We had an old cat we took there for years --at the end he needed treatment on a monthly basis - they charged 1/2 of what the vet in SF cost (I took him there once on the weekend), and they knew and loved our cat. Several years later, visiting with our new cat, they still remembered our old one. She is very shy and they let her hide behind the computer on the desk. Again, a friend had the same test run on her cat in San Mateo and it cost nearly twice as much at her vet. Another reviewer said they may be a bit disorganized (though I've never noticed it in any way) but then they are not "people" people, they are animal people -- as it should be. And for those coming from the city -- you can always park right in front of the place. :-) read more

I called for an appointment for my family's new puppy's first shot and check up. I booked an appointment for the very next day. The receptionist, Mary, was very pleasant and welcoming. The office appeared clean and professional. While waiting in the exam room after weighing the pup, two nurses came in to woo over our new lab puppy; very friendly. Dr. Choi seemed genuinely interested in my pups well being and put the dog at ease right away. They gave her the shot, trimmed her nails and examined her. All done very quickly. Dr. Choi gave recommendations from puppy school to insurance. Mary, upon leaving, said she would have a puppy starting kit for my kids upon my next visit in three weeks. A very good experience!! read more

I really like the vets at this clinic. Both Dr. Hurlburt and Dr. Randall have many years of experience and have "seen it all". Because of that, I find that I don't waste a lot of money on diagnostic tests that are not needed. They are very quick to accurately diagnose and they present treatment options in a manner that does not make you feel bullied into something that is not right for you or your pet. The best part of this clinic is that they are so kind to rescue groups. I frequently foster older rescue dogs who come in with all kinds of health issues due to past neglect. The vets are so kind to them, treat them with the same compassion as one would give a family pet and give a great discount to rescues. My only complaint is that the waiting room is much too tiny and parking is a challenge, but this is not enough for me to decrease my 5 star rating. read more

These people are LIFE SAVERS & I love all the staff and DOCTORS!!!! My dog was diagnosed with mange as a puppy from DR M at Burlingame pet Hospital, he said her breed should just be killed off and didnt seem to want to help my baby! It was a pretty traumatizing experience!!! I read reviews for Pacifica Pet and decided to take her here and boy im glad I did!!! The whole staff was so nice and really showed they loved my dog!!! The doctors all helped and cured her mange with the upmost care and concern!!! I give them two thumbs up!!!! read more

I love this place! I've tried a few different vets in San Francisco, then on a friend's recommendation tried Pacifica Vet when my border collie Trixie needed 2 teeth pulled. Dr Hurlbut was great! Very clear, honest and up front about what was needed, alternatives, pros and cons etc. Everyone else was great too, front desk, Vet Tech, everyone was friendly, efficient and helpful and full of good useful advice on what's necessary and what's over the top. And reasonably priced as well. Trixie is so much happier now without those 2 painful teeth, she's regained all her playful energy. I'll come here for everything now. read more

A pet hospital that seems to have too much money and treated me like I was a dime a dozen ! The receptionist made me feel hurried when I called her to ask about a problem my dog was having. When I asked to have the vet call me. The receptionist acted as if that was totally out of the question. I guess A first impression is what you leave with. My first impression is that this pet hospital has too many patients and no patients to deal with all of them! I found another vet, Sharp Park Pet Hospital, who took the time I needed to explain to me what the issue was with my dog and how to address the problem. The staff made me feel welcomed and they were very engaging . read more

I have had nothing but great experiences here. Mary at the front desk is friendly and wonderful. Drs are great as well although since Gary has left it's been hard to keep track of their names. Kind and caring with my pups. We have three dogs which means I've paid many visits here this year. Sorry for those who have had not so great encounters. I'm happy with their practice. read more

Mixed feeling here. They seem compassionate and my experiences with both vets were very good. UNTIL. I took a foster dog in for various procedures under anesthesia, including ear cleaning and infection treatment and they claimed to have cleaned the ears. But when i got home and looked, the crusted on filth didn't appear to have been touched. I took the dog back, and insisted they reanesthetize her b/c her ears were so painful, and then actually clean them AS BILLED FOR originally. I spoke with the owner vet. However, he did not anesthetize her and her screams of pain were stomach turning. I will never go back here. read more

I love the doctors here, because they are honest and not trying to rip you off! One time, our beagle was having a very bloated stomach and she looked like she was in a lot of pain. We took her to a pet hospital a few blocks away from us, and they told us that it would cost around $900 to do xrays and a bunch of other stuff. That did not fly with us, so we called Pacifica Pet hospital on a sunday and they were able to see our dog. turns out, she has arthritis and the bloated stomach was a defense mechanism to keep her back from hurting. the doctor gave some pain meds and our beagle was back to normal! read more

