Negligence, Falsified Records, and Money-Driven Care at Hilton Vet Hospital

Almost a year ago, we lost our baby to negligence of Hilton Vet Hospital in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. To-date, we have not received any condolences or even a phone call from Dr. Sara Boyd, the orthopedic specialist who operated on him.

Zeus had a successful Cruciate Ligament surgery on his left hind limb by Dr. Sara Boyd in October 2022. However, on December 23, 2023, he experienced severe pain in his right hind limb, indicating a possible issue with his right Cruciate Ligament.

We contacted Hilton Vet Hospital to consult Dr. Boyd, but the receptionist, Kelly Santowski, informed us that Dr. Boyd was going on leave and wouldn't be available until the new year. We spoke to Dr. Sara Halgreen, a GP at the clinic, and asked if Dr. Boyd could assess Zeus before her leave due to the severity of his condition. Dr. Halgreen responded dismissively, accusing us of "demanding" Dr. Boyd's services. We clarified that we were simply asking if Dr. Boyd could see Zeus before her leave; otherwise, we were prepared to consult another surgeon.

Kelly later informed us that Dr. Boyd had agreed to see Zeus at 9 a.m. on December 24, 2023. We traveled from Durban to Hilton Veterinary Hospital in Pietermaritzburg for the appointment. Dr. Boyd performed a neurological examination in the presence of my family and me, ruling out nerve issues or wobbly syndrome. X-rays and scans were conducted to assess Zeus’s condition. Dr. Boyd found no significant spinal issues, noting all discs were intact except for a minor spondylosis spur. She identified instability in Zeus’s right cruciate ligament as the cause of his pain.

This is where it gets sketchy; Post-surgery, Dr. Boyd reported that the procedure went well, mentioning the use of a spinal block and epidural (which we hadn't requested). She claimed Zeus began urinating independently after catheter placement.

During my first post-op visit on December 24, Zeus appeared drowsy with a bleeding lip. On December 25, Dr. Boyd stated that Zeus was walking and urinating independently, and a nurse, Mekayla, had taken a video of him walking. We were skeptical since Zeus showed no mobility during our previous visit, and it had been raining heavily. Dr. Boyd went on leave, leaving Zeus under the care of other staff.

On December 25, another doctor, Dr. Arina Pimosenco, instructed us to take Zeus outside in wet conditions to urinate and defecate, despite his lack of mobility. Zeus was completely unable to use his hind limbs and required a sling to move. His food and water were placed out of reach, and he hadn't eaten or drunk for nearly two days.

At this point, we doubted the operation's success, as Dr. Boyd's claim that Zeus walked and urinated independently seemed impossible given his paralysis. On December 26, we returned to discharge Zeus. Nurse Mekayla Govender attempted to catheterize Zeus but mishandled the procedure, fumbling dosages and administering two anesthetic injections without supervision. She tried to catheterize Zeus while he was awake, causing him to scream in pain. We of course, requested her to stop and we would do this procedure in Durban with a professional doctor.

Dr. De Scally ***ner of hospital) was completely rude to us and claiming Zeus couldn't be treated due to his temperament, despite having treated him before and charging us significantly (over R80,***.00. Other doctors that had seen to Zeus in Durban later indicated it was highly likely a botched operation.

Before leaving Hilton Vet Hospital, we asked for the video of Zeus walking and urinating, Mekayla denied its existence, contradicting Dr. Boyd’s earlier claims. We also requested footage from the hospital's cameras and Zeus's medical records, which were initially denied, forcing us to involve attorneys. After months of delays, they finally released the records.

Of course, they should have known their own rules: The Rules for the Veterinary Profession (2015) and the Disciplinary Rules for all Professions (2022) both emphasize the importance of maintaining accurate medical records and making them accessible to owners upon request. Specifically, Rule 1082 (2015) and Rule 1490 (2022) require veterinarians to provide medical records to pet owners upon request. Yet, they refused, making our lives difficult, as if neglecting our furbaby wasn't enough. We just wanted closure.

Upon reviewing everything, we discovered that the documents contained falsified information and misinformation from the doctor and staff. They falsely accused us of being afraid of our own dog among other absurd accusations. Zeus was a cherished family member, sleeping between my parents and loved dearly. It’s just lies upon lies. If they weren’t trying to look guilty, they failed miserably at it.

We understand surgeries can have uncertain outcomes, but the lack of integrity, compassion and professionalism is the real issue. This is just part of the story, and I'll be exposing more. I am committed to holding Hilton Vet Hospital accountable until justice or rather Karma is served on every single person who caused harm to Zeus. The truth will prevail.