Help re vet

[WingedAngel19]

Sorry? 'The truth is beginning to out'

[WingedAngel19]

Thanks Veganite. No info was given to us at all. It was simply sign to give permission to treat pet, no copy given even at time, we had to request that as said prior by email. So had no idea of what charges apart from verbal estimate but no idea as in interest charges they try to impose etc..... Mind you would not have been issue had they took mums cash in first place. They need to take responsibilty for refusing it I feel.

 

Waiting to hear from them as last night as mum paid token payment £1.00 into their account with offer to pay £40 on 1st of month if they remove interest and accept installments offered. If not well her finances would put it into line with the credit card £1.00 also.

[WingedAngel19]

Email to tell us senior practive partner to review our emails and get back to us by end of week.

 

We have replied it would be appreciated if in meantime could as requested forward the results of the tests that were done as I realise all of this will be probably digital, it should be easy to transfer the info to us. We have requested the test results on more than one occassion both verbally and email and nothing has been sent apart from requested copy of the one permission to treat form, which basically was a you realise some treatments are dangerous and pet might not survive type of thing, which we were not given time to read.

 

They refered to pet as a girl, yet still have not even told me wether was a girl or as a boy as we thought a boy. Mum did say it would be nice to know if they had discovered pet was a girl to let us know. With rehome parrots it can be difficult to know boy or girl, we rehomed him as boy, but suspected could be a girl and vet after he died told us could not tell.

 

Vet telling us pet had died of kidney failure resulted in all references to pet to suddenly change to a girl......hence why we asked again, as he was signed in as a boy. Just odd, would think if telling us did die of kidney failure, the vet would at least if as told us had no idea of sex, refer to our pet as what was assumed by us for many years, boy, unless had indeed found was girl.

 

We asked to be let know if had found after all he was a she due to vets response prior and email diagnosis and they dont want to answer that so far.

 

Just odd

[WingedAngel19]

Just come back from weekend away and mum is very distressed.

 

She got email not from practice manager as promised, no copy of xray or blood tests done.

 

The email from the vet has turned her upside down. We got a call to say the xray was fine etc.....and they were waiting on the blood tests etc......Turns out the email from the vet says parrots heart was small and liver appeard hard, signs of dehydration but certainly not fine as was told when called.

 

The vet goes onto describe how he acted in best interest of parrot and found him not needing euthanasia at that point, so we accept we did right thing going with what vet suggested in hoping to find cause and get him well from what told, that bit has reassured mum it was not overkill or unkind to put hiim through it.

 

The blood tests are anothe issue. We got call as said, telling us blood tests were done and waiitng on results which would tell what was wrong as already explained by vet, can show infection,cancer,organ failure etc..... so they were done. Turns out the bloodwork had been split into two on the bill,just trying to decypher. avian lab profile and EVDS test although described on the admission form we had no chance to read as PU/PD.

 

Email to mum states that she along with vet decided not to send of the bloods as would not affect the result.As in I assume pet had already died euthanised. So rightly mum thinks hang on, was told earlier that day the bloods had been processed and waiting on results. pet was alive, eating, looking positive!!!!! Why at that poing would they decided to not process the bloods, what if pet had had treatable infection or at least if was going to die, after the event bloods would have given detailed breakdown of why?

 

Mum worries either bird had already died or they had given up on him...........but even if she is wrong which is possible for a good vet practice after researching both of these tests are same day results, why would they delay the most significant diagnosis helpful one when pet was still alive.

 

The itemised bill shows the lab avian profile was charged for and a EVDS test refunded. Now mum and I was only told it was blood tests, no better description and well we had no idea what checks for what till now. I dont know wether the lab profile was done within the surgery so have asked again for the offical results based on it was, or for an answer why both were not sent off at same time if were not inhouse tests, as in why send off one and delay other.

 

In either case if pet was to have had any hope based on positive phone call received, and blood tests results waited for, you could fairly understand out assumption all was being processed, as in why did they not send of the EVDS and profile or just EVDS if that one was handled outside practice.

