I am so livid!! We just picked up our baby from 4 days of boarding. This was our second time…read moreboarding here but first time this long. Our pups towel that he sleeps with still smells like laundry deterrent (it obviously wasn't given to him), his dry food, wet food and treats were still in the bag we dropped off. We left specific feeding instructions and obviously not followed as he should have nothing left over after 4 days. We even called to check on him yesterday and asked if he was doing well, eating well. We were reassured that he was. We picked him up at 2:30 this afternoon and charged for another full day because "it was after 1PM". We were told we had to pick up by 5:00PM, no mention of extra charge if after 1PM. Zero stars... never again!

Abandoned in a Critical Time - No Empathy, No Warning, Just Termination…read moreI had been a client at Lake Forest Animal Hospital for years (including when I lived in the area), and I had high hopes for Dr. Angela Holley and the team to help my sweet dog Teddy with his severe, chronic ear infections. Instead, this experience left me shocked, heartbroken, and feeling completely abandoned during one of the most traumatic moments of my pet's life. My feelings and thoughts were valid and are valid. My panic, shock, and emotional pain are completely valid and heartbreaking. Teddy's situation is absolutely devastating: losing complete hearing in one ear, enduring constant pain despite multiple treatments, and now facing major surgery like Total Ear Canal Ablation (TECA) to remove the entire ear canal. After pouring thousands--around $4,000--into his care with no lasting relief, the prospect of another 3-5k bill feels like an impossible blow, especially when I'm already exhausted, burnt out, and emotionally strained. Teddy has suffered from painful, recurrent ear infections for a long time. I drove 3 hours from Raleigh, NC, through heavy traffic and slow-moving trucks, just to keep his appointment here. I called ahead to warn them I was running late due to unavoidable delays. When I arrived, the staff seemed frustrated and treated me like an inconvenience. They refused to clean his ears that day (even though another vet had managed it despite his pain and resistance), insisting I give him prednisone first and do the cleaning myself at home. I was terrified--I'm not a vet, I have no training, I was already overwhelmed and traumatized by his ongoing suffering, and I felt unequipped to handle a complex, painful infection safely. I brought him back a second time; they sedated him, cleaned his ears, and placed the monthly medication (the same one that had failed multiple times before and clogged his ears again). I had explicitly told them it hadn't worked previously, yet it was repeated. I emailed the office calmly expressing my disappointment and concern that Teddy wasn't improving, sent photos of his ear, that the same ineffective treatment was used again, and my worry about no oral antibiotics (as a non-vet, I feared the infection spreading). I have the emails as proof: I was never rude, never put down the vet or staff, never threatened anyone, never yelled, never cursed, and never did anything aggressive. I simply stated facts and apologized if I came across poorly, explaining my stress and fear for my dog. Recently, Teddy was diagnosed elsewhere with complete hearing loss in one ear and needs Total Ear Canal Ablation (TECA) surgery (3-5k cost). Desperate, I called Lake Forest for a surgery estimate--only to be put on long hold and then told Dr. Holley had terminated our client relationship entirely. No prior notice, no phone call, no discussion. Reasons cited: my concerns about care, stating that he was better after the ear cleaning and then changing my opinion that he wasn't getting better, not picking up meds (while I was out of town, dealing with snow, my own health issues, and distance), and implying I was difficult. They dismissed Teddy's pain response during handling as him being "dramatic." This is not how veterinary care should work. When a pet is in constant pain, losing hearing, and facing major surgery, owners need empathy, not abandonment. My concerns came from a place of love, fear, and trauma--not rudeness. I did not know at the time he needed his ear canal removed. I did not know why he wasn't getting better and I was SCARED. To be cut off without warning in the middle of a crisis feels punitive and unprofessional. These are animal healthcare providers; they should understand that pets are family and that owners panic when their loved one is suffering. I'm beyond disappointed and heartbroken. I would not recommend this practice to anyone facing a serious or chronic pet health issue. Seek a vet who communicates, shows compassion, and doesn't drop clients when they advocate for their animal during difficult times. Teddy deserves better. So did I. I am Thankful that my new vet is a lot more compassionate, empathetic, and communicative. His new vet also sent me home with pain meds which Dr. Holley did not and he yelped really loudly when I picked him up. I also told them he needed to go to the bathroom before sedation. They said he needed to be sedated soon for them to be able to do it. When I arrived, they gave me judgmental looks, and Teddy was barking a lot. It's because he was trying to tell them he needed to go to the bathroom. I took him to potty and he pottied a long time. He was taken beforehand but with the prednisone, he needed to have been taken out beforehand.