A&M small animal hospital for dogs - anyone have experience taking their pet

19,954 Views | 35 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by ommama
lukeskywalker
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Hello,

May the force be with you.

I live in the greater Houston area, about 90 mins away from Bryan/College Station.

Several months ago I rescued a Dog, a shepherd mix, and have been getting him the best health care I can, regular vaccines etc.

The dog is clear of any parasites, diseases etc., and I have taken him to the local vet(s) several times. One of the issues the Dog has, on and off, is heavier breathing.

I fear it may be allergies, but want to make sure it is not respiratory or heart related. My local vet(s) have previously taken radiography, used the stethoscope etc and do not see or hear anything abnormal.

BUT, I am not 100% confident, they are younger Vets (nothing wrong with that).

So, I made a Cardiology appointment at Texas A&M Small Animal Hospital Cardiology department, which had maybe a 2 month wait.

My appointment date is nearing and I am just wondering if any of you have experience with the level of care, facilities etc. at Texas A&M small animal hospital?

One of my concerns is that it is student vets, do they have good oversight by more experienced vets?

Thank you

May the force be with you

Luke
momlaw
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Luke, my email is in my profile.
We had positive experiences at the Small Animal Clinic seeking specialist's diagnosis and treatment options.
I would be happy to share the details privately.

mom
momlaw
lukeskywalker
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thank you @momlaw

I am sending you an email now

GunRangeGal
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My rescue was rushed to A&M for heart problems relating to heart worms (I adopted him when he was highly positive). He was in excellent hands and they were very thorough, never dismissive of my concerns, and never "rushed" through explaining what was happening. They prescribed the heart medicine he is still on today, and will be for the rest of his life. I never felt like he was getting anything other than STELLAR care there. A&M, combined with Dr. Bay at Van Stavern made sure I'll have my pup for many years to come.

They also saved my sister's dog when an Austin vet said the only hope was getting the puppy to A&M quickly. They rushed the dog to A&M that night and the students were great. My sister's dog is happy and healthy (and seizure free!), thanks to them.

Overall, we got an accurate diagnosis from people eager to help. They are top-notch, in my opinion... especially when a specialty diagnosis is needed.
lukeskywalker
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Thank you to momlaw and gunrangegal and all who are reading this.

Since many of you may have had experiences with other vet(s) and facilities in the area, do you feel that the A&M prices (for a scheduled visit) are at par or maybe 25% higher or 40% higher or more?) than another full service vet in the Houston/Bryan/College station area?

I understand that prices vary based on location itself, but factoring those in, are the prices at Texas A&M sort of at par with other facilities?

I am not a Texas A&M student/faculty, so will not get a discount.

Additionally, is the entire treatment performed by student vets, or is there some input and possibly discussion with more experienced, graduated vets?

Thank you
May the force be with you

Luke
momlaw
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There will be a supervising Faculty Veterinarian.
momlaw
lukeskywalker
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Thank you momlaw
UmustBKidding
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It likely will not be cheap, but not because any particular service is over priced, but because they typically run more test since they have the capability to do them in house. I probably still have an open account there, from spending big money there over the years. Think last emergency trip even with having spent >$20K over the years with them I had to prepay $750 before they would see the dog. Think that trip topped out at $3k and had no definitive answers about its cause if the illness. They wanted to biopsy something and I asked if it was likely to give us the cause and they said no, and they would discharge her no matter what the biopsy showed. We skipped the invasive procedure and the Dog is still alive & well 15 years later.
They will have the top experts at every step, students will learn a lot from you spending.
Please don't take this wrong, they are the best, but be aware of any prepay they may ask for so you can make an informed decision instead of a purely emotional one when you arrive. Call in advance so you are not caught off guard.




lukeskywalker
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Thank you to umustBKidding as well

I was told the fee for basic Cardiology procedures i.e. I presume a clinic visit with the Cardiologist and an EKG is about $550

Additional routine related tests and radiographs can then total about 1k or so.

I unfortunately do not have the means to spend tens of thousands, I am only a entry level salaried staff member at another large university in north Houston.

This pet is like our child, as we have no children or other pets, so we want to provide the best within our means.

