The recent move of a dog owner to register a case against a vet with the Karnataka Veterinary Council on grounds of negligent treatment of his dog resulting in its death is maybe not inappropriate. It is indeed sad that accountability in the veterinary profession is almost non-existent. Maybe this is a sweeping generalization. However incidents of careless,inexperienced treatment of pet dogs specially in Bangalore seem to be on the rise. This has resulted in many avoidable accidents, why even fatalities causing great mental and physical trauma to both the dog and the owner. I speak from personal experience as well as that of pet loving friends. While we do hear of private vets being good and treating even stray dogs for free, the overall scenario is scary! Like Beauty parlours for men and women, plush pet spas and pet stores seem to have mushroomed in Bangalore where your dog can get the works. Pet care industry has grown by leaps and bounds because the number of affluent pet owners has increased and the there is a greater share in the pie. While there are pet lovers, owning rare breeds, who will go to any length to avail facilities to pamper their “Cute little puppy”, we are here talking of basic diagnosis and treatment of our very own Spaniels, Pomeranian and Labradors. It seems that there are about 161 registered vets in Bangalore- a reasonable number to tend to Bangalore’s pet dog population but the issue is whether they have the requisite qualifications, experience and above all the attitude to do their job right.
A few years ago, my eleven year old Labrador Betsy went suddenly off food and was diagnosed as having kidney failure, a potentially life-threatening condition for an old dog. The vet, to whom I had regularly taken Betsy could have told us the bare truth that she had little chance of survival and perhaps helped to ease her end. Instead he said that a hysterectomy would help and made the poor girl undergo so much of physical and mental trauma, all to make a quick buck at an opportunity. Betsy’ condition deteriorated so much and repeated calls to our vet met with rude replies at the other end. At one point, he even told me that we could bring a totally sick dog, who could not even stand to his clinic because he was busy. Finally she had to be handed over to CUPA to be put to sleep.Talk of heartlessness! the incident caused us great anguish- after all our beloved pet could have gone without needless suffering.
Recently a pug belonging to a friend was again treated for an eye infection in a Bangalore private clinic. Surgery was performed but the dog went blind in one eye with the infection spreading to the other eye. The friend went into a panic, looking up all vets in the area where he could take the dog to for emergency treatment. I do not have the details, but the latest report is that the dog is recovering.
Now to top it all, comes this very recent incident of an otherwise healthy dog undergoing a surgery and dying on the operating table. Speculation is rife about the actual cause of death but the owner has done well to take his case to the Karnataka Veterinary Council, which in turn has asked the concerned vets to give an explanation within ten days. Whether anything will come out of this is doubtful but it will definitely be an eye-opener to the scores of people in the profession. Hopefully some safeguards should be put in place. Remember dogs may be dumb but they speak volumes with their eyes and expression. They are our dearest and most undemanding friends. Dog lovers who have been through all this will appreciate my point.
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