Sadly, my experience at VSS was filled with tears and heartbreak but the staff and their vets are the best, most compassionate people I have ever dealt with. Our 12-year-old corgi, Miss Marley, all of a sudden started nonstop vomiting and would not eat. We took her to her normal vet, they ran some blood tests, x-rays, and got some fluids in her but she did not improve. That was when we were recommended to come here. She stayed the night, got more fluids and other meds and they did more imaging. They couldn't quite figure out what was truly wrong with her without aspirating her liver but we said no since the vet was worried about her not clotting. He suspected she had lymphoma but could not confirm. We proceeded with the best course of action he recommended but sadly, she did not improve. She stayed at VSS for 2 nights and 3 days and we visited her every day. Sadly, on the last day she did not seem herself and still would not eat and we had to make the difficult decision to let her go. It was so heartbreaking but the staff allowed us as much time as we wanted to say goodbye and to be with her one last time. They took care of everything while we were in the privacy of one of the rooms so we only had to leave the building after. I am very grateful to the 2 vets (Doctors Sutton and Sherman) and the many wonderful staff who took great care of our girl and were so respectful to us during her end of life stage. It was so sudden and I still struggle while I write this review. If you need a specialist for your fur babies, one with caring professionals, this place is one of the best. read more

My dog had a mass in her stomach. I took her to her primary care vet and he gave us an emergency referral to VSS. I called to make an appointment, left a voicemail and filled out an online account. No response. I told my vet I hadn't gotten a response, so they called and said it was an emergency referral. We were then put on a waitlist. A few weeks later, they had an opening, which we eagerly booked. We went, and they concurred with my vet's insight to run more tests, but stated they didn't have time that day to do the tests and told us to come back a few days later. They emphasized that we needed to come in early in the morning so they would have time to actually run tests on her. We booked the first appointment opening they had for us and came on time. My dog's mass ruptured the very next day, a few days before her second appointment with VSS, weeks after we received the emergency referral from her primary care vet. She passed away before we could even get the tests done. This was an emergency referral and we were pushed around and dismissed. This was not treated like an emergency by VSS. We left a voicemail telling VSS what happened so we wouldn't be charged for missing an appointment (sent to voicemail again) and they didn't even have the decency to call us back. I am obviously heartbroken about the loss of my girl, but to see the lack of care, urgency, and empathy by this facility was so disheartening. She died back in March, and I was hesitant to say anything, but I think others should know our experience here. I will never trust my animals here in the future read more

What a crew! Our dog, [David, the hockey player,] Backes, passed recently. He went from old but energetic to not so energetic in a couple days. We didn't know fully what was happening at the time. We visited VSS one busy Saturday night. The staff made Backes, and us comfortable and gave us a good diagnosis and medicine to help him. Thank you to the entire staff at VSS! If your pet / fur baby is not feeling well, visit and VSS will help! read more

About two years ago, we brought our female tortoiseshell cat to Veterinary Specialty Services after two other veterinarians referred us there. The team at VSS carefully reviewed her imaging and records, and after a thorough assessment, recommended surgery right away. The doctor took the time to explain everything in detail -- what the procedure involved, what to expect, and the possible outcomes. We never felt rushed or pressured, only supported. Our cat was ultimately diagnosed with a rare form of throat cancer that typically occurs in dogs. Despite the seriousness of her condition, the staff gave us hope and confidence that she still had a full, happy life ahead of her. The surgeon personally called us after the procedure to update us and reassure us that she was doing well -- which meant so much, especially since it was her first night ever away from us. Thanks to the skill, compassion, and dedication of everyone at VSS, our girl made a full recovery and is now healthy, happy, and very much the Queen of the Castle. We are so grateful and would recommend Veterinary Specialty Services to anyone in need of expert, compassionate care for their pet. read more

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I can't say enough good things about VSS. They are honest, fair, and never try to upsell or scare you into procedures your pet doesn't need. When I came in terrified that I was losing my dog, the staff sat with me, talked me through everything, and treated both of us with so much kindness. The rooms are absolutely freezing (I'm convinced they're trying to keep the animals comfortable, not the humans), so bring a sweatshirt, but honestly, the care is worth every shiver. I trust them completely. This is for West, in Winghaven. read more

