Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center

Reviews 3

CH

Christina Briglia

I hate writing bad reviews because I know sometimes places just have bad days, but I really have a sour taste in my mouth about this place. Especially when its a place that is dealing with the lives of your fur babies! Your experience might be different from mine, but I figured this may help someone out in the future... I found my cat very lethargic, not eating or moving, and walking very funny. Not having experienced any of these symptoms before and being a worried mom, I feared the worst. I took my cat to VSEC after reading reviews and hoping that they could handle the problem, whatever it may be. The pros were that they have 24/7 emergency care and that they took my cat right away when I walked in. Unfortunately, there were more cons with my particular experience. A nurse took my cat and asked me to wait until the doctor examined her. $105 just for walking in the door whereas regular vets in the area charge about $50. I didnt mind at the time because I wanted her to receive proper care. Upon meeting Dr. Torre, I found her to have a pleasant demeanor and she was easy to talk to. She did answer all of my questions and took time to explain the process to me. The con was that none of her recommendations paid off. She said it could be a simple infection and we can give you antibiotic and send you on your way for a total of $150 for the day. HOWEVER, she seriously recommended basic blood work ($222) and a cytology of a tiny bump she felt near her front leg ($130). Being overly cautious and inexperienced, I went for it. $600 and 3 hours later, there was still no real answers or diagnosis and we were back to where we started with the antibiotics. I was sent home to wait for the cytology results, which needed to be sent away. The next day, another doctor (I forget her name) called to say the results were "inconclusive" and that we should consider a biopsy the lump. Another major let down to my pocket for no answers. I wish someone would have told me that this was a possibility. She asked for my cats current status and I told her that she was just about the same as yesterday (lethargic, etc) and she immediately told me I should hospitalize her immediately! I said, that I have a weeks worth of antibiotics to give her and I doubt she would be showing progress after 1 day. She said if I cant afford treatment I should either bring her to another vet or consider putting her down! Who says that?? Low and behold, she was showing signs of improvement the next day and after 5 days total she is back to her old self. EXCEPT the fact that the location where they placed a needle to give her fluids puffed up and was bleeding. Needless to say I was not impressed with my experience there and will be taking her to another vet for a follow up visit and a second opinion on the biopsy. Unless you need to take your pet to the vet right away and they are the only place open, I would recommend looking elsewhere for care. There are plenty of other vets that will give proper care AND care about your pockets while doing so. And hopefully give you ALL of the information before recommending more and more tests.

LA

Lana Dunaienko

So I tried numerous times to contact someone at client service and nobody still didnt get back to me. I am highly un satisfied with what I had to go through because I didnt have a proper exam on my cat. I came in on Thursday night 8/3/17 around 10pm. My cat was gagging and I explained it to the receptionist and then assistants and then the doctor. My whole visit was like 3 hours and I know that we came late at night but thats why I went to the emergency room and I was hoping to get the proper treatment. First they took my cat for regular check up (of course I wasnt present) and it took like 40 min before doctor called me to her office. But the only thing she was concerned about was my cats breathing which I explained was normal after 20 min ride in the car(she gets nervous) so when she said she cant see the problem she offered to start with Xray - I agreed. An hour and a half they said they still cant find any issues so next step is to sedate her and do another exam or to do the blood work. I really didnt trust what the doctor was saying after she assumed it might be asthma or heart disease. My cat never had health problems and shes only 3 and a half. This all happened all of a sudden. So I decided to take her home and keep watching her. They gave me some pills but it didnt help at all. I left the clinic with almost $500 bill and without knowing whats going on with my cat.When I got home I was trying to check her mouth myself and I noticed an abscess on the throat. Saturday I took her to another hospital and I was present at the check up this time. I didnt say a word and the first thing doctor noticed was the abscess. They gave her antibiotics to make it brake and sent us home. They literally called me over weekend to check how was she doing and scheduled second check up on Monday. When we got there on Monday her abscess was already broken and they were trying to clean it from the liquid - while they were doing that he found the SEWING NEEDLE!!! Its totally my fault I left it in my curtains and she was playing with it and swallowed it while I was at work but the people at your clinic were totally careless about whats the problem was. And I am very luck my cat didnt die. She spent like that 4 days. And you want to tell me it didnt show up on the Xray???? I want to see that Xray! If it was ever taken. The hospital I went to really cared about my pet and they truly wanted to help and not just charge me hundreds of dollars. My bill there was $120 for TWO visits all together including antibiotics. I didnt mind to pay I just wanted somebody to help my poor cat. And no one did help her there!!! And now Im trying to get in touch with someone but they completely ignored me for 5 days. Next step will be some legal actions and I want you see that Xray in the court room. I dont want to pay for some services I never got!!!

ED

Edward Hackett

This amazing staff saved my dog Stella!! I would like to thank Dr. Java who saved my dogs life about this time last year. I My little girl accidently ate a friends muscle relaxers in early April last year. I came home to an almost lifeless dog and rushed her to your Philadelphia location. Dr. Java was amazing along with all the staff that I wish I could remember all their names. Stella was in a coma for 2 days before she finally woke up. I have never seen such a caring staff. Not only did Dr. Java keep me updated every day and night, the entire staff was just amazing. Even while Stella was in a coma, every day when I would show up to see her, there would be a member of your staff looking after her, and constantly talking to her and petting her. When we first got there, Melissa was just getting done her shift and was about to leave when she saw us come in. Not only did she help out, she went out of her way to drive to UPENN and back to get by baby the medicine she needed that you did not have on site. I would really appreciate knowing her name if it is possible to look in the records. When my baby girl finally woke up while I was there during one of my the visits, Dr. Garret Pachtinger, was overseeing her at the time, he said that usually at this time they ask that family members leave, however since Stella woke up to my voice, and he said it seemed that I was helping calm her, he said I could stay. This was the turning point he told me, either she will fight through it, or she won’t make it and only time will tell if she will make be able to recover, and if so, will be it a full one or if she will have brain damage. This was one of the happiest and scariest moments in my life. I had no control and could only try and calm my little girl as she screamed and yelped in confusion. She could not see or walk, but would try and move towards me and my voice. I stayed for an hour or two and could see that she was making more and more progress. Finally they told me I should let her rest and I could come back later that night. When I came back the staff gave me a private room, and brought Stella in to see me. They allowed me to lay with her for as long as I wanted, never once did I feel like anyone was trying to rush me or tell me I had to leave. Needless to say for those few nights I didn’t sleep at all, and that night when I went home it was the same, except this time I couldn’t sleep due to excitement. I had to work the next day and drove straight to the hospital after, at which point I was again given my own private room. To my surprise when the door opened, Stella came walking in all on her own! Today she is back to her normal self of running around and if anything has more energy and passion then before her accident. I want to say THANK YOU to all of your staff members!