 

They have ignored our requests for the official blood results and now we find one of the diagnosing tests was not even sent. They also said mum made the descision to not send it off as would not change the outcome. Ahem......listened to call recording and no where was blood tests mentioned other than as an answer to mum. Did the blood tests confirm what you state cause of his illness as in kidney failure and this was answered yes they did.

 

If they had sent off the other test albeit pet would have still died later that day, then we could have been told if was caused by infection, cancer etc.... I also am concerned if pet had survived slightly longer any appropriate treatment would have not been given as quick as could have been ,due to them not sending off the blood test promptly.

 

Why would any decent vet practice allow you to be told the xray was clear/fine when infact showed the organs were under strain and that the bloodwork showed kidney failure, when part of agreed tests (blood tests) had not even been sent off.

 

Not just that, they dont seem able to want to send proof of the test results and I have to ask myself, was the xray and blood tests not actually done?

 

We were also told call recorded. That pet was seen to have gone dowhill and needed oxygen when called prior to euthanasia and mum asked had he fallen from perch etc as was prior told alert and eating and her reply was no. Email from vet tells us pet was found unresponsive and unconscious basically on floor of cage, so he had either collapsed or fallen depending on cage. Not a simple matter of during check had found him deteriating, he was unconscious!!!!!!!! Mum suspects he was dead already.

 

We are struggling because we know no more than we did when admitted him. We ourselves had done reserch re the excess urea,not eating much,drinking a lot of water and their possible causes. Kidney failure. Mum suspects whilst no matter what was done, pet may have still died, they way the practice kept us informed, from start of permission to treat, next to refusing the cash up front, to less than sympathetic response to decent payment plan has led mum to look into it more and on doing so, concerns were raised which were not money orientated at all, but made us realise they perhaps were telling us what they thought we wanted to hear.

 

Only on asking for copies of xray and blood works, did it come out the discrepencies along with no copies being offered for tests they were happily charging for. Alright seems they have refunded the latter blood test after his death, but at no point was mum involved in this or was it mentoned that it was a refund due to the blood test not actually been sent off in the first place!!!!!!!!!!!! Despite told results on the way.

 

Now mum has been upset but actually I feel she has been going up or down. The small reassurances she did get during his treatment in the short time they had him of one day, seem to have had too many inconsistancies. But we know one thing the practice are prompt in asking for payment, prompt in refuting a very decent payment plan (still not resolved, practice manager said would get back to us re descision friday and nothing happened) Then we get vet response contradicing what the phone calls to us described during his care.

 

At least peat is not suffering and we have finally managed to dismantle his two cages and put them out of house.Walking past them empty was very sad.

 

Mum has recorded all phone calls, we have the calls telling us one thing and the emails contradicting them.......Odd they went shy providing copies of tests and now have gone temporarily quiet re payment......I am not saying the vet or we was wrong in suspicion of what killed him but we had a right to surely know for definate and without the blood tests you cant....still a guess apart form organs were failing but no official cause due to not sent of the tests.....and this was days prior to even mentioned the issue re payment issues.

 

Mum had to ask for itemised bill they didnt offer it. It is only just looking at the file of that we notice the refund re the blood test and I suppose the vet had to explain. We had not mentoned we had noticed it, but suspect they thought we had. Surely no test results means they have no right to charge for them especially due to them contradicting themselves so much over one day treament. Not as if could confuse paitients and in same breath I think they did keep calling him a she.....

 

When mum raised this issue they basically said it was out of them rather than not to refer to him as an IT !!! Yet an IT, when he was admitted as we had loved him a HE albeit not dna proved one way or other.......

 

Apologies for bad typing just back from weekend away, shattered.

Edited June 15, 2014 by WingedAngel19

[WingedAngel19]

Pet was a boy for 14 years with us, how hard was it for vet to just refer to him as he? how many get IT or she in emails I wonder whilst we were happy if happened to be found girl during tests, but it was not essential and knew requried DNA test. Mum did wonder wether on close check they had found an appendage missing hence the she referal ;-) No to protect owner from the IT label

[maddiemay]

I can't help much, except to say loved pet does have a name, so should be referred to as such, regardless of gender!

