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Worst Experience Of My Life In Vets!

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Many thanks for your enquiry in which we are very sorry to read about your guinea pig.

The veterinary profession is self-governing and, according to the Veterinary Surgeon's Act, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons are obliged to investigate every complaint that they receive. This is not a matter in which the RSPCA has any jurisdiction. The RCVS websiteexplains all about their complaints and disciplinary system and how to lodge a formal complaint.

Thank you again for contacting the Society to express your concerns.

Kind regards
RSPCA Advice Team
 
Not sure how to react to this response:

I am very sorry that you feel that you and your Guinea Pig where not treated appropriately yesterday. I have questioned the Veterinary Surgeons consulting and the Veterinary Nurse on reception yesterday morning regarding your visit.

Unfortunetly it appears that you arrived just as both Veterinary Surgeons consulting started on long and involved consultations for in one case a very ill animal that was in transfer from the emergency service to ourselves, and in the other case an animal with a large number of conditions that had deteriorated and so required a lot of intensive management. As both of these animals and their owners were in considerable distress as your Guinea Pig, and they were being examined and or treated at the time of your arrival, the veterinary surgeons felt it was appropriate to continue with their treatment, and as soon as possible one went to examine your Guinea Pig. Unfortunetly by that time you had left the practice.

My apologies if you feel that the staff didn't prioritise your Guinea Pig, however the nurse on reception did have a quick check and didn't see any bleeding etc, and therefore showed you into a room where you could wait without the stress of waiting with the rest of the clients in the waiting room. I can assure you that we treat all animals equally whether they be a dog, cat, rat or guinea Pig.

If you wish to discuss this please feel free to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

Wendy Reilly BVSc CertSAS MRCVS
Principal Veterinary Surgeon
 
I was left waiting for 30 minutes, no body came to explain what was happening. If I had been told, i would have left straight away thus minimising the suffering of my animal. It could not have been to difficult to come in the room and keep me informed.

After I had been waiting for aprox 20 min i heard an assumed appointment be calls into the consult room. I also heard the vet say "aww sorry I made you walk over here". It appears your version of events is incorrect.

The receptionist taking a quick glance into her carry case, whilst she was wrapped up in a blanket, hardly constitutes checking for blood etc. How could she check without full vision of her? It's impossible. How dare you prioritise my animal based on a quick glance.

Were you state all animals are treated fairly, I think your previous paragraph contradicts that.

The bottom line here is me and my animal were not treated with compassion and respect by your staff. As a result my animal suffered, and for that you should be ashamed.

I require your final response.

Yours disgruntled
 
I'm so sorry that you had to go through that, Rosie too :( But I'm pleased you're not taking it lying down, as so many people do! Rosie and yourself deserve justice and I'm glad you're fighting for it x
 
Thanks for sharing the pics, she was stunning, and i love how she laid. Hope you get good results with the exam and the complaint. xx
 
I am so very sorry about your ordeal with Rosie, I really am disgusted that you were treated this way. I can't imagine how distraught you must of been. It's good that there was an alternative practice that could end her suffering for you. You have done right to report it and I offer all of my condolences, popcorn free sweet piggie x
 
So sorry you went through such a traumatic experience, I hope the outcome is in your favour
Rosie was a beautiful lady - sweet dreams little girl
 
I'm so sorry for you loss, and the terrible experience you have had!

go you for complaining take it all the way!

I had a terrible terrible experience in my local vet once a few years back whereby the head vet and name holder of the vet was treating a hamster of mine, he had a burst abscess (which i had already seen them about before) and so the vet tried to clean the wound. this of course stung and so the little russian dwarfy nipped the vet... who then threw my hamster 6 feet into the air and let him hit the floor! he then nursed his own finger and ignored my hamster who i had to pick up off the floor suffering total shock! (both me and the hamster) anyway point is I had no idea I there were so many things I could have done to complain I never took any action but having seen the comments on this I could have done so much to put this arrogant over priced vet in their place. Boy am I angry at myself now for not doing something about it :( the vet is still successfully running sadly.

I really hope you get this sorted though keep us posted with what happens
 
MyGuineaPigPals said:
I'm so sorry for you loss, and the terrible experience you have had!

go you for complaining take it all the way!

I had a terrible terrible experience in my local vet once a few years back whereby the head vet and name holder of the vet was treating a hamster of mine, he had a burst abscess (which i had already seen them about before) and so the vet tried to clean the wound. this of course stung and so the little russian dwarfy nipped the vet... who then threw my hamster 6 feet into the air and let him hit the floor! he then nursed his own finger and ignored my hamster who i had to pick up off the floor suffering total shock! (both me and the hamster) anyway point is I had no idea I there were so many things I could have done to complain I never took any action but having seen the comments on this I could have done so much to put this arrogant over priced vet in their place. Boy am I angry at myself now for not doing something about it :( the vet is still successfully running sadly.

