Why?

[CheshireCat]

I hate to post this on a beautiful Sunday morning, but I'm sitting here between tears and rage.

I worked third shift last night at the Animal Hospital. This couple came in with a beautiful Cocker Spaniel/Chow mix. Wonderful dog! They thought he had an engorged tick in his ear, turns out he had a small tunor. He had scratched it and it was bleeding. The dog needed surgery, but it was so minimal the dog would only have to be gassed (kind of like when you go to the dentist) it didn't have to "go under" and would have been able to go home after only a couple of hours of recovery.

They opted to euthinize it!

It was a 10 year old dog and they took that as a sign that it was "going down hill" and just told us to kill it.

They signed the legal papers, we had no choice. We had to put a perfectly healthy dog with a good home down. I was phisically ill, still am. I just don't understand.

AND they just left him in the exam room, no good byes, no nothing, just kind of like he was nothing. We felt more for him than the people he had lived with for 10 years did. I am wiping tears out of my eyes right now! I just don't get it.

Anyway, just needed to vent for a minute.

Cher, I promise I'll post that happy story, this one I just had to get off my chest this morning.

[Marie5656]

I think this is why I could never work in an animal hospital, or even a rescue center. I would want to bring them all home with me.

Unfortunatly there are those people who see thier pets as "just an animal" and therefore expendable. At 10, the dog had , what..about 6 or 7 good years left, if not more? No excuses, but wonder if there was something else going on there?

[Shweet tatersalad]

That just sucks,Strang world we live in.Just a quik question,Was it less money too put it down or operate?

[CheshireCat]

Marie5656 wrote: I think this is why I could never work in an animal hospital, or even a rescue center. I would want to bring them all home with me.

Unfortunatly there are those people who see thier pets as "just an animal" and therefore expendable. At 10, the dog had , what..about 6 or 7 good years left, if not more? No excuses, but wonder if there was something else going on there?


You're right, it is hard sometimes. We see a lot. But his case is especially hard to take.

The woman stormed out of the clinic, it was her dog. She let her husband tell her that the dog had to die. But it DIDN"T!!!

It was about a five minute debate. I would have stayed in there and put up more of a fight for my friend!

[CheshireCat]

Shweet tatersalad wrote: That just sucks,Strang world we live in.Just a quik question,Was it less money too put it down or operate?


About the same. He was afraid of incurring further costs down the road.

[Marie5656]

I am suddenly reminded of January, 2005, when my Guinea Pig, Scooter had been ill, off and on for a couple of months. Finaly we realized that he was going down hill with little hope of recovery. I had made an apointment for January 5th, 2005 for another check up, and shots for pain management. Late in the evening of the 4th, my hubby and I came to the decision that if Scooter made it through the night, I would keep the appointment but have Scooter humainely excorted over the rainbow bridge. He was SO unwell. Sadly, or maybe a good thing, At 9:30 in the evening of January 4th, 2004, Scooter took the decision out of our hands, and silently slipped away, while Rick was holding him in his lap.

There are some who would have seen Scooter as "just a guinea pig" but he was a good companion to me!! :-1

[CheshireCat]

Marie5656 wrote: I am suddenly reminded of January, 2005, when my Guinea Pig, Scooter had been ill, off and on for a couple of months. Finaly we realized that he was going down hill with little hope of recovery. I had made an apointment for January 5th, 2005 for another check up, and shots for pain management. Late in the evening of the 4th, my hubby and I came to the decision that if Scooter made it through the night, I would keep the appointment but have Scooter humainely excorted over the bridge. He was SO unwell. Sadly, or maybe a good thing, At 9:30 in the evening of January 4th, 2004, Scooter took the decision out of our hands, and silently slipped away, while Rick was holding him in his lap.

There are some who would have seen Scooter as "just a guinea pig" but he was a good companion to me!! :-1


Oh Marie, there is a point where we can't be selfish and they do need help. That's what we can do for our animals that we can't do for family.

I just think that it wasn't the case this time. I know, there are even Vets that would disagree with me on this one. Maybe I'm just tired. But this one stuck in my crawl.

I would never tell you that your companion was " just an animal", not a rat or even a snake. Especially not a guinea pig!

[Peg]

Marie5656 wrote: I think this is why I could never work in an animal hospital, or even a rescue center. I would want to bring them all home with me.


That would be me. I'd probably have ended up bringing home yet another dog. :wah: It has to suck putting an animal to sleep, but it has to feel great to see one pull through that you weren't so sure could.

[CheshireCat]

Peg wrote: That would be me. I'd probably have ended up bringing home yet another dog. :wah: It has to suck putting an animal to sleep, but it has to feel great to see one pull through that you weren't so sure could.


