ComplaintsforMogadore Veterinary Hospital

• Initial Complaint

  06/23/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  At my Feb 28th visit I was advised to have my dog spayed at 6 months, I asked for a price, a couple of days later I received a call quoting me between $500 & $600 dollars. She was guessing my dog to weigh around 60 lbs. at the time of spaying. She quoted me on the higher side stating it would be adjusted to her weight. Time came to schedule her appointment, never was I told the quote I received in March was now expired in May. My daughter dropped my dog off for me, Mogadore Vet called me at work that morning asking if I wanted to have bloodwork done on ***** prior to surgery. I asked (I WAS QUOTED BETWEEN 5 AND $600 WAS THE BLOOD WORK INCLUDED IN THAT QUOTE ) She said yes, I then ask ***** only weights 45 lbs. the quote was for a 60 lbs. would the cost be less and she said yes it would be on the lighter side. The bill I received was $755.23 Questioning the bill based on the quote I received over the phone I was told they quoted me between 6 & $800. DID NOT HAPPEN Then she said she went over the bill with me that morning. DID NOT HAPPEN, My daughter dropped the dog off. Then I was told they went over the bill with my daughter, I called her right there and then DID NOT HAPPEN Then I was told they went over the bill with me over the phone proof was they circled the blood work. DID NOT HAPPEN Then I was told that morning I approved additional charges, Blood work, collar, and post surgery meds. DID NOT HAPPEN Ended up telling me it didn't matter anyway my quote was expired. Was never told in March that the quote would expired in 30 days yet the services they were quoting couldn't happen for 90 days. AND I WAS NOT TOLD the dollar amount written on the quote dated 4/1/2022 She kept making up things that DID NOT HAPPEN, I paid my bill expecting a call from Management, Managements call was just the same false statements. Her resolution was she was sorry I was not happy she would have my pets records printed out so I could go elsewhere. Yet to receive them

  Customer response

  06/27/2022

  [BBB Transcription via Email]

  
  ***** ******* <*************>
  Attachments
  9:08 AM (9 minutes ago)
  to me
  
  Good Morning ********, 
  
  Thank you for looking into my complaints.  I just want to up date my complaint to add that they did send my pet's records but sent them postage due. 
  I was not home and did not receive they since the mail will not be delivered with out the postage being paid. 
  
  I was not rude to them, I am very upset being charged a much higher price then I was quoted, if i was quoted between 6 and 8 hundred I would not have taken my dog there to be spayed. 
  I never swore or yelled just would not agree that I had approved the charges I was being charged.  
  
  It was them who does not want my business anymore after 34 years of going there  I still need my pets records to take to another vet. 
  
  Sincerely ***** ******* 

  Business response

  07/14/2022

  [BBB Transcription via Email]
  
  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  February 28th the client, ***** *******, brought the patient into our office to be seen. At this visit, ***** ******* requested an estimate before scheduling the patients spay procedure. March 2nd, an estimate was made approximating her weight between 61-90 pounds at the time of surgery. The estimated subtotal range was $682.77 to $780.90. This estimate included a 30-day expiration, printed at the top right of the estimate. 
  The procedure was scheduled for June 15th, 2022. The morning of the surgery, someone other than the owner dropped the patient off at our clinic. During check in, our head technician spoke with the individual regarding preanesthetic bloodwork and go home medication. At that time, the estimate was brought out with the consent form that needed a signature. The individual explained she was only dropping the dog off and did not authorization for these items. Instead, she provided ***** *******’s number to contact. ***** ******* was called. This is when she gave authorization to do the spay procedure, preanesthetic bloodwork, and medication to keep the dog calm once home. She was told at that time; these items were included on her estimate.
  The spay was performed, as scheduled. When the client picked up the pet that afternoon, she was upset that her total bill came to $755.23. This also included a dose of flea/tick/heartworm that was not on her original estimate. The final bill included appropriate charges for her weight. The total was within this estimate regardless of the 30-day expiration and adding in Simparica Trio. After the 30-day expiration, our prices are subject to change.
  June 16, ***** ******* was called by the office manager to discuss her concerns. During this phone call, ***** ******* explained she contacted many clinics regarding estimates for this procedure. It was explained to the client the estimate from Mogadore Veterinary Hospital was dated March 2, 2022, with a 30-day expiration and the total was within the estimate.
  In conclusion, though it is unfortunate that the client, ***** *******, is unhappy, Mogadore Veterinary Hospital performed all services and duties according to the estimate and as explained to the client.
  
