Dr. McClure takes care of your dog as if it's her own. Amazing staff, warm and supportive environment. Glad we found Sandy Paws!

Fair pricing and I feel like they dont oversell and support your choices when giving you options. Theyre great at following up with additional information for future treatments. read more

I've been coming here since 2017. Dr.Judith McClure is THE BEST! it's obvious she really cares about fur babies. I did leave for about 4 years because I had a really awful experience with an associate but he is gone now & I'M BACK! Her new associates are very caring and knowledgeable. I have 1 dog & 1 cat. The entire staff is lovely. Even though they are busy, they are always smiling. read more

Sandy Paws Animal Clinic - Healthy kitty - Veterinarians Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Dr. McClure is an incredible vet! She is the most competent and compassionate vet we have encountered over the last 13 years. When dealing with our senior pet I feel like she cared for our well being just as much as she did for our dog. You can see how much she cares just by watching her work. Absolutely top notch. read more

What irritates me the most is the vet recommend unnecessary office visit / test just to get more money out of you. The last visit got me turn away and look for alternative. They also have a very messy patient chart for what's necessary (like puppy / annual vaccination) and it's hard to find out. I'm happy I finally took my time and find another clinic. read more

Completely rude from the doctor to the staff. My dogs may have gotten decent care, but I would never take them back due to the unprofessionalism of the doctor. Hard to even get a copy of the bill, even though I requested by email and paper form a couple of times. I don't mind paying for good service and good care but I got neither. Patient beware there's plenty of good vets out there. read more

Dr McClure is awesome as well as other doctors at this location and vet techs! Everyone has been extremely helpful and sweet to our Chloe and Juno. I would highly recommend to anyone that wants a veterinarian that is just as concerned about your fur baby as you are. Excellent care and ease of appointment setting most within the same day. Super clean and friendly staff as well read more

I don't even know where to start my story...Our Zoe Pom Pom is a true Covid Puppy and we never expected her to grow to 40 pounds of lots of hair and love. Needless to say, she grew, I tried my best to keep up with her shaggy hair, then the nails grew too fast for me to keep up and after 3 different groomers unable to deal with a loving but mouthy girl (more scary sounding than actually aggression). I was ready to figure out how to groom her myself. I am so glad that my GF referred me to Sandy Paws. From the moment I called, the lady on the phone (I wish I knew her name) she didn't hesitate at all after hearing my story and recommended I made an appointment with Jillian. I was very very cautiously optimistic about Jillian. Champs, listen make an appointment here if you have a special case. Jillian is a grooming rockstar, I shared with her all of Zoe little idiosyncrasies like don't touch my beard with your shears and voila, she gave Zoe the cutest puppy cut. Thank you Jillian, we will be back in a month for baths to continue this grooming training journey! read more

Sandy Paws Animal Clinic - Before: Shaggy & Matted 70's Look - Veterinarians Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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You don't need an appointment to get nails clipped...people who worked there were helpful and knowledgeable....will go back.

I like Sandy Paws and Dr. Judith McClure is very dedicated working late at night. I'm choosing another vet clinic as this was the 3 rd time that I needed to be rescheduled. There was an emergency which pushed our 2:30 appointment to 6:00. I decided to go to a different vet, maybe another vet is needed in that group. read more

This was our first visit to Sandy Paws, which is closer to home for us. I really like Dr McClure and her staff. She took a lot of time to answer my questions in a thoughtful and knowledgeable way. You can tell that she loves her patients and knows her field. We've been going to Banfield for many years, but the Vets tend to rotate out or move on, and you don't see the same Vet over a long span of time. I'd forgotten how a small practice can feel so welcoming and reassuring. We're switching to Sandy Paws. read more

