Very kind staff, good hours(they're open later than most vets), they have decent prices and don't push unnecessary vaccinations on you or your pet. I have taken my dog and cat. Got a last minute apt for my cat online when I noticed she was bleeding from a bump- got in next day and did the apt online. Will definitely be back. read more

A big thank you to Dr Berg. My cat is very difficult at the vet (spicy cat) and she was so patient with him. We had no issues at this vet visit, it all went very smooth. She gave him treats while examining him and he was very happy with that. They have decent prices and a very friendly staff. I look forward to bringing my two other cats to see her in the future. read more

Love this clinic. Have been coming here for years. Vets and staff are very skilled and friendly.

My family has brought our pets to River Heights for a long time, probably around 15 years... and will no longer bring any of our animals to their clinic ever again. Last weekend, we lost our beloved pug at nearly 13. She lived a wonderful life and beat the odds due to having diabetes for nearly 2 years. Our mother took amazing care of her, giving her insulin shots twice a day, making special meals for her diabetes, carried her up and down stairs to make her more comfortable, catering to her every need. We always joked that she was the favorite child of the family.. well when our baby passed last weekend peacefully in her sleep, my mom called River Heights and let them know and inquired if she could donate the unopened insulin. Dr. Pocius called her back later, and proceeded to tell her that there was MORE she could have done to keep our baby alive (liver biopsy, surgery, etc.) rather than offering her sympathies and relaying the answer that my mother had called for in the first place. This was greatly troubling to my mother, as she loved that dog and has done EVERYTHING possible/ spent countless dollars to keep her with us. Now, not only is she grieving but she also feels massive guilt. I must say that the way Dr. Pocius handled the situation truly makes me question where River Heights' values lie, considering their wildly overpriced services and seeming lack of simple compassion. read more

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Dr Mayer is great, as is Sam. Unsure if she is normally a front desk person or if she is a tech, but she was very sweet. I had to bring my dog in for an emergency, he was urinating blood. After extensive testing they found nothing wrong, which was a bit disheartening, but Dr Mayer put me at ease and is always available to take a phone call and answer questions. As someone who works in the medical field this is a rare quality to find in a doctor. However, i do notice the office lacks a bit of communication and charge much more than most places in the surrounding areas, so thats my only complaint. read more

I am here often (unfortunately) for my dog. He is a rescue and very timid around new people and places but they have made him feel super comfortable every time he comes in! Dr. Anderson is AMAZING! She follows up after prescribing medication and just cares about the pets she treats. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone. read more

They were able to get my dog in the next day. They reviewed the records from the previous vet. Dr Anderson was very thorough and asked a lot of questions. I think this practice is one of the best I have used. read more

Cooper enjoyed his stay while we moved into our apartment from Texas. The staff was very friendly and they took very good care of him.

I dropped off Ollie this morning for a spa day! The staff couldn't have been more welcoming! Even though they were learning a new computer system! Thank you for taking such great care of our beloved dogs! Maggie, Luke, Bridget, and now Ollie! read more

The vets are nice but they are very overpriced and suggest unnecessary test and procedures!

Very dedicated staff. Great facility, medical equipment and technically capable doctors. If I asked our cats, I bet they would agree! read more

Why can't I give a one. I had a horrible experience. They wanted me to sign consent forms but wouldn't let me see the documents at first, and then finally when I said I wouldn't sign until I read them, the begrudgingly brought out a copy, but didn't give me my own copy. They took several They treated the experience like a factory read more

We've been customers of this place on and off for years. Even had a dog die on the operating table there. Recently we inquired about boarding our Boston Terrier, and were turned down because "this is reserved for current customers". Are you kidding me!! Lost this customer for ever!! Oswego Animal Hospital works fine for us. Cheaper too!! read more

Dr. Juriga and his staff was awesome I truly believe my fur baby wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for dr and there amazing staff. (Laura) was a gem. read more

