Dr Fernandez is leaving El Cerrito Veterinary Care, a huge loss. Without enough vets there and difficulty getting appointments I can't continue to bring my pug there. Dr Buttar gone. Now Dr. Fernandez. Such a loss of talented, empathetic vets. You are stressing your vets out in the name of corporate profits and you will lose many, many good clients and their pets. read more

We've been coming to El Cerrito Veterinary Care since our dog Mango was a tiny puppy doing her first wellness exam. We've consistently had Dr. Fernandez as Mango's vet until most recently when Dr. Vi has been filling in the appointments. Both of them have been great. As they are both patient, kind, and really thorough about walking us through different concerns we've had as they arise. And aside from 1 vet tech whom we met very early on who seemed to exhibit zero bedside manner nor patience with Mango when she was very young, all the rest of the techs and staff here have been a pleasure to work with. And that one tech doesn't appear to work there anymore (not surprisingly) as we've never seen him in any visits since, so it all works out. One thing of note though, El Cerrito Veterinary Care now offers their own online pharmacy. So as a result, they will not accept phone/email requests from other pharmacies confirming prescriptions. Instead, you'll have to ask for a written prescription during your visit. read more

Very disappointed with this vet. After taking our dog for the last three/four years, we were noticing that they kept trying to add labs and other work to our dog that didn't seem necessary. We know this only because we went to other vets and we were able to get what our dogs need and not be overcharged for things that they didn't. We recently went to visit El Cerrito veterinary care for a few regular procedures that our dog needed to get done. These procedures were done in the past without sedation, using a muzzle. To our surprise, we were told that the doctor recently made a note to sedate our dog for any further procedures. Our dog has not been sedated for any of these minor procedure in the past. This is an additional charge that we did not want to pay for because it did not make sense. We have been bringing our dog in for the same exact procedure for 3 years now, and a muzzle was always used. Unfortunately, we're noticing that they take advantage of the fact that people would pay anything to take care of their dogs and throw in additional charges. We were quoted $150 before went in for the appointment, and when we got there, we were told that with the sedation we would be paying close to $500. This meant that anytime we came in to bring our dog we would have to be paying close to that amount. When in the past, we would pay no more than 150 for the same exact procedure. Please be careful with this vet. They completely take advantage and for that reason we're no longer going there. read more

Today I sent the clinic a request to obtain both of my dog's medical records. Here is the email I sent their Director Dr. Fernandez. I am requesting Lui and Ginger's full medical records. I am removing them from your services and will be finding them a new vet. I called earlier this week because they were both due for services. No one mentioned that Lui needed to be sedated when I called. And no one mentioned anything to me after the initial estimate when I arrived, which tells me that this was a decision made on the spot without any consideration or conversation with me. In fact I saw Dr. Fernandez come out and she didn't even bother to mention anything to me. Lui bit a technician after his muzzle was removed a while back. That's on your team. He is 15 pounds and did not cause their technician any serious harm. I saw her come out and she was bleeding and when I asked her if she was okay, she said she was fine. He continued to have his glands expressed several times after that incident with anxiety medication and a muzzle. Although he resists, it's been managed just fine. Most recently the last vet allowed my partner to hold him while she expressed his glands during a visit. It went very smoothly and she showed him a lot of care and compassion. He had very traumatic experiences at your clinic because of his gland infections. His reaction is understandable. This isn't about your staffs safety, it's about squeezing every ounce of money from your clients. You care more about money, and this is also evident after actually taking the time just now to read your reviews on yelp. I am aware that other clinics like the one in Berkeley on San Pablo give pet owners the option to go in with their pets to support, especially if they have a negative association with the vet. Asking me to sedate him every time he needs treatment, even just to get bloodwork, is extortion. I understand you have a specific clientele in your area that can afford it, but not all of your clients have that level of privilege. I am disappointed in your clinic and your directors lack of consideration for the people she serves. Please be sure to forward this email to your Director, Dr. Fernandez. read more

