AVOID DR. WEST!
I've been a Client for 3 or 4 years now I think. To date, my experience has been largely good. Not exceptional, but better than the pet store practices, so I've been satisfied.
Tod... Read More
AVOID DR. WEST!
I've been a Client for 3 or 4 years now I think. To date, my experience has been largely good. Not exceptional, but better than the pet store practices, so I've been satisfied.
Today though, I had an experience so terrible that I feel obligated to share. My lab has been sick all weekend - vomiting and diarrhea for about three days - so I called this morning and asked if they could work us in. They got me in and the appointment was going well with the assistants getting vitals and basics out of the way. They took a stool sample for analysis and we waited for a few minutes for that to finish. Dr. West walked in, first time I had met her mind you, and after introductions she said with a deadpan straight face that they had run fecal and unfortunately Finn was not going to make it - the obvious implication being that Finn was going to die. She remained silent for what felt like an eternity, I was shocked and immediately began to break down. Only then did she play if off as some kind of joke. With me in process of breakdown, she said he was going to be fine. Having lost a dog a few months earlier, those emotions came back to me and it was all I could do for the remainder of the appointment not to completely lose it, which I did shortly after leaving. Mind you, her only response was to say that it was a foot in mouth moment. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. Took the meds, paid the fee which was not discounted and left as quickly as I could.
The issue here is that it never dawned on her that it was inappropriate. It shows a shocking degree of insensitivity to joke about the death of a pet and no acknowledgement that we see these animals as our family - our children even! I wonder what would happen if a pediatrician told a worried mother or father that their child wouldn't make it, just to laugh and say it was a joke - how would that be received? I caution everyone reading this to avoid Dr. West.
I spoke with the practice manager and told her I would give them one more opportunity based on my generally positive history, but that I would never see Dr. West again. It was an appalling experience. This woman has no business treating our dearly loved pets! Read Less