Hearthstone Veterinary Hospital

09/26/2025

Last day in this building. 20 years as owner of real estate. 22 years private practice, owner. 40 years as a doctor of veterinary medicine and surgery.
10 years food therapy, herbal medicine, acupuncture, and tui na (massage therapy).
Countless memories of awesome clients and patients.

09/10/2025

Greetings, Earthlings. I have traveled to the planet Venus.
My image may be seen at the practice for a while.
We have some Voyager chicken dog food and some veterinary diets on hand.
Selling at a deep discount.
Call us at 518.583.1117 if interested.
Dr. Jolie out.

09/02/2025

We had a party and raised money for local animal charities:
CAAP - cat rescue, mostly TNR - trap, neuter, release. $264
Hop on Home - rabbits - $247
AHR - Almost Home Rescue - dogs - $237
NCW - North Country Wildlife - $132
Draft Animal - education and rescue - $117
Little Bink - small dog rescue - $117
TOTAL OF $1114.00

09/01/2025

Friends, I regret to inform you
the heavens opened last night and I was left OUTSIDE
looking like a disgraced chimney sweep booted from a Charles Dickens rehearsal

I put on a performance worthy of a BAFTA
I wailed like someone had repossessed my Dreamies
flattened myself against the glass like a Victorian child begging entry to the bakery

Mum tiny, fragile, permanently on the brink
came thundering downstairs in her pyjamas,
ripped open the door like she was rescuing a toddler from a well
I launched myself inside at once, soggy but heroic

Willow, however
Oh no
Not Willow
Instead of showing gratitude, she threw herself onto the lawn in the downpour,
rolling like a wet pancake at a rave
legs flailing, tail streaming
delighted with her own chaos

So there’s Mum, at 4AM, barefoot in the rain
sprinting after this idiot like Mary Poppins chasing a kite
while I sat inside, dripping, watching the spectacle with my most disappointed face

Eventually she dragged her back indoors
Cue the indignity of the towel ceremony
I suffered through it like a solemn monk enduring public flogging
Willow purred like she’d just booked the deluxe package at a spa retreat

AND THEN
The betrayal
Mum went back to bed
Without feeding us

Do you grasp the horror?
We survived a biblical flood
One of us rolled in the mud like a feral piglet at Glastonbury
And for what?
NOTHING
but damp fur and emotional scarring

So we staged a protest
We stationed ourselves in the hallway
dripping onto the carpet like leaky plumbing
and screamed the wallpaper off the walls until everyone regretted owning ears

Justice is coming
Dreamies will be served
And Willow?
She’s already scouting puddles for her next aquatic stunt
Barn cats, I swear
Built different
Feral tramp

Felix wet, betrayed, starving, narratively gifted

08/27/2025

Here is an old Pet Connection Alumni from a long time ago.“Captain Goofy” or just “Captain” had everything…..awesome life.Sadly he lost everything. We wish ...

08/05/2025

It is a bitter sweet time for us.
We are closing our doors forever, on August 29, 2025.
Our last appointments will be on Friday, August 15, 2025
We will be available for meds and advice until the end of the month.
Wedgewood refills will not be possible unless I can figure out a way to have you, the client, pay directly.
Vetsource refills will be honored until your pets need their annual exam.
Dr. Jolie has tried for over 2 years to sell the practice to another veteinarian.
She has recently closed a deal to sell the real estate instead.
In the comments will be a document that has our suggestions for a veterinarian in the area who will take you, our clients, as their clients. Anyone not on the list is not recommended.
8/6/2025 list of local veterinarians is listed below in a comment.
8/6/2025 Battenkill is on hold from accepting new clients until further notice. We should know more next week.

07/24/2025

07/01/2025

06/05/2025

05/17/2025

The New York State Police (NYSP) is expanding training for 200 troopers by partnering with the New York State Animal Protection Federation (NYSAPF) on how to better identify and respond to cases of animal cruelty.

04/20/2025

Listen up general public. There are some things you need to know about veterinary medicine that no one wants to get real about....

1. 99.9% of veterinarians are not in this career for the money. Do I need to say that louder for the people in the back? Vet School is hell, and the crippling debt after graduation is even worse. Not to mention internships, residency, and being worked to the bone day in and day out once you've completed the above 3 steps. There are always bad ones out there. If you really think your vet is just in it for the income, find a new vet.

2. Vets are not "too expensive", medicine is. Trust me, big pharma is kicking our asses as well. Equipment is expensive. Medical insurance is expensive. Liability insurance is expensive. Medications are expensive. MEDICINE. IS. EXPENSIVE. Have you ever gone over an itemized statement from your doctor or surgeon? Yeah, I thought so. Guess what? We use a lot of the same medications and equipment without being able to charge your insurance out the ass and write off what isn't paid.

3. Did you know the average amount that a vet clinic is in debt due to outstanding/unpaid invoices? $80,000+. Wrap your head around that for a minute.... Do you know how it got that high? Payment promises. So your vet is an as***le because they want you to pay your bill and won't let you make payments? They HAVE let people make payments, and that's why they are in so much debt.

4. We understand budgets. We do. Really. Did you see any new shiny sports cars in the staff parking lot? Yeah, no. Most of us can't afford them. If you can not afford gold standard medicine and treatments, or have a certain budget, TELL US. We can go with option b, or c, or d. We will come up with a treatment plan that will work for everyone. Will it be the best medicine we can provide? No. Sometimes our own staff can't afford expensive/extravagant treatments for their own pets. We understand. But when you say, "Do all the things." and agree to the amount discussed for said treatment knowing you can't afford it, then waiting until check out to tell us you have no money makes you a thief and an as***le. The treatment and services provided were NOT free. Someone had to pay the overhead on medications and equipment and the staff it takes to work on your pet. This means that your veterinarian just paid to treat your pet. Don't be that person. Just don't.

5. Most veterinary staff make less than an employee at Walmart or McDonalds....yeah....We rely on significant others to help provide for a family or carry medical insurance. Single parent vet staff, y'all the real MVP'S. Same as above statement, don't be an ass, we don't make enough to put up with it.

6. Yes we know Chewy and 1800petmeds are less expensive. Remember #1 where we talked about getting screwed over by drug companies? Yeah, that. We can't even purchase these medications at the price those places are selling them for. Small businesses can not compete with corporate giants. So don't ask them to. However, these online pharmacies aren't going to come in after hours to see your sick pet, or return a text asking for medical advice, or be there for you and your furry friend in a time of need. Think about that for a minute. Your vet has. It honestly is a slap in the face when we bust our asses to help you, even after hours, and you take your business elsewhere? No vet will tell you that to your face, bc professionalism, etc., but I will.

7. Last one, I swear. I know what you're thinking, if veterinary medicine sucks so much, why do it? BECAUSE WE LOVE ANIMALS. Behind the scenes, we work through lunch, we curse, we cry, we laugh, we can't take fancy vacations, and the majority of our job involves bodily fluids...so...many...fluids, but we love pets. We want to educate owners. We aren't trying to make a buck, we are trying to keep your pet healthy. Prevention, vaccines, and diet are all things we need to discuss. Don't do the, "well you're just trying to make money by upselling us, the dentist/breeder/Petco employee/ google said the food you recommend is bad and medicine is poison". Yeah...so we make a hell of a lot more money on sick pets....just sayin'. And what the hell do you think petmeds, chewy, petco, and petsmart are trying to do??? Make. Money.

We knew all these things going into this job, and still chose to get up and go to work today. Not. For. The. Money.

Although, I've always looked better in scrubs...🤷‍♀️