ComplaintsforOxford Hills Veterinary Hospital, P.A.

• Initial Complaint

  02/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 2/09/22 at 3:30pm, I took my cat to **** for a first appointment, to check general health and get basic vaccinations. The problem is two-fold: (1) a vet assistant (*******) caused physical harm to my animal by forcibly removing the animal from its carrier, as I protested, telling her, "no! stop! there's a better way," as I detached the top of the carrier, to enable easy, harmless moving of the cat. The asst. ignored my requests and yanked the resisting cat out by force. I thrice indicated (1) before making this appointment, (2) prior to entering the building, and (3) prior to the removal of the animal from the carrier, that special consideration MUST be taken, as this was a stray cat and I'd just begun to build trust with the animal. The second component arose from when I attempted to communicate the problem to the veterinarian, *********************. When she asked me how my experience there has been so far, good, right? I answered honestly: no. The vet then not only refused to listen to my concerns, but became argumentative and verbally abusive, and physically enraged at the temerity I displayed in "daring to question her,' in her words. I felt threatened physically and felt I had to retreat to a seat in the small exam room, where my cat was cowering, terrified. The out-of-control vet growled at me to relinquish any suggestion of impropriety on her the part of her staff or clinic. If I did not, she told me she would refuse service, despite even that I'd already been coerced into prepaying for the exam. I prepaid 50$ for the exam, but the final **** came to a total of 190$?!? For an exam, a feline leukemia test, a rabies and the first of two distemper vaccinations?!? I ran a cursory search through ****** on the leukemia test- 20$ on average. The costs of the vaccines seem similarly inflated. Why am I being triple-charged? For whistleblowing? For asking scientific questions on the vet's methods? Spite? For my cat's sake, I acquiesced. Never again. I should have walked.

  Business response

  02/17/2022

  The $50 paid in advance is a deposit for all new clients pets initial exam. This exam price has not change since 2018. The price of the leukemia test (FELV/FIV) was increased in January 2021 in response to the manufacturers price increase (the actual test cost us more than $20). The rabies vaccine and the distemper vaccine were increased $1 each May 2020 to the current price. These prices are in line with our geographical area. If the owner had questions or asked we would have informed him of the cost for those services for his cat. We take the health, safety & welfare of our patients very seriously. The assistant referenced has multiple years experience (several in animal emergency hospitals) with cats from feral to the most domesticated. When the doctor referenced entered the exam room the owner did appear upset. The doctor listened to his concern (a dog barking in hospital was upsetting his cat & that the office in general was too loud). The doctor asked the owner if he wanted to continue with exam or forego and he elected to continue. He a short time later again spoke saying he was going to write a complaint & again the doctor asked if he wished to continue or forego the appointment, he again verbalized to continue. At the end of the appointment when being checked out by the assistant, he expressed concern about cats treatment (which was addressed) with no mention of the monetary concern.

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