ComplaintsforPet Wow

• Initial Complaint

  10/31/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I took my dog to pet wow who was perfectly healthy for a grooming and when he returned he was dragging his back feet I brought him back in for them to assess him because it is a veterinarian and a grooming facility and they treated him and gave him some muscle relaxers and pain medicine and acknowledge that he was injured during their care my dog eventually went completely paralyzed and had to have surgery on his spine which cost $6000 I contacted the office manager at the facility and they said there’s nothing they can do to reimburse us for the money even though he was injured at their facility because the age of my dog and he had a history seven years ago of degenerative disc disease I’ve heard many the reports about this place that they used to much Aggressive restraints when they groom the dogs. And I also know of one dog that died after he was groom there from cardiogenic shock I just need this place of business looked at I don’t want any compensation except the cost of my surgery for the dog

  

  Business response

  11/02/2021

  Good afternoon *** ****,
  
  Thank you for reaching out with your concern. I would like to reiterate my sympathies for your case and for ******** condition.
  
  As I discussed with you and with *** *****, there are several “facts” of this case upon which we simply do not agree. Our company does NOT agree that ****** was injured while under our care for grooming; as we discussed at length, if that were the case, this would be a very straightforward liability claim and we would submit your bills to our insurance. As you are aware, our doctor staff informed you, as far back as July of 2016, that we suspected ****** suffers from Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD), a suspicion that was confirmed when he was diagnosed with IVDD at Med-Vet last month. IVDD is a degenerative disease, and the slightest movement or tweak can be the onset event that causes a pet to become symptomatic. It is quite possible that ****** injured his back executing a movement as simple as jumping off a couch; this easily could have happened before he came to our facility. Even if it were to have occurred while he was with us, absent some accident (such as him leaping from a grooming table), it would be unreasonable to hold us responsible for an underlying condition.
  
  I conducted a thorough review of ******** visit to our grooming facilities, to be completely sure that there wasn’t an incident that could have caused his symptoms. I interviewed every groomer, as well as the front desk staff, and the doctor who saw him that day. If I had been able to determine that ****** had fallen off a table, jumped out of top kennel, been injured by another pet, etc. there would be no contest and we absolutely would assist you; but no such accident occurred. ****** was carried between every station and treated with the utmost gentleness, as we were aware he is an older pet. It is the opinion of our veterinarian that we were not at fault for his medical condition.
  
  We provided a free exam and free medications, as a courtesy to you, for an injury we did not cause, but that was the result of an underlying condition over which we had no control. While I understand your frustration and the perception that ****** was healthy when he came to our facility, that is unfortunately an incorrect perception. In fact, ****** was NOT healthy when he arrived to be groomed, but already was suffering from IVDD – the fact that he became symptomatic while at PetWOW is coincidental.
  
  I understand you disagree with my assessment of his case. As discussed on our last call, you are welcome to send us a letter from your lawyer, which I will be happy to submit to our insurance and they can decide whether further action is necessary. Until I receive such a letter, however, there is no action I can take on my end, as my investigation did not reveal any event or action for which we are liable and I therefore am unable to make a claim to our insurance.
  
  Best regards,
  
  William S******
  Site Manager, PetWOW

  Customer response

  11/10/2021

  My dog ****** had been going to PET WOW in ******** for 10 years.  He has had his yearly visits for vaccines as scheduled and he goes to the grooming there as well every 2 months for grooming and ear inspection.  Luckily, ****** has been a healthy dog with no other health issues.  In 2016 he injured himself at home and we brought him to PET WOW and he had a sprain in his back due to playing with a ball and they diagnosed him with degenerative disk disease, he was 7 years old at the time.  The vet at PET WOW gave us strict instructions how to care for him properly.  The vet at PET WOW told us to limit his activity, no stairclimbing, no jumping on beds and not to stand him on his hind legs.  For 5 years we followed those instructions and ****** has never had any more issues with his back due to our proper care of him.  
  
