I'm so happy with Carmel Holistic Veterinary. Dr. Shannon, Dr. Stephanie, Brad, Alex and Theresa just came through for me in a big way. My beloved cat, BrambleBerry Rose got very ill and the entire team stepped up to help with her care. Brad got her in to see Dr. Shannon even when I didn't have an appointment, more than once, and Dr. Shannon was very selective in the procedures and medications she administered. The team worked beautifully together and each person knew what was going on with my girl. Unfortunately she didn't make it; the cancer was too far progressed. Dr. Shannon and Brad came to my house to cross her. That is such a compassionate service.  As long as I am in the Carmel area, Carmel Holistic Veterinary is the place for me and my animals. Thanks team. ~Amber Rose Archangel Read Less

9 yrs ago our dashound mix became paralized in back legs. We couldn't  figure out why took him to a local Vet in our town of Madera Ca. 6 days later and $700.00 later we were told by him wheels or put him down.  My sister who lives in Carmel ssid come and see Dr Tom first.  I got Scoobas medical records from Madera vet and took them with me.  Dr Tom asked for his xrays the Madera vet said we didn't take xrays.  Dr Toms answer  by all means if there is a possible spinal injury don't take xray.  Dr Tom took xray and in about 5 minutes he called us in to see xray where Scooba had broken his back.  He performed some back adjustment on Scooba gave him 3 shots on each side of injury and told  us he had to come back in exactly 10 days for same shots .  We did and after being paralized for almost a month scooba was able to stumble to a tree and scot to pee.  Now at age 11 he is stilll running around like it never happened.  Total fee was $385.00. Read Less

I can't tell you how much we have appreciated the good care and friendliness of the staff at Carmel Holistic Veterinary Clinic. We have been taking our animals there for years. Since Dr Shannon started there a dozen or so years ago we chose her as our primary Veterinarian. She is so knowledgable. We asked her where she went to school and she told us it was University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School. That is the number one school in the country. No wonder she is so awesome. Dr Bookbinder retired a few years ago and Dr Shannon brought in Dr Stephanie who is also very good. We feel so fortunate to be able to have such good care available to our much loved pets. Read Less

Dr. Shannon and Dr. Stephanie are both compassionate and professional caretakers of my two cats. I would take them to no other doctors. All four of my cats have been patients over the last 15 years. Dr Tom is a special Vet and he is missed. Read Less

I had been treating my dog's ears on and off for so long with my old vet- I met Dr. Bookbinder at an office where I worked (not at his office) and knew he was a vet- I was embarrassed but told him I was treating my dog's ears for ear mites but they just keep coming back- his reply sticks with me today- he leaned towards me and quietly said "dogs rarely get ear mites" I called his office to schedule an appointment that very day and have been happy ever since- that was 10 years ago- since then I've learned all about the work CHVC does for rescues and enjoy the 2 new doctors- Dr. Shannon and Dr. Stephanie :)Read Less

Don't let an old review scare you, they have new vets. Dr Shannon is a delight, knowledgeable and very professional. The word "Holistic" in the name is misleading, they practice traditional veterinary medicine.Read Less

never gong back again...i've said it before with other pets i've taken there but i mean it this time. front desk was unfriendly and not at all helpful. the good doctor could care less. i keep giving them the benefit of the doubt. it must have been a bad day, maybe they were overworked and had lots of sick pets. no more. i'm done. Read Less

I have been using this clinic since I got my first dog, a puppy,  and she is ten now.  When we first got her we had just moved here and we had to go away.  Dr. Bookbinder took her home and she slept with his daughter.  When my pup started wheezing in the middle of the night and I didn't know what to do, I called Dr. Bookbinder at 1:30 AM. He answered the phone and talked me through what ended up being kennel cough.  She she injured her leg and another vet hardly looked at her and said keep her off it, Dr, Shannon treated her properly doing digital radiography, which I feel is much safer than x rays. I feel Dr. Shannon gave my dog the attention she deserved as a super athlete and saved her from what could have become a permanent injury.  Dr. Shannon is lovely and I feel she truly loves her job. They have an open door clinic that I really appreciate.  I hate when my animals are taken away to be treated and I can't see what they are doing.   That said, yes, it is the most expensive care you can imagine.  It is always three times more than I imagine it will be.The boarding there is an added plus and the clinic is very clean.  Dr. Shannon is moving the office next year and we'll see what the prices go to then.  If you have a dog with lots of issues, I say get the Pet Plan insurance and then it won't hurt your pocketbook quite as much to get their good care. Read Less