I am tired of spending a couple of hundred each time I go to the regular local vet only to come back with some shotgun type of medicine, which may not be related to the cause.

We want to see if there is anything wrong, if so, treat it, if not, then thank our blessings.

By the way, if A&M suggests XYZ tests, etc. and we do not have them, and go home after paying fees for the services we used, do we get banned or blacklisted or looked up shoddily because we did not take the additional tests?

Thank you
May the force be with you

Luke
momlaw
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I seriously doubt there are black lists.

Everyone I encountered there was concerned about my dog, though when MRSA was suspected we were persona/canine non gratis. Turned out MRSA was a false alarm. No matter.
momlaw
UmustBKidding
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No they understand people have limits. They also have some deferred payment plans but I have not used them but only after you may the initial prepayment. My only less that stellar encounter there was when I took a dog that turned out to have parvo in. Vet student was belligerent towards me about how could I not have had had vaccinated. Was not my dog and it was current on vaccinations, the owners vet let them know to back off. But am sure the attending let the student know the discourse was not appropriate.
They will do well for you, just wanted you to be aware, many are not.

lukeskywalker
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Thank you umustbkidding and momlaw
csnole
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Your pup is very lucky to have you! You will pay a lot more than any vet around for services at A&M - well worth it IMO for the specialized care. They do offer payment plans which most vets do not - so that is nice. We took one of our dogs in for an emergency weekend visit and we're pleased with the level of care and staff - good luck and hope you and your pup gets some positive answers
lukeskywalker
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Thank you csnole.

I have heard they are at par with other Vets, but it seems that many on here suggest that A&M is priced at a premium.

What in your opinion differentiates A&M to the other private practices? I mean, many practices have friendly staff, and in house facilities.

Is it truly better diagnostic and or clinical skills?
TXAggie1976
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I have used them for emergencies ofover 40years and when my vet couldn't do the extensive surgery, back problems. I have pet insurance on ours and that helps so much!

Www.veterinarypetinsurance.com
MiMi
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S
The cardiologists and cardiology residents at TAMU are fantastic. It is a teaching hospital so there will be 4th year students participating in your dog's care and treatment. The clinician will present you the possible options and their recommendations for diagnostic testing (ie: chest x-rays, bloodwork, cardiac ultrasound, etc), including their costs, and let you decide what you would like to do. You will not be looked down upon or blacklisted because you choose not to have every possible test performed.
Rockdoc
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Cross post this on the outdoor board. Drboogs will probably answer and advise you.
nonag97
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I can't speak for Houston vets, but for around here, you will pay significantly more at the vet school. I can second that they will ask for tests that may not be exactly necessary and it is up to you to ask enough of the right questions to gauge your own necessity. The appointment will take a long time, be prepared to be there, at minimum, two hours. All of the students I have dealt with there are professional and compassionate. When four or five of them all pile in the room at once, don't be alarmed, that's normal. There will be a faculty vet 'presiding' over everything that happens and will take the time to talk to you and explain everything and answer your questions. I don't have experience with the cardiology group but another specialist group I saw there for several years was fantastic! It is top notch care, but it is expensive and it is time consuming. But we do whatever we can for our pets.

Regarding your specific question about being "blacklisted" for turning down services, I can answer that it has never been my experience.

Now, my opinion on their emergency services varies a great deal from this, but that's another story.
csnole
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My CS vet is an A&M grad - I know he sends certain lab work to them and also consults with A&M colleagues on difficult diagnosis. I trust him and know that I am paying significantly less than if I went to A&M directly. I have not used them for specialized care like cardiologist but would not hesitate if I needed to. Again my experience was in the Emergency dept.
Max06
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My experience with the vet school (both large and small animal), is that they are 110% willing to work with you on tests/procedures. If you go in and say "do anything and everything necessary" they will. But if you go in and let them know that you want to go a more conservative/less costly route, they are really good about that and totally understand that not everyone has unlimited funds for their animals.
lukeskywalker
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Thank you Max06

