We no longer live in Fargo, but for the 15 years that we did, Nick Machtell was our vet. I cannot say enough about the kind, thorough, effective care Dr. Machtell administered our dogs. There was never any doubt that Nick would take excellent care of all our boys and girls, and we never considred seeing someone else.Thank you, Nick, for all you did for our dogs. Even the very hardest decisions were made with you support, and carried out as humanely as possible. Just a wonderful vet and a great guy. We'll never forget you. Nick. Mike and Michell read more

I used the app to request an appointment for my cat and they got me in the next day. The care was pricey and they had to do a few tests but made sure to talk to me about everything. I have a very anxious cat and they do a great job giving her love and making her feel comfortable. All the medications they gave me worked great. I started seeing a difference by the end of the day. I completely trust this clinic with my cat read more

if i could give this place negative stars i would. The people here are arrogant and rude. They lie to cover up their own failings. I was accused of using vulgar language on the phone with them this morning and i did not. What actually happened was the girl on the phone started yelling at me and i dont tolerate that so i hung up. She apparently needed to have a reason of the abrupt ending of the call so she lied on me. Ive been waiting for over a month now for a prescription for my dog and all i am getting is the run a round and being lied on. I not only do not recommend this place to anybody but will do everything in my power for as long as i live to make sure this place gets the reputation it deserves. read more

This vet office will nickel and dime you to death. They are never on time. They are one of only a few vets in the FM area that are still restricting access for pet owners. The heavyset female doctor is the QUEEN of knowing exactly what to order to make sure they are maximizing revenue dollars with every single pet visit. We have 3 dogs that we have brought here and as availability has opened at other clinics we were ELATED to change. We tried both Detroit Lakes Animal Hospital and Cassleton and BOTH are far superior in their level of customer service. Neither DL or Cassleton has ever made us wait 30+ minutes for our scheduled appointment. The male doctor is nowhere near as pushy with the nickel and dime costs as the heavyset female. The techs are great but the way this business is run with a certain level of distance kept between the doctor and the pet owner only makes me feel as though this place is not trustworthy. Please do not support this business. You may not agree with all of my comments but I can assure you, your pet will get better care most other places and it won't cost an arm and a leg. We once took our dog in same day as they had an appointment available. When we showed up they tried to charge us and "emergency" fee for coming in same day. Like wtf Southgate! read more

I have been taking my dogs to Southgate for years. I know my dogs are in good hands when they are there. The staff is helpful and always gets back to me in a timely manner! They take my concerns into consideration with their care. They have always been conservative with tests and always start with the safest and least expensive interventions. I would highly recommend this clinic! read more

I have gone here for years and years and I have always had phenomenal service from the techs and vets here. They've always been kind and willing to work with you on what will be the best course of action going forward for the health of your pet. My cat is shy and nervous and they are always patient and kind with her when she comes in. When I had to get my dog put down, they were so understanding and kind, providing enough time to say goodbye and being very respectful of our family during our grief. I will not go anywhere else. read more

Don't question your bill or provide any feedback or they will "terminate" your relationship with them. This happened to us. We had actually taken our beloved dog there for years and even went there when we had to say goodbye to her. I switched vets because I just couldn't emotionally go back there. However, after a couple of years, when our dog lost a couple teeth and my regular vet couldn't get him in amy time soon, I went back to Southgate, expecting that same service. They were able to get him in for a cleaning and extractions. When we went to pick him up, the bill was $100 more than what the tech told me over the phone when they called to see what I wanted to do. When I questioned why, she stated it was because it took longer to get one of the teeth out than she thought. When we said it was even higher than the highest estimate the tech said it's because if they tell people it will be higher, people won't want to do it. So, my husband commented that people would want to make that decision for themself and would rather expect to pay a higher fee and be surprised when it is lower than to come in and have to pay more. Especially when it is all coming out of pocket nd you are already spending over $1000. He asked them if they have ever considered just charging per tooth so people would be more confident in what they would be spending. We THOUGHT we were having a civil conversation about it. We went out of the room, paid the bill, scheduled his follow up appointment. A week later, we received a letter in the mail stating they were terminating our relationship with them. I called to ask why. A manager returned my call and told me it is because her staff in the room with us felt threatened and thought we were rude. What the heck?? I asked why they wouldn't at least talk with the customer to hear the while story and she said she needed to look out for her staff. I am just at a loss for words. I guess you aren't allowed to question a bill or make a suggestion. It wasn't said in a rude way, nobody yelled, nobody refused to pay, nobody caused a scene... read more

They are never ever on time with appointments... What an amazing place. They take my phone calls when I panic, answer my questions, and even remind me of all my appoints and when my vaccines are coming up. I have had them do teeth cleaning, milk teeth extraction, and even pre and post natal. I never had puppies before but they got me ready, answered all my questions and gave me an idea of things to watch out for. When my little one went in for a minor tooth removal they held her all day because she was crying. These people treat me and my puppies like family. They are everything I expect out and then some extra. They even recommended a kennel that was great! read more

