Groomer's Error ---> Infection + bald spot - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Remysmom · 04-23-2006, 09:14 PM

If any of you are in the Fremont, CA area, do NOT go to the grooming dept at the Petsmart on Argonaut Way. They messed up and gave my boy a huge bald spot by his right shoulder. The groomers fluffed up the hair around his spot to hide it, so I didn't see it until later! The spot became infected and the hair has NOT grown back and probably never will. It has been 3 months, with multiple trips to the vet and hundreds of dollars spent, trying to figure out what caused the infection.

deb4air · 04-24-2006, 04:33 AM

AWW gee thats not nice ..

Patti · 04-24-2006, 05:50 AM

That's horrible! Did you pursue it with Petsmart? I would try. They can't keepgetting away with bad groomers.

fabulous · 04-24-2006, 06:00 AM

I'm so sorry that happened to your Yorkie!! The last few times my mom has taken her dogs to the groomers they have got eye infections. It's werid-We don't know why it's happening!

Marie · 04-24-2006, 06:01 AM

Aww, Im so sorry you had such a bad experience at the groomers. I agreed you should sue them. That was awful to hide their mistakes. I hope you little guys is doing ok. Thanks for the warning.
Welcome to YT.

yorkshirecrazy · 04-24-2006, 07:16 AM

That's awful, your poor baby. I think you should take it up with Petsmart. Sue there butts....They should not be able to get away with this...Sorry you and your pup have to go threw this, I do hope your furbaby is okay. Keep us posted if you can. GoodLUck..

Dawn125 · 04-24-2006, 09:31 AM

I gotta ask...how in the world could the groomers cause a bald infected spot on a dogs shoulder? I'm not trying to defend Petsmart or say it couldn't happen but it doesn't really make sense. Was your dog in for a short haircut? Was he matted? How big an area? As a dog groomer (not employed by Petsmart or Petco!) we often discover existing skin issues when grooming dogs, especially matted dogs. If the dog was getting a haircut the clippers are set up with a blade of a specific length so there is no way there would be a bald spot in the middle of a longer clipped area. Even for someone who has never used clippers before it would be pretty impossible to cause this. They are pretty safe tools. The only place a blade short enough to cause an abrasion like this might be used is sanitary areas.

As far as a bald spot on the shoulder of a dog...we find them all the time. They are a reaction to injections by the vet. They don't show much when the hair is longer and may go unoticed by the owner for a long time but once cut short they are pretty obvious. Usually around 3/4 to an inch in diameter and pretty bald. Often the skin is rough or blackened. The hair does not grow back. My own yorkie has this as well as a lump on her thigh (my vet prefers to inject the back of the thigh) and it won't ever go away. They don't usually get infected though. Any chance your dog had received a shot in the months prior to the grooming? If so check with the vet to see if it was in the right shoulder.

Other than that, we sometimes find sores beneath matts...or remove a tic from an area which will leave a reddened area that could become infected. Some dogs come in with hot spots that are visable once the fur is shortened. I would be interested to hear more details about this or see pics.

fabulous · 04-24-2006, 01:18 PM

It's very easy for a groomer to do that. One slip of the shaver and you have nicked the skin and if she didn't know & if the blades weren't clean to begin with, an infection can easily begin.

jkat · 04-24-2006, 01:21 PM

Want me to wear my heels and kick their butt??

Meanwhile, give them a karate chop or two?

SnowWa · 04-24-2006, 01:59 PM

I would think for sure that you have no proof that anything happened while your pup was being groomed..... so going back to the store at this point would be a waste of time.

I know how easily an accident can happen when a wiggly little dog is being groomed - groomers usually mention any injury to the owner so that it can be watched and taken care of immediately.

And hate to say it - but sometimes dog go to groomers with sores, nicks, etc., that their owners aren't even aware of. And, in some of these and other cases, even though you think it was the groomers fault - it really wasn't.

I keep a close eye on my pup, picking him up, combing him, playing with him all the time, etc., but I don't examine his entire body carefully every day. So, I can imagine the possibility of their being some scratch or sore that I might not be aware of from time to time.

I'm sorry about all the problems you had. No fun - right?

Carol Jean

bentley · 04-24-2006, 02:05 PM

Be very careful with the infection, a short story about my Schnauzer, same thing got an infection after, that infection got worst and worst, antibiotics didn't work, till she got a surgery to take all the infection away, after that,she a got open wound for 3 months, was with antibiotics again and cortisone, and 6 months because that she got blind till now...and a big scar for the rest of her life...poor my baby, she is been blind for 4 years already

Remysmom · 04-27-2006, 12:24 AM

I'm very sorry to hear about your little girl's blindness! But I'm sure she is still the best little angel ever.

Remysmom · 04-27-2006, 12:25 AM

Thank you for all the information. I will definitely look further into it!

04-23-2006, 09:14 PM	#1
Remysmom YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: California Posts: 3	Groomer's Error ---> Infection + bald spot If any of you are in the Fremont, CA area, do NOT go to the grooming dept at the Petsmart on Argonaut Way. They messed up and gave my boy a huge bald spot by his right shoulder. The groomers fluffed up the hair around his spot to hide it, so I didn't see it until later! The spot became infected and the hair has NOT grown back and probably never will. It has been 3 months, with multiple trips to the vet and hundreds of dollars spent, trying to figure out what caused the infection.

