Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists (GCVS) advertises themselves as having compassion for you and your pets, however, one thing you will certainly not find here is compassion for you, nor your pets. In fact, there is not enough space on any review site to list the multitude of ways they express lack of compassion. While there is likewise a multitude of reasons you should avoid this place, I’ll try and just get down to some basics.
The reviews about money and the costs found on the internet are accurate, it is unlikely you will walk out of GCVS for less than $1,000 and I have heard of owners walking out with as much as a $15,000 bill and a dead pet at that. And yes, if your pet dies, they still demand you pay the huge bills, they want their money and will get their money out of you one way or another, they have no mercy, no compassion, they are hungry for money, money, money. To this end, I highly encourage anyone who goes here to carefully check their bills/invoices before paying and make sure all tests they charged you for were in fact run. On several occasions I have been charged for tests that were never run or performed, and it wasn’t until I asked that they took the charge off the bill. Check your bills people, ask questions, make sure the tests were run before you pay.
In my experience GCVS is also extremely centered in western medicine, and black and white text book veterinary practice. They tend to go by the books, certainly don’t run the extra mile to research or consider or encourage alternatives, and most importantly, often fail to consider the specific, individual pet in issue. If the condition is in the gray area, isn’t black and white, isn’t in the books, isn’t based in hard science or typical, then all I can say is you probably won’t get an answer from GCVS no matter how many diagnostics they run and how much money you spend, and you should search for alternative doctors, answers, treatments and places on your own. Don’t rely on GCVS to figure it out for you and your pet, do your homework. GCVS is not immune to making mistakes. I assure you they do make mistakes, though they will lie, cheat, beg and steal so to speak before they will ever fess up to their mistakes. So do your homework, ask questions, use your logic and most importantly, follow your gut. If your gut tells you they are wrong, something isn’t right, you are probably right, follow your intuition.
I’ve seen several posts on the internet claiming GCVS killed or otherwise harmed their pets and commenting that it’s too bad you can’t sue veterinarians for malpractice. This is completely untrue. Texas does in fact allow you to file lawsuits for negligence against veterinarians, and if you believe GCVS killed or otherwise harmed your pet, I suggest you contact The Houston Lawyer’s Referral Service and/or the State of Bar Texas to refer you to an attorney. The Veterinary Abuse Network or Suki's Safe Haven may also be able to point you in the right direction. Don’t let GCVS get away with it, fight for you and your pet, seek out your justice.
In the end, if you are in an emergency or have a really sick animal, there are other places to take your pet to, do your homework. VERGI on I-10 is open 24/7, 365 days a year. In addition, while I have never personally been there, Memorial 610 Hospital for Animals has received excellent reviews online and it appears they offer all GCVS has to offer by way of diagnostics.
by Animal J
xxx.xxx.83.136
November 10, 2012