Business Description:
Categories
Pet Services
Laughlin Kennel
11 Larned Rd, Oxford, MA 01540, USA
(508) 987-7161

Service

Total Experience

Will Recommend

M T.

Millville, MA

Laughlin Kennel

Our puppy ended up being very sick

I rarely leave reviews and when I do, it's almost always a positive one... We purchased our golden doodle in early December and within 48 hours he was showing signs of kennel cough. It evolved into pneumonia. Yes, I signed paperwork that he appeared healthy when I brought him home (because he did). Yes, the offer to take the puppy back and treat him and give me the first option to "buy him back". Yes, it was clear that they would not reimburse my vet bills, but I couldn't bring myself to bring him back there. He would have been in isolation at the kennel and by day 3 my 3 children were already madly in love with him. So he's been to the vet 4 times, had 3 x-rays and multiple antibiotics, pro-biotics, special food, etc. He missed vaccinations b/c he was too sick to get them which put him at greater risk. I get to take him for his first well visit tomorrow after having him for over a month and spending hundreds of dollars to get him healthy. My vet recommended I file a complaint with the state and I'm considering that. I just feel like they should have done more to ensure I was bringing home a healthy puppy (if that means keeping him longer at their facility, b/c he had just come in from a MO breeder a day or two before that). It's unreasonable to expect new owners to give back their puppy who is already bonding with the family and house training. It felt like I would be abandoning him and I wasn't at all confident he would get well there. We had to hand feed him for three days and he lost 3lbs. We love our pup. He's a sweet sweet little man which is why overall I gave 2 stars (he's a joy now that he is healthy), but I would not recommend this kennel to anyone. I'm guessing this review will not be featured on Facebook.

comments

We are sorry that your pup had a respiratory infection after going home with you. But we are pleased to hear that the pup has made a recovery!
Thank you for writing such an honest review. In it you highlighted some of the steps we take to avoid selling a pup which has a health issue, and also the options to help that we gave you. You choose to keep and treat the pup on your own, which was your right.
Our staff and our veterinarian have experience treating pups with respiratory infections and actually have a better success rate than do our customers when they choose to treat them with their own veterinarians. Allowing us to take over care would have been done at no cost to you and minimal cost to us because our staff is here anyway, our veterinarian comes every week anyway, and we get supplies and medications at wholesale prices. The protocols, as established by our veterinarian, that we implement can include not only antibiotics, but Lactated Ringer Solution (fluids), supplemental oxygen, attention throughout the day and evening, and more.
The 48 hour isolation holding period for newly arrived puppies was established by the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture in regulation 330CMR 12:05. After this period has passed, a pup still must be checked by our veterinarian before it can be sold. In the past the holding period was longer, but the state Department of Agriculture found little benefit from the longer holding period. Many states do not impose any holding period at all.
Even before being shipped to us, the breeder must have a veterinary certificate of health. Then we hold the pup in isolation for two days. Then we have our own veterinarian check the pup and finally, at the time of sale, we again assess the pup’s health and ask our customer to do the same.
We have multiple separate rooms with separate air intake and outflow in order to minimize cross infection. As required by regulation, we clean every day. Every pup is observed for signs of illness every day.
The result is that most pups go home healthy. Indeed, in a survey from an independent company, well over 90% of our customers rate their overall experience positively. We know it isn’t 100% but have reason to believe it is better than most of our competitors.
Again, we are sorry you had this problem. If we could eliminate respiratory infections, we would start with humans. But sadly, they are a part of nature, despite our best efforts.
We want our future customers to realize that there is the potential for significant veterinary bills whenever they take a new puppy home, from anywhere, and that if there is an issue we will try to help, if we are allowed to.

Laughlin Kennel commented on 01/12/2015