  On October, 9th 2021 I took our perfectly healthy ****** for his regular grooming services, which we do every 2 months and 5 hours later when I picked him up he was dragging his back legs. With great concern, I brought him back in to see the vet and the girl at the desk  states "  I hate when they do this"  and she also said “they had him on his back legs when they were grooming him  and his legs  kept giving out and they had to keep standing him up "   After the vet inspected him she prescribed a muscle relaxant, prednisone  and a pain pill and instructed  that I bring him back in next week. I asked if there was a charge and she said “no, this was our fault so no charge for the assessment or for the meds”.   Well, overnight he became totally paralyzed, unable to walk and or go to the bathroom by himself.  I urgently ran him to the urgent care in ****** and they suggested that we bring him to *** *** in Cincinnati for an MRI, which we did.
  
  $6300 later, ****** had to have a hemilaminectomy. 2 days later, we brought him home and he still was unable to go to the bathroom on his own, and unable to walk.  He had to be carried around everywhere.  I had to invest in a lot of supplies that we didn’t have for him like crates and doggie diapers.  I had to hire a pet sitter to check on him and care for him while I was at work. Twice a day we had to express his bladder because of his urinary retention after surgery.  In short, this was a huge task that my family and I were having and we are still having a hard time with, not to mention the added $6300 + expenses.  It’s sad to see a normal healthy dog go through this. We can see his depression in his eyes that has not able to do things like he used to.  
  
  I contacted William at PET WOW in ********** and he said there was nothing PET WOW could or would do.  He stated that ****** had a preexisting condition and that it could have happened anywhere.  My argument is this….  We chose to send ****** to PET WOW for the comprehensive care that was offered and the convenience of having your vet and groomer in one building. I chose this place because ******, due to his breed gets frequent ear infections and thought it would be beneficial to have his ears checked with ear grooming visit, which was being done.  To my surprise, I guess I ASSUMMED they were knowledgeable of him. Knowledgeable about his age and his disk disease that THEIR VET diagnosed him with 5 years prior.  I assumed, after going   there for 10 years and every 2 months for grooming that they knew ****** and his limitations and restrictions. I guess I ASSUMMED wrong.    We as a family followed the strict guidelines and restrictions given to us by their VET  5 years earlier. ****** never had any more flare ups with his back and was never treated again for back problems since.  Ironically, he goes to the groomer and in 5 hours he his injured.  Why were we required to follow the restrictions but they weren’t?  Your groomer should know to treat a 12-year-old differently than a puppy, your groomer should know ****** and his limitation that were placed upon your Veterinarians.   Why wasn’t this being done?? 
  
   I have posted on all my social media account about my recent experience at PET WOW and I have heard numerous terrible stories about PET WOW since then. I wish I knew then what I know now about this place.  I am making it my priority to inform Northern ******** what a terrible experience we had.  After speaking to many people, a friend of mine told me that her dog what there for grooming and they brought him home and he died from the aggressive restraining they do during grooming at PET WOW.  I also know someone that use to work at PET WOW and she told me PET WOW uses more aggressive restraining than the average groomer.  This is unacceptable specially with older dogs.  If I knew this I would have never brought him to them in the first place.   Are your groomers licensed is a question I would like to know? 
  
  Besides posting our story on social media, I have contacted the Better Business Bureau, The ******** Attorney General and I even contacted **** and **** ******** is investigating out story.  *** ******** came to my house to interview us last week and he was very upset seeing ****** paralyzed and still unable to walk, so he decided to investigate this story further.  Our story will be aired on the morning news very soon.  I am hoping that others will see this and not experience the same type of care we received with our dog at PET WOW.  I want them to know that your company is refusing to pay medical expenses for our dog even though it was your fault because he was under your care.  
  
  I have contacted my lawyer and he said that we are entitled to get compensation for ******* injury.  I am requesting/ demanding that PET WOW pay for all of his hospital and urgent care cost along with the amount I had to pay someone to care for my dog while I was working.  I have included all the receipts that we have for this terrible accident that PET WOW did to our dog.  If there is no cooperation I will pursue legal action and submit this through small claims court.  
  
  Please contact me ASAP regarding this matter.  
  
  Regards,
  
   **** **** 
  

  

  Business response

  11/10/2021

  Good afternoon,

   

  *** ****** case has been submitted to our insurance company. 

   

  Best regards, 

   

  William S******

  Site Manager, PetWOW ******** *******

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