Any vet recommendations in the Durham South Point area?

JamesFeinberg · **Posted:** Mon Sep 03, 2007 12:53 pm

Does anybody have a recommendation for a good veterinarian for cats in Durham near the South Point area?

I am currently using Park Veterinary Hospital and while it is super convenient to my house (less than 2 miles), I haven't been real happy with the level of care my cats have received there. They seem to have a rotation of doctors and I always feel like they are seeing me and the cats for the first time every visit despite being there a lot in the last couple of years.

I had a good vet in Cary but 2 of my 3 cats *really* hate the car so I hate to subject them to that long of a car ride. Frankly, with the way I drive, who can blame them.

My eldest cat seems to have developed a severe case of arthritis in his left rear leg and it's killing me watching him limp around the house. I've taken him to Park twice now and they really don't seem to be doing much for him. I'd love to be able to get a second opinion and perhaps establish a new place for all 3 to visit.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Jim

Emmie Fisher · **Posted:** Mon Sep 03, 2007 1:50 pm

Maybe a little farther than you want to drive, but I've been taking my pups to Carrboro Plaza Vet Clinic for a bunch of years (since before I started autoXing in '93). I use to go to The Animal Hospital in Carrboro, but they got to be the same "who are you" place you described. Carrboro Plaza still has at least some of the same vets who were there when I first started going there, *and* I like them a lot. They even have at least one of the same vet techs, so the "other employees" must like it pretty good there, too.

Richard Casto · **Posted:** Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:03 pm

We must live very close to each other.

We also goto Park, but our visits have been so infrequent that I don't think we see the problem you are having.

We don't have first hand experience with anyone else, but there is another place close by that we have heard good things about. I can't remember the name of the place, but it is at the corner of Rt 55 and Sedwick Dr. It is just about two minutes south on 55 from the 55/54 exit on I-40. Its like two minutes from my house.

Whoever was in there closed down a few years ago and someone new opened up in the same location. They have been open for about a year or so now.

Gwen Habenicht · **Posted:** Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:36 pm

Jim,
There’s a very good Veterinarian who’s specialty is cats. Her name is Donna Manley. I’ll have to find what practice she’s with currently. She used to have her own limited practice but now works for someone. If it can wait til Tues when they are open I’ll find her and let you know. I found her when 2 vets in general practice misdiagnosed a problem with one of my cats several years ago. Even she had to be pushed a bit to look at what I said it was, but I liked her because she didn’t blow me off and agreed to do so. So many young vets today tend to have the opinion that if you aren’t a vet that you can’t possibly know what’s going on. (Forget the fact that in my case I’ve probably handled more cats in the past 30+ years than they’ve yet to see.) Even if they hate the drive, it will be worth it to get good care. A second choice is Veterinary Specialty Hospital in Cary. Not sure who’s currently on staff there, however.

Mo Monroe · **Posted:** Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:05 pm

Hi Jim -

Charlie's sister is our vet. Lives close, but she her office isn't so close - she's out Guess Rd. My cats hate the car too, but I find the drive is worth it to having a doctor I trust. It's North Paw Animal Hospital, 919-471-1471 and her name is Cindy Muse - if you can't find one closer that you like.

Mo

JamesFeinberg · **Posted:** Mon Sep 03, 2007 8:32 pm

Thanks everyone.

Emmie, that place sounds good but it's a little bit further than I want to travel with the cats. If I can't find anything else I'm comfortable with, I'll definitely keep them in mind. I'll have to mention that place to my Dad since he just got a new puppy and lives near there.

Richard, I'm a little hesitant to go someplace where somebody I know doesn't have personal experience. Especially if they haven't been in business very long. I do like the location however so perhaps they can be a backup plan at this point.

Gwen, I'd love it if you could find out where Donna is currently. Park seems to take a shotgun approach to diagnosing problems which worries me. When I first brought Ceaser there they said it was likely a sprain from falling or a bad jump/landing but now they claim it's severe arthritis. I know it's probably hard to be sure about these types of things but after 2 sets of x-rays and 3 examinations, I still get the feeling that they are just taking shots in the dark. Meanwhile his leg seems to be worse than ever and the medication they gave me doesn't seem to have any effect.

I went through a similar situation with Rudd, my cat in the middle, last year when he developed breathing problems. It turned out he has a bad case of asthma and it took them 4 visits to figure it out. I'm certainly no doctor but that seemed excessive (and expensive!). I saw 3 different doctors in those 4 visits and none of them are currently still employed at Park. That didn't exactly give me a warm fuzzy...

Mo, that's exactly what I'm looking for! If Gwen's doctor turns out to be super convenient I might go with her but if not, I'll give Charlie's sister a shot. North Paw is definitely pushing the distance range but at least I'll know the source. Besides, cat vomit isn't too hard to clean out of automotive carpet. :wink:

Thanks again!

