Healthy Pet Veterinary Clinic

Reviews 4

LI

Liz Zélandais

The Cliff notes version: Skilled, caring, dependable veterinary care where I know that my dogs & cat are getting the best possible medical attention and that were all in loving hands. The novel-length version: I started taking my pets to Dr. Christman (or affectionately, Dr. Carla) over 14 years ago when I moved to Madison. I had a greyhound at the time, and their physiology is somewhat different than other canines. Dr. Carla had and has a greyhound herself and does veterinary care for a number of greyhounds, so that was my original point of reference. Over that 14 years, I have had a number of dogs and cats (plus added a husband--to whom she does not administer medical care, but has enthusiastically embraced into the fold), and every visit has been five-star worthy. During that time my pets and I have also seen Dr. Roberts and Dr. Oxley, veterinarians who have our deepest trust and respect. The Healthy Pet staff of vet techs and receptionists/administrators are also amazing. Our animals always get excellent care, and when the path to follow might be in doubt, the veterinarians and staff at Healthy Pet educate us about the options and help us make the decision thats best for us and our furry family. They also recognize that budgets can be a consideration no matter how much we love our pets, and seek to work within that as well. I have never felt that they recommended a test or procedure that was superfluous and wasnt in the best interests of our pet and us. As George Carlin so accurately observed in his black-humor way, "Youre not just getting a pet. Youre getting a small tragedy in the making." The pets my husband and I adopt are often seniors, so as pets age and quality of life seriously deteriorates, we have experienced more than our share of seeing euthanasia as the humane choice and saying good-bye to companion animals. This is such a difficult time for anyone losing a beloved family member. When those times have come, Dr. Carla has created an atmosphere of loving respect for the animal and for us, making it feel like a sacred moment rather than merely a clinical procedure. We are so grateful to know we have Healthy Pet Veterinary Clinic to support us and our pets through the entire life cycle, and making that life the best quality possible.

---

RE

Rebekah Spidle

About a month ago, my 15-month old cat was brain damaged after a teeth cleaning, a procedure requiring anesthesia. There is no way to know whether or not the brain damage was a result of human error, but everything about the experience made me realize that I made a big mistake when I took my cat to Healthy Pet. The doctor went ahead with the procedure even though one of their machines to run the blood tests on was broken (she didnt tell me this until I picked him up and asked about the bloodwork). The next day, when it was clear that something had gone very wrong (my cat was blind, stumbling in tight circles, and crying profusely), they refused to see him until 2pm. It took a bit of arguing on my part to even get in that early. Thats when the doctor told me my cat was brain damaged and that she had suspected as much the day before (but hadnt told me this when I picked him up - only that he was abnormally groggy post anesthesia). She went on to tell me that they dont monitor blood pressure during anesthesia and that was possibly the cause of the brain damage. I was absolutely horrified that I had not been notified of this fact prior to the procedure. I would have taken my business elsewhere immediately. I obviously had a lot of questions because I was scared to death about what was happening to my cat, and the doctor didnt seem to have a clue. Every time she offered a suggestion she would second guess herself in the next sentence. There were other things that happened during this situation that caused me to be extremely skeptical about the quality of care Healthy Pet has to offer, but my reason for writing this review is so that other pet owners dont make the same mistake I did. What happened to my cat was horrible, and just the thought that it may have been the result of careless treatment or improper monitoring made it even worse. The doctor referred me to the UW Vet School neurology department and thats where I finally got some answers as to what might have happened to my cat. I have been taking him there ever since, mostly for his mouth condition, and the doctors are so much more knowledgeable and professional than they are at Healthy Pet. My cat was even anesthetized again, this time for a full mouth extraction, without any complications.

---

JO

Josh Work Feyen

Our cat caught a cold. After two weeks of progressively worse sneezing, I decided to take her to the vet. First, I was VERY appreciative that they purposely leave a few slots open at then end of the day just for cases like our urgent but not emergency visit. I didnt need to wait long before we were invited to an exam room by a very friendly staff (who Im sorry I dont recall her name because she definitely contributes to these five stars). The vet tech gave the cat a once over, took vitals and asked about the problem. It wasnt long before the vet joined us. This clinic has several vets and weve probably seen all of them over the ten years Ive had my pets. This time we saw Dr. Laura Oxley. While it has been several years since seeing this particular vet, she remembered me and the cat - I really appreciated that. Instead of dragging the cat out of the cat carrier, the vet tech and vet took it apart. I wouldnt have thought of that - I offered to pull the cat out. "No" Laura said, "This is more comfortable for the cat." Ok, you earned five stars right there. We talked about symptoms and she did a further exam. The cat has a sinus infection and the vet prescribed antibiotics. What really kicked this visit to five stars was the follow up email. Laura called my cat "sweet" and included a report card of the visit. The vets, tech and receptionist are awesome, and going to the vet was a pleasant experience. I cant speak for the cat, but it came close for her too :)

---

SA

Sarah Conroy

My cat is literally everything to me. Shes 13 years old and got sick very quickly with what we presume to be cancer. I literally was devastated, missed almost a week of work, and didnt know how I was going to get on. I couldnt believe I wasnt going to have anymore days with my best buddy. Yesterday she started eating and drinking on her own again. Dr Christman gave me a little more time with my baby when I wasnt quite ready to say goodbye by making sure a strong treatment plan was in place. It can be very hard to trust a vet clinic, as Ive been really really burned in the past by others and typically dont leave reviews, but I think its really important for others in the same boat to know they will have care out of this world at this clinic. You wont be charged for things that didnt take place and its clear on what you will be charged for before you are. At the same rate I never felt like it was about the money, it was about the health and well being of my cat and I! Feeling really blessed that so many of my friends also raved about this clinic because I wouldnt have my kitty today if they didnt.

---

---