Couple devastated after vet accidentally gives their puppy lethal injection instead o

Surely a mistake like this should never be made. Would you ever trust this vet again? I know I wouldn't.

https://uk.yahoo.com/news/couple-dev...155334293.html

Re: Couple devastated after vet accidentally gives their puppy lethal injection instead o

Quote
Mr Maguire said the surgery admitted Molly’s death was caused by the incorrect storage of medication and has apologised.

Not good enough is it really.
And the article gets worse when you read the dickering over compensation ... with the insurers digging their heels in over the cost of some previous treatment.

Re: Couple devastated after vet accidentally gives their puppy lethal injection instead o

I agree in a way Mort - about the insurers - but on the other hand, unless we saw the policy, we don't really know exactly what they were covered for. Dog insurance can be very complex. They may not have been covered for death of their pup, although some insurance companies are also notorious for trying to wriggle out of coughing up.

If it was my own vet, I know he would be totally devastated by his error, but if it was someone I didn't know or trust, I wouldn't let it go without a darn good fight. It is an appalling thing to happen.

I don't understand what they mean exactly about the "not stored correctly" either. I believe vaccines have to be kept refrigerated, or did they mean the wrong drug had been put in with the vaccines? In which case, why didn't the vet notice it was a different phial I wonder?

One of my pups once had a bad reaction to the first puppy jab, and I wouldn't take him back for the second one.
A friend of mine had a similar problem with her GSD pup too.
I do firmly believe a lot of owners allow these injections far too young, with some breeders even doing them before the pup leaves the nest. Totally wrong IMO.

This does seem a very tragic case, poor little soul, and poor owners, but we probably don't know all the ins and outs of it.

Re: Couple devastated after vet accidentally gives their puppy lethal injection instead o

As far as I can tell from the article Mups, the Vet has admitted to killing the dog by accident, but surely she should have checked the medication before administering it. Someone's insurance should surely pay up, it won't bring that poor little puppy back but it might encourage the vet to check what she is administering in future. Publicity such as this will surely damage the reputation of this practice, they would do well to pay out of their own pockets if needs be.

Re: Couple devastated after vet accidentally gives their puppy lethal injection instead o

I agree clumsy, that is why I said surely she should have noticed the different phial.
I imagine if the puppy's insurance didn't cover reimbursing the cost of the pup in the event of it's death, they won't cough up, I don't know what they were covered for?

I do think the veterinary practice should definitely compensate if this was the case, and that vet herself, thoroughly investigated.
Does the Royal College cover Welsh Vets, I don't know, but I'd soon find out if the pup had been mine.

Re: Couple devastated after vet accidentally gives their puppy lethal injection instead o

What a tragic story. It must be terrible for the family involved.

We do put a lot of trust in vets, we assume they know best. Personally, I never quite trust them, I don't know why but I have always felt that way. Unfortunately what choice do we have.

Re: Couple devastated after vet accidentally gives their puppy lethal injection instead o

How very sad, a tragic thing to happen ... I truly hope the vet has learned a lesson from this.

Re: Couple devastated after vet accidentally gives their puppy lethal injection instead o

The vet sounds devestated too, it seems the insurers are the problem with the compensation. I can't imagine what they all feel about this most of our dogs are part of huge family and adored as soon as they trot through the door so a ten week old pup would be as loved as a ten year old. It must be horrible, I'm not sure I could trust that practise again, although I'm willing to bet that vet will be double checking everything from now on.

At our practise the vet checks twice and he always says it out loud, the nurse checks too. But I've been at practises where a filled phial is passed to the vet who never even watches it filled by the nurse. I'm sure nurses can do a great job but I'm not sure a vet should rely on them so much.

Re: Couple devastated after vet accidentally gives their puppy lethal injection instead o

Oh heck, here's something for me to worry about!!! I'd be devastated.

Re: Couple devastated after vet accidentally gives their puppy lethal injection instead o

Jazzi please don't it's extremely rare, so rare it's only second time I've read something like that in well over 25 years. Just put it out of your mind.