I had to say goodbye to my sweet girl last April and I can't begin to tell you how amazingly kind the whole staff was to me and my family during that time. My American Eskimo had only know the vets here at PPH and now I have a new puppy and I will not go anywhere else with her but back to these professional, kind and caring staff. Truly can't say enough wonderful things about this pet hospital. read more

Thank you p-town pet hospital! We moved out of pacifica years ago, but the rabies tags still had their phone number on them. When our dog got lost, we called them to give them our most recent contact info in case anyone called. They were super helpful even though they knew we wouldn't be taking out dog there anymore because we had left town. The next day, someone found our dog and called pacifica pet hospital. They passed on our phone # and we were reunited with our dog. Thank you!!! (And when we did live in pacifica, we had no complaints about their service as well.) read more

Today I was talking to a coworker in our conversation a memory sparked. A couple years ago we brought in our cat who was 18 years old she was dying and we thought going to the vet to have her put down would ease her pain. The vet there said that she was about to go on her own so we waited a couple minutes and she passed away. The vet told us that we should send her in to get checked for rabies which requires her head getting split open. Yes I understand she has died but she was 18 years old and had no signs of rabies I tried to explain to the woman that she does not have rabies she is just very old I was never bit by her as well. The veterinarian argued with me about having her sentence for rabies a valuation. She ended up taking our cat telling us that we would get the ashes back within a couple days they said she did not have a rabies. And told me that we were not getting the ashes. I was out raged this was our family For 18 years who was very loved it was very Trumatic for me. I was so mad at them for taking my cat a way to get her head split open and probably thrown somewhere in a dumpster. Assholes. read more

Today I brought one of our dogs in to Pacifica Pet Hospital for a final time as he was in distress and we decided to end his suffering. He had recovered pretty well from major surgery performed by Dr. Choi about 3 months prior, but we knew time was short as he had cancer which had spread. I did not have an appointment but called around 0730 and was told the first vet would be in by 0900. They worked us in after arriving at about 0925 and we saw Dr. Choi who was also attending to other clients. Jackie and another young lady prepared our yellow Labrador Archie with great care and a gentle touch. Jackie returned a short time later and offered to perform the procedure as Dr. Choi was still very busy. I accepted her offer and she continued to show skill and compassion throughout. I'm not sure of the lady's name at the reception desk but she was also empathetic and told me not to worry about the paperwork until things were taken care of. Not an easy thing to go through for the customers or the staff but it was handled professionally without being cold. Unfortunately, this was the second older dog we had to put down in the last year. On that occasion we called early on a Sunday morning and they worked us in that time as well. We saw Dr. Hurlburt and he diagnosed the condition and recommended against surgery, chemotherapy or any significant treatment as he had personal experience with advanced cancer in his dog. The euthanasia procedure was difficult as this dog's circulation had become very weak. He worked as quickly and effectively as possible, all the while checking on us and our dog to make it as painless as he could. I was very happy to have a vet who is technically capable and also has great manner with the pets and the owners. I'm a bit surprised at the reviews which indicate poor customer service as that was not my experience on these two difficult visits nor others in the past. I am not shy about calling out bad service or poor performance. Perhaps the bulk of the trouble centered on one or two individuals who have since moved on? We have only been customers for about two years but I have been very satisfied with Pacifica Pet Hospital. Yes, it is a pretty busy place but what vet or doctor office have you visited in the past which wasn't? The only negative I can think of is the limited parking available at their location. It shares a small developed lot right off the northbound lanes of Hwy 1. I have had cats and dogs for over 30 years and have visited many veterinary offices and clinics. This place is as good as I have found and I will continue to use and recommend them. read more

I brought my dog here once for a general checkup and decided to not come back. The staff has always been rude when I call to make appointments, check on records, etc (sorry that you guys are busy - that's the nature of the work. no need to be so rude to your customers). They are so rude that it comes across like they don't want your business. Prices are very high - check around before you come here!! Also, I needed my dog to have an extraction done and they gave me a HUGE range of what it *could* cost. They said that the doctor charges whatever he feels it should be after he's done. Good luck with that guessing game. Maybe it's just the bad receptionist (as other reviewers have mentioned) but I'd recommend that you take your business somewhere else where you can get clear estimates and friendly customer service. read more

Dr. Choi and his staff took very good care of my Maltese dog. The staff was extremely friendly and professional, and was very attentive to my dog. The doctor was able to answer all my questions thoroughly, which comforted me and eased my worries. The hospital gave us a friendly reminder for our appointment and the doctor also kindly checked in on our dog to make sure everything was ok after the appointment. Overall, the hospital was extremely clean and organized, and we were truly pleased with the experience. read more

