Barker Sharon DVM

Jul 2024

Dr Barker and his staff are amazing. He has been my vet for over 16 years and I recommend him all the time. I have had horrible experiences at other vets and he has always been honest, upfront, never taken advantage of his services and suggested more than what needed done. His compassion, kindness and friendliness to myself, my family, and our pets is genuine and matchless to any other veterinarian services I have ever received. Highly recommend!

Jun 2021

This vet is great if your pet has a wellness visit or just need some shots. I would not waste my time going there if your pet is sick or injured in some way, though. My 10 year old black lab developed very concerning symptoms back in March that included a sudden inability to stand or walk unassisted, and problems using the bathroom. Something was very wrong with his back legs. He was knuckling (walking on the tops of his feet) even as they walked him into the vet's office. Since it was COVID precautions, we could not go inside with him. A vet tech took him inside, and about 10 minutes later brought him back out. She said "It could be arthritis or it could be neurological. Give him these pills and see if he gets better." We never spoke to an actual veterinarian, and have no idea what they actually did when he was inside. No X-rays, no bloodwork, nothing. We immediately made an appointment with Mint Hill Animal Hospital the next morning. They came out with a stretcher to take him inside instead of making him walk. They had their vet call us on the phone as she was examining him, they did multiple tests, and ultimately recommended we take him to the emergency vet. They were in constant communication with us outside in the car, explained everything, and answered all our questions. After an MRI at the emergency vet, turns out he had spinal tumors that were putting pressure on his spinal cord, affecting his ability to walk and use the bathroom. Our experience with Mint Hill Animal Hospital was a complete 180 from dealing with Colonial. We were disappointed to say the least, as we had gone to them for years when our dog needed shots and checkups. There was no compassion or real effort made to help our dog. In addition, when I tried calling to refill a prescription we originally got from Colonial, they didn't want to fill it at the 300 mg gabapentin dose since the original instructions were to start with 100 mg, and work our way up to 300 mg over a few days. They acted like I was trying to get stronger meds than the prescription read when they're the ones who told me to gradually increase the dose to 300 mg so it didn't make him sleepy. They were also supposed to refill his tramadol prescription at that time, but I got so frustrated with them about the gabapentin issue that I called Mint Hill Animal Hospital and asked to transfer all my prescriptions to them so I didn't have to deal with Colonial. When I called Colonial back to tell them not fill either the gabapentin or tramadol scripts, the receptionist very rudely said "We know you called the other vet and are filling the tramadol with them so we're not filling anything for you." I honestly felt like they were accusing me of trying to double fill a narcotic prescription for personal use or something. I said, "Yes ma'am, that's why I called you back because I am filing my prescriptions with Mint Hill and not with you." Overall, I do not recommend this vet. We had good experiences with Dr. Barker for the healthy years of our dog's life, but when it came to a serious medical issue, nothing was handled properly or professionally. I would say that the problem lies with his ancillary staff, but if he is the one who saw my dog for those 10 minutes and sent us on our way, then he is also to blame. Take your business elsewhere.

Jul 2020

I've been going to Colonial Animal Hospital for about a year and can speak very highly of the business. Dr. Barker takes great care of our dog and never rushes us. The staff is helpful, quick on prescription refills and is welcoming.