Saint Francis Veterinary Specialists and Emergency

My small dog suddenly became ill on a Sunday evening. We brought him to St. Frances and were able to be seen with a minimal wait. Unfortunately my dog was very ill and had to stay for 3 days but fortunately is on the mend now. The first vet that we spoke with gave us the option of leaving our dog at the hospital for treatment and monitoring or the less expensive option of taking him home with supportive care. We decided to leave him at the hospital which I feel was the best option for a good outcome. All of the veterinarians were very good at communicating and explaining the treatments and test results. We are very happy and relieved that our dog is back home.

posted: 08/04/2023

After my recent need to visit St. Francis, I must compliment the staff's attention to the needs of my sick puppy in a timely, caring, and efficient manner. The nurses are all very friendly, kind, and caring to all pets coming through the door; everyone is well received. Dr. Andrea Powell, DVM, was the vet who treated my puppy ; she made this 'emergency' experience less stressful and was most helpful discussing the pup's health in general. Her advice and ideas for treatment are being followed! I would have given 5 stars, (they deserve 4.5) had the puppy's abdomen not been shaved so much to do an abdominal ultrasound. His hair/fur will regrow, but as someone who has ultrasound experience (in humans) I believe the belly shouldn't have needed to be shaved to the extent it was. Otherwise, I would not hesitate to return to this emergency vet hospital. Phone and email follow ups were done in a prompt and efficient manner. Picking up the puppy was done after about 5 hrs being there, and diagnosis was made. Checking out was prompt, considering how busy the hospital was at that time of evening. Many thanks to everyone there!

posted: 08/31/2023

Last Sunday (July 9th) I brought our fur baby to St. Francis to get a second opinion before making (what would have been) the devastating decision of having our fur baby euthanized. The male receptionist was not the most friendly person but I just ignored his rudeness because my fur baby's life is what meant the most to me at that moment. I had taken her to another Emergency Vet Hospital the night before and their X-Rays revealed she had a blockage in her intestines from eating something she wasn't supposed to (later found to be a chewed off piece of her collar stuck in her colon). That previous vet I had visited the night before suggested we have her euthanized if we couldn't afford the $7K surgery immediately because she predicted she only had about 48 hours left before her intestines would rupture and poision her body and we would wake up and find her dead.... I brought her to Saint Francis to get a 2nd opinion as the last effort to save her life (I just didn't want to accept losing our 3 year old fur baby, especiallywhile my daughterwas away on vacation). Dr. Merrick examined her and confirmed that she did need surgery but she was not going to die that night like the previous hospital made it seem. They quoted me a price in the $6K range. When I explained to her we didn't have that type of money for surgery, she was very understanding and cared enough to refer me to other places that may be able to assist us with cheaper surgery cost... Needless to say, my Cocoa was able to get the surgery done the next day at an affordable cost and she is doing and feeling much better. I'm glad I listened to my intuition and took her to Saint Francis, or I would have been forced to make a deadly decision that would have devastated my daughter (it's actually her dog). Thanks Dr. Merrick and Saint Francis for helping to save her life!

posted: 07/12/2023

During a veterinary emergency in 2020, we discovered St. Francis. The staff was caring and professional, and we continued to receive the same level of care during another pet emergency. The doctors even call to check on their days off, a testament to their dedication. Despite the difficult circumstances, our experiences with St. Francis have been the best.

posted: 05/07/2023

From beginning to end, they were thorough, caring, and communicative. My poor little guy had been through the ringer with sickness and less than stellar care and recommendations by the primary vet clinic I brought him from. I feel they saved my little guy's life and addressed his illness with the quickness it needed. Everything was explained thoroughly and expertly by the doctors, technicians, and front desk. I knew exactly what to expect and what the procedures were and why they were being done. After he was there for over 24 hrs, he came out looking great. He was very obviously cared for and loved on during his stay. He was glad to get out of there, but wasn't stressed and traumatized. Highly, highly recommend.

posted: 07/29/2023