  
  Mogadore Veterinary Hospital <[email protected]>
  Attachments
  9:50 AM (1 minute ago)
  to me
  
  Good morning,
  
  Please find attached Mogadore Veterinary Hospital's response to the filed complaint by ***** *******.
  
  If there is anything else needed, please let me know.
  
  Thank you!
  
  ******* ******
  ******* ****** Practice Manager
  Mogadore Veterinary Hospital
  P: ************
  E: *******************

  Customer response

  07/14/2022

   I am rejecting this response because:

  
  

  I did receive services from Mogadore Veterinary Hospital, I chose to have my dog spayed by Mogadore Veterinary Hospital based on the price that was stated to me over the phone on March 2nd of between 5 and 6 hundred dollars for a 60 to 90 lb. dog. My dog did not end up weighing 60 and should have been billed under the 31-60 lb. criteria less than 5 to 600 hundred doillar. 

  
  

  At my Feb 28th visit when my dog was 3 months old , the doctor recommended that I have my dog spayed at around 6 months old. My response to this request was how much will that be. A couple days later Mogadore Veterinary Hospital called me and stated it would be between 5 and 6 hundred dollars base on the dogs weight,  at the time and she was guessing my dog would weight over 60 lbs in three months when she was old enough to be Spayed. 

  
  

  In March when I was told the cost I shared the price with my daughter ****** ******* ************ and my co-worker ******* ******* ************  I felt it was a very high price.  Both could be called and asked what I told them my cost would be. 

  
  

  I have been with Mogadore Veterinary Hospital for 34 years. I made a decision with a previous dog to take her somewhere else with the lowest cost and ended up having  incontinences issues after this procedures, so I was willing to pay a higher price because I used to trust Mogadore Vet and wanted to make sure my dog was in good hands. It is very clear now it is no longer Mogadore Vet.  

  
  

  On that day when I was told the final cost I was shocked based on what I was expecting to pay and my previous conversation with them that morning. 

  
  

  The Technician kept changing her argument referring to my billing. 

  
  

  1st     She insisted they quoted me between 6 and 8 hundred dollars. I argued they did not.

  2nd    I approved the cost that morning when I dropped my dog off, when I told them I had not dropped my dog off so No I didn't 

  3rd .  My daughtersapprovedthecharges when she dropped the dog off- After I got my daughter on speaker phone and asked her, her response no one talked about pricing with her.  

  4th    Back to I approved the dollar amount over the phone when they called me - she pointed out that the young lady sitting next to her to be the one that called me,  I asked her if she was going to tell me to my face Ididn't say I was quoted between 5 and 6 hundred she just shrunk in her seat and didn't says a word.  The only dollar amount talked about on the phone call that morning was me  5 to 6 hundred dollars. Their conversation that morning was they asked me if I wanted to have blood work done prior to surgery, I asked  ( I was quoted between 5 and 6 hundred dollars was blood work included in that price ) Her response was YES,  If my quote was wrong why was I not told at at moment my bill was not 5-6 hundred AND GIVEN THE NEW PRICE. Why in their responsedon't they state I approved the price but they don't they just say I authorized the procedures. My dog wouldn't be there if I had not authorized the procedure. What was the reason for that phone call?????????????   I had also asked would to cost be less since my dog only weight 45 lbs. and the price was for a 60 lb. dog and again she said yes it would be on the lighter side. 

