A 12-Year-Old's Best Friend: Our Experience with the Veterinary Hospital

Hello everyone!

I've had the pleasure of owning a lovable Dalmatian named Johnny for over 12 years. As any pet owner knows, regular check-ups, vaccinations, and treatments are crucial for their well-being.

We've taken Johnny to several vets in our area, but we've consistently chosen the Veterinary Hospital. Our decision was based on the expertise of their staff, the availability of lab services on weekends, and reasonable prices.

About the hospital's territory and facilities:

The hospital's premises are quite spacious, offering a nice area for pets to stretch their legs while waiting for their turn. We also appreciate the ample parking available on site, which saves us from the hassle of finding a spot in the city center. It's a real convenience to be able to park just a stone's throw from the hospital entrance.

Upon entering the hospital, you'll find a large, airy waiting area where pets and their owners wait to be seen. The reception process is usually in order of arrival or by appointment. We've had our share of waiting, with queues of 2-3 people at a time, but occasionally, it's taken up to 1.5 hours to see the doctor. That's why I recommend making an appointment in advance and arriving at a specific time to minimize stress for your pet.

Doctor's consultations take place in a cozy room, while various procedures like blood tests, X-rays, and ultrasound scans are conducted in separate rooms. If your pet requires a comprehensive examination, be prepared to move them around the hospital. While it's not ideal, it's a necessary part of the process.

The hospital offers a wide range of services, which you can learn more about on their official website.

Now, let's talk about the most important aspect – the specialists:

Our first visit to the Veterinary Hospital was for Johnny's annual rabies shot and other vaccinations. Everything went smoothly, with the staff being attentive and efficient. The procedure was quick, and Johnny didn't seem too traumatized. After the treatment, he was back to his usual self, full of energy and enthusiasm. We were impressed, so we've been taking him to the hospital for his regular check-ups.

One not-so-great day, Johnny was feeling unwell, refusing food and acting lethargic. During our morning walk, we noticed he was dragging his hind legs, so we rushed him to the doctor. After the examination, the vet ordered a blood test, which revealed Johnny had babesiosis.

For those who may not know, babesiosis is a seasonal disease affecting dogs, transmitted by ticks. It's widespread and can be found almost anywhere.

Babesiosis in dogs, or canine babesiosis – a seasonal disease in dogs caused by protozoan parasites from the genus Babesia, transmitted by ixodid ticks. It's prevalent in dogs worldwide.

I've had my fair share of worrying about my dog's health, and I can tell you that seeing your furry friend go through a severe bout of illness is a terrifying experience. In this case, my dog had a high fever that lasted for 2-3 days, peaking at around 41-42 degrees Celsius. His heart rate and breathing became more rapid, and he lost his appetite, becoming lethargic. His mucous membranes turned pale with a yellowish tint. On the 2nd or 3rd day, his urine took on a dark color, ranging from a reddish-brown to a coffee-like hue. He also struggled to move around due to weakness in his hind legs, and he experienced diarrhea and vomiting with blood, along with greenish-yellow stool. His lungs were inflamed, and his temperature was within a normal range.

The treatment for pyroplasmosis is administered by a veterinarian, who prescribes specific medications and a comprehensive treatment plan to alleviate the overall toxicity in the body. In rare cases, blood transfusions may be necessary.

My dog, Johnny, had a similar experience as a puppy. He was sick for over 2 weeks and made it through by a hair's breadth. At the time, his care was in the hands of a private veterinarian who, unfortunately, didn't meet our standards. After that incident, we chose not to return to her. So, when we received the diagnosis, my husband and I were extremely worried about a repeat of those 2 weeks of hell. Thankfully, this time around, we managed to avoid a prolonged hospital stay: 2 injections, 2 IVs, and Johnny was back to his old self in no time.

After that, we visited the hospital a few more times for minor issues and were consistently satisfied with the procedures and the care we received from the veterinarians until one incident shook my trust in the clinic.

Last summer, our furry friend developed a strange lump on his ear, roughly the size of a 5-ruble coin. It felt soft inside, and I initially thought it might be some sort of fluid accumulation – possibly an abscess, blood, or something else. Thankfully, his ear wasn't painful.

We immediately took him to the Veterinary Hospital. Unfortunately, we were assigned a completely incompetent doctor who told us, 'Your dog has a burst blood vessel, which has formed a hematoma. The blood inside the hematoma has clotted, so just go home and wait 2 weeks for it to resolve on its own. He's a long-eared dog, and he likely injured his ear by shaking his head.' Yeah, right, it'll resolve on its own! We waited 2 weeks, but there was no improvement, and no deterioration either. We'd decided to take him to the hospital over the weekend, and just as we were about to do so on Monday, the hematoma had grown even larger and started hurting. It was now 4 times its original size, covering almost the entire ear!

We took him back to the hospital, and this time, we were lucky to see a different doctor, a surgeon. He took one look at Johnny's ear and said that such a thing doesn't happen out of the blue. He suspected that Johnny was shaking his head because his ears were itchy, indicating some kind of inflammation. He sent us to get some tests for ear mites and otitis, and after that, he attempted to drain the blood from the hematoma using a syringe.

