We had taken our animals to Cottonwood vet since we moved here in 2020. Last year our cat was…read morediagnosed with lymphoma and we had to put her down. In early February our dog developed a mass on his neck. Dr. Childress at Cottonwood said he had enlarged lymph nodes in his neck, suspected he had lymphoma, and aspirated the mass. The mass contained lymphocytes and lymphoblasts, and Dr. Childress confirmed lymphoma with this testing. He did not send the sample out for staging or do any other tests. Our dog also had no other symptoms. He started our lab on steroids to reduce the size of the lymph nodes to give him comfort and said we likely had a month or 2 with him until he succumbed to the disease. After a few days it dawned on me that no other labs were done initially. I took him back to Cottonwood at by that time he had elevated glucose and concern for pancreatitis. Granted, steroids may have been clouding the picture by this point. I asked for a second opinion so he was seen at Blue Pearl and ultimately diagnosed with diabetes. They saw no evidence for lymphoma or pancreatitis. I had asked Dr. Childress about the possibility of diabetes and asked if he could check his urine and he said the elevated glucose was from steroids. He did not test his urine. By the time he was seen at BP he was in ketosis and probably 3-4 days away from dying. Dr. Childress called me after the initial visit at BP and doubled down on his original diagnosis of lymphoma, disregarded the diabetes diagnosis completely and said "I think more is going on." I haven't been back to Cottonwood since. I established him at VCA Allendale and when I was explaining this history to the VCA vet she had me describe in detail and show her where the neck mass was and she said based on location and description it was likely an enlarged salivary gland and not enlarged nodes so he never should have been started on steroids in the first place. Giving steroids to an undiagnosed diabetic can have fatal consequences. Circle back to our cat also being diagnosed with lymphoma from Dr. Childress last year and now we're questioning if she also didn't have lymphoma since, as best we recall, she did not have enlarged nodes and never had anything aspirated to sample. She was losing weight despite eating, peeing more, and drinking more, all symptoms of undiagnosed diabetes. I recommend going elsewhere for your pets.

I am a first time puppy owner and everyone has been so helpful. Competitive prices and caring…read moreworkers. My puppy Maverick loves coming to the vet!

As a dog mom, leaving your dog for surgery is never easy, but Dr. Katie Johnson and the entire team…read moreat Family Friends Veterinary Hospital made me feel completely at ease. Buzz recently had a tumor removed, and everyone was so kind, caring, and reassuring throughout the whole experience. You can tell they truly love what they do and genuinely care about their patients. They went above and beyond for both Buzz and me, and I couldn't be more grateful. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a veterinary team that treats your pet like family.

I recently learned from a (now) former client of Family Friends that while an owner/veterinarian…read morewas a pleasure to work with, there is an activist employee there who took it upon themselves to contact an outside entity and share information about my friend and their pets with that third party without my friend's permission. When confronted with this discovery, the veterinarian implied that, although they were sorry, there was nothing that they could do. If you go to Family Friends, be aware that there might be someone with an agenda on duty who cares more about that agenda than you and your pets. On a separate note, the practice only has 4 parking spaces near their front door, and ample parking a little distance away. It's ok for walking, but adds difficulty if one is either walking or carrying their pet down Family Friends' driveway.

Hidden gem of veterinary services. Great staff from front of house all the way up. Our vet was…read morethorough and quick with their after visit notes, and all assistants were great as well. You will find all you need to know thanks to them, and best of all, peace of mind that your pet is happy and healthy.

My dog loves going to the vet. No, really. She practically leaps through the door. These folks…read morelove the animals they care for. They are kind, and helpful in their explanations. They even call to check on how your pet is doing following an appointment. Highly recommended!

We had previously taken our dog there for vet care, grooming, and boarding. Although our specific…read morevet and groomer were great, the management and billing practices were questionable. On numerous occasions, they threw surprise charges at us that were unexpected and certainly not communicated up front. They are overpriced compared to other vets in the area that have the same expertise. When we complained about the cleanliness of the dog scale and their billing practices, the management deactivated our account, sent us our dog's records, and didn't want us as a customer anymore. Apparently, the online feedback form is not for critiquing the dog scale. We were shocked, but it was all for the best, as we found a much better vet in Byron Center. I do not recommend this clinic.

