I've been a client of McLean Animal Hospital since 2019, when I first got my dog, back when Dr. Sexton Sr. still ran it. It's now run by his son, Dr. Sexton Jr. Over the years, I've found the front desk staff to be inconsistent -- friendly some days, dismissive on others -- and the vets themselves are generally competent. But after several serious incidents, I can no longer recommend this practice.
Incident 1: A misdiagnosis that nearly cost my dog his life.
In 2021, when my dog was 2, he ingested rat poison. We didn't know the cause at the time, only that he was showing symptoms, so we brought him in to see Dr. Norway. He coughed up blood in front of her, and she sent us home with a diagnosis of pneumonia, telling us to go to emergency care only if things worsened. He survived, but not because of anything she did. A dog coughing up blood in an exam room should never be sent home.
I moved on from that experience by switching to a different vet within the practice. That vet was excellent, but she left. I eventually landed with Dr. Sexton Jr., which brings me to the more recent issues.
Incident 2: A grooming deposit that vanished into thin air.
I've also used their grooming services, and I want to specifically credit Stephanie, who was consistently kind, attentive, and easy to work with. When she took a leave of absence following a death in her family, the practice canceled my upcoming appointment and offered to put me on a waitlist. I agreed and let them keep the deposit. Over six months passed with no update. When I finally called to ask whether Stephanie was back, they confirmed she was -- and had been, apparently for some time -- with no attempt to contact me despite holding my deposit. When I raised this, I was met with no acknowledgment of the oversight.
Incident 3: Billed for an exam that never happened.
Most recently, my dog was having urinary issues. I'd already had testing done elsewhere but wanted Dr. Sexton Jr.'s opinion, given the history above. He spent a good amount of time walking me through the results, which I appreciated -- but he never physically examined my dog. When I paid, I was charged a full exam fee regardless.
I let it go initially, but on reflection, I asked at my next scheduled appointment that the fee be addressed, since I'd paid for a service I didn't receive. No one at the front desk could resolve it, so the practice manager called me. She first suggested the charge was for vaccines -- which I pointed out were billed separately, and she conceded the point -- then explained that because time had passed since his last visit, an in-person visit was required. I asked why, if that were the case, no actual exam took place once we were there, and why a phone consultation -- cheaper and more appropriate given no exam was needed -- wasn't offered instead. Rather than answer that, she began recommending other vets to me. She called back shortly after, informing me that the practice was terminating our relationship. When I noted that their response to a billing concern was to drop me as a client, she replied that she was sorry I felt that way.
In my experience, this practice does not take accountability for its mistakes, has inconsistent front-desk service, and charges for services not rendered. I'd encourage anyone considering this practice to look elsewhere. read more