Would you..

M

mccra76

New member
General poll and discussion after something happened at work today:

Would you continue grooming a dog after you discovered it had a) an ulcerated, bleeding, swollen vagina and anus from matting and feces sitting against the skin b) a red, squinting eye with thick, green discharge and c) the inability to close its jaw coupled severe dental decay? The dog is also reacting in pain and biting when you handle the abnormal areas.

Thanks.
 
@mccra76 Assuming this is a salon that is not attached to a vet, then yeah, get that out of there. You’d have to have a serious discussion with the owner and have in writing that they understand the severe condition the dog is in, and maybe you could continue, if you’re comfortable. Other wise, GTFO. That needs to go to the vet to be shaved down and treated right away.
 
@baotoan Not a vet groomer. New client. Employee who checked in promised 5/8" all over. None of these conditions were noted at check in and owners did not mention them. Owner also introduced themselves by complaining about the last groomer. Business owner does not carry insurance.

So, refuse or somehow draft a contract on the spot?
 
@mccra76 Refuse, DOCUMENT IT ALL. Take photos of every inch of that dog. When they leave a bad review, simply post the photos and explain why service was refused.
 
@excpomelo I didn't even mention the part where the acting manager humiliated me in front of the entire salon for "being uncomfortable" and expressing my concern for the dog. 🙃 I have been grooming for five years and nobody has ever treated me like this.
 
@mccra76 I would shave any matting I think I can do safely and then send them home with a "Your dog needs to see a veterinarian ASAP."

I don't care if they look dumb or raggedy. Necessity comes before vanity. If it's that bad, that means they probably don't look in the dogs direction too often anyway.
 
@mccra76 Nope. That's a liability waiting to happen. The dog gets sent home and told if they want to return they must have a written clean bill of health from a vet. Any open wounds, discharge etc should be sent to a vet.
 
@mccra76 The jaw would definitely be a hard no. If the dog seemed in well enough shape overall, I might try to get through the other stuff. I'd emphasize to the client that the dog needed to go to the vet immediately and that we wouldn't take her again if she weren't in better shape next time. If the dog were in distress, or it seemed like I might make the situation worse, then definitely a no.
 
@mccra76 What would happen if the groomer just took a dog in this condition to the vet? Honestly asking because I don't know if I could hand it back to the owner.
 
@onuohaxo Depends on the waiver, for one. Ours authorizes emergency vet care, but if these are chronic, ongoing conditions from neglect, it's going to be hard to spin it as an emergency. Also you might want to consider who would foot the bill which would probably reach into the thousands in my city.

In terms of "saving" the dog, I'm pretty sure it needs to go through an animal control tribunal before you can transfer guardianship. Animals are considered property, withholding them is akin to theft.

80% of the dogs I get in at this salon have untreated health conditions like ear infections lasting >1 year, pyoderma, crippling arthritis, eye infections. Owners are either clueless or too cheap to spend the money on their suffering animal. This client stood out to me because we generally need to hold the chin or manipulate the face to trim it safely. It did not seem humane or safe to proceed when I suspected the dog had a fractured or dislocated jaw, but I was undermined and mocked by management for showing concern. I was told to "muzzle her" for "biting," which completely missed the point I was raising.
 
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