Took our dog to Southgate Veterinary Hospital to have a cleaning and a few teeth pulled. Procedure went well, but the bill was higher than their high estimate of $1200. I asked why they would not put the higher range that the procedure would cost. The doctor told me if they put $2000 for the high, people would not get the treatment there. I would rather know what the highest amount would be and have it come in lower than to have to come up with extra cash, since they need to be paid right away. Because I had questions on the billing and I appropriately gave feedback on a better way to do things, they sent us a letter in the mail saying that they are terminating our relationship. The place cannot take feedback, so they terminate the relationship, after taking your money! read more

I had been taking my 17-year-old cat with hyperthyroidism for 18 months to the tubby "Dr" Nick Machtell at Southgate Animal Hospital, who treated the cat with medication. After I purchased some of the medication from an internet source while out of state, the cat became ill with acute hyperthyroid symptoms. When I got back in town I took the cat in and told the Mr. Machtell that I suspected the medication was not good. He told me that the best course of treatment would be a "Senior Health Package" costing $260. I thought I better get that or maybe the cat would die. The results of all these tests came back mainly normal, except the thyroid blood level (in other words the hyperthyroidism). I realized the battery of expensive tests were completely unnecessary, and the cat only needed the thyroid blood test to start, with perhaps a couple more tests later when the blood thyroid levels stabilized. I had been duped. When I politely and calmly stated my concerns to Mr. Machtell he invited me to go elsewhere! No apology or refund was offered for the unnecessary tests. I asked for at least a refund for the tests that were to be done in 6 months as part of the "Senior package". Mr. Machtell offered only $38 of the total of $260. I opened a small claims case against Mr. Machtell and requested my cat's records. I also set an appointment at another vet and asked Southgate to send them my records. They would not send them. After a delay they finally sent the new vet the records. After two weeks Southgate also finally sent me a copy of the records. Omitted from the records was what I had told them about the suspect medication from the internet on my first visit after returning to town. They also omitted my visit to the office to talk about my concerns about the useless tests. In court Mr. Machtell also pulled out a copy of a letter that I asked the new vet to write for me, and said that she had been "nice" enough to offer it to him! Yet, this letter was part of my file! I never gave her permission to share my file with him. (These people collude behind the scenes with our private records!) The new vet actually wrote the letter without describing what tests she had and had not advised for the cat and why, but instead tried to fill it with exculpatory information for Mr. Machtell. Needless to say I lost the small claims case. I want to get an ultrasound ECHO to test my cat's heart, which is almost $400, but now since I paid $260 for the useless "Senior" tests I don't have enough money to cover it. By the way, according to Southgate Animal Hospital's website in his spare time Mr. Machtell enjoys hunting. read more

This place is very expensive, even compared to other veterinary services in the area. For instance, their "senior" package costs 2x what it does elsewhere. If the vet tech trims your dog's nails when the dog is under anesthesia, they charge more than $40. Note: *the dog is already under anesthesia*. It makes me wonder- how can PetSmart charge $11 for my wiley beast when she's not even sedated? In any event, the job is very easy for a tech when the dog is in that state and they are just price gouging. Just on principal, they could charge more than a groomer without making it so obvious. But this is not the gist of my complaint. I have observed that they aren't great with diagnosis. I can tell when my dog has a yeast infection from her behavior (the obvious clue) and from a subtle change in how she smells. I'm a girl too... been there. :'( But the silly thing is that the clinic's tests can't pick up what seem obvious to both me and my dog. And what they can't diagnose, they can't treat. Fortunately for us, a week course of whole cranberry in a pill pocket is dog-safe, apparently delicious enough and does the trick for her. I have never taken her in for that a second time and just treat her at home. The incident that most troubled me was when she needed extra blood work which was a mint. I needed to use a credit card rather than my debit card and the grey- haired woman at the front desk did not want to let me go literally across the street to my home to get it. She verbally abused me and then sent me off with the stink eye. When I returned just moments later, she did not have the grace to apologise for being rude. After that, I will not return there. Caring for our pets can be very stressful and we want the place we choose to service thier health needs to be as considerate as possible. This includes consideration for the clients' wallet. read more

My dogs always receive top notch care here. I always feel like my dogs health is the number one priority. Everyone is always friendly and caring. When I call with a question they call back right away. I have even had the doctor call me and spend time with me on the phone answering all of my questions. I would highly recommend this veterinary clinic to anyone. read more

Thank you to everyone at Southgate for taking such good care of my dog! you treated me and my beloved dog as if we were family. Also thanks for answering all of my questions! read more

A great vet, and a very well-run practice. Comprehensive care at a reasonable price, and the vet gives good advice on behavioral issues, too (she has a keen eye). Very happy here. read more