With 2 dogs and 1 cat who are like our kids, who've all had multiple health issues, quality healthcare is important to us. We found our way here about 2 years ago in desperation after a string of negative experiences with a supposedly award winning practice in the city. First, the staff are professional, helpful, and caring both on the phone and in person. Recently our dog had a mishap late at night, which didn't seem bad enough for the ER but did need to be looked at soon, so I left a voicemail - they called me promptly when the clinic opened in the morning, with a time for us to come in that day. They are compassionate and nonjudgemental with our ex-feral rescue dog, and give her cookies to help her feel at ease. They communicate well with the doctors - if I tell the tech something, I don't have to repeat it when the doctor walks in because he is already on the same page, and they refer medical questions directly to the doctor as appropriate rather than attempting to give out medical advice. We've seen Dr. Randle, Dr. Hurlbut, and Dr. Choi and they are all great. They all have wonderful bedside manners with both people & pets. Dr. Randle was recently gentle and patient with our shy dog, and recently, after a routine dental on my senior cat, which requires anesthesia, he came out when I picked her up to tell me how it went and what he found - something you don't see at all practices. Dr. Hurlbut recently took the time to talk to me on the phone after seeing our dog Sophie for a skin problem. My questions were probably paranoid, but he took me seriously and didn't rush me. Most recently, we saw Dr. Choi for our dog's eye laceration. Ater he examined her eye with a special dye in the back, he came out to tell me what he found and explain how to administer the medication -rather than disappearing and dumping the task on the staff. The doctors administer routine vaccinations themselves. They return my calls promptly, usually the same day (i.e. in the early evening when they're done seeing clients), and they call to discuss lab results. It is clear that their priority is high quality care for pets and that they take great pride in their work. Prices are routinely lower than the practice we went to in the city. I also trust that when they say something is necessary and it's going to cost X, that it's true. For instance some places give the leptospirosis vaccine to all dogs, without telling the owners that it's not considered a core vaccine, to make money for the practice. Dr. Randle counseled us about our dogs' risk and in our case it made sense because there are so many raccoons here in Pacifica. I appreciate that their recommendations are based on thoughtful medical decisionmaking in the best interests of my pets. read more

We recently had to send our 12 year old German Shepard to doggie heaven. The personnel at Pacifica were beyond sympathetic and made the most painful experience of our young family's life that much more bearable. They even sent a very thoughtful sympathy card signed by the entire staff, and billed us through the mail instead of having to settle up after our beloveds passing. Thank you for making such a tragic day more bearable through your genuine sympathy and empathy. read more

I want to thank Pacifica Pet Hospital for seeing us on a Sunday for an emergency and providing our pet with great care. I was expecting a much larger bill for an emergency appointment, X-rays, medication and cast (broken foot) but found that the charge was extremely reasonable. I am very happy that they are here in our community. Thanks Dr. Hurlburt. read more

Thank you Dr. Hurlbut for you urgent care for Cutsie. He take his off days to responded to our urgent issue with Cutsie dislocated shoulder and quickly analyze her situation so that surgery can be perform asap. He is very down to earth, humble and very caring for animal that monetary was secondary. We been to 2 other vet and spend over $1000 with no success. If you want a caring vet that doesn't rip off your money, choose Dr Hurlbut, he is one of the best vet out there. read more

Dr. Hurlbut is great with rats! After going to a local exotic vet to get a quote for much much it would be to get my rats' tumor removed, I was told it would be over $500. I went in search of a different vet and I found Dr. Hurlbut. I emailed him asking how much his office typically charges, and if I could schedule an appointment and the surgery in the same day because I live an hour away. He replied with a detailed email that let me know the surgery is typically only $100-$125 and that I could do surgery the same day as an appointment. I set up an appointment right away, and it was all very quick and easy. I payed $110, and my rat recovered quickly with no complications. read more

Pacifica Pet hospital is where I take my 2 dogs because Dr. Hurlbut, Dr. Randal and Dr Choi are excellent veterinarians who genuinely care. Their veterinary expertise is extraordinary. I feel blessed to bring our furry family members here. The front desk and technician teams are top notch. Thank you all once again for your care, compassion and reasonable rates. read more

The vets here seem ok, if hurried, but the staff are made up of a whole bunch of ditzy ineffectual high school girls, everytime I go there seems to be a different group of them. Everytime I go I have to tell them which medications my cat is allergic to and they say they will put it in her file, but it never happens, the same with other details like her weight and sex, these never get in the computer somehow. Also you can't ask them any questions about simple stuff like aftercare because they haven't got a clue and they are so busy giggling that they forget what you are standing at the counter for. The thing I really didn't like though was that I left my pet there before work to get checked out and the next time I called at about 1pm they had already done a $500 surgery on her without bothering to ask me! read more

