Do you still have to pay for your dogs surgery, eventhough he died unexpectedly at the hospital???

[brode79]

Did you still have to pay for the surgery??? My dog just went in for a knee surgery last thursday and died 5 hrs after surgery. He had previous work done on his other leg and came out just fine. He was fine at 6pm and was trying to walk around. They found him at 9pm not breathing and tried to revive him. It was very unexpected. They think it might have been a stroke, blood clot, or aneursym, their not sure. We have to put the bill on a credit card (which *****, because we always pay our bill), because we don't have the money right now. But he we love our dog dearly and wanted him to get better. He was only 4years old. Now i think we have to pay for a dog that is no longer living. Putting more salt in the wounds. Do we really have to pay the $1,900 vet bill???

[grendslori]

Like the above posters, I am sorry for the loss of your pet; those things are always hard to bear and don't kid yourself, your vet feels sick about this as well. The bill, unfortunately is your bill. Your vet has his bills to pay, just as everyone does and surgeries are costly. Especially some of the drugs being used. If there was no negligence involved, you should pay the bill as the surgery was preformed as promised. What happened afterward, happened; if it were a blood clot or aneursym could have been waiting to happen in your dog even before a surgery was even planned. Heart electrical issues could have been a part of your dog's life without anyone even being aware of it. In other words, the surgery may not have had anything to do with the death of your beloved pet. An aneursym just killed a 4 year old Pyrenees that belonged to one of our friends. One of my own dogs was just found to have a heart block and her sire died at 6 years suddenly. Those things happen to dogs, just as they do to humans. The surgery may not have been the cause of your dog's passing at all. Having said all of that, I AM sorry for your loss. Take care.  

[dogbuddy]

my dog needs osteochondritis surgery, he just turned 1. if he dies from the surgery and the vet tries to charge me, i have zero problem punching him in the face and laughing. then canceling my credit card

[dogbuddy]

my dog needs osteochondritis surgery, he is 1 and otherwise completely healthy. if he dies from the surgery and the vet tries to charge me, i have zero problem punching him in the face and laughing.

[mercedes_baby_boo]

My advise to you would to speak to your vet openly and ask him/her if under the circumstances if he or she would be willing to wave the charges. Explain you would have had to put his bill on your credit card because you couldnt afford it in the first place but was willing to do so to do right by your pet. He/She may wave the fee or at least greatly reduce it. If they at first say no then ask if He/She would at least consider reducing the fee for you since you no longer have your companion who shared your life and who you took to them for his care as a loyal patient and client of his/hers.

[ginger899]

I am terribly sorry this happened to your dog. It's a very sad thing.
The risks of surgery can be unpredictable sometimes, though usually a fit healthy (particularly young) dog has a much better chance of sailing through surgery.

Blood clots after surgery can and do happen, and they can be life threatening. And they can strike very quickly a little while later.

It is within the vet's rights to charge you for this surgery. After all, it was skilled work done. The aftermath was not necessarily predictable. I presume you signed a form, authorizing the surgery? If so, that's your "YES" to the whole thing.

There have been occasions when vets have waived charges after such a tragedy, but that is completely at their discretion, and they are not legally or morally obliged to do so.

It is very difficult I realize, if you are short of funds, and you really wanted your dog healed, not dead, for what you paid. But I believe it is just very unfortunate, and the vet has a perfect right to charge for skilled work done. The only legal point you could possibly have is if you believe that work was not done to sufficient standard, or malpractice caused the death of your dog.

However, I am very sorry. Please accept my condolences.

[Ghilly]

First, let me say that I am sorry to hear about the loss of your dog.  It's never easy to lose a beloved pet, and when it is sudden and unexpected, it is even more difficult because we have had no time to prepare for it.

I did not vote in the poll, because in my opinion, there is no black or white in a case like this.  Had there been a third choice that said "it depends", then I would have checked that one off.  

Whether or not you have to pay for the surgery will depend upon your vet.  If the dog died because of veterinary error, then you should not have to pay.  However, ANY time a pet (or a human) is anesthetized, there is a risk that death could occur.  A vet can be as careful as they can possibly be and death can occur at any time.  We cannot prevent this.  So as hard as it will be to have that reminder each time you have to make a payment, it is only fair that the vet receive compensation for not only his time and knowledge, but also for the time of the staff that assisted him in the procedure, however unsuccessful.  

Even the most routine of procedures or surgeries can go horribly wrong sometimes, try as we might to prevent that from happening.  Veterinarians become veterinarians because they love animals and they want to help stop their suffering from illness and injury.  Although you might not realize it now, your vet is grieveing the loss of your pet right along with you.  He had every intention of operating and returning your pet to you in improved health.  It's as difficult for a vet to inform an owner that their pet did not survive as it is for a doctor to tell a human that a family member succumbed to whatever it was they were fighting.  It's never easy to give someone devastating news.

I know that none of this will seem to help right now, but I needed to put it in perspective for you.   Again, my most sincere condolences on your loss.

Ghilly