Angell Memorial Animal Hospital (Boston/JP)
350 S Huntington Ave
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 522-7282
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Dec
29
2007
29
2007
This has been removed per request of the original submitter.
Hello,
My dog’s infection was misdiagnosed at Angell Memorial and cost him his life.
About a month ago I had to make the painful decision to euthanize my beloved 10 year old Siberian Husky following a 6-day stay at Angell Memorial Hospital in Boston.
I brought my dog in on a Sunday morning after a 24-hour period of lethargy and lack of interest in food. He had vomited twice w/in that 24-hour period. I indicated to the ER vet that I believed he had some sort of bug because it was so sudden and he was otherwise perfectly healthy on Friday. I also made it very clear that I wanted him on antibiotics because I believed it was some sort of bacteria causing his problems. He also had a cyst on his paw that was raw and he was licking it for a week prior (which should have been obvious as a possible cause for bacteria/fungus).
During the initial exam, the doctor felt my dog was in pain along his back and that her initial thought was a ruptured disc or possible cancer. I indicated that I did not believe he had back problem b/c he never had before, and that cancer in my mind wouldn’t present suddenly with a high fever (104), lethargy and non-appetite in 24 hour period.
They told me they would NOT give him antibiotics until they determined source of infection. Because it was Sunday, blood work would not be available until Monday afternoon.
By Monday, my dog began getting swollen/painful in his joints and he was diagnosed then with polyarthritis. Lab work supposedly came back and they indicated it did not show an underlying infection, so they proceeded to give him two doses over 24 hours of Prednisone.
When I arrived on Wednesday after second dose of Pred was in his system, I noticed his eyes were bright yellow and I called vet over, who hadn’t even realized it. I had to point out that my dog had gone septic.
They then stopped the pred and began IV antibiotics. Subsequently, they diagnosed him with having developed bacterial endocarditis. By Friday, multiple problems were occuring with my dog (bleeding from nose, severe pain, etc.) and I made decision to put him down on spot.
From Sun-Tue I had asked repeatedly (some may say begged/pleaded) for them to give him antibiotics. I said they won’t kill him, only possibly help. He was denied each time.
I will forever wonder had I taken my dog to another facility would they have immediately given him antibiotics along with IV fluids as a precaution. And had they given him antibiotics on Sunday, would he be alive and well today.
I am trying to find out how to edit or remove my posting. Because some of what I wrote was based on coversations thus I have no physical proof and not written documentation I have been served a cease and desist order. If the web admin could please let me know. I can not find anything on the site with contact info.
your comment was edited.
I was served with a cease and desist order by their attorney in regards to a review on another web site. So this review has been carefully worded and is based only on the medical record that I had to pay for and my own opinions.
On 7/5 Jack had a root canal performed at a local dentist. Jack’s medical history has included a total hip replacement, so he has a foreign object in his body.
On 7/13 Jack’s leg, the one that has a pin in it from the hip, swelled rapidly. It was after office hours for his family Vet so I brought him to the hospital. Jack was on antibiotics provided by the dentist and I gave those to the hospital.
On 7/14 the Vet performed a fine needle aspiration. I believe this was to check for bacteria in the site of inflammation. (Note that this is my opinion based on expert reports) I have asked for the lab results for this test, but have not been given them. Again remember that I paid for a FULL copy of Jack’s medical record.
In the documented communications on 7/25 at 16:51 the vet wrote that “Only options are surgery to remove the leg or euthanasia.” we may not get it all as there may be CANCER CELLS in other part of the body ‘”O would like to proceed with the surgery” I then paid 1/2 of the cost of the surgery. The surgery was not done.
The lab results list limits for white blood counts (WBC) 6.0 - 14.3.
7/14 - the WBC result is 17.3
7/23 the WBC result is 39.0.
8/2 the record lists the current medications; it does not show any antibiotics.
8/4 prednisone was prescribed by Dr. Vishkautsan. Prednisone is sometimes used to treat some types of cancer.
8\10 the WBC result is 63.2.
Jack was not taking any antibiotics for some of the time he was being treated.
I’m assuming that anyone reading this has had the same basic science and has learned one of the functions of White Blood Cells and what an increase might mean. Since I have had basic science courses I did ask the vet about the WBC being more than double and then triple the high end of the limit.
