I had a golden retriever in for grooming last week which has really concerned me.She first came in about a year ago,she was 8 years old then,grossly overweight and with the worst ear infection I've ever seen(and you could smell it the minute she walked in the door-owner was unaware.) The smell was so disgusting it made us want to retch and pus was just oozing out.Her owner said she has "hip problems" which she said "all golden retrievers have".Her skin was flaking off in chunks as well.We managed to bath her but by the time we had got her dried she just didn't want to stand up and we just groomed her out with her lying down and called it a day.We advised that she went to the vet for her ear infection and skin.
Well,when she came in last week she had aged by 5 years-she was now 13 according to her owner.She said she had taken her to the vet after her last visit and it "cost her a fortune".She had been given ear drops but apparently the vet had said her ear infection was a special case(common in Golden Retrievers) and could never be completely treated-it would always be there(???).Well,I said I had never heard of that before-has anyone else?When we checked her ears they looked like they had been wiped out but were bleeding inside.When I asked whether she was on painkillers for her hip dysplasia her owner said the vet told her as it was a inherited disease he wouldn't give her anything(???)and said there was nothing that could be done and that all pedigree dogs were very unhealthy.And then I asked whether her skin was any better and I got much the same reply-no,the vet had said that skin problems were common in Golden Retrievers and nothing could be done.All the owner kept saying was "these pedigrees are so unhealthy" and she said she would never get another one.Anyway,we didn't even try and bath her as she was obviously in so much pain,we knew she wouldn't be able to cope with it,so we just brushed her lying down and trimmed her feet.I did advise that she went back to the vet but chances are she won't.I really didn't know what I could do(apart from reporting her to the RSPCA).She was such a sweetie and deserves so much better-and her owner's view is that oh well,she's a pedigree and its well known that they're all so unhealthy-and that was her excuse.

> apart from reporting her to the RSPCA

That is what you can do.  You have tried getting her to seek veterinary attention and that has failed for one reason or another.

:(  Reading this post has made me so sad - the poor, poor dog. As Isabel suggested, please give the RSPCA a try.

Yes,you're right,I will do,I just wanted to leave it a few days-for obvious reasons really(I'm a wimp).I would really like to know the outcome though and having reported a couple of people before to the RSPCA I know that doesn't happen.

I find it quite strange that this lady has a dog who is obviousley suffering,and needs to see a vet dares to bring her to a grooming shop,it doesn't make sense.

How awful, poor dog, dont really know how an owner can sit back and watch her dog suffer :-(

It does seem strange doesn't it? I had a similar case a few years ago,a shih tzu came in with badly rotting teeth and swollen gums,obviously in a lot of pain.I advised the owner to take her to her vet but a year later she came back in and if anything her teeth were even worse,by now a couple were hanging out.I once had a yorkie cross come in(a regular customer) which had apparently had quite severe diarrhea for nearly a week and hadn't been to a vet.Of course we just said we couldn't groom her and to take her straight away for treatment-she was quite dehydrated by then.They just thought it would clear up in its own time!
I think some owners just have an aversion to vets,they bury their heads in the sand and don't want to know whats going on.

Please ring and report this. I hope this isn't the excuse all bad owners are now going to use "these pedigree dogs are all the same!"
The poor girl. I would not care what the owner thought of me. or even if she had guessed it was me that reported her. I don't beleve she had taken the girl to the vets.
Denese

Reading that is so upsetting. How can this owner watch her poor dog suffering, it breaks your heart.

Hi,

I really do hope you report this. I live with 6 goldens and the thought of any dog let alone another golden being neglected like this breaks my heart. Im also a groomer and i had the same problem with a standard poodle and his ears. HE was in such a state and obviously in a lot of pain. I never got to find out if that dog got to the vets as when i told them about it they said, yes they already knew.But he never came back to me as they didn't even pay the right amount when i dropped him back to the owner and they still to this day owe me £6 so i knew i'd never see him again!!  I just hope you manage to get something done about this poor old lady. Please let us know the outcome.

