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Banfield Pet Hospital
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2.3 526 Reviews

Banfield Pet Hospital Complaints Summary

174 Resolved
348 Unresolved
Our verdict: Engaging with Banfield Pet Hospital, which has a below-average resolution rate, demands caution. Thoroughly assess their service reviews and explore how they handle unresolved complaints. If you encounter issues, document your experiences meticulously and be persistent in seeking resolutions.
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Banfield Pet Hospital reviews & complaints 526

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1:32 pm EDT
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Banfield Pet Hospital incompetence

8/12/09 I took my dog to Banfield rather than my vet because of uncontrolled vomiting and they are 5 minutes from my house. She was given a blood scan, which was normal, and an exam behind closed doors. I have never, in 40 years of owning pets, ever not had it examined in front of me! Bhaskar Reddy did not speak English and did not have any suggestions to offer. I repeatedly asked if I should fast her, give her Pediasure, feed her boiled rice/hamburger. The only response from him was to ask repeatedly "did she eat something bad" and to shrug. No concern, no suggestions, just a shrug. The receptionist handed me a card with an 800# highlighted - I called when I got got home and was assured the matter would be taken seriously. I called again today to re-request a refund on the invisible exam and was advised the issue was handled by the location direct. My dog is fine but what about all the others ignored by a so-called veterinarian who cannot communicate in the English language and has no concern for the health of pets brought to him?

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XenoMiang
Dallas, US
Sep 09, 2009 1:44 pm EDT

I'm sorry for your experience ... I've always had good luck with the Banfield hospital here in Dallas, they saved my boyfriends dog and he couldn't be more grateful. His dog was vomiting as well and we took her right in and they found the problem so we were able to get it taken care of ... we didn't ask to be in the exam room though so I don't know what they would've said to that.

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coffeebrown39
Hyattsville, US
Sep 09, 2009 1:39 pm EDT

That's weird, because I took my mom's dog to Banfield in Greenbelt, MD and they examined him right in front of me. Of course, I will not allow them not too! You have a right as the owner to attend the exam with your pet. I know I do!

My personal vet is Dunloggin Animal Hospital in Ellicott City, MD. They are absolutely great and they don't overcharge you. I have been taking my Yorkie there since he was 9 weeks old. He will be 4 in November.

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4:20 pm EDT
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Banfield Pet Hospital injury to my pet and overcharged on my bank account

On June 24, 2009, I carried my pet into the Flowery Branch, Georgia ("FBGB") Banfield Pet Hospital. My pet has been a member of the Banfield system since she was 5 months old. She is now 9 years old. The doctor at the FBGB is the same doctor who, two years ago, was the doctor at the Buford, Georgia Banfield ("BGB"). She was in to get her shots and nothing else. After not hearing from them by the time she was to be ready, I called and spoke with the assistant. She stated that the doctor thought it would be a good idea to split her shots up and only give her half of them. I agreed to that. AT NO TIME DID SHE MENTION ANY TYPE OF SHOT THAT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER ON HER. Two years age (2007) this same doctor was at BGB and asked my permission to give her a shot that would make her innoculations easier on her. My animal was very ill in a couple of days and I was in Alabama visiting my mother. I had to take her to a vet in Alabama and have her treated. It cost me $300.00 to get my pet on the road to recovery. Oh, by the way, the shot they wanted to give to her cost $20.00. THERE IS NO WAY I WOULD HAVE OKAYED THAT SHOT KNOWING THE EFFECT IT HAD ON HER PREVIOUSLY. WELL, they gave it to her again (and swore I had given them permission, however, I would not had done that knowing the cost and the fact that she had such an adverse reaction previously). After arguing with them for an hour, I went ahead and paid my bill and left. On Saturday, June 27, 2009, I called the doctor and informed her my dog was very ill and was running a temperature, would not eat and would not drink water. She instructed me to not try to feed her and if her temperature was below 102 degrees, she would be okay. Her temperature was around 101 so I thought the doctor knew what she was talking about even though I knew Muffin's (my dog) background with that shot and argued with the doctor and the assistant about it. They kept insisting the shot would not cause that type of problem.

On the following Monday, June 29, 2009, my dog was very ill and was running a high temperature. I took her to BGB and had the doctor there examine her. (Dr. Sims) Muffin required surgery and was very ill for approximately two weeks. She had two drains in her hip at the site of the injection. Banfield wanted to charge me nearly $700.00 for the operation. I spoke with many people at Banfield in Oregon and Georgia. They would not change the charges for this bill other than to reduce the bill by $100.00. I had to transfer my membership back to BGB from FBGB and even though they had drafted my bank on 6/27 for the July payment, I had to pay another $37.95 and raise my payment plan from $16.95 per month to $37.95 per month to get a 20% discount. I am very ill at the present time with a liver disease. I do not have the money to pay these charges. I told them that and they agreed to ALLOW me to get Muffin if I would pay $100.00 plus the $37.50 to upgrade to their higher level plan and pay the balance by August 26, 2009. Even though I did not have the money (I borrowed the $150.00), I knew I had to get my pet out of their hands. I am under Chapter 13 Bankruptcy protection and I only paid the amount required to get my pet. They have subsequently billed me the balance due and informed me it has to be paid by August 26, 2009. I have not paid the bill and I am turning it over to my attorney to include in the bankruptcy.

They injured my pet. She has always been very healthy except for the two (2) times the same doctor has given her the same shot.

Even though they are supposed to debit my account $37.95 per month, I have just looked at my bank account on line and they debited a total of $75.90. I do not have the money in my account to cover this bill. Have called the bank but they said since it was already on hold, they could not do anything about.

I will be contacting Scott Campbell (CEO Banfield, Oregon) immediately after this to tell him my story and to CANCEL my bank debits.

These people are so out of touch with the people and pets they are sworn to help. I hope you can really stick it to them because this should not be happening to people who put their pets in their hands and they do controversial treatments that cause harm to the pets simply (in my opinion) for the money.

I hope you will contact me regarding the class action suit. If I can be of service to you, please let me know.

Sincerely, Ann Davis, 6203 Compass Drive, Flowery Branch, Georgia 30542; [protected]; [protected]@att.net

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Marcia VL
Fairhope, US
Jan 29, 2013 1:33 am EST
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ANOTHER horror story about Banfield Pet Hospital of HORROR! This obscene corporation needs to be shut down for malpractice!

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8:49 pm EDT
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Banfield Pet Hospital medical malpractice

I took my cha/pom mixed to the vet at Banfield Pet Hospital, in Roseville, Ca on N Sunrise Blvd. Her stomach was having some some swelling, and it was very unconfortable for my little girl. The doctor told me Bunnie 11yrs. old was in heat it would pass.I knew that wasn't the problem and told her so. She snapped back and said"Who's the doctor here?"She ran test on her, charged me almost $ 400. Test showed everything fine. A week later my little girl laid down beside me and passed away I also told the vet her breathing is labored she said that was also normal. I told her I've had her since she was born and none of this is normal thats why I brought her in.I know she was up in her years, but the vet acted in total disregard.

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Banfield Overbills People
Staten Island, US
Apr 29, 2011 8:51 pm EDT

Report them! They only pay their DVM's 20% of each bill!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YugT3uDpinA

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6:50 pm EDT
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Banfield Pet Hospital rip off company

My dog Clancy has dry eye syndrome, or keraconjunctivitis sicca. To make a long story short, he had an appointment 8/19/09 and the vet who had been treating him wasn't there (she said she would be, which was why I scheduled it for that time), so another one saw him, and recommended an ointment to complement the one being used which, by her own admission, was working great.

When I went to check out, I asked the price of this ointment, which was packaged as a prescription in a Blistex size tube. I was told $26, so I asked to see it. Turns out it was 15% mineral oil and 85% petrolatum, which you know as Vaseline. No inert ingredients, nothing. When I voiced my displeasure to the clerk, she replied, correctly so, that she doesn't set the prices. So I asked to see the vet again, the clerk checked, and I was told she was busy. So of course I tossed the box on the counter, told her that the price was "unethical, " and checked out.

