Universal Animal Clinic — Local services in Orlando

I’ve gone back and forth about writing this review because it is not easy at all. On Monday, Labor Day, we had to put my dog down, and I am devastated our hearts are shattered. We adopted my dog on February 14, 2023, when she was 2 years old. She was with us for exactly 2 and a half years, and in that time, she knew nothing but love, care, and a true home.

This clinic became my dog’s primary vet shortly after her adoption. She came to us with heartworms, and we did her treatment through a sponsored program at a different vet. After she was cured, we continued her care here, and for a while, my dog was happy and healthy.

In July this year, we brought her in for excessive thirst and some bloating. Bloodwork showed high liver enzymes, and we were advised to return for a Cushing’s test, which required her to stay at the vet all day. X-rays were also taken, and we were told her liver looked normal and everything was fine, aside from arthritis. The Cushing’s test came back negative, and when we asked again about the bloating, we were told it might be due to eating too fast and to try a slow feeder.

Weeks later, my dog had an arthritis flare that lasted about two weeks. With the meds prescribed, along with heat pads and me massaging her, she eventually improved, but the bloating and thirst never went away. By mid/late August, she wasn’t herself: bloated, restless, drinking excessively, and clearly declining. I requested her records with the intention of seeking a second opinion, but when I received them, the X-rays were missing. I followed up, but never got a response before the holiday weekend.

On Labor Day, my dog became very sick, tremors, bloating, weakness etc. and we rushed her to the ER vet. There, we learned that everything was wrong. She was anemic, had an infection, and had fluid in both her abdomen and chest. The only option was hospitalization, invasive tests, and risky surgery she likely wouldn’t survive. The fluid in her abdomen had caused the bloating all along. We had no choice but to make the heartbreaking decision to let her go.

The next day on Tuesday, I finally received the X-rays from July and in those X-rays, the fluid is visible.

I want to say I’ve never had an issue with the staff, Angela, Thomas and the girls have always been kind and compassionate, but I am left deeply shaken, wondering if my dog’s health decline could have been caught sooner, if her X-rays had been properly reviewed. Did something happen during her cushings test that caused an infection? Did she get sick after being there? If I had taken her elsewhere earlier, would she still be here and be healthy? I will never know.

All I can say is this: trust your gut with your pets. If something feels wrong, do not hesitate to seek a second or even third opinion. It may save your fur...

DO NOT BRING YOUR ANIMAL HERE. I've had a few pets over time, and visited a few vets, and this was the only BAD experience I've ever had with one, and one of the WORST customer service experiences I've ever had in my life. If you don't already know what a BAIT AND SWITCH is, then you are about to find out. I rescued my little feline baby boy, and naturally began a search for highly-rated veterinarians in the area with good pricing, for a one-time visit for all necessary shots and vaccines. I called several places, and Universal Animal Clinic told me it would be $130 for everything he needed. When I arrived, I reconfirmed that it would be $130. While in the room with the doctor, near the end of the treatment, he stated that he does not do everything needed in one visit, and that I would have to come back two more times. This is where the story really begins. I specifically asked, because I was told that it would only require one visit, if I would be all paid up for everything on that day, and just come back the two extra times to receive the services already paid for. He said yes. THEN, upon checkout, I was informed that, because a feline AIDS test was administered, the bill is now $165. I sighed, and was like "okay... but I'm all paid up for the next two visits, right?" Again, I was told yes. I went there today for the second visit, and my first question to the doctor, who was behind the counter this time, was of course: "I am already paid for today's visit, of course, right?"

Can you already guess his answer?

"No," he stated. "Each visit there is a cost, I don't take any money in advance for anything." "How much would today be?" I asked. "Eighty-nine dollars," he replied. I picked up my little man in his cat carrier and said "Thank you for what you've done for my cat until now. Goodbye." I recieved a curt "Byyyee" as I walked out the door. I called, once I was home, to explain to the vet tech that had been standing there at the time, why I had abruptly walked out and why I was so upset, and she stated that a cat needs 3 visits, and that's just the way it is, and each visit costs more money, and also that I may not have understood. I explained that I am very thorough, and reconfirm things several times, ESPECIALLY when it comes to money, and she snidely retorted: "Well, sorry. You're more than welcome to bring your cat back and pay for the visit!"

DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT bring your animal to this office. They care about money more than they care about pets. Well... except for the younger African-American man that was there on my first visit, I must say. This vet-tech was kind and polite, and more importantly, an animal enthusiast. So, with the exception of him, this place is just a giant hairball in the throat! Thank you...

My Experience of Universal Animal Clinic for over 16 years was great when Dr Kahna who originally ran it was there and treated all 5 of my pets UNTIL Dr Colom took over. At this point our other dogs passed and our last beloved family member Charlie was our only Dog left .Our experiences with him were neglectful when he failed multiple times to evaluate my dogs deep lung infection and damaged trachea . This was due too malpractice with a used oversized breathing pipe for a larger breed during a multiple tooth removal on our last boy Charlie by an old family vets office of over 37 years . This place had a change of ownership there as well in the few years prior to 2020 during our visit there and while we stayed with my family we thought it best to go to a place we had a long history with for the best vet . Well as stated above it was a bad decision. However I visited DR Colom multiple times telling him EXACTLY what was wrong with my dog. All he kept doing over several visits was TREAT HIM FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE and he blamed all of the lung infection and trachea damage symptoms on the high BLOOD PRESSURE WHEN IT WAS THE OTHER WAY AROUND AND IT WAS OBVIOUSLY THE PRIOR VETS INFECTING HIS LUNGS AND DAMAGING HIS TRACHEA THAT GAVE HIM THE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE . So during the 3 plus years we were desperate to help our Charlie his health spiraled downward and as a result of this we ran out of time to heal him and he died 7 years earlier than he should have . We feel that Dr Colom’s denial of the facts was more to NOT COMPROMISE a college rather than COMMITTING HIS LOYALTY TO LONG STANDING CLENTS LIKE US AND IS WORSE THAN SHAMEFUL , UNETHICAL AND UNSCRUPULOUS .So what else could we do ?We decided Before our Charlie passed in his last year we would try to switch vets to DR CALLAHAN not very far away . HIS PRACTICE WAS ALSO Occupied BY INCOMPETENT PEOPLE WHO TRAUMATIZED HIM FURTHER AND INTUBATED HIM IRRESPONSIBLY TO CHARGE US almost $ 1000.00 ONLY TO TELL US WHAT WE ALREADY KNEW BUT NO SOLUTION FOR HIS LUNG INFECTION.WICH WAS WHY WE WERE THERE BUT INSTEAD WITH AN UNCONSCIOUS DOG THAT HAD A SLIGHT INFECTION BUT WAS IN GOOD CONDITION THEY THEN SENT US TO WHAT THEY SAID WAS THE BEST HOSPITAL OVER 3 hours away in Gainesville !!! Well another 3500.00 later and our boy being kept there unfed 2 days with a further option to solve what we told him he had for ANOTHER $ 2000.00 we were ignored for years on his issues that we informed these doctors about only for them to charge us repeatedly AFTER IT WAS TOO LATE FOR HIM . His death is...