Avoid Horrible Death

[JeanT]

Yesterday I had my 11 year old Rottie, who I rescued from a shelter 11 months ago, put to death. I have been going to this vet group for several years. Pandora had osteosarcoma that had miraculously gone into totally asymptomatic remission for 8 months. She was a beautiful, happy clown who loved to run and twirl in circles. When her leg started to become painful again, it was only a few weeks before the deformity grew and grew. Yesterday she was unable to walk on it at all. She was still eating (Miss Piggy) and drinking but slept a lot. In general the pain meds kept her comfortable, but once she was unable to walk, I knew that her next days or weeks would only be more miserable. I felt that the time had come to have her humanely put to sleep instead of extend her suffering for my own selfish reasons. I called and was given an appintment with "Dr. X". If I had recognized the name, I would not have agreed to see him because four weeks before he would not come all the way into the examining room for my other Rottie who had bloody diarrhea (and was correctly diagnosed from my description as having a microorganism that was treated with Albon). (Interestingly, the first assistant who came in was able to take his temperature. Big mean dog like that.)

Dr. "X" is afraid of big dogs. He wanted to show me the scar he had on his hand to prove how bad dogs are. His "assistant" on Pandora's visit must feel the same, since she stuck to him like Velcro.

Pandora was resting quietly on the floor with her head on my lap. "X" and an assistant came in with a huge syringe (maybe 250cc) I held Pandora. She made no move or sound whatsoever at him. He went behind and began injecting her back leg. I know they did not use a tourniquet because he and the assistant said that maybe the should try one on the other leg since they had blown the vein on the first leg. I have had the misfortune to have several of my old animals put to sleep over the past 30 years. I expected Pandora to wilt into unconsciousness and death in less than a minute. Instead, MORE that a minute later she was squirming and starting to growl. She turned around, growling. He jumped back. She did not try to go after him at all. He left. He and his assistant had to walk right past her to get out. She didn't make a move toward them. By that time I was crying like mad and trying to comfort Pandora, who lay back down. I hate myself for not leaving then. I thought she already had some poison in her system. Several minutes later he came back with the assistant. Pandora did not growl or move. He gave her an injection (Thiopental?) with no problem at all. Within seconds she fell over unconscious. About ten minutes later he came back with the large syringe. By that time I believe she was close to death anyway. He injected her other back leg. Then he told me that the large syringe was filled with a very thick fluid, the name of which I can't remember but had heard that it is what is used at "shelters". He told me that it takes 3-4 miuntes to inject because it is so thick. He told me that the back leg vein is "wobbly" unlike a front leg vein and since she had moved he had blown her vein. What kind of professional would expect a fully conscious and responsive animal to quitely accept 3-4 minutes of thick fluid being pushed into a little vein?

I went back today to speak with Dr. "Y" who owns the hospital, or Dr. "W" who had always taken care of Pandora. I was polite but firm that I wanted to speak with either. They took my name into the back. I was told they were "busy". I went back two hours later and was told that they were "gone". On officious pink-coated that I had never seen before today told me that I could only speak to her. Dr. "X" had the nerve to come out and say that Pandora was "vicious" and tried to attack him and his assistant. That is totally untrue. Pandora has never tried to bite anyone. Even when she was fighting for her life she did not move toward him when he jumped back, and she did not even growl when he came back into the room with the anesthetic.

When I went back the second time today, I was told by Ms. "P" that Dr. "W" had left and Dr. "Y" was not in. She would not call Dr. "W". She said I had to speak to her. When I saw "X" I started to yell (that is when the lying sos came up with the story, two hours after I had first come in, that Pandora was vicious), and I hope that everyone in there heard me. I will be doing a mailing to everyone in this geo area about what happened to Pandora as soon as Town Hall gives me the information about residents and their addresses. I'll be getting Mount Laurel too. Meanwhile, I hope that this message will be cross-posted to any and all dog groups that any of you can think of.

Pandora died a horrible death of pain and fear. She was brutilized just as if she had been left in the "shelter" to die. No animal should ever have to go through this.

I have stayed with this vet group through some very expensive misdiagnoses (and almost unnecessary surgery) and have stayed with them because I realize that mistakes can happen. But this was not a mistake. This was an intentional, brutal, cruel abuse by a vet that at the very least Dr. "W" should have known was afraid of large dogs. By a vet that Dr. "W" is responsible for having on his staff without adequate training to know how to humanely euthanize a pet. Perhaps Dr. "X" last job was killing animals at shelters. I would say he should go back, but no animal deserves him.

