Karen Yaffa on Facebook 2 months ago
01/19/2023, 01:10 AM
Long post but after reading some bad comments I wanted to be as detailed as possible. The people currently working at AVECCC are the MOST COMPASSIONATE people on earth. Our dog Tbone experienced a tracheal collapse on a flight from NY to AZ. What should have been an exciting time for us as we were making a cross country move, turned out to be the darkest time of our lives. His condition was very critical to the point that another fantastic animal hospital didn’t have the proper resources to care for him, and recommended we transfer him to AVECCC. Ultimately we had to put our baby on a ventilator to try to save him. Later tbone came off the vent but developed ventilator associated pneumonia, and things continued to progress with many ups and downs along the way.
Tbone has been discharged home for short periods but unfortunately had to return due to emergencies related to what he experienced, and is hospitalized there now. In the last 6 weeks he has been there more than he has been home, so we got to interact with many staff members for long periods of time. The people working there are ANGELS; each and every one of them. From the people answering phones, to the assistants, to those cleaning, to those handling our fur babies, to the resident doctors and criticalists.
They have supported us and are still supporting us through the darkest time of our lives. They always address our concerns in the most professional and respectful manner, give us timely updates regardless of how busy, present the risks versus benefits to help us make the right decisions, and they always let us visit him; regardless of how late it may be, or how often we want to come.
We have come in with Tbone often, and they never make us feel like they are sick of us coming in, and always address our concerns. Based on some comments it’s also important to mention that although the care is expensive (the staff doesn’t decide the price), they don’t try keeping your pet there unnecessarily. There were multiple times they suggested solutions to try to save us money, and get our baby home sooner, but we didn’t feel confident in our ability to safely care for him at that time. Furthermore, although they are not a primary care vet clinic, they understood that many vets didn’t want to manage Tbone’s case due to the complexity, and have always supported us and answered our questions at all hours of the night, when he was at home regarding medication changes, and other clinical concerns.
These people love your pets and get connected to them more than you can imagine. We have seen it with our own eyes because we have been there so much. Our tbone usually doesn’t like people and he is so comfortable with the staff there, which comforts us since he is not home with us. Being home without tbone is the saddest and loneliest feeling in the world, but coming to AVECCC to visit him and immediately getting greeted by the friendly compassionate staff makes a hard day so much better.
Tbone was a unique case and they could have turned the transfer away because he is 16 years old, but they gave our dog a chance when everyone else was afraid to manage his care. They are the reason tbone is alive today. Although he is still hospitalized, he has overcome so many challenges no one ever thought he would, because of the caring, knowledgeable, and professional staff. They never gave up on him, and are continuing to do whatever they can to fight for him, and for us.
These people won over our hearts because they won over our dogs heart, and we cannot begin to express how grateful we are for each and every one of them. They are so caring to the point that the residents consistently dealing with him (Shout out to Dr Houlton, Dr Hopey, and his favorite nurse Holly) who have taken care of him from beginning to end) will come in on their day off to check up on him, and will try supporting us and him even if they aren’t directly assigned to his case. Additionally, the criticalists overseeing the staff are absolutely amazing with him and will always find the time to support us and him, even when they have so many other obligations.
The staff at AVECCC makes you feel like you are a priority and will not brush you off. If your pet is having a true emergency, and you love your pet, I would highly suggest bringing them here. The compassion they will show you is something you won’t get anywhere else, and their knowledgeable staff will treat your pet with dignity and respect, and try to save them as if they were their own.
Thank you a million times. We are sad Tbone is not at home with us, but cannot ask for a better place to be if not home. Please relay our message to all the staff, especially Dr Houlton, Dr Hopey, and his favorite nurse Holly, and please continue to take pride in the amazing work you do on a daily basis, because very few would be able to do what you do. You have the hardest jobs in the world and the cutest patients to try to save, which makes it so much harder. We do not take your kindness for granted, and will continue to show our appreciation in every way that we can.