  5th    They went to I approved additional items, like the blood work, the collar, the take home meds.  Which I was approached upon entering the building that afternoon and asked if i had a Collar at home which i did not and aske if i wanted one. I didn't ask the priced I was also asked if i wanted  medications to keep her calm so she could heal I thought it was necessary but I see it this was already on the fake Estimate. 

  and last 

  6th    Justification lie;  Yelling out to me from another room my estimate doesn't matter any way its expired.  so I say to that Why are you quoting procedures that can not be performed within the quote expiration period. And by the way in my 34 years at Mogadore Vet I have never known a quote to expire in 30 days. 

  
  

  Yes I purchased Simparica Trio for an additional  $37.00 for Flea's that was not included in my original reason for the visit.  I didn't approve the additional $300.00 

  
  

  The next day after hearing from Manager who continued with the same lies and her resolution was to kicked me out of their business. When I asked her for the Corporate phone number she told me I could Google it. I asked her what would the prices had been if my dog would have weighed 60 lbs. and she would answer me. 

  
  

  I know that Mogadore Vet is producing a Quote dated March 2nd giving an estimate of between $682.77 and $780.90 I know what I was told over the phone, There is no way I miss understood on that phone call between $500 and $600 for $682.77 and $780.90.

  This is a mater of principle at this point. I don't know what happened, but The quote that they now say I approved I was never presented, they never told me on paper or verbally $682.77 and $780.90. I would have had to go somewhere else to obtain these services. 

  
  

  I pay my bills, and was willing to pay a premium price to have these services done where I though I could trust them.  I would not be fighting this if I was charged what I I was told it would cost. Plus my stating what I was expecting to pay on the phone with her that morning and not being corrected leads me to believe it may be set up this way.   I would never have agreed to pay $800 dollars for this service.  

  
  

  
  

  Since Mogadore Vet had not responded before this I have already filed a complaint with the Attorney General 

  I am looking for a $300.00 refund and copies of my pets records ,   Mogadore Vet did sent me my pet records but they did not get delivered due to being sent postage due. 

  
  

  
  

  Customer response

  07/27/2022

  [BBB Transcription via Email]

  
  ***** ******* *************** Jul 26, 2022, 6:43 AM (1 day ago)
  to me
  
  Dear ******** ******,
  
  I wanted to thank you for at the least listening to me in regards to this issue. I am most sadden to the fact that I have been taking my pets to Mogadore Veterinary Hospital for many years and this is how our relationship ends.  The service was much better when *** ****** owned it.  
  
  I went thought my files and don't see that I kept the greatest files on my furry friends. Could you please see if the could at least mail me my pets records so I can take them to a new Veterinary office as she suggested she would to resolve my issue in the first place. 
  I don't feel comfortable calling them or even going into their office to pick them up. 
  
  I hope you know that if I was quoted 6 to 800 dollars I would have reluctantly taken my dog to an alternative office to have this procedure done.  I  knew 5-6 hundred was high to begin with.  Things would have been quite different right now if only the Tech would have said I got the quoted amount wrong on the phone call I received that morning to confirm the blood tests. 
  
  It's a sad world we live in today when business can out right lie about the facts.   
  
  Sincerely, 
  
  ***** ******* 

  Business response

  07/27/2022

  [BBB Transcription via Email and Attachment]

   

  
  Mogadore Veterinary Hospital <*******************>
  Attachments
  9:25 AM (42 minutes ago)
  to me
  
  Hello,
  
  Attached is the response from Mogadore Veterinary Hospital regarding claim #17465347. ***** *******'s medical records are on their way via mail.
  
  Thank you!
  
