Carolina Veterinary Specialists Matthews

Reviews

• KC

  Kathy Clemmensen

  6 days ago
  1.0
  After being boarded, our Yorkie was experiencing bloody stools. We called Carolina Veterinary Specialists Matthews and were pat told by Liz to come right in....no appointment was necessary. After arriving at 9:06 a.m., we patiently waited 4 1/2 hours with no update or contact from anyone regarding our dog's situation. Finally, went up to the receptionist and asked on the bloodwork update. Not only was no bloodwork yet done, but no doctor had even checked on the dog. I requested to have our dog released. Suddenly, we are called into a room to discuss the dog's situation. We were told that his vitals were all normal, the only exam given was to press on the dog's tummy. The dog was ignored due to more serious ER services. Our dog's situation was serious to us, or we wouldn't have come to an Emergency Vet. We were charged $195 for a doctor to tell us nothing. Lovely day for a dog sitting in a cage unattended for almost 5 hours. We have nothing positive to say about Carolina Veterinary Specialists Matthews. They should not have charged us for an Exam-Emergency Visit because neither happened. George & Kathy Clemmensen
• MG

  Miranda Giampaolo

  Jun 17, 2026
  5.0
  Had an amazing experience here. My cat suffered from a diaphragmatic hernia, causing her organs to shift into her chest cavity. Dr. Nanfelt was incredibly clear, concise, and honest regarding her prognosis. My cat, Patches, had surgery to repair with complications. Turns out my cat had this issue chronically, leaving her to be in a constant state of dehydration and nutrient deficiency. Her muscles were described to be like tissue paper, including her diaphragm. They had to permanently install in her a mesh to support her diaphragm. She had as low as a 50/50 shot of making it at one point. All this to say, she survived and now thriving due to Dr. Nanfelt's care. We are so lucky to have had her work with our Patches and her recovery there for a week. She is back to being her happy self and is able to eat much more food than previously.
• RB

  Rebekah Belcher

  Jun 12, 2026
  5.0
  This clinic absolutely exceeded every expectation I had. I rushed my kitten here after he was unresponsive and barely breathing. The staff immediately took him in and reassured me through the whole process. From the receptionists to the vets, the staff is full of compassionate and incredible people who truly care about what they do. My baby was not looking good, and we had many scary nights. He spent 4 days and 3 nights in the ICU and ultimately is now running around my room and purring in my lap. I could not be happier to have him back. Thank you to the entire staff that had him in their care, I am forever grateful
• LL

  Lauren

  Jun 4, 2026
  5.0
  We brought Maxim, our senior Chihuahua/Terrier mix, to CVS the morning of May 11 after we noticed he had markedly increased respiration.  He had an existing heart murmur, but no previous signs of congestive heart failure.  When we explained to the attentive lady at the front desk that he had a heart murmur and was having breathing issues, she asked us to bring him to the counter where she could see him.  After looking at him, she immediately called a tech to take him back for care before we had even done any paperwork.  He was put in an oxygen cubby and given something to help him relax and lower his respiration prior to establishing a diagnosis.  While we waited, it was reassuring to see the patient display board in the waiting area clearly noting that he was an emergency case with a heart murmur.  X-rays revealed fluid in the lungs, and Dr. Scheib met with us to thoroughly discuss the situation.  We opted to try a diuretic and see how he would respond.  The staff allowed us to see him for a short visit before leaving him in their care for the night.  After two rounds of Lasix, his respiration was normal and the fluid in his lungs was gone.  When we went for a visit the next day, they were ready to discharge him, but we asked if he could stay an extra day to ensure that he transitioned successfully to oral diuretics and room oxygen without any kind of relapse, and the doctor (Dr. Anstead) was very agreeable to that.  Next day, he was doing fine and was discharged with a prescription for Lasix.  He has been doing well since then, although some of his lab results are off due to the Lasix (not unexpected).  He has a follow-up appointment with the cardiologist (Dr. Cox) in a few weeks.  (Thanks to Liz in scheduling for the quick call-back after our regular vet referred us.)  We are eternally grateful for the immediate attention and kindness Maxim received from all of the staff when we brought him in; no doubt, it was life-saving.  The staff do a great job of communicating updates while caring for their patients.  They do have a "no news is good news" philosophy, which allows the doctors to focus on treating pets with urgent or critical needs rather than providing updates to owners of pets whose condition has stabilized.  I can appreciate that, having been the owner whose pet needed critical care, as well as later on, when he was stable and other animals were the ones needing more intensive care.  Final comment is, when we went through discharge, we actually were given a partial credit on what we had initially paid (which had been an estimate) for services not used/needed.  How often does anyone get a credit from any kind of medical visit?  Basically, never.  Thanks again to everyone at CVS!
• FF

  Foodie

  May 19, 2026
  1.0
  My dog suffered head trauma, immediately had a seizure with foaming at the mouth, and afterward appeared unable to see. Banfield evaluated her and informed me she had severe head trauma and required immediate neurological evaluation. The veterinarian at Banfield personally called Carolina Veterinary Specialists ahead of our arrival, explained my dog’s condition, and was assured that she would be seen immediately upon arrival due to the severity and urgency of her neurological symptoms. I rushed there believing my dog was actively being transferred for emergency specialty care. That is not what happened. When I arrived, there was no urgency, no preparation, and no acknowledgment of the seriousness of my dog's condition. Despite a prior veterinarian-to-veterinarian call describing head trauma, seizure activity, and sudden blindness, I was left sitting in the lobby with my neurologically compromised dog while staff appeared completely unconcerned. I repeatedly had to advocate for my dog and remind staff that she had suffered head trauma and seizure activity. Only after pushing for help was someone paged, yet we still continued waiting with little communication and no meaningful action. After approximately an hour and a half of waiting, I was finally informed that it would likely be another 3–4 hours before a doctor could even evaluate her, much less a neurologist. At that point, I realized we were losing valuable time during what Banfield had already identified as a neurological emergency. While still sitting in the lobby, I began calling other emergency hospitals myself because it became clear that the assurances made before arrival were not accurate. I ultimately found CARE, where the difference in response was immediate and alarming. CARE understood the severity of the situation, took Maggie directly to the back upon arrival, and arranged for neurological evaluation the same day. I understand emergency hospitals triage cases. I understand delays can happen. What I do not understand is why another veterinarian would be assured that a dog with severe head trauma, seizure activity, and sudden blindness would receive immediate neurological attention if the hospital lacked the staffing or capacity to provide that care. If Carolina Veterinary Specialists could not appropriately evaluate or support this emergency, that should have been communicated honestly from the beginning so that we could have gone elsewhere immediately instead of losing critical time. I am sharing this because no pet owner in the middle of a neurological emergency should be told their pet will be seen immediately, rush across town terrified, and then sit for hours without proper evaluation or clear communication. In emergencies involving head trauma and seizures, time matters.

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