I brought my sheltie puppy Frankie here for braces when he began to develop a lance canine. I couldn't have been more pleased with Dr. Juriga and his staff. The administrative staff were always friendly and helpful when I need to make an appointment and during the check in/check out process. In connection with the procedure itself, Dr. Juriga and his colleagues and assistants always took the time to explain what was being done and their finding. One thing that I had to do was change Frankie's elastic every 10 days. A couple of times I had problems with this so I had to bring him in to get some help. They were always very accommodating and didn't charge extra for this service. I feel so fortunate to have this practice located in an area that I can get to when I need them. If I didn't live an hour away, this would definitely be my primary vet! read more

It's taken a few months for me to calm down and be able to write a rational view after the horrific experience I had here. My dog Suki started vomiting white foamy stuff, having diarrhea, and just acting like she couldn't walk. After not receiving a quick call back from my regular vet and Suki getting worse, I rushed her to River Heights due to its closeness to my home. Suki could barely walk from the parking lot to the entrance. She looked bad and just plopped down inside. The lady at the front desk was rude and didn't seem concerned about getting us quickly checked in. She actually walked away and had another lady finish the check in...all while my dog is getting worse. No one introduced themselves, so I had to look on the paperwork and website for their names. The vet tech, Kristin Pavlik, was rude and unprofessional. She acted like it was an inconvenience to see us. She continually left the room in the middle of me asking her something. Dr. Sara Luttrell came in and said she didn't like Suki's breathing at all and wanted X-rays. She also kept leaving the room to deal with another customer putting their dog down. First, my dog is in bad shape and needs focused care. Second, the other customer is going through the awful goodbye process and you keep walking out on them? After the X-rays, Dr. Luttrell decided Suki had fluid around her heart, needed heart specialist asap, had enlarged mass in her stomach, and it was bad. She didn't do any blood work. Dr. Luttrell told me it was time to decide that maybe Suki had a long enough life (11 years) and to put her down. I was sobbing...not one word of compassion, no "I'm sorry", didn't hand me the tissue box, nothing but cold stare...then asked if I needed a few minutes to decide. I was in shock & said yes to get her away from my dog & me. Luckily my vet called back then & could get her in. It took another 30 minutes for the tech to come back in with a copy of the X-rays (with Suki's name spelled wrong). I rushed her to my regular vet (Danada) where they viewed the X-rays and saw no fluid...just an overexposed X-ray. They did a full blood work and discovered she had pancreatitis. A specific pancreatitis panel confirmed her numbers were sky high. Suki was given subcutaneous fluids, antibiotics for the infection, and special prescription food for 2 weeks. The follow up blood work showed her counts were starting to go down, and she was placed on a pancreatic safe, low fat diet going forward. Suki is back to her bouncy, happy, adorable self now. Thank goodness I trusted my gut and got a 2nd opinion. The incompetence, misdiagnosis (Dr. Luttrell didn't even do a blood panel), and rudeness of River Heights was unbelievable. I live 5 minutes from them and will continue to drive 35 minutes to Danada for better care. Kristin and Dr. Luttrell need to reevaluate why they wanted to work in the veterinary field. I would never trust them with my baby girl again. read more

River Heights Veterinary Hospital - Veterinarians Near Me - Oswego, Illinois

Unfortunately I had to put down my senior Yorkie. Although very sad it was managed with kindness & empathy. I receive a handwritten card from Dr. Mayer and then the Clinic made donations in her name to the Hinsdale pet cemetery & Illinois Vet School. I just received a mailing about a special service that they are having for all pet owner that lost their pets this past year. I have been exceptionally pleased with the care of my dogs & cats since coming here a few years ago. Wish I had found them sooner. I will miss them when I move out of state next month. read more

Have used this clinic for many years, many pets. Would highly recommend for their excellence, caring and cleanliness.

