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1.4

I took my yorkie in to have her dental cleaning which is part in the plus active prevention services, was told I had to paid extra for anesthesia which is suppose to be a part of the service. I have had many good experiences with Banfield Pet Hospital but lately mostly bad.

I took Chloe in for a visit on March 12, 2016 at that time she was close to death, I didn't have the money that was being charged to provide the services that she needed, I was declined the charity because they felt like she wasn't that important; BUT mind you I have spent well over $1,000.00 of dollars in providing care for her, and at the time when I needed assistance from them, none was provided. Thank God she is still living today. Again some staff does care...

NOT everyone have a steel heart. Chloe is my child...

Reason of review: pet wellness plan.

Monetary Loss: $18.

Preferred solution: Price reduction.

Banfield Pet Hospital Pros: Some of the staff and one doctor, I both like and dislike, Personal attention.

Banfield Pet Hospital Cons: Unprofessional staff, Staff attitude.

Location: Wilmington, North Carolina

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Guest

These huge corporations are the Problem the way their staffed and the turnover , they get good and bad vets and techs , hard to keep track , you hardly ever get the same person twice and I just donโ€™t believe in dropping your pet off and not being part of the overseeing during treatment .... my precious little dog is dead now over this so called wellness -plan , so stupid, more a kill-plan , you donโ€™t go along with all theirsuggestions and exte $ and your pets life will be in jeopardy!!

Guest

Gold digger!

Guest

Vets take an oath just like a Dr. Or therapist, they have to help if they are able to same as a Dr, u cannot be refused or should not be! That's like saying yea I can save her but the almighty dollar means more to them than a life

Jamecia Rye

I know this complaint is months old, but I recently had a similar experience regarding the anesthesia. I have my dog on the optimum wellness plan, and yes, it covers the dental cleaning and anesthesia.

However, I was also charged extra (in fact, the same amount as you-- approx. $18.00, if I remember correctly) for the anesthesia. This is because my dog had previously had a heart murmur, and though she no longer had one, the vet thought it would be better to air on the side of caution and use midazolam rather than acepromazine (what they typically use). I obviously agreed to this, and was glad that they were taking my dog's health seriously enough to recommend using a different type of anesthetic, even if it was solely precautionary.

And honestly, if the ~$18.00 was going to break the bank, then I probably had no business (responsibly) owning a pet.

The fact that you say that you also had to pay extra for the anesthesia, in combination with the fact that you said that your dog was (presumably at another time) "close to death" without giving any specifics as to why, indicates to me that you're not being transparent as to the reason why you were charged extra.

Guest

APPLY FOR CARE CREDIT, GOD DAMNIT!

And if you don't qualify...perhaps you ought to rethink pet ownership until you have the monetary backing in order to responsibly do so. And please, DON'T *BUY* ANY OTHER PETS and then complain about how expensive taking care of them is.

arghhh.

mind. blown.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1174273

I love you.

Marry me?

Sincerely one VT to another lmao

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1174273

Oh and I just saw your comment to me below but it wouldn't let me reply. I'm the one who talked about what a terrible person I am lol

You're right, that person is obviously set in their beliefs and nothing will change that, but I have to try.

From one VT to another, thank you for everything that you do as well. If you're working this weekend (who am I kidding? We don't get fri/sat off lol) I hope it's an uneventful and stress free one for you!

(Well, again, who am I kidding. We are VTs lol )

Are you on VSSU on Facebook?

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1174273

And for you a lot of people do have care credit, that don't mean *** if the vet is a piece of ***! From an owner who lost 2 cats in the last year and now one is sick that is left and is on a a wellness program, as well so eat that *** it all depends on the vet and compassion , and where he was schooled or any personal knowledge of the animal!

Guest

Also - anesthesia is part of the dental package. The only extra charge would probably be for atropine - which is probably along the lines of $20.

It's a drug that is only used if the pet's heart rate goes too low while the dog is under. Again, a life saving measure. Banfield is a bargain for the vaccines and dentals alone.

It's a bonus if you have a great doctor who is a good diagnostician. Understand the plan before you bash it.

Guest

You think $1000 is a lot to spend on your dog? I've seen vet bills in excess of $10,000 for one illness.

