Should I approach my dog groomer with a vet bill that she may be the reason that an injury may have occurred?

I have a 5 year old shih tzu. I get him groomed every four to five weeks without fail. I first met my dog groomer a couple years ago at one location, and she became pregnant and was unhappy with her working conditions and left. I was very unhappy with my dogs haircuts at that same location after she left, but they told me that my groomer was no longer working. While at the park, we saw eachother and she told me that she was working and I started taking my dog to her again.

I have a great professional relationship with her and I have referred quite a bit of people to her. I pay 40.00 dollars for a grooming and tip between 15.00 and 20.00 depending on how much cash I have on me at the time of the appointment. So I do consider myself a great client.

After my dogs last appointment a few days pass and my dogs face begins to swell. Since it was the weekend I gave him benedryl and thought I would call the vet on Monday morning. I took my dog in and after several eye tests we discover that he has an abbrasion on his right eye. I did notice when I picked up my dog that he did have a clipper mark on his nose and it was red, irritated and a little bloody looking, but nothing that I would be overly upset about. I mean, he is a little dog and she does have to trim around his eyes.

So, anyway, the first vet visit has cost 100.00 dollars, I took him in for a recheck and that was 97.00. Unfortunately the abbrasion isn't healing as great as they would like and they want to see him again next week for yet another check. I won't need the same medication so I am hoping for a cheaper bill, but still somewhere in the 50.00 dollar range. If it doesn't heal up they may have to do another procedure, but they won't know until after next week.

Which leads me to my question. I was going to just suck it up and not say anything to my groomer, but that was after the first appointment at the vet. This is now costing me way more than I can afford. If I mention it to her and she doesn't want to assist me in my vet bills, I would have to leave her as a client. I know that she just had a baby and doesn't work full-time so I sympathesize with her position, but I shouldn't have to pay all of this on my own, or should I? And realistically, I have no actual proof of it being a pair of clippers, even though the mark was there and it did happen right after the appointment.
By Nunya1 15 years ago :: General
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