My fiance and I had recently adopted a dog from the Humane Society of Somerset County. The shelter requires a $30 spay/neuter deposit which an owner gets back if the dog is spayed or neutered within a two month period. The dog had been at the shelter for almost four months and the people at the shelter did not know if the dog was spayed or not.
After the adoption, we received a free examination at any local veternary clinic in the area. We took our dog to Animal Medical Center and she received her first checkup. Since I am not a veternarian and don't know the heat cycles of dogs, I was looking for advice from the vet during the checkup. He felt around her stomach and said he couldn't feel any signs of a previous operation.
Ok, here's where I start to trust him. Since he is a doctor. He then proceeds to tell my fiance and I that there is really no way of knowing if the dog has been spayed without going in and doing exploratory surgery. He even made it a point to say that if the dog had been spayed he would usually only charge half for the procedure.
Ok, the cost of the procedure is on a price list and it goes from $170-$220. Remember these numbers and use them later in this complaint. I remember looking at my fiance and saying, "Oh, so it would be around $90." and the doctor replied by saying "Yeah, around $90." She also remembered his words, later on, without me reminding her after the kick to the stomach that I had yet to receive.
The dog was scheduled for surgery four days later and the procedure was done. I even called to check on her and they said she came out OK. I went the next day to pick her up and still had not been told that the dog had already been spayed, until it was time to pay.
I noticed that the bill said something about no spay neccessary and I had to ask the receptionist if my dog was spayed or not. She then asked me if they had told me that! Since I wasn't psychic and didn't know the doctor casually I guess I wouldn't have known that. Time to pay up. The bill was for $156 and change. You know, half of $170 or $220! Oh wait, the cutting open of the dog was half off. The itemized list of everything else was full price. Just like the vet hadn't explained.
I questioned the bill and the receptionist came back to the desk and said there was a mistake. The bill was $135 and change! You know, still half of $170 and $220!
Now, I realize I am the one that scheduled the spay and I realize that I am the one whom was willing to pay $90 for an exploratory surgery, but my hindsight has become 20/15 since this happened. If the dog had been at the shelter for four months and she had been with us for one month why wouldn't the vet have told us of the typical heat cycle of a dog and had us SIMPLY wait to see if she came into heat!? Isn't that their job? It was not emergency surgery and the $30 deposit at the shelter could have probably been donated back if the two months would have expired.
I'm upset because I have called and have asked why the procedure was not half off and have been told that the procedure (surgery) was half off. But I am livid because of the unethical approach to animal care that this place has displayed. This was a spay, not a malignant tumor removal.
The doctor has a duty to tell his patients about typical nature cycles. His number one priority was cutting this animal open and making money. If a woman thought she was pregnant, she probably wouldn't have a doctor cut her stomach open to find out. There would be tests and the best way to find out to date, time.
Again, I am responsible for my dog's well being and I should have thought better of the decision I made, but I'm not the doctor holding the scalpel and a high bill for a customer to swallow. If this happened to my dog I can't imagine how many other animal lovers have been bilked into spending money at this place. $45 is $45 and I can get over that, but a vet putting an animal through a pointless surgery is cruel and I can't accept it.
Had I known the heat cycles of dogs, I could have waited a month and if she didn't go into heat I would have known she was spayed. But, I chose a different profession and left my trust with someone who should have known better. This next part is sarcasm at its best. I have to quit typing now, my wrist hurts. You know, if I went to this same doctor with a sore wrist maybe he would suggest surgery or possible amputation. But if it's a muscle inflammation maybe he'd only charge half and sew me up! Thanks, Doc. This is for my dog and my $45!
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