And Dr. "W" or Dr. "Y"? This would still have been private if either had deigned to speak with me. But no, I was only allowed to speak with Ms. "P". But this is it. I will be telling everyone I know about the misdiagnoses and the horrible, horrible way that Dr. "X" killed my Pandora.

[ajaxsdad]

JeanT:

very sorry for your loss. don't worry about Pandora, she's being well taken care of. please don't let the anger consume you. i went through a similar experience and during it all i realized that it wouldn't change anything that had already occured. i learned alot from the experience and moved forward. justice is not always immediate, but it does always happen.

[whitney greenway]

JeanT,
I am so sorry about Pandora:( . What a horrible situation for the two of you.

I have had to put animals down before, but it was a completely different situation from yours..........my vet was there for me.

My vet was/is a very compassionate human being. I know that she really felt my pain.

I am just so sorry, but Pandora will not suffer anymore.
Whitney

[JeanT]

ajaxsdad/Whitney, thank you. I am very, very angry. I am angry at myself, too. When I recognized "Dr. X" I should have immediately had them help me carry her back to the car. But I thought, this can't be a problem. I have never before seen any of my pets experience anything but gentle release. It was the only thing that helped just a little bit in getting through the loss, it was all I could do to help them. If Pandora had lived days or weeks more, her suffering would have been less than the look of betrayal in her eyes as I held her while "Dr. X" slowly and painfully tortured her.

[beth gordon]

I am just so sorry and cannot imagine how badly you must feel. The one sweet baby that I needed to have put to sleep at the age of 15 went quickly and painlessly in my arms. Even though this was 13 years ago, I still feel the hurt in my heart. My only comfort was that it was so quick and non-threatening for her. You do whatever it takes to expose these morons. They don't deserve to practice medicine with animals.

[KatMc]

JeanT,

I'm so sorry you had to deal with that. I know how you feel, my story with my Kwin was not the same but close. I felt like I had betrayed her, with a vet that had seen my animals for over 10 years and had put a couple of my cats to sleep when it was their time.

I feel like that clinic has gone to purely $$ signs and the **** with the animals. Like you, I never questioned their bills or what their recommendations were.

When I was able to be rational I went to the clinic and said I wanted a copy of all my records and told the girl at the desk what had happened and that I would never be back (Kwin died at home a miserable death because I could not reach my vet and when I did she refused to help until her "office hours" at 9am the next day), the receptionist felt horrible and went to talk to the "partners" because she understood what I was saying. Well the partners were "too busy" to talk to me, but they would get back with me. I never heard anything.

I was bitter for a long while, I wanted to write a letter to the editor, etc..., what I have settled for is to spread the word of how I feel about this particular clinic. Everyone knows how I am with my animals and frequently I'm asked who I use, etc.. my comment now is to find a vet that cares more for the animals than for the almighty $$$, and that I will NEVER take another one of my animals to their place.

They may not be loosing alot of business, but I know I have steered quite a few patients to the other hospitals in the area.

Good luck, and I believe that Kwin forgave me before she was gone and I'm sure that Pandora forgave you also.

Kathy

[Lyla's mom]

I 'm so sorry about what you and your baby went thru.

All I have to say, if it is possible post this vets business name
and address as to avoid him dealing with any other animal.

If they are so afraid of being bitten CHANGE CAREERS!!

These kinds of stories make me so angry!!!

[Soapie&Buddy'sMom]

This was very sad and disturbing to read but I'm glad it was posted. It will certainly make me review my vet. I never even thought of something like this happening - how horrible at such an already difficult time to watch your dog suffer.

[maryh]

I am very sorry for what happened to your dog and to you. Take whatever opportunity you feel is appropriate to find and support another vet with your business and your referrals. Fight back with your checkbook; that's the best weapon in the long run. There is no excuse for hurting an animal during the process of putting them down. (I hate that expression...........). Again, I am sad to hear that this happened.

[NJrottielover]

JeanT, I am so sorry for what you and your girl had to go through. How horrible. Try to only think of the wonderful 11 months of life you gave Pandora- she knew how much she was loved and is now running around and playing over the Rainbow Bridge. I live in NJ and would be more than happy to "spread the word". I'm often asked by people for vet referrels in various areas, so if you'd like to pm or email me about it, that would be fine. Once again, I am truly sorry.:(

[JeanT]

My original post had the names of the guilty parties, but the Moderator felt that it was better to not use their identification due to possible legal impact.

