BluePearl Pet Hospital Framingham — Attraction in Waltham

On 5/9/24 we took our 3 y/o Frenchie Hector to Blue Pearl Waltham. Tragically HECTOR WOULD DIE!

As we navigated our grief disturbing revelations emerged. Dr. Alexis Zallas, the attending vet, had been linked to a troubling number of animal fatalities prior to Hector, and we fear that without intervention, more pets may suffer the same fate. Our exhaustive research led us to a haunting conclusion: Alexis Zallas may be exercising a reckless disregard for life, potentially even intentionally harming animals in her care. There’s parallels to notorious cases like Dr. Death where professionals have been convicted of deliberate harm. History has shown that even when colleagues suspect malfeasance it often takes years to hold perpetrators accountable due to the incredulity surrounding such heinous acts.

In ‘21 Hector arrived from Europe at merely 3 months. He eventually underwent surgery at Blue Pearl Charlestown to alleviate brachycephalic syndrome, a common condition for flat-faced breeds. His procedures were staphylectomy (soft palate reduction) and nares resection (nostril widening). His respiratory function improved significantly.

On May 7 ‘24 Hector exhibited a brief period of reduced appetite spanning 3 consecutive days. Upon arrival to Blue Pearl at night on 5/9 we emphasized his severe separation anxiety, ensuring Alexis understood. Just before 1:30 AM, we received an update from the vet team, indicating that Hector's abdominal X-ray yielded no remarkable findings, while lab results would take 48 hours to process. We were advised that we could take him home pending further evaluation. A subsequent review of his medical records revealed a singular entry of vital signs at 11:45 PM, documenting normal temp, HR, BP, and O2 sat. Notably, no additional vital sign recordings were documented EVER AGAIN. As Hector was escorted out to us he had drastically deteriorated. He was in respiratory distress, struggling to breathe! Furthermore, a diaper covered his rear, due to unexplained rectal leakage, a symptom absent upon admission! We spoke to the vet tech about this and emphasized his unfit condition for discharge. How could Alexis want to discharge a patient in overt respiratory distress, devoid of updated vital signs? A critical gap in his care transpired between 11:45 PM - 1:30 AM. Alexis had cleared Hector for discharge, only to subsequently reveal alarming suspicions of aspiration and ask questions regarding his prior airway surgery. We were stunned. How could this catastrophic downturn occur seemingly without warning? He was then admitted overnight with O2 support and monitoring. Alexis’ persistent inquiry into his airway surgery records, readily available to her, perplexed us. With unsettling nonchalance, Alexis said his temp spiked to 109°F triggering a seizure and irreversible brain damage. Alexis disclosed that Hector had failed to regain consciousness following administration of Propofol a revelation that shocked us. Why had she used this med on an animal in respiratory distress? Was there any monitoring during this period? A review of the records obtained subsequently revealed no documentation of such!

The critical care vet Dr. Kristina DePaula delivered the fateful call – Hector's heart had stopped; he had DIED under Dr. Zallas's care.

Upon requesting Hector's Blue Pearl records we discovered his initial labs were normal indicating no dehydration or illness. An independent autopsy corroborated these findings. After talking with Colin Roach, Hospital Administrator and Erin McGowan, Medical Director the latter acknowledged negligence. Dr. McGowan assured policy revisions had been implemented after Hector’s death and Alexis would undergo further training. While Colin Roach offered a full refund we deemed this gesture deplorably insufficient. One would reasonably expect that Alexis’ employment would have been swiftly terminated given the gravity of her actions. Astonishingly however she remains an employee and even more alarmingly continues to possess a valid license to practice vet medicine...

In September 2023, we rushed our cat to BluePearl Pet Hospital in Waltham, MA, where she was administered an ultrasound. Our regular veterinarian examined her at 8 am that morning suspecting that she suffered from pancreatitis. He recommended that we go to another emergency pet hospital, but they were unable to accommodate us that day or even the next.

