I brought my 5 year old dog, a 50 lb doodle in for grooming Friday August 20. It had taken close to a month to get the appointment. In the weeks preceding the grooming I had brushed my dog with a furminator about once a week. I was aware that she had a few matts mostly behind her ears and one or two on her back. The underside of her lower body (belly area) was mat free because, her hair is straight and quite thin.
That morning I hosed her down before taking her to the park for her exercise. She rolled in the sand, something I had not expected and because I was in a hurry I took her directly to the salon rather than taking her home to get the sand out. So she was messy. Also when I hose her down the hair on her back clumps into curls. They can look like they are matted, that judgement I left to the groomer. The hair on her belly is straight, very thin rarely ever matted, although I understand that bits of fecal matter can get tangled up in the curly hair around her anus
On arriving at the Salon, the staff member receiving her made a fuss about how matted her hair was. She didn't think that they could do the usual "one inch" groom but would have to go shorter for an even cut. I agreed, its extremely hot outside. I told her to do what they needed to do to make Imbi as cool as possible.
The salon cropped short her hair on her back, and shaved her belly and the area around her vulva and anus. As we left the salon she dropped to the ground and rolled her bottom along it. We went home and she did this maybe 40 times during the evening.
I called and was told that she might be a bit sore because she was very matted in her sanitary area and it had been difficult to clean. And that dogs will often drop to the ground after grooming because they are not used to an exposed anus.
That night she did not sleep. She was moaning and whining, asking to go outside. She seemed to be in pain. The next day she slept all day and did not eat. She went out for a walk and had really severe diarrhea five times during the walk.
Back home, I gave her food - the first time she wanted to eat since grooming - and as she was eating it I could hear a scrambling sound in the kitchen. I went in and both her hind legs were giving out, she could not stand to eat the food, her legs would not support her. She had to sit to eat or to drink water. This from a dog that was crazily chasing a ball 20 minutes before she went into the groomers, and who has never had a day of ill health in her life.
I decided to inspect her more closely. In shaved, lower abdomen there is evidence of razor burn. Her vulva may have been nicked, there was a tiny amount of blood on it. Her anus was so painful that she would not let me touch it. On her elbow the skin was lifted and broken in one place; it was a day-old injury still very red and bloodied. Both her hips are extremely sore to touch, and again will not hold her in a standing position when she is trying to eat.
Normally a mischievous and lively dog, she is tired, and traumatized, lying listless, and apparently in pain. She whimpers and moans.
I called the salon. And got the following:
"She was matted: we shaved her: sometimes they will drag their butts after because they don't like them being exposed. There was no comment on the razor burn or the damage to the elbow.
"Our groomer is very experienced."
On the back legs "I don't know anything about that," even when I asked how a healthy dog that was chasing a ball 20 minutes before being groomed could come back from a grooming appointment unable to stand on her hind legs to eat her food. I spoke to the manager and told him I was going to the vet.
"Oh OK, go to the vet"
"Will you pay for the bill? There was a dismissive:
"If it was something we did I will have it reviewed by my health and safety team. If they agree we will pay the bill." read more
