Santa Cruz Veterinary Clinic

They opened 10 minutes late. Place was chaos. I was holding my puppy, purse, and the clipboard they handed to me, and had to unstack the plastic chairs myself so I could even have a place to sit. I was there for my new puppy's spay and rabies vaccine, but I also requested a microchip, nail clip, post surgery pain meds, and for them to register the rabies vac with the county. There was a place for this on the form. I initial each desired service. Then a staffer reviewed the list with me to make sure that's what I wanted, and highlighted each in pink, then asked if I understood I was responsible to pay for the services, and had me sign stating I understood I had to pay for services. Finally, they took my puppy to the back and told me pick up was between 4 & 5 PM. I returned a few minutes before 4, and when it was my turn I was told I owed nothing extra as the rescue organization was covering the spay and rabies shot. I explained I had additional services, microchip, etc. She asked if I had told anyone. Really? I had initialed, reviewed, watched as each service was highlighted in pink, listened as it was verbally explained that I was responsible to pay, and finally signed that I understood. The woman flipped through my puppy's chart while questioning me as if I was trying to con them by forcing more money on them. Then she found the highlighted form on which the services were listed. Just as I had stated. The woman said she could enter the services. I assumed the services had been done but the charges were not entered. But no, the services had not been done! Sloppy. Careless. Unprofessional. I said forget it. Got my dog and left. That was 11.2.17. The next day I went on line to register my dog with the county (since they were to lazy, or stupid to do it), and took a closer look at the spay and rabies certificates and saw they had her date of birth as 11.2.17. Wow! My puppy is so exceptional she is born weighing 8.4 lbs and gets spayed and vaccinated the very same day! Makes Lassie look like a real loser. Before you decide to take your pet there, ask yourself if they are so careless with these types of details, are you willing to risk them taking this "Who cares?" attitude with you pet's health? I hope and pray my puppy's spay was done carefully and correctly. But I will always have doubts, but all I can do is warn others. Do not risk it. Read Less

It was suggested to us that our dog come for some much need surgery to your facility. After reading the reviews I have decided not to take my dog there. If I have to put a mortgage on my house I will to get Her much needed surgery done right with a professional staff. Thank you everyone for the reviews they gave us a good insight in what we were going to be in for. I love my dog. I owe her the best. Oh and who comments after a customer tries to tell you how unhappy they are with such negative replies? That's what did it for us. Read Less

We've been going to them for many years now and they've always been great. Prices are affordable, and the care is wonderful. We had a puppy who came down with parvo, beat that, and then got valley fever, and the vets there really helped us get her through all that and find the valley fever medication for a reasonable price. Read Less

We are dog sitting for our daughter when her dog started having problems with her hip, she has had previous hip replacement. Everyone was so kind and we were able to get a quick appointment. It turns out she is developing some arthritis and is overweight. We were told to cut back on the treats and given some anti inflammatory medication. As doggie grandparents we want to spoil the pets! But again , everyone in the office was so kind and caring. Read Less

We were referred here by our neighbor as we moved from Oro Valley to midtown and needed a vet that was closer than our previous one.Last December, our Australian Shepherd mix became ill and tests revealed he had cancer. Our vet in Oro Valley didn't believe he was suffering, and we chose to love on him as long as we could with whatever time he had left.That time came due today when he began bleeding from his nose and rectum. I called to schedule our boy to be humanely euthanized, and the receptionist scheduled us for 11:30 AM. Once we arrived we had the usual paperwork to fill out, and then we waited...and waited...and waited...and waited.We watched helplessly at our dog as he panted from pain, bled and urinated on the floor of the waiting area, and continued to suffer. In the past, when I've taken a beloved pet into a veterinary clinic to be euthanized, we were immediately directed into an exam room.Not here.We weren't brought into a room until 45 min into our wait. A dog in the back kennel wailed and howled the whole time. It was heartbreaking, on top of our own heartbreaking situation.After 20 min in the exam room I finally lost my patience and went to the desk to inform some lost looking female tech that if we weren't taken care of, I'd get our money back and we'd go to another vet.Clearly that made an impression because in short order 2 women came in and no one introduced themselves."Have you ever done this before?" One lady asked us.Yeah...have they?I teach Anatomy & Physiology for a living, for goodness sakes!At this point our dog was so far gone that he didn't have a blood pressure, so putting the needle into the vein on his hind leg was nigh impossible! Typically when an animal is brought in for euthanasia a sedative is given before the lethal injection is administered. Not here. Our dog was never sedated. I'll never go back, nor recommend this clinic to anyone. They're poorly trained, seemed to not care (until I made a fuss) and are ambivalent at best.Save your fuzzy companion the pain and humiliation and go somewhere else where your animal, and you, will be treated with respect and compassion. Read Less

