Veterinarians owe a duty of care to their patients and, by extension, to the animal's owner. When treatment results in an adverse outcome, the owner may claim that the veterinarian was negligent in their diagnosis, treatment selection, surgical technique or post-operative care. Common claims against veterinarians include surgical complications such as post-operative infection, organ damage or anaesthetic death, misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis that results in worsened prognosis, adverse drug reactions or incorrect medication dosage, failure to obtain adequate informed consent before high-risk procedures, delayed referral to a specialist when the case warranted it, and treatment of high-value livestock or performance animals where financial losses can be substantial. Claims involving companion animals are driven primarily by emotional attachment and the rising cost of veterinary care, while claims involving livestock, horses and breeding animals can involve significant financial loss running into hundreds of thousands of dollars.