? Veterinary Error

[StephanieArlene]

Last week I noticed that my cat was walking funny. I rushed her to the veterinary hospital. They performed tests and told me that she had diabetes. They wanted to keep her overnight because she was mildly dehydrated. They also said they wanted to run additional tests to make sure everything else was ok. As a precaution they started her on the antibiotic Baytril. The next morning I received a call from the hospital. The er vet told me that my cat had accidentally been given too much Baytril. She explained that when using this medication there is a certain amount that the dosage must not go above. The vet tech put the decimal in the wrong place and went above this number. She explained that my cat had one seizure while they flushed the medication out of her. She also said that one of the biggest complications we must now watch out for is blindness. The vet said that over the next two weeks she could lose her vision with no warning. They told me they wanted to keep her an additional night at no charge to stabilize her. I expected the worst when I went up to see but by that time she was stabilized and doing well. I now have her home with me and so far her vision appears to be normal. The hospital told me they were going over the bill and would call me to discuss it soon. Has anyone had experience with an error like this? What is my next step? I understand that human error does occur but feel this was a major error that almost cost me my cat and could possibly cause her vision to be taken.

 

[TempestsMum]

Oh gosh!

Well, first of all I would start recording down everything from start to finish, ask them to e-mail you exactly what happened and why. That's a major mistake!

Depending on what course of action you want to take, I would be very careful. If you are happy to let it go then I feel the least they could do would be to cover your entire bill and any further ones that may result as a cause of their actions.

If you want to take things further such as report them to whoever governs your veterinary places there then it's important you have all the facts down on paper and back them up.

Either way it's entirely up to you.

One more thing if they are calling you to discuss your bill and you agree and then want to 'sue' for example that would be construed as an agreement and settlement of the situation and you would no longer be able to.

At the very least you need to find out who will be responsible for any costs incurred from their mistake in the future.

Good luck!

 

[apple]

I'm so sorry to hear this happened to your cat and you are dealing with this.

Do you have an eye specialist near you or a distance you would travel?

Baytril can cause retinal detachment.

If it were my cat, I'd see an eye specialist immediately and sort out the vet/vet tech issues later.

Best of luck to your cat.

 

[JanetNJ]

Oh my goodness how scary. I agree that they should cover the bill for everything except perhaps the basic vet exam. I would call the receptionist and ask her to right away email you a copy of your cats entire file and all test results. Thank goodness they caught the mistake and we're able to get her through it.

As far as moving forward with treating the diabetes we can help you with dosing And learning how to home test so you can take an active role in keeping her safe.

This is not your regular vet, but an emergency vet, correct?

 

[Yong & Maury GA]

Wow, that is scary . At least she's not showing any issues right now and since she was at an ER clinic, they were able to correct the error. It shouldn't have happened to begin with but I agree they should not charge you for everything and try to secure them covering future visits in relation to this event. Hope the next two weeks go smoothly and she does not lose her sight .

As Janet said, we can help you in treating her diabetes.

 

[StephanieArlene]

Thank you everyone!

I'm so sorry to hear this happened to your cat and you are dealing with this.

Do you have an eye specialist near you or a distance you would travel?

Baytril can cause retinal detachment.

If it were my cat, I'd see an eye specialist immediately and sort out the vet/vet tech issues later.

Best of luck to your cat.

Apple, the emergency vet suggested that I see an eye specialist in a week. Is retinal detachment something that can be prevented/fixed?
My main concern is her health. After doing research on these forums I changed her to a low carb food that was suggested. I also ordered my blood sugar testing kit from amazon and am expecting it on Monday. This was an emergency veterinary hospital that claims to be state of the art. I no longer feel comfortable bringing any of my pets (2 dogs, 2 cats) back to this hospital.

 

[HWright]

Hi, Stephanie,
That is scary and I hope your kitty will be ok. I echo what others have already suggested don't have anything different to suggest other than better to have your kitty seen by eye specialist asap rather than wait a week and that the er practice cover the costs, immediate and ongoing, of specialist and related care.
Problems within the eye can change, deteriorate very quickly and it's not always a change that's visible at first.

