Veterinary Specialty Services Claimed

「We had a wonderful experience with VSS. The staff was very kind and loving to all the animals during the time my pet was there. Our Puck ended up passing away but the staff did everything they could to try to save him. I went to visit and I could see when the door to icu was opening the love my pet was getting from the techs taking care of him. I was very appreciative of them and Dr. Kramer was professional and honest with us. He detail described everything that was going on with our dog and I appreciate honesty. It was so hard on all of my family to let our loved one go but vss took care of us and gave us the Atmos respect. I am very thankful to them and again loved Dr Kramer and his honesty.」

「*Response to the owners- no one ever called me. Thanks again for the concern.*」

「Such a disturbing experience with my dog yesterday. We were strongly encouraged not to leave the office without euthanizing our 8-year-old dog after being told he had a ruptured tumor on his spleen. I was devastated and moments away from making that decision, but instead we chose to bring him home and wait for an organization that could come to our house. The ER vet was cold, rude, condescending, and extremely negative. She focused only on the low odds of recovery, even with surgery. She never once encouraged us to consider the surgical option or suggested speaking with our regular veterinarian—only negativity. Thank God we trusted our instincts and decided to bring him home. After crying for 12 hours straight, our amazing vet met us first thing in the morning after receiving my late-night voicemails. He arrived with hope, compassion, and real options. We learned there was actually a 40% chance the tumor could be benign, meaning Cooper could potentially go on to live a normal life. Cooper just got out of surgery and is doing great so far. While there is still a 60% chance the tumor was malignant and he may only have a few more months, at least we were given options, empathy, encouragement, and a fighting chance. Please do not blindly accept a single opinion in a situation like this. Seek a second opinion from a compassionate, thoughtful veterinarian. I can only imagine how many families may have said goodbye to their beloved pets too soon because of this kind of approach, and I still cannot believe I was almost one of them. My husband and I are now forever deeply traumatized by the entire experience. Also- fyi, VEG ER for pets is wonderful!!! They let you stay with your babies the entire time, and truly care.」

「Our family will always be grateful to the incredible team at Veterinary Specialty Services. When our French Bulldog, Groot, suddenly became critically ill, the team admitted him to the ICU, managed his pain, and closely monitored him while trying to determine what was causing his rapid decline. What impressed us most was that they recognized he needed specialized neurological care and quickly coordinated with the Animal Neurology Center to get him seen as soon as possible. That sense of urgency and excellent communication made all the difference. I’ll never forget one moment during our visit. Before Groot was transferred, I could hear him crying from the treatment area. When I went back to see him, I found his vet sitting on the floor beside him, comforting and cuddling him. In the middle of a busy schedule, they took the time to make sure he wasn’t scared or alone. As a pet parent, that meant more to me than I can put into words. Every doctor, technician, and staff member treated Groot with compassion, kindness, and genuine care. They not only provided outstanding medical treatment, but they also cared for him as if he were their own. Thank you for helping our family through one of the scary experiences we’ve ever faced and for making sure Groot got exactly where he needed to be. We will never forget your compassion and dedication.」

「We were in and out of VSS with NATO for a few days before he was fully diagnosed with a urinary blockage. The vet staff was so kind and kept us fully updated while we had to be on a no refund vacation while all of this happened. All of the vet techs, staff, and veterinarians were so kind and took the time to explain all of our options with treatment and kept us updated every step of the way. All of this while we were 8 hours away! Dr. Sutton, Dr. Herman, and Dr. Greer just to name a few that did a phenomenal job taking care of my sweet boy and I’d highly recommend VSS for any pet parents.」

「I have had too many visits lately for emergencies and most of them were great. Friendly front desk staff, caring techs and knowledgeable Vets. However, late friday night/early saturday morning we had an emergency with our beloved dog that ended in euthanasia. This is my second time having an animal euthanized here, and they were so very different. After he was gone, we rang the bell 3 different times and still had to go get someone to take him to prepare to take home. We were not offered a foot print or lock of hair as we were before. The tech came to wheel him off and said "I'm going to take THIS." After bringing him to our car, she proceeded to tell us to "have a good night." The etiquette was just not there. I couldn't bare to open the bag for a foot print or any fur. I will forever be regretful of that. I payed extra to give him fluids to keep him going for my family to get there to say goodbye, and I am just so incredibly sad that there was no compassion on their end while I was not able to think of those things. I just want this to be known so it can be addressed and doesn't happen to another family.」

「First of all, I have to say I am super impressed with the start of the process till the end of the process. The office staff is really knowledgeable and super friendly. I’ve taken one of my dogs here before and they took great care of my little Baxter. My poor baby got mastitis on Friday and overnight it was really bad and super scary. It got really bad. I called and they got her in pretty quickly. I took her in on Saturday and Dr. Wilde is amazing. She told me exactly what to expect explained everything very thoroughly and I felt at ease leaving my baby girl there. Every day they called me and gave me updates on how her surgery went and her overall condition. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for saving my baby.」

「We had a very disappointing experience during an emergency visit to VSS with our 13-year-old dachshund. We arrived early Sunday morning around 7:30 a.m. with a dog in obvious distress — significant back pain and neurological symptoms consistent with IVDD. At the time, he was presenting at what appeared to be a Grade 4 on a 1–5 IVDD scale. IVDD at that level is critical, and time is of the essence to prevent permanent neurologic damage or paralysis. I want to acknowledge that the receptionist was kind and compassionate, which we truly appreciated. Unfortunately, despite the seriousness of his presentation, we waited roughly two hours to be seen. When Dr. Kristen Dellacamera entered the room, much of the appointment was spent troubleshooting issues with her laptop. Very little time felt focused on listening to our concerns or conducting a thorough exam appropriate for a potentially critical neurological case. When we asked about MRI or imaging, our questions were dismissed. We were told an MRI consult would not be available until Wednesday. When we expressed concern about waiting given the risk of paralysis, we were told we could leave and seek care at a neurology practice in Ladue. IV steroids were administered, but no pain medication or muscle relaxers were initially provided. I had to specifically ask about discharge medications before prescriptions were sent home, with minimal explanation. We have had prior satisfactory visits here, which makes this experience even more concerning. In emergency medicine — especially with suspected high-grade IVDD — urgency, communication, and compassion matter. We left feeling unsupported and ultimately sought care elsewhere. I hope this feedback is taken constructively. Pet owners facing critical neurologic emergencies deserve attentive, focused care when every hour can impact outcome.」