Vet refuses to put our dog down, suggestions?

[CityChicker]

Quote:
Oh, Lord.... I totally *know* that type of vet assistant. If everything you are saying is accurate, the assistant was 100% in the wrong. She will not have a job long at all behaving with clients like that. I have worked for a couple different vets over several years and can guarantee you that an assistant that pulled that in either practice would have been terminated. One of the vets probably would have given her one warning. The other would have fired her on the spot without blinking or thinking twice about it.

Neither of the vets I worked for would put down a young, healthy animal, but if what you are saying is accurate- euthanasia could easily be justified by almost any vet. You simply never talk a pet owner into surrendering their elderly, ailing pet over to someone else to find a home for. That is the type of behavior that simply could not be tolerated. She should be terminated. Someone that would do that is NOT cut out to work in a veterinary office.

Editing to add- I'm sorry, I just read further and see you were able to have your dog put down. I am so sorry for your loss and the heartache this assistant caused you. Treating a grieving client this way is just inexcusable. I seriously hope she is severely reprimanded for putting you and your family through this. You should put together a letter saying exactly how it made you feel and send it to them so maybe it doesn't happen to someone else. Again, I'm so sorry you went though this all.

 

[scbatz33]

Quote:
We went through the same thing with our dog, Bo. After months of his rapid decline and doing all we felt was reasonable, we decided to put him down. He was 13 year old mix breed we have had since he was about 10 months old. He was my DH best friend. We had just moved to the East Central PA and had not taken him to any of the local vets. He wasn't due for vaccs and we had been caring for his health the same as when we were living down south and had a regular vet. We had made an appointment and in a human moment we couldn't go through with it. We cancelled the appointment and let him go another 4 months before it was just too sad to watch.

I called the vet back(from the original appointment) and some how in the 4 month span, the cost jumped over $100! We had chosen to do private cremation, fyi, this was not a spur of the moment decision and we wanted him back. Well, I had to call 8 other vets before I could find one who would do the euth. I had several flat out refuse to do it. I had one say they might do it after they examined him and decided if it was right?!?!? What???? By the time I got to the vet clinic that actually did the euth, I was angry and crying.

Fortunately, God saw clear to have one of the office gals answer the phone(not one of the regular vet techs) She too had just put down her older dog for humane reasons. We talked and cried and she made the appointment. We still had to have him examined but the vet was very kind (she has a terminal dog herself) and they were understanding that we weren't putting him down cause we were bored with him. We loved him and miss him every day.

Hell, I still have to stop myself from calling his name when I let the other 2 dogs out to go potty. I have had moments where I almost yell for him and then I remember he is in a lovely wooden box on my DH's desk. (yes, I'm crying now....It's only been 6 weeks since we put him down)

There are plenty of vets/clinics who think they know better than the owner what is best for our beloved pets. I understand a portion of this attitude has grown from people who treat their animals like disposable play things. But there are plenty of us who are deeply devoted to our companions and who only want to do what is right by them. It's a shame there are folks int eh vet industry who can't see past their own "do gooder" mentality to judge each case person by person, animal by animal.

Oh, and Bo, he was losing his sight, hearing and balance. He suffered from what seemed to be a doggy dementia. He lost almost 20 lbs of his 60 lb body in 8 months and his appetite was unpredictable at best. He had horrible arthritis from two car "accidents" in his life and was at times unable to even stand to pee. We held on to him, we suffered with him and in a way made him suffer for us through his pain because we couldn't put him down. It wasn't until he lost all control of his bladder that we made ourselves make the appointment. His dignity was worth more than our loneliness.

The vet we took him to told us he was in the last stages of renal failure. What could be done? Kidney transplant....My dad never got kidney transplant and died a horrible death 7 months in a hospital bed. I couldn't put my dad down, I couldn't save his pain and indignity. I CAN and DID do that for my dog. Shame on these vets for not having better bedside manner and not demanding it of their employees.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack. I'm glad you were able to help your pet and you got it all squared with the vet. My heartfelt prayers go out to you. It's a very hard thing to do, but the right thing for your friend.

