Animal Diagnostic Clinic

I am writing this a) because they saved my dog Mogwai’s life, and b) to counter a very negative review I had read on google. To clarify, I don’t mean to invalidate that persons feelings or her experience at all. It was clearly awful, but in good conscience I felt I must share my own experience for one very important reason — if I had read her review before taking my dog here, I know it would have caused me MAJOR conflict when I made the decision to take their advice and operate on my dog. If we had not done the operation, he would have died within a day, or a few days.
I am ETERNALLY grateful I did NOT see her review before making my decision. My dog is a 17 year old pekingese. Before his incident of vomiting, he was a remarkably healthy little guy for his age. Robust and still very much enjoying life. In addition to pancreatitis, Dr. Porterpan diagnosed that his gallbladder was in terrible shape (via bloodwork and sonogram) and that surgery right away was the only option to save his life. You can imagine my conflict at putting a 17 (almost 18) year old dog under anesthesia for a major surgery. I asked myself if it was inhumane and was this just «his time». He is my baby, he’s been with me the bulk of my adult life, and I was not ready to let him go, especially when Dr. P was saying she would absolutely do this if it was her dog and other than his age, they felt his vitals and other organs were in great shape.
We went ahead, not knowing if he’d even wake up from surgery and it was terrifying to say the least. It is an understatement to say I am forever grateful for the decision we made to give him a chance, and for the care and excellence it must have taken to save his life. It is now almost 2 weeks post operation and my little guy is amazing us all. He’s wagging his tail, flinging his toys around etc… He’s a happy little camper. I FULLY realize this could have gone another way, and my eyes fill with tears at the thought. I pray he has quality of life now for as long as G-​d allows, and hope that is a good amount of time.
Now, for some specifics of my experience:
His surgeon, Dr. Thompson: I only spoke to her once after his surgery to tell me how it went and what she found/​saw during surgery. Her skill, education and expertise very literally saved his life. I cannot thank, nor praise her enough even though we never met. His incision was the length of his abdomen, but was done very cleanly. His stitches are out now and it looks very good.
His doc — Dr. Porterpan: Clearly a very bright woman & excellent diagnostician. She was spot on about our guy. She is fast talking and very busy. You don’t feel mollycoddled by her and I’m ok with that. I’d rather have an A+ doctor who feels rushed, than a B– doctor that holds my hand. I get the feeling her time is spent more with her patients (the animals) than with their humans, and again, I’m ok with that.
Her tech/​assistant (title?) Leigh Ann. A GEM. So patient, you really feel she loves and cares about your animal and she takes the time the humans need to explain what’s going on, answer questions etc… She was our point of contact and she, Dr. P and the rest of their staff monitored our guy behind the scenes.
Ashley, Brandy, Gwen and many other of the staff there (wish I remembered more names) that helped with Mogwai — we can only say how massively grateful we are to ALL of them. When Mogwai goes to his normal vet, he shakes like a leaf, tries to climb me like a tree and is clearly in major distress. I always assumed/​knew this is because rectal temperature readings, shots etc… are not exactly things to look forward to. Trust me that my mind was blown when I took him back to get his stitches out /​follow-​up bloodwork, that he pranced into the clinic, tail wagging, happy as a little clam, like he owned the place. He must have had some serious TLC here to actually be HAPPY to go back. I was in shock and it spoke volumes about the back-​stage love and care they receive.
Lastly, I since found out that many of my friends have taken their pets here for various reasons and all of them had good experiences.
I could go on and on, but I’ll close with another HUGE THANK YOU! :)

I wish I knew about this clinic when my yorkie was ill before she died. The reason for this visit is for my schnauzer. My regular vet referred me to this vet clinic for further testing for a possible heart problem, liver shunt, and bladder stones.
This building is set up like a hospital with multiple floors and different office areas that cater to different ailments. Once I figured out where this specific vet was-it’s a maze-​I was very impressed with the front desk staff. All were equally sweet and wanted to greet my baby (of course, this makes all pet-​parents elated). There was an unruly dog in the waiting area barking and yanking his daddy around the room. The staff never made that dog’s owner uncomfortable due to the bad behavior and acted as if it was no problem. Awesome staff! Also, the clinic doesn’t SMELL like animals! (You know we all hate that!)
Dr. Nitsche was fantastic!!! If I could award 10 stars on Unilocal,I would! He is an absolute expert in his field, down to earth, and completely relatable. He didn’t walk in and just take my dog from me. He rolled up to my dog in his chair while in my lap and earned his trust before putting on the table. My dog was completely calm and relaxed. After a general check, Dr. Nitsche sat next to me and explained all his concerns in depth, while educating me on the biology of the organs. He didn’t «talk over my head,» like most specialty vets. I was most impressed with the fact he deterred me from a particular test which he considered an «unnecessary expense”-remarkable!
I am really touched by a business who pays attention to «the little things» and this clinic exceeded my expectations on every level.

