Katoomba Veterinary Hospital

Avoid Katoomba Vet Hospital like the Plague – There were 3 separate incidents: 1. My new Rottweiler pup had a very runny nose. I took her to the Katoomba Vet. They told me to leave here there until one of the vets could see her. I sat at home by the phone, waiting for te vet to call me with at least one question: I received no call from the vet. If the vet had asked just one question, i.e.… Read more

whether my pup had been exposed to Kennel Cough, I would have said yes. I am not a vet, so I did not know that a runny nose was a sign of Kennel Cough. When I picked up my pup from Katoomba Vet, he said that she was fine. A few days later, one of my Toy Poodles started coughing. I had to do my own research then to discover that my pup's runny nose was a sign of Kennel Cough. In the end, all my 3 dogs had to be treated for Kennel Cough - at another Vet Clinic, of course. 2. My 8 month old Norwegian Forest Cat suddenly became ill. I took him straight to Katoomba Vet. The usual vet said that my cat was fine. Fortunately, there was another temporary vet working there who specialised in cats: she suspected Feline Infectious Peritonitis [FIP], which has a 99% fatality rate, and so ordered tests. The tests were positive for FIP. A vet from Katoomba Vet then rang me to say that the course of antivirals required to save my cat's life at Katoomba Vet would cost $30,000. Somehow I found out about a national drug trial was being run to treat FIP with the antiviral Remdesivir. I travelled down to Sydney with my cat. The vet running the trial was acquainted with the temporary Katoomba Vet who had correctly suspected FIP. The temporary vet had informed the vet who was heading the FIP drug trial that the owners of Katoomba Vet were seeking to grossly overcharge me for the drug. This was confirmed when the vet heading the trial informed me that the cost of the course of antivirals was $10,00, not $30,000. Katoomba Vet was thus seeking a 200% profit. 3. When I learned that the Katoomba Vet has missed Kennel Cough in my pup, so that I had to do the research myself after my Toy Poodle started coughing, I send a text message outlining this situation to an excellent vet nurse who works at both Katoomba Vet and the Blue Mountains After Hour Clinic. I thought that the mobile number that I had was that vet nurse's own number. It turned out that it was a mobile number shared with Katoomba Vet. Nevertheless, I had clearly addressed the text message to that particular vet nurse. The text message was in no way abuse or rude: I simply outlined the facts. Even though the text was NOT addressed to Katoomba Vet and only stated what had happened, as I was quite distressed, Katoomba Vet then decided to ban me on the basis of the message. However, Katoomba Vet banned me without even telling me that I was banned and the reason for the ban. I only discovered that I was banned when my banned status was accidentally included as metatext in a general Christmas/New Year holiday email setting out their Holiday trading hours. I rang the clinic in order to speak to the owner, but they would not put me through. Last year, one of my dogs - a Great Dane - required an X-ray and there was not pet taxi big enough to transport him to my new vet. I rang Katoomba Vet to see if they could X-ray my dog, as I could easily walk him there from home. I was told that I would be put 'On Probation', pending my ban being lifted. I found this humiliating and insulting and went elsewhere. The bottom line is this: avoid Katoomba Vet Hospital like the plague.

Snake Bite ( Feb 2019) – Dog bitten by tiger snake on a Sunday, rushed him to the after hours clinic where they took him in, dog discharged after 7 days, paid the bill of $9300 he was unable to stand, eat or drink, 12 hours later he was dead

Run like a mile with service and a smile – I have 7healthy working dogs. One losing weight, dry cough, maybe fitting. My usual vet is closed. Dog xrayed, terminal. Medicine dispensed, got home. all out of date as of April19.