I had to say goodbye to a dear pet at ECVC last week. They were thoughtful about creating a caring environment for me and my old friend Freddy, but the my experience with the vet on duty was not positive. Freddy had been stable when I brought him in the week before, but had gone down extremely fast the previous night. Dr. Fernandez, who was new to us, recommended immediate euthanasia. She was professional and knowledgeable, but her manner was brusque and she came across as unsympathetic. It is hard to understand why her tone was critical and condescending. I was shocked at how inappropriate this was when a pet parent is facing the loss of their cherished animal. The other staff were kind and I appreciate the respect shown for our privacy. I am grateful Freddy was treated gently and passed peacefully. The candle in the lobby was a nice touch to honor our goodbye. read more

Nice vets but overall practices of the office will leave you feeling like billing is more important than the services they intend to offer you. Most service costs are on the high end of the spectrum especially related to spay services. I have been an owner of many dongs and had never been forced into a visit and bloodwork before being given a spay appointment. In the end an attempt to take an expected service fee of $500 from other vets in the area to $1,500 by them. read more

We were quickly ushered into an exam room, minimizing my pets' time in the waiting area. Dr. Fernandez performed a thorough examination on both cats right in front of me and patiently addressed all my questions and concerns. She handled my pets with great care, as if they were family. The support staff was also highly professional and quickly and efficiently drew blood for labs. I especially appreciated that my cats weren't separated from me for long. read more

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Our cat, Roxy, was a very special member of our family! Dr. Fernandez at El Cerrito Veterinary Care diagnosed her conditions expertly. She was diligent about ensuring Roxy's vaccinations were up to date and medications were always current. As she grew older Roxy developed serious health problems like arthritis in many joints, and asthma. She needed regular injections, inhaler treatments, and frequent medications. As Roxy's conditions worsened over the years, the clinic staff taught us how to care for her ourselves, at home. We learned how to give Roxy injections, properly use her inhaler, even administer subcutaneous fluids. It was scary at first, but eventually we got the hang of it. Dr. Fernandez always made a detailed treatment plan. Her proactive and caring approach made a big difference in Roxy's quality of life. She also told us signs of the progression of Roxy's condition. She taught us what to look for, so we could prepare ourselves to make a humane decision. Her guidelines helped us decide when the right time came for Roxy. Because of Dr. Fernandez and her clinic, we actually got to have much more time with our Roxy than we expected! Thank you, Dr. Fernandez! read more

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UPDATE: Dr Kriensky is gone, and wait times to be seen are far too long for me to recommend this place anymore. Where did you go, Dr. K? read more

El Cerrito Veterinary Care - Everyone's favorite season is upon us. Sigh. - Veterinarians Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Dr Kriensky is a very thorough veterinarian. Her wellness visits are lengthily and she spends a lot of time focusing on every detail of the pet. I left the visit feeling overall really good about my puppies health and various ways in which I can keep her healthy. I like to go here for my annual wellness visits, however it is not a low cost vet so with certain things it is just too expensive to take my puppy here. Like getting her spayed for instance. I did not take her here for that because it was not affordable. General wellness visits are great though and competitive pricing on that read more

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I've been bringing my precious border collie Pepper here for 5 years - Dr. Fernandez is exceptional, very professional, and always takes time to explain what is going on and the various options. Pepper had a cavity which she treated with such care and precision, and Pepper being very picky about who handles him, was given extra special care and attention. I cannot recommend Dr. Fernandez and El Cerrito Veterinary Care highly enough. We are so happy that Pepper gets to experience such high quality, loving, and expert medical attention. Thank you! read more

