Banfield Pet Hospital review: Banfield Aliso Viejo Office - Uncertain vaccination status, negligence, inacurate records and potential risk to puppy’s health

I enrolled my 11-week-old puppy, Lucky, in Banfield’s Optimum Wellness Plan after specifically confirming that I could schedule his vaccinations in-room with me present. I did exactly that for his August 29 appointment at Banfield Aliso Viejo.

During Lucky’s DAPP vaccination, I personally watched the vaccine spill onto the floor during the first administration attempt. Dr. Singer apologized and told me he was “sure he got some of that.” When I questioned whether my puppy would actually be protected, he decided to administer an additional half dose.

The second attempt appeared to fail in the same way, with the vaccine again ending up on the floor.

After two failed attempts in front of me, Banfield took Lucky to the back despite my specifically booking an in-room appointment and previously declining to have him taken out of the room. The nurse returned and told me they had successfully administered a half dose.

I am now left not knowing how much DAPP vaccine my puppy actually received.

My concerns became even greater when I reviewed Banfield’s records. Their system treats the disputed August 29 DAPP vaccination as successfully completed and schedules his next DAPP based on it. It also lists a July 11 vaccination as DAPP, while the breeder paperwork I provided identifies that vaccine as NeoPar. Rabies and Leptospirosis are listed as “Never,” yet their due dates show “N/A,” despite these being discussed by Banfield as remaining vaccines in Lucky’s puppy series. I also found an apparent discrepancy in his deworming medication history.

These are not insignificant recordkeeping issues. Lucky is a very young puppy in the middle of his initial vaccination series. His medical record determines what he receives next. I need to know that it accurately reflects what was administered and what remains due.

I understand that a puppy can move and an injection can occasionally fail. One unsuccessful attempt would not have caused me to lose confidence in Banfield. The combination of two failed attempts, uncertainty over the amount actually administered, removing Lucky from my presence despite the in-room appointment I specifically arranged, and subsequent concerns about the accuracy of his preventive-care records has.

I have not received the level of care and service I was promised when I enrolled. More importantly, failures in vaccine administration and medical recordkeeping can potentially place a vulnerable puppy’s health at risk.