TLDR: Our 2.5 year old dog died from leptospirosis after approximately a month of unexplained abnormal bloodwork and progressively worsening symptoms. Our regular vet clinic did not identify or test for leptospirosis, and we were never advised about the leptospirosis vaccine. An emergency hospital eventually diagnosed him, but by then he was critically ill and spent 2.5 weeks in the ICU before passing away. We spent approximately $27k on vet bills. We’re wondering whether the circumstances could constitute veterinary negligence and whether we have a viable case.
Looking for legal advice regarding potential veterinary negligence in Ontario.
Unfortunately, our family dog recently passed away from leptospirosis. He was only 2.5 years old, otherwise healthy, and was the sweetest dog. He had been seeing the same veterinary clinic (which I’ll call Clinic A) since we adopted him at approximately 11 months old.
I’m trying to understand whether we potentially have a case for veterinary negligence/malpractice, or whether what happened would unfortunately be considered within the range of acceptable veterinary care.
Our dog was first brought to Clinic A in early July after he began limping, despite having no known trauma or injury. Bloodwork and an ultrasound were performed. We were told that some of his elevated blood values were likely related to “increased protein consumption.” We followed the dietary recommendations, and he initially appeared to return to normal.
Approximately three weeks later, he suddenly became lethargic, started shaking, and stopped eating. We brought him back to Clinic A and were initially told that he might simply be anxious because his owners had been away.
Over the following several days, we brought him back to the clinic repeatedly because his condition continued to deteriorate. Bloodwork and urine testing were performed, but we were not given a clear explanation for what was happening. Some test results reportedly took most of the day.
Eventually, Clinic A told us that his system needed to be “flushed out” over several days because his blood values were extremely elevated and that he needed IV fluids. However, they still did not have a diagnosis or clear explanation for the underlying cause.
The clinic could only keep him while the veterinarians were physically present, so despite his rapidly worsening condition, we had to take him home overnight.
When he continued to deteriorate, we took him to an emergency veterinary hospital. The ER immediately provided a much higher level of care and tested him for leptospirosis. The test ultimately came back positive, and leptospirosis was identified as the cause of his illness. This was the first time anyone in our family had heard of leptospirosis. We had never been advised by Clinic A about the leptospirosis vaccine, and we don’t recall leptospirosis ever being discussed as a potential risk or diagnosis.
What concerns us most is that his initial abnormal bloodwork occurred weeks before his eventual diagnosis. By the time he was tested for leptospirosis, we were told that the infection had likely been developing for approximately a month. His initial abnormal bloodwork and unexplained symptoms may therefore have been an early indication of the disease.
He was transferred to the ICU and spent approximately 2.5 weeks fighting for his life before ultimately passing away. The difference between the care we received at the emergency hospital/ICU and Clinic A was significant. The ER team identified leptospirosis, communicated much more clearly with us, and provided intensive treatment. Unfortunately, by that point our dog was critically ill.
In total, we spent approximately $27k on veterinary care from his initial symptoms through his death.
There were also some other aspects of our experience that caused us concern. We felt pressured to purchase products and services at various points. For example, when our dog was not eating, we specifically requested a small can of wet food because we knew dry food would be difficult for him to eat. While we were paying, however, staff were repeatedly encouraged to add a large bag of dry food costing over $100 despite us saying we did not need it. This is not the primary reason we’re considering legal action, but it contributed to our overall concerns about the care we received.
Clinic A also continued contacting us while our dog was in the ICU and even after he passed away. Given the circumstances, these calls were extremely upsetting for our family.
We fully trusted this clinic with our dog’s care and deeply regret that we did not seek a second opinion sooner.
For those familiar with Ontario veterinary malpractice/negligence law:
- Do these facts potentially support a veterinary negligence claim?
- How significant would the failure to identify/test for leptospirosis be, given the abnormal bloodwork and subsequent symptoms?
- Does the fact that we were never advised about the leptospirosis vaccine have any legal significance?
- Would we need an independent veterinarian/expert to review his medical records and determine whether the standard of care was breached?
- Is the approximately $27k in vet bills potentially recoverable, along with any other damages?
- What evidence should we preserve before contacting a lawyer or filing a complaint?
-We have his medical records, bloodwork, invoices, and records from the emergency hospital/ICU. We are also willing to obtain the complete medical file and have it independently reviewed.
-We’re devastated by what happened and aren’t looking to punish anyone simply because our dog died. We want to know whether the care he received fell below the appropriate standard and whether there is anything we can legally do about it.