Let me start this by saying that Dr Curtis Smith is great. My dog likes him and there aren't many men she likes. Yesterday, she could not stop vomiting and by the afternoon was having bloody diarrhea......more blood than feces, and was feeling weak and starting to stagger when she walked. I called Clayton Vet Hospital to get let them know she needed to be seen and was very upfront about my financial situation (got laid off and father died a week ago) and asked them to please see her and could we make some sort of financial arrangement until some money could be moved from one account to another.....which would have been this morning. It's not like we were new to them or that I have not paid for all of visits at the time of service previously. They REFUSED to see her. I have never been treated like that. The vet we used to take our animals to when I was growing up would always work with us if the animal was sick. Routine visits and shots can be rescheduled if money is tight, but a sick animal is an emergency. Common sense is encouraged in situations like this. My dog was EXTREMELY sick and had gotten that way fast. I was told by the manager that Dr Smith wasn't there so I couldn't speak to him. They made me an appointment for today when I would be able to bring money with me. My dog got worse in the evening and I was afraid she would continue to get worse during the night and would be suffering. If a sick dog has ever looked you in the eyes and looked like they were begging you to help them, you also know that wrenches at your heart. I called the Emergency Vet off of Glenwood Ave and they said to bring her immediately and we would work something out because she did needed to be seen before the morning. They took excellent care of her and we are hoping the treatment she got will work. We talked about my financial situation and helped me with a plan of care and a plan of paying it. It's good to know that some people at least think about the well being of the animal first.....or if not first, they consider it the risk of the beloved family member not getting treatment along with the financial part of it. I understand everyone needs to get paid, but at some point some compassion needs to be shown for a sick suffering animal. I've worked in medical offices for many years before the lay offs at the company I recently worked for and if a person was very sick and needed to be seen, but we needed to make some special financial arrangements, we would. It's a life people, whether it's human, canine, feline, or whatever kind of creature. I was even agreeable to letting them keep her overnight to ensure them that I would come today and pay them.......I just knew she needed to be seen by a Dr. So, today when I called the office to tell the them I took my dog to the ER Vet last night and asked for her records and explained why I would not be bringing her back there.........no concern was shown at all. No ""I'm sorry"".....no what was her diagnosis.....no anything when I told them my dog could have died without treatment. Obviously, they couldn't have cared less. Like I said before, Dr Smith is great ( I don't know about the other Drs) ......but it's not enough to make me want to deal with his uncaring staff and office manager. Yes, I understand they have a ""policy"" to not see any animal without payment on that day, even if the animal is sicker than sick.....Well, I have a ""policy"" too, and it's not to spend any of what money I do have at places like that. I will be on a search for a new vet for her follow up care.
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