Seattle Veterinary Specialists

Reviews 6

DO

Doug Budlong

Let it suffice to say that the welfare of your animal does not and will not be fir$t priority at this corporate facility. There is never a good time for disaster, but some times are more dreadful than others. The front office staff here does make an effort and the specialist can write a professional report (but appears to be more of a corporate asset and career climber than one dedicated in ways one would hope for- coming from Heart intelligence) but if you are not among the privileged with plenty of clout and reserve funds they will prod and squeeze you for your last available penny while your companion animal is being held in storage. They remove essential diagnostic services from their planned course of action after probing for your reaction to, in my case an apx. 865.00 bill due immediately. I explained my situation BEFORE being urged to bring her in. Pain med was administered (end of Friday), however none was presecibed or provided so we were S.O.L. A week later, having found a good Vet., she was surprised that no pain meds were provided. Again, the front desk staff will TRY to advocate for you in a time of dire need. They partner with an agency that you can qualify with for a grant to cover "treatment", but you have to know what is wrong first (the fractured spine and nerve compression was discovered elsewhere). Diagnostic services are not included, so treatment isnt an option. Therefore, an awarded grant (applicable only at SVS) has no value whatsoever if you qualify for such a gift. This was explained by the veterinarian After qualifying and after staff whom arranged the grant had left the building. This is blatantly illogical. Apparently no one has addressed this issue to find a work around, but its a good way to preserve a charitable fund pool. It has been over a week since we visited SVS so there has been ample time look at this objectively. In one word: Shameful The 2 stars are for the staff efforts.

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LO

Lori Walters

A incorrect diagnosis of meningitis from a ER vet sent us home on Saturday - by Monday she had become unresponsive - went to Lynnwood VCA Animal Hospital, they said there was too much damage done to her brain & kidneys to survive. She had undiagnosed diabetes, the electrolytes were crazy bad, they (Lynnwood) said her prognosis was grave and recommended euthanasia. I was shocked and not at all prepared. She never had any symptoms of diabetes - Im beyond crushed. I am so mad at the incorrect diagnosis - I dont know if she could have been saved - but I cant help but think at least she would have had a chance to fight. (I called to complain & they told me they were sorry - they felt like it was because the ER doctor was so busy, she thought cashmere was fine) When I brought her in, she was still very much my sweet puppy. She just turned 5. She was young & healthy. The ER doctor recommended blood tests, but did not run them while I was there. She sent me home, promising a phone call. She did not call until Sunday morning - the tests were incomplete. She said the machine broke & the blood would have to be sent out. I was supposed to get results Sunday evening. I called Monday morning & only then did they even look at the results. They then sent me to Lynnwood - stating that she needed a neurologist - she did not. She needed to be diagnosed and treated. She was septic and her brain had suffered too much. Had they made me wait or sent me to another hospital to get the blood test, shed possibly would still be here.

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SI

Sierra Wollen

I brought my cat here after she started howling and lost control of her hind legs. She had been walking in and out of the litter box trying to urinate but was unable to and had not been drinking water for a week prior. Pros: they took her into an exam room within seconds of me arriving. Extremely friendly and helpful receptionists, nursing staff, and vet (Dr. Cerra). Got her stable and kept me updated on the progress. Cons: the vet was convinced she had a structural/back/disc problem when I knew this wasnt the case, as I had picked her up without pain. I had to ask multiple times for them to consider she may have a urinary problem, as she has diabetes and urinary infections/ketone buildup is a complication of uncontrolled diabetes. She did end up having a urinary infection. Staff complained about her being aggressive but did not allow me in the exam room to calm her down. Before they proceeded, they gave me an estimate for the wrong medications, which added ~$200 by the time I left. Overall, Im glad I brought her here as she got the medications she needed and we ruled out fatal problems. I would like to see the vets be more open-minded to other diagnoses than their preconceived notions and to give a more accurate estimate before proceeding with care.

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CA

Caryn A. Tate

We came here for the dental services for our dog, who had broken a tooth. There are surprisingly few canine dentists in the area; thankfully SVS is very good at what they do! We worked with Dr. Riggs, who was immediately very good with our Alaskan Malamute, asking her to do a few commands and tricks to build a relationship with her. We really appreciated that! She understands dogs! It turned out our dog also needed work on another tooth, which Dr. Riggs discovered after getting the x-rays on the day of the procedure. Because its a canine, we chose to save it and have a root canal done on that one. Dr. Riggs did wonderful work, with the root canal and the extraction of the premolar. She and the rest of the staff took great care of our baby, and were truly thoughtful in how they dealt with her and us. While no pet parents want to have to deal with dental problems, its great to know places like SVS are here, with caring and efficient staff. Thank you Dr. Riggs and the techs who were so caring with our girl!

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JO

Joe

Brought my dog in for tremors. The low estimate was approximately $900 for an overnight observation. The next morning I was informed that they had come in under price and I would be receiving a refund for $200 in the following week. When the refund was not posted onto my account, I called the front desk for clarification. I was then told the refund was only $30, but that the manager was not on duty and would look into the bill and call me back. I never received a return call. So, after a week I called again and received the same response to expect a return call. This process repeated three times before finally being informed on my 4th call that I would only be receiving a refund of $30. All-in-all, friendly people, way over priced and horrible customer service. Theres way too many vets in town to waste time and money with these guys.

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AS

Ashley Robillard

I took my fur baby (cat) in for a first time urinary blockage. Being somewhat in this field I knew this could be deadly and was worried sick for my kiddo. They acted fast and took amazing care of him. They were also super understanding about my financial situation (definitely helped that I had insurance). They let me come and visit him whenever I wanted, since he needed to stay overnight to ensure his blockage was gone and answered all of my paranoid questions without hesitation. I wish I knew specific names to be able to shout out specific people, but honestly, everyone was super understanding and helpful. They called me the next day with a follow up phone call and answered even more of my questions. Dersey and I cant thank them enough <3

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