Banfield Pet Hospital Reviews

Then, when it was time to have his blood rechecked I took my dog back to the Rockaway Petsmart vet office, a Dr. ** took my dog in the back and 20 minutes or so later came back very agitated with this $1,400 long list of treatment saying "he has a bad case of food allergies and needs to start treatment right away" to what I said: "no, you need to stop and listen to me". But when I tried to explain that my dog had already been unsuccessfully treated for allergies, parasites, sarcoptic mange IN THIS SAME OFFICE and a previous clinic without success and that the only treatment that seemed to help my dog so far had been the low thyroid medication, not only she loud her voice, kept cutting me off in such disrespectful manner not stopping for a second to listen.

This younger vet (not sure if she is even a licensed vet but will investigate) was very loud and confrontational. I asked if she could at least continue my dog's hypothyroid medication because my dog had been finally showing improvement for the first time. She denied any medication and simply said: "I'm done listening to you" in a very loud tone. My dog went back to scratching his neck to bleed which he had stop after 3 months of low thyroid pills treatment.

Regardless of her medical opinion, respect and consideration needs to come before anything a medical professional needs to listen when someone wants to explain the dog's medical history and treatment received and if previous treatments has proven ineffective. Why go back and extend a pet's suffering and not put him back on the treatment that is working, or instead order other tests that can provide a diagnostic? I find no reason for a vet to be so unprofessional and to treat a customer so disrespectfully as she did. I was in disbelief that this vet at Banfield treated a customer with such lack of respect and consideration, but I kept calm and professional (everyone else vet and staff are super friendly and go above and beyond). Honestly I never expected this from someone at this office.

Finally I went to another Vet this week. After a couple of tests I finally had a diagnostic: demodex mange and hypothyroidism, confirmed with blood work and under microscope! Why weren't these tests performed before? By the way, all tests and treatment was under 400 dollars! I will never go back to Banfield. I will make sure other friends and family do the same but if you are planning on bringing your pet here, BE CAREFUL WHICH VET YOU CHOOSE TO SEE.

Um, really? I thought I was at a Vets office. It was a simple ear infection and he needed ear drops and now I wasted an apt time for nothing. She acted like she hated dogs and didn't even give me any instructions on the way to clean his ears. I had to Google it later to show myself. Plus they said that they aren't going to honor the coupon because they don't carry that and I have to go up front and buy it at full price at Pet Smart. Everyone in there were idiots and the store is mismanaged very bad. I had to wait to even check out because the cashier let the person in front of me walk out and not pay. Such a waste of my day and very disappointed.

As I later tried to cancel my membership and go elsewhere, I was informed that even though I had maintained a membership for several years that I was still under contract and that we signed a yearly contract at the last appointment. My husband and I HAVE NEVER BEEN INFORMED WHEN WE BRING OUR PETS IN THAT WE ARE RENEWING OUR CONTRACT FOR A YEAR. Apparently, when you sign out your check out paperwork, they are throwing in renewal contracts WITHOUT ANY DISCLOSURE!!!! Beware. They are very shady and will nickel and dime you for everything. For instance, they will tell you that your pet needs diphenhydramine and you need to pay $20 for a pill (which is Benadryl that you can buy a bottle of 100 for 3.00 at a local pharmacy.) Just beware of the contract and the limited disclosure. This occurred at the Murrieta, CA Banfield pet hospital.

Finally, at age 10, eight years later, we took him to another vet and they did an ultrasound. His liver was full of cancer. Banfield never found it even though his liver was supposed to be one of the tests they performed every six months. How can Banfield test for liver problems every six months and not find that he had cancer of the liver? It is inexcusable to suffer such a terminal illness and not have the proper medical care that we trusted Banfield for. We had him put to sleep on his 10th birthday. That was a year and a half ago. We just adopted a little girl from the Sun City shelter and I told them of our experience with Banfield Pet Hospital. The caregiver said that Banfield does not have quality care for animals and they do not deal with Banfield Pet Hospitals. If it wasn't so emotionally distraught for me, I would have gotten an attorney and I would have seen it through to the end.

The next morning they were even worse. This is not how I left him. I called Banfield and spoke with the same tech who called herself Mr white's nurse. Which I thought was strange but was not the issue. I told her what was going on. I asked her if he was put in with another animal. I also asked if he was left in a crate to scratch his eyes after the surgery because I noticed scratch marks on him. They were very small and in strange places almost looked like razor blade scrapes under his ears and on top of one of his eyes. She told me no. I asked if it could be the anesthesia that could cause this. She told me no. She said that she noticed this when I dropped him off. She said maybe it happened in the crate I brought him in. I said no I had him in my lap on the way and he was only in there for a short minute.

Oh she said. If they noticed it when I dropped him why would they continue with the surgery and call in the middle of the day. I don t buy it. I think whatever happened happened in their care. I cancelled charges and will not use them again. I just hope he does not end up damaged or even blind. If I take him to another vet I may not have the funds to undo what I believe they have done. He s not even a year old. I feel so bad for him.

My Hercules develop a bad smell after over two years at Banfield. No dr could cure his illness, one of the dr stated, "omg whoever diagnosed him wrong, he's not a mammal dolphin. he's a Shih Tzu dog." The dr that diagnosed him as a dolphin said to me rudely he will die, this disease comes from his blood into his brain. I was devastated, I went for a second opinion at Banfield only to be told that dr was wrongly diagnosis and treatment was wrong.

I know what I'm doing, they bad mouth each other. I couldn't take it, I was told the balance would be removed since wrong diagnosis. I went to ACT coalition on dr **, saw Hercules' problem and smell same. The meds given, took care of him. In one hour, my baby Hercules was soooo lethargic, then one dr who help him it showed Hercules happier, running looking healthy. I can't believe that Banfield was practically ending my dog's life, he suffered. I bought so many meds from them and ear cleaners, change dog food, finally I left and he goes to act for health, and dog gone holistic for food. Never again to Banfield. Now I'm waiting for investigation of my bill. They tarnish my credit so I have proof of the diagnosis, I am fighting for my Hercules and my credit. Mind you I've paid a lot, and I'm waiting for $320.00 to be removed from my credit as settled. It's the principle and the truth about my Hercules, thanks.

Recently he was sick for 4 days, all appointments were booked due to my wellness plan. I had the option of a drop off and they would see him between appointments. If it wasn't for the plan it would have been more costly for an emergency visit. The staff were very sympathetic to my obsessive calling about my dog and were always checking to make sure I was alright as well. I was very upset. I had thought my dog had ate something toxic, turns out it was just a stomach bug.

I can not vouch for other locations but for the Lawnside site it's the best care I could give my companion. He is always excited to go to the vet. I have never had a problem the new vet Dr. **. Spent time to show me my dog's xrays and explain everything in detail. I have been around dogs before but this is my first dog. I've had him since 8 weeks old and if it wasn't for the help of Banfield employees and their recommendations it would have been a lot harder raising him. I would recommend the Lawnside NJ location 100 percent.

I took her to an emergency center, where she has been admitted with pancreatitis, diabetes and dehydration. When I checked the Banfield Website, they had us scheduled for tomorrow, with the symptoms listed, so it is not as though they did not know the gravity of the situation. I am canceling my plan for both dogs and getting a vet who is more interested in care and less in a zillion wellness tests that get ignored or misinterpreted. When I checked her last lab, my dog's glucose was high but this was not addressed or retested.

We took her in and they did the surgery leaving me with negative funds in my account. They gave my wife a phone number to get our money back and they just apologized one time. It took ME to go up there pissed off and looking like I was going to kill the doctor for them to give my wife the money back and we received a check in the mail for the rest of the amount that was spent due to their negligence. I would NEVER recommend Banfield ANYWHERE because they seem to not like Bully breeds. I am in Arlington TX. But DO NOT go to Banfield EVER!

Not being able to afford the testing, as I am currently unemployed, they then started the kick of trying to sell me pet health insurance for approximately $300/year and "If I signed up today", my visit cost would only be $75 instead of close to $100 and a portion of my cost would go towards my first month fees for the pet insurance and they would charge me automatically every month for the remaining amount... REALLY?!!! I refused the pet insurance. I paid the exorbitant amount for the office visit and left there just as educated about my pet as I was before I got there and got robbed of $100. I knew NOTHING. I went home, called a different vet, took my cat in, was told she was jaundiced, having liver issues.

The jaundice was clearly visible if you know what you're looking for. The whites of her eyes were yellow, her skin was yellow in her ears, her lips and gums were yellow... why didn't Banfield tell me this??? INCOMPETENT, that's why. To make a long story shorter, I took her to this vet, they charged me $350 for testing, her bilirubin count was at 8.2. They cared for her, took her home with them at night, gave her antibiotic medications, IV fluids and at my request gave her liquid milk thistle which is good for treating cats with liver disease and kept her at their facility for almost a MONTH and didn't charge me a dime more than the initial $350.

My cat's bilirubin levels are now at 1.6 and improving daily. She's eating again and no longer lethargic, no longer refusing to eat. The people at the new vet I found are absolutely amazing, I will be taking all my animals there. Word of warning; Banfield pet hospital is only there for the dollar, they don't care about your pet. Bottom line with them is to rob you of as much money as possible in the shortest amount of time and move on to the next victim. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND TAKING YOUR PET HERE.