So watch out for these kinds of ripoffs. This tube was about .25 oz, making their price $104/oz. I figure that this is about a 10, 000% profit margin.

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rshortie
Tampa, US
Nov 04, 2010 12:12 am EDT
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Banfield personnel are all like used car salesmen. They are interested in the dollar that is it.

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rshortie
Tampa, US
Nov 04, 2010 12:10 am EDT
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Banfield will commit fraud if they have to. They will take money out of your account no matter what, plus each year they renew automatically.

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rshortie
Tampa, US
Nov 04, 2010 12:09 am EDT
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On 10/19/10 I went to my appointment at Banfield The Pet Hospital at
12836 Citrus Park Drive
Tampa, Florida 33625
I wanted to give my newly adopted kitten, Simba a physical exam and I had concerns about her scratching her ear, her stool was loose, and she was coughing and sneezing when I got her but lately she sneezes only once in a while. I was interested in the Wellness Plan from the brochures it looked like a good deal.
I wanted to join the wellness Plan first when I arrived but the clerk at the desk stated that I could join after the visit. I arrived at my visit at 4PM . They weighed Simba and then proceeded to take me to a room and stated that the doctor would arrive soon. The doctor took maybe 30 minutes to arrive. I stated to him that it must be busy. He did a quick full exam on Simba that lasted approximately 3 minutes. He then said he would return to take a stool sample. He returned approximately 30 minutes later and took a sample from Simba's behind. He stated he needed to examine this. So he went outside with the stool sample and returned maybe 20 minutes later telling me the stool was negative. He then took an ear swab and told me he would return after examination on his telescope. I waited another 20 minutes and thought I heard him talking to another client. He returned and told me the exam was negative and thatthe ear mites could still be there and he could flush it out himself or I could do it. I choose to do it not realizing of course there would be a fee for it.
By now, I was concerned that I would be in the wellness program so I thought everything would be covered. I had a 30 coupon off a Wellness Progam from the adoption agency. He recomended antibiotics for her ear and general antibiotics for her. The fecal exam and ear swab would be covered by the wellness plan that I could join when I would leave his office. I was not too impressed with the quality of the exam. But I still figured it would be a good deal.
Then the doctor proceeded to tell me how much the medications would cost. He quoted a fee in the of about $100 with discounts from the plan. My first reaction was yelling
"What". I thought medicines would be covered but he stated that medicines are not covered. He told me to come back in a week.
I then proceded to the front desk. When I was told that the regular fee is $280 and
by purchasing the wellness Program I would pay a price of $160 which included my fee for the wellness plan and first months payment. I used my debit card to process the transaction and he stapled the receipt to about 10 pages describing Simba's illnesses. There were some loose papers on the bottom but they handed me the whole package and I made an appoinment for next week. I do not remember signing anything except for my debit card payment.
About 4 days later I see Banfield Insurance on the web. I was looking for pet insurance to supplement Banfield so I would be covered fully. My god was I shocked by multiple website after website depicting fraud negligence and various horror stories. My first reaction was to bring Simba to my old vet to check her out, as after I read all the stories I did not want to stay in Banfield.
My vet examined her and did a fine thorough exam with the help of and aid, he used a scope for the ears and took a stool sample with the aid. He told me all I should use was the Trasoderm Drops, not because of ear mites but because I should clean out her ear as it was dirty. He told me that I did not need the other medications. I left with Simba and payed the fee of $90 which sounded allot better than Banfields $280 or $160. Either way the exam took 10-15 minutes and it was allot more thorough. She was also checked for microchip and written down in record about the chip. Banfield totally omitted this even though a sign in the office said check each client for microchips.
After I bring Simba back home I send out email to Banfield that I wish to quit the program. From Reading all those statements on the web, I figured I should change my Debit Card and get a new one so Banfield cannot take any more funds. The next day I recieved a response from Banfield that I needed to pay $120 more as it would cover the true price of the one office visit they say. I called Banfield relations and they told me I could only quit on the 4th day. My Fiance told me she would not sign a document like that. I figure that $160 more than covers the price of quick office visit and medications. Banfield seems to inflate their prices.
Finally I say to myself that I am a sucker for falling for this scam. It was the coupon for thirty dollars off plus the fact that Banfields are located in PetSmart's which I thought were reputable. Well I go look at my contract and low and behold is my name printed on a piece of paper that tells about the Contract in a paragraph with a horrible contract beneath it. Nowwhere is my signature and I do not remember ever signing such a horrible agreement. I would never knowing do so.
I call back Banfield which I think is probably a waste of time. I told them that I believe that I did not sign a contract. I have no papers with any signature on it. The only thing I signed was my debit card. They refer me to cancellation line, where I waited 10 minutes and then phone went dead.
Alright, so now I will probably be assessed large fees and will have my credit ruined if a majority of the internet people are right. I am trying to join a class action suit as instructed on the website. I live on disability. My other cat just died I spent all my savings on her surgery and then put her to sleep at my vet place. So I do not have the funds to waste on Banfield. I cannot even afford her shots now after Banfleds prices but I would never bring my pet there money or no money due to the treatment and practices of there corporation which is all over the web. I am a sucker for falling for a coupon and what I thought would be a good deal for someone without funds. With my debit card I guess they could try to collect funds from my account and when they fail they will ruin my credit.
But when Banfield falls and they will someday my credit will get cleaned up I hope. I cannot believe they have been around since the fifties with their practices.
I firmly believe they will not survive.

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5:40 pm EDT
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Banfield Pet Hospital huge scam

Banfield is a huge scam! They've diagnosed him with heart defects (suggested surgery), cushings disease (suggested $1000s to test), diabetes (which they keep coming up with new ways to charge $100s each visit, just to name a few. I have followed the dr's ordered since we got our puppy (now 13), he has health has continued declining but banfield keeps saying I need to more... The service stinks, the dr's are a scam and my biggest regret is ever signing up for the "wellness" plan which has been anything but. Save your money, don't use them.

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LETesar87
Fort Worth, US
Mar 20, 2010 12:24 pm EDT

Take it somewhere for a second opinion. Heart disease is very common in older dogs.

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rachel614
Alexandria, US
Nov 21, 2009 10:34 pm EST

if you don't like them, cancel the plan. obviously, they are doing something right for you to still be going back to them. diagnosing your pet is wrong? your dog is 13 years old. of course, the dog is going to have problems. IT'S 13!

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puppal
Columbus, US
Sep 01, 2009 7:24 pm EDT

You've gone to them for 13 years even though you haven't been happy with them? Or is that something new?

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5:14 pm EDT
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Banfield Pet Hospital overcharging

This was the first, and only time I will use Banfield, or Petsmart for that matter.
My wife, and I have a neighbor who neglects to treat her pets for their fleas. She has two dogs, and three outdoor cats. Needless to say her yard is infested. We have two indoor cats, who ended up with fleas. We apparently carried them in ourselves through the yard. Our cats haven't been outside in years.

A vet friend of mine in Florida recomended Capstar which for those who arent familiar is a small pill that will kill all fleas on your dog, or cat within 30-45 minutes. It is a non prescription item, and it works beautifully. I searched it down, and found a Banfield in the local petsmart, and the girl on the phone says "come on in we have it here."... Cool! Well I drive the 20 minutes there, and when I get to the counter she says, "i'm sorry, but I forgot to tell you that we will need to see your cats first to prove that they have fleas, and you'll have to pay a $35.00 visit fee" Well obviously I didn't want to drive all the way home, and back but I needed the pills. After a few minutes of negotiatng, and two visits by this girl to the "doctor/used car manager" in the back they agreed to let me bring one cat up, and sell me two capstar tabs for what she said would be $12.00 total, after taxes. After driving home, and getting my smaller feline freind in the carrier, Banfield girl calls me back, and informs me that it's not neccesary to bring him up, they will now sell the capstar to me without the visit fee. Now i'm starting to get a little upset. So I drive the 20 minutes for the third time, only to have her tell me that she messed up, on the price, and pills are now $15.00 apeice, and i'm only allowed to by two. $35.00 after taxes for two pills that are non prescription, and the size of baby asprin!

