SM Animal Hospital

[SouthernMdRocks]

Near Pax, are they really that money motivated? Or perhaps it was just the vet that was there.:shrug:

 

[cattitude]

They've always had a good reputation...but the practice was recently sold.

 

[remaxrealtor]

They've always had a good reputation...but the practice was recently sold.

Really? I didn't know!!! Haven't been since we brought Oliver home. Are the same DMV's there?

 

[krazd_kat]

They've always had a good reputation...but the practice was recently sold.

I didn't know that either - maybe that explains what happened SouthernMDrocks.....

 

[jp2854]

I never really cared for stmarys animal hospital after they did the declaw on my now exbfs cats. They messed up bigtime. They did the declaw and when we went to pick him up his paw busted back open(they didn't check the cats over before we left to make sure they were ok they just put them in there carriers and the receptionist gave us the paperwork of what to look for etc) so we had to take him back to the vet they closed it back up (the busting open was there fault as it was busted before we even left and I got home and he was bleeding so we took him back) they charged me (for there mistake). Lets just say this to have 2 cats declawed it was close to 600.00 for both cats then we had to bring one of the cats back they charged us another 300.00 for there mistake then when they fixed it the cat ended up with an infected paw 200 plus a hosptial stay of another 200.00 for 3 days. I spent over 1.000.00 on these 2 cats due to there error and they still made me pay so I will never go there again and I tell people to go elsewhere. I go to all kinds and I really like that place its run by a husband and wife and they both are animal lovers and aren't out to suck your wallet dry.

 

[pvineswinger]

I wouldn't board my animals there either- my dog was left in a crate for over 19+ hrs the last time I boarded there. After they closed on Saturday,no one came in until Sunday around noon to check on the animals they were boarding.

I never really cared for stmarys animal hospital after they did the declaw on my now exbfs cats. They messed up bigtime. They did the declaw and when we went to pick him up his paw busted back open(they didn't check the cats over before we left to make sure they were ok they just put them in there carriers and the receptionist gave us the paperwork of what to look for etc) so we had to take him back to the vet they closed it back up (the busting open was there fault as it was busted before we even left and I got home and he was bleeding so we took him back) they charged me (for there mistake). Lets just say this to have 2 cats declawed it was close to 600.00 for both cats then we had to bring one of the cats back they charged us another 300.00 for there mistake then when they fixed it the cat ended up with an infected paw 200 plus a hosptial stay of another 200.00 for 3 days. I spent over 1.000.00 on these 2 cats due to there error and they still made me pay so I will never go there again and I tell people to go elsewhere. I go to all kinds and I really like that place its run by a husband and wife and they both are animal lovers and aren't out to suck your wallet dry.

 

[jp2854]

pvineswinger I am sorry to hear that that is awful. i will never board there. I hear alot of people say chesapeake pet resort if the place to go. Bruno has never been boarded anywhere I am hoping when I go out of town I can get someone to come here and spend the day and night here or as much time as they can during the day and the night with bruno so I don't have to board her. I have to find someone who doesn't work during the day as bruno is used to having people home with her all day long as I don't work other than for my stepfather and she goes to work with me when I go.

 

[SimplySouthern]

I have never had an issue with the DVMs but their prices are insane. $350 to spay my puppy (they've seen her since we got her at 8 wks). I took her to the Well Pet Clinic off of Shangri La Drive and got it done 240 cheaper and her nails cut. I also like the ladies that work up front at the Well Pet clinic more so than at SM Vet hosital. They seem sweeter and I get the feeling they care for animals a bit more.

By the way.. Hi everyone I'm new to the forum!

 

[kimmiekay98]

I wouldn't board my animals there either- my dog was left in a crate for over 19+ hrs the last time I boarded there. After they closed on Saturday,no one came in until Sunday around noon to check on the animals they were boarding.

I will say this much - this is BS! I worked there for almost 3 years and there is NO WAY an animal would stay crated for that long. Staff was in by 8am Sunday mornings. We would be in a SH_T ton of trouble if we didn't come in until noon!! That just didn't happen. AND we always told clients that the building was not staffed 24/7 AND we would recommend another kennel if the client wanted a 24hr place.

As far as the practice being sold recently, it was, BUT the same dvm's are still there. Dr. Forrest sold the practice to an umbrella company called VCA. The docs stay the same, but VCA handles all the paperwork/ordering/etc. VCA hospitals are pretty common in Northern Va, and I think they just bought the emergency clinic in waldorf too.

Dr. Forrest is a great vet, and I really respect him. Him and Anne do a great job running the hospital and getting new equpiment and hiring staff that truly cares about animals. Cheaper is not always better - in vet med, you get what you pay for! Just remember that please.

