Dr. Bell and his staff are very knowledgeable and caring. If you love your dog or cat, this is the place for you. read more

They have new Vet he seems to be awesome! I talked to him on phone! Dr. Smith retired this is the best vet in town!!And Megan is awesome

We were on vacation with our dogs, when one of them had an allergic reaction. They got us in really fast, the vet was thorough, listened to our issue and resolved it. I would definitely recommend using them. read more

Dr bell is the best! I followed him here from Paso Robles. He is compassionate and an excellent veterinarian.

I've been going to this vet for years and I trust them completely with my pets. Dr. Smith is wonderful, she is always honest and clear about what your pet needs. I never feel pressured but I do know if I need to change something in my pets care. She clearly cares about the animals that come in to her clinic and her staff is great. read more

I accompanied my 20 year old daughter to the Vet. We were late, but the staff were very understanding. My daughter has an 18 month old half boxer/half pit bull that was having eye issues and occasional diarrhea. Dr. Smith was very thorough, complementing my daughter on brushing her dog's teeth and pointing out some positive things before focusing on the cause of her dog's problem. It was a good issue, and she explained why the food was problematic, as well as affordable alternatives for the youngster on a budget. She discussed the importance of neutering, gave my daughter a quote, and also told her someplace else she could go cheaper. Dr Smith spent a lot of time with us. I found the staff we encountered to be friendly and welcoming. A cute dog probably doesn't hurt. He received several cookies and pats while there. read more

Oak Park Veterinary Clinic - Smiling at the Vet because he got a cookie. - Veterinarians Near Me - Grover Beach, California

See all

If I could give this place a zero....or better yet a negative score I would. My son got a 1 year old puppy named Jitterbug. She is what they call a bullador, a black lab, pit bull, bulldog. She is currently in obedience training. The first thing I want to say is that my son only got her 4 months ago. She had previously been to Oak Park Vet. for her shots. The first time she went it was with 2 of her brothers. We scheduled the appointment there because she had been there before. It was time for her 1 year boosters and she needed a rabies she shot. So my son scheduled an appointment. He took her in. He filled out all of the paperwork stating he was her new dad. He stated he only had Jitterbug. The first thing the vet did was talk to him from across the room. Her distasteful attitude and raised voice made Jitterbug nervous. Jitterbug was nervous and barked, like some dogs do. Let me state that Jitterbug barked, not snarled or showed teeth. The vet said she disliked the pitbull breed. She then told my son they would only trim Jitterbugs nails if they put her under to do so. My son said no. The vet told my son that Jitterbug was timid the last visit, but now she was vicious. It is worth mentioning that Jitterbug was not vicious enough to refuse to take her to the back room alone, examine her, or give her shots to her. So after the appointment my son brought her home. Today, 3 days after Jitterbugs visit, we get a call and a visit from Animal control. They said that someone had reported that we had visions dogs. Knowing that my son had just got his new phone number and they were the only ones with it, I told animal control what happened. I then called the vet and talked to Tiffany. She sounded like she had 2 brain cells and they were fighting for oxygen. She told me...very matter of fact, that yes they had called animal control and told them we had visious dogs because the other 2 dogs that were seen with Jitterbug months and months ago did not have rabies shots they their office. I asked her to explain to me how my son came in, filled out new owner paperwork, stated he only had Jitterbug, ended up paying $100+ for an exam, booster shots and rabies shots, and they could call Animal Control. She had just got her rabies shots 3 days prior. Tiffany the auto repeat robot stated again and again that yes Jitterbug had, however the other 2 had not. I would burn in hell before I took pets, or even a cockroach for that matter to this vet. read more

Oak Park Veterinary Clinic - Jitterbug - Veterinarians Near Me - Grover Beach, California

Seriously disappointed! They over vaccinated without my permission then charged me for it, twice (even after I expressed my concerns because my puppy is super sensitive and only 3 lbs). They also threatened to report me to the county, and incur possible fines, if I don't get his rabies vaccination ASAP. He's only 18 weeks old. They also wanted to charge me $400 to get him neutered. I gave them a second chance, but definitely will not return. read more

