VCA Salem Animal Hospital

Reviews 4

DU

Dustin Hendrickson

Most of the staff and Vets are friendly. My only complaint is one lady who works there. Not sure if she is just a receptionist or a vet assistant, but she has no compassion what so ever. Not sure of her name either, but she is a heavy older lady who never smiles and seems to always have her light hair pulled back. I have had to deal with her on two different occasions. The first one was when my Puppy was hit by a car and had to have surgery. I was sobbing, not knowing if my Puppy would survive and the lady was able to choose my co pay (I was paying the rest the next day, puppy was staying overnight). It was a very spendy bill, which she chose to give me a co pay that was 200 dollars less than the total amount. She made me pay for a surgery that had not even been performed yet as a co pay. No compassion or empathy asking if maybe I needed to go to a bank, or if I needed to ask for a loan, maybe take a moment to figure out what I was going to do. She acted as if I were such a burden to her. THANKFULLY I had the money, and was able to pay what she wanted me to. But I still wish I would have talked to someone higher up about it. She was very rude and unprofessional. The second time was when my friends Puppy went into labor and was having some difficulties. They would not help my friends dog because she did not have the money. I was willing to cover her bill, but because she did not have the money up front and they wouldnt wait until I got there, they pretty much just let my friends puppies die from complications. This same lady was the one who was "helping" my friend. I was so upset when I finally got to the hospital. In fact when I did get there I had to press a button in order for them to buzz me in and unlock the door for me to enter. This same lady was the only one at the front desk, and I stood there as she did nothing about it for a good two minuets or so. I ended up having to knock loudly on the door and she still did nothing! She completely ignored me. I was so shocked! I felt this was the worst experience I have ever had at a vet. Even with all of the positive staff and vets, this one individual ruined everything about this Hospital and I will never go back. If one staff is capable of making a patient feel this way, she should not be working there. I feel staff should be friendly, understanding, nice, friendly and compassionate as well as empathetic. I will never refer anyone to this Hospital. Ever. VCA, please make sure your staff is professional!

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ER

Erin Tracy

Took my cat there to be boarded while I was out of town for a week. Came back to her having fleas. Ive had her 8 years and shes never had fleas. Shes an indoor cat and an only pet. I took her there flea free and healthy, but now she has fleas and all these bald spots where shes been pulling our her fur. I discovered she had fleas the next morning (i picked her up late in the evening and went right to bed as I had just flown in and was exhausted) and called them right away. After a run around and me getting upset they refunded my money and gave me one of the 24-hour flea killer pills. When the manager came in several hours later she called and after some negotiation gave me one treatment of frontline. She assured me that would take care of the problem. Fast forward 4 weeks and while petting my cat tonight I saw another flea. Called VCA and the receptionist said that it takes 3-4 treatments to get rid of fleas. I asked for additional treatment and she said I could pay for the treatments, but that they werent going to comp me any more product. I wouldnt be needing to buy any of these things (carpet spray, frontline, flea shampoo) or having to take all my clean bedding and laundry that I just washed a few days ago back to the laundromat had they not been negligent. And the manager had assured me one treatment would be all I would need. So, why would the manager insist all Id need was one treatment when the receptionist says it takes 3-4? Im wondering if the manager didnt want to eat the cost of taking care of the problem and misled me. Part of what upsets me is their assertion that their facility is flea free. When a pet is dropped of there is a whole speech about the pet being checked for fleas and that there will be an additional charge if the pet is found to have fleas because they pride themselves in being a flea free facility. Well, my cat came home with fleas and the one treatment they gave me didnt take care of the problem. So, the facility isnt as flea free as theyd like you to believe. They either dont check ALL pets for fleas when they arrive or they dont keep pets with fleas in a separate area from pets without fleas. Whichever it is, my cat has fleas and theyre not helping me take care of the problem they caused. Theyre more than willing to take $80 from me for the flea treatments, but I wouldnt have to get the flea treatments had they taken better care of my pet.

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SC

Scott Sutherland

The front desk help was kind and sympathetic when I called, when we arrived, and before we left. Let me clear and upfront about that. Our cat, Kermit, had his rear leg (below the joint) hanging by a bit of skin and tendon when we found him lying in our driveway. He was clearly in pain, but otherwise undamaged. We rushed him to Salem, the only place open on a Saturday night, distraught--his foot was swollen and had no feeling. It was clear, we thought, wed be coming home with a three-legged cat. However, they wanted $2800 for the surgery/visit. Thats a mortgage+ for us, and we just couldnt afford it. The alternative was to wait it out until Monday morning, hope for no infection, watch him suffer between pain meds and hope for the best. Ultimately, we ended up having our cat euthanized because we couldnt afford the outrageous prices. $2800 to remove a leg that was practically gone already. I understand--surgery, cauterizing, etc. But, to have the vet tell us that we could get it done for maybe $1000 if he survived infection/pain for another day and a half or we could have him euthanized. So matter of factly, she offered this up as if not having $2800 sitting around with nothing better to do was unfathomable to her. The vets and vet assistants were robotic and unfeeling. We made the decision to kill our cat because we could not pay close to $3000 for an amputation that was 2/3 of the way complete before we walked in the door. DO NOT go here unless you are A) ridiculously wealthy or B) prepared to leave with a euthanized pet and a family that is struggling with the guilt of not being rich enough to save their family friend due to the unrealistic price gouging that coerced them into making an emotional decision that they will never, ever forget.

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ME

Merinda Austin

This was my first emergency experience with my dog and I am just absolutely dissapointed. My dog had consumed Advil and I took her here. While I was waiting in the lobby she threw up, and I waited 20 minutes to get into an exam room after she threw up. After that, I had to call poison control which I dont mind, it just took a really long time which again I understand animal poison control is a completely different company. After that I was just stuck waiting in the exam room, was at this hospital for over 3 hours. I think the medical care they provided was honest and helpful and they worked with my budget which I appreciate. However, my biggest issue is how long it took. My dog should have been taken in to an exam room after she threw up. The whole process was just much longer than it should have been, and since I was stuck in the exam room waiting for the vet to come in for so long, by the time I was able to leave to get prescriptions it was too late because they had wasted so much time with me and the pharmacy closed. I came back to get one prescription which was the only one I could afford to get, and there was a dog in the waiting area that started to "kind of" vomit and that dog was helped much faster (within 5 minutes) than my dog. The point is, they provide good animal care, but please dont take your pet here if its an emergency.

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