 

Maybe you could take over the correspondence for mum, it's very raw for her still, and this is not allowing her to grieve.

 

A couple of questions:

 

Did vet put pet on drip immedietely

Were there any perches in the cage at the vet.

What was the initial diagnosis

Was the diagnosis confirmed with test results

What tests were carried out, and how long did it take for the results to come back.

What treatment was given

What was the official cause of death

Does vet still have him

 

I wouldn't worry too much about a payment plan, but I would send one final e-mail to them informing them that you need copies of all the official documentation they have on this unfortunate incident. Notes, tests carried out and results, official cause of death, and anything else they have relating to this pet. Tell them you will be in touch regarding payment once you have had time to go through the information.

Ask them to keep hold of the little fella until this is resolved.

 

I think you both just need to see everything to reasure you that everything was done to save him, the decisions you made were correct, and the vet was not negligent in any way.

I think then, you will accept losing him.

As I said before, them agreeing to a payment plan is not important, but if mum is worried, set up a standing order and pay them a minimal weekly/monthly payment, they will then have no reason to involve debt collectors or courts as a regular payment is being made!

 

These are the things I would ask if I was in this situation.

Feel for you, lost my beloved cat last year, but I at least did have the confidence in my vet to know everything was done that could have been.

[WingedAngel19]

We do know he was to be put on IV I think that night.We were not allowed to be with him whlst they did it,mum did ask,but accepted their no best not to.

 

We found out today that the bloodtests for or at least part of, the part which diagnoses long term conditions and infection etc....was never even sent to the labs. Despite them taking the blood earlier that day, they did not process it, which suprised us as on research it is easy to find this test gets a day turn around result priority.

 

They did not appear to be in any haste to find out wether had infection, yet would not put him on antibiotics till aware of if and what infection was shown. But again mum will never know what triggered infection or long term condition, as the test was never sent, yet they had informed her results were awaited.

 

Mum has written a detailed concise letter to the practice manager explaing whilst she does not blame them for him dying, she does blame them for the distress they caused her by saying one thing yet doing another, along with not being able to use the birds name or telling us he was in one of their freezers, when she asked why he had not been cremated yet as per her request.

 

She points out when offered large ammounts of cash from new customer towards pet care they should accept it not refuse it and get heavy when emergency at home happened which took the money still in her purse, it would have prevented any payment stress from the vets. She points out anything required to be signed she now knows they should have not rushed her into it,but a few seconds explaining it, then later she does not need to wonder why it says this or that on the form. Yes owner is partly responsible too here, but when told pet urgently needs to go on IV sign this to permission to treat, you sort of just do it.

 

She is disgusted by the vet refering to bird as an girl to later find no sex change found and not informed mum, but does not want to say the word IT refering to parrot, when they knew his name.

 

She is not giving up re the test results, she wants them. If they noticed her birds heart appeared smaller than usual, then you would think that was worth of informing her of, not just all positive.

 

Disgusted and waiting for response. We have not named the vet practice to be fair to them and given them a chance to properly respond and have only said we have posted on a consumer site. Not sure if practice is aware of this thread as we have been careful not to even mention the birds name...........She has lost two parrots now, one due to vet negligence and she didnt even complain as too distressed many years ago. The vet cut the birds claws back too far and were not in a terrible state, just needed trimming and due to her rehoming him and bird nervous,though best to a vet....The vet did not listen to her, kept cutting and half an hour later the bird had bled to death in a towel. The vet still charged for the butcher performance and mum was too shocked to argue and left it at that due to deep bout of depression.