I found this place when I was looking for someplace that would spay and neuter my 10 rabbits for a low cost. They told neutering would be $75 and spaying $85. That was the best deal I could find so I decided to try them out with my three males who spray the worse. They were quick with the procedure and I was able to pick them up the same day. One rabbit even got an infection and they were able to squeeze me in the same day I called to get him antibiotics. They seem thorough and knowledgeable in what they do. The only reason I didn't give five stars is because I feel their communication could be better. I asked if the vet performing the surgery could call me to answer questions I had before starting but that never happened. And I had to call them to know my rabbit were ready to be picked up. Overall I think they did a nice job and I will continue to bring rabbits here for spaying and neutering. Read Less

They took such good care of my old pup. Hes a completely different dog since his surgery. He thinks hes a puppy again. They gave us a great deal for all he needed done. Thank you for saving our best friend. Read Less

Hello, after today phone call I'll be finding a new veterinarian! I've been taking my dogs to Santa Cruz Veterinary Clinic for about a year. The care and customer service has been average but not this time. I called in to schedule a nail trimming and I briefly brought up my dog condition but was repeatedly interrupted by the manger heavily sighing, placing me on hold, and annoyed tone of voice. I wanted to finish making the appointment but the manager attitude disgusted me, especially when she " giggled and said I am the manager, I have a ton of calls to get too." Yes, I understand the manager is frustrated but my phone call only consisted of scheduling an appointment. If that's how management choses to treat others, I pass. Read Less

They provide compassionate and comprehensive care at an affordable rates! They have helped five of our pets for conditions ranging from diabetes (Max), to angry behavior (Smiley), to rare fungal eye infection (Gus Gus), and all their veterinarians are skilled and kind. I am so glad this place exists for Tucson! Read Less

Fetty had several surgeries done at once. He had his stomach tacked, neutered, eye sewn shut, and a cyst removed. Dr. Neal did a wonderful job and Fetty is healing wonderfully. Thank you for doing such a great job. Read Less

Horrible Customer Service took my 10 year old pitty there for a Pyometra yesterday and they where poorly trained and most of all do not know how to communicate with their own associates. They stated one price when we called prior to coming in, yes it would be cheaper for surgery there and we would be taking her to A hospital for post operation and the price quoted would drop their associate stated .... 2nd call from then - associate stating they offered to remove to masses they found on her for free and the held it over our heads when we where picking her up; even though we payed to have them tested at the University of Arizona. So they offered to do something then held over us when we where paying and On top of that they didn't release her with the collar! when I called to make an compliant this Am Thier GM Rose was so rude and unwilling to help and to top it off had NO idea what was going on in her clinic she manages. Clearly after putting my foot down and feeling this is not okay to make a patient pick up after thier miss communication to one another in their office. I am so upset at this point I'm telling them they should teach or do something in office to build that communication up to eliminate this stress placed on us BY them for not communicating to one another. ( that is their job) No patient should have to tell relay everything Thier associates are saying to keep everyone informed....... So after expressing that concern: I was informed that they would prefer me to stay at my Normal Vet. They could see I was unhappy with Their services and their office; I was unhappy with Thier lack of ethical customer service, and training in their associates to communicate with one another and due to Thier lapse in judgment when they sent my dog home with out an Ecollar after Major abdominal Surgery! How would a Vet office let a patient leave with out supplies needed major surgery.... What else are they missing ? Learn from my head stress and most of all the rudeness we went through just to get Our Baby healthy again.Read Less

