After getting a second Veterinary opinion, I have decided to move forward with court proceedings. I brought my cat in for a return of his idiopathic Cystitis, and the Vet found a heart murmur. The vet suggested that I get my baby an echocardiogram, in “the next month or so”. The vet went ahead and gave my cat a steroid injection, AND sent him home with steroid pills. Bear went from just having an episode of his Cystitis to dying from congested heart failure. Thank you Dog and Cat hospital. You knew those steroids should have never been given.

The Doctors Gerlach and Hallstrom are criminal in their abusive treatment of animals.

On Thursday , January 25, 2013 we presented our ten year old Teddy (cat) to Norfolk Dog and Cat Hospital for cold or flu-like symptoms. A medically unnecessary enema was forced upon our weakened cat and then he was doused with icey-cold water and was then locked in a cage without being dried off or warmed up. After a few hours we were called to collect him and our still wet, shivery cold cat was thrust back in our arms. THEY DIDNT EVEN HAVE THE DECENCY TO PRETEND TO CARE ABOUT HIS WELFARE OR THAT HE WAS STILL WET AND NUMB from the cold water. We handed them a healthy ten year old cat with mild flu-like symptoms and they handed us a near death icy cold and wet cat precipitously worse. The staff wouldn't allow us to confront or consult with the doctor unless we agreed to another $250 payment.
We rushed Teddy to Bay-Beach animal hospital ( probably the best in the region) but it was too late for a full recovery. His core body temperature was too low and Teddy was in shock and died 48hours later. Im stilly stymied how our spritely energetic cat could have deteriorated after only four hours in Dr. Gerlach and Dr. Hallstrom's hands.

I will be filing criminal animal cruelty charges against the Doctors Gerlach and Halstrom with the local district attorneys office. I will report them to the state of Virginia's Veterinary Board of Medicine.

Please be forewarned, Doctors Gerlach and Hallstrom are criminals. Absolute criminals. They killed our healthy, beautiful cat by dousing him in ice cold water and caging him up in frigid temperatures on a cold january day. Our Teddy died of shock, and a dangerously low body temperature. He was healthy, except for a winter cold, prior to presenting to Doctors Gerlach and Hallstrom. These monsters will kill or seriously harm your pet.

DO NOT TAKE YOUR PETS HERE!!



My husband, who is stationed in Norfolk, took his dog to get her vaccines and heartworm meds. They gave her the shots for distemper and rabies and then proceeded to give her a third vaccine, in her nose. My husband wasn't asked if he wanted her to have this vaccine, it was just given to her. What was it for, you ask? Kennel Cough!! This dog is with him at all times and rarely comes in to contact with other dogs except the dog we have here, at home, with me. There was ABSOLUTELY NO reason for his dog to get this vaccination except to get more money out of him!! This is purely over vaccinating and any good vet would not only not do it but would advise against it. Disgusting!!

One bad experience after another. This last time, they tried to give my dog 4 times the dose of the medication she should have been prescribed. The first visit was horrible, as the vet was extremely rude and condescending. I decided to give them another chance since there are other vets besides the rude woman, and now after 2 rounds of blood tests to get the exact dose my dog needed, instead they increase it by 4 times the dose she needs. It's a good thing I caught their mistake or my dog could have died. Incompetent vets at an incompetent hospital with rude staff. I would not recommend them to anyone and I will drive an extra 30 minutes to go to a better vet.