I genuinely do not understand how this veterinary clinic has a 4.6-star rating. My experience here…read morewith my dog Theo was extremely disappointing and stressful.
I brought Theo in for a rabies shot because his 1-year rabies vaccine had expired. Before the appointment, I made it very clear that Theo is a reactive and anxious dog. I explained that he does not bite and that he is comfortable with me handling him, and I specifically asked if they could show me how to do basic handling like taking his temperature so we could make future visits less stressful. Instead of working with us or even attempting to build any level of comfort, the doctor skipped everything and went straight to the shot.
What made the situation much worse was the behavior of the front desk woman (who appears to be the doctor's wife). She unnecessarily followed the doctor into the exam area even though she was not assisting with anything and only increased the stress level in the room. She yelled at my dog, got in his face pointing her finger and saying "No Theo, no," and made multiple annoyed comments about him barking. Theo was clearly scared, not aggressive, and her behavior showed a complete lack of understanding of fear-based reactivity and anxious dogs. Yelling at a frightened dog is not appropriate or professional in a veterinary setting.
When I asked if they had treats to help distract him during the shot, she acted annoyed, went to get something, came back, and never even gave it to me. They then instructed me to hold my dog in a tight chokehold while they administered the shot, which I have never been asked to do at any other veterinary clinic. Normally, vets take the time to calmly approach, build trust, and handle dogs in a way that reduces fear and stress.
To make matters worse, they administered the 3-year rabies vaccine even though I clearly and specifically requested the 1-year rabies vaccine. This was communicated beforehand and ignored.
Overall, this visit felt rushed, dismissive, and unprofessional. There was no effort to understand or properly handle an anxious dog, and the environment felt hostile rather than supportive. Veterinary clinics should be safe and compassionate places for animals, especially those who are fearful or reactive, and unfortunately this experience was the complete opposite.
I will not be returning and would strongly encourage other owners of anxious or reactive dogs to look elsewhere.
Oh and in addition to my experience, a family member of mine also had a very concerning visit at this same clinic. They brought their dog in because the dog had a strong, unusual smell even after being bathed and wanted to rule out any underlying health issue. Instead of performing a proper assessment, the doctor immediately insisted it was the dog's anal glands and expressed them.
What made the situation extremely uncomfortable was that both the doctor and the front desk woman repeatedly tried to get my family members to smell the anal gland fluid, even after they clearly stated that the smell they were concerned about was completely different. Rather than listening to the concern or exploring other possible causes, they continued to insist it was the anal glands and focused on trying to prove their point.
The dog already has its anal glands expressed regularly, yet there was no effort to properly evaluate other potential health issues or investigate further. My family members ultimately left and took their dog to a different veterinary clinic because they felt their concerns were being dismissed and the situation had become unprofessional and uncomfortable.
After hearing their experience and going through my own, it seems to reflect a pattern of dismissive behavior and lack of proper communication and care. Pet owners deserve to be listened to and treated with professionalism and respect when bringing concerns about their animals' health.
