Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/29/2022

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On Wed 8/24/22 I took my paralyzed dog to the vet for a 2nd time regarding an ongoing wound to her back right leg. She had an exam and X-rays done and we were told she had osteomyelitis severe enough that she required an immediate amputation. She was given pain meds and scheduled for surgery on Friday 8/26/22. On Friday she was dropped off at 11am as instructed. I called at 130 to check on her and was told she hadn't gone into surgery yet but should be shortly. I called back at 400 and was placed on hold for 20 mins. While on hold a called came in on the other line from the vet's office so I clicked over. The someone from another area of the vet's office was calling to tell me they had bad news. I immediately thought they were calling to tell me my dog had died or a complication with surgery happened, but the girl laughed and said no that they were just calling to advise me they were canceling the surgery because they were over booked. They rescheduled for Sept 1st. When I asked if it was safe for her to wait that long she said, "I guess it's the doctor's choice". I picked my dog up and wasn't given any antibiotics or anything. My dog is special needs and wears a diaper. The diaper had not been changed at all the entire 6 hours she was there. At 630 that evening I received another call from the office advising me that her Sept 1 surgery was also being cancelled and that services were no longer be offered to us. I asked why and was 1st told they didn't know it was just what the dr said, then she said maybe because of social media. At no time did I say anything bad on social media in regard to the care given to my pet. I now have to start the entire process of getting my dog diagnosed and surgery scheduled again. To resolve this, I would like an apology and some type of compensation for my loss of time, salary from work for taking off and for repeated diagnostics.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/27/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2022/09/13) */ To whom it may concern, My name is Bill ******. I have been a veterinarian for 40 years and I have been practicing at my current location in Reisterstown for 32 years. I am the owner and full time doctor at Advanced Veterinary Complex. Dr George ********* works as an associate veterinarian two days per week. We see appointments and do surgeries seven days per week. Monday through Friday I see appointments from 9am-12pm. With surgeries in the afternoon from 12pm-5pm, and resume appointments in the evening from 5pm-8pm. The patient in question was seen by Dr Harmening on Wednesday, August 24th. He recommended an amputation of the right rear leg due to chronic infection that appeared to be into the bone. Dr Harmening consulted with me regards to a possible surgery needing to be done later in the week and was told that we were fully booked for several weeks. I told him there would only be a possibility if there were multiple cancellations. The patient was tentatively scheduled for Friday, August 26th with the hopes that it could have been fit into the already busy schedule. However, only one surgery cancelled that particular day and which was a feline dental (one of our shorter surgical procedures). The rest of the patients who had been booked for weeks in advance all showed up and also needed their surgeries to be done. We unfortunately only had two veterinary technicians in the clinic that day and were pressed for time the entire day just to get through the normal prescheduled surgeries. It was apparent by 3:45pm that we couldn't not perform the amputation in a timely manner before 5pm. I relayed this information to the technicians so that they could feed the pet and for reception to call the owner so she could pickup the patient. A typical leg amputation without complication normally requires at least 1 hour and 30 minutes to perform. There was just no time to adjust the schedule to accommodate the surgery. The client picked the patient up and according to the technician who discharged the patient, the client was not disgruntled or angry. We offered to reschedule the surgery until the following week on a day that more time would have been allowed. Within two hours of leaving the clinic, the client went on social media and was very critical of our inability to do her dogs surgery on that particular day. We had a long standing mutual relationship with the client and had done numerous surgeries including c-sections that were last minute adjustments to our schedule. This is true with many of our breeder clients who normally understand adjustments on our part have to be made at last minute which unfortunately means some clients **** have to sacrifice at their expense. After reading the comments on social media, it was apparent that the client did not appreciate our attempt to fit her dog in at the last minute for a very lengthy and involved procedure. These comments were not appreciated by someone who has made helped her numerous times in the past. I believe her comments could have been conveyed directly to me or my staff instead of the general public and my potential clients. So with that in mind, I directed the receptionist to cancel the upcoming surgery for the following week and suggested that she went elsewhere for the amputation. A client-doctor relationship is one built on mutual respect and appreciation, which is not a one way street. The client has continued to berate my practice and has made numerous other negative remarks about me and my staff. Therefore, I do not think this relationship can be mended at this time. I do offer to reimburse her for the lunch she provided my staff on that Friday. I wish the client and her dog nothing but success with her future treatments or surgery. Respectively, Bill ** ******, *** Consumer Response /* (3000, 10, 2022/09/15) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) In response to the answer filed by Dr. Benson, We did in fact see Dr. Harmening on 8/24/2022. This was a 2nd appt for our dog Forza due to the infection in her leg. At the appt Dr. Harmening advised she needed immediate intervention but due to the schedule THAT day, they were unable to accommodate us. They scheduled her for that Friday, 8/26/2022. At no time was I told that Friday's scheduled surgery appointment was tentative. When I called at 130pm the day of surgery to check on her, I was told she would be going back soon. My first complaint in regards to service took place at 400pm when I called again to check on her, was placed on hold for 20 mins, and while on hold after 20 mins, my 2nd line beeped in and it was the office calling me. I assumed they had forgotten me on hold as this happens all of the time calling this office. When I answered the first thing the caller said was, "I have some bad news". I immediately assumed my dog had died and said "Omg please tell me she's not dead", and the girl laughed and said, "No nothing like that, we just need to cancel her surgery". I immediately went and pick up my dog. When I got there, I did