Our experience with the Creekside Veterinary Clinic was infuriating. We were set to travel from the US to Mexico, and were staying out of the country for three months. We were bringing our dogs with u... Read More
Our experience with the Creekside Veterinary Clinic was infuriating. We were set to travel from the US to Mexico, and were staying out of the country for three months. We were bringing our dogs with us, and had done enough research to know that there were a good bit of red tape involved when taking your pets abroad. My wife reached out to this clinic, months before our trip, because she found that they were one of the few clinics in SC that had one vet that was certified to provide an official USDA Endorsement stamp, in case we needed one for Mexico (we weren't sure, at the time). You have to get dogs checked for travel within a very small five-day window, but we booked our appointment with them long in advance, so we would be sure to have everything in order. We live in Chicago but were spending December in Charleston; I personally called them sometime early in the Fall to have all our dogs' papers faxed over. We thought all was well!I get a call two days before our appointment (which, granted, was between Christmas and New Year's, but again: we had made this appointment long in advance). I was told that at the last minute the vet that could give us the stamp (Dr. Crowe) was not available, so we'd have to get the dogs checked out and then drive two hours to Columbia, SC to get the official stamp (because the holiday and weekend would keep them from getting/receiving overnight mail). I was furious. Furious that they couldn't have told us about this situation sooner, furious that after corresponding with them for months they were just now realizing what we needed. I know that things happen, I know it was the holidays, but again, we went here was for the accredited Dr. Crowe. It turns out, ironically, that the dogs didn't even need the official stamp to go to Mexico! But instead of knowing this outright, or helping us with the research of this, we were put through a drama that we didn't expect. On the phone call letting me know that we'd have to drive to the capital of SC, I was told that if we didn't do this, "we'd have to change our flight".We did end up keeping our appointment with them, mostly because we were literally running out of time. We resigned to make the drive to Columbia, if we had to. The staff at Creekside were nice enough to us, though they made no apologies for the situation, and charged a fee that undoubtedly was meant to go to the vet that was certified...the one that wasn't there to see us. I lived in Charleston for sixteen years, and always went to see Brian King at petvetmtp.com. He and his staff are truly wonderful and on top of things. If we hadn't needed a USDA accredited vet at Creekside Vet Clinic, we would have gone to him. Next time we will, and I suggest you do, too. Read Less