It's amazing to me, that nothing has been done with this clinic and it's waste of time employees!!! In the past I have used this clinic for random things, flea allergies, spaying my animals, flea meds and shots. However, any time you go in with something more serious, you get nothing but frustration and more questions, then when you walked in. I decided that unless it was something serious, I would not use them.
Fast forward to yesterday. The night before I noticed my dogs breathing was strange and she seemed to be straining to do things. I call our vet, which no longer does walkins (in fact,they aren't even my old vet, Stark St Animal Clinic....they are now Wellhaven). I couldn't get her in until today to my vet. I decided that I was to stressed, and I'd take her in to companion to find out what's going on. We get there, I write my name on the clipboard and sit down. The receptionists are ALWAYS RUDE! EVERYTIME!! I don't understand why, and yet they manage to keep their jobs. I notice that people are growing annoyed with their bullshit attitudes. I then get called back, do the weight for my dog and we go to the room. I'm told a tech will be in soon to get the info and then the Dr. We wait. Then the Dr comes in, and I'm confused as to why he's there before the tech. He asks me what's going on, I do a run down, but then he cuts me off and doesn't want all the info?? He starts listening to her heart, an asks me a couple questions, but then tells me to shh so he can listen..... Then why did you ask me questions??? He tells me she has a small heart murmur, then tells me a sign of things will be a cough, weird breathing patterns, she can seem exhausted... Yada yada. I then say that she does this weird cough thing, and he cuts me off again, telling me that it's not info he needs right now. He tells me we need to do a blood work screen and then xrays, and the xrays will be sent out to a radiologist and I'd have more answers then. I ask the cost, he says he will go write the order down and then the tech will come in and talk to me about what I want to do. I then ask what these bumps are on my dog, and he looks and tells me after, "that's not what you're here for, you can come back later for that"....umm, excuse me??? I'm pissed at this point. He leaves. 10 mins later the tech comes in (tall guy, dark hair).... He hands me the piece of paper with the cost of everything. I hadn't looked at him yet, cuz I was reading. I then look up and ask a question.... And instantly I'm disgusted and want to puke. I was baffled how this clinic can be so unprofessional. He had a huge wad of chew in his bottom lip, you could tell he spits. It was disgusting, and at that point I was done. I asked why I would be charged for the xrays to be sent out, and he responded with "that's what we do". I then asked how serious this was, like was I needing to do something then and there, or would it be safe to take her home and decide what to do the next day.... He said "sure". He leaves the room, I grab my stuff and we wait in the lobby for nearly 20 mins to be checked out. While waiting to leave, I lady came in with a litter of puppies to get their fist shots. Once again the cranky old receptionists are rude, telling the lady that they do not do shots on 6 week old puppies. The woman constantly over and over says the vet said she could do them at 6 weeks. Finally, I get called up to pay, I pay and bolt.
The total of what they quoted me was $598 dollars.
Today I went to our vet, where I found out my dogs murmur is bigger then what the other vet said. However, this time the guy listens to everything I say, walks me through everything and what is bad news and what's managable news. They take my dog to go do xrays... They bring her back and the vet asks me to go back to the xray room becuz it's the only way I can see the xrays. My news on my baby, was not good, however I was talked through all of it. My dog is going through congestive heart failure, however most dogs still manage to live for years after, just on the right cocktail of heart meds. I went back to the room and cried, my husband was equally emotionally becuz we don't know what's best to do with my baby. The vet came back in and literally allowed me to ask whatever I needed, and was honest with me about it. I'm more confident now, and feel like we are doing the best thing for my furchild. She has her cocktail, and in a month we will see if it's working, and then go from there. In the end, including the exam, our total was $415. read more