 

[WildCherry]

I will say this much - this is BS! I worked there for almost 3 years and there is NO WAY an animal would stay crated for that long. Staff was in by 8am Sunday mornings. We would be in a SH_T ton of trouble if we didn't come in until noon!! That just didn't happen. AND we always told clients that the building was not staffed 24/7 AND we would recommend another kennel if the client wanted a 24hr place.

As far as the practice being sold recently, it was, BUT the same dvm's are still there. Dr. Forrest sold the practice to an umbrella company called VCA. The docs stay the same, but VCA handles all the paperwork/ordering/etc. VCA hospitals are pretty common in Northern Va, and I think they just bought the emergency clinic in waldorf too.

Dr. Forrest is a great vet, and I really respect him. Him and Anne do a great job running the hospital and getting new equpiment and hiring staff that truly cares about animals. Cheaper is not always better - in vet med, you get what you pay for! Just remember that please.

Hey girl! This is JH!

 

[happyappygirl]

I will say this much - this is BS!

Dr. Forrest is a great vet, and I really respect him. Him and Anne do a great job running the hospital and getting new equpiment and hiring staff that truly cares about animals. Cheaper is not always better - in vet med, you get what you pay for! Just remember that please.

SOOO...can you tell me why they gave ALL shots to a puppy who was completely up to date when taken in for his first exam within 2 days of purchase rather then waiting the recommended 3-4 weeks to give shots?? The vet never even looked at the shots record i had carefully documented, which included the label from the vaccine bottle to show expiration date!! I use Progard vaccines which over ride the maternal antibodies. They pumped that poor puppy full of of a second dose of vaccines, way too early, and for no good reason. Talk about immune system overload for a wee little pup. I was STEAMING when i talked to the new owner that evening.

 

[kimmiekay98]

SOOO...can you tell me why they gave ALL shots to a puppy who was completely up to date when taken in for his first exam within 2 days of purchase rather then waiting the recommended 3-4 weeks to give shots?? The vet never even looked at the shots record i had carefully documented, which included the label from the vaccine bottle to show expiration date!! I use Progard vaccines which over ride the maternal antibodies. They pumped that poor puppy full of of a second dose of vaccines, way too early, and for no good reason. Talk about immune system overload for a wee little pup. I was STEAMING when i talked to the new owner that evening.

First of all, no vaccine will override the maternal antibodies. That is why most vets will not vaccinate before 8 weeks old. The maternal antibodies are present in the body from birth until about 7-8 weeks old. It doesn't matter which vaccine you use, the maternal antibodies are too strong to override. I've personally never heard of ProGard, but there are alot of different manufactures. The hospitals I've worked at have all used big name brands such as Fort Dodge and Merial.

As far as the puppy in question, the best I can do is make assumptions about what happened and why. I don't have the medical record and I'm just going off the little bit of information you provided. What I can say is from experience with working at SMVH for 3 years and seeing a lot of families come in with new puppies and kittens.
I am assuming you are a breeder and you sold this puppy to a family after he/she got its first vaccines.
The family may not have brought the medical record from you with them. I've seen so many clients that say "oh yeah the breeder gave shots, but I don't know what, and I don't know when". If this was the case, we would recommend to go ahead and re-vaccinate because it would do less harm then having no vaccines on board and the puppy coming down with parvo (very common in sth md) or distemper (making a comeback also). That is one scenario.
If the puppy did come from a breeder and they gave vaccines before 7 weeks of age, we would also recommend repeating them because of the maternal antibodies overriding any protection the pup may have gotten from the vaccines.
Please don't take this personally because it is not meant as an attack on you, but there are some breeders who are in it for the money and thats it. I have seen puppies sold that are parvo positive, have pneumonia, are so inbred that they only live a few months before a genetic disease kills them. One very popular breeder in st. marys county told her clients that the rabies vaccine was not needed and rabies was not fatal or transmittable to humans! Some breeders will use outdated, recalled, or otherwise damaged products on their animals to save a buck or two. I'm not talking about puppy mills, but people who think they know what they are doing that really don't have a clue. Vets have a very fine line to walk, as they want to do what is best for the animal, but not always having all the information they need to know what exactly they need to do. They make educated desisions based on the information provided (even if it is not all the information, ie the medical record clients forgot to bring it) and do what they feel is right. Personally would much rather pay for an extra set of shots my puppy may not have needed, then have the vet trust me saying oh yeah the breeder did the parvo shot and that not be true, and losing my puppy to a gruesome, painful disease.

I hope this helps explain some things about vets and why they do things they way they do.

 

[happyappygirl]

First of all, no vaccine will override the maternal antibodies. That is why most vets will not vaccinate before 8 weeks old. The maternal antibodies are present in the body from birth until about 7-8 weeks old. It doesn't matter which vaccine you use, the maternal antibodies are too strong to override. I've personally never heard of ProGard, but there are alot of different manufactures. The hospitals I've worked at have all used big name brands such as Fort Dodge and Merial.

