I have taken my cat here 3-4 times for a variety of health problems and every time they refuse to give him care. I'll drop him off and then wait several hours before I call. Only when I call do they tell me that they're unable to do anything with him and give me no answers. I don't doubt that they care about the animals that are brought in, but they have failed me many times. When I bring my cat to other vets they have no problems with him. They also prescribed an unnecessarily high dose of gabapentin to "calm him down" that is not recommended by any standards and upon giving it to him he has had horrible side effects that has left me even more stressed. Shame that I trusted a vets opinion. read more

The staff are friendly and efficient. The doctors are wonderful and explain everything very well

We moved from New Jersey and were looking for quality vet care for our baby. Dr. Rickman has been taking care of our animal baby for about 4 years now. On October 14, 2025 we had to put asleep our 14.5 year dog. He was my life. It was the hardest thing we ever had to do. I still cry everyday over it. Dr. Rickman and the staff were so caring about our needs and feelings. My husband and I were extremely devastated over our loss. Dr. Rickman personally sent us a sympathy card with a sincere handwritten note to us. It meant the absolute world to my husband and myself. Since then we added a puppy to our family. Dr. Rickman just neutered him 2 weeks ago and the surgery went flawlessly. Dr. Rickman and the entire staff was there for us from start to finish. You are not just a random person when you walk through their door. They answered all my hundreds of questions and concerns with such attentiveness. I think it is very important that my veterinarian actually knows me and my animal. Not just from a file. Dr. Rickman is absolutely a genius, a brilliant surgeon, and really cares for the animals. He knows I am a super anxious person and I only want what's best for my baby. He always puts my fears at bay and ALWAYS provides me the truth, even if I don't like the answer. To me, that is how a vet should be. If you are contemplating on switching to Dutch Fork, do yourself a favor and do it. We have only seen Dr. Rickman at Dutch Fork (Except if he was away or in an absolute emergency). I am sure that all the vets are just as attentive and committed as he is. But we will be sticking with Dr. Rickman wherever he goes. read more

Been going here 5 years now. Their service is good, the care for our German Shepherd is good. They are expensive however. As with most things, you get what you pay for. They require a LOT of shots to kennel your dog here, adding to cost - heads up there. read more

I don't get how this place gets so many high reviews. I leave mad every time I go! I always get stuck waiting in my car for a half hour beyond when I'm told I'll have to wait. I once waited 45 minutes for someone to come bring her inside for a scheduled nail trim. More recently, I opted to drop her off for an appointment and come back close to closing time so I wouldn't be stranded so long in the parking lot. When I came to pick up, they said the vet was coming right out. After 20 minutes with no update--texts and calls got an auto "we are closed" response--I finally walked in. Then I was told to schedule regular appointments for injections for her care, but they were really difficult to work with in finding times for those appointments. I've left mad from every appointment for two years and I'm finally going to give up and find somewhere new. read more

Wonderful Drs. And staff. We had to deal with the end of life for our 16 year old friend. The vet counciled us on all the paths we had and made a bad situation better. read more

Piper our Coton de Tulear absolutely LOVES going to Dutch Fork Animal Hospital to see everyone especially Dr. Johnson.Whether it's shots,yearly exams or boarding the staff and the doctors are always there to listen and help.We went on a cross country trip to California and Piper was having a little car sickness and anxiety so I called from Arizona and the staff was right on top of things to suggest what to give her and to call back if we need any other help.We all just love it there and so will you . read more

Super impressed with Dutch Fork Animal Hospital, not only did Dr. Schumpert do an amazing job on my puppy dog Hunter's leg surgery, they have called numerous times to check on him, they clipped his nails, and cleaned his teeth. I am still in awe of how he was treated with compassion. I have never felt this comfortable at a vets office and the staff is wonderful! Too many people don't tell about good experiences and I believe it's better to share the positive facts and information. I was going to another vet prior to Dutch Fork but I will be switching over all my dogs now to Dr. Schumpert and his staff at DF! Thank you! read more

Dutch Fork Animal Hospital - Hunter after surgery! Feeling much better now :) - Veterinarians Near Me - Irmo, South Carolina

My favorite Veterinarian Hospital of all time. I've since moved away from the area and cannot find another place that matches the friendly, professional environment that I experienced at Dutch Fork. Dr. Emily Johnson is who we normally used. She is wonderful and loved our dog as if it were her own. The knowledgeable care we received was phenomenal. All the Vets and Techs new what to do. Our Dog was always excited to go in for his check up. We even used the kennel services, and always felt like our dog was left in the best of care. I cannot say enough great things about this place. I've honestly thought about driving the 10 hours it would take to go back there for our dogs check ups!!!! read more