For ten years we have taken our cats to Dr. Tom and Carmel Holistic Vet Clinic.  The level of care and attention has always been beyond any we experienced with other doctors.  Our kitties have felt much more comfortable there than other places as well and that makes a big difference in treating them.  When we have had emergencies, the time, devotion and attention we have received has been above and beyond anything we have encountered with others.  They really care and Dr. Tom treats our cats with genuine loving kindness.   One aspect of their diagnostic process that we have been most impressed with is the option for observation.  At no additional fee,  we have dropped our kitty there for a few hours so they can actually observe the behavior and symptoms instead of trying to  make a diagnosis with an exam only.  No other veterinarian has ever offered or wanted to go to those lengths for an accurate diagnosis. They take time and great care to keep our kitties healthy and happy.  We are grateful for Dr. Tom and find the expenses to be in line with the level of treatment.   It isn't that expensive really.  We are happy to pay their modest bills.Vicki and Bill Sarris Read Less

I was a bit hesitant to take my cat in for his first annual exam, based on the other reviews about price gouging.  However, Dr. Tom was great, suggesting only a Rabies shot and some tapeworm Profender for our healthy outdoor cat.  The total bill was around $100 for the exam, Rabies shot and Profender application.  I rarely take the time to write reviews, but wanted to share my positive experience with Dr. Tom and the Carmel Holistic Vet Clinic. Read Less

My 13 year old lab mix Timber has severe arthritis we manage well with a combination of cold laser therapy, chiropractic, aqua treadmill and medications. We wanted to take both dogs with us on a 2 week road trip but didn't want Timber to lose ground on his physical therapy. I found this clinic via a google search. My vet sent Timber's records to the Carmel Holistic Veterinary Clinic, and Dr. Tom agreed to see Timber. Dr. Tom was very friendly, gentle, and thorough. Timber was very relaxed for his treatment, and it really helped him stay up with his therapy. It made all the difference in our trip to know that Timber could get the care he needed.I found the cost to be quite fair. It was exactly the same as I paid at my local vet for an office visit and chiropractic. Read Less

All vets are expensive. So are dr. And so are dentists. When we make a commitment to get an animal that the responsibility we take on. so I can't complain about that. dr. Shannon and dr. Tom took very good care of our beloved Lab after she got into a dog fight, they took such good care of her and also made her feel comfortable. The staff- Sarah and Lara were on top of it calling us every few hours to give us an update and prepare us for what we were being billed for before hand. The after care instructions were explained precisely. I had a good experience there when it could have been awful. Read Less

I have brought my cat here for the past 6 years, and each time they take good care of her. Dr. Shannon is really nice, and the environment is much more calming than any other vet we've been to. The glass doors on the exam rooms help distract my kitty, because she can look at what is going on all over the office. I think that the prices are high, but I've been to other vets on the peninsula, and each time my kitty came back sicker than she was going in. I would recommend that in general, pet owners get pet insurance. Also, inquire about the price of services before they are rendered. Like many others, I would prefer that the vet inform me of price before they go ahead with tests, etc., but most vets don't. (Come to think of it, it would be great if medical doctors and hospitals did this, too!) Read Less

I have had many vets over the years, and having had ,many animals I firmly believe that the Holistic Vet is the best. Is it cheap? no If you know your pet, and are willing to do some work on your own aka raw food, etc. this is the vet for you. I have a diabetic cat. I took him and in after some blood work confirmed what I suspected. I disucssed some information I found about glucose testing at home. Dr Tom was totally supporitve, and from what I read most vets are not supportive and instead suggest putting the cat down before even attempting treatment. In fact one night I dropped a vial of insulin ($100) in my kitchen  after drawing my kitties evening dose. As it shattered across the floor I thought what do I do now? I called the vet and Dr Tom personally delivered a vial of insulin he kept im reserve to me on a Sunday so I would have my morning dose to give my cat. With their help and my personal research my cat is off insulin. My allergic cat is no longer covered with bloody messes my previous vet could not diagnose. I can not say enough. Are they expensive? at times yes. But.. ASK how much something costs, I do and they tell me BEFORE I agree to something. Be proactive, this is a good Veterinarian in my opinion. Read Less