 

This time we said not again but avian vet will know what they are doing. The practice let us down in keeping mum properly informed and she will never now know what caused his conditon, was it what we dreaded long term but did not see due to his great stature plumage or was it more few days of overpowering infection hit him hard and organs failed. Even if bloods had confirmed he had long term condition we had not noticed as gutting as would be, it would have been fact and mum has already been contacting other bird owners to make sure they get regular bloods done and weigh their birds to keep an eye. We had had him 14 years, followed all the recomended feeding, but no one had ever told us he needed blood tests done, as obvious as might sound to a parrot owner who does do such a thing, there are many who do not know.

 

First sign of illness might be too late, so if one person heeds her warnings, bird will not have died in vain if was long term condition. Mum just hopes he did not suffer for long and her condtion will not let her think well I suspect was a short illness, MH looks on the dark side.

 

Awaiting practice manager response.

Edited June 15, 2014 by WingedAngel19

[maddiemay]

Oh dear, your poor mum must have no faith in vets whatsoever now.

 

I don't understand why pet was not put straight on drip, bloods taken and tested and treated accordingly, surely that's what happens in all emergency vet care at the very least!

 

Maybe you could let us know what exactly it is you want from the vet, you say you don't think they are to blame for the death (I would think differently to be honest)

Keep us posted

[WingedAngel19]

Finally sent the avian blood profile in response to mums request and xray

 

AST ...

BA 172

CK ...

UA 1488

GLU 9.8

CA 2.13

PHOS 3.34

TP 31

ALB 12

GLOB 20

k+ 2.2

NA+ 134

 

 

 

 

QC OK

HEM 0 LIP 0 ICT 0

 

 

 

 

 

Still troubled why they did not send the other important test off to the lab, but vet is saying will get back to us. We have the xray too but obviously means nowt to me, but mum wanted it.

 

Vet practice does state they work with a famous safari park animals, so we trusted them as obviously experienced to be let near them. After blood test issue answered hopefully later, perhaps the surgery cold brush up on its people skills/communication and keep owner properly informed with accurate updates and then perhaps another mum wont get so distressed on top of loss.

 

They are answering us now, wondering how they explain not sending the bloods off ?

Edited June 16, 2014 by WingedAngel19

[maddiemay]

Very interesting read, I would definitely be asking more questions surrounding pets death!

 

http://www.parrot-and-conure-world.com/taking-bird-for-a-blood-testchemistry-profile.html

[WingedAngel19]

Mum is still having problems with the vet and they are blanking her when requested parrots notes on more than one occasion. She wants the notes bearing in mind the file should not be too large as he was only in thier care 24 hours to answer discrepencies.

 

She plans to complain to the vet regulatory body and the financial ombudsman re the practice.

 

She has in the meantime paid them 1.00 on the 1st of month whilst account in dispute and the latest invoice mentions again the charge for credit is 10% per 21 days and it seems to me they just make it up as they go along as the permission to treat not read at time only mentions a one off credit charge of 10%.

 

If they are potentially pushing people into credit agreements when happy to refuse 400.00 then surely they have to meke their credit agreement clear ?

 

Mum is very distressed over this and cannot see why they are happy to refuse 40.00 per month when on benefits. They seem to want to see her finances and proof of benefits and if not paid off in full, threaten to pass the debt to a third party. So mum instead is just paying 1.00 as it seems she despite illness is to be harassed in about three months wether pays 1.00 or 40.00

 

We will not let them get away with this!

 

I will post the permission to treat and invoices soon to show how no information is given whilst they happy force you into debtors prison due to circumstance. Why didnt they take the 400.00 is what troubles mum,she had the money and is being expected to be humiliated by third party dca in a short while when tried to prevent any problems prior to any treatment given!!! Aghast but sadly accepting you cant trust anyone these days.

Edited July 4, 2014 by WingedAngel19

[maddiemay]

You are being very fair to the vetinary practice by paying a token payment whilst awaiting requested documents. I know it's hard but mum really should not be worrying about Debt collectors, just make sure you are covered by having a paper trail.

Write and send by signed for post

 

I do see your point about them refusing the payment of £400 on the day, but I suppose they hadn't completed the treatment and had the invoice ready at that time, it's not necessarily so they could charge you interest, they couldn't have known ( nor your mum obviously) that the money might not be available at a later date.