I really hope you get this sorted though keep us posted with what happens
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Wow that's terrible! It really gets on my wick when vets, even pet shops, react that way to being bitten. You enter a job with animals being bitten is to be expected surely?!
 
Sent the vets this:

As part of your final response, I require the following.

1. The Investigation report.

2. Emergency Policy & Procedure.

3. Full Details of what qualification the Nurse on Reception that saw me and my Guinea Pig holds and how long they have been with the practice.

4. Full detail of the Body (s) the practice is registered with.

5. Complaints Procedure.

I've had some very useful legal advise. I will be going the whole hog with this.
 
Well done in taking this further. All vets should be accountable for their treatment of animals. No one in this world is perfect. If no one complains then the vets actions will never improve. I am so sorry for what you had to experience - so distressing for you .
 
Another fob off:

I can understand that you feel that you and your animal where not treated with the priority that you feel was required. I can assure you that we do take the care and treatment of all animals very seriously and try our hardest under all circumstances to treat both clients and their animals with care and compassion.

I can only apologise if the circumstances of a very busy Monday morning prevented this from happening quickly in your case. Please accept my apologies for this.

Yours sincerely,

[REDACTED]
 
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PiggieWigs12 said:
Wow that's terrible! It really gets on my wick when vets, even pet shops, react that way to being bitten. You enter a job with animals being bitten is to be expected surely?!
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Yep my hamsters are always biting my vets.

Good luck with this, their latest response is definitely a fob off, glad you are taking it further.
 
I wish you all the best with this. They are clearly fobbing you off. Even if someone had come in and said "We cannot see you and in you and your pigs best interest there is a vets around the corner and we will phone to say you are going now" would have been something. I hope you can take them to the cleaners.
 
Glad your taking it further. I cant understand why even a nurse couldn't have at least come out and checked on her themselves to asses how serious she was , even if a vet was "busy". All the best, good luck and so sorry you had to go through this. :(x
 
That looks like a standard reply letter that the practice must churn out hoping the complainant doesn't take any further action.

They have not addressed your queries that you detailed earlier in your thread.

Making complaints is rarely easy as the vets will not want to admit they were at fault. But they could admit their process needs reviewing when an animal arrives in an emergency situation.

You could write to them again or write straight to the RCVS with details of your problem and how the vets failed to evaluate and respond adequately. They appear to have prolonged an animals suffering which goes against the ethics of veterinary treatment.
 
indeed, being busy is not an excuse. if they are aware Mondays are busy they should have more staff on, I think they only had two vets on.

When I was sat in that room there was a little window on the door. I looked out three times and the receptionist was only with someone once. Clearly not as busy as they have made out. She could of easily popped her head in to tell me.

Clearly they didn't want me to go to a rival practice. Incidentally, when vets 4 pets opened right by them they put their prices down and loads of posters with offers and stuff went up in the window which they never did before. Clearly this boils down to money. I've spent a lot of money in there over the years..
 
GloriousGuineaGirl said:
I wish you all the best with this. They are clearly fobbing you off. Even if someone had come in and said "We cannot see you and in you and your pigs best interest there is a vets around the corner and we will phone to say you are going now" would have been something. I hope you can take them to the cleaners.
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Exactly, I wouldn't of been happy with it but at least I would have known they were acting in her best interests.
 
worried val of york said:
That looks like a standard reply letter that the practice must churn out hoping the complainant doesn't take any further action.

They have not addressed your queries that you detailed earlier in your thread.

Making complaints is rarely easy as the vets will not want to admit they were at fault. But they could admit their process needs reviewing when an animal arrives in an emergency situation.

You could write to them again or write straight to the RCVS with details of your problem and how the vets failed to evaluate and respond adequately. They appear to have prolonged an animals suffering which goes against the ethics of veterinary treatment.
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Exactly, they have pretty much ignored everything I've said. The part that annoys me "I'm sorry you feel..." YOU FEEL like it's MY problem not their failings!

I've replied insisting she address all points I have made/requested. If it's not done by the weekend I will be speaking with rcvs.

There very much mistaken if I am going to let this go, they have no idea. If I can go against Barclays Bank in court self represented and win a little vets is small fry! ;)
 
I dont think it matters how busy you are, if you work in that type of industry surely you must have a love of animals and their welfare and would be upset to think one could be suffering and on its way for half an hour plus the time it took you to get there. Definately not acceptable.
 
In her initial reply she says one of the emergency dog was a "transfer". So surely they were aware doggy was en route?! I smell porky pies..
 
I just wanted to cry when I read about this; what a horrible experience for you and your piggy.
 
I am so sorry about your loss, poor Rosie.
The way that vets treated you and your furry friend is DISGUSTING, I had never heard a vets be so appalling. Come on people, a poor, innocent animal was dying for goodness sake! Don't just :rant: stand there laughing and joking- not doing you proper job. I am so pleased that you are deciding to take action against them, I just hope you can get a result of what these people have put you and Rosie through.
Agree with @worried val of york, that is how all vets should react in an emergency.

If you need to talk, I am here if you need me :tu:
 
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