The family may not have brought the medical record from you with them. I've seen so many clients that say "oh yeah the breeder gave shots, but I don't know what, and I don't know when". If this was the case, we would recommend to go ahead and re-vaccinate because it would do less harm then having no vaccines on board and the puppy coming down with parvo (very common in sth md) or distemper (making a comeback also). That is one scenario.
If the puppy did come from a breeder and they gave vaccines before 7 weeks of age, we would also recommend repeating them because of the maternal antibodies overriding any protection the pup may have gotten from the vaccines.

Honey Bunny, I appreciate your effort, however, in 1995, myself, as a long time Rottie Breeder, and 30 other Rottie breeders were asked by Dr. Johnny D. Hoskins at intervet to participate in the research for developing the Progard Parvo virus vaccine, by having a control litter vaccinated by Fort Dodge vaccines and a progard vaccinated litter followed entirely for the full 2 years, measuring blood titre levels from the vaccines they received in a closely controlled environment. I specifically bred 2 litters that year just for the study, and got the permission of all puppy owners to follow the dogs. I kept 2 from the progard litter myself, and my daughter kept one from the Fort Dodge litter. The resulting conclusion of that 2 year study was, that the Progard vaccine did INDEED over ride the maternal antibody levels in the 4 week old puppies, and in fact remained strong enough, that Progard only needs THREE doses rather than the recommended 4 puppy doses like other vaccines, which still stands today. That's also why there is a picture of a Rottie on the vaccine packaging. Their immune systems don't handle Parvo like other breeds so that breed was chosen for the study.

The disclaimer on the progard vaccines reads as follows:

The parvovirus component is patented* CPV STRAIN 154® vaccine which is an attenuated parvovirus strain of canine origin. The unique InterTekTM production process has made it possible to produce PROGARD®PUPPY-DPv with high titered CPV and CDV components which are highly immunogenic.

The first question i asked the puppy owner was "did you take the shots record in." Her answer was YES, because you told me too, which i had. The vet never looked at them.

In a case where a breeder gives a vaccine like Progard, there IS danger in over vaccinating, because of how the vaccine works.

FYI, per the recommendation of Progard, I begin my vaccination protocol at 7 weeks, because it is a very strong vaccine. I don't let anyone touch my puppies until 48 hours passed the vaccinaion outside of the family either for the same reasons. I've never lost a puppy to parvo in 30 years of breeding rotts.

MANY big name Rottie breeders use Progard and won't sell a puppy to a family that won't use that brand of vaccine, as a result of the study.

 

[cattitude]

Honey Bunny, I appreciate your effort, however, in 1995, myself, as a long time Rottie Breeder, and 30 other Rottie breeders were asked by intervet to participate in the research for developing the Progard Parvo virus vaccine, by having a control litter vaccinated by Fort Dodge vaccines and a progard vaccinated litter followed entirely for the full 2 years, measuring blood titre levels from the vaccines they received in a closely controlled environment. I specifically bred 2 litters that year just for the study, and got the permission of all puppy owners to follow the dogs. I kept 2 from the progard litter myself, and my daughter kept one from the Fort Dodge litter. The resulting conclusion of that 2 year study was, that the Progard vaccine did INDEED over ride the maternal antibody levels in the 4 week old puppies, and in fact remained strong enough, that Progard only needs THREE doses rather than the recommended 4 puppy doses like other vaccines, which still stands today. That's also why there is a picture of a Rottie on the vaccine packaging. Their immune systems don't handle Parvo like other breeds so that breed was chosen for the study.

The disclaimer on the progard vaccines reads as follows:

The parvovirus component is patented* CPV STRAIN 154® vaccine which is an attenuated parvovirus strain of canine origin. The unique InterTekTM production process has made it possible to produce PROGARD®PUPPY-DPv with high titered CPV and CDV components which are highly immunogenic.

The first question i asked the puppy owner was "did you take the shots record in." Her answer was YES, because you told me too, which i had. The vet never looked at them.

In a case where a breeder gives a vaccine like Progard, there IS danger in over vaccinating, because of how the vaccine works.

FYI, per the recommendation of Progard, I begin my vaccination protocol at 7 weeks, because it is a very strong vaccine. I don't let anyone touch my puppies until 48 hours passed the vaccinaion outside of the family either for the same reasons. I've never lost a puppy to parvo in 30 years of breeding rotts.

BUT..you KNOW there are other "breeders" out there who are not careful, breed indiscriminately and use ANY medicine/vaccines they can get their hands on..cheaply. THAT is the norm.. I think Kimi presented herself very well.

