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    River Forest Animal Hospital

    3.8 (99 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 6:00 pm

    Services - River Forest Animal Hospital

    Pet physical or wellness exam

    Pet vaccinations

    River Forest Animal Hospital Photos

    Recommended Reviews - River Forest Animal Hospital

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    Reviews With Photos

    Victor M.

    On my way to the groomer, I stopped to buy the Equishield CK shampoo for my dog. They asked for $56.34 for the 16oz bottle!!!! The exact same shampoo they have on their online store for $24.95 (see attached screenshot). When I asked the receptionist if there is a mistake and why the price difference, they responded that the price is correct and that the online store has better prices. That is an 110% markup from their online price!

    Hi! I'm Mickey!
    Robert F.

    Dr. Juhnke, Dr. Thomas, Dr. Kuehn, and Dr. Lou all provide outstanding care for Mickey. Especially in the last year of her life when she faced a number of challenges, we could not have asked for a better team. While Dr. J. was the doctor she saw the most, we never had any reservations about having her see anyone else. When asked for opinions and thoughts on pursuing various courses of treatment, we were always provided direct console which was given with sensitivity and compassion. Additionally, I simply cannot say enough good things about the staff. All members of the practice with whom our family interacted were nothing but knowledgeable, professional, and friendly. The front desk is efficient, and they do an amazing job of checking patients in and out simultaneously. I cannot emphasize enough how much I appreciate the efficiency of the front desk. I think the best endorsement was given by Mickey: her tail would wag going in, and when done in the back, she was happy to leave, but not traumatized by her experience.

    My cat is definitely a fan of Dr. Kuehn and her staff.
    Naoto H.

    Our 13 year old cat is not a fan of human and can be very difficult to deal with, as she is not at all friendly. Despite all of our cat's quirkiness, Dr. Kuehn and her staff at the River Forest Hospital have always been gracious in taking care of our feline daughter each time we visit. We appreciate that Dr. Kuehn always takes her time to explain to us the course of treatment and what we can do at home to ensure our cat's optimal health. Above all, what we are most appreciative for, is the nice follow up inquiry we get from River Forest Animal Hospital to check in on our furry monster post visit to make sure she is doing ok. For these reasons, I do not quite get what one commentator said about Dr. Kuehn and her staff. Our past experience runs counter to what he said, as we always received excellent care for our cat - even when she tried to scratch them during consultation. If you are looking for a place to entrust care for your feline/canine children, look no further than Dr. Kuehn at her staff at River Forest Hospital. I trust you will be pleased by the quality of care, like our family has always been.

    I have waited to post a review for something that happened in February at River Forest Animal Hospital. I didn't want to respond just out of anger.But even though I have waited my anger has not dissipated. I brought my 4 year old miniature dachshund Oliver in for his annual teeth cleaning, his third in 4 years at this facility. They have a lengthy consent form that mentions the possibility of extractions but doesn't mention the fact that you will not be contacted prior to it being done. This never overly concerned me because Oliver is only 4 and I never anticipated that happening at such a young age. Well it did happen, and I was notified after the fact by Dr. Adam Thomas. He said a tooth had been removed, neglecting to tell me it was a canine. When I came in to pick up Oliver he looked terrible, his beard all matted with little or no attempt to clean him up. It was the technician that told me which tooth it was and she was surprised it was removed. She said it didn't look that bad. Her statement coupled with the fact that I wasn't notified first so I could have taken Oliver to a doggy dentist for a second opinion as it wasn't life threatening prompted me to send a text which was forwarded to the General Manager. This in turn was sent to Dr.Thomas who sent me a message. In it he stated that he makes the decisions not the owner of the pet, even if they don't agree. That I implied that they were just trying to make more money by extracting Oliver's tooth. This after I have spent over $2000 having Oliver's teeth cleaned there. He also claimed the tooth was extracted with ease because it was so damaged. I play with Oliver everyday in a variety of ways, tug of war being one of them. He never exhibited any pain or discomfort. I used doggy toothpaste on a cloth to try and clean his teeth. That tooth didn't look diseased or was it loose. I forwarded his response to the General Manager and she said she would speak to him about his response, his behavior, and changing some of the procedures at the hospital. I thank her for that. Sorry, it took me a long time to get to the point but it's much more than just about Oliver's tooth. It's also Dr.Thomas cavalier, and dismissive attitude. Also this picture was included in Oliver's paperwork. Before and after, before tooth, after no tooth. Why would I want a constant reminder of that? Makes no sense to me