I can’t say enough good things about this clinic. My regular vet referred me to them when my dog was having problems with her leg. She ended up needing TPLO surgery to repair a torn cruciate ligament. Every single person, from the front desk staff to the surgeon and his associates to the rehab vet, was incredibly kind, attentive, professional, and knowledgable. Dr. Bayer performed my dog’s surgery and was very patient with all of my questions and kept me updated on her progress. I was particularly worried about her staying overnight, but was assured she would be monitored the entire time by an on-​site veterinarian as well as other staff members. When I picked her up, the vet who brought her to me (I can’t remember her name right now) was also wonderful, spending almost an hour going over her post-​op care with me. They truly do care about their work and their patients. My dogs are my babies and I want only the best of care for them. For a serious injury or surgical need, I would not take my dogs anywhere else.
As far as the cost, this is not a regular veterinarians office where you would go for shots or a check-​up. None of the procedures are routine, day to day things. The entire building is very much like a human hospital, with different wings and departments (oncology, cardiology, etc). I had to get a referral from my vet for an appointment. They are very specialized and the cost reflects that. I will say that I was impressed when, following one of my dog’s x-​rays (which required sedation), they refunded me almost $ 200 because they said they didn’t end up using as much anesthesia as they initially estimated. So from my experience they are very honest.

My three year old rescue pup was diagnosed with bone cancer and Dr. Roof and her staff took INCREDIBLE care of my sweet girl. She ended up having to have her leg amputated and the surgery center next door did the procedure but post-​operative care was at Animal Diagnostic clinic and she was in the greatest hands. They are kind, sweet, knowledgeable and so welcoming. My dog had the most adorable handmade bandage when I picked her up. I have nothing but great things to say about this place. So grateful to them for saving my dog’s life as she would of lived just a few months without the amputation. Highly recommend!!!

Can I give this clinic less than a one star? Called and made an appointment and was confirmed. Was I to know that the scheduler was out that day and so a different person took the appointment? It was confirmed. We show up. The front office staff at this clinic can be summed up as rude and uncaring for the welfare of the patients. They made an error and yet the dog — who needs to see a specialist is denied an appointment.
I am not giving a low mark for the vets at this clinic… it is for the very poor customer service and militant demeanors of the office staff.

I’ve had several animals who were sick enough to warrant being referred to this facility, but this is my first experience with Dr. Wright, the oncologist, so I felt compelled to write a review. My 14 year old setter mix, Maggie, had been preliminarily diagnosed with osteosarcoma by our regular vet and we were referred her for confirmation and treatment. Yes, our worst fears were realized when Dr. Wright had our xrays interpreted and confirmed the osteo. He outlined treatment plans for Maggie and provided us with real, honest and level information so as to set our expectations.
The surgery went well. The following chemotherapy also went well. Each time Maggie was there, she was greeted by the staff like they were old friends, and Dr. Wright was always available via email if we had questions or concerns. He even wrote back to me one late night, when I was anxious about her appetite.
Dr. Wright and his staff gave us many more months with our Maggie than we expected, and both he and his staff were kind, compassionate and supportive when it became time for her to go, which is the outcome of osteo cases. While we will always miss our girl, Dr. Wright and his staff made her months after the diagnosis the best they could be.

