On July 30, 2003, I dropped off my 10 -yr. old collie, Winston, for dental surgery at a veterinary facility here in northern NJ. As I got to the parking lot, I could hear him barking for me to come back for him...I wish that I had, because little did I know that would be the last time I would ever hear him bark.

When I arrived at the vet's office to bring Winston home after the surgery, he was extremely groggy and reluctant to get up. The vet told me he'd be fine, and explained that due to his specific breed and large size it could take up to 4 days for the anesthesia to wear off. She also informed me she gave him an injection of Rimadyl for the pain. I was not given a client information sheet nor was I warned about the potential side effects of the drug.

At home that day he managed to eat a bowl of rice, which is good considering he'd just had 7 teeth extracted. He slept the rest of the day.

The following day, Friday, he was still having trouble getting up by himself, and eating less. I called the vet to tell her what was going on. Instead of offering to examine him, she told me he was just being lazy, and instructed me to coax him to walk to his water bowl the next time he wanted a drink.

On Saturday he still showed no improvement. I left a message for the vet to call me before she left the office that day. I waited and waited but never got a call from her. Then she left for vacation.

On Sunday, Winston's condition deteriorated rapidly.
He was drinking excessively and would not eat at all. His abdomen was swollen, he was panting, and his gums were pale. His hind legs seemed paralyzed, and when I got him out to go to the bathroom, he couldn't go. He could walk only a few steps because he was wobbly. I rushed him to the Animal Emergency Hospital where he was admitted in critical condition, diagnosed with kidney and liver failure. His platelet count was extremely low, and his belly was showing signs of bruising. The vet pointed out on the X-rays that his liver was in her exact words, "twisted like a pretzel."

Despite aggressive treatment, including IV fluids, antibiotics, and plasma transfusions, his condition worsened. On August 5, 2003, only 5 days after dental surgery, I was forced to put Winston to sleep to end his suffering. This tragedy was caused by a careless, negligent veterinarian who gave Winston a Rimadyl injection along with a steroid injection within the same 24 hr. period. In the Rimadyl package insert, Pfizer specifically warns against giving an NSAID in conjunction with a steroid. But because the veterinarian failed to adhere to the drug-makers precautions, Winston is gone.

In my quest for justice, I filed a complaint with the NJ State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners having faith that they would appropriately discipline the veterinarian for what she did to Winston (keep in mind this is a very short version of what actually occurred). The outcome--she was given a small fine of $2,000...a small price to pay for the devastation she has caused.

Anna