Help with a good vet in town?

[wordswithenemies]

Hi, I figured you folks know better than anyone else. I just got two little puppies who need some shots and a check up.

I live off Pine Grove, trying to find a highly recommended vet nearby. Any suggestions?

[wordswithenemies]

40 views and no replies tells me there in fact no good vets in town.

[riverside planner]

I've heard good things about Cedar Hills, as well as Riverside Animal Hospital and San Juan Animal Hospital.  Unfortunately, my all time favorite vet had to close his practice due to illness earlier this year.

[FSBA]

I've been taking my animals to Dr.Sadderson for 10+ years. Right now she only works Tuesday/Thursday at the Brentwood Animal Clinic.

[Gators312]

San Juan Animal Hospital if great if cost is not your #1 deciding factor.

[Tacachale]

^That's what I've heard too. We took our dog to Oceanview Veterinary Hospital in Jax Beach if you don't mind the distance, one of the most dedicated vet's offices I've ever seen, and we've been using them for nearly 20 years. Couldn't recommend them enough.

[wordswithenemies]

I'd say biggest factors are a flexible schedule (weekends) and not not killing either of the two animals.

[Dog Walker]

Riverside Animal Clinic on Park just a couple of doors south of King Street.  John Rossi has been voted the best vet in Jacksonville in the Folio voting for a number of times.  He has just been joined by a new young vet by the name of Stuart James.

Rossi is also treats reptiles and birds and has written several books about caring for you companion animals.

[johnny_simpatico]

I live a few blocks from you and have had plenty of bad luck with vets.

The low-cost spread for veterinarians is right near you at Herschel Animal Clinic.  I'll echo the advice a breeder gave me: don't go there for anything other than shots.  If your pet is sick, pregnant, etc., you run a heavy risk of losing it there.  (This is the same operation that got some bad press in recent years by disposing of dead pets in questionable circumstances.) Herschel has low prices, but makes it up in the kind of volume that allows little time for careful medical thought.

Our dog had mange about 12 years ago and I visited several vets who couldn't properly diagnose it (Normandy, Marietta, for example.)  It wasn't until my wife I developed scabies that it became clear what it was.  Can you believe this?

We were visiting Edison Ave. Veterinary Hospital for awhile ... that is until my dog slipped a disk and Dr. Kerr said he wouldn't even look at him.  Wound up taking him to San Juan. They were very caring and got him fixed up with a doggie neurosurgeon. 

I was finding that every time I went to San Juan, however, it took an eternity to be seen and it also struck me as more expensive than the competition.

We've been going to Timuquana Animal Hospital for the past four years with no complaints.  I give Dr. Cox credit for successfully diagnosing and curing some ailments for my geriatric dog.  Waiting time is minimal. 

[ben says]

Miramar Animal Hospital. 20+ years of going there. Great

[sandyshoes]

wwe:  we live in Arlington, so I don't imagine you would want to cross the river to come all the way over here to our vet.  In the event you ever need emergency vet care, there is (or used to be, not sure) one on San Marco Blvd. not too far from the European Street Café and also one off of Beach Blvd. and Southside Blvd.  I can caution you strongly NOTt to ever take your beloved pets to any of the Banfield Pet Clinics which are inside the Petsmart stores.  They will take your pet to a back room for "treatment" or vaccines and they will come out trembling and terrified.  This happened to us with two different pets, a decade apart.  We only went there the 2nd time because it was a holiday and we got our pet there the day before. 

[mtraininjax]

40 views and no replies tells me there in fact no good vets in town.

FYI - If you want to search for anything, I would recommend you start with YELP. It has accurate customer reviews and has maps for you as well of where your searched items are located.

I take our dogs to San Juan Animal Hospital, they have 5 vets on staff, and they are excellent with fantastic resources. We used to go to Dr. Rossi, he is a fine vet, but the facilities there are not the greatest, and really need a makeover. It reminded me of Dr. Winchester's offices down in Mandarin from 20 years ago. Again, Rossi is a good vet.

The Herschel Animal Clinic, never been there, but I hear that it is the place for extremely low cost services. But with that also comes owners of dogs with all sorts of issues, fleas, and other items that are left behind. Only what I have heard, again, I go to San Juan Animal Hospital.

San Juan is going to partner with some local dog resorts too, which should make it easier to take care of dogs in an environment that is conducive to good health for the dog.

[wordswithenemies]

40 views and no replies tells me there in fact no good vets in town.

FYI - If you want to search for anything, I would recommend you start with YELP. It has accurate customer reviews and has maps for you as well of where your searched items are located.

I take our dogs to San Juan Animal Hospital, they have 5 vets on staff, and they are excellent with fantastic resources. We used to go to Dr. Rossi, he is a fine vet, but the facilities there are not the greatest, and really need a makeover. It reminded me of Dr. Winchester's offices down in Mandarin from 20 years ago. Again, Rossi is a good vet.

The Herschel Animal Clinic, never been there, but I hear that it is the place for extremely low cost services. But with that also comes owners of dogs with all sorts of issues, fleas, and other items that are left behind. Only what I have heard, again, I go to San Juan Animal Hospital.

San Juan is going to partner with some local dog resorts too, which should make it easier to take care of dogs in an environment that is conducive to good health for the dog.

I went to Yelp first to check it out - I am big on Yelp reviews for food, but only 4 reviews on Riverside Animal Hospital, and 2 were not positive. Only 3 reviews for the Hendricks Ave clinic and 1 for San Marco's.

About Dr. Rossi:

Overall, I wasn't really impressed.  I was really worried about the rectum of my female kitten, and they gave me some cream and said it wasn't a big deal. The next day, her rectum prolapsed and she had to get emergency surgery. (If you want to know what a prolapsed rectum is - google it - but only if you can stomach it.) I have no idea if the vet could've known this would happen, but more concern would've been nice.

I felt like the vet didn't really listen to me. He kind of talked "around" me and then he gave me a free copy of his book about cats. I appreciated the book, but I wanted to be heard. I ask a lot of questions when I go to a vet, but it's because I love my pets and want to be a good mom. I knew they'd charge me two office visits b/c I had both kittens with me, so why was he rushing me?

The other thing I found strange was that it wasn't very clean. I was sitting on the floor with my kittens and I could see fur and dirt caked along the floor boards. The door in the back of the exam room peaked into an office that looked like the beginnings of a Hoarders episode.

[mtraininjax]

Rossi is a good doctor, he also has some good books, but he really needs to update the facilities. He will lose more clients and prospects to other locations because the perception is the reality. If you were a patient, would you take yourself there?

We left because the dog kennel area is like a 3rd world country. I expect better accommodations for family.

[Dog Walker]

Don't board your pets with a vet if they are not sick.  Take them to a boarding kennel that is certified by the American Boarding Kennel Association.  There a a few good boarding kennels in Jacksonville including one out by the airport that is convenient for travelers.

We have used Creature Comforts Pet Resort on Park Street near Lane Ave. for over twenty years.