Senior cat died 6 hours after discharge and clinic defends care as adequate…read more
I brought my 17-year-old cat to Bannister Veterinary Clinic
in KC for evaluation of lethargy, difficulty walking, and weight loss.
Her body temperature was recorded at 96.4°F at 3pm and 97.2°F at 4pm, which is moderate hypothermia. Bloodwork showed Stage 2 kidney disease with creatinine 2.6, BUN 69, and phosphorus 9.0. She also had anemia with a PCV of 25.35%. Physical examination showed severe weakness and mobility issues.
The veterinarian consulted an internal medicine specialist hotline for guidance on my cat's case. Despite consulting with a specialist about a cat presenting with 96.4°F hypothermia, Stage 2 kidney disease, severe anemia, and unable to walk, my cat was sent home at 4pm with oral prednisolone, a long-acting pain injection that takes 7 days to take full effect, diet recommendations, and a steroid to help gain weight/fight possible lymphoma.
I was never told that my cat was critically ill. I was never told that hypothermia in cats with kidney disease predicts imminent death. I was never told she could die within hours. I was given no monitoring instructions or emergency warning signs. I was never told that hospitalization or euthanasia were options I should consider. The discharge implied outpatient treatment was appropriate and that my cat had time.
My cat died at home 6 hours later at approximately 10pm, unable to walk, vomiting, and in distress.
A 96.4°F body temperature in a geriatric cat with kidney disease, anemia, and severe clinical signs is a medical emergency requiring hospitalization or end-of-life discussion, not outpatient management.
I contacted the practice manager (who was nice enough to speak to me for over an hour) to explain this care was not adequate and requested a refund. I was told the care provided was adequate and that the internal medicine specialist had "agreed with the care given."
This raises serious questions. What information was provided to the specialist? Was the 96.4°F hypothermia emphasized? Did the specialist recommend discharge with specific monitoring instructions that weren't communicated to me? Even if discharge was deemed medically appropriate, why was I never told my cat was critically ill or that death was imminent?
Consulting a specialist doesn't absolve the practice of the duty to communicate honestly with pet owners. Whether or not a specialist agreed with discharge, I should have been clearly told my cat's condition was critical, that death could occur within hours to days, what signs warranted emergency care, and that hospitalization or euthanasia were options.
Adequate care for a critically hypothermic cat dying of multi-organ failure is not a steroid and sent home without warning.
Adequate care would have been hospitalization for IV fluids, warming, and monitoring, or honest discussion that my cat was actively dying and humane euthanasia should be considered, or at minimum, clear communication that death was likely imminent.
I was robbed of the opportunity to make an informed decision about my cat's final hours. I thought she had time. I believed outpatient treatment was appropriate because that's what the discharge implied. Instead, she died in distress at home 6 hours later while I watched helplessly, not understanding what was happening or that this was the end.
The veterinarian failed to recognize or communicate the severity of my cat's condition. The practice manager defended this failure as adequate care.
If "adequate" means sending a critically ill, hypothermic cat home to die without warning the owner, then we have very different definitions of adequate.
I trusted this practice with my cat's life. They failed her, and they failed me.
I cannot recommend Bannister Vet Clinic to anyone who expects honest communication and appropriate emergency care, especially if you have a senior animal.