 

[EweSheep]

You DID the right thing!

My sister had to deal with that with her cat and she was upset that they would not put her cat down due to illness that no medications can cure her. Now the cat has to suffer every day! Next time the cat is in dire straits, she will take it to the animal shelter to be put down rather than being "all high and mighty" by her vet's assistants. Even her vet thinks that she does not have to put her cat down. My sister said that yes, even she is a young cat of 6 years old but her illness is TERMINAL, kidney failures, rotted teeth and has feline AIDS. Her medications are expensive and can not pay anymore. Why adopt her out with problems and harder for a cat being exposed to new surroundings, new problems and let her put the cat down with the family she loves and knows! But her vet thinks her cat can be saved with more medications!

I had to put my OLD Siamese cat down after her vet said she needs more medications, it was more than I can afford and the cat had a long life, why prelong it? I took her and my old Borzoi dog to the animal shelter and they asked NO questions, put them down and charged a flat fee for putting them to sleep and disposal (we can not bury our animals in the city...it is against the ordiances).

 

[TriciaHowe]

Quote:
Wow, I would think that the "assistant" should have been severely reprimanded or fired for her actions!!

It really peeves me that she thought she know what was best for your family pet.....
I am very sorry for the loss of your precious dog and may she now have no pain

 

[duckluck]

Quote:
We went through the same thing with our dog, Bo. After months of his rapid decline and doing all we felt was reasonable, we decided to put him down. He was 13 year old mix breed we have had since he was about 10 months old. He was my DH best friend. We had just moved to the East Central PA and had not taken him to any of the local vets. He wasn't due for vaccs and we had been caring for his health the same as when we were living down south and had a regular vet. We had made an appointment and in a human moment we couldn't go through with it. We cancelled the appointment and let him go another 4 months before it was just too sad to watch.

I called the vet back(from the original appointment) and some how in the 4 month span, the cost jumped over $100! We had chosen to do private cremation, fyi, this was not a spur of the moment decision and we wanted him back. Well, I had to call 8 other vets before I could find one who would do the euth. I had several flat out refuse to do it. I had one say they might do it after they examined him and decided if it was right?!?!? What???? By the time I got to the vet clinic that actually did the euth, I was angry and crying.

Fortunately, God saw clear to have one of the office gals answer the phone(not one of the regular vet techs) She too had just put down her older dog for humane reasons. We talked and cried and she made the appointment. We still had to have him examined but the vet was very kind (she has a terminal dog herself) and they were understanding that we weren't putting him down cause we were bored with him. We loved him and miss him every day.

Hell, I still have to stop myself from calling his name when I let the other 2 dogs out to go potty. I have had moments where I almost yell for him and then I remember he is in a lovely wooden box on my DH's desk. (yes, I'm crying now....It's only been 6 weeks since we put him down)

There are plenty of vets/clinics who think they know better than the owner what is best for our beloved pets. I understand a portion of this attitude has grown from people who treat their animals like disposable play things. But there are plenty of us who are deeply devoted to our companions and who only want to do what is right by them. It's a shame there are folks int eh vet industry who can't see past their own "do gooder" mentality to judge each case person by person, animal by animal.

Oh, and Bo, he was losing his sight, hearing and balance. He suffered from what seemed to be a doggy dementia. He lost almost 20 lbs of his 60 lb body in 8 months and his appetite was unpredictable at best. He had horrible arthritis from two car "accidents" in his life and was at times unable to even stand to pee. We held on to him, we suffered with him and in a way made him suffer for us through his pain because we couldn't put him down. It wasn't until he lost all control of his bladder that we made ourselves make the appointment. His dignity was worth more than our loneliness.

The vet we took him to told us he was in the last stages of renal failure. What could be done? Kidney transplant....My dad never got kidney transplant and died a horrible death 7 months in a hospital bed. I couldn't put my dad down, I couldn't save his pain and indignity. I CAN and DID do that for my dog. Shame on these vets for not having better bedside manner and not demanding it of their employees.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack. I'm glad you were able to help your pet and you got it all squared with the vet. My heartfelt prayers go out to you. It's a very hard thing to do, but the right thing for your friend.