That my dear is why I do what I do!

We also had a Jack Russel that had been attacked by a larger dog. We thought it's throat had been ripped out! Somehow, the jugular and trechea had been missed. Just flesh wounds. That was awesome! High fives all around.

Saving a life is SO COOL!!

[Marie5656]

Would someone in the office have the authority to override the order, and , well, take custody of the animal, and place it for adoption?

[valerie]

There's so many to save... and the older animals are often the

hardest.



R.I.P., little one.

[OpenMind]

CC. Let me hug you. It is not right to put money before lives.

My friend had a white alsatian that lived until it was about 16/17. It was a beautiful placcid dog. But he finally succombed badly to displasia and he could no longer control his motions.

My friend had to have him put down, but he stayed with him right to the end talking to him and stroking him. He loved his dog so much he was almost inconsolable afterwards.

[CheshireCat]

OpenMind wrote: CC. Let me hug you. It is not right to put money before lives.

My friend had a white alsatian that lived until it was about 16/17. It was a beautiful placcid dog. But he finally succombed badly to displasia and he could no longer control his motions.

My friend had to have him put down, but he stayed with him right to the end talking to him and stroking him. He loved his dog so much he was almost inconsolable afterwards.


Om, thank you so much for the hug. Starting to feel more like myself agin.

There is a "sort" od comfort in putting friends to sleep. It's never easy, much weeping.

Displasia, so common in big dogs. Nothing you can do to prevent it either.

Consoled many unconsolable in my work.

I guess it's a calling.... I keep going back, I love it!

Not the consoling...........the saving!

[OpenMind]

Good for you, CC. Animals, particularly domestic animals, are so much at our mercy. They need our compassion.

[cherandbuster]

Oh CSquared

I am so sorry for the loss of that special animal :-1

And a big hug is coming your way :-4

Maybe you could put the owner to sleep, too

[Shweet tatersalad]

Maybe you could put the owner to sleep, too


Now THAT is funny stuff,Kudos too you cher:yh_rotfl

[cherandbuster]

Shweet tatersalad wrote: Maybe you could put the owner to sleep, too


Now THAT is funny stuff,Kudos too you cher:yh_rotfl


Why thank you

You Shweet Thing! :-6

[CheshireCat]

I've had nap, I feel beter. I have a better grasp on the events last night. i'm not ok with it, but I can let it go.

I appreciate everyone that came here and comiserated with me. It helps sometimes to hear another point of view.

Cher and Tater, OM and Snooze, Marie and Val, I'm sorry if I left any one out, you have shared my burden, and I thank you.

At least the dog was not abused and it did not suffer, we see too much of that.

[Rapunzel]

Oh CC, that is SO sad! :-1 And it's why I could never do the job you do.

Hugs to you for your bravery and sensitivity! :yh_hugs

[CheshireCat]

Rapunzel wrote: Oh CC, that is SO sad! :-1 And it's why I could never do the job you do.

Hugs to you for your bravery and sensitivity! :yh_hugs


Thank YOU Rap, ..

People always thank us, I love what I do, I should thank people like you (us), that give me the opportunity to do this kind of work.

If people didn't care for their pets, I'd be out of a job. I see it as kind of a community affair, do you know what I mean?

[Adam Zapple]

Well, I'm gonna risk everyone getting mad at me and ask a question. The cost for putting an animal down is about $25 here. I can't imagine the tumor surgery would be that cheap but perhaps it was. I'll certainly concede to CC's superior knowledge on this issue. Let me give you a little anecdote and then I'll ask my question. A few years back our cat was prego's. She delivered four kittens but I could tell there was still one kitten she had not delivered. After a couple of hours of being in severe pain and unable to deliver, my wife rushed her to an emergency vet clinic (it was after hours and our regular vet was closed). The vet clinic said the last kitten was in a U-turn position and couldn't pass through the birth canal. An x-ray and C-section was going to cost $800. That's $800 up front, on the spot. I raise a family on a meager public service income and didn't have $800 for a cat. The vet said our cat would not be able to deliver and that she would ultimately die. But my wife brought the cat home. We didn't know what would happen to her but decided we just had to let nature take its course while keeping her a comfortable as possible. The next morning we awoke and I immediately noticed something in her box. It was a stillborn kitten. Fortunately, she had managed to deliver during the night. That's the story, here is my question. Why do vets insist on full payment at the time of visit. For expensive procedures, why don't they arrange to let the pet owner pay in installments? I've never come across one that does. Perhaps more people would be willing to give their pets medical care rather than euthanize if the impact on the family budget was not severe. I know, someone is going to say that if you can't afford a pet then don't get one. That's fine too, but many pets are rescued from shelters where they would otherwise be putdown by families who can afford to routinely care for the pet but can't afford hundreds and thousands of dollars for emergency procedures. Last Wednesday, I had to rush my daughter to the ER. I paid a $100 co-pay and will get a bill for the remainder of expenses that my insurance doesn't cover. The hospital will allow me to pay that balance in installments. Why won't my vet?

