Trying really, really hard to keep my cool...

[Cara]

Some of you might remember our puppy Maggie got bitten by a rattlesnake a couple of weeks ago. After two days in the vet, we went to collect her. I bent down to look at the puppy in the cage below her, and the tech told me I should wash my hands after touching it; that puppy and its littermate in the cage opposite had Parvovirus!! Needless to say I wasn't going anywhere near either of them.

Maggie was acting fine until Saturday. She had her booster shot, but was looking lethargic by Saturday night. She hardly moved all day yesterday, and would not eat. She threw up and had diarrhea. Today she was still not eating, so I took her back to the vet. They diagnosed her with Parvo

They tried to cover their asses by telling me that she could have picked it up anywhere, it wasn't necessarily from those puppies. It must have been a strange coincidence that 7-9 days after being exposed to those puppies she is sick with the same illness, when the incubation period is 7-14 days and we have never had Parvo here. We're 52 miles from a town!! I was shocked and worried and just wanted her treated ASAP so didn't throw a huge fit, but now it's brewing. My husband is livid, and has called another vet to ask if he will take her in and treat her as he wants nothing more to do with them. We've been bleaching, throwing toys and bones out, just acting like crazy people. Our others will go to another vet tomorrow for booster shots just in case. I guess tomorrow we will go and get her and take her elsewhere; I just can't believe a vet would be so lax to risk this happening, then refuse to accept any responsibility

 

[KierBri]

and they put her next to them WHY??????

 

[lurky]

OMG....... That is horrible. I hope someone can offer some advice on where to complain. That is as unprofessional as they can be. I think they should be held responsible for the cost of treatment for your dog.
You have every right to lose your cool. They should be offering to cover this on their own

Nobody in this world takes responsibility anymore........

???? better business bureau???? consumer protection????? one of them should be able to offer you guidance.

 

[Guitartists]

I'm so sorry!

How irresponsible!!! I can;t imagine any vet not knowing better than to thoroughly quarantine a sick dog like that from ALL of the others!!! I hope you puppy is ok!

 

[Emzyyy]

I would throw a tantrum right then and there if they put my dog in the same room w/ them.

Hope she gets better.

 

[krcote]

I am an emergency veterinary technician. What that vet clinic did was immoral and unbelievable. Normal procedure is to isolate dogs with parvo in an isolation room. Anyone who enters the room should be gowned, gloved and bootied to prevent the spread of this horrific virus. The fact that they even let you touch another animal in their hospital (you didn't know any better) AND it had parvo AND it was right next to your animal are all things that should never have happend. I do believe you should take legal action against this hospital. They actually told you that the animal had parvo- they cannot even deny anything. There are rules and regulations that hospitals have to follow and they clearly are not doing so. Im am very sorry to say that what your dog now has can be deadly, and usually will cost a large amount to treat. More than anything I hope your dog lives a long happy life but besides that the hospital that put your dog in that position pays what what they did. Please keep me posted.

 

[porteryork]

I cannot believe that happened.

I would call your Department of Agriculture, Pet Protection division (I think) and report them.

Keep us posted and Lily (my lab mix) and I will be sending good well prayers to your pup.

 

[tx_dane_mom]

I don't know that I would allow them to treat your pup, but bringing them to another vet will only insure you pay for something THEY are responsible for. As far as revaccinating your others, if they have been near her since she has been home, they have already been exposed and re-vaccinating them is rather pointless. Just keep an eye on them, but if they are adults, odds are they will be fine.
Best luck with her,
kristi

 

[Cara]

Does anyone know who issues vet licenses? Would it vary from state to state? I'm thinking I might be getting in touch with them about the issue.

I didn't touch the other dogs luckily, but being that close to two infected dogs i'd think it would be almost impossible for a 9 week old puppy not to get infected. They said that they thought the antibiotics for the snake bite would keep her healthy; she finished the course of them on Saturday morning and was sick by Saturday night

 

[crtrlovr]

insanely inexcusable to put TWO parvo + puppies in with any other animals.

Those w/ communicable diseases should have been in ISOLATION with NO contact w/ other animals, and their caregivers should take isolation precautions / bio precautions (gowns, gloves, boots to be donned going in and removed coming out) so as not to expose/infect other animals. I'd be taking a deep breath, then having a long, controlled talk with the vets at the clinic about how they plan to reimburse me for my expenses I've now incurred due to their recklessness. Good luck