Very warm atmosphere. Dr. Juriga is who we saw for a dental consultation. He was very easy to talk to and you could tell he is very good at what he does. I feel very confident and comfortable in the care my animals are given from Dr. Juriga and his staff. read more

I do not recommend coming here unless it is a local emergency for your pet. I was told that there was a dental specialist near our home that we could see for a free consult by our usual vet after we noticed one of our dogs teeth turned purple. The veterinarian and vet tech were very friendly and knowledgeable during the consult, however they charged me $130 to talk for 15 minutes. The person there who set up the appointment over the phone did not 'correct me' when I mentioned the free consult, however the lady who charged me that day rudely said that 'you need to take that up with your vet's office as we have never accepted a free consult and everyone working for this office would know better than to say so.' In addition to that surprise, the procedural charges are significantly more than another vet office I have contacted. So I cannot recommend this office in good conscience after this negative first impression where they sorely missed the opportunity to establish trust and provide future care to our dogs. Tip for the office: work on ensuring that all office staff communicate with pet owners effectively by providing the correct information before arriving. Equally important: Focus on building trust with potential new families and their pets. The vet and tech seemed like genuinely caring people, but y'all need to improve your business practices before more people have experiences like mine and you lose credibility from locals. read more

I found Dr. Stephen Juriga after having a HORRIBLE experience dealing with the horrible doctors and staff at Fox Valley Veterinary Dentistry in Chicago on Clybourn. Dr. Bill Krug and the younger doc there (Dr. Constanteras? who is no longer listed on website?) were absolutely terrible in bedside manner / practicality and cost. Sorry Fox Valley.. just because pet owners love our animals does NOT mean we want to be berated on phones by you guys! Doctor Juriga took charge of my situation from the very first phone call and had a fantastic phone and email demeanor. He took the time to calm my fears about my older dog and was a charming and friendly guy all around. He constantly took the time to make me feel confident WE made the right decision for my elderly dog based on teeth cleaning habits.. motivation etc... Because of his attention to details we also found a tooth problem that was NOT previously identified and could have led to problems down the road. YES it is a hefty drive out to Oswego for me coming from Chicago... but when the health and well being of my pet is at stake.. it is TOTALLY worth it. :))) Enjoy the drive... Hang out in Oswego for a few hours and both you and your pet will be much happier getting premier pet dental care! 5 STARS for Dr. Juriga and his staff at River Heights Veterinary Hospital. read more

Thanks to Dr JURIGA, Verena, & Laura - I had peace while Vita had a dental procedure with an enlarged heart. Vita did so well. These folks are awesome - get ready for an education while with Dr JURIGA. I learn so much from him. They are so caring & personable. How many vets give a memorial donation when your precious pet passes?That touched me beyond words:) when Vita's Whippet sister passed recently. I highly recommend River Heights & Dr JURIGA as the best vet the girls have had. read more

I can't say enough about River Heights Veterinary Clinic. We live in Chicago, and when our 7-year-old Chihuahua's face started swelling, we went straight to our vet. The verdict was a fractured tooth and infection, so they referred us to Dr. Juriga in Oswego, and we are so happy they did! I called them at 8pm on a Thursday, and they got us in at 8am the next morning (despite having a full day of back-to-back patients!). After an examination, Dr. Juriga and his team sat down with us to go over exactly what was going on with our pup's dental issues, why things cost what they did, and what to expect during and after surgery. Dr. Juriga has exceptional qualifications including serving on the Medical Advisory Board at the Shedd Aquarium and Brookfield Zoo, as well as providing dental services at Brookfield Zoo. From the moment we walked in to the time we left, we felt as though our baby was in the best hands. I would recommend them to anyone looking for a well qualified, thorough and kind dental specialist - at River Heights, they know their trade! On a side note, the compassion is shown in the details: they offer a Keurig cup of coffee while you're waiting; they have a map of the area ready for you with shopping destinations highlighted; they give you a $5 coupon for a local coffee shop; and the post-op rooms look more like mini-lounges with chairs and couches. These people obviously care about the pets AND their owners! 5 stars hands down! read more

