Pavlov's Dog and Cat Hospital

I reseached boarding for 3 wks. for my 12 yr. old Miniature Boston Terrier. I used Pavlov's and paid for a bath. My daugher picked him up on a Sat., said he smelled like poop, so gave him a bath. I called them, they said he must have stepped in poop. So, I use them again for 4 days. Picked him up, they actually brought him to me and said ""he smells like poop, he must have stepped in it"". I immediately made them wash his feet and told them about the above. I get him home, my whole car stinks. I wiped him down with a damp cloth, found dried, crusty poop in his coat, wiped him down with a pet wipe, my whole house is stinking by now. After an 8 hour car ride home, I had to give him a bath. I only have baby shampoo for him. He still stinks! WTH???? They did not feed properly, as I took 4 days of dry food and two cans of wet food to mix in (1/2 can daily). I returned home with a whole can of wet food. The place stunk like an old building, that smokey, moldy smell. A staff member had to clean up some piddle from another pet and acted all ""ewwwww"" about it. Their billing also needs to be checked before paying. I am never using them again, and I am calling to complain. Proof you get what you pay for!\r \r UPDATE: The staff contacted me on behalf of the owners, who were very concerned about my dog's boarding. They were apologetic and offered me a free nail trim for him. I am going to take them up on it, and I want to make the statement that not all pet owners are as anal as I am when it comes to their pet. I appreciate the contact from the staff on behalf of the owners, and will request those that are reading my rating try boarding there for yourself as my experience may not be a regular occurence. Thank you, Mrs. Pavlov, for your concern and correction of my experience for all boarding animals. more

I always have a good experience when bringing my dog here! The people are always so nice and anytime I have ANY questions, they don't mind answering... Even if i call every 30 minutes. They are very caring and seem to really love what they do!\r \r I would highly recommend bringing your animals here and trusting them fully! more

I'm sorry that Ms.U feels that way. I'm glad to hear that Athena is well and happy now, She was such a good patient. If I could repeat the whole case over again, I wouldn't change a thing. If it were my own dog that presented with the same history and physical exam findings, I would do the same diagnostic tests and treatments. \r I've been in practice for over 20 years. Pavlov's Dog and Cat Hospital was established in 1993. The hospital staff sees thousands of cases each year. 99% of the time, the clients are happy and satisfied with our service.\r \r more

According to our medical records, on December 13, 2011, you stated when you brought in your five month old Great Dane puppy, A-, that ?She had been having diarrhea, drinking a lot of water and not really eating since Saturday, December 7, 2011?. It was undetermined why you waited six days to seek medical attention for your puppy. There were a number of risk factors that needed to be addressed immediately. Our standard procedure at PD&CH is to advise our clients at every step of medical treatment, exactly what is being done to the pet, and what the cost will be. At that time, we get permission from the client to perform that test/procedure, step by step. In your case, as you sat in the exam room, we got your permission for every procedure. First, was a through medical examination. You were told the cost would be $30.00. Then, A- was given a fecal exam, because she had diarrhea. You were advised of the cost of $ 7.00, and you gave your approval prior to us administering it. The fecal turned out neg. We needed to continue looking for the problem. Veterinary medicine is done by scientific deductions, not guessing. The next procedure given to the puppy was a Parvo test. Pure breed/ Great Dane puppies are particularly at risk of Parvo, due to a possibility of a weakened immune system from over breeding. Diarrhea and lack of appetite are two common signs of Parvo. A-had two Parvo boosters, but due to the weakened immune system in many pure breed dogs, there was a chance that it could have been Parvo, regardless. The cost for the Parvo test was $35.00. You gave us your permission at that time, to do the test. According to Dr. Peters, at this point of the examination, she would typically not administer any more tests, but then, prescribe medicine. But the problem was, that the puppy was not eating ( according to you- for six days) so in her professional opinion, she thought that a comprehensive blood work was necessary and in the best interest of the puppy. Time was of the essence for the well being of A- With your approval, Dr. Peters ran comprehensive blood work. The cost was $84.00. Based on the results of the tests which showed that your puppy had elevated liver enzymes, Dr. Peters stated to you that it could POSSIBLY LEAD to hepatitis. She did not diagnose A-with hepatitis of the liver, as you falsely stated on Citysearch, and your report to the BBB. Dr. Peters made the recommendations for A- You stated, due to f you declined the injections. Dr. Peters recommended that A- at least, needed the Metronidazole for $14.00 and Endosorb for $17.48, for diarrhea, and NF food. And, you agreed to these costs. At that point, between the diarrhea and not eating, your puppy stillcould have been in grave danger. It was taking a risk to skim off the recommended treatment from Dr. Peters. Obviously, the prescribed NF food, Metronidazole and Endosorb, cured your puppy. A week later when you had her checked up, of course she was well, thanks be to Go more