Expect to be left in a room for over two hours while they do "something" to your dog with no information on what "something" is. You can also expect to be ignored by the staff at the front counter as you stand there waiting to be acknowledged. Bonus, when they finally ask if you're being helped after standing there for several minutes after the Dr Vet told you they were ready for you at the front desk, they'll tell you to have a seat cause the Dr hasn't finished. Just an all around cold shoulder environment from the Dr Vet and the staff. Only veterinary clinic I've experienced this. read more

They offer more advanced treatments not available at your local vet. My 6 month old golden retriever broke his leg and we took him to our regular vet. He attempted to use screws and pins to put it back together. That didn't work, so we took him to VSS and they removed all that hardware, put him in a cast, and used autologous stem cell injections. He is now almost 9 years old and still happily chasing squeaky toys. read more

I was between 3 and 4 stars, but given the final experience, I went with 3. To avoid the whole personal story, I'll try to just stick to my experience with this business. My dog was having issues so I called ahead to ensure they were open. Through my panic and tears, the woman who answered the phone was so sweet, kind, and compassionate. She provided a much needed comfort is what felt like a crisis. Very grateful for her. We drove the 45 min to get to this clinic, were admitted right away, eventually got a room, and so began the wait. It was about 1.5 hours before we could be seen, but very grateful it wasn't more. The overnight staff were pretty great with their compassion and could see how shaken up I was; except for one person. It's a weird thing to say, but her upbeat personality, constant smiling, playful and jokey demeanor was the WORST for the situation. I understand trying to keep the mood light, or maybe even feeling uncomfortable and that being nervous behavior, but good grief did it rub me the wrong way when I was scared out of my mind and crying that my boy may never come back home. Outside of her, pretty much every person I encountered understood and were warm and compassionate. Unfortunately, my boy wasn't able to come back home, but I did feel this clinic did everything they could. The vets were very knowledgeable and explained everything calmly and in ways I could understand. My 3 star decision comes from the final experience. After I helped let my boy go, I had told the vet that the button in the room was broken and so asked her to come back in a few minutes to get him. She set a timer on her watch and let me know she'd be back. I ended up sitting with my passed baby in my arms for over 45 minutes. I had to ask Siri to call the clinic to let the front desk know I was still in the back room with my passed dog. It was AWFUL. The day was hard enough, you know? Outside of those two things, I would still encourage others to go to this clinic. If I ever got another animal I would for sure bring them to this clinic for any needs. I do believe those were isolated incidents, but still contributed to my experience warranting the 3 stars. read more

My puppy passed here . But they provided excellent care to him in his last days . The veterinarians were kind and provided updates . He got chicken and rice everyday which he loves . I am devastated about my puppy boy but know that they did the best the could and provided excellent care read more

It was one of the worst days in my life that I spent time here, the day I had to make the most difficult of decisions and say bye to my sweet Apollo. The vet was so gentle and kind to us and helped us understand. I imagine it was difficult for her too. This is an emergency clinic so we had to wait for sometime because they were triaging and racing to save lives, whereas for us , it was an end of life visit. I hope never to come here but I'm glad the people here took good care of us and our boy. read more

I cannot begin to express my gratitude for how they treated me and my family during the death of our Dog. My little Yorkie was hit by a car. I immediately called VSS as I drove her to them to let them know we were on the way and to make sure they could see her right away. They were very kind and compassionate and told me exactly what would happen when I arrived so I wouldn't be surprised. They explained that they would come out take her from me immediately and rush her to the back to start working on her. Unfortunately, she passed on the drive over. I brought her in anyway and they quickly grabbed her and rushed her to the back and asked if I wanted them to perform CPR. I said yes but was very much aware that it was likely too late. A very kind doctor whose name I don't remember. She was middle aged, had lighter colored hair that was kind of long. She came back to us in the lobby within a couple minutes to say she was so sorry and that she thinks we should stop CPR. I agreed, I asked if she could be the one to tell my son who was driving separately that she didn't survive. She kindly agreed and said we could go into a room to visit with our baby and say goodbyes. The receptionist took us to a room that was clearly set up for those who are grieving death of their pet. I asked them if the doctor could come in before they brought our baby into the room to tell us what happened. They agreed in the doctor came in to explain to my son that there was nothing they could do to help our baby and why. The medical staff cleaned our little baby up, put her on some blankets, covered her up and brought her in on a cart. She looked peaceful as we said final goodbyes. There was a button to push on the wall that would alert them to come in and get her when we were ready. They explained that they would take her and bring her back to us since we were going to do a burial. Not only did they prep her in a burial bag, but they also made two keepsake ornaments with her hair and little paw Momentos. They did not charge us a penny for all of this which I would have gladly paid. I'm so very thankful for the kindness and compassion during a horrible time and very glad I brought her there even though she couldn't be saved. It was much easier on us knowing we tried to save her. I have also had several experiences with VSS when I fostered sick and pregnant dogs in the past. I know their prices are high, but it is warranted because they are one of the few 24 hour critical care locations for pets. I don't know what we would do without them in our St. Louis area. read more

