What do you mean you haven't done his surgery yet????? (rant!)

Originally Posted by LDG

OMG, Gary and I are sitting here horrified! I mean - not even pain meds or antibiotics? And what's with the emergency vet - they're not equipped for surgery? Around here, that is the POINT of emergency vets! I'm stunned, I'm shocked, I'm outraged!

Poor, poor Norris! I am SO glad he has you!

We are sending HUGE "be well and pain free" vibes to Norris! Poor baby!

and tummy pets to Norris!

Laurie

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Our emergency vets (there are two in the city that i know of) are equipped for most surgeries. But as far as orthapedic surgery goes, the one i use is not. The actual orthapedic surgery is not expensive- rather it's the equipment that is soo outlandish! So most of the animals that wind up at the er vet get stabalized, put on pain meds/etc and then are transfered to orthapedic specialists come morning (in most cases, not all). My sister Kimmy came over to our house tonight to see little Norris (and her furry "nieces and nephews" lol.) She brought lots of treats with her Norris just adores her too! He seems to be having a bit of diarreah today (not sure why) so i'm going to deworm him tomorrow and put him on some meds to help if it's not better by then. Poor thing though- his leg is still hurting him really bad tonight I gave him just a pinch more of the pain meds just to help soothe him a bit. Fosters is being sooo sweet to his new little friend to- he sits right by Norris cage and tries to kiss him through the bars (i swear i have the best animals ever!!!) I will try to snap a few pictures real quick of Norris. (been meaning too all day between work!)

Originally Posted by iluvcandy

I was going to suggest that you file papers to sue the clinic, if only to scare them, but it sounds like you can't. Can you as a citizen, not an employee, do it? But not at the expense of losing your job, all the other animals need you too. Have you ever watched the Animal Cops shows on the Animal Planet channel? Do you have anything like that in Tennessee? If you do, then I think you should call them, what they're doing is soooo cruel. Since you pay the same money as everyone else, they should have (by law, I bet) done the surgery right away. And with the holidays coming, how much longer can they make Norris wait?

You should take pictures, or videotape (so you can have a date on the tape).
Do this every day and document everything, and let the clinic see you doing this. Unfortunately, suing is the great American pastime now, it's the only way you can get things done, the clinic losing money and getting a bad reputation is the only thing that counts to them. It has to be against the law to let an animal wait this long with no pain medication or surgery. Maybe a local news/radio station? If they waited so long while the animal is in pain, it should be easy severing ties with this clinic. Just document everything,

If all else fails, call PETA - I'm not kidding. I think anyone would rather be sued than have to deal with PETA. I've found in life that sometimes you have to be a loud-mouthed so and so to get things done.

Bless you for caring, Norris and all the other animals are so lucky to have you.

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My bosses will be back at the shelter on tuesday (we're closed tomorrow for the memorial day holiday) so we are going to talk more in depth about it then. (i will call because i'm off on tues/wed.). thankyou for the suggestion about documenting this with pictures. I will definitely be doing that. I'm going to try and snap a few of him right now (i've had several picture requests to see the cute fella).

Originally Posted by Duchess15

I got more angry as I read through your post. It should NOT matter whether the animal is a shelter animal or goes home with someone. It is still a LIVING BEING!

If you are a true vet office, you have a heart, and want to do the best possible for the animal so as to promote a better chance of them being adopted out. I would seriously NEVER take any of your pets or shelter animals there again. I would also tell anyone you know includding adoptees to never bring their animals there either. You want them to lose business and hopefully be shut down eventually if this is truly their behavior.
Our vet's office has always been very kind and responsive to animals. Even taking in birds and other animals who have been hurt and individual vet tech working on trying to rehabilitate them.
I am so upset that they did NOT even give pain medication! In a world as ours where money is the primary concern, Norris is truly the one that has suffered due to a lack of empathy, sympathy, and intellect on part of the vet and their employees.

You said exactly what I was thinking, and you said it better than I could have.
Poor Norris
I wonder how they would feel if we ran them over, broke their leg and let them suffer just as they let Norris. I would file a formal complaint in writing to a Veterinary commission, because if you truly think about it, it is animal abuse for not even administering pain medication when they clearly knew and understood the condition and pain Norris was in, and failure to do so is neglect.
I am glad that you were able to take Norris home where he will be given much better care for sure. My heart goes out to Norris who has taken the brunt of this unexcusable service this vet has not provided. Keep us posted.

Sabrina

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You said what I was thinking and said it better than I could have.
Poor Norris. There is just no excuse for what he's been through at the vets.

Sending tons of vibes for Norris. This really upsets me that I don't know what to post here.

