don't know if this is the right category. a friend called me yesterday with a vet horror story. btw, the dog is fine now.
my friend has a Golden Retriever. the dog started having breathing problems and since it was after 6pm they took her to the Animal Emergency Clinic about 7 mi from here. they kept the dog over night and put her on oxygen etc. this clinic is only open nights and week-ends and the animal has to be picked up by 8am. they are usually very good, been there quite a few times myself.
when my friend picked the dog up in the morning she was told the dog has Laryngeal Paralysis, gave her some meds and told her not to worry, everything is fine. right after she and her boyfriend got on the freeway the dog started having really bad breathing problems again. they called her regular vet, who's mine also and he has 2 clinics. they called the closest one and explained that it was an emergency. the girl at the desk told them no, they could not bring the dog in because they were all booked up. and maybe they should try one of the other 2 emergency clinics in the area. they're both open 24/7 365. my friend said she would but the dog neededsome oxygen first. the girl told her flat out no.
they called his other clinic and after arguing about it she was told they could bring the dog in but instead of the regular office visit fee of $39 they'd have to charge her $65 because it beeing an emergency. they picked the dog up after 4 hrs and a $700+ bill ($100 @ hr for oxigen )and they charged her $85 for the office visit and took her to the emergency clinic in Murietta. i had to take one of my furbabies there 7 years ago and have no complaints about it. they are state-of-the-art on everything. my friend called them when they were getting close and there was 5 vet techs & docs with a gurney waiting for her.they took the dog and she handed over the paperwork and a disc from the other clinic. btw, the disc was blank. it turned out her dog did not have Laryngeal Paralysis but Pneumonia.
she's thinking of going to the veterinary board to get some of the bill reduced. no matter what kind of vet i've been to over the years they always make room for emergency situations and in such cases i don't mind waiting or coming back some other day. i might be in the same situation some day.
and on top to charge her extra for the emergency and then add on another $20 extra i don't think is right at all. wre both really like this vet, he's also the president of the local rescue, no-kill shelter. we're not even sure he knows she was charged extra.
i was just curious what you think of this
my friend has a Golden Retriever. the dog started having breathing problems and since it was after 6pm they took her to the Animal Emergency Clinic about 7 mi from here. they kept the dog over night and put her on oxygen etc. this clinic is only open nights and week-ends and the animal has to be picked up by 8am. they are usually very good, been there quite a few times myself.
when my friend picked the dog up in the morning she was told the dog has Laryngeal Paralysis, gave her some meds and told her not to worry, everything is fine. right after she and her boyfriend got on the freeway the dog started having really bad breathing problems again. they called her regular vet, who's mine also and he has 2 clinics. they called the closest one and explained that it was an emergency. the girl at the desk told them no, they could not bring the dog in because they were all booked up. and maybe they should try one of the other 2 emergency clinics in the area. they're both open 24/7 365. my friend said she would but the dog neededsome oxygen first. the girl told her flat out no.
they called his other clinic and after arguing about it she was told they could bring the dog in but instead of the regular office visit fee of $39 they'd have to charge her $65 because it beeing an emergency. they picked the dog up after 4 hrs and a $700+ bill ($100 @ hr for oxigen )and they charged her $85 for the office visit and took her to the emergency clinic in Murietta. i had to take one of my furbabies there 7 years ago and have no complaints about it. they are state-of-the-art on everything. my friend called them when they were getting close and there was 5 vet techs & docs with a gurney waiting for her.they took the dog and she handed over the paperwork and a disc from the other clinic. btw, the disc was blank. it turned out her dog did not have Laryngeal Paralysis but Pneumonia.
she's thinking of going to the veterinary board to get some of the bill reduced. no matter what kind of vet i've been to over the years they always make room for emergency situations and in such cases i don't mind waiting or coming back some other day. i might be in the same situation some day.
and on top to charge her extra for the emergency and then add on another $20 extra i don't think is right at all. wre both really like this vet, he's also the president of the local rescue, no-kill shelter. we're not even sure he knows she was charged extra.
i was just curious what you think of this
