Be Diligent With Doses!! Watch Your Decimal Points!!

[Pipp]

As noted in another thread, I had Pipp in for dental surgery today. There was a couple next to me picking uptheir pet, 'Henry' (or something).

While waiting for the pet to be retrieved, the girl at the counter was giving them instructions about meds, etc. It appeared that 'Henry' had just been neutered. He was getting Metacam.

I wondered what kind of pet 'Henry' was, thinking maybe he was a rabbit, but when the receptionistsaid to give him .9 cc's twice a day, I figured no, he had to be a cat or dog. But thenthey made reference to him being a rabbit. Hmm... Maybe I misheard the doseage. No.

I watched as thegirlpull out the plunger ona onecc syringe almost to the very top -- to .9 -- demonstrating how much to give him. A whole syringe full.

"Wow,' I sez to the couple(never one to not butt in).'You must have a pretty big rabbit."(I'm doing the math in my head and coming up with 20 lbs plus).

"No, he's not very big," sez the woman.Everybody went back todoing what they were doing.

I mention that I have a little dwarf that only gets .2 cc's once a day. The receptionist nods and smiles,the woman looks a little puzzled, but continues filing in the paperwork, etc. The guy is silent.

I tell them I run a bunny board, write down the RO web address and my user name on the back of a vet card (really need to get our own ASAP!) and tell them to check it out.

'Oh,' she sez. 'This is the site I went on to find THIS vet!'

Cool.

The receptionistwanders off and a vet tech comes out todeal with me and Pipp.I quietly suggest to her that she double-checks the meds dose for the people next to me.I get a blank stare.

They bring the couple's bunny out. He's smaller than Pipp. :shock:

The staffwander off again and Iquietly but firmly mention to the couple they should double check the dose. When the tech comes back, the woman points to me saysI'm questioning the dose.I nod.The vet tech says okay, she'll check with the vet, takes the bottle,shows it to the vet, and comes back and says it's correct.

"Are you sure?" I ask.

"Yes," she answers. "It's .09, twice a day.

As an afterthought, she grabs a syringe, pulls up the plunger just a fraction of an inch-- . 09.

The woman looks a little pale, says good thing they checked. Shethanks me on the way out the door.

I mention that that kind of a mix-up can be pretty dangerous to the vet tech and the receptionist. More blank stares.

I get Pipp, deal with the bill, and take one more stab at getting through to them aboutthe Henry scenario. "My bunny board recommended the clinic to these people," I sez. "It's a bit disconcerting to see a rabbit prescribed 10 times the proper dose.

The receptionist smiles again and wanders off.Zero comprehension.

The vet tech shrugs.'On no, thedose was right. It wasrightonthe bottle. It was only the demonstration that was wrong."

Shefinally(sort of) clues in that just maybe their clients would go for the demonstration doseage and not even notice thedecimal point on the bottle.

"I'll have a word with the receptionist."

Yeah, you do that.

sas:attention:

 

[juliew19673]

Pipp wrote:

I watched as thegirlpull out the plunger ona onecc syringe almost to the very top -- to .9 -- demonstrating how much to give him. A whole syringe full.

"Yes," she answers. "It's .09, twice a day.

As an afterthought, she grabs a syringe, pulls up the plunger just a fraction of an inch-- . 09.

The woman looks a little pale, says good thing they checked. Shethanks me on the way out the door.

Thank goodness you were there!!!! I hate Vets as they are more obstinate than human doctors to suggest that they might have mis-spoken.. Kills me, especially if your not familiar with the animal as I am with Baxter! I ALWAYS double check what his Vet says.. Scarey world out there..

 

[Spring]

HOLY SMOKES!

Which clinicwas this, if you don't mind PMing me? Just to know incase I ever use them, if they have those kind of careless people giving out instructions about meds!

 

[Marietta]

Sas, if you weren't there and you weren't so persistent, now the poor bunny would be into major trouble, maybe even dead! I dread to think of the horrid consequenses the carelesness of this kind of indifferent vet techs could bring about. I also can't stand people who think that a professional identity makes them know-alls and wouldn't be willing to even listen to something a "non-expert" would point out. So, it is, indeed, a good idea to double check drug dosage. Since, as you know, I don't have rabbit vets around, I check by using the online rabbit drug dose calculatorm whenever needed.

Marietta

 

[Maureen Las]

I would guess that these kinds of errors are very common...particularly in a clinic that is not just for exotics.
Even when one of the vets knows rabbits it doesn't mean that all the techs and receptionists do and a lot of them don't.
In the clinic that altersour shelter rabbits it is well known that rabbits can eat and drink up until the time of surgery because the clinic actually provides food for them. I have been told ,however, to fast the pet after midnight to which I respond "you don't fast a rabbit" and then get a reply OHHHH!!!!! I didn't know you were bringing in a rabbit."
Many years ago I fasted my guinea pig who was to be neutered (this is correct for a pig). The office staff filled him up with pellets after I dropped him off at the vet and he vomited when coming out of anesthesia . The vet did not think that he would recover..however I was lucky that he did.
As a rabbit mom/dad we have to watch our backs constantly. Vigilance and self educationis the key.
Pipp is right on
Good for you for being persistent!

 

[Bo B Bunny]

This is true of all medicines for people and animals! Recently we've had cases of babies being given heprin in extremely high doses because of decimal points... and so did the twins of Dennis Quaid and his wife.

We tend to see doctors and other medical professionals as flawless.... but they are just human as are we...

 

[Jenk]

That was a great catch on your part! That couple's bunny is especially lucky thanks to your knowledge and powers of observation.

I realize that anyone can make a mistake, but I'm wondering why it is that the receptionist is the one demonstrating the dose to administer. Why isn't a vet tech. educating clients prior to them leaving the exam room? Just seems odd to me.

Jenk

 

[welonheadmoo]

The receptionist at my vet demonstrated the Metacam to me. We got the right dose, but now I'm wondering if I need to double check for any further medication...

 

[Maureen Las]

I think that we should ALL doublecheck dosages of medication both for ourselves and our pets.

 

[BlueGiants]

It wasn't the vet that messed up... it was the receptionist... as previously mentioned, why was the RECEPTIONIST giving med instructions? That is the VETS job! (I appreciate how busy they are and how they hope they have well trained staff, but a mistake like this could have KILLED the patient.)

Maybe a word with the vet is in order... cause it doesn't seem like the vet tech OR the receptionist is taking it seriously.

 

[PixieStixxxx]

The veterinary assistant schools here do teach that it is the responsibility of the vet assistant to demonstrate how to administer a dosage, and how much.

The vets.. just write down the numbers.