I rushed to Banfield with Tiger's entire face swollen like a balloon to find it was 10 am. They opened at 7 am but no vet was there to treat or help my animal! Um are you not a vet office? Why be open if there is no vet to see my dying dog... Also the front end staff are just paper pushers and could not offer any knowledge or insight to my Emergency. Shouldn't the staff all be vet techs AT MINIMUM? Not someone who has no knowledge of animals at all... Also every time we would visit the vet they shot her up with her shots and walked out. There was absolutely no care, just another number to them. Also when trying to get out of my contract I was told that that was fine they would cancel my contract in short.

After receiving multiple calls in February they had continued to charge my card after I had "cancelled" my plan so therefore I was paying for three months not knowing. We actually used my other dog's vet the entire time we were on Banfield plan! I am extraordinarily disappointed to say the LEAST. I will forever tell everyone of my experiences with this "vet". No care or compassion and helping in emergencies... Forget about it. You would be better off trying to help the dog yourself. What a terrible service!!! I will forever stick with my other vet. I'm extremely regretful. I thought this would be better. I was so extraordinarily mistaken...

Then there's his hips and knees, he is moving quite slow. He had an injury to a leg quite some time ago, took him to Banfield and they brushed it off as a sprain!! Well we did X-rays today at Winders Corner, hips are GREAT BUUUUTTT that supposed sprain, nope not even close!!! He tore is ACL (human terms don't remember doggie term) but since it was so long ago surgery, which would've been recommended at the time of the injury, is not recommended due to this now being considered a chronic pain. So the outcome for this: my poor puppy has to be on pain meds the rest of his life at minimum twice a day. :( And he will possibly be on thyroid meds the rest of his life as well, but we'll deal with that when the bloodwork comes back. Banfield - Bethlehem, ga location.

Astounded, I explained I was a Banfield customer and I needed to bring her in. She didn't necessarily need the vet but someone should look at her. She maybe needed IV fluids. Woman continued her stance. I asked to speak to a nurse, who told me I must not have explained properly and of course I could bring her in. She died yesterday. All I can think about is how badly the company treated me after I paid thousands of dollars over her twelve years, plus the other dogs I have. I simply don't have dogs that are that sick, and they are ALWAYS UPSELLING. I had an I home service come to help Iris move on. I am removing my other dogs from the Banfield Wellness Program.

The Dr in Banfield should have known this information since bulldogs are very sensitive dogs! I'm really mad at them and I would want to sue them for that! I took him to them healthy and happy and there was nothing wrong with him! They overdosed him with anesthesia! I'm really angry and sad, I miss my bulldog sooo much! RIP Nacho xoxo

We are two 21 year olds trying to get by, some days we don't even have money for food. So we asked since we are going to pay it anyway if we could reschedule the appointments we missed for our pets. THE ANSWER WAS NO. I have never had a worse experience with veterinary professionals. DO NOT GO TO BANFIELD. This is the first time I have ever even written a bad review. My experience was that awful.

(1) Dog handling: the assistant who was helping the vet with the examination of my dog was pulling on his harness too hard to keep him still. He's only 15#, a Bichon-Poo. I was almost in tears. I intervened; the vet did not even after the assistant continued to handle him this way. However, I have had a very good experience there in this regard with a different assistant and vet.

(2) General Vet service: based on my experience in the past there I am now suspicious of the quality of health care they provide my dog. I'm actually afraid to take him there again. (I have a Wellness Plan! ) Yikes!

(3) Customer service: Mediocre to appalling. Each time I take my dog in, the front desk employees engage him excessively. It's clear that he's hyper-excited, they see that I'm trying to calm him down, they know that they're going to weigh him while he stays still on the scale (right!?), and they're well aware that the vet is going to need him to remain still in the exam room. Me: almost in tears each time.

(4) Out of desperation (new to the area) I signed up for the Wellness Plan when my dog had an ear infection. Costs for medication outrageous even with the plan!

(5) The wellness plan includes free professional teeth cleaning requiring anesthesia. Each time I take my dog there (about 5 times in the past 9 months), they push professional teeth cleaning. I know my dog's dental health is extremely important to his overall health. However, I'm not going to allow Banfield to do it. I will get him a competent vet to check his teeth perhaps with a radiograph before surgery could be recommended. One more thing I just noticed on my Feb 26, 2015 invoice: it states that my dog has been prescribed a prescription medicine that the vet did not mention to me during the visit!!

(6) Upshot: Since I have a few months on the Wellness contract I will take my little guy in for routine visits but I must be with him at all times.

My dog is 6 years old. His previous vets were excellent, considerate, compassionate, and informative. They tried to keep my costs down. I trusted them to neuter and perform surgery for an other issue. Medicine was much less than what Banfield charges. If you want to check out my dog's prior vets, here are their names: Ellicott Small Animal Hospital, Buffalo, NY; Georgetown Animal Hospital, Williamsville, NY. Both in western New York. 2009-2014 was he a patient. Best of luck to all!

Once I got there, the nurse asked me what I've been doing to help his gingivitis. Shocked, I asked what gingivitis?! She told me they found gingivitis on him 2 months ago when he was neutered. When I told her I was never informed, she brushed it off. Now my kitten's gum disease has spread to his lungs and he's sick. He's on antibiotics but I don't even trust they are the right type! Sadly, this could all have been avoided if crucial information about my pets well-being wasn't withheld. Banfield is negligent, unprofessional, and rushed. The people at the front desk are rude and inconsiderate. The vet's competence is questionable. If you care about your animal, please reconsider taking them to Banfield and whatever you do, do NOT join the wellness plan.

Then a few days later it was still not gone so I returned to their office when they told me it could possibly be a cancerous growth but that they never told me over the phone to apply the Neosporin ointment and that I should continue to apply the Remicin. They also said that he may shake his ear and it may cause further irritation and they should possibly tape his ear up over his head. Then they said to give him Benadryl to keep them from itching all the while applying the same ointment.

I got the feeling that something was wrong and I have not returned to their office. I did some research and found that the medicine was not to be applied for more than seven days. As I said, they did decline that they told me over the phone or to use the Neosporin ointment. It's just seemingly bad practice and I got a strange feeling about the whole thing. I'm taking my dog in for a second opinion. I want to report they misadvised me to use the ointment on this bump on his ear.

I had to beg them to release him to me! Even other patrons in the store could not believe how my dog was barking and that they would not give him back to me. It was abusive not only to my poor dog to me. I brought him to another hospital who agreed to knock the cyst off his head, took work and he was probably hanging his head repeatedly to get out and then could not be caused by banging his head once. When I filed a formal complaint I got a call back from the store manager who basically told me that it was my fault and if I knew he did not do well in a cage that I should not have dropped him off!

Anyone that knows me knows Arrow is my child and I would throw myself in front of a bus to keep him safe. To be told that I caused this is heartbreaking and adding insult to injury! I did what I was told to do by the drs I trusted with my dog's health. They abused both of us and I want everyone to know never to bring your pet to the BANFIELD hospital in Washington Township NJ. They have no compassion for you or your pet. I gave escalated my complaint again with corporate and will not let this go. I will spread the word in every way I can to prevent anyone from ever having to go through what me and Arrow experienced.

If you compare what you pay here in total to what you would be paying elsewhere, you save so much money!! Aside from the peace of mind that I have with Banfield, knowing that the staff (mostly, except for a few front desk issues) LOVE pets and truly care for their health. Every vet and vet tech I have seen has been polite, educational and fussed over my pets. I will never go anywhere else.

As for the comments I've read on here about cancellation fees, I've never encountered this. My coverage lapsed on my cat because of a change to my debit card, and I was unaware. When I took her in for her next visit, the front desk person made a phone call and said it was no problem. They signed me right back up and I didn't have to pay any fees.

I wanted to give a positive review because I want to share my experience, and I feel that if Banfield was as bad as everyone else says, I certainly would have encountered that in the past 5 years, or my sister would have seen that in her past 11 years. Nothing but good things to say about them; they treat my angels like their own and provide excellent care.

At the end of this year we called and cancelled the plan and started using another vet. We received a letter because we still owed 79.00. They told us that the two visits all together were 900.00. Even when we paid 160 and 125 they subtract that from the 900.00 leaving me a balance. When we tried to cancel they would not because we received more services than we paid for. We must pay the balance of 79.00. I do not know where she received 900.00 of veterinary care, ridiculous. We will end up paying over 600.00 for two routine check ups. They will not let you out of the plan. My new vet charges 75.00 a visit, thank goodness.

Today when I tried to cancel both wellness plans they stated that I would still need to pay for services amounting to $600+ dollars even if I cancelled the plans... Rude attendants and poor advice and they want me to pay for it! The somewhat ruthless office attendant at the cancellation dept today even asked if I wanted to write a check today to close out the plans.. I never felt so ripped off. Intention infliction of mental suffering may be my best option now. Do not sign up any Wellness Plan at Banfield it's foolish.. you pay extra when you go there and pay every month too. Seems like they can't get enough money from you.

