Animal swallowed kernel

Dog dead: lawsuit against vet after misdiagnosis

A picture of "Stuart". It was taken a few weeks before his death.

(Bild: zVg)

A Viennese veterinary surgeon merely gave a small terrier an injection - although it should have been operated on. The owner of the deceased animal now wants the misdiagnosis proven by a post-mortem examination to be punished.

"For some people, the death of a dog may not be a drama," says Yana Glatz, "but for me, the world came crashing down when I found out that my beloved 'Stuart' was no longer alive." Back then, on October 29, 2023, the art historian was on a business trip abroad at the time; before that, she had entrusted her eight-year-old terrier to a friend.

"And although he had always been in very good condition - happy, fit and adventurous - I had of course left her the number of a vet to be on the safe side when I handed him over.

Surprising health problems
And indeed: in the absence of his owner, an emergency occurred; "Stuart" suddenly began to suffer from health problems: "Unfortunately, I only found out much later that he had vomited several times."

The dog sitter then contacted the vet she had known; he diagnosed the terrier with an upset stomach - "and gave him some kind of injection". Soon afterwards, the four-legged patient died.

Yana Glatz with her lawyer Herbert Eichenseder

(Bild: Martina Prewein)

The shocking autopsy findings
"I was told this terrible news on the phone", sobs Yana Glatz, "I was completely confused, infinitely desperate. And I just wanted to go back to Austria." To see 'Stuart' one last time, to stroke him: "Which is why his body was put in a cold chamber."

Back home, "I finally wanted the vet to explain what was actually wrong with my dog. He just said tersely: 'He had cancer'." The art historian couldn't believe it - "I had 'Stuart' post-mortem examined".

The result: the terrier had swallowed a peach stone, which had caused an intestinal blockage, "hence the vomiting".

It is also a fact that the animal could easily have been saved if the vet had carried out an ultrasound scan, discovered the foreign body inside him and then operated on him: "As experts have since assured me, it would only have been a minor routine procedure ..."

The terrier's urn with his ashes

(Bild: zVg, Krone KREATIV)

"He acted completely negligently"
 In addition to the deep grief for her beloved 'Stuart', Yana Glatz feels immense anger - towards the vet, "who acted completely negligently when treating my little one".

Conclusion: "I have instructed my lawyer Herbert Eichenseder to sue him." For 5000 euros in damages.

If the woman is awarded the money, she wants to donate it to an animal welfare organization.