Now, i'm a college educated man, and I knew better, but by now i'm aggrivated just enough to pay it and take my pills, even though I feel like an idiot, because my i've been raked over the coals. I care for my two cats, and I want to fix the problem, and my petowner guilt guided me right into the trap. Come to find out from my friend Michelle in Florida that she sells the same capstar pills for $4.95 each, and I can buy however many I want! I do some research, and the average price for Capstar is 24.95 for six. She is sending me a handfull for cost (3.95 apeice), which will take a couple weeks because she has them on backorder.in the meantime I bought six from 1800petmeds for $28.00 after s/h today.

I will never give Banfield my money again.

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mebekcg
Atlanta, US
Aug 25, 2009 5:21 pm EDT

You poor soul! Your complaint is well written. I feel for you.

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9:02 pm EDT
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Banfield Pet Hospital no one available on friday afternoon to authorize a refund

Today is a friday. I tried for three hours to get someone in authority to make a decision regarding a refund for a new kind of flea medicine which I bought at the beginning of the month. The doctor who owns this banfield "wasn't feeling well" and had left the building by 2:00 p. M. I then asked them to ask the veterinarian who was filling in for the doctor/owner, to please make a decision about getting a refund. I then was told that "the doctor/owner had to be the one to make the decision about the refund, not the one who was filling in. I asked them to page the doctor/owner, but he never answered his page.

They later tried a second time, but still got no response from the doctor/owner. A different employee tried to reach the"office manager, "but this person in authority also was not available.

I tried for 3 full hours, because I knew i'd have to take 2 different buses to get there, and buses in salem, or, no longer run on saturdays. Yet, I was told that both the doctor/owner and the office manager would both be in tomorrow morning. I explained that I will now have to wait until monday to make the trip to the other side of town via buses.

I am totally horrified that during normal, working hours, banfield hospital had no one available to decide whether or not I could get a refund. What kind of business is this that does not have someone in authority available during working, normal hours? What a joke! This particular banfield hospital is a disgrace as far as i'm concerned. The"doctor/owner"and the"office manager" need to redo their office policies. I never should have had to go through what I went through today.

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ufgator
Lovell, US
Sep 16, 2009 11:32 pm EDT

Hm. Have you ever felt ill and needed to leave work a few hours early? Have you ever had a time that your job is short staffed because everything seems to go wrong on the same day? Should a manager have to present 7 days a week 7am-7pm (as those are Banfield's typical hours)? Just because it is the medical field does not mean that these are not people as well. People with lives and families and illnesses that must be dealt with. Your fifty dollar refund is not exactly a top priority (I'm sorry to burst your center of the world bubble). Plus, you don't know the situation, that receptionist may lose her bonus or part of her pay if she takes an unauthorized refund. Further, why did you want the refund? Was the product "not working"? Because you need to use flea prevention consistently for three months for it to reach full effectiveness. Did you see fleas jumping all over the place on your pet like they were crazy? Guess what? That is because they are dying and their nervous systems go crazy. Did you treat your house and yard at the same time as your pet? Probably not. I get so tired of spending half my day arguing with people about whether their flea prevention works. IT WORKS. BUT, it works best if you use it all the time and you don't wait for them to get fleas before you begin using it.

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10:34 am EDT
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Banfield Pet Hospital very bad service

My dog was perfectly healthy when I Got her from the pet store. I tsuted the benfield to help my dog with shots. She had no allergy of vaccination and was in perfect health. But on june 2009, I brought my dog to the benfield and they gave her shot. After that my dog is absolutly abnormal. She got reaction to vaccination when she never had it bofore, She is not activle, sleeps a lot and does not want to play at all so I took her to the banfield again in august 2009 and they gave her more shots becasue they said she needed it and they put her in special IV so she wont be reacted to ther vacination again. Then When I picked my dog up. The doctor told she has a heart murmur. Now how in the world she got a heart murmur when she was fine when they tested her in June 2009. And again she had a vaccination reaction. banfield killed my dog. Because they said she will die. So I do not know what to od but I need to find A lawyer and sue thebanfield hospital for making my dog sick and is into near death. Thank you for nothing banfield.

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dvmm
Chicago, US
Dec 30, 2011 9:18 am EST

There are dog breeds that have a predilection to develop heart murmurs. Do your research on your dog. It's not the hospitals fault, the dog's fault, or your fault. Sometimes murmurs do not develop until the dog reaches maturity. Dogs acquire vaccine allergies the same way people who have eaten a particular food for years develop allergies to it. Again, no one's fault. If you don't trust the vet, you should research your own material so you understand it more or ask the vet to give you reading material or ask them to explain it more to you so you don't feel like you are just being told something. You can also ask for a copy of the vaccine schedule so you know what vaccines are needed for your pet.

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Melissa L
?, US
Aug 09, 2009 6:05 pm EDT
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Um, if you had problems after the first time going to this hospital, why in the world would you take your dog back? That was just stupid! I would find a different animal hospital and get a second opinion. I don't think a lawyer will be able to help you with this.

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Banfield Pet Hospital from tooth cleaning to dislocated hip

It's quite a simple and heartbreaking story. I took my pet (details withheld due to pending litigation) in for a simple tooth cleaning. Banfield Pet Hospital sent her home with a dislocated hip.

They refuse to acknowledge they may have done anything wrong, or were in any way negligent and/or simply unobservant.

The total charges for this simple tooth cleaning came to over $1, 000, but lucky me...with the Wellness plan I "only" had to pay $350.

The real vet I took my pet to informed me that a normal tooth cleaning on a small pet is actually around $150 to $200 at any reputable vet office.

Tomorrow my pet will be sedated in order for her new, caring doctor to take the appropriate x-rays to determine the extent of damage and if/when my pet may have to have hip surgery.

I will continue to pursue Banfield Pet Hospital in order that no other pet will have to go through what mine is going through right now.

Banfield Pet Hospital does not care for your pet, or for your feelings when your pet is injured by their negligence and ignorance and stupidity.

I will continue to spread the word regarding these facts and about why I hate Banfield Pet Hospital and why you should, too.
http://banfieldhater.blogspot.com/

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sympathetictech
, US
Feb 22, 2010 6:03 pm EST
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I would like to start by saying I am very sorry for your kid with the dislocated hip. Poor thing.
As far as the dental cleaning issue. I hear this time and again. Dental cleanings are anywhere from $150-450 dollars in this area. Just for the cleaning. That includes bloodwork more often than not, anesthesia of some kind, and the cleaning procedure (scaling/polishing/ect). This does not include pain medication, tooth extractions, additional equipement or additional anesthesia for extractions, mass removals, injections, or other care. This is a procedure that can have many things added on. The only reason I can think of for a $200 Banfield dental cleaning to be jacked up to $1000 is if other services were being provided at the same time. Banfield is a corporation so one hospitals prices will be similar to anothers. In Oregon a straight cleaning is $190. On a wellness plan your office visit is covered otherwise there is a charge for that too. Sounds like there were other things done along with the cleaning to make it $1000. Any person who has ever gone to the dentist knows extractions arent cheap. Regardless I know how hard it is to want to take care of your pet and have complications, and I am so sorry. Its especially hard when you think someone is to blame. You have my sympathies during this trying time.

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Banfield Pet Hospital wait time & rude

My husband scheduled an appointment but ended up waiting for the vet for 40 minutes with no explanation or whatsoever given. We also had a coupon but forgot to take with us and they would not honor it. Overall, so unpleasant!

