VCA Animal Hospitals review: Animal care rights 4

what happened to your dog?

**Same experience. I'm so sorry for your loss. Here's just a, summary of what happened to me.

I couldn't take my dog anywhere else on the holiday weekend of February 13th, 3day weekend as he became very sick, very fast. I had returned home to Palm springs, CA from GA and his vet was in GA. I called the VAC Valley Animal Hospital, Indio, CA ( the ONLY emergency hospital for animals within 50 mile radius to palm springs )on Saturday night as he worsened and I became panicked at 11pm thinking he may die before morning. I was told by the girl who answered the phone that nausea, vomiting, staggering, urinating everywhere and drinking large amounts of water-- didn't sound like a emergency to her and that I should wait and bring him in the morning. This is a 24hr EMERGENCY hospital? I took my dog there next morn and that will be my biggest regret, worst nightmare experience, most devastating loss I have experienced in my life in my 62years of living, owning and loving pets of all kinds.

(Insert the above tragic complaint here from Spitz Lover my story is basically the same)

$6, 000 dollars (which has to be paid up front) an elaborate treatment plan with diagnosis( which was wrong) all before a single even basic test had been done and an offer from rude financial person that if I couldn't afford treatment my other option was to take him home and let him die...devastated, scared, stressed and in shock of course, I came up with money. Couldn't believe how they preyed on upset pet owners especially during a pandemic. 2 days later... AFTER he was admitted for 2 days ; I was told he was getting better by the vet and I said I wanted to bring him home. Made arrangements to pick up next morning at 10am but that evening (according to supposedly vet he suddenly took a turn for the worse...and for $4, 000 more they could keep another day and continue his care or she could just go ahead and put him to sleep. WHAT? I said NO and I'll be there to pick up.

In the end, because this comment can't even begin to describe the events ( see my complaint that I'm going to post later today)...of the 36 hrs my loved 8yr old rescue who was in excellent health up to this point and then 12 hrs after I didn't (couldnt) pay $ 4, 000 more they finally brought him out to me and I became hysterical. He looked terrified and was so traumatized I really felt he was worse and I was afraid and angry. No discharge instructions, NO lifesaving medications that Vet actually put in writing to be sent home with me, no compassion, no follow up and obviously NO treatment or care from the minute the night before when I said No to the $4000 payment and 3rd day in hospital.

I brought him home and 12 hrs later he died in my arms.

It's only been 3 weeks today since I lost my heart 🐕. I will NEVER recover from the sickening guilt I felt and still feel when I was finally able to look at his medical records and saw many errors and falsified documentation, I am a retired nurse, so I know the legality of medical records. He was misdiagnosed, treated horribly, cruelly and subjected to many painful completely unnecessary tests, kept in a metal cage where he was so traumatized he got a corneal abrasion on his eye (the veterinarian actually admitted this to me) he also somehow lost a tooth and his mouth bled ( I can't even think of how that happened or I cry uncontrollably) ALL care stopped 10hrs before he was finally given back to me, and because the medications that would have saved his life were not given to me as promised in writing, and the combination of callous, uncaring, price gouging, corporate money grubbing VETS for PROFIT AND UNTRAINED staff...My dog DIED and he didn't have to.

I'm currently taking every action possible to make VCA -- corporate vets for profit held accountable for the literally thousands of stories/complaints on many sites for the treatment of these animals. I will honor the memory of my dog by not giving up the good fight. This must be stopped...this treatment of animals as if they are disposable.
This is wrong and if I can help another pet owner by screaming out DO NOT TAKE YOUR PET TO VCA...then I will at least have done something!