IF YOU LOVE YOUR DOG, DON'T RISK COMING HERE! (WATCH VIDEO)
There are other groomers within a mile radius. Please go elsewhere. It's not worth the risk.
I brought my 17 year old Maltese, Casanova, to Elite Dog Grooming in Warren on Friday, May 8, 2026, and he left with a serious eye injury that required urgent veterinary care the very next morning.
Before the appointment, Casanova's right eye was completely normal. I have photos and videos from before drop off showing his eye was perfectly fine with no swelling, redness, cloudiness, or irritation.
He was dropped off around 8:00 AM. Hours went by with no update, so I called around 12:49 PM to check on him. I was told they got busy and had not even started grooming him yet. That means my elderly dog had already been sitting there for hours before they even began.
When my sister picked him up later that afternoon, his right eye was already visibly injured. He was squinting, blinking, pawing at his face, and keeping the eye closed. The groomer told her it was probably just hair in his eye and said to use warm water or saline and that he should be fine the next day.
That was not true.
His eye got worse throughout the evening. It became swollen, painful, and he could barely open it. We had to put a cone on him so he would not scratch or rub it more. The next morning, Saturday, May 9, 2026, we took him to Gasow Veterinary Hospital in Birmingham.
The vet performed a fluorescein eye stain test and confirmed Casanova had a significant corneal ulcer/injury to his right eye. The veterinary staff said his eye had been injured/nicked. This was not simply hair in his eye like the groomer suggested.
The vet bill came out to $478.22, not including the stress, medication, pain, follow up care, and uncertainty of whether his eye will fully heal.
I contacted the business and spoke with Mike, the owner. Instead of simply owning up to what happened and helping with the vet bill, he disputed responsibility. He suggested Casanova may have already had the injury before he came in, even though I have before photos and videos showing his eye was normal. He also suggested it could have happened while Casanova was in the kennel. Either way, Casanova was in their care.
That is what bothered me the most. Accidents can happen. I understand people are human. But when a dog comes in with a normal eye and leaves with a serious eye injury, the right thing to do is acknowledge it and help make it right.
Instead, I felt like they tried to avoid responsibility.
Another thing I noticed is that their main selling point is always how long they have been doing this. They kept repeating that they have been doing this for 20 or 30 years. Experience does not mean much if a dog leaves injured and the owner refuses to take responsibility.
To be fair, I previously left them a positive 5 star review on December 18, 2020 because they did a good haircut on Casanova years ago. That is what makes this even more disappointing. I did not come into this with a grudge against them. I had actually praised them before. This review is about what happened this time and how poorly it was handled afterward.
Mike also kept questioning why I came back after several years. I explained that I usually go elsewhere, but my regular groomer at Pinky's was booked and I needed a last minute appointment. Elite was the only place available. Based on how this turned out, I deeply regret bringing Casanova here.
No matter how friendly or experienced they claim to be, I would not risk my dog getting injured here. Casanova is elderly, sweet, and did not deserve this.
What hurts the most is not just the vet bill. It's the principle. My dog went in with a normal eye and came out injured, and the owner did not do the right thing.
Please be careful. If you love your dog, there are better options nearby. read more