Dr. Nolte provides a service to this town and that's an affordable solution to the outrageous prices the other vet's in town charge. That's his niche and that's what he does. I'm sorry if you didn't do your research first and took your dog/cat to Nolte for a major operation. If you did that and something went wrong, don't blame anybody but yourself. All you had to do was simply ask around town and you would have found out very quickly what Nolte is good for and what he's not.
What he is good for is if you already have an idea what's wrong with your pet and you need some medicine for it (ear infection, etc). Or if you need to get rabies shots or any other frequent shots/medicine. He's good for yearly check-ups and good for minor injuries.
What he's not good for (and I thought this was very well known) is essentially anything major. Major injuries/breaks, large open wounds, major operations, things like that.
I have two cats and two dogs and I honestly don't know if I'll be able to afford them if I'm forced to go to any of the other vets in town as they are all grossly overpriced. Now, imagine all the other people in my same boat. Low-income families, elderly pet owners, families with many pets, etc... Think of all the people who will now have trouble affording vet care. Thank of all the animals who will now probably go untreated.
Thanks SO much for "exposing" him (when anybody with a right mind already knew this about him for years in the first place) and probably running him out of town. Are you going to help pay for me to take my animals to one of the other vets now?"
Well, Sir:
Allow me to start by saying, how come the President of the Zoo Commission wasn't aware of this? How come Jim Rapp AND Joel Hamilton were never made aware of this? How come the the Director of Public works Jim Caldwell or even Mayor Barrie Tilghman wasn't aware of this? Or perhaps I'm wrong? Perhaps they did know about this. That Housewife thing comes to mind when I think about this, (no disrespect to Housewives).
Sir, does it say that in his Yellow Page Ad? I only do shots and minor stuff with animals, please don't bring an injured animal into my Office because that's not what I'm good at.
While my Wife and I have been fighting for many years referencing the welfare of the animals at the Salisbury Zoo and the extremely poor management and leadership in the past there, what choice have the animals had?
All of a sudden people are hearing about HOUSEHOLD PETS and again, they're forgetting about the Zoo Animals. These animals are CAGED and on display for your entertainment, yet they get the worst care of any animal I've ever heard of.
Get ready Folks because I'm about to go off! Let's look at what you have with this Dr. Nolte and the protocol of the Salisbury Zoo. You see, that piece of sh!t Ron Alessi insists, wait a minute, let's even go so far as DEMANDS that the Salisbury Zoo WILL take in injured animals, period!
Why do YOU think this is the case Ladies & Gentlemen? Because IF they do so, the AZA demands that they build a $2,000,000.00 new Animal Services Building to care for those animals. HOWEVER, what you don't know is, Dr. Nolte only visits the Zoo 2 hours every other week. So let's say he comes in on Wednesday at noon. If he leaves at 2:00, they won't see him again for two weeks. At 4:00 PM an injured animal comes into the Zoo from DNR. Yep, it sits there for weeks waiting for Nolte to come back and more than likely dies.
So these animals are caged up, sick, in desperate need of full time attention and because they're FREE the Zoo thinks it's a great idea to collect them. However, if it's a song bird or a baby squirrel they simply snap its neck and kill it because they're not going to waste their time trying to rehab one of these animals.
Getting back to the point, you suckers are being drawn into a multi million dollar building simply because the AZA and Ron Alessi want it. Is it necessary? Hell No! Maybe that's the building that will house Mayor Barrie Tilghman's name on it, or perhaps Ron Alessi's name? No matter what, you're being suckered into something the Zoo does not need.
In the mean time, the animals suffer at the Zoo and the taxpayers get screwed along the way. Now Joe, if you think I'm to blame for Dr. Nolte running out of Town, well, he's the one running then, not me. I'm standing up for the animals, NOT THE ZOO STAFF, NOT THE MAYOR AND CERTAINLY NOT THE ZOO COMMISSION.
I'm sorry, but if you go to veterinary school and get documentation certifying as a veterinarian, you should be able to handle MOST treatment of animals, especially small animals. And spaying and neutering are NOT major surgeries. To thos writer, I say: Do you smoke, drink, go to movies, or spend money on any other form of entertainment? Then STOP! The money you save can go to pay the EXORBITANT (NOT) prices of ALL the other veterinarians in the area for shots. Johnson-McKee on Snow Hill is within reason (I think) and has given excellent care to my animals for many years.
