A Chicago woman said veterinarians at Banfield Animal Hospital performed a neuter procedure on her dog instead of a scheduled dental cleaning on Monday, August 5.
“It was a terrible experience,” said dog owner Ashley Martin Jenkins. NBC Chicago, “I know mistakes happen, but this was a big one.”
She said she was “stunned” by the mistake. “I’m like, ‘What do you mean, neutered?’ Literally, you just got her off so you could put it in your mouth, and then you removed her uterus and ovaries.”
A dog owner showed NBC Chicago a calendar reminder message from the veterinary clinic, proving that her dog, Savannah, was indeed scheduled for a teeth cleaning.
In addition to this, she also showed me the aftercare instructions and medications she received after the spay/neuter procedure was completed.
Martin Jenkins says he doesn’t want other dog owners and their pets to go through the same experience he did.
She said, “I think there needs to be some accountability taken and I think there needs to be better procedures in place to make sure this never happens again.”
“What if he had a more serious condition? What if he needed another surgery? What if he was going to be euthanized?”
In a statement to NBC Chicago, a Banfield spokesperson said the veterinary hospital is investigating Savannah’s case.
They write: “Banfield has already taken steps to prevent mistakes and is conducting a full investigation into what happened. All other patients in the hospital are receiving treatment as scheduled.”
Additionally, they said they are working directly with Savannah’s family to address their concerns and have also apologized.
They write: “We are pleased to hear that Savannah is recovering well and remain committed to providing related care and covering its costs.”
Martin Jenkins told NBC Chicago that she and her family didn’t want to have their 10-year-old Cavapoo neutered.
“I happened to see a dog that had just been neutered, and the stitches were awful and huge.” Martin Jenkins said: “The dog looked like it was in pain. I was determined not to do that.”