Sandy Paws Animal Clinic - Waiting for the exam - Veterinarians Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Very confusing and frustrating first visit. Had an appointment for 3:45 I was emailed that day to see if I could come in at 12:30 instead. I did and wasn't seen until 1:00. I understand it's typical to wait for an appointment at a veterinary office. My dog had an infection on her legs and had already had 2 courses of antibiotics, that cleared up a belly staph infection but not the leg sores. ( My regular vet who saw her didn't have an opening for weeks) . The doctor felt it might be the result of either a food allergy to certain proteins or an environmental allergy. This made sense, as she has had skin issues for years. She said there was a shot that could help with environmental allergies which we agreed to give. She wouldn't give her the shot however without doing bloodwork. So we assumed we'd have to wait for the results of the bloodwork before she got the shot. But that was not the case --they gave her the shot at the same time they did the bloodwork. When I questioned it, I was told the bloodwork was for baseline information for future shots. OK, just a bit confusing. Then we were given a sample of shampoo and told we should cut back on all proteins except pork -elimination diet. We left the visit not clear about what was going to treat the actual sores on her leg. When I got the written report the next day, it listed a medication in the treatment plan. No mention was made of putting her on another antibiotic in our visit. She actually made it sound like an antibiotic would not be the right course because it wasn't a bacterial infection. My husband was also in the room and heard exactly the same thing with no mention of giving her another antibiotic. I've never been to a vet where you don't receive a summary / write up of the visit, and treatment recommendations when you check out. If they had, I could've asked about the medication listed. The next day when I received the write-up (in the afternoon) I was surprised to see a prescription on there. I didn't know what the medication was so I called the office. The receptionist said it was an antibiotic and I explained I was confused because she hadn't mentioned it in the exam. I was told she spoke to the Doctor who said she absolutely did mention it in the visit and that Dr. McClure was confused about all the miscommunications and essentially please don't ever come back again because this doesn't seem like the right place for you. No problem, wasn't planning on it. read more

OOOPS! I accidentally posted a negative review, not realizing that there were two businesses in our area with the same name! My apologies!

This clinic is amazing. They've held my hand as a new cat owner through every step and have been so helpful and accommodating. When there were complications with my cat's neuter (not their fault just his reaction to some meds) they gave him a free check up exam to make sure everything was okay. It's very obvious they care a ton about the animals they see. I will never go to another vet. Love them and highly recommend. read more

Sandy Paws Animal Clinic - My "sweet" Atlas as they've nicknamed him :) - Veterinarians Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Terrible veterinary office. Do not bring your pet here. They killed my dog due to not running a correct blood panel. Who knows what blood panel they ran and I paid huge dollars for. Obviously not one that would show an infection. They are not doctors. They are quacks stealing your money. read more

After the most Thorough exam my little Sophia has ever received Dr. concluded my little fussy angle needed a specialist. The thing is she had already called and consulted with him even before the visit and got his advise on our difficult case all without either experts charging an extra consult fee. It looks like precious may need to have surgery which no one is happy about but its way worse for her to be suffering or even worse, dead. After almost an hour in which some actually brought me a cup of good coffee with good crème by the way (I am a coffee addict I will admit it) she charged only $75. I am so very grateful because Dr. McClure was recommended by a friend and she was to be the 2nd opinion because after we did what the other vet recommended my cat was still suffering. Forgive the long review and skip to the bottom line. I cannot recommend Dr. McClure enough and would suggest you go here first. Many thanks Dr. McClure and you will be seeing me and my 3 cats again. read more

Sandy Paws Animal Clinic - Sophia loves Dr. Mcclure but not the car ride to get there. - Veterinarians Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Dr. McClure and ALL staff members do an extraordinary job of making our 2 Siberian cats and owners feel most welcome. The facility is spotless, the staff take their time with our cats, and all along are educating us. We could not be more pleased. read more

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I brought my puppy in the day I got him for a simple health evaluation and was told I would be charged (a fairly high amount of money) for them to take a quick look at him. I went a mile up the street and got a free evaluation and they got a customer for the next 12-15 years of my dogs life. Being charged in advance is not a way to gain customer trust, at least not in my opinion. read more

If I could give negative stars, I would! Unfortunately I have to give 1 to write a review. Needed to get my dogs nails trimmed. Reception had zero personality to begin with but that's the best part of the experience. They didn't ask if I'd like to come back as his regular vet would. They were trying to trim his nails with small dog nail clippers he's 113lbs. Big Dog. Came out to get a cone because she said he nipped at her??? NO CHANCE IN HELL this dog would ever NIP at anyone. He's exceptionally socialized and very mild mannered even if he were hurt, he'd only pull away. After I pay, I look at his nails and they aren't even trimmed! I could have dragged a file across his nails and done a better job. Too bad, they're close to home and would have been much more convenient. Actual rating 0 out of 5. read more

Relocated to Carlsbad a couple of years ago and my Yorkshire Terrier, Bailey was suffering from some allergies to fleas. I was impressed how the vet obtained Bailey's file from Kensington Vet AND she read it! Bailey is always treated affectionately and I am treated with respect. The place is clean and the price is fair. read more

