Banfield Pet Hospital

Reviews 3

DA

Danielle Mathey

I have long been a believer in Banfield and the Optimum Wellness Plans. I went to Banfield when I lived in Atlanta, and it was generally a positive experience. I went to Banfield when I lived in Las Vegas, and the veterinarians there were amazing. I wish I could say the same about this place. Ive been using this Banfield for just over a year, and they do some things well. They are good about remembering that one of my dogs has aggression issues. They work with me to get my dogs out from procedures early because we have a three hour drive to get home. But I was very disappointed with the care my dogs received when they went in for their dental cleaning last Saturday. The first problems was that the veterinarian, it turns out, had failed to give me a lot of information about a procedure she and I agreed would be in one of my dogs best interests. She and I discussed this procedure six months before the dental visit, in a great deal of detail. At that time, she suggested that it would be wise to prophylactically remove a compromised tooth because he is so old and the tooth was likely to break. So I scheduled him to have the tooth removed. On the day of the scheduled surgery, the same vet called to say that it was dangerous and would diminish the bone density in my dogs jaw. Why was I not informed of this before? I cancelled the surgery, but it is unacceptable that the veterinarian failed to provide me with the facts necessary to make the decision in the first place. When I was called to pick my dogs up, I was given a specific time that was earlier than I had been allowed to pick them up in the past. Of course, since it is a three hour drive to Salt Lake City, I had scheduled other things for the day. I was chastised for being unable to pick the dogs up on command. I felt further chastised when I received both of my dogs condition reports after their dental cleaning. The reports both said "needs improvement" and stated that they were bringing a number of health issues to my attention. Each and every issue was one I had previously raised with the vet and been told not to worry about. Some of them even contradicted what the vet had previously told me about whether the subject raised actually was an issue. What, then, is the point of raising these same things in a form designed to make a pet owner feel like a bad parent? More distressing, though, the vet had prescribed antibiotics for my male dog. And no one could tell me why. The vet, of course, was unavailable to explain. I was told she would call early on the next business day, or Monday, to explain and answer my questions. This is the 4th business day since I was supposed to hear from the vet. She never called, nor has she returned my subsequent calls. Finally, my female dog started vomiting blood. I could not drive three hours to Banfield, so I took her to a local vet. The local vet was stunned when I said that my dog had received a dental cleaning from a veterinarian because he felt that such a poor job had been done on the actual cleaning. In addition, her gum had been cut and was infected. She was running a fever. Those were all of concern to the vet, but he said they were not the reason she was vomiting blood. Instead, he said that my dogs stomach had been scraped up by the tube they put down the throat and into the stomach during anesthesia. In other words, Banfield got careless and gave my great dane an ulcer. Wellness measures should make a dog healthier, not sick. The standard of care received in this visit showed poor recordkeeping, poor communication with patients owners, and negligence. I will not be returning to this Banfield.

ME

Meredith Baker

DO NOT TAKE YOUR PET HERE! Banfield Pet Hospital not only has horrible customer service skills, but they overcharge, pressure you into wellness plans, and then refuse to help once you have entered the plan. This vet only worries about "their numbers" not the care of your pet. I took my dog because she has two loose teeth and they pressures me into a "wellness plan" by making me feel like a neglectful per owner. When I left the office I asked them how much just the visit would be that day if I did not sign up for the plan, the employee told me it would just be the office visit amount, around $40 or $50. Again I signed up for the wellness plan after pressure from the Vet and Vet technician who examined my dog. A week later I called to see my options to cancel the plan after finding a vet who would perform the procedure for much cheaper and learning from several vet techs and vets that the plan included many unnecessary and potentially harmful side affects. One of Banfields great scams is giving you the run around and hoping you will give up. After calling Banfield to cancel the plan they directed me to an 800 number that is conveniently never open. After hours of phone calls and holding the 800 number called me back. The 800 number then told me in order to cancel my plan it would be $200.0 on top of the $80 I already paid the day of my dogs visit (40 for the office visit and 40 for the 1st month of the plan). When I asked them why they told me from serviced rendered at that visit I explained to them several times that the vets office clearly stated my visit was only $40.00 so why where they now trying to charge me almost $300.00 for a visit where all they did was examine my dog ? The agent at this 800 number could only repeat the script in front of him no matter how many times and ways I asked my questions. Clearly they only have someone there reading from a computer screen. After this frustrating conversation I finally requested the agents supervisor and was sent to a voice mail. I have gone back and forth with the actual office and the 800 number for days now and nobody can explain the ridiculous amount they are trying to charge. Each one just tells me to call the other and a supervisor/manger just never calls back. I am now stuck in a year long plan at a Vet hospital who overcharges and pressures pet owners , through guilt, into unnecessary purchases/procedures. DO NOT TAKE YOUR PET HERE!

ME

Melissa Barber

I am very disappointed with my wellness plan. I have had it for 5 years, but the past year or so I can never get my dog in for at least 4-7 days, even if she is sick. I even call the Salt Lake and the West Valley Banfield Hospitals looking for appts. My dog is elderly, has arthritis, and cannot wait that long. I do not like to leave her for the day at the vet because she is such a nervous little dog especially when she does not feel well, and because I like to be there when the dr. examines her. I downgraded my plan for this reason but every time I go in, the drs try to get me to upgrade or to charge me 160.00 for x-rays, extra bloodwork, and charge a fortune for extra medications. I do really like Dr. Sawala at the Taylorsville Banfield. She is thorough but not pushy. The last time I went to the Salt Lake Banfield they were nice but would not give me the Rimadyl that usually works best for her back. They just wanted to run x-rays and give her steroids and muscle relaxers and pain meds. I had waited 5 days anyway before they could get her in, so I just bought her some aspirin from Petsmart and gave her that. It seemed to work somewhat well, but I hate to self medicate her. They were nice at the Salt Lake Banfield but not very helpful.