Took my dog there for the first time for grooming. The place was very clean and looked really nice…read more The workers all seemed very nice and helpful. They are a bit pricy so I would recommend asking for the price ahead of time. But my dog enjoyed himself there and seemed to be treated well.

I met Dr. Michael Hilferty under the most difficult circumstances. My beloved dog of 15 1/2 years…read morewas struggling, and I had to make the heartbreaking decision to help him through the end of his life. My son and I were absolutely devastated, but from the very beginning, we were met with compassion and kindness. Shannon, who answered my initial call, patiently walked me through the process and explained the costs involved. Hannah was equally gentle and caring during our visit, helping us feel supported during such a painful time. I cannot recommend Dr. Hilferty and his entire office highly enough. Even when I returned later to pick up my dog's ashes, Karlie treated me with such kindness and understanding. Dr. Hilferty, thank you for your compassion, your professionalism, and for saying exactly the right things when we needed them most. Your kindness brought comfort on one of the hardest days of our lives, and I will always be grateful.

They are the best they've taken care of my three dogs Layla, Chapo, Lizzie. The doctor so down to…read moreearth he's easy to talk to you and the staff followed through each and every time specially after her service, thank you, Gracias.

This vet office has really gained my trust. We have two dogs, but they take very good care of for…read moreannual check ups and any health concerns. One of our dogs has major anxiety, and they are really good at working with her and her quirks. Our other dog is senior and they are so gentle with him. My appointments there typically take about an hour, but many vaccines can be given without a true appointment and the tech can just take them back to administer the meds. We have seen many vets there and they are all nice and treated my animals well. You can tell that they care a lot about each animal individually.

As always, polite, courteous, efficient and knowledgeable staff. And Dr. Chuddy is awesome. We…read morecompletely trust and follow his clinical advice. We always recommend your practice whenever asked!

I went on a Saturday. It was a four hour wait, but that is to be expected. I took a stray kitten in…read morebecause she is very sick. They took really good care of her but she is still really sick so I am currently sitting in their parking lot waiting for them to check her out. I spent $500 and even though I was outside the 48 hour for free rechecks they did not charge me for an emergency visit and I'm very grateful for that. Second visit here (unfortunately because no one wants to go to the hospital) and second time being pleased with the service. The doctors and staff are friendly and eager to help. Pray for kitty.

When I brought my pet in, I made it clear that I did not want to pursue treatment simply to prolong…read moreher life if her prognosis and quality of life were poor. Despite that, the seriousness of her condition was not explained to me in a direct or understandable way at the time. I was initially given vague updates that my cat was "okay" and that testing was being done, but I was not clearly informed that the mass was pressing on her diaphragm or that her breathing issues could not realistically be resolved. Those details were explained much more clearly later by another veterinarian, after overnight hospitalization and associated costs had already occurred. In addition, I was told I would receive a call with an update in the morning, but I never received that call and instead had to contact the clinic myself. During an already stressful and emotional situation, this lack of follow-through added further confusion and distress. I understand that prognoses can be uncertain and that emergency situations are difficult. My concern is not that guarantees could not be made, but that the communication I received was too vague and incomplete for the seriousness of the situation. Even the clinic later acknowledged that communication could have been clearer. Had the situation and prognosis been explained to me more directly from the beginning, I may have made different decisions regarding hospitalization and treatment. I believe clients deserve clear, timely, and transparent communication when making difficult medical and financial decisions for their pets.

I have visited twice for my dog and have been extremely pleased! It is walk-in only and I was…read moreconcerned I would have to wait a long time but that was not the case. The staff at the front desk were very friendly and explained the breakdown of the cost before we saw the vet. The vet addressed my needs throughly and I was very pleased with the treatment plan. Everyone was very kind to my dog and they were genuinely caring about his needs. I felt we received better care here than my usual vet's office and the price was much less. I highly recommend!

West Michigan K 9 Could not ask for a better bunch of…read morepeople. They know what they are doing and are there to help if you need them. They have worked miracles with my bulldog. I don't know where we we be if had not been for West Michigan K 9 Thanks for all you do Jerri and Lil Mavis