| rev:text
| - I am IRATE.
I took Leo into the vet for a split toenail that went the length of his nail. The vet said the nail needed to be clipped off at the base and told me she would take him in the back to give him a reversible sedation and would cut the nail down. I was told it would be about $40 for the exam and $80 for the reversible sedation. I was given the choice to stay and wait or leave and come back. I stayed (in hindsight, we both should have left).
The problems began soon thereafter:
--First, let me be clear that this nail was painful to the touch and Leo would pull away if you touched it. I was not happy to realize they did not plan to give him a local block (pain med - Lidocaine - at the site of the nail) during the procedure until I specifically requested on it. (Shall we pause for a moment and just imagine someone cutting your nail off at the base without any local anesthetic).
--Second, during the procedure I heard him yelping from the back and was soon informed they hadn't actually done the reversible sedation as we'd discussed, they'd given him Acepromazine instead (a tranquilizer). I was informed he was yelping because the local anesthetic stings as it's administered and he wasn't responding to the tranquilizer enough to not be feeling it. I was told they'd done almost everything else they needed to besides the one nail. I inquired what needed to be done besides the ONE problem nail we'd come in for. Well, they'd trimmed the other 15.
--Third, given that he wasn't responding to the tranquilizer well and they were struggling to give him the local block, I was told that I had two options at this point: one, they basically hold him down and cut the nail - it will be painful but fast. (SERIOUSLY?!) Or two, they give him a more serious sedative (Propofol) to knock him out, then cut the nail. I opted for the sedative, not realizing until later that this was not my best choice. (Mind you, I couldn't have known this at the time because I was not fully advised of the risks or potential consequences.)
Shortly thereafter I am reunited with poor cone-head Leo who is a droopy, lethargic mess. I am also promptly handed a bill for $260.
RRRRRREWIND!!
Let's check our math here: $40 for exam + $80 for sedation = $120. Somehow things managed to more than double. I'm promptly advised that they did "wound care" and "bandaging" (neither of which were mentioned as necessary prior) which totaled about $80, plus there was the head cone & the Lidocaine I requested so there's another $40+.
Umm. Stop right there. $80 for WOUND CARE AND BANDAGING?!
So, let's recap. I've now got a droopy, falling over dog, the whole procedure didn't go at all as we'd discussed originally, and I'm getting nickel and dimed (actually, more like Hamilton'd or Jackson'd) on my way out the door. SUPER.
Okay, so at least they agree to take the $80 for wound care/bandaging off and I high-tail it out of there. You may have thought the adventure ends there, but NO... my droopy dog is so sedated on the way home he poops in the backseat. So now I've got a steaming pile of crap in the backseat and a steaming owner in the front seat, which really was a perfect ending to how I felt about this whole experience.
I later reviewed what happened with three other vets I trust (all out-of-state friends/relatives) to get second opinions. In brief, all felt the tranquilizer seemed an inappropriate choice for this sort of procedure given Leo's breed and high energy level. All also had a lot of concerns about the use of Propofol (the sedative used) as they felt it was a riskier choice than using the reversible sedative we'd originally discussed using.
It's pretty safe to say this bridge is burned. Whole Pet will probably be glad to know that I, Marissa B (the pet owner who clearly has unrealistic expectations that someone will actually do the procedure as discussed, will fully inform me of risks/consequences, and advise me of actual costs upfront) will no longer be returning.
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