Writing this review is difficult because my relationship with Animal Hospital of DePere goes back well beyond this one experience. I worked at this hospital, brought my own animals there for more than a decade, knew many of the doctors, technicians, and staff personally, and had trusted some of them enough to consider them like family. I also recommended this hospital to other people for years. That history makes what happened with my 4year old cat, Walter, especially disappointing.
Walter became extremely lethargic, stopped eating and drinking, and was showing signs of abdominal/hind-end pain. I was concerned about three significant possibilities: a urinary obstruction/crystals, a foreign body, or an acute injury. None of those possibilities were adequately ruled out during his visit.
Radiographs were attempted but ultimately abandoned because Walter became stressed. I understand that frightened or painful animals can be difficult to handle. However, I specifically offered to help restrain him because Walter is an unusually tolerant cat with me(I can brush him, turn him over, trim his nails, etc.) I also suggested sedation if necessary. Neither option was pursued.
Instead, an antibiotic was prescribed. This particularly concerned me because if constipation or another gastrointestinal issue was actually responsible for his symptoms, an antibiotic could potentially have worsened his gastrointestinal situation rather than treating the underlying problem. I did not feel comfortable blindly proceeding without knowing what we were actually treating.
Because I still had serious concerns, I continued seeking care elsewhere. After calling five veterinary hospitals, I was able to get Walter seen at Buddy's Vet. Within 24 hours, they completed radiographs and were able to rule out the major concerns I had initially been worried about, including obstruction/crystals, a foreign body, and a major injury. What they did find was significant retained stool.
The point of this review is not that every veterinary visit will go perfectly or that every diagnostic test is always possible. I understand firsthand that animals can be difficult to examine, particularly when they are painful or frightened. What was difficult for me was that I offered reasonable options to make the diagnostics possible, yet those options weren't pursued, while treatment was initiated without the underlying concerns being adequately ruled out.
I have veterinary experience myself, and I know enough to understand that a differential diagnosis is not the same thing as a confirmed diagnosis. I also understand that correlation doesn't automatically establish causation, and that treatments can have unintended consequences. That's precisely why I believe owners should be encouraged to ask questions and advocate for their animals.
After more than a decade of trusting, using, and recommending this hospital (and having personally worked there) this experience was profoundly disappointing. Walter deserved a thorough effort to determine what was actually wrong with him before treating a presumed cause, and I ultimately had to seek that level of diagnostic care elsewhere.
Note: None of this review reflects my view of Dr. Sarah Wolfe, who treats exotics out of the same address.
We’re happy with the Animal Hospital of De Pere. They support the non profit Mit Liebe German Shepard Dog Rescue where we got our current dog. The last vet we went to, in Appleton, killed our last dog during a routine spay, so we needed to find a better vet. The providers here are knowledgeable and caring and we’ve been very pleased. If you go, buy a candy bar on the counter to support Mit Liebe!
