A few days ago, my dog sprained his ankle pretty badly. I took him to a well-known emergency animal hospital nearby, and they said they’d need to sedate him to do some X-rays. Today, I got the medical records and noticed a note saying they accidentally gave him Antisedan (the anti-sedation drug) instead of the sedative, Dexdom, but stopped when they realized and notified the main doctor. They never told me about this accident at the time, though.
They ended up giving him the right drugs afterward, and everything went okay. But it’s frustrating to find out days later through a note at the end of a 10-page invoice that they made this mistake. The bill was 2 grand, so I’d expect more transparency. Thankfully, my pup’s alright, but I’m wondering how you guys would handle this situation. I just wish they’d told me right away, not days later. Any advice?
Antisedan reverses Dexdom, so if they gave it before the sedation, it didn’t really do anything harmful. Accidents happen, and it’s good they stopped immediately. They should’ve told you upfront, though. It might not have been a big issue medically, but as a paying customer, you deserve transparency.
It’s annoying they didn’t tell you right away, but mistakes happen. I’d make sure they didn’t charge you for the wrong injection and just move on, especially since your dog is okay.
I’d reach out and make sure you weren’t charged for the incorrect dose. Also, ask them about steps they’re taking to avoid future errors. It’s probably why they didn’t mention it—Antisedan doesn’t do much without Dexdom. The frequent checks are standard after sedation, so I don’t think the mistake affected that part.
Extra Antisedan wouldn’t have made him wake up slower. It’s actually meant to reverse Dexdom. The real issue is that Antisedan isn’t usually given via IV unless it’s an emergency. It’s supposed to be given intramuscularly. Still, they documented it, so they didn’t exactly hide it from you. It’s alarming, but there weren’t any ill effects. Just make sure they didn’t charge you twice for the reversals.
I had a similar experience where the vet gave my cat the wrong vaccine. They told me right away and gave him the right one, all at no charge. If I were you, I’d make sure they didn’t charge you for the mistake.