Michigan Sweet Spot – HDR photography of the real Michigan

Dr. Richelle Smith of the Safe Harbor Animal Hospital with Pixie

When I first pulled up to the Safe Harbor Animal Hospital, I noticed that the blinds on the window of the vet office were ripped to shreds… interesting. I wondered why and imagined some crazed cat clawing its way up the window. I got out of my car and took my very sick little toy fox terrier, Pixie inside. I had been told by my friend Janine who has the inside scoop on everything, that Dr. Richelle Smith of the Safe Harbor Animal Hospital was the best. I hoped so because I was starting to wonder if Pixie was going to pull out of this. She had already been to 3 appointments at a different veterinary hospital over the last week with no answers forthcoming and she was going downhill fast. To make matters worse, my friend Peggy had lost her sweet little wire fox terrier, Asta, a few months earlier. Asta had experienced nearly identical symptoms and every vet he had been to was baffled by what was making him sick. Pixie was losing her spirit, along with everything she ate or drank and at 8 1/2 lbs. didn’t have any weight left to lose.

Once inside, I was immediately struck by how peaceful, clean and nice smelling the office was. And that the staff was very kind and helpful. Dr. Smith was great, she spent a LOT of time with me answering questions and going into detail about what could be wrong, what my options were and which ones she recommended and why. During treatment she called every day to see how Pixie was doing and to make sure everything was okay. Fast forward to a month later, Pixie is doing great.

And, about the blinds, it turns out that Dr. Smith has a big heart and rescues animals. She had recently rescued and treated a dog (Bella Boo) from Tennessee that needed medical care and brings Bella Boo to work with her every day. One day, when Dr. Smith left the office without her new furry friend, she tore up the shades in the good doc’s office in an attempt to go along. Here’s a link to the Safe Harbor Animal Hospital.