Accident at Vet's office
 

Our little girl yorkie, Bailey, is almost one. She needed LP surgery (back right). We consulted with our reg. vet then took her to an orthopedic surgeon for consult. So we waited a few weeks so we could block off time to be here with her as much as possible the 1st week. We dropped her off one week ago, paid $2000 and left her for a one night stay. Later that day they called and said surgery went great. A few hours later they called and said they thought the IV cord had wrapped around her paw (left front). The paw was very swollen and they were on top of the situation. The next day they called, said it looked a little better they would like to monitor the situation over the weekend. We hated to leave her but thought it was best, they're doctors. We were going to visit but thought that it might be too hard on her to see us and then to leave. So we picked her up Monday, after a weekend of talking with dr.'s 2-3 x's a day. She had bright pink bandage on the hurt paw. They said to return in two days to change bandage. She could get around pretty good considering she had two bad legs and a cone on. We got a play pen type thing from pet store to keep her in when we weren't watching her. So we return 2 days later and said we did not want to leave until we see her paw under bandage. Well basically it's come to this. She may very possibly have to lose her paw. It is in pretty bad shape. Very dark and cold. They kept bandage off, we are continuing hydro therapy at home with massage. We asked them point blank-are you going to amputate. They said they hope it's a conversation we won't have to have.
We went to our regulat vet yesterday b/c we trust him more. He thinks she may not lose whole paw, just part. There is still some blood flow.
Needless to say we are very distraught. My husband feels like it's his fault for wanting to fix her limp. Have you EVER heard such a story?? Please keep Bailey and us in you prayers. One week ago she was a feisty little girl and now she can barely get around. We are just hurting so much for her.

Oh my dear, I am so sorry for you and your husband. First of all tell your husband that the reason why he wanted to fix her limp is because his daddy instinct knows that limping means pain and he didn't want her to suffer...he did the right thing.

At this point, I would seriously consider taking her to a vet school or a specialist...while I am glad you have confidence in your vet etc., I think an independent opinion outside of these folks would be a wise idea at this point.

Things can always go wrong or happen, based on what your describing I'm not going to venture to guess what happened to your baby, I would hope a specialist can shed some more light on whats really going on.

Also, I know this is not the time to think of this but if that surgeon or someone is his practice made an error, I would think they should offer to help defer some costs. Keep all your bills and receipts.

I'm sorry this happened to your baby but just remember she is happy to be home with you right now and she knows her mom and dad love her and are just trying to take care of her...please seek the advice of another vet/specialist..please.

I would take her to a University of Vet school where they work everday with animals

I am so sorry you are going through this with your little one. I pray that her paw can be saved.

Oh my goodness that poor baby. :(. I would be very upset with that vet. I think I would take her to a specialist and ask the vet who injuries her to help with the bill. Praying she recovers without having to loose any of her paw.

I definitely agree with checking with a Vet School, as mentioned above. I had a furbaby with a hole in her heart and my local vet referred me to the vet school in Auburn, AL. There was such a wealth of knowledge there - I was so impressed with them!

Sending get well thoughts and hugs to your sweet Bailey! Hugs to Mom and Dad, too!

:( I am so sorry to hear this. I hope that they do not have to amputate that paw...sending positive and healing thoughts your way for you and your baby.

I have "pm'd" you.........

Im sorry that is terrible

That's awful. I'm sorry. :(

Sounds like the thing or something was wrapped very tightly around her paw until it cut off circulation to it for a significant period of time. It sounds like she went improperly observed for at least an overnight period or longer to have her paw end up like that!!! Part of observing a dog is to view all limbs for just this type of thing in a sedated dog with tubes, blankets, etc. lying around it. This sounds like malpractice to me.

I am so sorry this happened to your baby girl and I hope she will not have to lose her paw.

I am so sorry this happen to Bailey. I hope that you get the help you need for her to save her paw. Hugs

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

I do not believe the IV tubing wrapped around that paw so tightly as to cut off blood flow long enough for tissue damage to occur...the needle would have been dislodged from the insertion site while what ever vigorous activity was going on that the tubing was being wrapped so tightly around that paw. Obviously, the puppy was NOT being observed for extended periods of time for this to occur....whatever happened. Sounds like to me perhaps a tourniquet was left in place....? Or the blood supply was cut off secondary to improper, poor positioning during surgery....excessive pressure applied on the pressure point in that paw....this warrants aggressive follow up....negligence, at the very least.

I am so very sorry your little one is going through this.
Keeping you and your furbaby in my prayers.
Please keep us posted.

I am so sorry this has happened to your baby, and I am keeping all of you in my prayers!!

Sounding prayers for sweet Bailey. My thoughts are with you all.

I think they should have realized what probably happened to that paw & what could happen as a result and called you in to show it to you right away and suggesting you get your dog to a specialist to try to save the paw. It must have been initially quite swollen, reddened & grossly indented where the gross compression occurred. To have waited as long as they did to not have you in so you could take further measures for treatment is unconscionable. I know there can be spontaneous vascular collapse in areas of the body and such but from the way you've described this, it sure sounds like a pure case of lack of adequate observation of a sedated animal with known dangers for this kind of thing happening, as there are several ways circulation could have been cut off, including a tech wrapping a tight band of tape around the wrist to secure the tubing if your dog kept chewing or pawing at it, or a length of gauze or anything being left in the cage besides things left on at surgery or tubing wrapped around. But you should have been instantly advised about it as soon as they saw that swollen paw, advising you it could be a very serious circulation situation so you might want to see a specialist in circulation at the vet school or something. I sure hope if amputation is necessary, it is only part of the foot. I am so sorry this happened. It sure makes me rethink leaving my baby at the vet's the night of any surgery or any procedure! If I ever do, I am sure going to be calling and asking that tech rather frequently to be sure the limbs are free of any ligatures, etc., the dog could have gotten wrapped around! And I'll be there at the vet's myself the next morning early to check.