Horrible Customer Service took my 10 year old pitty there for a Pyometra and they where poorly trained and most off do not know how to communicate with their own associates.  They stated one price when we called prior to coming in it would be cheaper vecayse we would be taking her to A hospital for post operation the price would drop....  they offered to remove to masses they found on her for free and the held ot over our heads when we where picking her up; even though we payed to have them tested at the University of Arizona. On top of that they didn't release her with the collar when  we I called to make an  compliant the GM Rose was so rude and unwilling to help and to top it off had NO idea what was going on. Clearly after putting my foot down and feeling this is not okay to make a patient pick up after thier  miss  communication to one another.  I was informed that they would prefer me to stay at my Normal Vet Due do Thier lack of training their associates and due to Thier lapse in judgment when they sent my dog home with out a Ecollar after Major abdominal Surgery! Learn from my head stress and most of all the rudeness we went through just to get Our Baby healthy again. Read Less

RV travelling with two big dogs isn't always the easiest thing, especially when you need some veterrinary help with your buddies. Our Koda lost considerable mobility on an overnight stay in Tucson. The next day we visited Santa Cruz where two staff vets looked her over, provided some pain killers and we booked an appointment a few days later to see Dr. Neal the ortho specialist (and owner). It was with heavy hearts we euthanized our Koda but made all a bit easier with the kindness and support of the Santa Cruz team. For our second pet Leo, Santa Cruz greatly helped with filling a prescription from our Vancouver BC ortho specialist. If we are in the area and need help we'll be back in a flash. Read Less

Dr.Karter is incredible with her four legged clients. My dog is very cautious of strangers, especially with any sort of handling. She took her time with him and was able to exam him with ease. This was the first positive vet experience he's had, and the first vet experience without a muzzle. Very happy with her care, patience and energy with the animals. Read Less

We brought our newly adopted kitty here for a neuter. Super friendly and caring staff and the best price for neutering we found in town. $50 for neuter and the shot they require. Most ofher places were arounf $85+.Read Less

I am so greatful to this clinic and Dr.Neal! She did Trixie Mae's first Luxating patella surgery and will be doing her second one November 14the 2016 which is next week!ab I trust this place with Trixie's life! Thank you all for you amazing work! Dr.Neal I am forever in you debt Read Less

Brought my lionhead bunny here for a spay for the same reason many others did, spaying everywhere else in Tucson is ridiculously expensive. The procedure went well with no complications and this I was happy about. However, I didn't feel l was getting enough information about post op care, which was the part I was most nervous about since rabbits are sensitive and do not cope with pain well. I just got general information about watching the incision and when I asked about pain meds I was told that rabbits heal quickly so she won't need any. I understand that she received some for the procedure that were still in her system but I thought it was very strange to bring an animal that was just opened up home without any pain medication. When I brought her home she was lethargic and barely ate which was expected from the anesthetics but what made me worry was the fact that she started chattering her teeth a lot, a sign that she was in pain. Luckily I had some pain medication from a separate vet visit that I gave her and soon enough she was eating more frequently and acting a bit more lively. Looking online about rabbit post op care helped me much more than the generic animal neuter paper I received. I'm appreciative of the pricing of the clinic but I just did not feel good about the lack of attention to my concerns. I couldn't even see the surgeon with questions I had about signs that I should be concerned about when it came to abnormal scarring or her behavior. I may have been a bit paranoid about something going wrong but this is my bunny that just underwent surgery! I know they have many animals to service but even a few minutes to reassure me and help with questions would have gone a long way in my book. Read Less

I started going to Santa Cruz when my Pit Bull, Mia, needed to be spayed. The Doctors noticed that she had severe eye irritation do to having Entropion. They were so great with the surgery, treatment, and cost that we highly recommend them to everyone. We then brought our cat, Charlie, in, to get several teeth pulled. They did a great job with the surgery that night and the next day. Charlie however passed away 2 days after his surgery, in no fault of Santa Cruz. It was due to his age. Santa Cruz went above and beyond any Vet Clinic that I have ever taken any pet to. They were not only extremely sincere when we let them know Charlie died, they covered the cost of his cremation, and reimburse my husband and I half of what we paid for Charlie's surgery. They deliver great customer service and truly care about your pets' well being. Thank you Santa Cruz! Read Less

My parents and I have always brought our pets to this wonderful Clinic. They were very caring and supportive when we brought our dog Queenie in. She was suffering form a tumor they gave us medication for it and when it didn't work they offered surgery but they didn't push it on us because their was a high risk that she wasn't going to make it because of her age and also the tumor was causing her to be way underweight. They were very supportive when we choose to end her suffering even though it was very hard for us they were with us the whole time. Some people say bad things about this place but I always recommend people to this clinic and they never say anything bad Read Less

