Ever wonder

[draggonlaady]

why the veterinarian doesn't want you to hold your own animal during procedures? Here's why:

Dr Y was presented a cat for dyspnea. A staff member attempted to place an oxygen mask on the cat while the owner held the pet. On the first attempt, the cat bit the oxygen tubing. On the second attempt, the cat bit the owner.A technician administered first aid to the ownre and then placed the cat in an oxygen chamber. Dr Y continued with treatment. The next day, the owner sought medical treatment and was given a tetanus shot and antibiotics. The owner experienced severe swelling and was hospitalized for five days to treat cellulitis caused by the cat bite. After leaving the hospital, the owner received physical therapy. The owner hired an attorney and demanded $85,000 alleging that Dr Y and the practice staff were negligent. Dr Y's insurance carrier determined that it was below the standard of care to have the owner restrain the cat during treatment, and Dr Y consented to settle the case. After several offers and counter-offers, the case settled and Dr Y's insurance carrier reimbursed the owner $20,000 for medical expenses related to the cat bite.

Please note, this is not anybody that I know. It was a reminder sent out by my insurance carrier. Though it could very easily be anybody--owners are VERY insistent on holding their own pets, and especially if you're short handed its very tempting to let them instead of waiting for an assistant to be free.

Comments

[sagaciouslu.livejournal.com]

What is sad is that, in Canada (and the other common law nations), it is likely the Plaintiff would have had their claim dismissed.

OTOH, and on a peripherally related note, your post is why I no longer help friends move house. I'm too old for that stuff. And, if I drop their great grandmother's Jacobean hutch on my foot, I'm not only not insured for the hutch, but I don't get any workers' comp. for the mangled foot.

So...uhhh....don't let your pets help your friends move house?

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

Great, you gonna tell them it's my fault so they all get pissed at me? :P

[sphynx-again.livejournal.com]

Hospitalized? Seriously? I've had some nasty cat bites, and at worse was told to stay home a couple days to avoid banging it around. Actually, the doctor did threaten to hospitalize me, but that's only because I suggested "just being really careful with it at work!"

Its funny though, when I'm at the vet with a shelter animal, I'm used to doing my own tech-ing for most things. But when I'm there with my own animal, I always expect a clinic tech to be there.

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

You're lucky. cat bites are notorious for getting infected. and we're given no information about the owner's health beyond the bite. The one serious cat bite I took, half my arm swelled up for a week after a bite on the hand. I don't doubt the story.

Yes, well, if you're doing it as part of your job, then it's a hazard of the job you accepted with the job. If you're there as the owner, that doesn't apply at all. It's why I can irradiate techs but not owners ;)

[kresentia.livejournal.com]

I completely believe the story too. Thanks for trusting me to hold my own beasts! Of course you know that I'm smart enough to know if I get bit it's my own bloody fault. And that I'm an unsympathetic snot who believes in using the word "Cope!" with my furkids when they aren't being harmed!
Stupid what people can be sued for....

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

Well, part of the issue here is also that most owners do no know how to properly restrain an animal, which makes a bite to someone (usually the doctor, because we throw ourselves between the owner and the dog to avoid this shit) more likely in the first place. You have enough experience restraining animals for procedures because of all the rescue and humane society work you've done that you are not "the average" owner. Also, I'm relatively sure you can be paid off with Bruce's cooking instead of bankrupting the clinic. ;)

[kresentia.livejournal.com]

Hmm.... If I get bit I'm suing you for yumminess!
(I don't have to get bit for his cooking though, do I? I haven't had to in the past... :)

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

Hah. no, you don't need to sue, just ask :)

[kresentia.livejournal.com]

Sounds good! :)

[brainweevil.livejournal.com]

the quality and availability of my cooking has an inverse relationship to the amount of clothing worn by females in close proximity to it.

[kresentia.livejournal.com]

Lol! Of course my current appearance may well lead to nausea so I'm not positive it would work anymore...

[draggonlaady.livejournal.com]

Nonsense, I say! you should let us be the judges of what we like to look at.

[brainweevil.livejournal.com]

Indeed. I am the sole arbiter of what I want to view.