Carson Tahoe Veterinary Hosp

I took my elderly dog there a couple yrs ago after she began losing balance,etc. The staff was friendly, concerned, explained all costs in advance, as I asked since it's MY business to know what it costs (as well as to get an explanation of any terminology I may not understand.) I had no complaints & she has had no major issues since. I had the need to take my 2 yr old Shepherd / Malamute in this past weekend for what turned out to be a glandular issue in back. Again, friendly staff, they each came in, talked to me, AND my dog...the vet too, each made sure he got to check them out in advance which I thought was cool. I was allowed to walk him back to the exam room but not to stay. (With the exam they were doing this was no place for me to be all in the way causing a hinderance. He was fine with the nurse I left him with, really took to her. :) The best thing is they were open on Saturday, I called in advance to find out about wait time, cost, etc & since I called 1st I wasn't charged ER fees, just an office visit. (They let me make ""an appointment"" for an hour & 1/2 after my call.) That was awesome. Whole visit was under 75.00 procedure included & they even clipped his nails for free! People can be fake, money hungry or whatever & fool other PEOPLE... but not dogs, they see right through it & I'm telling you my ""people reader"" didn't meet anyone there he didn't like. Neither did I. I noticed a couple of the negative reviews were based on assumptions, ""It SEEMED like they were all about money..."" etc. How can you review a business based on that? Anyway they get my vote. I'll be changing my dogs over & besides, how convenient you can make a regular vet visit appt for a Saturday! Susan more

This is the worst experence I have ever had, takeing my dog to an emergency vet. The fromt office and the vet tech were very nice and compassionate, but I sure can't say that about the vet himself. His bedsided manner was one I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. I explained the problem and what has worked in the past for this dog, he as much accused me and my husband of wanting the medication for ourself,even though all we asked for was a shot for the dog.. I am an RN that has worked in the ER(human) for about 20 years and know what those doctors do to stop repeating seizures. The ve s himself attitude towards my husband and myself was abrasive,rude and condensending. We were so angry at the treatment we received by the vet we left without getting any treatment for my dog. I was only asking for what has worked in the past. Needless to say i don't recommed this place to anyone. more

