At the end of April and the beginning of May 2007, I had been in Petland Town and Country about 3-4 times looking at a red dachshund. His price was like 1700 dollars, which was way too high for me. On May 10th, my fiancé and I went in and he was down to 499.99. We decided to purchase him. When I bought the dog, I specifically asked, “If the dog has an emergency and he goes to a vet other than the one you recommend, you will pay the vet bills as long as your vet confirms the problem is in existence plus the price of the puppy?” The girl confirmed that I was correct.
On Saturday, May 12th, 2007 I took Rusty to The Animal Medical Center, as directed by a petland employee in order to keep my warranty, where the vet did an extremely minimal check up. He held him, gave a quick look over, and listened to his heart. Afterwards he said the heart sounded nice and clear. He was noted to weigh exactly three pounds.
Suspicious, I took Rusty to my own vet whom I know and trust. She immediately noted a heart murmur and said not to say anything yet so we didn't cause a problem if not necessary. If I had a year in shouldn’t have mattered when in that year the heart murmur was found. She said to wait and see if he grows out of it.
Over the time we have had Rusty he had no appetite and I used nutri-stat as I was told to do so by a petland employee in order to help him eat. He was only 5 lbs and almost 6 months old. He had on and off bouts of lethargy, diarrhea, weakness, shaking, coughing etc…
On Monday June, 25th Rusty had a seizure. His neck stiffened completely upwards, his jaw clenched together, he was foaming from the mouth, breathing hard, and lost control of his bowels. I immediately jumped in the car and drove to the nearest vet about five minutes away, which is Banfield off Brice Road. I ran in hysterical, yelling for someone to help me. A vet immediately got him, and listened to him. His heart rate was 35. It should have been up between 120 and 140. His body temperature was at 96. The normal body temperature for a dog is 102. The doctor noted that he was in respiratory distress with a slow heart rate and pale gums. Luckily, she was able to stabilize him but said his heart had abnormalities. There we paid $334.19. Banfield then transferred him to medvet on emergency.
He was than transferred to Medvet for further evaluation for acute disorientation, lethargy, and being unresponsive. The vet noted that he weighed 5 pounds. Rusty was found to have a heart murmur that is not innocent. He also has an extraheptic liver shunt. Rusty has been suffering from seizures, lethargy, weakness, loss of appetite; failure to gain weight, diarrhea, and now has neurological damage due to this congenital disease. Here our bills are $1826.24.
I called petland Tuesday morning and only offered a credit towards another dog!
Rusty is in need of serious high risk surgery. He is now being stabilized on medicine until we can get his surgery, which is quoted at 2600 dollars. Rusty is on a prescription diet. He is on lactulose, an antseizure medicine three times daily. He is on Neomycin three times a day, which is an antibiotic used for dogs with liver shunts. He is on Potassium Bro. twice daily which is an antiseizure medicine. He is on panacur for 6 days. These are his requirements in order to keep him alive until we can do the surgery.
On Thursday, June 28th, 2007, I spoke with an employee at petland, once again, who took my information but said she couldn’t do anything and told me who could. I explained my situation without trying to be rude or pushy. She stated that Petland only cover up to the price of the dog. But the Health of the dog is supposed to be guaranteed.
Both disorders are congenital. Rusty was also neutered. When male dogs have liver shunts, it often causes the testicles not to drop properly. Petland does not normally sell neutered dogs, this is evidence that someone knew this dog had health issues. Also, I have the breeder, Margie Williams’. Address, name of the kennel, and license number. With this I was able to contact the USDA and get information on the facility. I have an inspection report that showed that this particular breeder, who sells to the Hunte Corporation, is a puppy mill. The report shows that the facility was not compliant with the USDA guidelines, which further shows that this puppy was not from a reputable breeder. At time of the inspection she had 188 dogs, 115 adults, and 73 pups. I am also waiting on further reports, violations, fees, and the person who is assigned to this particular case. I have filed complaints with the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General.
I wrote to petland stating that I would like the price of the dog plus tax refunded because he has two birth defects. I would also like the 334.19 and the 1826.24 paid for. I was asking this because I did my part by taking Rusty to the Vet like I was told to do within the first 4 days in order to keep my warranty. He failed to recognize the heart murmur which is a congenital defect. I also let petland know that I had USDA information on their breeders who did not even meet the pathetic USDA guidelines. I also let them know I filed complaints with the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General. I told them that if they did not want to settle this I was taking them to court for the amount of $2695.42
We have had Rusty for about 7 weeks, which is enough time to bond with him. He is now part of our family. I do not want a store credit or a credit for another dog as petland has offered me. I want the dog we have. I have asked petland that the vet bills and the refund of the puppy plus tax be given because I was told by the sales person that as long as the condition could be verified by your vet that the bills would be taken care of along with a refund for the dog. But even more that their vet failed to diagnose a heart murmur that could simply be heard by listening to the heart. I did what I was supposed to do as a customer in order to keep my warranty but the vet did not to his. If I were to not have taken my animal to the vet within four days I would have voided my warranty. But in this case, the veterinarian did not diagnose a congenital heart murmur, which should in turn mean that I should be refunded the money for the dog that I had a health warranty on and for the vet bills because I was told he was a healthy dog by the vet himself.
Unfortunately, this Dog’s life will never be the same. Rusty may have to stay on a prescription diet for the rest of his life and possibly even medication. Not only is the surgery that is needed, risky but his heart murmur makes it all the more dangerous to put him under anesthesia. I have been quoted at 2600 for his surgery, if there are no complications. Because of these congenital diseases, rusty has to live with neurological damage for the rest of his life .
On Friday, June 29th, 2007 the general manager, Trina, called and tried to say that they only cover up to the purchase price of the dog. In turn, I told her that I would be suing petland and I gave her some unkind words about the treatment of their animals in which she didn’t have much to say.(TO BE UPDATED AS SOON AS WE PROGRESS)

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