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Porto Systemic shunt - who's liable?
Hi,
we adopted a puppy from a home breeder who claimed they were ready to go.
The puppies were only 2 months old, had their first shot and were vet checked the day before we picked ours up. The breeder gave us a container of solid food and that was it.
During the 50 minutes car ride, the puppy vomited milk about 4 times on my partner's arm. I thought the puppy didn't like to ride but everyday we could find water-like or dry food vomit in her crate.
On day 5 she cried all night and we called the vet to bring her in.
The symptoms looked like parvo so she was put on IV and returned home to us for the night. We fed her with a syringe and couldn't sleep much all night long.
We brought her back to the vet for 4 days in a row. She was suffering and lethargic and no one knew what the cause was.
The viral test came back negative so I requested an x-ray in which the liver and stomach were not distinguishable due to liquid accumulation.
She passed on day 9 just as I was about to give her metronidazole dose.
This was so sad after trying all we could to save her, not to mention the 1800$ of vet fee.
Now the sale contract stipulates I could get another puppy if there is a congenital disease but that the breeder's vet would have to examine the puppy.
Of course that's not possible so we asked for an autopsy knowing of the future troubles we'd be in. In the end she had no chance of survival without a surgery at young age but it was too late as she was so weak.
I don't really feel like fighting and reliving all of it after such a loss but maybe I should do it for my puppy. She fought until the end. When the vet recommended to euthanize her on day 7 she raised her head on her own and barked a me. I took that as a 'keep fighting I will beat this'.
I will request a refund for the puppy but could the breeder's vet also be sued for malpractice? They stamped the puppies as all healthy and good for sale. I can't believe neither the breeder nor the vet notice anything wrong when we noticed her little hints? Can we also sue for all the emotional rollercoaster we went through during those 4 days of hospitalization?
Thanks
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