We have a 2lb yourkie named Holly that is now 10. Dr. McClure has given Holly stellar care. You will pay a premium for service but I believe under Dr. McClure it is worth it. Dr. McClure's attitude, sincere compassion and general demeanor is what keeps me coming back. read more

Sandy Paws Animal Clinic - Holly - Veterinarians Near Me - Carlsbad, California

We have brought our Golden here for a few months and I can't imagine going anywhere else. They care and explain everything to you with multiple options for your cost needs. They've worked with us and our puppy insurance (healthy paws) All the nurses and doctors are amazing and they aren't expensive, even give free samples and free follow appointments Love them! JUST AN UPDATE: They still continue to be amazing. Judith is a life saver with our problem child. He has cataracts and now we are finding out he has neurological issues. He also just got diagnosed with H.P. in both rear hips and in his front shoulder. He had a huge dental surgery done by their dental specialist and she found major issues and saved his teeth. They have been able to see me within a day of a problem and email me frequently with concerns I have. They are also helping me with my insurance company who don't want to cover his dental procedure. I am so greatful for all of them and the care and love they show my baby boy every time we go. Wade loves them and rushes to the door every visit. read more

Sandy Paws Animal Clinic - Wade happy to be at the vet! - Veterinarians Near Me - Carlsbad, California

We love everyone here. Dr. McClure is very compassionate and her office has always been great with follow up. I like that she's thorough, honest and non-judgmental (even when we ask for alternative treatment options). She's great about explaining things so I understand them, and she's transparent in her treatment methods. Overall, she is a high quality veterinarian that doesn't cut corners. Because of that, we've had healthy dogs that have had long lives with few health problems. read more

These guys are AMAZING. No matter what the cost they will go as far as you can imagine to help your furry friend!!! I have a 13 year old dog what will be spending the rest of her visits there and if the new addition to the fam pulls though (parvo) we can thank Dr. Ahn, Dona, and Hilarie. You guys are really the best!!! Much love!!! read more

Sandy Paws Animal Clinic - Veterinarians Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Dr. McClure and her staff are, quite simply, the best. With my dogs, and when there's been a medical problem, also with me. Both skilled and compassionate. read more

Update: the owner of this clinic contacted us and refunded us in full. While the initial experience was rather negative, I can say that the owners care and rectified the issue in my eyes. read more

Well, I needed a new vet for my four poochies. I was super hopeful that this would be the place. After two weeks of trying to get Dr. McClure on the phone to discuss the potential new clients, she called me back. I really liked her position on caring for the animals. She said she was a minimalist and didn't just give shots and care that was unnecessary. I loved that! She asked me to drop off all the records, she would review and then we could get started. I did as she asked and over one month later, and three follow up "drop bys" to see how she was doing on reviewing the records, I got nothin'. Joan, the front desk lady, pleasant at first, became seemingly irritated that I would just walk in and ask for an update. Today I stopped by for the final time and asked to retrieve the records. Joan, again, seemed irritated but did deliver the records. She never asked, nor did anyone, why I wanted them or if I wanted to make an appointment. Oh well, I guess they have all the clients they need at this point. Needless to say, my dogs will never get to know this place. I'm sure it's great for those lucky enough to get the attention they deserve but for me, and my babies, this is NOT the place. read more

For two and a half years we used this place for Toby. When it came time for Toby to Say Goodbye they didn't have the time to help. Too Busy. So we called Veterinary Specialty. No appointment necessary in our time of need. They have the Most Beautiful setting for grieving We received the most beautiful Sympathy Card signed by all of their employees. NOTHING FROM PAWS read more

I do love this vet and all the folks here. I need flea and heart worm prevention for my dogs. They had me pay to come in for a necessary exam to get a prescription, then refused to send the prescription to 800-pet-meds. They didn't offer any alternatives nor do they see the product. Unbelievable. read more

Dr McClure and the team are awesome! I love the way they treat my dogs like their own. I had to take my dogs overseas and they were on top of everything and made things go very smooth. If you are looking for a caring vet, she is the one! read more