If you're looking at this vet because you want the best for your pet's teeth cleaning, look no more! I called my local vet about a teeth cleaning, and they said it was $100 total - anesthesia and all. I'm glad I thought that sounded too good to be true and decided to find a better option. Dr. Juriga is about 45 minutes from where I live, but it's easily worth the drive. He felt like the obvious choice. I recently had my chihuahua's teeth cleaned, and it was everything I hoping for! Dr. Juriga really makes you comfortable about handing over your beloved pet even knowing there will be anesthesia and potential teeth pulling. I was very nervous about my chihuahua, Lola, losing too many teeth and not being able to enjoy bully sticks anymore. Dr. Juriga said he would salvage (even bone grafting was an option) whatever he could before considering removal, especially with any important teeth. Luckily only six teeth were pulled, and it was clear they were all necessary. Still, he took the time to go over the x-rays and explain each one. She was given a shot for pain right after the procedure, rimadyl tablets for the following few days, and antibiotics for a week just to be safe. The estimate I was given was the price range I was expected for such thorough care. The final cost was double the estimate due to extra cost of removing teeth and prolonged anesthesia. It wasn't really that much of a surprise, and I still feel it was 100% worth the cost. I have zero regrets about going to Dr. Juriga, and I will do it again in the future if needed. Thank you River Heights and Dr. Juriga for a great experience and for caring so much! Lola is on her way to recovery with shiny, white teeth! read more

Very nice people but really pushed dental care for my elderly cat. Would have had to put her under complicated anesthetic and with her other health problems they really down played how risky it was. This place would be okay to go to for simple procedures such as rabies and other vaccines but if your pet has other health problems I'd definitely get a second opinion from another vet because they seamed to push for procedures that would profit them and not necessarily the animal read more

When you first walk in the reception area is in the center of the waiting area. They have seating some particioned around the reception area which is nice to keep pets separated. I was very impressed with this, being able to keep my cat away from large dogs is a plus. Unfortunately my cat had to have all his teeth removed... (which turned out to be the best thing and my cat is much happier now). Received excellent before and after care and Dr Juriga spent plenty of time going over things with us. Even when my cat needed some extra treatment, they never made me seem like I was inconveniencing them. read more

