Hi All, I just wanted to take a moment to say thanks to all of you for the services over the last few years with our Mustangs. At first I did not think I was going to find a vet at all as the moment I mentioned Mustang, they started talking about not taking new animals on and such. Not Dr. George. He was glad to come out and see them and even said that he loved working with Mustangs.
Thankfully there have not been many major emergencies with them, but there was a time I was very worried about my boy Vinny. He was off a bit and Dr. George came right out to see him the next day. He spent a lot of time checking him over and found him just to be sore and gave me some ‘bute’ with the instructions on how much and when to give it to him.
Well Vinny seemed fine for the next week and then all of a sudden was no off on his rear left. This scared the heck out of me as earlier in the year he had some weird little wound on his check the looked like a bug bite. The first thing I thought was Lyme!!!!
Doc George came right out the next morning and looked Vinny over but good. He found that Vinny had an abscess. He showed it to me and explained what it was. Then he asked his assistant to hold on to Vinny as getting it fixed up would hurt. My good boy didn’t even flinch as Doc George fixed him up. As soon as he was done you could see Vinny brighten right up.
For the next week I had to give him an Epsom salt soak twice a day and he just loved that! He did look funny with duct tape around his hoof to hold the bandage on. After a week or so Vinny was right back to his old self my blood pressure went back down.
I owe Doc George a lot more than just a barn call fee, I owe him my gratitude and respect. He really is one of the few vets that really care about the animal and the owner.
Thanks to everyone there.
I went to Deerfield Veterinary Clinic when I needed a second opinion about a problem my dog (Moose) was having with her eye. While the opinion was the same, the approach at DVC was very different.
Moose’s eye needed to be removed. That’s a tough thing to hear, but Dr. George made the best of a bad situation. I’ve had my dog for almost thirteen years, and this was the first time a vet has taken the time to really explain what needed to be done, and WHY, in terms that were easy for me to understand.
Dr. George gave me a tour of the facility, and I got to see the operating room and ICU. Very high tech stuff! The behind-the-scenes look made me feel more comfortable about the surgery.
Although Moose has been going to another vet for the past six years, I decided to have Dr. George do the operation. From the start, I knew it was the right decision. He and his staff are WONDERFUL. They are friendly, down-to-earth, and it’s obvious that they love what they do.
On the day of the operation, Dr. George, Jenni and Jody called me several times to let me know exactly how Moose was doing. It was comforting to know that the clinic is right next to Dr. George’s house, and that he and Jenni would be able to stay close to Moose overnight. They told me that I could call them or visit Moose any time, even in the middle of the night. Although I didn’t take them up on the offer, it put my mind at ease.
The surgery was a success, and now that the stitches are out, Moose is acting like nothing ever happened. She’s happy, and we think she looks cute…like she’s always winking at us. She’s comfortable and enjoying life again, and that means the world to me.
While I could never put a price tag on the love I have for my dog, I found the rates at DVC to be very reasonable. The price of the original office visit was well below what I was used to paying. Also, the final bill for the surgery fell within the range of the estimate I was given. They have an in-house pharmacy, and the prices for the medications Moose needed were lower than I would have expected.
It’s been a rough few weeks for the whole family, but we’re extremely grateful to the folks at DVC for making it all go as smoothly as possible. We’ll be taking our pets to them from now on!
In the midst of a wintery New England night, our three and a half year old Percheron cross, Panda, appeared to be “off” as we brought her and her companion, Coffee, in for the night. My daughter, Ashley, and I didn’t expect anything major to be wrong; she had a normal appetitive, was quite happy, and appeared to be alright in every other aspect. Our first impression was the she played too hard in the deep snow. However, we quickly discovered that this was not the case.
The next day, she appeared to be much worse. She did not let out the usual “nicker” as we opened the barn doors to give them their breakfast and she had trouble simply turning in her stall. It was even difficult for her to get to her feed bucket, very unusual for a horse whose life revolves around food. She eventually made her way out to the paddock through her dutch door. She planted herself in the snow and refused to move. Clearly, something was not right. Dr. Simon George was called, and he immediately came out to our farm in Chester first thing that Saturday morning. Panda exhibited soreness in both her front feet, but no definitive diagnosis could be made. We were hopeful she had a simple stone bruise or an abscess in one of her feet; however, Laminitis was suspected to be the cause of her pain. Although unusual in a young horse, he believed that she was foundering.
