Miracle Mikis review: Not honoring health guarantee 5

I wish I had read this before purchasing my King Charles Cavalier. I too was sent a sick puppy which was in breach of the contract sent by this breeder however the name they sold under was Kingdom Cavaliers. I was called the night before and told that the dog "ate something he wasn't supposed to" and that he was on antibiotics that they would send with the dog. The puppy was sent from Texas to New Jersey. The first day the puppy was acting like a normal puppy would but by Tuesday he would not eat (although I gave him food through a dropper), only drink and had diarrhea along with a cough. I took him to the vet's office where he had a chest x-ray because the vet believed he had pneumonia, however it was determined that his lungs were clear so they put him on Clavamox for and upper respiratory infection and stated that if he was not better by the next day he would have to be hospitalized. I returned with the puppy the next day since he had grown lethargic and disinterested in doing anything but lay in his crate and was vomiting up the medicine I was giving him. The vet that looked at the dog on Wednesday determined that he was "unfit for sale" since the dog was ill prior to leaving the breeder's care and that he needed intravenous antiobiotic medications. Because it was the day before the July 4th holiday the puppy had to be sent to North Star Animal Hospital for 24 hour emergency care since my vet office would not be open the following day. The vet immediately took blood samples and determined the dog was suffering from Parvo and started him on the treatment protocol for the disease which is the same antiobiotic that he was receiving orally (clavamox) through an intravenous. This vet also stated that the dog was "unfit for sale". My children were hysterical when I was told the vet bill would be at least $5000.00 which I could not afford since I paid $1825 for the dog and had already had over $300.00 in additional vet bills. Since my 7 and 4 year old offered to take money from the piggy bank to pay for the puppy my heart strings were pulled and I decided to do whatever I could to save the puppy. All while this was going on I was in contact with the breeder. The vet advised that this disease is highly contagious and more than likely went through the entire litter of puppies. I contacted North Star at 10am the following morning and spoke with another vet that was on duty who also stated that the dog was "unfit for sale" and that NJ lemon laws regarding puppies prevents breeders from selling animals to NJ residents who are ill and are responsible to pay all veterinary bills up to double the original cost of the dog and that she would provide me with all the necessary paper work to take legal action against the breeder. She also advised to call back at 6pm to check in on Patrick because he was in isolation and I would not be able to go into the room due to the highly contagious nature of the disease. At 6pm In the evening they stated that his vitals, potassium level and gluclose levels were good and that he only had two bouts with bloody diarrhea and vomiting but unfortuanely things to a drastic turn for the worse at 9pm when the vet called my house to tell me that Patrick was now seizing and he was in seizures more than out and that he was suffering from Distemper as well. He was urinating and defecating all over himself and that he would not make it through the night. The dog did pass away Thursday evening only five days after I received him from the breeder. When I contacted them that evening they stated that they would replace the dog with another available dog in the litter, however after researching Parvo I determined that my home would not be safe for another animal for at least a month and relayed my concerns to the breeder that went unanswered. North Star contacted me to find out what to do with his remains and the breeder now insisted on an autopsy which would cost an additional $350.00 on top of the $1, 500.00 in vet bills I had already paid. After reading this I was sure that despite the fact that the breeder knowningly sent me a sick puppy and therefore was in breach of contract, they would find some other way not to replace the dog. Please do not buy a puppy from this breeder! They are not reputable! No reputable breeder would send you a sick puppy on an airline or ask you to send a sick puppy back on an airline! They do not care about their animals! If you live in New Jersey, buy in New Jersey! Our state protects you and the animals from people like this! You will spend far more money on puppies from these people than you would ever spend on a puppy from a breeder in NJ, PA or any of the other states offering a lemon law for puppies! If you have recently purchase a puppy from this litter do not hesitate to have the dog checked for distemper and parvo. The incubation period is 14 to 16 days and it is a horrible illness that has a very low morality rate despite the best care due to the fact that there is no cure and that the vets can only support the puppy as he or she overcomes the virus. My family is devastated by the loss and to make matters worse we are not able to replace the dog until the parvo / distemper virus has been eradicated from my home and my yard. Lastly I did my research! I actually stopped the purchase of another dog because he had an overbite! I work in law enforcement and cannot believe I was taken for $3500.00 by these people. I feel it is important to put your experiences out there so you can save another family from heartbreak! Please stay very far away from miracle mikis and Kingdom Cavaliers for the sake of you and their puppies!