When we first moved to San Antonio 14 years ago, we took our Weimaraner, Journey, to meet Dr. Pavlov and immediately felt confident in him and his clinic. I was fortunate enough to work for and with Dr. and Mrs. Pavlov for years and the integrity they exhibited and inspired in all of their employees is the foundation they have kept alive in their clinic. When my pet passed away recently, Mrs. Pavlov sent me the attached card. Compassion is instilled in all employees at Pavlov's Dog & Cat Hospital and all employees are trained by qualified personnel and participate in workshops furthering their education of animal care. A Dog's Last Will and Testament: Anonymous When humans die they prepare a will in order to leave their home and everything they own to all those they love. ... If I were able to write I would also make out such a will. To a poor, lonely, full of longing stray I would leave my happy home, my food bowl, my cozy bed, my soft pillow, my toys and the beloved lap. The gently stroking hand, the loving voice, the place I had in someone's heart and the love which, at the end, will help me towards a peaceful, painless end while being held in loving arms. And when I die, then please don't say: ""Never again will I have a dog, the loss is much too painful."" Find yourself a lonely, unloved dog and give it my place in your heart. That is my bequest. The love I leave behind is all that I have to give. more

These people are ridiculous! I have a full blooded Great Dane puppy who is incredibly healthy but got a bit of a stomach ache a few weeks ago which concerned us. So we took her to Pavlos'. They proceeded to run $215.00 worth of tests on our 5 month old puppy and then tried to tell us that she had hepatits of the liver!! They also tried to put her on 5 different medications and I was able to get them to limit it down to 2 with a bit of persistance. About a week later (because I had so much doubt on this diagnosis) I took her to a vet I value dearly in my hometown and found out she is not sick at all!! No hepatitis, no problems what so ever! Do not waste your money on these people they will squeeze every drop they can out of you! Do not be fooled by their lab coats and professional demeanor. more

I want to say I am sorry for the loss of everyone's pet. However I was one of Dr P's first employee in 1993. Heck I was only a Junior in high school and watch them remodel the place with their nephew. I will never forget what they did for me to train me from kennel, to vet tech, and last, a receptionist. Mrs Pavlov is one of the most easy going people to get along with all you have to do is ask. Dr P well he can be a little rough around the edges but he is the most dedicated doctors around. I wish I lived closer to go back. I was also with him for 3 years until I had my daughter. Remember this everyone has a bad day however give it a chance and if it works out great but they are there for your pets that are also a part of your family. Dr P and Mrs Pavlov I don't think I ever got a chance to say thank you for all you taught me and for my pets. I hope your business continues to grow and do well. Erin Bailey more

I took my 12 yr old Lover-Boy dog in for pain control as he had bone cancer; he was in the last days of his life. I asked for comfort care, pain control. The very old vet who should have retired years ago, just jabbed him w/ a rabies shot which he did not need. Then, of course, I was charged for an unnecessary vaccination. I explained that all I wanted was pain control med for my boy, but he was more concerned about the rabies shot...on a dog who did not leave the house. I have not been back. They said they would have Dr Pavlov call me; I never heard from him. Just five short days later, I had to take him to the Pet ER for euthanasia. I told the vet there about the rabies shot and he agreed with me: that is was totally unnecessary. I still miss my boy everyday & have since found a more compassionate vet hospital. I had been going to Pavlov's for years with multiple pets....yet, I only saw Dr P once. And yes, the female vet there cannot make up her mind about a treatment plan for care. I would NOT take my animals to Pavlov's. more

