THE REGIONAL VETERINARY REFERRAL CENTER

They are caring, and very talented surgeons/veterinarians. They are very skilled in their specialty. The care is phenomenal here, and they have very personalized attention.

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Bridget Stewart, who had been seeing this cat weekly since she came in initially had faithfully, promised that she always check her email, even when she is away from the office. Except when she doesn't. Erin the receptionist informed me Stewart was out for Christmas so I had to take my cat to the ER bec they were short staffed. No one who had been treating this animal, since August was able to give her a couples pills to stimulate her failing appetite.

My cat was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism by our regular vet and didn't respond well at all to Tapazole so we decided to go ahead and do the I-131 treatment which involves injecting a small amount of radioactive iodine transdermally to kill the diseased thyroid tissue. The staff explained the process very thoroughly to us and I really liked Allison who was the caretaker for the cats in quarantine after treatment. She sent us daily updates on our cat and even took a video of her stealing the entire bag of catnip which was really funny. My cat seemed really relaxed when I picked her up and not traumatized so all in all, a good experience.

We were willing to meet the expense of her care but after discussing how uncomfortable Willie was now and they were doing everything possible to make her comfortable without success, we made the decision to put her to sleep. The staff brought her into an exam room and allowed us time with her before giving the drugs. When we were ready the doctor came in, explained how she would handle giving the drugs and what to expect. Everything was done respectfully with concern for Willie's human family and Willie.

It's nice to know that everything was available to help an animal in the middle of the night, the staff was efficient, professional AND caring. No one plan of care was pushed and adequate information was provided to allow you to make the right decision for your particular situation.

They're less expensive. They're very professional.

My dog was referred to RVRC Dermatology (Dr. Hansen) by our regular vet for symptoms of allergies that have been worsening over the last two years. In setting up the appointment the receptionist was very helpful and based on my dog's history offered to schedule an appointment with a possible allergy test to ensure that they were prepared should we need to do this.
I was impressed with the entire staff at RVRC. Check-in was easy and the receptionist was very helpful and nice. I didn't have to wait long and was taken into a room with a Vet Tech who discussed my dog's history and examined her skin issues. He did the skin scrape and cytology and then ran the tests while we were waiting for the doctor. Dr. Hansen was very nice as well and provided a lot of information to assist me in making a decision about treatment and additional testing.
We decided to do a skin allergy test which cam back positive for many allergies. After the test, the Tech walked through all the results with me and discussed how allergy vaccines would work. I never felt rushed and all of my questions were answered thoroughly and thoughtfully. In addition to the allergy vaccines, my dog was prescribed a few additional medicines to help her in the short term. Within less than 24 hours these medicines are already resulting in signs of improvement.
Although the visit was expensive, it was worth the money spent in order to get clear results and a plan to move forward with treatment. I am very thankful for RVRC and am optimistic about my dog's less itchy future.

Carly, my 12 yr. old Cocker Spaniel, underwent surgery at the Regional Vet Referral Center on Dec. 20 for a mass on the wall of her stomach. Initially there were concerns with the results of the blood work, the urinalysis and X-Ray showing high liver enzymes which ultimately led to her referral to RVRC for an ultrasound. The surgery went well and Dr. Anderson was kind enough to call me with an analysis of the surgery. The mass and any suspicious surrounding tissue had been removed. The pancreas and liver looked well. A biopsy of the mass and liver was forwarded to Pathology. I picked Carly up on Saturday, Dec 21. A pain patch had been placed near the incision but nevertheless she was in pain all day and night and only drank water. However, she passed Sunday night pain free. On Monday morning she urinated and ate a bit of squash. On Tuesday she urinated again, had a bowel movement and began eating extensively. Since then Carly has been improving so well. She has been eating a lot and her body functions have gone back to normal. She also had her pain patch removed. Today, the Radiologist at RVRC, Dr. Kilrain, informed me results of the pathology report - everything was benign. Her liver showed some minor isues which is attributable to age. SAM-E and Milk Thistle would no longer be necessary but it would not be harmful, if administered, until her next blood/urine panel. She can begin walking again increasing day by day. I have scheduled to have her stitches removed on Jan 6 and no further follow-up will be required. There is not enough words to express my thanks and appreciation for the exceptional concern and attention Carly and I received at RVRC. Foremost, the forthcoming attention to my concerns and questions from day one from the entire staff at RVRC is truly highly appreciated. Again, Thank You!
Happy New Year,
Florence Quinones and Carly (woof...woof)

It turned out that the mass was too big to be operated on. She had one chemo treatment but after a few weeks, she deteriorated. The staff was very professional and compassionate. We had to put our dog to sleep. A difficult time and decision, the staff was help us transition though this difficult time. In the past, we had brought our other dogs to them with equally professional and compassionate support.

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After being misdiagnosed by one vet, we went to another (where we had gone in the past), who immediately diagnosed the problem and referred us to the Regional Veterinary Referral Service for surgery. They saw us within three days of calling for an evaluation. The best part was they did the surgery the same day as the evaluation so we could avoid another stressful car trip for our dog. She stayed overnight (where they have full staff 24 hours a day) and she was released the following day with full instructions for her care. The staff is wonderful and kind; the facility is state-of-the-art and very clean; our surgeon (Dr. Griffin) is very skilled and highly rated. Our dog is doing well and began walking on the leg less than a week after surgery. She has three months of physical limitations for complete healing. We are very pleased with this veterinary practice. Although very expensive, the other two vets estimated from $500 - $1,000 more than we paid here.