Am tagging @Gill & George who "knows eyes" and might be helpful in shedding light on what effects might be and what to watch for, etc. She was among the folks here in fdmb who helped me with my civie Azalea's eye situation.

 

[apple]

Thank you everyone!

Apple, the emergency vet suggested that I see an eye specialist in a week. Is retinal detachment something that can be prevented/fixed?
My main concern is her health. After doing research on these forums I changed her to a low carb food that was suggested. I also ordered my blood sugar testing kit from amazon and am expecting it on Monday. This was an emergency veterinary hospital that claims to be state of the art. I no longer feel comfortable bringing any of my pets (2 dogs, 2 cats) back to this hospital.

I understand your all encompassing health concerns. I'm only posting in regards to bayril.

1. I've never heard of Baytril being flushed out of a cat. You may want to seek clarification. Does that mean vet made the cat vomit and if so/ with what/ how many times was it given/ how long until the cat vomited, etc.

2. To my knowledge, there is no reversing of Baytril

3. Detached retinas, are permanent. I've not heard of any eye specialist doing surgery to attach. I could be wrong.

4. As I stated, if my cat, I'd seek out the eye specialist immediately.

5. New York should have a university or possibly a specialist in NYC that is open on the weekend (Saturday) and can do a phone call or Skype.

6. Find a university and give the ER side of the university a call.

7. The main vet practice I see no longer issues Baytril for this very reason. The vets give Zenequin. It is in the same class of drugs. Some vet practices still use Baytril as it is less expensive than Zenequin and comes in liquid or pill form.

8. One of my cats had an infection cultured and one of the agents it was responsive to was Baytril. My vet absolutely refused to consider Baytril. I'd not heard of the retina detachment issue until that moment

7. Research eye specialists: start making calls, if you get a service or answering matching leave your information. Some practices have email, start sending emails. Get your cat on their radar.

***disclaimer*** none of this is medical advice, just what I would do and what I've experienced.

Best of luck to your cat and you as well. Both of you will be in my thoughts.

How aggressively you pursue medical eye intervention over the weekend or in the future is something that only you can decide.

Edit to add: if it was my cat, I'd deal with the eye immediately and the vet/vet tech later. They (assume) will be there later, your cat's vision may not. If it was your eye, what would you want done for you, help now or roll the dice and see? My opinion.

 

[Squalliesmom]

I've never heard of Baytril being flushed out of a cat.

To my knowledge, there is no reversing of Baytril

if it was my cat, I'd deal with the eye immediately and the vet/vet tech later.

Absolutely, 100% agree with these comments!

That is scary and I hope your kitty will be ok. I echo what others have already suggested don't have anything different to suggest other than better to have your kitty seen by eye specialist asap rather than wait a week and that the er practice cover the costs, immediate and ongoing, of specialist and related care.
Problems within the eye can change, deteriorate very quickly and it's not always a change that's visible at first.

And with these!
Regarding the bill - there shouldn't even be a bill! AND they should pay all charges, etc, associated with with any and all eye care.
Very important: don't sign anything from there!

I will keep your kitty in my prayers. Please keep us posted on her progress.

 

[HWright]

Absolutely, 100% agree with these comments!


And with these!
Regarding the bill - there shouldn't even be a bill! AND they should pay all charges, etc, associated with with any and all eye care.
Very important: don't sign anything from there!

I will keep your kitty in my prayers. Please keep us posted on her progress.

100% agree on all points.
I don't want to add to worries but after reading some of the other contraindications of baytril (especially with that vet tech's overdose of it), need to be sure liver function etc monitored and ok, too. What a mess and risk to life that tech caused.
Please keep us posted. And adding heaps of vines that your kitty will be ok.

 

[apple]

I think prudent to the discussion is how much was to be given and how much was actually given. Do you know? What is the current weight of your cat?