River Heights Veterinary Hospital - Veterinarians Near Me - Oswego, Illinois

My primary veterinarian discovered that my dog had a cracked canine during a routine exam. She thought he possibly had an exposed nerve too so she recommended that he have an x-ray. She was certain my dog would probably need dental surgery and told me this would be the case. She stated that she wasn't comfortable performing dental repairs so she referred me to a nearby veterinarian for x-rays and treatment. I'm not one to go with the first option given to me. I prefer to do my own research and base my decisions on factual evidence from varied sources. I did a google search for local vets that specialize in canine dentistry. The American Veterinarian Dentistry College (AVDC) website contains a list of every dental professional in the U.S. Turns out there are only 6 certified dental professionals in the entire state. There are two in the Chicago metropolitan area. Initially I planned to take my dog to MedVet Chicago on Clybourn but the multiple negative online reviews made me uncomfortable. In my experience people typically don't write bad reviews unless they have good reason. I'd also called MedVet and was told that they wouldn't be able to get me in for a consultation for at least two weeks. My dog would have to wait an additional week or two to have surgery if it was indeed deemed necessary. I didn't want my dog to suffer any longer so I decided to call River Heights. I called to make an appointment and spoke with one of the vet techs named Megan. She was absolutely wonderful. I explained my situation and she spent 25 minutes on the phone with me answering my questions and explaining all the options in great detail. She was pleasant, warm and thorough . I told her I'd be coming from Chicago so she scheduled my initial consultation with Dr. Sasser and the subsequent surgery on the same day. After speaking with Megan, I knew I'd found the right place for my dog to have his surgery. I called on a Friday evening and was able to get an appointment for the following Tuesday morning. I arrived for my appointment on time and was seen shortly thereafter. We were set up in a room and the vet tech, Arianna, gathered my dog's medical history. She was just as thorough and warm as Meghan. Dr. Sasser came in and conducted a brief examination of my dog. She went over our options and explained the complex medical procedures using photos, diagrams and canine dental models. Since she hadn't done an x-ray beforehand Dr. Sasser wasn't 100% sure of what she'd encounter so it was decided that she'd call me after my dog was under anesthesia to let me know what she'd found. I made the choice to save any damaged teeth (root canal) and cap them for protection. Dr. Sasser called after my dog had been anesthetized to say that my dog had two broken teeth and that they both were infected. I told her to go ahead with the original plan we'd discussed. She stated she'd call when she had another update when there was one. After 4-5 hours we finally made it back to the office. My dog's surgery thankfully went well. Arianna, the vet tech we'd been working with, came in to give us a detailed account of what happened during the procedure. She showed us before and after photographs that depicted the injuries and repairs. She showed us exactly where the injuries were & how Dr. Sasser fixed them. She detailed how we should care for my dog post surgery & the steps we should take going forward to avoid future fractures. I found Dr. Sasser to be confident, knowledgable and affable. Since we didn't have an initial consultation prior to the day the surgery was performed we didn't receive an estimate of the costs. We asked for one that morning but never received it despite being told that we'd get one. We assumed that the fees would run us about $2000 on the high end. It turns out we GROSSLY underestimated the cost as the bill ended up being a whopping $3600!! Talk about being hit by a boulder.... It wasn't exactly welcome news but it was necessary for my dog's health so that's all that matters. My dog is my baby so providing him with the best care is my top priority. River Heights is an expansive state of the art facility. The decor and well manicured grounds are beautiful. There are ample sitting areas in the reception area that are spacious and comfortable. There's also a mini fridge stocked with bottled water and snacks (i.e. pretzels) offered free of charge to waiting clients. The drive took just under an hour from Chicago. There are plenty of stores and restaurants in the area if you have hang out while your pet is undergoing treatment. We had breakfast, went shopping and had pedicures. My experience with River Heights was wonderful from beginning to end. I can't say enough about the entire staff. They were helpful, engaging and professional. They all seemed to really care about my dog's welfare AND the high level of care they were offering us which was really refreshing. If I could give them more than five stars I would. read more

Brought Duke in with an emergency and we got prompt and excellent care. Impressed with how informative staff and Dr J were about what was wrong, what was going to be done and what to expect afterward. Dr J spent a lot of time with us before/after surgery We are very impressed with everything about River Hts Veterinary Hospital and will not hesitate to recommend them to others! read more