Jim

Gwen Habenicht · **Posted:** Mon Sep 03, 2007 8:59 pm

JamesFeinberg wrote:

Besides, cat vomit isn't too hard to clean out of automotive carpet. :wink:

Jim

Repeat after me, "cat carrier". Saves your carpet, but more importantly, may save your cat. (In case some idiot doesn't know who you are and decides to have a wreck with you.)

Seriously, I can bring one this weekend for you to use if you need one. I emailed Donna and will call the practice where I *think* she works in the morning.

Gwennie

Richard Casto · **Posted:** Mon Sep 03, 2007 8:59 pm

JamesFeinberg wrote:

Richard, I'm a little hesitant to go someplace where somebody I know doesn't have personal experience. Especially if they haven't been in business very long. I do like the location however so perhaps they can be a backup plan at this point.

Totally understand. I ended up going out for an errand later today and checked the name. It is "Tyson Animal Hospital".

Stacy King · **Posted:** Mon Sep 03, 2007 9:01 pm

+1 for North Paw, they did right by our Cocker Spaniel when we lived in N. Durham.

A little closer your way, is Colony Park Animal Hospital. My mom takes all her dogs there, and it was my first real job back in the day as a kennel assistant. It's near the leaning tower of Durham.

JamesFeinberg · **Posted:** Mon Sep 03, 2007 9:16 pm

Gwen Baake wrote:

Repeat after me, "cat carrier". Saves your carpet, but more importantly, may save your cat. (In case some idiot doesn't know who you are and decides to have a wreck with you.)

I actually have 5 of them-- don't ask!!!

I do use them although I'm not sure Ceaser is all that happy after vomiting in an enclosed space. I sure am, though.

I usually bring 2 along in case I have to put him in the 2nd one for the trip into the vet from the car. Luckily Rudd doesn't suffer from that problem although he is prone to pee all over the place instead.

Yep, they sure are fun! :lol:

The youngest, Hobbes, actually seems to like the car so he isn't much of a problem. Probably more than you wanted to know, huh? :wink:

Gwen Baake wrote:

I emailed Donna and will call the practice where I *think* she works in the morning.

Thanks!

Jim

Kevin Hoff · **Posted:** Mon Sep 03, 2007 9:53 pm

I have been very happy with "The Cat Hospital" on Garrett Road, just before you get to the old Darryl's. It's on the left heading towards 15/501 in the strip mall immediately after the Goodwill center. The vet there was VERY nice and easygoing with my devil cat Oscar. He doesn't like new people and REALLY hates vets. They took care of him (for a routine visit) quickly and caringly, even though he was a total ass the whole time.

--Kevin H.

http://www.cathospitaldurhamch.com/

Dustin Fredrickson · **Posted:** Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:23 pm

Jim, We were always happy with VCA Cornerstone on High House and Davis when we lived in Morrisville. Not REAL close, but not too far from you either. Oscar has always been pretty healthy, but Shelby, our Mini Dachsund, has had her share of back problems and other issues and they always did real good.

We transferred up to VCA Durant in N. Raleigh and they just don't seem as good. If it weren't a 40 minute drive from our house, we'd go back to Cornerstone.

http://www.vcacornerstone.com/

Donnie Barnes · **Posted:** Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:01 am

IMHO, for anything "serious" or for anything "chronic", normal vets suck. Been through that several times with different vets (always with dogs, but I doubt it matters) and animals. They simply know how to treat the normal everyday stuff, and outside of that they don't have a clue. I've even had them completely misread x-rays and the like (I mean if you have nobody that can read the thing, why even have the machine?).

So for something like arthritis, I think I'd go straight to NCSU. That's the only place I know of I'd trust for anything serious any more.

--Donnie

Gwen Habenicht · **Posted:** Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:20 am

Jim,
I’m not having much luck finding Donna. She’s no longer @ Timberlyne where I last knew her to be. I had her email address and it hasn’t bounced back, but she hasn’t responded either. A couple of phone numbers have yielded no results. I do believe in finding someone who specializes in cats for cat matters, much past shots and small infections. On that note you might consider: Dr Mette Tomkins, who is a cat specialist.

Dr. Mette Tomkins
Legion Road Animal Clinic
1703 Legion Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27517

Phone: (919) 933-3331

Short of that, Donnie’s probably correct. I’ve had a couple of opportunities to press for going to State, once for a cancer that no one else could detect. Just be sure you get the “teacher”, not the “student”!
I’ll keep trying, but good luck.
Gwennie

JamesFeinberg · **Posted:** Tue Sep 04, 2007 6:57 pm

Thanks for the continued advice everyone.

What's the deal with NCSU? Do I just call the vet department? I wasn't aware they even dealt with the general public. It's a haul but if somebody local can't make Ceaser better, it might be worth a shot.

Jim

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