We waited 3 hours for this ultrasound procedure, as our cat was in desperate need of this diagnostic measure. During the wait, she walked around the room and we observed no unusual tail activity.

When we collected our cat after the procedure, she was in the carrier as she was when we gave her to a technician. We had no opportunity to see our cat physically stand or move until we returned home late that day. Nor were we given any pre- or post-treatment guidance or explanation regarding what to expect. For example, we were never advised that she would be shaved.

When we got home and let her out of the carrier, we noticed that her tail was dragging on the floor and that she could not raise it or "flick" it as she normally would.

We were not advised by a technician or anyone else at BluePearl that our cat’s tail was not typical or unusual in any manner either before or after the procedure. Neither we nor our regular vet observed any unusual behavior regarding her tail previously.

We called Blue Pearl to report that we were concerned about her tail dragging and the apparent immobility of her tail. We don't know for sure who was in the room conducting the procedure, and BluePearl has not made it clear who was in the room during the procedure and who handled her. Apparently, this is something that they want to hide.

We were forced to visit our vet and incur the costs of visits and x-rays. Our vet's review of the radiologist's report and his own examination is that there is damage to the nerves in her tail.

We have come to the only conclusion that is rational and logical. Sometime during preparation for the ultrasound or during the procedure, someone roughly pulled or mishandled her tail - notwithstanding that BluePearl claims nothing untoward happened. The resultant damage was not a result of anything that we or that our vet did. Our vet can’t say with any certainty whether our cat will ever recover from the damage, which we know was done to her tail by BluePearl.

We were forced to pay for additional services because of BluePearl’s negligence. Apparently, this is not an uncommon occurrence for this horrible company – they severely injured the two hind legs of a dog in Virginia this year during an MRI for which they were sued. STAY AWAY FROM THIS HORRIFIC VETERINARY PRACTICE FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR...

My “GooGoo” was a soulmate in pet form, and he understood me like no other. Our bond transcended words, as he intuitively grasped the depths of my heart. His unwavering presence was a testament to the transformative power of unconditional love. His loss has shattered me, leaving an unfillable void, and plunging me into unfathomable grief. The ache of his absence is unbearable. I cling to his cherished toys and memories, desperate to hold on to the joy he brought. Our home, once filled with laughter, now lies still and empty, a haunting reminder of what's lost. The silence is crushing, devoid of his happy barks, enthusiastic zoomies, and squeaky toys. I pray his spirit returns in another furry form. For now, I'm overwhelmed, unable to consider another pet. My heart remains anchored to our bond. When my own journey ends, his loving gaze will be the first I seek in heaven.

Each glance at my wallpaper serves as a poignant reminder of the tragic loss of my beloved fur baby, who fell victim to the egregious negligence of Alexis Zallas, a veterinarian whose competence and ethics are profoundly questionable. Driven by an unwavering commitment to justice, I have spared no expense in engaging the premier private investigation firm in New England. Their expert team meticulously monitors Zallas, gathering incriminating evidence to present to the District Attorney's office. This will ensure that, when the time is ripe, prosecutorial action may be taken. Due to the constraints of this review platform, I am compelled to allocate a solitary star, an undeserved nod to a business that has demonstrated remarkable inadequacy.

The alarming pattern of harm inflicted by Zallas suggests that my fur baby’s death was not an isolated incident. I fear that, unless she is held accountable, her harmful practices will continue unabated. As an advocate for animal welfare, I urge pet owners to exercise extreme caution and avoid Blue Pearl Waltham, where Zallas remains employed despite her disturbing track record. In fact, I wouldn't trust Alexis Zallas with the care of even the most mundane creatures – not even the hamburgers at Burger King. Her employment in any capacity is a threat to the well-being of innocent lives.

The facility's refusal to terminate her employment, coupled with their willingness to refund grieving pet owners, raises serious concerns about their complicity in Zallas's alleged malfeasance. My fur baby’s memory will serve as a constant reminder of the devastating consequences of Zallas's actions. I vow to ensure that his face haunts her until justice is served, and his legacy inspires meaningful change in the...