Heidi Murphy said her cat, Ivy, was meant to have a heart scan at Voo Vets Animal Hospital on October 1, 2024.
Instead, she alleged that due to what the clinic later admitted was “gross human error,” Ivy was wrongly prepped for hip surgery and operated on unnecessarily.
She told Your Local Guardian: “I got a phone call expecting them to say she was ready to collect.
“Instead, they told me she’d had a surgery. My heart just dropped. I burst into tears and kept asking, ‘what do you mean she’s had surgery?’
“I’m still in shock. I still get upset talking about it.”
According to Heidi, Ivy had been transported from her local Voo Vets clinic in Balham to the Surbiton hospital for the scan.
She claimed that somewhere along the way, crucial paperwork was lost, and staff at the hospital mistakenly identified Ivy as another cat scheduled for hip surgery.
She explained: “The transport person brought in two cats at the same time when they were supposed to bring them in one at a time.
“Consent forms were in a pile rather than being kept with the animals, which is where the confusion started.”
Heidi alleged that the mistake was only realised after Ivy had undergone a femoral head and neck excision, an invasive procedure that permanently alters the hip joint.
She was told the vet performing the surgery noticed that Ivy’s hip looked different from the X-ray on file but continued with the operation regardless.
Heidi said: “They said the vet noticed the hip didn’t match the X-ray. I still don’t understand how no one caught the mistake sooner.”
Four months later, Heidi said Ivy is still suffering. Once an active and adventurous cat, she now struggles with basic movements.
She added: “She can’t run, jump, or climb like she used to.
“She used to jump straight into my arms, but now she can barely get onto a chair.
“When she runs, she lifts her leg completely and moves on three legs. She doesn’t even go outside anymore even though she used to be both an indoor and outdoor cat.”
Despite admitting the mistake, Heidi claimed Voo Vets has refused to cover the cost of Ivy’s ongoing treatment unless it is carried out at one of their own clinics.
She explained: “They admitted the mistake, but they won’t cover the costs unless I take her back to them. How could I ever trust them again?”
“It wasn’t just one person who messed up, it was multiple people. At every stage, someone could have stopped this from happening, but no one did.”
The ordeal has left Heidi questioning veterinary protocols and calling for stricter safety measures.
One key change she believes could prevent similar incidents is mandatory microchip scanning before any procedure is performed.
Heidi added: “It takes two seconds to scan a microchip, and it would have prevented this entirely. Microchipping cats became UK law last year, so why aren’t vets using it as a safeguard?”
Voo Vets has reportedly conducted an internal investigation, but Heidi said she has not been given a clear explanation of how the mix-up occurred. She is now facing ongoing costs for Ivy’s recovery.
She said: “I’ve already spent over £2,000, and this is going to affect her for the rest of her life.
“She was a perfectly healthy cat before they put her through this. It’s heartbreaking.”
Your Local Guardian has contacted Voo Vets for a statement.
