Wow! I now live in Florida, but went with a cat, and 3 dogs from 1997, to 2016 when we moved. I met him when our 18 yo cat suddenly got ill, and was in pain. The Vet we used was away, and I remembered passing DrPolley's office, then located in his home on Stewart Ave, in Garden City. But, when I called, they were closing, and Dr Polley had gone out. But the receptionist said she would page him, that he would not lime to.leave an animal in pain. Half an hour later, he called, and I brought the cat in. I had already decided to just have him put to sleep.
Dr Polley examined him, and agreed. He was already dying. So, Dr Polley gave him a sedative, and that actually did it.
Afterwards, I walked out, but realized I had left my coat. I came back in the exam room, and Dr Polley was stroking my deceased cat's head.
He had never seen Sobie before, did not know me, but there he was, petting my dead cat.
He took care of my completely crazy cocker spaniel for 8 years...through a 4 month period, where he had an itch so bad, he ripped at his own skin. Gave him chemical baths, meds, ointments, scraped him for parasites....until it just went away, as quickly as it came. And Assisi was not a placid dog. He growled, and was not above trying to bite. Yet, we loved him, and Dr Polley hung in there.
Years later, when Assisi was in bad arthritic pain, but we could not stop him from jumping, and hurting himself, he put Assisi down. I
was a mess...was not really sure it was time but Assisi had bashed his chest several times. And I have arthritis. I was afraid he would hurt himself when my husband was at work, and I would not be able to get him to the Vet. Dr Polley said, "He will let you know"...and he had been. He was just not a contented dog...restless, isolating himself.
And it did not take the whole dose. Dr Polley only put 1/2 of the solution, and Assisi was gone. Afterwards, they sent a lovely p!ant to us.
And, our Penny Poodle. Adopted her at around age 10, blind, with pneumonia, and a heart murmur. Dr Polley understood our soft spot for sad assed dogs. 😊. And a few years later, Penny had breast cancer. He did a mastectomy, and she lived another 5.5 years. I
But, eventually, her heart was failing, so were her kidneys...and she was miserable. And then incontinent, which upset her greatly.
By then, the practice had moved to an old renovated factory building.
State of the art surgical suite, the works. But old Penny still commanded the stage. Most of the Vet Techs knew her, and they all came out to say goodbye. And Dr Polley who always said she was a "trooper " did too.
He is not a hand holder. He does not have an easy, joking personality.
He is more serious. But that does NOT mean he is callous.
And I sent lots of friends to him, and they all still go there.
And while his prices have gone up, and he has hired more Vets, they still look to save you money. We are not rich. 20 years ago, severe arthritis ended my Nursing career.. but I still found him affordable.
by nancy ann walters
xxx.xxx.224.112
March 30, 2019