In June 2025, my family brought our beloved dog, Dexter (14 years old, mini poodle/bichon frise/pug mix), to Mt. Laurel Animal Hospital. He had vomited several times, and we were worried. After waiting for over five hours, Dr. Recklehoff told us Dexter was a chronic diabetic in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), despite having normal blood sugar levels just weeks prior and no recent weight loss. He also had severe acute pancreatitis, which I believed.
They admitted him only after we paid their low-end estimate upfront ($7,800–$11,700). Because the diabetes diagnosis made no sense, I explained that Dexter had just finished his first antibiotic regimen (Clavamox), following a dental cleaning and adenoma removal. A rare but known side effect in humans and animals is acute pancreatitis, which can trigger secondary DKA. They ignored this.
Over the next three days, their updates were vague and contradictory. They claimed Dexter was stable and improving, but every clinical update reflected decline. They also continued to raise the price without consent or notice. After three days, we decided to transfer him to Penn Vet. The dog we picked up was not the same. Dexter arrived at Mt. Laurel happy and mobile. He left emaciated, dull, and unable to walk.
The discharge process was equally unacceptable:
– His Freestyle Libre glucose reader didn't work. They said we'd have to return and pay for a new one
– They sent prescriptions to the wrong pharmacy without consent, then refused to send them to the correct one
– We were left with no working sensor and told he'd be "fine" for 24 hours, despite being in critical condition
That night, we rushed him to Penn Vet. Their high estimate ($3,000–$7,000) was still below Mt. Laurel's low estimate. But it was too late. Twelve hours later, Dexter went into cardiac arrest. They performed CPR for 30 minutes, but he died. Upon reviewing Mt. Laurel's records, I found alarming errors:
– No treatments targeted the pancreatitis (no lidocaine, fuzapladib, vitamin E)
– Excessive use of narcotics and insulin, despite insulin resistance
– Only one ultrasound in three days
– They charged $145 per Libre reading, despite it being a continuous monitor
– 44 of 52 pages had the wrong hospital name/address
– Dexter's age was incorrect (listed as 13, not 14)
– A false diagnosis from weeks earlier (which never occurred) made its way from here into his Penn Vet records
– Four pages belonged to another dog, "Ellie," including her history and prescriptions
These are not minor clerical mistakes. They may be severe violations of N.J. Admin. Code § 13:44-4.9, which governs veterinary recordkeeping. Two independent veterinary experts reviewed the case. Both concluded that Mt. Laurel failed to meet the standard of care and caused Dexter's preventable death. Both used the term "negligence." An autopsy from Penn stated he died of sepsis from a UTI acquired during hospitalization at Mt. Laurel.
I submitted a demand letter and complete documentation on August 8, 2025. Mt. Laurel confirmed receipt on August 11. The practice manager, Krista McDermott, acknowledged the issue on August 15. On August 28, Caramanza (Broadspire insurance adjuster) finally responded. After numerous delays, he denied my claim despite the overwhelming evidence. I should note that Krista tried to intimidate me from posting this review. She has no sympathy and is very unprofessional.
We spent over $19,000 trying to save Dexter. We trusted this hospital with his life. What we received instead was misdiagnosis, inadequate care, recordkeeping errors, and silence. I'm sharing this to warn others. We would never use this hospital again. If something like this has happened to you or someone you know, please reach out to Joey's Legacy. They are nonprofit advocates for victims of veterinary malpractice and negligence, and they were invaluable to my family during this painful time.
Addendum: The response is wrong. I have proof that no veterinary expert review was conducted by their insurance. They also admitted to neglecting...
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