VCA Hollywood Animal Hospital

Reviews 3

KR

Kristan Ramos

I am writing this review as I and my family are grieving the loss of our beloved puppy. This review must be written because the community needs to know how business is conducted at HAH. On Friday, June 8, 2013 our 8 week old Shih Tzu (Scruffy) died on the vets table in front of my 11 year old daughter and myself. On Tuesday, June 4th, we brought Scruffy to HAH where he was diagnosed with Parvo by Dr. Erica Bello. Scruffy was immediately taken back and an iv was started. I was told by Dr. Bello that I needed to come back to the office with a $500 deposit (and the charge is $500 per day!) or they would be unable to treat him. I came back with my husband and we told Dr. Bello that my husband was not going to get paid until Friday. I asked for a payment arrangement and she refused, saying the "partners" dont allow payments. We had already paid HAH upwards of $500 up to this point. When I told her we couldnt pay what they were asking all at once, Dr. Bello had Scruffys iv taken out and she sent us home with him with VAGUE instructions that she was supposed to come back into the room and explain to us. When I asked to speak with her, she came into the room and asked me "what do you need?" Yes, clearly we are not cash cows... so "NEXT"... right?! The owners/partners of this business are all about the dollar, paying lip service to caring about people and their pets when it is CLEAR that the people who own this place are hiding behind vets, technicians and others who work at HAH -- who really DO deeply care about the animals and have to do the dirty work of passing edicts down that they will not care for your pet if you cant pay them up front. Its just disgusting and my entire family is traumatized!!! We are talking about an 8 week old puppy here with his whole life in front of him, not some stray or an older dog who might not make it! He had a family who loved him! And yet, his last moments of life were spent being poked and prodded and he didnt even have an blood circulating in his body anymore. We caught the Parvo VERY early and his chances would have been EXCELLENT had they left the IV in and treated him and allowed us to make payments to them. But no. That isnt their policy. They arent about pets, they are about the money. There is a lot more to this story... but suffice to say, there isnt enough room here to write it all. After Scruffy died, they were going to cremate him. The vet asked me if I wanted his ashes... I asked her if it cost extra. She got this pained look on her face and looked apologetic and even somewhat embarrassed and said yes, $200+ dollars. REALLY??? Unless youre giving his ashes to me in a freaking golden urn, how in the world do you justify that??!! Even his poor little body once burned to ashes is the last thing youre trying to make money on? DISGUSTING!!! In closing, I dont think ANYONE who truly loves animals, and goes to veterinary school to learn how to save their lives, dreams of going to work for a veterinary hospital where baby animals are turned away because their owners dont have all the money right then. I DEEPLY appreciate Dr. Kristin Holland, Dr. Elizabeth Rosainz and the doctor who was desperately trying to save Scruffy as he lay dying on the table, Dr. Morgan Guoan. Dr. Guoan, as terrible as that day was, your empathy and obvious concern touched us. It is too bad you work for people whose sole concern is money and their reputation. As to Dr.s Dee, Dee and Dee and the rest of the "partners", there is this little thing called social media... and with it comes social justice. Nothing will bring our puppy back and my daughter is still crying -- we are ALL still crying. Even the sky cried the day your "POLICY" culminated in the death of our puppy. Im so angry, so hurt and so utterly disgusted at your callousness -- because clearly all you care about is making money and taking advantage of people.

SU

Susan Lewanda

Youll want to read this entire review: I took 2 of my cats in for boarding during Hurricane Irma. I have been using Hollywood Animal Hospital for 10 years (now they are VCA) and have been extremely happy with the 2 Vets that I use. However, as I found out the hard way, boarding is an entirely different story. Emma and Ginger were there for 4 days. When I picked them up on day 5, I had to be taken to the kennel room (where they board), because I was told Ginger was too aggressive to take out of her cage. This didnt sound at all like my cat. But OK, understandably she might be nervous and confused. So I was escorted back, and found a big sign on the cage saying, "Cat BITES". Ginger has no teeth! Bites? The gal that had been trying to get her out of the cage was so NASTY about it. Ginger has a chart. Cant she read? Long story short, I got her out and took her and Emma home. As soon as they were let out of their carriers, neither one of them could get enough water or food. Ginger was dehydrated and it took 2 days for the skin on the back of her neck to bounce back. I might add, when I was in the kennel room, I did notice that NONE of the cages that I saw had bowls or water. Nor did they have litter boxes. This is relevant as I tell you more of my story. I noticed a strong smell of urine emanating from Ginger. When I dropped her off at the hospital for boarding, I included one of her smaller beds.They hadnt given that back to me saying it was being washed. Now I understood why. On top of not being fed (I left a new bag of dry food when I dropped them off) or given water for who knows how long, she also was left laying in her own urine for a long period of time. I assume in her bed. I assume along with her feces. It took me two bathings with Dawn and still could not completely get rid of the stench. It was all over her and deep in her skin, not just the fur. Her skin mustve been burning her! I am so very ANGRY! She was traumatized by this experience and it took her nearly 2 days to resort back to her old self. Dont EVER take your pet in for boarding to this place!! I regret so much that I did.

S.

S.U. Cohen

Dr. Jon Dee has treated my dogs for over 25 years now. We (me and the Poochs) are thankful for that. I am 79 so it is a given that both Jon and I were a bit more quick of foot when we met. I had a Rottie way back when with a very swollen joint on a front leg. I was at another Vet who had him on the table prepping for surgery without my consent when I walked in her office. I got him out of there in a flash. Everyone I asked recommended Jon. He saw my dog never put him under the blade and becme his Vet. for many years. During that time Jon and I became good friends. This dog came to have bone cancer, Jon gave me meds for his pain and told me take him home and enjoy the time we had left; never suggesting needles and costly procedures that I would have surely done. Eventually the dog fell in my kitchen and could not get up, it was his time. I called Jon, He and Dr. Tommy came to my home with a stretcher/ Jon injected him and ended his suffering, put him on the stretcher and he an Tommy carried him out. Read carefully what I just wrote so you will know the kind of man Jon Dee is. Every dog I have had has been fortunate to be treated by Jon. These days I have an 8 yr old Bullmastiff "Shugababy" the sweetest soul ever visited on this planet. Last week by accident I discovered a sack growth in his mouthI called Jon an set a date to bring him in. The morning he was going in the hood fell off my car. I called and spoke to Ms. Sandy Raimond my dear friend at the hospital. She and Denise also a wonderful gal, got in her car came to my house picked up my baby and brought him in. Jon remove the growth and sent it to a pathologist. Sadly it is not benign. I have had several very personal converstations with Jon about what to expect the next few months and about what is right for my sweet boy rather than what I can choose to make me feel better. Let me say that in my life I have met no other people as kind and concerned as Jon and Sandy. I have tears in my eyes now when I close saying thank God for them.