Please avoid this vet at all costs. Cecilia Burnside backed me into a corner regarding euthanizing one of my cats several years ago by unilaterally terminating our relationship over a series of emails with no explanation and for no valid reason. I am certain I know what the "reason" was; I was evaluating palliative treatments to get a few more days or weeks with my cat who had been diagnosed with a sudden and aggressive cancer at the worst time possible in my own life & health. Although she knew better than to say it directly, her behavior was pretty clear that she assumed I wanted his pain meds for myself. That, or she didn't like that I was looking for a less costly (read: less profitable for her) solution than the one she insisted upon. Either way, instead of having a grown-up discussion about this (after maybe an 8-year-long business relationship, mind you, which had been fine up to that point) she just quit in the middle of this crisis, forcing me to make an already-devastating decision immediately that could have otherwise been delayed. I had to drive my cat to another vet to have him put to sleep the next day since I couldn't afford BOTH the new vet's required exams, etc., for new patients AND palliative treatments the week he needed them. The whole experience was so heartbreaking and traumatic that it's taken me five years to be able to write this long-overdue review without shaking. Even amid the onset of my own health crisis, I never forgot that my primary responsibility was to prevent his further suffering by whatever means I could. A vet has the same responsibility, to owners as well as pets, and to neglect it is beyond reprehensible. I have no doubt that others have had good experiences with her, but so did I, up until then. There's no excuse for the way she behaved and if she did it to me, she will do it to someone else. So please, if this is your vet, don't wait until you are in a vulnerable position with no good options, find another one now and start making the transition as soon as you can. If you aren't working with her yet, but were considering it, please spare yourself the abuse and heartache and find a different one. read more

Dr Burnside sent me a handwritten card about a week after little Gremlin left this world. She was extremely supportive, understanding, and encouraging. A few weeks after the thoughtful card, I received a letter from Cornell University stating Dr Burnside had made a donation in Gremlin's honor. Side-note: I know it probably sounds very silly that any vet's approach could leave you feeling breathless - it sounds very dramatic I know. But, those of you who have had to make that ultimate sacrifice of letting go before you want to know exactly the type of peace I am talking about ... that peace you need to give to your loved one in their final moments that you feel is 100% your responsibility. There is not one single thing Dr Burnside could've done to make that happen any more than it did. read more

Our cats really do love house calls. We have three and taking them to the vet one by one or all at a time is not a pleasant experience. Dr. B comes to our house, sits on the floor, breaks out her medical doo dads and waits. The cats come to her! Its awesome The cats are as happy as cats get (w/o cat nip) and so are we. Thanks Dr B! read more

Dr. Burnside and her assistant Charla visited my home today to pay my kitty a visit. Dr. Burnside has a great sense of humor and makes the whole event actually fun for you and for the kitty. Charla is amazing with cats and while the doctor talks business, Charla quietly tests, clips nails, romps and plays... and the kitty is less the wiser that he has had a vet visit. I've never seen my kitty have so much fun :) I highly recommend these guys. They were prompt and thorough, and took plenty of time to answer all of my questions. Awesome!! read more

I had to contact Dr. Burnside for an in-home euthanasia of our sweet kitty Belle, who had quickly become paralyzed from FIP. It was a heart-wrenching decision that filled me with guilt. I have never had to make that decision before. Dr. Burnside was so compassionate, understanding, gentle, and caring, and helped us be confident in our decision that it really was the best thing for our baby Belle. She sat and petted Belle and talked with us and talked to Belle, getting to know her a bit. It was heartbreaking to have to say goodbye, but Dr. Burnside's gentle demeanor and compassionate personality were a godsend. She was so gentle with Belle, and gentle with us. I could tell she really cared about Belle and about us and our feelings. She called me a few days later to check on us, and I also received a personal card in the mail about a week later, in which she included personal details that we had told her about Belle's life when she came over. I was so touched - that was so thoughtful!! Dr. Burnside was amazing for us. Thank you for everything Dr. Burnside. read more

At this time, May 2012, they aren't taking new clients. Would be extremely helpful if that was front and center on their website.

I don't know how she is for well checkups or anything like that, but when my 2 year old cat had FIP and it got to the point where it was "time" I called to see if she could do a hospice type visit. Her assistant informed me they were booked full for new clients, but talked to me for almost an hour explaining how to assess quality of life, emailed me information and was in general supportive and wonderful. I was told I could call if it was time for euthanasia but was warned that sometimes they are too booked--- but was sent a list of 6 other home visit vets and a 24 hour emergency clinic if I needed to contact someone else. Fast forward just a week and my sweet T-rex kitty had really gotten worse, to the point his back legs didn't work. I called and they fit me in the next day! Dr. B came to my home and sat in my backyard in the grass with T-rex and I, not at all irritated when I ran inside to get a box of tissues, or had to shoo off one of my other cats who wanted to see what was going on. She sat and explained everything, all the while petting my kitty and talking to him too. I am confident he passed peacefully and comfortably, without the stress of driving him to the vet who stopped communicating with me after diagnosing my kitty with a terminal illness. She left me with a book, mailed me a letter the next week and even called to make sure I was ok the next week. There was nothing that could have made this sad occasion any better than she did. read more

Dr. Burnside and her entire staff were simply amazing every step of the way when it came time to put my 20 year old cat to sleep. I was deeply moved by the time they took to personally make my experience as compassionate and truly loving as possible. I would trust Dr.B 100 times over with anyone I love and the care of their cat- even in the saddest of times. read more

