Question:
I am very concerned about recent events that occured over the weekend and I need some advice. On Friday April 13th I left my house to go to the dentist. Had dinner with some friends came home about 9:30p.m. When I arrived My 16 month old bullmastiff was acting very strange. Lathargic not moving well (limping) not wanting to play or acknowledge anyones presence disoriented vomiting and he had loose stool. After continuously checking him out top to bottom I decided it was time to call the E.R. Vet. We arrived at the vets office shortly after 10:30 p.m. He had fever and she said his intestines were swollen and he most likely had an infection. She gave him a morphine like pain shot and a shot of antibiotics. Told me if he wasnt better the next day to bring him back. Sure enough the next day no different. I called and told them he was no better he was getting worse by then he could no longer barely stand. So we took him back. The other vet saw him and said maybe he had a blockage in his intestine that I needed to take him home and give him this bayrium type medicine and bring him back at 8a.m. Sunday morning for X-RAY and ultrasound. The vet then gave him another pain med shot and another antibiotic shot. Needless to say Sunday morning when I awoke to take him back to the vet he was dead in my bathroom. I called the vet we took him in for an autopsy. The cause of death was heart attack brought on by a ruptured intestine...a chicken bone had been lodged in his small intesting note: I did NOT allow my dog to eat chicken bones, so I am baffled on how he managed to get it. I was told by the vet that even if they would have found the blockage on Friday there was no saving him. Is this true? Shouldn't they have performed an ultrasound that first day? I have read articles how animals with blocked or ruptured intestines have had surgery to repair the intestine. I am devestaed at the loss of my "child" and now I am feeling betrayed by the vet who vowed to me that he would do whatever he could to save my baby. I just want some answers on could this be a case to where by the time I noticed something was wrong was it too late, or could something have been done? Thank You for your help.

Answer:
omg, I am so sorry this happened to you. How devastating.

I have no idea if he could have been saved had they looked on friday or not, but honestly, if I brought my dog in with a blockage, I would hope they would be able to do something.



Answer:
What a terrible ordeal. If I'm reading right, your vets were negligent. From the moment they there was even the possibility of a blocage (which they should have figured out on the first visit), they should have been in emergency mode. Could they not have scanned him instead of waiting around for a barium picture? Very strange. If you are planning legal action, good luck, I think they let you down.
This is so sad, my deepest sympathy.

Answer:
I am so sorry for your loss.

Maybe the vet was negligent. I don't believe that an ultrasound or xray would definitely show a chicken bone in the intestine. I'm pretty sure that it would still be possible for it to go undetected.

Did the vet ever suggest a referral to another facility with better diagnostic testing? Did the vet ever ask if you wanted to leave your dog overnight? Did they suggest any other procedures that you opted out of, such as surgery?

I think that it's very common for us to want answers to everything when a death occurs. You miss your dog and wish that more could have been done to help him. That's totally understandable. Could the vet have done more? Maybe or maybe not. Medicine is based on science, but a lot of it is still a guessing game. Unfortunately in most situations it simply isn't possible to assess a patient and get a definitive diagnosis. In many cases a patient may be sick for weeks or months before a doctor can diagnose them properly. Unfortunately in emergency cases, time is of the essence and your poor boy just didn't have enough time.

My heart goes out to you. I'm so sorry about your boy. It's so unfair to lose them when they're young.

Answer:
Originally Posted by glitterless
I am so sorry for your loss.

Maybe the vet was negligent. I don't believe that an ultrasound or xray would definitely show a chicken bone in the intestine. I'm pretty sure that it would still be possible for it to go undetected.

Did the vet ever suggest a referral to another facility with better diagnostic testing? Did the vet ever ask if you wanted to leave your dog overnight? Did they suggest any other procedures that you opted out of, such as surgery?

I think that it's very common for us to want answers to everything when a death occurs. You miss your dog and wish that more could have been done to help him. That's totally understandable. Could the vet have done more? Maybe or maybe not. Medicine is based on science, but a lot of it is still a guessing game. Unfortunately in most situations it simply isn't possible to assess a patient and get a definitive diagnosis. In many cases a patient may be sick for weeks or months before a doctor can diagnose them properly. Unfortunately in emergency cases, time is of the essence and your poor boy just didn't have enough time.

My heart goes out to you. I'm so sorry about your boy. It's so unfair to lose them when they're young.

