My dog very suddenly fell ill and we took her to this vet/emergency hospital.
She was an 8 and a half year old lab with no prior health problems. Suddenly she stopped eating, drank very little and was extremely lethargic, so I took her to the actual vet portion of the hospital the first time. They checked her out and did blood work which came back fairly inconclusive. Suggested it was an infection and to feed her white rice and boiled chicken.
They next day after she was still refusing to eat I took her to emergency side. They gave me antibiotics and even tried to administer her first dose. They managed to get one of the two pills down and sent me on my way. Of course, trying to feed a dog that doesnt want to eat, very bitter pills was futile and despite eventually finding a pill gun in red deer I felt awful trying to force these down her throat. I was able to do it, but she hated me for it.
I waited 2 days after the emergency visit, doing everything in my power to get my dog to eat. Eventually I had to take her back to the emergency side and they suggested x-rays. Did the x-rays only for her to tell me they needed to do more as the first set wasn't clear. Which of course ment more money. At this point (aftet this happening over a weeks time) my dogs breathing had become more rapid and shallow and she clearly was deteriorating faster by the hour. They then suggested she be kept for two days and they monitor her. The prices they quoted me just for staying two days was far and above what I could justify and sadly we had to put her down. It was heartbreaking and though they accommodated us nicely for that, I feel like that is just something that exists because of human decency, not because they are exceptional vets or anything.
Here is where my 1 star review is based. Throughout this entire ordeal with both sides of this hospital my dog wasn't eating. Yet, they seemed to expect that she would eat these bitter pills and though they kind of showed me how to use a pill gun, I spent two days searching in red deer to find a gun that would accommodate the large size of these pills. Whether or not these pills would have saved her, I felt like these guys didn't really care if she took the pills or not. They saw how difficult it was to try and shoot these things into the back of her mouth and were well aware she wouldn't actually eat food. There seemed to be a disconnect between what their training told them and what the reality of the situation was. Of course there may have been no other option but they certainly never told me that.
They also offer loans for treatment which feels unethical to me. High interest loans offered to someone who is in grief. I'll just leave it at that.
Whatever. I would have never have even thought to leave a review because of any of that. Still wouldn't recommend them to others but that's as far as it would go.
About an hour ago I get a call from the emergency department asking me about my dog. One week after our first emergency visit and 2 days after we put her down, in the emergency hospital.
One star for seeming to lack both concern for my ability to administer the treatment and for obviously being incompetent. Calling me not two days after I had to make that awful decision, inquiring about the health of the dog whose corspe they had to dispose of. If that isn't a sign of incompetence, I don't know what is.