Alameda Pet Hospital

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/06/02) */
It is unfortunate that Ms [redacted] never checked her messages on 5/22/15, because if she had we would not have had any problems with communication and this complaint would not have been made.
On 5/21/15 [redacted] was seen in my office without...

a scheduled appointment, as a "drop-in" and I performed an exam and made recommendations. David consented to the plan and asked that we keep Ms [redacted]'s cat for the day to make it easier for them. I advised him it sometimes is more stressful to stay in the hospital.
Urine was collected in a plain litterbox with nonabsorbable litter, and sent to the laboratory. Medications were sent home to administer for pain and to keep [redacted] from suffering from a urinary blockage.
During the day on 5/21/15 Ms. [redacted] called and insisted she wanted her cat to have surgery to cosmetically prevent a urinary blockage. I informed her that he was not blocked we did not perform that surgery in a general practice, and told her she could speak to a surgeon at a specialty practice to pursue that.
It is not customary to keep pets until laboratory results return, and the results were not back from the lab until 5/22/15. Ms [redacted] phoned to request sedatives for [redacted] and left a phone number for a return call.
This is where the communication failed. I phoned her number and left a message that the urinalysis results were in and there were some bacteria seen, so I would recommend oral antibiotics and that we would have them here for her, along with the sedatives she requested. I assumed she would be in to pick those up.
Ms. [redacted] is blaming me for not reaching her, and I am sorry she felt that her cat's life was in jeopardy. Had she really felt that way she should have made an appointment at a 24 hour clinic, and she could have arranged for [redacted] to have the surgery that she seemed to desperately want for him.
Instead, it turns out Ms [redacted] started [redacted] on her own antibiotics at home by reading on the internet, and left a bruising message on our answering machine at the office.
When we spoke on Tuesday, 5/26/15, it was apparent that Ms. [redacted] wanted to take no responsibility in the communication problem. She felt that [redacted]'s life was in jeopardy and it would have been too costly to go elsewhere. I expressed numerous times how sorry I was that she felt that way, and that it would be best that she seek care elsewhere in the future. I could not get a word in during the conversation and it was clear Ms. [redacted] was unwilling and unable to comprehend what I was saying. In no way was his life jeopardized by us, and the treatment we gave helped him, not hurt him. It is offensive to me to have to argue with someone who has such little understanding and trust.
I told her that a urine sample collected from a litterbox is not as accurate as a sterile collection, but I would treat for infection. It is clear she did not recognize that the treatments performed on 5/21/15 very likely prevented him from obstructing his urinary tract, and we would not get a thank you from her. She ended the conversation with me by hanging up.
I will not refund any monies for the work we performed on 5/21/15.
I hope she has had [redacted] seen by another veterinarian so he can have the medical care that he needs.