Carmel Valley holistic veterinary clinic specializing in the art of ripping people off.The good old Dr. Tom cares  merely about the money coming out your pocket.This business is SEVERELY lacking in the fairness department and the compassion department.  There is indeed also a lack in the professionalism at the front desk.Of course there'll also be good experiences. As indeed there were with me during my ten year patronage. Unfortunately that patronage was only rewarded with being ripped off and taken advantage of during my cat's death.I would no sooner take an  animal now to the Carmel Valley vet than I would toss it  off a cliff. I could go on and on and on with details and details but that would be a waste of my energy directed towards such a lousy outfit.Don't be fooled, Dr. Tom is a quack who really doesn't  "care to be fair".Or go ahead and be fooled!  But why?  When there are considerably cheaper vets locally where professionalism, compassion and fairness are a part of their daily operation. Read Less

Well first time and last time. Just showed up to get simple shots and walked out 189.00 dollars later. They never told me what the cost's would be. I went in for two shots and walked out with a big bill later. Holistic Rip Off. People were nice but the should be for the price they charge. Read Less

Unfortunately, these folks don't really care about your animal - they care about your money. Our baby was sick, and when asked if she would be ok 'Dr. Tom' shook his hand like "maybe-so, maybe-not" and then wished us a good night and left, just like that. By the way, we got charged $45 dollars for a 'consultation' with Dr. Tom, apparently for that very conversation, since our doc was a different person. Also, they were scared of our dog and had her muzzled. They are also rude and offended that you care about your animal. The facilities are nice, but don't let that fool you. You will be taken advantage of, and your pet will not be taken care of. We left food for our dog for her overnight stay, and they did NOT feed her. After giving her lots of fluid, they found her red blood cell count was low, so of course, it had to be an auto-immune disease requiring more expensive tests. When we brought her to a new vet, they said that was due to all the fluids she had recieved. Our bill was supposed to be $970, but ended up being $1700. They don't care if your pet lives or dies. Not sure if they are burnt out or what, but its a horrible feeling. Try the Carmel Valley Clinic or the one in Pacific Grove. Good Luck. Read Less

Terrible pricing policies and ridiculous markups through slick packaging of services make this place tough to accept as a reasonable place to get affordable care for your pet. I must agree with the previous PROS regarding the courtesy of their staff. It is unfortunate that the policies of their management forces them to be the messengers of bad news. While I have been somewhat satisfied with the services they've rendered in the past, when I can get the same service (or better) at a different location and have the opportunity to deal with honest, up-front, non-hidden pricing why wouldn't I? We went back and forth on pricing for a service I never received, and in the end they told me flat out that I will not get a refund for a service they never performed because they wrap that price into a bigger service. Now on the surface that sounds somewhat reasonable, but when I happen to know what their lab charges for this service, their argument falls apart somewhat. At the end of it, they told me I could call back to  speak to someone else (as again, the poor receptionist was just the messenger). My perspective is that if you want to break this pattern which people are professing online about the unfair pricing practices, you should be calling me. I explained this to her. Needless to say, I am still waiting for their call. Hey, if it's worth it to you to lose me as a client over a $30 refund, more power to you. I have no doubt in my mind that the staff here is dedicated to making your pet healthy to the best of their abilities. Unfortunately, it seems that they are concurrently trying to squeeze every penny out of you that they can. There are equally-good vets all over the peninsula with up-front pricing, comparable (if not better) education and experience that realize the dollars will come when the service is worth it.Bottom line: Look elsewhere. Read Less

I took my dog here when he was bitten by a tick for the first time.  I had never seen one before and was nervous about removing it.  The tick ended up falling off on its own before the appointment, but I brought my dog in anyway for a general exam.  The vet didn't hesitate to recommend a completely new diet for my dog (he is fed all organic, all the time) and push a bunch of products I didn't need.  He also took several blood samples and informed me that he would call within the day to let me know the status of the blood work.  Just the checkup itself ran me about $300 and no one ever called me about the results of the blood work.  Save your money and go elsewhere!  This place is a scam! Read Less

Pros: Friendly staff, clean building.Cons: EXTREMELY EXPENSIVEI've taken my dogs here several times for minor maladies. It has never cost less than $300. On top of that the owner (who also works there as a vet) tries to get me to leave my dog there for an IV and "supervision" almost everytime. I could only guess how much I would get charged if I allowed that to happen.I also called around to get a few prices to have my other dog neutered.Carmel Holistic Veterinary was well over twice what anybody else charged. They wanted literally $725 to neuter my dog with laser surgery. That's compared to $275 at Carmel Valley Veterinary and $250 at Northridge.I always feel there is a deliberate lack of financial transparency when you come here..prices are never discussed until you get the bill and all kinds of tests and other expensive crap will get ordered without your consent. I guess if money is no object than this is the place for you... if not you probably want to take your dog somewhere else. Read Less