We have been coming to Dr Smith since the late 90s. Over that time we have had seven dogs. Each received individualized, excellent and compassionate care. We are very pleased with the service and trust the recommendations of Dr. Smith. read more

I recently moved to Grover Beach from the East Coast and hoped to be welcomed at Oak Park with the usual warm-heartedness and excitement that EVERYONE should expect at pet-friendly locations. I have never written a review on this thing, but I am too angry to pass this up. I've only taken my dog to this place for two appointments, and most definitely will NOT be going back. The vet techs are amazingly unfriendly and snooty. They exhibit a sincere lack of customer appreciation and need to remember that taking your pet to a VET is not always going to be a stress-free experience for the owner and they should be as accommodating and welcoming as possible. These people made me feel extremely uncomfortable and self-conscious when I even asked to see an itemized receipt after hearing that my bill was more than I expected. The girl just looked at me like I had four heads and acted as if I were annoying her. She condescendingly explained the charges and took my payment. The end. Not even so much as a "Have a nice day." She just turned around and left my dog and me standing there in an empty office. And that's just one example. I have never encountered such an unwelcoming pet care staff. The vets are okay, Dr. Smith is the best. And ONE of the receptionists is great, the older lady with the long dark hair. But everyone else has given me plenty of reason to never return. read more

Had top notch care from all staff for both me and my dog. We were quickly and efficiently seen within 35 min. Not sure how some of these reviews came to be? Over vaccinate? 18 week old puppy SHOULD get a rabies vaccine. I'd report you too since waiting until your puppy is grown is actually illegal in CA. Highly recommend this vet and her staff. Vet tech Shelby (i think is her name) was great and super sweet to our dog! read more

Just had my 16 year old cat put with kidney disease to sleep. I had called to specifically ask that I be present for the procedure and they said that would be fine. I was not given a timely appointment when I called a 2nd time an hour later to let them know of her deteriorated condition had gotten even worse and made to wait much longer than necessary. My mainly my complaints are: The staff and Dr. Smith at Oak Park did not follow my instructions to administer the medication to my pet in my presence and willfully ignored all requests. I made the request at least 6 times, because they kept asking! In fact the staff and Dr. Smith lied to me several times saying I could be present. First they insisted on an exam - extra expense of course, which I said was not necessary and not needed. They had made me wait for an appointment and now my pet was extremely sick. The so called "exam" was to weigh her and listen to her heart. Dr. Smith then talked about some crazy "cocktail" and how she might not survive the first procedure and how she wouldn't even know I was present. She then scooped her up and headed to the back room. I started following in disbelief - and was just stunned at what was happening. Some unknown and unexplainable procedures were performed on my cat in a "back-room" causing me much stress about what torture they subjected her too. Nearly 30 minutes (during which I was requested to make full payment) she was returned to me deceased. It was never explained why whatever was done to her had to be out of my sight. It's only been left to my imagination what she was subjected to. The last few days have been stress filled, wishing I had never walked it that office or allowed Dr. Smith to handle her. Everyone I have talked to says the procedure should have been a simple injection of a strong sedative in my presence. It is tough enough to lose a long time friend, but their blatant disregard for my wishes and feelings, excessive charges and procedures can't be ignored. She should not be dealing with the public or pets. One star is too much for this business. read more

Though I left Oak Park Veterinary Clinic approximately 10 months ago for another local veterinary practice that suited my (and more importantly; my pet's needs), I am still receiving ugly; vindictive interactions (via Yelp) from Dr. Smith regarding my initial "truthful personal experience" review. - So, leaving Oak Park Veterinary Clinic was (as the last 10 months have proven) an "excellent" move for both me, and my pets: no more "exorbitant" vet bills; no more "unpleasantness"; no more "petty drama." read more

Dr. Smith and her staff are excellent! They treated our animals like their own pets! They truly care about the animals and owners. The only vet office to care enough to call and make sure your animal is ok after the procedures. I highly recommend them and so do Cisco and Grover! read more

Oak Park Veterinary Clinic - Grover - Veterinarians Near Me - Grover Beach, California

