Veterinary Experience From Hell

Almost three weeks ago, Habibi and I rushed our cat Mew to one of the local 24 hour emergency pet clinics. It was one of the worst days of my life, seeing my cat hover between life and death, watching my Habibi nearly inconsolable. So needless to say when we got to the clinic weren't in the best emotional state. 

Our talk with the attending vet was one I don't wish on any pet owner. Our choices were, watch her slowly die/have her put to sleep or take out a line of credit through Care Credit so she could get admitted and treatment started. How screwed up is that? What kind of care is that? Aren't vets supposed to put the needs of the animal first and work with their owners to come up with a payment plan once treatment is started?

On Way to ER

My experience with this clinic has shaken my trust in veterinary care to the core. I will now never know for sure if a vet has my pet's need as a priority or if they're just trying to pad the invoice. This clinic uses the emotional state of their clients against them in order for them to sign up for Care Credit, a completely predatory action, one that I find unethical. 

We took Mew in on a Sunday and went to visit her Monday night, it wasn't a visit I looked forward to. I talked with the attending vet earlier in the day and things weren't looking good for Mew, she was still really dehydrated and still wasn't eating. On top of that, they suspected that she was diabetic as well as possibly having liver cancer. Cancer wasn't even something I could bear to think about. It was all too much to take in. 

Visiting Mew

It was really hard to see Mew in her state, the uncertainty of it all. What didn't help ease our mind was that the overnight attending doctor didn't have the best bedside manner. Habibi brought up to him that we suspected Mew might be suffering from prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide poisoning, the vet he wouldn't even consider it as a possibility. I know I'm not a vet, but when a client provides more information wouldn't it be beneficial to look into it? Had Mew been in any better shape we would have taken her home right then and there. Habibi demanded that she placed in oxygen. Low and behold, the next day when we called to see how she was doing we were told she was eating and had perked up.

Space Kitty in the Oxygen Tank

Tuesday night I was on my way to a knitting class when Habibi called me. I told me that he had just gotten off the phone with the clinic. They called to let us know that the cost of Mew's care for not even two and half days was just over $4000. 

$4000.

Angry is an understatement. We were (and still are) furious. We knew she was receiving IV fluids, had been given a liver biopsy (looking back on it I think was completely unnecessary), oxygen (per our request), and had been given two doses of insulin. As for her other agreed upon treatments? No clue that she was receiving any other treatments or medication. We were told she was too weak to get anything other than an IV.

As a pet owner how would you feel if you were told one course of action was being taken and a completely different one was? Betrayed, right? Well that’s how we feel. How can I now ever believe that a vet has my animal’s welfare as a priority?

We have so many unanswered questions. How do we know she needed the medicines that were administered? Were they prescribed because they were necessary for her to live? Or were they given so the clinic could charge us more to our Care Credit thus allowing them to increase their revenue?

Looking at Mew’s records, along with Habibi's amazing research skills. We're unable to determine why they gave her some of the medicines they did, especially antimicrobials. None of her symptoms met they criteria for her to receive them, which are to only be given when there's a sign of severe infection. Why was she given them if her condition didn't meet the standards set out in Basic Guidelines of Judicial Therapeutic Use of Antimicrobials?

How can we even believe her diabetes diagnosis is correct? Their administration of insulin doesn't line up with the 2010 AAHA Management Guideline for Dogs and Cats. Due to this culmination of events, I am unable to trust that Mew’s diagnosis of diabetes is correct.

If this clinic didn't follow industry standards of care for my Mew, how many other people's pets have they done this to?  

After Habibi talked with the attending vet on Tuesday evening, we decided to bring Mew home early. Not because we wanted to but because we couldn’t afford to keep her in hospital any longer. Since bringing her home I’ve been nothing but one big ball of anguish, stress, and anxiety. I feel I’ve failed her because we couldn’t keep her in for an extra day or two. I’m scared to leave the house for extended periods of time because, while she’s regaining her strength, she is still very fragile. I want the vet to put themselves in my shoes and ask them: How would you feel if you went through this with your own pet?

Cleo giving Mew some TLC

We are far from rich. Bringing Mew to the hospital will have lasting financial repercussions. But what other choice did we have? To have her put to sleep? We like the majority of people in our position are caught in a bind. Do we put our beloved animal to sleep because we’re unsure whether or not we’ll be able to cover the cost? Or do we break the bank? No one should be put in that decision space. Especially when they need to come to the ER. I have to believe that at one point the vets really and truly loved animals, but the desire for higher profits changed them. There is something inherently wrong, in using people’s emotions to get them to sign up for Care Credit. Alternative means of payment plans have to be available with lower interest fees that can be used to help with the cost.  

So, if you have a vet you love hold on to them for as long as possible. Good vets who really put the needs of their patients first are hard to find. If you're unsure about your vet, ask questions, do research, and if necessary, find yourself a new vet. If we don't stand up for our pet's health, who will?