Yesterday morning I checked in my 4 month old kitten for neutering. I left him with his cuddle blanket and favorite toy.
When I arrived later that day, I saw him in the cage, in which they kept him after the surgery. There was no blanket or toy in sight... apparently they forgot to place them with him even though i specifically asked them to...When I picked him up his rear and legs were covered with his faeces. He is very clean kitten and would never ever go outside his litter box, let alone sleep in his own poop. his cage didnt have a food or water bowl or even a litter box....
I also noticed that one of his nails had some dried blood, apparently someone cut his nail way too deep into his pink tissue, where you are not supposed to cut.
Should I be looking into a different vet clinic?
2007-09-12 14:14:22 · 17 answers · asked by Laura 3 in Pets ➔ Cats
You mean you didn't already? Nothing against you - it's just that, well, your current vet sounds like a moron. I would take the kitten to a different vet tomorrow morning, first thing, register him as a new patient. I'm sure you can get him in right away if you tell them exactly what happened. Have them check the kitten out thoroughly - nails, sutures, etc. Get your records from your current vet, if you can, and bring them with you so the new vet can see what they did. I'd file a complaint ASAFP at the current vet. Poor kitty.... I hope he gets better very soon.
2007-09-12 14:21:53 · answer #1 · answered by princessyumyum 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Immediately after surgery they are placed in a cage with NOTHING in it for their own safety. They flail around alot when coming off the anesthesia and would bang into a litter pan or water dish..or may even drown themselves. Once the cat is awake and alert...a litter pan and water is added. If you just left her overnight and picked her up early the next morning..they may not have had a chance to add the water and litter pan. She most likely defecated while she was still out of it, on the anesthesia....BUT they definitely should have cleaned her up. Did they actually give her to you like that to take home?? I can understand that they may also not had time to put her blanket and toy in...they may have given it to her before surgery...but after surgery taken it away again..once again for her own safety. As for the nails...they should have been able to do a good job if they were clipped while she was knocked out...she would not have been able to resist or fight causing them to accidentally cut her quick. Are all the nails cut that short..or did they just do one that way. They may have just make a mistake with the one. If all are down to the quick I would question them along with asking why the cat was not clean when you picked her up. However...the blanket and toy should be overlooked...many times it is just too chaotic and busy to make sure that an animal has it's toy. Mostly everyone is more concerned with treating and caring for the animals. I would try and make a effort to put any toys or other items in with them, but sometimes there was just not enough time. Despite the fact that I think they could have been a little more up on things..this is pretty much a typical veterinary pet hospital for you...it might not get much better than this.
2007-09-13 00:35:03 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes I would certainly do some snooping around for a new vet.
Accidents happen and cutting a nail a little too short happens to everyone but you should have been told.
I can understand no food or water after surgery, sometimes they offer small amounts rather then leaving dishes in; just in case there is any stomach upset.
There most definantly should have been a litter box and I cannot think of one excuse for there not being one.
Also kitty should have been cleaned at least wiped off before brought to you; most clinics I go to will not even let us go to the back with puppy, dog, cat or kitten. They take the pet from us at the front desk and when we pick up they go back and bring pet to us.
Maybe they were too busy and simply forgot the blanket and toy or felt it best to just let kitty recoupe but again you should at least have been told why!
I would check around for another vet!
2007-09-12 21:59:05 · answer #3 · answered by HeatherAuger 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
WOW. Poor baby! Yes, I'd immediately look for a different clinic. Bad enough he had to go through the surgery but then be so horribly taken care of. Also, I'd try to do this ASAP and get him checked out by the new vet to ensure that he doesn't have an infection or anything, as since they didn't seem to care much about cleanliness after the surgery, there's no guarantee they did DURING the surgery. I would be VERY upset and report them to...well, I'm not sure who you report something like that to to be honest, maybe another answerer can tell you that, but SOMEONE, because that's WRONG and illegal, especially for a vet's office.
Good luck, and I hope your kitty is doing well!
2007-09-12 21:46:52 · answer #4 · answered by rivendellrose2005 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Vets should not be doing that to other peoples cats unless someone has asked them to do it. they are suppose to keep the cage clean and there is also suppose to have food and water in the cage for the cat. You should find a different Vet for your cat and make sure that the place is clean and the people care about your pet. I have come across some Vets that should not even be Vets. The way I can tell if the vet is good is how they handle the pet that you have and if they don't handle your pet the right way I don't go back and I don't tell them why I don't want my pet to go back. I also will ask around to my friends who have pets and I will also will call and I will ask questions to them. I hope this will help and good luck on finding a different Vet for your Cat.
2007-09-12 23:47:49 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Okay, I want you to know you shouldnt worry. I know it looked like they where being so cruel, but it was all standard procedure. Heres how it go's.
They will put your pet under anestesia when they have a nutering done, that sometimes causes them to defecate on themselves. They probably didnt put the blanket in it because they didnt want you to get mad that there was poo on it. No matter how clean you are, would you care about getting into a litter box to poo if you has any surgery in that area?
Also, they do not put food and water in the cage after a procedure that required anestesia, It can make them very ill, the vet will want to see that the anestesia has has no side effects before they continue your pet back to any diet, and the blood was proabably left over from a vein punchure(an IV) they use that to someimes give fluids and anti-biotics, just in case.
This all sounds very standard to me, and I think they took better care than usual vets do, pets usually vomit alot after anesesia, your lucky they probably held it so that it vomited down and away from it;s body, so it stayed as clean as possible.
ALSO THANK YOU FOR FIXIN YOUR PET! It is a very good thing to do.
2007-09-12 21:46:19 · answer #6 · answered by Holly M 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is unacceptable service/care! I would call up the vet and be very vocal about my anger over the treatment of my cat. It's bad enough the staff didn't follow your instructions to leave the blanket and toy with your kitty after surgery, but to find the cat soiled and with bloody claws is inexcusable.
Voice your complaints to the vet responsible - don't talk to staff. Then find another vet.
That is a disgusting situation.
I'm sorry for both you and your cat that you kitty was treated that way.
2007-09-16 20:52:15 · answer #7 · answered by Angelica W 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your cat probably pooped and peed on itself when it was under anesthesia or coming out. A good vet would have cleaned him up before giving him back to you. There was no food/water/litterbox because until your cat is fully awake they actually pose a danger. Remember it takes time for them to wake up completely, it's not like a nap.
As far as your blanket and toy, they might have been afraid they'd lose it. Where I work we use our towels and blankets instead of the owners because they get lost so easily.
The blood should have also been cleaned up before you picked him up. I would be looking for a new clinic
2007-09-12 21:34:50 · answer #8 · answered by altaira 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I would look for another vet that you would feel more comfortable having treat your kitty. I hope you discussed this situation with them, you have a right to know what kind of care he received. They might not have wanted the blanket or toy in with your kitten after surgery for health/sanitary reasons and it might not have been long enough after surgery to eat/drink yet, but there was no reason for the feces and cut nail. You deserve some answers.
2007-09-12 21:27:43 · answer #9 · answered by luvspbr2 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Get a new vet and tell the old one why. At our hospital, all surgery patients get heating pads, blankets, quilts, towels and anything else to make them comfy. If they bring a snuggle toy, they get that too. They are checked on frequently and kept spotlessly clean. Extra snuggles and kisses are given for free. :)
I don't care how busy we are, the patients take top priority. Being busy is no excuse for poor care.
2007-09-12 22:15:13 · answer #10 · answered by KimbeeJ 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