Mislead By Vet And Paid $5k

Location: NYC

My 3 yr old cat was taken to the ER in December. She had appeared perfectly healthy, but routine bloodwork showed she was severely anemic and had other concerning levels. On the night of her admittance, I was told she was Felv positive. The vet ran through several possibilities of further diagnosis based on what they observed, such as lymphoma, other cancers. They explained the situation was very dire, and even put euthanasia on the table as she likely had a short prognosis.

I opted to run all the tests they proposed based on the information they gave. She stayed in the hospital 2 nights. Long story short, 5 months later, she has completely recovered off of prednisolone alone (no antibiotics or further transfusions). All the tests they ran did not lead to a diagnosis, and the Felv diagnosis was actually incorrect. At the ER, they ran 3 Felv snap tests. One was inconclusive, one was positive, and one was negative. I was not aware of this until I had my cat already back home with me and looked at the report myself. We ran the antibody/antigen test, and the PCR with her established vet. All produced negative results.

I feel mislead by them, as they said she had Felv despite having conflicting results. They used Felv combined with her other symptoms to explain the situation and possibilities to me. The vet was even tearing up with worry. I feel like I consented to almost $5,000 worth of exams based on incorrect (or exaggerated) information. I am glad she is okay, but this cost was a huge burden and I am hoping there is a way to remedy this financially.

What is a pet owner’s rights in this situation?

I am happy to share her bulk medical report.