Veterinary Specialty Services - My sweet baby who died in the car on the way to VSS. - Veterinarians Near Me - Ballwin, Missouri

I have taken both of my dogs here for life threatening emergencies and VSS saved their lives both times. All of the employees are so kind and caring and they truly treat your animals like they're their own. Everyone I've ever interacted with here has been amazing from the front desk folks, to the vet techs, and the doctors. I have two cats too and every time I have something that can't wait, I bring them to VSS. I don't know what I'd do without them! read more

I have a love/hate relationship with this place. I hate having to come here, but I love the quality service they provide to my fur-babies. I've always said, my Murphy is a big hearted boy. He loves everyone he meets. He's shy at first, but once he warms up, he's a friend for life. Well this past week-end I found out, he definitely has a BIG heart. In fact, he has an enlarged heart that is pressing against his trachea. He was coughing and doing some heavy panting, so I called my vet and they knew the symptoms and sent me out to VSS. Being a Saturday and being a emergency triage for pets, this place was extremely busy. Even with the high volume of clients, the staff and veterinarians were still compassionate and caring. After x-rays and blood work, Murphy was prescribed a variety of meds and has a follow up with his regular doctor. I am thankful for VSS and truly appreciate their services. read more

Veterinary Specialty Services - Gift Bag full of Meds - Veterinarians Near Me - Ballwin, Missouri

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Don't bother to call asking about service. The only fee they will tell you is $160 or so emergency visit. They will not tell you estimate ranges for procedures or hospital stays. They told me the visit plus $600 to a several thousand dollars. Even though I had just been to a Veterinary Hospital and had blood work done. Refused to give an single estimate. Find someplace more professional. read more

I brought my small dog there last Sunday afternoon as was pretty sick. She was barely lifting her head and In a lot of pain. Vet was very nice and said he could see she was in a lot of pain. He did blood work and that's all. I thought for sure they would've done an X-ray but no. So 600.00 later for basically nothing we were sent home with anti nausea meds. Our regular vet called me Monday morning and said I know you spent a lot of money yesterday-but can you please bring Bella in today. When I got there she immediately did an X-ray and she had 2 socks in her stomach which honestly could have been awful had I just sat home with my sick pup. I'll never go back there read more

Staff was friendly but when it came to my pets care it wasn't good she had multiple issues going on they did an ex ray they checked her joints Came home gave the med they gave did Nothing then took her to her regular veterinarian office I had requested they do Bloodwork I'm glad I did her vet he came back in the room said he tested it twice came back the same so he informed us he found 2 problems one was she had a fever and her platelets were only 300 should have been much higher as of now her vet is trying to get platelet count up and try to figure out what's causing the fever my beautiful dog is still very sick this place is very costly and u take ur pet back home and they are still very sick and lethargic praying our vet can get her through this they could make sure to take temperature or do bloodwork don't always look for a fast and easy fix read more

Thank you, VSS. Unfortunately, cancer took our dog way too early in her life and it all happened to fast to even process. I was so incredibly touched by the empathy of your employees and by the doctor who assisted. I know that your hospital sees this time and time throughout the day and I'm sure it takes a toll on the staff as well. My wife and I, along with our adult kids, were present when we had to put our Kinley to sleep. Tears flowed and words could not express how hard it was for us to say goodbye. The staff let us take as much time as needed in a private room to say our goodbyes, they provided us water and comforted us afterword. Thank you VSS for the empathy and kindness you showed. It meant so much to my family and I. read more

the ending of our angel joseph. he passed away this morning due to head trauma...not glaucoma, as diagnosed by this "vss", which is why, we took him there, under the advice of our regular vet anyway. every sign...plus, what we told dr fischer, was present...no one cared to listen. this is a sickening, money hungry place. they cost our joseph his life. please...if you care about your pet at all...do not ever step foot in vss..they are not a specialty service at all. read more

So happy they were open in the middle of the night. Very clean, professional, quiet atmosphere.