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This veterinary office did a major tooth extraction on my 6lb little 16 year old dog that involved the removal of 25 teeth. As part of that, they were supposed to take x-rays both before and after the procedure. My dog never properly healed from whatever it was they did during the surgery. So, I took him to a different vet who looked in his mout 6 weeks later and said it was terribly inflamed and my dog still has a hard time eating. She asked to see the post-surgical x-rays and when I went back to get them, first they wouldn't send them. I looked at the bill and I was billed for x-rays. After five or six calls they finally sent me x-rays from before the surgery. But none from post-surgery, which was the important one. When I asked the receptionist what happened, she first acknowledged that post-surgical xrays are absolutely standard and she had no idea why there weren't done. But here's the kicker - when I asked her to please check with the vet who did the surgery, she just said, oh, he no longer works here so we can't find out. Then she mentioned the name of a Dr. and I told her, that wasn't the doctor who did the surgery, it was to other. Oh, she the stammered, he no longer works here either. Seriously? Two vets that were there last week suddenly no longer there when I need a question answered...Uhm, seriously. So, I said surely you can contact them about work they did while they were still there. She just said, no, we can't do that. Then I i asked why, and she simply went silent. Stayed on the phone, but literally wouldn't speak to answer the question, as if I was out of line and she no longer deemed it necessary to speak at all. So, here I am with a dog that's 6 lbs and 16, that now needs to be anesthitized again because of a job these people completely botched, are unwilling to take responsibility for, and then claim that two vets are suddenly no longer there and that there's no way to follow up with them. Begs credulity. Buyer beware! This place is a factory and they couldn't care less. Once they've got your money, you're on your own. Take your dog to a place where they won't fail to do necessary and standard work and then have the gall to lie to you about it. read more

Doctor Hernandez had a wonderful, gentle way with our Cooper, an energetic 90-pound golden-mix sweetheart who had vet anxiety from when he was young. She won Cooper's heart, he won hers, and she was a smart, thoughtful, resourceful vet for him through the last of his 12 years. Highly recommend her. Vet care is expensive, and Dr. Hernandez clearly and methodically presents pros, cons, and costs of care options to help with decision-making. The office staff is helpful and organized, and worked at easing Cooper's anxiety in the waiting room. Cooper taught a master class in the enhanced jump-and-sit onto the intake scale to get the visit moving quickly. read more

My dog Farmer is horrible at the vets to put it shortly. She's aggressive, scared, and unpredictable but Dr.Fernandez handled her SO WELL when it came to caring and monitoring Farmer's pregnancy. She never had one vet's office she consistently saw because everywhere we went was kind of iffy but I can confidently say this is, and will be her vet until the end of her days. I highly recommend Dr.Fernandez to anyone who needs a vet because she is incredibly patient and gentle, even with a dog like mine. All the puppies are born and healthy now! read more

It is a bad place to take your animals there only will take your money and send you somewhere else the first visit was 500 dollars to check what's wrong and then $500 to the test and they said everything was good with my animals but she still have red spot on her skin and then I send them a email this doctor is no good and he shouldn't have a license Dr Buttar read more

El Cerrito Veterinary Care - Veterinarians Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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I take my dog Niyah here and it's fantastic ! Dr.Fernandez did a fantastic job putting her on her correct medication for her anxiety. I loveeee this doctor totally would recommend her! Friendly staffs who are accommodating. Courtney as well gave me a lot of usual advice on Niyahs breed as well read more

We unfortunately were introduced to this business because our Sir Winston was just not getting better. Having apparently exhausted the patience of the folks at our vet, who pretty much said their is nothing more they could do except have us visit the ER. Not willing to cave so easily, Bae set out to find alternatives. We liked it was closer, and had much more flexible hours. They were most accommodating and welcoming under the circumstances. We were able to squeeze him in due to the severity of his symptoms. I must say the doc was so warm and friendly. His first inclination was to do blood work which came back inconclusive. So we opted to do X-rays. That's when we heard the unfortunate news, that Winston had a multitude of stuff that I'll spare you reading. Needless to say he made special accommodations to help us have closure and put out little guy out of his misery. Since Sir Winston was such a huge part of our lives for 15 brilliant years, I doubt if we are going to get another dog anytime soon. However if we do... I honestly can't think of another vet we would consider. There isn't another vet I could possibly give a better recommendation to. read more

El Cerrito Veterinary Care - Poor guy - Veterinarians Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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Staff Lorena has a calm and friendly approach to client. She explained the instructions well. But Not impressed by the Vet Dr Kriensky. She promotes sedative drugs without even assessing my dog yet. The moment she walked in the room, she wants to give Trazodone or Gabapentin, sedate my bulldog already without even touching him yet. Very insensitive & uncaring attitude. She looks stern, impatient and lack of empathy. I will never see her again. read more

