Complaint Review: Harwood Veterinary Hospital Doctor Paul Habriga

This could be the worst veterinarian in the country. I was always worried when I watched him try to take blood from my cats. He seemed to be very bad at it, and would just keep stabbing the needle in and out. Sometimes it would take him several times because the blood would clot.

I should have listened to my gut instincts about Paul. Habriga's inexperience. Paul Habriga has killed two of my kittens (19 days apart) durring routine spay surgery. The Doctor also falsified the records to suggest that I declined an IV catheter in both surgeries. In addition Paul Habriga did not compensate me for the death of my two kittens. I have reported Dr. Paul Habriga and Harwood Wisconsin Veterinary Hospital to the Veterinary Examining Board it is Case 18 VET 041

In addition I will be suing the Doctor and his practice because he refused to compensate me for the deaths of these two healthy kittens.

Dr. Habriga of Harwood Veterinary Hospital has now killed two of my kittens due to his negligence. According to the doctor's own records he operated on my kitten with a body temperature which cannot support life (93.3 F), and and she had an SPO2 of 92%. The doctor administered off-label medications prior to surgeries. (1) Conduct in the practice of veterinary medicine which evidences a lack of knowledge or ability to apply professional principles or skills.
Dr. Habriga used morphine in my kittens procedures. Morphine is not approved for use in cats or dogs.

I was also not made aware that Dr. Habriga would have an unlicensed assistant monitoring my kitten or assisting in the procedures. The unlicensed assistant was placed in charge of monitoring the kitten’s vitals and administering CPR after the kitten stopped breathing. VE 7.06 Unprofessional conduct. Unprofessional conduct by a veterinarian is prohibited. Unprofessional conduct includes: (14) Failure of the veterinarian to advise the client that the person assisting is a veterinary student or unlicensed assistant.

On July 12 I dropped off a female kitten (Lola) to be spayed by Dr Habriga. The kitten died before the spay surgery after the doctor administered Acepromazean and Morphine.

On July 31 I took different female kitten (Kia) This healthy female kitten also died - this time during the spay or directly after the spay. I decided to have a necropsy done on this female. Her body was sent overnight to VMDL in Missouri and the exam has shown her to be a very healthy kitten.

Both kittens were very healthy and they came from DNA tested parents who have had their hearts examined by a board certified cardiologist. The two kittens were also thoroughly vetted by Dr. Habriga two times. Dr. Habriga also did blood work on one kittens from each litter prior to surgery. The blood work was Dr. Habriga's suggestion and procedure.

Dr. Habriga also lied in the records which he forwarded to me. After the second death on 07/31/2018 I asked Dr. Habriga for a complete record from both kittens who died so that I could send the papers along with the body of the second kitten. Dr. Habriga forwarded me the notes and I was shocked to see that Dr. Habriga claimed that I had "declined IV catheter" on both of the kittens that died. I would never make any such request in regard to the surgical procedures and best practices for the spay of my kittens.
VE 7.06 Unprofessional conduct. Unprofessional conduct by a veterinarian is prohibited. Unprofessional conduct includes: (2) Fraud, gross negligence or deception in the practice of veterinary medicine.
Dr. Habriga also stated that I "Declined lab work in all but one kitten from each litter." I am not a veterinarian so I yield to the advice of the veterinarian: I only had one kitten from each litter submit blood work at Dr. Habriga's suggestion. Dr. Habriga is the doctor and I was not in a position to tell him how to do his job. So this statement, is also less than truthful.

Do not let this terrible Doctor operate on your babies.