Animal Wellness Center

I returned to work today after a few days absence and found your letter dated 25 May 2016, about a complaint lodged by [redacted] of Indianapolis.  As I only have 5 days to respond, I thought email best for a quick reply, so here it...

is:   “I  castrated Ms. [redacted]’s dog [redacted] at our clinic on 5/10/2016.  His surgery went well, but he had an unusually rough recovery, waking violently and chewing / licking aggressively at his incision.  We quickly gave him additional sedation / analgesic medication, which calmed him for a short time, but he continually became obsessed with licking and chewing his incision again and again.  I’ve been in practice over 30 years, and currently perform 25 – 30 surgeries weekly, and have rarely seen a dog react as violently as this young male reacted after a castration.  I explained this to Ms. [redacted], and she seemed understanding and agreed to let him stay at the clinic overnight.  We placed a restraint collar (E collar) on him to minimize self trauma, and adjusted the size as needed.  He continued to traumatize the area by banging the E collar on the surgical site, further irritating the incision, and causing it to break open.    The next day, we spoke to Ms. [redacted], and said we would like to keep [redacted] another 24 hours to monitor his condition and continue with sedation / analgesia as needed during that time, while monitoring his incision.  She agreed to this plan, but then came to the clinic a few hours later to collect her dog and take him to a different clinic, against our advice.  I always offer any additional post op care at no cost to our surgery patients, and it rarely happens to be necessary.  I was willing to keep [redacted] for additional time at no cost to provide any ‘re-do’ necessary, just as I’ve always done with any surgery patient.    The statements by the emergency clinic staff about providing no pain medication are absolutely false, as we administer a homeopathic medicine, Arnica, which is FDA approved for post op pain, and used widely in human medicine as well.  Xylazine, a potent analgesic, was also given multiple times by injection – this is similar to morphine.   I’m convinced this dog would have done fine if remaining at our clinic for a little extra time, as we recommended.  His response post op is typical of an aberrant reaction to anesthesia, and is rarely seen in our practice, or in my 30+ years experience as a veterinary clinician.”   Please contact me with any further question, at this email or phone. Dr. Todd C[redacted]  / drt[redacted]@gmail.com / 765-513-6505

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that the response would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
Unfortunately, Dr. C[redacted] has chosen to lie about the too-small e-collars he and his practice put on my dog that permitted him to chew open his incision.  Dr. C[redacted]'s vet tech and front desk attendant will have to choose whether to also lie or tell the truth. The desk attendant there on Tuesday, the day I was told to pick up my dog after castration, told me that they would go get a hard collar if needed, as she registered with me by watching me greet [redacted] that the too-small floppy one on my dog permitted my dog to easily chew on his incision. The vet tech Wednesday at pick up told me they were out of the extra large e-collars. Apparently, no one at Dr. C[redacted]'s could be bothered to run to [redacted] and buy one like I did immediately after seeing that my dog could chew his incision!
We can agree to disagree about whether xylazine is an appropriate pain killer for castration. Regardless, my dog was clearly STILL in pain and needed something stronger. Arnica for castration is laughable. Dr. C[redacted]'s vet tech told me the day after castration that [redacted] had been given nothing but sedatives that entire day-- this, despite [redacted]'s gaping open and infected incision at time of pick up. 
I attach [redacted]'s assessment of my dog's condition 90 minutes after pick up from Dr. C[redacted]. I had hoped that Dr. C[redacted] would do the right thing and take responsibility for not putting the proper size e-collar on my dog. Doing so would have prevented all of this. Blaming my docile seven month old golden retriever for the most vigorous self-inflicting injury on thirty years of practice is not respectable. Once [redacted] got properly sutured, got pain meds, and got a properly fitting e-collar, there was no problem and he recovered quickly.
Regards,[redacted]

Dr. [redacted] is a very compassionate man who loves animals and has a positive bedside manner. The office staff are friendly and the office is very clean. I would recommend taking your pet to him.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that the response would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
Look, even if I agree with Dr. C[redacted] that my dog had this rare and "idiosyncratic" reaction to the surgery, Dr. C[redacted] did not have the adequate response to prevent further injury, stress, and infection for [redacted]. And, Dr. C[redacted]'s response (to state that he would call me with a check-up about how [redacted] was doing the evening I left him and then not do so; for me to not receive a call in the morning in response to my 9:00 p.m. message wondering how [redacted] was doing and having to call again mid morning; to not, by the next day when THIS PARTICULAR DOG's reaction to the surgery was known, have a properly fitting e-collar; and to either not let me know that he wasn't going to be in the next day or taking an impromptu day off when he has a dog in his care having said rare and idiosyncratic reaction to his surgery less than 24 hours prior) is not adequate care or best practice. 
 
I should have been called and up-dated. My dog's treatment plan should have changed the minute Dr. C[redacted] determined that an unusual response to surgery was occurring (again, if I concede that this is the case and meet Dr. C[redacted] where he is with this). I should have shown up to my dog resting with proper medication (for *my* dog under these circumstances - NOT what "works" for every other dog when Dr. C[redacted] is claiming that my dog was having a unusual response. One would assume this means different after-care.), a properly fitting e-collar, a properly sutured wound, and a thorough update from my vet (or at least from informed staff). Instead I was left worried and showed up to my dog with (as previously submitted vet records indicate) a gaping, infected wound and an improperly fitting e-collar, and no vet to care for him. 
 
Once again, once my dog was properly sutured, medicated, and given an appropriately-sized e-collar there was no "idiosyncratic" response. Same protocol as with non-"idiosyncratic" responses, no identified change in treatment, not being present to give after-care nor determine if additional surgery or suturing is warranted, not providing an update as promised -- but instead same old treatment plus sedate my dog and leave him in an (unmonitored) crate all night long/ next day and taking the day off is NOT providing proper after-care to surgery. I want, in the least, to be fully refunded by Dr. C[redacted].  
Regards,
[redacted]