Complaint Review: lauderdale veternary specialists - Internet

My dog had a broken neck.  My vet recommended Dr. Cook as one of the best in the country.  My experience justified this recommendation.

I called the hospital to find out how to get there.  In the meantime, my vet sent over the medical history for my dog.  When I arrived, the staff was waiting for me.  Dr. Cook came in on his day off to meet with me there.

Tests showed that my dog had a severely broken neck.  Dr. Cook showed me all of the information and explained my choices in treatment.  His staff prepared an estimate for the minimum and maximum prices for each treatment depending on other facts that were unknown.

My dog spent the rest of the weekend at the hospital.  Everyone there was loving and caring.  I had to wait to do surgery because of the young age of my dog.  Once I got my dog home, either Dr. Cook or the staff called every day to check on how my dog was doing.  In the beginning I sometimes called several times in a day because I was scared about what to do.  Everyone was patient and kind to me.

The very complicated surgery was successful, and over a year later, my dog is as healthy as any other dog.

I have nothing but the greatest respect and admiration for Dr. Cook and the entire team at Lauderdale Veterinary Specialists.  I owe them my dog's life.

I have now discovered that since Dr. Cook Lauderdale Veterinary Specialist did no exam, no blood work, did not ask the right questions, there was never ANY reason think my dog should be put through a costly and unnecessary brain MRI.  As I suspected and Dr. Cook dismissed, my dog did indeed have polyneuropathy which another neurologist diagnosed.  They have misstated and not witnessed what they claim I said, fired Ms. Gold (ironic twist), and never had any trouble leaving messages.  I have both the messages left just fine in my email box as proof and Dr. Cook's dismissal of my question about polyneuropathy in writing as well.  Happy to provide it to anyone who wants to see.  Lauderdale Veterinary Specialist should not be in business.  If you read the filtered Yelp reviews and ones on other sites, they have hurt many pets.  It's tragic.

I am so sorry for your situation and I hope you get the satisfaction you deserve.  LVS and Dr Cook are not the Drs I have issue with--so I retract my comment about having an issue there. 

Did you file a complaint with the Vet Licensing Board?  I too have serious concerns about one of the Drs in that practice and their lack of systems to ensure proper care of pets. 

Ms. Gold has flat out lied and mis-stated virtually everything from my alleged statements, the dog's health history and Dr. Cook's actions -- what she has stated in contrary to his own report.

I have more than enough documentation from Dr. Cook re his non-exam and non-work, as well documented evidence of my pleas for service and their non-response.

If anything she had anything at all in writing regarding an exam, blood work or the facts, her lies would at least make sense.

Lauderdale Veterinary Specialists , Veterinarian James Cook ARE FLAT OUT LIARS.  DO NOT RISK YOUR PET'S HEALTH.

ADDITIONALLY, THEY DELETE ALL NEGATIVE COMMENTS FROM THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE SO THE TRUTH IS NOT KNOWN AND THEY DO NOT HANDLE IT.  SEE THE YELP REVIEWS FOR THE MANY OTHERS INJURED BY THEIR LACK OF CARE.

Feel free to contact me if you want documentation contrary to what they state.  They have no documentation to back their claims since they are lies.  (((phone number redacted)))

CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.