This is a long overdue review for Dr. Randle. I was fostering a senior dog and was sent here to take my foster for a dental. Dr. Randle was so wonderful that I ended up bringing both of my cats here for dental treatment and exams as well (from San Francisco). Completely worth the drive and will be bringing them back! read more

Had to bring our pup back for shots--prior to dropping in on a Sunday, I read the latest reviews and felt wary. Thankfully we did not encounter anything negative. 2 working at the front desk were perfectly nice from start to finish. Our vet tech 'Ryan' was great as well. Keeping fingers crossed that our pet never gets sick & our visits will continue to stay positive! Glad to see Loring cared enough to address the issues brought up on yelp. read more

My husband and I were introduced to the doctors and staff at Pacifica Pet when our beloved Kona was diagnosed with cancer. He had to be put down soon after. Cannot say enough about our treatment at that difficult time. Since then we have added two new doggies to our family who are both proud patients of Pacifica Pet. We have referred several friends to Pacifica Pet for numerous reasons without hesitation. They have ALL thanked us for the referral. read more

my dog jumped out of my car window, i called them 10 mins before closing, they waited for me and did all the necessary for my dog :) thank you Pacifica pet hospital read more

I only came to this hospital for a travel certificate and vaccinations, but my experience was wonderful. The vet was gentle with my cats (even the one that gets grumpy at vets' offices), the price was very reasonable. Additionally, the customer service was great and the staff was very very helpful when I needed something faxed quickly. Great hospital! read more

Dr. Hurlbut is a fantastic vet. Reasonable prices as well. Dr. Hurlbut took wonderful care of our two rats who needed tumors removed. He also has seen our cat, and taken great care of him. Kind, down to earth, un-rushed and honest care. Request Dr. Hurlbut! read more

I don't understand the review rating the desk staff with zero stars. We have been taking our beloved domesticated partners to PPH ever since we moved here 28 years ago. They have taken care of the usual suspects (cats and dogs), but also mice and guinea pigs. The desk staff is kind, concerned, friendly, helpful, competent... a veritable paradigm of the professional veterinary medical care. The pharmacy is top notch. These vets do a lot of rescue work, and devote their personal time to animals in crisis, such as after the earthquake in Haiti, or the horror of Hurricane Katrina. This establishment is the very best you will find anywhere. read more

We've been happy clients for 15 years. The prices are great, the staff has always been super accommodating, and both Dr. Hurlbut and Dr. Randle have provided excellent care to our menagerie of dogs and cats. We saw Dr. Randle recently when our dog appeared to have an ACL tear. The X-rays were inconclusive, so, instead of expensive, invasive surgery, the doc advised anti-inflammatories and plenty of rest. It worked -- my guy is back to his 'running on the beach and biting the waves' bad self. I believe they are honest, uber-capable vets and we are very satisfied with this place. read more

Dr. Gary Hurlburt is the best rat vet in the entire Bay Area, probably the entire state. Not only does he know exactly what he is doing, he does it all at an affordable price. You might think you are saving money by going to a rat vet close to your home but you will pay for it in other ways. If you have rats make the drive, it's worth it. I wish more vets would care about rats the way he does. read more

We have taken our Boston Terrier to the Pacfica Pet Hospital many times and have had nothing but quality care and helpful customer service. We were very nervous when we had to bring him here to get neutered because his testicles were undescended and we knew it would be an intense procedure. Dr. Choi told us it was one of the most difficult procedures he's ever performed, but the good news was that he pulled it off with flying colors and our dog was safe. read more

I have taken my dog to Pacifica Pet twice now. Counter staff were both courteous and friendly. Have seen two different vet assistants, both were friendly, knowledgeable and great with my dog. Dr. Randle saw us both times and was very patient with all my questions and was able to prescribe medication that helped with the ear infections my Cocker so often gets. Great place and great people! read more

This is a great pet hospital. I have been bringing my pets here for a long time and I know they really do love and care for animals and their well being. read more

I called with a parakeet who was not doing well. I had to wait a week and a half with my bird suffering before they would see her. The doctor said the bird was egg bound. He brought the bird into another room and I think he had tried to force the egg out because I could hear the bird sceaming through the wall. When he returned the bird had blood comming out of it's cloaca but he said nothing about it. He told me to bring the bird back the following tuesday if the egg had not come out. Within 24 hours the bird was dead. This guy caused internal hemorrhaging that killed my bird and they still had the nerve to charge me $55. read more