I started bringing my cats here in 2019. We've seen all three vets but my favorite is Dr. Kriensky. She has gone way above the call of duty to help research medications for my most recent kitty. She even returned my calls clearly during her off hours to answer my fervent request for help with his behavior. I had to have one kitty put down here and the staff and the vet were very sympathetic and supportive. Another Kitty had to be cremated here after being hit by a car, and again the staff was very supportive and kind. (It's been a tough road for the last four years ). I read that some of the other reviewers had trouble with staff tracking appointments and I haven't had that experience. They are very busy but with persistence, I've been able to get everything I needed from them. I used to go to Cordonices, but I switched to this vet because they are much closer to my house and my cats hate driving in the car. I feel like the staff here is on a par with the staff at Cordonices. Highly recommend this practice. read more

I had to go to Hawaii unexpectedly and needed to get a health certificate to fly with my French Bulldog. My regular vet was booked out too far out, so I called everywhere that I could in Berkeley/Oakland/Albany/Etc. I finally called El Cerrito Veterinary Care and they were able to get me an appointment just in time. Pros: -very thorough -reasonably priced -staff were friendly Cons: -n/a read more

El Cerrito Veterinary Care - Front desk/waiting area - Veterinarians Near Me - El Cerrito, California

I called to ask questions as I look for a new vet for my 3 strictly indoor cats. The friendly receptionist Maggie, when asked about vaccines insisted the rabies vaccine is required by state law for both cats and dogs, which is not true for cats. I suggested she update her knowledge. In both the state of Ca and contra costa county, rabies vaccine is NOT required by law for cats. She then finally admitted it was their practice policy. I have dealt with the deadly vaccine associated sarcoma and know if my cats are not at risk of contracting rabies, don't get the vaccine. Very disappointed that pet guardians are being told it's the law. read more

We have two cats and a puppy that we bring to this vet and always appreciate the care provided and the price transparency. The vets and staff are always kind and good communicators. Always make it clear what the options are, what they recommend, but always leave decision making to you as the pet owner. read more

Recommend Dr. Kriensky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She really cares about your pet and makes sure your options are actually things you can afford to the best of her ability! Love this lady! read more

We had a consultation for our senior dog who has a growth on her head, as a medical person in human field, I almost 99% knew it's not a simple lumps. We Meeting Dr F. reasons also for the "lumps/wound care", if surgery removal aren't the options. this facility was ok, everyone was ok, but We didn't feel any positive energies around here, people are only doing their jobs. Dr F was ok too, from point one after she lay eyes on our dog, she gave only 1 statements-"quality of life..."if i wasn't asked her questions, her signals to us were only "the dog should be put to sleep for quality of life", even we told her our dog was eating well, walked daily for 30 minutes...DrF's mind was just locked, show no true feeling for us also how harsh her words. as a dog families, we didn't feel receiving any support from this dog care facility, so, no, i do not recommend this facility for your beloved dogs. read more

El Cerrito Veterinary Care - Facility information - Veterinarians Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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Dr. Buttar and team saved our cat's life a couple years ago, and for that I am eternally grateful. It's interesting to read the negative reviews that seem to have come during COVID, before that, I remember all the reviews being excellent. As usual with any review of a vet clinic, read them closely and judge for yourself if you agree with them. I am writing about my experiences from 2019 to 2020. Our Lily had multiple health issues that required detailed diagnoses, and for that Dr. Buttar gave his expert advice over and over again. She was losing weight, eating less, and just not herself. The first issue was bladder stones that needed to be surgically removed. This was immediately diagnosed with an ultrasound at the clinic on the same day (+1 for on-site diagnostics), and we scheduled a surgery just a couple days after to remove them. At the same time, dental extractions needed to be done due to cavities. Dr. Buttar skillfully removed them all, and while the bill was certainly high, it was nothing that I didn't expect and in the range of what any other vet would have charged. Lily recovered amazingly well after these surgeries with no complications at all. Half a year later, a couple cysts were appearing on Lily's jawbone and near the base of her tail. The jawbone cyst was especially concerning because it was a hard, bony mass. Once again, Dr. Buttar communicated his thoughts clearly - by the way, there's basically nothing online about this type of mass (an "odontoma") for cats - and recommended it be observed for potential growth, and later removed for biopsy. This looked like an extremely tough surgery but luckily, all were removed and found to be benign. I was very impressed by the skill needed to correctly diagnose and remove this mass. Since then, I have moved away from El Cerrito but Lily has been happy and healthy since her operations. This is why I highly recommend this vet. In my experience, I never had any mixups at the front desk and everyone including Dr. Kriensky (who I interacted with for one appointment) was very kind and willing to explain their thoughts. Thank you a million times Dr. Buttar for your help!! read more

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Once I found out they were marking up our dog's prescription by 900% I stopped going and never looked back.

