Taking Aust. Vets To Court?

[yap]

Over here it's more usual to complain to the vet council, who will penalise the vet if they find they've been unreasonably negligent & can't defend their actions satisfactorily. I presume Aussie would be similar. I have no idea if you could sue a vet in a civil court, I guess you probably could, but I'd think you'd have more chance of getting satisfaction through the Vet Council.

Yes we got reply back yesterday from vet board, so far only vets response which there is a large number of lies in. We can however prove quite a lot for the wrongful death of our beautiful girl. Its been 5mths now & still finding it very difficult to let go of all the suffering witnessed. Only found 1 Solicitor who will has successfully sued a human doctor. he will take case on. Does anyone know of any solicitors that will take on Vets?

You could try ringing the Queensland Law Society (not sure if that is what it is called in QLD) and seeing if they have any members who have dealt with those types of cases, look at those who do human medical negligence??? maybe.

If I couldnt' get a personal recommendation here, I would ring the NSW Law Society and see if they could be of any assistance, they might have lists of people with specialties.

Be prepared for it to be exxy though..

Does the vet board have arbitration procedures, have you had a look at their procedure for dealing with complaints when they are not resolved. There is usually a procedural pathway.

thanks for that advice will look into. all helps.. been searching for months. Law society gave solicitor contacts.

[yap]

I can't speak of the attempt to spey thing, but I'd have thought the removal of the canines would simply have been poor communication, rather than mistreatment. They were obviously a problem to be removed (I cant imagine any vet or nurse wanting to take out 4 healthy canines - its a massive, awful job), so to leave them in and cause pain, would be cruel. But yes, the vet should have consulted the owner before doing so as many owners can be sensitive about it.

The brain damage, well yes, this is awful, but if it was a drug reaction, that's a risk with any GA. It's unfortunately, but a potential risk to any animal receiving any drugs.

Obviously we don't know the full facts or events, but if its just the information stated, I can't imagine a vet could be done for mistreatment of an animal because he removed canines under GA and the cat had a drug reaction.

Take it from 1st hand experience recently vets lie. I have everything in detail & their written response is mostly lies. not turned things around, straight out bluntenly lies to cover up their wrong doings.

[yap]

Obviously we don't know the full facts or events, but if its just the information stated, I can't imagine a vet could be done for mistreatment of an animal because he removed canines under GA and the cat had a drug reaction.

Yes, stormie, which is why I've said it's important to find & read the full details of that case as they were presented. There was action by the Veterinary Board.

All of that would be on the public record somewhere. And people involved in it, directly, would also likely be still around.

Yes I wonder if you can view public record. Public records of bad vets are viewable online in america. Aust. needs to catch up with same.

So many people have suffered through the hands of bad vets & still aust. is only just only touching the surface.

[~Anne~]

Out of curiosity, what was the drug your dog was put on that was banned?

[yap]

That article by Helen Wellings seems to have been written BEFORE the outcome of the case. So it doesn't mention that it was successful.

You really need to find info about the case as it was actually heard & what was the outcome.

They named the vet involved which I thought you are not supposed to do until resolved.?

Wish we could sign post out the front of these vets like america can.

[mita]

Yes I wonder if you can view public record. Public records of bad vets are viewable online in america. Aust. needs to catch up with same.

So many people have suffered through the hands of bad vets & still aust. is only just only touching the surface.

Public record includes print newspapers. And that's what I meant in this case. I originally read about it in the Courier Mail newspaper where it got attention when the case was presented & when an outcome was reported.

So tracking back newspaper archives for around 2004, would find it. You could phone the Courier Mail & ask how you could access their archived copies. Also, sometimes, the librarians in local council libraries can be very good in helping you track down information.

[yap]

Out of curiosity, what was the drug your dog was put on that was banned?

Florinef- states for human use only by the tga

[yap]

Yes I wonder if you can view public record. Public records of bad vets are viewable online in america. Aust. needs to catch up with same.

So many people have suffered through the hands of bad vets & still aust. is only just only touching the surface.

Public record includes print newspapers. And that's what I meant in this case. I originally read about it in the Courier Mail newspaper where it got attention when the case was presented & when an outcome was reported.

So tracking back newspaper archives for around 2004, would find it. You could phone the Courier Mail & ask how you could access their archived copies. Also, sometimes, the librarians in local council libraries can be very good in helping you track down information.

Thanks heaps for that will take that on board.

[asal]

Over here it's more usual to complain to the vet council, who will penalise the vet if they find they've been unreasonably negligent & can't defend their actions satisfactorily. I presume Aussie would be similar. I have no idea if you could sue a vet in a civil court, I guess you probably could, but I'd think you'd have more chance of getting satisfaction through the Vet Council.