Mel.

helenmd,

I know you are in a really difficult situation here but I would add one note of caution: I've heard reports of the RSPCA taking dogs from owners and then putting them down, when, allegedly, it has not been necessary to do so. I think that if you report it you could try first to extract some kind of guarantee that they tell you what happens to the dog. I guess it is tricky because of data protection and so on but if they take full possession of the dog I don't see why you cannot follow its progress.

Do you have contact details for this lady?

Are you absolutely sure that reporting her is the right way to go?  Before you decide to report her I'd suggest that you write to her expressing your concerns and advising that you are unable to attend to her dogs grooming needs again whilst she is in such a poor state.  Be specific as to your reasons, eg ear infection makes it painful etc.

As others have mentioned it seems odd that the owner will pay for grooming but not vet treatment so maybe she doesn't really understand the dogs needs.  We all know that vets can be expensive but once infections are under control there are plenty of things she can do to prevent reoccurrence but it might be that her vet has never discussed these with her or that she has not thought to ask.  She may also not understand what pain management options are available.

Perhaps you could recommend another vets that you or you other clients think highly of.  If the woman is paying for grooming she obviously does care about her dog and for that I think she deserves a chance to rectify things rather than being reported.  A helpful letter from you, pointing out the problems and potential solutions could just be enough; even a list of questions that she could take to the vet might help.  I do wonder if the problem is ignorance rather than cruelty?

As I understand it the action the RSPCA would take is to give the owner a week or two to take the dog to the vet then to check this has been carried out,if not further action is taken.When I've reported owners in the past-as I did with the shih tzu with rotting teeth and also a jack russell with severe skin problems(well virtually bald actually) which came in for a nailclip-the RSPCA have asked if I want to be informed of the outcome,I've always said yes but they didn't get back to me.
Yes,I do have contact details for the owner but to be honest I don't think she does care about the dog-to tell you the truth I think she would be quite happy to be shot of her.

RSPCA it is if the poor dog is suffering, pity is if the owner realises its you that has reported them you may never see the dog again?? but its well worth the risk you will worry for ever if you dont.

How about asking your own vet for advice, obviously without revealing the identity of the client.  Maybe you could agree with the owner that you would both go to your vet for a second opinion- perfectly legal etc.  Maybe if you ask nicely, your own vet would also give a discount, given the state of the poor dog.  Dont expect a huge discount however, as there are obovulsy the overheads of running a practice.  But I think teamwork like this could win the day...?

Was wondering how you've got on with this dog.  Some good advice here

Well,unfortunately the address I have on the dog's record card is actually the daughter's address,not where the dog actually lives so there's nothing the RSPCA can do.I think its unlikely the dog will ever come back in for grooming as we weren't able to bath her anyway.
I feel awful that I'm not able to help this poor dog.

Due think perhaps that the daughter is unaware of the state of the dog and is it possible that the owner is so damn thick that she really believes all pedigrees are un-healthy, so it's all she should expect from her dog. The bit that surprises me is to hear a vet say that there's nothing he can do, no point in treating etc, all common for pedigrees.  Most vets I've ever come across will try anything and everything either because of £££ signs or that they actually care.

It just all sounds so iffy, she cares enough to pay for grooming but not enough to help an ill dog.

Don't be hard on yourself.

If you do ever see the owner and dog again mind it might be an idea to educate her (if it's possible) about pedigrees and where to find a better vet.

Helen as others have said you must report this person to the rspca.  I have reported one dog in the past to the rspca and requested they keep me informed about the outcome, and I did keep phoning to ask, eventually they phoned me to tell me that they had taken the dog away, they kept me updated with the dog in kennels and also advised me when the dog found a new home.  So please phone the rspca so that this girl gets a better life that she so deserves.

I've just noticed this post after posting, the rspca could go to the daughters address and find out exactly where the dog is, don't let it stop you in getting a better life for this dog.

Hi Perry,I did phone the RSPCA-it was them who said that they couldn't do anything as I didn't have the address where the dog lived-they won't go to the daughter's address.I doubt very much if this dog ever goes out,she's not very mobile as she's so overweight.So there's little chance of anyone else seeing her.
I'm racking my brains thinking of a way round it..

I think I would tell the rspca that she lives at the address which you have, that way they would pay a visit?