I have been with Dr Pavlov since 1993 and I never had a problem with him whatsoever. He has always shown professionalism and compassion for my pets. He has an open door policy and by that I mean if they take my dog to the back of the office and I want to see them they will escort me back there to see them. or if my pet is skiddish about going into a kennel they will escort me to let me take them in the back and get them situated. The only two separate times I had an issue were with his other female vets. I cannot go into detail because it is such a long story but suffice it to say Dr Pavlov got rid one of the women and repremanded the other. ON both ocassions, I made an appointment to discuss these matters with him and we met and he assured me that he would take care of the situation and he did!!! I think that Dr Pavlov knows that he has many lifelong clients that are and will be supportive and appreciative of his work with their pets and he respects that! In my records for all of my pets HE is the ONLY vet who is allowed to service them. I have taken my pets to other places to check them out because i moved to a different side of town and Dr P. office was now very far away but I can assure you from what I have seen that Dr Pavlov has a wonderful facility and cares about the animals and people who come into his business! I make the long drive because I feel comfortable there and know my pets will be treated well. Thank you Dr Pavlov for caring for my pets for the past 18 years. I know I can leave them in your care knowing they will be treated with gentleness and kindness. more

Our dogs adore Dr. Pavlov and are always excited to see him. They have received care from him for many years, and for our dogs, he is like the Dog Whisperer. We love taking our dogs to him and are always pleased with his service and expertise. Scott and Diana more

Well I've taken my pets to Dr. Pavlov for 11 years now and he and his vets are the greatest! Dr's. Peters and Pavlov so loving and kind with the animals and you can tell they really cares. they are quite conservative on trying to get you to do tests that aren't warranted. But on certain things such as shots They are adament. Dr. Peters is the only vet I let touch my little dog. The entire staff there is awesome and know your pet by name if you become a client there. more

Dr. Pavlov and I would like to thank you for writing regarding our animal hospital, Pavlov's Dog and Cat Hospital. Unfortunately, we don't have time to go on to sites like this. But I am very glad that a loyal customer who has been with us for many years, cared enough to call us and tell us to check it out. I am sorry that you had this problem with our clinic. Especially, after being with us for ten years. From time to time problems do arise. We are only human. For your problem not to be addressed is unacceptable. This is not business as usual for Pavlov's. As a matter of fact, we all strive to make the clinic a warm and friendly place that you look forward to coming to. As you stated you were happy for ten years. That is saying something. We continue to work our hardest to have a great place for all the families and their pets. For this very reason in each exam room and in the front lobby of the clinic I have my name and phone number posted so that you can feel free to contact me at any time regarding any incidence of poor service or, to report a problem that has not been addressed to your satisfaction. Our policy is that our doors are always open to hear what you have to say. We have done this since day one, in 1993. We strive to please our clients and their pets. Because of this, yes we have grown tremendously and continue to do so even to this day. We are very humbled and blessed by each and every client. I am so sorry that you feel you were not taken care of properly. I wish you had called the number that is on the big posters throughout the clinic and I would have immediately addressed it. That is why we are at Pavlov's Dog & Cat Hospital. We care. Yes, we do make mistakes and are certainly not perfect. But it has been our goal since 1993 to provide an excellent medical service for a fair price. You can count on us for that., day by day, year by year. I would love for you to call me now, and give us a second chance. I will also admit, that sometimes behind the scenes there might be a critical emergency in the surgery or treatment area, and it can cause us to seem distracted or short, if only you could understand that. Sometimes it is stressful to the extreme. We might have to foucs our attention on the critical patient. I am sure you would agree if it were your pet you would expect the same devotion to your pet. Each and every employee at Pavlov's is dedicated to what they do. They love their Calling which is to work with animals. It can and is often very, very tough. I would only ask for your understanding and forgiveness. Beyond that, God bless you in the New Year. We hope you have found a vet that you will feel confident with. We wish you and your pet all the best.. more

After 10 years of using Pavlov's, I am sad to say we will no longer be going there for pet care. It seems that they have grown in clientele and no longer have time to provide quality care. My most recent experience (yesterday) was taking my 13 year old husky in for a groom. They charged me a $10 fee because they said she is too hard to groom because she tends to want to bite. I replied, ""Huh? That's odd...we've been coming every other month for 10 years...she has never been charged that...she has a muzzle first sticker on her file."" Then they brought Nika out and they had cut a tumor on her and she was bleeding. When I mentioned it the girl tried to tell me they didn't do it. They wouldn't clean it either. I was obviously upset, but not being rude. When I asked for a complaint form or to have Dr. Pavlov call me, they took their time. When I asked them to speed it up, the receptionist told me to leave and that I and my pets would never be welcome at Pavlov's again. I said, ""That is not a problem, as I'm not receiving quality care. I would still like the complaint form so that someone else's pet is not harmed.""\r \r I would not recommend taking your pets to Pavlovs anymore. Sad, but as a business grows and ages sometimes it isn't as good as it was at first. Pros: Until recently they were very good with my dogs Cons: Seems that the office staff has turned over and is rude more

