Where would you file a complaint against a veterinarian? - Page 1

I'm trying to find the appropriate board to file a complaint with. I am tempted to hire an attorney, but I know how these things work, and proving malpractice is difficult.

My issue is concerning a dog that I specifically forbade being vaccinated the morning he was brought in for surgery. He had just been in a week prior for his 3yr rabies. If I vaccinate, I split them into only necessary, single shots. Anything other than rabies, I do myself.  Anyway, the morning I dropped him off I had a decent-length conversation with the tech. She mentioned that his distemper and bordetella were due. I firmly told her, "He's not getting them." She said nothing and just put his chart away.

I picked him up that evening, paid my bill in cash (mistake- I should've waited until I got the itemization but I had a baby with me and just wanted to get my dog and get out of that nuthouse) before the invoice printed. Much to my shock and complete horror, he was given a DHLP-PV, and bordetella.

Naturally, I lost it when I read that, and the receptionist quickly busied herself shuffling papers. I demanded to know why he was vaccinated when I, as the OWNER, specifically told them not to. The tech replied "it's hospital policy to vaccinate for everything that isn't current at the time they're admitted." Interesting, since pretty much every protocol suggests NEVER vaccinating an unhealthy or stressed animal. Wouldn't you say surgery is considered a stress? How about surgery for cancer? So, we have unhealthy AND stressed. Pretty sure that's against even the drug company's leaflet policy. I said "why wasn't I informed it was hospital policy? You're so money hungry that you couldn't risk my taking him right out of your hospital and into one who respects their clients wishes and actually cares about what's best for the health of the animal? Instead, you deliberately went against my directions and vaccinated my dog- in a state that is not only against MY wishes, but against AVMA protocol." 

He tried to talk me off the ledge, lol, by telling me how all those together don't "ususally" cause problems- rabies and distemper together are the ones that cause all the problems. I told him to look at the f*&^ing chart and see when he was vaccinated for rabies. He did, and simply said "oh."

Needless to say, I was quickly ushered into a different room; I guess they didn't like what I had to say in front of other victims  I mean patients.

Agree or disagree with my stand on vaccines, the point is, it's NOT THE VET'S CHOICE to make!

Has anyone had any luck w/any particular board as far as complaints? Think about what the legal ramifications would be if this was a child. I see NO difference!!!

Here you go......
http://www.aavsb.org/DLR/

also.... http://rimadyldeath.com/LAW---STATE%20VET%20Complaints.htm

A friend had her Rottweiler in recently for amputation of his leg due to osteosarcoma, and that clinic vaccinated him as well. AMAZING!

--Mary

Here's a link to the email complaint form for your state:

www.idfpr.com/dpr/FILING/Complaint.asp


You can also file a complaint against the vet tech, who is also state-licensed and regulated.

Thank you very much, Mary and DD. I did find the IDPR, but wasn't sure I was in the right spot.

I am so furious, STILL, 2 weeks later, that I can't even talk to them yet. I know I would fly off the handle. LOL. I would rather make a valid, well thought out complaint where it might do some good. Ranting in the office won't. I already did that anyway.

But let it be known, if he lives until he's 78, and then gets hit by a train, I'm blaming them.

All joking aside, he now has 3 hotspots.

As for what they did, it's ridiculous that they would cite "office policy" as justification for not only vaccinating absent your expression permission to do so, but actually doing it in contravention to your express instructions NOT to do so.  

When I go to my veterinarian I am always told what vaccinations are due by the veterinarian himself.  The only time I deal solely  with a vet tech for vaccinations is when I've scheduled a followup visit for vaccination purposes only, usually a month or so following the annual checkups so that the dogs aren't given all their shots at once.  And for those appointments, obviously I have already given my consent to vaccinate.

The tech when I dropped him off was different than the tech when I picked him up. I'm guessing the tech in the am didn't bother to tell them that I didn't want him vaccinated (and I also reminded her the only legally required shot is rabies, which he had the week before that) and the vet just went ahead and did it.

Another issue I have is that I should've been told it was "hospital policy" in the morning, when I dropped him off. It was merely mentioned that he was due for distemper and bordetella.

The vet who did it was gone when I picked him up, as was the tech. The tech in the afternoon did admit that the morning tech should've made me aware of their policy.

How is it that a policy can be made in a business that is supposed to be about health, when it's totally counterproductive to health??? How can they go against every written piece of evidence and vaccinate stressed, unhealthy animals? Beyond that, when did we turn into Nazi Germany or Communist China??? Don't we have the right to provide healthcare for our animals in a manner WE see fit???

When my son is vaccinated (also split.......faaaar apart...........), I have to sign a consent form. I think we need this in the veterinary field as well.

HOW DARE THEY take that right to decide away from us!

Can anyone tell I'm a tad miffed?

Thankfully i'm with a vet that knows and respects my wishes on vaccinating.  However, she was gone and we needed to get a female cat spayed.  So we took her to a vet that was close.  I told them NO vaccines, they'd be done after the surgery and we only do rabies.  They did not like that, but they had me fill out waivers and sign at least 3 different papers stating that I was refusing vaccinations at that time.  

My wife went to pick up the cat the next day and low and behold they vaccinated her, and she questioned it, and they said the same thing.  it was policy.  It's a good thing I wasn't there, I would have blown my fucking lid.  I never miss a good change to blast that vet to every animal lover that comes into my office.  I couldn't believe it after signing and making sure they knew and signing papers THEY gave me stating to that fact, they still did it.  To top it off, they gave the rabies between the shoulder blades rather than the lower hind leg (where they should, especially in cats) and she had a pretty big reaction and had a lump there for about 3 months.  There have been no issues since and i'm hoping there isn't.  But I wasn't looking forward to getting an injection site sarcoma scrapped off her shoulder blades.

Good luck

Actually, it sounds to me more like your vet is an over-the-top greedy capitalist out to siphon money from your wallet regardless of whether you want the specific services.  :)

But anyway, the "policy" is ridiculous and is a clear violation of veterinary ethics.  What they're doing is really no different than taking your car to the garage to get new brake pads, then finding out they also replaced your transmission without telling you -  and of course billing you for it.

Jenni,
I've been there, thats why I use different Vets for different services.

At this point what outcome would satisfy you?

Do you want compensation,
or to change the Vets practices?

Have you considered the other costumers who are treated in the same manner?
They need to know.

Check the laws, follow the rules, and picket the location.
Contact the local news media.

There's much more power in this than a law suit.

Just a thought,
Moons.