Gigem74
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When my cat started having seizures the local vet thought he had cancer......suggested I take him to the A&M Vet School Hospital/Clinic. Come to find out he was allergic to some of the routine shots he had been receiving. Doctors and staff were outstanding, caring and professional. For out of the ordinary issues with pets, I highly recommend them.
sunshine1
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Luke If you are going to the vet school for treatment it most likely for your animal to receive advanced or specialist care. All the faculty are board certified in their area, and you are charged for that expertise. It will take more time because the 4th year student(s) will be in to take a detailed history and perform a physical exam. They will take that information back to the faculty member (clinical specialist) and they have a discussion. Then its back to you for more discussion and suggestions for lab work and possible procedures. You may see the primary clinician at some point in the process. A&M pretty much has all the bells and whistles and they like to use them and bill you for that (that's how they pay for them). The vet school has very talented people with excellent training. Most of the veterinary students are among the most caring, and compassionate people around. I hope all goes well for you and your animal.

Depending on where you live in the Houston area, you might also consider Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists. This is a facility staffed with board certified veterinarians (many of them trained at A&M) who have virtually all the services A&M has. And it may be more convenient in your case. again, good luck.
MaroonSpirit
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If you are not wanting to go to TAMU, Gulf Coast is there in Houston and CTVSH is in Austin. I worked at CTVSH and know they are top notch.

Being out of College Station, I would most likely visit one of these 2 before A&M if possible if it were my dog. Just my opinion.
texasaggie04
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lukeskywalker said:

Thank you csnole.

I have heard they are at par with other Vets, but it seems that many on here suggest that A&M is priced at a premium.

What in your opinion differentiates A&M to the other private practices? I mean, many practices have friendly staff, and in house facilities.

Is it truly better diagnostic and or clinical skills?

If you're making an appointment with the cardiology service, then what differentiates is that you will be working with a veterinary cardiologist. Which means your options are basically (a) Texas A&M, (b) Gulf Coast in Houston, (c) whoever is in Austin, or (d) whoever is in Dallas.

There are not a lot of veterinary cardiologists out there, it's a small field.
lukeskywalker
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Thank you all and @gigem74 @sunshine1 @maroonspirit

I live in the NW part of Houston near 290, so College Station is about an hour away...I know...but sometimes it takes less to drive 60 miles in off peak hours on the highway then 10 miles during street traffic and a few exits on highways within the city

I think I will go with A&M just to rule out any issues, it may be worth the price to pay for peace of mind, and of course if there is any treatment required, I hope that their treatment course will not purely be profit/learning based but also out of fairness and applying the highest ethics.

On a side not, does anyone have recommendations on a good day to day vet in the greater Houston area?
MiMi
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Quote:

I hope that their treatment course will not purely be profit/learning based but also out of fairness and applying the highest ethics.
The veterinarians at TAMU will not perform unneeded tests or treatments just to pad your bill. The vet school is a tertiary care referral center and a teaching hospital. The 4th-year students will be graduating and entering practice in a little over 7 months. They are there to learn what they need to know starting day 1 of the career. But, as a referral center, TAMU does have the ability to do things that most veterinarians can't do because of their high-level expertise. Their cardiac catheterization suite is state of the art, using the same equipment as a human facility to repair congenital heart defects and implant pacemakers.
lukeskywalker
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Thank you @mimi
slyk
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As for me, I have mixed feelings about taking my pet there for anything serious. That is anything beyond routine or common illnesses. I know of all the high praises and in depth abilities everyone has mentioned, but I've sat in the "Rainbow Room" too many times when I felt that it should've not been the case.
lukeskywalker
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Thank you @slyk

What is the "rainbow room" pardon my ignorance...is it a phrase of speech?

MiMi
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Quote:

What is the "rainbow room" pardon my ignorance...is it a phrase of speech?
It's the Grief Room - where euthanasias are performed.
slyk
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What Mimi said.
It gets that name from the large picture in there of a rainbow with various pets shown in Heaven. If they escort you in there its never good news and the ultimate decision has to be made. I haven't been there in a while, I assume the pic is still there as it has been for years.
TXAggie1976
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I have a great local vet in CS..... but have Dachshunds.... local vets don't usually do back surgeries and I would not want one to do it.... at A&M, there is a whole dept dedicated to back surgery which mainly effects Dachshunds. Dr. Levine is internationally published and he is one of the many vets involved in this. Once the issues "show"..... drunken sailor walk or loss of back or front legs.... you have a max of 48 hours to get them to the vet school. If " they can walk in, they usually walk out" a few days later..... but the recovery takes 6-8 weeks of strict crating".