I LOVE LOVE LOVE River Heights Vet in Oswego. I have a dog and two cats. My dog had his fair share of health issues and the vets and staff there were excellent at helping us. I especially love Dr. Kim Mayer, and Dr. DeVold. Dr. Mayer has helped me figure out my cats health issues. She was suffering from chronic ear infections and scaly skin. She suggested a food trial, which we did for about 4-5 months and it worked great! My cats ears have cleared up, her coat and skin are amazing, and she is losing weight. I saw that a previous reviewer stated that they were never able to see the same doctor. I have never had that problem. If you make your next appointment while you are there and request that you see the same doctor, the front staff is great at setting that up. Dr Mayer, also recently cleaned and removed some of my dogs teeth. My dog is part pug, so he came with a whole mess of dental issues. She actually called me mid-surgery to give me an update (this was literally 4 days after we had put my childhood dog to sleep so I was extremely paranoid about something going wrong during Amp's surgery). She explained that there were some impacted teeth that needed to be removed and how much that would cost. I am a sucker for good communication and was very happy she called me, instead of getting a surprise when I picked my dog up. Dr. Rhonda DeVold, helped me when my parents elderly dog needed to be put to sleep. Gretchen was a family dog that we got when I was in high school and she was 13 years old. Dr. DeVold and the staff were very comforting at this time, when we really needed it. She was patient and let us sit with out dog without starting the procedure as long as we needed. Afterward, we were allowed to stay with our dog in one of their comfort suites as long as we needed to as well. Megan, one of the techs, also helped us make paw prints in a clay before we left. It was an awesome thing to be able to take home. Megan was also extremely comforting and very patient with us. My sisters and I were all sobbing messes. I would also like to compare the front office staff to the Oswego Animal Hospital staff. I do fostering for a local rescue that has us use Oswego Animal Hospital...UGH! The staff at River Heights is 100x friendlier! When I walk into Oswego Animal Hospital, the staff with avoid eye contact, pretend to be busy, or just completely ignore me. It's really annoying! How hard is it to look up, smile, and say that you'll be with me in a minute? That DOES NOT HAPPEN AT RIVER HEIGHTS! There have been many times where my hands are full as I am walking into River Heights, and the staff sees me coming up so they push a button to open the door for me. They greet me with a smile, I am immediately checked in, they are just AWESOME! I could give about 10 more examples of why I love River Heights but I think I have already filled up this page enough. Some people say they are a little pricey but I am a believer in you get what you pay for. I would rather spend an extra few bucks and know that I am taking my pets to a place that I can really trust. read more

My wife and I have been customers of River Heights for over 25yrs, During that time we have taken our Sheltie dogs there to be groomed. In June of 2013 we took our 1yr old Sheltie to River Heights to be groomed. On that same day we received a call from the groomer advising us that our dog was unmanageable and her coat was too matted to be groomed. The groomer further stated our pup was currently sedated and we needed to hurry and make a decision if we wanted our dogs coat shaved before the sedation wears off. Neither the groomer or River Heights ever called us prior to sedating our dog. Not knowing any better we felt we had no other option but to go through with this procedure. This was done at a cost of nearly $150.00. Today we used a different groomer from a professional dog grooming business. This groomer advised us the first groomer should have never shaved our dogs coat because her top coat may not grow back, and this groomer was able to show us our dog's top coat did indeed not come back. Our second groomer then groomed our dog without any problems and made her look like a champion show dog. I believe the dog groomer at River Heights was unable to properly groom our dog due to her laziness and incompetence. I have never heard of a dog needing to be sedated in order to be groomed, this procedure is risky for the dogs health. I also put partial blame on River Heights for not notifying us before sedating our pup. I would NOT recommend to anyone taking their dog to River Heights for grooming.. Go to a Professional dog groomer. read more

I've been going here since we moved here back in 2000 and the staff is always welcoming. The doctors are all great and are always concerned about my 2 dogs. They get great treatment here. How people can say they're all about the money is ridiculous, I've been to those places and it ISN'T here! They've never pushed to have unnecessary surgeries or procedures like some doctors I've seen. In fact, when my female had a test and they couldn't confirm the results of what she had they sent me to a specialist because they didn't want to take a chance on an unnecessary surgery. She ended up not needing one. I was so ecstatic to know she was fine. Payment plans are explained plainly on site and they will give an estimate before any service is done. read more

If there was a rating higher than Excellent, that would describe my experience. The staff was exceptional in every way! Kodiak was referred by our veterinarian to Dr. Juriga for a dental specialist, couldn't be more impressed on every level read more

I have always had a great experience at River Heights my dog Chubbs has a rare paw disease and Dr. Beyers was fantastic with him and very informative. Made Chubbs feel very comfortable during his visit. I would recommend anyone to go to River Heights they really love your pets and the staff is very friendly and helpful. read more

I could not be more grateful to Dr Juriga and his staff for their continued excellent care of my dogs.

