ComplaintsforMedVet Columbus

• Initial Complaint

  05/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Nightmare Euthanasia! Sunday night, May 5th, around 8pm my elderly dog suffered a major seizure and we thought it would be best to put her down. With our options limited, we were forced to use MetVet's "services" Upon arriving, they had a metal table waiting for my beloved dog and the receptionist eagerly wanting to take my credit card. They wheeled away my dog and put us in a private room down the hall, after they made sure I paid first. We were in this room patiently waiting for probably 10-15 minutes before they brought in my dog. I can remember hearing her screaming in terror and anguish as they brought her in...still strapped to the same metal table. These MONSTERS took my dog, strapped her to a table, and let her fucking sit there, kicking and screaming, the entire time without any kind of sedative. The incompetent nurses proceeded to bring her into the room STILL WITHOUT ANY SEDATIVE, her barks were hoarse from crying out for help. Seeing her that way just made me want to get it over with and put her out of her misery. So the doctor, myself, and a friend tired to hold down my dog so the doctor could administer the euthanasia shot. Come to find out that the tube they attached to my dogs leg was kicked out due to her flailing while STRAPPED DOWN TO A METAL TABLE. I'm a wreck at this point and they wheel her out to finnaly administer some sedatives. Some nurse, trying to cover their fuck up, had the audacity to tell me that that they don't administer sedatives without the owners concent...They never asked me and I was there to euthanize my dog, pretty sure that's a good indication that I would be alright with sedating my dog. These people robbed me of any kind of final peace or chance to say goodbye to my best friend and made me pay for it.

  Business response

  05/16/2024

  Saying goodbye to a beloved pet is often difficult and we are honored to be a trusted and caring partner in these times. We have spoken with our client about their experience and through these conversations, resolved their concerns.

• Initial Complaint

  01/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hello. I took my cat to MedVet and now he’s dying. He was not this bad when he arrived. Now he’s on deaths door. The facility was horrendous. The people were disgusting. One tech was screaming at an Uber driver in front of about 7 customers with sick animals. I want my charges returned to me because what they did to my cat is horrid and did not help him. I have a lawyer if needed to go further. Check out the reviews for MedVet in Mcmurray PA and you will see how many dying animals this place has caused.

  Business response

  02/02/2024

  We appreciate the feedback about the service and care we provided. We received an update on January 21st about the patient in which the owner expressed no concerns with care. After voicing concerns on January 24th, we extended another offer to speak about the experience on January 25. In reviewing the patient’s medical records, the charges are appropriate for the care we were authorized to provide. We remain open to speaking about the matter further and have shared feedback with our team in working to continuously improve our client experience.

  Customer response

  02/12/2024

  [If you do not say why you are rejecting the company's response, BBB must close your complaint.] 
  
  Complaint: 21195524
  
  I am rejecting this response because: 
  
  Regards,
  
  **** ******

• Initial Complaint

  09/11/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I brought my pet into this animal clinic because she had vaccines done by another vet earlier that day her face had swelling so we were referred to Med Vet, when I called them over the phone to get information about them because I had never been there before they told me to bring her in and have her vitals checked, and if her vitals were fine, then she was OK. I asked them what was the charge for this? They told me it was free for a vital check. I had already spent $115 at the vet that morning getting her vaccines and her nails trimmed and an exam. When I get to Med Vet with my pet we got registered and told him what we were there for he said the same thing a vital check a nurse will be right out to help you. We sit there and wait the nurse comes out checks. Her vitals says she’s fine, but she wants to take the dog back in the back so the doctor can verify her vitals. Nothing was ever discussed about an exam fee or anything. The nurse did asked me if they needed to give her a Benadryl shot if the vet thought it was necessary. Could they do so we said yes, understanding that we would have to pay for a Benadryl shot that was fine but when you walk out paying over $200 for just a vital check that is ridiculous. It was never discussed to us about a fee. They kept my dog back there for over two hours.

  Business response

  09/19/2023

  My understanding is that the hospital has been in touch with the complainant and it has been resolved.

• Initial Complaint

  05/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I brought my beloved pet to medvet dayton on Saturday May 20th for cremation. The terms were $350 for cremation and his remains delivered to my door. I was told he was being cremated Sunday and delivered Monday. I called and was told I was outside their delivery area. I paid for delivery included so after several calls between medvet dayton manager and faithful companions on my time for days !!! Theit solution was to mail the remains. That is absurd to suggest mailing my baby in the mail like he is just a package!!!!! After days of back and forth they finally delivered him on Wed the 24th days after. And was supposed to schedule a convenient time with me and didnt! Luckily someone was home otherwwise would they have just left him outside ! Meanwhile my daughter who has had him for the past 18 years is devastated because of all the commotion and just wanted her baby home. This was the worst experience of my life!!

