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:04/10/2025

  Type:Billing 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.

  I strongly advise against using this vet hospital. We brought our dog in, desperate for help, and paid cash upfront, only to be met with rude and uncaring staff. The nurse was dismissive and seemed to have no genuine concern for our pet’s well-being. To make matters worse, our dog was misdiagnosed, and they didn’t even offer basic care like a drink of water, despite her condition being critical.
  
  After leaving this facility, we rushed our dog to another local vet hospital, where they immediately diagnosed her correctly, treated her properly, and even offered payment assistance, which was a huge relief. The difference in care was night and day. I would not recommend this hospital to anyone. Their lack of professionalism and compassion is inexcusable.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/22/2025

  Unfortunately, this complaint contains significant misinformation and untruths. In addition to the written explanation, please also review the forwarded documents below as demonstration to support the circumstances of this case.  Please note that one of the documents is a police report that resulted from other clients calling for police to come to Animal Haven Veterinary Center because of the complainant's 3-hour long threatening behavior and harassment to Animal Haven Veterinary Center on April 9, 2025 between approximately 3-6 pm. The facts of this case are as follows:  On April 7th, we received a call stating that a dog named "****** ********** was sick and the owner was seeking an appointment for her.  The client was advised to immediately come to the office.  At approximately 1:30 pm, a young female arrived with "*****" stating "*****" was vomiting, not acting herself, having seizures, and possibly had eaten some garbage.  She showed two videos of the dog with neurological symptoms (head pressing and shaking uncontrollably while staring aimlessly).  Dr. ***** immediately performed a full exam and provided a plan of care and estimate for necessary diagnostics and tentative symptomatic treatments to be provided once diagnostics were completed. Discussions were directed at explaining that the dog's symptoms were very nonspecific yet serious and that since she was not current on vaccinations, receiving no routine preventatives, not spayed, and had possibly eaten garbage,  the list of possible causes for her symptoms was quite long and multiple specific diagnostics may be necessary.  The female stated she had no means for payments but that the dog owner's father would be able to come in about an hour for payment.  The bloodwork (takes approximately 45 minutes for completed results) and radiographs were initiated.  The father arrived at some point during the conduction of the diagnostics. He paid for the initial estimate and left the office.  Upon completion of the radiographs and bloodwork, Dr. ***** returned to the exam room to discuss the results and next steps.  At this time, an additional young female was in the exam room.  It was explained to the two pet custodians present at this time that the radiographs showed no specific obstructions or foreign bodies but that a very concerning abnormality in the blood tests was present  - that being a very low sodium and potassium ratio which can cause very serious, life-threatening biochemical responses to occur and may be a symptom of a disease called *******'s.  It was explained that if *******'s disease was present, it requires a very specific treatment/medication and that without such, *****'s condition could worsen and become quite serious. It was further explained that some treatments could cause false *******'s test results so it was important to complete the blood testing for *******'s prior to administering some treatments.  Dr ***** left the room to create a new plan of care and estimate based on these completed diagnostic results.   She returned to the exam room with the updated estimate along with a brochure explaining *******'s disease.  At this time a third person was present - a middle-aged woman.  Dr. ***** again discussed the diagnostic results, the need for intensive stabilization (IV fluids, *******'s testing, symptomatic treatment, and the specific treatment needed if *******'s testing was positive.  The three females stated they had NO MEANS of payment.  Over the next 2 hours at minimum, staff members worked with the pet custodians discussing financing options, including Care Credit which can be applied for immediately.  All options for such secured financing was denied/refused.  At this time, the office had been closed for over an hour (now approximately 5:30 pm; office was due to close at 4 pm).  The females stated they would call family members to borrow money and return the following day.  The owners were notified that *****'s condition was critical and she may not survive through the night.  $291.03 of the already paid monies had not been used and it was offered that the monies could be refunded or utilized for treatments that would not interfere with *******'s testing.  Tne owners stated they wished to leave that amount on their account for the following day when they returned to complete the provided plan of care estimate. The patient nor her custodians returned the next day.  On Friday April 9th morning at opening, we received communication from an emergency hospital asking for records.  Records and diagnostics (bloodwork results and radiographs) were immediately forwarded to that emergency hospital (Blue Pearl Christiana).  The receptionist at Blue Pearl indicated to our staff member that the owners arrived having already applied for Care Credit and approved for a $4,000 limit. At approximately 3 pm on April 9, one of the young females and the father arrived to Animal Haven. They were immediately confrontational and yelling, stating nothing had been done at our office and demanding a full refund.  Our office manager attempted to speak with them to advise that diagnostics were immediately performed but both customers continued in confrontational and hollering manner, such so that the client Dr. ***** was in an exam room with left the room to see what was happening.  Dr. ***** left the exam room and also attempted to communicate with the customers, both of whom remained hollering.  At one point, the father did stop his hollering as Dr. ***** attempted to explain to him what had occurred during the appointment on 4/7.  The young female began hollering at Dr. ***** including obscenities and racial comments.  Upon this, Dr. ***** informed the clients that we would not engage in continued interactions and asked them to leave.  They refused to leave stating they had not been provided with anything and their dog almost died as a result of us not knowing what we are doing.  Dr. ***** explained bloodwork had been performed and a printed copy of results given to them at the time of the appointment together with an updated plan of care with estimate and brochures about next steps and rule-outs.  She also informed the owners that all records had been forwarded to Blue Pearl earlier that morning.  We informed the father that the females chose to leave the $291.03 as a credit on their account to be used the following day when they were to return.  We refunded the $291.03 (in cash by pulling together the cash in all of the staff member's purses/wallets as the father DEMANDED cash only since he had paid by cash two days prior).  The two left the office but then returned several times continuing in confrontational and argumentative ways.  Eventually staff members locked the doors.  Another customer called the police.  See attached police report and note the officers arrived at 6:05 pm - nearly 3 hours after their initial arrival at Animal Haven on 4/9.  In addition to the 2 page police report below, the other documents are as follows:4 pages of  Animal Haven Veterinary Center's clinical records and documentation (green)3 pages of discharge instructions from Blue Pearl-Christiana 2 pages of the plan of care estimate provided during the 4/7 appointment3 pages of bloodwork results performed stat at AHVC on 4/7Please note that contrary to the complaint, ***** was NOT taken immediately to another hospital, but rather not until the following afternoon on 4/8.  Furthermore, the discharge instructions from Blue Pearl -Christiana list that cortisol testing was done to rule out *******'s disease (as was the recommendation at Animal Haven Veterinary Center on 4/7) and that ***** was admitted for hospitalization, IV fluids, and anti-emetics - the SAME treatments that were recommended but declined at Animal Haven Veterinary Center on 4/7.   Unfortunately, by the time ***** was presented to Blue Pearl, her blood sugar levels were dangerously low, necessitating additional emergency treatment and care.  Also, regarding the statement about not even offering ***** a drink of water, critical patients cannot be given anything by mouth to avoid the risk of vomiting and possible aspiration of vomitus resulting in choking and/or pneumonia.  There are medical standards that must be met and adhered to for the safety and well-being of the patient and this "nothing given by mouth" is a basic principle of emergency care. In this case, appropriate diagnostics were IMMEDIATELY performed and further treatments and diagnostics offered.  The owners refused to provide down-payment for the needed next steps and also refused to apply for financing (Card Credit) while at our office to provide ***** with the care she needed. This is very unfortunate but out of our control and ultimately the responsibility of her owner.  We therefore request that this complaint be denied in its entirety.Thank you,