Austin Vet Care

12/16/08

high price for poor service

by citychris123 at Citysearch

Long story short: I paid $254 for a vet to tell me that a cat peed itself.

I volunteer to TNR (Trap and release) feral cats. After trapping, I take cats the to Austin Humane Society (AHS), they spay/neuter, vet, test & 'tag' the cat, then I release it back to the colony after it has recovered.

I picked up 15 cats last week (5x more than usual due to the urgency of the conditions of the cats combined with freezing weather).

One of the cats, which was being held for care/recovery by another volunteer was not doing well, so was taken to this vet (which is procedure per the program). The caretaker thought the cat was injured due to being spayed.

The vet's initial exam 'confirmed' what the caretaker thought, that the surgery at AHS, punctured an internal organ. Due to this, they called me to authorize payment SPECIFICALLY for the repair surgery 'required'. I talked to the Dr. and told him I am 40 miles away, but thought that the cat just peed itself under stress. The Dr. countered that no, corrective surgery is required asap.

Fortunately, before surgery they realized the cat only peed itself, but stuck me with the cost of the errant surgery prep of the cat.

My point, is that the initial exam, $46 on the bill is legitimate, the rest of the bill, surgery prep was not required. I understand mistakes will happen, but OWE up to them, especially if you are a professional, they charged me for their mistake and refuse to return my phone calls. DONOT trust your pet?s health to these crooks.

• Pros: open 24 hours
• Cons: feels like a shady car dealership

07/10/09

Thanks so much!

by wormypuppy at Citysearch

I just got my little puppy 2 weeks ago and she was de-wormed recently by the Metric Austin Vet Care clinic earlier on the day I sent her in to this E-Clinic. Apparently her case was pretty serious and she was throwing up as well as pooping/diarhea-ing worms so me being out of town at the time, asked my friend who was taking care of her to take my puppy to the E-clinic since they're open 24 hours... The people up front were awesome and amazing... I explained to them my situation and once my friend got to the clinic, they took my puppy in and took care of her until I came back to town... the cost wasn't TOO much, but reasonable. Overall, they're awesome people and I'll go back to them whenever I need help with my dogs.

Thanks!

• Pros: Great service, understanding vet staff!
• Cons: A little on the pokey (slow) side...

01/08/09

great place!!!!!!

by mg1976 at Citysearch

I came to this hospital with a really sick puppy and I didn't have very much money. They helped me the best they could and even gave my pup fluid under his skin and a couple of injections and didn't charge me for them. I left and came back with a little more money and they still helped my puppy (he had parvo) They gave me all the directions of what to do for home treatment, I have to say things were very scary for several days and a lot of hard work. I am very grateful for their help especially since I was a little rude to the tech at the beginning of our visit and they didn?t even hold it against me. They really do care about the pets.

I did read the other reviews on this site and all I can say is that THERE IS TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY

• Pros: 24/7 and they really care
• Cons: none

09/26/08

A great veterinary in Austin

by lyera at Citysearch

I saw Dr. Brandes at Austin Vet Care at Metric and felt he took good care of my indoor cat and didn't over-inoculate per my request, example a FVCRP 3-in-1 versus all the 4- and 5-in-1 vaccines which are overkill for an indoor pet, often adversely affecting a cat's immune system. I think Austin Vet Care and Central Park are the only vets that actually offer these vaccines and the others could care less. I appreciated that he took good care of an ear fungus and did follow up on my cat. This vet is reasonably priced. If I could say there was one thing I really liked, it would have to be the *lack* of arrogance so predominant in veterinary care in Austin, Texas.

• Pros: All thumbs up

08/11/08

If you're looking for a full service animal hospital - choose this one!!

by lovedogs5707 at Citysearch

I was looking for a new vet for my awesome new dog Rocco and after asking around town I found this place. It's right across the street from Central Market in Central Austin. The waiting area is nice and large and has a "happy" feel to it. The vet technicians and the vet I worked with was very nice, answered lots of my questions since I was a new dog owner. The receptionists at the front were very nice as well. Everyone seemed to love Rocco as much as I did!!