Ms. Silver was referred originally to a local veterinary cardiologist Dr. Tacy Rupp by her regular veterinarian Dr. Drew Scarbrough, who believed her dog Leo might have a heart problem. Dr. Rupp was concerned about other issues and asked Dr. James Cook, a certified veterinary neurologist, to examine Leo. Ms. Silver brought Leo to Lauderdale Veterinary Specialists on October 8 2012; her complaint was that Leo had a chronic (1-2 year) history of muscle atrophy, exercise intolerance, and an occasional choking noise. The owner also described more recent significant  changes in personality and behavior. Dr. Cook, with the assistance of his technician, did a full physical and neurologic exam and reviewed lab data from Dr. Scarbroughs office. During the exam Leo did have some diffuse muscle atrophy and while alert and affectionate, seemed to have difficulty staying awake if not stimulated. The owner had a concern about an inherited polyneuropathy identified in Leos breed (Alaskan Malamute) and certainly much of his clinical presentation is consistent with that polyneuropathy. However, the mentation changes and sleepiness are much more consistent with an acquired problem within the brain itself such as a tumor or encephalitis. Dr. Cook advised MRI of the brain to start. Since there is no MRI currently on site at Lauderdale Veterinary Specialists, he did locate a locally convenient facility in Tamarac which has recently hired a veterinarian and veterinary technician to do animal studies. Since they only do animals on Tuesday and sometimes on Wednesday, Leos next window of opportunity would have been October 16 or 17, 2012.
 
During the days immediately following Leos office appointment, Ms. Silver sent several emails requesting discussion of information she had obtained from the internet, which were answered as soon as reasonably possible. Over that weekend on October 13, the staff called Dr. Cook at home as Ms. Silver stated she was impatient and was seeking a second opinion with another veterinary neurologist, Dr. Lisa Lipitz at Coral Springs Animal Hospital and was claiming she had been promised delivery of medical records material which had not been delivered as promised. Dr. Cook asked the staff to re-FAX any pertinent records Ms. Silver might want and to retain a copy of the transmission receipt.  He also attempted to call Ms. Silver directly but on the only phone number she provided there was no answer and there was no answering device or service.  On Monday October 15 she began sending multiple hostile emails demanding return of the office call fee and making totally (and provably) false claims that Dr. Cook had never examined her dog or reviewed Dr. Scarbroughs lab reports, and that he had misdiagnosed her dog. When her emails became hostile and unrelated to Leos medical care, they were then directed to the hospital administration.  They deemed her request for a refund was inappropriate as Dr. Cook had proceeded in a reasonable and timely fashion and it was her decision to get a second opinion before the MRI was finalized and performed. At this point her emails became threatening and she declared an intent to launch a vigorous internet campaign against Lauderdale Veterinary Specialists and Dr. Cook. She has filed documentably false accusations on multiple social network sites about the hospital and Dr. Cook.  We regret that Ms. Silver was unhappy with her experience at Lauderdale Veterinary Specialists but there was no wrongdoing on the part of the hospital or Dr. Cook at any time.

To our reading public:



My name is Randi Gold. I am the administrator of Lauderdale Veterinary

Specialists and hope to address the comments of the client who we just couldn't

seem to please. Before I say another word, I'd like to invite all of you to visit our

hospital, meet the team, and talk to our clients who are sitting in our

reception area waiting to see our doctors and team that they have come to trust

with the care of their four legged children. If you're not able to physically

visit, please...I encourage you to visit our Facebook page, and/or our website;

I'm confident that you will read a different perspective.



And regarding Dr. Cook...please let me share with you that he has been serving

our community for 18+ years with an outstanding, untarnished record. He is one

of the finest neurologists/neurosurgeons in the country who has a 98% success

rate on the over 5000 procedures he has performed. I'm smiling as I write this

because I have a hospital bulletin board with letters of appreciation from our

clients and after only 19 months of serving you, I need a larger bulletin board

because of all the letters Dr. Cook has received.



I could go on and on about our philosophy and the team that make our vision for

uncompromised patient care a reality...we are an exceptional team of people who

care about the profession of veterinary medicine and your animal companions.

But all the words in the world from me won't matter and I know that. Please

come visit...please call me. My cell phone number is 954-501-5526 and I will

be happy to make myself available to you. WE CARE .... We are here to provide ethical and compassionate care for you and your furry family member .... We try to make everyone happy ... I guess we learn that we can't.



I will hope to hear from you and for the opportunity to provide you with an

in-person (or internet) introduction to the people who make such a wonderful

difference in the lives of so many pets and their humans.



Most sincerely,

Randi Gold

Lauderdale Veterinary Specialists

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