I feel for ya, and I'm sorry for your loss, but I have a real problem with vets using the excuse of "determining if it's the right thing to do" to do an exam on an animal that the owner wants euthanized, even if it *is* because they are bored with it. I don't like the idea of people killing animals any more than the next person just because they are bored with them, but the reality is that most shelters are overrun with animals that people got bored with or didn't want to care for, for whatever reason. The admittedly hard but ultimately humane thing to do would be to euthanize the animals that they are getting paid to do by the owners who are hiring them, unless they would like to donate all their time and training to euthanizing animals in shelters...of which many are healthy and happy animals who simply have the misfortune of not being adopted within a certain time limit. I can see some people not having the fortitude to see their animal through the right way and wind up dumping them at a shelter instead, because the vet didn't want to do the euthanasia. This really bugs me that people are having to justify their actions for doing the right thing the right way.

 

[duckluck]

Quote:
Well, look how it is on television now, how we can't watch a program without seeing some sort of advertisement or infomercial about some pharmaceutical...don't think the drug companies don't know that the way into our wallets is through our hearts, and they don't even have the stopgap of an insurance company in most cases for pets. I surely think they put the same kind of presence out there with the vets that they do with human doctors...it's just sickening when you are sitting and waiting to see the doctor, with a waiting room full of people, and they are running behind but they'll take time to see a drug company rep who just happens to pop on by with a briefcase of samples. I'm real leery of the medication bandwagon, because you always have to ask, at what cost both financially and physically?

 

[b.hromada]

Wow, what a sad story.

I'm glad you were able to have her put down. You know your dog better than some vet assistant will ever!

I feel for you. Just last month I had to put down my almost 9y/o 1/21/10 Great Dane down too, she would have been 9, . She had gone into congestive heart failure, and with this breed, it is common, especially in their old age. Its very hard, but its the most humane thing we can do for our pets.

I know, we asked the vet if we were doing the right thing, and he said yes. I mean, we could have tried some kinds of medications, go for an ultrasound, etc., but for what, to postpone the inevitable? She had a great life with us, and my other already 9y/o dane, Patches. My heart goes out to you.

 

[Haviris]

I didn't read all the way through (wow 6 pages), but did you not have a vet who'd been treating her and was familiar w/ you and her? My oldest boy will be 10 next month (great dane), he's gotten very weak in the back end, he poops on himself or in the floor several times a week, and has a major lick granuloma we can't get healed. He can't climb the stairs, get in and out of the vehicle, and falls trying to come in the house, BUT he's still got alot of life and isn't quite ready to go just yet, however, I know if I called my vet and told him it was time, he'd do it. If I desided to put my dog (Havoc or one of the others) for humane reasons, I'd never even consider letting someone else take them or find them a new home, it's being done for the good of the dog, and if they are suffering w/ you, they'd still be suffering in another, would they not? That part of the story bothers me, and to be honest it wouldn't matter how healthy they are, I wouldn't rehome a dog at that age. And leaving my dog behind wouldn't even be a consideration, when Havoc goes he's being buried right here at home (actually if I have to put him down I will most likely have a vet come here and do it, if not they will do it in the vehicle).

I have no idea how most the vets here would handle putting down a healthy dog, but I know atleast one that would do it. They had someone bring a healthy 6 year old schnauzer in to be put down because she was so obese she was having trouble controling her bladder, all she needed was a diet and she'd have been fine. I know the vet tried to talk them into letting her rehome her, but they insisted and she was put down.

 

[sfw2]

 

[KotaDVM]

I am very sorry for your family's loss, thirteen years is a long time to have a dog and I am glad that you did not wait as long as most people if she was in such pain. I am also a veterinary technician/vet student and my butt would be in the unemployment line if I pulled that crap at my hospital. It is not our place to intervene- it is solely the veterinarian's decision on whether or not to perform an ethical euthanasia. She overstepped her bounds big time!