Those facts may help you decide what path you would like to take.

 

[Maggies Mom Debby]

I agree with the advice you've been given. Here are a couple of more thoughts.

1. I you are consider suing, check with your state laws. I think most states do not allow much in monetary damages for animal companions.

2. They have been upfront about the error, which is good. They should not bill you and should pay for all further costs relating to this error. They should be willing to put that in writing. If they don't agree to this, ask to talk to the owner.

3. Whoever was supervising the vet tech should be be officially disciplined, along with the vet tech.

Good luck and keep us updated. We care!

 

[Kris & Teasel]

Thanks for your insights, apple.

 

[StephanieArlene]

Thank you so much everyone! I'm working on it all now! I'll post an update when I have one!

 

[apple]

How is your cat doing?

 

[manxcat419]

This is an unforgivable mistake on the part of the vet/vet tech involved. Made even worse by the fact that the Baytril was being given only as a precautionary measure - you don't even know if your cat actually needed any of it or not. I agree with other comments here - document everything, sign nothing. It is unlikely that they will agree to pay for specialist eye appointments without a fight, but I would do the appointments anyway and fight it out with them later on - the most important thing is to do everything you can to save your cat's sight.

With regards to using or not using Baytril in general - I have given it to our cats, and would do so again. Sometimes, it remains the best option available. The issue in this case is not that it was used, but that it was used incorrectly. I am saddened that the tech who issued the dose not only made such a basic error, but didn't even think to check when the dose must surely have been many times the amount usually given to a cat - nothing that looks as though it's way out of line with normal procedures should be given without double checking IMHO. To not check when a life could be at stake is unacceptable under any circumstances.

For the immediate future with your kitty, I would hope for the best but prepare for the worst. It is possible that she will suffer no long-term ill effects and will keep her vision just fine. But you need to do the specialist appointment anyway to make sure you're doing everything you can in case a problem does occur.

I have experienced mistakes by veterinary professionals previously - a series of mistakes/negligence/oversights/refusal to prescribe by an uncaring specialist in an ER hospital brought my Rosa's life to an untimely end last year. Her case is currently with AVMA for review - if you decide to pursue the matter and you need information on who to speak to and in what order, and what detail you will need to include, please feel free to drop me a message.

 

[Olive & Paula]

OM. How awful. I agree, the eyes must be priority now. Depending where in NY you are, might want to check with Cornell Veterinary and see what they say.

Now your vet should retrain said tech and all other techs. If you should continue with them, then demand only the doctor should perform any tests and administer any meds him/her self from now on.

At the practice I use and the one doctor, he does his own blood draws, the med tech fills the med orders but hands the filled order to this doctor and he checks it himself before handing to me. I do not know if the others in the practice do this.

Prayers for you and kitty.

 

[Tracey&Jones (GA)]

t the practice I use and the one doctor, he does his own blood draws, the med tech fills the med orders but hands the filled order to this doctor and he checks it himself before handing to me. I do not know if the others in the practice do this.

I thought it was a standard practice. All meds I receive have two sets of initials on the bottle - the one that filled it/drawn it and the one that doubled checked. Even the paperwork from any surgeries shows two sets of initials by any medications given during the procedure. I know people make mistakes, and as an accountant I understand how numbers can get mixed up, but I thought there was always a double check on medications.

 

[apple]

I thought it was a standard practice. All meds I receive have two sets of initials on the bottle - the one that filled it/drawn it and the one that doubled checked. Even the paperwork from any surgeries shows two sets of initials by any medications given during the procedure. I know people make mistakes, and as an accountant I understand how numbers can get mixed up, but I thought there was always a double check on medications.

No

.....possibly it's part of the practice and procedures where you purchase, or a law in your geographical area.

 

[manxcat419]

I thought it was a standard practice. All meds I receive have two sets of initials on the bottle - the one that filled it/drawn it and the one that doubled checked.

