Veterinary Clinics Of America Aurora VCA They charged me $3000+ to Neglect and Kill my Dog... Inexperienced!! They lack basic medical knowledge!! Aurora Illinois

This is sick!!!

At about 10pm on a Friday night I brought in my sweet 3 year old Female Pug Puppy because she was having difficulty urinating and VCA had 24 hour care available. A simple medical procedure of inserting a cath so that she could urinate until the scheduled surgery to remove her bladder stones the following Monday morning....simple right?

Well to say the least this story does not end well. Little did I know at that time that my otherwise extemely healthy girl would be leaving the VCA in a cardboard bulk napkin box and $3000+ within 48 hours.

To keep me from getting angry all over again Ill keep it simple and spare you from every detail. They failed 3 times in keeping the cath in her and charged me every time approx $300 to reinsert it. I expressed my concern of charging me each time and the risk for possible infection caused from multiple carless reinsertion. I plead for antibiotics to be administered but my words fell on the deaf ears of a inexperienced, neglective and condescending staff.

The next afternoon (Saturday) I was called and told my dog was urinating on her own and that I should be able to come pick her up and keep her at home until her scheduled surgery on Monday morning...great right. When I walked in to pick her up they were very concerned with having me pay my bablance fbefore seing my dog which at that time was only about $1500 (1 night stay...cath only.....outrageous).

When I paid they finally brought her out to me to take home......she was in the middle of a seizure!!!!! My dog had NEVER a seizure before....I handed her right back to a very frazzled nurse....I was speechless. Why the HELL would they have me pay my balance and then try to hand me back my obviously suffering dog who was in urgent need of care. I believe they caused this condition through negligence and wanted the liability off thier hands.

This was outrageous!! I then demanded to speak with Dr Schaefer, the Hospital Director, but was told he was "off" (yes they actually said he was off)and I could speak to him Monday morning. Well my dog didnt have until monday morning and I had just readmitted her with a bunch of inexperienced, rude VET school grads all the meanwhile more $$$.

She countinued to have cluster seizures throughout the night and I begged the staff again to give her antibiotics (Poorly inserted/dirty caths can cause infection...infection can cause seizures...basic first aid stuff) but the unproffesional staff seemed to think my opinion didnt matter and just went on administering useless pain meds ($$$) to mask the seizure symptoms.

Listen....this is a tough situation for both the staff and the dog owner. Of course we want them to do whatever it takes to save my dog. But the neglect, inexpierience, and overall lack of professionalism of the VCA staff is the reason my dog is no longer with us. I spoke with Dr Schaefer the morning after my dog passed....he was unwilling to admit any mistake or wrongdoing of his inexperienced "weekend staff" and after MUCH tiring debate offered to buy me off with a miserable $300 deduction from my bill $3000+(which had to be paid in full before they released my dogs body back to me in a cardboard bulk napkin box).

I dont want my money back...but the VCA does not deserve it!!! The cost for veterinary services at this hospital is almost 3 times the national average...THEY HAVE YOU TRAPPED, THEY HAVE YOUR HEART AND THEY KNOW IT. Everyone should call or email the VCA and let them know how you feel after reading about my experience. They cannot get away with running this kind of operation and no pet or owner should EVER have to experience what my wife and I did.

Please avoid the VCA Aurora!!! There are many other good, honest and experienced emergency care clinics in the area.... look them up ahead of time.

Matt
Yorkville, Illinois
U.S.A.