4 /5 Haleigh Rockefeller: 02/08/25 I brought my 1 year old pup to this emergency hospital due to her having a decent amount of blood in her stool and vomit for more than a day. She was no longer eating, very lethargic, extremely not herself and terrifying me. She was up every hour on the dot using the restroom or puking. My poor girl was so dehydrated, so scared, and so sick it was literally making her deteriorate by the day. Calls to over 20 emergency vets due to it being 3:30am and my primary vet not being open, I stumble upon AECHV. Now here’s the kicker.
The lady on the phone, who I did not catch a name for, (older lady, shortish, dark hair, smokes as she went out on a break every few minutes to take a drag. Mind you, I’d look at her and roll my window down to ask if they’re ready, but she’s just roll her eyes and turn her back to me almost as if so I couldn’t “see her smoking”.) She was so rude. She was more interested in telling me 80x that the doctor was in surgery, call back in an hour. I was already there. I stood there, holding back tears and yells, scared for my babies life as she just kept interrupting me to ask me simple questions about myself, all of which she already took over the phone but wouldn’t even let me tell her that. She just kept rolling her eyes, cutting me off and told me to go wait, but I should probably leave and come back.
She talked over me so much, she even got the breed incorrect on the paperwork she handed to the doctor. My dog is a Bluetick Hound, Husky mix. She has minimal husky but for whatever reason, husky is all that the receptionist heard. Not going to lie, my initial interactions with her, I almost turned around and spent the extra $150 to go be seen elsewhere.
Moving on a few mins, I’m sitting in the car with my dog who won’t even get up to move, as I’m waiting for her call to say “you can come in.” A new car pulls in, with a pitbull puppy, who got out, was jumping around, peed in the parking lot, played in the patch of snow on the ground, seeming healthy. They went in, and I followed shortly after to check up on my dog’s wait time. The dog and his male owner were nowhere to be seen, I suspect they were already in the room with the doctor, which aggravates me beyond belief. They all came out a few minutes later, and happily went home. She pushed a non emergent animal into the room, when I had already been there waiting for over 2 hours. So right after I see them leave, I go in WITH my dog this time so she could see her state. I forced my dog to be in a more uncomfortable state because this receptionist is incompetent of caring or having any kind of compassion. With that being said, I walk in, she sees her and suddenly says “oh I think she’s ready, she finished a little while ago.” Immediately I’m in a room. Are you kidding me!?! You said you’d come get me or AT LEAST call me as I’m keeping an eye on my very sick dog who’s throwing up blood in your parking lot!!! Absolutely no compassion or care from this receptionist and she needs to be immediately terminated.
Moving on from the receptionist, ALL of the nurses and doctors in the back, AMAZING. I cannot say enough positivity about the remaining staff in the building. There was two nurses who assisted in getting wolfys temp and initial look over, and they were ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL HUMANS. they treated her with care and respect. I was so overloaded from my dog and the receptionist, I sobbed and sobbed, and those nurses MADE ME FEEL SEEN. they honored my pain and understood my fear of Wolfy’s condition and state at the time. They assured me she was in good hands and was a great dog. They’d take care of her beautifully through the rest of our 6 hour visit. Through exams, fluids, meds, shots and more, Wolfy is on the road to recovery. Dr. Black came in and did an OUTSTANDING job exam, explaining, walking me through, playing with my dog. She took the time to get Wolfy stimulated and play. Something she has not done in days! Dr. Black and her assistants are the absolute BEST veterinary emergency doctors you can find. Dr Black & techs- THANK YOU!