This was the beginning of a series of several urgent calls over the next two weeks. Ashley and I strictly followed Simon’s guidelines to get Panda through the critical part of this nagging disease. Confined to her stall, she was not herself anymore. She had no appetite, and would spend her days uncomfortably standing with her head hung low. There were three specific times when she appeared to have given up; although Simon surely had not.
The next three phone calls we made to the clinic were the same; we told Simon Panda was laying down flat in her stall; breathing very heavily and had a racing heart rate as if she had been trying to get up but her feet simply could not withstand to support her body weight any longer. While waiting for him to arrive the third time, Ashley sat next to Panda and massaged her face and neck, reassuring her that help was on its way. An exhausted Panda found her last bit of strength to lift her head and look up at Ashley, as if she knew what she was saying, and then gently placed her head on Ashley’s lap; letting out a long, heart breaking sigh. Luckily, with Simon’s help, we were able to get her standing, but she was critical.
Her worsening condition triggered us to move her and Coffee to our trainers boarding facility in Deerfield, just minutes down the road from Simon’s Clinic. After several more blood tests, physical examinations, and X-rays, Simon diagnosed her with Equine Insulin Resistance, the trigger to her Laminitis. He communicated and met with our farrier on several occasions. They decided glue on shoes and continued stall rest were in her best interest. Eventually we were able to hand walk her with out her taking a single lame stride. In mid March, she was healthy and comfortable enough to return home to Chester.
Simon continues to work with our trainer and farrier, and communicates with me on a regular basis to check in on Panda. Each day is a gift to see her in her stall. The staff at Deerfield Veterinary Clinic went above and beyond to get Panda and our family through the acute stage of this disease. We realize we have a long road ahead of us, but with the support Simon and his staff have to offer, we know we will have a positive result.
Thank you, Dr. George and the Deerfield Veterinary Clinic Staff. You have given us the hope we need.
Choosing a compassionate, skilled veterinarian with 24 hour service proved to be a very good decision for me.
My long time buddy, 11 year old Bailey, was not feeling well and after several tests Dr. George determined that his liver was not functioning properly. The next few days were difficult for Bailey and me. And I am forever grateful that DVC was there for me when I needed them. From late night visits to the clinic when it seemed Bailey wasn’t doing well, to check in phone calls from Dr. George, to quick calls to the pharmacy when the meds had to be changed DVC earned my respect and confidence.
Dr. George not only treated Bailey but he helped me understand the medical facts, the risks and the possible outcomes in a clear and honest manner. And then he supported me with the decisions I made. Respectful, skilled, compassionate and available are the words I would use to describe my experience at DVC.
Thank you all very much.
It seems lately that the buzz in Deerfield is all about the ‘new’ vet in town. From every source, all I’ve heard is good feedback. Some folks went to Dr. George without knowing him & came away enthused about the new practice and feeling very confident in this new guy. Others knew him from their visits to Wadleigh Falls & reported very positive experiences. I found myself wishing this was my vet too. Located in my town, highly recommended by all, handles large & small animals & is there 24 HOURS!!!
This week my dog, Basil, was not feeling well & I felt needed immediate care. My vet was not available and I called Dr. George’s office. His wife, Jenni, took the call, listened to my concern, asked some questions & said ‘absolutely come in, we’ll see you right away.
The sad news is that Basil had a tumor on her spleen that had ruptured and we made the decision to euthanize her that day. The good news is that my experience was BY FAR the best vet experience I have ever had. Everyone was so kind to Basil and thoughtful about how my husband & I were doing. We were able to stay with Basil, even during tests that were done.Dr. George gave us a lot of clear information about her condition, explained our options and was supportive of whatever decision we made.
Dr. George, Jenni, Jodi-a big thanks to all of you.