First we do not work there ( as one of the negative reviewers had claimed they did ) and this review is based on our first time experience with ""Carson Tahoe Veterinary Hospital- carson city nv. On Saturday night , may 21 2011 8pm, our pet (dog) nikki 13yrs of age all of a sudden was experiencing- balance- walking difficulties, tilted head movement- one eye occilating back & forth ,falling down & vomiting. As we became more scared on what was going on thinking she hurt her hind leg while playing soccer in the backyard and maybe some nerve was pinched or her hip out of joint, we called our vets EMERGENCY AFTER HOURS PHONE NUMBER which had an outdated message with incorrect instructions and NO information as where to go after hours, ( they have since corrected this MIS information after hearing the message that i tape recorded so they could hear for themselves what a frantic pet owner hears in a medical emergency ) very frantically we had to go on the internet for emergency vets, one was 40 miles away in reno and CTH was 10 minutes away but reading the awful reviews that were posted , we were torn on where to take her1 we had to get to a vet hospital FAST ! We are both handicaped ourselves and can not drive far so we went to CTH & took our chance. The many reviews being negative, we became VERY CONCERENED! some of the reviews said things like 1. cold staff- doctor does not take time to talk with you- money hungery etc. LET ME TELL ANYONE WHO WANTS TO BELIEVE REVIEWS, DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ, HOWEVER YOU CAN BELIEVE OUR REVIEW !! THIS IS MY REVIEW NOW OF CTH, AS SOON AS WE WALKED IN IT'S 9PM NOW "" 'THE STAFF WAS KIND CARING, WE WENT IN AND TALKED WITH THE DOCTOR HEILLERMAN HE ANSWER OUR CONCERNS & EXPLAINED HIS FINDINGS OF OUR PET, NO RUSHING, NO COLDNESS ,JUST A CARING PLACE WE HAD TO LEAVE HER WHEN WE WERE GOING OVER THE PAPER WORK, EVERYTHING WAS EXPLAINED TO US UP FRONT, AT CHECK OUT YOU ARE GIVEN PAPER WORK TO SIGN THAT LETS THE PET OWNER CHOOSE THE FINANCIAL LIMITS THEY WANT FOR THE CARE OF THEIR PET ! WE WERE ABLE TO CALL ANYTIME OF THE NIGHT AND ASK HOW SHE WAS DOING AND TALKED WITH A DOCTOR EACH TIME, WHO EXPLAINED HIS FINDINGS AND THE BEST WAY TO SUCCESSFULLY TREAT THE MEDICAL PROBLEMS. SHE HAD TO STAY OVER NIGHT A SECOND NIGHT & THE DOCTOR SAID SHE ATE ON HER OWN AND WALKED ON HER OWN. WE WERE SHOWN WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO FOR HER UP FRONT AND KNOW WHAT WE WERE PAYING FOR & WHY., I LIKE THAT! WE WERE ABLE TO PICK HER UP MONDAY MORNING , WE TALKED WITH THE DOCTOR SWANN WHO WAS ANOTHER KIND CARING BUBBLY DOCTOR. THE STAFF WAS EXCELLENT, THEY BROUGHT NIKKI OUT OUR HEARTS WERE HAPPY THAT THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS WERE NOT WHAT WE EXPERIENCED.THE DOCTORS & STAFF ARE VERY UNDERSTANDING & CARING AND WHEN YOU ARE IN A STRESSFUL EMERGENCY SITUATION AND YOUR PET NEEDS HELP FAST, READING THESE NEGATIVE REVIEWS WHICH I FIND DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE,& IT MAKES IT HARD TO LEAVE YOUR PET WHILE YOU GO HOME & HOPE & PRAY THAT THEY ARE NOT TRUE. ! WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR CARSON TAHOE VETERINARY BEING THERE 24/7 AND BEING KIND AND CARING ! I HAVE NO PROBLEM HAVING TO LEAVE MY PET THERE AND THEY DID NOT DO TESTS JUST FOR MONEY, THEY COULD OF DONE AN EXPENSIVE MRI AND CT SCAN AND CHARGE US BUT THEY DID NOT, THE DOCTOR SAYS IT WAS NOT NEEDED. VETS ARE EXPENSIVE JUST LIKE PEOPLE DOCTORS, NOT CHEAP. WHEN I PAID THE SECOND DAYS STAY, I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED IT WAS A LOT LESS THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE . VERY HAPPY PET OWNER LINDA more

So my husband and i were enjoying a glass of wine on a Saturday night, when we noticed our golden retriever duke was not acting right and hadn't eaten his dinner. I was worried because i didn't think there was anywhere we could go until morning and he was getting progressively worse and started to throw up. So I jumped online and looked up emergency vet hospitals in this area and noticed that carson tahoe vet hospital was the only 24 hour hospital. I also noticed the not-so-nice reviews it got. Skeptical, I called them and asked what I should do and they explained that it sounded like he needed to be seen. They also told me what the exam charge was and that they would give me an estimate before they did anything so I would know exactly what was going to happen with my dog, and let's face it, the cost. They sounded money hungry at first, but the more I thought about it, i came to realize that i would rather know how much it's going to cost beforehand than to be surprised by the bill later. anyway, when I got there, the nurse was up front waiting for me and greeted duke and I warmly. (she was surprisingly peppy for that hour). We got checked in and admitted into a room where duke was then taken to be seen by the doctor. I then met the doctor, and he explained briefly what he suspected was wrong. He then left and the nurse took me to the front and explained in depth what might be wrong with duke and what needed to be done to treat him. She then explained each charge that i could expect and asked me for a deposit for the first night in the hospital. i was a little weary but she assured me that he was in good hands and that i could call at any time to check on him. feeling a little better, I went home and waited check on him in the morning. When I called, I was transferred up to the doctor where he explained that Duke had pancreatitis! luckily, he was in the right place because they were the only hospital that had an oxygen chamber to help him heal faster. I was also happy because I would've never known he had this if i didn't make the decision to take him in. Now duke is a regular there and all the ladies are happy to see him when he comes in. more