Last week we discovered an abscess on our cats right foreleg, causing him obvious pain and forcing a limp. I looked for a nearby veterinary hospital and found VSS just up the road, plus a couple of veterinarians I spoke to recommended it. Like other reviewers said, it's not the fastest or most efficient operation, but our guy received great, thorough care and liquid medicine to take home to battle the infection and the pain. I could have done without the very long wait, but ultimately the care was solid and not as pricey as I feared. Very satisfactory. read more

Veterinary Specialty Services - The cat and his boy. - Veterinarians Near Me - Ballwin, Missouri

Years back, oncologist Dr. Bonnie Smith expertly and compassionately treated my dog Barkley until his passing. At present, my dog Jasper is being treated by Dr. Smith for lymphoma. When he was diagnosed, I immediately requested her as our specialist. Jasper was given a round of chemotherapy that currently has him in remission. This extra time with my beloved dog is precious to me. Dr. Smith is caring and professional. She respectfully listens to my concerns and takes time to explain her suggestions for his treatment. I trust her recommendations and knowledge 100%. Not only is Dr. Smith my favorite vet in town, but the entire oncology team at VSS Manchester is exceptionally kind and efficient. My small dog, who is disabled, has to be carried to the treatment area. He is always happy to be taken into their arms and is very receptive to their affections. My dogs are my children, and this doctor and her wonderful team have truly made a positive difference in our lives. I can't thank them enough. read more

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Amazing and caring staff when we needed them most. Our dog had severe vomiting and some other scary symptoms and we were expecting the worst. They were completely reasonable with their treatment plan and tried to keep solutions cost effective for us. Emergency care is pricey, but they were worth seeing. read more

Was told to come here as our local pet emergency clinic couldn't do anything more about my cat based on his lab work and current situation. VSS took him in right away as an emergency situation and treated him. As a human nurse, I can tell they were being very honest about his situation. They told me the treatment plan would be no different regardless what his test results will be. And left the decisions to me and was totally supportive whether I want to do more deeper and invasive test on him or not. Dr. Was very patient when explaining his lab results, recommended next steps, options, potential outcomes, pros/cons, benefits vs. risks, successful/recovery rates etc. when I needed a sec to think through and process the situation and information and to make the decisions, they were giving me time and space to do so. He was admitted and treated including blood transfusion, imaging, meds and other supportive cares. He was a lot better the second day and was stable enough to be discharged home with follow up appointments in couple of days with our specialist (yes, he has been sick for a while). Hopefully will never need it, but I will definitely go to them again if it comes to it. Plus, they were very honest and transparent about the bills too. I was quoted $2k-2.6k (my cat needed blood transfusion, x-ray, hospital stay 1-2nights and a special lymphoma test on top of other regular blood works and meds) with deposits of about $1.3k. Bill ended up less than estimated which I'm very pleasantly surprised. I'd rather get a higher quote and end up paying less than the opposite. Facility was nice and clean as well. Very professional people read more

Our bulldog had a luxated patella (dislocated kneecap) and required surgery. We had a consultation with Dr. Thomas Coletti. Dr C is extremely friendly and he spent a lot of time explaining what is needed. Our bulldog is home recovering. They took excellent care of her. I highly recommend VSS. It's an animal hospital so they're open 24/7/365. read more

Veterinary Specialty Services - Our bulldog - Veterinarians Near Me - Ballwin, Missouri

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Unfortunately, racist. My son-in-law went to pick up his dog after having been being treated for 3 days. VSS took his money($2,500) immediately but then made him wait 1 hour and 40 minutes by which time still nobody had brought the dog out. Meanwhile, 10-15 other folks had came in, gotten service and left. After an hour wait, he very politely asked about getting his dog, and got the reply "take a seat, we'll be with you asap". He waited another 40 minutes and nobody offered any acknowledgement to him. So, he left. His wife(who is white) went in and they brought her the dog within 15 minutes. My son-in-law was the only black person in the waiting room, the whole time. Very disrespectful of the VSS staff. Sad to see that after having paid them so much money. I know is busy, but this treatment was obvious. read more

