What you're about to read is true, raw emotion as I just had to put my beloved fur baby down yesterday at Strong. I'm a believer in Yelp and the power of helping our community find good businesses. V... Read More
What you're about to read is true, raw emotion as I just had to put my beloved fur baby down yesterday at Strong. I'm a believer in Yelp and the power of helping our community find good businesses. Vets provide more than a "product", they provide a health service for furry family members so I also understand why you are looking for solid advice on Yelp before determining where to go. You've come to the right place. Below is a summary of my 20+ years of experience with Strong for your consideration. I hope it helps you with your decision to take your furry family members here.Dr. McClure and his staff have helped me care for 3 cats and one dog over the past 20+ years. (I never had more than 2 at a time.) [This doesn't include my parent's pets or best friend's pets who have been treated by Strong. They can write their own review.] The short review, if you don't have time to read more, is that Strong has CONSISTENTLY helped me keep all of my critters well with knowledge, compassion and fairness. NOTE: Please don't underestimate the importance of "fairness" when considering a vet.The New Pet "Wellness" Check: Always the best day of all! It's a meet-and-greet for your pet and the Strong staff. Typically fun! The staff shared in my happiness and welcomed each critter as if it was there own. Introductory wellness exams, shots, tests, new pet parent Q&A, etc. Maintenance Checks: A breeze. I regularly received reminder cards in the mail for booster shots and the appointments always went smoothly. A check-in at the desk, a quick weigh-in and then down to business. No added fees, just a look under the hood and shot boosters. Emergencies: One of my cats got quite sick and had to be hospitalized. He was diagnosed with diabetes which required insulin injections 2x per day. Strong taught me how to provide the injections without my cat ever knowing they were being administered. I got over my needle phobia quickly. He lived another two years of good quality life as a result.End of Life: This is where it gets real emotional. Of all the pet losses in my 40-something life, yesterday was the hardest. [Background: My little Havanese rescue has been my "Velcro dog" and faithful sidekick for 8+ years. Like many critters, she was a huge presence at home and I've known her longer than my husband. My mostly happy little family member had been treated for short seizures/episodes and uncharacteristic behavior over the past year which recently grew worse and traumatized us all (husband included).] Dr. McClure talked us through our options, risks and likely outcomes as he was willing to try other things at our direction. We saw the writing on the wall and made a choice to euthanize now vs have her live more days for US at her expense and ultimate suffering. There was a strong likelihood that we would just be back at Strong again to face the same decision on a later date and with fresh, horrible memories. Dr. McClure was very respectful of our decision. Although we wanted to, we never asked him "what would you do" as we knew it was up to us; but after we made the decision, he reassured us that we made a hard, but good, decision given the circumstances. Dr. McClure asked if we wanted to be with her during the procedure. We did. The staff did everything to help us through... Kleenex as we needed it, honest answers to our questions, an explanation of what would happen during and after the procedure, a moment alone to say goodbye after it was over, a promise that her body would be treated respectfully, and a side door to allow a private exit. Their compassion was off the charts!Fees: I know you care about this, we all do. I won't post my invoices but will give you some context and perspective. I'm a middle-income girl. Not poor, not rich. I generally look for "fair" pricing so that a business can sustain itself with reasonable profits for providing me with reliable service. That said, I have always believed that Strong has charged reasonable fees for the services received. Vet bills are often unexpected costs, so I've never "enjoyed" a bill; however, I've never once been tempted to complain or fight the charges either. My opinion is they are F-A-I-RYelpers, let me tell you this: Whether you consider your critter a generic pet, your "baby" or something in between, I can't recommend this place to you "Strong" enough. Top notch in my book. Good luck to you and yours. May your first visit be a happy one! If your critter has medical issues, you now have an idea of what kind of service to expect. Read Less