I thank you for your condolences. The only thing the vet suggested and did was the pain meds and antibiotic, He also mentioned X RAYS and ultrasound because he thought it possibly could be a intestinal blockage,but said we had to give him the bayrium drug and wait 8hrs before it could be done. The problem like you said my Bullmastiff didn't have that kind of time. We were taking him in to get his X RAYS and ultrasound the morning we dicovered his body. They never offered to send us to another facility or keep him. I begged and pleaded with him to do the ultrasound Sat. morning, but he insisted that the bayrium had to be in his system for at least 8 hrs. So I brought him home with the expectation of waking up and going to get his tests and then whatever they needed to do they could do then and fix him, it was just too late by Sunday.

Answer:
OMG,I am sooo sorry,poor pup
I find often,if owners are not willing to go for Ultra Sounds,X-Rays etc...the vets will give antibiotics and hope for the best.
This was not the case with you,I don't know if your pup could have been saved,but I agree with the others,I think the vet was negligent...the puppy should at least have stayed at the hospital,maybe they would have noticed his discomfort.
Still,your puppy is gone and I am very,very sorry

Answer:
First of all, I am so very sorry that you are enduring this tragedy. I find this situation odd. Obviously your poor guy was in dire straights when he was examined at the emergency clinic, I am very surprised that they let him go home when he was showing so many signs of not being right. They even found his intestines were swollen, and surely they knew it could be a consequence of a blockage. Even if they did need to administer a barium (I question that also) before an xray, considering his condition, I think they should have kept him at the emergency clinic overnight.

My Minpin was admitted to an emergency vet with vomitting and severe diarreah. They strongly suggested that she stay there for IV fluids and tests, actually, they didn't really suggest it, rather said she would "need" to stay at least one night, possibly two until she was healthy enough to go home. I didn't question it, as you probably wouldn't, you just want your dog better no matter what. They did a "routine" xray to check that she didn't have a blockage, and as far as I know, it was done immediately, without barium, as I certainly didn't have to wait 8 hours. This is what I find weird. They also would not let my Emmy go home until the vet was certain she was okay.

I am sad for your loss, but I do wonder why they let you take your dog home, when it is obvious that he needed to stay in hospital. This is exactly what emergency veterinary medicine is about, recognizing emergencies, and treating them. Unfortunately your dog had one that they didn't recognize, and I believe that they should have erred on cautions side. A sad story.

Answer:
OMG..what a terrible tragedy...I can't believe they didn't even take xrays...I never had any dog go thru what your poor baby went thru. I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm actually speechless.

Answer:
From previous experience...... an ultrasound does not require barium nor does an xray. If barium were to be used on xray, the usage we've seen is for mega esophagus where it's administered and xrays taken every 30 minutes to follow the progression. Barium after 8 hours of ingestion would show stomach and intestines more effectively but a simple ultrasound would have given you that as well.

I'm very sorry this happened to you. I would suggest you request an inquiry by your veterinary association into this.

Answer:
For all the imput. After hearing opinions here, and talking to many many other vets, some which were helpfull and some didn't want to "get involved" I have made a decision. I am taking legal action. It is not money I want. I want this vet held liable for the neglegent care my dog recieved and maybe just maybe no other pet and their owner will have to suffer like this. Everyone that I know keeps asking me "How much was he worth?" On and on and my answer is simple in reality that vet nor anyone else has enough money to replace his value in this family.Then I ask them a question, How much are your children worth? It is the same. Well I am off today to get all the records I will need for the attorney on Monday. Thank you all for your help. Sarge's mom.

Answer:
I just read your posts now and I am so so sorry for what you and Sarge had to go through. My deepest condolences for your loss.

I also feel the vet was negligent. Good luck with your legal action.

Answer:
I believe you are doing the right thing,for your own peace of mind and also to ensure this vet will not let this happen to any other animal.
To the vet who made this fateful desicion,it's probably just another dog who passed,but to you and your family a devestating blow.
$$$ value of the pup is of no consequence,how do you measure the value of years of love and devotion

Answer:
I am so sorry for your loss

What a heartbreaking thing to happen, and I really think that X rays could have been done. A friend of mine's pup just recently had surgery to remove a bowel obstruction (a plastic ball-like thing) and it certainly didn't take that long to figure it out and get it out of there.

Helix also just had an episode of diarrhea and vomiting- luckily, his bowels were not distended and he did not have a fever, plus he was eating, drinking and acting normally, so the vet didn't think it was necessary to do the x-rays and blood work (and we agreed). But he did warn us that if he worsened or did not get better that we should bring him back ASAP. He was perfectly fine the next day, and we are so grateful he was. Your story emphasizes how quickly a pup can go downhill from a something like a bowel obstruction and hopefully inspire others to take their pets to the vet when something is wrong- and hopefully they will receive better care.

Answer: