Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners Meeting with Dr. Jennifer Huck, DVM


On Wednesday, December 5th, I had an appointment with Dr. Huck.   It came nearly one month after her phone call with the insanely surreal news that the mass was BENIGN and that Charlotte NEVER HAD CANCER. Her entire leg had been amputated UNNECESSARILY.

I don't know what I expected from the meeting...I knew Dr. Huck would not say she was sorry for her mistake.   Dr. Huck was combative right off the bat, as she swept into the room with one of the managers of the BluePearl Brooklyn office. Immediately, she said, "I'm sure you have many prepared things you'd like to say and so feel free to go ahead.... and so, I know about the blog and I read your reviews."  At that point, I just nodded my head and looked at her, because I had wanted her to read it. I wanted Dr. Huck to know that she has deeply altered my life and Charlotte's life in a way that I truly never imagined possible.  She continued by telling me that she could see that I felt "that no one was advocating for Charlotte" at BluePearl. I stopped her, and disagreed.  It was a completely ridiculous statement to make. If I had felt that way and didn't trust that Dr. Huck and Dr. Lachowicz had Charlotte's best interest in mind, I would never have entrusted Charlotte to them for treatment for her "cancer".



I continued by letting Dr. Huck know why I was there...I wanted to tell her, face to face, that a serious injustice had been done and that it was NOT ACKNOWLEDGED at all, especially not when she had called me with news that Charlotte had never had cancer.  At this point in our meeting, I was looking for some sense of compassion, or at least have her reflect back on how she had relayed the horrific news to me on the phone that day.  Instead, Dr. Huck told me that I hadn't given her time to explain before I hung up.  I couldn't believe it. On the phone, when she told me those results, the feeling was like a thousand pound force dropping down on me...like falling into freezing water and realizing there's nothing to grab onto. The shock and horror that I felt...and have never felt before.... caused me to, yes, hang up the phone after only saying three words; "wow", and "thank you."  I could not believe that this doctor, this "professional", was telling me that the reason I didn't have answers, was because I had hung up?  Dr. Huck then said she tried to call back and had left a message. When I told her that she hadn't called back nor had she left any messages, she said, "well I don't know what to say about that." In this day and age, cell phone logs are very accurate and voicemails don't just disappear. There was NO follow-up phone call or message.   In addition, Dr. Huck's notes in the medical file did not mention any phone calls made to me after November 6th, the day that she had called with the benign histopathology result.  Every single other phone call, message, and appointment had been documented in detail in the medical record that I obtained from BluePearl.  To be blatantly lied to in the first 3 minutes of our face-to-face meeting was ridiculous and extremely insensitive. This was a meeting, which I had hoped would bring me some answers or solace...really, again, I'm not even sure what I was looking for. All I know is that Charlotte means way too much to have this situation passed off as an "Ooops.....Oh well".  

 
Dr. Huck went on to explain what she could have done differently. She said, "Yup, we could have gone forward with the biopsy and that was what was discussed." At this point interrupted and reminded her that my appointment on October 15th WAS for the CT SCAN and BIOPSY. She continued by saying, "I was told in the beginning of the day, coming down and talking to the techs, they're like, well, we talked about biopsy and they don't want to do radiation afterwards. So, you know, should we do something more definitive?" First, I had never discussed any of this with any of techs. And second, why hadn't Dr. Huck discussed any of this with me?  The topic of biopsy was not touched upon the day of the scan.  The focus to begin with, was on the CT scan. After the scan, Dr. Huck's focus was on the fact that it was "more serious" than they had thought and that amputation was the best option over the other procedure that she had proposed.  Again, had I been given all of the information in the original cytology, it never would have come to this point.   Dr. Huck, defensively, went on to say, "I never said biopsy was off the table. I offered that as one of the options that day." But that was untrue. On October 15th, the day of the appointment, Dr. Huck NEVER MENTIONED BIOPSY ONCE TO ME (not in person and not in the medical file notes of that day).  But she did say on the day of the procedure that she did not want to disturb the mass.  



She continued, "There was a collective decision to move forward with the procedure....." at this point I interjected and added to her statement, "With the information I was given." To which Dr. Huck replied, "And I gave you all the information that I had." But SHE HADN'T.  I went back in the medical file to the original cytology report that stated, "Reactive fibroplasma may occasionally mimic sarcomas on cytology." This one statement in itself, that very arrangement of words...would have prevented all of this from occurring. Because Dr. Jennifer Huck did not give this information to me, Charlotte's leg was unnecessarily amputated to cure a cancer she never had.  Here is the actual cytology report that I only received after the fact. Dr. Huck had given me the results over the phone on September 27, but had left out the VERY important statement, underlined in red, below.  This information was NOT noted in the medical file AT ALL by Dr. Huck or in her notes of our conversation.  All of the other entries in the medical file were very detailed.  On several dates, the doctor even commented on my demeanor; “owner was very thankful”, “owner was curt”, and other such things.  Had IT BEEN DISCLOSED to me that a benign mass CAN MIMIC SARCOMA, CHARLOTTE WOULD STILL HAVE ALL FOUR OF HER LEGS. 
During our meeting, I asked Dr. Huck about why I was never given this VITAL information by her.  But, instead of answering, she began by saying, "Yes, but moving on to Dr. Lachowicz..." My question hadn't been answered, why hadn't she given me this information. This was the information that could have prevented all of this......it never would have gotten to this point. "I'd like to stay on this for a moment, " I told her. She shifted in her chair and then looked at me wide eyed..... eyes bulging and chest area bright red. "I'm just going to put this out there, " she said, "I'm not here to have this become inflammatory, and I kind of feel that is the direction this is heading." I had not said anything out of line, nor had I done anything that could have misconstrued as threatening. I was sitting in my seat, listening as she spoke, and just trying to get some answers.  She continued by saying, "if this becomes attacking I mean there's not much I can do." As she said this, her voice was raised and she was leaning toward me in a fairly intimidating way.  I had no intention of being rude or attacking, I was just there to understand what had happened. "I'm listening," I said.

She continued to try to explain the wording on the cytology report. Then Dr. Huck said, "They don't tend to over-interpret cytology. If they felt more strongly that this was benign usually what they say is: "more likely benign, could have chances of being neoplastic or malignant, biopsy recommended. When I get a biopsy report back that says, 'Sarcoma, and then the subsequent statement is blah, blah, blah this is x, y, and z. Well, very rarely is over interpretation made." In Charlotte's case, the "blah, blah, blah this is x, y, and z" that Dr. Huck was referring to on the cytology report was the pathologist's warning that "reactive fibroplasma may occasionally mimic sarcomas on cytology." The "BLAH, BLAH, BLAH" part of this report, as Dr. Huck referred to it, was THE MOST IMPORTANT PART.  I told her that this is why "EVERY bit of information should be disclosed to your clients."  Dr. Huck, then responded to me by saying, "You're coming to me also, to trust that I have the experience and the knowledge and the interactions with these people, to interpret these in an appropriate medical way."  Why else would I have gone to a specialist? It goes without saying that, if one seeks the expertise of specialist in a certain field, by using their "services" the individual is trusting that the specialist has the experience, knowledge, and the professional interaction skills needed to act appropriately. 

Dr. Huck then went on to say, "I cannot sit and go over every single diagnostic and every single detail of the diagnostic because often times it's not useful for many clients because they don't have the medical knowledge and the medical background to interpret that with relation to what's going on with their pet.  Meaning there's a lot of medical information there that might not mean a lot to many people."  This statement was completely absurd.  Can't go over every detail? Basically, in this one statement, Dr. Huck was admitting to me that she in fact HAD NOT gone over all of the details of the report.  The cytology report was less than a half of a page and was not extremely detailed.  It was written in a fairly straightforward way that any person could understand, with the help of simple internet searches, of course.  THE MOST STRAIGHTFORWARD PART of the report was the part not disclosed to me by Dr. Huck was; it stated that the mass could be reactive fibroplasma, which mimics sarcoma, and that further testing was needed.  What medical knowledge does one need to understand that? Had Dr. Huck given me this ONE bit of information...this ONE sentence, none of this would have even come to fruition.   Dr. Huck then said that she called Dr. Lachowicz as soon as she got report and that she relayed that he said, "Yup, I agree with you, for sarcomas, amputation tends to be the best option for being curative." 

Dr. Huck went on to tell me that the mass in her leg is something I don't have to worry about now.  I'm not sure if that was meant to console me.... but it didn't.  She then attempted to justify the situation by saying, "The one thing I will put forward are the multiple conversations I had with you when you came back in for her re-checks were, 'She's doing really well'. Does that continue to be the case?"   I replied was that Charlotte was doing "as well as a three-legged cat who had just had an unnecessary surgery could be doing."  The fact that Charlotte has been able to adapt is COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT.   The fact that Dr. Huck DID NOT ASK about Charlotte during this meeting until nearly 15 to 20 minutes into the conversation was unreal. Wasn't THAT why she had become a veterinarian? Her love of animals? Where was the love now?

Dr. Huck continued on and said again that she offered biopsy on the day of the CT scan, which was most definitely NOT the case. The fact that she just kept trying to feed me that lie, as if perhaps maybe she could brainwash me into believing it happened was completely absurd.   Arguing this point with her would not have been an effective use of time, because bottom line is, she never mentioned it.  I do begin to wonder if Dr. Huck even consulted with Dr. Lachowicz on that day to discuss CT scan findings and devise the best treatment option based on the results.  She continued, " Knowing now how you feel about this...yeah, I would have pushed for a biopsy." What did she mean...knowing now how I feel about it? How I feel about having my cat undergo an UNNECESSARY life-altering medical procedure? Had there been any doubt in her mind, she should not have advised to go forward with such a drastic and permanent procedure as amputation.   She was the one with medical report from the pathologist...the report which clearly stated that this could just be a benign process which was mimicking sarcoma on the cytology.  

I stopped listening for a moment and I just stared at her. I had been waiting for this meeting for quite some time. Waiting to get answers, waiting to tell her how I felt....but I had told myself to keep it together. Getting emotional and crying during the appointment would accomplish nothing. But there it was....."I just don't think you realize what an emotional strain this has been on me, " I said through my tears. "Trust me, I know... " She said. "I don't think you know," I told her.  "I have devoted 10 plus years of my life to this job...I know...I know how heartbroken you are." That didn't sound like empathy.... she was telling me how this situation had affected her.  She wasn't putting herself in my shoes and considering how she would feel had this been her cat.  But she had put herself in my shoes on the day of the amputation when she told me that she would amputate if it were her cat.  

I continued again and said to Dr. Huck that I really felt as though a wrongdoing occurred and I wanted to know how she was going to rectify it. She immediately went into a speech and said she had no control over financial things...but if I wanted to contact BluePearl management, she knew that they would be very happy to speak with me. 

 I wanted an apology.  The way that she had called and so callously given me the news that the mass was benign was hurtful.  Her manner just added to the bizarre and unsettling nature of the whole situation. At that point in the meeting, I told her that she probably couldn't say she was sorry, because obviously that would make her at fault.  She replied by telling me that "an I'm, sorry doesn't put me at fault, an I'm sorry can convey many things." Yes, an "I'm sorry" convey many things, especially when the sentence begins with, "I'm sorry if you felt that....” So I hadn't gotten any definite answers, and the closest that I did get to apologies were, "I'm sorry if I swayed you in any way on the day of the procedure", "I'm sorry if this has been an emotional time for you", and "I'm sorry if I referred to you as curt [on the medical record]".   Dr. Huck then told me that she doesn't push for biopsy because not that many people take her up on it.  "What's hard in veterinary medicine," she began, "is the fact that finances...." I interrupted, "But I WAS willing to do a biopsy AND radiation. I was WILLING TO SPEND THE MONEY." She began again, trying to tell me she offered biopsy.... which she didn't.  Dr. Huck then stated what she would do in the future..."In the future, will I push for biopsy?" To her own question, she responded, " I don’t know."  In addition to seeming indifferent to what she had done to Charlotte, but she was also NOT GOING TO LEARN FROM HER MISTAKE.  For Dr. Jennifer Huck to not take anything at all from this situation, really just added insult to injury (literally).  The meeting had, at that point, ended itself. She was going to talk in circles.... replaying the script she had prepared in her head and the so-called "facts" she had planned to stick to.  No progress would be made and nothing more could be accomplished.  I got my papers together and stood up.

I hadn't gained anything at all from meeting with Dr. Huck.  She lied straight to my face, dismissing the obvious proof in the medical file that her medical and professional handling of Charlotte's case was, to say the least, sloppy and substandard. Dr. Huck's severe oversights and failure to disclose all information in the lab reports led to severe physical pain and an unnecessary loss of a limb for Charlotte, as well as serious emotional stress to myself. The process of healing is not only a physical one for Charlotte, but for myself it will be a long journey of emotional healing.  




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52 comments:

  1. Poor Charlotte :( Hope you are both doing ok.

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    1. Thank you for reading Charlotte's story. Charlotte continues to get better and better each day as she adjusts to her new life. It has been difficult, but with the support I have been getting from the wonderfully caring people reading Charlotte's blog, it has been giving me the strength to look to the future. Thank you again for reaching out to me :)

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  2. I am so sorry....this is a tragic story what happened to you. This article may help you http://aldf.org/article.php?id=243 I hope you can get the justice you are looking for. I will email you, as I have experience in this field. Again, it is a horrible tragedy but it is NOW the time to take action.

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  3. I'm so sorry this happened to you and Charlotte. I'm in tears while reading this. I have a cat that resembles Charlotte and I can't imagine how you felt. You are a wonderful and strong cat mom. She is still a gorgeous girl. I wish there was something I could do to help (I will share this). I want to give you both a hug. I hope everything is improving. Stay strong. You are an amazing person

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    1. THank you for getting in touch...it means a lot....I had written a reply to you a fews weeks ago, but it got deleted accidentally.
      Charlotte is getting stronger and stronger each day and learning to do things that she used to do! As each day goes by, as Charlotte gets stronger, so do I. Thank you again for your support and for your kind, caring words :)

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  4. Dr. Huck definitely is not a true animal lover because based on this entire situation (I have been reading from the start), she seems to be a vet for the money; she also does not seem to be the brightest bulb either. If I were in her shoes and had an animal's leg amputated for no reason, I would be distraught. She could care less that Charlotte has to learn to deal with three legs. Does she realize that this WILL affect Charlotte as she ages? Of course not. She can take her ten years and wipe her ass with them. How would she like it if one of her family's member's limbs were amputated for no reason? If she wants to redeem herself, she needs to quit practicing veterinary medicine. We all make mistakes but: 1) You cannot afford to make major mistakes in a profession, especially in medicine. 2) You need to own up to your mistakes and swallow the consequences - it's part of life.

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  5. This is absolutely awful. I have no experience or knowledge of this vet or practice, but I can tell you that my own experience of having pets has led me to find a practice and a group of vets that have provided the best care possible. All I can do is say that for those who are fearful for their pets and looking for good care are welcome to try the amazing group of specialists I've used for the past 15 years. My dogs have had issues with diseases, extensive treatment, surgeries, etc and I'm confident in recommending these practitioners to anyone who needs a referral.

    The practice is: RBVH (Red Bank Vetrinary Hospital). There are locations in Tinton Falls, Cherry Hill, and Hillsborough. The vets I've had personal experience with are: Dr. Ward (Internist), Dr. Thatcher (Surgeon), Dr. Benitah (Emergency), Dr. Salgado (CCU), Dr. Marshall (CCU), Dr. Ringle (Eye), a Dental expert whose name escapes me, and Dr. Davis (the best surgeon on the East Coast as far as I'm concerned). They work as a team and provide constant and ongoing communication, second opinion, etc.

    This is a huge operation, but you'd never know it from the individual and compassionate care your pets receive. (Feel free to email me for more details: Jessnj@rocketmail.com). And no, I don't work there :)

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  6. I am not sure why the biopsy was not preformed and results waited for. That would be the standard procedure. From a liability point of view...Dr.'s are arrogant and they like to cover their asses, you will never get the apology you deserve. From your cat's point of view it was highly invasive surgery she never needed and that is very wrong and sad, however, you have her to love and be with and if the leg had been cancerous even with amputation your time would have been drastically cut short. This is a good lesson to all..you MUST be advocates for your pets and not trust..quest..research..question again and NEVER give permission for something you are unsure of.
    oh and time for new vet....FOR SURE!!!!

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    1. Lorri,
      Thank you for reading Charlotte's story. I wish I knew why the doctor did not even present biopsy as an option on the day of the procedure. When I asked her during the follow-up meeting, she said that she rarely pushes clients for biopsy because the cytology reports are very accurate and very rarely is anything over-interpretted. Well, in Charlotte's case it was. I know now that I will never get an answer, or an apology from the doctor. All I can do now is let this be a lesson for others and be an advocate for Charlotte.
      Thank you again for reaching out to me and giving your support. :)

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    2. I want to add to this because the strangest part to me had to do with the Biopsy. I have worked in a clinic and heard over and over again cancer and then biopsy. The two words almost ALWAYS go together. It seemed like it was the plan all along, so I just don't see how it got dismissed and maybe even forgotten? I will admit that yes, amputation seemed like the safest thing if there was no definitive way to say if it was cancerous or not, but the other Doctor obviously thought Biopsy should be done first and could be so I just don't see how it got passed on. I wonder what he would say about what transpired when you went in that day, and why the Biopsy would not have been done? (and maybe if he could give you some answers?) I wonder if they really had met after doing the cytology to "plan out" the best action for Charlotte, or if Dr. Huck had made the decision to amputate that day on her own? I can understand why apologizing is something she cannot do most likely if she wants to keep her job, but I feel that even if she could not say "I am sorry for doing the wrong thing", she could have still communicated with you that she felt horrible and was sorry. I knew a vet a long time ago who made an honest mistake soon after he had done his internship, and he owned up to it and made his entire life as a veterinarian about NOT repeating his mistake. He never even thought about his job as a professional when it happened, because he was almost as devastated as the family of the pet was (if not MORE because he had such a weight of guilt on himself for letting down the same thing she had devoted his life to saving).
      I do understand that there are some things that vets do not discuss with owners in detail because of the medical terminology and because it is a fact that many people have trouble understanding medical terminology when it comes to their pets, but one of the things that is most important that a vet do is to convey their findings to the owners in a simplified way that they will understand (if necessary) so that they can make a decision based on information they understand. I have heard vets at the office I take my animals to asking over and over again, "do you understand this?", "do you need me to explain this again?"- YES, it does take them more time to explain ALL information in a way the owners will understand sometimes, but the owners are PAYING and TRUSTING them to do what is best for their pet and they have a right to know everything the vet does.
      I've worked with many kitties, some of who had to have amputations or lost legs, and they are very strong animals that do not let losing a limb change hold them back- her strength will continue to amaze you and she will adapt I'm sure. Her story should be heard so that these things do not continue to happen and be dismissed, I'm just so sorry that she had to go through what she did for it. May Charlotte live out a very long life with you and continue to heal wonderfully,

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  7. Thank you so much again for your continued support and wonderful outpouring of love in your emails. Sorry that some comments were deleted, I accidentally pressed "remove" when I was going through them on my phone. Thank you again. It means a lot that Charlotte's story is being read by so many wonderfully kind and loving people.

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  8. My friend just emailed your story to me. My cat Zeus had to have his leg amputated....he flies around my house like he's Super-Cat! Charlotte will do well in time....cat's are able to adjust better than humans could. At least in my case, the tumor was malignant though. You just need to remember that none of this your fault. They messed up. Keep looking to the future and continue to love her as much as you can!! XOXO Shelly

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    1. Hi Shelly,
      Thank you for getting in touch with me to share your story. I am so happy to hear that your cat Zeus is getting around well! Hopefully, in time, Charlotte will also become a "super-cat" like him! Thank you so much for you sweet words and support :)

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  9. Not all Veterinarians are created equal; this is true of all doctors.

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  10. Hi: So very sorry for your and Charlotte's difficult time. Your /her story is just awful and should never have happened. I have been involved in the human medical world for over 3 decades and can tell you that when this type of event happens to humans, it becomes a major legal case, as it should in your case. Medical practitioners who behave in the way you have described deserve to be stopped in their tracks. I would highly recommend that you contact the state department that licenses your vet and have a conversation with them. It is just like errors in human lab results leading to a woman having the wrong breast removed, or a breast removed on the wrong person. Miscommunications can and do occur in any medical world, but just because it happened in Charlotte's case, to be animal instead of human is no excuse. Find Charlotte an animal activist attorney and a good vet tech or vet 'nurse'. Keep very careful notes of all conversations you have or had with the vet, and document everything. There must be legal action you can take. If there is not, then create it; become an animal legal activist. Create something good out of this; use your and Charlotte's story to help prevent this kind of animal cruelty from happening to other animals. Keep asking for help. You and Charlotte could have a wonderful journey together. Make her a poster child to help others. BTW, she is truly a beautiful cat. I wish you and Charlotte well.

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    1. Thank you for getting in touch and sharing your ideas on how to proceed from here. It really has been such a nightmare. But you are so right...I need to find a way to create something good from this. Laws for animals need to change. The fact that veterinarians are considered medical doctors, but they are not held to the same standards of practice as doctors for humans, is unbelievable.
      If anything, like you said, turning this into something positive like becoming an advocate for animal law is a path i can take.
      Thank you again for reaching out and giving your support :)

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  11. I just wanted to say that I am so sorry that Charlotte and you had to go through all this. I agree that you need to take legal action against this veterinarian who seems to be not that compassionate.
    It bought tears to my eyes when I finished reading your blog.
    Good luck and I wish the two of you well.

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    1. Thank you so much for reading Charlotte's story....it means a lot that people are reading and sharing this.
      It has truly been a nightmare....but the support of caring people, like you, who are reading and getting in touch is giving me the strength to go forward to find justice for Charlotte. Thank you again.

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  12. If I were you, I would file a complaint with the NY Board of Veterinary and ask them to revoke their licenses, it is obvious that it was NOT a mistake, they did it to get $$$ which is what they care about it.

    I cannot stop crying seeing the suffering you and Charlotte are going and rest assure that KARMA exist and that they BOTH are going to pay for what they did and honestly, I hope it will be very soon.

    I am the President/Founder of a cat rescue organization in Miami, Fl. and rest assured that this link will be pinned to the top notes in our page for as long as we need it too until those 2 bastards get their licenses revoked.

    My dad is a retired vet and he was always honest and trusted by their clients, we never care about money only the well-being of the animals. The actions of these 2 people (I am sorry but I cannot and I will not call then doctors) a shame for the veterinary field.

    I am so sorry for you and Charlotte and I will be sending Reiki Healing to both of you.

    Silvia M. Valles
    President/Founder
    Octavio Feline Foundation

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    1. Hi Silvia,
      I emailed you last night, but wanted to thank you again for getting in touch with me and sharing Charlotte's story on your page. Because of you, our story is reaching so many more people.
      Thank you again :) and my best wishes to you always.

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  13. Woah! That was some story. All I kept thinking as I read this was this vet will NEVER admit anything. She is crapping in her pants bc she is afraid she is going to get fired and lose her licence. You need to report her to the AVMA. I was in a simillar situation. I spent thousands of dollars on a cat, 11 months old, that died of heart failure. A week before the cat died I told her he was coughing. We discussed some options and when all was said and done, a week later she flipped the x-ray (post-mortem)and said hindesight was 20/20. The cat is dead. He was the love of my life and he's dead and that's what you say to me? So I can completely empathize with you.

    Unfortunately there are many people like that out there. Where is the compassion? Where is the empathy? These are lives they are dealing with. Please persue this. It needs to stop.

    My thoughts and prayers are with you and Charlotte. What you both went through is unimaginable. My heart breaks for the both of you. It may not have been so shocking if there was some sort of accountability on thier part. It would have lessened the blow a little. That vet may not care but we all do.

    Good luck and I wish Charlotte a speedy recovery and a happy, healthy life ahead.

    Sincerely,
    Nicole DiBona

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    1. Nicole,

      Thank you for your kind words and your support.

      I am so sorry about your cat and the negligent veterinary care that he received. If a little more care had been taken, he may have still been here. I really am sorry. And that is what gets me, because also in Charlotte's case, if a little more care and a little more time had been taken to relay all of the tests results to me, this never would have happened.

      THank you so much for taking the time to read Charlotte's story and reach out to me. It means so much :) Thank you again.

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  14. Hi sorry to hear of your heartache. I had a dog who DID have cancer of the maxillary sinus and I was promised that is she had radiation she had a good chance of living to a ripe old age. After sending her to 1 month of radiation treatments and putting her thru all sorts of crap and paying 6,000.00 even though my husband and I were unemployed at the time 6 months to the day she was gone. I remember it well it was Thanksgiving day. To this day I donot celebrate that holiday. I am SOOOOOOOOO angry to this day . For the vet to make money I beleived I was LIED to.

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    1. Hi there, thank you for reading. I am so sorry that you, your husband, and your sweet dog had to go through that. That is amazing that you and your husband found a way to pay for her treatment even though you were unemployed at the time.....true animal lovers ( they ARE part of the family). Again, I'm sorry for your loss.
      Thank you for reading Charlotte's story and getting in touch.

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  15. I feel your pain. I went through the same type of thing with my dog. We were involved in a pesticide poisoning. I contacted Duke vet sch in NC. I took my 1 yr old great dane in after he received treatment with a local vet in Va. They looked at me like I was a nut when I tearfully described what had happened. Long sad story. They were doing exploritory surgery and called and said he had cancer and it needed to be removed, but he would have loose stools and it needed to removed while he was already under. They called a week later and said oops..sorry no cancer. He had a large fungal infesction from the pesticides. Pills could of treated it. My baby died cuz those loose stools and couldn't keep any weight on. They said he'd be ok, after I called repeatedly that he was getting worse. They took no blame and because dogs are considered property there was nothing I could do. They said they would do a benefit to help cover my $10,000, but nothing ever happened. I am truely glad you still have Charlette, but so upset another animals needlessly went through all that pain and suffering.

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    1. Oh my god....I can't even believe it....i am SO sorry.....I know exactly how you felt. The pain is indescribable....because we are in charge of our pets well-being and health and have to put our trust in veterinary "specialists". The fact that the law doesn't value the life of an animal as more than just a possession or some inanimate object, speaks volumes. Vets are viewed as doctors, yet they are not be held the same standards as "human doctors". There is no accountablity here. It is unfathomable.
      I know I am lucky to have Charlotte still with me. She is still my sweet girl and just as loving as ever. But when I look at her, sometimes I can't help but think about how this did not have to be. If there was just a little more attention paid to charlotte's lab results.
      Again, I am so very sorry that your loving dog went through such a horrible experience and that you had to endure all of this. I know exactly how you feel. Thank you so much for reaching out and sharing.... please email, I'd like to talk more justiceforcharlotte@gmail.com

      Delete
  16. Is it possible to sue? Is it possible for a sanction to be placed against her license? The responsibility for biopsy and confirmation of diagnosis is clearly hers. It is malpractice for her to hand you incomplete information, assume you know the best course of action and then proceed with a surgical procedure before she has a diagnosis. Please contact the American Veterinary Medical Association and the licensing bureau in your state. Look for a lawyer. Consider the Humane Society as a resourse.

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  17. You must work hard to make sure this doctor gets punished for malpractice, perhaps looses her liscence. Let me know if I can help, or send a letter, or anything, contact at htorres52@ymail.com

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  18. I will be following this sure wish there was a way to get good vet help when you go to these places you are so at risk. I too had a dog that had cancer should have been put down but instead of suggesting that they lead us to believe he would be ok after a week, $10,000 and not being able to walk due to there testing he was put to down. Their charges are more than 100% since they are emergency. I had to take another do there on the weekend you get whose on they do surgery, pay more than top dollar without knowing what the qualifications are for the person in charge of you close friend. In North Jersey.

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  19. To me it's quite obvious that the vet couldn't care less. As I was reading about your meeting with her, I put myself in the vet's shoes. No matter how professional and controlled I'm capable of being, I don't think I'd be able to avoid breaking down into tears during that meeting. I don't think I would've been able to avoid breaking down into tears over the phone, let alone be cheerful. I truly hope this woman walks away from her profession. It was her mistake. The least she could do even be it that she's obviously not feeling any emotions over the matter is own up to her mistake. /Her/ mistake. I hope your baby is feeling as spiffy as can be. ♥ My cat sends his love.

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  20. i am so sorry you had to go thru this, i love all my animals , you should sue this doctor and report him to the board, that is so terrible. make him pay-just as you and your cat are

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  21. Why don't you provide the other side of the story? It's not fair to attack others in a blog when you have no medical training or expertise yourself. Instead of trying to fill others' heads with incorrect information, you should provide unbiased facts. Your blog is disappointing - simply your whiny story without true facts and information. Are you qualified to know what you are speaking of? Doctors are there to help, not harm, as you accuse.

    You should publish ALL comments and not those you select. Go ahead and publish this one - I bet you won't because you are an uneducated coward.

    How does it feel to be attacked?

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    1. Thank you for reading Charlotte's story. I don't feel, as you phrased it, "attacked". From your defensive stance and hostile words, I can tell that you somehow have a close connection to Charlotte's case. Perhaps an employee of BluePearl, definitely someone closely linked.

      I brought Charlotte to this specialty clinic because it was recommended by my regular vet. The only thing I did wrong here was TRUST these so-called "specialists". You are correct when you say that I have no medical training or expertise....if I had I probably would have questioned Dr. Huck more about her diagnosis and treatment advice. Bottom line: VITAL INFORMATION was NOT DISCLOSED to me prior to the amputation surgery. No medical expertise is needed to understand that.

      Delete
    2. Her blog entries were very rational and to me, it didn't seem like she was attacking at all. If anything it's hard to NOT to be emotional in a situation like this and Charlotte's owner did a great job of presenting just the facts. If anything it read like a good piece of investigative reporting.

      You want her to provide the vet's side of the story? Well, then Dr. Huck needs to come clean with all HER facts. The problem here is that she hasn't. Mistakes can be made, even with experienced surgeons but it's terrible to not come forth with the truth. It's terrible to try and hide it then make the owner feel like she's doing something wrong by asking questions.

      I came upon this blog because I wanted to research this hospital before committing and oh boy, glad I did because there are lots of legal complaints made about this hospital. Just how many lawsuits against this place are there??

      Charlottes's mom: have you thought about sharing this blog in a yelp review? I feel like you would be doing so many of us a favor by sharing Charlotte's story. Thank you and give her a chin rub for me. Wishing you two the best.

      Delete
  22. Oh poor Charlotte!!! I saw your post on craigslist and was mortified. How could someone do that to a living creature and them just say "oops my bad"? Dr. Huck obviously does not have an ounce of compassion. But I had a thought. You say she never offered biopsy and she insisted she had. Maybe she actually thought she had told you. Or I donno maybe she did just outright lie to you. Anyway I know if it had been my pet I would have sued or something.

    I wonder what Charlotte must have thought. One minute at the vet, then darkness, then one of her legs is missing and your upset and filled with horror it must have been such a tramatic experiance for both of you.
    Well best wishes. :)

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  23. I guess the only good thing is sweet Charlotte is still alive but my heart breaks for what this innocent cat and you have been through. I had such an experience with a rescued puppy that I had only four months who had been misdiagnosed three times. Our puppy had distemper and due to the delay in diagnosis lost her life! This happened NH. When we confronted the veterinary hospital their reply was to contact their lawyer! I wrote letters to the editor and received so many cards and letters of support. I never pursued legal avenue as a dog is considered 'property' so you can only get back what you paid. That was not my issue... I just wanted apology and some type of support from the vet! Unfortunately, just business for them! Our heart still hurts for this sweet pup who went through so much. I am so sorry for your poor kitty and can only imagine the hurt you feel as you see her struggle daily. Cats are smart and hopefully she will bounce back and forget. She knows you care so very much for her...they understand. Best wishes and I hope Charlotte lives to a very old, healthy age,

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  24. What a bunch of quacks................I'm sorry you went thru this, anda Charlotte also

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  25. I feel for you and your poor cat. I'm going through my own sadness over my own cat but for very different reasons. They will both get their justice, somehow.
    <3

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  26. Un-fortunately Charlotte lost a leg. Fortunately she did not loose her life. I have heard many horror stories about animals loosing their life at that place or as a result of having been treated at that place. I will never take any of my animals there. That company and others like it needs to be investigated by people who will not accept a pay off. Much needs to be done in the area of protecting animals from places like this.

    X's and O's for Charlotte.
    R. Boone

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  27. This idiot is exactly why laws have to change to make pets family members in the eyes of the law. This Vet should loose her right to practice and should have to compensate the onwers for pain and suffering for having to watch the precious kitty go thru this for nothing.

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  28. I am a veterinarian and I can tell you that the reason you did not get an apology, and never will, is because the malpractice insurance people advise us that if we do apologize or do anything else that may be interpreted as guilt, we will not be covered for the case. If the entire story is as you say it is, and you did not leave anything out, you need to file a complaint with the New York Veterinary Board and with an attorney. That way, the entire story will come out and if you have been wronged, you will get at least some satisfaction. But be advised, the veterinary board will likely just slap her on the wrist, because they can't do anything that would prevent someone from earning a living. That is why you need to file a complaint with an attorney and not just with the board. Statistics have been published in our journals that social media pages like yours do very little damage to veterinarians - which is why so many don't care what you put online. You may think your blog is hurting them, but believe me it isn't. You need to spend your time and effort talking with an attorney. So many of my colleagues get away with crap like this, it is amazing that anyone trusts a veterinarian anymore.

