I am sooo upset!

I took Dorothy to be put to sleep tonight. I decided to go out of hours as I wanted the peace and quiet for both myself and for Dorothy, even though its a £60 call out fee on top of another £10 for euthanisation. I got a childminder for my son and asked a friend along for support. When the vet arrived (at 10pm) she arrived with her 2 children. Aged about 4 and 6! They were running around screaming, demanding to see the rat, basically being bad kids. The vet didn't even apologise for bringing the kids, didnt ask them to stay out of the room while she was examining Dorothy, or to be quiet. Even though I had asked my friend along to support me, she ended up doing her best to keep the kids under control but was unable to. They were running round the room while the vet took nearly 30 minutes to euthanise Dorothy as she couldn't get a vein. She had to change needle 3 times while Dorothy wiggled and struggled and bled. And on top of me seeing this, which was traumatic enough, her kids were running round screaming demanding to know what we were doing to the rat and to see the rat. And the vet wants me to pay £70 for this! Am I wrong to be upset?

Thats absolutely SHOCKING!i would be making a formal complaint for so many reasons and i would not be paying    i would also find another vet asap.Im so sorry you had to go through that at an already sad and stressful time x

wow that's really bad can you file a complaint?

sorry for your loss

I agree with Grace, disgusting behaviour - and she didn't need to find a vein > that's not how good euthanasia works anyway! Moronic vet > I would definitely refuse to pay and say that you will in future be taking your business elsewhere as the vet's conduct was absolutely unacceptable.

I'm so sorry you went through that, it's traumatic enough anyway I would also see if this vet is MRCVS - if so, complain to the RCVS too.

xx

Thank you for your replies. x

I came home so upset that night that my husband phoned the next morning and spoke to the manager. She was very apologetic and said she would waive the £70 fee. But she said that if the vets are unable to get babysitters they do bring their children, however the children are not supposed to go into the consultation room and are expected to sit quiet outside, which was definitely NOT the case. The vet didn't even close the consultation room door, the kids were in during the procedure asking repeatedly 'what are you doing to the rat?'  over and over.

Normally when my rats have been put to sleep the rats are sedated through gas first and are unconscious when they are injected. But this vet didn't put Dorothy unconscious first. I think because the kids wouldn't have been allowed in the room where she'd have had to do that and she wanted the kids with her, so Dorothy's welfare was compromised and she suffered because the vet couldn't find a sitter? I have to wonder if she even bothered to try to find a sitter. I think she should have had the decency to tell me she was planning to bring her children with her when I phoned, rather than landing down there with them. If she'd have told me they were coming, I'd have gone to another vet who'd have been able to give Dorothy their full attention. Its not much to ask when your pet is being euthanised.

First (as I held Dorothy down which was AWFUL) she tried several times to inject her into the tail but it didn't work and only a tiny bit went in. Several minutes later, she tried her leg but blood came flying out and again only bits more went in over many injections. At this point I felt like screaming at the vet. And eventually what felt like forever later with the kids going mental and Dorothy still MOVING, she injected her into the heart. All these injections, 3 different needle changes and tiny bits of the euthanasia drug going in at a time when it should have gone in in one injection. I can't imagine what my poor Dorothy went through. I took her there to end her suffering and ended up putting her through more suffering. I feel so guilty now. :(I wish I'd just gathered Dorothy up and phoned another vet. I don't know why I didn't. But I have learned never to use that vet again. And yes I will be writing to RCVS too as I'm confident it is against health and safety regulations to bring children to clinic, especially in an out of hours emergency.

Oh gosh, how traumatic... she must have been in agony :*( I would write a very harsh letter of complaint as well, and definitely DEFINITELY speak to the RCVS - find out if she is a member.

You really do need to be very forceful over this, that's absolutely horrendous behaviour... you take an animal to be euthanised to stop it from suffering - not to make them suffer

xx