MORGAN VETERINARY CLINIC

unknown

Super nice and helpful. =)

Very well

It has been many years ago, so I'm sure I have the dates and exact cost off a bit. I hope the service at this clinic has changed a lot. Since the business is still owned by the same people and the vet is still practicing there I should perhaps tell my story. I have had dogs for over 30 years, showing, mushing, competition obedience, and search and rescue. I am familiar with various medical symptoms and life threatening conditions. In the middle of the night I had a dog with symptoms of gastric torsion. I called my regular vet and his answering service was referring to the on call vet (the vets in our area rotate night on call) After repeatedly assuring the answering service that we would pay for treatment and that this was a life threatening situation, she finally put us through to the vet. Now we had to convince the vet that it was life threatening. Then we were informed that the vet could be as much an hour away! This is a life threatening situation, the longer that treatment is denied, the more chance of intestinal damage and death. Sometimes the dog will live but the intestines are so damaged that the dog needs to be put down. Once the vet arrived, we were admitted to the clinic. (we had been sitting in the parking lot since speaking with the vet) The vet tech preformed a procedure to let the pressure off of the stomach, this was something he could have done in the hour previous and would have increased the chance of survival. After discussion it was decided to preform surgery to see if she could be saved, she died a short time after the surgery. The cost for the surgery and care was a bit over $1,000 - the most I have ever paid for veterinary services. I was not pleased, why didn't the veterinarian stay closer to town - especially when he was serving the whole county? Our doctors who live a ways out, bring their campers to the hospital when they are on call, they don't drive in from an hour away. It seems like the veterinarian should care no less. Why didn't his vet assistant come out and get the dog and relieve the pressure with the gastric tube? After all, he did so immediately when we were granted entrance. As far as I know the surgery and procedures were as they should be. And the price, although frightening, is unfortunately common for similar procedures. I have no experience during normal office hours, but I continue to wonder if he had been to the clinic with a reasonable time if the outcome would have changed - at least the dog would have been more comfortable. At the time I was so upset, but I should have asked for investigation from the state veterinary board.

We were able to get an appointment the same day, and we were seen promptly. The techs and vet did a good job. They provided us with the paperwork to get the dog licensed locally. The vet encouraged us to bring the dog back in for tooth cleaning and polishing, as every vet seems to these days.