My Vet office was booked up and I needed to get my dogs Trifexis prescription refilled and a Bordetella shot handled since I'm going out of town with him soon. So I called Point Loma Veterinary Clinic to see if he can be seen for a simple visit. They said they had an opening at 4pm and was quoted $300 for everything that I needed which I agreed to over the phone and headed to Point Loma. I've been to many Veterinarian Clinics in my life, with cats and dogs in all situations, from routine checks to unfortunate times. But this one definitely takes the cake of worst I've been to. Valerie which I will address here as (not Dr.) was definitely one of the oddest and most unprofessional ones I have interacted with. First off no "Hi" No introduction of who's she was. Didn't know her name till after I left. During the exam no temperature was checked and the whole time at the beginning Valerie was apprehensive of touching Bodhi. My wife was trying to show her something on his leg she was concerned about but instead of touching Bodhi or going close to him Valerie wanted to look from a far. Then came the awkward interactions and suggested test for our dog. First invoice was $450. $220 line item of a full blood test to be done. Why? because they don't know my dog and want to check for abnormalities and chemicals in his blood. Then the your dog has tarter and in order to extract his tooth the test has to be done. My dogs teeth get brushed twice a week there might be some plaque but tattered buildup to need a possible extraction. I'm calling BS Valerie you didn't look in his mouth long enough to notice that. I declined and reiterated I'm here just to get my dog's prescription filled, which needs a heart worm blood test, and the Bordetella vaccination that's it. Well for some reason at this Vet office they don't believe Trifexis works for heart worm and last for only 6 days in a dogs so they do a shot here that last 6 months and a separate flea and tick medication. Which I agreed too. Knowing my dog is timid and doesn't like Vet situations they thought it would be good idea to put a slipknot rope around his neck and tie him up to the scale to administer the shots. Well he started freaking out and then they realized maybe this isn't a good idea. Why would you tie a timid dog that can be easily directed to lay down or sit to be administered? The whole time Valerie was adamant about him having to be up on the bench to get a shot in the back of his neck. During the heartworm blood test to be drawn I mentioned again that he doesn't like his paws touch but he's fine with his legs being touched. Well she decided to grab by is paw to draw blood and of course he flinched so she got a small amount of blood but she said should be enough. (Never saw the results for the test she just said he's negative they do a rapid test here in which that the first I've heard of normally it takes 24hrs) So who knows if it was legitimate tested or not since no proven results were shown to us. About 5 minutes later she came back with 2 shots in here hand. I asked her what they were for and she said they were for his vaccinations. I then asked both shots are for the Bordetella vaccination. She said yes. I've never seen or had Bodhi have a Bordetella shot, generally its orally, let alone two shots so I went with the double shot idea. She left and came back with another shot which was the Pro Heart shot. After everything was done and we were able to leave and go to pay i was told the bill was $330. I asked to see the invoice before paying. Keep in mind I had to asked to see it before I paid. They decided to administer a Distemper shot since they said they noticed it was due and slipped it in after I declined the first invoice. I never approved or even mentioned Distemper shots but they took it upon themselves to do it and charge me for it. I left because I was upset and was not happy about the unprofessionalism. So I decided to go back in and asked to talk to Valerie. The front desk agents were my communication to her. The whole time she was hiding in the back not wanting to talk to me and was denied any kind of refund since it was administered already. Then they told me that I wasn't charged for a office visit so it should be ok. Well it's it's not it's the principle of the situation. I never asked for a free visit that something you offered and I never agreed to the Distemper shot and never would've because he had it a year ago at a different Vet. I could tell by some of the other employees awkwardness that this wasn't the first time this has happened to a client. After checking the reviews of prior incidents I'm surprised you're even still licensed. I've noticed that you like to reply to just the negative reviews Valerie so I'll be waiting to see what your rebuttal is. read more

