We originally brought all three of our cats to Hickory Grove Veterinary Clinic for their physicals and had a great experience, so we felt comfortable making them our regular vet. Unfortunately, that changed when one of our cats became seriously ill and was ultimately diagnosed with bone cancer.
Throughout the process, we often felt completely in the dark. We waited over an hour in the exam room for the doctor to return with information, and when she did, much of the explanation was given in highly technical terminology without clearly explaining what it meant, what to expect, or what our options were. We received very little guidance on monitoring his condition, contingency plans, pain management, or keeping him comfortable. We ultimately had to turn to friends who are veterinarians—and later the veterinarian who provided his in-home euthanasia—to get the information and guidance we needed.
The follow-up was equally disappointing. We received only one call regarding his biopsy results, which was also about 15 minutes late, and we still felt like we were left to figure everything out ourselves.
The lack of compassion was perhaps the most difficult part. When we were told that our cat's condition did not look good, the conversation felt very clinical and impersonal. When we later informed the clinic that we had scheduled his euthanasia and asked about pain medication to keep him comfortable until then, we never received a personal call from the doctor—not even a simple expression of sympathy or concern. We were given very limited pain management despite the severity of his condition.
Ironically, the first time the doctor reached out directly after learning we were euthanizing our cat was after I left a negative review. I received multiple calls and texts asking what the clinic could do better, but there was no acknowledgment of our loss or sympathy for what we had just gone through. It felt more focused on the business and the review than on our pet or our family.
The clinic environment was also extremely stressful for our cat. We could hear loud, continuous barking for essentially our entire visit, and he was terrified. For a sick and frightened cat, I would have expected a quieter, more cat-friendly environment.
Our initial experiences with the clinic were good, and I don't doubt that they provide competent basic veterinary care. However, when our cat became critically ill, we needed communication, compassion, guidance, and support—and we did not feel that we received those things. We felt largely on our own during one of the hardest experiences a pet owner can go through.
Losing him was heartbreaking. I want my babies to be cared for by people who genuinely care about their comfort and well-being, not just the medical transaction. Unfortunately, we no longer feel that Hickory Grove Veterinary Clinic is that place, and we will not be bringing our cats back.
Friendly staff, flexible appointments, helpful, knowledgable and all around an easy vet visit. Very affordable.
