Capital City Specialty & Emergency Animal Hospital

Inhumane, uncaring hospital. Please let us explain.
-We had been exchanging emails, almost daily with Dr. Liptak since Oct. 26, 2023. Bella dog was 16+ years old: diagnosis of possible Laryngeal Paralysis and a possible abdominal tumor. We said "No" to the CT: it could have caused a breathing emergency. We said "No" to the tumor removal: there was a 50% chance it was benign. We only wanted Bella's airway fixed.
-At home, Feb. 28, 2024, Dr. Liptak informed us that someone had cancelled their appointment. We agreed to take their place.
-At home, evening, Feb. 28, 2024, Capital City emailed a consent form to us: surgery to remove the tumor & tie-back surgery. We did not want the tumor removed: 50% chance that it was benign.
-Drove several hours to get to Capital City. We lived in a different city. We also drove slowly: Bella had a breathing attack every time she was moved.
-Feb. 29, 2024, approx. 1 a.m. we arrived at Capital City. Bella had a breathing crisis every time we moved her. We thought that we could just move Bella once from the car to the Capital City building. We thought the Capital City Hospital offered services 24 hours per day. Bella was carried by Capital City employees into the building. We spent the wee hours in the waiting room with Bella. No one offered Bella oxygen or sedation. Two employees ordered me to move Bella who was maybe 2 feet long & six inches wide so they could sweep the floor beneath her. I refused: Bella would have another breathing attack if moved.
-Feb. 29, the day of the surgery, approx. 8 a.m., Capital City wanted us to sign a consent form: removal of the tumor & tie-back surgery. We did not want the tumor removed. There was a 50% chance it was benign. We only wanted the airway fixed: Bella was having difficulties breathing. We waited in the waiting room with our dog.
-February 29, 2024, approx. 8h30 a.m. Bella was having difficulties breathing. Capital City clients in the waiting room were concerned. Capital City never offered oxygen or sedation to Bella.
-Feb. 29, 2024, approx. 9h30 a.m., I was asked to leave Bella alone and go to a private room: Bella was having a breathing attack. Dr. Liptak entered the room. He kept the door open. He ordered me to leave the hospital with Bella because I had refused to move Bella so they could sweep the floor beneath her & because I had waited with Bella in the waiting room during the wee hours of the morning. I returned to the waiting room: Bella was having a full-blown breathing attack. Clients in the waiting room were asking me why the hospital wasn't helping Bella. I didn't know what to say. Capital City staff placed Bella on a stretcher, carried Bella out to my car & placed her in the back. Dr. Liptak had ordered me to leave the premises with Bella. So I left with Bella. I drove several hours to return home to another city, wondering if Bella was going to die in my car.
-At home, Feb. 29, 2024, evening, I discovered an email from Dr. Liptak. He accused me of wanting to ask him questions on the day of & before the surgery, & warned me that I was supposed to give Bella to the front desk by a certain time. (Is the Capital City Hospital not a 24 hour hospital?) I sent an email to Dr. Liptak: I had not had my computer with me when I was at his clinic on Feb. 29, 2024. Does a client not have the right to ask questions on the day of & before surgery? Why wouldn't Capital City give me a copy of the After Care Instructions before the surgery, so I could make sure that I could look after Bella?
-May 2024, I learned that the Capital City Hospital had had a social worker on staff. The Capital City Hospital had never offered the social worker services to us when I was at their clinic on Feb. 29, 2024 with Bella. The Social Worker could have advocated on Bella's behalf.
-Bella died an agonizing natural death of suffocation. Capital City NEVER offered her oxygen, sedation, surgery or euthanasia when we were in their waiting room on Feb. 29, 2024.