CULBRETH-CARR-WATSON CLINIC

My dog died because of them. He got into some rat poison at about 4:45pm. I called them and was informed that they couldn't see him because they were closing (even though they don't close until 5:30.) I live 5 minutes from them and told them that. I was told to go to the ER Vet at Redmond. That place wouldn't help me because I couldn't pay RIGHT THEN. So I went back to CCW the next day and sat outside forever. I begged everyone that came out to help my dog. I had to beg and beg and beg and they FINALLY came to look at him. They said they were going to do bloodwork and all this stuff. Charged $125. Well he was so bad he had to go to the ER Vet again (I had someone to help pay for it this time) and that they had spoken to someone and they knew we were coming. I get to the ER vet and they look at me like I'm crazy. They had to call CCW to see what was going on and it turns out that CCW had done ABSOLUTELY NOTHING for him. No bloodwoork, no medication, nothing, but charged me $125. If CCW had just taken him the first time I called he would still be alive. My family has used them for YEARS but they are the absolute worst now. I will NEVER use them again and I urge anyone else not to either. Go to Lakeview or West Rome. CCW should be ASHAMED of how they treated me and my dog. Addendum - You should see the messages I got from them after posting what happened.

I have used Culbreth-Carr-Watson Animal Clinic for 10+ years myself, and before that, I would go with my mom when she would take our fur babies as I was growing up. Until recently, they were the best vet(s) hands down; hence, us driving more than 45+ minutes for our fur babies to be seen as needed. About a month ago, my fur baby was dying of end stage renal disease, and she became worse on a Saturday evening, and I needed to use the after-hours service to let her go. I agreed without pause to the after-hours fee, but as I explained I was an hour+ away since I would have to have help to get my 60lb baby in the car as well as the drive, I received the response "I'm in town now. I guess I'll just have to wait. Be as quick as you can." This rubbed me the wrong way, but I chalked it up to maybe I was being overly emotional as my baby was dying. Fast forward to last night. My mom came home late yesterday evening to find her 13-year-old fur baby lethargic and having difficulty breathing. She calls the after-hours service and receives a callback and is informed because this particular fur baby of hers has not been seen in the past two years that she can not be seen. Never mind that my mom has been a client for YEARS or that she had been to the vet's office just over a month ago 3 times in one week with 3 different fur babies of mine, which she mentioned to the on-call vet. He just said it was "policy." A policy we have never been informed of mind you. And to top it off she had to determine who to contact for an emergency visit as the on-call vet advised Woodstock, which is even further away from where she and I live. She was able to locate one 45-minutes away, but unfortunately had already wasted precious time on a vet clinic/on-call vet that had a "policy" to adhere to that its clients were not made aware of in addition to having to search for an emergency veterinarian. Her fur baby died just minutes away from the emergency clinic in Chattanooga, TN. Once a wonderful veterinary office that I (and my mother) had every confidence and deep-felt appreciation for and who I recommended to EVERYONE for their fur babies. Now, I (and she) will seek the best care for our fur babies elsewhere and encourage others to do so as well.

First off, I learned that this veterinary's office is quite pricey. A spay was over $300 while my new vet charges only $160 for this procedure, and many places in and around Rome do it for cheaper, although I realize that low-cost options are not always the best quality. But vet to vet office, their prices do run high. When my furbaby was spayed, we got more than we bargained for. She was returned to me with a fractured leg. No one knew how it happened, and they tried to play it off like it was my puppy's fault. Regardless, it happened during their care. Of course, I still paid for the spay which happened the same visit. But what was really shocking that although they covered treatment for the fracture at their cost, there were still some  minor costs involved. They went with the least invasive, longest-drawn out treatment; which did thankfully work. However, they casted my dog long-term during the summer months. Moreover, the area where the cast rubbed her skin raw got infected, and now she has permanent scars. She was in a cast for a little over a month. My complaint with this office came with how I was treated. The older vets, some of which have retired or are in partial retirement, would shake their heads at some of the younger staff's treatment of my case. I would likely never have had this type of experience with Drs. Culbreth or Watson.
Here are my main concerns. First, the vet who cared for my dog came out and told me she really didn't know what happened, but at the same time informed me that my dog could have injured herself in a cage, fallen off a table, or somehow caused this injury herself. If she did get her foot caught in the cage causing her knee to become displaced from twisting, they should have taken care to put her in a safer cage. If she fell, I feel like they should have had their hands on her while she was on the table or done something to prevent this from happening. In fact, there aren't too many ways this could have happened that weren't in one way or another the provider's fault.
Secondly, I was scolded on various occasions by two different staff members. The receptionist scolded me for bringing my dog in for a cast check even though other employees told me over the phone I should do so. She told me I must have an appointment and I have to clear everything with her before I bring my puppy into their office. Clearly, she forgot that it was their fault my husband and I had to take time off to bring my dog in. She acted like she had the final word regardless of what others who worked there told me, including the vets themselves. It should have been at MY convenience. She should have kept her rude comments to herself and smiled while offering a polite response rather than abrupt retorts each and every time I came in. I was the customer, but clearly I wasn't right. I did nothing to incite her attitude. She seemed annoyed and put off each time I walked through the door. She even made comments to my dog about her behavior (which is not perfect but not as bad as one would think given the comments).
Secondly, I was told I could not get a second opinion unless I went to their recommended vet which was all the way in Marietta. In addition, I was only allowed to see the one vet who did the spay and broke the news to me about her leg, the vet on duty at the time. No one else could speak to me about the case.  If I had gotten a second opinion, it would not have been covered, and their treatment would have stopped there. They should have let me go to whatever vet I chose at my convenience and offered to pay the bill, although I was prepared to incur that expense if they did not. By going to their recommended doctor, I can't say that the opinion would b a true second opinion, so I skipped that option. The vet also put off doing additional x-rays and I am  not sure why. I kept asking for one to see if my dog was healing, and I kept being told "we'll do it next time." I don't know if they ever did another x-ray because I was not allowed to see anything more than the first one. I had to believe they did it, but I suspect they didn't, which is really shady. This is the reason why I wanted to get a second opinion, so I could get another x-ray. When West Rome Animal Clinic called to request her records to see what was going on, CCW got on the phone with me real fast, refused to send the records over, and then told me at that point what my options were. 
 
