Repost about Melba's surgery

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Susan M - 23 Jan 2008 21:16 GMT

Hi there:

I replied in an old thread to Tweed about her concerns about the spleen
removal and thought I'd stick it in a new thread. I'm horrified for my
brother and SIL:

Christina Websell wrote:

> It's a pity that they didn't wait a little longer for a non-cancer

diagnosis to investigate why the spleen was enlarged before removing it.
It is a horribly painful operation. My poor Pearl was miserable about
her spleen op, emergency, doing the right thing for her at the time. I
doubt I would do it again to be honest, knowing what I know now.

I talked to my SIL today and she was pretty upset. They're talking
about a feeding tube for a couple of *months*. Feeding by tube every 4
hours (they can't do that) and changing the dressing every day, two days
at the most. Even our regular TED doesn't like to change feeding tube
dressings. PLUS steroids for the IBD in perpetuity.

My SIL's feeling like she wasn't informed properly of the implications
of the spleen removal - they expected that she'd have the feeding tube
for a couple of weeks at the most and then be relatively ok. In this
case, they don't even know what kind of quality of life Melba will have
with her IBD let alone with the spleen removal. the IBD looked
significantly worse with this operation than when she was first
diagnosed and had surgical biopsies 8 years ago as a kitten. Don't know
the IBD prognosis on its own.

I would be hopping mad if I were them. They were quoted an outrageous
sum as the upper end of the surgery; however, they've maxed that out
*and* been charged an unconscionably high amount just for the additional
stay afterwards. All this with the under-stating of the side effects
and I'd be feeling pretty ripped off. All this for what quality of life
for the cat? Like you said, if it was for sure cancer then maybe - but
as a just-in-case measure I don't know. My opinion of the clinic is not
high at this moment. I think they prey on people who love their pets -
my bro and SIL look at their cat as their baby and wouldn't just let her
go without trying to do something. I think it got out of hand. Very
few people could afford to pay what they have had to pay.

Susan M
Otis and Chester

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Christina Websell - 23 Jan 2008 23:55 GMT

> Hi there:
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> most. Even our regular TED doesn't like to change feeding tube dressings.
> PLUS steroids for the IBD in perpetuity.

It's ridiculous to suggest that she needs a feeding tube for a couple of
months after a spleen operation. The op is likely to be similar for dogs
and cats and Pearl came home to eat in a proper way after a few days.

I think they are ripping your SIL off.

Tweed

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Marina - 24 Jan 2008 04:13 GMT

> I think they prey on people who love their pets -
> my bro and SIL look at their cat as their baby and wouldn't just let her
> go without trying to do something. I think it got out of hand. Very
> few people could afford to pay what they have had to pay.

This sounds terrible. I would be changing vets. Poor Melba. It sounds
like she is suffering the worst from the vet's greed. :(

Signature

Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

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Christina Websell - 24 Jan 2008 20:47 GMT

>> I think they prey on people who love their pets - my bro and SIL look at
>> their cat as their baby and wouldn't just let her go without trying to do
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> This sounds terrible. I would be changing vets. Poor Melba. It sounds like
> she is suffering the worst from the vet's greed. :(

I am lucky because I know I can trust my vet implicitly. Pearl "did" have
cancer of the spleen so I have no complaints about them removing it, as it
had burst and she was bleeding into her abdomen. It saved her life.
As Melba does not have cancer at all I would be asking a lot of questions,
TBH.
I would ask "what led you to remove this cat's spleen before you had the
test results back which proved she did not have cancer?" I would also ask
"if the spleen is enlarged, what other things might it be, besides cancer?"
I'm no vet, but I think the vets rushed in too soon, I hope Melba recovers
from what might have been a totally unnecessary operation.

Tweed

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Lesley - 25 Jan 2008 19:53 GMT

On Jan 24, 12:47 pm, "Christina Websell"
<spamf...@tinawebsell.wanadoo.co.uk> wrote:
"what led you to remove this cat's spleen before you had the

> test results back which proved she did not have cancer?" I would also ask
> "if the spleen is enlarged, what other things might it be, besides cancer?"
> I'm no vet, but I think the vets rushed in too soon, I hope Melba recovers
> from what might have been a totally unnecessary operation.