  Mogadore Vet

  July 27, 2022
  Mogadore Veterinary Hospital 437 South Cleveland Avenue Mogadore, Ohio 44260
  To Whom it May Concern:
  This is the second response to the claims made by the consumer, ***** ******* regarding her dog, *****. *** ******* was provided a quote by our office on March 2, 2022, for ******* spay surgery. That quote (to include the optional items: bloodwork, sedation medication, and Elizabethan collar) was $682.77 to $780.90. The quote also clearly states that the quote is to expire within 30 days. Since the consumer has stated that she has been a customer of our office for 34 years and has utilized our services on several occasions, she is familiar with our quoting process that has been standard procedure for several years. The consumer is claiming that we quoted a much less dollar amount verbally over the phone. Our office simply does not do that. The consumer is also claiming that we later created/produced a fictional quote. Our system, Cornerstone Veterinary software, does not physically allow us to create a document after the calendar date has past, so this is also a false claim. We created the quote on March 2, 2022 and provided the client with the dollar amount stated at the bottom. We would have no reason to do otherwise. When the consumer finally scheduled her dog to be spayed for June 15, 2022, the dog did weigh less than was originally thought, and we did charge less for the spay procedure according to her weight of 45 pounds. The total charges due to the client on June 15, 2022, were $755.23, which is clearly within the original quote. Additionally, the client chose to add an additional item, Simparica Trio, a flea/tick/heartworm medication to her services that day with a cost of $37. The client paid her bill and left our facility asking for a manager to call her. On June 16th, I called the client to discuss her concerns and attempt to rectify the situation. From the beginning of the conversation, the client was extremely belligerent, yelling, screaming, and swearing at me on the phone (though she claimed in her letter to you that she did not). After verbally abusing me on the phone, she exclaimed, "I will not be back!" She also threatened me at that time that she would be reporting us to several entities to include the Better Business Bureau. It was only at this moment that I informed her I would be placing her pets' medical records in the mail, and I proceeded to do so. Our office does take responsibility for not placing adequate postage on the envelope containing her pets' records, and therefore they were not delivered to her home, but being held at the post office for postage due of .40.
  I feel it is worth mentioning that our office has changed our quoting protocol effective Monday, June 20th to prevent something like this from happening again in the future. Moving forward, all procedures MUST have a current quote signed by the client prior to moving forward. If we are not able to obtain a signed quote for any reason, we will not perform the procedure. We also feel that this is ***** *******'s attempt to get several hundred dollars back after services have been rendered.
  Because Mogadore Veterinary Clinic has acted in this situation according to office protocol and provided the medical procedures according to the quote created for the client, we feel that we should only be responsible for supplying the additional postage necessary to deliver the veterinary medical records of the client's pets. At ***** *******'s request, as a courtesy, we will also provide a current quote of what a 60-pound dog spay would cost and an invoice from a spay done within the month for the same weight range. We have acted no differently with ***** ******* than we have with all other clients in our practice and have never received a complaint or formal filing of any kind. In her letter to the Attorney General, *** ******* is requesting a refund of $300 based on her statement that the average cost of a female dog spay is $350. Our office does not perform procedures based on what the averages are, nor do we agree to price match other veterinary offices. Our prices are based on our costs
   
  July 27, 2022
  Mogadore Veterinary Hospital 437 South Cleveland Avenue Mogadore, Ohio 44260
  and profit margins established by our parent company, Blue River Petcare, and within the industry standards.
  

  
  

  Customer response

  07/28/2022

  [BBB Transcription via Email]

  ***** *******
  12:01 PM (19 minutes ago)
  to me
  
  ********, 
  
  I received the second response from Mogadore Vet Hospital
  And I see that there is a notation that the BBB had determined that the business made a good faith effort to answer the complaint and now it is closed. I do not see that I have the ability to respond. 
  
  Again thank you for calling for my Pet records to be mailed to me I was not aware that they are sitting at the post office and will pick them up tomorrow and pay the postage. I really thought that they were purposely sent postage due seeing how she so easily ended my services with them. It just fit with the rest of this experience and question if that statement was even true that they made a mistake.   For her to say the documents were being sent to me per my request as a courtesy is appalling 
  