Third, not only was I scolded by the receptionist twice, the one time I came in that the assigned vet was off, I was yelled at by a second male veterinarian who was younger. He told me in no uncertain terms that my young pup's life was essentially over for the next month or she'd never get better. He told me I needed to lock her up in a crate 24/7, including to eat, only letting her out to relieve herself. He scared me with his words and tone, probably to get his point across, but this was not a reasonable expectation for a 6-month old dog, nor did I think it was fair to expect me to be punished or punish my animal for what they caused. When I left, my teenage son and his friend told me that the guy was a real jerk to me and he was a little scary. Bedside manner was definitely lacking. 
The clincher in this whole fiasco was the fact I was made to pay for 1. pain relief pills. 2. sedation pills. I was told that the dog did not need either of these; therefore I would have to pay for them if I wanted to get them. Inside I was screaming. But I paid for them anyways because I love my dog and I didn't want to see her suffer. I did question the fees, but that was when I was told they were optional. Let's say you broke an arm and it was in a cast. What reputable doctor would tell a patient they cannot have pain pills as part of the treatment? Why should the dog have to suffer in pain and be any different? I get they were losing money on my dog's treatment, but once again, we go back to who's responsible for the situation to begin with. Are red alarm bells going off yet? 
In the end, I wanted nothing out of this except a heartfelt apology and a refund of any thing I had to spend (e.g. the meds related to this injury). I have no interest in suing or retribution of any kind. I waited a long time to post this review. I have spoken my mind, and I will express concern if someone asks me, otherwise I've moved on. Overall, I simply expected a little more respect, especially since I trusted this practice to take care of my beloved animal. She's an awesome, loving dog, and she doesn't seem to remember this incident. Now, whenever she limps I am reminded of the injury that occurred. It is infrequent, but it's not really the point, and I really hope she doesn't develop arthritis as she gets older. This does not make me love her any less, but I'm not happy about something like this happening off my watch, through no negligence of my own. Also, when I paid for those pills, they had me between a rock and a hard place where I felt trapped, and it was wrong of them to expect me to assume any costs whatsoever. Ironically, the same exact vet who treated my pet, put a dog down for a friend of mine and didn't charge her a single cent. So where's the consistency there? Why was I charged a penny for anything related to an injury they caused, and why was the disposal of an animal done for free? I left that day paying nearly $500 for my dog's procedure, microchip, and associated bloodwork then got the "joy" of confining her in a cast for another month. Something is amiss and they need to get on the same page with treatment and fees. The practice is only as good as the vets that work there. I'd hate to see things deteriorate for such a reputable business in town, and I hope no one else ever has an experience like mine and it was just some weird fluke.

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I have 4-4 legged hairy children . I have always trusted all the Drs., Tech. and staff. They are the sweetest people ever.
I have been with this clinic for 14 years.

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He is my veterinarian, and I would not take him anywhere else. They are great there. I like the way they treat the animals and customers, and their helpfulness. It's a nice place to go, and I feel comfortable there, and I also feel comfortable with my animal. They are great veterinarians. I travel about twenty minutes from my house, and I go there. I would continue to see him in the future.