Depending on the Banfield you chose, it's all about the doctors who work in that particular hospital. If you had a bad experience, perhaps things weren't explained properly to you. I'm so sick of hearing about pet owners who expect something for nothing. A vet is a business owner and is not obligated to give services away for free.

He still has to pay his staff, his operating costs, his inventory orders, and himself. It's not a lucrative career field by any means and chances are he's already giving away his services to local rescue groups to care for severely neglected dogs. In the case of Banfield, it is a corporate owned hospital (owned by M&M Mars. The vets have zero control over the prices.

It is not their business, they are simply collecting a paycheck and do not share in the profit. Please think twice before you bash this or any other vet for refusing to treat your pet for free. You have no idea what you're talking about. What if your boss asked you to work for free tomorrow and only get paid for 32 hours instead of 40?

Would YOU do it? By asking your vet to give you a break or accept payment plans, you are taking money directly out of his pocket. If you are that broke and you cannot afford to take care of your pet properly, you should not have one. It is YOUR fault that you can't afford the payment, NOT THE VET's.

PETS ARE EXPENSIVE and Yorkies live a long time if you take care of them. If you can't afford the expense or responsibility of caring for this living being over the course of potentially 16 years, give him to a rescue group who can re-home him in an environment where he will be properly cared for. It's more than just dog food, grooming, and rabies shots, people! It much more than that and please understand the responsibility involved before you buy a dog.

On the subject of Chloe's dental - Banfield has 3 levels of wellness plans.

All three contain a comprehensive exam, all vaccines, all office visits, and one set of labs (blood work). Two of the plans include a dental cleaning - which also comes with pre-operative labs (the same blood work), but it is bundled and cannot be split. If you used Chloe's comprehensive exam for the year, she has likely used her bloodwork already. If the dental could not be done because her pre-operative labs were not good, then they need the labs paid for somehow.

The labs were done but since the dental was not, you can't extract that lab work from the package. I hope this makes sense. The pre-op labs are SO important because this is what determines if you pet's internal organs can process anesthesia. If her readings were off, then the vet would have called the procedure off and probably given you instructions on corrective measures.

(It happened to my dog). Pets, like people, can die under anesthesia. I had a dog die under anesthesia and I did the pre-op labs. It's never a guarantee, so if your vet advises you to wait on the dental, then wait.

And don't complain about the extra $$$ for labs because he may have saved your dog's life by calling off the dental. ASK QUESTIONS IF YOU DON'T KNOW. Your vet will be happy to explain.

And by the way, the individual hospital doesn't decide who gets to use the Banfield Charitable Trust. The corporation does.

It has nothing to do with whether your dog is "important enough" or not.

It is financially need based and they review your credit profile before deciding. If you screwed up your credit, don't blame Banfield for holding back on the hand-out.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1153302

You need to get off your dam high horse. First off, Banfield rapes it's customers! The prices are ridiculous! My vet does dental cleanings for a hundred and fifty dollars, and ten dollars for tooth extractions! The only expensive items are prescriptions! She is a very knowledgeable vet, and they will reduce for patients. Most of the time when a animal is in distress it is the vet's fault anyway for not properly monitoring the pet. Or having a inexperienced vet assistant handling the procedure. So, she she have to pay for the vet's mistake?

All you ever see about Banfield is how they screw their employees, over work them, how *** their vet care is, the long waits, the rudeness, and incompetence of the staff, and those wellness plans are just junk. They even use *** products and vaccinations. I would not be so proud to be apart of that.

Your entire tirade show what little compassion you have for customers. So only rich people should have animals?! ***! You are a freaking snob that needs to get over yourself! Maybe all the animal rights groups raking in millions.A year should start actually helping animals and provide free vet care in poor areas. Everyone should be able to enjoy a pet and not be screwed over by companies that prey on the love customers have for their pets.

There are many places where I live which are affordable. I notice poor people have more compassion for homeless animals and open their homes to them way more than rich. Why? Many times they have gone without, they can relate to how the pet feels. On their days off, they sit in long lines at low cost vet clinics as I did when I was low income to get vaccinations and vet care for my cat. So while you are on dam pedestal, I hope it crashes down hard. I have worked at a shelter, and I did work over my scheduled time to help out the homeless animals and fostered also. I highly suggest you try it. It seems to me you need to did a heart, soul, and learn how to feel actual empathy. It is scary you work with animals. You are why I would never entrust my animals with Banfield. FYI your a giant *** too!

