I decided to take my 2 year old therapy dog to Refugee Canyon to get neutered as I received a quote over the phone in the $200 - $300 range which was less expensive than my normal vet.
I was required to do a pre-surgical visit to ensure the dog's health before undergoing general anesthesia. I also had bloodwork done to rule out any kidney issues as my dog's litter mate is in kidney failure. I was told that I would receive a call if there were any issues.
The next week I took my dog in for the procedure and double checked that there were no issues. The tech assured me there weren't any. The quote for the neuter at this time was in the $400 range. I was surprised but decided to go ahead with the procedure since I was already there even though, had I known in advance, I would have had my regular vet do the procedure. I left my dog at 8 a.m..
I received a call from the vet at 12:00 saying that there were some kidney issues per the bloodwork. He suggested a urinalysis which I decided to have. After the vet explained the results, I opted not to have my dog put under anesthesia because anesthesia is hard on the kidneys. I told the vet that I would come to pick my dog up immediately. He said I should wait until 3:30 as the dog had been given "anti-nausea" and "anti-anxiety" medications. I thought this was strange and decided to go to see if my dog had indeed been anesthetized. My dog was very out of it. My bill listed Ketamine 210 mg, Midazolam, 11 mg, Acepromazine 1.9 mg, Meloxicam 1.5units , Hydromorphone 3.7 mg, and SA Cerenia 4 units. THE FIRST FIVE OF THESE DRUGS ARE DANGEROUS IF KIDNEY PROBLEMS EXIST! In addition, I was charged for another pre-surgical exam.
I had a pre-surgical exam a week before, was not told the results, AND MY DOG UNDERWENT ANESTHESIA ANYWAY. I feel that I was purposely deceived about the anesthesia because someone made a mistake. For that matter, I would have had my dog neutered if I had known he was already anesthetized and the damage was already done!
The office manager left a message saying there had been a "2-way miscommunication" and that I would not have to pay for the anesthesia, day care and pre-surgical exam. She also indicated that I had not been given a quote for the procedure over the phone.
In short, my dog's health was compromised, I was deceived, and told I was dishonest. Words cannot begin to explain my disappointment. read more