Extremely Horrible experience with All Pets Medical Centre in West Hills, California

[spikethebest]

I am seeking this clinic be immediately removed from ALL turtle/tortoise/reptile lists, and any other lists that this Vet clinic appears on.

I had my leopard tortoise examined there on Saturday, and unknown to me, it was examined by a "relief doctor" they did NOT identify themself as that, and handled my tortoise very improperly. The "doctor" would grab the tortoise (2 years old, so pretty small) very rough and violently and would move, rotate, and turn upside for long periods of time. Then the doctor was surprised that my leo was inside her shell, so the doctor wanted to put her to sleep to inspect her leg. I refused that. When you handle my tortoise properly she will come out of her shell and stretch all legs fully for a thorough inspection. It just takes a little love and care, something this "doctor" didn't have at all.

Then they decided to only give pain medication. Nothing else.

I had X-rays done at another clinic and brought in high quality printouts and offered to email them the digital copy (but they do NOT have Internet access, yet have a website and email). I showed a white mass on the x-rays, and they didn't want to help with that at all. They didn't do anything to help my tortoise out. Nothing. Not a thing. Just handled her wrong and that's it. What kind of care is that?

So they charged be $75 for the pointless consultation, pain medicine, and showed me the door.

End result, nothing helped my tortoise, and I am seeking a full refund. I called and spoke with the office manager, and she refuses to acknowledge that the doctor did anything wrong.

I told her I would write this email, and encourage people to never go to her clinic again, and she didn't care at all.

So PLEASE everyone, go somewhere else... like Dr. Tom Greek. He is an OUTSTANDING Vet in the Los Angeles area. Just this morning, on his own, without even seeing my tortoise, sent me an email, and offered free help and advice. What a GREAT guy!

You can see x-rays and learn more about this leopard and what has happened here...

http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-12544.html

Thank you,
Cory

Do NOT go here!!!

All Pets Medical Centre/Rolling Oak Aviaries
7606 Fallbrook Ave.
West Hills, CA 91304
(818) 883-2600
[email protected]
http://www.yourpets.com

 

[dreadyA]

Did you hit up the bbb? Sorry you had to deal with that,man.

 

[Shelly]

RE: Extremely Horrible experience with All Pets Medical Centre in West Hills, Califor

If you are reasonably intelligent, and have been keeping torts or other exotic pets for a while, and you do not know what is wrong with your pet, chances are about 10-1 that the Vet won't have a clue either.
My opinion is based on 40 years of pet ownership, a year of visiting these forums, and 4 years working as a Vet assistant for 2 different offices in the Los Angeles area (many years ago).
Vets are good for spaying/castrating dogs & cats, and fixing broken bones. That's about it.
Vets make a tiny percentage of their income from diagnosing and curing sick animals. They make the vast majority of their income from retail sales of flea control products, spaying/neutering, grooming and boarding, and unneeded visits by nervous pet owners, like the poster that took their tortoise to the Vet because there was a piece of poop stuck to the tail. http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-12142.html

 

[terryo]

That's horrable Cory. I love my Vet. Sometimes you can get a good Vet with no "bedside manner", but when your Vet has neither one....well, time for another Vet.

 

[Candy]

I am sorry to hear about your awful experience with this vet Cory. Your poor Leopard has been through a lot of stuff lately and all you're trying to do is help it. I wish I had the answers for you or could help in some way. If you don't mind I will write a letter to this place letting them know that you've passed on the information to other people and that we won't be using them. Thanks for giving us an update.

 

[terracolson]

Thank God!

Dont forget to contact the local news paper about your story!

 

[spikethebest]

I will write a letter to this place letting them know that you've passed on the information to other people and that we won't be using them.

I would be more than thrilled if you did that!

If anyone wants to do that, I will gladly pay for your postage!!!

 

[Sudhira]

How is your tortoise doing? Has the mass been diagnosed yet?

 

[Tom]

Not cool. It is very difficult to find a good vet nowadays and I know and have dealt with dozens since the late 70's. I had a great one for a while, and then he paid a lot of money to have a "consulting firm" ruin his business and drive his customers away. I'm like a hundred and fifty customers with all of my animals, literally. You'd have to be crazy to drive me away, but he did. Another great one retired. My best one ever died of breast cancer after years of complete remission. I know a really good exotic vet, a friend actually, but he's really difficult to get hold of and he's kind of far from me. I feel your pain. I'll let you know if I find a good one around here.

 

[harris]

$75 for what, the pain medication? I am so fortunate to have my vet. He is actually the vet for the reptiles at the Akron Zoo. I have never brought one of my guys to him where he didn't know what to do, and this includes his staff as well.

 

[spikethebest]

$75 for what, the pain medication? I am so fortunate to have my vet. He is actually the vet for the reptiles at the Akron Zoo. I have never brought one of my guys to him where he didn't know what to do, and this includes his staff as well.

$75 for the meds and consultation. Which didnt benefit the tortoise one bit. Complete waste of time and money.

Where are you located? What is the name of the Vet? Good Vets should be recognized postively for all they do, and people should know who to trust and go to.