Well after reading a lot in these threads about Vet referrals and a few references to Dr. Pressman, I thought I should post a new thread about Dr. Pressman at White Plains Animal Hospital.
I took my 5 year old cat Max to him in Dec 06, because Max was urinating outside the litterbox and straining. The urinalysis was clear and I told Dr. Pressman about my having had two cats many, many years ago that had FUS. He told me, oh, there have been so many changes over the years. He said Max had a stress problem that caused irritation, prescribed Amitryptillene (sp?). Max had about two more episodes prior to Nov 07, when I took him back in to Dr. Pressman because there was now blood in the urine. Dr. Pressman did not do a urinalysis, even though he had not seen Max in 11 months, not to mention hematuria!!!!! He gave us an antibiotic, "just in case" there was an infection and said "just keep him happy and calm". On December 22, I noticed Max straining again and started him right way on the meds. The next day he was lethargic, but those meds did that at the full dose. Max urinated on himself that evening, just as he had done the month before when I took him in to the Dr. The next day, Max wasn't perking up like I expected him too. That evening, when I moved him from one room to another, he started open mouth breathing. I took him right away to the Emergency Clinic in Waldorf. They took him back quickly, but by the time they got him on the table, he had stopped breathing. CPR was performed without success. My 6 year old baby died on Christmas Eve. There isn't much to thank God for, only that I got to hold my Max the whole way there.
It took me more than a week before I got the courage to go on the internet to look up how this could have happened. What I found out has angered, no, enraged me! What Max had were the symptoms of FLUTD, which has a very high incidence of leading to a complete blockage, WHICH IS FATAL!!!! DR PRESSMAN NEVER, EVER TOLD ME THIS!!!! He never told me that I could or should make changes in the food and feeding times as well as litter box placement and other precautions. Not to mention the fact that he did not do a urinalysis on a patient he had not seen for almost a year that was presenting with blood in the urine!!!!!!!
If you want to believe that Dr. Pressman is so great because he does not charge for unnecessary tests, then you are gambling with your pet's life.
If you think this case is a fluke, let me tell you about my 3 yr old male cat, who I took to Dr. Pressman for vaccinations. Chopper had bad breath, which I reported to Dr. Pressman. His response? "Oh, some cats just have stinky breath." Well, after what happened with Max, Chopper was the first to go to our new vet and GUESS WHAT? Chopper has dental disease and already, four of his teeth need to be removed. I saw them myself and they are rotted half through or are already loose and wiggling! NOW HERE IS THE WORST PART. Halitosis, or bad breath, is a common, and I stress common, symptom of Feline Leukemia Virus and Feline Auto immunodeficiency Virus!!! Not to mention, if not the primary disease, it is secondary to something else going on, especially in a young cat!!!! AND TO TOP IT OFF, when the new vet called over for Chopper's vaccination record from Dr. Pressman, I discovered Dr. Pressman had only vaccinated him against Rabies and Distemper, and not FLV/FIV, which is the basic standard for vaccinations in any and all cats!!! (thankfully, Chopper tested negative)
This man killed Max, my BFF, I have no doubt of it whatsoever. Maybe because he's so cheap and won't bother you with "unnecessary" care for your loved one. How about Patient and Guardian education, especially in the face of a potentially fatal disease (in BOTH my cats)!!! I can tell you in no uncertain terms, I and most of you, would have rather paid $1,000 for tests and medicines than to have lost a very, very dear friend that did not have to and should not have died.
I have not checked the BBB and State Vet Board but I will be. I have not spoken with Dr. Pressman nor do I ever wish to. PLEASE BELIEVE ME THAT YOU MAY VERY WELL BE PLAYING RUSSIAN ROULETTE WITH YOUR PETS LIFE.
Like I said, you could blow this off as a bad experience or coincidence or freak occurrence or whatever with one pet, but not when you look at how he BLEW OFF the care of my younger cat as well. MAX SHOULD NOT HAVE DIED FROM THIS CONDITION AND WOULD NOT HAVE DIED AT THE AGE OF SIX IF NOT FOR DR. PRESSMAN!!!!!
Please, for you and your loved one's sake, do not trust him to do everything that is needed for you and your pet. When I told my new vet what had happened he told me "we don't play that game" and that they will tell me everything they feel my pets need and let ME make the decision.
By the way, the Emergency Clinic in Waldorf was great in the face of this horrific tragedy. They even refunded me 75.00 because they weren't able to save Max. I plan on making them aware of how Max came to them on Christmas Eve as well.