This review goes solely off a phone conversation. It is 2 am and my dog just had a seizure. I called my normal Vet, Carson Valley Veterinary Hospital, and they were closed. They attached a number to the voice message of an emergency hospital in Reno, Animal Emergency Center. I called them and they seemed generally concerned and told me not to worry all that much if this is the first, as long as it is the last, and to wait until morning to see my normal Vet, due to me being almost 2 hours south. However, they seemed general concerned about my pet. They did proceed to give me a number to a closer one just in case I still wanted to see someone. Carson Tahoe Veterinary Hospital is the only other option. Once I called them, the first thing they mentioned was money (total turn off from the beginning). After about 25 min from original episode, my dog started to act normal so I started to feel that the Reno Hospital was right. We then turned around and headed back home. I called Carson Tahoe Hospital back to let them know. They then seemed concerned about my dog and really wanted us to bring him in. Maybe it is just me but why is it that when I decide not to bring him in you decide to be caring? Maybe they truly are just for the money and not the wellbeing of animals. more

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, so here's mine...It isn't cheap to raise an animal just like it isn't cheap to raise a child. Pet owners' including myself, look to their pets as family. We do what we must for the sake of our animal's health. We prevent illness and harm to the best of our ability and sometimes we can't help the inevitable. We look to veterinarians to help us figure out the best treatment for our babies. Here in Carson City NV we are limited to the available veterinarians out of the typical 9-5 service. In an emergency there are few choices. Carson Tahoe Veterinary Hospital offers 24 hour care 7 days a week wich includes emergency, as well as general practice. There are 3 doctors currently working different shifts. They are all fine doctors! Dr. Hittenmiller, who owns the practice for at least 25 years now is an exceptional doctor who cares greatly for his clients and patients. He is the emergency doctor who handles all complicated cases and he remains focused on the care of the animals while his staff follows up with updating the worried mommy & daddy's of treatment plans and costs until answers are provided. Veterinarians are practicing medicine the same way doctors do, there are not always simple answers and treatments to every case. Diagnostics are helpful for proper treatment, without it we could be jeopardizing the health of our babies! Carson Tahoe Veterinary Hospital is an exceptional choice of medical care for your pet family. more

Simply take your animal ANYWHERE else except this place. They do not care for animals or people, they simply care about money. I was lied to, my dog was kept from me when I refused treatment, I was bullied and intimidated into unnecessary treatments that prolonged my dogs suffering. I know that the positive reviews on this site and others are written by the staff to hide the facts that are laid out by myself and other people that have had their heart ripped out by the horrible vet at this institution. If I sound dramatic, it is because it is. This place needs to be shut down. I am filing a formal complaint with the Nevada Veterinary Board and I urge others to do the same to get Dr. Hitlermiller's (spelling intended) license revoked. He should not be allowed near an animal, ever. Cons: They are ruthless, heartless with sociopathic tendencies more

Vacationing in S Lake Tahoe, I realized my dog had just eaten grapes, which can be toxic, or fatal to dogs within 24 hours. The receptionist at Carson Tahoe Veterinary Hosp responded blithely: ""Oh, that's not an emergency"" even after I'd spoken with my local San Francisco ER vet and a national dog poisoning hotline and Both said that I should seek treatment immediately. I insisted on bringing my dog in whereupon my dog was treated for possible grape poisoning, but then subject to a myriad of other diagnostic tests that ran up a bill of $1600. I felt ill-informed of what was going on the whole time, but I was willing to do what ever it took because I love my dog. When speaking, the vet used as much medical jargon as possible, which was alienating. Then after two days, when the vet called to say our dog could be picked up, we took the 45 minute drive to go get her and upon arrival was told she was not ready to come home, please come back later. Disorganiziation! They also overcharged us $600 but did spot the mistake and credited us the overcharge. I do not recommend, but in case of emergency, what can you do? more

My dog suffered a stroke at 3 am recently. I was alone and terrified and had absolutely NO idea what to do to help him. I called 911 and got the information for the Carson Tahoe Vets and as soon as I arrived, the staff literally sprang into action to help us. They did everything they could to assess what was wrong, to make sure there wasn?t anything to be done for him. They performed numerous tests, constantly checking with me and keeping me apprised of what they was doing. When it became clear that there was nothing more they could do, I received so much sympathy and support from all of the doctors and assistants, and was given all the time I needed in the treatment room to say goodbye. Sierra was euthanized in the most peaceful and compassionate way possible and I am so appreciative to everyone there who took the time to answer all of my questions and to ensure that Sierrs (and I) received the highest level of medical care, and the most loving departure possible more

