I have had the privilege of raising a variety of animals, including over 20 dogs, over 35 cats, and many others. My daughter has been a vet tech for the past 8 years, so I am familiar with the veterinary world and its challenges. I understand the industry is overwhelmed and struggling with a shortage of qualified vets. While I empathize with vets, this critical review of Pasco is written with careful thought and intent.
My experience at Pasco was a nightmare after the first phone call and initial entry. Over the next 12 hours, the focus was not on my pet's well-being but on financial gain. Koda, my healthy and resilient 10-year-old dog, suddenly couldn't eat or go to the bathroom one morning. After watching him for a few hours, I decided to take him to my daughter's vet, two hours away, but my car broke down. Unable to reach the vet, I decided to take him to the Pasco emergency vet, arriving at 1:30 am.
I told them everything, but they didn't seem concerned despite Koda's symptoms. Koda continued to try to go to the bathroom but couldn't. They never prioritized us, and Koda remained in this state for another 4 hours. I asked about his status every hour, but they kept saying they would get to us "soon." Finally, around 5:30 am, they examined Koda for 5 minutes and diagnosed bladder stones, recommending surgery but assuring me he would be fine. I approved $1,000 worth of tests and procedures and asked for pain meds for him.
They didn't wait for the pain meds to take effect before inserting the catheter, causing Koda to cry out in pain for nearly 5 minutes. The tech came out to tell me that the catheter was in and the pain meds had kicked in. I am convinced they had punctured his bladder, causing fluid to enter his abdomen.
There was a shift change at 6 am, and the new vet treated Koda's condition more seriously but never communicated that his condition was life-threatening. In hindsight, I believe Koda's condition worsened due to the leakage into his abdomen, which the new vet later acknowledged but didn't explain how it happened. The main issue seemed to be getting the bladder stones out of the urethra and into the bladder for surgery. Despite signing off on various tests, nothing indicated a life-threatening condition unless complications arose.
They didn't perform surgery until 3 pm, by which time they called to tell me there wasn't enough viable bladder to put back together. They went through technical explanations and then asked me what to do next. I didn't understand what had happened, so my daughter called them. She discerned that we needed to put Koda down. The doctor later told the director that Koda's bladder was the worst she'd seen in 20 years, which should have been evident from the ultrasound before surgery. I would not have put Koda through all that if I had known.
The vets tried to cover themselves by saying Koda yelped in pain when lifted, though I had been lifting him all day without any issue. The tech had already admitted the crying was due to the catheter insertion. The second vet lied about the procedure. Throughout the process, they were more concerned about obtaining my consent for additional procedures and payments than the well-being of my pet. My heart breaks every time I relive what Koda went through. I wish a million times that my car hadn't broken down or that I had chosen to go to the Kirkland or Seattle emergency instead of Pasco. I will never take another pet there and plan to share this experience with every vet I encounter.
What I have learned is to be persistent and ensure your pet is examined immediately. Ask for upfront and clear communication without technical jargon. Request to see the results and every procedure being performed. Don't assume they are always doing what is best. Sadly, what happened on June 1st was not in Koda's best interest in any way. Find a vet you can trust. Build a relationship with them, and if you find a good vet, hold onto them and show your appreciation. They are rare and desperately needed.
The bill for all that Koda went through was $4700!
I do want to add that the director was very conscientious and thorough in her investigation, but the vets managed to cover themselves well. read more