 

I wouldn't press them, you've asked for paperwork, which I imagine is a perfectly acceptable request, you have a right to know what treatment was given and the exact circumstances surrounding the pets death. The ball is in their court now, but I would remind them from time to time, that you are still awaiting the requested information, but in the meantime you/mum will continue to make the token payment of £1 per month. You should also remind them that mum has a mental illness, and is still grieving for the sudden death of her pet, and you request that the matter is not passed on to a 3 rd party for collection, as this may have a detrimental effect in her health.

Information required

Cost of initial emergency consultation

What tests were carried out, and the results.

What medication was given and cost

Cause of death

Cost of overnight stay, was it intensive care or normal (I/C is about £40 per night, normal is about £15)

When was pet found

This is all information any self respecting vet would want you to know, you shouldn't have to beg for it.

 

Tell mum not to worry, nothing bad will happen

 

X

[WingedAngel19]

Finally got a copy of our parrots notes, shocking to say the least.

 

Despite him on birdy intensive care, he was only checked on every four hours !!!!

 

We were told when singed permission to treat that he the vet would personally be checking on him all night as he was so sick and it was touch and go. No notes re the night are there, I need to check again to double check but the following day checks are only Four hourly which has shocked us........not the impression he gave mum when handed him over.

 

The practice manager alst stated mum gave permission at time of euthanasia to not send the bloods off re the important test. We can see from his notes that the only reference re to this was the following day after he had died and not by the vet, but someone else. Anotherwords where the practice manager stated there were notes on the system to explain mum had given permission to not send off on day of euthanasia and to the vet, which meant the bloods were not send with courier that same day, in fact this is not true, first mention is the following day, and it did not take place and by which time the bloods would have already been collected if what stated by practice manager was true as in they would have sent them off had we not agree no point .... They probably did not think we would argue with them and just accept pet had died, but fact is we already knew there was a urea issue with our own research which made us rush to vets, we needed to know what had caused it and how serious and could he survive, hence the second set of tests were to be done as per advice of vets and we were told these were needed prior to him getting any form of if required antibiotics etc.....

 

I therefore dont trust the entries on the notes, because mum is quite clear, she did not state not to do the test and the time they said she stated it suddenly has changed to the following day!!!!!!!

 

The vets have no excuse not to have sent the bloods of re our parrot.......I suspect he as mum does he was already dead at that point prior to call to us, or why did they not have his blood to send off when had already taken it supposedly...... Its as if he was already found dead in his cage and explaining four hourly intensive obs would show neglect, so tell us what they thought we would want to hear. As in they found him struggling, dashed to do their best and we made descision to euthanase. I agree with mum, its likely he was already dead and the sad thing is we will never know the truth.

 

Four hourly obs on intensive care, no wonder he was found lying on bottom of cage, they were not watching when he declined in health. Why tell us one thing and notes state another? No wonder we dont now trust a word they said

 

Practice manager will have to answer for the difference between our recorded phone call and what he stated we said as apposed to what was actually said and the fact even their own notes make the first mention the following day after euthanasia.

Edited July 25, 2014 by WingedAngel19

[WingedAngel19]

Edited as makes more sense.

[WingedAngel19]

Or he died soon after xray bloods taken........Hence vets would I can only guess have though what is point of the courier picking up second test to lab......

[maddiemay]

I really don't know what to say, I know I wouldn't be paying the bill until I was convinced they had tried all they could to save him.

 

Maybe someone else could advise a way forward with this.

 

So basically they did nothing to try and save him, didn't even send the bloods off!

Just left him alone throughout the night to die! I would not be happy if this was my pet, something is not ringing right here.

[WingedAngel19]

If the practice manager was not trying to put so called agreed instructions in our mouths which did not occur, we would not be thinking what else happened or did not happen. What do they expect? We will make official complaint soon.

