Was surgery necessary?

[tinacristina]

I have a 11 week old golden retriever. She woke up yesterday, first vomiting her breakfast until all that was gone and then spit/slavia...she wouldn't stop and was gaging more and more. I was worried and took her to the closest vet in town. The Dr. took x-rays and told me that there was obstruction in her stomach and that he could keep taking more x-rays throughout the day to see if it will pass. So I agree and paid him $658. By the late afternoon he said, your dog is very sick and needs this surgery, it isn't passing. So I agree and another $1500 added to the above bill he open her up to tell me that there was nothing in there. It was free of all food and that her stomach was swollen. Most likely he said from something chemical that she may had eaten. I asked him this morning, what was it that you saw on the x-ray then? He said, it was her stomach that was swollen. I wonder, shouldn't he be able to see the difference of organs versus food matter? The surgery was totally unnecessary it seems to me. He said last night that he had taken a biopsy and was going to send it in but this morning he doesn't feel it's necessary because she is doing great and eating fine/. He also told me he gave her an IV AFTER her suffering/surgery and a shot for the inflammation.  Now $2000 later I have a dog that had surgery, nothing was even in there and she is fine today but most likely was chemical. I am glad my puppy is better but I ask myself over and over, how can he confuss a swollen stomach with food? Is this normal practice to have made this kind of mistake?

[Ghilly]

I had thought of that at first as well, however if they suspected bloat, and were going to perform surgery to relieve it, before the surgery they would have had to decompress the stomach and that should have told them that the stomach wasn't twisted in the first place.  Had she had bloat, when they passed the tube down to decompress it would have become obvious that there was nothing in the stomach, and then the post-decompression x-ray would have confirmed that.  This is an odd situation.  It sounds more to me like the vet really didn't know what was going on, and may have leapt before he looked .

Ghilly

[peekawho]

Well...it may have looked like bloat on Xray, and if he hadn't done the surgery and it had been bloat, your dog would be dead.

You can ask for a copy of all the vets records pertaining to your dog (there may be a small fee) plus the Xray, and take it to another vet to review the care and treatment.  If that vet thinks malpractice is an issue, you may be able to sue for the vet bills.

But honestly, sometimes they just can't tell til they go in there and look.  They did not do surgery on my dog George when they should have, and he had to be put to sleep a few hours later.  

[suzi-q]

....and if you find out that it was negligence on the vet's part, ask for your money back from the surgery.

Thank goodness the puppy is ok....what a shame to have to go through all of that stress for both of you.  How is your puppy acting now?  Still doing fine?

[LL7970]

Your poor puppy !  And poor you for having to go through all that stress.  Sounds to me like the vet has no idea what he's doing.  I worked as a receptionist for a vet - and could tell the difference between a foreign mass obstruction, and an organ of the body.  I am sorry you had to go through that !  I would get all your records, and x-rays, and the next vet you go to ... ask his opinion.    GOOD LUCK !

[suzi-q]

Wow!  That is interesting!  You can cut and paste your question into the "Ask a Vet" forum.  I would be very curious in hearing the response....Your poor baby!  (and your poor wallet!)