Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

Discussion in 'Labrador Health' started by snowbunny, Feb 23, 2015.

  1. maisiesmomma

    maisiesmomma Registered Users

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    Re: Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

    Maisie is currently on Tramadol (vet said to keep her on it for four days, so she'll be on it tomorrow too) and it is not slowing her down WHATSOEVER. Different dogs, different experiences… Maisie is full throttle alive and wilding now .. which poses its own set of problems. I would almost prefer she was chilled out like Willow, although I would worry too. All dogs have different reactions and if she is eating okay and drinking okay, hopefully she is just taking awhile to recover.

    My info sheet taking Maisie home does have a reminder that while spays are routine, they are major abdominal surgery - it was a big thing Willow went through so it's understandable she is quieter.
     
  2. snowbunny

    snowbunny Registered Users

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    Re: Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

    Well, we're back from the vet. As soon as she walked in the door of the place, she went MENTAL. From the outside, she probably looked like a super happy, over-excitable puppy. She was jumping up, bouncing over everyone and her tail was wagging like mad. But it was ... off. I managed to calm her down and she sat there panting like mad, clearly distressed, so I think she just didn't know what to do with the feelings she was having.

    Anyway, our vet, Jordi, was really happy with how she's healing, gave her an antibiotic shot and replaced her string vest with a new one. Our favourite veterinary nurse was there, giving her lots of cuddles, biscuits and fuss. Her razor rash on her foreleg has completely cleared up, so there's not a problem with that. I mentioned she was really low, but after an inspection, he said some dogs just take longer to recover than others.

    And then, before we left, he gave us three more days' worth of painkillers. J mentioned they were different to the ones we were given before. Jordi looked a bit confused and said they were the same. No, these ones are round and the last ones were square. I should say at this point that when we went to pick her up, Jordi was in surgery, so a different vet did the handover. Anyway, Jordi called him out and asked him what he'd given. He said the round ones. No. They were square. He showed us a different one. Close, but too big. Going through his cabinet of drugs, we pointed out the one it was. He looked confused and said we'll change over to these round ones. We assumed because the strength is different.

    J has just googled the ones we had before and they're not even painkillers!!!!!!! They're for clearing up UTIs!!!!!! No wonder she's been so quiet!

    I feel AWFUL now!

    We're back on Thursday for another shot and to check on the stitches and we'll be taking the wrappers as proof and giving them hell. I love Jordi as a vet, and from now on, I'm going to insist that I only ever see him. The other guy needs to be held to account. I am livid on one hand and SO sorry for my little lady on the other.
     
  3. Naya

    Naya Registered Users

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    Re: Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

    OMG that is sooooooo bad. I wouldn't wait until Thursday, I would be on the phone first thing in the morning!
    No wonder the poor girl has been so subdued - she must of been in pain ;( sending you big hugs x
     
  4. JulieT

    JulieT Registered Users

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    Re: Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

    That is quite outrageous. Really, outrageous. I'd be back demanding an explanation too...right away.
     
  5. Jane Martin

    Jane Martin Registered Users

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    Re: Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

    I am seeing the vet who did Chepi's spay on Friday (usually they get you to see a nurse) so that I can mention a couple of things that I did not like and to make sure that Chepi doesn't see a nurse that seemed, well, not that caring.
    I would write a letter of complaint had we received ineffective medicine; there's no excuse. I would even go so far as discussing reporting the matter to a Veterinary organisation. I am disgusted and really angry. Don't be thinking you have to be quiet about it. I gave Chepi pain killers in liquid form for 4 days after her spay.
     
  6. Joy

    Joy Registered Users

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    Re: Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

    That's a shocking mistake for a vet to make! Hope that Willow starts to pick up now she's got proper pain relief.
     
  7. bbrown

    bbrown Moderator Forum Supporter

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    Re: Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

    That's a complete shocker!! I would be making a complaint too, poor girl :(
     
  8. Steph

    Steph Registered Users

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    Re: Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

    Oh dear, poor wee Willow. I'd be on the phone first thing tomorrow to discuss with the head of the practice. If you're happy with your regular guy it would be worth maintaining some kind of relationship there but wrong meds is a serious serious thing that has to be addressed, sooner rather than later.

    Hope you see a pick up in Willow tomorrow.
     
  9. Stacia

    Stacia Registered Users

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    Re: Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

    That was a mistake and should be reported, next time it could have even worse consequences. Just to make you feel a little happier, I have had five bitches spayed, they had a pain killing injection whilst under anaesthesia so they didn't feel pain on waking, but we never had any pain killing pills to take home.
     
  10. Rosie

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    Re: Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

    Bloody hell.
    Poor Willow.
    Poor you.
     