I am keeping your sweet Bailey in my prayers and so hope they don't have to amputate anything. Hugs to you both and please keep us updated on how it is all going.

In humans with compromised blood flow to a limb, we keep that limb, ie foot, wrapped in a blanket to keep it warm, and we put nitroglycerine cream on the foot to increase the cirrculation to the area, with hopes of saving the foot....I have doubts they can do that to a small dog....just thought I would mention it ....perhaps it could be a possibility?

Thanks you for all the kindness about our Bailey. Here is where we are now. As we sat here with her yesterday, we thought what else could we be doing?? The paw appeared to be dying before our eyes. So we went up to emerg. vet in our neighborhood. The vet seemed very knowledgeable, she had concise thoughts/answers. She did several needle test on the paw and could get NO blood. She felt sure the paw will not be revived at this point. She felt that Bailey is stable, is on all the meds that she would need at this point and we can wait till Monday morning. We spoke with a surgeon she highly referred and they said we could bring her last night to be watched until Monday morning but as long as they're not going to do anything more than we would we prefer to keep her in our care. If something suddenly changed of course we would get to ER vet immed. Bailey is eating well and taking her meds like a trooper. She is not putting any weight on the affected paw. It is just shrinking. She's on a heavy antibiotic. We have had to come to terms with the fact she will lose this paw and they will possibly take the whole leg. Vet explained several reasons why the whole leg vs. just paw.
At this point I think the whole IV story is BS. And the surgeon who performed the LP now says 'oh we are just racking our brains to think what could've happened.'
Our family lawyer who we've contacted thought maybe any restrains used during surgery were too tight. Very good theory b/c surgery was on right rear and affected paw was left front. She would've most likely been lying on that side for surgery. Any thoughts on that plz chime in!
One thing, besides the entire mess that gets me is this. On Monday, why on earth did they send her home with a bandage completely covering the paw/leg and just say come back in two days and we will change bandage. That was 48 wasted hours when they should've been trying to keep it from dying. We had NO IDEA the paw looked like that. How completely irresponsible. They had done hydrotherapy all weekend, they had to have an idea where this could head.
It's just all so unimaginable.
Thanks again for your support.

Exactly agree with you. You should have been informed the state of that paw up front and brought in to see it and decide what to do about treating the circulatory compromise right then. It's probably unlikely, but maybe a specialist could have saved that paw with aggressive treatment - maybe taking her to surgery, cutting into the tissue, seeing if couldn't get it bleeding, leeches, oh, I don't know what but aggressive treatment to try to start bleeding and circulation should have been undertaken in my mind by a vascular specialist ASAP. Course I'm no vet but this observing it and stuff like that to me was just malpractice pure & simple. Maybe they were trying hot/cold hydrotherapy but I think with the amount of damage that paw sustained, that probably was/would have been far lacking in helping that situation. You only have their word for what really happened and probably only the vet tech knows for sure(and I'll bet it could have been a restraint left on too tight too long) but that surgeon should have checked that baby over before he left for the night and again that morning when he got in & called you the moment he saw that awful paw, whether it was that evening or the next morning if the vet tech didn't report it immediately, which apparently he/she didn't! But you should have been called in urgently, shown that paw immediately it was discovered to be damaged and referred to a vascular specialist for immediate treatment.

I'm sure sorry your little one had this awful thing happen and I know you are surely in shock still. I pray the surgery is as minimal as possible but these little guys can sure get about well on 3 legs. Keep us posted as you can and know that I and others of us will be praying hard for your little Bailey.

That was the first thing that entered my mind...restraint wrapped too tightly on that leg, during surgery....but it has been since the 70's since I was working with a vet, and was in the OR...we used to use restraints but I was not sure they still did that....When that surgeon mentions "racking their brains about what could have happened", suggest perhaps start with the restraint too tight on that paw...let them know you do not believe the IV tubing story for a single minute....I am happy you have talked to a lawyer about this.....so unnecessary and unfortunate....I just can not believe they could be so negligent in 2012!

I'm so sorry, really deeply sorry for your pup and the both of you...this is very traumatic. You are doing all the right things...sad that the surgeon didn't...I don't blame you for being angry or getting a lawyer...they should cover the costs associated with their negligence and improper care...it p's me off so I can only imagine how you feel...

On a positive note we had a lab with 3 legs, my ex brought her home from a coworker and honestly he was a great dog and you would be amazed how quickly and effortlessly they adapt...take care of your baby, hold him and just let him know you are there with him...prayers and well wishes for your little family..

I agree.

I agree. They know what happened. They are playing stupid. This should have never happened. They are hoping you would just take them on their word because they are Drs.

I am so very sorry that you and your pup are going through this.
If this isn't a case of negligence I don't know what is! Why were you not informed immediatley as to what the paw looked like, and told right from jump. They send you home with a bandage and say bring her back in two days and we will change the bandage...WTH is with that! This isn't happening to my pup and I am livid, so I can only imagine how you must be feeling.
It's good that you have spoken to a lawyer, I would be doing the very same thing...these Drs knew exactly what was going on and are now trying to cover their own backsides 'racking their brains trying to figure out what happened' indeed!
Again I am so sorry.

still praying for you and your baby. Such a tragic case that shouldn't have happened. I'm glad you've spoken with a lawyer!