December 2018 by Frank S.
We brought our French Bulldog puppy Sophie in for a check up, two days after we adopted her. The Staff was friendly and we learned our puppy had a parasite called Giardia. Dr. Burner provided us with some medicine and care instructions, which we followed closely. While we were at Anacapa, my wife purchased a Banfield Puppy Pack, which sounded like a good deal, since it included shots, visits and the spaying of our puppy at a later date. We brought our puppy back to Anacapa shortly, because she continued to have diarrhea and it didn't seem like she was getting any better. Dr. Burner informed us, she was the type of dog that was likely going to test positive for Giardia, regardless. We were sent home with no additional medicine, since Dr. Burner didn't see any problem with her. While we were there, the Doctor suggested we give our puppy a two and one vaccination, since she was old enough. We were hesitant but figured it was okay, since the Doctor recommended it be done. A couple of days later, we noticed our puppy appeared lethargic and warm. We immediately called Anacapa and were told the soonest they could see her was at 3 pm. I telephoned back an hour later, requesting to bring her in sooner because I felt her symptoms were getting worse. I was told their appointments were filled until 3pm, so there would be no Doctor available beforehand. Once at Anacapa, we learned our puppy's body temperature was 106 degrees. She was in critical condition and they immediately began emergency care. We ended up transferring our puppy to VMSG, where she remained isolated for the next 4 days. This was very expensive but I wanted to give my puppy the best care possible. Our puppy pulled through and is alive and well. I feel Anacapa and Dr. Burner blew it on so many levels. The fact my puppies Giardia was not treated aggressively and our concerns were discounted and not taken serious. The shots were absolutely not necessary and likely attributed to her rapid decline in health. Dr. Burner never had the decency to follow up with me and my wife, regarding Sophie's health. We have not been back to Anacapa since and will never return. The missed diagnosis, lack of urgency and compassion, still has me feeling uneasy.