I just called and spoke with"Shannon" to pick up my Dog's Flea and tick medication. Shannon said well he's not on automatic refill and the medications is given by weight..duh yes I know this. Then she proceeds to tell me they'll need his weight (both pills are between 51-100 lbs). My dog has never been over 72lbs so I"d say that falls between the weight range.Then she proceeds to tell me welll we need his weight and then she says she's not sure if they can fill it otherwise. So I proceed to weigh my dog then call her back, she says he's lost TWO lbs. So if I was on automatic refill Dutch Fork would obviously not need his weight?! My dog weighs a little less than 70lbs. I call her back and now I'm waiting to hear back on his 2 pills. Oh and also, my granddaughter just called YESTERDAY and picked up her dogs flea/tick and was not asked any of these questions (she didn't have the pleasure of speaking to "Shannon") and yes my dog's shots/ yearly exams are all up to date. I adopted my dog from Dutch Fork. You guys may want to send Shannon fir a customer service class or get her off of the front desk. I've never had an issue like this. The vets are wonderful. But this Shannon person definitely not professional. read more

I boarded my dog here. It was my first time ever boarding her and they took such good care of my baby! They bathed her, walked her 3x daily, and made sure she was happy. I could not have asked for better care read more

TL/DR Clipped my dogs toenail too short. Needed styptic powder. They were to lazy to check their shelf and told me to go buy corn starch from the store. Unbelievable!! Let me start by saying that this is not our vet. We were heading out of town and had just clipped out dogs toenails. We clipped one to short and it began to bleed. I've been at the vets before and they have clipped them too short and they use styptic powder to stop the bleeding. We stopped in because it was on the way and much closer than our vet. There were two ladies at the counter. One was chatting with someone, just chatting, while myself and another customer waited in line. Finally, the one lady stops talking and I explain my plight. The lady on the right says that they might have some on the shelf but it's a fast mover. I ask her if I could have or purchase some. She reiterates that she doesn't know if they have any on the shelf. I look at her incredulously because she made no attempt to get up and look. She then tells me it would be better to just get some corn starch from the grocery store. I asked her if she was serious and she said that it would be just the same and getting corn starch would be just as good. She never even made an attempt to hoist herself out of the chair to check if they had some. I was perfectly willing to pay for whatever they had but they wouldn't even see if they had some. They preferred to have my pet continue bleeding and directed me to go to a store and get corn starch. I would think twice about trusting your pet with a place that is so lazy as to send you elsewhere rather than get up and check a shelf to say nothing of the fact that they are fine with your dog bleeding more than necessary. Utterly unbelievable!!! I was gobsmacked. read more

Always timely with appointments and care. Not the cheapest place in town but we love Dr. Hood and Dr Peeler. Our Wheaten Terrier is well cared for here. read more

They are nice enough, can never get my dogs nails clipped when my other vet never had issues....I think the Techs are crappy......over priced for sure. I'll be going back to my other vet. read more

Have used as vet for over 30 years. 3 dogs. Great service friendly. Made house visit to put to sleep one of our dogs. This is the kind of people there. Will continue to use as long as I live in the area. read more

I have been a client of Dutch Fork Animal Hospital since the 1990's. I would recommend them to anyone looking for the best care for their pets. The doctors are very professional. I have several animals that I have rescued from DFAH that are very happy and healthy. The staff never seems to have forgotten that they were rescues and always happy to see how well they are doing. Dr. Emily Johnson is our primary veterinarian but I would not hesitate to use someone else in her absence. read more

The Dutch Fork was the first place that I took my dog after I got him at a local dog rescue. I've since moved away and I didn't realize how nice I had it. While you might find a place with good and knowledgable staff, and you might find a place with doctors who are not just good but care deeply about the animals, and you might find a place that's new and with all the high end service that marks a hospitable business, but rarely do you find all of that together, and you will at the Dutch Fork! Now that I've moved away I really miss the cleanliness and professional space you could expect at the facility in Irmo. read more

Dr.Conner has been taking care of our precious family for years.He has always been compassionate and professional.Follow up calls to see how things are progressing.So reassuring to find someone to help make the best decisions for our pet family.Geri Banfield read more

Super nice and knowledgable staff. They've also been around forever.

