Protecting Your Animal From Bad Vets/clinics

[Maylissa]

I debated whether I should post this here, given the issue's disturbing nature, when we're all suffering enough from our losses as it is. But considering the number of instances where veterinary negligence, or worse, appears to be on the rise, in the end I've decided it really is in every animal-person's best interests and a priority regarding their own animal's care, to at least be aware of this information. Plus, since some members here have also run into some such situations themselves, and I've seen this happening on every "pet loss" forum I've either been on or simply perused, I think the more of us who are aware = the more vigilant and proactive we can be on behalf of our precious animals...and preferably before we lose them to such shameful practices. The more obstacles and hurdles we know in advance, exist, hopefully the more we'll want to take every protective measure we can for our furbabies.

These very real concerns can include pets being misdiagnosed then suffering needlessly and/or dying as a result, pets being neglected, abused, or even hidden from their guardians (i.e. not returned to, under false claims of death) then experimented on by vets, people posing as vets but without holding professional licenses, and domestic animals being hunted and killed by licensed DVMs. Alarmingly, the list of atrocities continues to mount, yet grieving animal parents are left with little if any recourse. I will leave searching for online proof of such cases to whoever may wish to, but suffice it to say, this is really happening. While there are of course many good, or outstanding, vets, we still should not stick our heads in the sand about the growing number of those being discovered who aren't, and are ruining it for everyone.

What has given me the impetus to inform people is both the aforementioned increase in animal parents suffering the unnecessary loss of their beloved animals, and some recent news coverage I just caught focusing in on the governing veterinary boards who are largely NOT protecting our furbabies or us. Since I've shockingly become aware that most professional veterinary boards seem to operate pretty much the same way across both the US and Canada, I believe the following TV report's warning applies in the vast majority of cases, and not just in this one state. Yes, it's highly disturbing information, but without this basic awareness being brought to the light, it will only be allowed to continue, unabated. I hope the link will continue to be accessible in future, but if not, at least for now, here is the 5 minute report that just aired the other day (May 5, 2015):

http://www.keyetv.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/investigation-does-state-protect-vets-not-pets-25679.shtml

Should the above link disappear in future, the same report is also now on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PRH9lWDSkQ

I'm also ADDING/editing in this other website, called the Vet Abuse Network, which I later discovered as an invaluable resource for anyone wishing to protect their beloved animal/s from bad vets, preferably BEFORE such tragedy may strike. But it also covers what to do if your furbaby has already been harmed or killed. I'd suggest everyone who has a nonhuman family member make themselves very aware of this issue and what to do about it, and bookmark this site.

http://www.vetabusenetwork.com/savetoc.htm

In particular, if you live in TX, another website link taken from the Vet Abuse Network lists veterinary records of Disciplinary Documents that the Texas Vet Board is now keeping secret from the public (as per the news feature above):

http://texasveterinaryrecords.com/

Lesson: You can never, ever be "too careful" in advocating for your animal's safety and well-being when choosing or dealing with any vet. As a quote taken from this Network says:

"...we happily abdicate our responsibility as our pets advocate in favor of our vet's perceived wisdom...It's important to remember that perception isn't always reality."

While we all come here, after the fact, for support in our grief, one of my own aims has always been to try and help all of us to not have CAUSE to grieve our beloved furchildren's transitions any sooner than necessary!

[kayc]

Thank you for sharing that. It did not make it clear, however,how the vet is responsible for the dog's death when Parvo is a disease that is preventable with vaccination. The most important piece of information in this report is that even though vets are protected from the public knowing about reports of their abuse, our recourse to change that is through our state legislature.

[Maylissa]

Thanks for watching it, Kay! Yes, I noticed that, too. But then it's just one illustration out of hundreds of complaints filed in just TX alone, and only out of those who decided to actually pursue making a complaint. One can imagine how many more people don't! So still grossly shameful cover-ups, regardless. And yes, absolutely needed pressure for change through state law campaigning there, as well as on the national level. Sure makes it obvious that people must scrupulously be "vetting" any vet whenever at all possible, though, doesn't it? But I rail at the massive pressure this puts on all of US. Not fair, not right.

[kayc]

Yes, I agree. I just wondered why they chose to use this example out of the thousands that exist, for it serves to downplay their agenda. The comments following the video illustrated that, almost as if it distracted people from the real point.

[Maylissa]

My guess is that because this news piece is tied to the recent, horrific killing of the cat by the Texan vet, and the public's push to see justice done (a big part of which is for the TX board and the national AVMA to revoke her license to practice...which they haven't done YET, a whole month after the viral, gruesome killing), they needed to find someone fast, and who was willing to go on the news with their own story. Perhaps that woman had been recently interviewed elsewhere, too, so was an easy contact? I didn't read the comments at the time (or there were none to read yet?), but yes, it would have been better if they'd found a more indicative case.

[Kacy]

I had the same questions after watching the video. I didn't see where the vet was negligent. Not that they weren't, but it sure wasn't clear in the video. It seemed to be a rather weak case, and I'm sure they could have found something more convincing.

I don't know about anyone else, but if I felt that a vet was truly trying to help my dog and somehow overlooked something or made a wrong diagnosis, I could at least try to accept that. But when I feel like they are only there for the money and their ego, it's impossible for me to overlook it and/or forgive them.

Mary

[kayc]

I agree, Mary. When they put an animal in a back room, don't allow you to stay with your animal, give a cursory glance to the animal, miss the correct diagnosis, and your animal suffers or dies because of it, that I cannot forgive. If they truly tried and just missed something due to human error or due to something rare, that I can understand.

[Maylissa]

Well, I think we've all noticed, if we're old enough that is , how shoddy "reporting" or journalism has become overall, compared to years before. I put their weak choice of example down to that, and maybe basic laziness, etc.. And it was only a short, 5-minute piece, besides, not an hour long expose´.

Agreed, each scenario is different and dependent upon this or that, but I think we're getting away from the main point of this piece -- that the veterinary professional bodies are covering stuff up. No one can be expected to more fully "vet" a vet through research, if all files on a complaint case are kept "sealed" to the public, as the TVMA admitted themselves. That in and of itself, is just SHAMEFUL, cowardly, and not protective of our animals or us. That's the overriding outrage here.

[kayc]

My concern is just that, that the way it was reported it almost distracts from the real issue, which makes me wonder which side the reporting was angled at. I put nothing past media!

[Maylissa]

OOooohhhhh....now I get what you were saying. Hmmmm, interesting angle!