[valerie]

Some of them will, AZ, but they've all been burned soooo many times,

they have to get the money up front or they never would. There are

actually people who bring pets in and never come back, too.



Unfortunately, there are too many who don't feel the same way about

their furkids as their skinkids. If they weren't made to pay up front,

they skip and leave the poor pet behind.



And now I'll let CC take over, I'm sure she has something to say.



It's a very sad situation, all the way 'round.



:-1

[CheshireCat]

Adam Zapple wrote: Well, I'm gonna risk everyone getting mad at me and ask a question. The cost for putting an animal down is about $25 here. I can't imagine the tumor surgery would be that cheap but perhaps it was. I'll certainly concede to CC's superior knowledge on this issue. Let me give you a little anecdote and then I'll ask my question. A few years back our cat was prego's. She delivered four kittens but I could tell there was still one kitten she had not delivered. After a couple of hours of being in severe pain and unable to deliver, my wife rushed her to an emergency vet clinic (it was after hours and our regular vet was closed). The vet clinic said the last kitten was in a U-turn position and couldn't pass through the birth canal. An x-ray and C-section was going to cost $800. That's $800 up front, on the spot. I raise a family on a meager public service income and didn't have $800 for a cat. The vet said our cat would not be able to deliver and that she would ultimately die. But my wife brought the cat home. We didn't know what would happen to her but decided we just had to let nature take its course while keeping her a comfortable as possible. The next morning we awoke and I immediately noticed something in her box. It was a stillborn kitten. Fortunately, she had managed to deliver during the night. That's the story, here is my question. Why do vets insist on full payment at the time of visit. For expensive procedures, why don't they arrange to let the pet owner pay in installments? I've never come across one that does. Perhaps more people would be willing to give their pets medical care rather than euthanize if the impact on the family budget was not severe. I know, someone is going to say that if you can't afford a pet then don't get one. That's fine too, but many pets are rescued from shelters where they would otherwise be putdown by families who can afford to routinely care for the pet but can't afford hundreds and thousands of dollars for emergency procedures. Last Wednesday, I had to rush my daughter to the ER. I paid a $100 co-pay and will get a bill for the remainder of expenses that my insurance doesn't cover. The hospital will allow me to pay that balance in installments. Why won't my vet?


The fact that we ar an "emergency" hospital requires us to charge a fee just for beiing available, This has only been available here in the last few months,

I have worked for emergancy ER for years

I'm afraid you are speaking OUt of turn

[chonsigirl]

Oh, that is such a sad story, CC. The poor doggie..................:-1

[Marie5656]

Adam Z..not sure where exactly you are, but when Scooter was sick, and I had to bring him in several times, once for surgery, the vet let me pay over time.

[Adam Zapple]

Marie, I think you have a smart and compassionate vet. Seems to me the pets will get better and consistant healthcare this way.

CC, why am I speaking out of turn? I simply asked a question. I'm not suggesting that the service be free if that is what you are thinking. I understand that the vet has to charge for its services, but how many people have a $1000 bucks sitting in a jar just waiting for ol' Fido to need surgery. Why can't vets use collection services just like anyone else for those who don't pay. Again, I'm talking about expensive emergency procedures, not routine vet care. As for people who abandon pets at the vet, they will do that whether there is a charge or not. And perhaps fewer would do so if they knew they could pay the bill over a period of time.

If someone is faced with $800 to $1000 on the spot for pet care or $25 to put them down, sometimes the only choice they really have is to put the pet down. But if given a choice to put a hundred down and maybe a hundred a month, then more pet owners would be able to save their pets would they not?

[valerie]

One word for ya AZ: Plastics.



I think Snooze is probably right, a relationship with a vet might get

you a little farther than not.



And I do see your point about letting people make payments.



Our vet has been VERY good about working with us on how much things

cost, what different things we can do that might work as well for

less cost, and like that.



And she usually sends us $50 off in her Dhristmas cards!!

[Adam Zapple]

valerie wrote: One word for ya AZ: Plastics.


