Extremely Upsetting Experience
Our two year old cat Salem, became lethargic and was sleeping a lot over the weekend. By Monday he had stopped eating completely and was only drinking water very very occasionally. It was clear that by the afternoon he was not doing very well so I called Islander Vets, who I had been to previously, explained to the Vet what the situation was, and she agreed to stay open until we reached the surgery at around 18-18:30.
We were told that he had a temperature, almost certainly he had an infection, but without testing him they could not be certain what was the issue. Two medications were given to him and it was explained that they were to fight the infection and bring his temperature down. Once his temperature was down he would hopefully start to eat and drink again. We were told to bring him back on Wednesday or Thursday but were not at that point given a time or specific appointment. We brought him home and he did pick up a bit and had some water. That night he didn’t move off the bed, nor the following day. We tried a few times to encourage him to eat and drink but he wasnt interested.
By the Tuesday afternoon it was clear that he was not at all doing well, and had gone down hill further. Around 5pm I called Islander again and spoke to a man there, explained that we had been there the previous evening and that the cat had got much worse. I asked to speak to the vet, no she is busy but I will get her to call you. Again I explained that it was important.
We waited, and waited for that call. The cat got worse during the evening and it was clear that he was dying. My son called the emergency number of Islanders twice to ask what we should do, and was told they had no critical care cover and that we should take Salem to an emergency vet service, which we did immediately.
By the time we arrived at the emergency vet, the cat was sadly dead, and there was no need for him to have died in the way that he did. It was clear what was happening and I am certain that if Islanders would have called back as promised, we would have taken him there to be put to sleep.
8;30am this morning I call Islanders, speak again to the man there. Explain that Salem had in fact died last night and I asked if he had given the message to the Vet the previous afternoon. Yes I did. I ask to speak to the Vet, No she is not available, I will ask her to call you. Again I wait. Around 3pm today after yet no call back, I called again, speak to a lady there who says both the Vet and the man are busy, and that there are no messages that I have called to speak to the Vet. At this point my sadness turns to anger. I explain that unless I will get a call back within the hour, I will come to the surgery tomorrow and wait until someone has the decency to speak to me.
Finally at around 5pm today, 24 hours after my initial call to the vet yesterday, several hours after I informed the surgery that the cat had in fact died, and four phone calls later, the Vet calls me. I explain what happened and asked why she had not called either yesterday afternoon as promised, or this morning to find out what had happened, etc etc. Instead of an apology she tries to twist the situation to say that “We” had left it too late to bring the cat to the vet, which this was nothing about as he had FiP which in 90 percent of cases anyway is fatal, and there is no cure. When I explained that I had called to explain that he had gone much further downhill I was promised a call back and all I was told was that she had “Forgot”. But even that she forgot why then not call in the morning, or at anytime in the next several hours, or wait for me to call four times?
There was no reason, none at all, for the cat to have died in the distress as he clearly did. If the vet would have called us back there would have been no need for that. But then to not acknowledge the mistake, and to try and blame us for his distress, is shocking. To add to the situation, when I asked why she didn’t call us back for 24 hours after everything that she knew, I was told that had other pets and clients to look after. So even through there were three people there that day, not one could be bothered to call us back. To even make matters worse, I was asked why I even brought the cat to them in the first place and didn’t go to a vet’s closer to Richmond, as if the 20 mins to New Malden was somehow an issue.
Anyone that leaves a negative review is made to look as if they are liars. No doubt some stories are going to be now told, but what this all boils down to is the following, and other reviews have said exactly the same. If you make a mistake, admit it. Don't try and blame grieving owners that have lost a loved pet.
The only reason the cat suffered was because we didn’t get a call back as promised. FACT.
22 czerwca 2022
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