Share your stories.
October 29th, 2012How was your experience at Veterinary Emergency Center? We would love to hear your stories and testimonials. Reach out and let us know how you feel about the care you and your pet were provided!
How was your experience at Veterinary Emergency Center? We would love to hear your stories and testimonials. Reach out and let us know how you feel about the care you and your pet were provided!
Keep your veterinarian’s phone number and your pet’s medical history in an easy-to-remember place so you’ll have all the information when you need it. It’s a good idea to keep our phone number in your cell phone, too, for quick access: 860-693-6992.
This clinic is something the area really needed. Closest other one was in West Hartford. I brought my dog Foxus there last night for something that did not turn out to be serious, but it gave me peace of mind to have him examined instead of waiting until morning. Everyone was so nice and made the effort to make him feel comfortable after explaining that he was a rescue that had been abused and had fear issues. The office visit fee is reasonable, considering it is an emergency after hours clinic. Highly recommend this clinic and would not hesitate to use their services again when my regular vet is not available.
During a 9 month battle with Cancer our Boy “Jackson” was slowly going down hill. In preperation I asked our vet what to do if he took a turn for the worse overnight. She responded by telling us about Dr. Bertolino and her facility. On April 15, 2013 at 10pm I found myself at Dr Bertolino’s office. In a moment of deep greif I found Dr. Shannon Bertolino’s style to be reasuring, supportive and peaceful. We sat on the floor in her office and I carefully reviewed his medical history as she examined him. After he passed with his head on my lap, she even took time and listened to my stories about Jackson. In her office she began to help me heal. Thank you for your service, you are a blessing.
What I can say is I have not one, but 2 very critical kitties that would not be alive right now if I had not taken them in, THIS WEEK! The first I had to take in on Saturday night, and Dr. Bertolino really saved his life. I thought it was just going to be a visit, and she decided to keep him overnight because his Potassium was dangerously low. I’m glad she kept him, because the levels continued to drop even on IV potassium. She kept him all weekend and then he spent a day with our vet. With a new med, my kitty is ok (for now), back to doing all his favorite things, we have a little more time to love him. My second kitty 2 nights ago was having severe difficulty breathing as a complication to heart failure, and although I brought her to my regular vet, she was hospitalized overnight with VEC, and the staff there, including Dr. Bertolino were just as wonderful making sure all her needs, tests, comforts were taken care of. She monitored her, made sure she was eating, using the bathroom and receiving the medication she needed throughout the night, so I did not need to worry about another major event happening at home that night. She came home feeling better and is almost back to normal already. I was so pleased with the service I received. They pay attention to every detail, and keep the office calm enough where I know my kitties will not be scared (which could be extremely serious for their heart problems). I know I will be going back to VEC when my regular vet is not open, because she is the first vet (other than mine) that I trust with my pets in all my years with them! She and her staff made the experience calm, comfortable and relieved a lot of stress for myself, my kids and my wonderful kitties. I cannot say enough good things about the care my kitties are receiving with her. Although I know I will likely be back and that the time is near for both of them, due to the complex illnesses, we have the ability to love them a little longer because of VEC.
I met Dr. Bertolino and her staff on Tuesday morning, March 26th. My yellow lab mix, Keyla, was not well and took a turn for the worse early that morning. It was apparent what had to be done but a difficult decision none the less. The care and compassion Dr. Bertolino and her staff showed went far beyond what I expected. I felt blessed that Keyla was in their care and treated with such respect during her final moments. I cannot thank them enough.
After having a bad experience with another emergency vet with my dog, I was cautious of bringing my cat, Daytona to the vets. After bringing him to Dr. Bertolino, I was very impressed with her and her staff. I never once had any fears or worries with bringing Daytona there. They were very informative, gentle, and thorough with his health issues. When an emergency pops up and my local vet is closed, I never have a second thought of calling her and bringing him down to get checked out. They go above and beyond being just another vet taking care just another animal. They not only took good care of Daytona, but made sure I understood and was comfortable with continuing care at my house. I would recommend anyone with a pet emergency to go to her. I thank you her and her staff for the amazing care and love they give to him.
