Urgent petplan & broken leg advice please

Hi.

Really asking for some advice on this one please, I'm absolutely heartbroken and in tears writing this. My male bun Harvey was neutered yesterday! Today he went for his post op check up as he wasn't eating. Whilst there the vet was quite hard with Harvey trying to restrain him. In doing so Harvey has now ended up with 2 breaks just below his left back leg knee!

I'm so gutted.. And heartbroken how she could of been so rough with him. I took out 1 month free pet plan insurance for Harvey which typically ended yesterday, I phoned up to renew this.. But does anyone know where I would stand with putting in a claim? Would I be covered as it was under the free insurance?

Also my vets are denying all knowledge of the vet incorrectly handling him and I have been given 2 options, they want to refer him to a specialist as they do not feel confident in doing it themselves due to him being so young or I get his leg amputated!

Can anyone please help me, I really don't know what to do!

That's appalling. The vets have to take responsibility - how can they deny they caused it? I'm not sure your insurance will cover it unless he was covered on that day, but the vets need to pay for his referral. Ask to speak to the practice manager and see if they have their own insurance in place (they will)? There's no reason he should lose a leg just because a) they're careless and b) they're not competent enough to mend the damage. Bunnies can and do cope with three legs but it can cause problems in grooming etc later and I wouldn't actually trust such a useless practice to operate.

Hopefully someone with more knowledge of regulatory bodies will be on soon, ie who you should threaten to report them to if they don't refer him on and cover the costs themselves.

I assume they've got him on painkiller meanwhile? Poor bun and poor you.

Hiya,

Sorry still can't sleep.. And I know I really so so sorry for him and raged at the vets, they really are useless! Yes he's currently on metacam, they have tried to splint it and have kept him in for the night. He's only 4 months old, it's so harsh!!

I'm hoping to meet with the clinical director this morning, and really do have my fingers crossed they will cover the costs, but when speaking to the manager last night.. He was trying to make out that he thumped hard. But I was there and he didn't.. It really is my word against his! He's broken 2 bones below his knee, surely if it was through stamping wouldn't it be his foot instead? I'm just trying to find out as much as I can before I see him!

Not that I would do this, but my head is all over the place thinking, just to ask do you know if breaks can heal on their own if they are under pain relief?

Thanks so much xx

It may be worth ringing a competent vet for a second opinion on whether the breaks could be splinted and heal naturally, especially as he's such a young bun.

Before you speak to the director I would also get in touch with whoever vets are answerable to - suggest you put up a new thread saying 'urgent - what's the official body vets are answerable to?. or something better worded. Also research (another thread?) whether it is even possible for a rabbit to break a foot by stamping (even just photograph it, or say you only want it because they're contesting it so you shouldn't have to pay). Keep or ask for a copy of the x ray - that may be evidence in proving how his foot got broken. I would imagine stamping would cause a different looking break. I would NOT let them operate on him. Explore other options first. Also, is he now eating? They should be monitoring that carefully. Did they give him pain relief to follow up after the neutering? If they had you probably wouldn't have needed to take him back to the vets at all - either way they're guilty. I do hope you can get it sorted...

Good luck! xx

I agree wholeheartedly with what Tinsel has said. What an awful situation to find yourself in I do hope your poor bunny's leg can be saved.

If the free insurance cover was in place when the incident occurred then I'm pretty sure Pet Plan will honour the cover, I've read of a big pay out on here during free insurance period. If your new insurance starts yesterday it might depend on the timings of when, if you took it out before the incident etc. I would think you are very likely covered as accidental damage is covered immediately.

This is the body you would complain to:
http://www.rcvs.org.uk/document-library/making-a-complaint-to-the-rcvs-about-a-veterinary-surgeon/

But it would take months, you wouldn't get anything sorted in the timescale you really need answers. I'd definitely say stick to your guns re them taking responsibility, as Tinsel says they WILL have insurance and if they have anything about them they will use it to save this poor bunny's leg.

Re the stamping and breaking a leg - absolute rubbish. I've read an account on here of a rabbit breaking his leg whilst stamping but when s/he was x-ray was found to have a tumour in the bone so the bone was weak, I remember a veterinary opinion at that time that there was no way a healthy rabbit could cause such a break. I think we can assume that the x-rays will confirm that there was too much force rather than it somehow 'spontaneously' occurring.

Whereabouts in the country are you? Do you have any idea which specialist you'd be going to? Edit again: just seen you are in Berkshire, may be worth asking for specialists in your areas. Fitzpatrick Referrals springs to mind (Godalming), don't know if that's too far?

How awful for you and your bunny! You need to stand your ground and insist the vet takes responsibility. Definitely follow up with an official complaint but for now I would insist they pay for your referral - I wouldn't trust them with yor rabbit anymore

Bunny Buddy said:

I agree wholeheartedly with what Tinsel has said. What an awful situation to find yourself in I do hope your poor bunny's leg can be saved.

If the free insurance cover was in place when the incident occurred then I'm pretty sure Pet Plan will honour the cover, I've read of a big pay out on here during free insurance period. If your new insurance starts yesterday it might depend on the timings of when, if you took it out before the incident etc. I would think you are very likely covered as accidental damage is covered immediately.

This is the body you would complain to:
http://www.rcvs.org.uk/document-library/making-a-complaint-to-the-rcvs-about-a-veterinary-surgeon/

But it would take months, you wouldn't get anything sorted in the timescale you really need answers. I'd definitely say stick to your guns re them taking responsibility, as Tinsel says they WILL have insurance and if they have anything about them they will use it to save this poor bunny's leg.

