Total money grab. Alluded to the fact my dog was potentially dying, tried to get every thing she could money wise. Previous clinic bill 150$ for consult and examination and prescription.
Same clinic different provider - 2000$
On Saturday, June 18, 2016, I took my 4 year old, male, German Shepherd, Maximus, to the Emergency Animal Clinic – Richardson. I was concerned because Maximus was moaning and acting like he was in pain after a long day of playing in his kiddy pool. I thought maybe he swallowed too much water or had a touch of heat stroke (the kiddy pool is located in the garage, covered from the sun).
Hillary Hellstern, DVM examined Maximus. She told me she felt what she believed to be a tumor in his abdominal and needed to take x-rays. I consented to the x-rays. Hillary Hellstern returned to the examination room with my dog, Maximus and told me that there was a tumor that was growing inside his intestines and that his splenic was all twisted around the tumor and that Maximus needed immediate surgery and had a 2% chance of surviving. Hillary Hellstern also told me if he didn’t have the surgery right away then it would be inhumane of me not to put my dog down immediately. She told me Maximus would be dead in 24 hours.
Hillary Hellstern did not do any blood work testing, fecal or urine testing. She did not offer for me to get a 2nd opinion and told me not to when I suggested doing so. For about an hour, Hillary Hellstern kept pressuring me into killing my dog. I kept asking, he doesn’t look or act sick. This didn’t make sense to me and I even asked her if someone here wanted my dog. She did not reply, but just quickly looked away and her body movement shifted uncomfortably, giving me a bad vibe. She finally left the examining room, leaving me alone with my dog, and my mind quickly did a u-turn, ‘I’m not putting my dog down when he looks and acts healthy’ I thought then suddenly decided. Hillary Hellstern came back into the examining room and I told her “I’m taking Max home and to please give me some pain medication and I will take him to see my Vet first thing Monday morning. This surprised her and made her mad, she sharply said, “You’re taking him home?!” I told her I needed time to say goodbye to him. She reluctantly said, “If he starts to deteriate, you bring him back to ME!” I thought it odd that she said “me” and not here or the clinic. I requested her diagnosis in writing.
It took about 30 minutes for her to release an invoice and I noticed they did not put any diagnosis on it. I requested it again, and after waiting longer, I finally received one in writing. As I was paying the invoice, an assistant was starting to shove a black ball (about the size of a ping pong ball) into my dog’s mouth and I stopped her by saying what are you giving to my dog? The assistant explained it was Maximus’ first dose of pain medicine. I told her No, that I would give him it at home.
On the Diagnosis, Hillary Hellstern failed to write that Maximus has a tumor and needed immediate surgery. She put "Mesenteric and/or splenic torsion". The only symptom Maximus had to merit “Mesenteric and/or splenic torsion” was that he did some groaning and she felt a bump. When I got home, I gave my dog the pain medicine.
On Monday, June 20, 2016 I took Maximus to my Vet, and he looked at the x-rays. He told me Maximus has gas, with a bit of a bacterial infection and his splenic was just fine. And that can be painful in the abdominal. I told my Vet what happened at Emergency Animal Clinic, and the diagnose that Hillary Hellstern gave. My Vet told me if Maximus had Mesenteric and/or splenic torsion at that stage, he would not be able to stand up and I would’ve had to carry him in the door. Plus Maximus would be vomiting.
I believe Hillary Hellstern, DVM is either in-competent or wanted my dog. She caused me duress stress over the rest of the weekend. Hillary Hellstern was pressuring me for about an hour to kill my healthy, 4 year old pure bred, German Shepherd. She should have her license taken away and I think a full investigation is warranted. How many other dogs have been needlessly killed by her mis-diagnosis?