  Business response

  06/02/2023

  Thank you for sharing your concern regarding your experience.  We never want to make an already difficult time more stressful.  We apologize for this experience.  The cremation service we work with has already reached out to talk with you.  Due to your poor experience they have credited you back in full for their service.  They too feel bad that this added extra stress during this difficult time.  We have also educated our hospital team on the proper information to share with clients regarding the delivery serve that vendor provides so we never create this same feeling to others.  We can’t apologize enough.  We know what pets mean to us and try hard to create a caring and compassionate experience.  

  Customer response

  06/22/2023

  Medvet has resolved my complaint 

• Initial Complaint

  01/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Our dog went in this facility dec 8th with a broken leg. After X-rays and consulting Dr Sarah Bisgard she talked us into a $6,000 surgery. We under went this surgery and followed her aftercare protocols to the T. Went back for his 2 week post op apt and everything checked out and the doctor was pleased and advised us to now start 5-10 min leashed walked to build muscle mass back up. 4 days later on New Year’s Eve our dog was outside leashed up and fell forward in screaming pain. I rushed him back to medvet they admitted their device failed and they would redo the surgery or amputate his entire leg. After countless back and forth conversations I was left with 3 options, pay them another $6,000 and allow her to redo the surgery so now totaling $12,000, fully amputate a perfectly healthy dogs leg due to their malfunctioning device, or continue leaving him in their care and they will classify him as abandoned and they will proceed with necessary procedures for that. I then pick up my dog, rushed him over to OSU veterinary hospital, they did an exam and x rays and confirmed in writing that their device indeed did fail. So now I’m paying them ANOTHER $4,500 to fix their mistakes!

  Business response

  01/18/2023

  Thank you for raising your concerns regarding your visit at MedVet Hilliard.  As we take patient care complaints seriously, we have alerted the Hospital Director and Medical Director and kindly request additional time to allow them to review your complaint. 

  Customer response

  01/18/2023

  I accept the business's response to resolve this complaint.
  

• Initial Complaint

  01/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had spent 4:15pm - 6:15pm on 12/20/22 at The Pet Wellness Clinic at 5640 E 71st Indianapolis, IN where the vet confirmed, after a lengthy assessment, there was nothing they could do for my cat and he was likely going to decline. When I got home, within 1 hour he started to decline and that is when we called to take him to Med Vet so he wouldn't suffer. I arrived at MedVet around 9pm EST on 12/20/2022. When I arrived I said it was time for my cat to go and I didn't want him to suffer. The vet tech (a short African American woman) asked if I wanted to "approve treatment up to $750" I said "NO" it is time for him to go, and he has been assessed today already. The tech said they had to insert a catheter for the euthanasia, I said ok but hurry as I did not want him to die out of my arms. The vet then came out to the lobby and wanted to talk about options, I said no options he is ready to go. When I walked back to the room to do the euthanasia the vet tech said it was $70. Once in the room, the vet became pushy and confusing, telling me there was a 10% chance to save him if they did treatment. I asked if they were able to check his blood sugar before we did euthanasia, she left the room, came back and said they already checked it. I did NOT approve this. I did not approve them to assess or treat my cat or take his blood. I did not feel comfortable doing the euthanasia at that point, the vet techs were doing tests on my cat I did not approve, and the vet was not being honest. I said I needed to leave ASAP to take him somewhere else as MedVet was making me uncomfortable with how they were treating me and my cat. I waited 5 mins for a vet tech to come remove the catheter, after 5 mins I left to take him to another vet as I didn't want to waste time, my pet was dying. 3 hours later I got an invoice for $153 for a vet visit, then today 1/2/2023 I got a reworded invoice, now calling it an emergency "consult" so they changed the invoice. Again, I did not approve this.

