Clinton Hill Animal Clinic

Reviews 3

JE

Jessie Carr

Dr. Dendtler and her impeccable staff saved our dog’s life. This is an incredible and moving story of what separates an experienced, attentive healer from any well-trained clinician, so we’ll start from the beginning. We moved away from NYC two years ago, but continue to return to Dr. D for routine care for our aging, but healthy and happy family dog, Toots. When Toots had a rapid-onset loss of appetite and lethargy, we took her to a local vet, and then on to an Emergency and Specialty care facility. She was admitted with a fever over 105, high enough to put her at risk for severe blood clotting and organ failure. We could not identify any toxin she may have ingested, and started on intravenous fluids and antibiotics to try and bring the fever down, in addition to a spattering of diagnostics. Of course we reached out to Dr. Dendtler, who was immediately all-in via frequent phone consultations, conferring with the emergency vets, and patiently explaining Toots’ condition to us in terms we could actually understand. After almost 3 days of intravenous medication, her fever was not coming down, and we were caught between pressure from the local emergency vets to perform invasive tests, and frustration that Toots continued to suffer a dangerous fever. Dr. Dendtler literally pleaded with these vets to exhaust all therapies to bring down the fever and get some food in her, like external cooling and gentle oral feeding through a syringe. These were no doubt well-trained clinicians with access to the most modern diagnostics and cancer treatments, but their solution for a high fever was to aim a fan at our sick dog. We wanted Toots out of there, and Dr. Dendtler told us that she’ll be with us all the way while we nursed Toots at home with non-invasive therapies the emergency vets assured us ‘wouldn’t amount to a hill of beans.’ Well, Dr. Dendtler was true to her word, and coached us through tepid baths every 2 hours, special high-calorie ‘milkshakes,’ temperature monitoring, in addition to ol’ fashioned tender loving care, and Toots’ fever fell to normal after 3 days of being home. It was a moving experience for my partner and I to nurse our helpless, sick, sweet dog back to health and vitality. Dr. Dendtler continues to check-in with us every week -- like she said in the beginning, she’s “with us for the long haul.” A caring and thoughtful doctor is truly a healer, and we are so grateful to Dr. D and her supportive staff. Her approach to medicine is both patient and decisive, from years of experience and practice, and she is truly a healer and beloved part of the Brooklyn community.

FO

Fort Greene

I live part-time in NYC and part-time in NM. I have a cat that requires prescription cat food after 2 emergency room visits for a urinary issue. When in New York, I have been picking up this food from Clinton Hill Animal Clinic for 2 years with no problems. After helping friends in Red Hook for three days to clean up after the hurricane devastated their home and business, on Friday I realized that I was on the last can of food. I called to see if the clinic would be open today (Saturday) so I could pick it up. The man on the phone said that they were open. I asked what their hours were. Instead of responding, he said, "what can we help you with?" I explained about the food. He looked up my file and then informed me that I could no longer get the food without a prescription even though I had done so in the past. I explained that I could have my vet in NM send them a prescription but wouldnt be able to do so til Monday. He then assured me that if I came in on Saturday I could get the food anyway, and send in a prescription later. So, TODAY, (Saturday) I walked 25 minutes to the Clinton Hill Animal Clinic, and their receptionist would not sell me the food. After a LONG conversation back and forth (that resulted in me uncharacteristically bursting in tears after an emotional week), he said he could try and get special permission from the vet but I would have to wait as they were all busy. I explained to him that the person I spoke with yesterday said I could pick it up, no problem. I asked him if he could contact THAT person but he said he "didnt know who it was". He then showed me a note that the guy from yesterday wrote in my file that said "needs a prescription". Afte a long wait, he finally was able to get permission from a vet to sell me the food. (Reality check: I am not trying to buy a bunch of oxycontin here--just trying to be a responsible cat owner!) THEN, he very condescendingly tried to explain to me again all of the documents they needed from my vet for the next time "so we dont have to go through this again." UNBELIEVABLE!! As if I would put myself in that situation again!! I had already explained to him that I was JUST made aware that they needed the prescription! To top it all off, it turns out the guy that I spoke with on the phone yesterday and the guy I spoke to today are the same guy!!! What a power-tripping liar. I do not plan to return to the Clinton Hill Animal Clinic until they get a NEW RECEPTIONIST!

LJ

Ljulee Whalin

Ive been going to this vet for about a year and a half now. I never had stellar service from the admin staff but at least they were consistent. The biggest issue I had was that my dog was the size of their waiting room - but that was the biggest issue until today. I need to get heartworm pills for my dog. I ordered them 2 weeks ago well in advance of the him needing them - I didnt anticipate any delays as he was testing 6 months ago. For some reason i kept hitting a snag with the vet and the dispensing company. I called this Vet yesterday to find out what the issue was and the receptionist basically called me a liar about whether or not my dog has been on heartwom pills consistently. I had to have the vet call me back who agreed that my math added up. The admin also took the opportunity to yell and badger me for no reason while she was discussing my the amount of months since last dispensing. But all was well and the Vet agreed to sign off. Today I get a call from the dispensing company saying that there is an issue and I need to call my vet again. The same combative crazed admin is on the phone. She explains that the weight from my order and what they have on file doesnt check out. I tell her that my dogs weight fluctuates throughout the year but that it was within the guidelines for what I had ordered. Like another reviewer here, I am not buying Oxycontin people and if anyone has put my dog in danger its the administrative troll that is answering the phone. Its now two weeks later and my dog is behind. She then tells me that I need to have my dog re-weighed in order to move forward. She again calls me a liar about my dogs weight and continues to badger me and refused to listen to the reason behind the weight which was that I had picked a range per the product when I placed the order. I remind her as I explained to the vet the day before that I no longer live near them (nor any vet) and that its just extremely difficult to get a 200lb dog around not to mention costly and not to mention impossible after a natural disaster that has resulted in gas rationing wherein there is scarce car service for humans. I had already paid for the test this year and was refusing to be nickle and dimed by them again. At this point she was screaming at me and not listening to anything I had to say - there was no reasoning with this idiot - and this Vet has lost me as a client forever.