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  29. This is in response to three statements made here, one by a self-defined veterinarian, and the other two not sure of their origins, but I suspect are connected to the veterinary industry in some way:

    First, to the vet (Anonymous) who said that "...social media pages like yours do very little damage to veterinarians - which is why so many don't care what you put online." You could not be more misinformed. The vet who killed Suki sicced THREE LAWYERS ON ME to try to obtain a permanent injunction with the specific purpose of making sure I could never tell Suki's Story again. This "doctor" demanded I remove the following: his name, the name of his clinic, and the treatment Suki received. His unconstitutional motion for injunction got kicked, and when he filed his ridiculous appeal, they kicked him to the curb as well. Almost three years of my life, time, energy, money, lost work, sleep, health, etc. spent fighting that moron to preserve my First Amendment rights. BTW, at the time I was being sued by this freak, there were at least a half dozen other people being sued by THEIR vets for the sole purpose of getting information OFF of the Internet. You can read more about the lawsuit at Suki's Safe Haven.

    Second, to the OBVIOUSLY vet-connected tirade about hearing "the other side," please give me a break. You sound like the vet who killed Suki. The other side is inevitably filled with lies, denials, blame-shifting, manipulation of sequence of events, deficient recordkeeping, and talk about whining lol. Watch a veterinarian squirm, lie and deny UNDER OATH and you sure will get "the other side" lol. When there are FACTS and PROOF of what, when, where and how the vet did what he/she did, there IS no other side.

    Finally, to the person who referred to a "public reaming." This isn't about reaming, It's about the TRUTH and ACCOUNTABILITY. As in, vets have virtually NO accountability to anyone and so we have to tell our experiences. When you live in states where up to 90 percent (and sometimes more) of board complaints are tossed (thanks to pressure from the vet's insurance company lawyers trying to cut backroom deals, we have to SPEAK UP. Does that mean every vet is bad? Of course not, but it does mean that every vet is PROTECTED - by the board systems whose job it is to protect their licensees, and by the legal system where pets have no more value than your average toaster oven.

    As a footnote, for anyone under the misconception that all vets love animals, I beg you to please get rid of that notion now, before one of them kills your pet due to your blind trust: All vets do not love animals anymore than all physicians love people. As consumers we need to take the emotion out of dealing with vets and start dealing with them the way we would with ANY business. Only by being INFORMED consumers (and that includes knowing where the worst of these "doctors" practice and what they did to someone else's pet) will we be able to protect our precious companions.

    Again, I commend Charlotte's human for spreading the word and I hope she continues to do so. We CAN make changes; my fellow advocates and I have proven it at the state level in various states, so NEVER GIVE UP. My best to you and Charlotte. Julie - founder, Veterinary Abuse Network.

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  30. This is truely a sad case for you as the owner and miss charlotte. I would like to add though that veterinarians are humans too and do make mistakes. Although this does not make up for the unprofessionalism and uncaring personality of this dr that was taking care of charlotte. Not all vets are bad just remember that. There are compassionate drs in the field. I work in a veterinary clinic up north and trust my boss/clinic 110%! Its going to be a long road for you and charlotte but just know she is one tough cookie & has a lot of support behind her :)

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  31. This is such a sad case. I'm so sorry for Charlotte. As a pet owner myself I have learned to be skeptical of vets and know not to rely on their word 100%. My pom pup who was barely 6mos was diagnosed with a loose kneecap (luxating patella) and the doctors wanted to neuter him/ remove his retained teeth and operate on BOTH of his hind legs on the same day. I asked concerned if that would be too much to handle for a 6 month old pup! And they said it'd be done so quickly it was nothing to worry about. But he'd take 3 months to recover his legs. I agreed to do it since they convinced me it was the best thing for my pup and I wanted what was best for him. Once I got home I researched online (thank god for the internet) and found out that there are various grades. So immediately the next day I scheduled 3 appointments at 3 different vets to get their opinions - they all said it was barely a Grade I and needed NO surgery! I trusted my vet. Since our pets cannot talk to us we rely on our vet's suggestions and trust them. But they are only after $$$. The same vet also pulled out my friend's cats teeth that were perfectly healthy! It is really hard to find a vet who really cares for the animal and not just the money. Thank you for sharing your story and making the general public aware! My very best to you and Charlotte! :)

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  32. The problem is that you have be research everything and keep asking questions-do not let them be vague. Also if your pet is ill you know it-I really like my vet but I had a bad experience-my kitty was having a mammory tumor removed for a 2ND time and after surgery the site became infected-she went back to the Vet and they kept her a week-no charge-then I picked her up the next day she was not right-I called and they said to give her time as she went through a lot and I was over reacting-well two days later I brought he in without calling and she had a massive infection-we had to put her to sleep-it was awful-but I blame myself also as I knew something was wrong but I listened to the Vet-the bottom line is you know your pet-you are with your pet every day-always get a second opinion-what happened with you kitties leg is horrible and someone needs to be held accountable!! Just don't take and Vets word period.