Colin just helped me snap a few pictures of little Norris. I will be starting a thread in the Cats & Other Animals section for pet pictures. I got several pictures of the broken leg (it's hard to tell as it is not cut up or anything on the outside (thank goodness!) but you can definitely see the break at the hip and the swelling. the poor fella was dangling the leg in every picture.

Pictures are posted Here's the link.
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...78#post1800578

I noticed you said that the receptionist was ignoring customers. I bet all of the negligence they have shown isn't just because he is a shelter animal. I know I wouldn't continue to go anyplace where I was ignored for no reason.

Originally Posted by Denice

I noticed you said that the receptionist was ignoring customers. I bet all of the negligence they have shown isn't just because he is a shelter animal. I know I wouldn't continue to go anyplace where I was ignored for no reason.

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more like ALL of the receptionists there! it was horrible. they had no customer service ettiquite at all. there were tons of people standing in front of them ( i was first in line) and instead of helping the people in front of them they answered the phone and filed paperwork without acknowledging anyone. It took me 40 minutes of standing there to get ANYONE to help me. then when they did - they sent me to the wrong door (they just expanded and it's very confusing now) when i got there the door was locked/ closed- so i had to go back to the office for them to ring them. when they did that, and i finally got to the door where i was told norris was at- turns out they gave me the wrong location it's a nightmare now there. it didn't used to be that way. all of my personal animals go to other vets/vet clinics near us that we are very pleased with so i will keep it that way. i will NEVER take my animals to this clinic or recommend it after all of this. it's been horrible. and what really breaks my heart is poor norris- because he's just innocent and has no say in all of this

OH I am so sorry for Norris ...

so am i. poor fella just doesn't feel good. he was whining a bit earlier today (from the leg pain) so i gave him a bit more of his pain medicine. that seems to have really helped him.

That is horrible! I hope you are able to find a new vet and get him in for surgery on Tuesday.

That is just criminal! I looked at the pics and he is adorable. No one and nothing should have to suffer like that!

I`m so glad he`s feeling a bit better today. Bless him

I don`t know if anyone else has said this (No time to read all the way through as I`m supposed to be getting ready for work here ) and you being a vet tech would know but the thing with my sisters dog was that the bones had already started to knit by the time she went to a vet that actually knew what he was doing and obviously made things a whole lot worse. Do you think his leg will have started knitting or the fact he`s not in plaster would keep it from doing so?

Big hugs for Norris!

Originally Posted by Jaffacake

I`m so glad he`s feeling a bit better today. Bless him

I don`t know if anyone else has said this (No time to read all the way through as I`m supposed to be getting ready for work here

) and you being a vet tech would know but the thing with my sisters dog was that the bones had already started to knit by the time she went to a vet that actually knew what he was doing

and obviously made things a whole lot worse. Do you think his leg will have atarted knitting or the fact he`s not in plaster would keep it from doing so?

Big hugs for Norris!

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to be honest- with the extent of damage that's happened to his leg, i'm just not sure right now. it is broken from the hip bone down. (the main break seems to be at the hip- you can see it somewhat in the pictures in the other section) that being said though- the x-rays showed shattered bone fragments throughout the area. This should have been tended to immedately! this is a serious injury And to make matters worse, the car hit him approx. on Tues....well as of today it's been a week. So it could have already started to try and heal now (which is NOT a good thing as the fragments need to be cleaned out if possible and the bones fixed by orthapedic surgery.) It may be that they need to rebreak the leg in a spot if it has already started to heal so that it does not heal incorrectly. (right now it is just one big mess and dangles just soo pitifully!). And the other option might be that it has to be amputated if the injuries to the leg are too extensive. What ticks me off is that the idiots did x-rays then, saw how bad the break was and did nothing. Because now those x-rays mean nothing as thing could have already shifted/changed in that area....so they will probably have to take more x-rays which will take more time, cost more money.. (you get the picture) and delay his surgery time even more on wed. it's just been a very stressfull week as far as things go over here concerning sweet Norris.

At this point, it might be better just to amputate it. He has already shown us that he can walk just fine with the other three legs (he's been walking like a tripod since this happened.) Also- it would mean that he would not have to undergo the painfull recover from orthapedic surgery and the potential complications that could arise later in life (hip dysplasia/etc). It might mean less trauma for norris in the long run to loose the leg. HOWEVER i would like it if he were able to keep it and make a good recovery if at all possible. Whatever happens though- i am in it for the long run and will make sure he gets all the attention he needs. He deserves only the best He is such a blessing to be around! I just love him to pieces!!!

Hey, your making me tear up here!

So Glad Norris has you to fight his corner I can see by the pictures he is the sweetest boy
It would be sad if he lost the leg. I`m guessing it causes long term problems in his back/ other limbs? Don`t think I`d really be able to trust that vet though to do what was best for him.

