Redlands Veterinary Clinic

As discussed at length with the owner, we are a general practice but do have live in veterinarians on site who care for and monitor owners overnight. On this particular evening, our live in vet had to go away unexpectedly, and two of our other veterinarians were filling in. The evening shift veterinarin left just after 8pm, and the second veterinarian was due back at the practice at 9.30pm to check all of the animals in the clinic. Unfortunately the owners happened to come to the clinic in the short time between. Once they contacted the emergency after hours number on our answer phone, they were immediately transferred to the overnight vet who explained this to them. They became irate, abusive and started making threats to the extent that myself (the practice manager) has to call the police. The important thing to note is that they were offered referral to a 24 hour emergency clinic but did not want this because of the potential expense.

We have reviewed the situation and acknowledged that they did not receive a phone call at 8pm, as is normally the practice at our clinic. Unfortunately the owners were so irate and irrational that this could not be adequately dealt with on the night. We have since contacted them and apologised for that lapse in communication. Regardless, the lack of phone call did not warrant there threatening and abusive behaviour which was witnessed by 3 different staff members.

Furthermore, you absolutely cannot treat dogs with an anti-histamine, because they have a completely different inflammatory cascade to that of humans. On presentation the dog was in an extreme state of shock, and was very lucky that she didn't pass away. With our treatment recommendations, the dog ran out that night as if nothing had happened.

Unfortunately intensive medical therapy does come with a cost, as there is no subsidy in the veterinary industry.

We make no apology for this, because the level of care we offer is of a very high standard, and we DO have people here overnight to monitor the patients, a service which no other clinic in the area can offer. This gives people, like this couple, an alternative to the emergency centre, which is often cost prohibitive, but we also make no claims to be as well staffed or equipped as an emergency centre of that calibre and expense. We highly recommended that the dog be transferred to the emergency centre for ongoing monitoring given the severity of collapse, but the owners did not wish to do this for financial reasons.This review is defammatory in nature and questions the very core of our standard of veterinary practice. The owners behaviour was appalling and completely unecessary. Irrespectively, we have since contacted them and apologised for the lack of phone call at 8pm, and also refunded a portion of the bill for a test that we were able to cancel before it was run at the lab.

his was a blood test, recommended because of the age of the dog and severity of collapse, and would certainly have been the first procedure performed at an emergency centre. The owners did not wish to have this done and again expressed their outrage at the laboratory fees, which I would point out are out of our control. The whole experience has been completely unpleasant and has severely rattled the nerves of the treating veterinarian that evening who bared the brunt of their anger and threats and also of the live in vet who performs the overnight care on our patients. For them to make comments about 'treating with an antihistamine' when they have no knowledge or qualification is further evidence of the inflammatory nature of this review and is a dangerous statement, especially for anyone who reads it and attempts that at home.