I am writing this review after a year because I was devastated and traumatized by the experience. My sweet little dog, Nola, was licking her private area excessively, and I knew that something was wrong. So, I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Buttar because he was the vet in the office who was available sooner. When we got there, he examined Nola and paid particular attention to the area of concern. After a few minutes, he told me that she had a vaginal prolapse, and during the exam, he tried to physically push the allegedly prolapsed vaginal tissue BACK INTO HER VAGINA with his fingers, something that was clearly painful or at least uncomfortable for her. When he couldn't push the protruding tissue/object back into her vagina, he concluded that she would need surgery to repair the problem. Then he swiftly exited the room, leaving me with this devastating news. The staff at the front desk gave me a paper that listed local surgeons to contact about the necessary surgery. Before leaving the office, I contacted OakVet, the closest vet surgical practice to me, and scheduled a consultation with Dr. Jaime Wignall. I was able to bring her into OakVet to see Dr. Wignall within a few days, and when he examined her, he determined that she DID NOT have a vaginal prolapse. She had a vaginal polyp potentially caused by ovarian tissue being left behind during her spaying procedure. This was subsequently confirmed by ultrasound. Upon confirmation of the diagnosis via ultrasound, Oakvet scheduled the surgery, and a year later, my little furbaby, Nola, is polyp-free, healed (with no scars btw), and doing well. I must say that the nonchalant way in which Dr. Buttar announced this inaccurate diagnosis, physically manipulated Nola's potentially painful private parts, and then left the room was emotionally devastating. But I must also say that my/Nola's experience with Dr. Buttar is NOT characteristic of the practice as a whole. Dr. Kriensky is nothing short of AMAZING. She clearly LOVES animals. She clearly knows how to engage with animals in ways that make the most skittish animals feel comfortable and safe. I (and Nola) have always had wonderful experiences with Dr. K. In fact, I brought Nola back to this practice precisely because it was Dr. K and not Dr. Buttar who was available to see her. So, I guess the moral of this story is that if you bring your pet to this practice, I would recommend that you bring them to see Dr. K and NOT Dr. Buttar. (Nola has never seen the third vet in this practice, so I can't speak to their bedside manner or expertise). read more

Overall our experience with dr K has been positive. The negative review is with dr Fernandez. We took our cat in for sneeze attacks and did everything dr Fernandez recommend. We gave him antibiotics that did not work. Then took him back to be re-examined. Then dr F recommended teeth extraction and also imaging for possible polyps. We found an affordable option for teeth extractions and imaging through vets in vans. Thank goodness too because he did have rotting teeth and his imaging came back clear of polyps. His sneezing went away for a couple months but suddenly returned. I called El Cerrito vet in hopes dr F could recommend an allergy med or some kind of nasal spray. I called the clinic 4 times between Monday-Friday with no return call. The front desk would take notes of my call and they told me Dr F will get back to me. This is the expectation the front desk told to me. On the 4th call I was finally recommended to send dr f an email. She did reply to the email promptly only to say we needed to bring him to another specialist because for some reason they won't take the imaging results from vets in vans. Dr F has already seen our cat at least 2 times and she was insisting we come in and pay another expensive exam fee... for what? Everything was ruled out. We did everything that was recommended and ruled every thing out. I told dr F that I was feeling passed off as if we are just not her problem anymore and I've attached her response. I seemed to have caught her on a bad day because she then proceeds to cut ties with us after the email exchange stating we are no longer a good fit for their clinic. It's so sad because we have 3 more animals going to El Cerrito which she cut ties with now too. Very sad. I was in shock at her reply. Our dogs see Dr K and have built a relationship with that dr F has put to very sad end. How do I not lose trust in veterinarians with an experience like this? Very disappointed read more

