This was the most horrible veterinary experience I have ever had. I have a 10-year-old indoor cat…read morewho had never really been sick before. After switching his food, he developed what appeared to be a food allergy and became very sick. Before bringing him to Aptos-Capitola Veterinary Clinic, I specifically called and told them he did NOT have a rabies vaccine and asked, "Can you still see him?" They said YES, no problem. We went in, they treated him, recommended different food, and we left happy.
Fast-forward about three months. My cat was still having problems and had been vomiting for months. I had recently spent approximately $5,000 at an emergency veterinary hospital in Monterey trying to figure out what was wrong, and we still didn't have the answers we needed. I brought him back to Aptos-Capitola hoping for help.
The veterinarian who met with me was extremely cold from the start. I reminded him that my cat had been through a lot and explained the months of vomiting and emergency visits. He didn't seem to care about my story. He began palpating my cat's abdomen with what seemed to me like an excessive amount of pressure, and my cat began VIOLENTLY SHAKING. I was shocked. My cat had been examined multiple times at the emergency hospital and had NEVER reacted like this during an examination.
Throughout the exam, the veterinarian repeatedly brought up that my cat wasn't vaccinated for rabies. I explained that he is an indoor cat and that I was refusing the rabies vaccine. Instead of focusing on why my cat was sick, the conversation became increasingly aggressive. In my experience, his tone was rough, he raised his voice, and he continued insisting on the rabies vaccination before thoroughly examining my cat. Meanwhile, my cat continued shaking.
I finally said, "I am refusing the rabies vaccine. I am here because my cat is SICK. I have been here before without this being a problem. Why is this suddenly a problem today?" The situation became so upsetting that I left the clinic CRYING with my sick, shaking cat.
I actually wasn't planning to write a negative review. Then recently, I received an extremely long letter from the clinic informing me that my family and I were no longer welcome because of this situation. I found the letter threatening and upsetting. Even more concerning, the letter referenced California law regarding rabies vaccination. That is what prompted me to contact my attorney and research the law.
What I learned raised serious questions about what I had been told. California does not have a statewide law requiring cats to be vaccinated against rabies. Local jurisdictions can have their own requirements, but I have been unable to identify a California law that simply prohibits a veterinarian from examining an indoor cat because it isn't vaccinated.
If this clinic has its own vaccination policy, SAY THAT. A clinic policy and California law are NOT the same thing. If you tell a client something is required "by California law," you should be able to identify the law.
I have had animals for decades. Years ago, when I had a working farm, I worked with the veterinary program at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, where veterinary students worked with and studied my animals. I have also spent many years researching vaccines before making my own decisions. People are entitled to disagree with those decisions.
What I will NOT accept is being pressured and spoken to aggressively while my sick animal is visibly shaking, especially after this same clinic previously agreed to treat him knowing his vaccination status.
My cat needed help. Instead, I left crying with a sick, shaking animal and later received a letter telling my entire family we were no longer welcome.
I will NEVER forget this experience, and I absolutely cannot recommend this clinic.