Patient
My experience with VSC was less than poor especially with Neurologists on staff. My dog was a patient of Dr. Sarvie Bagheri (Neurologist) as of November 2024 due to narcolepsy and secondary suspected MUE. MRI and Spinal tap test were done and results were normal. My dog was treated with Prednisone with tapering approach through October 21, 2025 (at 1mg every other day). On October 21, 2025 Dr. Bagheri ordered for my dog to discontinue taking Prednisone since he showed no clinical sign of narcolepsy or MUE. Dr. Sarvie Bagheri did NOT recommend gradual taper of Prednsone over weeks to months. October 26, 2025 my dog started to have behavioral changes (disorientation, tight circling, head tilt and loss of coordination).We immediately contacted VSC on October 26th but was informed the Neurology team did not work weekends. We then texted on October 27, 2025 CVT (Ashley Torres) who was the assigned CVT to my dog's case to let her know about recent behaviors. Ashley consulted with Dr. Sarvie Bagheri and we were requested to put my dog back on his Predisone 1 mg every other day. Since my dog's behaviour progressively got worse on afternoon of October 27, 2025, my husband and I decided to bring him to VSC emergency. My dog was admitted and was given a higher dose of Prednisone + other medications to control seizures/temors. The next day my dog had another MRI and Spinal Tap done but results showed normal . Blood work was normal as well. Throughout the next days my dog continued to get worse with multiple seizures / tremors each day. Dr. Sarvie Bagheri then suggested to do a Brain Wave test which we agreed to. The next day after the Brain Wave test was done, Dr. Sarvie Bagheri informs me she was unable to read the Brain Wave results because she didn't have enough experience to read the results nor the other Neurologists at VSC. She said it would take another week to get the results since she would need to send out the report to another Neurologist in Canada. On October 31,2025 a different Neurologist named Dr. Rachel Geiger took over my dog's case since Dr. Sarvie Bagheri had this day and weekend off. When we visited my dog that evening, we noticed a "Release Instruction" document hanging from my dog's crib in the ICU - (refer to attached). The narrative Dr. Sarvie Bagheri had been relaying to me by phone was different with what Dr. Rachel Geiger had documented on the "Release Instruction". The document referenced that my dog had lesions, my dog showed steady improvement and it was expected for my dog to continue to get better. None of which Dr. Bagheri had relayed to us. In fact just the opposite. My husband and I personally witnessed each passing day our dog was getting worse. We reached out to the attending Critical Care doctor on staff and nurse that evening and they were confused as well why Dr. Rachel Geiger would have typed this, let alone print and hang it on my dog's crib in the ICU. It caused my husband and I to have very mixed emotions and confusion about what was really the overall health of our dog. On November 2, 2025 we made a decision to put my dog down. His condition with seizure / tremors got worse and prognosis did not look favorable based on the care team staff over the weekend. It was a painful decision to have to put my dog down but what made it more painful was the confusing narrative we received from the Neurologists. Neither Dr. Sarvie Bagheri or Dr. Rachel Geiger had the courtesy to messag me and apologize for the confusing narrative shared verbally and what was referenced on the October 31 Release Instruction document. To make matters worse, on November 3, 2025 we finally received a comprehensive report of the MRI, Spinal Tap and Blood work report. We had been asking for this information days prior and received piecemeal information. Neurology team needs to do better! I get VSC is in the business of making as much money but pets are our family. Not only did we lose our dog but we are out of pocket by $14K; span of 6 days of service. Mind blowing considering there was no surgery.