ComplaintsforMobile Laser Veterinary Services

• Initial Complaint

  11/21/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On November 18, 2022, my cat was prescribed an overdose of a medication called Gabapentin, resulting in her needing emergency veterinary care. On November 18, I gave my cat ******** 200mg of Gabapentin as prescribed by ****** ******* at Mobile Laser to take before a vet visit due to anxiety. In full, she was actually prescribed 300mg as the script says to give her 1 100mg capsule the night before a vet visit and 2 the day of. I have recently switched vet providers. After giving the cat, ********* the 200mg of Gabapentin, she started to fall over and be unable to walk straight. I called my current vet who advised that due to the last weight they got on her, 6 pounds, she was overdosed by “6-7x” and needed to go to an emergency vet right away. I called NC State Veterinary Hospital and they agreed it was an overdose after hearing the details and had me rush her in. While they examined her, they advised I call the pet poison control line and get a case number. Her case number is ******* ******** has gained weight since her last appointment, and is now 9lbs. As a result, she was still overdosed, but only by 2-3x. Based on her current weight of 9lbs, NC State says the maximum dose she should get is 100mg. I contacted Mobile Laser to request they reimburse me in full for the emergency vet visit, a total of $262.26, directly resulting from their overdose prescription. Mobile Laser responded that "50-200mg is an appropriate dose per cat." For heavier cats, sure, but for my cat, it was an overdose due to her weight. This practice did not properly consider her weight when prescribing the dose and therefore overdosed my cat. Additionally, they are not taking accountability and therefore putting other cats at this same risk.

  Business response

  12/01/2022

  Thank you for bringing this complaint to our attention.  We take all feedback seriously and we did respond immediately to this client about the situation with her cat.

  In short, at our first visit with the cat 18 months ago, the client was unable to safely get her cat into the carrier in order to be examined by a veterinarian.  For the safety of the cat, the client and the veterinary staff, it was determined that oral sedation would be needed to decrease the cat's anxiety / fight or flight response / fear aggression.   We prescribed the dose that is recommended in two of the veterinary pharmaceutical formularies for that purpose.

  VIN Veterinary Drug Handbook 
  DOSES:  Cats
    Fear-based aggressive behavior associated with veterinary visits   
    100–200 mg per cat PO 2 hr prior to veterinary visit
  
  Plumbs Veterinary Formulary
  DOSES:  Cats
     Reduce fear responses and anxiety associated with veterinary examinations (extra-label)
     50 - 200 mg/cat (NOT mg/kg) PO
  
  Another appointment was scheduled 17 days later for the cat, which the client canceled. We have not seen the client, nor her cat since 18 months ago and have no idea if the cat is in a compromised state of health currently.

  Without prior discussion with a veterinarian, the client took it upon herself to give the sedative medication (18 months after the original prescription), for the purpose of sedating the cat to get it into a carrier to take it in to a veterinary hospital to be examined for a new medical issue.  When the medication did exactly what it was prescribed to do = sedate the cat, the client safely put the cat in a carrier and took it to a veterinary hospital for examination.  In fact, while the cat was at the veterinary hospital, additional sedation was given to the cat by injection and the veterinarian did NOT record an official diagnosis of "OverDose".  The owner was told that "she [her cat] will likely be sedate for the next 12-24 hours. Make sure to keep her confined to a small area with soft, warm bedding, where she does not have access to stairs or furniture where she could fall and hurt herself."  Without the additional injectable sedation given at the other veterinary hospital, the oral sedation medication that we originally prescribed is typically metabolized and all sedative effects resolve in 8-10 hours.

  After the cat was examined and released from the other veterinary hospital, we received an email from the client requesting reimbursement for the veterinary bill from the other veterinarian.  I immediately reached out to the owner by email asking how the cat was doing and requesting that the remaining sedation capsules be returned; as that sedation medication is sometimes used by humans or sold by humans to be used in an illegal manner by humans.
  
  Please contact me if you have any further questions / concerns about this complaint.
  Thank you, 
  Dr. ****** ********, Mobile Laser Veterinary Services
  
  

  
  

  Business response

  12/02/2022

  I appreciate the BBB trying to be a mediator in this situation.

  No further communication will be submitted from Mobile Laser Veterinary Services.

  Thank you,

  Dr. ****** ********, Mobile Laser Veterinary Services

  Customer response

  12/02/2022

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, their malpractice insurance and I are in communication. Despite their initial response, it is being handled appropriately in that they filed a malpractice insurance claim for me. 
  

  I am shocked and disappointed by their initial unprofessional message, but agree there is nothing else to be done via the BBB here. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ******

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