I once posted about what a great group practice this one is, and that I was fortunate to have them. That was true at the time, and I would still say it was true, except that this time, the owner vet and Pandora's original treating vet refused to speak with me (or so I was told). This new vet member of the group who did this to Pandora seems quite personable to humans and it seemed to me that the staff was being quite protective of him. I will be sending CRRR letters to this practice's owner and Pandora's regular treating vet, to start.


From this experience, I suggest that each of you, before the time comes if you can, research how euthanasia is to be correctly and humanely performed (for some reason I just assumed all qualified and licensed vets knew this) and then ask your own vet, in detail, how he/she does it, particularly with a fully conscious and responsive animal. Pandora's only problem was pain and that she could no longer walk. She was totally alert. A quick sedative injection would have avoided all of this, although if Dr. Death had used a tourniquet and hit the vein in the first place, it also would have been avoided.

[pogosladyfriend]

ive had to help with a horrible euthanasia. we were understaffed one day, and a new doctor at our clinic had to euthanize a dog. i walked into the room and started cleaning cages and watched while a tech held the dog and the vet started euthanizing her. the vet took about 40 mins poking the dogs legs again and again looking for a vein. then she pulled the needle to pull in blood to see if she had hit a vein, and she hadnt hit a vein, but she pushed the euthasol in anyway. by that time me and the tech were crying because the dog was crying out in pain every time the doctor poked her. the dog didnt die because you are supposed to put the euthasol into the vein, and just putting it under the skin like she did would kill the dog much slower. the vet wouldnt admit defeat and she kept on trying even though she was completely incompetant, pricking the dogs legs again and again. At this point, one other tech went to go complain to one of the better vets. the boss came into the room, tried to hit the vein once and got it and the dog died and the vet was fired on the spot. That was the saddest euthanasia i ever saw. the dog just sat there and cried. she had cancer so she was in pain already, and the vet was scared of chows so the dog had to wear a muzzle, but this dog was harmless. and i know that some dogs would much rather not wear one, and that some are better without them. we then took the dog out to the owners truck and told him that it went well. the only person not crying for the dog was the vet, who was crying for her lost job.

[rottix2]

Jean - I was so sorry to read this post and realize what you had to go through. It has made me really appreciate our vet. When we had to put KD down because of osteo, he and one of his techs came to the house, waited while I said my goodbyes to her, gave her a single injection, and then stayed and helped while we buried her. He was gentle and kind with her right up until the end and he was equally kind to me. I could never repay him for his caring and compassion. I hope you are able to find a new vet who will be this way for you.

[alexav]

I am so sorry to hear of your bad experience. There is simply NO excuse for botching a "humane euthanasia". Even if we have a very sick animal with collapsed veins, we make adjustments to the treatment of that animal to make sure there is no pain and no fear. 250cc's of thick liquid! Are they still in the stone age?

At our clinic we give all euthanasia pets a very strong pain reliever and sedative first (quick injection in the muscle, they usually don't even feel it) and let the animal relax and fall asleep. Then we place an IV catheder (in a front leg, NEVER a rear leg) and flush it with heparin to make sure the vein will not clot. Then, when the owner is ready, we administer the euthanasia drug through the cath. The drug we use is quite expensive but it doesn't take a huge syringe even for the largest of dogs. The thick stuff is cheap, that's why some shelters are forced to use it.

I hope that you are able to get the clinic to wise up so that no animal or owner has to go through what you and your precious girl were made to go through.

I think it's a great suggestion that owners should do research when selecting a Veterinarian to help thier best friends get to the bridge before the need ever arises. No, it's not fun to think about but sooner or later, all of us may have to face that horrible day.

Have you ever heard the expression, "You have to pay the piper."? Well, that's what we have to do in exchange for all the unconditional love and companionship that our pets provide day in and day out, seemingly for free. We need to be there for them when they need us most, just like Jean was there for Pandora.

Bless you Jean, and may your heart heal soon.
Christy

[LisaCass]

Jean, my heart goes out to you completely. I would suggest writing to every newspaper in your area, a letter to the editor. Stick to facts, and watch their business suffer because they can't be bothered to be decent human beings.

I am so sorry about Pandora.

Lisa

:(