Yes we got reply back yesterday from vet board, so far only vets response which there is a large number of lies in. We can however prove quite a lot for the wrongful death of our beautiful girl. Its been 5mths now & still finding it very difficult to let go of all the suffering witnessed. Only found 1 Solicitor who will has successfully sued a human doctor. he will take case on. Does anyone know of any solicitors that will take on Vets?

goodness you have had more success than i have.

ive spent 3 years reporting two doctors for my mums misdignonis and 12 weeks of agnony with a broken hip. by the time she was finally sent to a hospital she had gangrene and beyond saving. n all i get for three years of fighting for justice for her suffering is a letter of the heath commission that both doctors were found have have failed in their duty of care and will receive retraining and COUNCELLING FOR THEIR DISTRESS n im forking out 175 a session trying to cope with my failure to protect her from the system

best of luck for you.

no tv was interested in taking it up or any idea how to sue them so they would need some real counseling for distress which i think they so richly deserve.

as for vets.. gee one of my girls hemoraged overnight after being desexed and all i got from the self declared "Health Care Professional" who had roundly told me how dare i try to self diagnose my bitch when i brought her in and said i thought she had pymetra and wanted her desexed. n then made the exact same diagnosis. yes he did desex her. pity he didnt tie or seal the arteries properly though. i found her bled to death a week after the op.

no mention of refund for killing her .

didnt know u could?

best of luck i really wish you well.

ummm any chance that solicitor might be intereested in doing something for my mum?

my doctor had told me i have to drop it as the stress will kill me.. but cant stop wondering how many others go unprotected while those two are still doctors

Edited October 21, 2010 by asal

[AmandaJ]

Florinef is used for Addisons disease....is that what your dog was being treated for?

About Florinef and Fludrocortisone Addison's Disease Medications

Fludrocortisone is the generic name for the medication Florinef. Fludrocortisone is a corticosteroid hormone that helps regulate the concentration of sodium and potassium in the body. Florinef is often used in the treatment of adrenal insufficiency (hypoadrenocorticism) as caused by canine addison's disease in dogs. On occasion it is also used to lower potassium levels in animals. Due to it's possible side effects and the way it affects the body, Florinef should only be used for very specific purposes as determined by your veterinarian and should not be used to treat arthritis, allergies or skin problems. Possible fludrocortisone side effects include but are not limited to vomiting, high blood pressure and diabetes. Electrolyte levels and kidney function should be monitored closely while your pet is on florinef. As with many pet medications, Florinef usage should be taken seriously and should be administered only in strict accordance to your veterinarian's instructions.

http://www.pbs.gov.au/pi/bqpflori11007.pdf

Edited October 21, 2010 by AmandaJ

[poodlefan]

I think most cases of Negligence or other, are dealt with by the Vet Surgeons Board.

Are you able to give a bit more information so people can offer advice?

Need support to get voice out there, wish we could name these bad vets, 2 Vets gave no information on tablets given which turned out to be 'not for use in animals' by the TGA. Large doses given which severlely dehydrated her. found out through their report they overhydrated her also, no mention of front leg swollen 3 times the size.

The cruel suffering witnessed after being allowed to take her home when she was supposed to be monitored very closely on these god so forgiven "tablets".

The list is endless. Oh please please anyone that can help, these vets really do need to be"held accountable" Have lost a child.!!

As the risk of sounding harsh, unless you want to risk losing your house and any savings you have as well, I would strongly counsel AGAINST making a claim for damages.

The court will value your dog at pretty much what you paid for her. Your pain and suffering won't amount to much in dollar terms. If you lose the action, you may have to pay the vets court costs and they could be substantial. They have insurance for this kind of claim. You don't.

The Courts are not the place I would recommend you to find closure for this. I'd be starting with the AVA or your State's board for veterinary registration.

Nothing you do will bring your dog back. A report to the the right authority might stop it happening to someone else.

Edited October 21, 2010 by poodlefan

[asal]

I think most cases of Negligence or other, are dealt with by the Vet Surgeons Board.

Are you able to give a bit more information so people can offer advice?

Need support to get voice out there, wish we could name these bad vets, 2 Vets gave no information on tablets given which turned out to be 'not for use in animals' by the TGA. Large doses given which severlely dehydrated her. found out through their report they overhydrated her also, no mention of front leg swollen 3 times the size.

The cruel suffering witnessed after being allowed to take her home when she was supposed to be monitored very closely on these god so forgiven "tablets".

The list is endless. Oh please please anyone that can help, these vets really do need to be"held accountable" Have lost a child.!!

As the risk of sounding harsh, unless you want to risk losing your house and any savings you have as well, I would strongly counsel AGAINST making a claim for damages.

The court will value your dog at pretty much what you paid for her. Your pain and suffering won't amount to much in dollar terms. If you lose the action, you may have to pay the vets court costs and they could be substantial. They have insurance for this kind of claim. You don't.

The Courts are not the place I would recommend you to find closure for this. I'd be starting with the AVA or your State's board for veterinary registration.

