ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER OF EL COUNTY

It didn't!

.

They were very  kind and very helpful.  I'd give them an "A." They are kind, knowledgeable and very thorough.  They are very expensive.  Then again, every time you go to a vet, they're expensive. When they say they're going to call you, they do.  I would use them again.

VCA Animal Medical Center of El Cajon.
600 Broadway.
I am so very thankful to find this place. I had a young dog
with a blown out knee, a family tragedy, and a vet of 4 years who blew me off
for 9 days wasting precious time. He couldn?t even give me a ball park price in
that time. Then, they only screwed up every single step before surgery. I got
my deposit back (which they also screwed up) right after going to VCA. I also
did not need a deposit at VCA.
I took Jr. to VCA without an appointment and signed in. A
few minutes later I was talking with Carol. I told her of the family tragedy,
bad vet, and blown knee. She reached behind her as we talked and pulled in Lisa
Flemming without missing a word, smooth move Carol!  A few minutes after that, I had a cost
breakdown in my hand, and all my questions answered. The two ladies could not
have been more knowledgeable and professional, wow. I could tell that all
standards and practices were in place and the staff was well versed and trained.
This,..is a well run, modern, high standards and practices, organized, organization.
From the ?Little Shop of Errors? where I had been, it felt like I had traveled
forward a few hundred dog years in time.
Post-op, Kim brought Jr. to an exam room and went over
everything with me and sent home info and directions, even a cd to show typical
post op progress. I have told everyone I speak with at VCA how well we have
been treated and what a great sense of confidence their efforts give me. I told
Kim how great Dr. Hemple has been with me. It turns out that Kim has a 31 year
working relationship with Doc. Wow, more confidence.
We pinch ourselves that we found VCA in time. All went
really well and Jr. is home and napping next to me. It?s like we went from
stone age to space age. From the 3 stooges to the A Team. The bill even came
out less than Mo, Larry, & Curley Inc.,?pinch me again.
Thank you Carol for listening so well, for caring, and for all
the cool and competent people around you. I?d also like to thank Katrina and
Jamie and the several cool doggies I got to pet. VCA gave me great peace of
mind to get home and take care of my GF.
I won?t mention the name of the Vet-I-buried-at-wounded-knee
but he has now earned the review (posted everywhere) that he once tried
to bribe me for?he can keep the $20. Just don?t go anywhere near ?Fuerte? and Avocado
and you?ll be fine. Go see Carol at VCA (she even speaks fluent Chihuahua).
With great appreciation, 
Jim Donohue, Paula Anderson, Jr., Tanner, and Titan.

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I was very satisfied. They are extremely compassionate and professional in their approach to what was going on. They are not exactly inexpensive; they are not cheap. It is not an inexpensive animal hospital.

Animal Medical Center of El County has done a good job. They recently changed ownership and their female veterinarian is primary, Dr. Reese. My dog doesn't like people messing with her feet but they were able to do that. That's the only place I can get them done and I have had a lot to give him standard shots for different things. Their price is extremely reasonable. The staff is very friendly and very good. I like the way they weigh the animal because that's always a problem getting the dog on the scale. The place is clean and I highly recommend them.

If you would want to stay in a Motel 6 you would get cages but if you would like to get a luxury suite you would get a little rooms for them. It's 40 bucks a night. It's a medical hospital so if something was to happen they can care for them. My dog was there under care when I left him there so they continued the care while I was gone. You can get regular vet services there also. They do broken legs there too. If you need therapy after an injury they have that. They have grooming also. It has been nice. If they are on a special diet they will put it in their refrigerator and follow you instructions. You are getting trained veterinarians and not someone who just likes dogs.

