My family and I got a new puppy (Bailey) the end of October and within days she, of course, had 2 ticks on her one night. We removed them ourselves, but weren't sure if we got the head or had to worry... Read More
My family and I got a new puppy (Bailey) the end of October and within days she, of course, had 2 ticks on her one night. We removed them ourselves, but weren't sure if we got the head or had to worry about Lyme. Next morning I called and was giving a same morning appointment. This is my first experience with the Kinderhook Animal Hospital.
The lobby area is very clean and doesn't have that "vet" smell. The staff was very friendly and calm, no loud noises and excited talking for Bailey's first ever appointment. The groomer was there (Wednesdays only) so there was some background noise, but nothing like screaming yelping dogs. Mainly clippers, water and a vacuum. Bailey was allowed to explore a bit and get comfortable and then we walked down to the exam room.
Dr. Southard was in instantly with his vet tech. The Tech put Bailey on the table and gave her some treats (that I supplied) to make it a good thing to be at the vet. Dr. Southard is not a loud personality, he is calm, quiet and thorough. He determined that we had gotten all the tick heads out but wanted her to be on antibiotic anyway, just in case. I was comfortable asking him questions and got well explained answers in return. He didn't overly pet Bailey, but just enough to comfort her in this new experience.
Dr. Southard is a great vet. He knows what he's doing, and does it well and efficiently. He didn't make the experience any more traumatic than necessary. While waiting for some routine test results I realized I had forgotten my wallet (Had the dog, the poo and the treats, but no wallet, shot record or cell phone...priorities LOL). The staff were very accommodating and I ran quickly home, dropped the dog off, grabbed my forgotten things and went back. The test results were back, her medicine was waiting and I was able to ask lots of questions to the vet techs about everything. The bill was also not nearly as bad as I was expecting it to be. I made a follow up to have Bailey's next round of shots (which I was told is only HALF the normal office charge if it's just for immunizations - $22.50 rather than $45).
Some other reviews from across the web state that Dr. Southard is cold and unfriendly towards people and animals. I disagree with them wholeheartedly. Dr. Southard is not there to chat with you. He's there to help your critters. He does that well, and offers up information and answers readily. We were in and out the door again in 20 minutes. I will definitely be going back. Read Less