See all

Today I had to say goodbye to my heart of 14 years. This was of course super hard and will never be an easy situation but I have to say Cathi and her staff were amazing! I've been through this in places before where they treat you like you're dramatic if you cry and stare at you but everyone on her staff was super respectful and more importantly understanding and compassionate. They made a very hard situation as smooth and seamless as it could possibly be and for that I will always be thankful! I'll be back soon with my Lhasa Apso for a check up because I can't afford to lose him too and I trust them to care for him they way they would for their own pet. Thank you so much read more

How I wish I had been smart enough to do an Internet search for both Cathi Smith, DVM and Oak Park Veterinary Clinic. However, I only searched for the doctor and I found no reviews. After a terrible first visit to Dr. Smith, I searched again and found scathing reviews about her, her clinic, and her staff. We took our cat in after we moved and we needed a new Rx for her medication. We arrived a half hour early and we believe Dr. Smith was already on the premises. The important thing here is that there were no other patients/owners in the waiting room. At our appointment time we were asked into an exam room by the assistant who basically insisted that our cat sit on a very small towel she placed on the exam table. We continued to wait with the usual anxiety that often accompanies taking a beloved pet to the vet. The exam room was dark, dingy, and extremely claustrophobic. Dr. Smith came into the exam room 15 - 20 minutes after our appointment time. Dr. Smith never made eye contact with either or us and she made no effort to bond with our cat. She was highly critical of our previous veterinarian's recommendations for flea treatment. Our previous vet is well known as one of the most revered and respected vets on the Central Coast of California After going on and on about how dangerous our cat's flea treatment is, she never offered an alternative. Upon using her stethoscope, she asked if our cat has always been wheezy. NO. By then all three of us could have been wheezing because of the stress level in the room. Dr. Smith said our cat could have either basic or extensive lab work done. We asked about the difference in cost. She said she would check and she left the room and never returned. Instead the assistant came in and told us the total amount of the bill. We asked if that included the cost of the extensive lab work or the basic lab work. She said she had no idea. At the end of the visit we went to the desk to pay and also received Dr. Smith's written report, much of which was illegible. It would have made such a difference had Dr. Smith come back in the room to finish discussing our cat's health with us. As other reviewers have noted, it was almost as though Dr. Smith and her staff are surprised that their patients do not act like humans. They are also will not fax an Rx to any on-line Rx company, which may greatly delay treatment. Overall Experience and Treatment: F+ read more

I have visited this clinic three times over the past few months, to assist my niece and her fiance, who are both blind, as they brought their service dogs in to see Dr. Smith. The level of care the animals receive here is excellent. The staff are caring, knowledgeable, and patient with both the animals and any concerns the owners may have. Dr. Smith is skilled in administering care, and really gave the time necessary to discuss all of the questions my niece had about her service dog's needs. As my niece and her fiance had recently moved to the area, there were issues of getting previous vet records, etc., The staff were very kind and went the extra mile to help us get everything in order. We plan to keep bringing the service dogs this clinic for years to come. read more

Oak Park Vetinary is wonderful. We love their staff, and Dr. Smith is the best. She is very caring and has taken good care of our two Dobie's for years. In fact, our male will be 15 years old in a couple of months and is still a happy guy in good health thanks to the care he has received since he was a puppy. Our female is 13 years old and now has a challenging health issue. If it was not for Dr. Smith, she might not still be with us as a happy and loving pet. There are not many Dobie's who enjoy such long and happy lives. We are grateful to Dr. Smith for taking such good care of our furry family members. read more

Our cat Grover has had asthma for 5 years and every year he has a bad attack. Dr. Smith and staff save him everytime! She and her staff have a big love for animals and it really shows! They are the best! read more

Oak Park Veterinary Clinic - Veterinarians Near Me - Grover Beach, California

I have three dogs, and always take them to Dr. Smith at Oak Part Veterinary Clinic for all their medical needs. I discovered Dr. Smith about 4 years ago. The vet who I had been using was encouraging me to put down my beloved lab, Chip. While he was an older dog, and did have some health issues, he still was young at heart, always wanting to play or go for a walk. I took Chip to see Dr. Smith, and she encouraged me to keep him around and together we developed changes in his life style that was fulfilling and made him happy. This was in combination with medications, water therapy and chiropractic therapy. Chip lived another 2 happy years before it was finally time for him to leave us. Dr. Smith and the entire staff have always been professional and friendly. I would not consider taking my dogs to any other vet's office. All of the people there really care about their clients, both the human owners and the four legged friends. read more