04-24-2006, 04:33 AM	#2
deb4air Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: new york Posts: 3,166	AWW gee thats not nice .. __________________ Deb and Miss Mini

04-24-2006, 05:50 AM	#3
Patti Donating YT 10000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Illinois Posts: 17,954	That's horrible! Did you pursue it with Petsmart? I would try. They can't keepgetting away with bad groomers. __________________ Cali Pixie Roxie : Maya's Mom RIP my sweet Dixie girl 1/17/08 http://callipuppyscastle.bravehost.com/index.html

04-24-2006, 06:00 AM	#4
fabulous YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: IL Posts: 7	grooming I'm so sorry that happened to your Yorkie!! The last few times my mom has taken her dogs to the groomers they have got eye infections. It's werid-We don't know why it's happening!

04-24-2006, 06:01 AM	#5
Marie Mom loves Gucci Donating Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: New York City Posts: 6,419	Aww, Im so sorry you had such a bad experience at the groomers. I agreed you should sue them. That was awful to hide their mistakes. I hope you little guys is doing ok. Thanks for the warning. Welcome to YT. __________________ Huggies, Gucci and Marie http://www.dogster.com/?132187 "I have been egged"

04-24-2006, 07:16 AM	#6
yorkshirecrazy YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: FLORIDA Posts: 741	That's awful, your poor baby. I think you should take it up with Petsmart. Sue there butts....They should not be able to get away with this...Sorry you and your pup have to go threw this, I do hope your furbaby is okay. Keep us posted if you can. GoodLUck.. __________________ Daisy Duke Rambo

04-24-2006, 09:31 AM	#7
Dawn125 YT Addict Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Central California Posts: 411	I gotta ask...how in the world could the groomers cause a bald infected spot on a dogs shoulder? I'm not trying to defend Petsmart or say it couldn't happen but it doesn't really make sense. Was your dog in for a short haircut? Was he matted? How big an area? As a dog groomer (not employed by Petsmart or Petco!) we often discover existing skin issues when grooming dogs, especially matted dogs. If the dog was getting a haircut the clippers are set up with a blade of a specific length so there is no way there would be a bald spot in the middle of a longer clipped area. Even for someone who has never used clippers before it would be pretty impossible to cause this. They are pretty safe tools. The only place a blade short enough to cause an abrasion like this might be used is sanitary areas. As far as a bald spot on the shoulder of a dog...we find them all the time. They are a reaction to injections by the vet. They don't show much when the hair is longer and may go unoticed by the owner for a long time but once cut short they are pretty obvious. Usually around 3/4 to an inch in diameter and pretty bald. Often the skin is rough or blackened. The hair does not grow back. My own yorkie has this as well as a lump on her thigh (my vet prefers to inject the back of the thigh) and it won't ever go away. They don't usually get infected though. Any chance your dog had received a shot in the months prior to the grooming? If so check with the vet to see if it was in the right shoulder. Other than that, we sometimes find sores beneath matts...or remove a tic from an area which will leave a reddened area that could become infected. Some dogs come in with hot spots that are visable once the fur is shortened. I would be interested to hear more details about this or see pics. __________________ Dawn (Brandy & Titan's mom)

04-24-2006, 01:18 PM	#8
fabulous YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: IL Posts: 7	groo It's very easy for a groomer to do that. One slip of the shaver and you have nicked the skin and if she didn't know & if the blades weren't clean to begin with, an infection can easily begin.

04-24-2006, 01:21 PM	#9
jkat YT Addict Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: California Posts: 459	T Want me to wear my heels and kick their butt?? Meanwhile, give them a karate chop or two?

04-24-2006, 01:59 PM	#10
SnowWa YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: USA Posts: 2,991	I would think for sure that you have no proof that anything happened while your pup was being groomed..... so going back to the store at this point would be a waste of time. I know how easily an accident can happen when a wiggly little dog is being groomed - groomers usually mention any injury to the owner so that it can be watched and taken care of immediately. And hate to say it - but sometimes dog go to groomers with sores, nicks, etc., that their owners aren't even aware of. And, in some of these and other cases, even though you think it was the groomers fault - it really wasn't. I keep a close eye on my pup, picking him up, combing him, playing with him all the time, etc., but I don't examine his entire body carefully every day. So, I can imagine the possibility of their being some scratch or sore that I might not be aware of from time to time. I'm sorry about all the problems you had. No fun - right? Carol Jean __________________ http://tinypic.com/ipxhmb.jpg A Yorkie is worth a thousand words.

04-24-2006, 02:05 PM	#11
bentley Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: florida Posts: 75	Be very careful with the infection, a short story about my Schnauzer, same thing got an infection after, that infection got worst and worst, antibiotics didn't work, till she got a surgery to take all the infection away, after that,she a got open wound for 3 months, was with antibiotics again and cortisone, and 6 months because that she got blind till now...and a big scar for the rest of her life...poor my baby, she is been blind for 4 years already

04-27-2006, 12:24 AM	#12
Remysmom YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: California Posts: 3	I'm very sorry to hear about your little girl's blindness! But I'm sure she is still the best little angel ever.

04-27-2006, 12:25 AM	#13
Remysmom YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: California Posts: 3	Thank you for all the information. I will definitely look further into it!