Is this right?

[WhiteWidow]

On Saturday my mums dog (a white boxer) had a fit, after the fit he wasn't very responsive and just lay on the sofa.
Mum decided he needed help urgently. She couldn't go to the vets because she didn't have any money (reasons I won't go in to, please just accept that for what it is now, she did have insurance until a month ago, sods law)
So she took him to the local RSPCA. She got there and the nurses seen him and my mum, they were in all their nursing gear, but refused to look at my mums dog because it wasn't 'a Tuesday or Thursday'
My mum was in shock, basically because he'd gotten ill on the wrong day he couldn't have treatment.
In some ways I could maybe accept this, but it was the nurses parting reply tht angered me
'your dog is very ill, and if you don't get him treated we can prosecute you'

I thought they were there to help animals? Is this something that happens often?

Luckily her friend paid for his treatment, and he's all better and back to being a bouncy boxer now. I can't help think how different things could have been though!

Your poor mum! I have no personal experience with the RSPCA and am at this appalling behaviour from the nurse. Have heard some bad things about them in the past, so yours is probably not an isolated incident.

Glad that the dog is recovering well!

Oh no! Glad to hear that all is well. Am shocked that the RSPCA would turn her away! Awful

Agggh just typed out a very long reply and lost it!

Basically, whilst I feel for your mum, it is awful to feel helpless when your animal is ill, i think they RSPCA did the right thing.

If they only have surgeries open to the public at certain times then seeing other animals outside those times takes away care and attention from the other animals in their care, such as rehab of cruelty cases and care of long term patients. Yes, your mum was there and urgently needed care, but if they saw her, how long before every tom dick and harry turned up expecting care for their animal at whatever time suited them? It would be unworkable.

Insurance (or being rich enought not to need it!!) is a necessity with dogs really. It is pretty foolish not to, or at least have a bank account where you set aside some money just incase.

Whilst I feel sorry for her, I think the RSPCA were right in this case, the dog needed treatment, it would be illegal according to the Animal Welfare Act 2004 (i think) not to treat him. As her dog, it is her responsibility, not the RSPCAs.

Sorry but I think YABU.

Glad to hear it ended well however and the dog is on the mend

He's doing brilliantly now I've not seen him as happy since he was a pup!

Like I said she did have insurance up until a month ago. She isn't a foolish person at all, just someone going through a very hard time financially at the moment due to illness. She loves the dog as much as she loves me, she wouldn't purposely risk his health.

But yeah I see your side completely, I just think if I had been that nurse I couldn't let her walk away with a sick animal. Not knowing what could happen. Maybe I'm too caring

In future if this happens, your Mum should phone the local vet. Telephone advice is free. If the vet sees him and he is suffering/very ill then they have a duty by law not to let the animal suffer, so if the dog needed some sort of urgent treatment (or putting to sleep then they would have to do this.

I am not sure what exactly was wrong with your Mum's dog, as it isn't completely clear from your post, but general advice is that after a siezure a dog shouldn't be disturbed and usually it is better to not rush it off to the vets, although I realise it's very frightenening to see happen. During a seizure a dog should be left alone, curtains closed if possible to darken the room and also kept an eye on but left alone after the siezure as some dogs can be frightened and become aggressive. Often (IME) dogs are unresponsive for a short while after a siezure. Obviously if the fit goes on a long time then there's a risk of permenant damage to the dog.

Tbh, the RSPCA are the last place I would go. Their intentions are mostly good, but their policies messed up and it wouldn't really occur to me to go there for what I considered emergency vet treatment. Is there a PDSA near your Mum, does she qualify for treatment? (obviously she doesn't, but for her dog to be treated )

Obviously your Mum is going to have to plan for future incidents like this as seizures often need investigations. Sadly, now she has cancelled her insurance the dog won't be covered for future episodes. Is there any way she could get a credit card for emergencies or perhaps she could discuss it with the vet who treated her dog this time and they may agree to take payments in installments in future.

Thanks for your post midori, I found that very helpful.
I didn't know about the vet thing!
Sorry I should have been more clear, apparently the vet said it was a mixture of the heat (hottest day of the year) and an allergic reaction? He was given 2 injections, one a steroid one and some tablets.

I've given her my credit card now just in case anything else happens, I would have done so in the first place if she had just asked.
Thankyou

If he's had one fit out of the blue, then he may have another. Make sure thre is nothing he can hurt himself on, but best not to move him unless very necessary. Don't hold him - it will hurt him and you.

Get some Bach's Rescue remedy. Put a couple of drops in some plain ice cream and get him to lick it up after the fit is over. He will sleep deeply afterwards, just let him.

Disclaimer: not in any way a medical professional, just someone who knows about how scary this must have been for your Mum. Also, I've been there with the money as well, but was very very lucky not to have to cancel insurance or pay any excess whilst we had no money.

I hope he never has another fit, but good luck if he does. Also, it is worth explaining to the vet - they may do an installment plan.

Glad you found it helpful. It's very kind of you to let your Mum use her credit card for future emergencies like this.

I agree he may have another fit. I am not a vet, but owning a dog that has had seizures I am not sure how the vet knew immediately as to the cause. It took a lot of investigations to rule out what wasn't the cause with ,my dog and then luckily the seizures seemed to stop and she hasn't had one for over two years now thankfully. The vet did say getting hot/dehydration could be a cause after her first one, but didn't confirm it.

Hopefully it won't happen again anyway.

As has been mentioned we are obliged to see animals in pain and distress regardless of an owners ability to pay.
The other thought I had is that uniforms in veterinary medicine are not regulated anyone can wear a green nurses uniform only if they have the VN badge of St Francis are the a qualified VN. If they were qualified VNs they can be disciplined by the RCVS as they are trained to triage patients and provide initial first aid treatment and you can report them.

Thank you everyone, I didn't expect any help I just wanted a whine haha but you've been really helpful.

So sorry for your Mum! Bloody rude and silly woman that nurse was! I would complain for sure.

RSPCA one of the wealthiest charites in the land.

Am appalled they did not help your mum.. It was clearly an emergency. What if the dog had died after they had refused to help>
I can understand them not dong willy nilly appointments when they are not open to the public, but ffs it certainly sounded like the dog needed help then and there.

Not impressed with them.
Glad your mums dog is better.

I'm not impressed either. I always wanted to work for the RSPCA, I couldn't follow those rules though.

The RSPCA are next to useless! I'm sure the local vet would have helped if she had explained her circumstances, ours gives you a month to pay.