u/Over_Kaleidoscope424

Here is a brief summary, I have gone over and over his medical records and the events. I have so many regrets on trusting the vet and believing he was under proper medical care. I have drafted a much longer complaint to the veterinary board but want to know what vets think about this.

He was a 15 year old cat with chronic allergies and FIV+ was on chronic dexamethasone.

• Chronic dermatology patient on long-term dexamethasone.
• March 19: Pre-op evaluation for cyst removal and bloodwork requested by dermatologist due to concerns about long-term steroid effects/possible diabetes. Dexamethasone noted in chart; no weight documented.
• April 30: Cyst removal/dental surgery. Weight 12.8 lb. No per or post op steroid medication advice given.
• Post-op: Given Onsior for 3 days.
• May 6: Recheck for poor appetite/hiding; weight 12.4 lb. Given a second course of Onsior. I suspected dental pain.
• May 15: Worsening lethargy, hiding, poor appetite; weight 12.25 lb. Creatinine 1.6 doubling from pre op bloodwork. Received dexamethasone injection for allergies. Seemed to improve after this shot and no longer hiding and eating better.
• June 6/ER: Diagnosed with pneumonia; mild anemia noted. Clavamox prescribed.
• June 9: Weight 11.5 lb; started hiding again, lethargic, not eating well.
• June 10: Weight 11.55 lb; hospitalized/day treatment with IV fluids, injectable antibiotics, Cerenia, dexamethasone.
• June 12: Persistent poor appetite; creatinine still 1.6, ALT/amylase elevated; continued decline. Convenia injection given.
• June 15: Weight 11.2 lb; weak, not eating, pneumonia not improved radiographically; hospitalization/feeding tube vs euthanasia discussed. Transferred to a clinic that provided 24 hour care
• June 15-19: Received feeding tube and ulcer medication. Continued to decline and euthanized on June 19
• Total documented weight loss: from 12.8 lb on April 30 to 11.2 lb on June 15 = 1.6 lb

Given chronic dexamethasone use, postoperative Onsior, persistent anorexia, progressive weight loss, and creatinine increase, should medication-related GI disease/ulceration or other adverse medication effects have been considered earlier, and would this timeline raise standard-of-care concerns? I just cannot believe the things I have found going through his chart. I trusted them and he trusted me. They never really tried to figure out why he wasn't eating normally or didn't return to himself. They said, maybe it is allergies. I have put together a 9 page complaint to the Veterinary Board. But nothing can really fix this.

Hello,

I won't get into all of the details here but I feel that my cat did not receive adequate care and that it eventually led to his death. How do you go about getting another vet to look at the records and give an opinion on the case? I reached out to K State and they said they don't do it. I thought that might be my best shot. Any suggestions?

I have had many pets and have had to put many to sleep, but there was always a knowable reason for what happened. I just had to put my 15 year old cat to sleep. He had an elective surgery 4/30 to remove a cyst and two resorptive lesion teeth. I did all of the pre op tests and all looked good. After surgery he hid and was not eating normally, took him back to the vet twice. Second time they gave him a steroid shot and that seemed to work, he perked back up and stopped hiding. They thought that he was an older cat just taking a little longer to recover. Then fast forward 3 weeks and he started to breathe heavily. Took him into urgent care and he had pneumonia. He had lost quite a bit of weight, I had thought he was eating enough after the steroid. 2 days later he stopped eating. I had him at the vet 4 out of 5 days that week, hospitalized for a day. He ate little bits here and there. Then over the next weekend I syringe fed him, but I think it was too late, his liver was starting to go. The vet said he wasn't responding to any of the antibiotics, anti nausea, appetite stimulants and she recommend euthanasia. I wasn't ready to give up on him so got him hospitalized for 3 days that week, a feeding tube for 2 of those days but then he turned jaundice, we brought him home so he could relax and did in home euthanasia. The guilt I have for agreeing to the surgery, and then everything I missed or didn't do right along the way is killing me. I don't want it to be my fault, I know mistakes in care were made by the vets along the way too but that doesn't lessen the feeling. I am only 4 days into the grief but this cat was so special, I don't think I can ever have another one.

I am beyond frustrated. I have a 15 year old FIV+ cat who had surgery about 6 weeks ago to remove a cyst and 2 bad teeth. I was very concerned about the risks and now he was diagnosed with pneumonia last week at ER. I have since been to the vet with him 4 times because he will not eat. He started on Clavamox but we couldn't keep it in him so they finally did Convenia shot yesterday hoping it will work. He is on two antinausea meds that I am injecting, he is on pain meds. We did blood work yesterday and all is good so far. I am trying to syringe feed him now and he has started running from me. He can't do a flight of stairs without getting winded. If he is not eating on his own by Monday we have some hard decisions to make, like can we afford a feeding tube. I am looking for any hints and suggestions at this point. I have tried every food including baby food which he did eat for a couple of days. I am at least a couple thousand dollars into this already and don't know what else to do.