Story of my horrific experience with this hospital- please think twice before trusting them with your pets. 12/5/16 10AM- I brought my 6yr cat named Amelia to Dutch Fork Animal Hospital to receive a routine dental by Dr. Tiffany Boyette. 12/5/16 6:00 PM - Juan (technician), brings Amelia into the exam room in her carrier with Dr. Tiffany Boyette. I looked into the carrier and immediately know something was wrong. Amelias eyes were wide open, she didn't blink, distorted body (legs in all directions), completely limp and not responsive. Juan made a remark that Amelia gave him a hard time when he went to take out her IV and he had to give her something. I remarked that Amelia did not look good and Dr. Boyette remarked that I can take her home and she will wake up in a little while or if I didn't want to do that I could leave Amelia at the hospital. Dr. Boyette never examined her or even looked into the carrier. I initially chose to leave her at the hospital. 12/5/2016 6:15 PM - I was driving home and called my daughter who is an emergency veterinarian. I told her what had occurred and described Amelia's state. She told me to go back immediately, get Amelia and bring her to the emergency hospital that was in the vicinity, as this hospital was closing and Amelia would be left alone all night in a critical state. I called Dutch Fork and told them I was coming right back. Amelia looked terrible still but I did not yet realize how bad she really was. 12/5/2016 6:35 PM - I arrived at the emergency hospital and told them she was unresponsive. They performed a chest radiograph that did not show any signs of primary heart or lower respiratory disease. They performed multiple rounds of CPR and eventually called me back into the treatment area and told me she didn't have a blood pressure for 2 minutes and only a very faint heartbeat. They said she was too far gone to be brought back. I sobbed and kissed her goodbye and gave permission for them to euthanize her. Afterward they gave me their records and on it they noted "Near death upon arrival". 12/6/2016 @11am- My daughter called Dr. Boyette who began the conversation by trying to gloss over what had happened acting as though she was shocked and couldn't understand how this possibly happened. Eventually she realized that she could not fool my daughter and tearfully admitted that she never examined Amelia even once after the dental, depended on the tech to do that, and was completely at fault. What we initially thought must have happened is that Amelia never recovered from the initial anesthesia. Dr. Boyette also called me and cried and apologized. This whole nightmare would have ended here except I remembered what Juan, the tech, had said when he brought Amelia into the room. He said "She gave me a hard time when I was removing her IV and I had to give her something." I decided that I wanted to talk to Juan and left a message at the hospital. 12/8/2016 - Dr. Boyette called me back and asked me what I wanted to talk to Juan about. I told her I wanted to know what Juan meant by Amelia giving him a hard time, because that means she had somewhat recovered from surgery and was able to move and fend for herself minutes before I saw her limp and lifeless. I asked Dr. Boyette how she explains Amelia's condition when she was brought into the room. She didn't have an explanation. 12/12/2016 - Dr. Boyette called me and said that they looked at security tapes and Dutch Fork Animal Hospital had video of Juan chasing Amelia around. He caught her and took her to another confined room to remove her IV. Dr. Boyette said that room does not have security video. She said that what must have happened to Amelia was that she became too scared and that was what killed her. I asked Dr. Boyette to explain to me how if that was the case and Juan was chasing her around one minute and then puts a limp half lifeless body in the carrier the next, why didn't he alert someone that she was not right instead of just bringing her out to me? Why didn't Dr. Boyette examine her patient prior to discharge? Dr. Boyette could not answer that. I said that the reason he was not surprised in Amelia's change in demeanor was because he gave her something and possibly mistreated her and that is the only reasonable conclusion. The fact that Dr. Boyette did not examine her patient even once and sent her unstable patient out the door, TWICE, is NEGLIGENCE and covering up what happened in the room that wasn't taped is UNETHICAL. They handed me a dying cat and Dr. Boyette was not even aware of it. read more

So impressed. Just moved to the area and took my cats in for annual exam and shots. First visit to this clinic. The entire staff was great, and Dr Conner was incredibly thorough and willing to discuss options and give his opinion. Didn't try to sell me unnecessary stuff. I'm totally confident in his competence and caring. Will definitely be back and ask for him. read more

I also had a unpleasant experience with Dr Boyette. She is out for the dollar sign and not what is best for the pet. Because of her my 15 yr dog spent his last days caged up and unattended most of the weekend. I left him there at 1130 because she told me if it were her dog she would try this treatment, which was IV fluids for 3 days. He was unable to stand, barely responsive and having constant diarrhea. His kidney labs were so high they did not even register but she felt we should try this treatment and promised to call me that evening to let me know how he was responding. I received no phone call until around noon the next day. She said they were so busy and did not start the IV until 430p. That was 5 hrs he laid in cage with no treatment. She was off the next day and I had to call to check on him. Another Dr called. They could not keep their stories straight. I finally told them I was going to come get him and bring him home for his final days. When I got him his nose was cut from lying on the wire of the cage. He was unable to move much on his own so he had to be lying against the wire for a long time. I feel so bad that I let him go through this. I feel like they are responsible for what happened to him in the first place. Another vet, Dr Connor, put him on Lasix 50mg a day. He never asked to see him back to recheck labs. I believe he got so dehydrated and it made his kidneys shut down. I immediately switched vets. Too late for my senior dog, but my others are in good hands now. read more

We have 3 cats and 2 dogs and would never use another practice other than DFAH. Dr. Niciu helped us keep my mom's 16 year old cat with kidney and heart disease with a good quality of life for over two years after we thought it was time. One of our labs has had an FHO and the other also has hip problems. Yet they play pain free thanks to the efforts of the veterinarians at DF. We have two other older cats one that is hyperthyroid and the other who is experiencing some dementia. We use a combination of prescription drugs, food, supplements, and some holistic methods to keep them healthy and happy. Dr. Niciu helped us find a Maine Coon for our daughter in college and has been so patient with her questions of how to care for her new pet. Finally, I have a 2 year old toy fox terrier who has major skeletal deformities and a super sensitive auto immune system. Because of the care by all of the doctors at DF, she can walk and run! Because of her immune system, if I suspect a problem, I call and they always work me in. The doctors at DF have helped me find a healthy balance for all of our pets to keep them happy and healthy. I would go no where else. read more