Union Park Animal Hospital and Urgent care — Local services in Alafaya

I just had the WORST vet visit I have ever experienced. It seems INSANE that an operation like this can continue to operate. First of all, a week ago, I brought my puppy Rosie for an initial visit who had no symptoms of kennel cough or anything like that. Within two days following my initial visit, she was coughing. I brought her back today to have it checked out. While I was waiting, I overheard two other dogs be diagnosed and given a treatment plan for kennel cough through the walls. This made me nervous, but I remained hopeful. Then, I overhead the main vet reprimand, demean, and belittle the vet tech who I had seen. Part of what I was over hearing through was that she had given the wrong medication to other dogs and they weren't getting better. How RECKLESS! The yelling at the vet tech continued for about 5 minutes while I awkwardly sat in one of the patient rooms trying to keep Rosie distracted as she was disturbed by it as well. The statements "DO YOU UNDERSTAND!?" and "DO YOU GET WHAT THIS MEANS?" were used repeatedly. I overheard the vet finish YELLING and then ask for my dog's chart. The vet tech came in 5 minutes later and handed me antibiotics in a little brown packet. My dog was never even examined! It was then that I brought up the bad rash my dog has on her stomach that has grown since last Thursday and was told that "this is Florida" and I should wash her more often after the vet tech checked in with the vet who for some reason couldn't give me or my dog the time of day. Again, MY PUPPY WAS NEVER EVEN LOOKED AT BY THE VET HERSELF, NEVER. NOT ONCE. The entire time, the vet tech kept called Rosie a male, despite my initial correction and her pink collar. As if this wasn't enough, the final straw came when I asked for a print out of my paperwork at the end and my last name was even spelled incorrectly even though I asked for that to be corrected the previous visit. After what I overheard, I'm AFRAID to give Rosie the medication that I was given. What if it's the wrong one again and she develops a BAD REACTION? I certainly don't trust a vet tech who has made three mistakes with medications already, where there is an OUTBREAK of kennel cough, and a vet who is too upset/emotionally charged to examine my dog. I definitely don't trust this place and will NEVER RETURN. I called Petland to complain since they were the ones that had Union Park as one of their recommended vets provided and they immediately guessed which vet it was after I told them. That is SHAMEFUL! They should not be providing this vet as a recommendation as a part of their dog packages if they are aware of this degree of UNPROFESSIONALISM and INCOMPETENCE. I already found another vet and will bring my sick baby there tomorrow to get the actual examination, care, and treatment...

Reviews are amazing things. They come from people’s perspectives and maybe their life experiences. I am well travelled so maybe I do not find Dr. Randolph rude. I find her very direct, very to the point, very caring of my three pets and AN EXCELLENT surgeon. I’ve had two animals with distinct issues that I have taken to her office. Her office assistants Nilsa, Jesse, Jennifer, Amy, Emmanual have always been sweet and sharp. When they are wrong does Dr. Randolph tell them they are wrong? Yep, I’ve heard it. What another reviewer may consider rude, I consider consice and direct - very direct. She does not coddle or hold their hands. She makes them answer the tough questions. Makes them do it right and will send them right back if they do not. That’s almost parenting and forgive me, but that’s the way things should be when you are teaching vet students. Now about the care I’ve received – most excellent. Follow up calls. Mailed things. Sympathy cards. Two different vets wanted to cut my rat terriers ear out of her head for recurring infections. Dr. Randolph diagnosed it correctly that it was a bone infection. Prescribed the right medication and walah. Done. My English Bulldog (a rescue from the Middle East) has amazing skin issues, and again, dead on the money with the care and prescriptions and follow up calls. He has had major eye surgery with his eyelashes. She checks on him and her assistants. I would much rather have a vet that KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING than a nice one that just wants to hold your hand and talk pretty. As far as her staff, I know that several have worked there since I’ve been going (years) and they are not taken for granted or considered just an employee. A reviewer that doesn’t know this, doesn’t know this Vet.

Not many folks can go to a vet that is that talented and that direct. I respect that my time is never wasted, my prescriptions are on target (not trying different things over and over) and surgery is on point and always a bedside manner. Not only this, the knowledge inside the her head is birds, snakes, pandas, horses, cows, dogs, cats, snakes. Its an amazing place, with amazing people. With anything, you get what you pay for. I don't think she is pricey as I have lived in many countries and paid much, much more for the same services. Reviews are good things, but take them and this one for what it is worth. My experience and she will continue to be my vet, even when she gets onto me for not doing what I’m supposed to be doing. She treats my dogs like her very own babies. Yeah. I’ll take this...

I brought my 8 year old dog Ava to Union Park Veterinary Hospital on the advice of a good friend. I had already brought her to 2 other vets within the past 6 weeks for increased wheezing and difficulty breathing. The first vet did a battery of tests (and we know how much that adds up to) and told us that according to the blood work we were looking at either a severe inflammatory condition or cancer. She also stated that while she thought it might be a cancer I should be comforted by the fact that they did not find any solid masses. This encouraged me. As time went on she continued to decline, so I brought her to a second vet for a second opinion. I requested that the tests not be repeated, but just to evaluate. The second vet agreed with the first and said it was probably a cancer. I was talking with a good friend and she told me about her vet and I decided to try one more time for some answers. I took Ava to see Dr. Randolph and explained what was going on. She immediately opened her mouth, before doing anything else. She could immediately see a mass growing in the hard and soft palette of Ava's mouth. By this point it had reached the size of an avocado and it was becoming almost impossible to breath. Dr. Randolph was very straightforward and offered multiple treatment options and discussed pros and cons of each. She did not sugar coat it and told me that it was most likely a cancer and one of the treatment options was to de-bulk the tumor and alleviate her breathing difficulties. No promises were given that it would cure, just improve quality of life. We decided to follow that path and the surgury was performed the next morning. After much difficulty in intubating Ava, the surgery was performed and Dr. Randolph was able to remove all of the visible tumor. Pathology reports came back that she has Osteosarcoma and Chondrosarcoma. The surgery was performed on 12/23/16 and as I write this today 4/15/17, Ava is extremely happy and comfortable with no signs of the tumor returning yet. While we know that it is unlikely to continue to remain this way, the quality of life that she has given back to Ava and the additional time that we have to cherish with our pet is invaluable! Dr. Randolph and her staff are always attentive and spend as much time as needed to make sure that we leave there with all of our questions answered and no pressure to perform tests or procedures that aren't needed. I would recommend this office to any who need a vet that is going to put...