  Business response

  01/19/2023

  Thank you for forwarding the concerns regarding the care of a 15-year-old pet, during a visit to our Emergency Department at MedVet Indianapolis. I understand the client’s concerns are regarding being charged for a veterinarian’s exam when the client felt that she expressed a primary desire for humane euthanasia services. I also understand the client expressed concern regarding the timing and consent to collecting a blood sugar test for their pet. Finally, I understand that the client felt that her communications with our doctor were ‘confusing and pushy’. According to our medical records, upon the client's arrival, MedVet’s staff asked if the client was presenting her pet for euthanasia and she said, ‘I don’t know’. Our records indicate that the client did not approve a standard $750 triage charge (which includes doctor assessment and emergency diagnostics) and the client was never charged this fee. However, when a client is not certain about a euthanasia decision then an emergency doctor assesses the patient and speaks with the client about the pet’s prognosis. A doctor’s exam is the $153 charge that was billed to the client and the doctor exam was the only item charged to the client. Our medical records further note an extensive back and forth between the client and the doctor about: her cat’s prognosis, the costs of trying to figure out what is going on with her pet by way of more diagnostic tests, the chances that we could successfully treat her pet even with more information given his poor health, and ultimately if euthanasia was the right choice. This included the client approving euthanasia, the doctor coming into the exam room with euthanasia drugs and then the client stopping the doctor to ask more questions about the cat’s prognosis and if euthanasia was the right choice for the pet. The overall tone of our doctor’s notes indicates a pet in critical condition and a client who was emotional and uncertain about a major decision like the euthanasia of a beloved pet. It is our belief that charging for a doctor’s examination is fair given the time and effort put into caring for the client’s pet and helping the client through the decision-making process. The client was never charged for the blood glucose test. We acknowledge that the test was accidentally performed prior to the client giving consent for the test as checking blood sugar is a standard test performed on critically ill pets presenting to an emergency room. According to our medical records, we acknowledged this miscommunication and apologized to the client immediately. Documentation of our doctor’s interaction with the client is extensive and, as noted above, indicated a client who was emotional and uncertain about a euthanasia decision. We’re sorry that the client wasn’t fully comfortable with the communication from the doctor on her pet’s case. Notes in the pet’s record suggest a doctor trying to keep up with the various changes in the client’s posture towards her pet’s care. It appears the client elected humane euthanasia multiple times but then before the procedure was performed would stop the procedure and ask questions about whether the pet’s status could be improved, if euthanasia was the right decision, or more clarity about the prognosis. Throughout this, our doctor explained the seriousness and fragility of the pet’s current status and also that more testing would need to be approved to provide better information about possible treatment. Clear communications in a fluid situation like this can be challenging for even a very seasoned doctor. Ultimately, the client expressed a desire to leave our hospital and before we could complete all the necessary steps for discharge the client abruptly left our hospital without alerting any staff. Our hospital requires payment at discharge but due to the abrupt departure of the client, we were not able to collect payment for services rendered and this is why the client received a bill in the mail. Meeting and exceeding our clients’ expectations in service are high priorities at MedVet. We understand that end-of-life decisions can be very stressful and disconcerting experiences for a client and that these heightened emotions can affect how an experience is remembered. We stand by the accuracy of our bill, the care provided and our decision to bill the client, however we have elected to waive the client's bill as a gesture of goodwill.

• Initial Complaint

  12/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Took my pet to medvet on Christmas Eve day 2022. I was told when I arrived it would be a 2 to 4 hour wait. That wait turned into almost 8 hours. From 11am to 4 pm nobody came out to even talk with me. I asked and asked and each time I was told he was next on the list to be looked at. In the mean time people who brought pets in after me were being seen treated and released. Not me ***** my dog was sent home without receiving any real medical care. I got three medications to give him. Nobody went over the paperwork. Now my dog is still sick it’s Christmas Day and no vets are open to take him back into to have him checked out again. Medvet failed me and my pet from beginning to end. I had to threats to call the police because they kept telling me they were getting him ready to go home. I had to ask three times where he was. Also had to ask over and over when ***** would be seen. Again from 11am till 4 pm nobody looked at my dog. Nobody gave me updates. Nobody gave me anything but a huge bill. The paperwork I was sent home with nobody went over it. I didn’t sign any release forms. Nothing.

  Business response

  12/29/2022

  Dear ***** Family,
  
  Thank you for providing your comments. We hope ***** is on his way to a full recovery. We are sorry to hear that you do not feel your needs were met at MedVet Hilliard. ER medical visits are always undesirable, no time more so than over the holidays. As you note, Christmas Eve and Christmas are challenging days to seek and provide care, as many providers are closed for these holidays. As an ER facility, it is our duty to remain open 24/7 to provide medical support for any pets in dire need. As many pet owners are unable to turn to their family veterinarian these days, most find themselves at our hospital when care cannot wait until their family veterinarian has re-opened. We find that our caseload is especially high during the holidays for this reason. We pay special attention to our staffing resources during these times so that we can remain prepared for any emergency, at any time. However, even with this foresight, we find that we must prioritize care for patients in greatest need and ensure that critically ill patients are tended to immediately. This means that many patients who are less critical may experience delays in their care. Though I am happy that ***** was not amongst the pets that were critically ill on Christmas Eve, I am sympathetic that the delays in his care caused stress, concern, and inconvenience for your family.  After review of the case, I did confirm that ***** was evaluated by an ER veterinarian, received a full exam, and was provided treatments both at our hospital (injectable fluids and medications) and to go home (antibiotics, antacids, and probiotics).  As such, all charges were appropriate.   
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Dr. ********* ***** DVM,
  MedVet Hilliard
  Medical Director