ReplyDeleteIf you want a great vet who is cost effective, consider taking your animals to Healing Hands on East Main Street.
ReplyDeleteI started going there when my dog tore his ACL. They saved me a HUGE sum of money on the surgery compared to my old vet, and their checkup fees are very reasonable, too. Since I work in Salisbury but live an hour away, I bring my dog in the morning and pick him up after work. By the time I get there, heś finished with his appointment and ready to go home. This is so much more convenient than taking personal time from work. You get top notch, friendly service from the entire staff, too. They truly like to help their patients in any way possible.
They also offer a discount to Chamber of Commerce members. If your employer has joined the chamber, you get a nice discount off your bill just for asking.
I have been a pet owner for most of my 60 years and have lived in Salisbury all of that time. Not once have I ever heard anyone say that Dr. Nolte is only for shots and minor ailments. I will say that, if a doctor doesn't know about major illnesses/diseases, how do you know the yearly check-up is going to detect problems with an animal's health? Having him say your pet is perfectly fine wouldn't be too reassuring.
ReplyDeleteGet real. I've lived here for a few years now, have pets, and knew nothing about this guy, good or bad.
ReplyDeleteI'll say when I needed a vet I looked in the phone book, and could possibly have chosen this guy based on location.
Lucky for my beloved pets I didn't.
If you take your pet to him and YOU have to tell him whats wrong with your pet... then WHO exactly is the vet in this situation??
ReplyDeleteI can tell you this ,that the Zoo has not taken in any injured animals from DNR or any other agency since Joe started his crusade against the ZOO
ReplyDeleteWhat he is good for is if you already have an idea what's wrong with your pet and you need some medicine for it (ear infection, etc). Or if you need to get rabies shots or any other frequent shots/medicine. He's good for yearly check-ups and good for minor injuries.
ReplyDeleteSo, you are saying he is the equivalent of a Registered Nurse? Why would I pay doctor fees when I have to diagnose the illness and request specific meds to help the illness? This letter sounds like it was written by one of Noltes staff.
HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT "WE" ARE RUNNING THIS MAN OUT OF TOWN!
ReplyDeleteDr.Nolte only has ONE person to blame;HIMSELF.
Can I be so bold as to ask this Blogger how many times does it take for animals to either die or be permantely scarred because A LICENSED VET "ISN'T GOOD FOR ANYTHING BUT ROUTINE CARE" I'm sorry,but I missed the document from the state of maryland veterinary college(or wherever) that says that he can only give shots!!!!!!! And you defend this and blame the owners that have had enough? Have you been through the horror of witnessing your cat,dog,rabbit,guinea pig or even horse in severe pain and theres NOTHING you can do? And then someone has the NERVE to say that WE are ruining his career?
Then you go on to say that anyone just needed to ask "around" town about his reputation? Where do you suppose this should be done? Standing at the urinal? At the window at the bank? Get a pap smear?
What about the elderly lady & gentleman who are not the "social butterfly" type? They take their little precious "baby" to have her teeth cleaned and end up burying her?
You go on to say that "low income" folks will have no where to go now? That's what really has you pissed,MONEY!!!!
Everyone has priorities in their lives, you or I are not the exception.And if a pet does not fit in to this category then they should decide if they can really afford an animal.It is expensive having pets, I know as I have many of different types.Vet bills are just one expense.Food,supplies,grooming the list goes on.Most of us I would wager to say that it's worth the money to know that their "FAMILY MEMBER" is well loved and taken care of.
Doug Nolte is probably a very nice person.No one has ever said anything different.I've not heard one bad thing about his character.I think the majority will agree that this was inevitable.I am happy that some folks NEVER had a bad experience.And I commend the loyal clients who are backing Dr.Nolte.The best thing that could happen at this point is to let the Veterinary Medical Examiners Office do their job.Let them sift through the facts,both pro and con and let them decide Dr.Nolte's fate.
And as far as people like you pissing and moaning that you can't afford a reliable,dedicated,caring Vet...get a goldfish.
