My dogs are family to me and their health and well-being is my responsibility so, although I have to be mindful of my budget, I would never take them somewhere where I didn't trust the staff or though... Read More
My dogs are family to me and their health and well-being is my responsibility so, although I have to be mindful of my budget, I would never take them somewhere where I didn't trust the staff or thought they weren't getting the best care I could possibly give them.
I'm by no means dismissing people's reviews because I know we all have different experiences but when I read some of them, I'm very surprised. I've been taking my animals here since 2012 and have only wonderful things to say about it. It does make me wonder if some of these reviews might be posted to the wrong animal hospital because my experiences over the past six years have been radically different.
I first took my dachshund, Pete, there when he was about 10 months old because he got a hold of a decent amount of chocolate. Since I'd moved to Michigan less than a month prior, I just googled for a vet and happened to end up there. I called ahead and they said they could get me in immediately. While my ex-boyfriend drove, I read some reviews that weren't so great and was a bit worried to be honest but when I got there, they were great with my dog and I've never questioned going to another vet since. I have been to a lot of vets from southern Ohio where I'm from and, in spite of the fact that the cost of living here is SO much higher, the vet bills at this vet are significantly lower than similar routines cost my family at home.
In the past 6 years, I've continued to take Peeta there and, after adopting an older dog who's now twelve, take both for nail trimmings, emergencies, etc. Even if it is just a nail trim, I almost always can get them in the day I call and they are always very flexible with times. Peeta has been there countless times for self-injury from trying to escape his crate when he had separation anxiety as a puppy. He also was there when he had a very bad illness and we thought he was going to die. They were very mindful of cost because I was a graduate student at the time but also did everything they needed to do to make sure he got better. In October 2017, he had a serious back injury. They checked him out and helped me weigh some options, to take him straight to Dogwood for a potentially $6,000 surgery or try some medications first to see if it was an acute injury. I felt very informed and, due to finances, took a chance and tried the medication first. I also had taken my 12 year old dog there months before. Initially, we thought she had a back injury too but they walked me through the same process and again, I tried medication and waited it out. It saved me a lot of money and when we saw her get better with treatment for arthritis, we were spared the costs of an MRI. I don't feel like this vet has ever taken advantage of my trust and, if anything, I feel more reassured when I'm worried about something and they check it out and tell me when I don't need any treatment.
I rarely have long waits at this vet, a few times but it is an animal hospital and I recognize sometimes there might be emergencies of which I'm unaware. I'm always given estimates before I make a decision. While I'm very fortunate to be in a better financial place now, there were periods when my finances were more stretched and I did have to weigh some considerations when my dogs needed something unexpectedly. I never felt judged by this vet and, if anything, think at those times they were sensitive to my need to keep costs as low as I could without comprising my dogs' health.
I noticed a few reviews voicing concerns that the vets pushed unnecessary services. While I can't say anything about their experiences because I wasn't there, I can say I've experienced entirely the opposite. For example, my dog was due for his dental cleaning, something that can run I think between 180-300 depending on extractions. I took him in for a routine visit and, while they could have just scheduled the dental cleaning I requested, they told me his teeth were in good enough shape that I could wait until they had a significant discount on dental cleanings if I wanted. Read Less