• Initial Complaint

  11/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Our dog had a seizure for the first time ever. We took them to medvet as we had done research previously and they seemed like a solid place. When we got there, we spoke to a vet tech who then told us that just talking about what happened would not be a charge. The vet came out and we talked with them under the impression that it would not be a charge. The vet looked over our dog in the lobby and measured their heart rate but it was never told to us that that would be an exam and we would then be charged 153 dollars. We then found this out at the front desk when they told us we would get some information regarding seizures. We never got that paperwork, and the vet told us we wouldn't have to pay and that the charge would be removed but going forward that would be the going rate for the exam and what that entailed. I thought okay great I completely understood. Now 30 days later we are getting an invoice and conversations that we will have to pay for something we originally were being told we wouldn't have to pay for and don't have money for. From a customer service standpoint this is completely unacceptable and unfair. I can't review the actual veterinary services but from an administrative standpoint this is not okay.

  Customer response

  11/08/2022

  The MedVet location was MedVet Indianapolis: **** ********* ***** ***
  ******, IN *****.
  
  The two primary points of contact since the invoice was received have been
  ******* and ******** at the actual location.
  
  Attached is the file that was received today 11/07 at 1:19 PM after the
  business claimed I received it the night of the visit. That was ********.
  She sent it to me via email after this started to provide a paper trail to
  protect themselves and only after I explicitly told her that I did not want
  it because I did not agree to it. There are no signatures on the file
  furthermore proving I never received it.
  
  I spoke with ******* who later confirmed that upon further digging it was
  never sent to me, until ******** sent it to me.
  
  The invoice was received via email October 10th from MedVet accounting.
  This is also attached as requested.

  Business response

  02/01/2023

  Thank you for forwarding the concerns submitted by ****** **** regarding the care of his 3-year-old German Shepherd, “****” (#******), during her visit to our Emergency Department at MedVet Indianapolis on October 10, 2022. I understand Mr. ****’s concerns are regarding a charge for a veterinarian’s exam when he felt one was not warranted. I understand that Mr. **** felt that his communications with our doctor and technician led him to believe that there would be no exam/consultation fee charged. 

   

  According to our medical records, **** presented for a possible seizure earlier in the day on 10/09/2022. Our medical records note a discussion between Mr. and Mrs. **** and our team about their desire to keep **** with them during her evaluation. Due to extensive renovation in our building, and limited exam room space outside of our emergency and triage unit, the lobby was the only available area where they could stay with her while she was receiving her exam.  The doctor documented a medical exam and education about ****’s possible medical condition. The doctor discussed her prognosis, and the costs of diagnostic testing to determine what was going on with ****. This included the client discussing and ultimately declining testing and/ or observation in hospital The doctor’s notes indicate a pet who may have suffered a seizure and a client who was given extensive education on seizures, and how or when to return to a medical facility if another event occurred. It is our belief that charging for a doctor’s examination is fair given the time and effort put into caring for **** and educating the family on possible diagnostics, treatments, and how to monitor seizure activity. 

   

  Documentation of our doctor’s interaction with “****”, physical exam findings and communication from the doctor to the **** family is complete and what we would expect from a completed exam and consultation.  We apologize if during the interaction there was a perception of a free exam, or a no charge consultation. Clear communications in any client interaction can be difficult during an emotional event, even for the most seasoned of doctors and we apologize for any confusion. 

   

  A doctor’s exam is the $153 charge that was billed to Mr. **** and the doctor exam fee was the only item charged to Mr. ****. Our hospital requires payment at discharge, and it was noted that the **** family declined to pay at discharge. When we are not able to collect payment for services rendered, we then send an invoice in the mail for payment. This is what Mr. and Mrs. **** received and declined to pay. 

   

  Meeting and exceeding our clients’ expectations in service are high priorities at MedVet. We understand that when your pet has experienced a traumatic event, as was the case with ****’s seizure, it can be very stressful and disconcerting experience for a client and that these heightened emotions can affect how an experience is remembered. We stand by the accuracy of our bill, the care provided and our decision to bill the client, however we have elected to waive the client's bill as a gesture of goodwill, and we continue to hope that **** is recovering well and is enjoying time with her family. 