To all pet lovers Pacifica Pet Hospital is the best of all Vets around we are the owners of Super Pups Grooming in San Mateo, we have taken are dogs to them for 15 years Rocco Lee and Suki are special little Shih Tzus Gary and Steve have been wonderful to them throughout their life time, I cant even thank them enough for all the care and understanding they have all given us through the years. Gary even came to my house when we lost are last little girl bless her heart. If you have any questions just ask me they are Tops when it comes to every vet out here. Iwill be forever thankful to you al our love Susie and Joel. read more

This is my first review of anything, ever, but I am so enamored of EVERYONE at Pacifica Pet that I feel compelled to write. I have been going there for 5 or 6 years now and am really impressed with the staff (who are friendly and compassionate) and the vets. I originally went there because I had heard such wonderful things about Dr. Hurlbut (which are all true) but I am also impressed with Dr. Randall and their newest vet, Dr. Vice. Recently, I took my 14 year old dog in for a (same day) appointment and got Dr. Vice, who I had never met before. My complaint was that "he's walking funny". Given such a symptom, she could have easily given me some Metacam and told me to let him rest for a few days....15 minutes, in and out the door. However, she spent an HOUR checking him thoroughly (I was the last appointment of the day so I lucked out in that regard). As a matter of fact, her examination was so complete that she found a tumor in his rectum, which was removed the following week. A week or so later, that same dog got sick on a weekend and Dr. Vice kept him for observation all day Saturday and Dr. Hurlbut all day Sunday. This place totally rocks; they go way over and above what any other vet (in my experience) does. read more

I am disappointed with this hospital. I think all they are concerned about is bringing in the money and do not have the animals best interest. I have been bringing my pets in there for years and really only for exams, vaccines and teeth cleaning. But last month I had to bring my dog in for a hematoma and they recommended surgery with no alternatives. It cost me nearly $1000. 2 weeks ago my friend's dog got the same type of hematoma. He as well was told his dog would have to go through surgery to repair the hematoma. Both of our dogs are seniors. Mine is 12 and his is 11. Since my dog's surgery, I was told by a vet down in Palo Alto that a simple aspiration and cortisone shot is how she treats hematomas so I sent my friend down to her. Not only did he save $600, his dog was saved from invasive surgery and the uncomfortable recovery that comes from the surgery. If you only need minor care for your pet, this place might be ok (I seriously miss Dr. Vice - she was very gentle with my old cat). I have an appt. for my 15 year old cat at the vet in Palo Alto - they have appts on the weekends too. Mid Peninsula Pet Hospital. read more

I had a thousand tears after my dog's death. There was big, long silence after my dog's death. I removed myself from all social activities and I questioned myself what I did wrong. I continued walking at beach every day as if I was still with my dog and talked to my dog. My dog had a surgery at Pacifica Pet Hospital. After the surgery, my dog came home; but, she was not doing well, not eating food, and not drinking water when she was supposed to start eating and drinking. The hospital said to me that I needed to provide painkiller and antibiotic medications when my dog eats food. Since I worried about the condition of my dog, I called Pacifica Pet Hospital and told them that since my dog was not eating or drinking water, I could not give her the painkiller or antibiotic medications as I was told to do. The assistant still said that I could not give her the painkiller or antibiotic medication if my dog was not eating. I called twice about the same problem. When I called the third time, there was no answer. The hospital was closed. THE HOSPITAL WAS CLOSED! By the time I took her to an emergency, it was too late. My dog suffered 5 hours of extraordinary pains after the big surgery without painkiller and antibiotics. Her stool included much blood. A various tests and surgery were over $2,000. read more

Thanks to Dr. Choi for taking such good care of my Joey and Sasha for so many years. Lost Joey a few years back and recently lost Sasha. Dr. Choi gave me more time with her through research and with specific medication after being diagnosed with a cancerous tumor (lung) a year and a half ago. He was always very professional and caring about their welfare during all stages of their treatments. As far as the front office staff, most were very kind and respectful and compassionate as I went through some tough times with Joey and Sasha. However, there were two specific front office staff members who were rude, demanding and unprofessional consistently. Moreover, along with the compassionate care of Dr. Choi, the vet techs were always very kind, professional and caring as well. This review does not reflect the professional care provided by Dr. Choi (I would give him 5 or more stars alone), a few times Dr. Randle but does reflect the rudeness and unprofessional demeanor of certain office staff and other office operations in general. Administrative staff need training in appropriate and respectful customer service along with displaying a consistent compassionate and caring demeanor (even if they don't mean it). read more