Hi! My name is Rush. I am a 14 year old poodle. I weigh just over 7 pounds and am about 12 inches tall. I was adopted by my master when I was 6 weeks old. My master spend many hours training me to go outside to do my business. (#1 or #2)

I was so small that I had to learn how to go up the stairs to our bedroom. My master had to put a box on the floor so I could use it to get onto our bed, I love sleeping under the covers where it is safe and warm. My master got up and carried me outside a couple of times each night to do my business.

When I got a little bigger, my master installed a "doggie door" so that I could go in and out at my own convenience. My master said I was a good dog and that he was proud of me. Being a poodle I get my hair cut about 3 times a year. My hair doesen't shed, so I need a little help with my grooming.

One night last November my leg got cut during clipping. It hurt a lot and I made a lot of noise. I wouldn't put any weight on my leg. My master go really scared about my cut leg. My master and his friend wrapped me in a towel and took me to Vet Care Emergency & Specialist Care Center in Dublin, California to find out what was really wrong with my leg. I would not walk on my leg-- I really was in pain!

My master and his friend carried me into the place still wrapped in a towel. My master started to tell the man at the counter about my problem. His friend interupted and said he was "worried that it was more than just a skin cut".

My masters friend sat down and held me as we waited. Later, a lady vet came out and said to bring me into the exam room. I stood as still as I could pn 3 legs, but I was shaking. I was scared. The vet looked at me for a big 8 seconds. My master's friend interupted for the 2nd time. He was worried that it might be more than just a skin cut. The vet said "she would take me in the back room." She took me away where my master was not allowed to see me. She gave me a shot for pain. She put in 2 stitches.

When she handed me back to my master, she said it was just skin and it would heal in time. My master's friend asked for a 3rd time about injury beyond just skin. The vet said my master and his friend should not worry- it was just the skin. She gave me some meds to take to keep me from getting an infection.

I had to wear this ugly lampshade on my neck so that I couldn't bite my new stitches. I took my meds everyday and the skin on my leg seemed to heal. I still couldn't walk on all 4 legs. After the skin healed they pushed me to get me to move more.

Time has gone by and I'm not better. I can't hop on the bed anymore. My master has to get up at night and carry me outside to do my business. I hop, hobble, and stump everywhere I go now. (I'm hocked.)

This is all because the Doctor at Vet Care in Dublin, California messed up on my diagnosis. I told my master to ask for his $ 302.70 back. He said he would ask and I went with him to Vet Care so they could see my leg. Susan Hatch the Office Manager said that I probably just had a "bad knee" and that the vets were too busy to see me.

My master wrote a letter asking for a refund. They said he had waited too long and they sicced their insurance company on him, like Rocko (my bulldog buddy). He made more calls and after they refused to even look at my leg, he decided to sue them in small claims court. He took me to my regular vet who said I had a ruptured tendon.

Small Claims Court according to the Web is where you can get justice----Wrong! You don't even get to talk. The Judge wouldn't let me (exhibit #A) even in the court room. You have to have everthing on sworn deposition forms or the Judge will refuse to look at what you try to provide. It's not really like Judge Judy where each side gets to tell their story. (At least Judge Judy listens before she rules.) My master was not allowed to speak and his witness was not allowed to finish a sentence.

The Judge won't listen unless you are an expert witnress... so you are screwed." "You will loose as the Judge cares about the letter of the law and not about what happened." "She won't even listen to the case." If you try to show the Judge a signed statement from another vet, the Judge won't look at it if isn't on the approved form and noterized.

My master said "Never go to Vet Care Emergency Care Center in Dublin, California" and "If you go there to never let your dog out of your sight." He said that if you do "You should get them to put everything in writing and get copies as their reports seem to change before they get to court."

So that's my story. I'm just a dog with a leg that can't be fixed who got screwed by Vet Care Emergency Care Center in Dublin, California and Small Claims Court in Pleasanton, California.

All comments are welcome. My name is Rush and I would be glad to show you my leg.