Danielle

Dec 18, 2023

AVOID Petmedics (Worsley)

AVOID Petmedics (Worsley). They're a cold-hearted conveyer-belt money-driven business, totally lacking any genuine care for animals. Our pet dog was happily running around playing with a large twig when it suddenly began choking and fighting for its life. The twig had broken up and part had gone down the back of its throat obstructing it. I desperately tried to remove it by inserting my fingers and in my panicked efforts believed that I may have pushed it or part of it further down its windpipe. We rushed to Petmedics (Worsley) hoping to have its throat examined and requested sedation and endoscopy to do a deep examination to check if anything was stuck down its windpipe.. This frightening experience - for us and our pet - was shockingly not treated as an 'emergency' and zero 'urgency' was shown. Our dog was placed in a room for three hours without any treatment or examination. After waiting this long we was finally introduced to the vet, who admitted the dog had just then resisted her attempt at examining its throat, to which we reiterated that we wanted it sedated and endoscopy carried out to ensure there wasn't any blockage further down its windpipe. She dismissed it and casually said to take it home and if it started choking again to bring it back. We insisted that she examine its throat by endoscopy, but she replied that if she did, it'd be the following day. Thereby, placing our dog at risk. After a futile plea that fell on deaf ears, we went to reception where we was billed approximately £185 for consultation and treatment. I argued that the vet openly admitted that she had not properly examined or treated our dog and had refused to do any procedures that night, yet, we was billed regardless. I was adamant that I wasn't paying this outrageous amount, just for our dog to wait in a room for three hours. To emphasise, it was the vet who had billed us, not the receptionist. So she was fully aware she was demanding payment for none-existent work. My threat of walking out the door without paying a single penny, persuaded her to accept only the £85 consultation charge. This experience was very disturbing, I can liken it to a baby almost choking to death on an object or swallowing a toy, rushing it to A & E only for the nurses to refuse to examine its throat/air-ways for any obstruction and saying take it home and if it starts choking, to bring it back. Then demanding an extortionate payment for work not done. This company and the particular vet involved has destroyed any faith I had in vets being in the job for animal welfare, clearly some are motivated by career/financial reasons. I actually regret paying the £85 consultation fee, because the vet didn't earn nor deserve it. I am angry and disgusted more than can be imagined at the callous indifference this vets displayed towards our pet dog in a time of 'emergency'.