[WingedAngel19]

I agree maddie they get one quid on the first of month only again. I plan to complain about the vet and the nurse and the practice managers attitued stunk. They seemed more interested in interest charges despite refusing payment in advance and came across very very uncaring which made me ask more questions as the bill was a shambles with charges added,removed and I asked what was the charge for. Thank goodness we did as it proved they are happy to state mum stated an instruction which did not happen !!!!!!! Thing is we cant help but imagine what a sad demise our parrot had, dying unchecked for periods of four hours a time.....

 

Had we been told checks would be four hourly in parrot intensive care we would have taken him home, made him as comfortable as possible and allowed him to die in our care or euthanased him on the spot of first consultation if told he was suffering too much. We were told afterwards re first consultation that they did not feel he was needing euthanasia at that point and look what care they gave him.

 

Wonder how many parrot owners would want to put their bird in so called intensive care knowing left unchecked for periods of four hours.........?????

[WingedAngel19]

Mum Contacted the regulatory body today and made formal complaint and I listened in. They are sending out the required form for us to fill etc.... Mum Told them basically what happened and they at first tried to say we dont deal with the financial issues etc.....just the care issues we had raised, but she added surely a new customer to a vet not given chance to read form, told sign here for permission to treat and then due to unforseen circumstances and admitted by vet refusal of cash in advance of many hundreds, did they not have any power to say what they should be doing re, making sure they word the form properly, as in not just permission to treat.

 

Making sure new customers were told that if payment was not made in full they charge 10% compound interest a month without informing you and indeed on permission to treat worded form there is also a small tiny passage stating an admin fee of 10% is charged if not paid in fulll. It also does not state 10% a month, just appears a one off admin fee. Also if this was pointed out to mum she would have again offered they please accept the hundreds in advance due to us new customers and a fair distance away.....

 

So regulatory body then added they could look into re was not offered form read through, just sign it and we will wisk pet in to intensive care.

 

We have raised we do not understand why vets allowed call to me stating xray fine and clear, when there were issues, that could be told to me re size of organs and pets notes do state it was issue that was re looked at again by vet and then dismissed as issue. But to be told the xray was fine was not acceptable as along with told he was eating and all looking good, we though my parrot was going to make it!!!!

 

To be fair the nurse did state the blood tests were the crux and would let us know more what was going on and then they did not send off the test and stated she decided that with the vet, which she did not.

 

Notes on file showed bloods were not to be processed, way after which time their supposed courier would have picked them up. So I have reason to suspect the 4 hourly checks, which does not mean intensive care to me along with the not sent off bloods leaves me to feel pet had already died. Though I know I will never be able to prove that.

 

It just feel like it smells and the poor care issue re intensive checks not done and just bashing us over the head re the outstanding balance when offered payment plan due to them refusing the cash and the house flood taking it as it was well there in mums purse at time, just that perhaps they could have compassionately dealt with it a bit nicer......

 

I understand there are many nice vets out there and being owed money must be a frustration, but we have been left no clearer as to why pet died now, as to what was wrong with him due to our own research prior to rushing him in. We have learnt nothing other than if had to rush pet in in similar scenario I would have made mum force the money on to them.

 

It is sad that the fact our parrot has died, has been lost to them.....He was in their care less than 24 hours and there are only notes he was checked on four hourly in the day and no notes re the night prior check wise. Mum keeps imagining him thinking we had abadoned him with no love to die, when in fact it might have been kinder to have kept him home and just made him confortable......But we were hoping after all he could be saved, which is why we rushed him in.

 

She still occassionally thinks she can hear him talking, perhaps he is looking down from on high knowing we loved him and trying to tell her.....! Thats how I'm comforting her now. Its getting a little easier now his cage has been taken apart and removed as she occassionally forgot and went down to feed him.

 

She has told the regulatory body she is not one of these people after compensation as it was mentioned by them that they arbitrate in that cause.......she just wants this not to happen to anyone else from a supposedly vet practive with high reputation but poor customer and parrot care in our opinion. They could I am sure easily learn by the mistakes of this case, one easy one dont just say what you think a person wants to hear, stick to the facts.....that rules out false hope

 

Will see how we get on, thanks.