They do refund 1/12th of the total amount - which comes up to about 50 bucks. I would feel a little better if they would donate at least half of the total amount to an organization such as the Humane Society or transfer the amount to another one of your Banfield accounts. I feel this is unfair and bad customer service to not refund you the unused amount due to circumstances out of your control. I am partly to blame, since they did disclose the non-refundable amount, but still think it's unfair of them to keep all that money. I'm still debating whether this plan is even needed.

My dog was still in a noticeable amount of pain so I called the emergency vet myself and was advised to bring her in right away. When we were seen there we were told by the DOCTOR there, there was ABSOLUTELY NO REASON WE WERE NOT ADVISED TO COME IN RIGHT AWAY and SHE SHOULD HAVE HAD A SPLINT PUT ON. The doctor reviewed her paperwork and it appeared we were charged for a shot for the pain however the paperwork DID NOT reflect our dog ever receiving the shot. Another flag that went off was she was still in pain and not affected by the shot she supposedly received.

After maybe 2 minutes he finally lifted his head and moved a little but didn't try to get up. My wife had just gotten home and he is always excited to see her but he didn't even try to get off the sofa. After telling her what had happened I took him to the Magnolia Banfield clinic. After explaining to the vet tech what had happened they milled around and run behind the clinic doors several times asking the same basic questions and after wasting another 20 to 30 minutes told me to take him to their hospital facilities because they were very busy and they were concerned such a young dog was passing out. I told them again he didn't pass out, it was if he couldn't get up, but still they said to take him to one of their hospitals, which the nearest is some 15 miles away.

When I realized I wasn't getting anywhere, I told them they needed to take down the sign by the clinic door which said "Sick or injured patients would be treated first for everyone's safety." The vet tech again ask me if I needed directions and I told him there are 2 Emergency Pet hospitals within 1/2 mile either side of Banfield and also told them if they couldn't fulfill their commitments at the clinic, I did not trust them to fill their commitments at the hospital either. I said the only time you will ever see me again was when I come back to get my dog's information to transfer to a real veterinarian.

I called the next day to cancel my Banfield plan for both of my dogs (because it is a COMPLETE RIP OFF) and was told I would have to pay $500 to cancel because of services we used. What the hell am I paying a monthly fee for? I would not recommend Banfield as they try to sell you on services that 1. your pet may not need and 2. are extremely overpriced. HORRIBLE SERVICE and HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!

The worst part of this is that the dog is no better and is suffering with the nail as she was before. I called Banfield this morning and asked if they could take another look since the nail is no better. They said they are in the business to make money and would charge me again! They seem to only be in the money-making business and do not care about the animals! After this experience I would never bring my animals to this institution!

Prior to this visit, we hadn't been there in 3 months. Blindly we renewed, and I just called to cancel for financial reasons/changes and was told that since I am canceling 2 months into the 12 month plan, I have to pay $550.00 for the "savings" I received with the monthly check up. So basically, $24.99/month covers a visit IF they have nothing done to them. AWESOME, DO NOT DO THIS PLAN.

Next I called Vet 2, they gave me an appt for 1.5 later. I took him in and told them everything that happened and I left nothing out. I told him that my dog would not stand. He was lame and weak and I noticed his left back leg would be up. I advise the assistant, that it seemed like it could've been his leg, but it doesn't not explain the fever. He took my dog temp and it was 103. He stated it was a fever. He took notes of everything he had eaten the day before and finally the doctor came in. When the doctor came in, I repeated every single thing as I had told the asst.

The Doctor stated "it could be a ligament or a tear." I immediately asked, "please explain the fever." He stated "Well yeah you're right." I advised him that my dog needs an x-ray and blood work to discover what is really going on. He stated "we will keep him for about 5 hours, because we are booked and so we can run test." I told him that's fine and I advised him that I prefer shots instead of pills for my dog because he do not take them, and plus he is not eating. He stated he will give him something for the fever but not for pain.

So after a long wait, the vet called me. He stated "I could give him a shot right now for fever, but we cannot give him anything for pain but pills." I questioned as to why and he never responded with a great reason why. So finally my husband and I went to pick him up and they gave us Jack at the checkout. Which was unusual because you would go in a room to discuss x-rays and blood work. So finally the doctor come out and we asked what's wrong, he stated he had torn ligament in the knee aka a football injury. I knew something was not right when he told me that and also that he was sending Jack home with pain pills. In which was dog was too lame to take anything down. So finally my husband and I get my dog home to walk him. He falls right to the ground with no strength to stand. He was 16 lbs that day.

The next day we noticed he is not moving or turning his head. It was almost like he was paralyzed. I told my co workers about his condition and that my dog was not getting better and they advised me that whenever a fever is showing, it means there is an infection and they do not know why he would suggest a knee injury. I advised my husband he needs to go back. I scheduled him appt the same day. We went and I complained about the horrible diagnose that vet gave my dog and that I just felt like it was a lie and not helpful. I told him I need to see my dog x-rays and his blood work. He never showed me the x-rays but explained the blood work that supposedly was 100% normal and that he would get the doctor in to discuss the x-rays.

She came and suggested a pancreatitis blood work, I advised her that I was ok with that. She took the test and came back with negative results and said that she will give him a shot for pain, I explained "are you able to do that" she advised me yes. I explained that the other doctor would not and that he would only prescribe pills for pain and that I needed to know what was on the xray. She explained there was nothing on there was would suggest a leg issue and that she could send it off. She adv me that she did not know what was wrong with my dog.

My dog was down a pound when we went in. This story is sad and hard to deal with. My dog is 4 years old and go every 6 months to get his shots and check up. I adv them that I was disappointed and hurt that they treated me and my dog this way and did not provided analysis around his illness and lied about the xrays. She provided my dog 3 other medications and gave him a shot for diarrhea.

My dog started walking outside but rests 100% of the time when he is in. I trust this vet that I pay my money to monthly to take care of him when he is sick not when he is well and they abused me and my dog. They are not great vets. They do not have a great team of people to support that research. They are like the McDonald of vet's. They will give you a quick fix but not the nutrients and healthy living you need for daily living. They are sad and pathetic and I will never suggest this plan again to anyone.

They injected my dog with all types of fluids which when I got him home he had a size of a tennis ball full of fluid due to them over injecting my poor 13 1/2 year-old dog. I was up all night with him due to concerns of the inflammation of fluid located under his front leg. I called the emergency hospital and they said watch the size of fluid and if it gets bigger bring him in. Next day the fluid passed from his leg after drooling all night.

I called banfield in the morning and they said he should be fine but please bring him in if he doesn't do a bowel movement, which he did and I felt and trusted their opinion and they put him on the same meds for a parasite. My dog passed on 12/25/14. I know my message will never bring my dog back. But REALLY!!! If my dog is sick, you are the doctors, why release him???? Tell me what to look out for? Tell me to bring him to the emergency vet.

Mind you my dog was very sick in August 2014. And was never injected with so much fluids and was prescribed the same medication. I never authorized all of the injections that they induced on my poor dog on 12/22/2014. I only authorized the blood panel and the Giardia test. Which in August he did have a parasite and the medication made him better. I just feel as having insurance on my animal and trusting their opinions I did not receive that on 12/22/14. The doctor should have came out to talk to me as they were releasing him. And I should have received documented papers on what was going on and the medications and side effects. I received the papers in the mail in January. Really?? I called them to let them know my dog passed on Xmas morning. Then they sent me a reminder card for a check up after they knew my dog passed. I called them and said please take me off your mailing list.

The doctor finally called me on Jan 8th and said my dog did not have a parasite and he had inflammation of his colon. And I asked her why put him through all of this when he was nowhere as sick as he was in August. You did not induce him with all of these fluids in August and he was fine. Then after 12/22 he dies two days later. I am mad. And I miss my dog more than I can even express in words. I just do not want anyone to go through what I went through. Roxy was my best friend. I feel these doctors are not professional. I should have been able to speak to a doctor prior to her releasing him. Do not prolong his life to make $$$. Please be honest. Be doctors. Be professional. Then I had to call to cancel my insurance and they said I have a balance that is due?!?! Excuse me, but my dog passed. Have some compassion. I would never refer anyone to Banfield Pet Hospital. I miss and love you Roxy.

Took him there, they gave him Vita K injections, schedule the ultrasound, gave a antibiotic, and appetite stimulant. Took Snowball home, prepared to bring him back in the morning, touched him- he was dead. Call Banfield to make arrangements. Pay that fee. Make the next call to corporate where I am informed I will need to pay for the wellness plan for the year. Which the representative said (I knew my dog was sick before I renewed the plan), insensitive to say the least. Snowball was only two years old.

I called Banfield 2 days in a row to voice my concerns. I was told to take her to an emergency center, because they are only her primary care and not equipped for emergencies. When my sweet dog began to cough up blood, I immediately took her to an emergency center. She was gravely ill and could not be saved. So less than 72 hours of her visit to PetSmart/Banfield, my precious dog was dead!!!! The emergency center was to call Banfield to inform them of this very heartbreaking outcome and yet NO ONE from Banfield called me with any condolences! To make matters even worse, I'm informed by the corporate office that if I cancel her wellness plan, then I am responsible to pay for her office visit on 01/08/15!