Based on the post, I would like to comment one more time "YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR". However, the public and their animals need to be protected and know what to expect.
ReplyDeletedon't get too enchanted with McKee, Johnson's hospital, either. We had a cat with fractured hip. we saw the x-rays.(assuming it was our cat)
ReplyDeletecat admitted & scheduled for surgery, a pinning. a week later, after the appropriate amount check written, cat allowed to go home. skin was shaved and painted with some antiseptic, no bandage AND...
NO INCISION...
NO RECOURSE, either.
anonymous 8:18,
ReplyDeleteCould it be that they ALLEGEDLY don't take in injured animals any more because of Nolte?
Maybe I'm just in the right circles then. Because not only did I hear about this guy before I took my pets to him... I was also told about him by the person who recommended I take my pets to him. Even before all this broke, people I work with and other people I know knew about this guy.
ReplyDeleteI fully support the "you get what you pay for" comment. I knew (as did many others) what I was paying for and I knew what I was getting.
Even after ONE visit to this guy I already knew what I was getting. I basically consider him a family practice doctor or something. Not good for surgery or anything major, just diagnosis and medicine at a cheap price.
And about the prices, from what I've seen, the prices of most other vets are about twice (sometimes more) the price of Nolte.
this is crazy!!! you wouldnt trust him for surgery but yet you take your dogs there because you cant afford shots anywhere else?? YOUR RIGHT MAYBE YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE A DOG! then when something goes wrong you use another vet because you know they perform better surgery?? then use another vet for everything! if people like you keep going there just because of his prices for shots then other people end up not knowing all of this info and end up with losing their pets!!!! STOP GOING TO HIM PERIOD!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteJoe:
ReplyDeleteHow do you maintain normal blood pressure? Everytime I read your blog mine goes through the roof. All I can say is I'm thankful I don't live in Salisbury anymore. How much sh!t will the citizens of Salisbury take before they get up and do something about it?
Johnson Mckee seem to have fair prices and they have a wonderful team of vets and staff. No major care is carried out without giving you an estimate first.
ReplyDeleteI have been a pet owner of 5 dogs for 9 years now and they are wonderful..they treat them like their own.
There are resources available for discounted prescriptions, online.
Drs Foster and Smith, 1800Petmeds etc...
If you are going into a vets office knowing that you might be getting substandard care just to save a dollar...are you really doing whats in the best interest of your pet?
8:40 AM
ReplyDeleteBravo, Bravo, Bravo
If he has a current Vet License, and will willingly make an appointment for your pet to do a surgery, then he should be able to perform it without the pet dying. Would you take your child to two different Pediatricians b/c of what they are good at?? They should be good at every service they offer, or they shouldn't offer it! Obviously not enough people knew about him or it would have been on the news sooner, more pets would still be alive, and he would probably already have less business. Getting your pet "fixed", or having its ears clipped are NOT considered MAJOR surgery by any means. He is a VET, he should be able to do it and do it right, or at least have the audacity to tell you that he reccomends using a different facility for what needs to be done!
ReplyDeleteI'll do this with the intention of it being the last comment.
ReplyDeleteTo the "if people like me comment..." If more people were like me they would have done their research. So many of you are hypocrites, commenting on this very blog how Nolte is known as Dr Death around Salisbury...yet now that somebody opposes you, all of you change you tune to an innocent "how was I supposed know."
I'm truly sorry if anybody had a bad experience with him...I have not. If you all apparently care about your animals so much, then you'd treat them as your children. Doing so, you would do research on your vet.
I like him because his meds are the same price as Pedmeds.com and his prices for visits are good. I don't know about a lot of you, but I don't enjoy paying over $100 for a visit to the vet for them to confirm what I already know, like my pet has an ear infection or fleas.
Thank you to the few people who responded in a civil manner and suggested other vets/alternatives.
I've been taking my dogs to Dr. Nolte for several years. He's done 2 spay/neuter operations, all of our shots and the random allergy/infection/injury care. I find him to be easy to talk to, willing to actually listen to the symptoms and ask additional questions, and he always remembers my dogs' temperaments and treats them accordingly. I have seen nothing but professionalism from his office.
ReplyDeleteI do sympathize with the people who have had problems with his care, but really, it seems that he has a better track record than many "human" doctors.
