Coral Springs Animal Hospital & Donna Schwartz, D.V.M. coral springs animal hospital complaints, Donna Schwartz, D.V.M, coral springs animal hospital horrible service, complete and total ripoff, con job, hack doctor, lies, threats, and intimidation attempts, tries to push multiple products Coral Springs, Florida

On 07/15/2011 I brought my dog "Andrea" in to get a DA2P boost shot which was going to be required at the facility I was planning on boarding her at for 2 weeks while I traveled out of town.  After filling out 3 or 4 pages of paperwork and submitting past medical records and waiting for approximately 45 minutes I was admitted by a nurse, had Andrea weighed, and then brought into Donna Schwartz's exam room.  The nurse, Kara, IMMEDIATELY began explaining to me that I needed to have Andrea vaccinated for CIV (Canine Influenza) which had apparantly "wiped out the entire kennel" at the Coral Springs Animal Hospital mere months prior.  I was informed that it was a new disease and that not many people knew about it, but it was absolutely NECCESSARY that I get Andrea vaccinated lest I risk her dying from this unstoppable airborne dog super virus.  Shortly after, Donna Schwartz entered the room and informed me about the CIV vaccination.  She then attempted to change the boarding facility I was planning on taking Andrea to by literally telling me "Ok - I am going to change your mind right now - you are going to bring your dog to Pompano Pet Lodge" and proceeds to go into an entire diatribe about why Pompano Pet Lodge (which itself has horrible reviews on the internet - SEE POMPANO PUPPY PRISON) was better than the best boarding facility in the area.  Donna then informed me that I needed to get insurance for my dog through a company I don't recall the name of, by attempting to scare me with the prices of several different "extremely common" surgeries in dogs.  I ended up getting the CIV vaccination in addition to the DA2P boost shot I initially came for.  The CIV vaccination is a 2 part vaccination so I was to return on 08/11/2011 to get the other part of the vaccine.  In addition to the vaccinations  I was charged $49.00 for a general wellness exam which stated "Great Dog! Very Cute!" under the physical examination section and "Healthy Girl" under the medical section.  Donna literally did nothing except play with Andrea for less than 30 seconds for her part. 

(Note: Upon further research - CIV is indeed a seasonal respiratory illness in dogs - and while can be serious in a FEW cases, VERY FEW dogs actually die from this disease.  I imagine it is common to the flu virus in humans - only fatal to sick infants and the elderly and infirmed.  Obviously, the nurse, Kara, LIED when she said that the entire kennel at Coral Springs animal hospital was wiped out by Canine Influenza.)

On 08/11/2011 I returned to Coral Springs Animal Hospital to receive the second and final CIV vaccination.  I was informed that Andrea needed A Heartworm Tick-Borne Disease Screen, Rabies Vaccine, Kennel Cough Vaccine, and a Fecal Test for OVA & Parasites.  I declined the additional vaccine and fecal test.  I opted for a Rabies 3 (3 year rabies vaccine) only because Andrea's current vaccine was close to expiration and Heartworm Tick-Borne Disease Screen only because in order to get prescription heartworm medication for dogs, you MUST pay a veterinarian for this service. On both occassions I was unfortunate enough to visit Coral Springs Animal Hospital I was informed by multiple members of the staff and Donna Schwartz at the importance of ALL of this vaccinations - and that Coral Springs Animal Hosptial would NEVER board an animal that didn't have proper vaccinations - especially after the Canine Influenza episode which "wiped out the entire kennel."  On 08/11/2011 I learned from the nurse that she kept her dog on the premises which had received NO vaccinations whatsoever, and in addition was not even on heartworm medication.  I found this to be outrageous. 

When I saw Donna this time, she again attempted to push me to board my dog at Pompano Pet Lodge and tried to push a different heartworm medication on to me than the one I am currently using.  Several hours after leaving the Coral Springs Animal Hospital I received phone call from Donna Schwartz informing me that Andrea had tested "slightly positive during the heartworm test" but not to be alarmed because sometimes their office tests show a "slightly positive result" but for an additional "$25.00 or $30.00" fee that they could send Andrea's results to the lab and get additional results.  And "Just in case it is positive from the lab, and I've been feeding Andrea her heartworm medication religiously - we can switch up from my current heartworm medication" -  to the one Donna had previously recommended during the office visit that I declined at the time).  Donna told me that it was absolutely necessary that I got this lab test done - so I declined the test and informed her that I felt at this point she was attempting to take advantage of me.  She then attempted to use guilt to persuede me to paying for the test by asking me if I "realized I was taking a chance with the life of my animal" by not following up and paying an additional "$25.00 to $30.00" for a lab result just to make sure that the false positive from the office  test was indeed false positive.  I informed Donna that I did not want the test and if she wanted to give me the results for free then I would take them but other than that I was not interested.  She continued to try to use different tactics to persuede me, from guilt, to suggestions that I was a neglectful pet owner. 


Disclaimer: THIS IS MY OPINION - It was hard to know where to begin with this report - so I did my best to account, in its entirety, the absolutely horrendous experience I suffered when dealing with Coral Springs Animal Hospital, and more specifically Donna Schwartz, D.V.M.  My first experience was dated 07/15/2011 and my second (and last - I will NEVER go back there) was dated 08/11/2011.  I will admit that I was taken in the first time by this complete and total con job.  Donna (AND the nurses!) plays her part very well with a cheerful attitude, painted-on smile, and even pictures of her dog, "Breezie" (I doubt she owns a dog) on the wall to back up her stories and assist her in trying to immediately begin conning you out of your money, pushing unwanted and unneeded goods and services onto clients, and lastly and most importantly sell you tons of "vaccinations" AKA poison that your dog doesn't need.  As a last resort, if you don't cave in - she will try threats and guilt - and don't forget implications that you are neglecting your animal.  At best, you will end up paying an outrageous price for shots your animal really doesn't need.  At worst, you will pay an outrageous price to make your animal extremely sick (which I'm not certain they don't want - so that they can in turn charge you thousands of dollars for surgeries).