WHAT!!!!! I take my dog there for her visit (while her plan is still active), less then 72 hours later she is DEAD and they tell me that my choice is to cancel the plan and pay for that deadly visit or continue to make the monthly payments for the plan (until the next renewal date)! I am hoping that Consumer Affairs will look into this so-called policy that Banfield buries in the fine print! How can they make a consumer pay for a service that was performed while the policy was "active" at the time of service and not let you cancel a policy after your pet is deceased, unless you agree to pay their inflated charges?? I will spread the word, via social media, word of mouth to all friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc. of their unscrupulous tactics! I hope that this post helps other pet parents to choose wisely when it comes to their pets care!!!! R.I.P. my sweet Lily!!

We switched to Banfield Vet immediately. Banfield even matched 1 800 pet Meds prices!!!! Then when we needed to bring our Golden Retriever into because of ailments due to her cancer they were once again accommodating. 9 months later our Golden Retriever Tess was in continuous pain and could barely walk, the Vets and staff at Banfield in Southern Pines opened up the back door to let us back our car up to the back door to transport our very sick and disabled hairy daughter to the vet to be put out of her misery. The staff went out of their way to assist us with our dog during this heartbreaking time. We also received a sympathy card signed by staff members within days of having to put our dog down.

Our experience with Banfield vets has been a positive one even during that difficult time. We will continue to take our dogs to Banfield vets in Southern Pines, NC.

This woman has never even introduced herself to us, but wants to cut on my dog and put him to sleep!!!! REALLY!! So then we go to the front desk to make an appointment, the day we choose is booked up with other Mouth Mass Removals from this same ignorant Dr. that didn't seem right to me. So I contacted another vet clinic for a second opinion, the "mass" on the roof of his mouth is normal, it is just inflamed, as for the bad breath, my dog has had an infection behind his front teeth since SEPTEMBER!! Which is now on antibiotics for, and has cleared up the breath, but now may loose his 2 front teeth from the infection that I was told to freshen his breath with a liquid in his water. These people are the most incompetent group of individuals I have ever seen, and this woman calls herself a Dr? She needs her license pulled, because I can bet you those other mass removals, were unnecessary, just as mine would have been. This is completely unprofessional, and my dog will NEVER grace Banfield with his presence again.

I did as they said, my dog die within 2 hours after leaving them. I call back to tell them that he had passed and she said they were sorry. And now they sending me a bill. The dog die. Really you don't keep paying for insurance when your love one die. Never carry your pet there. And didn't even send me a sympathy card.

The new vet prescribed the correct dose and our dog has never had this issue again. It has been over a year! I am fairly certain since it was always a different vet treating her at Banfield that they were purposely giving her a dose too low to ensure that we would return for more medication, scans, and urine screens. I would never return to this clinic for any reason!

Well we had a funeral to go to in a different state and were unable to make an appointment to do all the extra things. That next day we had a friend take our dog to the Jonesboro animal hospital and we called them to explain the issues. They said to forgo the tests to find where the object was that it was important to start emergency surgery and get it removed. There we spent $2000 and our dog was well taken care of even without a signature from us for consent to care. The surgery thru Banfield would have been much more. DO NOT waste your money with Banfield. Found out that all wellness services at the Jonesboro animal hospital would have been much cheaper than the overpriced worthless plan offered at Petsmarts Banfield.

I called your office and received that same misleading information from a lady at the front desk who sounded like she did not give a care and refused to let me speak to the doctor. Mike rushed down to your Asheville office in tears only to find out that everything was fine but your people just wanted to discuss pricing options to remove boil. Talk about emotional pain and suffering! We are prominent community leaders in Asheville and we are outraged!!!!! We have already moved our pets to North Asheville Veterinary Hospital! In this close community, you can be sure that this news will get out!

I would have to pay for visit to put her under and stay. This is when I started to question Banfield Pet Hospital. My pet is part of my family and I wanted the best for her so I took her to a second opinion. With a 120.00 Vet bill, the doctor told me she could of had heart worms but he could not see or hear any. Gave me Tri-Heart Plus for a year antibiotics in case any were left and see you next year. I would still be paying 100 a month at Banfield Pet Hospital plus 56.00 for insurance. I love my dog and the way it sounded, if I did not get treatment I she would die. If I had the money, I would of paid the 3,000. They would have rip me off. My dog is healthy in this yearly check-up and well take care off. I would never recommend Banfield Pet Hospital or their insurance.

She & her assistant induced me to sign their "wellness program" and have told me if I do euthanize the dog instead of keeping him alive, I will only be billed for what I encountered at the hospital (in 45 minutes worth of charges). I am a single parent, I could not afford an additional $3000 in expenses, especially knowing that the Vet may have just learned how to tie up her shoes, and I did not trust that she is telling the truth about surgery in 1st place. Therefore, I euthanized the dog the following day.

When I called the "wellness plan" to recalculate the charges encountered in the 1st and only visit, they worked it out backwards to mean about $300 for an x-ray, and $200 for a liquid that they gave him to hydrate him. Mind you that doctor's visit was free, I had a coupon. Because the billing could not collect on a declined credit card for the remaining balance, they sent the account to collection agency.

MY ADVICE TO FELLOW DOG OWNERS IS SIMPLY THIS: Avoid this chain of inexperienced, inefficient chain of hospitals, and see a compassionate vet in your area who earns his/her money the old fashioned way. I WILL NOT DO BUSINESS, OR GO NEAR THIS HOSPITAL, OR EVEN BUY PET SUPPLIES FROM ANY STORE THAT HOUSES OR RENTS TO THIS HOSPITAL. Consider yourself warned!

When I brought my kittens in to get their spay and neuter the veterinarian there gave them a special flea treatment prior to the surgery because he said that he found a flea on one of them; but he did so without my consent, and nowhere in any of the surgery prep paper work was there even a hint that this treatment may be necessary. I was also not verbally warned either. When the bill came to charge me for it (as a surprise to me of course) I told them I refuse to pay for something they didn't get my consent for in the first place. The meeting ended with me under the assumption that my valid complaint had successfully waived these fees. I continued to bring my pets there and paid their health insurance directly from my bank account monthly. However, I just received a letter in the mail from a third party debt collector for the amount of the flea treatments because Banfield Pet Hospital has reported me for non-payment!!!!!!

IF YOU AREN'T INTENDING TO SPEND MORE THAN THE PLAN BALANCE ON YOUR COVERED PET(S) IN THE COURSE OF A YEAR, DO NOT GET A PLAN. Just pay out of pocket as you always do either there or at your local vet. DO NOT AGREE TO SERVICES THAT ARE NOT COVERED BY YOUR PLAN, unless you feel certain that they are necessary. Many of the complaints in these reviews are from people being mislead as to which services are covered under your plan and which are to be paid out of pocket. ASK IF YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR SERVICES OUT OF POCKET BEFORE THEY ARE PERFORMED. The plans only work if you are already spending a large amount of money on your pet's health care. The blood-work is probably the best value because with a basic plan, you get 1 a year, which is close to 75% of your plan balance (which you will have to pay anyway). Be prepared, however to deal with the many test recommendations that will be sure to follow after having blood-work drawn.

The hospital isn't in the business of giving expensive services at a discount out of charity; the plan is to try and identify health issues with pets before they become critical. This means that the test results will be scrutinized carefully! If you don't have the cash to get a standard $250 blood-work done out of pocket, then you certainly won't be able to afford the $150 (out of pocket, by the way) of tests that may find some rare genetic disease in your pet, which could also cost you lots and lots of $$$. If you have a pet that is already sick and you plan on spending over $1000 in services (meds, tests, surgery, whatever), then the plan might be best for you. If you have a pet that seems otherwise perfectly healthy, you can probably get by without it.

One month later he had the same symptoms. I had a balance of pills from the one medication however I needed 3 pills of the Other. I called at 9:45 am and asked if I could come in and pick them up. I expected to pay for them and that she would say to come right in. Was I wrong. After 15 minutes of interrogation, I was told the Dr. Would need to call me back in a few minutes. There was only one vet on duty and she was supposedly in surgery. When I hadn't heard back by 5:20 I called and told them what they could do with the plan. They certainly didn't have any interest in caring for my pet. They are a money driven company that has their bottom line as their major concern.

After my call complaining and informing I would not renew my plan. I got a return call in about ten minutes telling me the vet just looked at the request and to come in for the pills. No apology, no "We're sorry just doing what should have been done 7 hours earlier." CANCELLING the renewal Is a procedure not easily completed. I was required to contact the home office. Long story short. Use a different vet service. A small Local one that has no stockholders to look at quarterly results. Sell short. One

Within 4 days, noticeable hearing loss was occurring. I made an appointment because of this and Mollie was seen again on 11/29/2014 because hearing loss was extreme and concerning. At home she acted as though she was completely deaf and considerably lethargic/withdrawn. I dropped her off for this appointment - figuring that they would just say the ear drops were "clogging" her ears. I was told later in the afternoon, though, that she presented deaf to the vet staff and that this was normal considering her AGE. When I openly questioned the rapid onset (no known symptoms to full deafness within 1 week) I was assured that it was happening gradually and that her age was culprit - twice! I was also informed at this time to immediately stop the Remicin ointment drops and told that her infection was no longer seen.

