Complication Terms and Conditions

All prices include VAT. Long-term post operative medication for chronic management of pain or osteoarthritis is not included as this can vary significantly between patients.

The goal of Aberdeen Veterinary Referrals is to provide the treatment at the highest standard, however, sometimes that is not enough to avoid the complications, which is inevitable part of a surgeon’s life.

We all know what we understand by complication, but what is the definition?

Currently there is still no clear or consistent definition of a complication in the surgical literature.

Veen et al (1999) described complication as ‘every unwanted development in the illness of a patient or treatment of the illness that occurs in the clinic’.

As some complications develop away from the clinic, it is better to define it as being a direct result of the operation. However, a scar may be undesirable but may not be a complication. Thus, a surgical complication has to be both undesirable and unexpected.

The element of risk has to be included so a final definition could be ‘any undesirable, unintended and direct result of an operation affecting the patient, which would not have occurred had the operation gone as well as could be reasonably hoped’.

Classification of Complications In veterinary medicine complications appear to be most often classified in terms related to the specific procedure under consideration e.g. TPLO, rather than classified in a general manner.

Regardless of why it happened, WHEN it happens - it can be very frustrating and costly problem to solve, therefore, to guarantee our best possible service and help resolve the, Aberdeen Veterinary Referrals will cover the cost of management of any unexpected complications resulted directly by the surgery.

One of our surgeons will do their best to explain the difference between unexpected and undesirable post-op complications as it is not unusual for owners to have an unrealistic expectation as to what can be achieved, even with the best operative result.

1. Unexpected post-surgical complications are defined as those presented to us within six calendar months of the original surgery. In fact, almost all surgical complications appear within a few weeks of surgery.
    
2. While we always provide our best estimate of prognosis, be aware that a failure to achieve an expected, or hoped-for outcome is not necessarily indicative of a complication.
    
3. All post-surgical complications must be presented, without undue delay, to Aberdeen Veterinary referrals, or to the primary care vet who originally referred your pet to us. This warranty will cover only those treatments performed at Aberdeen Veterinary Referrals.
    
4. We can accept no responsibility for treatment performed, or costs incurred, at other veterinary practices or elsewhere. In case of emergency consult Aberdeen Veterinary Referrals.
    
5. The responsibility for transporting your pet to and from our hospital, including costs incurred, remains the owners’.
    
6. This warranty is activated with settlement of the invoice (in accordance with our normal terms) for the original surgical procedure and does not impair your statutory rights.
    
7. If a post-surgical complication occurs that requires medical or surgical treatment, the team at Aberdeen Veterinary Referrals. will undertake that treatment without any additional cost to you.  The post-surgical guarantee only applies if you have complied with the advice we have given about post treatment exercise and restrictions.