Pittsburgh Paws Pet Resort offers services such as a dog daycare, a dog hotel, a cat hotel, and dog…read morebaths.
I kept one of my cats here from September 19 and October 7 while I was on a foreign vacation.
Months in advance, in April, I messaged this business to ask if they could board my three cats and administer a few medications such as "subcutaneous lactated-ringers fluid" for one cat who has stage-2 kidney disease. The owner replied, "Yes, we are able to provide the requested services" and "$25/pouch injection."
In May, the owner and I again emailed each other, and she confirmed the services and prices. I decided to board only the one cat who needed medications and to keep the other two cats at home with my friend. On the business's website, I completed a registration form that asked about my cat's medical conditions, medications, veterinarian's contact information, and the cat's health documents.
In September, the business and I emailed each other to confirm the dates of stay, the foods, and medications. The next day, hours before my husband and I would leave for our foreign vacation, we took our cat, carrier, food, and medications to the business for her to begin her stay.
About 45 minutes after we left the business, two employees called us and said that they had never administered subcutaneous lactated ringers and did not know how to do it! My husband and I turned around our vehicle and drove another 45 minutes back. The owner should not have told us months earlier that that service is provided, and the employees should have told us when we dropped off the cat and supplies.
At this point, I was considering keeping my cat at home with my other two cats and friend, but the employees told me that they could administer the lactated ringer's if I set up the bag, tubing, and needle. They said that they knew how to administer insulin injections, which also goes into subcutaneous tissue such as the scruff of the neck. They spoke nicely to us, and I appreciate that they were willing to try.
My husband and I went on our foreign vacation. Our cat stayed in a small, multi-level cat condo, and she was occasionally allowed to roam around the larger room. On one day, an employee sent an email update about the cat.
The employee tried to administer the lactated ringers and was able to give it one time in the 19 days. That medication was the entire reason why we kept the cat here. The total cost for the stay was $475.
After we picked up the cat, she was vomiting more than usual, was dehydrated, and had much worse laboratory values. I will have empathy for the employees and will appreciate their efforts. I rarely write 2-star reviews, but the owner should not have told us that her business can administer subcutaneous lactated ringers.
