Overpriced
If I can choose zero star, I would…read more
Very unprofessional!!!!!
I'm very disappointed with my experience here, both because of the lack of transparency regarding pricing and because of how my concerns were handled.
I chose this clinic because I had researched veterinary clinics in the area and was looking for a more affordable option. It is about 35 minutes from my home, but I made the drive because I had confirmed their pricing over the phone.
I brought in three cats and paid a $65 exam fee for each. Two were sick and being treated for possible worms, and one had a fever, so I was told the two sick cats should wait about two weeks before receiving their rabies vaccines.
Before scheduling the follow-up, I specifically asked whether I would have to pay another exam or consultation fee. I was told no, that the follow-up would be free and I would only pay for the vaccines.
There was also an issue after the first visit. The next day, I found a flea on the cat who had been healthy before the appointment and had received her rabies vaccine there. I understand I cannot prove where the flea came from, but when I called to express my concern, the staff member repeatedly insisted it could not have come from their clinic. I was told they would speak with the veterinarian and call me back. No one ever followed up.
Two weeks later, I returned with the other two cats for their rabies vaccines. I was then told the vaccine would be $55 per cat, plus another $35 per cat for the veterinarian to examine them and make sure they were healthy enough to receive it.
That was exactly the additional charge I had specifically asked about before scheduling.
I explained that I had already paid $65 per cat two weeks earlier and had been told there would be no additional exam fee. I was told the $35 was essentially a reduced examination fee.
I understand that a veterinarian may need to examine an animal before giving a vaccine. My issue is not the legitimacy of the exam. My issue is that I specifically asked about additional charges and was told there would not be one. Had the $35 fee been disclosed, I could have made an informed decision and gone to a clinic much closer to my home.
What happened next was the most disappointing part.
After I explained that I would have gone to the clinic near my home if I had known about the additional charge, the staff member spoke with the veterinarian and came back to tell me that the doctor said I should go to the other clinic.
I directly asked whether I was essentially being told to leave and take my cats somewhere else. I was told yes.
Instead of acknowledging the miscommunication or trying to resolve the situation, I was effectively dismissed for questioning a charge that I had specifically asked about beforehand.
Between the undisclosed follow-up fee, the flea concern being dismissed with no promised follow-up, and then being told to take my cats somewhere else after questioning the charge, I left feeling misled and dismissed.
What concerns me most is the way this clinic handles responsibility and treats its customers. I specifically asked about the follow-up fee and was told I would not be charged, only to be told something different when I returned. When I raised concerns, whether about the incorrect pricing information or the flea I found after the visit, the response was not to acknowledge the issue or take responsibility, but to deny any responsibility and push it back on me. At minimum, I was given information that was not true, and instead of owning that mistake, I was dismissed and told to take my cats somewhere else. That is not the level of honesty, accountability, or respect I expect from a veterinary clinic.
