I WAS an owner of a 5 y/o black labrador retriever who I lost to DEATH 5 days after taking him to Noah's Ark Animal Hospital in Fullerton. I took my HEALTHY boy to Noah's Ark as he had experienced a minor limp in his front right paw for 2 weeks. After laying 10 minutes or longer at home he would get up and limp around for about 20 steps until the limp subsided. I went to Noah's Ark to receive some pain medicine for him as baby Aspirin (81 mg) didn't take effect after 4 days of being administered.

The Veterniarian that assisted Xpresso and I was Barbara Starr. To make a long story short I was not impressed with Barbara overall as a Vet. I'm a physical therapist at a local hospital and so am aware of patient care and patient education, both of which were lacking greatly at Noah's Ark. She keeps hime for 3 hours to take an xray AND update vaccines. When I went back to pick him up, Barbara did NOT come out to talk to me of the findings and/or his condition. The receptionist gave me the medicine Barbara recommended and told me to give '1 tablet a day'. I received no education on the medicine or what it was for from the Vet, Barabara Starr. I was NOT educated on side effects to look for.  Had I been, who knows, maybe my dog would still be alive.  However, I didn't think anything of it (not being informed of the medicine) expecting the medicine to be equivalent to a tylenol at appropriate dosage. I went home and started administering the medicine the next day. 5 days later my dog died. I do know that in that short time his kidney's and pancreas took a hit from the medicine and were damaged to some extent.  Autopsy reports show the significant lesions found in the GI system account for the cause of death with severe abdominal peritonitis with hemorrhage due to a perforated gastric ulcer.  'A more probable cause is that the ulcers were induced or exacerbated by the dogs 4 day treatment with Previcox.  In general these drugs have been known to cause renal and GI toxicitiy'.

After my dog died I went back to Noahs Ark for my dog's records.  You would think Barbara, who was there, would come out and acknowledge my dog's death and share her condolences.  SHE DIDN'T COME OUT TO APOLOGIZE OR SHOW HER FACE.   VERY POOR ANIMAL/PATIENT CARE DEMONSTRATED. 

I FIRMLY believe that it was this medicine that Noah's Ark and Barbara Starr gave my dog that killed him. Prior to this he was a very healthy young 5y/o black lab who loved going to long beach for his weekend swim(s).

BE VERY WISE WHEN CHOOSING YOUR VET AS I FOUND OUT IT CAN BE DEADLY.  NOAH'S ARK IS NEGLIGENT TO ANIMAL CARE, CONCERNED ONLY WITH MONEY BROUGHT IN, AND THEY ARE UNPROFESSIONAL AND INCOMPETENT IN THE CASE DESCRIBED ABOVE.  I RECOMMEND KEEPING YOUR ANIMALS FAR AWAY FROM NOAH'S ARK AND BARBARA STARR IF YOU WANT THEM TO LIVE A NORMAL HEALTHY LIFE.

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