I SAVED THIS FOR MY 200TH REVIEW - Thanks Sandy Paws, Hoku & I love You! It's easy to find a good vet when your pet is healthy. It's REALLY hard to find a good vet when your pet is sick or hurt. I brought my dog to Sandy Paws in the Ralph's shopping plaza off of Poinsettia in South Carlsbad after taking him to a couple of other vets. These other vets who will remain unnamed (especially one vet off of state street in the village) need to learn how to treat animals like patients, not like an MCAT (Medical College Admission Test). Dr. Vera Heidolph and Judith McClure have been a dream to work with and made me feel like they really cared for my large, injured dog's well being, not my $$. They have both been flexible working with me, and with my budget. They also didn't jump to any crazy conclusions like, "Your dog might have bone cancer." Yes, after the first visit ($700) to one vet, his theory was that my dog might have bone cancer, which was later disproved. You can't just throw that diagnosis out like that and throw a bill like that at me just for x-rays and a nail clipping! NOPE! Sandy Paws was super professional, and for around $300 did blood, urine, a very complete exam, and nail clipping. The waiting room looks pretty trendy and clean, which is not important when choosing a vet, but did make my short wait very comfortable. Judith and Vera have both been amazing communicating with me via phone and email about the visits, treatment options, and pricing. They really helped me figure out the best way to help Hoku that fits my budget and didn't make me feel bad that I can't drop $4-5,000 for surgery, that can be managed with pain medication. Are we going back? Of course, as long as Dr. Vera Heidolph is there, you will find us! We are so happy that finally the long term well-being of an animal comes first, not the $$! read more

Friendly Staff, convenient location and real animal lovers. Found them through yelp and we were very pleased with there service. Everyone loved our little(fatty) Zombiekins. We were able to get Zombiekins his shots and flea medicine right then and there. Not to mention I got several phone call from the staff and doctor to let us know all the blood work was good.... Nothing better then people who actually care about your loved ones. Thanks for everything. I highly recommend these guys. read more

We are thankful for this vet clinic. We moved here from the east coast on Wednesday. That night we figured out that my 6 month old French Bulldog puppy must have eaten my 6 year old's sock. I had obviously never been here before as I had arrived by plane the previous night. I called in a panic. Receptionist was helpful and efficient and managed to arrange for us to come in a few hours later. Dr. McClure was knowledgeable and gave us all options. We weren't entirely sure if she had eaten it or not so the Dr did X-rays, called a radiologist to take a closer look, thought they saw something. She referred us to veterinary specialty hospital in sorrento valley (huge fans of that place. We lived here before and my bulldogs were treated there). Dr. McClure called the dr there so when we showed up and saw him, he already knew the Scenario. (Long story short: she did eat the sock. Dr. McClure knew what she was talking about but gave us options. I liked that she didn't even recommend the most expensive option. She cared about our puppy and didn't want to put her at unnecessary (breed-based) risk. Our dog spent the night in the hospital and they were able to get the sock out without scoping or surgery. This practice was kind enough to squeeze us in especially as we were new patients and the follow-up from Dr. McClure was thorough and she clearly had a lot of experience with French bulldogs. We had planned on returning to the practice we used when we lived here before but will now have both of our frenchies go here. read more

Sandy Paws Animal Clinic - She's fine now and received great care. - Veterinarians Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Amazing service and amazing prices. My dog was sick and needed help immediately. He got right in with no emergency fees and will be up and running in no time. I'm from out of town and just happened to find this vet, what a score. She's kind, she listens, and she cares. Highly recommend. read more

I brought in my newly adopted member of the family here last Friday to get her established and to have her Spay sutures removed. I was going to go elsewhere but I'm SO happy I chose to follow my guts and other reviewers and come here. Amy was AMAZING! Everyone there was truly interested in getting to know Petunia and treating her with lots of loving care and re-assuring pets. Amy spent over an hour with us and went over everything they would do and gave me a printout of pricing BEFORE proceeding with anything. I left with a great sense of happiness knowing my dog is in good health and that we have such a loving vet to take her to; and just down the road! I HIGHLY recommend coming here - everyone I met was super nice and there weren't too many other customers coming or going so we had lots of freedom to roam around in between chats. They even took me in the back after her sutures were removed to show me some concerns they had about a rash. We might be back sooner because of that then later but again, what a pleasure! read more

I just took my 4- and 6- year old kitties in to see Dr. Mc Clure as I haven't taken them to their regular vet (All Cats) in about 2 years. I have never felt so good about the competence and caring of a veterinarian as I have after visiting Sandy Paws, and I have had animals for a long time. Dr. Mc Clure has a loving bedside manner and I have never seen my cats as relaxed in a vet's office. Dr. Mc Clure and her office staff are professional and caring, the office is beautiful, soothing, and clean, and my cats received superior care. For example, she gave me the option of whether or not to give my cats the rabies vaccine, as they are indoor only cats. Any other vet I've seen has pushed vaccinations and boosters on me, and out of ignorance, I acquiesced. It's a shame I did, because sarcomas can develop from over-vaccinating. Now I know other vets usually push vaccinations mainly for money, and to find a vet who cares most about my pets' well-being is golden. I also received a personal follow-up 'discharge' email for each cat, with detailed instructions for their optimal health. I am really grateful to have found Judith and Sandy Paws. What a blessing! read more

