I give them three stars because I didn't feel right giving them lower, but my hurting heart wanted to. The front desk staff is great, the vet techs are good (several are great, others less so), and I ... Read More
I give them three stars because I didn't feel right giving them lower, but my hurting heart wanted to. The front desk staff is great, the vet techs are good (several are great, others less so), and I like the vets and the care they gave to my dogs over the years. However, they lost my business with the death of one of my dogs. It's not their fault he died - he was euthanized due to severe cancer and a ruptured spleen - but I'm still upset by how it was handled, even 5+ months after the fact. We took him in on emergency and were seen quickly. The care was good, I have no complaints about that. But here's why I'm done: 1) even though I know what to expect when euthanizing a dog, such as some agonal breaths and movement, I think it could have gone more smoothly and with less stress if they'd used a different protocol. This is compared to other euthanasias that have gone much more smoothly, even in similar situations. 2) I asked for a paw print. They said they'd do one (vet in room and tech in room at the time). My BF was in the room at the time, and he heard me ask and saw them acknowledge the request. When I called a week later and asked when I could pick it up, I got the runaround. They said they couldn't find it, but would call me back. No call. I was in for an exam on another dog about 2 weeks later, and asked again. I was told they still weren't sure where it was, would track down the tech who was there and ask her, then call. No call. I called again about a week later, and that's when they told me I "hadn't asked for one" so no paw print had been done. That upset me because I know I had and it had been acknowledged, and also because it made me feel I'd been lied to for weeks. I asked to speak to the practice manager, and she showed no compassion but pretty much blamed me for the problem and seemed uncaring and even a bit defensive. So I have a dead dog's ashes but no paw print to memorialize him, and it's apparently my fault. I've since had another dog euthanized at home, using a different drug protocol, and it was a much less stressful and more compassionate, caring situation. I will do that again without hesitation when the time comes to say goodbye to our latest geriatric rescue. In the meantime, I will find another vet to care for this one because my trust in this clinic has been compromised. I feel sad for saying and feeling that, but I still can't bring myself to go back. If they're reading this, I suggest that they just make a paw print a standard thing when they euthanize a dog. If the owner doesn't want it, throw it away or do something else with it. But if you never do one, you lose the one chance to do it. If a pet owner is reading this, my advice would be to put in writing your request for a paw print when/if your pet dies or is euthanized, to spare yourself the sadness that might result from not doing so. Read Less