Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  04/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On January 16 I took my cat to get groomed at this place nothing seemed out of the ordinary with this place before booking, they had requested an update on her vaccines before I took her in so the day before her grooming appointment I took her to the vet for a check up where they had told me she was perfectly fine. Everything was healthy and in good condition while she was at the groomers, I kept getting phone calls from them one of the phone calls was about her health and they said that she had kidney problems and arthritis. The second call was to ask me if they would like for them to give her a flea medication which I had kindly declined because I informed them I have my own medication. I give my cats because I dont know what brand or what type of medicine they carry over there to pick her up after her appointment to see if they had still charged us for the flea medication which I had declined so I asked about it and they said they gave it to her anyways which was kind of weird because why would you call and ask if youre gonna do it anyways, I bring her and she seems fine couple months go by and she starting to look like not herself low energy not eating as much not meowing so we take her to the vet and she had severe kidney failure. I told my vet about the grooming experience and that they informed me about kidney and arthritis but the vet said there is no way they could have detected that with no equipment and he was confused on how they could pinpoint that exact thing with no bloodwork or x-rays and then I go back and look at the place and see that people that have left their cat there overnight or a couple days have came back hydrated or kidney problems. This does not add up to me and it raises concerns for I do not know what they really gave my cat that day and I had called and asked them about it and Im not sure what they said, but things were just not adding up. My cat was perfectly fine before before I took her there and then they mentioned kidney problems and all the sudden she has it. This needs to be looked into.

  

  Business response

  04/25/2024

  *****,
  
  I am sorry to hear your cat was diagnosed with kidney disease.
  
  As you stated in your review, you took your cat to the vet yourself the day prior to get her updated on vaccines. You are saying the vet said your cat was healthy but does not sound like the vet did any sort of blood panel, to fully confirm your cat was in perfect health. You are stating after her grooming appointment, she went home, and she had low energy. Just like humans, the day after vaccines, we do not feel ourselves and can be sore at injection site and be somewhat lethargic.
  
  Kidney disease progresses over years and progresses in 4 stages, we know this not only having run a cat exclusive business for over 25 years but also from having cats ourselves that have suffered through kidney failure disease. Animals are well known for hiding pain and discomfort, until it is too late unfortunately. We have been in business for 25 years; we are indeed cat experts, and our experience is invaluable. We have cared for 1000s of cats over the years & some of those cats have controlled kidney disease, so we care of these cats all the time. We NEVER diagnosed your cat with kidney disease or arthritis. We are NOT VETS (please read the contract you signed that states this, I highlighted it to make it easier to locate.). It appears you are upset that we pointed you back in vet direction when we noticed that your cat seemed to suffer from many of the same symptoms that cats with kidney disease seem to exhibit. We simply recommended another vet visit for her, and when our observations were medically confirmed to be correct, over your vets first opinion, somehow this is our fault? I have also attached an article for you to help educate yourself, how your cats diagnosis of kidney disease, was not due to one grooming appt. 

  *************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************.

  Owner understands and acknowledges that: (i) TCI personnel are not veterinarians and do not have backgrounds in animal
  medicine and are not expected to diagnose or detect illnesses in cats; and (ii) vaccines do not protect or guarantee against all
  communicable illnesses that *** affect a cat (including UPI or cat cold). Owner waives any and all right to bring any claims
  against TCI for loss, injury or damage resulting from disease, death, running away, theft, fire, injury to persons, other pets, or
  other unavoidable causes or related to Owners cats contraction of any communicable illness while on TCI premises.
  
  It sounds like because we made you aware of the symptoms of kidney disease, you were able to get her into the vet, properly diagnosed with a full blood panel, and now the vet can possibly try to slow the progression of the disease. Just like no human can give kidney disease to another human by being in the vicinity the same applies to animals. There would not be a human or feline way we could have ever given your cat stage 4 kidney disease in 1 groom appointment, during the 5 hours your cats was with us. We know that this is quite clear to all the readers of your review as well. 

   TCI DOES NOT ACCEPT ANY CAT WITH FLEAS. Owner agrees that if Owners cat is found to have fleas and/or ticks, TCI
  shall administer flea medication (Frontline, Advocate, Cheristin, or Capstar pills) at Owner's expense (for which amount Owner
  authorizes TCI to charge the credit card on file). Owner agrees to disclose to TCI whether they have recently applied a flea
  medication prior to the Appointment, and if Owners cat is still presenting with fleas. If so, Owner agrees that TCI shall apply an
  in-house flea medication, at Owners expense. If Owners cat is found to present with worms at any time during the
  Appointment, Owner agrees that TCI shall administer treatment, at Owner's expense (for which amount Owner authorizes TCI
  to charge the credit card on file)

  Although we definitely empathize about cat getting a diagnosis of stage 4 kidney disease, please know that this was a slow progression over many years, and it is not your fault either for not noticing sooner. We wish you the best and hope you spend as much precious time with your cat as possible.

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