Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/09/2024

  Type:Service or Repair 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.

  Unnecessary surgery was performed on 6/24/24 with an incomplete examination and diagnosis. Details are in the attached PDF.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/16/2024

  Ms. ******** previously raised her concerns with us directly. In response, we carefully reviewed the situation regarding the recent treatment of her pet Mercedes at Total Care Animal Hospital (TCAH). First and foremost, we express our sincere empathy for the concerns that she raised. We understand how difficult it can be to navigate medical decisions for a beloved pet, so we want to address her concerns with the utmost respect and understanding. 
  
  In performing dental surgery on ********, ***** primary goal was always to provide the best possible care for her. During the procedure, a lesion was discovered at the back of Mercedess tongue, which raised concerns about a potential malignancy. The discovery of this lesion during rather than before the surgery led Ms. ******** to question the necessity of the surgery. 
  
  Mercedess case was handled with the utmost care and consideration. When she presented with significant dental disease, an oral exam was conducted, which indicated that surgery was necessary. Unfortunately, the lesion was only discovered during the in-depth examination of her mouth available during surgery. It is important to emphasize that this lesion could not have been detected earlier without such an examination. 
  
  When the lesion was identified, TCAH recommended a biopsy several times to Ms. ******** to determine whether it was cancerous. Ms. ******** declined each time, and **** fully respected her decision, as we know that making choices about diagnostic procedures can be challenging, especially when faced with the possibility of euthanasia if Mercedess condition did not improve. Without a biopsy, however, it was impossible to confirm whether the lesion was cancerous, and even if it had been, dental surgery might still have been a necessary course of action. 
  
  We sincerely believe that there was no deviation from the standard of care provided by **** in Mercedess treatment. **** did everything possible to ensure her well-being, and our decisions were always made with her best interests in mind. We truly regret that this situation has caused Ms. ******** distress, but we are confident that we rendered the best treatment possible to Mercedes under the circumstances.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/19/2024

  I am rejecting this response because:   I disagree with assertions made by the business.  In the attached I have outlined events as they occurred.  These events outline the basis for our disagreement on level of care.