I went with this provider because they were very responsive over the phone. Having no other experience with this type of service, I really do not have anything to compare it to. We also talked to South Paws. Cost is about the same for both. Everyone at the center was nice enough. Our dog is doing great and that is what is most important.

We were referred by our regular veterinarian. I was extremelly pleased with the care our dog received. It did not require surgery. The price was also very reasonable. We were very happy with the entire experience.

Our cat was very constipated and vomiting. It was late evening so we took him to the Springfield emergency pet hospital (Regional Veterinary Referral Center). He and his brother have both been seen there several times since they were young - they are 15 years old now. He was taken into the back immediately and after filling out a short form, we were taken to an exam room where we met with the veterinarian, Dr. Megan Brand. She explained what needed to be done, and since our cats have had this problem before, we knew that an x-ray, enema, and possibly sub-cutaneous fluids were in the plan. Dr. Brand showed us the x-ray, clearly explained what we were seeing, and discussed with us the recommended treatment plan. After our cat was treated, Dr. Brand met with us again and gave us very clear discharge instructions. We were able to take our cat home that night where he was more comfortable. He has recovered completely.

We've always been extremely satisfied with the care given to our cats at the Springfield emergency pet hospital. They are quick to take in the situation and respond with knowledgable care. They do everything possible to make our pets comfortable and clearly love animals. We unequivocally recommend the Springfield emergency pet hospital to others!

(One recommendation - provide more comfortable seating for pet parents. We realize the wood benches make sense if the pet sits with the parent, but people-only cushions would help.)

I had found out a few months earlier that my dog would soon need his CCL repaired. He was a rescue and our guess is that it was partially torn when he arrived at the shelter. I was living out-of-the-area when I received this diagnosis and decided to wait until I moved back to VA so I could use the surgeon (Dr. Griffin) that my trusted veterinarian in VA recommended. Three weeks after I moved back, my dog stopped using the joint and I realized the time was now.

The surgery went great. I got an appointment very quickly. I think less than a week after I called to schedule the surgery. The doctor was very understanding and patient with explaining the options and was realistic, with regards to which method to choose. We knew my dog already had arthritis in his knees (due to not knowing about the injury until months after I adopted him) so we decided we would not see the added benefits of the TPLO procedure, so we opted for the Extra Capsular Suture -- less invasive and less expensive, since he'll have arthritis either way.

I am writing this review a year and a half after the surgery and he has been a whole new dog. The surgery site healed up beautifully. Most people guess that he is younger than we estimate, despite his grey chin (we guess he's about 6), due to how active he is and how much he jumps around.

As for the physical therapy, I was incredibly disappointed with this. My veterinarian said that they have water therapy (I also saw this mentioned in another review on here) and that we'd do interesting exercises that would rebuild his trust in that limb. Yes, I saw the tank for the water therapy in the office. However, we didn't receive any of that type of therapy. The majority of the sessions were spent simply talking and they did not last very long at all. More like check-ups. If my dog didn't require extensive rehab (which is great and apparently he didn't because he's doing wonderful), why have me waste my time coming in, and my money paying for the therapy sessions?

Unfortunately, the physical therapy was packaged with the surgery. But Dr. Griffin's skill made the extra cost (and feeling like I had wasted money on the therapy) absolutely worth it

Overall, it went was well as something like this could go.

The doctor and staff quickly diagnosed our puppy and recommended a treatment plan. We were told that we would have to pay for the treatment in full before they would begin their work. They also told us that the treatment plan and price were comprehensive--it included everything (x-rays, overnight stay, medicine, etc.). Most importantly, our puppy recovered. However, there were two problems that arose that other future patients/owners should be aware of. First, the staff did not send us home with enough medicine for two weeks. When we ran out of the liquid on day 10, we called and they suggested we "swing by" to pick up more. This would have required that we take about 2-3 hours out of our day (depending on traffic). They were not willing to deliver or mail the medicine to us (despite the fact that we had paid for it and it was their mistake). Second, they instructed us to return after 2 weeks of medicine for follow-up x-rays and to obtain another 2 weeks of medicine. We did this and--afterwards--found out that we had to pay for this visit (nearly $300). This was contrary to their original description of a comprehensive, pre-paid treatment plan.

This was the third time I had to use the Referral Center, the first time was to get a second opinion about the health of my dog, unfortunately she was too far gone and they could only provide a comfortable and dignified end to her life. I will never forget their kindness in that horrible situation. The other times were to have my new dog's knees repaired. Both time she tore a CCL, they surgically repaired the first one and let us know that they would likely see us back in about 6 months for the other, and sure enough 6 months later her other knee went as well. They treated her with kindness and provided complete and competent care for her before, during, and after the surgeries. The cost of the surgery also included multiple rehabilitation appointments, including water therapy.

They have specialists in 10 different areas. They are great. I saw a goat in there once! They are truly wonderful, and I know that you get excellent service and care. You get the feeling that they really care about the animals.

They are staying on top of his condition and also watching that the cancer does not spread to his lungs. I love my dog very much and they offer the best care for him. The charges I put down reflect the thirty-five hundred dollars for the leg surgery and one seven hundred dollar chemotherapy treatment.

Our dog was 8 years old when he was diagnosed with cancer. The first thing we thought of was getting him the best care available. The Referral Center was the best place for our dog at the time. They are very caring and compassionate. They did everything they could for our dog and us in our time of need.