    I love this place and so does my little kitty Finley. I brought Finley in for a second opinion after being told I'm out of options by another vet and I'm so glad I did. Scheduling the appointment was easy and the girls at the front desk were so understanding of my situation. They even called me when cancellations would occur to try to get me in earlier. Dr. Sherman is the absolute best!! She's so knowledgeable, experienced, personable and truly just a breath of fresh air. She developed a game plan for my kitty with cancer and answered all my questions and was thorough in her explanations. She really went above and beyond during our visit and I couldn't be more thankful for her. She truly cares about my kitty and is developing the best treatment plan for him while still keeping me aware of risks and options I have. I'm elated that I found this place.

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    Great first time experience; Dr. Diaz and staff were great with my boys. highly satisfied.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - River Forest Animal Hospital

    Review Highlights - River Forest Animal Hospital

    My 12-year old Domestic Shorthair cat, Marbles, has been a patient here with both Dr Juhnke and Dr Kuehn since kitten-hood.

    Mentioned in 7 reviews

    Read more highlights

    PetVets Animal Hospital - Thank you Dr. Cidon and PetVets Animal Hospital!!

    PetVets Animal Hospital

    (120 reviews)

    Horrific experience…read more Our cat was under treatment here after The Cat Practice closed and was receiving daily meds for a while. When we noticed more weight loss, they suggested vitamin D shots and steroids on a weekly basis which we did. She was in last Friday and still had weight loss and no change. When we called last night to say we came home to her collapsed and unable to walk or eat/drink, we were told the doctors "could not accommodate" us to have her humanely put down. So she suffered in pain and passed in the night. Did we expect miracles? No. But we did expect some modicum of compassion and not basically a hang up. I will NEVER take another animal here. My regular vet (for my other pets) who handled her cremation was immensely compassionate and caring in comparison this morning.

    My cat's vet, Dr. Lori Caughlin, has made a move to join PetVets Animal Hospital in Oak Park…read more Therefore, it was an easy decision to make an appointment with PetVets for Persian's annual wellness examination so we could continue to see Dr. Lori. PetVets sees both dogs ans cats (maybe other creatures that are less known as pets), but the cats areas are separate and dedicated rooms used for cats are available. When I walked in, the front desk efficiently checked me in and asked for Persian's information since it was our first visit. We were then ushered to our private room and waited for Dr. Lori. Dr. Lori, as always, was very informative and thorough with Persian's examinations. I phoned in to the clinic a month ago to inform Persian's bonding mate, Meowth, who passed away due to an aggressive form of cancer and would like to cancel his portion of appointment since it was no longer applicable. The entire PetVets team, including Dr. Lori, texted me for acknowledging the receipt of the voicemail and sent me a condolences card which I received a few days later in the mail. How thoughtful! They also called me to reschedule the appointment and offered me a 10% discount for being flexible. That was also a nice gesture. When I made the appointment online, I was asked to make a deposit. That deposit applied to the final total for Persian's wellness check and the blood work. An itemized receipt was sent to my email so I could understand how much each category was charged. Fortunately, traveling to PetVets on foot isn't difficult. CTA 91 (Austin) bus is approximately 10 minutes walking distance away and that is a direct route from my house. The Art District of Harrison St. in Oak Park is fun to poke around as well!