I also learned in basic science that dental surgery can cause an infection to spread in the body, and foreign objects in a body can be a magnet for infection.
What I did not learn in basic science is what effect prednisone would have on a body that was infected with bacteria. If you are reading reviews I will assume that you care about your medical needs and if you don’t know the problem that prednisone can cause, you will make it a point to find out.
8/13 Jack went into cardiac arrest. Jack died.
A necropsy was preformed. I have had three vets not associated with the hospital explain the results to me. They have told me that Jack’s body was LOADED WITH INFECTION; THERE WAS NO SIGNS OF CANCER
It is public record on when a vet receives their license in MA. According to the State of MA website, the vet that wrote “the only options” quote above had only had her license to practice medicine for 3 months.
I paid the hospital just under $10,000 while Jack was suffering. When Jack died I had a balance of approximately $2800. I have refused to pay this amount.
I am being sued for the remaining $2800. I have spent close to $20,000 in fees associated with the suit, but I just can’t bring myself to pay the $2800. We go to court on 4/6.
I’m pretty sure that nothing that I have written can be considered defamation as it is based on documentation provided by the hospital, my own opinions and my junior high science lessons.
Wow that’s so sad I will never bring any of my animals to thiss hospital they must not care about animals that is so sad n I’m so sorry to hear that I can only imagine how you are feeling.
Dear Chris and Erin, Similar experience at Angell Memorial hospital in JP. My dog had collapsed and thrown up. After many tests etc. the doctor,/intern, explained that she had a 6-8 cm tumor in the liver. a mass on her spleen and stomach wall, bleeding in the abdomen probably 80-90% cancer is hemangiosarcoma. Took our pet home: One year later: ALIVE & WELL: no thanks to Angell
mspca angell responded to my letter one month later. “We are very glad to hear that she is doing so well. She is in the lucky 10% group that go on to survive her illness. I have had the discharge instructions reviewed by two…. both felt they were appropriate.”Yet I was told that my dog “needed surgery” or “put her to sleep if she deteriorates at home.” What a poor response to my letter
Dear Pauline,
I’m very happy to hear that your girl is alive and well. We recently went to court and they failed to provide discovery related to the necropacy prior to court and then claimed that I didn’t give it to them! It was completely absurd. They then brought a motion to exclude the necropsy. The judge ruled that we could not testify to cause of death. The judge should have sanctioned them for failure to provide discovery as it was repeatedly requesteed, but he didn’t. How can you prove negligence when you can’t speak to cause of death? In my opinion it was completely sleezy to hold onto evidence and then blame me! The cheif of staff also testified as an expert witness for them. During her testimony she told blatant lies. I have both the medical record and the court recording with the proof. This facility makes me ill. In my opinion they are scum!
Oh my God, I was considering taking my teacup poodle in there for dental surgery but changed my mind after reading Chris’s posting. Thank you Mr. Hall!
I’m not a big fan of Angell Memorial. I have a dog that was diagnosed with Diabetes at Angell. My dog was 6 months old at the time and it was unheard of for a dog to get diabetes at such a young age. They didn’t give us a lot of advice about how to deal with his diabetes. Just some Insulin, a recommended dosage, and told us to use Science Diet for Diabetics.
It was not a very good experience. No advice about how diabetes works. No recommendation for testing glucose levels in his blood. No advice about how to adjust his insulin.
We switched to a different Vet who walk us through the issues with diabetes. Also involved a Holistic Vet. My dog is now 4 years old and you would never know he was diabetic unless I told you.
Another incident - my girlfriend had a cat that was suffering from seizures. The Doctor told us it was probably a brain tumor and since it wasn’t treatable, not to bother with a scan. We got the scan and lo and behold, no brain tumor.
Angell might a good place to bring a dog that had been mauled in a fight, but I would bring a sick dog to Angell.
Well I had two different animals treated there & both lives were saved.Charlie is a sheltie & ate mouse poision & was bleeding inside & was dying his blood wouldn’t clot & he had 2 transfusions after 2days of iv’s & round the clock care he came home HEALTHY!it cost$1500.00 worth every penny.
Benji my little 6month old chua had a eye injury more than 50% off his eye turned into an ulcer within 24hrs.at first they tried antibotics that didn’t work so they took his blood & made a surem out of it & made it into drops & we put it in his eye x6 a day & antibotics & another drop to help with pain & within 10 days saved his eye all healed & it cost about $200.00 & now he is HEALTHY like his brother.