If you dog or cat.... has to stay there, theybare assigned a vet student who watches them, calls you with reports .... carries them to potty and carries them back. The dog learns to trust and like them. Also, in every case I have had to deal with over the last 40 years with pets and horses, you can visit them.... I am very overly protective but have never had a problem with them. Good luck!
Chickenlady
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I know this post is old but it just came up in a search for me and I want to share my experience for anyone else who comes across it.

I scheduled routine surgery for my 8-year old healthy dog at A&M vet hospital. It was more expensive than my local vet but she recommended it due to the location of the mass (a lipoma). They performed a CT scan as a precaution. The morning of the surgery they called to say they misdiagnosed the mass, it was cancer, they wanted to perform a 2nd CT scan and biopsy BEFORE they would remove it. Throughout the day they called with worse and worse predictions and wanted to do radiation first, remove bones and do skin grafts, then more radiation. The cost estimates were in the $10,000-20,000 range. When I finally said I would just come pick up my dog, they said he's going to die and this mass is going to get nasty oozy. I could never talk to a supervising vet except when I checked him in, they would only let me talk to the young vet.

I called around for second opinions and vets in the surrounding areas told me if A&M said it, then they would agree, which was a pain. Finally I went to Gulf Coast Vet Hospital in Houston. They understood my limitations on diagnostic costs (had already spent $4,000 with A&M) and that I was looking for quality of life for my dog, not bringing him home unable to walk or breathe, if he even survived. GCVS removed the mass with realistic margins and the biopsies showed NO CANCER. He was back to normal in two weeks.

To summarize, A&M has to pay for all of that specialized equipment somehow and they need to run EVERY POSSIBLE DIAGNOSTIC test to pay for it. I'd take my pet to a vet who uses common sense as a diagnostic tool as well. Only if your pet needs specialized care, would it be worth it to bring to A&M Vet Hospital, and be prepared for a 20-something with no bedside manner to mis-diagnose your pet TWICE.
tfunk02
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Chickenlady said:

I know this post is old but it just came up in a search for me and I want to share my experience for anyone else who comes across it.

I scheduled routine surgery for my 8-year old healthy dog at A&M vet hospital. It was more expensive than my local vet but she recommended it due to the location of the mass (a lipoma). They performed a CT scan as a precaution. The morning of the surgery they called to say they misdiagnosed the mass, it was cancer, they wanted to perform a 2nd CT scan and biopsy BEFORE they would remove it. Throughout the day they called with worse and worse predictions and wanted to do radiation first, remove bones and do skin grafts, then more radiation. The cost estimates were in the $10,000-20,000 range. When I finally said I would just come pick up my dog, they said he's going to die and this mass is going to get nasty oozy. I could never talk to a supervising vet except when I checked him in, they would only let me talk to the young vet.

I called around for second opinions and vets in the surrounding areas told me if A&M said it, then they would agree, which was a pain. Finally I went to Gulf Coast Vet Hospital in Houston. They understood my limitations on diagnostic costs (had already spent $4,000 with A&M) and that I was looking for quality of life for my dog, not bringing him home unable to walk or breathe, if he even survived. GCVS removed the mass with realistic margins and the biopsies showed NO CANCER. He was back to normal in two weeks.

To summarize, A&M has to pay for all of that specialized equipment somehow and they need to run EVERY POSSIBLE DIAGNOSTIC test to pay for it. I'd take my pet to a vet who uses common sense as a diagnostic tool as well. Only if your pet needs specialized care, would it be worth it to bring to A&M Vet Hospital, and be prepared for a 20-something with no bedside manner to mis-diagnose your pet TWICE.

My experience with GCVH was the total opposite. I lived in Houston at the time and started with them. I ended up at A&M paying less than half what GCVH wanted. I'd say, be careful and get second and third opinions and pricing. I wish I had done that instead of starting down an extremely expensive road with GCVH that I'm not sure was necessary at the time.
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