**DO NOT RECOMMEND VSS - Money-Driven at the Expense of Care** If you're considering Veterinary Specialty Services (VSS) for emergency care, please think twice. I took my diabetic dog to VSS after he aspirated and developed pneumonia, on referral from our primary vet who flagged his case as urgent. From the moment we arrived, I had a bad feeling. We waited over three hours with zero updates before being seen. The initial quote was $1-3k, but once there, it jumped to $3-4.5k. VSS lures people in with lower upfront estimates, only to escalate the cost once you're committed. It felt like they intended to keep my dog longer than necessary just to increase their profits. Communication during my dogs stay was nightmarish. The automated call system was confusing, and even once I connected with someone, updates were sparse and incomplete. After 24 hours without an update from the veterinarian, I got in the car and started driving to visit my dog. When I arrived and they brought him to me he was frantic with dilated pupils, panting, and clearly traumatized. He refused to eat, and stress was visibly the issue. I sat with him for about 30 minutes and just as he started to calm down, the vet tech came in, told me my visit time was up, and took him away. At this point, the only thing keeping him there was that he wasn't eating and couldn't receive his insulin - and stress from the environment was clearly the issue as to why he had no appetite! I decided to discharge him against VSS recommendations, and we went straight to the Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG), where he immediately ate his food, received his insulin, and relaxed. VEG sent us home within an hour, for $400 total--a fraction of what I would've spent at VSS. The fundamental issues at VSS appears to be understaffing and/or accepting too many animals, which puts limits on individualized patient care. VSS keeps patients longer than necessary, communicates poorly about their plan of care, and places profit over pets' wellbeing. Unfortunately, I've since learned that this was not a unique experience. When I thoroughly looked at reviews I noticed that several of them mention pets not getting proper care, and in some cases dying at this facility. Please follow your gut, and if you sense something off, advocate for your pet. I regret not transferring my dog sooner but am relieved he made a full recovery, read more

Dr Kayla Bannister and the team at VSS were Extremely Compassionate and Gentle with Both my 16 year old beloved Diabetic Kitty and our mental state when I had to rush our beloved Sammy to them on Saturday Night at 11 pm. I Suffered through Euthanasia several years ago in a Very uncaring way at a Different Emergency Vet in the St Louis area. VSS was a world apart and were Extremely Gentle throughout the entire process. Thank you VSS staff and Dr Kayla Bannister for helping us through a Very Rough Night. read more

My dog truly needed emergency care. They were open for business after normal business hours, were professional, kind and caring. My dog survived. Nothing but the best to say about VSS. read more

My dog started vomiting overnight and would not take food or water. I called my vet and they were closed due to bad weather and recommend I take my pup to a different location to have her looked at. That vet who was awful, by the way told me that I should put my pup down or take her home to make her comfortable while she basically starved to death as she was in complete liver failure. Long story short, I took her to VSS and she was not in liver failure, she needed her gall bladder removed. I am beyond grateful that I did not listen to the horrendous vet that told me to put her down and took her somewhere they actually took care of her. Her gall bladder was removed, she had a 4 day stay in the hospital and came home good as new. She received top notch care from every nurse, doctor, tech...you name it, if they came in contact with my pup, they all were amazing. I would highly recommend VSS to anyone. They really care and it shows! read more

My pup, Pumpkin, developed a UTI and was so uncomfortable all night that she was restless, couldn't sleep, and was pottying on the floor (which is very unlike her). Neither my husband nor I could sleep because she constantly felt like she had to potty and would whine to go out all night. We just couldn't wait until 9am to get her into her regular vet the next morning. She just looked too miserable. At 1:30am on the weekend my husband and I brought her in and had immediate care, was given antibiotics to treat her UTI, and it was all for a reasonable price. Highly recommend if your primary vet doesn't have emergency hours. read more

Veterinary Specialty Services - Pumpkin - Veterinarians Near Me - Ballwin, Missouri

