Banfield Pet Hospital review: Bad diagnosis of "old age" & lack of treatment causing suffering and death. VCA Animal Hospital diagnosed abdominal infection & severe dehydration.

Dr. Thavamathi Annamalai. Due to the indifference and mal practice of this vet, my sweet Domino died on June 20, 2024 in great pain and suffering with an abdominal infection and severe dehydration. What the emergency doctors at VCA Animal Emergency Hospital diagnosed in a few minutes, this vet could not, and did not even attempt to diagnose, over a period of many weeks. The first time I brought Domino to her stating that I know that something is wrong with my cat, her response to me was that my cat was old, and cats don’t live forever. I gave her a description of his symptoms: lack of appetite, not being his normal self with normal energy, drinking a lot of water, appearing discontent, and experiencing discomfort. At this first appointment she did not touch my cat or even try to see what the problem might be. Her diagnosis was “Nothing is wrong with him. He is just old. Cats don’t live forever.”

Domino’s painful death had nothing to do with his heart or age. He had a serious abdominal infection that was causing him pain. He should have been treated with pain medication, anti-biotics, and hydrated and whatever else was needed for the infection, including Lactated Ringers. At the first appoint concerning this issue, I had no way to know of his abdominal infection, but I knew that he was dehydrated. At this first appointment concerning this issue, I bought this up and requested a prescription for Lactated Ringers. She did not bring this problem up; I made this request. I told her that I knew what supplies I needed to administer it, and I knew how to do so. She just blew off my request, and did not give me the prescription for Domino. Knowing now, too late, what the VCA Emergency Doctor explained to me about Domino’s condition, it is no wonder that he was not eating, and distressed. She did not touch my cat during this visit on May20. Domino sat on my lap the entire time, except when the aid, who came in first, weighed him. The meeting with the vet was very short and then she walked out. Her only observation offered was that he is old and cats do not live forever. The assistant that was in the room when this happened, if she is honest, can confirm everything I have just written.

I brought Domino in again a few days later and told the vet that he was getting worse. This time she also did not touch my cat and she told me that there was nothing wrong with him, he was just getting old. I had no way to know that she was dead wrong.

I called the Pet Smart Hospital back after this appointment and insisted on a prescription for Lactated Ringers for Domino. I also provided the name and contact information for the Valey Vet on line Pharmacy. When it arrived in the mail, the instructions were 50 ml once every three days. These instructions were ridiculous considering his condition. I called Pet Smart again and went over these instructions with them. I was sure that Dr. Annamalai had made a mistake. The front desk confirmed her instructions, which were ridiculous.

Not only did I bring in Domino more than once describing his exact condition, I am the one who requested lactated ringers be given him on my first and second appointments regarding his issue. He did not receive the prescription until I called in with my third request for Lactated Ringers she finally wrote the prescription. However, 50 ml once every three days was very insufficient.

When my cat got worse, I called again and said that my cat is dying. The response was that you were all booked for the day and could not accommodate him. This is when I took him to the Emergency Hospital.

Domino died in great distress and pain in spite of my love and effort. You are guilty of mal practice. You were careless and indifferent concerning the serious condition that Domino was in. I had no way to know what was really going on. The vets only diagnosis was that he is getting old. I did not have to lose him like this. It is your indifference that cause his painful death due to a serious abdominal infection that I knew nothing about until the Emergency Doctor told me, as they were trying to save Domino. I had no idea what was wrong because of your indifference, and you never even touched him.

Because of your mal practice concerning Domino, it is sadly too late for my Domino. He died a miserable death, a painful, unnecessary premature death, thanks to your total disinterest in an “old cat, that would not live forever.” I am completely severing my relationship with Banfield immediately. I will never be back to your Banfield institution with my other cat. My cat died in pain because of your indifference, and now I am living in pain. This is mal practice.

The Banfield record keeping is not dependable. For both my cats it was stated, not sure about Rabies shots. I gave you a copy, for each cat, of a record of their last Rabies shot. Records also state that teeth cleaning was needed. I had also given you a copy of the report for the last cleaning for both cats, both current in the past two years. Then the fabricated record created two days after my cat’s death stating that I had declined procedures that were never brought up or offered to me for my cat. This list, created two days after Domino’s death, was no doubt created from report that came in to you from VCA Animal Emergency Hospital. Every procedure presentation on this page is followed by “Client Declines.” This page was posted to my cat’s account two days after my cat died. I never declined help. I was begging for help that never came. When I read this, I knew that VCA had determined in a few minutes exactly what Domino’s problem was, with any tests you wrote up here. This only adds to the mal practice involved by this vet and this organization. This page was created and posted two days after my cat died on June 20, 2024. It was never included in his records until after his death, apparently in an effort to deceive, but the posting date reveals the truth. I learned a hard lesson, never trust a vet. I am broken hearted.