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| - This veterinary hospital has saved my cat's life, not once - but twice.
About a year ago I adopted a very tiny little kitten (we're talking about feed the kitten a bottle tiny). One day this kitten decided that she was too old for the bottle and bit the rubber top off and ate it. ATE IT. Bad kitty. I made some frantic calls around to various vets, and was told about everything in the world from she is definitely going to die to don't even worry about it. I get it, they haven't seen the kitten so they don't really know. Then, I spoke to Alta Vista. Despite never having visited the hospital before the receptionist put me through to a vet. The vet listened to my story, and told me that while she couldn't be sure without an exam, it sounded like it was safe to wait and see. Turns out, it was! Thank you, Alta Vista, for saving me an unnecessary vet bill.
Fast forward about two months: This time my kitten decides to eat a plant that I had no idea was poisonous to cats (after research I have discovered that pretty much everything is poisonous to cats). My sister brings the kitten to the hospital and I meet her there (I was out when I got the phone call from a very panicked sister). My kitten is lifeless. Her eyes are glazed over, she is covered in vomit, she is completely non-responsive. It doesn't look good. The receptionist takes my cat and runs it immediately to the back room - mind you, we had no appointment. The vet assistant, as kindly as possible, warns us that it does not look good, while the receptionist does an online search to try to discover what kind of plant she may have eaten. They give us an estimate for care, while reminding us that we shouldn't feel forced to try treatment (more evidence that kitty was really circling the drain). I'm expecting about a $3000 bill, when they come out with an $800 estimate. Now, $800 is a lot of money, totally. But, my cat looks dead. I mean dead. And, since no one saw kitty eat the plant, they have to rule out potential brain injury from a fall, various poisons, possibly keep her there for days, etc. So all in all, $800 is a relief to me. I give the go ahead. Kitty survives AND the bill ends up being cheaper than the estimate - when does that EVER happen?
Four months later: Kitten, now growing into a cat, decides she wants another trip to Alta Vista, so she eats a hairband. The elastic comes apart as she eats it and wraps around the base of her tongue and travels all the way through her intestines to her rectum. Yum. We don't discover all of this of course, until Alta Vista runs tests and x-rays. When we bring her in they remember us immediately, and while I feel like I must look like the worst pet owner ever, the staff offers comfort and kind words. The bill? While pricey - she required surgery that day that included two cuts into her intestine, an overnight stay, and we threw in a spay while they were in there - it was completely appropriate.
Here's the thing - sometimes you have to wait a little while for your appointment. I have experienced it when waiting for routine check-ups. But you want to know why you are waiting? Because of people like me and the time it takes for the caring veterinarians and staff to provide emergency care to pets and even stray dogs (last time I was in there someone brought in a stray that was hit by a car and they immediately jumped into action). Is it annoying to wait a little longer? Yes, of course it is. But, that isn't because Alta Vista doesn't care about you or your pet, it's because they care a lot and are trying to provide the best service possible.
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