second knee sorted.

The alive one is a nice cat, nice to stroke, kills lots of stuff, kids love him and he tom cat struts the neighbourhood but I choose not to emotional invest in him as he’ll die at some point; enjoy things for what they are but pets are finite and it’s a lot easier if you enter the relationship with that in mind.

[video]https://youtu.be/AJzL_wyMahU[/video] 😯