The tests didn't show any ear mites, but they did reveal otitis. One step forward, two steps back... We went back to the surgeon, who attempted to drain the blood from the hematoma through a needle. However, the blood wouldn't come out because it had already clotted, and it wouldn't pass through the thin needle.

I was a bit worried when the vet told us to cut the ear, drain the blood, and stitch it up. But since our furry friend is 12 years old and anesthesia is a big no-no, we decided to go for a simplified procedure: inject some painkillers, make a small incision, drain the blood from the hematoma, and insert a hemostatic sponge that would absorb the blood over time and eventually dissolve, allowing the ear to heal without stitches.

When I told the vet about the other doctor from the same hospital who promised us that the hematoma would resolve on its own, the surgeon replied that things like that don't just disappear on their own and needed to be opened up right away, making the whole process a lot simpler, as we could have easily drained the blood with a syringe at the time.

I won't go into the details of the operation or how my pet struggled, growled, and clawed during it, but I will say that the surgery went smoothly. The vet applied a bandage to the ear, prescribed further treatment, and told us to come back in a week for a follow-up appointment.

Unfortunately, we ended up going back to the hospital a lot sooner... Within a day, Joni's ear had become infected. Since the vet had strictly forbidden us from removing the bandage, we left it alone and didn't clean the wound. When we discovered pus on the bandage, we returned to the hospital. Unfortunately, the surgeon who performed the operation on our dog was not available that day, so we saw a young female doctor instead. After removing the bandage and examining the ear, the doctor concluded that it wasn't pus at all, but just serum. Well, I guess the doctor knows better... We left the hospital with a clear conscience.

Another day passed, and the situation with Joni's ear only got worse: it started to smell really badly. We headed back to the hospital again. Luckily, the surgeon who had performed the operation on Joni was working that day. After examining the ear, the doctor delivered some bad news: the ear had started to die, and we needed an emergency operation, this time under general anesthesia. When we asked the usual question, 'How could this happen? We were here yesterday, and your colleague assured us that everything was fine, and we could go to the dacha,' the doctor made it clear that his colleague had been wrong.

I was in a panic. Giving anesthesia to a 12-year-old dog is extremely risky, and their heart might not be able to handle it. I was also furious with the first doctor who seemed to have been too lazy to perform the operation on our dog a couple of hours before the end of her shift. And, of course, with the young female doctor who had assured us that it wasn't pus, but serum. How could she have been so wrong, and how could I, without any medical education, have known that it was pus, while she didn't?

Luckily, the second operation was successful. The surgeon cut open the ear, cleaned out all the nastiness, and stitched it up in several places. After that, Joni quickly recovered, and within a couple of days, he was back to his old self, energetic and lively.

After this incident, we stopped taking Joni to the veterinary hospital.

Prices:

In my opinion, they are quite reasonable. The comprehensive vaccination at the hospital costs 900 rubles, the initial examination is 350 rubles, and analyses average 100-150 rubles. The first operation on our dog cost us 1,500 rubles, and the second one was 2,500 rubles.

I've lived in this city long enough to know that vet clinics can range from way too expensive to surprisingly affordable, so I'd say the prices at the Animal Hospital are pretty average.

The Verdict:

We've been pretty happy with the quality of care at the Animal Hospital for years, and the question of where to take our dog in case of an emergency never even crossed our minds. My mom has also taken her cat to this clinic multiple times and has been thoroughly satisfied with the service.

However, after the incident with the hematoma, my trust in this establishment took a bit of a hit. I completely understand that in any profession, you'll find good and not-so-good practitioners. I'm extremely grateful to the doctor who performed surgery on our pup - he's an excellent specialist, and I'd trust him with my dog's care, but some of the other vets at this clinic just don't inspire the same level of confidence. If I were to take Johnny to the Animal Hospital again, I'd definitely call ahead to schedule an appointment with that specific doctor, and avoid the others altogether.

Overall, the clinic is pretty convenient and comfortable: they have a parking lot, a wide range of services and specialists, 24/7 hours of operation, and a lab that's open on weekends.

Would I recommend the Animal Hospital? It's a tough call. While most of the vets here are knowledgeable and take their job seriously, I'd say yes, but with some reservations.

Thanks for reading my review! I hope it's been helpful. Take care of your furry friends!

If you liked my pup, you can read more about him and how I care for him here.

_____________________________________________________________

My pet care reviews

Shampoo for kittens and puppies by Ichthyol - a great, affordable shampoo.

Flea shampoo for dogs - gets rid of fleas in just one day!

Veda Fitoelita shampoo for white dogs - want your pup to stay white? Try this shampoo.

Mineral and vitamin supplements for dogs and cats by Excel Multi Vitamin Senior.

Ear care with SuroLan - a great treatment for ear infections.

AVZ BARS flea and tick drops for dogs.