*note: We included this story because it was something that we gave no thought to before. As the article notes, the incidents of pet's undergoing surgery and getting mixed up is very low. Still, it is good pet parenting to never assume...............

PINEVILLE, NC -- It's been about four weeks since Leo the cat had surgery.

His stitches were removed recently and his abdominal incision is now less apparent.

The only problem? Leo was never supposed to be cut open.

A paperwork mix-up at a pet hospital caused 1 1/2-year-old Leo to be mistaken for his "sister," 6-month-old Destiny, who was there to be spayed.

Leo was already neutered.

The error occurred because employees didn't put identification bands around the necks of the cats as company policy requires said a spokesperson for the hospital

Workers didn't check Leo's gender and compare it with paperwork before surgery either, because the difference would have been noticeable.

Leo's owner said he wasn't the same when she brought him home. He wouldn't come out of his carrier. And when she tried to pet him, he shrank away.

Several national studies have documented medical error is a serious problem for humans, but it's unclear how often how such medical errors affect pets.

Complaints to the N.C. Veterinary Medical Board about similar surgery mix-ups aren't common, said the Board's Executive Director. In the 14 years he's worked for the board there have been no more than 10 resembling Leo's situation. The agency receives about 60 complaints each year.

"People make mistakes every day, even veterinarians. ... This is an issue in human medicine that's existed forever."

Protect your pet

When you drop your pet off for surgery:

• Ask for a copy of your pet's information and check it for accuracy, including the type of procedure to be done, pet description, weight, age etc.
• Don't leave until you see your pet labeled for surgery (such as with an ID band) and check the label for accuracy.