24 hours after my dog walked in to Oceana Pet Hospital, he was dead. My dog had been vomiting intermittently for about a week and losing an alarming amount of weight, although he was walking and livel... Read More
24 hours after my dog walked in to Oceana Pet Hospital, he was dead. My dog had been vomiting intermittently for about a week and losing an alarming amount of weight, although he was walking and lively when we arrived at Oceana. Dr. Shirley Yang took a look at him and was not sure what was wrong, so she ordered a full body of x-rays and lab tests that totaled $1,200. I don't have a lot of money, but I wanted Shadow to feel better and put on some more weight, so I agreed. Later that evening, after the hospital had closed, he began vomiting again. But this time it did not stop. All we could do was comfort the poor little guy until he dropped from exhaustion. The minute the hospital opened in the morning, we called and were told that the lab results were not in yet but that they should be in a couple of hours. They did not think it was important enough to bring him in right away. Since he was sleeping at this point we waited, still believing that the doctor knew best. When we called back we were again told that the lab results were still not in yet and to wait until they were. I pushed to bring my dog in and after some back and forth, Dr. Yang agreed to see him at 2 o'clock. 2 o'clock! Three hours later! I strongly insisted that they see him immediately and they finally relented.Dr. Yang was still stumped. I suggested that there may be some kind of blockage, but she was unconvinced. She referred me to San Francisco Veterinary Specialists, who took him in as an emergency case. Shadow could not stand at this point and I had to carry his limp body into SFVS.Dr. Roth saw him right away. After a short exam, she told me that he had contracted pneumonia, probably from aspirating his vomit, and that he appeared to have a blockage in his stomach. A tumor? Cancer? She was very sure that was it. Given how extremely sick Shadow was by then, his age, and the uncertainty of a positive outcome to treatment, I authorized euthanasia. I did not want to see him suffer another minute. These people were everything Oceana was not: experienced, thoughtful and more concerned with the animal than with making money.I still do not know what happened during the exam at Oceana that brought about this acute onset of nausea and untimely death. They don't know, either, which is hardly a surprise. No animal should have to suffer the way Shadow did. If he had been properly diagnosed at the outset, all that horrific suffering could have been avoided. But hey, at least Oceana made a handsome profit. Read Less