Well I put off writing the review for awhile but it's definitely time now! This woman is atrocious as you can clearly see from all of her petty responses to people. The only reason I went here was because my dog trainer said that's where she went. I've been to several vets with my different animals and states I've lived and have a wide variety of doctors to compare to. This clinic is a very obvious money grab. The first thing they do is bloodwork every time. Granted this can give them clues but a quality doctor is able to diagnose issues without it and it's just the beginning of what they attempt to charge you for and drive up your bill. Allow me to go through all of the negative things about this clinic and the doctor, and honestly there is not one positive. Neither of my dogs liked the doctor and the staff really doesn't even engage with your animal which I thought was the strangest thing of all. The office is not efficient or organized, no one seems to have a clue what they're doing including the Dr. The energy is toxic, it's quite palpable. The staff is always changing- as a previous reviewer said "a revolving door" it comes as no surprise because the doctor's personality is beyond off putting and clearly there is no cohesive relationship between her and her staff. The reception staff always seems uncomfortable and annoyed. I don't Blame them! That's how I felt being there. On more than one occasion the staff messed up my scheduled appointment time- calling to confirm the appointment when I'd already had it, or getting the date wrong, on another occasion I showed up for my scheduled appointment time and they did not honor it because they did not put it in their system correctly. Ridiculous, I've NEVER had this issue at any business literally anywhere. The last 2 appointments I had there I was waiting for well over an hour before they even stepped foot in the room, and once they had- again more waiting. Solid 2 hours each time before we could even leave. This is plainly unacceptable for any business. There wasn't even another client there, no explanation or apology was given. The doctor is extremely strange, and makes me feel very uncomfortable. She does not make eye contact when speaking to you, including while delivering her medical diagnosis. If you question anything she immediately has a negative attitude. I told the staff I had no interest in receiving vaccines last time as my dog was having a very serious medical issue already I didn't want to pump her full of other things. When they brought the estimate somehow it was still upwards of $900. I again said I'm not doing x y or z and then they returned with another estimate more in the $500 range. Which is about what they charged every time I was there, no matter what. It was hilarious, it's like they just try to see if you notice or will feel obligated to pay it. I have zero issue spending money on my dogs but a blind person could see this ruse a mile away. After several irritating experiences here I'd started to look elsewhere and thank god I did. My new vet is truly phenomenal, and provides exceptional care at ridiculously fair prices. Him and the office staff simply asked for my dogs medical records and Dr Cordero and her staff refused to send them what is required! When my new Dr. called to again ask for my dogs complete medical records they called him an as*hole, said he was 'harassing' them and refused to send a simple email. UNBELIEVABLE. What a pathetic excuse for a business this is. STAY FAR FAR AWAY. These other poor reviews are 1,000% spot on as well. read more

DO NOT BRING YOUR PET HERE. Our bulldog was acting strange, vomiting up everything he ate. This started on a Thursday. On Saturday we brought him to a vet near us in Escondido and they did blood work and Xrays and determined he had swallowed one of our daughter's pacifiers and that it was lodged in his intestine. They showed me the pacifier on the Xray and I said yes that looks exactly like the kind of pacifiers we own. They quoted the surgery at 4-5k. I am in the military and I do not get paid that much, so I looked around the area and found that Point Loma Veterinary Clinic offered military discounts. I set an appointment up for later that day with them to have the dog examined and then to have the surgery. I also brought the Xrays with me. Dr. Cardeiro looked at the Xrays, examined the dog and then asked what was going on with him. I said that he had swallowed a pacifier and needed surgery immediately. She then replied, "Are you a doctor?" Always good to start off a conversation to a customer with a condescending remark. I said, "No, but I brought him to a doctor, he had Xrays, I looked at the Xrays and that is one of our pacifiers." She then said again, "Are you a Dr?" I again said no. She then said that it was not a pacifier, that it was just an artifact showing up in the Xray and that he was just sick. I told her that it looks exactly like our pacifiers and she said, "I got an A+ in radiology and that is not a pacifier." She then went on to say that it was too large to be a pacifier because it appeared wider than my dog's spine. She gave us antibiotics for him and charged us $230 for the appointment. I was skeptical of her diagnosis and based on her attitude I went to get a third opinion. So, on Monday, I brought the dog to the vet on base at Camp Pendleton. The Dr. there said that it was a pacifier and he needed immediate surgery, but that they could not do it because they were all booked up for surgery that day. The next day I brought him to Animal Urgent Care in Escondido. There, they once again said that it was a pacifier. They even showed from the various angles of the Xrays that it showed up in the same spot in each one. So much for Dr. Cardeiro's A+ in radiology. We immediately booked him for emergency surgery that night. The pacifier, that apparently was just an artifact according to Dr. Cardeiro, was successfully removed, but because it was in there for those additional days it had greatly damaged some of his intestine, so he had to have 3 inches of it removed. The surgery ended up costing us $2,100, which was doable for us. I do highly recommend Animal Urgent Care in Escondido. They were great. As for Dr. Cardeiro, you are rude, condescending and incompetent. You have no business going anywhere near animals that people value as members of their families. If I had listened to your horrendous advice my dog would probably be dead. The fact that there are so many negative reviews here speaks for itself. Do everyone a favor and stop harming their loved ones with your clearly negligent actions. I would take you to small claims court but for the fact that I never want to see your face again. read more

