"On behalf of the RIVER staff, I would like to apologize for the negative experience that you recently had with us. We sincerely regret having disappointed you, and hope that you will not hesitate to call on us in the future should your pets require emergency or specialty services. Please understand as you read this response that, in order to respect your privacy, we will not disclose any details about Char's condition or treatment that you haven't already mentioned. With that being said, we appreciate the opportunity respond to your concerns. Regarding our understaffed condition, while we go through great lengths to prepare for holidays due to the fact that we are typically one of the only veterinary facilities open in the region, we have no way of knowing how many emergencies will come in, or what level of care they might require. It is for that reason that we often have additional staff and doctors on call. However, the lengthy wait that you describe is something that we do our very best to avoid, and we do not consider such a wait acceptable. Regarding Char's radiographic findings, and the gas distention in her stomach, both Dr. Drouet and the board certified veterinary radiologist that evaluated Char's radiographs noted the gas, but these findings are not unusual in a cat experiencing respiratory distress, as they will often swallow air. As you mentioned, Char was experiencing an intermittent cough, and Dr. Drouet determined that her Oxygen saturation levels were low, meaning that she was not properly ventilating (exchanging gases in her lungs). While gas distention of her stomach may have caused some discomfort, the clinical signs she was exhibiting were consistent with a primary lung problem, and the radiologist concurred with that suspicion. Concerning the incorrect diagnosis that you were provided, our records indicate that we recommended further diagnostics to determine the underlying cause of the lung disease and that you elected to pursue these diagnostics with your regular veterinarian. Unfortunately, using only the radiographs, we were unable to provide a diagnosis. While we truly regret your disappointment in our services, we are very happy to see that you report Char's conditions has improved, and we wholeheartedly thank you for your review. Not only do reviews such as yours allow us to clear up any misconceptions or miscommunications that we may have had while caring for Char, but they also point out areas where we can improve our services in the future. Please don't hesitate to contact us directly at 423-698-4612 if you would like to discuss Char's case further. Sincerely, - The RIVER Staff"

"Thank you for your feedback! We're so glad we could help. We hope that you and your little escape artist are doing very well :-)"

"On behalf of the entire RIVER staff, please allow me to express our sincere condolences for the loss of your pet. Please know that we would have responded to your concerns much sooner had we been aware of them, but it wasn't until today that we became aware of your review on Angie's List. We certainly understand your frustration with the fact your pet did not respond to aggressive treatment, both because of the tragic loss of a loved one, and due to the financial implications of such therapy. Please understand that we are not disclosing his name or condition to respect your privacy, but our records indicate at least 3 different conversations during which we discussed his very guarded prognosis for survival due to the severity of his injuries, including one before you elected to proceed with surgical treatment. Please know that he was under the care of not only our emergency doctors, but also our surgeon, our internal medicine specialist, and our entire critical care staff. All of us did everything we could to give him the best chance for survival. If you feel for any reason that we did not provide compassionate care for your pet, we would sincerely appreciate an opportunity to clear up any misunderstandings or misconceptions. Please don't hesitate to contact Donna Oster, our hospital manager, or Dr. Sallye Gregg, our hospital director by calling our clinic at 423-698-4612. Again, our sincere condolences, - The RIVER Staff"

"We sincerely appreciate your feedback, and hope that you and your kitties are doing well!"

"Thank you so much for letting us know that you were pleased with the care your kitty received. We strive daily to ensure that every pet gets the best possible care, and to let owners know that their pets are in good hands. Please call us any time."