I have been waiting to address a series of very inconvenient veterinary appointments that I had…read morewith Newport Animal Clinic. I was on the fence about whether or not I was going to say anything on a social media platform. That decision has been made for me by the manager of this business, who made his own post gloating about his decision! It was a very stressful event that almost left Wade, our 10-month-old Lab, very ill when dismissed. They did not cause the illness; it was a lack of competence and knowledge that led to a very serious situation.
So, Mr. Jason Church, let's talk about your human decency, share the facts that you left out, and see what the public opinion is. At no point was I rude, loud, or angry with you, so please explain how your professionalism and patience were tested! The events and timeline below are what happened and what was also relayed to the vet office throughout the event.
On July 12, I took Wade swimming on the Neuse River. Later that evening, he had a limp in his hind leg. I examined the leg and didn't see any pain or injury. He has limped on that leg before but has gotten better with rest. Monday, he seemed back to normal with no limp. Tuesday morning, he didn't want to eat. He has done that a few times before, so I didn't see a concern. Tuesday afternoon, he appeared to be in a lot of pain! I immediately called the vet, and we were able to get there at 4:15 PM. I gave the details above by phone. My girlfriend arrived with him and gave the details above, and when I arrived, I gave those details again. They examined his leg and said they didn't see a lot of pain in it but felt an ankle pop. They took X-rays of the leg and did not see anything. They prescribed pain meds, inflammation meds, and a sedative.
Tuesday evening, he would not eat, and I had to hold the food bowl for him. He was getting lethargic, so I checked to make sure they had not already given him meds before giving them to him. Wade continued showing signs of pain and lethargy all night. I figured it was the meds. Wednesday morning, Wade was very lethargic, would not eat or drink, and had blood in his stool. I called the vet as soon as they opened, explained the situation, and asked for them to see him again. They agreed. When I got home to pick Wade up, he seemed to be in more pain, and he had blood in his stool again, which I collected for them to examine. When I picked Wade up to put him in the car, the pain was very intense while lifting under his belly and neck. I arrived and explained all the new signs. They did not want the stool sample. They examined his anus by finger and found blood but did no tests. They X-rayed his stomach and declared there was no blockage. They decided to stop the prescribed meds and gave him an indigestion medication instead.
Wednesday night, Wade's pain and lethargy continued to worsen, and he would not eat or drink anything. Thursday morning, he was getting worse. I again called the vet and wanted another appointment. The answer I got blew my mind. I was told to just try and feed him rice and walk him! I responded, "What do you mean? He is getting worse, and I've been trying that," to which the reply was that according to the vet's clinical assessment, she doesn't see anything wrong! They did not refer me to another vet; they sent me home with no answer. I said I didn't agree and that he needs to see the vet. At that point, I got, "Try Swansboro."
So, I called all closer options hoping to get in somewhere immediately but ultimately ended up at Swansboro, where Wade was examined and found to have a temperature of over 105!!! The Swansboro story is also horrible, and he almost died there from an overmedicated situation that left him barely moving with a temp of 98. But this is about Newport Animal Clinic, the small-town, caring clinic that wants to provide that hometown feeling of care. That's why I went there, but that's not what I got! With all that was presented above, they never checked his temp, his vitals, or for any kind of infection. When I called to question why they hadn't done so, I was met with the first excuse of, "Well, you told us you took him swimming but not where!" They admitted they did not take any temperature. I am flabbergasted at the excuse but had to continue to face what was in front of me with Wade.
After everything was said and done, it was time to talk to Jason Church. At this point, I had been speaking with the lady at the desk, who was very great to deal with and kept me up to date on how they were making changes because of the situation and that the doctor had never even heard of what Wade has. The receptionist was the only one who reached out through this whole ordeal with any concern. I asked at the beginning of each call if she was calling on her own accord or if the vet asked her to call, and it was not the vet. The conversation with Jason was to get some closure, I guess, and yes, I felt like the lack of care warranted a refund. That is not what I