Southgate was an affordable price to take our 14 week old pup "Gus" for his first vet visit with us (he's a rescue). Facility was clean, everyone was very friendly, and the doctor appeared to be knowledgeable. Our dog was chewing his legs and tail a bit much and also had a ton of discharge from his nose due to events that happened before he was rescued, and the doctor addressed all of our concerns and spoke to them. It gave us a lot of peace of mind, even though it may not have been a "necessary" vet visit. As pet owners know, nothing about owning a pet is cheap, but this place, at least as far as I know, is by far the most affordable. read more

Normally my visits at this clinic go very well, but this last visit was nothing close to the service I normally get. Receptionists at the desk were as rude as ever, for working in this industry you would think they would be friendly but it was the polar opposite. My dog was not allowed to go to the bathroom because she needed a urinalysis, which I made clear after the bumpy check in. The receptionist didn't bother to let the vet know we were there until a good 10 mins after check in and right after poor puppy peed on the rug. (Mind you they did not clean up urine but did mop the lobby) finally we are getting our check up, and the vet assistant tried getting puppy to pee again but she didn't have any luck.. Which is funny because the moment puppy stepped outside she relieved herself again. Biggest waste of my work day plus vet visit cost. Very very disappointed with this visit. In my opinion they need a couple of receptionists that actually like their jobs and to be more prompt with getting appointments in on time. To say the least I will never bring my animals there again, the only reason they get 1 star from me is because I had to give them one. Don't waste your time or money at this place. read more

Very unprofessional. Snide. Rude. Say one thing do another. Don't call back till end of day (OR only when you call them)when there is no time to schedule that day if need be or they just don't call back at all even if they Do say they will call you. Rare to speak to the vet him/herself phone gets handed to everyone else it seems. When I told them the pet hasn't drank water in a few days their was no sense of urgency whatsoever and they didn't try to even get my pet in asap. They are on the Expensive side in this area. When you ask for med documents to be sent to another vet office because the other site can see you sooner their tone changes. Then you don't get a call but you get a letter days later from them telling you your account has been marked inactive and pretty much that they won't see your animals anymore because they can't accommodate to your needs etc. fyi...(calling back on time and when you say you will call and calling if you change your mind on giving meds and not giving the runaround. Etc shouldn't even be accommodations these are things any normal business does it is called common business practices and appropriate communications. They did not follow their mission statement that they have posted on their website. Haven't used even basic business managerial skills with me...I can compare their actions to that of something you would see in high school. Anyone in this situation would be upset with them especially if this is how they treat you and your family after being loyal to them for years! They don't even deserve one star. read more

On Wed Oct 2, 2013 we dropped off our 10 year old pug Jozy for an x-ray and removal of skin lumps to see if they were malignant. At 1030 I was called and told the procedure went well but that Jozy had aspirated during surgery. I asked if I could come get her right away, I was told no, I had a 3:50 pick up time. My wife and I arrived at 3:30 to pick up Jozy. When the vet tech brought her out we knew she was not well. she was posturing with her nose high in the air as she struggled to breath. My wife (a nurse) asked to see the Vet. Staff told us that Dr. Tanya Borud was gone for the day but that Dr. Nick Machtell could talk to us. Dr. Machtell examined Jozy as we insisted. My wife expressed our concerns that Jozy may have fluid in her lungs from aspirating during surgery. The Vet listened to Jozy's lungs and assured us this was normal for Pugs coming out of anesthesia. We took Jozy home. At home Jozy's breathing never got better. We rushed Jozy to the Red River Animal Emergency Veterinary Clinic. On arrival The Vet put Jozy in an oxygen chamber to help her breathe. After chest x-rays Jozy was diagnosed with primary collapsed trachea. After this grim prognosis we made the decision to put Jozy down to end her suffering. The next morning I went back to Southgate and spoke with Dr. Tanya Borud. I asked her what happened yesterday during intubation that collapsed Jozy's trachea. Her response was that these dogs with short noses are prone to airway problems. I said the intubation yesterday collapsed her airway. I said I can forgive that awful accident but I can't forgive the fact that she suffered here for 5 hours unable to breathe. On top of that when we arrived and asked another vet to look at her he dismissed her respiratory distress as a normal anesthesia recovery. That's odd because the emergency vet recognized Jozy's respiratory distress immediately and put her in an oxygen chamber. I told Dr. Borud that although I'm not a vet, your staff obviously needs training in recognizing the signs of respiratory distress. Two vets and an unknown number of vet techs couldn't see her suffering? Dr. Borud actually said she gave Jozy a sedative to calm her down after surgery, HELLO, she couldn't breathe! The accidental tracheal collapse during intubation is just that an accident. But the fact that they let us leave with their reassurance that all was ok is not forgivable. We will never take another pet to Southgate Veterinary Hospital. read more