I have just relocated to Nevada from Southern Cal. With 3 cats and 2 dogs, I needed to find a good Veterinarian. I called around to find out that there is only one 24 hour emergency hospital for our pets. I was shocked. Emergencies don't happen from 9-5. I felt that an emergency hospital would be the best place to take my animals. If something happens, these doctors already know my pets and their history. Their general practice is above and beyond. There is rarely a wait, except in emergencies of course. When an animal gets hit by a car, it should be seen before my animals shots. The cost is average, but the staff here is the greatest. They go above and beyond for my animals as well as myself. Dr. Hittenmiller has a unique way of examining pets. He examines them away from the owners. I understand this, because by pets behave differently when I am around then when they are not with me. His style is all in the pets interest. Dr. Swalander is a jolly guy that is very knowledgable, and Dr. Fineman is such a sweet gentleman. These doctors are great. Find one you like and stick to him!!! Pros: The staff is great Cons: It is a emergency hospital isn't it? more

I really don't believe some of these reviews. I have been going to Carson Tahoe Vet for 15 Years. None of the things mentioned here have ever happened to me. Dr. Hittenmiller has never suggested any un necessary tests and is a great vet. For years my pet got her vaccinations every year and a check up. As the pet got older and some problems arised and the doctor did run some tests. Without these tests I am not sure how he could diagnose the problem. How could someone say you are not allowed into the exam room with your pet ? That is just crazy and not true. On a emergency case, with the pet critical, I can understand that the staff asks you to leave the room until the pet's immediate needs are taken care of. The pets needs come first, then my needs are to be addressed\r I have also gone to Dr.Swallander . He was extremely nice,caring and knowledgeable\r Going to a vet is expensive. I think the prices charged here are about the same as other area vets. You need to be in control. You need to ask questions. If you do not want the tests just tell them no.\r If you are a responsible pet owner, you would purchase some type of pet insurance to help with the costs. We purchase insurance for our family members, why not our pets. Pros: Amazing Doctors who have so much knowledge Cons: When it gets busy, it gets busy! Emergencies happen!!! more

I took my cat to Carson Tahoe Veterinary Hospital when he had an intestinal blockage. He wasn't eating or going to the bathroom, and he was throwing up everywhere. Dr. Hittenmiller and his staff were quite kind to me and my cat when we were there. He never did any testing that was not absolutely necessary to properly diagnose and treat my cat. My cat was there in the hospital for a week. The vets, especially Dr. Hittenmiller, and the staff were very professional, kind, and caring. They understood that I was very worried about my cat and they showed me kindness. They treated my cat kindly as well. He was sick and therefore a little grumpy but the staff understood that and treated him gently. After a week my cat was well enough to come home, thank goodness, and it was all thanks to Dr. Hittenmiller and his wonderful staff. I sleep well at night knowing my cat got the absolute best treatment while he was there. This is the only veterinary hospital I will ever use. I very highly recommend this hospital to everyone I meet who's looking for a vet. Pros: Everything! more

I've made two emergency visits to Carson Tahoe Vet. Hosp. My first visit was when my 2 mo. old golden retriever puppy, Reese ate a corn cob which blocked his intestines. Dr. Hittenmiller's surgery saved his life. The second time was recently when my dog injured his spinal cord and his back leg was paralyzed. Dr. Hittenmiller treated him in a pressurized oxygen chamber, avoiding dangerous surgery. Now Reese has all 4 legs working perfectly.! Dr. Hittenmiller may seem a bit gruff when you first meet him but he's always been tender and loving with Reese. When you get to know him a little better, he's a warm, genuine, kind man. I wouldn't chose any other vet. Pros: Dr. Hittenmiller is a miracle worker! more

