Vet is struck off after serious failings

A vet who came out of retirement to practise as a locum has been struck off after a regulatory body found a series of professional failings.

Siew Loong Ng, 73, was found by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) to have breached standards in more than 50 instances dating back to 2020 while working at the former Little Pets practice, in Tilsworth, Bedfordshire.

Among the findings, the college found Mr Ng had altered or deleted records, misdiagnosed conditions and used inappropriate techniques during caesarean section surgeries.

It said Mr Ng's behaviour was "fundamentally incompatible with being a veterinary surgeon" and his removal was "necessary to ensure the protection of animals".

Mr Ng has 28 days to appeal but can still practise during that time.

One of the most serious cases involved a Labradoodle named Barney, whose owner, Michelle Chambers, sought help in May 2021 for its recurring stomach issues and poor appetite.

The RCVS said Mr Ng initially diagnosed diabetes and recommended dietary changes, but later prescribed Dexafort, a drug unsuitable for diabetic animals.

As Barney's condition worsened, Mr Ng suggested he might have cancer and implied euthanasia was the best option.

Mrs Chambers said: "When I presented him to the vet, he was very disinterested. He said, 'I think he's got cancer'. I asked about scans and he said, 'I can just tell by looking at him. It's not worth it'."

However, after taking Barney home for the weekend, Ms Chambers noticed improvement and cancelled the euthanasia appointment.

Further tests arranged with another vet confirmed diabetes but not cancer - and he went on to live for another four years with the right treatment.

Mr Ng later amended Barney's clinical records without noting the changes were retrospective - an act the RCVS found "dishonest and misleading".

RCVS disciplinary committee chair Paul Morris said: "The alteration presented a false account of the owner's attitude towards immediate therapeutic intervention.

"Conduct of this kind was liable to damage trust in the profession."

The hearing on 19 June took accounts from eight witnesses, including veterinary colleagues, staff, and pet owners.

One newly qualified vet said she was inexperienced when she joined in 2021 and had learned a lot from Mr Ng.

Another said the nursing assistants were not qualified but seemed capable.

Mr Ng had come out of retirement in 2020 to work as a locum at The Little Pets, a practice owned by a relative.

After a financial dispute the practice closed - but has reopened independently under a new name.

Tilsworth Veterinary Clinic said it had "no association whatsoever" with Little Pets, and that "no criticism from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has been directed at any of our staff, who continue to work hard to help our patients and clients."

In a statement, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons said: "Unlike other professional regulators, the Committees of the RCVS do not have the legal power to suspend or impose conditions on the licence to practise of veterinary surgeons or veterinary nurses.

"We are currently lobbying the government to introduce this power in a new Veterinary Surgeons Act, and we recognise it is necessary to protect the public and the health and welfare of animals," it added.

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