Great place. I've seen several vets here for our rescue dog's skin issues and they've been great. This place is professional, clean, and they do grooming too. It's out of the way to get to fire is but it's that good, it's worth it. read more

I love River Heights. I've been using this vet clinic for about 8 years now for various pets including dogs, ferrets and birds (although their only vet who saw exotics is now gone :( The office staff is great! They are organized, courteous and knowledgeable. All the vets I've gone to seem to really know their stuff. I would definitely recommend this vet clinic! read more

I guess they are okay, but on at least two occasions they didn't help my Stormy. Once he had a broken tail they basically did nothing. Then he got sick and wouldn't eat good they did 400 dollars worth of test but found nothing gave him a bunch of expensive food which he didn't want to eat and didn't help the problem. read more

I love River Heights. It is easy to get appointments. You never wait long to get in. Dr. Pocius and Dr. Weiver are so caring and compassionate. Jan is absolutely the best groomer ever. Wouldn't go anywhere else. The staff is so friendly and techs really love animals and are so knowledgeable. Cannot say enough. read more

We had called about our dog may of gotten a bone stuck in his stomach and hadn't pooped in three days. They said he needs to come in today and scheduled him an appointment for three hours later . When we went back for his exam we were immediately told after he had an X-ray they said he needed to have surgery or my dog was going to die ! My baby is only 4 years old . They said we had to pay all almost 4 thousand dollars just to get my dog back!! There was absolutely no way to come up with that kind of money in a single day . They said there's nothing else they can do and it's a huge possibly my dog was going to die at home that night . At this point I'm bawling my eyes out that my dog is going to die at home or have to get put down . No compassion from anyone ! Oh, BTW, it was over 600 bucks for them to not do anything ! We made the decision to sleep with him that night and make sure he was hydrated and breathing . The next morning we drove an hour away to animal welfare league after putting down our baby needed surgery and they took him back they said it's a bone it going to come out on it's own they did two xrays and was less than 20 dollars and they told us our baby was going to be okay did not need surgery . They gave him an enema and some laxatives and sent him home and we left feeling 100% confident he was going to be alright . DO NOT EVER GO TO RIVER HEIGHTS ! all they want is your money they would of given my dog an unnecessary surgery that could of killed him alone or made us have no other option but to put him down . Today a day after we went to the other hospital he is completely fine and everything is out of him . They lost long time customers ! And I will make sure everyone knows how horrible this place is !!! read more

Several months ago our Red Eared Slider turtle "Tutor" started twitching while basking. This was very odd behavior that we had never seen previously. So, we took her to Dr. DeVold at River Heights Veterinary Hospital, who specializes in exotic animals and who, fortunately, is very close to where we live. The doctor did a very thorough check up on the turtle. Tutor seemed to be the picture of health until, upon the suggestion of Dr. DeVold, an x-ray was taken. Turns out that, to our surprise, the turtle had eaten something metal. The metal piece was stuck in her intestines, causing lead poisoning, which, in turn caused neurological problems and thus,the twitching. Tutor needed surgery as soon as possible. As Dr. DeVold had never performed a surgery like this, she referred us to a doctor that was well versed in this procedure who was located in Chicago about 1 1/2 hours from our house. Tutor had the surgery and is almost back to her old, happy self. I can't tell you how happy I am that I found Dr. DeVold and the River Heights Veterinary Hospital. She is very knowledgeable relative to turtles as she had her own, and the depth of caring and concern she has shown through this whole process was very touching and impressive. She really cares about these animals and it shows. She always made herself available to us for pre and post surgical questions working closely with the vet who preformed the surgery and sharing information. I am happy to say that Tutor is now totally back under the care of Dr. DeVold and her team of wonderful and caring people. Our little Tutor turtle would have died had not been for the thoroughness, caring and the willingness to "pass the baton" off to someone else for the good of our pet by Dr. DeVold. A very impressive doctor and staff that I would highly recommend to anyone. Thanks Dr. DeVold and team! read more