It was after returning home with her that my husband and I researched and learned of this terrible risk of deafness particularly in older dogs. We had no idea. We were not informed of neither consented to such risks involved with this medication. We would have sought alternative treatments. The vet tech had just marked her health as 'excellent' before my eyes in our initial exam - there was NO evidence of hearing impairment... I reject completely that a dog can go completely deaf within a week's time, no matter how old it is, without a direct reason!! I've never had a problem with Banfield before, but we have seen all over the internet (too late) how this Remicin Ointment is causing deafness...too much so to justify a vet continuing to prescribe it to patients (especially senior dogs in which the risk is all so much greater)!!

Bottom line: Took her there for a routine exam, and ended up with a handicapped dog! We are in the process of reporting this incident at state and local levels to ensure we do everything possible to prevent this medicine from ruining another dog's life!!

After four months I received a call from a collection agency saying that I have a debt with Banfield Hospital of $311.46. I couldn't believe it. I paid it and call Banfield Hospital, and as per them they couldn't collect the monthly payment of my pet insurance because the bank has denied the payment. I called the bank and it was not true. They never call me or even sent notifications about this. I end up paying the insurance for the whole year and because they couldn't not collect the monthly insurance payment, they cancel the account. They never gave me a contract, everything was done through the phone. DO NOT GET THIS INSURANCE FOR YOUR PET, AND IF YOU DO, TELL THEM TO GIVE A CONTRACT. THIS INSURANCE DOES NOT COVER MUCH FOR YOUR PET, YOU ARE BETTER OFF TAKING YOUR PET TO A PRIVATE VET. THEY ARE OVERCHARGING.

Then I tell them if I can't get the thyroid medicine my cat will die so you might as well quote me for one euthanize. They tell me no the doctor won't do that for you under the circumstances! And might I add 2 months ago while being on the wellness plan for my two kittens, which states clearly that when you get them sprayed or neutered it is covered, they tried to charge me $800 and it was only after I argued that I am on a wellness plan I came back to pick up the kittens and lo and behold it was now under $100! Doesn't that sound crooked?

I was left with the impression that the staff was not properly trained to handle pets they've not seen before. I've called the corp offices to complain, however… they were just as rude as the staff members. Today I called PetSmart. They however, do care. Their reputation is tied to Banfield. I would never recommend Banfield to anyone who cares and loves their pet, and I will not spend my money at PetSmart for supporting, and partnering with these people!

A few minutes later we got home and as my mother was prepping her area I noticed the had a little bump in her neck, upon checking her I noticed she was covered in ticks and had scabs all over her body, so I spent the next 3 hours removing ticks and cleaning scabs, later that night I noticed her belly becoming bloated, her getting mucous diarrhea, and shivering. Because I was concerned I decide that I had to take her on Monday to my regular vet. Surprise not only had they missed a lot of ticks and bloody scabs they also completely missed the fact that she had hookworms. PERFECT. My vet said that was also given a wrong dosage of deworming solution but that she would be okay.

My advice, Banfield is more expensive that they make it seem. They are negligent and mediocre in their examination and as a responsible pet parent I would not go there, rather I would find a local vet that is more capable. I'm sorry, I don't mean to be disrespectful or mean but if you cant find a tick or a parasite in a fecal smear you are either not capable of performing your duties or need to be more conceit of what you are doing. What if my dog would have had something more serious and put in danger my other pets, I don't even want to think what a surgery with them must be like. None the less I like PetSmart they offer a variety of product and their staff is excellent but I am extremely disappointed with their vet services, mediocre health care providers is something that is unacceptable, putting animals health and lives at risk is negligent. Get your stuff together.

I will not waste my time describing the other instances of issues I've had with Banfield since we've signed up with your program. There have been SERIOUS issues there. One of your vets actually acts as if she smokes and is high while in the exam room. Of COURSE you all want people to sign a binding agreement forcing us to pay you hundreds of dollars for treatment. Because that's the only way you'd make money. If you ACTUALLY had to get paid based on your competence, you would have closed years ago.

I am letting you know that effective today, I WILL NO LONGER pay you another cent of my money for you to let my dog sit here and die from a disease he will have to live with while you refuse to give me a treatment plan. I wouldn't trust a single thing that came from you at this point anyway. Your doctors are incompetent and your business plan is sneaky and misleading. Effective immediately, I am blocking all future payments for this "wellness plan" (more like "let us charge you thousands of dollars so we can tell you your dog is sick and let him die" plan). My husband is driving to Banfield right now to get my dog's records so we can bring him somewhere that will actually try to help us. You are being reported to the BBB and I'm submitting reviews on yelp, google and every other place humanly possible.

So I had to drive looking for another place to check my pet. I finally did and they saw her the moment I walked in since they saw that she was in so much pain. So I can promise you, I WILL NEVER go back to that hospital. Never in my life I've felt so angry! I called to ask another Banfield and told them what happened (just to see if it was true they don't see emergency patients) and they said they had to see her. But of course I didn't go back and will not go back ever again to that Banfield. And if they don't take patients with emergencies, they should take down the "we take care of emergencies first" paper they have on the window.

A couple of weeks later a $25 charge showed up on our bank account. We called to find out why we were being charged and were told the puppy planned had rolled over into an adult plan WITHOUT ANY NOTIFICATION and that it was written into the contract that they did not have to notify you. When we indicated we did not want the adult plan and wanted to cancel, we were told we would then owe the balance of our last visit which was somewhere around $300. Or we could stay on the adult plan for the next 10 months and pay $250 over the course of those months. Basically we are locked into staying on their plan for another year. Three phones calls later with no apology or attempt to fix their broken system. I went to Banfield for their convenient hours, but I will take vacation days to take my dogs somewhere else in the future after the experiences we have had there the past year.

My dog already lost his eyesight because two doctors at Banfield could not diagnose something so common as Glaucoma. My dog is now requiring his eye to be remove. I file a complaint to their Office and the Manager Shelly who called me refused to own their mistake and take responsibilities for lack of knowledge and working equipment. She was quite rude and blaming me for not taking my dog to a specialist. I told her “I trusted your Hospital.” I am very upset that this so called Hospital is operating without the proper working equipment and experience Doctors.

I wanted to cancel my membership except they refused and told me to pay the remaining balance of $170.00. There are so many complaints against them and still in Business. They rip people off with their so called Wellness Program. They harm their clients and don't have the decency to own and make things right for their customers. I hope they feel the pain of my dog when karma comes around. If they have the proper equipment and knowledge, his eyesight would have been save to release the pressure and pain he suffered. Now my dog lost his eyesight and required to have his eye remove.

You know, the one they give you after you sign up for the plan that you're told will save you money during your animals exam. The exam where they tell you the long list and costs off all the things your poor rescued street kitten will need. You wanna do the right thing, and so you sign up thinking they have you and your animal’s best interest at heart. Their cold, dead, black, shriveled corporate heart...

So, you tell the sassy rep that all of these hidden costs nor the 12-month agreement were explained to you and you weren't given the agreement to read beforehand. The ever so helpful rep will let you know that you have the convenient option to either pay out the remainder of your contract in full or continue the plan until the contract is up. Well, of course you're going to continue the contract because why would you give someone a lump sum of money and then give more money to another vet. Let’s get something straight, the people who work here are friendly and have a great smile... but so did Ted Bundy. Even Satan side eyes this company. SO TAKE MY MONEY! Me and my cat don’t need to eat, but ask yourself... Who’s the real animal here? GOOD DAY!

We were given the phone number to contact corporate and so we did. When we were directed to billing we were told that the reason for being charged was due to the fact that they tried to bill us $41.95 on the 5th but our bank denied the transaction due to insufficient funds and that there is a $20 fee to charge again. We were never told about this when we had signed up for our plan and we were never given a form stating this fee. The woman on the phone was rude. We asked why we weren't contacted about this transaction being denied on both accounts of October 14, 2014 and November 12, 2014. She rudely said that "we don't feel the need to do this because it is the customer's responsibility to keep track of their funds!" Which is right but we do keep track and we were never informed of this being a possibility during a payment!

Banfield corporation needs to prioritize their customers over their funds! And we should not have to stress over this happening again. We are no longer going to continue business with Banfield! Although, we enjoyed our time at our pet hospital in the time we did, but for customer service to be so rude and us not being informed of this happening we are very frustrated and furious with Banfield Corporation!

Patricia needs to learn how to consult. She could have easily come out and said there's nothing that can really be done and let me make the decision of whether or not I still want my dog's weight and temperature taken. I am in a very high position myself, and when someone has a simple question, I don't charge them. I just advise/consult them and that's the end of it. Banfield has lost my business and this is just the beginning of my complaint. Next, I will be going to the internet. Everyone will know that Patricia is unhelpful and it's obvious she is not compassionate by the way her tone was towards me. It's highly advisable that Patricia learn to explain ingredients and why something can't be done instead of stumbling words and looking at a customer with a stone-cold face. Enough on this website. I will ensure everyone knows that this sort of practice is unacceptable. Consult - Advise - Educate. Not, Weight-Temperature-Heart-rate-$50.00.

