PetSmart Warning

PetSmart offers a special on new puppy baths for dogs under 6 months old - only $10.99! Great deal, right? You would think. However, they ask for three hours from the time your appointment is scheduled to completion. Well - last Monday I decided to take advantage of this seemingly great deal and took Bailey into the Buckhead PetSmart. His appointment was at 10am. They told me they would call when he was ready. At 1pm I still had not heard anything so I called. After being put on hold twice and then getting transferred to a dog hospital, I decided to go find out what was going on. I got there at 2pm and they told me he STILL wasn't ready. I waited another 20 minutes before they brought him out. When I asked what was going on - a man told me he was the only one working and they were booked for the day - NOT my problem. An hour and a half longer than it was supposed to take, I took Bailey home.

On Wednesday he started sneezing/coughing. I thought he had a minor cold and therefore did not worry much about it since he seemed fine.

I took Bailey to the vet on Saturday and the second he walked in, the vet heard him sneeze and looking at me with concern in her face, she asked "How long has he been doing that?" Turns out Bailey has "Kennel Cough." This flu-like cold is supposed to be protected by the Bordatella vaccine (which of course he already had), but there are some strands that the vaccine does not yet protect against. I was confused (as was the vet) on why he would have Kennel Cough if he had not been in a kennel. After much talk and thought - it hit me. PetSmart keeps their dogs in kennels until they are ready to groom/bathe them. THIS is where Bailey picked up the virus. So lots of money and a sick dog later - Bailey is doing much better. He still has the sniffles, but his temperature (102 at the vet!) has gone down.

So beware pet owners of this phenomena and of PetSmart!

Have a good one,
Shelly