Nothing you do will bring your dog back. A report to the the right authority might stop it happening to someone else.

yes i was somewhat thinking the same thing.

i was also warned unless there was a solicitor willing to do the work what they called "pro bono" "in the public interest" would stand to lose everything i had n then some as your looking at hundreds of thousands.

look at the just short of 300,000 in legal fees the rscpa solicitors intend taking from ruth downey.

[yap]

Out of curiosity, what was the drug your dog was put on that was banned?

Florinef- states for human use only by the tga

Any thoughts - comments on this drug anybody? would appreciate some help.

[yap]

I think most cases of Negligence or other, are dealt with by the Vet Surgeons Board.

Are you able to give a bit more information so people can offer advice?

Need support to get voice out there, wish we could name these bad vets, 2 Vets gave no information on tablets given which turned out to be 'not for use in animals' by the TGA. Large doses given which severlely dehydrated her. found out through their report they overhydrated her also, no mention of front leg swollen 3 times the size.

The cruel suffering witnessed after being allowed to take her home when she was supposed to be monitored very closely on these god so forgiven "tablets".

The list is endless. Oh please please anyone that can help, these vets really do need to be"held accountable" Have lost a child.!!

As the risk of sounding harsh, unless you want to risk losing your house and any savings you have as well, I would strongly counsel AGAINST making a claim for damages.

The court will value your dog at pretty much what you paid for her. Your pain and suffering won't amount to much in dollar terms. If you lose the action, you may have to pay the vets court costs and they could be substantial. They have insurance for this kind of claim. You don't.

The Courts are not the place I would recommend you to find closure for this. I'd be starting with the AVA or your State's board for veterinary registration.

Nothing you do will bring your dog back. A report to the the right authority might stop it happening to someone else.

yes i was somewhat thinking the same thing.

i was also warned unless there was a solicitor willing to do the work what they called "pro bono" "in the public interest" would stand to lose everything i had n then some as your looking at hundreds of thousands.

look at the just short of 300,000 in legal fees the rscpa solicitors intend taking from ruth downey.

Yes we know about their insurance, at the end of the day they have been getting away with it for way too long unless we all band together & come out from the woodwork I,m sure we can finally have justice.

[Dogs4Fun]

There is plenty of info on the web on the use of this drug in dogs.

[ravenau1]

Out of curiosity, what was the drug your dog was put on that was banned?

Florinef- states for human use only by the tga

Any thoughts - comments on this drug anybody? would appreciate some help.

I take 200 MCG of this a day and have since November last year. Didn't know you could use it for dogs. For me it basically helps my body to retain some fluid and therefore increase my blood volume, helping blood get to my brain and helping to stop me fainting all the time. It can be used for people as a treatment for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome and other Autonomic Dysfunction.

[aussielover]

Out of curiosity, what was the drug your dog was put on that was banned?

Florinef- states for human use only by the tga

Any thoughts - comments on this drug anybody? would appreciate some help.

what was it being used to treat?

It is sometimes used to treat canine Addisons disease.

although it is only registered for use in humans, it may be used "off label" in animals.

As long as your vet was treating addisons disease or a similar condition affecting steroid production, the vet boards will consider it appropriate use.

[poodlefan]

JOTH:

Yes we know about their insurance, at the end of the day they have been getting away with it for way too long unless we all band together & come out from the woodwork I,m sure we can finally have justice.

Are you suggesting that these vets have a long history of malpractice?

There is no "we" in a court short of a class action.

A damages case will not bring you "justice" and it won't be "all of us banding together". It will be your lawyer vs their lawyer and a judge determining which of the two gave a better argument and which client gets to pay for both of them.

Sorry, but you stand to lose far more than you will gain with this action IMO. If you are determined to go ahead the first thing any lawyer will advise you is to keep your powder dry and NOT to outline your case on a public forum.

Vets gave no information on tablets given which turned out to be 'not for use in animals' by the TGA.

Before you get too excited about what the TGA says about Florinef you might want to bear in mind that the TGA does not evaluate or regulate any drug for veterinary use. However a quick google told me that Florinef has been a standard veterinary treatment for canine Addisons for over two decades.

Unless a necropsy with a full report was performed on your girl, I'd say you lack the evidence to move forward on this anyway.

Edited October 21, 2010 by poodlefan

[~Anne~]

Need support to get voice out there, wish we could name these bad vets, 2 Vets gave no information on tablets given which turned out to be 'not for use in animals' by the TGA.

I am a little confused because of this statement.

Can you clarify - is the drug labelled 'not for use in animals' or is it that the use in animals is omitted or not shown?

Edited October 21, 2010 by ~Anne~

[aussielover]

Need support to get voice out there, wish we could name these bad vets, 2 Vets gave no information on tablets given which turned out to be 'not for use in animals' by the TGA.

I am a little confused because of this statement.

Can you clarify - is the drug labelled 'not for use in animals' or is it that the use in animals is omitted or not shown?

I know a number of dogs on Fludrocortisone (florinef).