I have heard of people being difficult and blow things out of proportion but i have never seen so much at once. One of my clients told me about their experience with this clinic and i was surprised that they actually were complaining! So they took their dog in to be spayed because they were told that the dog was intact. That is what the doctor went with...the OWNER telling the doctor that the dog was spayed. We all know that you cannot tell if a pet is spayed or not just by a look or a feel, you actually have to anesthetize the pet in order to determine if the parts are still there. So the pet was scheduled for the spay and the anesthetic was well under way when the doctor noted that the pet was indeed spayed. The owner had already left the deposit and approved baby teeth to be extracted. So a full dental was performed (normally at least $200) and the pet was recovered from the anesthetic and sent home. My client proceeded to be upset that the doctor performed an unnecessary service! SERIOUSLY?! You basically got a FREE DENTAL for the price of the anesthetic that would have been used for the spay. It is not the doctor's fault your dog was not spayed. How could she know? Dr. Cardeiro would never put a pet through any unnecessary procedure nor would she charge an ungodly amount for services or procedures rendered. Yes there may be a wait, but doesn't that mean that the doctor is busy with other clients? THat other clients trust her? Think people! Seriously ... not everyone is all dark matter and evil and out to get your money. Dr. Cardeiro has the best for your pet at heard and charges appropriately. Another thing...if you take your pet to another clinic and they cannot figure out the problem and then you bring it here and they figure out what the issue is; There is no call for complaining about the cost. You did not spent a grand at one clinic just to figure out your pet has Giardia...be sensible! You brought him here because the other vet was unable to determine what your pet had. It is not the doctor's fault for how much you spent elsewhere prior to coming here. So dont complain that you spent so much and that the doctor was swindling you out of money...it was your choice to see two different places before you were patient enough to stay with one long enough for them to find and fix the problem. read more

I don't normally post things like this online but i feel that this veterinarian is getting a bad rap. I have been having issues with fleas for a LONG time now and have been using Dr. Cardeiro for all of my other pets. This new cat however seems to be flea central. They were in my house and no matter what i did or how many flea bombs i used or treatments and baths i did on my cat i could NOT get rid of the little pests. I was so frustrated that i had had enough. My cat even got tapeworms. I called Dr. Cardeiro and she recommended changing the flea control and some spray for the house and a tapeworm treatment. I had been using Advantage for the longest time and figured that changing the product may be what i needed, plus the spray was not too expensive. So i did. I applied the Revolution and treated the house. They even let me keep my cat there while i treated the house. The fleas seemed to thin out but they were still there. I kept my cat on the revolution for three months before i finally called and complained. I was not about to pay for another exam just to have my car re-treated for tapeworms and fleas when i had just been in. The Doctor had me come in with my cat (at NO CHARGE) and showed me how to properly apply the product (boy was i doing that all wrong!) and gave me an additional month for free. I did pay for the tapeworm treatment though (as my cat had gained weight and it was a higher dose) It has been three more months and not a single flea or tapeworm! I even went back the second month just to have them watch me apply it so i was doing it correctly. Thank you Dr. Cardeiro!!! You are most gracious and understanding. Oh and that flea spray...is awesome! read more

