This review is not for Dr. Donaldson. She treated my dog once and was fantastic. She's the only reason I gave 2 stars instead of 1. She was conservative in her approach of avoiding surgery, took the time to show us his xrays and explain things, was very honest with us and showed that she cared about our fur baby. I've also heard good things about Dr. McNeil.
However, you cannot choose the vet you see at this practice (you'll get whoever is on call) and we had a very traumatic experience with Dr. Newell. I left my dog in a kennel, Precious Paws, for the first time ever over Christmas 2018. Supposedly, he was fine until the last day of his stay when he stopped eating and started vomiting. Pam took him to Dr. Newell on New Years at 4 pm. Unfortunately, my husband and I were traveling back from vacation and didn't arrive home until 2 am. I called Till Newell as soon as they opened at 7 am. I was told to call back at 9 because the doctor wouldn't be in until 9 am. This already set a negative tone since my dog was there since 4 pm the evening prior, but ok. I called back at 9. I was told they needed to keep him because he was still sick and they were very busy, but, "maybe I could visit in the afternoon." I loved that dog tremedously. There was no maybe, I was checking on him. I waited for about 20-30 minutes in their always chaotic reception room (they do not take appointments). By 12:30-1 pm or so, I finally saw my dog. He was in the absolute worst condition I've ever seen him in. He was so sick that he did not even respond when I walked into the room. I had a mental breakdown, crying as I was holding him. Eventually he just slid down on the floor. He was so weak, he couldn't even stand. All that time had passed and ALL THEY HAD DONE WAS GIVEN HIM AN IV OF FLUIDS and tested for parvo (which he was vaccinated against, but they did not check his records for). Still, no antibiotics that probably would've saved his life! Dr. Newell very coldly apologized for not having done an xray of his stomach yet. "It's been real busy, I'm going to do it." Time was wasting. His fever was 105! He started coughing, which Newell noted.
I left because I wasn't doing any good by crying on the floor. I trusted Dr. Newell to get to work and save my love. About an hour or more later, he called with news that he saw an intestinal blockage on the xray. He recommended surgery because the fever was so high and he was worried about the bowel being perforated which could cause sepsis (despite the fact that his temp. had dropped to 102 and he'd gotten a bit livlier when they finally administered antibiotics, and the coughing wouldn't fit a blockage). Well, I was extremely worried about him going under considering how sick he was, but I am not a vet. I trusted the professional. HUGE MISTAKE.
When they put him under and intubated him, he coughed up bloody mucus (also not consistent with an intestinal blockage). They also did not feel a blockage as suspected when they got him prepped for surgery and laid out with muscles relaxed. At this point, they decided it was an infection or virus again and wanted to wake him up...only he went into cardiac arrest and died.
I'm still completely devastated over the loss of my irreplaceable companion. He was 2 and a happy, healthy boy. Till Newell lost him in less than 24 hours of us being notified that he was sick. Dr. Newell kept saying, "Well he was a young dog, so a blockage was the course we were on..." My question is how does a trained vet misdiagnose the issue that badly?
Fast forward to post autopsy results, I went to pick up my little buddy's remains and they weren't having me crying in their waiting room. The receptionists/techs told us to go wait outside around back. I literally stood waiting in the cold for my dog for over 10 minutes. How disrespectful.
I will never go to this practice again. I am now seeing Dr. Carney at Poplar Springs Animal Hospital for our new dog. He has been amazing. I cannot say enough positive things, but those are for a separate, very different review.