With deep pain and great sadness, I announce the passing of my Bright Love Freyja, whom we also called Lyla. Freyja is her registered name. She is named after the goddess of love and war. If the names get interchanged in this retelling, that is why.
The mother of my kittens passed away yesterday, 8/31/2035, at a local emergency veterinarian’s office.
They took away an innocent life through negligence, choosing to ignore not only my personal experience but also the experience of my mentor and friend, who has many years of hands-on experience, not just in the United States, but in Europe, where things aren’t just about the bottom dollar and squeezing every penny out of grieving pet parents.
If this truly were about the medicine and the animal, there wouldn’t be a $91.75 charge per injection on my bill. Not for the medication, mind you, just the action of giving the injection.
It has been a difficult time, and we are mourning her deeply. I believe medical negligence played a significant role in her death, and I have documented proof. She was misdiagnosed yesterday with pyometra, which is an infection of the uterus. I was told that there was a retained kitten from when she gave birth almost 5 weeks ago that caused the infection. I told them that it didn’t sound likely, but they assured me that through X-rays AND ultrasounds, the diagnosis was, in fact, correct.
I then signed an estimate (with the diagnosis on it). After being told the surgery would be performed the very next morning, we left for the night, leaving my Freyja. We spent 5 hours there.
8/31 — Surgery and Death
• 8:00 AM — Called clinic; Freyja had not had surgery yet. Told she was “doing better with fluids and antibiotics.” Requested to bring her home after surgery.
• 12:00 PM — Called clinic again; told Lyla was “being prepped for surgery.”
• 1:00 PM — Called again; told “still in surgery.” No clear start time given.
• Mid-afternoon — Vet called during surgery:
• Said it was not pyometra/uterus but an intestinal issue. (shocking)
• Claimed intestines were overlapping; attempted to massage apart, then found a bowel tear.
• Surgery unsuccessful → I was “given the option” of them “attempting to fix” the new issue, which was diagnosed as Intussusception. The vet told
They tried to “gently massage the intestines apart, but were unsuccessful. They then found tears in the intestines.”
I was then given the option to have them attempt to fix it, which would cost double the original estimate (at least), which was $5300-$8,000 (give or take), with no guarantee that she would either survive the surgery or the aftermath of them ripping her apart.
I opted to humanely euthanize her, which I wasn’t even allowed to be present for. Coincidentally, I happened to be directly next door with my close friend, who is selling her house, and rented a hotel room for the open house for the weekend, which happened to be directly next door to the clinic. They called me at 1:02, and by the time I got off the phone at 1:07, I had walked across the parking lot and was in their waiting room.
They put me in a private room, rushed me to sign the euthanasia form so she “wouldn’t continue to suffer”…. Which is weird because she was still in the middle of surgery, not 5 minutes prior, and wouldn’t let me see her until she was deceased.
I asked for and received a copy of my estimate before her death, and I now have a copy of her complete medical records.
I am not a medical doctor, but I know a few things. If there was, in fact, an ultrasound done, I’m sure the difference between a uterus and the intestines would be seen. I’m sure an infected uterus full of inflammation and pus would be noticeable.
And if I were a medical professional, I’m sure I wouldn’t lie to someone about what was wrong with their beloved animal to spay them and try to fix whatever else was in there at the same time.
Ultimately, maybe none of this was the cause of her death. Upon reading a report sent to me this very morning, 09/01/2025, I found documentation of medical negligence. A medication that was supposed to be given over a 30-minute time frame was given all at once.
Not everyone wants to adopt, and that’s okay. What’s not okay is other people taking the choice away from responsible breeders who do the right thing, have their cats and kittens genetically tested, and support the growth and strength of the breed. That’s what I think happened here, and in doing so, they cost Mo Ghrà Geal her life.
Last night, 6 babies slept without their mother, I slept without a daughter, and the world slept with a little less light.
Now,
What I am asking for… I need help. I need a lawyer. I need someone who is willing to take up arms for the cause! HOW MANY OTHERS HAVE WALKED INTO THIS VERY PLACE AND HAVE WALKED OUT THE SAME? HOW MANY OTHERS HAVE WALKED OUT WITH A BROKEN HEART AND AN EMPTY WALLET DUE TO HUMAN ERROR? DUE TO NEGLIGENCE.
If I had continued treatment on my own, I feel confident that I could have treated her dehydration and allowed her GI tract to rest enough to heal on its own… I made the wrong choice, but they are the ones who took her from me with misdiagnosis, misdirection, and lies.