Malpractice? Help!

ioyrmt · May 18, 2013

Hello,

I had a chinchilla who had stasis/bloat for almost five months. A few days ago I had to give her to a rescue because I could not afford the treatment my vet was recommending and she wasn't even getting better on it. I asked if we could try different treatment or try taking her off the medicine and she didn't make me feel like it was an option she was willing to help with.She has since been taken off all of her medicine at the rescue and she is doing great! No stasis or bloat or anything.

However, they did see in her medical record that while she was staying at the hospital for treatment, which cost me a fortune, she fell from her kennel onto the floor and broke a rib. I was not notified about this whatsoever. Is this malpractice? Doesn't a vet HAVE to tell you if there was an accident while your pet was in their care? I'm furious as I thought that all of her discomfort was caused by her stasis, when in reality it was a combination of all the aggressive medicines my vet had put her on and the fact that her rib was trying to heal. I have started to file an official complaint, but is there anything else that I can do? I feel like this vet withheld crucial information from me that was pertinent to my chin's health. Her treatment also caused me to spend a large chunk of my college fund, and I would like this back. Also, I am upset by how she didn't make me feel treatment was my choice. It shows on record that I called many times saying that I wanted to take her off her medicines, which is eventually what made her better, yet every time the vet said she could not recommend it and I don't feel like I was even given the option to do so as I would need her help for weaning/monitoring. If my vet had been less stubborn and more supportive of what I wanted to do, my chinchilla would have gotten better in my care and I would still have her right now.

Does anyone have any advice for me?

Thanks!

AZChins · May 18, 2013

In the past I had a similar problem with a vet. In my case the vet succeeded in killing my chinchilla because of what he did.

What I was told by several people is that I would end up paying more to a lawyer than I would have gotten back from the vet. I went in and spoke to the vet about things and he did give me money back, but not what I believe he should have given back.

Do you think that your chinchilla would have gotten better several months ago had she been taken off the meds? Why did the vet advise you to keep her on them for so long?

The rib thing is just weird, but I don't know if the veterinarian is required by law to tell you about what happened. Definitely file the complaint. It will help you feel better about things and it will probably be filed somewhere for future reference. One thing that may help is to write a review at yelp or google, but be honest and stay away from name calling. Sometimes it can be so hard to get anyone to care, so don't be surprised if the vet or staff is rude to you or tries to turn it around on you.

Oh, have you told the vet what happened after the chin went to the rescue and was taken off the medication?

ioyrmt · May 18, 2013

I haven't gotten a chance to talk to the vet yet because I found this out after her hours on Friday, and I really do think that my chin would have gotten better a long time ago if she had been taken of medication.

In terms of the rib thing, I just know that I would have viewed things very differently if I had known. I didn't have the option of changing vets just because there was no other one anywhere close to me, but I would have known why my chinchilla was in pain. I was made to believe that it was due to her stasis, when it turns out she was just healing and her stasis was essentially gone, but her gut was still messed up by all of the antibiotics the vet put her on. I repeatedly expressed my desire to get her off of these things, and she said that it was against her recommendation and that I shouldn't do it. I had no professional support to take her off the medicine, so I felt like I was presented with no other options. I also feel like if she had let me try taking her off the medication, she would have gotten better like she is doing now at the rescue, but instead of a rescue having her I would still have her. The whole situation is very devastating.

AZChins · May 18, 2013

I can see why that would make you really concerned/angry! You're right, maybe if the chin hadn't been injured she would have gotten better a lot sooner and it would have been much cheaper. Talk to the vet about that for sure. I don't know if she will try to make it right or what.

Do you know how long ago the rib was broken?

mknoblich1 · May 18, 2013

That's a shame about your chins rib. I would think they would have to tell you about something like that but I'm not sure. As far as the medicine goes (this is not what you'll want to hear) you always have a choice to stop any king of treatments or medications. It's your right as a patient/owner. The vet probably just thought they were doing what was best for your chin. It's also hard to say that if you stopped the treatment that they would have gotten better or worse. I would definitely right a carefully chosen review of your experience though for others to read so they can make a better decision on a vet. Can you get your chin back from the rescue now that their are no vet bills associate with her? Hope everything works out for you. I would try to go to the vet and see if you can get any money back. Maybe they'll surprise you after you tell them the whole story.