Aww. I have to go to work now but I shall be thinking of that sweetie
and checking in later.

Your a star

Originally Posted by Jaffacake

Hey, your making me tear up here!

So Glad Norris has you to fight his corner

I can see by the pictures he is the sweetest boy

It would be sad if he lost the leg. I`m guessing it causes long term problems in his back/ other limbs? Don`t think I`d really be able to trust that vet though to do what was best for him.

Aww. I have to go to work now but I shall be thinking of that sweetie

and checking in later.

Your a star

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no need for you to tear up i've cried enough over it. (haha just ask colin ) at this point though, i'm just trying to put my emotions aside (it's hard for me to do!) and just figure out what's best for him in the long run as far as the leg goes. I'm sure that amputating it might cause other problems (tripods are prone to arthritis in other legs as a result of putting added weight on them, also-they break nails easier due to the uneven distrubution of weight-but since i'm religious about keeping their nails in good shape, i'm not worried about that, they can also develop some spinal problems/etc. BUT those are not all guranteed. With proper care and good medical follow ups- he might be just fine and better off without the constant pain!) Orthapedic surgery may require more than one surgery over time- they may have to remove pins/etc or change out the parts every few years- it could cause more stress/ pain for him, lead to more issues with that leg (hip dysplasia/ arthritis/etc) and the stress of added vet trips and dealing with scarred tissue for more than one surgery- it really just depends. I am not a vet so i really do not know what would be the best call in this instance. I am just trying to be prepared for eithor scenario. I know eithor way, Norris is going to do just fine!!! That boy is a fighter And a wonderful one at that! (did i mention he's totally getting spoiled rotten too colin and i have been babying him ever since he's been here )

Awww! He deserves to be spoilt rotten!
Are you going to keep him? That would be fab but I know it`s never that simple.
Did you catch up with the 'person' who adopted him? Do they realise what happened to him? All seems kind of odd to me.
I know over here if you hit a dog in your car your required by law to stop and give assistance. Pretty hard to police that one though unless someone sees.
AAARGH! some people!

Originally Posted by Jaffacake

Awww! He deserves to be spoilt rotten!

Are you going to keep him?

That would be fab but I know it`s never that simple.
Did you catch up with the 'person' who adopted him? Do they realise what happened to him? All seems kind of odd to me.
I know over here if you hit a dog in your car your required by law to stop and give assistance. Pretty hard to police that one though unless someone sees.
AAARGH! some people!

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No- the person who "adopted" him has yet to show her face or call (probably a good thing considering my coworkers and i would rip her head off ) And yes- the whole thing is VERY odd. I just don't undertand it at all. She paid $65 for his adoption fee (included neuter/shots/ everything) and then anothe good chunk of money to have him chipped. Totaling $82 (i have the paperwork copied). Who spends almost $100 to adopt and animal and then just turns them out or doesn't care to look for them. That's just weird! But then again, i've seen worse. Working at a shelter can be very stressfull sometimes- but it is worth it when we are able to save thoes sweet furbabies.

Norris surgery is supposed to be tomorrow morning. I'm off tomorrow so i will have all day to devote to him and all. i'm supposed to take him up there before 7 (when they open) and i will absolutely DEMAND they do his surgery tomorrow if they try to pull any bs. My bosses are looking for another vets clinic (with the cities approval and a ton of other processes) to transfer to for things like this as far as our shelter animals go. As far as me adopting Norris.....i would LOVE to...but i also want to adopt Jimbo, and about 40 other animals at our shelter I'm bad about wanting every animal i see (but i'm sure some other TCS members can relate ) That being said though, Norris is a very special guy- and he has done exceptionally well in our home and fits right in. His recovery is likely going to be a very long one -so i will probably have him as a foster for a very long time which might make it really hard to take him back when he's ready. Keep your fingers crossed Colin feels the same way and lets me keep him It's too early to ask about it though (i'll see when the time is right ) I would love to keep him though- at least i know if i have him he will be cared for and have a good home for the rest of his life.

Eagerly awaiting tomorrow, and sending healing light for Norris's surgery. I'm in love with this dog too!

You know Nikki....I ended up with Damita & Dorian the same way! They both needed some "special care"....& well....yeah. They still need special care.

Yeah, you could casually 'forget' that he`s not actually yours technically.
Oh I hope you catch up with his adoptive 'person'. I was thinking, if Norris had just escaped or slipped his lead, surely they would heve just got in contact and said, 'Hey, we lost him. Has anyone brought him in?'.

Good Luck today with the stupid vets! Kick some A.
Good Luck Norris!