Originally Posted by pollyanna
(Post 2667190)
I purchased a one year old Squaw Creek Kennels bred Maltese from Sportsman's Kennels on May 18, 2008 for a service dog. She came with 3 vet health certificates. In March 2009, I took her to be spayed. Blood work for anesthesia revealed 3 elevated liver enzymes. Bile acid tests were elevated and revealed her liver function is abnormal. These indicate either a portosystemic liver shunt or microvascular shunts, both Congenital Conditions that are undiscoverable until symptomatic, without blood tests for anesthesia, or genetic screening.
Several parties suggested that Pollyanna was sold and returned, partly because the kennel only produced 4 months of vet records for a year of residence, ending in September 2007.
I went out to Sportsmans Kennels on Friday with Pollyanna to ask them to pay the $1800 diagnostic fees and $3000 surgery necessary to save her life if she has a true portosystemic shunt. Helen, the owner, told me I was legally entitled to nothing because of the lemon law that protects the Kennel after 2 weeks. Finally, after 2 hours of discussion, Helen, said she would pay for the portogram and necessary surgery. She reiterated this over and over. She even ran out to my car as I was leaving and assured me that she would "take care of my baby".
On Monday, I called my vet and told him that Sportsmans had repeatedly assured me she would pay for the necessary medical care. He called Helen and she shouted him down and told him that she had reconsidered and would not honor her verbal commitment.
She called me the next night and yelled for 30 minutes. She said her vets said it was "overkill" to treat this dog. She said the dog is too small and will die in surgery. She said she would give me $1300 (She was on sale for half price when I bought her.) for the dog and I could keep her but don't treat her; and a puppy because Pollyanna would have a short life and I could train another dog to be a service dog and then when Pollyanna dies I would not feel bad. I politely asked her if she was insane, that my service dog could be saved if I had the money. She said I was entitled to nothing under the lemon law and that she had made her verbal commitment to me to pay the medical bills without talking to her vets. She said her vets said it was probably just an infection. I told her that her web site claims a 2 year Genetic guarantee and she said that is only the price of the dog. My vet sent all the blood work to her vets by Friday.
On Saturday she called me and told me she had no legal obligation. I reminded her repeatedly that she had made a verbal contract with me to pay the portagram and the surgery if necessary. She said she never said she would do the right thing. "I don't talk like that." She was furious. She said her vets said it could be 100 things and was most likely a bacterial infection. She said I lied when I said the dog was going to die with a shunt and that I committed slander against her. I explained that this is what I am being told. She said, "This all changed because of the accusation you made." I asked her what she meant and she said I accused her of reselling the dog and of knowing the dog was sick when she sold it to me. I told her I did not say that to her. She said, "Well your vet wrote it in the letter."
After insisting that she would not pay, she said she wanted the dog on antibiotics for one week and then wanted the blood work (which was done twice) redone by her vets after antibiotics. She said she wanted the sonogram and portogram done by her vets. I said, by somebody impartial, and she said her vets. I said that was not impartial, and she said I did not trust her. She hung up on me after shouting me down for a long time, but called back almost immediately to say that she did not say she would not pay for the surgery. She was supposed to call on Monday. Today is Friday.
Since my dog is getting worse and since my vet and blood work say she does not have an infection, I decided to borrow the money and have a sonogram done. She accused me of lying and having no proof. Unfortunately, the sonogram (which is only 25% reliable to reveal a shunt but necessary to see if the other organs are normal. The portogram is 100% reliable and more expensive.) showed that Pollyanna has an "extra vessel" which could be a true shunt or a vessel caused by microshunts. A portagram will specify. Her liver is normal size on the right and extra small on the left. :cry: My heart is breaking.
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