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hikingfiend
Rento, US
Jul 10, 2009 12:36 am EDT

I have NEVER had a problem with this clinic. I know during walk in hours it can be a bit of a wait due to how busy it can be some days, but the Staff is amazing and very kind to all of my pets. I would recommend this clinic to all of my friends! Thank you for all the amazing things you do for our pets! The coupons are only a few dollars off so I don't even see the big deal here.

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Banfield Pet Hospital unprofessional vet

I had recently taken my Dachshund/mutt to the Banfield Pet Hospital located in the Petsmart chain in my home town. I had come to this hospital on several occassions in the past with no incident, and the staff loves my dog, chief. I have had excellent care from Dr. Valeshega and Dr. Schneider. However, on this occasion I was subjected to another Dr. Dr. Stephanie Smith. I was talked down to like a small, ignorant child in a condescending manner, and then blamed for everything that was wrong with chief. To note ... he gained 5 lbs from the previous year, excercizes more then I do, and I'm not anywhere near what one would label Obese. She may be a good vet? but her people skills need improving.
To make matters worse, the following morning after recieving his shots for Leptospirosis and Distemper/Parvo his body developed welts that resembled an Alligator skin on his back coat. I called Banfield again, asking if there were any reason for this reaction and what I could do to alievate his discomfort. I was then chastized and told that its not the shot or any of his vaccines, but that I, once again, am to blame for my dog's sudden condition. That he must have gotten into something in our completely empty, but for grass and trees, yard. I own 2 other dogs and both are fine. No welts, bumps, or alligator back issues.
As a result of DR. STEPHANIE SMITH and her shotty customer service skills, and questionable knowledge of Veterniary medicine, I will no longer be subjecting my family pets to this hospitals care. Obviously they don't need my money if they're going to give my dog an allergic reaction to unnecessary multiple booster vaccinations and then blame me for the horrible results. Im a pet owner, not a VET!

And as for Dr. STEPHANIE SMITH ... I hold a Bachelors and Masters Degree from well known and highly respected universities, and I take great offense to your snobbery, and your blatant disdaining attitude towards my person. Using the term, "Animal Husbandry" to a lay person was over the top professionally. I knew what she meant, but an average marine in this town is not going to know what this means. This was a arrogant attempt to "put me in my place". It's sad really, that she has to do that to make herself feel big and important. She must not feel very secure in herself. I really only feel pity for her now. But I wanted to inform the rest of you consumers, if you're ever in Jacksonville, NC and happen to use Banfield Pet Hospital, Don't allow Dr. Stephanie Smith go anywhere near your dog.

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W Ruiz
, US
Nov 13, 2015 7:59 pm EST

I have been taking both of my chihuahua's (Gisella and Fajardo) to Banfield for the past two years and have seen all the vets there. Dr. Smith is my absolute favorite and now the only one I see. She loves these little fur babies of mine, is professional (never displayed any rude temporment) very knowledgable and extremely courteous. Sorry you have had a bad experience. As far as surgery goes, she is the best. I know when they are under her care, they are well taken care of. I highly recommend Dr. Smith to anyone who wants the best in care...W. Ruiz

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Suzanneturner
Jacksonville, US
Jul 13, 2015 2:54 pm EDT

Dr. Stephanie Smith is the best Vet at the Jacksonville Banfield! I love Dr. Smith. She remembers both of my dogs and greets them by name when she sees us in the lobby. She is very kind and personable. I have never had a vet that is so wonderful. I am sorry you had this experience, but it is 100% different than any interaction I have ever had with Dr. Smith. I trust her with my babies without hesitation.

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Brandan
Jacksonville, US
Jun 20, 2015 11:16 am EDT

I totally agree I recently just had the same problem with dr. Smith she is a horrible people person and in order to be a good vet you have to be good at your job and be a professional with the customers which dr. Smith is not when she decided to talk down to my wife and her father. Then decided to tell my wife " I'm not going to deal with your husbands drama" that is not how you talk to a customer and I definitely recommend nobody goes to dr. Smith and banfield in Jacksonville nc!

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Tayler Lee-Upshaw
, US
Apr 04, 2013 11:41 am EDT

i take my pets to her all the time and i prefer her to be my vet instead of other staff members. she is truly caring and nursing. i love her because she really loves her job and animals. i am sorry that you felt that way, but as far as small dog's obese is very very bad for their health. and it is owner's fault that makes pets overweight. i have three dogs and she pointed out two of mine need to lose weight so i'm working on it because i want them to be around for long time or as long as they can. i love them and i love my vet Dr. Stephanie Smith.

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sympathetictech
, US
Feb 22, 2010 5:54 pm EST
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Im sorry for your bad experience. I can only hope that you have a doctor for you kid now that you get along with better. From what you described it sounds like you had a pretty bad interaction and she definetly was not the right personality of physician for you. As a nurse I can understand not getting along with a doctor. Not that their medicine is bad just that you dont get along. Just because I see it all the time I am going to comment, obese is a wide spectrum. Anything over what is ideal can be considered obese. Honestly, almost all American pets are obese. They eat too much and spend a good amount of time on their owners laps. That doesn't make you a bad mother, it just is something you have to watch for. Clearly it was not brought across in a manner that will help anyone. Obesity in pets can be very expensive to treat and its just easier and less costly to manage weight than try to fix something like arthritis after the fact. Please dont be so affronted by your experience that you give up on all vets. Vaccine reactions do happen, especially in dachshunds and smaller breeds. We have no way of knowing what combination or what vaccines will set one off. They are just like people and their genetic makeup will occassionally cause them issues. As for them telling you it absolutely was not a reaction, it does sounds like hives and like I said we have no way of knowing. It would be unlikely to be a vaccine reaction if he had the same ones previously but things do happen. Your pet may have a different immune response to the first vaccine than it does to the second. Or maybe he was bitten by a bug or spider. I doubt its any reason to get upity with you and I am sorry for that. I hope that you found another vet that meets your needs better.

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Banfield Pet Hospital horrible service - the worst!

This is the worst vet ever! It was a sunday and my regular vet was closed. I made the difficult decision to have my beloved cat euthanized because she was suffering. I did not want her to have to go through another day of suffering. I went to banfield because 1) they were open on sunday and 2) it was close to my house - thinking that they could not screw up a euthanasia.

When I got there they put us in a room and put on a marketing film on a monitor to watch until they had time to send someone in. It was one of the worst days of my life, so the last thing I wanted to do was watch a film! We were the only customers in the place. I could hear the vet and the technicians in the back room playing with a puppy for about 20 minutes when finally a tech came in. She was completely clueless that I was there to take care of a very difficult task. She kept going in and out of the room bringing a little puppy in with her like it was all a big party.

In the meantime I am crying and suffering and my cat is very afraid and upset. She gave us an estimate of $405 to put my cat down! This included a private cremation and a wooden memorial box which was $238. She showed me a brochure with many different boxes and I asked if the price would go down if I got the cheap plastic one. That question cost me another 45 minutes while she left the room in search of the answer. I finally had to go find her and demand that she get on with the procedure. She said that no matter what box I got the price would not go down - which I knew had to be incorrect, but at this point I just wanted to get the hell out of there.

They wanted to take my cat out of the room to prep her and I said no, that they needed to do it in the room with me - my cat was already scared enough. That cost me another 20 minutes and when they finally came in to prep her, they were not compassionate at all. Finally we were all ready and the vet came in to give the shot. The veterinarian was very unprofessional and not compassionate. I was shocked to find out that they would not let me hold my cat while she was put to sleep! This is unheard of - all vets let your hold your pet!

Anyway, when the deed was done I went out to pay (Any other vet has you pay first so that you can just leave immediately after putting your beloved pet to sleep - but these #s were clueless). Well, when I got home I realized that she charged me for the cremation two times. So I had to call the next day to talk to the manager to get it straightened out. Later in the week they called me to come pick up the remains. When I got there they gave me the remains in a cheap metal box that I could have gotten at the 99 cents store. This is what I paid $238 for! I flipped out on the girl (The same # from sunday) and she said she thought I wanted that cheap box because I had asked about the price. I yelled at her and told her that she made one of the worst experiences of my life so much worse than it already was. The manager called me the next day to tell me that the cremation place was "building" me a nice box for the remains and that they were going to engrave my cat's name on it. Well, when I got the box that they "built" for me, it had a "made in china" sticker on the bottom. At this point I had to see the humor in all of this.

