NORTH ANDOVER - Irma Carew dropped her miniature schnauzer, Spooky, off at Bulger Animal Hospital for what she thought would be a routine teeth cleaning.

When she called later that day, she found out a veterinarian pulled Spooky's nine front teeth without calling to ask Carew's permission or explain the procedure.

A handout from the hospital stated someone would call to tell Carew if teeth needed to be pulled. She said she also wrote notes on the consent forms asking someone call her if anything was needed other than a teeth cleaning.

"The whole idea is this is your child, this is your baby. How can you trust what they say when you drop off your pet?" asked Carew, who lives in Haverhill.

The hospital refunded Carew's money because of "miscommunication," but Carew is asking the veterinarian be removed from the hospital in North Andover, or at least reprimanded.

Hospital director Karen Belden said she would not comment on the case because of patient-veterinarian liability and confidentiality.

"We have resolution already with the owner and the animal is doing great, so we are going to leave it at that," Belden said in a message. She would not comment further.

Carew and her sister, Marie Carew, said Spooky didn't show any signs of eating oddly or having pain in the mouth before the teeth were pulled. A medical record from the 6-year-old dog dated in April says that the dog was eating well with no problems except halitosis, or bad breath.

However, the chart filed after the May 7 incident states the nine teeth were removed because of "tooth mobility and severe gingival recession."

Irma Carew said if someone had called her, she would have wanted to come down before the teeth were pulled, see why they needed to be pulled and if they were loose.

Marie Carew, who is co-owner of the dog, said she would have wanted a chance to see if she could heal the gums naturally using holistic means. If that didn't work, she would have brought the dog back.

"It troubles me that things were not done properly and I never had a chance to heal him myself," Marie Carew said.

The sisters say it's difficult to watch him try to pick up his toys. She said her dog was depressed for the first few days, running his tongue over the stitches. He also had to relearn how to play his favorite game - tug - when someone holds out a toy and he grabs on with his teeth.

The toy kept slipping right out of Spooky's mouth until he learned to grab it on the side.

Irma Carew said he has started to foam at the mouth but is gradually improving and adjusting.

"It's heartbreaking," Marie Carew said.