    Carlson Animal Hospital, A Thrive Pet Healthcare Partner - Carlson Animal Hospital

    Carlson Animal Hospital, A Thrive Pet Healthcare Partner

    (69 reviews)

    My poor 1 yr old pup had previously been in the ER and needed a follow up with a Vet. Oak Park…read moreCarlson Animal Hospital was able to fit us in the next day and immediately helped us get some answers. The entire staff is extremely kind and very clear in their communications of what's going on and why they want to do certain tests but wait on others that aren't needed at the time. It felt very transparent and not overly complicated to hear. Hotdog was VERY loved there and Jennifer up front made the CUTEST collar decoration to match the Hotdog vibe haha We will be using them as long we are in Oak Park!!! 10/10

    I have had 6 dogs over the last 21 years, and Carlson Animal Hospital is one of the best practices…read moreto ever treat my pets. (They have treated 2 of my dogs.) Their staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and accommodating. Their doctors, namely Dr. Carlson himself, have gone above and beyond to diagnose one of my dogs (Janet) with an extremely rare blood disorder. He spent hours researching her condition, reaching out to teaching hospitals, and doing hour long Zoom calls with me about her condition. Their staff was able to create a tailored made plan for Janet to keep her disorder at bay. I am not sure I would have found the same care at other clinics. My dogs are always happy to see the staff, and never stressed after long days at the clinic. They have the best groomer, who our youngest is always so excited to see. I highly recommended them to anyone with pets!

    Animal Care League - Chloe

    Animal Care League

    (93 reviews)

    We found our wonderful and amazing dog here! The facility is state of the art. The animals are so…read morewell cared for. The cats have beautiful and clean cubbies and the dogs have large clean rooms. The staff are excellent at what they do! I was not expecting to be so wowed by an animal shelter. The puppy we adopted is doing so well. He's sweet and loving and very very smart! We feel we hit the jackpot. I highly recommend animal care league if you're looking to adopt a cat/kitten, dog/puppy, or rabbit. They accept animals from shelters from the surrounding states so when you adopt here you are saving an animal and giving it a loving forever home.

    I unfortunately had the displeasure of adopting from the Animal Care League in Oak Park. I adopted…read morea dog who had several ongoing health conditions that were evident in his medical history which was not disclosed at the time of adoption. They were informed that I did not have the financial capacity in order to accommodate a dog that would need significant financial commitment beyond standard vet appointments and care. When I took him to the vet, they pointed out several lifelong health issues that were extremely severe and would need hundreds of dollars' worth of treatment monthly. When I looked his past medical history, it seems to have been the shelter was pursuing ongoing treatment of these issues but decided not to inform me although I was very up front with my limitations. Additionally, I only had him for 5 days at the vet clinic they had discovered that he had a severe double ear infection to the point he was bleeding, clearly not something that developed in just a few days. When I adopted him, they told me and my family he was a healthy dog that would need little medical assistance and that he was vet checked which was clearly a lie considering the state we brought him home in. Over the past 5 days we have bonded and he has gotten along with all our family members and even our other dog. I unfortunately, had to surrender him due to the lack of disclosure of information, when I talked to the operations manager the solution she gave me was that she was sorry and that it can be hard to diagnose things. But looking in his medical chart there has been a long-standing issue with this very same problem and was once on the same very expensive medicine that we were expected to put him on. I am hurt that there was little to no resolution other than taking a dog away from a loving family that just didn't have enough money to accommodate to his needs, but also little accountability of their actions. The general manager was largely dismissive, never offered any solutions to me and my visibly extremely upset family. Instead, we left the office in tears with an "I'm sorry that happened". And just to highlight to any prospective adopters from this shelter in their contract it says they are not liable for any misinformation they may give as it may be from third party sources, in other words it is okay for them to misinform and lie to your face. But to leave this review on a more positive note I fortunately was able to treat his double ear infection before surrendering him, he is so deserving of a loving home unfortunately I just cannot afford a dog with such severe medical issues.

