Any help would be highly appreciated. Thanks.

Monica

Well my case might be isolated but just want to let you know that it did happen to someone. I wrote to you because I do care about animals and just want for them to be treated properly and not just to be another source of “cash cow” (I felt that you’re really passionate when it comes to your pet especially when you mentioned that you went back that very night to get your cat back from where you left him a few hours earlier). I was moved by your actions (or story for that matter) that is why I took your word and went with your recommended vet. Hopefully you read this with an open mind and that you will be wary next time of people trying to take advantage of others through fear or whatever it takes (which is another form of scam) just to get the most out of something.
As I have mentioned before, money is not the issue here (since I have already spent more than 20k on my dog) but by the way the doctor scared us into paying for an examination procedure that was not really necessary in the first place (is just not professional at all).
My dog has been with me for 2 weeks (that time as she is with me for a month now) and never even once have she gone out since the day I got her. So when we brought her to that clinic, the doctor is very insistent that it is a highly infectious disease that she have contracted (out of nowhere) and that I am now placing myself at risk if I don’t get her examined. And since I never had any experiences with such infectious disease, I just haphazardly agree with what the doctor suggested and the test procedure began.
The test result came back as negative (surprise surprise) but it is worth mentioning that the doctor was very persistent with his diagnosis as he went back and forth (from his tiny check-up area and the front desk) before finally declaring that she is just fine (really made me laugh).
Just to be sure, I went to another veterinary clinic (recommended by my aunt in Makati) the next day and ask the doctor with what just happened, she did not only say that the test was clearly not needed and that the dog is just adjusting to the air-conditioned room (cause I just leave it turned on all day) but that the doctor is just doing his job to earn more money.
All I want to point out is that the doctor never even asked in what room the dog is in, how’s her health for that matter, or even how active she is at home. I’m just guessing here but they just probably treat people differently as to how they look, how old they are and the like (foreigners do get special treatments most of the time; just saying it out loud). I’m only a college student so I don’t know if it makes me gullible to the eyes of these kinds of people. I’m not implying or anything of the sort; it is just sickening to see people do anything for money and not really care about the animals that we truly love and taking good care of.
I greatly care about my dog since she is like a child that I will be taking good care of till she grows old. She will be with me for a long time and that is why I am looking for a competent doctor that I can truly entrust my dog’s well being.
I have not done my research but if anything happened to my dog, can the veterinarians be held liable or not at all? Money doesn’t matter if something happened to the dog just because of malpractice. Can you even say that if ever your cat will be diagnosed with something he doesn’t have, given treatments he doesn’t need and have to be operated with something that doesn’t even exist; will you feel great about it? Just because the doctor said so doesn’t mean it is a fact. And just because the doctor is nice to you doesn’t mean he is already a god of some sort.
Well, thanks for your time and. Have a great week!
Monica

Actually that clinic was the main vet that I took my 2 cats to. The other was Vets in Practice in Mandaluyong. I never had a bad experience at Carveldon. My cat Rajah has a recurring fungus on his chin and at Carveldon they told me that I could buy an ointment which cost over 800 pesos, but that virgin coconut oil would work just as well. So I actually had the complete opposite experience to you as they always gave me the cheapest option. I always found the my vet to be very competent and knowledgeable and very good with my cats (Aslan hates vets and can be very difficult).
Also the 3 vets on my list were recommended to me by CARA as these are the places that CARA members take their animals and recommend. I would not recommend a place without fully researching it and going there myself. Out of the 3 vets I mentioned I did not take my cats to Animal Care Specialists because it was very far from my house but CARA and other people did assure me that the vets there are very good.
Also if you paid only 1,500 for those tests I don’t know why you consider it to be a scam as I paid well over 3,000 at Animal House in Jupiter street for far less. Pets are expensive and if you really care for them it is your responsibility to pay for them to be healthy and happy.

I came across your article when I was searching online a trustworthy veterinary clinic to bring my dog (still a puppy) to and hopefully build a good relationship with the veterinarian. I read the whole article including the comments and found the discussion quite informative and needless to say, friendly. I took your word and brought our dog to the veterinary clinic above that’s in your recommended top 3 list (I’m guessing here) as it is the closest one.

Well, to sum it all up, we met Dr. Herbert (or something because there was no last name whatsoever) as he is the only veterinarian currently in and I just reluctantly decided to go with it. During the consultation, the so called “doctor” did not even bother asking what my dog’s background at all, just haphazardly decided to conclude that she might have a very infectious disease and that it is possible to infect me as well.

It seems like the doctor used a scary tactic to make me agree to get her examined for a test that costs more than P500, which conveniently turns out as negative. The “doctor” then examined my dog’s stool sample and failed to mention that there’s an additional charge for that, separate from the consultation fee. The money is really not an issue here but since the total amount for a consultation fee without any vaccines whatsoever racked up to an astounding P1,500 (It’s like a scam where there are lots of hidden charges).

The “doctor” and his staff that day did not even have a feeling of professionalism in them at all. All I can say is that I’m truly disappointed in what just happened to me and my dog. And I hope that before you recommend a place where other people will take your word for it, please make sure that you know it well before telling other people about it.

Thanks