First off I have no complaints with Dr. Pavlov or his staff. He loves animals, and when you watch him give your animals an exam, it shows. \r \r No other vet has handled my family's pets from cats to chihuahuas to pitbulls with such tender care. No matter how big or small, there was that same gentle touch, the softness in his voice, and the intense gaze he has as he's assessing them. \r \r He is extremely honest, and that is what you need. This is your family member being seen, you want the truth and nothing but the truth. \r \r My family has been going to him for 15 years. I wouldn't go anywhere else. I've moved from one zip code to another, to Hawaii, and back. It didn't matter. My records never got deleted, I have not once seen him being rude or cruel. He is excellent at giving shots, does beautiful work spaying and neutering as well as declawing. The man is an awesome surgeon as well. My kids came out with minimal scars, and they healed quickly. \r \r I cannot sing enough praise about Dr. Pavlov and his staff. When my little girl passed away, he was kind enough to console me as I had no family here in town when it happened. He's helped me cope through a lot with my kids. From allergic reactions from bug bites and keeping them at the hospital to make sure that it didn't spread to their airways (it had spread up to her rib cage by that point), to fixing cherry eye in both eyes of my son, to fixing his allergic reactions to Avoderm dog food (he broke out in cysts all over his body), this man has been there for me through it all. He's always been kind, and explained things to the point a moron would know what to do. \r \r The only complaint I have about the hospital, is the one female vet who works there. She's short, fat, wears glasses and she has a lazy left eye. She's made my dogs scream when she was giving a subcutaneous shot. THERE IS NO REASON for a dog who is holding still, to scream when getting a subcu shot. Dr. Pavlov has NEVER made any of my kids cry or scream when giving shots. He also cleans them with alcohol which this woman does not. I told her my son had allergic hives, she didn't even look at his skin. She just wanted me to reschedule with her. lol. \r \r It makes me sad because these new vets are slowly demolishing what Pavlov has worked so hard for all these years. \r \r If you go, schedule with Dr. Pavlov. Ask for him and only him. Don't just go there and say you want an appointment. Be specific and ask for Dr. Pavlov, ask for the best. \r \r Pros: Awesome vet clinic Cons: There is one vet who works there...beware. more

We have a pet that we took in and needed medication for an infection. The doctor prescribed the needed medication, then asked if I was comfortable giving pills. I asked her to demonstrate and she did, but was not instructive - offered no tips or help, or even any recommendations on making the process easier. Thank goodness for the internet or I would not know what to do! She also said she thought our pet needed x-rays, but was unable to tell me WHY she needed x-rays. I asked her several times about that and she was simply not able to communicate the need for x-rays. Our budget is tight and I pressed her on the reason for x-rays - the doctor simply couldn't tell me why we needed x-rays. Then I asked her for an estimate about the cost of the xrays. She told me that it would just be $90. I called me husband and we discussed it and determined that there might be a good reason for xrays. Then I went out to schedule the xrays with the staff. The ""computer lady"" set up the appointment. I asked again about the price of the xrays to double check the doctor. (These folks seemed like untrained friends of the owner or something - just didn't instill in me any confidence that they knew what they were doing). The computer lady said ""Oh it is going to be WAY MORE than $90... oh, and by the way we have to charge you an additional $7 for a flea pill... and $35 for anesthesia... and $35 more for post anesthesia medication..."" At that point I felt like I was experiencing both an incredibly rude woman and being bait and switched! I said,""This seems deceptive - the doctor told me it would be $90... what are all these other things?"" The lady went on and on about how they have ""things that come up"" whenever they do xrays... The more she talked the more I felt that this place was just pumping us for cash... It has never been clean and I would NEVER leave my pet there for an extended time... and they were telling us that was just what we were going to have to do. After I came home I called a friend who has years of experience with pets - she urged me to cancel the xray appointment because it seemed unnecessary... Tests are for a reason and it is no good putting your pet through some test because the doctor wants to pump you for cash! After this, we plan to just find another vet - the doctor we saw was not able to communicate well enough to tell me WHY she thought we needed xrays... the staff were unbelievably rude... and the exam rooms and entry area are dirty. Sure it is less expensive for the ... but I would rather be able to be told exactly WHAT is going on, and WHY the doctor feels that is necessary, and exactly what the charges I can expect will be - without having to get a verbal beating by the front office staff - who seem untrained and incompetent themselves. Pros: rude staff, poor medical practices, poor communication Cons: doctor condescending, not helpful, staff rude more

