Dr.med.vet. Martin Unger

Super Team

On Wednesday, the vet sent me to the clinic because my foster dog (a Chihuahua) had severe diarrhea with blood. Since I didn't have an appointment, I wasn't treated very well. I was told it would take a while, even though I had a seriously ill dog with me. After two hours, I asked when I would finally be seen. I was told it wasn't an emergency (even though there was a report from the vet about my foster dog's condition) and that I would have to wait. Three hours passed before we were finally seen. Unfortunately, the vet couldn't give me a precise diagnosis, but I was told to leave him at the clinic overnight so they could put him on an IV drip. He died there the next morning. The receptionist should have known that such a small dog with significant fluid and blood loss needs immediate treatment, or at least that someone should examine him. I didn't feel like a second-class citizen, but rather a third-class citizen. I will never take any animal to this clinic again.

We've been there twice for treatment within six months. First, for major dental surgery, and now for emergency surgery after a biting incident. The veterinary team is highly competent and provides the most conscientious care for the animals. It's the most modern clinic in our area. The organization is excellent, from admission to discharge. There's plenty of parking on site. For follow-up care, we went back to the practice on Klinkerberg. We've had nothing but positive experiences there as well.

The reception for an emergency patient and their owner was a complete failure! At 7:40 a.m., I noticed my 11-month-old German Shepherd suddenly experiencing abdominal pain. Suspecting gastric torsion, we immediately drove to the clinic in Augsburg. We arrived at 8:45 a.m. Although my vet had announced our arrival at reception, and we were already on file, we were required to fill out a registration form. Completely shocked, I could barely complete it, and the arrogant and utterly insensitive staff member repeatedly asked me to add this information and pointed out that a signature was missing. I was asked for the referring vet. I didn't understand this question, nor the brief discussion that ensued. – Which vet referred you? – No vet referred me; I made the decision myself. – But a vet called and announced your arrival. – Yes, that's my vet, whom I asked to announce my arrival so that no time would be wasted in the emergency room. – Then your vet won't get the report. – No, why should I? I'll get it. – Why should you get a report? That's not standard practice here! – I see it differently. I'm the owner, I pay the bill, so I get the report. – Fine, whatever you want, it costs €10. – You know, I'm under a lot of stress. Send the report to my vet. – (Rant!) – It still costs €10. – Do what you want, can I finally get through to the treatment? "How much does your dog weigh?" I was asked. After I couldn't answer, I was told – "That's exactly why there's a scale in the waiting room, so dog owners can weigh their dogs!" Eyes were rolled and gestures were made to the colleague. Seriously – nobody wants to be treated like that! I have my dog ​​on a leash, he's bleeding and has severe abdominal pain!! This is not how I imagine an emergency room!! All my information was already in the computer; the woman could have simply asked for my dog's name and date of birth and entered it directly. Then the registration wouldn't have taken any time. Valuable minutes have already been lost – emergency room!! In the examination room, I pointed out the severe pain; by now, pure blood was dripping from my dog. A rapid Giardia test was performed – I also mentioned that my dog ​​didn't have diarrhea and that this amount of pure blood wasn't typical for Giardia. We waited for the result – negative. More minutes passed. My renewed question about organ torsion was dismissed because the dog was still in a very stable condition and his abdomen wasn't distended. I pointed out to the vet that it must have happened practically in my presence, and that the symptoms, as described several times online, pointed to torsion. I immediately went to the clinic; it's very likely that no vet had ever seen this condition at such an early stage. An ultrasound was performed, and the fluid-filled abdomen was punctured. While the fluid was being analyzed, my dog ​​was put on an IV drip. By then, he was yelping in pain. The fluid contained bacteria found only in the intestines. Emergency surgery was initiated. It was now after 10:20 a.m. Diagnosis: the entire small and large intestines had twisted; the intestines had died. My beloved Jasko was euthanized. Of course, I'm wondering if my dog ​​would have had a chance of survival if we had been treated as an emergency case. Surgery could have been performed much earlier in our case, but apparently, the patient's outward condition was too good. I would not go to this clinic again in an emergency, from the reception staff, who are completely incompetent in dealing with pet owners under stress, to the attending veterinarian, who, in my opinion, lacks the necessary experience.

Unfortunately, Dr. Unger treats animals like inanimate objects. As a trained physician, I would make diagnoses based on the individual case. Antibiotics shouldn't always be prescribed immediately. He should prioritize the animals' well-being. Next time my dogs are in an emergency, I will take them to Gessertshausen.