CVCA Cardiac Care For Pets

We brought our cat Jackson here to assess his recently diagnosed congestive heart failure and receive an echocardiogram. Emma, Dr. Peiffer, and all of the other staff we worked with were stellar. The only negative is that we don't live closer, or we would definitely bring our pets here and to Partner Veterinary. We arrived 2 minutes before our scheduled time and were greeted by our cat's name - like they were expecting us. Emma, the vet tech scheduled to work with us, was already up front and waiting for Jackson to arrive. She guided us to a place to sit where she looked closely at Jackson and remembered all of his details from the records they had received from previous clinics, down to the exact dosages of his medications. She was compassionate and genuine, and we were impressed. She stepped away for a few moments to confirm they were ready, then brought us to the procedure room. Dr. Peiffer was already there and ready, and the lights were off - a very nice touch for pets that are likely to have anxiety. The echocardiogram procedure was quick, and we were allowed to be present to interact with Jackson. They encouraged us to soothe him with Churu treats that the facility had on hand - another nice touch. The consultation and explanation of Jackson's condition afterwards was helpful - Dr. Peiffer is sharp, direct, and good at explaining things. He didn't sugarcoat the analysis of Jackson's situation, which as hard as it is to hear, is appreciated. What really stood out for us was the medication optimization that they perform. Not just optimizing the meds he's on, but also precise dosages, and exact compounding. One medication in particular, Pimobendan was designed for dogs, so it's a massive chewable tablet. We had been struggling to get Jackson to take it without traumatizing him (and ourselves). CVCA has partnered with the only pharmacy in the US that is re-compounding Pimobendan into small tablets that are ideal for cats. They set up a mail order prescription for us. They also already knew the struggles of trying to give Clopidogrel to a cat because the tablet is EXTREMELY bitter, and provided us with gel capsules to hide the tablet's bitterness. They were also quick to let us know that if we can't consistently get the meds into Jackson that there are transdermal solutions that don't require oral administration. They supplied us with a pill cutter, a pill gun, and let us know that they'd be checking in on us in a few days. They gave us assurances that if we had any questions or struggles that they were only a phone call or a text away. Despite being completely shattered at Jackson's diagnosis, we left feeling that we were equipped with every tool needed to comfortably manage Jackson's condition. Comfortably for us, and more importantly- comfortably for Jackson. At every step of the process, CVCA treated us wonderfully, and regarded Jackson not as an animal, but as the family member that he is. CVCA stood out as the only truly positive experience we've had navigating the ongoing hellscape of congestive heart failure in a cat. We are immensely grateful to them and will not hesitate to recommend CVCA to everyone we know that has cats.

We received great care at CVCA in Richmond. We were quickly given an appointment, clear cost estimates and a follow up email with the details of what to expect at our upcoming appointment. As someone who was in the veterinary profession for many years I have high standards of care when it comes to my personal pets. They checked all the boxes. Everyone we came in contact with was personable and showed genuine compassion for both my cat and myself. This was truly a top notch experience in all the ways that matter to pet owners that would be in need of their services.

Calm, well organized, staff very friendly. We were very excited to be in the same room when our fur baby Chestnut was having an ultrasound. Everything was being explained at all times. We left with an awesome experience knowing all the results of our almost 14 year old Jack Russell. Dr Ryan Peiffer and staff & atmosphere could not have been any better. Thank you so much!!

We have a very sick dog, and losing him would trash our lives. CVCA has given Rickie a new lease on life. He likely won't live as long as we want, but every day is a blessing, thanks to the care and professionalism of the CVCA staff and Docs. Thanks for all the care and love you poured into Rickie.

I was very pleased with the care my Baby Dottie received. Dr. Westphal and her staff have been very helpful and professional toward me. The Service was quick and efficient. . My CHI Dottie was treated like a Princess and received the care and medication she needs. I would recommend Dr. Westphal and her staff highly to anybody who has pets.and need medical care. I also want to mention Sarah the receptionist who answered the phone with on outstanding Customer Service and she answered any questions I had before and after my appointment.