Is this Gross Negligence?

[RayofSunshine18]

I have a 9 year old cockerpoo who was previously with Vet A, and has undergone various surgeries throughout her 9 years with the most recent being teeth removal in February of this year.

The dog had blood tests for this operation and nothing untoward was picked up.

For various reasons, I have not been impressed with Vet A and moved to a new vets - Vet B. I registered with Vet B and and took the dog on the same day for an appointment for a potential eye infection.

Vet B did a full examination of the dog and discovered that her abdomen was bloated and very tight. She did an ultrasound there and then and found a 9cm tumour on her spleen. They then did further tests and found that every organ in her body has cancer on it and is completely incurable. Baring in mind she had blood tests only two months ago, and at the tail end of last year, this not picked up by Vet A, and sadly there is nothing we can do for the dog now. Due to the severity of the cancer she is having to be put to sleep in under 48 hours of the new vets finding this cancer.

We are heartbroken, we have two young children and have had no time to prepare. We have missed out on the opportunity for palliative care and have had to speak to the children with very short notice about what is going to happen. Is this negligence or just a very very sad over sight?

If her abdomen wasn’t tight and bloated in February then Vet A had no reason to do ultrasound and find a tumour. Some tumours can be fast growing, some very slow.

They then did further tests what tests? Presumably either not the exact same tests that vet A did for a pre op? or, if they did the exact same blood tests, those in February were normal. Things can change alarmingly quickly results wise with cancer.

I’m sorry you are dealing with this, it must be very distressing, but I don’t think you can automatically jump to negligence or an oversight tbh, there just may have been nothing obvious several weeks ago. It would be best to discuss these concerns with the vet. So sorry

I am so sorry but I don’t think this is necessarily negligence.

Depending on what blood tests were run they wouldn’t even have been looking for cancer - and unless she had symptoms there would be no reason for the vet to check her abdomen or suggest further tests. It’s horrible for you I know, but cancer can grow very quickly and in dogs it’s often silent until it’s too late as they’re very stoic and won’t show they’re struggling or in pain unless they have no choice.

Sending you a big hug x

I agree with PPs - I don't think this is negligence.

Unless the blood tests were specifically to look for particular cancer related type issues then there's not much relevance in terms of diagnosing any cancer (if that makes sense). For example, low red blood cell count - which would be obvious to look for on a blood test - can mean any number of issues (including cancer but also things like Amenia, poor diet, parvo, kidney diseases) and without any other symptoms presenting, wouldn't tell a vet much.

Cancer can come on suddenly - within weeks, in some extreme cases.

I'm really sorry for your loss.

Thank you all for your comments. I think its just the grief causing anger and looking for someone to blame. I appreciate the kind words too.

I'm sorry you're going through this but it's not negligence. Often the first you know about a spleen tumour is when it ruptures. They are notoriously sneaky and a big killer of dogs. I have known dogs running around like an idiot one day and dead the next from a rupture. They can be that fast.