For dispensing a prescription medication to be taken home, yes there have always been 2 signatures on ours too. If a medication that has already been prescribed is administered in a clinic setting, then the prescription information would be expected to be followed just as we are expected to follow it at home without having anyone else check each dose for us and may or may not be double checked depending on the practice rules.

 

[Squalliesmom]

I agree with the advice you've been given. Here are a couple of more thoughts.

1. I you are consider suing, check with your state laws. I think most states do not allow much in monetary damages for animal companions.

2. They have been upfront about the error, which is good. They should not bill you and should pay for all further costs relating to this error. They should be willing to put that in writing. If they don't agree to this, ask to talk to the owner.

3. Whoever was supervising the vet tech should be be officially disciplined, along with the vet tech.

Good luck and keep us updated. We care!

I agree, I don't think suing will do much. However, yes, they should pay any and all costs incurred because of this, be it eye issues, liver tests, whatever. They definitely should not try to bill you! Just DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING, you could inadvertently sign away your rights for any further or future treatment at their expense that your kitty might need. Hopefully, she won't need any treatment!

You can also report this incident to your state board of licensing for veterinarians, if you want to. It might be good to remind them of this if they balk at covering future costs incurred because of their negligence/carelessness.

 

[manxcat419]

I agree, I don't think suing will do much.

This is true. Legally a companion animal has minimal, if any, monetary value. However, all future related costs should be covered by the practice where the mistake was made - they created a potential problem and they should pay to resolve it.

However, if your main aim further down the line is to stop this being able to happen to any other animal, then sanctions can be placed on the vet's license through your State Licensing Board although most seem to be very reluctant to take any action whatsoever - certainly in WA, they hide behind the idea that vets are not actually practicing medicine and that any oversight or error in treatment is not illegal and therefore won't be dealt with. You can also ask AVMA to make a ruling on it - they cannot place a sanction on a license and can make only ethical rulings, but they can remove a vet from their listings if they find a violation has occurred.

 

[Olive & Paula]

I thought it was a standard practice. All meds I receive have two sets of initials on the bottle - the one that filled it/drawn it and the one that doubled checked. Even the paperwork from any surgeries shows two sets of initials by any medications given during the procedure. I know people make mistakes, and as an accountant I understand how numbers can get mixed up, but I thought there was always a double check on medications.

I never noticed any initials on med packages I received. Can't say I even looked. The meds I received from compounding pharmacy did not have any.

Funny this topic is up now. My DF is in assisted living. His med which are few come in little packs with whatever pills he gets at a given time. They are in a dispensing roll box. So all his pills are in order according to day and time and covers 30 days. This past Wednesday one pill had dose change. Because they are prepackaged the nurse didn't realize or know there was new dispensing box with new dose so she would have to switch the pills. Not a big deal but when my father commented he thought he was suppose to get a whole pill instead of 1/2 pill they said no the pills are prepackaged. Yesterday when I was there and it happened I told them the dose was changed. She looked it up and saw we were correct. However they can't pull all the previous dose out because they are with other meds. So it's up to the nurses to be super conscientious. I have a feeling he will get an occasional 1/2 pill until the current month dispensing box is done.

 

[Larry and Kitties]

Note that the manufacturer of Baytril says the injectable is for dogs only. They state:
WARNINGS:
For use in animals only. The use of this product in cats may result in Retinal Toxicity. Keep out of reach of children
From:
https://www.bayerdvm.com/show.aspx/productdetail/baytril-injectable
The manufactural says the Baytril tables or approved for cats lists this warning:
WARNINGS:
For use in animals only. In rare instances, use of this product in cats has been associated with Retinal Toxicity. Do not exceed 5 mg/kg of body weight per day in cats.
From:
https://www.bayerdvm.com/show.aspx/productdetail/baytril-tablets

 

[HWright]

@StephanieArlene how are you both doing?

 

[Squalliesmom]

How is your sweet kitty doing?

 

[apple]

Anyone have information? I've been wondering how they were doing