We come from a family of health professionals and never experienced such poor service and professionalism from a vet in our lives. The lack of compassion and respect we received by this establishment was unacceptable. I encourage other local families to think twice before taking their beloved animal here. read more

Search No Further! After a much less than impressive visit to a clinic in San Marcos, I "yelped" for vets in our area and am thrilled to have found Sandy Paws. From the moment we walked in with friendly, caring, funny staff, we were feeling good. After meeting Dr. Judith, we were thrilled. These people don't just LIKE animals, they clearly LOVE them. We had an hour private consult with Judith, who conducted a very thorough wellness exam of our newest family member. A wonderful element with Judith is, she will let you know about over the counter meds or home remedies, rather than suggesting you buy high-priced medications at the clinic. She spent almost as much time loving, admiring and befriending our puppy as she did conducting the exam. A wonderful experience! We also came with a friend who was looking for a vet in the area, and after our experience, she couldn't make an appointment for her little guy fast enough. Very impressive all the way around. read more

If I could give ZERO stars I would! I scheduled an appointment early this week for routine vaccines and blood work before scheduling his teeth cleaning. I had explained to the person who answered the phone and booked my appointment exactly what I needed. I also asked for a rough estimate of what I would be getting so I could have cash ready for my fur babies appointment. She gladly agreed to call me back and let me know as well as told me she would be calling to confirm the appointment time. Well no one called and I had to call and confirm the appointment was still set. Well jump to appointment time I have to call and check in and they tell me I can't go in with my animal who has serious anxiety which made me uncomfortable and I felt that I should have been told this on the phone they were only doing no-contact appointments. Well as I'm checking in over the phone the girl at the desk tells me that I'm going to have to do two separate appointments for vaccines as the dr doesn't typically give them all on the same day (which I have never heard of in adult dogs and I have worked in the industry as a VA) I then explained well I need them done today as I'm boarding my animal in a week and they all need to be done for his boarding. As I'm waiting outside I get a call from the girl in the front asking the name of the place I will be boarding I offered the name not thinking my privacy would be VIOLATED! I then got a second call from the girl up front who clearly states " we called name of boarding company and they said you don't have a boarding reservation for next week are you going to a different location?" Which I replied yes and she then asked "can I have which location?" In which I replied with no I'm not giving that information and I'd like to speak with the vet. She puts me on hold the vet gets on I ask why she needed to call and confirm if I'm boarding at a location or not she aggressively states that's not what we asked we needed to find out what they require (which is available on the website for the boarding place) she then told me to stop talking so she could finish speaking which I found HILARIOUS as she cut me off when I was speaking! I then requested my animal at this point I did NOT feel comfortable with this vet doing anything to my animal! I didn't pay for the office visit and to be honest I couldn't tell you an evaluation was even done by the vet as when I got my animal back he was very upset panting and stressed out. I DO NOT recommend this place ever! read more

Since moving up north I've struggled to find a great vet for our dog. I should start by saying that our dog is a child to us, so a mediocre/sub-par vet is really not an option. I tried a few places where we just didn't feel that "click" and our pup didn't either, until we found Sandy Paws! We drive up to Sandy Paws from the Carmel Valley area, and it's definitely worth the drive. We've never had to wait long to be seen, and the waiting room is bright and comfortable. The reception staff are really friendly, they always make great conversation with my dog! Dr. McClure is really amazing. My dog is 9, and I have never met a vet who is so thorough and really cares about your animal. On our first visit, she gave the most thorough exam that I've ever seen, and our dog honestly seemed to be having fun (I know, having fun at the vet is unheard of!) because Dr. McClure is so personable. Anytime she would leave the room our dog would want to go with her, no joke! She really has a way with animals, which surprisingly is rare to find with a vet. On every visit, regardless of what the issue is, she explains all of our options, costs, etc. I feel 100% confident and comfortable with every recommendation that she has made. We recently met the other veteranarian there as well (she might be new?) and she was really great as well! Sandy Paws really is the best of the best. Their prices are slightly higher than others, but they are worth every penny. If you really value your animal take them to Sandy Paws! read more