I very rarely write reviews, much less do a follow-up. But I feel so strongly about the negligent care/nonexistent treatment at Lighthouse Pet Clinic, I'm essentially reposting my original, "not recom... Read More
I very rarely write reviews, much less do a follow-up. But I feel so strongly about the negligent care/nonexistent treatment at Lighthouse Pet Clinic, I'm essentially reposting my original, "not recommended" Yelp review from 12/2014 here, in addition to my more recent Yelp entry...SAVE YOUR MONEY AND QUITE POSSIBLY YOUR PET'S LIFE BY AVOIDING LIGHTHOUSE AND DR. LAURA (BALTODANO)! ~~I simply cannot emphasize this enough.Last week I noticed that one of my rescue cats had blood in her urine. In order to get a sample noninvasively, I boarded the cat, and left some of her regular food. I had to call 3 times the following day to see if Honey peed in the box on their special litter, and how she was doing. "Well, she's leaking a little on the towel and we see that she has a problem [DUH!], but she doesn't have enough in her bladder for us to test."(Had they given her fluids and removed the towel, they would have gotten a urine sample. I wish I would have asked if they had done that, but I stupidly trusted them to take the most basic of measures.)After another overnight stay, still no results. When I called back to speak to the doctor (instead of the receptionist!), she said it could be caused by stress, and gave me a couple of websites to research. So now I'M the doctor?! Besides, I already did that before bringing her in.Before the end of that second day, I got a call from Lighthouse telling me that I had to be there by five to pick-up the cat.Upon arrival, I was told to wait in a room that was decked out like a funeral parlor (complete with brown satin ceiling-to-floor drapes and Costco-sized box of tissues) so the doctor could talk to me. When she came in, she just stared at me -- waiting for me to start the conversation -- and finally asked me if I had any questions for her. Since I had already expressed my disappointment in spending my limited resources with no definitive results, I replied "no" and walked out of the room.While standing in the reception area, Dr. Laura goes: "I watched her today [not yesterday? WTH?] and she's miserable. She's constipated as well. You might want to think about euthanasia."I was dumbfounded and angry, stating that the cat was playing just before I brought her in and no way was that going to happen. Can you imagine? Just because the doctor can't or won't do their job let's kill the patient? How outrageous.She then suggested that I find her (a sick cat, mind you) another home. Again: absurd.(In hindsight, I believe Dr. Laura was hoping she could overcharge me like her predecessor Dr. Taylor did for a dental a few months before. And when she realized that I wasn't going to give her carte blanche, she made it a point to subtly insult me.)To top it all off, instead of easing my cat's pain by giving her medication, sub-Q fluids in order to - at the very least - obtain a sample, and an enema (IF, in fact, she had been constipated) while in her care for 48 hours, she tries to sell me some calming treats for $30 and some kind of expensive liquid vitamin that increases urination!So, after:1. My cat suffering needlessly for two extra days;2. Receiving no diagnosis, much less a remedy; and3. A $110 bill...It was the weekend - which severely limited my options.Honestly, if my cat had been a blocked male, he could have died under Dr. Laura's so-called care...THAT'S A FACT!_________________________[12/2015 UPDATE]Such a shame that Yelp arbitrarily dismisses reviews based - in part - on "level of participation." Rather: the fact that I don't frivolously post reviews should indicate my sincerity.In any event, this is an update of my non-recommended review from one year ago regarding a spayed (female) cat who:1. Was straining to pee;2. Had blood in her urine;3. Dr. Laura suggested be euthanized or rehomed.Honey is still alive and well thanks to Viscaya Prado Veterinary Hospital in Cape Coral -- who immediately recognized the urgency of the situation, and graciously squeezed me/my kitty into their already crowded Saturday schedule. And it only required a thirty-minute office visit with a COMPETENT veterinarian (Dr. McKelvie) to treat the problem and save Honey's life.So, pet guardians...You be the judge.(BTW: I had asked Dr. McKelvie at the time of Honey's exam if she was constipated; she was not.) Read Less