[WingedAngel19]

Mum has emailed the vets and ponted out this thread is here with them not mentioned name wise as yet. She has offered them the chance to come on here and if they disagree with anything she has posted to please say so as long as use their practice name and location. This is how determined my mum is that she is now angry about the distress caused over the treatment of her pet.

 

How many people would to save a few (less than 40.00) pounds not bother to send off tests which could let you know why your beloved pet died and how would you feel to realise that descision was taken out of your hands, yet you feel the guilt of not knowing how your bird became ill or what the cause was. Was it sudden or long term? To never know and feel you failed your pet is awful and to be in position of not knowing any more information than what you had already researched in advance of arriving at supposed specialist vets. Not forgetting intensive care was four hourly checks, certainly painted as a different service to mum, he was in the right hands she thought, now feeling he died possibly after left on bottom of cage slipping away since last check.

 

Imagine being told all looks good to get a call only hours later with we found him needing oxygen painted a caring image to soon find he was found on bottom of cage unconscious prior told he had not fallen of perch, how did they know they were not there for him....Intensive care my bleep

 

She has been offered to rehome an unwanted healthy parrot, she said no, despite now knowing she should regulary weigh the bird even after caring for one fine for 14 years, she does not want to go through same thing again distress wise. An unwanted bird could have been offered a good home, mum is too hurt to in her view risk her looking after another bird, incase it was her fault over the years, rather than sudden but life threatening illness, she will never know and I sadly see her cry..... A parrot to a true lover takes up part of your heart, I miss him too. Perhaps a person with no MH issues would get over it better, but even I can understand why anyone would still be angry at what happened.

 

Note to anyone dealing with vet or anything important for that matter for record, please record your calls, it matters when you can prove what was or was not said.

 

Sorry if seem a little descriptive re my mum, but clinical depression affects the whole family so she taking it badly, affects us all on top of losing our pet.

[WingedAngel19]

I have suggested to mum that whilst she is not a person who chases compensation, she should ask the regulatory body to consider the ethics of firm asking for such a large bill with us having no proof they did actually care for our bird properly, they certainly did not care that the practice manager added extra distress to my mum. Chariging for intensive care and giving no proof of anything intensive at all more appears lazy. Charge for still one blood test with mum having no understaing of what parrot died of, can only be guessed due to second test not sent. Willing to say mum made the descision to not send off the blood test when she did not.....Shocking. Perhaps they deserve no money at all? Our distress seems to count for nothing with that firm.

 

Would you want your pet in their practice? I watched a harrowing programme re vets on tv a couple of years ago, cant help but compare to that due to lack of compassion and more care for payment than client informed fairly.

 

Will leave it there till complaint reply.

[WingedAngel19]

Mum sent the complaint off to the regulatory body and heard no reply,but put that down to takes time to investigate.

 

Today got another letter from vets despite ongoing complaint stating added 34.16+40.56+44.52 compound interest on top of outstanding 369.45 bill and that would normally take us to court but allow 15 more days to pay!!!!

 

Mum phoned the RSVP and the complaint was confirmed but as I had not received a complimentary notice of receipt in all likely hood the letter had gone missing in the post. So no panic but they would send another and this time best to send it registered post, but was an ongoing complaint.

 

Phoned the vets out of courtesy to state that their letter was wrong in stating there was no complaint made, but that phone loggs RSVP would confirm there was, it was simply matter of letter missing in post or something similar, but ongoing, so please refrain threatening court we were hoping to say. He was brief and she did try to ask him to confirm wether he was aware of the discrepencies of information between their vets and myself re pets care and he said he was not willing to go into it and was quite abrupt. At the same time they are happy to threaten mum (who has mental health issues) with court this morning unless pay their unfair extortion whilst at the same time never knowing why our pet died, due to them not sending off the blood work to the lab, he was not interested in discussing it and she met the same brick wall as did when tried to converse with him before pet likely even cold !!