Yet another internist that thinks they’re the only option in Dallas! My first visit with Dr. Sears went well. I was excited about finding this vet and thought he cared about the well-​being of my dog. The second visit proved that to be untrue. I was running ten minutes late… When I called on my way there to let them know, the girl said that was fine and she would let the doctor know. When we arrived the girl at the front desk was VERY rude and informed me that my appointment would be pushed back 30 minutes. After almost an hour, a vet tech came out to inform me that my tardiness meant that I wouldn’t be able to speak to the doctor. Considering that my dog has been extremely ill and I had many questions for him, I realized that he did not at all care about helping him. The tech did take him to the back to do blood work but considering that this can be done anywhere, I was unimpressed. I drove from downtown to see this specific doctor, to ask specific questions… After it was clear that I was extremely irritated with the situation, he did inform me that I might be able to speak with doctor for a few minutes. Realy? How nice of them! It was clear that they were trying to make me feel like I was a terrible person for being late and were making a point instead of helping me. The vet tech even stood over me while I was leaving to make sure I would pay. Like I ‘m somebody who would skip out on the bill because I was upset?! Needless to say, I will NEVER go back here! I’ve already found a great internist in Dallas that is happy to treat my dog and appreciates my business, unlike this place…

I was referred to ADC by my regular vet when one of my cats stopped eating. My cat saw Dr. Miller (Internal Medicine) for almost two years and then we were switched to Dr. Wright (Oncologist) when she came out of remission and needed a different chemo protocol. My cat had an amazing team with Dr. Miller, Dr. Wright and my regular vet. The front office staff was very nice and I felt like they really cared about me and my cat. I highly recommend ADC.

I have taken several pets to the ADC clinic on Trinity Mills (including the opthamology clinic located there). I cannot review any of their other facilities. I have seen Dr. Porterpan and Dr. Nietsche and can recommend both. I cannot comment on any other vets, except one (cannot recall her name). I have found the staff to be competent and caring.
Are they pricey — yes, more so than a regular vet but you are paying for the specialized equipment that is available at this facility as well as the specialized skills and services that are available here that are not available at a regular vet’s office. If a regular vet had these, they would be more expensive and you would not need to go here. Moreover, before moving to the DFW area, I used a similar facility in Orlando and they were even more expensive so I believe that they are reasonably priced for the service they provide.
They have provided good service to me and my pets. Sometimes it is slow, depending upon the other cases they have. Fortunately, I have never gone in with a situation that required immediate attention that might have resulted in death to my pet at any moment and thus I was happy enough to wait so they could attend to someone’s pet that might be in that situation. In at least 2 situations, I know that meant I waited hours for results. In one case, I know they consulted with a board certified radiologist who was not on site. Having worked in radiology in college, I recognize that means that you cannot run in and get an immediate reading. I preferred the right answer to a quick answer given the emergency clinic had told me the day before to euthanize my cat who it turned out did not need to be euthanized and was suffering a severe allergy attack and nothing more but did have a «lump» of congealed snot in his throat.
Will a vet make a mistake and get the wrong answer ever? Yes and if that happens to be your beloved pet, it is a tragedy when it happens. Or, at least it is heart-​breaking. I make mistakes. All the time. I hate that it happens and in my interactions with these vets I imagine they do as well. I suspect they hate when they lose a patient. But, sometimes a case just doesn’t fit the parameters and they do the best they can do based upon the data they have available. They are specialists, though, and not miracle-​workers. Some situations are just not going to end well, no matter where you go.
The reason I am giving them 4 stars instead of 5 is that I did take 2 cats who had suffered (along with all my others) with chronic diarrhea for months to them. They did some testing that all came up negative. At that point that vet (and I cannot recall her name) sort of just left me hanging with no additional options. I finally went to a feline specialist in Carrollton who solved the problem and all has been swell ever since. But, in nearly all my interactions at ADC, I would say the experience has been excellent and they have followed up and done an excellent job.

Brandy Porterpan and team were so great with my dog Monroe! He had a
progressive disease and they helped prolong his life by TWO YEARS! What a team! They were supportive and kind through the entire experience. Truly there when We needed them. You don’t want to be in the situation that you have to find a diagnostics center, but if you do THIS IS THE PLACE!!!

When my dog Lily who is the love of my life, became very very ill my regular vet sent me to see Dr. Wasik at ADC. I know that without this amazing diagnostic clinic and the best staff she would not have made it. She received the best care (still does) and even after a blood transfusion and more medicine than a horse should take she is as healthy & happy as ever. They saved her life and I will be forever grateful. If you need the best care for your pet do not go anywhere else. Obviously this review is my experience and the outcome is on a case-​by-​case basis but I had no doubt that she was in the best hands possible here and obviously I was right.