I have taken my pets to Dr. Smith at Oak Park Clinic on numerous occasions over the past 15 years and can honestly say that her compassion and honesty will keep me coming back as long as I have pets to care for. Her staff has always gone out of their way to make me feel that I am, indeed, in safe and caring hands. E.Hampton Morro Bay read more

I've been going to cathi smith, DVM since she opened this office, and she has cared for many different pets through the years She and the staff are excellent! If someone feels ignored, they should realize they are not the only ones in there with pet concerns. she also has surgeries going on in the back besides office calls! To the lady who worried about eye contact from Dr Smith, were you there for a social visit or to have your pets needs met? I personally like that my pet gets Dr Smiths full attention. She's always very thorough and caring.. Always "talks" to my pets, and has been extremely pleased when a pet gets well. She's laughed with me, cried with me when I've lost an old animal and treated that animal with utmost respect. Maybe we should realize when we are concerned about our pets, "we" aren't at our best and should try to be a little more patient Maybe we don't like it when she won't break a law and use medicines the way we think would work better, but I like the idea my pet is safe and she won't do something to jeopardise their health. She has always worked with me to write a prescription for mail order to save me money, and has called in prescriptions for me to help out She and her staff works hard and love the animals. I've never felt anything but welcome there; I feel they all care about my pets and about me. I feel like family. read more

My pets have only come to OPVC for any needs they might have. Very helpful staff and the Dr. is great! Thanks to them I have healthy happy pets! read more

I am a previous Grover Beach local and Cal Poly Alum. I was saddened by some of the negative experiences some people have posted. I had the pleasure of working for Dr. Smith for a short period about 5 or 6 years ago. I have actually worked for a total of 4 different vet clinics in SLO county and have gotten to work under many doctors while I lived in the area. Dr. Smith is one of ONLY 2 vets I would trust! (And I've worked for 16 vets total). I know first hand how thorough she is with her exams. For extra client confidentiality she would never even require assistants in the room during patient exams. I can't argue with the customer service because that was an individual's experience but the lady with long brown hair IS extremely nice and has been there for years! If you REALLY want to see if a vet is good or not, check out their staff! Are they always the same? Or do they have a quick staff "turn-over"! Doctors rarely go over estimates with clients (that's true for human doctors as well) As an assistant, that was our job: 1.) So we too would be familiarized with what was being done for the patient. 2.) Asking for money was never the "easy part"....and a lot of clients try to "negotiate" costs with the doctor 3.) To continue animal care, Dr. Smith usually used that time to check on her hospitalized patients in the back! But I know if she would have known there was confusion, she would have gone back to clarify further. For the person that arrived early hoping to be seen since no one else was in the waiting room, you have to look at it holistically. Appointments are scheduled around surgical procedures, so if you show up early and the doctor is in surgery...they're not going to leave an anesthetized animal...that takes priority. At the same time, if an animal doesn't recover quickly from surgery or is anesthetized for x-rays, she is going to stay with the animal ...again this would be priority. This is not to give you an excuse but a possible explanation to what goes on in the back. The euthanasia story was hard to hear. No one wants to hear that the best option may be to put their loved one down, but if you refuse treatment service, that topic is usually discussed in a very sympathetic way. It's hard on staff as well as clients. We are in this business to help animals and it's sad to see the number of clients that refuse necessary tests that could help their animal (although I agree it looks costly) but want the doctor to do "everything they can" on a low budget. Everything in a vet clinic costs the veterinarian THE SAME as human medicine....For example: anesthetics, oxygen tanks, surgical equipment, medicine, lab materials, fluids and fluid pumps, catheters, etc....and think of how much YOU would be required to pay at a human hospital...now picture vets using "the exact same equipment"...and charging $200 as opposed to $10,000! Also I can see why the doctor used extra precautions. If an animal has a history of past aggression, the slightest sound, sight, smell, or touch can freak them out. Not to mention they are in a nerve wrecking place to begin with. I don't know how many times I've had owners shocked that their animal would hiss and bark at staff. "I've never seen them act this way before!" Clients would say.... Well they're not exactly in the comfort of their own home anymore. And just because someone works in the animal field doesn't mean they want to get bit or attacked any more than you do. Safety comes first: For the animal, clients, and staff. To end I just want to reiterate how EXTREMELY appropriate Dr Smith treats her patients and clients. I've heard doctors bad mouth clients as soon as they left. I've seen doctors pile on TOO many surgeries back to back and try to move on to appointments before an animal is recovered. Dr. Smith always puts her client's and staff's needs first. She really does have quality monitoring equipment in the back (sadly not a lot of doctors have or even take the time to use)....yet she uses this for ALL surgical procedures...even routine ones like quick spays and neuters. She uses SO many monitoring tools, it made me feel safe to know that she would see if something was wrong with a patient BEFORE IT EVEN HAPPENS and would correct it. My first "Big surgery" I got to assist with, she made sure the doctor performing it had two assistants. One to assist the doctor, and another to keep eyes on the monitors at ALL times. Some doctors make 1 person do both jobs which becomes very stressful. Animals were even recovered from surgery under a heaping pile of warm blankets and hot water bottles. They were never taken from her sight until body temperature, breathing, and blood pressure was back to normal. On a daily basis she would eat her lunch on site in the event of patient emergencies (also rarely done by many doctors). I hope this was a helpful point of view, and that you decide to try this place for yourself. I can honestly say the quality of care is there! read more