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  33. I stumbled upon your blog today after researching veterinary malpractice, as I have had the same thing happen to my cat. My cat had a tooth extracted last month and some tissue was sent in for a histopathology report. The report came back and indicated that she had "undifferentiated cancer". The vet recommended conservative treatment and gave Tinkerbell 6 months - a year. We sought a 2nd opinion with an oncologist, who recommended surgery (mandibulectomy) to remove part of her jaw. X-rays and and MRI was done and she had the surgery 2.5 weeks ago. Her jaw has shifted and she now drools constantly. Because the cancer was "undifferentiated" the oncologist recommended that our regular vet order "special stains" to determine if it was a sarcoma or carcinoma to find out if she'd need additional treatment (chemo/radiation). We have been waiting patient for 2.5 weeks for these results and finally got them yesterday. Only, it turns out that Tinkerbell DOESN'T HAVE CANCER AT ALL!!!! The lab had the wrong slide, incorrectly labeled with Tinkerbell's name. I immediately requested all of Tinkerbell's medical records, including both histopathology reports. The error was glaringly obvious to me - the first histo report's profile/history states "history of an enlarged lymph node in the right ear". No tissue from her EAR was ever sent! The 2nd report has the correct profile/history - "history of severe focal gingivitis with evidence of alveolar bone loss and gingival recession. Proliferative lesions noted near the right lower molar region". This was the correct sample. However, not only did my regular vet fail to see that the first history/profile was incorrect, but neither the oncologist nor the surgeon caught the error either! I saw it immediately! Yet, 3 Board Certified Veterinary Professionals failed to see what was glaringly obvious to me! Tinkerbell could have been spared surgery and permanent deformity/disability if at least ONE of those 3 vets had caught the error. I am beyond pissed and have a consultation with an attorney on Friday. Wish me luck. I hope you and Charlotte are doing well. Hugs.

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  34. I would be upset if I felt like my pet had to undergo unnecessary pain/suffering so I can sympathize with you. As a veterinarian though, I would have recommended amputation from the beginning as well. Even if I thought the mass might be benign. It's very difficult to get a good biopsy sample without removing the entire mass and in this case, that means amputation would yield a good sample. Even if it's not malignant it prevents the mass from continuing to grow and causing pain by pressing on surrounding nerves and vessels. The vet should have gone over all of this with you before surgery though.

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  35. Setting aside the insanity of your recommending an amputation "even if I thought the mass might be benign" (and I wish you would sign your name so those of us who don't want our pets chopped up BEFORE a proper diagnosis could avoid you too) I don't believe Charlotte's human has gotten any such endorsement of Blue Pearl's surgery until now. Why now? Trying to get in some kind of "expert testimony" in the court of public opinion? Good luck - we don't need to be vets to know that chopping off a limb to do a biopsy is completely nuts, and if it WASN'T nuts then Blue Pearl wouldn't be going crazy trying to get people to believe this is perfectly okay. Not to mention that Jennifer Huck wouldn't have lied her butt off if this was standard procedure. And if you ARE a legitimate vet (meaning, NOT associated with Blue Pearl) then your last sentence is incredibly naive. Vets are performing procedures all over the country (and world) every day without providing the kind of information we need to know. In my case, the vet couldn't even be bothered to let me know he was operating on my CRF cat at all -- just went ahead and did dental surgery under anesthesia without my knowledge, sending her over the cliff into acute renal failure and later bragging to the conference committee in Austin "I didn't even charge her for the tooth extraction." So if you think that vets are "going over" anything with us, you couldn't be more wrong. Maybe good vets are. The bad vets (and I put Blue Pearl into that category from all the horror stories I am hearing about them) aren't -- and they will keep getting away with it until enough people file enough state board complaints to get that place shut down and if not, at least their horror stories will be all over the net. JC - vetabusenetwork.com. Read Suki's Story.

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  36. I am about to start a cancer treatment program for my cat. Are you still responding to comments? If so, I would like to ask you some questions.

    I am so sorry for your troubles and hope that Charlotte is doing well -- she is beautiful!!!

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    1. Hi there,
      Thank you for reading Charlotte's story. I'm so sorry that your cat is sick and will need to begin treatment. I can try to answer some of your questions...obviously I have no medical expertise. The most important thing I can tell you before you begin any treatment...is BIOPSY. Had I done that with Charlotte, even though the vet didn't suggest it, I never would have been in this situation.

      Again, I am sorry that you and your cat are going through this and I'll try to answer any questions you have. Sending love and good wishes.

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  37. Hello there. I am so sorry this happened to your sweet Charlotte. I hope you and her are getting along ok. Incidentally, I have just created a website called www.bluepearlvethorrorstories.com so that I could share what happened to my dog, and the horrible care she received from them and so that others could share their stories too. If you have some free time, please check it out and I would love for you to share your story there too. I am trying to get the word out so people do not use this establishment. Thank you, and bless little Charlotte.

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    1. Hi Michelle,
      Thank you for reading Charlotte's unfortunate and painful story. My sweet Charlotte passed away last May...and I miss her deeply each and every day. Last May 2015, unrelated to the BluePearl incident, after several severe nosebleeds, it was discovered that she had developed lymphoma. We tried everything (just as you did) to save her and to give her the longest and best possible quality life, but my strong sweet girl was not able to fight it and we had to make the hardest decision ever. I miss her so much...she was my baby. I know what you're going through and I read your entire story. But I really started to cry when I read this, "Why wasn’t I stronger? Sure, she may have only had 1 or 2 more months, but I stole those from her. I felt like a horrible person to the core. I will never forgive myself for this." YOU CAN NOT DO THAT TO YOURSELF....I know that because I do it nearly everyday still, even after almost a year. I think to myself, but what if I had just waited, and not followed the suggestion of the vet that night, who was from a different emergency hospital (we had to rush her there on her last night). But then I realize, I saw her with my own eyes, she was a shell of the girl she used to be. She was still my baby and she was with me physically....but she wasn't herself. You have to trust in yourself and that you did what was best for her with the information you were given. The hardest part, I am sure, is looking back and wondering if you had the correct information. As you said on your page, the PEC should never have contacted the oncologist. The fact that she did, and did not disclose this to you is, to say the least, completely shady. I know that you know looking back and blaming yourself will not accomplish anything internally to make you feel at peace. The BEST thing you can do now is honor and cherish Bubbles' memory and the time you had with her....and make others aware of
      disreputable, shady, money hungry practice that, unfortunately, casts a cloud over way too many in Veterinary Profession. Of course you can share Charlotte's story on your site.
      I am always here if you need someone to talk to.
      -Louise

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