IF YOU ARE ON THE FENCE ABOUT PUTTING YOUR PETS’ LIFE IN THEIR HANDS, READ THIS FIRST:
They love using words like “compassionate” and “personalized” when all they care about is making the most money from pet owners in need.
I have been a customer of MVP for at least eight years. After they moved and opened the resort, their priorities shifted.
I took my dog for an annual checkup in September, as I do for all 3 of my pets. I showed the vet the red spots on my dog's tongue that had persisted. The vet showed little concern and did no specific tests. The only new concern was mild tartar (rated 1 on a scale of 1-4).
Twenty-two days later, I came for a second visit, this time noting my dog's enlarged jaw lymph nodes, which worried me as they often indicate infection, like in humans. I also repeated my concern about the lesions on her tongue.
The doctor said she would research the tongue spots because she was not sure. Although she said she wasn't sure, she stuck to her mild tartar diagnosis from less than a month ago for the swollen lymph nodes, recommending a tongue biopsy and dental treatment costing about $2k.
This surgery is invasive and aggressive, causing lots of pain and discomfort for your dog. I wanted to ensure it was the right choice before subjecting my sick dog to this, so I told her I’d consider it while she did her “research,” and we’d discuss next steps based on her findings.
A month passed, and there was no call from the doctor about her research. So, concerned for my dog's state, I called.
The receptionist stonewalled me before I could finish my first sentence, saying I could not speak with the doctor unless I made an appointment. I told her I had visited the doctor twice in two months and that she hadn't gotten back to me about her research, and that it was urgent, as I needed her response to decide what to do next. The receptionist became dismissive and confrontational. I asked her if I could at least speak with my dog’s original doctor, but she refused, giving me an ultimatum: either I pay for a consult, a virtual consult, or nothing. I requested her to pass a message to the doctor to call me back. She never did.
The next day, I got an email from the owner: “I reviewed your dog’s case, and Dr. *** and Dr. *** agree that the best next steps are to perform a dental cleaning and to biopsy her tongue at the same time. Other sources they have researched have also suggested biopsy as the best next step, as that is the only way to determine a possible cause for the lesions on her tongue, which are concerning.” That’s all I got. Again, either do what we say or go somewhere else. See the compassion?
A friend of mine, a vet with 20+ years' experience in another state, recommended seeing a board-certified oral specialist to confirm if a tongue biopsy and dental cleaning are best, as suggested by MVP doctors.
I called a board-certified oral specialist in Leesburg about her red tongue spots. Though booked until February, they fit me in on December 4 because they were more worried about her lymph node swelling than the mild tartar the doctors at Mainstay were concerned about. On December 4, I drove an hour to Leesburg, where the doctor saw me immediately. She ordered three blood tests, including a lymph node aspiration. $300 and three hours later, she called to say my dog had lymphoma, stage 3.
Thanks to Mainstay, I wasted three valuable and crucial months. Imagine if I had gone with their doctor’s surgery recommendation and put my already sick dog through hell just because not one vet cared enough to look at the big picture, and instead, went with a tunnel-vision, senseless diagnosis that would yield higher profits than a $300 blood test.
I've had pets for years and understand they get sick, and death is sometimes unavoidable. What I find unacceptable is ignoring what was obvious to other veterinarians to maximize profit.
I shared my story here to raise awareness, hoping you understand what you might face when seeking genuine care. Be careful whose hands you trust with your pet's life; our pets are family.