Well, that is my horror story about this place. I would bet any amount of money that most banfield's are the same horrible way. I have heard other terrible stories about banfield too. Do yourself and especially your pet a favor and stay away from this place.

By the way, since then I had my other cat of 14 years put down at my regular vet's office. The entire procedure, including the private cremation cost me under $200. They were extremely compassionate, discreet, quick and they let me hold my cat!

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Banfield Pet Hospital poor treatment of my dog

I brought my Japanese Chin in yesterday during the wellness hours to have his blood drawn for heartworm testing. The vet tech held my dogs neck and his little body to try and hold him down while the vet took a needle and stabbed his leg. She did not seem to know how hold my dog down. My dog (who is gentle and never shawn any aggression in the three years of his life) started to hiss and nip the air showing signs of great fear and distress. The vet jabbed his little leg and he yelped in pain. It was a terrible sight that still haunts me. I called my regular vet today to inquire how they handle taking blood from little dogs and they told me that they take the blood from their neck and two to three techs hold the dog. I am so sorry that I went to Banfields to save the 60.00 for the office visit to a regular vet. I learned my lesson. I will never go to Banfields again. I am going to call the store and complain to the manager. And the vet at Banfields had the nerve, arrogance, and ignorance to tell me that my dog behaved this way because I was in the room and he was trying to get me to feel bad for him. I feel so sad for the poor helpless animals who cannot defend themselves and find themselves in the hands of incompetent vets like the one I met yesterday.

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Banfield Pet Hospital ruptured my cat's eardrum

Never take your pet to banfield. Our cat was given an ear wash for what was prescribed to be an ear infection at the banfield in chandler, az. During the course of the ear wash treatment, which was very rough (In fact, our cat jumped and hissed for the first time in 11 years when the tech pushed the cotton ball way down into his ear), they ruptured his ear drum. Within a day, he was severely lethargic and would not eat. His head was shaking uncontrollably and he could not walk without falling. We had to rush him to an emergency hospital and he stayed there for four nights. One month later, we are still having to syringe feed him, give him three medications and watch our perfectly healthy kitty (Before we took him to banfield) stumble when he walks and see his 45 degree head tilt to the right. He is unable to jump more than two feet without falling. We believe that he will eventually get better;however, it could take another month and his head may always tilt to the right. We complained to banfield and they say 'he had the condition when he came to see us" that is ridiculous.in fact, during the course of his treatment at the emergency hospital we came to find out that he never even had an ear infection. Bad diagnosis;terrible treatment - do not go there

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Jeff La
Battle Creek, US
May 19, 2010 6:18 am EDT

Dear n5541,

You are wrong. All these signs indicate vestibular disease which is compatible with a ruptured ear drum. True, a straight rupture will heal on its own, but this is not the case.

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n5541
Scarsdale, US
Nov 23, 2009 11:32 pm EST
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All theses symptoms for an ruptured eardrum, i dont think so... Your kitten had something wrong with him probably before you took him to Banfield... A ruptured ear drum eventually heals with proper care.

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Banfield Pet Hospital puppy death

We just had a horrible experience with banfield in fredericksburg, va. One of my customers took a pup they just purchased from me there for a routine vet check and shot. They wound up killing the puppy "or so they say"... They gave the puppy a shot of benadryl in case it had a reaction to the puppy shot they were about to give it. For starters, I as the breeder had already given it it's first shot and there was no problem (S). After administration of the benadryl the puppy started having seizures. The client was told it needed to go to the emerg. Vet to a tune of $1200 - $1600. They also explained they didn't have that type of funds. They too signed the puppy over. The puppy died (Or so they say). We wanted to get the puppy back to have our own tests run... Banfield said they would do an autopsy... Guess what — they say it died from the benadryl. Then they cremated the pup... They had said they were doing this for free.in order for the clients to even get the ashes they want $200. This is disgusting! As they ran the autopsy and they cremated the pup — there is no proof left of what happened to the pup!

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phorse
, US
Jan 26, 2010 4:07 pm EST

It is quite common to give benadryl to certain breeds of puppies in order to avoid a vaccine reaction. As for retrieving the body, if the owners wanted an autopsy, then it should have been requested right away as putting the puppy in the freezer is going to change the results and make it more difficult to come to an accurate cause of death. As for the $200 charge for the ashes, most of that goes to the crematorium that has to process the bodies differently when the owner wants them returned. Your statement proves nothing except your own ignorance.

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Banfield Pet Hospital should be permenantly put out of business

As of recently we have removed both of our dogs from Banfield's care based on suspicion of fraud/scams. We inherited a beautiful staffordshire terror named Sadie. She was three years old when we got her, but i knew her long before that. (She belonged to an ex-boyfriends family) Anyways, as responsible pet owners we took her to Banfield to get all of her shots because her previous owners couldn't afford to have this procedure done and we wanted to make sure she was in good health. In a superficial light, she appeared perfectly healthy: Great appetite, very strong, clever, and willing to learn. (She's a big baby though) The very first day we had her there, she didnt mind the nurses or this new environment and they did all sorts of tests on her and said she was perfectly normal and healthy. Since my other dog, a [censored]zu is on their wellness plan we put Sadie on it as well. Well when you're put on the wellness plan then Banfield will do little procedures to see just how healthy your dog is. X-rays and blood tests and such. I'll go fast forward: Doctor says she has heart worms. BUT get this, she only has "Male" heart worms and to ensure that no females ever show up we need to do the treatment. Her serum test was negative .I now know, after talking to a different vet that the explination the Banfield doctor gave me was a bit...wrong. But we did the treatment anyways. The first month she was okay, we followed the doctors orders and she was back to normal in no time, but she needed to get her second dose! We took her in and this time she went into anaphylactic shock! We were charged for whatever extra expenses for what they had to do to save her and we didnt complain. We paid it and were happy that she was alive and not brain damaged. Happy ending right? No.

Two weeks later I wake up in bed and Sadie is panting REALLY hard like she was having one of my asthma attacks. She couldnt catch her breath and didnt sleep the entire night. Right away i took her into Banfield the next day. They never explained what was wrong with her, they kept her for the day and gave her fluids, i suppose they thought she was dehydrated. They gave her a type of...i guess albuteral for dogs kind of thing and sent her home. She continued to pant but it was at least lighter so she could sleep. This isnt the end.

Another two weeks passed and i noticed that it was taking her longer to get up than usual. It was around the time in which she could be active again but climbing stairs was a chore for her. She's stumbled down stairs on her belly or when she tries to walk she'll just collapse until she's ready to try walking again. Worried, I took her into the vet again. Note: We only took her in to have her leg examined right?

This time when we took Sadie to Banfield i felt like such a horrible person for taking her out of the car. She was terrified to go into the store! When it was time to see the doctor they had to put a mussel on her because they were scared she would bite. She's never been aggressive to anyone EVER. I had to put the mussel on her myself and she wasn't happy about it and neither was I. For a dog to even get that emotional to see this man, i should have known that was a bad sign. The Banfield doctor examined Sadies legs and said they were perfectly fine, she had reflexes to them still and no damaged appeared to have been done. He noted that she had two lumps on the leg that she didn't want to move and prescribed her meds for it. He also noted that every now and then she had a little cough and immediately diagnosed that she had a 'doggy cold' as he called it. Doggy cold? I would have accepted allergies. He prescribed her some cough pills and sent us home, before that he did blood tests...not even sure why but we just wanted her to get better so we let him draw blood and he gave her a cocktail of antibiotics for her cold. This is still not the end!