 

I am now angry that mum has been put through this and despite us rehoming a beautiful kitten to keep her company, she cant stop thinking about her parrot and not knowing how he died, blaming herself. I am sure had the circumstances not been a phone call the morning giving hope and all was looking good, just waiting for the blood tests and slightly later asking for permission to euthanase, mum would not have freaked out over the flood in the kitchen forgetting the first rule find the stop cock, rather than freak out and call an emergency plumber....With MH issues these things happen

 

Even if in different circumstances, as in no issue of birds death but had difficulty with repaying the vet bills, forgetting she had twice tried to pay in full in advance and it was refused. I wonder would they be so nasty again, which is why now after all the distress, when the issue has been dealt with by the regulatory body I have suggested mum sees that solicitor and go after the vets for distress caused with the proof we have as in negligence......Wether we would win who knows, but we dont want it happening to anyone else and what better to make an issue known than a court case locally.

 

Our three counties area for vet exotic specialists if in similar circumstances would be arriving at their door and I would like to think they would be interested in knowing that intensive care for parrots means checked on ever four hours at most. Because in our case that check was hours after his examination and when recovered fine was left to be found unconsious on the bottom of a cage.

 

Mum was told when asked what had happened, that he had been seen struggling and they judged he needed o2 to help at that point, a sort of ah poor birdy, lets help him in one of our intensive checks, no facts were he was likely found hours after tests done unconscious on bottom of cage as emailed happened from the vet........ Mum was told specifically he had not fallen and was just struggling, how do you judge unconsicous....... I class that near dead in all likelihood and mum does too. As for we are here all the time and will keep a close eye, I dont consider four hourly as close at all and when another of their practices to gain information about how intensive was their intensive care check wise, the woman became uncomfortable when mum suggested would she consider four hours intensive for a sick parrot, she sensed what mum was doing, fishing but would you consider intensive care in a hospital as once ever four hours when hanging onto life by a thread, I certainly would not....

 

All this harassing mum for payment yet not allowing her the right to know anymore why her parrot died than she had researched herself prior to rushing him in, re urea in droppings, has made my mum go downhill health wise. We trusted them with our pets life, they gave us false hope after xray, then dashed it as quick and we found out whilst only in their care 24 hours, they had only checked on him rarely....He was a 14 years in our care and a parrot is not just a pet, he is a personality within the house, loved and knows he is loved and we left him where we thought was safest, kindest. When turns out kindest would have been to make him comfortable as possible or euthanased there and then if intensive care was not to truly mean intensive care.

[WingedAngel19]

Forgive paragraph issue, type it into forum with paragraphs and edit it so, but keeps appearing as one hunk, sorry. Site playing up possibly, odd grey page with computer coding appears. By the way may sound obvious, but if when ask for reassurance the care your pet gets is intensive and you are reassured, yes dont worry we are hear with them all the time checking on them verbally for reassurance, ask form minutes as in what will show on records, because you may find akin to a hospital record, facts show up and may shock you. I personally describe intensive as perhaps every 20/30 mins especially after intensive procedure or all the time as they suggest would be at least ten min checks......whatever their description may have been taken differently if they had been honest and said once every four hours, but we would not have left our bird with them at all then!!!!!!! Mum cannot get it out of her head, that in all liklihood he was dead when they called her when found unconsious or even worse still the night before, she will never know. Begrudged multiple times requested xray could have been of a dead bird for all she knows she says, her trust is gone, sorry

 

Royal college of london in recorded call mum has just made after explaining her parrots symptoms,procedures agreed and circumstances of death and lack of information and blood tests not sent off, were shocked, infact you could have felt it down the phone 'OOh Oh!!!!!' There should have as I expected to have been someone with our parrot all the time especially as on drip and recovering from anethesia. Also after covert call to vets as they would not give me any information prior, confirmed all checks should be recorded on pets notes. WHY WAS OUR BIRD ALLOWED TO LIE FOR POSSIBLE 4 hours.......which explains why we have met discrepencies explained then and since in our opinion based on research and calls done.

 

The vets only seem interested in money.......Its horrific that it could happen to someone else