I just moved to Tucson from St. Louis and I had to get my dog licensed and to get her annual shots. When I called for an appointment, the receptionist was very friendly and nice. I was able to get a... Read More
I just moved to Tucson from St. Louis and I had to get my dog licensed and to get her annual shots. When I called for an appointment, the receptionist was very friendly and nice. I was able to get an appointment within 30 minutes after my phone call, so that was a plus. When I arrived, I did not have to wait to be shown into an exam room, so that also was a plus. Exam Room:The exam room had a park-like bench to sit on while we waited for someone to come in and see us. Also, there was an exam table that was folded up against the wall kind of like an iron board that is held up by the wall. There was also a computer system, which the vet center utilizes to update patient files, etc. Connected to the room is a door that leads into the vet tech/vet area, which is where the vet entered from. Vet Tech:Bailey and I waited for about 5-8 minutes in the exam room before a vet tech came in to ask us a few questions. When she came in, however, she didn't really show any affection towards my dog. She didn't even pet Bailey when she walked in, which seems odd since at my vet in St. Louis I am quite used to the Vet Techs petting any pet that is waiting to be examined. She didn't even seem to care much or even pet my dog when she was taking her temperature or even her heart rate. The Vet Tech definitely did not seem to like animals/dogs very much. Vet: Dr. Gary BirdAfter the Tech got the necessary information, we waited for Dr. Bird, which wasn't too long of a wait. When he came in, he was definitely a friendly man. First he went to the computer to see what information he had on my dog and then he got down on the floor and sat down, while petting my dog (as any vet should). He was definitely kind and friendly, trying to gain the trust of my dog before getting her shots. He was also very informative regarding the types of diseases that my dog could get since we moved to Tucson (ie. Valley Fever) and what kind of preventative medication she should get (ie. heartworm meds). He definitely didn't try to sell me unnecessary things and even when he found out that I give my dog Sentinel, which he doesn't sell, he didn't try to convert me to something he sells. He told me to continue with Sentinel and that he could write a prescription for me to get Sentinel from my usual medication provider. Overall:Overall, a good vet center. I am not 100% in love with the vet since my old vet went way beyond what I expected from her while I lived in St. Louis, so it's hard to reach her level in my eyes. As for costs, they were not unreasonable. For her shots, they ranged between $10-$13.50 and the Office Visit/Exam was $28.00. The fecal exam that I got for an intestinal parasite screen was the most expensive, which was $43.50, but at least I do not have to get a fecal exam too often. I liked the fact that I didn't have to wait and that costs were reasonable, but the vet techs need to show more affection towards the pets since they are the patients afterall. Read Less