I now have to spend thousands of dollars on attorney's fees and my time to try to regain what is rightfully mine. Mars, Inc., the candy company, bought Banfield a few years ago and they are trying to steal all of the Banfield charters from their founding veterinarians. This is an important issue within the veterinary community and it should be told.

If I can't even trust them with an appointment, there is no way I could trust them with my puppy. When I called to cancel, I told her I was canceling it because of the poor customer service. She said "Thank you" and hung up. No apology or asking for a further explanation. If this is standard for a new customer, I don't even want to imagine what it is like for a regular.

The doctor checked her out and offered a variety of tests which would cost me under $500.00, then left the room to verify if my dog received her shots. She verified them and then told me she reported me to the County because my dog has Rabies. They explained since I am a mother I should be concerned for my child's welfare, I need to quarantine my dog, and be expecting a knock at my door from the county. The Vet also told me if she doesn't report this I might come back and sue her! I have no intention of suing anyone, I am well off and I don't need to take advantage of any situation!

I was absolutely in shock!!!!!!!! I was offended as well! I went home and called the Spay and Neuter Clinic in Mesa which I was there just 48 hours ago. The Vet Tech named Jade said not to worry, their claims are ridiculous and "they are bullying you! Don't stand for this." This is horrible and I can't believe this happened to me and my sweet little doggy. I am going to tell the County about this claim against me and hope they go after this Vet who put me in this position. If you're reading this Dr. Michele **, I don't want your money, I want someone who cares enough about doing what's right for the animal and looking at all your facts instead of being concerned about who is going to sue you. If you're guard up that much then you're obviously doing something wrong.

Horrible to know your pet died because an idiot pretending to know misdiagnosed or didn't really diagnose accurate. As for the plan they offer, they offered me 37 a month including vaccines and neuter. Give a freaking break... That plan which I thank God didn't signed for is not worth it... Other vets has vaccination packages, and spay and neuter for about $200 or $200. Even at Miami Dade programs you can do it for a really low cost. It won't cover the most important issues such as surgery, meds, etc. so what's the benefit? None. Just overpriced vaccines and neutering service. A license breeder can give shots.. Give a break... I thank God I didn't signed cause to be honest if something would had happened to my pet I would have kicked the "vet" right on their private parts for real!!!!

They sold me a vial of Vetsulin and a box of syringes and said get his glucose down to normal "85 to 350" and he would then be good to go to have at least two teeth pulled and the rest cleaned. They gave him a shot for nausea, rabies vac., parvo vac., and sent us home with Cerenia for the nausea. Me not being the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to animal health took their advice and meds and went home with a follow up in a week. At the follow up his glucose was still too high for anesthetics for dental surgery. Not to mention still not eating and vomiting water. But that is the best information I ever got from that place. Had they operated on his teeth it would have been over.

My next stop was a real vet that within 15 min. of walking in told me to hospitalize my buddy for ketoacidosis and pancreatitis - he was critical. He lays here beside me as I write this after spending an additional $2500 at a real vet. I had to bring him home because I'm broke and can't afford additional hospital time. I'm praying that he survives. The Banfield charged over a $1000 for 4 shots, an exam, some blood work and their worthless opinion and a wellness plan. Of course their plan cannot be canceled. But they are not to blame - only I can carry that cross. I should have checked up on them before I went there.

Living in Portland where the original Banfield got its start, they earned a reputation of being the best in the area. I didn't know what had become of a once best in the business veterinary hospital. That was many years ago. The first clinic is now their headquarters and it is full of uncaring people who will do everything in their power to shame you into paying for a plan that if you purchased everything the plan provides elsewhere would run you a couple of hundred bucks. My plan was used up in 2 weeks. They wanted over $600 to cancel. I will probably regret it but I will not be held hostage by these crooks. I will not continue to pay for service that they do not provide. And I will do my best to see that everyone I know here's just what may happen to their pet if they decide to have that outfit do anything more than pet their animal. BEWARE YOU MAY LOSE A FAMILY MEMBER.

When I called to cancel my wellness plan, they made me pay for the rest of the year and she had only been on the plan less than 4 months. This was never explained to me when I signed up and they never made me sign a contract saying that I would pay for all services rendered or for the rest of the year if I cancel. So I had to pay an additional 300 dollars just to get rid of them. They are a scam.

Further, the "chief" hung up on me when I asked her what they were willing to do and asked her to call corporate and clarify the policy under these circumstances. When my dog needed three teeth removed last year they wanted to charge me $600.+ dollars when a local vet did it for under $300. I did get two other opinions and they both were happy to clean his teeth with mild anaesthesia or none, just a tranquilizer. They continue to bill for services they will not render. Both vets did not agree that the reason they gave for refusing to do the dental was a heart murmur and slightly elevated liver count as they both agree he is a strong healthy dog, and those were not valid reasons for not cleaning his teeth. An infection in the mouth could be more harmful than a cleaning.

With no treatment my dogs are heartworm free. They overcharge and do unnecessary procedures. Luna's last visit her comprehensive. I was told everything looked good. The next day I noticed worm in her feces. She was full of worms. I have treated the worms but her health has been deteriorating ever since. Will not take her back. Still have to pay thru December on her contract.

This was my first and last experience with Banfield. I wonder if what other Banfield reviewers and technicians have said is true, that the veterinarians here are inexperienced. When we got there to say goodbye to our beautiful pet, someone else did all the talking and although she was present, the veterinarian didn't say anything at all. Not one word. She seemed shocked, and I can only wonder how many times she had done this procedure. Whatever really happened, we will never know. My children are devastated, please think twice before you decide to take your beloved pet here. It’s not worthy.

I had made my appointment with Dr. ** and when I went to Banfield I waited there for 2 hours before Baby was seen for her Titer Rabies Test. It wasn't Dr. ** but a Dr. ** who Baby took a complete dislike to. I began explaining to him I needed a form 51 and he rudely said to me he never heard of that Rabies Form. I am sorry but I only worked for my husband, Jordan **, since 1977 to 2003 and I filled out many forms 50 and then it was changed to form 51. These forms are needed to make reservations for the pets for airline travel and international travel is much stricter than domestic travel. I asked for the form and basically he told me I was crazy and didn't know what I was talking about.

The 2nd red flag was I was told a different thing than what Dr. ** told me. He told me Baby has a heart murmur and won't last the air flight. She will die. Now I look at her paws and her belly but there was no expiration marks on her saying when she is going to die nor did he give me what grade that this mummer was and when I got home I listened with my stethoscope and heard a normal beat, a healthy heart. There are only two sounds heard sort of a lub-dub and they should be clearly audible, not muffled or difficult to pick up. The two sounds should have uniform loudness (the 'lub' isn't louder than the 'dub' or vice versa), and a regular rhythm. She did not have a Lub or the Dub louder than the other.

My next red flag was the filling out of the form 51. I need 3 original copies and each copy I was handed was totally different from the 1st copy and it had to be signed by the doctor who initially gave the vaccine which it wasn't. When I looked at the form 51 they checked off that the manufactured 3 year licensed Rabies Vaccine was a 1 year shot. There is another space on the form for when they want to revaccinate her but she is not going back to them since she will be living in Israel. The Israeli Government is only interested in how long the vaccine was going to last not how long they want to over vaccinate a 12 year old dog who could get lung abscess in the lungs if over vaccinated as written in the AHHA and AVMA journals. I have kept up with my studies and attended major conventions.

The Defensor 3 is a licensed 3 year vaccine and has to be written that way on a form 51 or that this Rabies Certificate is considered not valid. Also as I said I needed 3 in blue or purple ink originals not black which if they had used the carbonless copy they won't have made the mistakes that they did which alters each Certificate. 3 form 51 enclosed along with the Banfield Rabies Certificate which is not accepted in Israel. According to the Rabies Law in Pennsylvania Chapter 16 Rabies Prevention and Control Subchapter C Section16.43 Revaccination, A dog or cat over 3 months of age shall be vaccinated to maintain immunity against rabies by the administration of a USDA licensed vaccine, including vaccines producing Immunity lasting 3 years, in accordance with instructions prescribed by the manufacturer.

2. A dog or cat vaccinated when OVER 1 (one) YEAR with a vaccine producing immunity lasting 3 (three) years shall be revaccinated no later than 3 (three) years and at least every 3 (three) years thereafter.

Baby is 12 years old and that Banfield issued a 1 year licensure on a 3 year licensure vaccine. I paid for the certificate of vaccination and her Rabies titer. Now I question this Pet Hospital over their policy vs their examinations and qualifications. I am wondering how many people were told that their pets were going to die in 3 months and were put to sleep because of misdiagnoses. I take writing up a complaint against another Vet very seriously because my husband was accused by animal activist falsely. But this is not a false complaint and I have the Rabies Certificate which I am enclosing and of both Banfield and the copies of the 3 form 51 which was signed and never checked. Also as I said that we are leaving at the end of December 2014 and I was handed a health Certificate after I explained it 3 times the end of December.