confront the girl that called me, but she as on the phone STILL cancelling other appointments and procedures. The front desk staff was very apologetic and each one was stating how unprofessional cancelling all these appts was when they had been made in the first place. Again at no time was I told that her appt was tentative. The vets web page does in fact advertise emergency services, so I assumed that was how we were scheduled. She had a bone sticking out of her leg. This seemed emergent to me. As stated by Dr. Benson, I was not disgruntled when picking her up, other then being upset about the call. I have worked previously in Veterinary Medicine (at this actual office, with this vet) and understand having to make adjustments. I was happy that they were still able to schedule us the following week. However, it was quite inconvenient. Not to mention we were extremely worried about the infection and her bone. She had not been placed on any antibiotics, and her bandage had not even been taken off. The entire time she sat there, she had not even been assessed. Not to mention, they had not even changed her diaper. I did in fact post on my social media page about my dis-satisfaction on the days outcome. Forza is a very special dog and we frequently share updates on her care and life. Please see the attached screenshots of all of my postings in regards to this. I do not speak poorly of the vet at all. In fact several times, I speak about how good the care is. How he has been the only vet I have trusted with her. I do vent about my frustrations about the way my day went. But there is no social media policy posted at the vets office. So I do not feel that I violated any etiquette. I am allowed to be frustrated that you scheduled me for a service, then cancelled it, and it added stress and worry to my day and life. In regards to my appreciation for previous care, no where in my social media posts do I attack or speak negatively about the care shown to my pets. I have NOT had emergency C-Sections for any of my dogs, as all of my procedures were scheduled weeks if not months in advance. As for other emergent visits, yes I have utilized them as they are advertised. Although, I have always called and have been given an appointment. I did ask to speak to Dr. Benson the night the receptionist called to cancel the appointment. I was told no that he was busy. At this time, I do agree that the relationship with this practice is severely damaged and can not be salvaged. My trust in the entire office has been fractured. Forza did not deserve to have her rescheduled surgery to be cancelled and to be dismissed from the practice so abruptly and unjustly. There is no way a proper investigation was done within the 2 hours of my social media posting and the dismissal from the practice. Especially when the office just cancelled on us that day due to being so very busy. Is the reason appts cant be correctly scheduled because the front office staff is so busy preying on patients on social media and reporting back false information? It is my opinion that the gossip from the front desk staff to the back office fueled this situation on an already tense day and this decision was made abruptly based on ego and miscommunication. Instead of a managing staff member, or the doctor himself properly investigating or someone simply contacting me, we were dismissed from the practice. My dog is in the middle of an acute medical crisis, this vet took responsibility in caring for that crisis. Then failed to do so, and when I vented my frustration, I was penalized even further, by being terminated from the practice. Somehow, I just don't think this is right or just for the welfare of my dogs life. It seems like it wouldn't be legal or ethical. At this time, my dog still has not been properly assessed. We had to start the entire process over again, and find a new primary care vet, which after seeing her has now referred her to a specialist. The appointment for that is still a week out. In the meantime, we have had to incur the additional cost of duplicate test, additional antibiotics and pain medication, not to even mention the time that is passing with her having an infection in her body doing damage. My dog is in pain, and on some days sick from the side effects of the infection and additional medications. She is already a special needs dog due to her paralysis. She was born with a spinal abnormality that Dr. Benson diagnosed and has been her primary care vet since the day she was born. To add insult to injury in all of this on the day her surgery was cancelled, Forza had sat in a cage all day, her diaper had not been changed the entire time. When I picked her up, she had feces in her diaper, and was soaking wet to her bedding. I believe the office of Advanced Veterinary Complex should at least be held responsible for the additional incurred expenses due to the hasty decision to dismiss from the practice. The bottom line is, I just want my dog to get taken care of properly. Consumer Response /* (3000, 13, 2022/09/15) */ ***Document Attached*** Business Response /* (4000, 15, 2022/09/24) */ To whom it may concern, I am enclosing the appointments and surgery schedule for my hospital on August 26th, 2022. I started appointments at 8:45am and began to start surgeries at 11:45am, finishing around 5:15pm. I had evening appointments from that point until 8pm. I rarely take a break during the day and did not take one that day. My staff and I worked through lunch and did our best to finish everything that was scheduled. It is not physically possible to do a leg amputation in the 15-30 minutes I had remaining, as I previously stated. I am the only doctor on duty on Fridays. I am responsible for all appointments, drop offs, walk ins, and surgeries. It is difficult to predict how each day's schedule will play out. The client stated in her reply that, "the front desk staff was still canceling other appointments and procedures" when she came to pick up her dog. That is blatantly false. We canceled no other appointments or surgeries for that particular day. The only canceled surgery was a feline dental which was canceled by the client. The receptionist that the client is referring to was trying to reschedule appointments for the week of October 3rd so that I could take time off to visit my brother in Arkansas who has stage 4 lymphoma. I was originally scheduled to go to Arkansas the week of August 1st, but I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure caused by atrial fibrillation. I spent 6 days in the cardiac unit at UPMC in York, Pennsylvania. So, I resent the accusations that we were canceling other appointments and surgeries in any "unprofessional" manner. Sometimes I have to deal with real life problems of my own like anyone else. In conclusion, my main point of emphasis is that no one at my practice has any malicious intent toward this client or her dog. We did the best we could to get her surgery done that day but time just wasn't available. This is a difficult time to be in any business with the lack of help available and we all just have to adjust to that fact. Bill ** ******, ***