Recently I had recommended Dr. Cardeiro to a friend of mine who was unhappy with their veterinarian. She told me that she was reluctant to take her pet to Dr. C because of her Yelp rating not being very high. I read some of the reviews and was shocked that people who have judged her could not be further from the truth. I have taken all of my pets to Dr. Cardeiro for nearly 25 years now and she is incredible. I teach at a private school and my pets are my life so i want the best in veterinary care. That is what I have found in Dr. Cardeiro. She diagnosed a parathyroid tumor in one of my dogs with elevated calcium levels. WHen one of my pets developed a life threatening breathing difficulty, she correctly diagnosed fluid in the sac surrounding the heart, even before x-rays. I adopted a pet from a rescue group and Dr. Cardeiro insisted I have her tested for heart worm disease. She was right, my little dog was positive. We caught it early enough that she did not get sick from the disease and handled the treatment beautifully. Most recently she advised that I have my purebred Golden Retriever checked for hip dysplasia, even though I had gotten her from a reputable breeder. Wouldn't you know it? She was right again. My dog had hip dysplasia bad enough in one of her hips that it needed surgical correction to prevent any further arthritis or joint damage. Dr. Cardeiro...you are an outstanding and dedicated veterinarian that cares about your clients as much as your patients. I recommend you to everyone I know that has pets. Thank you for all your love and care with my own four legged clan. read more

Dr. Cardeiro is a fantastic veterinarian. I do not understand where all these bad reviews are coming from! She saved my cat's life! My cat was nearly lifeless and would not even open her eyes all the way anymore. I had tried everything at home. I even went to feeding her people food when she wouldn't eat. I was so worried when she cried out every time i picked her up. I took her in to see Dr. C and was immediately put at ease with the care and concern she had for my cat. I was told that my cat's kidneys were painful and that the tests were off the charts. As in failing!! I felt so terrible. Dr. Cardeiro offered hospitalization and intensive care, but i could not afford it. I was at my whits end and so upset. Then Dr. Cardeiro offered me an alternative - home therapy, as long as i could handle it. I jumped at the idea. It was affordable and it would be exactly what my cat needed in the comfort of her own home with me. So i took home liquid to give her under her skin every day and antibiotics. Dr. Cardeiro sent me home with a few cans of a specific kidney diet and kidney liquid food FOR FREE. I was so incredibly grateful. Since then my cat has made a complete recovery! She took the fluids and the antibiotics like a champ and ate the food very well. I am keeping her on the kidney diet food and taking her in for regular check ups. I am so proud to say that Dr. Cardeiro saved my cat and now all her tests are normal. Thank you Dr. Cardeiro! I couldn't ask for a better vet! read more

I brought my dog here a couple of years ago when he was suffering from some bad skin issues. He had hair loss and was chewing at his feet and belly obsessively. I was told he ha most likely has multiple allergies. It was frustrating and a long process but i followed the vet's advice: monthly flea control, frequent bathing, antihistamines, allergy food, and the occasional antibiotic and cortisone shot. He has had a few flare ups but overall he was doing well. It had been a while since i brought him in and two weeks ago I requested a refill of the topical cortisone medicine. Since it had been so long since Dr. Cardeiro had seen my dog, he needed an exam done. I was irritated that they couldn't just refill the medication as "Smokey" has an ongoing fight with his allergies. However i needed the medication more than i needed to just complain about it, so i took him in. After talking to the vet and getting "Smokey" looked at i now understand that when he gets bad skin rashes from his environmental allergies i need to bring him in to treat that infection. Because there was nothing else wrong with him Dr. Cardeiro elected to wave the recheck exam charge and refilled my medication. I am very thankful that Dr. Cardeiro and the staff worked with me and helped me understand exactly what was going on with my dog's allergies and how i can help him out. Once again, "Smokey" is doing great since his recent visit and thank you for the free recheck! read more