They saw my daughter's dog as a new patient the same day I called because she was ill. Wonderful treatment! Dr. Green was very kind and informative. She even called the next day to make sure Penny was feeling better! Great job!! Read Less

I love Santa Cruz Veterinary Clinic. I had been looking for a new Vet as mine retired. I am very picky who I take my kids to for their care. I had tried a few places. They were Aweful all had different reasons why I did not return. If I had the time to express my experiences of why I never went back after the first visit. I would have written a book. If you are looking for a loving, caring Vet. Look no further. Your search is over. I highly recomment & have, Santa Cruz Vet Clinic. Must mention they are very affordable. Thank you Santa Cruz. You have certainly earned my trust in caring for my kids. This is not easy to do with a person as picky as me. I look forward to a long time of your caring for all my pets. Debra Long Read Less

This is an unusual clinic.  It doesn't really feel like people care about your animal.  It could be that there are too few staff to negotiate all the people on the Southside who use this clinic.  Dr. Neal is very knowledgeable.  The problem is there is next to no followup.  You get expensive tests and the receptionist tells you what to do.  This does not cut it.  You need, at least, to talk with a technician who can explain the results and help you with a plan.If you have an urgent or semi urgent need in relation to your pet, they just direct you to a 24 hour facility.  There is no commitment to your pet.  At a minimum I would think they would designate someone to follow-up with you, to see if you really need emergency care or perhaps need to see your situation differently.It is unlikely I will return here.  It is not just the visit that matters.  The follow-up, in my view, is equally important.  And there is none. Read Less

I was very nervous bringing my young rabbit here for a spay since rabbit groups give dire warnings about not using rabbit specialist veterinarians (due to a high mortality rate). After reading a review about a successful rabbit neuter, I decided to look into them. Santa Cruz has a veterinarian who spent years doing spay and neuter at the humane society. With this in mind, I booked the appointment. Like the other reviewer, I received estimates ranging from 700-900 dollars to spay my FREE rabbit. I spent a total of $100 for the surgery and pain medication. My lovely lop is recovering well. It has been 11 days and the incision is no longer visible. The staff was friendly. Drop off for surgeries is in the morning so the clinic is pretty crowded and the staff is busy, but they were professional and courteous. The only negative I can think of is that, because they have an employee who is allergic to rabbits, they could not give me a time to pick her up. Which was not a big deal for me but might be worth mentioning for people who need to coordinate work and/or child care. And they also informed me of this when I booked the appointment so it came as no surprise. Clearly this detail does not detract from my 5-star satisfaction.All around great experience. If it was not so far away, I would strongly consider bringing my dogs here for their regular appointments. Thank you for offering low-cost options for spay and neutering as well as your work with the feral cats! Very admirable! Read Less

I was looking for a place to take my chihuahua and was calling everywhere because I needed to neuter him and didn't have a lot of money to do it. I was fortunate to come across this vet clinic online and called them to explain my situation and that my dog had cryptorchidism and I really needed to neuter him. The lady on the phone was soo very helpful. She informed me that they could do it for $5 because of that assistance program thing, even with his condition. She gave me the soonest appointment which I was surprised was in the same week, I took him in and all went well. My dog Armani is now running around happily and we have peace of mind that he wont be developing cancer and will be with us for a long timeRead Less

My husband took our dog in this morning. To find that they do not take walk ins. The girl asked twice if he had a appointment he told her twice no. I have reread the web site 3 times and have not found anything about no walk ins. Also the recording tells you Mondays open until 7 pm but they close at 530. So my dog has a open wound on his belly. I called to get a appointment was told not until Monday. Do they not care if infection sets in. He was also fixed there a few weeks ago. This not the first time we have had problems with this place. My other dog had surgery there. We took him back saying some was not right. Where they found stitches still in his leg. It took them 3 or 4 times before they found them. He had puss coming from the area. Then charged me. The clinic smells like cat pee. Every time I've been there. The girl today on the phone would talk over me. Until I got loud . I would never tell anyone to take there pet in. I have referred alot of people. I also asked to speak to the office manager she would not be in until Monday. They say one thing and then it's something else. Would really like to talk to the owner. But that won't happen Read Less