When I moved to Austin last year, I called Dr. Burnside to help care for and evaluate my 18 year old senior kitty. Dr. Burnside and her assistant Charla came to my home, ran tests,checked out Walter and offered many suggestions for improving the quality of his life. They followed up with me every few months to see how Walter was doing. Near the end of July, Walter started showing signs that his body was shutting down. Dr. Burnside and I discussed options and when we decided the best thing to do was to help Walter die, Dr. Burnside was nothing but compassionate. She explained every step of the process and was very caring. After Walter's death, I received a letter from Cornell that Dr. Burnside made a dontion to their Feline Health Center in Walter's memory. I would recommend Dr. B to anyone with a senior cat (it was very convenient not having to take Walter in a car anywhere during his last year, he hated going anywhere in the car). Convenience comes at a price, and Dr. B is not cheap. She is upfront and very clear on what she charges. I am grateful she was able to provide vet services in my home. read more

Stay away: pricey, can miss important things, arrogant and has forgotten the Hippocratic oath. Our cat had her annual check-up done by Dr. Burns. The visit was about $550. Two weeks later, we discovered that she has teeth problems. When we took her to the vet, they told us she has old tooth resorbtion and periodontal disease. The bone was such in a bad shape, that they had to take a sample and send it to a pathologist to check for cancer. Well, Dr Burns missed it. I like to give people a second chance. So, a year later, when I needed her to come at our house again, she informed me that she can't do it due to the fact that we have not done the physical with her that year. In other words, we didn't pay our "dues" for the year. This despite the fact that we told her upfront a year earlier that we will use her for special situations only. Then, she changed the reason, saying that she is booked that week and she can't come. Remind you, I never mention to her the teeth issues; instead have been very nice to her. read more

This is the email I wrote the evening after. I am a person of 5 stars standards and I would rate our experience as 6 stars I want to thank you for the truly loving experience we had today. It was in my opinion, top notch in:respect for the animal, respect for the persons, respect for the task at hand and respect for the exit procedure. I said that I have been through this many times and I had no pretense of trying to be "manly;" something I find silly. I did however feel the need to let my wife make all of the choices and simply offer some "stoic" rock for her to lean on. I significantly admired your personal attention as well as your ability to help us feel comfortable doing what ever we needed to do. (I've always said if you want to find a truly good vet, make sure they went to A&M) I was most impressed with your ability to read the current situation and then signify that it was time to move to the next step in a way that made all three of us comfortable. You were so calm and loving that my wife never felt like she needed to leave the room... I teach High school and I have my absolute successes and my absolute failures. Today was a success and you made a sour moment beautiful and memorable. Your pure attention to detail made today beautiful instead of sad. You gave us a respectful end that moves us forward in the healing process. Thank you again for showing us and Mistoffelees authentic love and respect. read more

Dr Burnside is fantastic! I love the fact she will do visits at your home - you pay a bit more but it's cheaper for me and my sanity than having to take a cat that HATES car trips and having the car cleaned of pee if I drive him anywhere. Plus he is so much more relaxed when she comes to the house - he thinks he is special and a girl has come to visit just to play with him - doesn't even realise it's thedreaded V-E-T. Plus she never ever makes you feel rushed. read more

Dr. Burnside was compassionate, professional, and went above and beyond when we called on her to put our cat to sleep. We were very sad, but Dr. Burnside's excellent bedside manner made the process as smooth as possible. Our cat did not like going to the vet's office and her housecall was the most peaceful solution for us. We recommend her highly. If and when we get another cat we'll be sure to call on her again. read more

I have nothing but good things to say about Dr.B. She is the BEST. Very thorough, extremely competent and super compassionate. She makes sure that you are well informed about what is going on and what to expect. Dr. B also has many helpful tips for post care as well as quality of life care. Dr. B's assistant Charla is also wonderful to work with. After setting up an appointemt on the phone with Charla I always know what to expect and have many questions already answered before I and my kitties even see Dr. B. However, I've been told not to turn my back on her with my big orange extra toed love bug of a cat, Oliver, as she may just kidnap him and take him home with her :-). I can't recommend them enough and their home visits certainly make vet care much less stressful. read more

There are no words to express the degree of compassion Dr. B exhibits with her patients, both human and feline. She returned my friend's call re: the need for an in-home euthanasia for AJ (one of the sweetest kitties in this world), within a few hours of leaving a message on a Saturday morning. AJ was not an existing patient, but Dr. B was there within another few hours to assess him and help him make the journey over the Rainbow Bridge. It's hard to type right meow thru the tears, but I am extremely grateful that Dr. B was the one vet who came to the rescue. She took the time to get to know AJ, ask about his life, and express her admiration for such a lovely lil' man. She calmly and clearly stated every single step that would happen, with the absolute gentlest of voices, putting both us humans and AJ at ease. She made him comfortable first with a pain injection, then she walked us thru the rest of the procedure. It was as easy as something like this can be...again, I am so grateful for the opportunity to know that Dr. B is here in Austin. She was very up-front with her fees, and while not an inexpensive endeavor, one can't put a price on the the care and compassion she showed for all involved. After AJ passed, she was so wonderful in helping us get him prepped for his backyard burial, next to his kitty sister that passed many years ago. Even after she left, Dr. B's presence was as comforting as ever: unbeknownst to us, she'd left behind a beautiful hematite heart charm, a lovely book called "For Every Cat an Angel", and a printed page of web resources for coping with pet loss. Dr. B is absolutely amazing. Couldn't recommend her more. read more