 

[happyappygirl]

BUT..you KNOW there are other "breeders" out there who are not careful, breed indiscriminately and use ANY medicine/vaccines they can get their hands on..cheaply. THAT is the norm.. I think Kimi presented herself very well.

I understand that completely.

HOWEVER, when a person comes to the vet clinic having paid 1K for a puppy, the vet could "assume" this pup wasn't purchased from one of the norm, especially when the owner tells the vet she has shots records WITH VACCINE BOTTLE LABELS on it, and the vet never even looks. That's my point. Having that puppy come back in 3 weeks wouldn't hurt it, if the vet gives the caveat "keep him home until he has another shot. If he gets or looks sick in the interim, bring him back right away." AFTER looking at the documents that came with the pup.

 

[cattitude]

I understand that completely.

HOWEVER, when a person comes to the vet clinic having paid 1K for a puppy, the vet could "assume" this pup wasn't purchased from one of the norm, especially when the owner tells the vet she has shots records WITH VACCINE BOTTLE LABELS on it, and the vet never even looks. That's my point. Having that puppy come back in 3 weeks wouldn't hurt it, if the vet gives the caveat "keep him home until he has another shot. If he gets or looks sick in the interim, bring him back right away." AFTER looking at the documents that came with the pup.

Price is no indication of the credibility of the breeder.

I agree in part with what you are saying. But as long as you've been involved with animals, you certainly have to agree that vets are in a difficult position because a good many pet owners are ignorant about most vaccines, etc. and another percent of them just don't give a damn.

 

[remaxrealtor]

Price is no indication of the credibility of the breeder.

I agree in part with what you are saying. But as long as you've been involved with animals, you certainly have to agree that vets are in a difficult position because a good many pet owners are ignorant about most vaccines, etc. and another percent of them just don't give a damn.

Exactly. There are some people, even on this board, who present themselves as credible, suggest someone, and are very underhanded in their intent.

 

[Cowgirl]

Price is no indication of the credibility of the breeder.

I agree in part with what you are saying. But as long as you've been involved with animals, you certainly have to agree that vets are in a difficult position because a good many pet owners are ignorant about most vaccines, etc. and another percent of them just don't give a damn.

And most pet owners are too timid to stand up to the vet and say no. That doesn't mean the vet is too pushy, it just means vets have their routines and they just go about it like normal. It's up to the owner to say, "I don't want my pet vaccinted for ___."

 

[saggy]

Near Pax, are they really that money motivated? Or perhaps it was just the vet that was there.:shrug:

I usually don't post but feel the need as an ex breeder and now owner of strays. Dr. Forrest from St. Mary's Hospital is a sweetheart. Is their care related to money. I had a great Dane when I 1st went there because my vet in Solomons couldn't fit her in-even tho I told Solomons I would pay an emergency fee (front left leg was poping out) They got me into St. Mary's ASAP and it was Cancer. The dog wasn't in pain, but they had me give her Shark Cartlege and something else from Whitesells Pharmacy. I have been with St. Mary's since. I tell you many things they have done for my animals but I won't bore you with all of it. I trust the staff and the Dr's. there with all my critters. They are there in the good days and the bad ones, crying with me. If you want to talk about price-it's true you get what you pay for. When I got another Dane that the breeder had done the ear's at home-they usued patience with her. Poor Gracie couldn't stand to have her ears touched and they took the time to work with her so she was easier to work with. If you had a problem with something you should have talked to them and gotten it straight right then. As for the declawing-I don't beleive in it because it screw up the cats personality (just my opinion).

 

[SouthernMdRocks]

I usually don't post but feel the need as an ex breeder and now owner of strays. Dr. Forrest from St. Mary's Hospital is a sweetheart. Is their care related to money. I had a great Dane when I 1st went there because my vet in Solomons couldn't fit her in-even tho I told Solomons I would pay an emergency fee (front left leg was poping out) They got me into St. Mary's ASAP and it was Cancer. The dog wasn't in pain, but they had me give her Shark Cartlege and something else from Whitesells Pharmacy. I have been with St. Mary's since. I tell you many things they have done for my animals but I won't bore you with all of it. I trust the staff and the Dr's. there with all my critters. They are there in the good days and the bad ones, crying with me. If you want to talk about price-it's true you get what you pay for. When I got another Dane that the breeder had done the ear's at home-they usued patience with her. Poor Gracie couldn't stand to have her ears touched and they took the time to work with her so she was easier to work with. If you had a problem with something you should have talked to them and gotten it straight right then. As for the declawing-I don't beleive in it because it screw up the cats personality (just my opinion).

Who is declawing what?:shrug:

I'm glad you have had your wonderful experiences with them, all the best reasons to stay with them.

My little experience with them left me with a JMO as to who was there that day, no biggie, it is as it is!