Re the stamping and breaking a leg - absolute rubbish. I've read an account on here of a rabbit breaking his leg whilst stamping but when s/he was x-ray was found to have a tumour in the bone so the bone was weak, I remember a veterinary opinion at that time that there was no way a healthy rabbit could cause such a break. I think we can assume that the x-rays will confirm that there was too much force rather than it somehow 'spontaneously' occurring.

Whereabouts in the country are you? Do you have any idea which specialist you'd be going to? Edit again: just seen you are in Berkshire, may be worth asking for specialists in your areas. Fitzpatrick Referrals springs to mind (Godalming), don't know if that's too far?

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It's worth at least ringing them and also telling the director you will DEFINITELY be pursuing it with them if they don't cover your bun's immediate referral to a competent vets. It may take months but the threat of it may still carry some weight. Also worth quoting independent vet opinion mentioned here that no healthy rabbit would break its leg in that way. Also, there are two issues now: 1) breakage 2) Lying to cover it up.

I do wish you luck! xx

I have no further advice than already given.

Yes, accidents can and do happen but they should own up and take responsibility for it if the rabbit was in their care.

I hope you your bunny will be OK and I certainly would not be allowing that practice to look after him. Ask on here for any bunny savvy vets in your area and get a referral/second opinion from them. They will be able to get x-rays etc sent to them.

Thanks everyone, yes we're meeting him this morning and I'm deffo going to stand my ground, I'm taking my partner with me too and he's not afraid to say what he thinks. First thing we'll do is get them to admit to liability! And keep adding the pressure saying we will be putting in a formal complaint & perusing this and we want Harvey referred. They have suggested somewhere in Swindon, can't remember the name but I'll find out today & come back to you. We'll take pictures of the x-rays and get him brought home once he's had some more painkiller! Once I have the piccies, if anyone has any great vets out there id really appreciate knowing and like you say get lots of second options.

Thank you so much xxx

Just done a quick search for bunny savvy vets:

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...et-wanted-Swindon-***&highlight=savvy+swindon

The above thread mentions "John Chitty is highly recommended, but he is in Andover". I have heard of him a few times on here so worth considering if you are near there (just put his name in the search field)

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...bit-savvy-vet!!-yey!!&highlight=savvy+swindon

If it's Great Western Referrals I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole either (sorry). Hoppetylop has had terrible problem with them.

Edit to add: I can't find the thread in question but it's about Harry, I'm guessing the thread has been removed as it's now a legal matter.

I don't have any advice but I just wanted to send you some support. You and your boy are having such an ordeal, it's horrible.

Everyone on this forum is really supportive, so please do come and chat if you need to.

Sending healing vibes.

xx

I am so very sorry to read this.

I have nothing to add to the excellent advice already given. I do hope Harvey will be OK and I hope that the vet will do the decent thing and accept responsibility for what he has done.

Just to reassure you, in a worst case scenario if the leg cannot be saved, I have nursed two rescue bunnies through hind leg amputation (one had a crushed back leg, the other had been dumped with its back foot snapped off), both coped amazingly well and adapted fine to life on three legs.

Will be thinking of you and Harvey. xx

My vets in Windlesham have successfully carried out amputation (My Wilfred Pamplemouse) so even thought she's not a specialist she's one of the only vets that I would trust my bunnies to. She does all my rabbit work and her surgery is excellent.

I am happy to give you names of others Ruth in our area if you wanted to message me on therabbitcrossing@yahoo.co.uk

What a shocking thing to happen

Sending you lots of luck today xxx

Hi everyone! Wow, thanks so much for you advice and support, it's really appreciated!!

Well I did meet with him, hes a complete tool, me and my partner stressed how this was the vets fault, he was still sticking with his story of Harvey thumping his feet, which he didn't.. Instead when they we're taking his temperature up his bum he was wriggling and this is when they restrained him and obviously did it! He said he still needs to speak to the vet in question as they haven't even discussed it which I was raged about. But he did agree 'as a one off' they would pay for Harvey to be referred. So he's obviously guilty and bloody knows the vet was in the wrong!

Anyway he has been referred to vets now referrals in Swindon! The clinical director had already booked us an appointment for 12.30, so we took Harvey straight there. They we're really good with us and have decided to put a central pin down the full length of his fractured bone, which will come out just below his knee with at 90 degrees, with 4 lateral supports, 2 at the top & 2 at the bottom with another pin on the outside to connect them all together, similar to a ladder. They explained the main risk is infection as these 4 lateral pins will be outside his leg. But he will be on a course of 3 week anti-biotics, metacam and gut stimulants. The pins will stay in for 5 weeks and then we have to go back to have them taken out but hopefully in the meantime the bone should grow back, but we'll have to wait and see!

I really am so gutted and heartbroken with my poor little man is going through all this! Does anyone know of any positive outcomes, do you think this will work?

Thanks so much everyone! Xx

P.s once the vetinary practice have paid for his treatment in full, then we will put in a formal complaint about the vet in question, about the practice and if a couple of Facebook and paper articles should arise then so be it!

X-ray:

Aww, I'm glad the referral to the new vet was positive. Remember even if the pining doesn't work out, amputation will still be an option and although that sounds like a big scary thing, generally rabbits cope really well on three legs.

I can't believe the manager had a meeting with you without discussing what happened with the vet first!

Oh, what a horrible, ghastly thing! An awful, awful vet; he seriously injures a rabbit and then won't even own up to it! That break definitely looks like it was done with force. Poor Harvey; such a brave fellow to go through so much. I don't have any advice, but sending vibes that he heals well and quickly xx

I'm glad that the practice are covering his treatment and that he is now under a more capable vet.

I've never had a rabbit who has had a broken leg pinned, but one of my chinchillas has and she bounces around like normal. I just have to be careful with heights from shelves/ledges etc, so that she doesn't try to do any big jumps in case it has left a weakness in the bone.

Sending lots of get well vibes for brave Harvey. xx