Dr. Rob Martin and his staff at Colonial Animal Hospital are kind, caring and considerate. Rather than trying to prolong the inevitable - while racking up a veterinarian bill - they finally talked so... Read More
Dr. Rob Martin and his staff at Colonial Animal Hospital are kind, caring and considerate. Rather than trying to prolong the inevitable - while racking up a veterinarian bill - they finally talked some sense into me that it was "okay to let your cat go - you've done all you can do."My family recently said goodbye to Myrtle. After 14 good years, she joins her sisters Lily and Maxi across the Rainbow Bridge. Colonial Animal Hospital offered many options regarding Myrtle and after choosing one, they left me alone in the treatment room to say goodbye.A vet tech returned explaining that she was going to take Myrtle to another room and prep her. Moments later, Myrtle returned with a catheter inserted into the vein of her leg. Dr. Martin explained that before euthanasia is performed, a port is inserted to make it easy and stress-free to administer the injection. I'm not a doctor, but think I've explained this correctly. Basically, the older animals are harder to treat and installing the port helps with the process.I remember finding Myrtle living out of a trash Dumpster at the Davie-Cooper City Chamber of Commerce in 2003. I caught her, fed her, and brought her home. My wife complained as we already had two cats. We now had 3 cats - but no children. Back when the economy was good, she went to the vet on a regular basis - not so much so when the economy was bad and we couldn't afford it. My original thought was to have her fixed and remain an outdoor cat. That never worked out. Many years later, Lily and Maxi moved on and two new kittens joined the Lewis household. After they crossed the Rainbow Bridge, my 7-year-old twins Rebecca and William adopted Ash and Frost a few months ago. My kids love cats.My daughter Rebecca loved Myrtle the most, but it became a quality of life issue. A quality of life issue that Dr. Martin continued to suggest "the end is here." I finally took his advice.Sometimes you just have to ask yourself - "where would Myrtle be today if I hadn't rescued her from a trash Dumpster?" According to Dr. Martin, she never would have made it out of the Dumpster.I've never had a negative experience with Dr. Martin or his staff at Colonial Animal Hospital. Polite and friendly - they explain every procedure. From making the appointment, explaining any procedure or test, to the fees being assessed, I was fully informed every step of the way. As a small local practice, I was impressed and never had an unanswered question. William E. Lewis Jr.Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Read Less