Wow!THE CASE:-12+ year old FIV+ cat with an iffy heart (HCM), possible localized cancer, and osteoarthritis. ~12 extractions/crown amputations performed.THE FACTS (PROS):-Dr. Czerwonky provided an *ex... Read More
Wow!THE CASE:-12+ year old FIV+ cat with an iffy heart (HCM), possible localized cancer, and osteoarthritis. ~12 extractions/crown amputations performed.THE FACTS (PROS):-Dr. Czerwonky provided an *excellent* level of care. She was thorough, knowledgable and nice. Succinct but never made me feel she was giving me less than 100% of her attention when we spoke on the phone and in person. -Dr. Czerwonky immediately spotted a lesion on his nose and suspected it may be a localized form of cancer (Bowenoids). This went unnoticed/untreated by other vets in Chicago, despite me relating classic Bowenoids symptoms to other doctors in Chicagoland.-She called me several times to update the timeline of his surgery (since he's FIV+ he had to go last) which was delayed through no fault of her own (1st surgery of the day took ~3 hours longer than expected: as is the case with dental surgery the full extent of the disease is not completely known until the patient is put under and they're able to throughly examine the mouth). She also gave me updates of his tooth condition after the X-Rays, and an update when he was recovering from the procedure. -Kendra, the vet tech, was professional, friendly, patient, and very knowledgeable. Her handling of my cat was gentle and compassionate. -Kendra, Dr. Czerwonky and the reception team stayed late to perform my cat's dental, and although I could see that they had a longer day than usual they were nothing but nice, present, and took their time in explaining post-op care. I never felt rushed and though they stayed late, I felt that my cat's treatment was in no way compromised and they were consummate professionals. The reception staff even spoke with CareCredit on the phone while I went over discharge instructions when my card initially got declined to straighten things out. They never made me feel like this was a hassle and I really appreciated it. -Dr. C and Kendra (apologies if there was an additional tech working with him that I haven't named, thank you!) kept a close eye on my cat who was a higher risk surgery because of his heart problems and age. They immediately spotted when he had episodes of low blood-pressure during his recovery and administered the appropriate (and potentially life-saving) medications necessary. When they relayed this information to me, both during a phone-call and during the post-op discharge discussion, it was clear that they took this seriously, acted swiftly, and with great expertise. The post-op recovery stage is a crucial and dangerous moment for monitoring, if my cat wasn't watched very closely during this period what started as a small problem could have easily deteriorated into a larger problem and he could have coded. This is sometimes the case at other hospitals where there are issues with understaffing, lack of expertise, or high-volume numbers. I've worked at a medium-volume surgery clinic, and know from experience that careful monitoring during recovery is crucial. Things can easily be missed and quickly result in loss of life. I am so thankful for Dr. C and Kendra's level of attention and expertise. -Dr. Currigan and her staff worked with me to come up with an alternative payment plan if I should need it (I have a limited budget) - their care is expensive (and worth every cent) and they did everything possible to find a solution that worked for me. I *never* felt like the care my cat or I received was compromised because of my budget constraints. I was always dealt with respectfully when I had to make difficult decisions about pursuing different treatment options and weighing the options within my budget.-Dr. Currigan saw my cat for a swollen forelimb prior to his dental surgery, and likewise provided an excellent level of care. Her knowledge was extensive and she had a wonderful bedside manner. She was personable, succinct, and compassionate. She worked with me to find the treatment options that were the most "bang for the buck," she presented me with the information I needed to make an informed decision and answered my many questions patiently and knowledgeably.-I was very nervous about the procedure (there was a possibility he could have died), the staff were adept at walking the fine line of acknowledging my concerns, being compassionate, and not filling me with false hope or making promises they couldn't keep. I felt like he was in very capable hands, the best place for him to be during this procedure. -There pain treatment stance is aggressive and appreciated.CONS:-None. TAKEAWAY: -I will no longer be using any other vet for my cats. -I WISH THEY SAW DOGS! I'm truly thankful for the respect, care, attention, and knowledge that all those working at CHOC showed my lil' sweetheart. He is snoozing on my lap as we speak, a fact I owe to the wonderful staff and doctors at CHOH. Thank you! Read Less