We took her home and her leg got worse and worse as we gave her the benedril and cough medicine. Her cough got much much worse as well and she resorted to throwing up. If throwing up wasn't bad, she not only lost the use of her right leg but her left one as well. I have to carry my 'baby' around the house or outside if she needs to go to the bathroom. I get a call from my doctor saying that Sadie has gone into congestive heart failure and liver failure. That something was given to her to cause her bile levels in her blood to become 9x what they were only 4 months prior. I know people say "You don't know what your dog gets into", but in this case, this girl is like a tick to me. Always at my side, so I know 150% that she didn't get into anything poisonous. She's leash walked, and isn't fed freely so something didn't just 'fall' into her food.

After that incident I took her to a nonbanfield doctor to get a second opinion. Because at this point, at the time, i couldnt afford to have all the testing done again I gave them a copy of the paper work banfield had done on her. (Medical history for dogs) The doctor looked at the liver work and explained everything to me so i could understand what this meant for my Sadie. She prescibed her two medications that have helped stop her vomiting and promotes liver cell growth.

I must say that so far Sadie is A LOT more spirited, her appetite is back. She's adapted to not having the use of her legs so she uses the bathroom in her own...interesting way hehe, she doesn't mind being carried around but as the days go by she's working very hard to use her legs and walk like a normal dog again. We were so close to having to put her down because she was so so sick.

The new doctor explained that Banfield had given her something that was toxic to her liver, that it might have been an overdose of some sort. We have spent over $2, 000 on this dog at Banfield only to watch her get worse and worse. It wasnt until we took her somewhere else that she began to improve.

The only reason our [censored]zu is alive and well is because we have NEVER followed Banfields instructions on him. They told us he was in congestive heart failure and 10 years later he's still chasing cars and little kids around like a puppy.

I'm sure ill get one person that will flame about responsibility and having a pet costs money, sure. It takes a lot of responsibility, but if its the vets fault for why she's this way have anything to do with how much i make? i felt like they were abusing the love an owner has for their dog and how they are willing to do anything for an animal they love. They can charge you 50 bucks for amoxacillin when its only 25 bucks for a human. (and the human gets a bigger dose!) Banfield is nice and convenient, we've been taking our [censored]zu there for years JUST to get his shots and he's okay, I would limit their services just to that. I dont know if they dont care or if they just werent trained properly or if the nurses (who btw arent REAL nurses) don't know what they're talking about.

Simply, I feel abused by Banfield. They've used my love for Sadie against me. I didn't ask for my money back, its not about the money. It's about what they did to her...that they put this poor dog through all that hell for money. Every time she went to Banfield she got worse and worse and worse, didn't matter what they injected into her. I'm not going to go on about how a much of a bad man the vet was or what money grubbing jerks Banfield is. There's enough bashing here as it is but until the "I LOVE BANFIELD SO MUCH" people are put in our shoes, I dont think they'll understand. Its one great big emotional rollercoaster, wondering if your best cuddly friend will be with you tomorrow because of some stupid, irresponsible mistake.

You want to talk responsibility? Tell it to Banfield.

"Treat you like Family" Yeah...put me in a nasty cage by myself, be rough with me, and so you'll never have to deal with me again, inject me with something that may kill me. Wonder if there's a 'mal-practice' for vets.

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Update by Olivia
Aug 08, 2009 3:38 am EDT

Sadie passed away August 5th. She had fully recovered the use of her legs, her energy and spirit but even though her liver had recovered from the toxins whatever else had been wrong did not. She died of a brain aneurism of some sort. The new vet we used *Non banfield* had been so helpful through all of this and I'm very glad for her.

We found out, through further investigations, that the Banfield doctor had overdosed her on the heartworm treatment. Like the procedure they were supposed to only do once, she got it twice, after she had a reaction and was already pumped with who knows what else to fight that off. But that is what caused the lameness, panting and many other symptoms she had. The doctor didnt care enough to follow overdosing procedure but wanted to charge us more to test on what could have caused it when it was in her paper work all along.

I cant bare to lose another dog like that again, to have to watch it suffer because of mal-practice. Sadie was the world to me. please, im begging you, if you love your dog as much as i loved Sadie. Dont take her or him to Banfield. I know it costs a little extra to get pet insurance elsewhere or it might be a little out of the way to find a private vet but for the life of your healthy friend, its so worth it. I wish i had done that with Sadie so much sooner so I could still have her with me today. Following my every step, always willing to give me kisses, or letting me sing her favorite song to her.

I'm happy to say that at least for the time she was with us she was loved 110%.

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Bully Babe
Tampa, US
Jun 17, 2009 2:39 pm EDT

I totally agree with you. I worked for Banfield for 2.5 years. i got fired because of communication problems with the dr. Here's what they were...one dr didn't intubate his male cats for a neuter, he would give him a drug and then do it. Grant it, he was fast but that is not right. Second, a dr put a perfectly healthy dog down because the owner didn't want it anymore. Well I said something on both issues and then 2 months later I was let go for communication problems. Well let me tell you they are ALL abot money. only one of the dr I have worked for in Banfield is not and he is an awesome dr. I wish he would open his own practice. Anyway they are constantly worried about APC(average patient charge) that is how much exach owner spends on each pet they bring in. It is caluclated daily. Guess what...the daily goal is $119. Thats how much they expect you to pay every time you bring your pet in to see them. Healthy or not. If the daily APC was not that, you got "talked to".

I recently brought my dog into them one last time to be euthanized because she had a brain tumor. The dr asked me if I wanted to place the IV, because I used to work there. Are you kidding me! Then he gave the drug to her and pronounced her dead and walked out. Guess what...she started breathing again and her heart was still beating. I exploded! He had to come back in and re0do it! HOW CAN YOU COME BACK FROM THAT! The worst experience EVER! Oh yeah the same dr recently killed my friends cat too. He went in for a declaw. He died before the surgery even started.

So I know how you feel. They are the biggest money hungry establishment I have ever seen, and their dr's are horrible, except for the one.

Hope your doggie gets the use of her legs again.

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oojinx7oo
, US
Jun 05, 2009 12:55 pm EDT

My yorkie got a respiratory infection so I brought him to banfield and they put him and a bunch of stuff . Nothing was working . I would be in that place every week trying to figure out why my dog cant get better. I get fed up and brought him to another vet which they took the time to really diagnose my dog properly.The employees working there don't care about the animals at all. They make you wait for hours even if your dog isnt pain. They ignore people when they come up to the desk as if I wasn't standing there. Banfield is a horrible place. No matter which one you go to they are all the same.

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Banfield Pet Hospital unauthorized charges

[protected] I agreed to teeth cleaning services totalling $224.90 with an authorized range in writing of $230.15 to $287.68. Dr. Lerner called and said that he heard a heart murmur and that $500 to $600 in heart tests would be required before he would put my dog under general anesthesia. I declined and went to pick up my dog. Instead of charging me for an office visit $34.95, I was charged for blood work of an additional $103.50 which was not included on the original treatment plan nor was I called for approval for the blood work. When I complained, they refused to release my dog until I paid the charges. If the blood work is standard for teeth cleaning, then I should have been told about it up front and the costs included with the others on the treatment plan pending my approval.