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1155447

Fairly easy to see your ignorant point of view from this pedestal of mine. Are you the type that looks for government handouts too?

Why do you think you people are entitled to free veterinary care? I wish I knew a vet who gave services away for free. I've seen more than you probably every will, and have worked with many rescue groups. I have two rescue dogs.

Get off your ignorant horse.

And I won't even resort to the name calling, as many uneducated, ignorant people do. Enjoy your little dream world and God help the pets you own.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1155511

God help the animals forced to be tested by you, since only money matters to you. That dream world?!

Well, let me tell you of ghetto shelters, most cute animals are killed and dumped into barrels and their bodies rot in the hot sun. Eventually they are sent to the crematorium to be used as pet food. Does that sound like a fairy tale to you? In poor areas animals are used as bait in fighting rings, used as target practice, starved, abused, killed by predators, ran over, and their lives are horrible.

So, what is wrong with helping these animals with basic care? Since people in this area cannot afford Banfield's ridiculous cost they should not.own a animal? My husband and I cannot afford that! Why would I need to when there are places that offer the same services at a lower cost and are friendlier?!

You are the cruel one, thinking that animals deserve to live that way. Not to mention, the millions animal rights groups get, they should give back and actually help animals. I am sorry I felt sorry for animals being killed simply for being unwanted. So you *** on your riches and choke on them.

People like you that are snobs and only care about money are disgusting people.

Thank you for reinforcing why I would never take my pets to that God forsaken place. You are a ***.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1155447

You are ridiculously ignorant and have absolutely no understanding of veterinary medicine it's not even funny.

Please educate yourself before spreading your ignorance.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1164200

pretty much. it's fruitless even trying.

i hate to admit it...seems defeatist. but it's true, in this case.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1153302

What you said.

Guest

I can guarantee you that they didn't , not offer charity because your pet is not "important enough".

You are the pet owner, not the Veternarian. It is not their responsibility to pay for your pet.

It's yours.

If vets treated every pet for free who's owners couldn't afford it, they wouldn't be able to stay in business. Do you know how many people come in to a vet office (not just banfield), who can't afford to pay for treatment and ask for their pet to be treated for free? Alot. At emergency clinics, it happens multiple times a day.

It takes ALOT of money to run a hospital.

Equipment (surgery, blood machines, xray etc) cost tens of thousands of dollars, medication they keep in stock costs money, they have staff to pay etc.

Not to mention, Vets & the staff also have their own family to take care of, bills to pay and their own pets to take care of. They deserve to be paid for the services they provide.

Do you give services/products away for free at your work when someone can't afford it? Doubtful.

Do you expect to be paid for doing your job? Yes. Vet clinics do not have government funding like human hospitals do. Which is why human hospitals are able to treat people who have no money/insurance.

I'm sincerely happy that your dog made it and you were able to find a vet to help you out. But just because that vet was able to help, doesn't mean that the doctors at banfield are terrible people.

It's not just about providing free services. The money for those services has to come from somewhere and if it's not from the owner it's from the veterinarian & their staffs pockets.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1149190

Ya, while HSUS, PETA, ASPCA make billion if you combine their incomes, so they could afford to fiance low cost fully functioning clinics in these areas. BTW, I always found a way to pay for my pet's health care.

Even when I was struggling financially. The most money we paid was on our shelter kitty. Not my Bengals and Savannahs. We gave up our vacation so to save her life so do not judge my ***!

I just think it is sick how you judge those people in your disgusting over charging vet clinic and cannot bother to offer a place that may accommodate them. You people are psychotic. Maybe you should work in a high kill shelter, as the animal activists like th throw in my face since I bought some of my pets. Why don't you!

See the wonderful results of bait animals, or a starved dog, or a puppy so abused they cry if you touch them. Then you heartless *** can judge me. Better yet, why don't you hold down dog after dog, healthy, that just needed a home. FYI ***, sometimes it is health issues, so they give them up.

Oh, and I have seen the way you treat those people, like trash. God forbid if someone is poor. It is not a disease.

Sometimes people struggle.. What snobs you are!

