(Tl;dr: This clinic is incredible and I am so grateful to them despite not getting to bring my boy back home with me afterward.)
I brought my beloved leopard gecko, Dexter, here a couple weeks ago. I ended up having to have him euthanized, but I was SO impressed with the level of care and compassion Dr. Chapman and the team showed to us that I knew I had to leave a review once I was emotionally ready.
Dex had been acting very lethargic for a few days when I started looking for a vet to see him. The one closest to me didn't have any appointment openings at all, but Avian and Exotic was able to schedule us just two or three days out.
The waiting area is nice and cozy with ample sunlight, and the exam room was quiet and pleasant. They had set up a heat mat for Dex ahead of time so he could be warm and comfortable while we waited. We did have a little bit of a wait before the vet came in (maybe 15 minutes?), but I've experienced much worse wait times elsewhere.
Dr. Chapman developed a diagnostic plan with me based on her initial examination, and we agreed to do each test one at a time--roughly in order of importance--so I didn't have to spend more than necessary. Unfortunately, during the ultrasound, she found a large mass on Dexter's liver, and the X-rays showed some abnormalities as well. The only way to determine whether the mass was cancerous would be exploratory surgery. Dr. Chapman had a very honest discussion with me about Dexter's chances of survival, both during and after the surgery, and I made the extremely difficult decision to have him humanely euthanized since he was so, so ill.
Dr. Chapman and the vet tech (I'm so sorry, I don't remember your name!) were both extremely compassionate during the entire process and made sure Dex was completely unconscious before the final injection. They also provided me a free clay cast with imprints of his paws and tails, with his name at the top, for which I am extremely grateful.
Dr. Chapman (very gently) asked my permission to do a (free) necropsy on Dexter, since apparently this kind of liver mass is unusual in leopard geckos, and I agreed. She emailed me the results and had found multiple masses on his liver, which was very diseased, and fluid buildup in his chest. She was able to reassure me that I had likely made the right choice, because he almost certainly wouldn't have made it through surgery.
She also sent me a lovely condolences card the next week (which made me cry again because of how nice it was). I cannot express enough how much I appreciated the level of care, compassion, and honesty I received from everyone at this clinic. They made a truly devastating loss slightly more bearable.
Deeply impressed by the professionalism and care at this vet. Our pet chicken was lethargic and struggling to breathe, and were able to get an immediate appointment for a reasonable price. They worked within my budget to prioritize key treatments and zero in on exactly what needed to be done to reach a diagnosis.
Sadly, we discovered that our girl was in the final stages of congenital heart failure, and she passed away that night. As heartbroken as we were to say goodbye, just knowing what had happened gave us a lot of relief. The next week, we received a very lovely card from the office expressing their condolences. I was really touched.
It's never easy to say goodbye to a beloved pet, but the team here was a real comfort. Thank you for everything ❤️
