I adopted my dog about an year and a half ago and his previous owners had let his nails become overly long. Ive taken him regularly to the local groomer to have them trimmed down, but it seemed like ... Read More
I adopted my dog about an year and a half ago and his previous owners had let his nails become overly long. Ive taken him regularly to the local groomer to have them trimmed down, but it seemed like I still was not going to be able to help him keep them at a comfortable level without some additional intervention.I made an appointment to bring him in for a nail trim with sedation, as he doesnt really tolerate regular trims very well and I thought the vet would be able to provide him with additional options that the groomer couldnt, i.e. getting the nails down to a healthy length without torturing the dog.They informed me that I would need to pay for the initial exam, as I was a new patient and it was required to perform this sedated service for him. They also informed me that a regular nail trim did NOT require an initial exam. I agreed to the exam fee in order to receive the additional service of a sedated nail trim.The staff was friendly at the desk and I was seen quickly. The vet did suggest several additional services (teeth, skin, bloodwork, etc) that I declined at the time because I was there specifically to deal with his nails. The vet said that they would cut his nails down as far as possible without getting into the quick, and then would use a dremel tool to do some additional finishing. She said she would see how he tolerated the dremel tool and go from there. I assumed that they would do what they could without sedation and then sedate him to do any additional work he couldnt tolerate, seeing is that is what I asked for from the outset.They took him into the back to do the work and I waited in the lobby. I could hear my dog screaming and yapping and yowling for an EXTENDED period of time in the back room, and I began to wonder why they were not sedating him so that this very issue would not traumatize the dog. Eventually the noise stopped and I assumed they had decided to move forward with the sedation.5 minutes later the tech brought him out and informed me that they "cut off as much as they could and dremeled one foot, but he would not allow them to do the other three". I asked her if they had sedated him and she said no. I was charged the standard 15$ fee for a nail trim AND charged for an initial exam that was not even necessary in order to receive the non-sedated service AND.....they did not even do anything for him that my regular groomer couldnt have done once more for that 10$ flat fee.Basically, I just paid for an 80$ nail trim that I could have got regularly for 10$, had to dodge being sold services I was NOT interested in (if they wanted to sell me something it could have been the sedation service I actually wanted to buy) and am left no better than I was before with the state of my dogs nails....their suggestion, come back in two weeks for another nail trim. Thanks, but Ill save the 5$ extra and go back to my groomer.All I wanted is what I asked for, not to be set up to return to THIS clinic to receive the same care I was receiving from my local groomer at a third less the price. On top of it all, the poor dog had a terrible painful experience. Which was the entire point of coming in to the vet for this service.I feel robbed, flat out robbed. I asked for one thing, I paid for their exam in order to receive it and my dog paid the price in discomfort so they didnt have to go the extra mile. It really makes me ill. There were cute little "doggy finger painting" portraits from their day care animals all over the walls, and descriptions of "soothing music and chill time" for their animals in kennel.....but they couldnt be bothered to sedate my animal and do as I asked and are still the richer for it.I was so angry I just paid and left. From the other reviews here it seems its a crap-shoot...but Id protect my wallet and my animal if you decide to go with them. Read Less