THANK GOD FOR ANGELL
I can’t say enough good things about Angell Memorial. I have been bringing my dogs to Angell for almost 20 years and have had nothing but positive experiences. I now use them for my both of my dogs well care and not just emergency. Yes, they cost more but only because they provide more options. My previous Vet never xrayed my Golden when he had problems walking but instead told me that he was arthritic and administered pills which, by the way, made him very sick and didn’t help his walking. Angell did an XRax and an MRI and diagnosed a spinal tumor. I then agreeded to 20 Radiation treatments. After his 20 radiation treatments, my 12 year old Golden continuted to run and swim with no problems for another 11 months. Yes, it was expensive but I was told what my options were, how much each would cost and I agreed to it. They have ALWAYS informed me of my options without ever pushing any of those options on me. They also saved the lives of 2 of my other dogs. I just can’t say enough good things about them.
I took my 5-month-old dachshund to Angell at 2am with respiratory distress post-neutering, diagnosed as aspirational pneumonia. They rushed my baby in to ensure his airway and oxygenation. The vet reviewed Duke’s x-rays and recommended treatment with me so I felt a part of the process. He came home with me after 3 days and made a full recovery. I would not hesitate to bring him back to Angell should circumstances warrant it (God forbid).
I brought my puppy Bailey there in very serious shape unable to walk and he would cry in pain stupid me left him there for the night well next day pick Bailey up and say whats wrong??? Angel Memorial answer we don’t know but can we run more test I said no give me my Puppy back. Now leaving with Bailey in Critical condition I posted notes on line for help and got what I needed they said to take Bailey to Mass Vet In Wouburn that’s what I did Rushed Bailey there and there team saved his life severe Arthritis was the cause. PLEASE AVOID ANGEL MEMORIAL THEY MAKE YOU SPEND BIG MONEY FOR NO REASEON MASS VET IN WOBURN IS AWESOME AND WILL SAVE YOUR PET
Below is the letter I wrote to Angell Memorial in response to their summons for me to appear before Small Claims Court for an outstanding bill of $252.01. I had elected not to pay the bill because Angell’s horrible treatment of my pet not only cost us roughly $4000 rectify their error (over and above the approx $6000 we paid for the surgery they perfomred) but our pet suffered unnecessarily and will never fully recover.
I have never posted anything before but after reading Charlie’s submission I felt obligated to share our story. If one family reads this and elects not to go to Angell it is worth taking the same risk Charlie did. I’ve also included all the details so readers will know that there are several excellent alternatives to Angell:
On 8888, my pet was admitted to AAMC for total hip replacement surgery. Our decision to have Dr.XX perform this particular type of replacement procedure was based entirely on our discussion with him and his team at the time of the initial consultation. Prior to meeting with Dr.XX we had researched on the internet possible treatments for our pet’s bilateral hip dysphasia. I was therefore aware of the two most commonly known treatment options, femoral head removal and total replacement. It is critical to note that at the time of the consultation our pet was 4.78 years old. At the initial consultation, Dr.XX was asked if there were any other methods for or types of hip replacements other than the one we read about and he had described to us which involved securing the prosthetic femoral head with cement. The answer was an unqualified no. What your review board will know and we subsequently have learned from other qualified veterinarians, there are in fact two types of total hip replacement procedures now being widely practiced: cement and cement less. When other veterinarians are told that our pet was 4.78 years old at the time of the procedure, every other professional we have spoken with immediately asks why we elected to have a cemented replacement in a dog as young as ours. It seems unnecessary for me to elaborate on why a cement less procedure would have been much preferred in such a young dog. My dog does not have the benefit of cement less replacement that would get progressively stronger instead of one that would begin degrading the minute the recovery period was completed as is the case with cemented replacements. I now know that the cement less operation is more expensive for the hospital to perform as it requires an investment in new technology and training. One surgeon we spoke with said he has stopped performing total hip replacements because his facility can not afford to purchase the requisite equipment. The surgeon in question then immediately referred us to a practice that would have been able to do the correct procedure if we needed our pets other hip done at some point. We have since spoken and gotten estimates from two hospitals that perform cement less operations and surprisingly their estimates were just slightly lower than Angell’s original estimate for an antiquated inappropriate treatment.