    Midwest Bird and Exotic Animal Hospital - Storefront

    Midwest Bird and Exotic Animal Hospital

    (219 reviews)

    I don't write reviews often, but after reading the many negative reviews, I feel compelled to do…read moreso. On Tuesday morning, I had checked all my outdoor chickens and provided them with food and water. They all looked happy and healthy. On Tuesday evening, I was going to check them again before they went in their coop for the night but one was missing. I knew it was too late to be laying an egg, but I checked the nesting boxes anyways, and found her nearly dead and covered in blood. I took her in and cleaned her up to the best of my ability but there was just so much blood and her eyes were completely swollen and crusted shut. I spent the next two days attempting to nurse her back to health. I stayed up all night dipping her beak in water because she was too weak to drink on her own. I offered her all types of yummy foods but she would barely eat. Even though she was improving, I knew she wouldn't fully get better without antibiotics and for that, she needed to see a vet. I called every vet in my area and no one treats chickens. I ventured further out and still either no one would see her or they didn't have appointments until too far out. I was desperate and finally was advised to call Midwest Bird and Exotic Animal Hospital. They were SO kind to me on the phone and patient with all of my questions. This location is an hour and a half away from me and I was worried she wouldn't even survive the stress of the drive. They talked me through everything and even squeezed me in that same day. After being seen, they confirmed she was very sick and not only was she bloody from being attacked, she had a severe upper respiratory infection. Many reviews say these people are only after money, but I couldn't disagree more. Every step of her healing journey, they provided me with different price options and never once pressured me to choose more expensive treatment. I cannot express enough how grateful I am that they took her in and provided her with EXCELLENT care. We opted to keep her hospitalized until she got enough medication and treatment that she was able to eat again on her own. When we came to pick her up, she was a whole new chicken. She could stand, drink and eat again, and was her regular feisty self! She is still recovering at home but the staff helped us by demonstrating how to give her her meds and also answered all of my million questions. I am positive my Edna would not be alive today without their intervention. I never want to discount anyone else's experience, especially after the loss of a beloved pet, but I am very, very pleased with my experience here and they have a customer for life! Although, I do hope I never need their expert care again :)

    It's taken me a long time to write this review, but this clinic was directly responsible for one of…read morethe most traumatic experiences of my life. On October 19, 2020, at about 10PM, I brought my parakeet Willow in for emergency care. She was not doing well, and I knew as much. I just wanted to know if there was anything I could do. It was COVID and as such, I was asked to drop her off and wait in my car. Fine, no problem. I waited for an hour and a half with absolutely no communication. Obviously I don't know for sure, but judging by the parking lot it sure seemed like I was the only one there. I called the office multiple times and no one picked up. I had no idea if she had died in the office and was nearly hysterical. Finally someone picked up and very snippily informed me that she "likely had cancer" and provided absolutely no other information. I asked, explicitly, if she was dying, and the vet said she was not, just that I should take her home and make her comfortable. I was charged $600. I was allowed to come inside and get her but had to wait another twenty minutes to get her. No one even spoke to me at the office, despite the fact that I had clearly been crying. No sympathy at all, they just chatted to one another. When they brought Willow out, it was clear she was dying. She lying at the bottom of the cage, barely breathing. I rushed her home- an hour drive- and five minutes after we arrived she died in my hands. I have great empathy for vets and know how difficult the job is. The other clinic for birds has been nothing but pleasant to me, and our local clinic for our cats is absolutely wonderful. I would not blame anyone unjustly and I know that they did not kill my bird. What they did do, however, was rob me of a few precious last hours with my parakeet. If they could not treat her, or could not ascertain a cause, they should have told me so I could have taken her home to die comfortably. If they were busy, that could have also been communicated. I was never treated with kindness or respect. On top of all that, to add insult to injury, they charged me $600 to do absolutely nothing but keep my parakeet away from me for 90 minutes- and lied to my face that she wasn't dying when anyone could tell otherwise. I never should have taken her. At least she would have been comfortable with me at home. I will never, ever, go to this practice again, and I warn anyone else to stay away.