Took great care of my dog when she had to be admitted. If I could change one thing, I wish the vet tech knew more about my pet when I called for updates. I got a lot of very generic responses not specific to the treatment plan. Whenever I asked a question it would be referred to when I speak to a doctor. As a nurse, I would expect the Bet Techs to be able explain why certain testing or medications are being given/done. With that being said, I would take any of my animals back in case of an emergency. Also, the cost wasn't has bad as I thought it would be for an emergency visit plus a 36 hour icu admission. read more

I had to bring my elderly cat in last night. He was struggling to breathe. They got me right in, took my cat back and assessed him. The front desk clerk could not have been kinder. She explained everything to me and took me back to a room. The doctor came quickly and explained my cats condition and gave me options. Unfortunately my sweet 20+ year old had to be euthanized. They give you the option to be with your pet or not. I chose to be with him. You can also have your pet cremated and have the remains returned to you. I highly recommend bringing your pet here if you have an emergency after hours or late at night. They are open 24 hours. read more

Me and my partner had the misfortune of losing our sweet pet on a road trip. A the time this was the closest location to us, the staff was quick to act and compassionate. However, once we received our sweet fur baby's ashes, we also received a badly broken urn. Anyone could have checked to make sure that our fur baby was being careful handled, not just shoved around or mishandled to the point that one of the urns broke. They provided a refund but now I have to go through the additional process of finding a new urn and replacing this due to negligence and mishandling, in additional to continuing to grieve the loss of my sweet fur baby. (They offered to replace the broken urn, however how would I be able to trust that they would safely handle him after receiving a broken urn?) read more

Veterinary Specialty Services - The broken urn they handed me. - Veterinarians Near Me - Ballwin, Missouri

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I can't say enough of how over-the-top Veterinary Specialty Services in Ballwin, MO helped me and my dogs in our time of need. Dr Black and the entire staff went out of their way to make a horrible situation more bearable. My sweet Tyson was too sick to survive his illness. Dr Black let me go home to bring back Tyson's sister, Rosie, so she could be present to say goodbye. This will help Rosie adjust to Tyson's absence. We never felt rushed and they were all so understanding and empathetic to the situation. Thank you to Dr Black and everyone we met today. read more

When we brought our cat to VSS for a routine exam, she was reasonably healthy and alert. During a 3-day stay, with daily phone calls presenting no concerns, when we picked her up, she was dying. They hid this from us, even placing her in our carrier with no mention of her deteriorated state. It was only after a two-hour drive home that we discovered her condition. We rushed her to our local emergency clinic only to have to put her down. To add insult to injury, she had dried feces over her tail, hind quarters, and legs. And when we picked her up she had fresh feces all over her hind quarters. They wrapped her in a pee-pad when handing her over to us. Their sheer neglect and unprofessional actions are astounding. We discourage anyone from using this facility. read more

I have had great experiences here. Obviously not a fun place to have to go to but the staff are kind and knowledgeable.

My parents brought in my dog today to be put down. The lady on the phone was just cold and they waited 2 and a half hours to be seen. My poor baby was wimping in pain during this time. I understand others are waiting but my little one was dying she need to be put down immediately. So she continued to suffer while they had to wait. My mother went into the hallway to ask for assistance. The vet tech kid was rude and argumentative. Finally a vet or tech came in and said they are starting the drip. My parents said it cost $285 for a baby pup who 12lbs. All I can say vets are killing it in $$$$. If you can try to find a clinic who truly cares. PS: for the cold lady on the phone, try not to talk about dumping the animals after cremation. What on earth is wrong with you. read more

So patient and caring when we had to put our cat to sleep here, love them. We also had our dogs Acl surgery here and they were nothing but helpful read more

My friend had to have her cat put down. Went here for the 2nd opinion which unfortunately did not change the outcome. When we went to pick up the cat remains she was met at the door and the ashes thrust at her and no " I'm sorry for you loss", etc. Wasn't even spoke too. I had to #1 witness this and #2 hear my friend morn a cherished member of her family on the way home. Based on that alone I would not choose to have any of my pets seen at this location. read more

I could not rate them high enough. my little vest friend broke his paw in several places. they got me in fast right befor a holiday. the staff explained everything in great detail. they did a perfect job with the repair, with the pain medication as well because I asked that he would have enough not to cry the first few days. they gave me plastic bags to put over the splint. they provided food and vetsulin while he was there. all the follow ups were incredible because they told me exactly what to do after his surgery. he healed perfectly and I could not be happier. they are world class! read more