   

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  07/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I authorized a to pay for a surgery and nothing else and they did not perform the surgery and refuse to refund the money. They said if I authorized a cat scan they would 100% do the surgery if nothing was seen on cat scan and nothing was seen and they still did not perform surgery. I told them beforehand I would only pay for ct if they did surgery which they did not and every other charge on the bill was not authorized. I only authorized day one and a surgery that was never performed. This business has taken advantage of my family in an unfortunate situation and has been nothing but, deceiving since the beginning. We were told when picking up my dogs remains we would receive 5000 of the 7600 back and I signed a paper at their facility for this. And they have not refunded the amount and refuse to.

  Business response

  08/10/2022

  ****** presented to MedVet Hilliard Emergency Department after being struck by a vehicle.  She was diagnosed with pelvic fractures and recommended she continue care with the Surgery Department at MedVet Worthington.  While hospitalized, ******** mentation declined so additional neurologic evaluations and diagnostics were recommended prior to pursuing surgery for her pelvic fractures.  A CT scan was recommended under minimal sedation to evaluate for skull fractures but none were identified.  Despite the lack of structural changes on the CT scan, due to her poor mentation, the doctors overseeing ******** care did not feel it was in her best interest to undergo anesthesia for non life threatening orthopedic repair of her pelvic fractures.   Further monitoring due to suspected traumatic brain injury was recommended before proceeding with the pelvic surgery repair.  Unfortunately, only a few hours later ****** continued to decline and ultimately suffered cardiopulmonary arrest.  
  
  After speaking with the owners as well as the Doctors’ caring for Suttin, we did identify an area for improved communication surrounding the potential of ****** not proceeding to surgery for her pelvic fractures following the CT scan due to her declining mentation.  We understand that medical decision making during critical moments of a pet’s care can be stressful for our clients and we aim to provide clear recommendations based on our medical opinions.  Because of this, it is with empathy and careful consultation that we provide a plan for the care of our patients.  While we do believe postponing the surgery was in her best interest given her neurologic status, we did feel it was reasonable to discount the cost of the CT scan given our desire to provide clearer communication around prognosis, diagnostic, and therapeutic options for Suttin.  This plan has been communicated with the Harless family and resolution was achieved.

• Initial Complaint

  05/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On April 30, 2022 I took my cat to MedVet on Douglas in Toledo. They asked if I wanted her urine sample sent out to do a culture since it appeared she had a UTI. They said it would be $100. I said yes and paid for the culture to be sent out. They said it would be 4-5 days for results. I did not receive a call from them so I called on May 6 & I was told there were no results. It's now a week later and still no call back from them. Since they won't give me the results or update me if there was an issue I would like a refund for the cost of the urine culture. They do not give a copy of the bill... when I got the bill in my email the culture was $146 NOT $109. They charged $146 for a culture they never gave me results for. Date No. Animal Type Total Discounts Charges Payments Balance 04-30-2022 Opening Balance $0.00 MedVet Toledo 04/30/2022 ******* ***** Invoice $476.16 $0.00 $476.16 $476.16 Qty Description Total 1 EMERGENCY CONSULT - INITIAL $123.00 1 PATIENT CARE $39.00 1 URINALYSIS CHEMSTIX+USG+SEDIMENT (IVLS) $101.00 5 Enrofloxacin 68mg (Per Flavored Tablet) $31.61 1 Nystatin Neomycin Sulfate Ointment (Per 7.5mL Tube) $32.10 1 URINE CULT & SUSCEPTIBILITY (LI) $146.00 Total for Invoice ******* including GST $3.45 $476.16 MedVet Toledo 04/30/2022 802949 Payment $-476.16 $-476.16 $0.00 Totals for this financial period: 04-30-2022 - 04-30-2022 $0.00 $0.00 $476.16 $-476.16 $0.00 April March February January + Amount due $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Payment terms: Due Upon Receipt

  Business response

  05/17/2022

  Dr. **** ******, MedVet Toledo Medical Director  did reach out to the client on 05/17/22, she did not answer.  She apologized again for the delay and explained that we are addressing our call back system for client test results.  She let her know that we will be issuing a refund for the test as well as her office call as a sign of good faith as well as acknowledging her frustration and our failure to call her back
  
  She will reach out to her again next week and the following week to make sure she has received the refund and let her know the results of our doctor’s meeting ie: test result call backs.
  
  
  

  Customer response

  05/17/2022

  I accept the business's response to resolve this complaint.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