The complaintant can say anything that sounds convincing, knowing I wasn't there to prove whether or not her claims are honest. What I have to rely on are the medical records and the autopsy report, which support what my husband and I have stated regarding how Davie was treated in his new home.

I honestly feel the complaintant was a victim of negligent veterinary care. I have suggested to the complaintant that she should have the vet in question investigated regarding how he handled Davie's case. He may be a fantastic vet, I don't know. I just know he was very negligent with Davie. Does he have something against what he refers to as a "typical micro dog?" The AVMA needs to find out. Sadly, since this vet is a "pillar in the community, " and the complaintant has to live in this community, I highly doubt there will be an investigation.

This being said, the complaintant had the choice of listening to the breeder, listening to this vet, or listening to both the breeder and this vet. She chose to listen to this vet. She was in charge of the situation, yet she expects me to be the responsible party for something I had absolutely no control over.

If Davie had died from an illness he had when he arrived, or if he had died from a genetic/congenital problem, I would certainly provide another puppy. However, I have medical proof that he died from complications due to not getting enough food.

For the sake of protecting "my babies" from negelct (whether or not the neglect is intentional), I will not provide another puppy to the complaintant. I realize it's entirely possible that I will have a "defamation of character" or slander complaint to file, eventually, depending on how much damage the complaintant attempts to inflict on me, but if I don't protect my animals, who will? I will quit breeding before I will knowingly place one of my puppies in a compromising situation.

Please John and Sheryl Kobel State the Vet that was so NEGLECTING that they missled this buyer and let a puppy die in such a horrible mannor ! HELLO ! This is just sickning . A little Karo syrup or plain ole pancake syrup could have saved this puppies life.. just disturbing ! And SHAME ON YOU POSTER - You let the other puppy bully this little one off the food !? SICK .. WHAT THE HELL is wrong with you - Some one needs to call Animal control and have your other dog taken from you ! The Vet needs a review from the State licencing board !
Do something John and Sheryl - only you know who these people are.

The previous comment is "right on the money." Thank you!

To summarize, per the autopsy, Davie's (the puppy) cause of death was found to NOT be from a congenital defect, viral infection, bacterial infection, nor parasites of any kind. (He was not sick, as Loranna Michaels claims, and the autopsy proves this.) Davie's cause of death was a direct result of complications from hypoglycemia and malnutrition, per the autopsy. (I will not hesitate to provide copies of the autopsy report.) Our contract states specifically that we don't cover instances of neglect (such as those that are a result of malnutrtion). If Davie died from an illness he contracted while he was with us, or if he died from a congenital defect, we would have certainly provided a replacement puppy, per our contract.

Additionally, a second opinion is required, per our contract. A second opion was requested on Monday afternoon, 4-26, after Davie's very first appointment with his new vet, (one full week before he died) and was promised to us by Loranna Michaels. Yet, no second opinion was forthcoming, even though there was more than adequate time for a second opinion to be obtained. This was a breach of contract. A second vet's opinion may have resulted in the proper diagnosis of hypoglycemia/hypoglycemic shock, which preceeds hepatic lipidosis, resulting in appropriate treatment, thus saving Davie's life.

When we recieved the vet records after Davie's death, we were stunned to learn Loranna Michaels' vet was negligent in that the ONLY testing he did ALL WEEK was via a fecal sample, per the vet records. I told the new owner REPEATEDLY the puppy had hypoglycemia, (I still have all the correspondence for anyone who is interested.) and her vet did not even ONCE check the puppy's glucose levels. Hypoglycemia was not mentioned one time in the vet records, yet the autopsy proves Davie was suffering from it.

Here is the opinion of a random, UNBIASED vet regarding the typical testing that was needed for Davie: www.justanswer.com www.petplace.com
Questions to: Denice Colgrove, Professional Licenses: DVM
Experience: 45 years experience in practice and teaching. Internship and residency at UCD
Degree: Doctoral Degree
Qualifications: Intern and residency in Small animal internal medicine at UCD School of Medicine. Focus on Cats. received outstanding professor award from Class of '72, UCD school of Vet Med. Published 10 scientific papers.

