Reality Casting
1/5
After 5 loyal years of coming here, I will never go back. I will never recommend them, and I strongly advise against anyone going there. Their blatant disregard for my dog’s safety and health nearly cost him his life. They were rude, dismissive, unapologetic, and downright unprofessional.
My dog began exhibiting severe diarrhea, and I called to make an appointment. They were unable to accommodate me, which is understandable for a busy practice. I was forced to go to a previous vet, where they performed basic bloodwork and fecal testing. All results came back normal. However, his symptoms continued and escalated with severely bloody stools. I wanted to return to the vet he knew and trusted, and I finally got an appointment for Friday at 11:30 AM. On Friday morning at 4:57 AM, I received an email confirming the 11:30 AM appointment. I arrived at 11:00 AM. After being outside for about 10 minutes and Koda experiencing a bout of diarrhea, I checked in at 11:08am. At 11:33, the front desk attendant called me over and told me she would not be able to see Koda because I had not checked in within the 15-minute window. I explained that I had been there and checked in at 11:08. She then told me my appointment was actually at 11:00 AM and that I was late. I showed her the confirmation email. She claimed it was a glitch in the system and that the email I received was for a freestanding appointment created six months ago, actually scheduled for the following day. This was a lie. I have never had a freestanding appointment before. I begged her to see my dog since I was already there and, even if there was a miscommunication and an eight-minute delay, this was an urgent situation.
At that moment, my poor dog exploded in their lobby. The pool of blood was violent and astonishing. Up until now, even with his urgent diarrhea, he had never lost bowel control indoors. I offered to mop the mess and was attempting to comfort my dog and maintain a level of calm to avoid agitating him further. The receptionist did nothing. I pleaded with her, pointing out what had just happened, and asked if she could at least offer triage, check his vitals, or give him some fluids since he was severely dehydrated. She remained condescending and rude, stating there was nothing she could do, and that I had missed the appointment, even though it was their computer glitch mistake. The only option, according to her, was for them to take him in the back and keep him for 4 to 6 hours in a cage, possibly squeezing him in. I asked if they’d begin basic care and if he he’d be let out to poop. They said no. Other people in the waiting room were horrified; a gentleman even offered to give me his spot. The check-in staff insisted that was my only option or that I could come back at 6:30 PM, offering no immediate assistance for the current emergency situation.
A waiting customer pulled me aside and told me to leave immediately and take Koda to the emergency hospital. They advised that Larchmont Village Vet had no diagnostic abilities and were just a basic veterinary clinic. I left distraught and raced to TrueCare in Studio City, a 30-minute drive. Upon arrival, they confirmed that my dog was severely dehydrated, running a fever, and had an irregular heart rate. They stated that if I had arrived 10 or 15 minutes later, he possibly could have died. His condition was urgent and avoidable. It’s astonishing that Larchmont Village Vet wouldn’t even begin basic triage by giving him fluids and checking his vitals. Their complete ineptitude, lack of empathy, and ridiculous service could have cost my dog his life. If it weren’t for TrueCare, my dog would have died. I will never go back to Larchmont Village Vet, I will never recommend them, and if I could, I would file a lawsuit for negligence. Dr. Fishman your negligent staff is your responsibility and their handing of this situation is deplorable. You have lost a loyal client. For anyone reading this, Find a better Vet.
