My husband and I brought both our dog and cat to Dr. Penson for the first time today, for their annual check-ups. Prior to the actual appointment, we were very glad that he was able to see both of our pets on the same day at the same time, as well as allow both of us in the room to comfort them (appreciated during Covid times). When we arrived, we were surprised to start our appointment outside in the driveway, discussing their prior vaccinations etc. at our car rather than in the office. Weird, but okay. When we entered the office, it was such a disaster area that it looked like an episode of Hoarders. We were dismayed, and probably should have left right then. Dr. Penson proceeded to remove our cat's plaque buildup with his bare hands (he did not wash them before, as there did not seem to even be a sink/soap beneath the many piles of papers that covered every surface, including the floor). He then gave our cat an antibiotic pill and told us to give it to him 2x/day so that the bleeding in his gums (which he caused) would clear up. For our dog (who's 55 lbs), my husband had to lift him onto the counter and act as the assistant as Dr. Penson took 3 tries to insert a needle for blood work. Dr. Penson's son suddenly came into the office during the middle of our appointment and was able to "roll the vein" (their words) so that Dr. Penson could finally get the needle in. The son also did not wear gloves or wash his hands before handling our pet, and then proceeded to step over the piles of stuff so that he could enter the rest of the house. (We gathered that this office room was simply the main entrance to the family home.) Finally, after we discussed a fatty lump on our dog's leg, Dr. Penson took a sample for a test he referred to as "not scientific but 90% accurate" (!!!). Overall, while he had a very polite demeanor and seemed to genuinely care about our animals, we found this whole experience highly strange and unprofessional. read more
