The Pierre van Ryneveld Veterinary Clinic in Pretoria has to pay emotional damages to the owners of a Yorkshire Terrier – Triesie – who was burnt by a hot water bottle after surgery to repair a cruciate ligament jury, reports the Cape Argus.
The dog’s owner, Riaan Nortje, had sued the vet for R400 000 for emotional distress, and in the Gauteng High Court this week, Deputy Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba granted the claim and ordered the veterinary clinic to pay the damages.
Nortje also successfully claimed for travelling and related costs to visit Triesie at the clinic after her injuries.
His claim for R103 800 in damages – and his allegations that Triesie was bought as a show dog and if it not for her injuries she would have earned this amount through shows – was turned down.
Nortje said after collecting the dog from the clinic he had noticed swelling on the right side of her body and that she felt pain when he touched her. The vet told him a hot water bottle had been pressed against her side during the operation.
He said Triesie began “oozing pus” from the injury, and it emitted an odour of rotting flesh. He was given medication for her, but at one point, she needed to be assisted with feeding; she was unable to walk, nor could she defecate. He took her back to the clinic, and according to him, the veterinarian apologised for burning the dog, saying it was an accident.
Nortje said that during entire ordeal, she had lost about 25% of her body weight.
Veterinarian Dr Hester Van Zyl testified that she performed the procedure on Triesie, and that the hot water bottle was prepared by a nurse and covered with a blanket or towel to prevent it from burning the dog while it rested against her.
She said she did not observe any burns on the dog when she was discharged. She disputed the injury was caused by the hot water bottle.
But Judge Lewaba found that given the evidence and pictures handed to the court, it was probable that the dog had been burned when her side rested on the hot water bottle.
Cape Argus PressReader article – Veterinary clinic liable for emotional damages (Open access)
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