The surgery went fine- but the pre-operative consult was inadequate to prepare us for the possible post-op complications which in our case were ongoing and unnecessary for three months. My dog developed esohphogitis, then had a reaction to the sutures which should have been diagnosed and treated earlier than they were. She chewed the sutures out three times. Each time I was left feeling like it was my fault for allowing it to happen by Vet Tech Ratchett who did not think I was sedating my dog enough -but the dog was so miserable she would reach around even the biggest e-collar at night to chew them out. She developed a terrible infection.Our great physical therapist finally advocated and got the right help for her. I don't know what I would have done without Rene! The good thing about Animal Medical Center is that they have a competent surgeon for this kind of work and a beautiful facility.The bad thing about this animal hospital is that the good surgeon is removed from the process of pre-operative and post -operative care. Indeed my dog was seen the day before her suture reaction infection was finally diagnosed by the surgeon's post operative care vet (and I thought the surgeon as well) to check her progress. I often wonder if they just took the x-ray and never bothered even looking at the dog as she was feeling poorly and not making good progress on her recovery. If you wondered were was I in all of this, well when you bring in your dog, they whisk her away to the vets and then bring her back out to you when they are done by the various vet techs. There is not a whole lot of face time with the vets which I am not used to and it is a group practice so you don't know if the last vet you saw is going to be the one she sees that day. I usually think of questions or bring things up when I am with the vet and the dog together and the vet is usually the last one I saw the last time I was there- not so at Animal Medical Center.. It is just too much hierarchy for me and I think there is very little ownership of the patient's care. However I am deeply grateful to our great PT lady Rene for her compassion, her skill and her stewardship of my dog and our difficult case. If all the care at Animal Medical Center had her priorities I would most certainly recommend it. Unfortunately because I think the business model has usurped the mission of veteriniary care I most certainly do not. I am a five time dog owner whose dogs have had superior care from less talented practices.

The doctors were great and quick. They were experts at how they found out what was wrong with my dog and what they did. We had taken her to three other doctors who couldn't give her the care she needed.

They are always very friendly and they stick to their schedule pretty good as I never have to wait very long at all. I think that they have competitive prices. They are always good with my dog and are always willing to answer my questions.

They have a surgeon that is wonderful. They have a lot of problems in terms of growing too fast. Sometimes you can have an appointment and wait 2 hours. The people behind the desk are very young and not very efficient yet. The veterinarians are very good, it s just too time consuming. I won t go unless my dog needs surgery.

I have been going to Dr. Nancy Hample for ten years. She is a wonderful, caring, concerned vet. She is board certified. She hires really good veterinarians that are caring and knowledgeable as well. Many have been with her for years. Many of her staff have been there for many years as well. All make you welcomed. The rates are reasonable. They are always upfront with you and give you the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions about your pet. Since it is a animal hospital as well, they can meet all my pets needs. They have a pharmacy there. They have grooming and kennel service there as well. Although you may have to wait a bit, the best thing is that they are opened 24 hours a day ready to handle any sickness or emergency that comes their way when it comes to my pets.

Used this vet when they were still in a trailer but had great service...as soon as they built their new facilities they place began to go downhill. Service stunk, even if you have an appointment, don't think you can get in on time. I understand emergencies, but they are NEVER on time. Staff is too busy to worry about what is going on with your pet, the facility is clean but you never get to see the same vet even when you ask. I tried to contact management several times by phone and by letter..things just got progressivly worse. I have taken my animals records and found a wonderful Vet in Santee. I will never be back.

THE VET WAS VERY GOOD, AND KEPT US UPDATED DURING THIS PROCESS. THEY TOOK VERY GOOD CARE OF OUR ANIMALS. THEY EXPLAINED THE PROCESS TO US GOOD. WE HAD NEVER BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE.

THE CARE GIVEN HERE AT THIS VETERINARIANS OFFICE WAS EXCELLENT. THE HOURS THAT THEY ARE OPEN MAKE IT EASY FOR WORKING PEOPLE TO TAKE THEIR PETS AFTER WORK. MY PUPPY RECEIVED EXCELLENT CARE. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

ONE OF THE FEW ANIMAL CLINICS IN THE COUNTY WHO HAS A BOARD CERTIFIED ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON ON STAFF. THE BEST!

RHONA IS VERY NICE, GOOD WITH ALL ANIMALS. I FEEL VERY GOOD LEAVING MY DOGS and CATS WITH HER.

DR. SMITH WAS VERY NICE, SHE CALLED ME BEFORE AND AFTER SURGERY. PIXIE IS DOING GOOD.