    The Cat Practice

    The Cat Practice

    (57 reviews)

    Our cat Cleo has ongoing ear infection issues causing her to scratch her ears and face raw. It's…read morebeen a persistent problem leading us to seek a vet specializing in feline medicine for her care. For years we've gone to chain vets but the problem with those places is your furry friend is treated as a number, not a name. Also, the environment in a normal vet freaks our cat out too much. Prior to being seen, our cat was boarded for some hours and caged in with other animals (dogs and cats) where they would loudly bark and meow in anxiety waiting for the doctor. When your pet is in an unfamiliar environment where other furry folk are freaking out, you're guaranteed the fear within the room is contagious. Our last visit to the vet left her peeing in her carrier, due to overstimulation, on her ride home. This year we took a different approach. We took our time finding a vet and combed through the entire Chicagoland area on Yelp to find cat only vets. Although The Cat Practice is nowhere near us, we held faith in the reviews and made an appointment with Dr. Coughlin before end of the year. Dr is booked months out which to us is a good sign. At arrival, we filled out her paperwork and the receptionist informed us of the intake process. We didn't realize they needed her records from her prior vet(s) but the front desk only needed the names and locations from where she was last seen. Within minutes they were already transferring over the requested information. She was taken in alone to be seen and tested. Once her eval was complete, we were invited in the exam room to speak with doctor on her findings. Dr. Lori Coughlin was thorough with us and addressed any concerns along the way. She was able to clear out some mild earwax buildup which she showed us post swab. She determined the cause of her itching was a combination of a yeast infection in her ears plus possible allergies. We were taken home with topical and oral medications from their onsite pharmacy. A request for OTC (over the counter) Claritin led us to pick some up at our nearby Walgreens the following day. We're crossing our fingers hoping this regimen makes Cleo itch free! Cleo tolerated the entire 90 minute process. Although a little miffed from the typical poke and prod she managed. A little drooling in the mouth but no pee in the carrier pad. Once at home she jumped right out of her carrier to return to her normal way of life. Her full body assessment states she is healthy and mildly overweight (@ 10.5 lbs) which is all we ask for. After our first successful visit we plan to stick with Dr. Coughlin and the kind staff at the Cat Practice for future follow ups.

    Dr. Lori and her staff had been very kind and thorough with providing my cat Brandon with the care…read morehe has needed throughout the years. I appreciate their support during the difficult time of my cat's transition to that place we call "rainbow bridge".

    Companion Animal Hospital Oak Park - They also accept and recommend pet insurance to keep visits affordable

    Companion Animal Hospital Oak Park

    (54 reviews)

    Galewood

    I've been going to this vet for years, first with a dog that I had for 15 years, and more recently…read morewith a new puppy. I speak from the heart when I tell you that there are no words that can fully describe the level of commitment, care, and compassion that this vet has shown my pets. My dog who lived to 15 had a series of health issues, and Companion went above and beyond to provide him with great care. I truly believe they prolonged his life. When he passed away, Companion sent me a card signed by every member of the staff, each with a handwritten note. It was an incredibly meaningful and unexpected gesture during a time of intense grief. My take on the bad reviews? Companion is not an emergency room, nor do they claim to be. Despite that fact, there are some reviewers here who seem to assume that Companion is a Wal-Mart of pet services and therefore should be able to do everything. That's just plain ignorance on the part of the reviewer. If your part is having an emergency, there are many resources online to direct you to a nearby emergency room. But for standard veterinary and grooming needs, Companion Oak Park is the best I've found in the Chicago area.

    Dr Cheryle and vet tech Jacqueline are AMAZING…read more The front office manager is the worst and the reception staff as equally as bad. All they care about is money not your pet. If you go there make sure you ONLY see Dr Cheryle or Jacqueline Beware of the "Manager" of the place as she will yell and swear at you.

    River Forest Animal Hospital - vet - Updated September 2026

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