I chose to go to Oak Park Vet because of the proximity to my home and it was close enough to walk there. I took my dog in with a couple of issues that Dr. South covered very efficiently. She and her staff were very friendly and accommodating. The office was clean and bright. She handled the dog with care and frequent pets and comforting words. She spoke to me with about the issues very thoroughly. I was very impressed with the whole experience. Reading some of the reviews was a bit disconcerting and I hope that you don't go elsewhere because of some of the low evaluations. I remember when I had to put a beloved cat down at an emergency facility in another city and I walked away blaming the vet for a bad experience but now that I look back I know it was because of my own grief and it felt better to be mad than sad. I'm sure being a vet can bring some tough situations your way and tending to the feelings of the pet owner has it's challenges. Dr. South is maybe a bit shy and some people may interpret shyness as being aloof or uncaring but that is not the case here with Dr. South. She is soft spoken but it is obvious she knows what she's doing and it is obvious she is caring with my dog. So go to Oak Park Veterinary Clinic with confidence that you will be well treated and not over charged and your pet will be well taken care of by the staff. read more

I've used OPVC for almost 12 years, since moving here from San Diego. The staff has always been extremely courteous, helpful, and friendly. The doctors have been compassionate and knowledgable, rendering care with courtesy,honesty and humor. i wouldn't take my dogs and cats anywhere else. read more

we've been taking our furry kids to oak park vet for around 27 years ... they are kind, compassionate and professional ... Fred, Ginger and Clarice thrive under their care ... I highly recommend them ! read more

Oak Park Veterinary Clinic - Veterinarians Near Me - Grover Beach, California

See all

Never in my life have I felt the need to post a statement about a negative experience that I have had on the internet. I am so disgusted with Dr. Smith at Oak Park Vet Clinic. We waited for over 30 min in the examination room ... and when the vet finally arrived her reaction towards my cat was indifference. The reason for the visit was to deal with some behavioral issues that he has been displaying. His aggression is something I have been concerned with when learning that a friend's cat displayed similar temperament and was diagnosed with heart disease. At the clinic upon hearing about his increase in aggression Dr. Smith implied euthanization would be the best course of action. Never in my life has a vet who is supposed to cure and encourage healing state that euthanizing an animal would be a solution. To me that is not a solution ... that is a last resort!!!!!! I wasted $58 for a person to look in my cats eyes ... take his temperature ... and tell me what I already knew could be wrong with him. The quotes they gave me for further testing were extremely high ... they were going to charge me to mildly sedate him because he growled when they shoved a thermometer up his ass ... I don't know about everyone else's animals .... But all my other cats and fosters have all growled, whined, or hissed when having their temperature taken. I would never ever go back to that clinic or Dr. Smith. Whoever goes there ... do not expect to be treated with compassion, don't hope for reassurance, and please don't expect solutions! read more