I brought in my dog for an exam (routine summer checkup, and some vomiting these few days) and was hoping to stay clients permanently after moving here. First, the pricing is unreasonable: $97 for an initial exam, when an emergency visit at another vet was $106 a few months ago. I came because I saw some good reviews and they were able to get me in the day after I had called. My dog was experiencing symptoms that looked like something was wrong with his stomach, similar to having a parasite since he had one last summer from contaminated water. So, it wasn't my first rodeo with this kind of thing and was expecting a thorough exam, a few suggestions to make my dog feel better, and possibly a prescription of anti-parasite medication.
The doctor we saw seemed skittish around my skittish dog. He JUMPED when my dog yelped after receiving a needle. My dog showed ZERO signs of aggression, he was running from the doctor and hiding behind my legs. He's never done this before with any vet. The doctor was more nervous than my dog. Honestly, I was surprised he was even a vet since he had no idea how to act around a nervous animal. When I mentioned the vomiting (primary concern), he took somewhat thorough notes even though I had to repeat myself several times. I showed a photo of my dogs vomit and he said to me "well it could be grass, what do you think? Do you think its grass or kibble? What do you think it was?" EXCUSE ME. I am not the doctor here! I took the picture so he could determine how severe the vomit was! I gave a thorough breakdown of my dogs week: what his stools looked like, his energy levels, what he eats, how he sleeps - and still the only diagnosis I got was: "it could be anything really: parasites, pancreatitis, worms, he ate something bad, the food." Fair enough, but he provided zero insight or expertise. I might as well have googled my dogs symptoms.
I suggested I bring in a stool sample (I know that it's routine when dogs don't feel well), and he seemed confused as to why I would suggest that. The doctor gave zero recommendations on how to ease my dogs symptoms. I left to pay and for my dog to have a blood sample taken. I heard yelping and soon after, the doctor came out and asked me to secure a muzzle on him. I should have walked right out then, because they were treating him far to harshly for a dog that was crying and whimpering.
I opted not to have $300 of blood work done because of the show I had seen with this doctor. I got the heartworm bloodwork done so that I could have some peace of mind and start my dog on summer meds. As I was paying, I asked how much the Nexgard+Heartgard would be. It was priced SUBSTANTIALLY more than what I had paid last summer. I asked if I could have just the prescription, the receptionist said "oh uhhhh, we don't really do that." So after I paid (without the medication), I just left. I will not be coming back, and I will be recommending against coming here.
I called around a few places and Northdale's price points are quite high for the subpar quality of care provided. I'm quite traumatized by my morning at this clinic, and thoroughly regret calling them in the first place.