I am now a little mystified,,,,,,I could understand if they were
certain it was cancer and it was in the spleen why they would have
removed it but the cat has IBD!

Not 100% on cat pathology but okay.....know something about Human
pathology and would imagine the surgical appearance of the spleen in a
cat with IBD would be normal- IBD in Humans is not a splenic
disorder!! The apperance of the bowel would be different but even
then....okay they might not without biopsy be able to tell whether the
bowel was affected by cancer or IBD but that's not a justification for
removing the spleen! And even if Melba did have bowel cancer
(thankfully she does not) why remove the spleen unless they were 1.
certain it was bowel cancer and 2. They had evidence of secondaries in
the spleen or even the spleen having been the primary tumour spreading
to the bowel (in which case they would have removed the affected bowel
section)

This worries me

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

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Christina Websell - 25 Jan 2008 20:59 GMT

> On Jan 24, 12:47 pm, "Christina Websell"
> <spamf...@tinawebsell.wanadoo.co.uk> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
>
> This worries me

It worries me too, Lesley. To rush in and remove the spleen on an
assumption that it was cancerous and then to find the tests were negative
after the deed had been done borders on malpractice in my book.
There would have a be a very good explanation for it if Melba were mine.

In Pearl's case, there was no choice about it. Her spleen had ruptured
during the night and I actually thought she would die on the way to the
surgery. Her abdomen was full of blood on her body scan and I was offered a
decision - either PTS now, or opt for spleen removal which was not
guaranteed to save her as she had become so weak through blood loss from it
(as you know, the spleen is a very bloody organ) and the vet was not sure he
could stabilise her to be fit enough for surgery. I was also warned about
the cost.
I opted to give her a chance.

I said already how miserable it made her, this was for at least a month.
Pearl was always a happy dog, so pleased to see me always that she would
"smile" - curl her top lip up like she was snarling but in her it was a sign
of pure pleasure. Didn't get a smile out of her for weeks. That's how I
know how painful that operation was and the thought that a vet may have done
a totally unnecessary spleen removal on Melba makes me see red, to be
honest.

We can only speculate why they did it unless an explanation is forthcoming.
And it'd better be a good one.
There are two possibilities for me. 1. They were out of their depth and it
seemed like a good idea at the time when they had her opened up. 2. They
saw a chance to make money from people who loved their animal.

In both cases I would sue the A off them.

Maybe others can come up with other possibilities.

I am so lucky with my vets. I've gone to the same one since I was a small
child with my rabbit, it was a one person practice then and have followed
them as they've moved 3 times and expanded into a veterinary hospital.
They are truly ethical and I would trust them to do the right thing for any
animal/bird I have, always.

Tweed

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Lesley - 25 Jan 2008 21:13 GMT

On Jan 25, 12:59 pm, "Christina Websell"
<spamf...@tinawebsell.wanadoo.co.uk> wrote:

> It worries me too, Lesley. To rush in and remove the spleen on an
> assumption that it was cancerous and then to find the tests were negative

To me there's nothing to suggest the spleen was a problem. Spleens get
enlarged for a number of reasons but from an oncology point of view
the main causes of spleic enlargement are things like leukaemia and
there was nothing in the history to suggest Melba had anything like
that

> In Pearl's case, there was no choice about it. Her spleen had ruptured
> during the night and I actually thought she would die on the way to the
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> the cost.
> I opted to give her a chance.

That's a completely different situation the vet knew the problem was
the spleen and that would have to be removed. Not "Your cat has IBD
and by the way we whipped out her spleen"

. 2. They

> saw a chance to make money from people who loved their animal.

I am starting to think this unless they were incompetent

> I am so lucky with my vets. I've gone to the same one since I was a small
> child with my rabbit, it was a one person practice then and have followed
> them as they've moved 3 times and expanded into a veterinary hospital.
> They are truly ethical and I would trust them to do the right thing for any
> animal/bird I have, always.

As I say if Kylie goes back to Australia I may have to follow her. I
am just so lucky with that one vet and dread if I ever had to get
another.

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

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