This is a difficult letter to write for many reasons but the most obvious is that our pet is a member of our family and to know that she did not receive the best care possible is extremely hard to reconcile especially when we trusted Angell Memorial and Dr.XX to put aside self interest and make a recommendation that was in the best interest of our pet and not the best interest of your bottom line. To write this letter is also tremendously challenging because we encountered incompetence and frustration at every point in our dealings with Angell. I opened this letter with the example that to me is the most concerning and irreversible but I will now outline the litany of mistakes that were made and lies we were told throughout our experience.
Unfortunately, I was so delighted to put the Angell experience behind us I purged my files of the original estimate and actual bills but after speaking with your billing department on several occasions I know you have retained all of the records. When you review them you will see the discrepancy between the cost estimate we received and the final bill. From memory, your estimate was in the range of $5000 and the actual bill was $5977.08 (I believe it was even higher than this but can not find the record of the initial deposit that was made at the time we elected to proceed with surgery). When I called your billing department to question how it was possible that the operation was 10% more expensive than the estimate when I was not informed of any complications either during the procedure or in our pets post-op care, your representative claimed that it happens and the estimate is only that. Frankly, I have never been presented with a bill that was over 10% higher than estimated without some explanation at the very least. I then pointed out line items on the bill that appeared to be incorrect and your representative did allow that there had been double charges for several items. The experience left me wondering if the oversight was in fact an error. If I had not called I sincerely doubt any adjustment would have been made. The bill was paid without more question or debate.
We brought our pet home and during her recovery I had several questions about her bandages or rehab. Many times the phone at your main desk would ring for 10 minutes when I was then asked to hold for up to 15 minutes only to be told that neither Dr.XX or anyone from his staff was available to speak with me. Our first post-op appointment with Dr.XX lasted for approximately 15 minutes and we were told all looked to be fine and our pet was healing well. The next evaluation was scheduled for two months later. When we scheduled this appointment we were told by Dr.XX’s assistant that the evaluation was extensive and we could expect to spend several hours at Angell. My husband and I planned accordingly by canceling appointments and taking the day off. We were specifically told that we would be meeting with Dr.XX and given his schedule it was impossible to give us an estimate of when we might be done. We arrived, were kept waiting for 45 minutes, taken into the radiology area and told that our pet would be out in a half hour after radiographs were completed. When our pet was returned to us we were explicitly told that Dr.XX was not available and would review our pet’s X-rays and get back to us. I was extremely annoyed that we had been told to arrange our day to accommodate Dr.XX’s schedule and he had failed to even look at Auggie or meet with us. I left without paying the $250 bill in question but intended to pay it once a hard copy was sent to my home address. Prior to the arrival of the bill, I received a copy of a follow up letter that was sent to my home vet, in which Dr.XX claims to have performed an orthopedic exam at the appointment in question. We know from the information given to us at the time of that visit that Dr.XX did not examine our pet. The follow up information sent to our Vet was a fabrication.
Unfortunately, before I could dispute the report, our pet suffered a caudoventral luxation and was rushed to Mass Vet Referral Hospital. We were told she would have to be put under to assess whether the hip could be put back in place. I will leave it to your staff to obtain complete records of this procedure which was performed by Dr.YY but I have enclosed the invoice and exam notes that I was given. We were told that it was very unusual for this type of dislocation to occur so far into recovery and it was doubtful it could be returned to the proper position. After a very long struggle, Dr. YY did successfully reposition the hip. It is difficult to articulate just how positive our experience at Mass Vet Referral was relative to our ordeal with Angell. Suffice it to say, I vowed not to return to Angell and would contact your billing office to tell them I would not be paying the outstanding bill.
For our pet’s sake I wish I could end this letter here but her hip dislocated in the same manner again in October at which point we went up to Mass Vet Referral’s new facility Port City Animal Hospital. This time Dr.KK was able to sedate our pet and return the hip to its correct position. Again, our experience with Dr.KK and his staff beared no resemblance to Angell’s treatment of us and our pet. Everyone at Port City was professional and compassionate. We were never rushed, every question was answered completely and immediately and most importantly we felt like our pet’s well being mattered to the Doctors and everyone who handled her, unlike Angell.