  11. snowbunny

    snowbunny Registered Users

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    Re: Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

    [quote author=Steph link=topic=9985.msg145413#msg145413 date=1424726673]
    Oh dear, poor wee Willow. I'd be on the phone first thing tomorrow to discuss with the head of the practice. If you're happy with your regular guy it would be worth maintaining some kind of relationship there but wrong meds is a serious serious thing that has to be addressed, sooner rather than later.

    Hope you see a pick up in Willow tomorrow.
    [/quote]

    My guy is head of practice and, more than that, is on the board of the governmental organisation (similar to DEFRA). He's one of the most respected vets in the country. My language skills aren't enough to cause a fuss down the phone or get my point across strongly enough, so that will have to wait until we're next there - it's about a 30-40 minute drive away - but I WILL be making a complaint. Until then, at least we have the right meds now to make our monkey more comfortable. My priority right now is to get her mended.
     
  12. drjs@5

    drjs@5 Registered Users

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    Re: Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

    Oh dear Fiona.
    What a time you and poor Willow have had.
    Hope she turns the corner now.
    It is really important you make a "complaint" and best to be in writing at least at some point. It should be dealt with as a "significant event". It is not necessarily the fault of just one person in these sort of situations but sometimes a fault in the structure of the system or organisation. It should definitely be looked at to see if there are changes needed to avoid it happening again to someone else.
    I guess an error like that could have had far far worse consequences.
    Really hope Willow picks up quickly now.
     
  13. Rosie

    Rosie Registered Users

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    Re: Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

    Of course your first priority is to just get your girl better. Big hugs and tummy rubs all round.

    But meds errors are really serious - something has gone wrong and that shouldn't be possible (there should be checks in the system to prevent errors). So you really should raise it -ideally in writing - and make sure they realise what happened. They need to be doing a full review of their processes and changing something to make sure it can't happen again. Just as if it was in a hospital (in the NHS it would be classed as a Serious Untoward Incident or SUI, fully investigated and lessons learned across the whole organisation). We should expect nothing less from our vets. If your vet is a good one (and I'm sure he is) he will have no problem with your action - indeed he ought to welcome it.

    Poor wee Willow, and poor you - thank goodness you've got everything back on track now. Well done.
     
  14. maisiesmomma

    maisiesmomma Registered Users

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    Re: Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

    That is beyond awful. At least the ones she got weren't dangerous to her, but she could have been given something that would actually have really hurt her (more than simply not having pain relief!!!).

    If you paid for the mistaken drugs, I think you ought to have that refunded and also ought to have your new painkillers absolutely free as that is completely their mix up and horrid.

    definitely insist you only see the vet who is competent and you like, that is very important.

    At least you know why Willow was so sad!
     
  15. Debs

    Debs Registered Users

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    Re: Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

    Oh poor Willow, what a horrible thing to happen, BUT, she will be more comfortable now and heading for a full recovery. You are a super mum to Willow and your gut instinct that something was wrong was right. Hope you both have a restful night and a better day tomorrow.
     
  16. Granca

    Granca Registered Users

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    Re: Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

    That's a terrible experience. How lucky that you checked and noticed the difference in tablets while you were still there. Hope Willow is feeling more comfortable now and all is going well.

    The vet who prescribed wrongly certainly needs to account for that, though.
     
  17. Lisa

    Lisa Registered Users

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    Re: Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

    My goodness, poor Willow and poor you! I hope she picks up now and starts to feel like her old self. Glad you figured it out. I would be furious, too.
     
  18. sunsetpines

    sunsetpines Registered Users

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    Re: Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

    [quote author=Rosie link=topic=9985.msg145417#msg145417 date=1424727416]
    Bloody hell.
    Poor Willow.
    Poor you.
    [/quote]

    Exactly!!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

    So sorry to hear this happened, but miss Willow will be on the road to recovery very soon now with proper pain meds....and you should be getting a reduction in your bill!!!

    Hugs and licks!!!
     
  19. Dexter

    Dexter Moderator Forum Supporter

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    Re: Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

    Nooooooooooooo,that is so dreadful,what a stoic little character she is but bless her heart :* :* :*
     
  20. snowbunny

    snowbunny Registered Users

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    Re: Still recovering from spay, or pining for her brother?

    Well, she's not exactly running round like her normal self yet, but she's a LOT brighter already. For example, she's changed back to her usual sleeping position of on her back with her legs in the air, whereas the last couple of days, she's been curled up in the tightest ball possible.

    I just portioned up a rabbit and whilst she didn't come and watch me, she sat on her bed and moaned at me that she wasn't getting any offcuts. So, because I like making a rod for my own back, I popped to her a couple of times with tasty little morsels and she was sat up, ears up, looking very perky. "Why should I move, when I have staff?!" :)

    When I start asking in a couple of weeks why she's suddenly started demanding silver service all the time, you can remind me of this.
     

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