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1159436

I do not work for Banfield. I used to, for 5+yrs, but not anymore.

I'm a vet tech at a private practice.

However, the vets that I did work with at Banfield were phenomenal. I personally had tons of clients who would schedule their pets when I was there and who would call and only talk to me. I had numerous clients who asked me (even when I was a receptionist) to be with them when it was time to euthanize their pets because they knew how much their pet meant to me and how I loved and treated them like my own.

We had numerous clients at the Banfield I used to work at, drive anywhere between 30min and 2hrs, just to come see our doctors.

My vets at Banfield were just so terrible that when someone wanted to euthanize their sick pets (yes more than once) because they didn't WANT to pay for treatment, my doctors convinced them to surrender to them, not the hospital, and they paid for treatment out of their own pockets and spent countless sleepless nights getting them better. Then once they were better, spaying/neutering and vaccinating them and finding them good homes, not charging an adoption fee. Oh and even though they are the ones who spayed/neutered and vaccinated them, they still had to pay for it!!!!!

I'm just so terrible that when we had a young 18yr old kid bring in his sick puppy that he bought with his very first paycheck, who tested positive for parvo, my vet and I took money out of our own pockets to pay for treatment just to give the dog a fighting chance. I also gave him a free office visit, and had him pay what he could, and we paid the rest, again, out of our own pockets.

But I'm such a terrible person right?

I'm so terrible that I took home a terribly matted,emaciated dog who was abandoned at our desk my first month working there.

So horrible all the kittens I've taken home to foster who were dumped at the clinic, vaccinating them, felv/fiv testing them and spaying/neutering them with no rescue backing, paying out of pocket with money I really didn't have. Then finding them good homes, in which I didn't charge an adoption fee. My vets from banfield and I were just such horrible people that when someone couldn't afford to treat their sick pet with us, we have them lists of places that help with vet bills and phone numbers for low cost clinics around. So heartless that when a pet was dropped off for her exam, and the owner ended up being rushed to the hospital, we kept the pet for 2 days, at NO charge.

So heartless that I bought numerous clients pet food or helped them pay for medications with money from my own pocket. I'm just so horrible and uncaring that I had met multiple clients at emergency hospitals, when they were worried about their pet, when they thought it was time for their pet to be euthanized but we were closed, or met them at the emergency after I got off work, because we had to refer them there since we were already dealing with 2 sick pets and an emergency at our clinic and I felt bad that we couldn't see them. I am such a heartless person that even tho I no longer work at Banfield, I met two different clients from the Banfield I used to work at after I left there, at 2 different emergency hospitals a few days apart, one at 2am, because they were worried about their pets. I HAVE dealt with numerous abused, emaciated, neglected animals.

But according to you, every person and vet who works at Banfield are just horrible, uncaring people. Newsflash, Banfield is a corporate hospital and the staff at each individual location cannot help the set prices. But a majority of the veterinarians and staff that work in the actual hospitals, help where they can. There are bad vets out there even at private clinics.

I never judged you. But you are judging me just because I worked there. Maybe instead of judging me, you should work in a vet hospital and see everything that we do and have to deal with the bashing from people who have outrageous demands. What kills us vet staff the most, is pets who come in extremely sick/dying from an illness, like parvo, that could have been easily prevented and the owner cant afford to treat them.

Then they bash us, call us names and accuse us of "letting" their pet die because they can't afford treatment for THEIR pet. Yeah, totally our fault that they got a new pet when they either couldn't afford the basic care to prevent the illness or chose not to do it because people online told them that vets just want money for vaccines and that vaccines are terrible and harm pets.

Because people never want to take responsibility for their own actions. Nobody will truly understand everything that vets and the support staff go through every day, until they've been in our shoes.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1173846

From one anon VT to another: you have more than adequately explained your/our position on this particular (very touchy!) subject. It is clear to me that the person you are arguing with (OP of this post...?) is well set in their beliefs.

I see nothing positive coming forth from your well-intentioned, (REALISTIC&HONEST) explanations of the innerworkings of an animal hospital. Thank you, nonetheless, for clarifying why it is exactly that vets are not capable of treating every ill or injured pet that comes through their doors--although I have seen many I've worked for *** sure try!

And thank you for all that you do, day in & day out. Trust me, I know.

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