Don't you all wonder since Dr. Nolte prices are so cheap, then where does he get all of his money??? Now thats another interesting story.
ReplyDeleteHA this is hilarious, how much is he paying you all (his staff for family) to write these good comments!???? there is NOTHING good about him or his practice!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI've also been taking all four of my animals to Dr. Nolte for the past 3 years. I did the research before I went and knew his rep, just like 90% of Salisbury. This cannot be denied, even though many want to act like victim here. People, how can you you play dumb after 3-4 blogs touting his nickname Dr. Death and everyone is agreeing to this. But, I knew I could take my animals (all shelter rescues)for basic needs at a reasonable price. Anything major, I have used other services, including Johson Mckee, and Pets ER. I am concerned that we are losing reasonable services for low income and not so low income families. Times are tough and will get even tougher. The basic needs for these animals will suffer if we run every vet and humane society out of town. I used to be a fan of this site, but everything is so negative. There are positive things about Salisbury. Why focus on everything negative. There are better things in life that we can focus our energies on.
ReplyDeleteThe light bulb just went off over my head. To those who find Dr. Nolte acceptable for things like shots and minimal treatment, why don't you write to the proper authorities telling them you would like to see him keep a limited license that would exclude surgeries and things he can't handle? He could become a non-emergency clinic and act like a PA and continue to give shots, preventive meds, etc. That way, low-income folks would still have a place to go for the basics.
ReplyDeletecomment @ 2:50...revert back to the comment left by anonymous @ 10:26, and 8:40. I'm sure most of us fall in the low-mid income family range...
ReplyDeleteLMFAO Joe, this MUST have been posted by the manager of PRMC's ER department. Lets think about this....
ReplyDeleteThey're only good if you know what's wrong with you and don't need anything major.
This whole letter is just absurd. If he feels he is personally limited to simply routine non-emergency procedures, then that's all he should do. There is NO excusable reason for someone to perform medical services on an animal or person in such a flawed manor that on a repeat basis, the result is DEATH.
If you can't afford your animals, then don't get animals. They deserve care from a qualified and decent medical professional.
Its absurd to blame the people who have suffered over the loss or mistreatment of their animals for speaking out. You ought to be ashamed of yourself for blaming these innocent victims who are seeking justice against the person who has harmed their loved pets. That's like a person getting raped and you blame the victim for the rapist being sent to jail.
Mike McAllister is the best Vet in Salisbury. Period. Take your pets to him, you'll never be disappointed.
ReplyDeleteLove the witch hunt(not). Every know it all a$$hole has a comment.
ReplyDeleteI have used Dr Nolte's services for many, many years. I have had within the last 5 years 3 dogs spayed, 1 cat neutered and various other ailments and problems. He has always treated my dogs with the best of care and I shall continue to use his services as long as he is here. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and he has done nothing to harm my pets.
ReplyDeleteI was formerly employed by Dr Nolte, and I can tell you firsthand that the animals he treats get really shoddy care. Even the ones who die there are not disposed of with dignity. I don't have enough space here to type all the things he did wjile I was employed there that would shock most other people practicing veterinary medicine. After I left, I wrote a letter to the state licensing agency describing what I had witnessed, but to no avail. To those clients of his who are still using him as their veterinarian, good luck to you- i hope nothing goes wrong with your animals. I know he is inexpensive, but you get what you pay for. Do you use the cheapest healthcare in town for yourself??
ReplyDeleteI have taken my numerous pets to Dr. Nolte for fifteen years. He has taken care of big issues and small for me with no problems. I've had temperamental dogs that had to be treated with flexible ways- not a problem for Dr. Nolte (other vets wouldn't have bothered). He is reasonable and practical , that's why his office is always packed. I appreciate this and the tender care he has given to my furry family, in a consistent, friendly environment. After moving toward the beach, I now travel an hour, so my pets can still receive his care. I trust Dr. Nolte and know he will give my animals the best possible care. He's proven it to me time and time again.
ReplyDeleteHave to honestly say that I have been taking pets to him since I was in college in 1985. Spays, neuters, cancer, etc. Never a problem yet...this does make me wonder though. I will have to put major thought into this
ReplyDelete