Hearing finds Oska the dachshund died in agony on the operating table after routine surgery went horribly wrong. Now the vet responsible is facing justice
A sausage dog died in pain on the operating table after a vet botched a routine procedure in front of the pet’s traumatized owner, an inquest has heard.
Dr. Leo Cantwell has been found guilty of five counts of serious unprofessional conduct by a formal disciplinary investigation following his operation on seven-year-old Oska in Melbourne in 2022.
Oska’s owner, Sofie Giuiri, had taken her dog to Dr. Cantwell for an enema, which involves flushing fluid into the rectum, but after just 30 minutes Oska died on the table.
The enema was performed so poorly that a “rapid stream” of feces began pouring out of Oska’s mouth before he went into cardiac arrest, the investigation found.
Oska’s owner, Sofie Giuiri, had taken her dog for an enema, which involves flushing fluid into the rectum, but after just 30 minutes Oska died on the table
Dr. Cantwell had not given Oska painkillers and continued with the procedure even when he looked “distraught and uncomfortable,” according to documents obtained by The Herald Sun showed.
Ms Giuiri filed a complaint with the Veterinary Practitioner’s Registration Board of Victoria, which canceled Dr. Cantwell suspended in 2022.
No further action has been taken so far after the Board of Directors reportedly fought to keep the details of Oska’s death secret.
“My dog was my best, best friend. He was very active, he was very cute… and very, very loving,” Ms Giuri told the Herald Sun.
Ms. Giuri was in the room next to her pet while Dr. Cantwell performed the procedure.
A three-member disciplinary panel was established following Ms. Giuri’s complaint that Dr.a substantial departure from professional veterinary standards.
“The departure was not trivial, nor did it have a temporary effect, and it placed Oska’s health and safety at significant risk,” the panel ruled.
Dr. Cantwell stopped the proceedings only after Ms. Giuiri yelled at him because Oska became unresponsive, the panel found.
It added that Dr.’s efforts Cantwell to resuscitate Oska were substandard.
Dr. Cantwell had not given Oska any painkillers and went ahead with the procedure even though he seemed ‘distraught and uncomfortable’
He also failed to properly communicate with Ms. Giuri, obtain proper consent and keep proper records of Oska’s death, the Veterinary Board found.
Dr. Cantwell only told the panel that his administration “could have been better” when asked for his explanation.
Ms Giuiri is now making sure Oska’s story is heard by other pet owners, after spending the past two years waiting for the Veterinary Council’s findings to be published..
The board spent approximately $25,000 in legal fees to prevent documents regarding Dr.’s suspension from being released. Cantwell would become public.
The Vet Board claims that it is an offense to provide information relating to Dr. Cantwell to release.
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal will now determine whether the Council acted lawfully in refusing to release documents relating to the case.
Dr.’s clinic Cantwell has now been sold to new owners.