When I mentioned the Airline El Al this doctor ** said, "Who's El Al?" It made me feel he was anti-Israel especially telling me my Baby was going to die on her way to Israel. His exact words were "when you open the cage you will find a dead dog." This doctor ** berated me, tried to make me look stupid. Also to add to this instead of the doctor taking blood for the Rabies titer in front of me, shaving the leg, he took blood from an artery in the neck in the back in a back room. They didn't shave the hair in the area of the Jugular Artery where they took blood which I found to be unsanitary and not very clean. I could not find the needle mark or any blood in that area. I am not even sure they took blood and I was charged for it. There is always a needle mark or some oozing of blood. When I examined her neck she generally is sensitive to the touch at the injection site. Now he placed the microchip in her back and she is sensitive there.

October 24th, 2014, I received a call today at approximate 10am from a Dr. **, the Chief of Staff. I was still angry at how I was lied to by the staff of 1.) the cost of the visit when it should have been a revisit; 2.) the fact that I did not find an injection spot on Baby's neck and therefore I do not believe a test was taken; 3.) they refused to give me the name of the Lab this blood titer was sent to. The only lab that was found on the net was Kamas State University in and their fees are the following:

RFFIT-Rabies Antibody Screen Serum (1-2ml) Humans and All Animals $40.00 more...

Where Banfield obtained a $350 fee for a Lab test is almost 300% of the actual cost. Banfield Pet Hospital continues to commit fraud to other clients with the practice of giving a 3 year licensed vaccination to other 1year and older pets with stating it's a one year vaccination. The public depends and is in total dependency on the honesty of the Vets and the Vet Asst in this practice to be forthcoming. Section 21. Grounds for Disciplinary Proceedings, (4) Fraud, deception, misrepresentation, dishonest or illegal practices in or connected with the practice of veterinary medicine.

One doctor at the practice states Baby had no heart murmur and the other doctor states she has a Grade 2/6 heart murmur without an EKG and without evidence to back him up. Confusion has arisen over the position of the point of maximal intensity (PMI) of sounds associated with the different valve areas. The point at which sounds are loudest does not correspond accurately with the anatomical position of the valves because sounds have to be transmitted to the body surface to be heard. Systolic sounds associated with the AV valves are best heard towards the apex beat area because they are transmitted by the stiff ventricular wall to the point at which it touches the chest wall. However, external anatomical landmarks are a rough guide to the location of underlying cardiac structures.

The mitral valve area is located in the fourth or fifth intercostal space on the left side of the chest just dorsal to the level of the olecranon. The aortic valve area is located in the fourth intercostal space on the left side of the chest just below the point of the shoulder. To hear sounds in this area, the stethoscope must be pushed forward under the triceps muscle. The pulmonary valve area is located in the second or third intercostal space on the left side of the chest just ventral to the aortic valve area. The tricuspid valve area is located in the third or fourth intercostal space on the right side of the chest approximately midway between the level of the olecranon and the shoulder. Sounds associated with the tricuspid valve may also be heard on the left side of the chest in the second intercostal space at a similar level in some animals. These areas reflect the cranio-caudal orientation of the LV and the right-left orientation of the right ventricle.

It is very difficult to hear a low grade 1 and 2 unless a Cardiac stethoscope is used and total silence is in the room when the noises of barking dogs were heard in the room and that the wrist of the technician Nick ** was directly next to the bell and the diaphragm of the stethoscope. When I brought this to the attention of Dr. ** she was indifferent to my concerns. One Doctor states no murmur while the other states murmur. When I brought up to the attention of Dr. ** how I was spoken to by her staff and how I was at that point angry on who was telling me the truth and who was lying and that I mentioned this in the lobby waiting 1 hour for a Certificate that was filled out incorrectly with several different signatures and not of the doctor who performed the Rabies Vaccination I felt fraud was committed and I was not going to jail for their mistakes.

When I went in to have a receipt signed for the records and which also indicated they owe me the original results needed to international travel they just acted as her legal consultant and her boss. He advised her on what to say which placed her deeper into this fraud. After reviewing the records there were defaming, slanderous comments on Baby's record about me being hostile, and stated I said I was just a stupid Technician which I originally said a dump technologist who only worked in my husband's office from 1977 to 2003 when I gave the hard copy records to Steven ** who was my husband's cousin along with the computer records. I had not asked for any phone numbers or any other information but was holding a private conversation with my son about calling and complaining to their Corporation Headquarters on the treatment of my dog and me.

That I sat in an exam room for 2 hours watching the staff play keep the door from opening, eating, making fun of clients and then in the lobby area for another hour with another client who came in was told that there was no walk in after she was told there was. She asked the receptionist to check to see if the kitten who was about 6 weeks old if it was a boy or a girl. The receptionist was so nasty to her that she sat down at her command. My son said he could tell and held the kitten up to see the sex and she was a lucky Grandmother of a Male kitten. I never asked for anyone phone number but I wanted to know when Dr. ** was in to lodge my complaint. I cannot take Baby's records to any vet because of what they wrote in there about me. I demand that these unprofessional comments be removed.

I have a receipt that they owe me the Rabies Titer test that I overpaid for and that I demand to pick this test up just in case they give me the wrong thing. I am cannot trust their comments on the test since they have been proven to me that they write unprofessional comments and lies. This Pet Hospital allows unprofessional unlicensed personal to write on medical records. This person came in impersonated a Registered/Certified Vet Technician and proceeded to examine my dog. This ** wore a tag that said vet tech. He argued with me, had accesses to my pet's records and wrote defaming comments on the record which was not professional. The "manager" did not refer to the staff as a Medical Vet Staff but as a TEAM and he was the TEAM LEADER which makes no sense in the Veterinary Field.

Also he claims he took blood from my dog through the jugular vein and not from the leg. He is not formally trained or qualified or licensed to take blood from Animals. This Nick ** is practicing as a Vet Tech and is unlicensed to do so. If he is an animal handler or a kennel person they should not be making comments about the owner or examining pets.

Later on after two weeks I still noticed worms. So I took her back and they did a fecal exam again and again was negative (don't expect any real answers from these people) but gave me more medication which again I did as instructed. By the way you only get a dollar off all medications even though you are paying ~$50 a month. By this point I have gotten her all of her shots done; rabies, parvo, etc. My dog all of a sudden was throwing up eight hours after eating, was lethargic, and just ill. I took her to the vet immediately. The vet gave her fluids and tested her for parvo (I know people say dogs can still get it after the vaccine). The test came back negative (they however fails to tell me if it was the fecal test, which is cheap for them and very inaccurate test, or a blood test which is what should be done).

The vet said and I quote (about vomiting 8 hours after eating) "That doesn't sound possible. You see after 8 hours all her food should be in her lower intestine." Everyone should know this that's why I brought it to her attention but I guess she thought I was over exaggerating even though I fed her at 6am then when I get home to take her for a walk around three or four which is when she vomited before her 6pm dinner. I bought the prescription food and my dog wouldn't touch it. Every week I brought her in and was given no answer at all, just medications to treat the symptoms and only the symptoms.

By the third week with them doing nothing at all I got puppy milk and bottled fed her and spoke with another vet. I didn't even tell the other vet that I have been taking her to Banfield! I only told her the symptoms and immediately the new vet at a different company said there could be an internal blockage or rupture. Specifically because I told the different clinic that she vomits eight hours after eating. The new clinic didn't even have to see my dog to give me an idea of what was wrong. I took my dog in that night to the new vet clinic but by then it was too late. It was a internal rupture causing the intestine to start telescoping. It got too bad to be able to do something. I went to this new vet once who was able to find the answer and was the most comforting woman I have ever met! She didn't even charge me for anything!

Banfield did test (every single one showing negative even the ones I knew were positive!) But didn't give me an answer, blew me off when I told them the symptoms, and charged me $300 on top of the monthly charge. My dog died because of these people - there is no doubt about that. But to make matters worse I have to continue to pay for the pet insurance until the end of the year! My dog wasn't able to get spayed due to being ill! I know vets have bad days and I know mistakes are made. However there is no excuse for four weeks failing in a row and not giving an answer! And when I went in to talk about how ridiculous the fact that I have to pay for insurance on my dog that they killed I was told, "Well if you spent $300 then we obviously were doing something." That was the manager's response. Needless to say I am looking into suing them. Just heed my warning. Don't waste your money on a corporate vet that doesn't care about animals or customers.

We go to the Banfield on Commercial Blvd. in Lauderhill, FL. Everyone there - reception, vet, assistants - are so friendly. They love my dog just as much as I do. Sometimes they seem very busy, and there can be a line of people waiting to pick up their pets, but they always welcome you and tell you they'll be right with you. I've never seen another customer look or sound upset while I was there.

The vets definitely recommend buying different preventative meds for your pet, but they do not badger you into it. I did purchase a dose of heartworm preventative that was suggested because the mosquitoes in FL are pretty bad. I've never been made to feel guilty about not buying something for my pet. So far, very happy with Banfield.

After finally getting an answer as to what happened, this was their response. "Unfortunately the location did not properly activate her plan and tried multiple times to reach her." Which is a joke because they didn't even have my correct address on file, which I also provided them so they could process my card. I tried to work with them and pay what I owed which would be the monthly payments I owed, but they refused, wanting $200+. Banfield refused to work with me on an issue that was their fault. I will never sign up for Banfield again and I make sure that everyone I encounter knows to stay away from them.