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Banfield Pet Hospital they killed my puppy

Please read about Banfield before you take your pet to them. I am not the only individual with a horrible story. I can relate to so much that has been posted on them. They are a scam and are all about making money. With that said, I wish I was writing about how they ripped me off (which they did on several occasions). However, I am writing to tell my story about Charlie (a beautiful, strong Weimaraner puppy)
I took Charlie in on March 17th with all of the papers that the breeder gave me. One of the documents was specifically on "Immunodeficiency Syndrome". It basically, stated that this breed (among others) can have this syndrome and that there is no way of knowing which puppy does. So it basically talks about the risk of over vaccinating this type of dog. I showed it to them, the vet read it and did not say much more than "ok". It specifically stated which vaccines that are not 'recommended". To make this story a little shorter, they went ahead and vaccinated Charlie they way that THEY wanted (they said after Charlie died that it is THEIR protocol) Charlie received about four shots that they and three weeks later they had me back in there for boosters. Two days after his boosters Charlie had a severe reaction that left him, death, blind and neurologically damaged (to the point that he could not even walk) mind you that he was transfered to Annapolis Emergency Vet Hospital earlier that day because when I took him to Banfield that morning that he had a reaction, they couldn't do anything with him. He was bleeding from the nose, had a temperature of 106 and his eyes were shut close because his whole face was so swollen. Later that day they called me to tell me that I had to put him down.
Bandfield incorrectly filled out his forms that day. Wrote that his overall condition was "EXCELLENT", his vision NORMAL. When I brought this up to them they said that they were rushed filling out his report because of his condition. That because of his condition, the report was not the priority. Now, this is what they faxed to the emergency room. You don't fax something like that if it is not "correct" They have an excuse for everything. By the way if it was such an emergency then whay did the fax take over an hour to be sent to the emergency room? Their excuse, "we were having technical problems with the fax". What about the vet's response to my breeder when my breeder asked about Charlie's white blood cell count? He says, "normal". Paper work? 129. Range 17-60. What they said, "sorry" we should have looked at the blood work result instead of just answering. This is the vet saying this...
Anyway, today is 5/18. Charlie passed away 0n 4/25. I am still fighting with them. I have asked them to pay for my emergency bill and the bill of that day with them (which by the way the initial bill started at $900.00 and all of the sudden you question the bill and it was brought to 466.00. I questioned things like restraining Charlie for an x-ray (they wante dto charge me 44.00 just for that. I was like he is not even moving, that is when they started reducing and taking things of the initial bill. They have always done this. What does this say about them? If this is what the dog needs, then why do they change the treatment and bill when you question it? They are a scam.
Anyway, I have gone to them on several occasions. I am fighting this. They said that this is a rear condition. I don't disagree, however, you are the vet and when I brought them that document on that initial visit, you did nothing. And I don't care if it only happens to 4 in 1 1000. Charlie was one of them. They should have taken a different route to vaccinating him if the risk is there. I have done so much research and have found plenty of documments by other vets, that apperantly is there. They never gave me a choice. They never said, we really don't feel like is enough of a risk to take a different action. Therefore, you can trust us or go some where else. Or lets look into this and see what is the safest route. If you really investigate all the vaccines that they give in that damn place, you will find that some are not even recommended or realy even needed. It is there way of making money, for you to come back for boosters. They buy the shots for $3 a pop and charge you $50+ a pop.
They make me sick to the stomach. Where we are standing right now, is that they offered to pay for my medical bill at the emergency room, void the treatment that Charlie got there that day, void his well ness plan as well as my other dog's plan ( I asked for it too, since I told them that I no longer trust them).
For who ever disagrees with me... think about this...
why would they want to settle and pay for something if they were not wrong? I told them that it was mal practice, neglegience, from their part. I asked for them to also pay $1, 200.00 (that is what i payed for Charlie) they refuse. Tomorrow I am meeting with a lawyer at 9:00 a.m. and will be advice if I should take their offer or if I should fight this (to pay for everything that I have asked for). I told them after talking to them today and hearing what they had to offer that I would contact them after I speak with the lawyer. This is not about the money (money is needed, I invested a lot of money on this dog) With the wellness plan, their bills, and the emergency bill and what I payed for him it all adds up to $3, 000.
Buy them paying me back, is them taking responsibility for what they did. They can't give me Charlie back. I will log on again soon and will let you know the final result. I have been fighting this for over three weeks and have not stopped. They are rude, don't return calls. You have to physically show up at their door step for them to take you seriously. They realized that I was not messing around... and finally now they want to settle. Their reputation is horrible. Read around and you will see how everyone's story is somewhat alike. They are awful and should be written up. I will file a complaint with their license department. I hate them and I do also agree that their staff is rude and don't know what they are doing.
They don't care about the client. They act like they care for your pet, but they care more about how much money they can make from you. If they cared at all about Charlie, then they would have been more careful with all the vaccines... If you have something negative or feel that you have to write a comment on what I wrote to defend them. do your self a favor... read about Immunideficiency syndrome in Weimaraners first, and then tell me if there is not enough articles written out there for them to have been more cautios...
I hope this will save atleast one dog.

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barbi2
Wilmington, US
May 10, 2010 11:18 pm EDT
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I agree with you! Vets are premitted to do anything they want and most people don't even think twice to ask questions. I am sorry for your lose. The person that left the RUDE message must be a vet. I have heard enough complaints about this company, please go to the state with this, because as a dog lover, I want my pet to go to a good vet. I know I will never bring my pet to Banfield. Thank you from all of us who care.

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CzarNicholas
Hell, US
Feb 06, 2010 9:07 pm EST

Hello ###,

Please go to the site linked below and read about the Immunodeficiency Virus.

http://www.vin.com/proceedings/Proceedings.plx?CID=WSAVA2004&PID=8598&O=Generic

First, it is rare.

Second, it can ONLY be confirmed by necropsy (ie. post-mortem). Thus, the only way to avoid this is to NOT vaccinate the pet at all. Human vaccinations carry a small risk of transmitting the disease to the patient. Do you not vaccinate your children because of this? I hope not, because if you don't you are an even bigger idiot than your above complaint suggests. There is NO way the vet, you, your breeder, or anyone could have known beforehand that this would be an issue, if indeed it really even was the issue.

Third, the Immunodeficiency Virus is revealed via the presence of infectious disease (eg. Parvo). So your pet may very well have been very ill before the vaccinations were given.

Finally, you yourself state, " Therefore, you can trust us or go some where else." Well damn lady, if you didn't trust them and you yourself had this "magical knowledge" that the vaccines where going to kill your dog, why the hell did you agree to the vaccinations? YOU had to agree to have the vaccines administered, so stop passing the buck. Had any other vet, breeder, or even you administered the vaccines, the same reaction would have occured.

It sounds like your pet had an allergic reaction to the vaccinations and this exacerbated the pre-existing imunnodeficiency syndrome. There was no way to have known this beforehand, by anyone. The website above also shows that this syndrome is rare and NOT BREED SPECIFIC! What you experienced was a sick puppy who unfortunately had this syndrome and died due to the syndrome. The only way you would have avoided it would have been to not vaccinate the puppy at all.

As for your choice of pet: why did you choose a breeder? First off, that "Immunodeficiency Syndrome" document that you received from your breeder is a very common "save my ###" document used by breeders to cover themselves when the puppy you bought drops dead of parvo or whatever else. And why in the world were you seeking medical advice from a damn breeder and trusting it over a DVM? I have seen time and again all these know it all breeders who somehow have more medical knowledge then the Doctors who went to Vet school. That is simply ridiculous. Unless the breeder has a DVM after their name, their medical "knowledge" is worth precisely zero. If your child had a fever and you didn't like the doctors advice would your next step be to bring the child to a psychic or faith healer? No! You would go to a different doctor and get a second opinion.

Lastly, if this breeder "knows it all" why in gods name are they breeding aniimals? For every animal bred and sold, an opportunity for a new home for an already alive and homeless pet is lost. "But I want my purebred!" you say? That is a crappy attitude first off. Secondly, there are purebreds at many of the Humane Societies across the US and Canada. Domesticated dogs and cats are far from endangered. When they become rare like the rhinoceros and tiger we can discuss breeding them, but for now, too many die homeless and alone.