  All I can say to this response  is WOW,  I never thought that there could be anymore lies. I am sadden to see that this is the ethics Mogadore Veterinary Hospital has now.  This second respond is absolutely terrible if I acted as she is indicating why was this not mentioned in the first response? That would have been one of the first things I would have mentioned as to why I would no longer want to serve someone and would be justified in doing so. She was not mean to me, she just kept saying, that was what I was quoted, they have had price hikes since I was quoted, my quote was old and was no longer a good quote. But on the other hand she claimed that they are charging me within the quoted amount so they didn't have to tell me that there was a price increase.   I just would not agree with her, then she said I'm sorry your not happy I will have your pets record sent to you so you can go somewhere else 
  
  I only stated that I did not yell or swear while speaking with her to indicate I did not provoke her to no longer want to continue my services with them. I assure you I was not belligerent, yelling, screaming or sweating on the phone, I did not verbally abuse her, I did not say I will not be back.  And I never threatened to report them to anyone. I did ask for the name and address for the corporate office and was told to Google it. Which I did and sent them a letter that day with no response what so ever. That is why I went to the BBB a week later, I sent you a copy of the letter that I mailed to them in addition while I was on their web page I saw a contact us link which I shared my concern there too. I also responded to a how are we doing survey they sent me on the 16th with the exact same comments and no response from any of my attempts.  I only went to the Attorney General on the recommendation of the BBB when Mogadore Vet did not respond in a timely manner and the case was being closed. And I did not ask to speak to the Manager, When I was in the office that day or ask to have her call me. 
  
  Out of curiosity I asked what the final bill was for Bobbi while waiting for results for another dog I had there on that same day Expecting to hear under 500 dollars. I know they know I was genuinely taken by surprise hearing an over  700 dollar bill because I heard her whisper to someone that I was quoted 5-600. My final bill at Mogadore Vet was over a Thousand dollar that day and I paid it. It was the Doctor who over heard the conversation at the front desk. After listening to multiple Lies and Yes I call them lies that they went through to explain the higher bill ending up with the I think 6th and last one the quote was expired and it didn't matter anyway. It matters to me. It was at that point I told them I had to quit talking to them because they just kept making up new excuses and I shut down. The Doctor tried to explain the test results with me and finish up my visit,  it was at that time she said to me she would be upset too and would talk to the office manager about it and have her call me. 
  
  Yes I disagreed with her on that phone call, all I was on the phone with her that day was I would not agree with her continued persistence's that  I was quoted in March  6-800 dollars and I still don't agree they did not quote me between $692.77 to $780.90. There is no way got between 5 and 600 hundred dollars out of those numbers. I remember joking  with her when she gave me the price over the phone since she said she was quoting a 60 pound dog. I said  What are you charging a dollar a pound ? When I should have said 10.00 a pound. 
  
  I don't understand why she states that it as I finally scheduled my dog when my dog was not old enough to have the spay scheduled until then. You can look at their quote Dated 3/2  it has my dogs birthday 11/2/21 making her 5 months old on April 1st when the quote expires , I am a smart enough person that if I was familiar with their quoting process that has been in place for years. I would have known to asked for a re-quote and Obviously they too are not familiar with their quoting process giving a quote that expires in 30 days on a procedures can not be performed for another 90 days.
  
    Yes, after the services were performed  June 15th I was presented with a written document. Ask the employee who called me did I Not say I what I say I said.  Think about it why were they calling me that morning what could that conversation have been.  She did in her previous response she does say they called me.  They were calling me to approve blood work. A normal person would ask how much is that?  My response to that question was ( I WAS QUOTED BETWEEN 5 AND 600 DOLLARS TO HAVE MY 60 LB DOG SPAYED.  WAS BLOOD WORK INCLUDED IN THAT PRICE, AND I HEARD THAT MY DOG ONLY WEIGHT 45 LBS WOULD THE BILL BE LESS)  To both she responded YES.  She has the quote right in front of her because she confirmed the blood work was on it, Did she not hear me say 5 to 600 and correct me. I am sure they were calling for a financial approval.  They need to address this in their response. 
  
  And for her to state that the office does not call with quotes? What ???????????? I was in the office on Feb 28th the quote is dated March 2nd  I did not return to the office to pick up the quote .No I received a phone call as a follow up to my Feb 28th visit. 
  