I have been taking my pets to Dr. Pavolv for 16 years. The care has always been top notch, friendly, caring and the cost is never over priced like other places. This is the only place to which I will always take my pets . Pros: Great service, great care, low price Cons: very busy more

We've been taking our pets to Pavlov's since our kids were small and our critters were kittens and puppies.\r Now, the kids are grown and the pets have had long healthy lives thanks to Dr. Pavlov and his staff. My grandchildren take their pets to him now. You don't pay for a lot of fluff, instead you get great medical care. Over the years the staff has shown how much they love pets and care about their well being. You see it in their smiles and tears. Thank you Pavlov's! Pros: Quality Medical Care- Caring Staff, Not Expensive more

I recently moved here and took my cat Bootsie to this office. She had an eye infection and they gave me some salve.\r \r When I tried to renew the medication, they informed me the vet had to schedule an appointment before the medication could be prescribed. I understood this but I had to go out of town on business for two weeks; the vet tech argued with me and said before the medication could be renewed, I had to bring Bootsie in. I told her I had to leave town and that if they could renew the salve, I would make an appointment when I returned. She kept arguing...it was apparent to me that this office just wants more money and does not really care about the animals.\r \r I used to work for Best Friend Animal Society and this kind of behavior to me is unacceptable. I have two other cats and a dog, so they lost some business.\r \r Good news is that I found a vet here in San Antonio that really cares about your animals, unlike these people who just do the ""hard sell."" Cons: Very hard sell more

We had been going to this vet for 3 years. We had a older cat that came to them with skin problems. No vet could figure out what her problem was, but they treated her the best she could. We had to put her down and they were very sweet to us during that hard time. The only major problem we had with them with our cat was when we boarded her in their kennel. When we picked her up she was COVERED in scabs and was sick. We considered this odd because they knew of her condition (since it was her vet). We even had them make note of it. My husband took her in to Dr. Pavlov, and he gave us meds for her without charge. But in the case of our dog, we've had an issue. We took our dog to their kennel for 10 days. He went in completely healthy. When we picked him up he had lost almost 10 pounds. We never received a call or were told about his weight loss. We got him groomed and you could see every rib and his spine. Once again, my husband took the dog in to show Dr. Pavlov the severity of the weight loss. They ended up refunding us the money for the kennel because of this. We decided to keep him as a vet, but no longer kennel any animal there. We didn't have a problem with the doctors, just the kennel techs. A week ago we went in to get our next batch of heartworm meds for our dog, and were surprised to find out they had closed our account. They never even told us. Instead they waited for us to come into the office. Luckily for them, we are not people to make a scene. But, we found this to be very unprofessional. It is ultimately their decision (or ours) when it comes to closing an account. But a good business would inform us of that ahead of time instead of making us wait in a long line to find out this information. **Since we picked up our dog from the kennel, we have had a VERY difficult time helping him gain the weight back. He has also started to show signs of being very sick. A part of me wonders if he caught something in their kennel (since he is an indoor dog). His new vet should inform us tomorrow. Pros: Easy to get with an appointment Cons: Never getting the same vet, bad kennel service more

Me, my sisters, and my mom have been going to Dr. Pavlov's for about 15 years. There really is a Dr. Pavlov, but there are other vets as well. We have never had any experiences with rude staff, or being ""talked down to"". I suspect some of the bad ratings may have been from some of the vets who were not there for long. Over the years we have had several emergencies and lost some animals. The staff was also caring and couteous. Not ovepriced either. Sure the building is older and does not have a fancy waiting room, but you WILL pay extra for that. My cats and dogs sure don't care. Pros: Great Staff, priced fair Cons: can't always get a same day appointment more