Cheyenne Tenda

Review of Stahl Exotic Animal Veterinary

I had to delete an old review where I also gave St...

I had to delete an old review where I also gave Stahl's 5 stars! Way more info below.

This is in regards to an appt on 1/17/2020 at 10 AM.

The first thing I will say is that the seemingly newer receptionist I interacted with did not seem friendly and willing to accommodate for my needs, which was the direct opposite of the former receptionists that I have interacted with. She seemed distant and unwilling to work with me at first, but eventually agreed on a compromise. At the end of my visit, when I needed to pay, she did not know what to charge me for and made it my duty to communicate that to her. I wasn't fully sure myself, I just knew the price, but I walked her through it.

My interaction with the receptionist was poor, but my interaction with Dr. Currie Carothers was phenomenal. I brought in my rat Benton for surgery to remove his top incisors which had been recommended by two doctors prior; one saying he would do it, but he had a poor track record and recommended Stahl. I was under the impression that this would somehow stop the bi-weekly tooth trimmings involved with a rat who has misaligned teeth, but little did I know I was incorrect.

I was not informed by the front desk that it had been years since the office had performed incisor removal. Considering I live an hour and a half away I think I should have been informed of that and perhaps had the option to speak with a vet over the phone. Instead I had to schedule a second opinion exam even though it was the third. This exam is $125, plus the gas money and time I would be spending to drive to Stahl's because they are one of the best exotic veterinary clinics around.

When I got into the exam room Dr. Carothers informed me that these surgeries were incredibly rare and would often only happen if the tooth was already loose and/or infected. I was disappointed as I had already spent much time and money to receive an appointment with Stahl, which was recommended from another doctor. I asked Dr. Carothers why, if two other doctors had said that an incisor removal was best, why she should disagree.. and in my frustrations started to cry. I apologized for blubbering to this poor woman who was simply giving me information. She quickly replied, "Don't ever apologize for caring for your animals. I have been there before." That level of support and understanding was welcomed as it's not always a common occurrence.

Dr. Carothers was more than willing to work with me and figure out what's best for my pet. This meant trimming his teeth, anesthetizing him to make sure the teeth were not loose, discussing with another doctor which I declined after learning more, and charging me for a regular visit instead of a second opinion exam as it was little work for her to decide. She also gave Benton subcutaneous fluids, vitamin B, and recommended a high calorie food for his weight loss. I left the vet in a different way than I expected, but I am incredibly grateful for the compassion and adaptability of Dr. Currie Carothers.