When her second dislocation and replacement was done by Dr.KK, we discussed the appropriate next step. Given my comfort level with Dr.KK and his staff I was anxious to have them perform any requisite surgery to repair or replace what had been done by Dr.XX. Dr.KK explained that neither Port City nor Mass Vet was doing hip replacements due to the growing sophistication of equipment and training necessary to perform the new techniques. He referred us to Dr.AA at Burlington Vet Clinic in Burlington Vermont. Dr.KK subsequently contacted Dr.AA on our behalf and we tentatively scheduled to take our pet up to Vermont for an evaluation in the coming weeks. Unfortunately, we were unable to wait for our scheduled appointment.
Our pet’s hip dislocated for a third time two days before Thanksgiving at 10:00 p.m. I contacted Dr.AA’s answering service and my call was returned within an hour, Dr.AA would see our pet the next day and would perform the necessary surgery that day. We were told to get there as soon as we could and they would make the time for us. After leaving at 4 a.m to drive five hours, we arrived at Burlington Animal Hospital. Once again, I will leave it to your staff to obtain the complete records. It was hard to imagine that Burlington Animal Hospital could have impressed us more than Mass Vet and Port City, but they did. Dr.AA spent an hour explaining our options and the associated costs. Our pet was operated on a few hours later. During the operation, I received a call from Dr.AA explaining his findings and recommendations. Apparently, Dr.XX (at Angell) had elected to put an extremely small head size on the prosthetic joint and that was likely the reason the hip had dislocated three times. Dr.AA did not have the materials required to replace the head but would contact the manufacturer to see if they could arrange to have what was needed delivered immediately. Fortunately, they were able to make the arrangements. The head on our pet’s prosthetic joint was changed from a ONE to a SIX. I have subsequently been told that the size that Dr.XX elected to put on originally would have been appropriate for a dog half our pet’s size. Dr.AA could not respond to what Dr.XX’s reasoning was but his hesitation in responding said all it needed to.
Dr.XX’s (at Angell) mistakes resulted in our young dog receiving a hip replacement that was inappropriate for her age that subsequently dislocated three times due to his incompetence in performing the procedure he chose to do. The combined monetary cost of the two dislocation and replacement surgery totaled $4000 , but as I told the representative in your billing department the real cost to us wasn’t monetary it was emotional. Any family that elects to spend nearly $6000 on their pet obviously considers that pet to be a member of their family. To know that our pet suffered unnecessarily through three dislocations, corrective surgery and several lengthy rehabs breaks my heart. I explained to your billing department on two separate occasions that this is why I would not be paying the outstanding bill. Not only was my story dismissed by your representatives at the time, I was subsequently called a liar and told that you had no record of me speaking to anyone in your billing area. I assure you that is not the case. I suspect that the issues that lead to our experience are also responsible for you abysmal handling of this bill and my complaints. Your organization has become monolithic and dispassionate. You have become complacent and have lost sight of the vulnerability of your clients or perhaps have incorporated that vulnerability into your business model.
I have enclosed a check for amount of the outstanding bill. I would recommend that your Board read “What Would Google Do”, by Jeff Jarvis. Angell should not underestimate the power of customer collaboration.
I took my cat for emergency treatment. there was no payment plan. Cuncelor advised care credit (GE money bank). There was no information on policys or interest rates. Councelor called company gave me the phone, I answered questions and was given 3100.00 credit. Councelor told me I would have 1 year interest free. I thought that was ok so I accepted the plan. When I got the bill I found out I had to pay 26.99% after the year was up. Well the year is up and now I find out because I didnt repay it back in the year(which I was never going to be able to do)I had to pay interst on the whole 3100.00. The interst came to 743.00.MY remainder balance was 2200.00. Now IM back up to 2900.00. I called GE money bank they told me tough luck I had to pay as that was the policy. If I had known about this plan that day I would have had to put my cat down as I could never have acceped this plan. Further investigation I found care credit is a scam and has too many compaints to count.Why is angell a non profit organization using that kind of credit agency. They are being preditory and deceptive and preying on grieving and vulnerable pet owners. They used to have a payment plan as I had used it before and it was very helpful. Why did they stop it and why dont they care about the animal and owners. Are they getting kickbacks from GE money bank. When I was there the line for credit counceling was very long. Petowners NEED HELP from these practices