Did Vet cut back nails too short???

[indigoparent]

I took our 6yo bombay, Indigo, to the vet today to check a sore on one of her back legs. It wasn't until I got home, that I noticed they had trimmed all her nails. First of all, I've always been very paranoid about trimming too short for fear of getting close to the quick, and only trim enough so that her nails aren't sharp.

While her front nails are far shorter than I would trim, they were ok, but omg they trimmed her back nails so short! All the way down to the quick, where one of her nails is bleeding, and they all look mangled and shredded. Is it normal for a vet or groomer to clip a cat's back nails this short?? I was wondering why Indigo seemed more subdued than usual after we got home, and was licking her back paws.

And because of the strict coronavirus protocols in place, they did not allow anyone inside the building. We had to hand off our pets to staff who met us outside, and trust our pets with them inside, not being able to see anything going on. I feel like if this would have been a regular visit, I would have been able to be there with Indigo every step of the visit, and tell them not to clip her nails at all. I feel like I took her in for help with one thing, and instead, put her through unnecessary torment and abuse. Am I overreacting?

 

[tabbytom]

after we got home, and was licking her back paws.

Looks like it was trimmed too short and probably clipped the quick and bled on one of the nails as it shows some raw redness and therefore your cat was licking nail.

You may want to use a pedicure file and gently file off the rough edges on that your cat won't get hurt when she scratched herself.

Here's how to clip your cat's nail if you're doing it yourself :-

 

[Jcatbird]

I can understand your reaction. It’s hard enough to send our babies in without us without feeling like something wasn’t handled perfectly. Vets along with every other service workers are under great pressure. They are trying to handle our babies while they are without the calming presence of their human parents. I can imagine that your baby may have been objecting to being clipped without you there and perhaps moved as the nails were clipped resulting in the mishap. I do think you should let the vet know about the clipping just to make sure they are aware. If an assistant isn’t properly clipping then the vet needs input or they may not know this. If it’s a vet you have known and trusted, give them the benefit of the doubt. As suggested in the post by tabbytom, filing the ragged edges can prevent kitty from scratching himself with a rough edge. I am guessing the nails will be okay but if kitty seems to be in long term discomfort, let the vet know so some advice or some form of relief can be given until the irritation is ended. I’m so sorry you and kitty experienced this. Sending healing purrs to you both!

 

[indigoparent]

The vet office emailed back and I talked to them on the phone this morning. Not only did they deny they did it, they say it looks like it was not done with a proper clipper, but ground down with a file. They say no one at their office would do such a thing, that there's no record of it on the exam, and that a trimming was not requested. Bottom line: so someone at their office went out of their way to not use the right trimming tools, to torture my poor cat, and they deny it happened. What can I do now?

 

[GoldyCat]

Ouch! Poor kitty. Filing down the claws will not leave them ragged. Just the opposite. I always file my kitties' claws after clipping and it leaves nicely rounded smooth edges. You get the splintered, rough edges if you use something like regular people clippers that aren't sharp enough. And no, they wouldn't all look like that if he'd slipped down a block wall. He might have two or three that got ground down but not every single one.

At this point I don't know that there's anything you can do to prove that it was done by someone in the vet's office. Is there another vet near you that you can go to? If so, I would change vets immediately since I doubt you'll be able to trust this vet again.

 

[wealthy1]

I indigoparent how is your Kitty’s nails?

 

[indigoparent]

Thanks for asking! Her nails are growing back, and she's her old sassy self.

I really appreciate this community and how concerned and helpful you've all been. The vet/owner of the clinic finally admitted that it was another vet that day who clipped her nails. She thought she was doing us a favor and since it was complimentary, she didn't document it in the medical record. Then, when I complained, because they didn't see it in the medical record, they honestly thought it couldn't have been done at their office.

They apologized and I reiterated to them that if that vet had followed procedure: 1. Ask permission before any procedure is done, and 2. Document it in the medical record, there wouldn't have been the outright denials instead of listening to me. It was really insulting and offensive that they made me feel like I didn't know my own pet.

 

[indigoparent]

Also, the vet who did it apologized, but said she doesn't remember cutting Indigo's nails that short, nor any bleeding. That was a disappointment as well, that she didn't totally own up to what she did.

 

[Caspers Human]

My answer would be, "I hope you understand why I'll be looking for a new vet."

They don't know what's going on in their own clinic.
They don't keep complete records.
They lie and shift blame when people question them.
When they are finally pinned to the wall, they give bullshit answers.

What vet "doesn't remember" what they did to patient animals under their care?
That would be like a human doctor who doesn't remember whether he did heart surgery or brain surgery!

What if an animal died at that clinic?
Would they lie, equivocate and shift the blame to the owners? Would they remember what they did, much less whether the animal was even in their clinic? They don't keep records!

If I was you, I'd go to the vet in person. Not e-mail. Not a phone call. In person. Get in their face.
Tell them that you are pissed off. Tell them why. If they give you any bullshit tell them that you are going to file a complaint with the Veterinary Medical Board.

People who act like this need to be called out and have their feet held to the fire. If they don't clean up their acts, they need a kick in the ass!

I'm pissed off just looking at your pictures and it's not even my cat!

 

[jc412]

I took our 6yo bombay, Indigo, to the vet today to check a sore on one of her back legs. It wasn't until I got home, that I noticed they had trimmed all her nails. First of all, I've always been very paranoid about trimming too short for fear of getting close to the quick, and only trim enough so that her nails aren't sharp.

While her front nails are far shorter than I would trim, they were ok, but omg they trimmed her back nails so short! All the way down to the quick, where one of her nails is bleeding, and they all look mangled and shredded. Is it normal for a vet or groomer to clip a cat's back nails this short?? I was wondering why Indigo seemed more subdued than usual after we got home, and was licking her back paws.

And because of the strict coronavirus protocols in place, they did not allow anyone inside the building. We had to hand off our pets to staff who met us outside, and trust our pets with them inside, not being able to see anything going on. I feel like if this would have been a regular visit, I would have been able to be there with Indigo every step of the visit, and tell them not to clip her nails at all. I feel like I took her in for help with one thing, and instead, put her through unnecessary torment and abuse. Am I overreacting?

Your poor baby. I would have felt the same way and been extremely upset/bothered by the whole situation. I hope your kitty is doing better now!