I have had mostly good luck with this animal clinic and have been going here for 12 +- years, and have always felt like the care was more than acceptable, between my family and I they have been with us through more than 15 animals! Now I will say that what attitude you will get from the office staff is highly variable. They have several real sweethearts and 1 real stinker in the front office , and believe me that one stinker can ruin a whole week for ya. But bottom line, I go for the doctors and not the front office, so if your willing to put up with some BS once in a while, I think you will be happy here. Read Less

My review is for my pet rabbits neuter , yes I said it ... pet rabbit. I previously shopped around other vets in the city and they were asking for prices I just could not afford (850.00+). I grew up on the Southside and had family members bring in their animals to Santa Cruz vet, so I called to see if they could see my rabbit. The receptionist was prompt and friendly and stated the neuter would be $75.00 !!! awesome !!! I took Patches and he had a great surgery, no complications at all and even though the wait to pick up patches was slightly long it was not a big issue because they took such good care of my baby boy. I would come back again if needed. Read Less

Pilot, the 3 year-old family mutt, chews everything.  Unfortunately, he doesn't just chew, he swallows. It's common for his stool to be packed with wood chips from chewed up sticks, bits of plastic from toys, aluminum foil, and whatever else he happens to find. Well a week ago he started vomiting his food up and couldn't hold down water either.  He started to become sluggish, and eventually unresponsive.  We called many different vet clinics and they all agreed that it sounded like he had an obstructed bowel.  Surgery was the only fix. We called many different places around town and were quoted as much as $2500 on the high end.  This was way out of our range, so we were contemplating putting Pilot down.  However, we then called Santa Cruz Veterinary Clinic.  The staff was extremely friendly and quoted $600 LESS than the lowest quote we had.  This put the cost in a reasonable price range for us.  We took Pilot in, had an X-Ray done, saw the obstruction, and within 2 hours they had removed it!  (It turned out to be a chunk of a large rubber bouncy ball.)They kept him for two nights, updated us on his recovery, and then sent him home - patched up, happy, and alert.  Pilot was his regular self again.  Without them and their friendly staff and affordable service, we would have euthanized him.  He's got about a weeks worth of meds to take, a cone to wear around his head, and then staples that need to come out in 2 weeks.  Then all we need to do is to put a muzzle on him when he goes outside.Thank you Santa Cruz Veterinary Clinic! Read Less

This place is the best! They are one of the only few places today that actually care about their patients. We have taken our dogs here many times and a few times we were low on cash and they worked with us anyways. Everywhere else turned their noses and hid their tails. I would definitely recommend going here if you want your loved one to be treated like a member of your family. Read Less

I love this vet. I have been taking my pets to them for years. They have great prices in my opinion. Get a second opinion yourself and you will see. The staff are nice. The clinic is usually very crowded but it makes for nice visiting with other pets. They are not a welfare office and they have to stay in business so don't expect services for free or near free, but they do have better prices than most.. Read Less

If I could put less than one star I would. This was the most horrifying experience at a vet clinic or any type of establishment ever. I understand this is not an emergency clinic, but when you can see that an animal is in desperate need of care and is having a seizure, convulsing right in front of you and still insist on explaining policy asking questions that can wait and how appointments must be seen first was beyond belief. I was absolutely disgusted and heartbroken. I will never return to this place and will spread the negative word to as many people as possible. Just down the road was a much busier, with a packed lobby, and was still a more caring facility who rushed and went out of their way to tend to my pet immediately. Kudos to Ajo Veterinary Clinic, you have gained a new family for life. Read Less

I have been calling and searching for an affordable vet to help my pet, I can't help it that I'm low income... I work so hard but just can't afford much. I couldn't help myself out was I that was sick either... I was promised they would only charge a small fee, promised my pet would have surgery that he needed so badly.... I was promised they would take cars of us.... they even demanded we not be late because of how they're helping us? I got there and they hardly even touched him... litterally looked at his face and turned his head slightly only to quote me separately $270+ for surgery and went on to explain that the visit itself was actually a separate charge I was quoted, and suddenly that was much higher than what they promised me "but that's always been the charge" they said. I left with nothing but my sick pet... please don't go here, they aren't here to help anyone, I have to watch my friend of 12 years die and even paid someone to get my hopes up on top of it? Thanks for that, May the favor be returned Read Less

They're very inexpensive and they take very good care of your animal.  They are also very friendly and they get so familiar with your animal like they're family.  Quick and painless visit.  I am always comfortable going to this vet and knowing that my Pet is in great and capable hands. Read Less