Tampa Bay Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Care Center Killed our dog! (A must read article) Largo Florida

WARNING: Tampa Bay Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Care Center

Our little dog Ally started having issues breathing right out of the blue late one Friday night. Her little chest was just going in and out extremely as she tried to breathe. I had my wife call the closest Emergency Vet right away, which happens to be Tampa Bay Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Care Center (TBVSECC) on Belcher Road in Largo, Florida. (Huge mistake!) She called and told them we had a dog that was having issues breathing and ask if we could bring her in to get checked out. They said yes and we were on our way.

As we got close we called back twice because we couldn’t find their location, being so stressed with a little dog in distress because she could hardly breathe didn’t help. They gave us more specific directions and we were soon there. I picked up Ally and quickly got her into the Vet’s office as my wife was carrying our other little dog and locking the car.

When I got to the counter the person there ask me a few quick questions regarding Ally’s age and if we knew what might have been causing this illness, which we both told them we had no idea. They then led us into a room with ally to wait for a Doctor. Shortly after that a person came in and said they would take Ally back and I handed her to her. Moments later I could hear Ally’s screams and became very concerned. It was so bad that my wife had to go out of the room and take our other little dog outside. My wife soon returned just as another person came in and wanted us to sign some papers in regard to arrangements after Ally was put down.

I hit the roof! I ask her what she was talking about. We had brought Ally in for them to help her and they are going to put her down? The girl started arguing with me saying that I said on the phone that we wanted her put down, which was a total lie! My poor wife was losing it at that point. I told this Tech or whatever she was that they had better not have done anything to our little Ally and that she had better go make sure. She took off out of the room and after a little bit a different Tech came in and ask us to tell her the story. She apologized and said they were very busy and they obviously got mixed up. I ask her what was going on with Ally and she said they were just giving her “blow by” oxygen at this point. I ask why she was screaming like she was and if that is all they had done. She just said Ally was scared and didn’t like being held down, which I found out later was a lie! She then left and said she would keep us up to date when a doctor got to her for an examination.

After some time a doctor finally came in and after she talked about Ally and took her notes we told her about the Tech and how they were starting the process to put our little dog down. She also apologized and said that it had never happened before, which I am not so sure I believe.  I ask her what they had done to her and she said the same, just “blow by” oxygen to help her breathe, which was another lie! She then left to complete the exam.

A little later she came back and said that she would like to do an x-ray to see if that could give them an idea of what was going on. It could be Pneumonia, Congestive Heart Failure, or something else. We naturally said let’s do it and she said she would have someone come in with a cost estimate. We didn’t care about the cost; we just wanted our little dog better.

Well, in a very short time someone else came in and said the estimated amount was $800.00! (They made sure to tell us this was only for the test, not for any medication or treatment. This would all be an extra cost!) We thought the amount was a little ridiculous since we take our dogs to the best Vets in the US and know the cost, but they made it very well known that they would do nothing for Ally until they had that money upfront. After some scrambling we took care of it and went forward. It was made very clear right up front that it was all money and business first, with no care or compassion for anyone’s pet!

After another long wait we were sent back to another room where the same doctor came in and showed us the x-rays. She said that she saw “no signs” of Pneumonia, but maybe it was Congestive Heart Failure. She suggested keeping Ally for the night, putting her in an oxygen cage and doing some test. They would also treat her with Lasix, which would be for Congestive Heart Failure. We said okay and wanted to know when we would hear from them. We were told we would hear by 10:00 AM the next morning. At that time it was almost 4:00 AM and we headed home for some rest.

The next morning 10:00 came and went so finally at 11:30 AM I called only to find out the doctor on call had yet to see Ally. So, we waited for a call back. After another hour or so and again no call I called them. This time they managed to find a doctor who told me that Ally had not improved much and that she wanted to move her into an oxygen cage where she could breathe better. (Keep in mind we were told twice before that they were moving her into an oxygen cage, but obviously never did!) I ask her if she had any idea what was wrong with her and she said no. I said we were told they were treating her for Congestive Heart Failure which she seemed clueless about and didn’t even know that they gave her Lasix until she read it while talking to me on the phone. She again suggested the oxygen cage and another overnight stay, hoping that the time in the cage would let whatever the issue was heal its self? We had no other options at this point but to trust this doctor and Veterinary Specialists.

My wife and I both fell asleep on the sofa until we were woken by the telephone that same Saturday afternoon. The doctor was calling us from her home saying that she was contacted that Ally went into cardiac arrest and they were trying to bring her back. (I had signed a resuscitate form). She suggested we get to the Vet ASAP. We immediately left for the Vet.

When we arrived they took us into the ER area where Ally was alive but obviously in pain and she definitely had brain damage. We held her on the table so she would know that we were both there with her. I held the oxygen tube to her mouth to help her breathe. I ask the doctor what happened. She said that they (a Tech) found her on her side and gone in her cage?? I ask her how long she was gone and she said, they did not know but it must have been for a while because of the brain damage??

I ask the doctor if there was any hope and her response was no, especially with the brain damage. At that point we had to make the painful decision to let Ally go and we both held her as the doctor administered the shot to put her to sleep.

Before we left I ask the doctor what they were treating her for and she said without hesitation, Pneumonia. I questioned this but she said the same. This was the 3rd doctor that had seen Ally and this was the first time one that had said this. She said maybe if we could have gotten her to them sooner, but there was no way we could have gotten her to them quicker. This came on quickly with no warning.

This was the most disappointing experience with any Vet (or business) that we have ever had.

First they prepped her to be put down without any authorization. They took a little dog in distress having hard time breathing and held her down, shaved her leg, and shoved an I.V.  into her leg and then lied to us about it!

One of their Techs then argued with us about it saying we ask for it, which later another Tech and one of the doctors apologized about it, but the damage was done.

At that point you could tell they all had an attitude. They were very uncooperative, cold and demanding about getting their money before going forward with any help for our little girl.

We were then lied to on two occasions as we were told Ally was being put in an oxygen cage.

Then they had conflicting stories from 3 different doctors about what was wrong with Ally and what they were doing to help her.

“Our little dog was considered critical, why wasn’t she being watched?” They had no idea that she had died in their Critical Care unit or for how long? What were their Techs doing?

That weekend of horrors with this pitiful excuse of Veterinary Specialists not only cost us our little dog but almost $2,000.00!

It’s sad but I saw “no sign” of empathy or real heart felt care about the animals that came and went while we were there. We did see two ladies that were basically told to come up with money or leave with their poor dog, which by the way is the same way we were treated. It is very obvious that it is all about the money with Tampa Bay Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Care Center. I have been in business nationally and internationally for about 45 years and I have never seen such a poor excuse of a company, much less a Veterinary Office.

If you think we are just sad or mad about losing our little girl, research us. We have always been business owners and avid animal lovers and regular backers of Puppymill Rescue as well as the Humane Society and many other animal rights organizations. We are known for not only caring, loving and doing whatever we can to give our pets the best possible lives that we can, but other’s pets as well.

Believe me if I shared all the details of this entire deplorable experience this letter would be twice as long. We are for real and will do whatever it takes to make sure everyone knows our personal thoughts, and feelings about your company.  We work with several attorneys who all want to go after this “business” but all we want is to protect other true animal lovers from making the same terrible mistake that we did!

I am posting this letter everywhere that I can find on the Internet and publishing in all the Gulf Coast Newspapers.

I will be more than happy to discuss with anyone who loves their pet.

(Everything and more that is in this letter is documented as proof)

 In Ally’s memory.

Larry Bennett