DAVIE, Fla. – Owners of a small dog that was injured are saying it was the groomer who was responsible.
The dog has had to be taken to the vet for treatment three days in a row.
“She’s everything to me and it’s been dreadful, it’s been very painful,” said owner Mo McGowan.
McGowan said her dog Lemon is like another child to her.
Over the weekend, the 3-year-old chihuahua was being groomed by Honey Pets Mobile Grooming Service, but when Lemon was finished, McGowan said it was clear something was wrong.
“Her eyes were blood red shot, she also had blood coming out of her nose,” said McGowan.
They immediately took Lemon to Leader Animal Hospital in Cooper City, where veterinarians looked her over and confirmed she had corneal ulcers, which are most commonly caused by trauma to the eye.
“If a dog or a cat are otherwise healthy and then all of the sudden have these kinds of signs, it is possible that trauma could have caused this,” said Dr. Jason Horgan from Leader Animal Hospital.
Sedated and prescribed multiple medications, Lemon was allowed to go home, but she was brought back in for more vet exams on Monday and Tuesday, costing the McGowans thousands of dollars.
Gloria Arango is the owner of honey pets. She told Local 10 News the groomer who worked on Lemon that day has now been fired, that she plans to help pay for the dog’s medical expenses, and that she’s going to be re-training her groomers, too.
“I understand the frustration of the owner because I have dogs also, we deal with doggies all of the time and I know they’re part of the family,” said Arango. “I’m here to be the face, to be responsible for the issue and to make the correction, to handle the situation and it doesn’t happen again.”
This isn’t the first time Local 10 has covered a story about Honey Pets.
In 2016, animal advocate Jacey Birch investigated photographs of dogs who were left in cages in the honey pets back parking lot, without even shade in the South Florida heat.
Lemon was back at another vet on Tuesday, this time an eye specialist.
The McGowan’s did file a police report and the Broward Sheriff’s Office is investigating.