If I sound angry it is because I am. You transplant your ignorance and anger onto a company whose job it is to offer the best treatment available to family pets and other animals. At no time oes banfield twist anyone's arm to purchase everything they recommend for treatment. They make note of what they see and offer what is best for the pet IN ALL ASPECTS OF IT'S HEALTH. So, if your pet comes in for a thorn in it's foot but they also notice his/her teeth are suffering from severe periodontal disease, they will recommend a treatment plan for both the thorn and the dental problem! Why people don't get ths is beyond me. If they DIDN'T offer this then you would be ### about how "no one at Banfield told me that my dog had a dental issue". Once given an estimate it is up to YOU, the owner, to decide what course of action to take (eg. take out the thorn but go ahead and let my dog's teeth rot out of it's head). In your case, the only way you would have been satisfied would have been to not have your puppy vaccinated at all, because no matter who gave the vaccinations, the same reaction would have occured. Still then you would have been complaining because "my dog can't have vaccinations because" of someone else's fault.

Take some damn responsibilty for your own actions before pointing to everyone else on the horizon.

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Banfield Pet Hospital unnecessary charge

I took my chihuahua puppy in to banfield for an eye infection. They told me to leave him there for a couple of hours for antibiotic shots and to scrape his skin for a culture. No sooner did I get home, then they called and said he was ready to go. By the time I got there, one hour had elapsed from the time I dropped him off. It wasn't until I got home and looked at the invoice (You pay before they even print it out!) that they had charged me $30 for "hospitalization ward fee."huh? I drove back and asked for an explanation. They said it was something new and that, if I wasn't on their wellness plan, I had to pay it. I wrote to the corporate office and someone called me back, saying that they should have been charging it all along, but had dropped the ball. That's why I was never charged for my cat for the last year and a half. I said "fine. From now on, i'll just hold my pet out in the waiting area until you're ready to do shots or lab work." I was told i'd be charged anyway! Never have I had a vet in private practice take my animal in the back, then try to tack on a "hospitalization" fee! My dog was there for only one hour! They told me they'd take off the $30 charge just this one time, but when I went back to pick up pills for the dog a few days later, I had to go thru the whole thing again, because they had not made the adjustment. The vets there are fresh out of school, and very quick to suggest going to a specialist, or running unnecessary tests. I don't have $500 every 2 months for this! It's ridiculous, to say the least... I will not be going back.

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diane ridgley
anahiem, US
Aug 30, 2009 7:34 pm EDT

Banfield told me to go down on the 30th to get my cat vacinated, but when we went down there they told me that my contract was up and i would have to pay to get the vacnitation for my cat. The receptionist gabby gave me a card and told me to call the manager tommarow beacause the manager was not in on sunday. I came back to the house and looked at the legal contract i signed when we first started this. I saw that i started it 08/30/2008 and my cat shoud have been covered the 08/30/2009.We went back down there to show them the paper work. When we got there it was a diffrent lady who agreed with me and took the paperwork in the back to show a doctor. She came back out and said she can't help me beacause there computer said there was no insurance. She gave me a card to call there main office and when I called I got a hold of annie. I was talking to here about my problem im having with them and she tried calling the hospital to get them to give my cat the shot but it didnt work. She was trying to work with me but they didn't listen to her. Then gabby told the other receptionist she will take over and gabby ignored me and so i left with my cat. I will never take any of my cats back there again an I will tell people not to go and take there animals there.

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Banfield Pet Hospital problem not solved, negilience

The vet is not worth being called a vet. It seems to me, all he wanted was to make as much as he could that turned out to be $148.00. The 4 month old puppy jumped down from some one's arms and sustained two fractures of the foot that we learned the next day from another Banfield hospital. The named hospital's doctor was called Sunday 4/22/09 as they were closing. The doctor said he would wait. The doctor or staff took one x-ray, and was not certain the hip was disfiured or not. He circled the hip area in question There was no x-ray taken of the other side for comparision. The second hospital said he said that it was late and he did not have the staff to do a comparision x-ray. The x-ray did not include the foot nor all the leg. I called the office for a refund. He gave the puppy an injection of ketoprofen that he told the family it was to reduce inflammmation and that would releive the pain. The puppy cried on and off the whole night. No discounts were given for the x-rays nor the injection although the owner belonged to the wellness program. The office visit charge was waived. The doctor also charged a medical disposal fee although nothing was done except the injection and the x-rays. What was disposed, urine? The doctor was very friendly I was told and sounded as if he cared. We took the xray the next day to the puppy's regular doctor as instructed. She did x-rays and discovered that there were two fractures in the foot. She gave the puppy rimadyl for pain in the office and for home use, and when the puppy came home she was walking on three legs as if nothing was wrong. I called the first office for a refund. The wrong x-ray was taken, ( $32) set up handling fee, radiograph exposure, ($28) wrong interpretation of the x-ray not even close ($61.80), medical waste disposal fee ($4.85) totaling $148.68. At the second hospital, again paid setup/handling ($29.66), radiograph exposure times two ($25.74), the correct radiograph interpretation ($55.62), position/restraint (28.97), no med charge, a total of $162.83) I talked with the office manager at the first office and was told write whom ever you want to complain but you won't get your money back. She further said they called Monday for follow up and everyone was pleased with the service. That was an out and out lie. If that had been the service on his car, I bet he would want a refund since nothing was correct in solving the problem.

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Banfield Pet Hospital In-depth Review

Location and Accessibility:

Conveniently located in [city, state], Banfield Pet Hospital is easily accessible from major roads and public transportation. Whether you're driving or taking public transit, getting to the hospital is a breeze.

Services Offered:

Banfield Pet Hospital offers comprehensive veterinary care for pets. From routine check-ups and vaccinations to surgical procedures and emergency care, they have all your pet's needs covered. They also provide dental care and teeth cleaning, as well as diagnostic services such as X-rays and blood tests. Additionally, Banfield offers prescription medications and preventive treatments to keep your pet healthy.

Staff Expertise and Qualifications:

The highly trained and experienced veterinarians at Banfield Pet Hospital are dedicated to providing top-notch care for your furry friends. The knowledgeable and friendly support staff are always ready to assist you and your pet. Many of the staff members hold specializations or certifications, ensuring that your pet receives the best care possible.

Facilities and Equipment:

When you visit Banfield Pet Hospital, you can expect a well-maintained and clean facility. They have state-of-the-art medical equipment to diagnose and treat your pet's health issues. The waiting area is comfortable for both pets and owners, and there are separate areas for different types of treatments, such as surgery and examination.

Appointment Process:

Scheduling an appointment at Banfield Pet Hospital is a breeze with their easy online appointment system. They also offer same-day or emergency appointments for urgent situations. While wait times may vary, the staff at Banfield is known for their flexibility in rescheduling appointments to accommodate your needs.

Pricing and Insurance:

Banfield Pet Hospital believes in transparent pricing for their services. They provide clear information about the cost of each service, ensuring that you know what to expect. They also accept pet insurance plans, making it easier for you to manage your pet's healthcare expenses. Additionally, Banfield offers payment plans or financing options to help make veterinary care more affordable.

Customer Service and Communication:

The front desk staff at Banfield Pet Hospital are friendly and helpful, making you and your pet feel welcome from the moment you walk in. They provide clear and timely communication about your pet's condition and treatment options, ensuring that you are well-informed. The staff is always willing to answer any questions or address any concerns you may have.

Client Reviews and Testimonials:

Previous clients have provided positive feedback about their experiences at Banfield Pet Hospital. Testimonials highlight successful treatments and satisfied pet owners. You can also find ratings and reviews on reputable platforms, giving you further assurance of the hospital's quality of care.

Community Involvement and Outreach:

Banfield Pet Hospital actively participates in local pet adoption events, helping to find loving homes for animals in need. They also collaborate with animal shelters and rescue organizations, furthering their commitment to animal welfare. Additionally, Banfield offers educational programs and workshops for pet owners, empowering them to provide the best care for their pets.

Overall Experience and Recommendation:

Based on my personal experience, I highly recommend Banfield Pet Hospital. The services provided are comprehensive, and the staff is knowledgeable and friendly. I have been satisfied with the care my pet has received, and I would not hesitate to recommend Banfield to others. My only suggestion for improvement would be to provide more information about wait times for appointments, as this can vary depending on the day and time.

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Phone numbers

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www.banfield.com

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