Business ProfileforSouth Bay Animal Hospital & Pet Resort

Our 1-year-old cat with jaundice and lethargy was brought into South Bay Animal Hospital at *************************************, where **. ********* *** works. The cat developed these symptoms one week after vaccination and treatment with de-worming medication, and I asked whether drug toxicity-related hepatitis is a possibility. **. *** asked for a $2000 deposit and charged over $1700 for evaluation, blood tests, and x-ray. Subcutaneous fluid was included in the quote. Four hours later, she called me to inform me the liver function tests were abnormal and recommended additional tests. She was unable to provide an adequate differential diagnosis but said the cat either has fatty liver disease (potentially due to not eating or drinking for days) or lymphoma. She indicated that someone who can perform ultrasound is there and insisted repeatedly that the cat should have this test which costs $1000. Given the cat was lethargic and dehydrated, I asked whether she had given the cat fluids, and she said she hadn't. This was 4.5 hours after the cat was brought in for lethargy and jaundice, which is exacerbated by dehydration. I was concern about **. ***'s medical judgment and incompetence and decided to take the cat away since I did not trust anything she said. She then recommended that I purchase an appetite stimulant mirtazapine. I quickly searched on the internet and found out that this drug is cleared by the liver, which can lead to toxicity in animal with liver failure. At that point, she recommended that the cat be admitted. When I picked up the cat, **. *** did not come out to talk to me. She sent a technician who brought the cat out and asked me to sign an AMA (against medical advice). I took the cat home, and he was eating and drinking and didn't require any treatment. In sum, **. ***'s failure to perform appropriate basic veterinary medical care, incompetence, and unprofessionalism raised serious concerns regarding her ability to practice as a veterinarian.