Woods Ave Animal Clinic

It is very clean and staff was very friendly. I had a 14 yr old cat that was sick and had to be put to sleep. Dr. Gower was very sympathetic and had a small ceremony where he lit a candle and said a few words when putting her down. A few days later he sent a hand written empathy card and had made a free plaque with her paw print and name. I see the other reviews about how the bills adding up with their pets with this place...honestly all of those stories sound like what my friends' and family's have gone through with many other different vets. Unfortunately when your pet becomes sick it will add up. I personally feel that Dr. Gower's prices are about the same or even less then other vets. more

Took my cat in during regular business hours. Applied an IV, gave a shot of vitamins, and took blood. Told me I should keep the cat there for 3 days to flush out his kidneys. The cat was placed in his ""hospital"" which was a dungeon of a basement with 6 kennels. No 24 hour attendant or monitoring devices. I went upstairs and filled out the authorization forms. Then, asked to pay over $2,200 for a 3 days stay in this vets basement. All to be paid in advance. I was charged $125/day for IV, $100/day for the extra overnight check the vet will make to see my cat was okay (this one is a laugh!), $150 a day for having the privaledge of staying in this hell hole of a basement he calls a hospital. I was charged for 2 blood tests, when only one was given,and paying in advance for the follow up bloodwork. Paid $225 for meds which would have cost me $21 online. I paid for a stool sample analysis which I brought in, which was insufficient. The vet didnt' bother to collect one during my cat's 3 day stay. Now I am following the cat around to the litter box trying to collect another sample. When I asked for a credit adjustment , the vet refused. I cannot even prove what was done and not done, so as to argue the mattter with the credit card company. When I asked for the medical records, the receptionist offered me a history of past visits. I am kicking myself for having paid this money when I should have just taken the cat back out of the basement and gone somewhere else. Instead, I stressed for 3 days on the money I paid out, and worried for my cat's life whom I know would be left alone each night in this dark hell hole of a basement this vet calls a hospital. DON'T KICK YOURSELF IN THE BUTT AFTERWARDS FOR TAKING YOUR ANIMAL HERE! SAVE YOUR MONEY AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE... more

Only concerned with making money. Doesn't care about the financial situation of owner. My mother brought my dog to the Woods Ave Clinic as a new client to have the dog's annual health exam. The dog is an older dog;for this reason the veterinarian told her that he should run a blood test as part of the exam. She agreed, unknowing of the cost of the test and under the impression that it was included in the exam. When my mother went to pay the bill (with my credit card) she was informed that the total amount was $422. She used my credit card to pay because she she assumed that the cost was due to all the vaccines the dog had received, which are services that were performed and could not be undone. Upon receiving the receipt she noticed that the blood test had cost $122,she then called me and inquired about this. I am a former employee of a vet and am familiar with aspects of the veterinary business. I told her that the blood test wasn't necessary and could be done at a later date when we had the money to do so. I then told her that she should tell the receptionist that she decided the blood test wasn't necessary at the moment and ask for a refund of the $122. When my mother arrived home she informed me that she was told that ""once the blood has been drawn the client must be charged the full amount."" I then called the business to inquire why I was being charged for a blood test that was not yet performed. I know for a fact that the blood work is not done in house and that it is sent to laboratory which processes the blood. I confirmed with the receptionist that: 1.They use Antech Diagnostic as their out of house laboratory 2.My dogs blood had not yet been sent to Antech. When I asked why my money could not be refunded despite the fact that the test had not yet been performed I was told that it was ""their policy"".I asked where this policy was written so I could review it, the receptionist got very nervous and repeatedly stated ""its our policy"" I got no explanation other than that,since the blood was prepared to be tested the full amount must be charged. Preparing blood for testing involves putting the blood in a tube and spinning it in a centrifuge,this does not cost $122 and is not qualified as a blood test. I specifically asked that the blood not be sent out because I did not want the test done and would wait for the vet (Dr. Gower) to call me back and explain his policy. I waited three days and called the animal clinic back to ask if the vet had considered refunding my money. At this time I found out that the blood had been sent to the diagnostic lab against my wishes. I was again continually told that this was ""their policy"". I was then also told that on the wall of the waiting room a list of common procedures often performed in an exam is posted, I was told that this poster did not list prices, I was also told that the blood test my dog received was ""INCLUDED"" in the standard senior dog exam. An exam costs one price the blood test costs another, to the best of my knowledge this does not constitute ""included"". In summary my mother was not aware of the cost at the time the blood was taken and assumed it was ""included"" in the exam, after discovering the price of the test we decided it was not necessary to have done at the moment and requested that it be canceled and the money for the test be refunded. She was refused a refund for a service that had not yet been performed based on the arbitrary claim that it was ""their policy"". Cons: Practice based on making money not caring for animals more

I had a similar experience. I wanted to use a vet close to home.My Scottie was 11 yrs old. My pet had a liver desease which she was being treated for with meds and special diet. Gower saidThat she had arthritis, prescribed a meds for my pet which made her ill. I told him she had a liver desease which was diagnosed threw a boipsy & gave him her records. the meds he gave me said not to use if you have a liver issue. I returned the meds to his office and being totally frustrated blurted out "" just give me the g-dam credit. I never wanted to give this stuff to my dog and now this $45. med. has cost me thousands of $ in office visits."" Gower finally returned a phone call & repremanded me, said I had to be accountable for my behavior. Yet he did not have to be accountable for making my dog sick. There is a lot more to this story. In the end my dog had to be put down. Gower's compationate words to me were. ""do you think you are the only one with a dog who is ill? No , but I expect a care giver to treat me as though I am.They are not the caring compassionate facility as they advertise . Since my experience I have come across several people who were treated similarly. I live with the guilt that I exposed my beloved pet to someone who was incompetent to handle her illness and caused her a terribly painful end of life experience. \r Pros: DON't get pulled in by the FREE Office visit Cons: Not the caring compassionate facility they advertise more

I made an appt for my 13 year old lab. We had always gone to West Hills Vet but its a 45 minute drive and Woods Ave is right by my house. After sitting in a cramped waiting room for over an hour past my appt time, the Dr finally decided to see me. He came in the room in jean shorts and a tee-shirt. He looked at my dog for 2 minutes and said I had to leave him for observation for 24+ hours. When I asked why, he told me ""well, the dog is old"". I told him I'd rather not leave him and I'd like to talk to my wife and he became agitated. After a very brief explanation he informed me that my dog showed signs of cancer. He gave my dog a shot and left. I walked out kind of upset, and then I got the bill. $600+ for an hour wait and a 7 minute frustrating awful vet appt!!! I asked for an explanation, and that I don't have that kind of cash on me (i brought $400 expecting it would be something in that range...) and they told me ""all bills must be paid in full, NO EXCEPTIONS"". I explained the situation and offered the $400 which they would not accept. I sat there fighting with a receptionist until after the office was closed, and Dr. Gower didn't come out to talk to me once. He had a young woman at the front desk walk back and forth to his closed office door to communicate what was going on. Finally I said ""heres $400, take it or leave it"" and i walked out. The drive to West Hills seems easy after that disaster! Pros: i guess i can Cons: where to start... more