Complication or fault ?

Hi, My spaniel has had luxating patella ops on both legs, the second one was done on the 2nd Jan, I have felt all along this leg has not healed as well as the first one, I have pointed out to the specialist on a few occasions my concerns and have been told all is fine. To cut a long story short it has now come to light the groove has been made to deep and it is 95 % sure she now needs a tibial tuberosity advancement to correct this. To say I am gutted is an understatement . The surgeon is calling this a complication, ( and therefore expects to charge us for the op) I do not agree as I feel he has made the groove to deep so there fore it is a fault, an infection or pin migration is what I call a complication, I would be interested in your opinions on this please.

The surgeon is not going to admit that he has made a mistake. Can you not get a second opinion?

Good luck with the outcome. It's such a shame that your poor pup has to go through yet another op.

He has said he has made the groove too deep but also said it is done by eye so there is no set level to do it.

It is what she has to go through again that upsets me most of all

That was suppose to be a not a smile!

It certainly seems very unfair, poor dog (and you) If I were you I'd seek a second opinion, not necessarily by taking your dog in to a different vet, but by either phoning or visiting in person. Or phone the Royal Vet College and ask for advice.
Good luck and I am so sorry that the op wasn't straight forward.

Oh I'm so, so sorry that Flora's second op hasn't gone well. I was just thinking about you yesterday, and wondering how it had gone.

Are you still confident that her surgeon is the best vet to treat her? If you are, then a different tactic is needed than if you want someone else to take over now. You need to be happy that Flora is getting the best care, so don't lock horns with the surgeon until you are sure that her welfare is assured.

I think an expert second opinion would be good, but I would be surprised if another veterinary surgeon instantly criticises another. It would be more to put your mind at rest about what needs to be done to correct the mistake.

You must be so upset for her. She has been through so much already, poor lamb.

Yes she has and that is what is so upsetting, we were hoping to be on the home run and then this setback. She is fantastic though and takes everything in her stride so we are lucky there. I have decided to see one of the partners to discuss this as I really do not want to have a full blown fall out but I do feel this is not a complication as such, I am more upset about her having to have another op than I am the money but I just have to deal with that and look forward to the summer when hopefully she will be early fit again.

Good plan.

What are they going to have to do to her now? Is the recovery phase as long as the previous ops?

Glad she is taking it all so well. How's your other chap coping?

If you're not happy get a second opinion and also research both ops as much as you can, If it is done by eye and guesswork, then I guess you need to accept that. Vets are human and no-one is safe or 100% faultless. If you thought that dog wasn't healing in the same way as it was before and you didnt accept the vets opinion on the healing why didnt you get a second opinion then? It is your right, as an owner and as a human to make sure everything is spot on.

If dog does need a second op, and you dont want to pay, could you compromise with the vet to pay for say the GA and aftercare but not for the actual op, incision, and materials used.

I had a hip replacement and afterwards had a sensation of something not feeling right inside... (where the stem sat in the bone) xrays said all was fine and i was walking fine on it... this sensation annoyed me, and I knew something wasn't right, but medical evidence said it was... 5months after the op i fell and broke leg right in the place that i could feel... had another op, to heal bone and sensation has gone...... no, didnt pay for it, but all in all, it's made my life better.. perhaps the second op will make your dogs life better too?

There is no doubt if Flora needs the second op it will make her life better, there is also no doubt that if she needs it she will have it. The first operation to correct her luxating patella was to make her life better but at the moment that is not happening.
I did not seek a second opinion straight away as the expert was telling me everything was normal, I insisted on x rays and it then came to light the groove was too deep. the pins and metalwork have now been removed from her leg and we have to wait 3 weeks and then see if she needs the leg operated on again, the chances are very high she does.
If I have to pay of course I will as my dogs health and well being is the most important thing but I do not expect to pay for mistakes which is why I was interested in peoples opinions as to whether this was a fault or complication.