We feel so blessed and happy to have found Dr. Bertolino and her facility two weeks ago when we needed emergency care for our German Shepherd, Lars. Dr. Bertolino and her staff were kind, knowledgeable and thorough, even with an originally difficult to determine diagnosis. Although we were there only a few hours, Dr. Bertolino met with us several times to discuss Lars’ symptoms, treatment and her thoughts on his condition. Although we had to make the heartbreaking decision a day later at Tufts in MA to say goodbye to our boy due to an untreatable cancer on his heart, we will always be grateful to Dr. Bertolino and her staff for their care, compassion and treatment of our beautiful boy in his final hours. We can’t say enough about how thankful we are they were there for us and recommend her to all of our pet owner friends. Attached is photo of our boy, happy as can be, as he always was, and as we will always remember him. Sharon & John Sobestanovich
We are honored to have Dr Shannon Bertolino care for our two pugs, Ordell and Myles. We met Shannon when “our boys” we’re just pups in 2004 at her former Farmington practice. Our older pug has developed a complicated medical profile and Shannon has been there to provide care, treatment and most importantly her professional advice throughout each challenging hurdle we encounter. Our oldest boy broke his elbow as a youngster and underwent four surgeries which ultimately ended in fusing the elbow joint. Shannon kept in touch with the surgeon and communicated the issues, options and was there to provide her professional advice when it came to the final surgery. A couple years later, our boy was diagnosed with degenerative mast cell tumors. With the love, compassion, and dedication of Shannon our boy is receiving the BEST care and still an active member of our family. The knowledge, professionalism and dedication that Dr Bertolino gives to each pet and family is unparallel and she is the perfect vet to serve a family during a time of emergency!
Bogey first met Dr. Bertolino in 2004 and in 2010 Bogey was diagnosed with cancer. Dr. Bertolino is amazing and we feel so very blessed that she was Bogey’s doctor for 9 years. There were many times that we needed to make a last minute appointment and she always responded and met Bogey’s needs. Dr Bertolino constantly took all avenues into consideration in determining the best treatment for our dog baby – Bogey. She listened to us, observed Bogey and looked at various medical options. She was also compassionate and treated the whole situation not just the cancer. She was available to our family 24/7 and even made house calls to observe Bogey in her own environment. She allowed Bogey to be Bogey, have dignity and quality of life to the very end in 2012. We would highly recommend Dr. Bertolino to anyone. We feel so strongly about her compassion and character for her practice and helping animals. She most definitely added years to Bogey’s life and Bogey loved her.
I have had the privilege of knowing Dr. Shannon Bertolino since 2004. When she opened her former practice in Farmington, she was the doctor who cared for my two wonderful Bichons, Beauregard and Maxwell. All the while I have known her, she has been extremely thorough and competent, always very accessible, kind, compassionate, easy to talk to and extremely understanding. The most important thing about Dr. Bertolino for me was her willingness to listen and answer all my questions. She is a great communicator! This was especially important with all that I had to go through during the last year. Both of the boys developed cancer in their 13th year! Shannon was very attentive and extremely concerned. She even accompanied me to the New England Veterinary Oncology Group (NEVOC0 in Waltham, MA to help me make an informed decision about various medical treatment options to weigh if I wanted or needed them. Unfortunately, I lost both of our dogs and will always miss them after 14 years. I appreciate all that Shannon did and the open love she showed for our precious pets during all her years of care. I find solace in knowing how well our pets were cared for and how much easier their passing was with her by my side. I want to thank her again, and I would be certain to recommend her clinic to any pet owner seeking compassionate and knowledgeable care. She is the role model every vet should aspire to!
Jon Joyce