Despite my DH's suggestion that "I let it go", I called the groomer this morning. In my most calm, rational voice, I told her that I got Chelsea back from the vet.
I told her that the diagnosis was neck trauma from scruffing. She asked me if she had "a stroke". I told her no, she "had hypoxia from stress and scruffing and that the current loss is due to spinal cord swelling and we don't know what she will recover". She asked me if I thought she caused the problem. I told her that I indeed did. That Chelsea has a huge bruise with a hematoma on her neck. She said, "I did grab and hold her hard, I wanted to get her done. She turned blue before but didn't pass out". I was incredulous! I told her that there is a lesson here. That if she "has an old dog who doesn't want to be groomed and its stressful for them, don't do it that day. Tell the owner that it can't be done, that the dog could be injured. It is much better to lose a grooming fee than a dog. She wasn't remorseful at all. Not one "I am sorry, I didn't mean for it to happen". I even said to her, "I know you didn't want to hurt her but you did and I don't know that she can ever be the same. That is hurtful to me M..." I then asked her to return my check for $50 for Annie. She said that she wouldn't cash it. I asked her to please put it in an envelop and mail it back, my address is on the check. That was it. That was the conversation. I felt that perhaps if she takes away the knowledge that she did this, and how she did this, maybe, just maybe, she won't do it to another elderly dog.
I told her that the diagnosis was neck trauma from scruffing. She asked me if she had "a stroke". I told her no, she "had hypoxia from stress and scruffing and that the current loss is due to spinal cord swelling and we don't know what she will recover". She asked me if I thought she caused the problem. I told her that I indeed did. That Chelsea has a huge bruise with a hematoma on her neck. She said, "I did grab and hold her hard, I wanted to get her done. She turned blue before but didn't pass out". I was incredulous! I told her that there is a lesson here. That if she "has an old dog who doesn't want to be groomed and its stressful for them, don't do it that day. Tell the owner that it can't be done, that the dog could be injured. It is much better to lose a grooming fee than a dog. She wasn't remorseful at all. Not one "I am sorry, I didn't mean for it to happen". I even said to her, "I know you didn't want to hurt her but you did and I don't know that she can ever be the same. That is hurtful to me M..." I then asked her to return my check for $50 for Annie. She said that she wouldn't cash it. I asked her to please put it in an envelop and mail it back, my address is on the check. That was it. That was the conversation. I felt that perhaps if she takes away the knowledge that she did this, and how she did this, maybe, just maybe, she won't do it to another elderly dog.
I am so sorry 
I hope that your dog will recover. Honestly, it upsets me that my sister has her dog groomed regularly...I worry about how they treat the dog while she's not in sight. I know that there are good dog groomers out there, but stories like this just confirm my worries. This person sounds like a jerk, and she probably could care less what pets she harms in her effort to just get the job done 
