Joel Latorre Review of Animal Emergency & Referral as...
Worst experienced and treatment ever.
Worst experienced and treatment ever.
I brought my 19.5 y/o Cocker Spaniel after a seizure episode at night. I was greeted by a young Veterinarian doctor. She did not show any sign of sympathy or empathy for my distress or my dog situation. Very calculated she said: "this is most likely due to a brain tumor and at her age there is nothing to do, better to put her down". She only thought of one possible diagnosis to make her insensitive recommendation.
These are not the words you expect to hear from a doctor at front. I asked her to treat her seizure and she agreed. She gave her Keppra and in about an hour brought me my dog in a state of stupor for me to bring her home. I asked her if she could give me something to give her at home in case she had another seizure and she told me no. Then, I suggested that it would be wiser to keep my dog over night for observation and treatment if she could have another seizure. She agreed. Next morning I was told to come after 9:30 due to rounds. I arrived around 10 am. At this time I was greeted by the day time doctor. She was not very familiar with the case but she did not take long to recommend the same. "Put her down". I called our veterinary and she asked if any test has been done on my dog. No blood work has been ordered to rule out other reason for the seizure. She did not have any other seizure that night but she was loaded with Phenobarbital which made her more dazed, almost unresponsive. We asked if the neurologist could examiner and gives us choices for treatment. The doctor agreed and she says she was going to ask for an evaluation by the neurologist. At 3pm the neurologist exam my dog and came to talk to me. Very austere and rudely she said: "what do you want".
I am a medical doctor, and in my 25 years of my carrier I have never spoken to any of my patients in this way. I said I would like to know what can we do to treat my dog. She said, she is gone, she is completely senile and comatose and there is nothing to do except to put her down, and I will not released her until you have arrange the euthanasia. I was devastated. I called hospice services to scheduled the euthanasia for that evening at 7pm. My dog was released to me, very dazed and almost limp. I got home at 4pm, placed her in a comfortable area and waited for 7 pm. By 5pm, she walked up, walked on her own to the water bowl, drank water, I took her to the kitchen and put food on her plate and she ate it all. It has been 6 weeks since this incidents and my dog is still with me, walking, eating and no seizure actives. As a medical doctor I decided to treated myself for seizure and I discussed this with her regular veterinary whom agreed. Unfortunately, this is the only emergency animal center near my house. But I think that this organization should give sensitivity training to their medical staff.
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