Question: A small, toy breed puppy is presented to a vet 48 hours after arrival at new home via airlines. The puppy is lethargic and has not been eating. What would be the treatment protocol? Would the puppy be weighed and the weight recorded, then have it's temp taken and recorded, then ...? What are the standard diagnostic tests that would be performed in this situation, and what, if any, immediate treatment would be enacted while waiting for test results? THANK YOU!
From Denise Colgrove DVM

Yes, a puppy would be weighed and temperature taken and the history taken down and then examination and if the pup was dehydrated fluids would have been given and maybe some BLOOD TESTS to screen the major organs and a CBC and a URINALYSIS to see why the pup was lethargic. etc.
Edited by Denise Colgrove on 5/12/2010 at 8:44 PM EST

(Point: Testing was severely inadequate since ONLY a fecal test was done on initial appointment and no other testing was done for the duration of puppy's treatment. This was, obviously, a life-or-death situation, yet testing was painfully inadequate, thus, treatment was equally inadequate.)

Question: If I may, an in-office CBC would determine if a puppy is hypoglycemic, correct? What would be the standard, initial treatment if it was determined the puppy was severely hypoglycemic? THANK YOU AGAIN!

From Denise Colgrove DVM
Wednesday, May 12, 2010 8:55 PM EST

No, the simple screening blood chemistries would tell you that (if the puppy was hypoglycemic) and the CBC would tell you if he was anemic. Then if he was hypoglycemic he would be given glucose in his fluids. If anemic then one would have to track the cause of that down etc.

(Point: It would have been quite easy to determine the puppy was hypoglycemic. A glucose meter, just like those used by diabetics, will work for this and give results within minutes. Appropriate treatment for hypoglycemia, which is fairly simple, could have then been administered, when the blood glucose levels were determined to be insufficient. However, this simple, yet CRUICIAL testing was not utilized - not one time ALL WEEK.)

Both my husband and myself told Loranna Michaels what needed to be done before Davie arrived and during the nightmare we endured. She rufused to follow our adivce, choosing instead to do things her way, all the while assuming we would pay the vet bills and send her a new, free puppy if something happened to Davie, based on her emails. (I did not make this up. I'm basing it on Loranna Michaels' emails.) Example: She was told on 4-27 during a phone conversation to leave food out for Davie to graze. She refused because she said her other puppy, who was 4.5 months old, would eat it. She was advised that if she wasn't going to leave food out for Davie, she would have to force feed him. She refused because she said she was afraid Davie would hate her. (In spite of owner's claims, Davie's declining health due to malnutrition, per the autopsy, is proof Davie was not getting enough nutrition.)

Loranna Michaels was told ahead of time to have some Nutrical on hand when she picked up the puppy. She assured me she would. Two days later, when the puppy was already hypoglycemic, we were called by Loranna Michaels or her husband and asked where they needed to go to buy the Nutrical. I believe she had merely told me what she thought I wanted to hear when she assured me she would have the Nutrical on hand when she picked up Davie, similar to her empty commitment to get a second opinion. There were other empty promises made by Loranna Michaels that I won't go into.

Davie weighed 31 ounces when he was shipped, per my vet's records. A week later, he weighed 24 ounces, per vet records. This weight loss is equivalent to a 120 lb. adult dropping down to 92.5 lbs. in only ONE WEEK, in spite of receiving subcutaneous fluids, meaning, it wasn't water weight that he lost. I have no idea how much weight Davie lost those last two days he was at the vet, where he received subcu fluids ONLY. No tube feedings, which he DESPERATELY needed at that point. Davie left the vet's office in a body bag. Loranna Michaels told us, very coolly, that "it was just his time to go." It was NOT Davie's time to go. He died very, very prematurely and needlessly.

EXACT comments from owner's vet: "Typical: Micro dog. Micro dog goes to hell on arrival. Ensuing fight begins descending into chaos when pup dies! Yahoo."

The term, "micro dog" sounds like a biased, disrespectful statement. ...and what's up with the sarcasm from the very vet who was supposed to be helping Davie?

OFA will NOT certify patellae until a dog is one year of age. How then, can poor Davie have been expected to have fully developed patellae at 11 weeks of age?

The entire scenario has been very agonizing and highly frustrating for me and my family. We can give all the advice in the world, but when our words are disregarded, we are helpless.

John and Sheryl Kobel

can you please quote word for word what this health guarantee says ? Most breeders only cover Genetic defects that will cause death, not illness that is allowed to kill a puppy. Once the puppy leaves the breeders hands they cannot control what happens to it, and its not fair to point fingers if you did not return the puppy as soon as it seemed ill back to the breeder to attemp to fix it. Vets are not breed specialists, and little dogs can have unique issues like what your explaining.

Please list here what the Guarantee says.