I'm leaving this review to document an incident involving veterinary technician Sarah Spadoni and…read morethe clinic's office assistant, both of whom created an unnecessarily hostile and unprofessional experience during my dog's visit.
This review reflects my experience during that visit and the aftermath.
I want this on record because the clinic declined to meaningfully address it, and I believe incidents like this only escalate when no one speaks up. My dog, Chop, has been under the care of this veterinarian for years, and I've spent nearly a lot on his medical. I am deeply invested in his health, which makes the experience all the more shocking.
1. Confusion About Role During the Visit
During my visit, technician Sarah Spadoni spoke in a way that led me to believe she was the actual vet.
She referred to "her clients," provided medical guidance, and presented herself as the authority during the conversation. Because of this, for about a week afterward I believed she was the new veterinarian at the clinic. I later understood that she is a veterinary technician, which made the interaction confusing to me.
Veterinary medicine has clear professional roles for a reason, and during this interaction those boundaries were not very clear from my perspective.
During the same conversation she questioned where I obtain my dog's heartworm prevention and expressed concerns about medication obtained outside their clinic. In that discussion she said she believed the medication might not be legitimate and questioned whether obtaining it outside the clinic was legal. I left feeling that if I didn't buy his treatment from them specifically, it might somehow be less effective in preventing heartworm.
She also asked about my home location and said she wanted to know the exact area where I live so she could inform her "other clients" to avoid walking in that area due to potential heartworm concerns. That request made me uncomfortable, as I don't want my location shared with others.
Overall, the interaction left me confused and uneasy.
2. Medical Advice Later Contradicted
Ms. Spadoni provided information that was later contradicted by a veterinarian. Being wrong is one thing; providing information with total certainty is another, especially when pet owners trust staff to know their limits.
3. Improper Handling and Interrogation
At one point, my dog was held by staff while my mother and I were questioned as if we were being investigated. This was not standard communication or restraint. It felt improvised and unnecessarily adversarial.
4. Accusations from the Office Assistant
When I attempted to address the situation with the office assistant, it escalated immediately. She accused me of negligence and of essentially causing my dog's past heartworm infection "on purpose," despite clear medical records, imaging, and years of documented care.
She also made comments that left me with the impression that maybe my dog should be handled more roughly because he was "poorly behaved," something no licensed veterinarian has ever claimed about him.
This level of escalation without listening is alarming, especially given my long-term commitment to this dog's care.
Why I'm Writing This
This review is not meant to start a debate. It is intended to establish a public, timestamped record of what occurred. If future clients report similar behavior, they can reference this documentation.
Veterinary care requires competence, clarity, and appropriate boundaries between techs, managers, and veterinarians. Those boundaries were not upheld here, in my opinion.
I am updating this review because new issues have come to light, and I believe it's important to have them documented for both myself and others. Let me also preface this by saying that I had no issues with Dr. Ferrell herself, as she has always seemed kind and considerate toward Chop. My concerns are specific to the behavior of the technicians and the office assistant.
The day after the incident, the office assistant called my mother, apologized for how she and Ms. Spadoni handled the situation, and asked for Chop's care to resume. While I appreciate the acknowledgment of mistakes, we declined and chose to move to a new veterinarian.
Months later, after repeated attempts to get us to return were declined, the clinic included commentary about our interaction in his medical records that I believe was inaccurate and did not reflect what occurred. I was concerned it could complicate his care with other providers. Thankfully, the new vet did not rely on those notes.
These actions have raised serious concerns. I have contacted the Indiana Board of Veterinary Medicine and the BBB and am prepared to escalate further if necessary.
We have now found a vet who specializes in Chop's breed. My dog has had a difficult life, and the last thing I would ever do is put him in the care of people who made his care more difficult than it needed to be.
