VCA South County Animal Hospital

10/20/09

Nice Vets, Rude Staff (except Diane who is awesome!)

by Julieee at Citysearch

I really like Dr. Paulick and Dr. Dennis who I would see regularly when I USED to go to VCA for years before I found my Vet-from-Heaven (Dr. Hallock in SLO). Diane was the only consistently decent staff person there. There were a couple of reeeeeeally rude staff members there which were the reason I left, one being the newer Office Manager at the time (SO missed the other office manager - she was awesome!) New one gossips, talks about patients and other staff in earshot of other patients, Very desensitized to people in pain, even laughs at very inappropriate times when you're going through a hard time.

There is always a wait there, and way too many animals (meaning they overbook - watching out for the almighty dollar at the patients' expense) - cats would always become ansy(sp?) while waiting (up to 2-3 hours sometimes).

Always felt pressured to leave without getting full answers to questions, nice as they are, they had too many patients, but always left feeling unsatisfied that I got all the answers I needed.

I lived one block away (just across the graveyard, in fact) and when my beloved cat was ready to go to the rainbow bridge (inoperable liver cancer attached to veena-cava per the VMSG), and Dr. Dennis who I pleaded with if he could come put her down at my home (one block over) declined because "he rode his bike in that day". (Again, one block over, I could have given him a ride - nice guy in some ways, but a little uncompassionate. When I brought her in to be put down (she saved my life, by the way), he didn't even turn her towards me. I was so distraut, I wasn't thinking straight, but will always regret not "Being completely there" with her when she left this Earth and that I wasn't asked if I'd like her facing me.

SO expensive and wouldn't authorize my buying fluids on line, whereas my new Vet does. VCA, at that time, charged about $20/1000mL bag of fluids, the rudest of all staff (besides the equally rude office manager) gave me the wrong fluids (was supposed to get Sodium Chloride w/lease calcium and she gave me Lactated Ringers) and was super rude about it when I questioned if they were the right fluids 'cause I thought it was supposed to be something else. When I tried to explain to the newer office manager, she just laughed.

I can honestly say I hate that place. I don't care how "upgraded" they become, I would never set foot in their parking lot much less their office again. No compassion, care, clarity with questions, long wait, WAY overpriced (you'd think them being a "national chain" they could lower their prices, getting their supplies in a bigger bulk for all of their office).

My one-office local Vet now *Dr, Hallock in San Luis Obispo" is way more than fair, he really, really likes your animals, talks to them authentically, explains clearly, helps you in any way he can.

Anyways, back to VCA - NOT!!!!!!!

• Pros: WAS very close to where I used to live
• Cons: Way pricey, long waits every time, Feel pressured, etc.