$80.00 Vet Visit/very Upset!!!

[Cola Champagnes mommy]

HI everybody I am soooo upset! My husband and I just came back form our honeymoon, we left Cola with a friend of mine that we trust. I took Cola over there before to play with her dogs, her family has a german shepard collie mix and two boston terriers, which one of them is an 8 week old puppy. To make a long story short, I called practically everyday because Cola is only 4 months and I worry. You know how they can be, putting everything in their mouth etc. I did leave my vets number and would have charged the visit to my card in the event of an emergency. Well everyday they said Cola was fine and to stop calling....dum dum dum (sound effects) I come home to find my baby all beat up! The family stated that she never yelped once but her face was all bit up with scabs, and her nose had a huge gash in it. Needless to say they next day she was sleepy, and not herself, at first i just thought she was depressed from having switched enviornments and missing her 'pals' come to find out she was running a fever, and i took her to the vet to find she an infection in the huge gash in her nose! :mad: the office visit was 32.00, plus the antibiotics and medicated wash to help heal the scabs and so she'll stop scratching them and making it worse. do you think i have a right to be upset. my friend states they were only 'playing' and that she wasn't hurting at anytime. i was upset that they didn't tell me when i was calling, i was nearly shocked when i saw her. i mean she didn't look like a train wreck but i take good care of my baby and i was upset she wasn't in the condition i left her in. am i wrong? what should i say to my friend? has this ever happened to you?:confused:

p.s. are vets to be trusted, do you think my baby really needed all those antibiotics i have heard some horror stories about vets charging you for non necessary items. this is my first time really dealing with vets and emergency visits etc...

 

[wink]

I doubt you will want to take your baby there again-we usually board ours when we go away; even overnight just because we have come to worry much less. We have a couple of really nice kennels here with indoor/outdoor facilities and the people are very nice. It is much less stressful on us!
As for the vet, I have wondered that myself, but we never take any chances, we always take them when something is wrong. We usually seem to have medicine, drops and creams left over for the next episode that way also!! Since they are so active and extremely snoopy they will always be getting into something new, so we have a first aid kit just for them now!!

 

[YourFriendDeb]

OooohHHH I would be MAD!!!! Even if they are only "playing", can't she see that your baby has cuts & scrapes & a huge 'gash'?? Running a fever too? I would be absolutely LIVID! Its bad enough that you worry about your babies when you can't watch them, but to come home and find THAT!

As for the vet, I agree with wink. You are usually at their mercy whether they're doing whats right or gouging you. You just gotta hope that they can make her well!

Legend sends you and Cola big boxer kisses for a speedy recovery!!!

 

[Bailey and Riley's Mom]

I would be so mad, did any of her dog's look that bad? What a lack of responsiblity your friends have. Tell her about the appointment maybe she will offer to help with the charges, god knows she should.
As for the vet, I agree with everyone else. You are at their mercy, I am just happy my vet doesn't charge an office visit fee, because I have I 5 month old puppy and I would be broke by now

 

[JazznChase]

You have the right to be mad! You think you can trust your firend with your baby! But obviously you can't.

I know vets can be VERY expensive. Jazz sliced her foot (about 1 inch) and I took her to the emergencey vet and to her regualr vet and that small gash cost me over $300. But it was worth knowing she will be ok!

I am sorry that had to happen to your little girl! Jazmine and Chase give her a BIG BOXER KISS on her boo boo's!

 

[Otto's mom]

I am so upset right now for you! How awful. Something similar happened with Otto however it didn't occur because of a friend not paying attention (which I think can be worse because of the uncomfortable position it puts you in).

Otto was at training class and out of the blue, this German Shepard bit him in the eye. Otto was bleeding from his eye so we left class and took him to the emergency vet. Bill came to $200. The other owner had no reaction after it happened. He didn't offer to pay anything as we were leaving (or thereafter), didn't even call to find out how Otto was. He had a "dogs will be dogs" mentality. What a jerk. Whatever happened to people taking responsibility???????

Although it may be a really uncomfortable, I would definately say something to your friend. Trust is essential to a friendship and if you don't trust her anymore you may not have much of a friendship left. Take care of it before it snowballs. I know I wish I would have approached that guy the next time I saw him.

Hope your doggie is feeling better!

Cher & Otto
www.geocities.com/ottobiography

 

[Nat]

EXACTLY the same thing happened to us in March. We left Leisel with some good friends of ours, as we thought she would enjoy that much more than a kennell as she loved playing with the Alaskan Husky when we have visited there in the past.

When we came to collect her, the little soft wrinkly part on her chin was totally gone! She had been mauled completely by the Husky as they have very sharp teeth. What I am sure started as a little bit of playing, turned horrible in the end.

Like your pup, she too was not herself for almost a week!

At least our friends did offer to pay our Vets bills, but I couldn't do that too them as they are quite hard up for cash. They were very upset with what happened too!

I hope your little one gets better soon. We send her love!

 

[PawPrintBoxers]

Actually, $80 for a vet visit is not that bad. And it is not the vet's fault, obviously. My vet also gives A/B if there is a threat of infection. I would not say your vet was taking advantage of you at all.

Now, I think you need to have a talk with your neighbor. Go there with the understanding they were doing you a favor. Thank them but also express your concern over the injuries your dog has suffered. If they offer to pay for the vet bill, that is great. If they do not, then simply don't ask them to care for your dog again. A boarding kennel might be a better idea next time. Yes, they don't get the personal attention. But you know they are not going to get chewed up by another dog that might not even be current on their own vaccinations :(

Yes, I would be upset like you. But you have to understand you did ask your neighbor to do you a favor. We all have different levels of doggy care and some people just throw dogs into a yard and let "dogs be dogs". Oh believe me, mine would rather lay out on the couch than pick a fight in the yard

 

[Boo]

Lisa, I just wanted to send some (((hugs))) to your baby, and I hope she is feeling better soon. Christina has given you some great advice on both the vet and the friend issue.

 

[Julie Davis]

I'm so sorry about your ordeal. Boomer sends boxer get well kisses to Cola. lovicon