El Cerrito Veterinary Care - Email from dr Fernandez - Veterinarians Near Me - El Cerrito, California

I moved to the Bay Area and was looking for a primary vet. Dr. Kriensky is very caring, knowledgeable, and lovely around your pet and you! Plus the staff is also very helpful and friendly. I like that they make the visits for my dog very pleasant. read more

El Cerrito Veterinary Care - Ready for some vaccinations! Love how they treat my dogs here! - Veterinarians Near Me - El Cerrito, California

NEGATIVE 1000 STARS!!! Since this place is sooo unorganized and unprofessional Screen shots to back up my review. I have no reason to Lie. 1. wrong dosage of medication 2. Me trying to get clearifcation that my pups appointment was scheduled correctly. 3. Dr. Telling me to make an xray & exam with doctor. The reply I received from the owner is un true. She had an appointment with the doctor. That is why when I got to her appointment and was told she didn't, I wanted to speak to the doctor per the email (screen shot attached). According to the doctors email an exam was necessary with the xrays. They didn't handle my puppy with care. She was extremely traumaized after every visit. They rough handle her! I'm taking the time to provide an update as I can't stress enough NOT to take your puppy here for service. You will regret it! To the the unprofessional owner : Instead of getting defensive of my honest review, take time to fix your issues, own up to your mistakes. Train your staff. Many pet owners are complaining about the same issues. Wrong medication dose Trying to hold pets hostage for payment Rude staff Pets dying List is goes on! And We have moved on! Come for me again, I will post all the emails and really expose your office. She is getting Extremely better care at EastBay Veterinary, where they are very professional, friendly to me and my pet. Very organized,extremely gentle with my puppy, and isn't be traumaized. Doctors are wayyy more knowledgeable! She didn't even need an xray! They knew what what was wrong and addressed the issue in 10 mins. She comes out happy with a smile every time. Completely opposite of how she was leaving your office. read more

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3/27/2021 update: this place continues to be a joke and have the worst customer service. Proven by their comment below that has absolutely nothing to do with what I actually reviewed on. When I brought my dog for her apt owners were allowed inside, and that wasn't even my complaint. Again, my complaint is the HORRIBLE customer service. After being promised a quote for my dog's dental surgery by end of business day, the vet didn't follow thru. After 2 phone calls and 1 in person request for a quote, still nothing. A couple weeks ago I called to get a copy of my pet's history as I'm completely done with this place. Lady on the phone confirmed they had my email address and it would be easy to send the information. Here I am weeks later with no pet history. The comment on my review is such a joke. Go to Richmond pet vet where they actually have good customer service. read more

El Cerrito Veterinary Care - Laughing at their response that has NOTHING to do w/ my review. - Veterinarians Near Me - El Cerrito, California

I've been coming to this vet since my dog was 8 weeks old... she's 4 now. When I first started coming here it had phenomenal reviews. It's going downhill fast. Everyone is rude and has a bad attitude. They canceled a vaccine appointment LAST MINUTE because my dog is due for an annual exam in a couple weeks? Ummm ok...must be a new rule? The call 20 minutes before my appointment along with the awful attitude from the person on the phone was absolutely uncalled for. Unfortunately I'm going to have to find a new vet. read more

We've seen Dr. Buttar for our dog 4 times since moving to the area, 2 times for annual checkup/shots and 2 times for teeth cleaning. We like his office and will continue to go to him. My primary takeaways are below. I think he is a good and knowledgable doctor. Our dog is deathly terrified of the vet but he and his office are able to work with our dog safely and competently. Our dog (he's a chihuahua) had to get a front tooth extracted last time :( but it appeared to have been done very skillfully - no bleeding or pain or anything. I'm pretty sure our dog doesn't realize it's no longer there. His front desk / admins seemed disorganized 20 months ago, but they've gotten so much better over time. Pretty good the last time we went. No paperwork/treatment mixups. We are pretty detail-oriented owners so if you're worried I recommend you just ask a bunch of questions. Lastly his pricing seems reasonable, and I think he's tried to manage demand during the pandemic. We felt like we were able to get in to see him in a reasonable timeframe and that he had the time to devote attention to our dog. read more

