Having worked a few years in a 24 hr animal ER, nothing this vet did sounds out of line to me.
Yes, many times surgeries are put off until a specialist is called in the morning, if it is determined that the animal is stabile and can survive.
Most Animal ERs are not 'fully' staffed overnight. Occassionally vets/specialists are called for advise or called in for surgeries that cannot wait. There are specialties in Vet Medicine, one is Emergency medicine. One thing you don't want is to have all your vets tied up in surgeries that could have waited till morning when you have more emergencies on their way in.
Many Animal ER's do not have all of the most up to date equipment. Even if they did, having everything needed does not save all animals, even when their conditions are not as life-threatening as others. Stress is a major factor.
When an animal is hurt, they go into fight or flight mentality. People do too. The difference is, you can tell a person, hey, we're here to help you, you're going to be okay. They will understand you, in most cases. Animals don't understand, their bodies and minds stay geared up. They don't understand that the vet and all the strangers around them are trying to help them, especially when they are poking and prodding and sticking needles in them.
And they don't do this with people? Last month my DD's feeding tube started leaking. The feeding tube is the only way she gets nourishment and her medications to control her seizures. She got to the ER on a Friday afternoon. The doc determined she needed to be put under anesthesia to have her tube replaced. This surgery was put off until Monday(?). An IV was not started on her till the next day, so she had no 'food' or meds for close to 24 hours. She was admitted to the hospital for 4 days before the tube replacement, so she needed to be weened back onto her normal daily rations, which I did at home. By the time I found my way back to the waiting room, the surgery was done! This couldn't have been done on Friday? |