Good luck and God bless,
Max's Mom
I took my 5 year old cat Max to him in Dec 06, because Max was urinating outside the litterbox and straining. The urinalysis was clear and I told Dr. Pressman about my having had two cats many, many years ago that had FUS. He told me, oh, there have been so many changes over the years. He said Max had a stress problem that caused irritation, prescribed Amitryptillene (sp?). Max had about two more episodes prior to Nov 07, when I took him back in to Dr. Pressman because there was now blood in the urine. Dr. Pressman did not do a urinalysis, even though he had not seen Max in 11 months, not to mention hematuria!!!!! He gave us an antibiotic, "just in case" there was an infection and said "just keep him happy and calm". On December 22, I noticed Max straining again and started him right way on the meds. The next day he was lethargic, but those meds did that at the full dose. Max urinated on himself that evening, just as he had done the month before when I took him in to the Dr. The next day, Max wasn't perking up like I expected him too. That evening, when I moved him from one room to another, he started open mouth breathing. I took him right away to the Emergency Clinic in Waldorf. They took him back quickly, but by the time they got him on the table, he had stopped breathing. CPR was performed without success. My 6 year old baby died on Christmas Eve. There isn't much to thank God for, only that I got to hold my Max the whole way there.
It took me more than a week before I got the courage to go on the internet to look up how this could have happened. What I found out has angered, no, enraged me! What Max had were the symptoms of FLUTD, which has a very high incidence of leading to a complete blockage, WHICH IS FATAL!!!! DR PRESSMAN NEVER, EVER TOLD ME THIS!!!! He never told me that I could or should make changes in the food and feeding times as well as litter box placement and other precautions. Not to mention the fact that he did not do a urinalysis on a patient he had not seen for almost a year that was presenting with blood in the urine!!!!!!!
If you want to believe that Dr. Pressman is so great because he does not charge for unnecessary tests, then you are gambling with your pet's life.
If you think this case is a fluke, let me tell you about my 3 yr old male cat, who I took to Dr. Pressman for vaccinations. Chopper had bad breath, which I reported to Dr. Pressman. His response? "Oh, some cats just have stinky breath." Well, after what happened with Max, Chopper was the first to go to our new vet and GUESS WHAT? Chopper has dental disease and already, four of his teeth need to be removed. I saw them myself and they are rotted half through or are already loose and wiggling! NOW HERE IS THE WORST PART. Halitosis, or bad breath, is a common, and I stress common, symptom of Feline Leukemia Virus and Feline Auto immunodeficiency Virus!!! Not to mention, if not the primary disease, it is secondary to something else going on, especially in a young cat!!!! AND TO TOP IT OFF, when the new vet called over for Chopper's vaccination record from Dr. Pressman, I discovered Dr. Pressman had only vaccinated him against Rabies and Distemper, and not FLV/FIV, which is the basic standard for vaccinations in any and all cats!!! (thankfully, Chopper tested negative)
This man killed Max, my BFF, I have no doubt of it whatsoever. Maybe because he's so cheap and won't bother you with "unnecessary" care for your loved one. How about Patient and Guardian education, especially in the face of a potentially fatal disease (in BOTH my cats)!!! I can tell you in no uncertain terms, I and most of you, would have rather paid $1,000 for tests and medicines than to have lost a very, very dear friend that did not have to and should not have died.
I have not checked the BBB and State Vet Board but I will be. I have not spoken with Dr. Pressman nor do I ever wish to. PLEASE BELIEVE ME THAT YOU MAY VERY WELL BE PLAYING RUSSIAN ROULETTE WITH YOUR PETS LIFE.
Like I said, you could blow this off as a bad experience or coincidence or freak occurrence or whatever with one pet, but not when you look at how he BLEW OFF the care of my younger cat as well. MAX SHOULD NOT HAVE DIED FROM THIS CONDITION AND WOULD NOT HAVE DIED AT THE AGE OF SIX IF NOT FOR DR. PRESSMAN!!!!!
Please, for you and your loved one's sake, do not trust him to do everything that is needed for you and your pet. When I told my new vet what had happened he told me "we don't play that game" and that they will tell me everything they feel my pets need and let ME make the decision.
By the way, the Emergency Clinic in Waldorf was great in the face of this horrific tragedy. They even refunded me 75.00 because they weren't able to save Max. I plan on making them aware of how Max came to them on Christmas Eve as well.
Good luck and God bless,
Max's Mom
