PLEASE get a second opinion before agreeing to surgery, especially if you have a senior dog…read more
I read so many positive reviews about Happy Tails and Dr. Abrams that I genuinely thought I could trust him with the care of my 14-year-old dog. Unfortunately, after spending well over $1,700, instead of watching my dog get better, I watched him progressively get worse.
Appointments with Dr. Abrams always felt rushed. I never felt like he thoroughly checked my dog's skin. The problem on his back was overlooked the first time, and by the next appointment it had DOUBLED in size. Once they finally shaved his back, you could see how bad it really was.
I was first told to use Neosporin on the open wound. Then he prescribed a spray that actually seemed to be working, but switched him to another spray. After that, his back became more infected than I had ever seen it. What started as a much smaller area eventually spread to more than FIVE TIMES its original size.
I kept calling because my dog was clearly getting worse. It took about TWO WEEKS of persistent calling for the vet tech to finally call me back. And what really bothered me was that before Dr. Abrams had even looked at his back again after not seeing him for those two weeks, the vet tech told me he was recommending SURGERY to remove the affected skin.
And that wasn't the only surgery recommended. Two other surgeries/procedures were suggested, including surgery for a stable eye issue that I later learned was harmless. I was also given dental estimates I never asked for and two medications that seemed to make my dog worse, not better.
After getting another opinion, I was told the surgeries being recommended were not necessary and that surgery carries real risks for an elderly dog. My dog is 14. Of course I understand surgery can sometimes be necessary, but I'm not putting my elderly dog through anesthesia and invasive procedures unless there is a clear medical need and the benefit outweighs the risk. Thank God I got another opinion before putting him through surgeries I was subsequently told he didn't need.
What frustrated me even more was that my dog already had bigger issues with his hips, spine and mobility that I was specifically asking for help with. At 14 years old, those were major concerns for me. I wanted the focus on his comfort, mobility, underlying health problems and quality of life. Instead, I felt like I kept being presented with more procedures and expenses.
The billing bothered me too. Even when I was bringing him in for major testing, consultation fees would be added on top. Between the repeated charges and multiple procedures being recommended while my 14-year-old dog was actively getting worse, I genuinely started questioning whether everything being recommended was necessary and whether making money was becoming more important than actually caring for my dog. That's genuinely how this experience made me feel.
Getting his records was another nightmare. They texted me about their online portal, but when I signed up there were basically no useful medical records there. When I decided to change vets, it took more than EIGHT DAYS to get his records sent while he continued getting worse. Parts of his medical assessment then had to be reevaluated elsewhere. They also didn't have the imaging/radiology capability needed for part of his evaluation on site, so someone had to be brought in at additional expense.
When my dog was getting worse, I was the one persistently calling and trying to get answers. It took two weeks to get a callback at one point, more than eight days to get his records, and I missed his last appointment over THREE WEEKS ago and still! not one call asking why we didn't come, whether my 14-year-old dog is okay, or whether I want to reschedule.
Not one call. That says a lot to me.
And here's the most important part: I CHANGED VETS. His new doctor completely reevaluated him, changed his medications and treatment plan and gave him a different medicated spray. His back is FINALLY HEALING without the back surgery that had been recommended.
This isn't about money. I'll spend whatever I need to spend on my dog. I just want the focus to be on what he actually needs and his wellbeing, especially at 14 years old.
The many 5-star reviews are one of the reasons I trusted Dr. Abrams in the first place. I honestly wish I had received the attentive, caring experience I read about, but I didn't.
If your pet is getting worse or you're being told they need surgery, PLEASE get another opinion. I wish I had done it sooner, and I'm incredibly grateful I finally did.
