Poor PicklePig, butchered at the vets.

[Germgirl]

I feel so guilty. Like proper full on gulpy-tears and snot crying guilty.
Saw an offer on the telly, £25 for a "Senior Cat Check Up" at Vets 4 Pets.
Our normal vet is v expensive.
PicklePig has been drinking a bit more than usual recently and I had decided to take him to the vet to get checked out. He's 12 now and could be starting something like diabetes etc so I wanted him looked at.
Being a tightfisted arse, I saw this "offer" and decided to go there rather than our usual place.
So we went yesterday.
Vet seemed lovely, checked him all over and said his heart rate was very fast
Said that he may have hyperthyroidism or diabetes and that a blood test was needed. He also needs a blood pressure check.
So she took him away in his little pink carry box to have his blood taken.
15 minutes later she beckons me back in & says that they haven't managed to take his blood because he fought them too much.
Now PicklePig is the softest, daftest cat around, I've never seen him get even slightly het up at the vets, he accepts treatment with barely a murmur.
So I was surprised when she said they hadn't managed it. But thought, "ok, they know what they're doing"
I had to book him in for a day so that he can have his BP taken and they can have another go at taking blood, sedating him if necessary.
So he's booked in for Wednesday.
Anyway, I took him home and got him out of the box.
Oh. My. Goodness.
He's been butchered! They've shaved his neck, which is fine, but he has big bloody wounds on both sides of his neck, they were still dripping blood all over him (and me!). This morning, the wounds are now scabby bruises which look so sore!
I feel so guilty. After causing those wounds they still didn't get any blood out & he was so upset last night, crying and moping about.
I've decided to cancel Wednesday (and attempt to get back the £160 we've paid in advance for the tests!), let him heal a bit and then take him to our usual vet. Where I will have to shamefacedly admit what I've done.
Poor poor PicklePig. I'm a terrible cat-mother :(

I tried to shave my cat b/c his fur was so knotted. He was terrified of the clippers (noisy), freaked out.

Poor boy! That sounds and looks horrible, I hope your DH complains. I take my lad to vets 4 pets and they've been great and actually suggested ways of saving money a few times and avoided blood tests when unnecessary etc so I've been happy there, unlike my previous vet who wanted me to pay to sedate my dog for an X-ray even though she was so ancient and poorly she barely moved . Up selling when it comes to animals is awful. Hope Pickle recovers quickly!

Poor boy, I hope he's feeling better soon and your husband complains.

When Harry had bloods taken earlier this year the shaved patches were very neat, nothing like your poor boy. Unfortunately I can't stay with him when he has bloods or injections as I'm so needle phobic but, after reading your story, I'll make sure DH watches.

Yeah I don't like Vets4Pets that much. I use them presently because there isn't much choice where I live and my cats touch wood are healthy. But I know someone with a shar pei who needed her eyelid-flap pinned because it was obscuring her vision and they botched it up - it's too tight now. I miss our old vets, expensive, but a small practice where everyone knew everyone and the head vet truly loves cats. The other is a rabbit person, which isn't too common, and apparently rabbits are quite particular in their needs.

DH has got his money back now. Should I post on their fb page or try to find a complaints procedure?

There is a complaints procedure www.rcvs.org.uk/document-library/making-a-complaint-to-the-rcvs-about-a-veterinary-surgeon/

I considered this a while ago, having had a similar incident when I was very upset at the state of my cat on collection. This was with our regular vet who had previously been good. Things at the surgery had changed and it went downhill even more. Eventually someone inexperienced adminstered something that should have been avoided and his condition worsened resulting in his lifespan being much shorter than it should.

Vets 4 Pets doesn't have a great reputation on some pet forums. However the Pets at Home vets are concessions so any vet can, in theory take one, so not all bad.

BTW, they take chunks out of your cat, as happened to us, leave tape over wounds (surgical tape) etc. and then blame the cat for being difficult. I have seen vets that know how to handle cats, and I have sadly experienced vets that would be better suited to doing the research and paperwork.

I would ensure that people know about it, even if you don't complain formally.

I messaged the branch manager on their FB page (private message). She phoned me back almost immediately and was very apologetic, offered me a free appointment to have a look at him. But to be honest I didn't want to subject him that another trip in the car and another mauling. There's nothing that can be done for his neck apart from to let it heal.

She then asked the vet we'd seen to talk to me, she was a different story altogether, rude and dismissive, still blaming the cat for moving (does any cat sit still and have needles put in their neck?! I doubt it!), she said that the bruising wasn't bad and wasn't excessive.
I asked if there was anything I could put on it to help and she said "there are creams that claim to help but they're placebos and only serve to make you feel better, if you want to waste your money then go ahead."
Basically I get the impression that she's not keen on cats, thinks my cat is a waste of fur and doesn't really give a toss.
PicklePig is much better today, happier, and the bruising is healing well.
I've decided to draw a line under this episode, I'll go & see my proper vet next week and take it from there.

That's a disgusting attitude from the vet! Ask to speak to the JVP!

Disgusting response! Vets and nurses should be able to hold a cat in a way so they can take blood without the cat moving too much.
I think you need to take your complaint higher. I would also mention what happened to your usual vet for their professional thoughts on this.
Mostly importantly, glad Picklepig is happier.

My cat has regular blood tests and never ever come home in that state. My vet is also happy for me to stay with him whilst they do bloods (although I would trust them to leave my cat with them as they are absolutely fantastic)