I guess I wasn't clear when I booked a vet appointment

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Yesterday, I booked a vet appointment for my cat. The appointment was for today. My very elderly and very blind cat has been stumbling around the house lately (not unusual, though she’s typically more surefooted), but in the last few days, has become very lethargic (very unusual). Concerned about her, I called the vet’s office, and booked an appointment for an exam.

So, today, I arrive for the vet appointment. I call from the parking lot, as per their Covid restrictions–I’ve done this before; basically, you call, they take your pet at the door, and you wait in your car, until it’s time to settle the tab at curbside, and reclaim your pet. Only today, the receptionist invited me in, and ushered me to an exam room. Okay, it beats waiting in a car in the parking lot, especially given our weather: -25C/-13F. Probably why they invited me in, right?

The exam room table has a comfy-looking blanket, and the lights are dimmed. Fine, I suppose; my elderly cat will be more comfortable on the blanket than on a cold stainless steel table for the exam, and she’s blind, so the lights don’t matter to her. Then the receptionist says, “Now we have a few decisions to make. Will you be desiring a private cremation?”

What the hell? I noticed the display of cremation urns, scattering boxes, and clay pawprints on the counter by the sink. “Um … did you think I came for my cat to be euthanized?”

“That’s not why you’re here?”

“No,” I said. “I just want an exam. She’s old, but she’s fine, and I’d like the vet to examine her so I can understand if there’s anything I can do to make her life more comfortable, given her age and her disability.”

“Ooops …” the receptionist said, and disappeared. The vet tech came in shortly, apologized profusely for any misunderstanding, turned on the overhead fluorescent lights, and set about weighing my cat and getting her vitals. Then the vet came in, also apologizing profusely. I told both not to worry, and joked that I was glad that things didn’t go too far.

In the end, the vet gave my cat a professional exam, found a few things that treatments could alleviate, and my cat came home with a couple of prescriptions. She is now happily napping in front of the fireplace.

But holy hannah! How did the receptionist interpret “I want to bring my cat in for an exam” on the phone, to “I want to have my cat euthanized”? I’m pretty sure that she will be spoken to about that. The bright side is that the vet himself was glad that I only wanted an exam–I’ve had to attend at my cats’ euthanizations before, and it is subtly apparent that he hates doing them, unless absolutely necessary to prevent further suffering. Plus, for the first time in two years, I actually got to attend my cat with the vet in the clinic, and I didn’t have to sit in the parking lot, waiting for a call from the vet.

2

Oh how creepy. I have no idea how that could have happened.

3

I think a lot of people would have euthanized an old, blind cat - lots of people out there don’t want an “inconvenient” pet.

Remember one time when we took one of our birds to a vet after he had a stroke. The vet seemed genuinely surprised we weren’t asking for an euthanasia. (Junior lived another five years after that. We were able to rehab him so he could fly again, even if not with same agility as before).

4

A misunderstanding with potentially horrible consequences. Imagine how this would have gone if they were still following Covid protocols & you were left in the parking lot.

5

Or if they had asked about cremation after they had already injected.

6

Jebus! I got really scared in the middle of that story.

7

IME, these days having euthanasia done involves signing forms in advance, said forms making it utterly clear (at least to me) what it is that you’re asking to be done. So I think they’d at least have brought those forms out to the car, at which point presumably Spoons would have taken one look at them and refused to sign, or at least demanded to first know what the exam had found wrong with the cat to cause them to recommend euthanasia.

But it occurs to me that maybe not all practices in all places do it that way.

I’m very glad that the cat’s happily napping by the fireplace. (Though by now she may have woken up and be demanding pats and/or food.)

8

I really thought the story was going to go a different direction after this. I’m glad it didn’t.

9

Yes. When I’ve had to do this in the past when euthanasia was the only option, there were a couple of forms that needed signing prior to the procedure. The important one is a release, that explains, in plain English (i.e. not legalese) exactly what will happen–this procedure will (not might) result in the death of your animal. Signing this form also absolves the vet and the clinic of any liability.

Then, there is a form where you can order extras, such as the private cremation mentioned above. There is also group cremation, whether you want the ashes returned or not; and if you do want the ashes, there is a selection of urns and boxes to choose from. There are other extras too, but they all cost differing amounts. When you’ve made your selections, an invoice is generated with the total cost of your wishes, plus the cost of the euthanasia.

You pay the invoice. Then, and only then, can the procedure begin.

But yes, the forms would have been a giveaway anyway, the private cremation question or not. The point is that everything is taken care of before the procedure, giving you every opportunity to back out; as well as making sure that the vet clinic gets paid before they might have a distraught and upset owner who owes them after the procedure.

10

I have paid afterwards; for that matter, although my vet. usually wants payment at the time of services, I’ve even been billed afterwards. But I’ve been using the same clinic for over 30 years; including, unfortunately, more than one no-other-decent-option euthanasia over that time. So they know how I react.

Last time it was necessary I still had to sign the advance forms, though. I don’t remember whether they were already doing that the first time I needed to have it done.

(I’ve got 80 acres. I take them home to bury.)

11

Wow, your story scared the shit out of me. You could have lost your cat while you sat waiting in the parking lot. My 15yo cat is way overdue for a vet’s visit. Your experience will be on my mind when I finally take her.

12

I’m glad your kitty is ok! Please dispense skritches if she is amenable.

13

If you mentioned this for the appointment, I understand why they thought it was for her final vet trip.

Is she in pain? Hard to tell, I know.

But if she is happy, then that is all that is important.

14

Yeah, when we had to euthanize our Luc (dachshund) a few years ago, the tech who was administering the injections was quietly sobbing the whole time. We have a close relationship with our vet and his staff, and I know it was nearly as sad for them as it was for us.

Glad your furry one is doing o.k.

15

The exact same thing happened to me when I brought my mother-in-law in for her yearly physical. I was too embarrassed to correct the doctor’s misunderstanding, so I just went along with it.

I think they ripped me off on the price of the urn, though.

16

Again: not unless they’d signed papers without reading them.

Whether any vet would be that careless I don’t know; but it wouldn’t have been possible in the OP’s case, and it wouldn’t have been possible at my vet. For that matter, I doubt you could just grab and sign without reading, and not have them stop you and make sure you knew what they said.

17

Oh, thank the Lord.
I hope your old lady does well on the new meds.

I’m so afraid of getting to the point where euthanasia is needed.
My Gracie died last year but she just went to sleep and never woke up.
I’ll do what I have to, but I’m sure not looking forward to it.