Yeah, I hear ya. Personally, I don't own one, don't want one. My vet might allow me to pay in installments (I've never asked, cause it's never come up), but the 24-hr emergency clinic won't. Guess my dogs better get sick from 9-5 M-F.:-6

[RedGlitter]

A pox on these "pet owners." If that was a child, that man would have found the money, count on it. And who is the wife that she didn't stand her ground? No man would ever come between me and my animal friends. Ever.



I have a dog who was supposed to be killed because his owner allegedly caught him eating his chickens. This was a young dog, still a puppy. The vet called us and asked if we would take the dog because they just couldn't kill him. We said absolutely if his jerk owner would put up the rest of the money to pay for the dog's neuter. (we would have taken him anyway if the jerk had refused) It took us two years to get him to trust us. He had been beaten, abused and broken. He is one of the best, most loving dogs we've ever had. And as for chickens, pigeons light upon his food dish and he lays there and ignores them. There were no chickens for this dog.



As for vet bills, I agree. Vets here have people call me to see if I will help them out on their bill, yet when I need the help, the vet doesn't want to budge. They charge an arm and a leg and make little effort to work with people. That said, when you take on a pet you are responsible for it till the end of its natural life. This was not the dogs natural life ending. These idiots completely failed their dog in every way possible.

[OpenMind]

CheshireCat wrote: I've had nap, I feel beter. I have a better grasp on the events last night. i'm not ok with it, but I can let it go.

I appreciate everyone that came here and comiserated with me. It helps sometimes to hear another point of view.

Cher and Tater, OM and Snooze, Marie and Val, I'm sorry if I left any one out, you have shared my burden, and I thank you.



At least the dog was not abused and it did not suffer, we see too much of that.








CC. Here's another hug. Just glad you're feeling better.:-4

[CheshireCat]

First, my apologies to Adam!

i am sorry sir, I was emotional and did not mean to snap. i am very gald that your cat was ultimately ok after that situation. It must have been very scary for you and the puss. Again, I am sorry.



The reason that we require payment up front is because we need to be paid. People come in that you have never seen and will never see again, we don't know them. There isn't time to do a credit check, we can't rely on billing them. We are not there regular family vet, they don't have to make us happy. It's sad to say, but we ahve to be paid to stay open. We do offer a Care Credit program, but people are hesidant about it because the intrest is high if you don't pay on time.

It's just a sticky situation. To run a 24 hour emergency hospital is expensive. Most Docs are strictly 9-5 kind of people. They charge emergency fees also if they are called in after hours. To have a vet that works a twelve hour shift 7-7, that's costs a pretty penny.

I wish we could see every one and just bill them. You just don't know how badly i wish that! But the fact of the matter is, if we did that, we would go under, and fast. Then there would be NO ONE to call at three AM when your dog just bit the electrical cord.

[DesignerGal]

AZ...you can get pet insurance now for older dogs (not just puppies anymore) that covers LOTS of invasive and expensive procedures for about $15 USD a month. Have you people ever thought about looking into that? There are half a dozen different companies that have brochures out over this...and they are usually right there in the lobby of the vet's office.

CC...big hugs to you. This happened to BR one time and she charged the lady the fee to euthanize then adopted the dog out. The family was moving and that is the only reason they wanted it put to sleep. BR was po'ed. I think I might be able to find the thread.

[CheshireCat]

DesignerGal wrote: AZ...you can get pet insurance now for older dogs (not just puppies anymore) that covers LOTS of invasive and expensive procedures for about $15 USD a month. Have you people ever thought about looking into that? There are half a dozen different companies that have brochures out over this...and they are usually right there in the lobby of the vet's office.



CC...big hugs to you. This happened to BR one time and she charged the lady the fee to euthanize then adopted the dog out. The family was moving and that is the only reason they wanted it put to sleep. BR was po'ed. I think I might be able to find the thread.


I wish we aould have done that. (I don't think that is exactly legal )But I would have done it if I could have. I'm not the boss. if I were we would have done the dog's ear for nothing.

[DesignerGal]

CheshireCat wrote: I wish we aould have done that. (I don't think that is exactly legal )But I would have done it if I could have. I'm not the boss. if I were we would have done the dog's ear for nothing.


Legal Schmegal. I would have broken the law. If child molesters get off jail time for being too short, Im sure I wouldnt have gotten into that much trouble!:D

[CheshireCat]

DesignerGal wrote: Legal Schmegal. I would have broken the law. If child molesters get off jail time for being too short, Im sure I wouldnt have gotten into that much trouble!:D


i'm with you, right on!

The Doc said something about ethics blah blah blah, I don't know I wasn't listening to him.

[cherandbuster]

CheshireCat wrote: (I don't think that is exactly legal )


Knowing Baby Rider

She answered to a higher law

Her heart :-6