I also like that they are open 24/7 and I can pick up my prescription refills after work or weekends. Also, if I have an emergency I can take her here and not somewhere were they don't have her history or Dr's he doesn't know.

This place is top notch and we'll keep them as our vet as long as we are in Austin.

• Pros: 24/7, Staff, location

08/08/08

one of the best

by felinelady at Citysearch

The first time I went to Austin Vet Care after hours clinic on Burnet Rd they did ask for the $500 deposit and I have to admit I thought it was excessive.But the care they took was beyond what I expected. The second time i had to take another kitty there for a several day stay I don't remember being asked for the $500 deposit but I did ask them for an estimate and I did pay it up front which only makes sense. They took excellent care of my kitty and she is now well and back at home. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.

11/16/07

Best Vet in the World!

by adairrogers at Citysearch

I just need to say how much I appreciate and love Dr. Calloway. She has been my primary vet for my 2 special needs dogs for many years. Even after I moved to San Antonio, I could not find a vet I could trust with my babies as much as her. Her bedside manner with animals is truly special.

She has always been honest and eager with any issues my dogs have had, and believe me, they have had a lot!

My little bulldog, Layla, had gone beyond medical help, and I had to make the decision to put Layla down. Dr. Calloway and her staff were very helpful and understanding during this difficult time. I think the entire staff was crying with me, and that did give me a little comfort, knowing that they understood the love of an animal.

I would travel anywhere to have Dr. Calloway take care of one of my animals, she is truly one in a million!

And to address the other people complaining about high bills. Please understand, this is a 24 hour hospital. They employ 24 hour care with a doctor always on staff. This is extremely expensive. Far more expensive than a typical vet office. It is a business, at the end of the day, and although they take great care of the animals, they also must pay the bills! As we all know, good doctors don't come cheap!

11/06/07

I Won't Take My Dog Anywhere Else!

by mntaggart at Citysearch

I have been taking my dog, Otis, to Austin Vet Care at Metric for the past year and I have nothing but positive things to say about the staff, the facility and the care that Otis receives. Each time I walk in Otis and I are greeted with smiling faces and a warm hello. The ladies at the front desk even talk to Otis to make sure he's comfortable in the environment. The first time I had to take Otis in to see the vet was when I thought he had Parvo, a deadly disease to puppies. I was of course emotional and the doctor was very compassionate and let me know exactly what everything meant and the plan of action he was going to take. I felt very educated about what was going on. The second time I took Otis to Austin Vet Care was to get his vaccines. I went on a Wednesday when they have half price vaccines (which I did not know about) and everything went perfectly. When I went back yesterday for a check up and more heart worm medication I had a credit for $16.15 that I was unaware of. Turns out it was from me paying full price on the half price vaccine day. I didn't even know I should have had a credit. They are definitely not money hungry people here. I trust everyone at Austin Vet Care and highly recommend them to anyone looking for a new vet.

• Pros: Friendly Service, Caring Staff, My dog is comfortable there

10/20/07

I second that...these are money hungry people!

by mlhartman at Citysearch

We took our baby cat in, only because our regular vet was closed and it was after hours. He had a seizure. When we walked in, we hadn't even been there 2 minutes when they said "That'll be a $500 deposit!". We were crushed to not have that kind of money, knowing our little one was screaming in the back. They showed no compassion for us distress and in the end, did little for our cat. They even misdianosed him with ear mites (having nothing to do with the seizure). He had no ear mites. And to boot, the young hipster vet kept referring to him as autistic. It wasn't helpful (and wasn't true) when we were visibly upset.

• Cons: lack of compassion, seriously over-priced, spams you with mail and email.

10/16/07

I Won't Go Anywhere Else From Now On!

by terrap at Citysearch

When my dogs collapsed at home, this is the place I took him to. Everyone was very attentive and passionate. I was able to ask a lot of questions and get answers that satisfied me. Some may think this place is expensive, but with the care that my animal, I had no problem with price. Besides, money is replaceable, best friends aren't.

As for my dog, he's 100% better. They are pretty positive he had an allergic reaction to something. But, since I don't know what he got into, it could be anything. But, the fact is he's a lot better and I have this place to thank.