After confirming the studio wouldn't see him, they let me in to see the vet. After the consultant examined him, she made some suggestions and left. The vet came in, looked him over, made a few entries, then left. The consultant came back with the bill: $394. They wanted to take stool samples, wash his ears, give him 3 kinds of medicine.. all that before they trimmed his nails and cleared his mats. I said no to everything but the nail "pedicure" for which they charged me $75! I saw what they did.. one held him down and the other clipped his nail with clippers, they didn't file them at all! Plus they charged me a $5 "waste disposal fee" for his clipped nails and the gloves they wore while clipping him. If this place isn't the worst scam and rip-off joint in the USA, I'd like to know who has them beat.

In the middle of their appointment, they came out and told me they were having trouble with them because my oldest cat was overly aggressive. I explained to them he does not like strangers when I'm not there and I should be with them. The tech vet said, "I don't think that will change anything since they are feral." I never said feral! I let it go and we went over prices for deworming and flea treatment. They made mention of their wellness plan and the routine care it would cover with discounts. It sounded really beneficial so I signed them up and paid the fees for the visit. Then the vet comes out and says the BLOOD TEST they administered on my oldest cat shows he has FIV!

I freaked out because it made no sense for him to have it and because I never approved doing a blood test. Then they go over this list of test they have done like ear mite test, stool test, leukemia test, disposition test, the works. And she recommended drugs I could also get to help with his FIV. I declined any further test and medication and went home. I was in so much shock about my cat having cat aids basically, I didn't even think to get really mad about all the other test they did without my permission.

We took my oldest cat to another vet to see about the FIV and they said not only would you not be able to test for FIV accurately in-house, but if the cat was vaccinated for it, they definitely would have gotten a positive from the type of test they did. We had her send out the test and he tested negative for it. I called Banfield and complained about the misdiagnosis and all the vet there kept saying is the newest textbooks in veterinarian science says that's debatable. I called a vet we had in Tennessee and they confirmed the second vet.

I tried to cancel the wellness plan after that never wanting to even see a PetSmart, but they told me all the test they ran if I cancelled it early would be over $1000 upfront or I could pay off the 1 year agreement I was never told about which was $38 X 12. I finally paid it off and it took over 2 days of me calling their cancellation line and billing dept to send me official letters of the account being closed and papers stating they would not charge me again. If you see a PetSmart RUN! Not only is an average vet visit only $40 for a real vet, the discount on the periodic medication, like confortis, is the exact same price. 0 benefit to having that plan or getting a professional opinion of the vets they employ.

Our story: My dog has been on the Banfield Wellness plan for over 10 years. Back in 2008, he had a problem with an obstruction in his digestive system that Banfield failed to diagnose. After spending hundreds of dollars at Banfield (South Shepherd, Houston, TX location), I took him to a different emergency vet and he was treated. I foolishly wrote this instance off as an anomaly. So this last week, when he started feeling ill, my boyfriend took him to Banfield. Despite our repeated insistence that he could have another obstruction in his digestive system, Banfield took x-rays and assured us that the x-rays showed no such obstruction. Banfield then sent us home with antibiotics, assuring us he had an "infection". Banfield scheduled a "cautionary" follow up appointment that their doctor said we "probably wouldn't need."

When I showed up for the follow up appointment (4 days later) with his condition obviously worsening, Banfield again took x-rays and again told us there was no obstruction. They admitted they were "unsure" why he was still sick or why his white blood cell count was so alarmingly high. At that point, Banfield's doctor suggested we could take him home and wait two more days for someone there qualified to do an ultrasound (at Banfield) or take him somewhere else to have it done. By then, we had lost all faith in Banfield and took him elsewhere immediately.

The vet at the other emergency hospital didn't need an ultrasound--they didn't need any more information than what Banfield already had. They looked at Banfield's x-Rays, and within five minutes told us he had an obstruction and needed emergency surgery immediately. By the time they did the surgery, it had been four days since Banfield's doctors had originally seen him and the obstruction had wrapped itself around his intestines such that it was punctured in 12 places. He survived for three days after the surgery, but died on the fourth. We trusted Banfield to help us care for a dog who trusted us to take care of him, and Banfield betrayed that trust. Shame on them.

I have no issue with Banfield marketing itself as a hub for preventative care ONLY. However, they sell themselves as a full-service veterinary hospital, and that is misleading. So misleading it is criminal. They misdiagnosed my dog's issue, they were unable to keep my dog overnight, they lacked the staff with the expertise to properly read X-ray imaging, and they didn't have the equipment or staff to do an ultrasound. Does that sound like a full-service veterinary hospital to you? And they lull you into thinking you will be saving money by using the Wellness Plans, but I promise you the nominal savings are not worth your pet's life. My foolish mistake will haunt me for a long time.

Please share this story. My research following this incident shows this is not a rare exception. No other animals deserve to suffer due to Banfield's poor standards of care.

I had another dog that I had brought in a few weeks earlier and at that time I asked what the charges would be for xrays of hips and elbows and was told $300. When I made the appointment for Juno I again asked what the charges would be and again was told $300. I also asked other vets in the area and was quoted the same price.

But now my total was $600+. Not to mention the fact that my dog has now sat in a crate for 8 hours. Eight hours and they had done NOTHING with her. Needless to say I was very mad and said I would be there to pick her up. I was told on the phone "Sorry that someone misquoted you" and that is just what it cost and just how long it takes. No apologies, nothing. Then when I go to pick her up they make a big deal of crediting the office visit... When they did NOTHING. They did not even take her out to potty, Juno is a highly trained dog and she barely made it outside before she had to go potty. That is negligence!

I loaded Juno in the car and went back in to complain to a manager or something. I was then told that there was nothing they could do because Banfield and Petsmart are chains and therefore that is just the way things are. I argued and she told me she would go get a different manager where upon that said manager never returned. I was left standing waiting for over 15 minutes until I left to take my dog home after an exhausting day.

I will never step foot in a Petsmart or Banfield hospital ever again. I had been using them for about 8 years. They do not care about the animals or customers. They are in it for the most eyes and to please corporate. They find letting a large dog sit in a tiny crate for 8 hours straight to be acceptable practice and do not stick to quotes or promises. Negligent liars!

But please know, we (nurses and doctors) are here because we love animals! And we would never want anything bad to happen to them. Also, if I could give your pet free care I would... But we would not exist if we did not charge for services. Think of yourself...what do you get charged for when you go to the doctor?? How is your pet any different cost wise... Equipment and employees need to get paid for just the same... Thank you for reading this! And please know that we love our patients!

Yesterday we brought both our dog and our cat in for a teeth cleaning. Everything went fine during the procedure but while in recovery they had complications with our cat which was a pure breed Persian. They lost our baby and can't tell us why and now we are having problems with our dog and both were on the wellness plan. What a joke. We almost lost our dog during the night due to him having some sort of reaction to this anesthesia.. We have to get him in to another vet asap today.

The wellness plan is suppose to keep your babies around longer not kill them when they are 100% healthy going in. Now we are trying to cancel all of our wellness plans as we will never ever take our kids here again. They're trying to tell us we owe them money to cancel the plans after killing our baby. This was the Port Charlotte, Florida location. A very hurt and distraught family that wants to know the truth and prevent others from this pain.

Update. Our baby is so traumatized and distraught over what was witnessed with our cat. He can not stop crying... We did a Google search on you and found HUNDREDS of posts on people losing these cats during routine teeth cleanings... Clearly you all are doing something very wrong. We are aware you are doing an autopsy on our Sophie and cremating her free of charge, but why were we not given copies of there pre-surgical blood work when asked? Was it even done??

We asked for reimbursement of our baby. She was a pure bred doll faced Persian and a gift on our fifth anniversary to one another. She has papers, I am sure you are aware that those cats are not cheap. It took us quite some time to save for her. We can not ever replace her and while we understand accidents can happen something is not right here. I had to take our dog to another Vet yesterday who ruled that he is so traumatized or was handled abusively and roughly and that is why he is acting as he is..

Do you know what the Dr told me on the phone call? Something is wrong with Sophie. I said okay what? She said, as I said something is wrong, Sophie has died.. Just like that!! You call that a trained bedside manner.. I came to the hospital within 15 minutes Sophie had been gone for hours. She was cold and blue, it didn't just happen...

They refuse to take responsibility and face the fact that I expressed my concerns about this bump back in FEBRUARY! And here we are in September and they are still trying to downplay the extent of the damage that we are now facing. They just act like they do not care and are not willing to fix their mistake. I have had plenty of pets and never had any experience like I am having now. My FIRST and LAST time dealing with Banfield and I would NEVER recommend them to a friend or family member. I am rethinking my loyalty to PetSmart for even being associated with them.

Well I got my 2 Yorkies fixed a few days ago and I also took her to get fixed. When I went to pick them up, I was notified that the cat I thought was a 3-5 year old, unspayed female was actually an 8-10 year old neutered male! I was furious. For 6 months we thought this was a young female and are now told it's a male. I'm glad it wasn't that serious of a problem. But I will NEVER take any of my animals back to that place. I would advise everyone else to not take your pets there. If they can't tell the sex of an animal, what else don't they know?