What would you do? Need advise.
Hey guys. I’m not one to put things on Facebook so everybody in the world can see it, so I figured what better place to ask for a advise, but my friends on Motown. as I respect each and everyone of you and I have worked closely with most of you as well. I’ll try to make this as short as possible, as I could actually rattle on for quite a long time.
We have three dogs, will two now. I have been going to the same vet for over 13 years. I have spent close to $30,000 over that timeframe which stems from office visits, medication, food and teeth cleaning as well as big surgeries. With that said, around three years ago the practice sold to the other 50% partner who I always liked very much. He always seem to be very smart in regards to veterinarian care and had a good personality. After he purchased the practice, he hired a few new people in regards to doctors as well as some new front desk workers. One of the front desk people that he hired had a very crabby, and unprofessional attitude so I just didn’t deal with her when I went in. The one doctor that he hired was an older woman who had a horrible personality and absolutely zero, will probably in the negative numbers when it came to bedside manners. I spoke to the owner and explained to him that I did not want to have any dealings with the front desk person nor the female doctor that I seen one time with one of my other dogs. He understood and said not a problem I will make sure you do not get scheduled with her for any appointments in the future.
Fast-forward about six months which was roughly 3 years ago I started seeing one of his newest doctors which was a younger guy that graduated in 2015. Though he seemed to be a little flaky, he had a good personality and never seemed to be crabby and seem to care a lot for animals. About six months after my first time meeting him, I took my dog and for what seemed to be kennel cough. He did his normal routine and checked out the dog and gave him anabiotic‘s. When I got home to get him his first dose of anabiotic‘s I looked at the pill which looked pretty large for a dog that was only 6 pounds. After reading the bottle, turns out that he prescribed my dog medication that was actually for my other dog which was two times the size. Luckily I didn’t give him that medication because God knows what would’ve happened. I Immediately called the vet where they deeply apologized for the confusion on the dosage and told me to come back and pick up the correct dose which mind you is 40 minutes from my house. I gave them the benefit of the doubt, and brushed it off as a simple oversight and being that I caught it I wasn’t too concerned as everybody makes mistakes even doctors. I gave them the benefit of the doubt, and brushed it off as a simple oversight and being that I caught it I wasn’t too concerned as everybody makes mistakes even doctors. Fast-forward two months when I took my 6 pound dog back for his normal shots. The doctor came in the room did the normal exam as they always do, trimmed his nails and gave him a shot and said... you guys are all set have a good day... I said... doc, How can we be done you just gave him his shot of Benadryl before the medication. He said why would I give him Benadryl? I said because Dr. he’s allergic to medication if he doesn’t take Benadryl this is been known for the last 12 years that I’ve been bringing him here. He said I’m sorry, I’ll give that to him right now. Again, maybe a simple oversight or a mistake but like I said the guy seems a little flighty, but did have good reviews and seem to know his job very well other than being a little forgetful. I told the owner about the mistake, he apologized And said he would talk to the doctor right away which I know that he did because he was when I was standing there.
Fast forward to two weeks ago, I make an appointment for my 6 pound Chihuahua who has a cough and I asked to see the owner who is also a vet and when I got there the doctor that I was seeing was the gentleman that I spoke about above. I brought in a video of what the cough sounded like so he could hear it to make sure he didn’t think it had anything to do with his heart. He listen to it and said Steve absolutely not, that is not a heart cough it’s either sinuses or a trach collapsing cough because small dogs have an issue with their trachea. He said we will give him the same medication that we gave your other Chihuahua which cleared up his trach cough within a week. He did a full examination on my Chihuahua and said everything sounds fine with his heart we don’t need to do anything else just get him on the steroids and he should feel better very soon. I started him on the steroids last week and After a few days he is cough seem to get better and he was much more active. On the fourth day, the Chihuahua woke up with what I thought to be rapid breathing and a rapid heartbeat. I Immediately called the vet and explained to him what was going on and he said for me to measure his breast and 15 second intervals. I did that, called him back with the number and he said yes he’s breathing faster than normal but it doesn’t sound like anything to be alarming but please bring him in tomorrow which was last Tuesday evening at 4:30. At the 430 appointment, he checked his Longs again, listen to his heart and said everything sounded fine. He said apparently he just can’t take steroids because he so small and it’s affecting his heart beat so take them off the steroids which we did. I said, do we need any x-rays or further testing today to make sure that we’re all on the same page. He said no steve, everything sounds fine. I said ok, your the dr and I trust you. We went home and my dog seemed ok other than the cough that came on every 6 hours or so. I called another vet on sat and explained to them my concerns. They said, if your vet did a full work up on him and they feel that everything is OK based upon his their evaluation, he is a doctor and I would trust what they have to say. They did tell me to watch his breathing and if his heart rate increased at all to call my current vets emergency number and take him back in right away. Saturday night into Sunday his heart rate actually decreased almost back to normal and everything seem to be fine minus the cough, which stayed about the same and had no mucus or any wet sound to it. It was mostly a dry hacking cough.
On memorial day weekend, we were home as we canceled all of our plans I didn’t go anywhere as i wanted to make sure the dog was OK. We keep a camera on him the whole time in his bedroom so we can watch him and he seemed ok so we went out to lunch for a couple hours. After getting our food, I checked the camera and I seen him get off the bed and start to cough extremely hard. I left my wife and baby at the restaurant and made a 20 minute trip in about seven minutes and when I got there, there was feces on the floor as well as three different areas where had vomited. I look around the corner, and my dog was laying is in his bed deceased.
Any of you that are dog owners, and treat your dog like a child and a best friend know how extremely difficult this was especially having a wife and a new baby who I had to go pick up and tell my wife what happened.
Here is where I need everybody’s advice. I called the emergency number as soon as he passed away and didn’t get a call back until business hours on Tuesday from the owner/doctor of the vet. I explained to him that the doctor that I’ve been seeing has made more than one mistake, and more than two mistakes. I asked him how a dog that he said was fine on a Tuesday at 4:30 could pass away from a major heart attack on a Monday as obviously that’s what that was because there be no other reason that he would’ve passed away as he was perfectly fine other than a cough which his doc said was contributed to a trach is where I need everybody’s advice. I called the emergency number as soon as he passed away and didn’t get a call back until business hours on Tuesday from the owner/doctor of the vet. I explained to him that the doctor that I’ve been seeing has made more than one mistake, and more than two mistakes. I asked him how a dog that he said was fine on a Tuesday at 4:30 could pass away from a major heart attack on a Monday as obviously that’s what that was because there be no other reason that he would’ve passed. I told him I wanted him to speak to his employees/other doctor and get answers for me and I needed somebody to call me back and explain why they wouldn’t of done any type of x-rays or anything like that as I put my trust in them for over 13 years and spent thousands of dollars.
With that said, we are now at Saturday five days after his passing and I’ve never heard one word from this doctor.
I am never one to go online and bash anybody or write negative reviews, but I am seriously lost for words. That dog meant the world to me, and came second only to my Family. I have never been so heartbroken in my life, and never knew that I could be from losing an animal. I just can’t believe that someone who has been part of my family in regards to a veterinarian care for 13 years would not have the common courtesy to call me and express his condolences at the very least.
I need some input Motown, what would you guys do in this situation?
Thanks everybody.
Steve, Jessica and Owen.
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