Thank you El Cerrito Veterinary Care and Dr. K for taking such good care of Harlow. The staff was so friendly and patient with my puppy on her first vet visit. Highly recommended. read more

El Cerrito Veterinary Care - Harlow's first exam with Dr.K! - Veterinarians Near Me - El Cerrito, California

This review goes for everyone working here. I went today for the first time and I was welcomed nicely by the workers up front. And the girl that checked Lucy's temperature and took her to a different room to get her shot done was super sweet to my baby girl Lucy . Dr Buttar was also really nice to us and he gave me some good advice for my golden retriever. Everyone here had a good vibe and made my experience awesome. Highly recommend this place, it looks like everyone loves what they do . read more

I have been bringing my pup, Pinto, to see Dr. Kriensky since we got her 6 or so years ago. Pinto has gone to her for dental cleanings, allergy concerns, patching up dew claw injuries, routine checkups, etc. There are many things that she does that make her an excellent vet, and it'll be shorter just to put them in list form: 1. She explains things very thoroughly and clearly. 2. She's very calm and patient with Pinto who can be fear-aggressive. 3. She always builds trust with Pinto before and after, especially after a rough appointment. 4. She's very honest and direct when it comes to a good care plan for Pinto. 5. She reaches out to check up after a procedure or an appointment where a new medication is introduced. 6. She tries her best to be responsive, accessible, and available. (Honestly, better than my own doctor) 7. The outcomes of her services are always fantastic. Pinto is an irreplaceable member of our family and when we take her to get seen by Dr. Kriensky, we can tell her health is Dr. K's Number 1 priority as well. Thank you for your compassion, competence, and dedication to your patients and their families. read more

El Cerrito Veterinary Care - Veterinarians Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Our appointment went well. Very caring toward my fur baby. Thank you for taking good care of her. She's a joy in our household and we want to keep her around for a long time. read more

I get that everyone has different expectations of any service they use. I rarely feel outright disgust for any service providers, but the experience with this business, which is more like factory, still lingers as I recall the vet and office behaviors and its overall 'factory belt' environment. We were new to the area and most practices were full so we called around and this business readily accepted new patients. I see now how this business can take on a seemingly endless number of patients. Again, they process dogs; they don't actually *see* them. This business does not disguise the fact that taking in as much money as possible each day is their primary objective. It's all about quantity, not quality. As a lifelong dog lover and owner I have experienced a variety of Veterinarians/clinics and always noticed how they stand up to the standards of my own clinical practice. I look for high skill levels, including the ability to answer the kinds of questions dog owners would ask. I look for kind, unhurried, and respectful responses to the patient and family, and an office/clinic atmosphere that envelops the dog and its family in a warm and welcoming relaxed environment. I found none of these at Vet Butar's practice. Vet Butar's office *processes* dogs and their owners in a very strict time-limited manner that discourages any interruptions of that process, including making it clear that questions are not welcome. Buter clearly does not appreciate even the smallest of interruptions of his robotic routine and does not disguise his desire/need to speed through the exam. No warmth; no real concern is evident which also shouts out loud in the people he hires to assist him, such as the so-called admin whose behaviors are shockingly rude and dismissive, interrupting dog owner's questions by getting up and waddling away mid question to go to the frig to get yet another snack. These behaviors cannot exist in a business that is run by a caring responsible owner which Butar is certainly not. Even his clinical assistant, the nicest person there, was clearly on edge. It saddened me to witness his palpable tension as he hurried, as if there would be criticisms if he were not quick enough preparing the dog for Butar. The worst vet experience of our lives. read more

God, this veterinary clinic is great. We are so glad they opened locally and we were able to move to them from VCA. We have worked with all 3 vets and each is great, very responsive & helpful. Their prices are fair and it's possible to find appointments at fairly short notice, if emergencies come up. read more

NO available appointments for your sick pets, you have to wait 2-3 weeks for your pet to be seen, I have been with them for more than 2 years now, it is so frustrating when you have a pet with a chronic stomach problem, every time I call in for urgent/ sick visits they don't have availability and tell me to wait weeks! service is ok nothing special. read more

El Cerrito Veterinary Care - patients of Dr. Buttar at the El Cerrito Veterinary Care - Veterinarians Near Me - El Cerrito, California