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I cannot recommend this vet at all. I took my nine year old American Staffordshire Terrier there for vaccinations and minor checkups for about three years. They were nice enough with that, but when my dog got sick about 10 days ago I took her to the vet right away. They did a routine exam and said they couldn’t find anything wrong with her. I insisted on a senior blood panel, which they said was normal. Two days later I came home from work to find her lethargic, cold body temp and spasming in her rear abdominal/intestinal area. I immediately took her back.. I did not know it but she had also vomited a little in the car. They again said they did not see anything wrong, but took an x-ray which took a long time. apparently the machine was not working right or something. he had asked a tech to try to get a urine sample from her by taking her outside I guess, but that was unsuccessful. He came back in later with the x-ray and said he could find nothing wrong except her colon was backed up and full of poop. his diagnosis was constipation and to leave her in the yard for a while. otherwise he said I had a healthy dog who should live many more years.\r
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I got one more week. The following Saturday she woke up with the same symptoms. Unknowingly I'm thinking constipation again. I called the vet and they said just watch her over the weekend and see if she is better, if not bring her in. she continued to worsen, so when I called again I was told the Dr had I wish I could say I had a good experience but truthfully I can't. I have been taking my American Staffordshire Terrier, Shea to this vet for about 3 years now, mostly for vaccinations, once for a bump that was removed and biopsied. for the most part it was good service, but about a week ago I took her there because she was just not acting herself. weak and just sickly. she is nine years old so I don't mess around and took her in right away. they could not find anything wrong, not that they did anything but take her temp and feel her tummy. I requested a senior blood work to be done, which they said came back fine. Two days later I get home from work and she is having cramping in the rear area, around the stomach and intestines, very lethargic and cold body temp. I took her in ileft for the day and there was nothing they could do, I had to go to the emergency clinic. In the meantime thankfully we all spent some time with her, she never acted in pain, just lethargic, cold, and the spasms now and then. But an hour later, she could not stand to walk, so we rushed to the emergency vet. They immediately said she was very critical, and ""down"" as they put it. After an hour of waiting for them to take x-rays and try to stabilize her, the vet came back and said it appeared that she had a perforated bowel which had leaked into her stomach and was septic. the option was surgery which being an emergency could cost up to $30,000, or to euthanize her. While we agonized and cried over this, my daughter, being a critical care nurse, explained that it was unlikely the surgery would help her. When I went back to see her, I could tell she was going, her eyes were not hers anymore. They put her on a gurney and we got about 5 minutes to say goodbye and then she was gone.\r
In my heart I know that had this vet at Academy West insisted on cleansing out her colon and doing another x-ray, he probably could have diagnosed her correctly and performed the surgery before it went septic and possibly have saved my baby. As it is, I have lost my best friend and a large part of my reason for living. I am so angry at myself for not taking her somewhere else, among many other things. On top of that, when I called them this morning to cancel the appointment I had set on Saturday, I explained some of what happened to the receptionist. the vet has not called me to find out what happened or follow up in any way.\r
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