Avoid this Hospital! My dog suffered through over a week of extra pain, could have ended up paralyzed if not for rushing him to a specialist in CA (after a week's care by Carson Tahoe), and I ended up with over $2000 in extra vet bills for that extra week my poor dog suffered. Around the same time, my friend had a dog emergency too and her dog's condition was misdiagnosed by this Hospital. Her regular vet operated the next day after C-T sent her dog home without proper treatment! Cons: $$ and extra suffering for your pet more

my beautiful lab was dying. we saw dr. hittenmiller. he demanded we pay $1,200 up front before seeing my dog. he ordered us out of his exam room, even tho he could see my dog was terrified of him. he was rough with my old guy. it was heartbreaking. hittenmiller would not answer our life and death questions regarding our boy, was rude, berating, unprofessional, mean spirited. we lost our lab. we will never go back to this hospital. this vet and hospital has a bad reputation. the place is filthy and cold. please stay away! Cons: worst veterinarian i have ever met more

Taking my severely injured dog to Dr Hittenmiller at CTVC was the worst experience of my life. After $15,000 in charges and a dog that had been kept alive on machines when he should have been euthanized is something I will never get over. When my dog finally died after days of painful, invasive and futile surgeries and treatments, his body was left on the floor in a garbage bag for us to pick up. Call the NV Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners at 775-688-1788 before you take your pet here. Cons: Business that appears to be there just to generate money more

I wrote a review on this site a couple of times and they were both positive about the subjects I was writing about, but each time they were not posted. As I went to look for my reviews, they were not their. And I noticed a pattern of only negative reviews on this site, no positive. I am going to write several more review (this one included and if I do not see it posted I am going to the ""Nevada Appeal"".\r Also, the people who are writing reviews about Carson Tahoe Veterinary Hospital? They all are ignorant uptight fools! Oh, and I do not work there by the way!\r more

I took my nine month old golden retriever puppy to CTVH on 12-26-08. She had been vomitting severly. I was told on the phone before we went there to just bring her in, that they would examine her and then do an estimate of the charges to fix whatever was wrong with her. I took her in. They took her back to the exam room, took her pulse and temp, and then took her into the back. I then went to the front counter to get my ""estimate"" of charges. They had not done anything diagnostic at that point. I was told at that time that my estimate was between $800 and $1200, for what they were guessing was wrong with my puppy. Guessing. They did not know, nor did they do any comprehensive exam to see what was wrong. They were going to charge me for a guess. When I said I didn't have the money, and couldn't qualify for their credit plan, the then proceeded to tell me that I had to pay a $98 ""emergency fee"" to get my puppy back to take her home. $98 for what exactly? They did nothing except put my dog in a crate and guess at what they were going to charge me for what might or might not be wrong with her! No tests, no xray, nothing! I feel as though my dog was held for ransom. I paid the fee, so I could get my dog back, but I feel this money was extorted from me, as they did nothing. No services rendered, nothing. It's as if they want me to pay for the time it took for them to try to get $1200 more dollars from me! I am disgusted at the way I was treated at this very emotional time, and feel that this practice is very unethical. Pros: Absolutely None Cons: Insensitive, only looking for money, staff arguing in front of customers more

I cant think of one reason to recommend this place. I went here one time and will never go back. The doctor never introduced himself (I still dont know his name!), never asked about my dogs history (it was our 1st time there!), and rudely asked me to leave the room so he could examine my dog. Ive been to vets all across this country and have NEVER been unable to be present during the examination. I should have left right there but I think I was too in shock about what was happening. When I was allowed back into the room, the doctor had completely mis-diagnosed my dogs problem. Apparently reading the paperwork I filled out about why we were there is not standard procedure. Maybe if he had some sort of conversation with me before privately examining my dog he would have come back with the right diagnosis.\r \r Everyone there seemed very insensitive and rough with the animals. The vet tech actually tried to drag my dog down the hall by his collar before I intervened.\r \r I, and my dog, left there traumatized. We will NEVER go back. Pros: cannot even think of one. Cons: rude, insensitive vet more

This Veterinarian Dr. Hittenmiller is a horrible rude uncaring man that will run you up a huge bill and leave your criticallly injured or sick pet with unlicensed improperly trained staff that is allowed to sedate and inject and monitor your pets with no veterinary supervison. If you happen in there for an emergency be prepared for rude service and to be made to spend $800-$1500 for the first night and if your pet makes it out alive consider yourself lucky. If you have had a bad experience with this hospital or lost your pet in there please report him to the veterinary board so together we can stop him from making money on negligence and improper care of your loved pets. Pros: Horrible hospital, terrible care more