  I am not looking to get several hundred dollars back after services had been rendered I am looking to be treated fairly, and not left to feel like I have been taken advantage of, to be charged with in reason what I was told the charges would be I understand everything is going up except for our pay checks and it sucks, . We would be in a different place right now if only when this issue came up,  I was told we will look into this,  But instead they immediately went to I approved that amount that morning , then my daughter approved that dollar amount, then back to I approved that dollar amount on the phone , then I added additional items, then the quote is expired so it doesn't matter.  I paid the bill in full I didn't refuse to pay it. I didn't continue to try and argue after they said it didn't matter. I was very upset. 
  
   Like in my statement to the Attorney General I don't know how this happened, I do know I was told 5 to 600 dollars on the phone when they call me with the price and can if I need to I could get notarized statements from people I told in March what the charges were to be because at 5 to 600 it is a higher charge to begin with.   I am not making up the average cost as I did do my research and call around for other quotes which were given over the phone too. The average was 350.000 some higher and some lower.  I chose Mogadore knowing I paying a premium price for what I believed I was getting a premium service for my dogs sake , based on a past experience. I never asked for a price match I don't know where that came from along with many other comments in her response.
  
  I did also mention that I know they are producing a written quote that was never presented to me written or verbally until after the services were performed and very much different from what was they said over the phone. 
  That I felt since I had told them on the phone early that morning when they called me, what I was quoted to confirm that blood work was in that quote, and they never corrected me on the dollar amount  or stated it did not match the quote she was looking at. In addition to be feed all the multiple  reasons they kept coming up with and I kept disputing proving them to be false statements only lead me to believe this must have been on purpose.  
  If I was told 6 to 8 or $683.77 to $780.90 as they say now is what they told me, I would have reluctantly had to take my dog somewhere else.  
  
  Yes I did put in my my complaint with the Attorney General the request for a 300.00 refund, since she would not give me an estimate on what the bill would have been if my dog did weight 60 lbs. Since their final cost for my 45 lb. dog ended up be on the higher side of their version of my estimate for a 60-90 lb. dog. I had to do my own estimating, on what I thought the final cost would have been $418. dollars to have a 30-45 lb. dog spayed based on the what I was originally quoted.
  
  This whole thing has gotten out of hand, I am troubled that Mogadore Veterinary Hospital would take this complaint in this direction. I am not interested in trying to defend myself against more lies. How do you defend yourself against that. Nor do I even care to try.  I would have accepted getting my records and an apology admitting they made a mistake. A token refund would have been appreciated since I wasn't prepared for such a high bill. I already paid the bill they have my money.  
  
  I know its my word against theirs and they have a paper document with a price on it but no proof that is the price they told to me because it was not. I will probably loose at the Attorney General's office too,   I wish I had a written estimate, I wish the phone conversation was recorded but I don't , and will take my future pet care elsewhere. Its very interesting that they are changing their procedures now. I hope they really are and this is not just another lie, this is upsetting. 
  
  I believe Mogadore Veterinary Hospital didn't have complaints filed on them because for the past 34 years I have paid a premium price to have my pets taken care of by them. Knowing their pricing is higher because of the services I received was exceptional as a customer we were valued.  Although it is still called Mogadore Veterinary Hospital it is no longer the same place. No longer owned buy the same doctor but a parent company and all about profit margins as stated in her last sentence.  
  
  I learned a valuable lesson here, something I should have known better, but never expected this. I wish you would not state that the business made a good faith effort because this response is not in good faith by any stretch of the imagination. it is filled with more false statements. Resorting to defaming me is not addressing the issue.  Bottom line is what they charged me does not match what I was verbally told what the estimated cost would be. When they knew what I believed my bill was going to be because I told them, they did not correct me and give me the opportunity to say if I could afford the additional dollars, and by her own admission we are not talking pennies here but several hundred..  I wish them well. 
  
  I really hope you post their second response along with my second response in this complaint. 
  

  
  

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