Problems with a vet

As most of you are probably aware I work for P@H.

We have a couple of sick animals at the mo who have seen the vet bit I am somewhat shocked by what I have been advised.

Usually our Vets are fantastic, we only see 2 vets, however, both were unavailable this week so I had to see a new vet. We go to an independant vet, not Companion Care.

First case is a lovely little rabbit who was returned to us because she has slight scabbing in the corner of her eye and a cut on her nose. While examining her eye the vet noticed a black spot on her eyeball at the top of her eyeball, she tried removing it with a syringe, flushing it with water through a syringe, then a needle, finally her finger nail. The eye was getting redder and redder and the poor bun was getting quite distressed. She then checked the other eye and discovered it was the same and decided it was just pigment. The Vet prescribed Tiacil eye drops. One drop in each eye, one drop up each nostril? She is yet to go for a 2nd opinion.

Second is a little dumbo rat who has an inner ear infection. She became ill last week and has been backwards and forwards to the vet. When she first became ill she had a small white spot in one of her eyes. I was told this was nothing to worry about. She was prescribed Septrin for the ear infection. Over the next 48 hours the white spot in the eye covered her whole eye, returned to vet and told it was still nothing major. So I decided to take her to the CC vets I use and was told the eye is now a serious abscess. She is in today to have her eye removed but because she is now so poorly she is very high risk. I just hope she makes it so I can go pick her up.

I have put in a complaint to the head vet and to our pet manager, not sure if I'm over reacting because it seems wrong to be questioning a vet :?

Are you saying the vet actually poked a needle shaft into the rabbits eyeball? :shock:

Did she think the rabbit had a tear duct problem? I have never heard of Tiacil up the nose but thats the only logical answer I can come up with.....dont know if its necessarily a correct treatment though :?

YOu are definitely doing the right thing. NOt all vets are trained in small animal care, but will still have a go, resulting in misdiagnosis or suffering of the animal. It could be that she hasn't been qualified long, or isn't experienced in bunnies or rats, either way that sounds appalling. :evil:
In what world is it ok for an animal to go blind, and since when is it safe to poke an animal's eye with a needle? One jerk and she could have punctured the eyeball!

So many people put up with dire incompetence just because they assume that vets must know best, and the same happens with doctors too. You should stick to your guns here. Well done for complaining. :thumb:

hiya my miss mol was taken to the vets bout 5 days ago. and the vet diagnosed a tear duct infection. she flushed her tear duct and a load of gunk came out of her nose. the vet gave us tiacil and said 1 drop in each eye which can be repeated up to 4 times daily.

id be a bit iffy about puttin it up her nose tho, ive never heard of that. but then im not a vet. could you call back for a second opinion?.
x

Not actually poking into the eyeball with the needle, more like trying to rub the black bit (which is meant to be there!) off of the eye.

She didn't think it was the tear duct as the scabbing is where hair should be in the corner. Another vet mentioned hyperkeratosis. I cant spell it, she said like psoriasis is humans where too many skin cells are being made.

When I spoke to the head vet he told me that she is a new intern. I think it's probably her first week as I didn't see her about last week.

I usually trust what a vet tells me, but there were alarms screaming in my head.

Still dosn't seem a good idea does it and without checking the other eye for comaprison first too.


I think hyperkeratosis is supposed be a linked to zinc deficiency....but never heard of it in rabbits. If she didn't think the tearducts were infected then why she would prescribe Tiacil for the nose is beyond me :?

I think you did the right thing to complain, she sounds pretty incompetent to miss the large absess forming on the ratties eye. I would get second opinions on both if I were you.

I never trust vets - join the club :roll: they receive just a few weeks training in small animals - and not all of them are interested in learning more when they leave college unfortunately :? poor bunny and rat I'd like to poke my finger in the vets eye :evil:

what's P@H?

It's a pet shop.

I have got the bun booked in this afternoon. She is going to the same vets but I have her booked in with the head Vet. I want him to see for himself why I had to complain. Ratty has been at other vets since 9 this morning, hopefully I will pick her up about 4.

Would you believe I'm on holiday!! Going to be backwards and forwards between work and vets and home for the whole 10 days!!

Elve, I'll be out of uniform today so I'll give the vets a poke for you!! :lol:

Happy Hopping said:

what's P@H?

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Pets at Home

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At my old practise its not only the vet that was useless, I often had to battle the receptionist to get an appointment. She doesn't like rabbits after being bitten as a child. I complained about her time and time again but guess what?...she is the head vets daughter so they won't get rid of her. Instead I left and took my money elsewhere.

Well,

The little ratty has had her eye removed and is as well as can be expected. It's going to be a tough few days for her.

The little bunny, they have now decided it's ringworm. This is what I said I thought it was the first time she went!!:evil::evil: