My dog sustained puncture injuries at this place and will never be going back.
My wife dropped our dog off at Camp Bow Summerlin for dog day care. When she went to pick him up, Casey (owner), informed her that during the course of play another dog had "scratched" our dog on his right side near the shoulder. He went on to say that it was a "small minor scratch" and he had applied an antiseptic solution to the wound then allowed him to return to the play area.
My wife called me on her way home and shared what she and Casey had discussed, but she stated that after looking at the wound more closely in the car, it appeared to her that the injury looked more like a puncture wound than a scratch. When they arrived home I examined the injured area. I also felt that the wound was more consistent with a puncture wound most likely the result of a bite rather than a "minor scratch." Additionally, I examined the rest of his body and discovered what appeared to be puncture wounds along the right side of his back and behind his right ear. At that point we decide to take him to the vet immediately.
At the vet clinic the injured areas were clipped, cleansed and examined. The vet confirmed that the injury located on our dog's right scapular region was indeed a puncture and not a scratch as Casey stated. She also stated that the other injuries were also puncture wounds. Then she informed us that the puncture wound was deep enough to possibly cause an abscess, which would need to be addressed surgically. Therefore, she instructed us to monitor him closely for any signs of distress and or inflammation near the injured areas. He was provided with a cone, placed on an antibiotic, a pain med and an anti-inflammatory.
Approximately 3 days later he became very lethargic, started crying, and what appeared to be an abscess began to form near the puncture wound on his right side near the shoulder. His symptoms began very late in the evening, so we rushed him to the vet at approximately 6 am the following morning. Upon arrival at the vet he was examined and taken into surgery. He was sedated, the area was further cleansed and a drain was placed at the surgical site. Following his surgery, we were instructed to keep the area clean and dry, and return in 3-5 days for drain removal and then again in two weeks for suture removal.
Now, I understand that dogs play and things happen, so I'm not upset about that. However, I'm extremely disappointed in how the situation was handled by Casey and his staff. A few days after our dog was bit, but prior to his surgery, I called Casey to get his side of the story and also to express my concerns. Casey pretty much confirmed the story that my wife told me. When I asked him why he didn't notify us immediately upon discovering the wound, he stated that minor injuries occur frequently when dogs play. Therefore, they (CBW staff) have to use their best discretion when deciding on wether or not to notify the pet's owner(s) immediately following an injury. He then went on to say that he had assessed our dog and felt that the injury was only a "minor scratch," so he didn't feel it was necessary to contact us right away. I explained to him that what he believed to be a minor scratch was actually a puncture wound and that he had also missed additional puncture wounds. He didn't really have an answer for that. Next, I asked if he had reviewed the tapes to determine what had occurred and to identify the dog that bit our dog. He stated that he hadn't and it would take hours for him to review the footage, because our dog had been there for a while. In the end Casey did apologize, but his apology doesn't change the fact that our dog was seriously injured and miserable for weeks, nor does it change the fact that we incurred significant vet's fees and had to take a substantial amount of time out of our busy schedules in order to take our pup to his appointments and care for him during his recovery, as he required constant and close supervision.
In closing, here are my recommendations to those of you who currently take your dog(s) to CBW and to those who are considering taking your dog(s) there.
1. Request that in the event that your dog gets injured while at CBW, they should contact you immediately after rendering first aid, regardless of the severity of injury. Additionally, ask them not to return your dog to the play area until they've contacted you and apprised you of the situation. If they can't accommodate these simple requests then take your dog elsewhere.
2. Keep a close eye on your pups via the live feed. Don't assume that they're safe and sound and being closely monitored by the CBW staff.
3. Closely examine your dog's body for injuries upon picking him or her up from CBW. Also, monitor their behavior, as my dog was not acting right immediately after he was injured at CBW. read more