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The passing of Miss Kitty has been so devastating, I cannot think of much else nor can I stop crying. I have been in SHOCK to say the least. After making an appointment and talking to the vet a week after Kitty passed away, things just don't add up. NEVER NEVER NEVER leave your pet when they need you the most. I almost didn't leave Kitty at the vet's office but felt like a baby for not following the vet's orders. Now my baby is dead. Kitty was at the vet's getting some stitches from a food fight. She WAS supervised but not close enough. The large dog had been outside with me and Larry let him inside where there was a bowl of canned food. Larry feels bad because he made a mistake. I was outside working on a Pet Pal's sign. When Larry called me inside, Kitty ran to me and jumped up on me wanting picked up. I took her to the counter to check her over and make sure she was okay. That is when I discovered a cut on the side of her neck. Larry and I proceeded to take her to the vet with Kitty sitting up looking out the car window. The vet said Kitty's prognosis was EXCELLENT. Kitty had a cut on her neck but NOTHING was seriously damaged. Kitty lost very very little blood and her vitals were great. (pets don't bleed to death when their belly is cut open during a spay.) The vet continued to say Kitty would be sore but she would recover FINE. The vet said Kitty was lucky that nothing vital was injured. The vet told Larry that her neck would be a little stiff and sore but Kitty would return to normal. EVEN IF the vet had shown any facial expression, I wouldn't have left her at the vet's office. The vet talked me into leaving Kitty saying she would rest comfortably and to just leave her overnight so she could clean her cut in the morning. BIG BIG MISTAKE on my part which I will NEVER forgive myself for. IF it hadn't been for the vet saying this was MINOR, I wouldn't have left her. Would you leave your loved one (son, daughter, grandchild) at a hospital if you thought they were going to die? Kitty WAS my baby. I would NOT have left her alone. The vet used isoflorine gas and stitched her up. Kitty came around fine and was resting on hot water bottles. When we got ready to leave the vet's office, the vet gave Kitty a shot of morphine saying it was for pain when the pain medication which she had already been given wore off in about an hour. Kitty's death could have been hypothermia when the water bottles cooled off. Never spending a night away from either Larry or I, Kitty could have gone into shock. The vet is saying Kitty's death was from swelling...... yea, let's put her on hot water bottles to make the swelling worse. A poster in the office boasts of VIP service with a monitor like in a people hospital. WHY wasn't this monitor used? We don't know what really killed Miss Kitty and I'm SURE the vet wrote down the proper dosage for the morphine, but how much WAS given? We know the vet SCREWED up. The vet's story is now changing. The vet is now saying she thought about sending us to CSU (Colorado State University) but didn't think Kitty would make it there. BULL SH** IF this was true, this should have been OUR choice to decide whether to take her to CSU. To not discuss this with us was NOT right. IF Kitty was in such bad shape, why did the vet leave her unattended for the night????? Why did she tell us Kitty's prognosis was EXCELLENT??? NEVER, NEVER, NEVER go to a young veterinarian even if it is something MINOR....... NEVER EVER. Most vets do not have the experience with very small dogs. I have heard many horror stories of vets breaking jaw bones during a dental. I NEVER thought SIMPLE stitches would kill my baby. Perhaps this young vet thought calling in another vet or sending us somewhere else, would make her look bad. Well, she REALLY looks bad now and it's NOT over. Oh that's right, there was NO need to call in another vet....... Kitty's cut was MINOR. I have taken a Red Cross Pet First Aid class, Kitty's cut should NOT have been deadly. I have worked closely with a number of veterinarians observing surgeries. This WAS minor. Had I thought for ONE second Kitty's injury was serious, I would have done things differently. This was not our regular spay/neuter clinic vet who agrees many mistakes were made. The closest vet time wise (Cheyenne, WY) was not the one we should have gone to and this was a deadly mistake. We want to encourage ALL veterinarians to understand how important a pet's will to live and their healing process can be helped when pets are in their parents arms NOT left in a cold unsupervised vet's office. Those of us who care, would GLADLY stay awake at night with our "baby" in our arms. We feel bad getting this vet into trouble. We liked this vet and really like the partner who has helped us in the past. What could this vet have done differently? Just TOLD us Kitty could pass away. (Kitty had over 1,000 hours visiting nursing homes and hospitals. I doubt many of you reading this have spent that much time cheering strangers up at health facilities.) Kitty DESERVED to be held as she passed away. Since the vet knew the injury wasn't serious, I'm sure the thought of Kitty passing away didn't cross the vet's mind so ADMIT you SCREWED up. Be HONEST. Don't change your story about Kitty's condition to make yourself look better. Will we be contacting the veterinary board? HELL yes. Update: After making a formal complaint to the vet board, they will not be taking further action. The laws do not cover negligence. What did we expect in this state where pets are shot, drowned and beat to death with no charges ever filed? This vet also told the vet board that she spoke to us about a necropsy which she did NOT do. We were in shock and, of course, now wish we would have had this done. Our hearts are just crushed beyond belief and will never fully recover. EVERY day I cry for her. Does this vet have a clue what she took from us? Probably not and if she cared she wouldn't have left Kitty unattended. I still feel Kitty's presence. I try to scoop her up and she is not there. I hear her happy little bark and she is not there. I look for her showing her teeth in a smile and she is not there......
Kitty was International Certified Therapy. She knew kiss on command and put smiles on faces in many hospitals and nursing homes. Several people's last smile was at Kitty. Kitty LOVED everyone and everyone fell in love with her. Kitty was even featured in a TV commercial. She enjoyed showing off and would roll over, sit up and knew "Stay" while posing for pictures. The following picture won the Mideast States Professional Photographers of America, Inc. Exhibition by Beverly J. Mueller.
Miss Kitty and Nikki Together again at Rainbow Bridge
Flowers, food and sympathy cards have been coming from all over the country. THANK YOU!
Click the above Logo to visit our shelter. Kitty always welcomed each new homeless "kid". She seemed to know they needed us. Below Kitty is washing a face which she loved doing.
Miss Kitty & Friends will ride in a stroller again someday......
Kitty's clothes hang empty. Don't let this happen to your baby. Forward to one of your friends. ~~KNOW your vet and NEVER leave your pet at an unattended vet's office. ~~
