Such great service! Our kitty was sick, and needed to be checked out. Dr. Anderson provided the best care, and took his time talking with us to figure out what could be wrong with our cat. Although the tests were inconclusive he recommended we change her diet. She's been happy and healthy since! Read Less

This is a great veterinary practice to take your animals too if you are looking for exceptional service and care for your pet. I had been taking my 1yr old Himalayan cat to another vet and was receiving little to no care. Finally frustrated with the lack of care and time they were willing to spend with my cat that had blood in his urine, i was recommended to Hillcrest and have been blown away by their professionalism and clear love for the animals they tend too. Within one visit, i was able to get my cat diagnosed, treatment started, and a complete turn around in his issue. Dr Anderson has been amazing and spent more time with me going over the results on a single phone call then the previous clinic did in my lifetime of going to them. If you have a new pet or just aren’t happy with your current vet, i highly recommend Hillcrest and Dr Anderson in particular! Read Less

By far the best vet we've been to. The doctors not only know their craft, but truly care for your animal like it's theirs. They'll never overcharge you or advise a procedure that's extra, just to get $$$. The staff is outstanding, as well. These folks truly love any and all the animals they treat! And, they interact with the humans of the pets pretty well, too. 😁 Read Less

If I could give negative stars I would. Had an appt today and was 8 minutes late due to my grandmother passing who is 3,000 miles away. I explained this to them and a woman named Heidi was very rude. Telling me that I had to reschedule without any empathy for my situation. The waiting room was empty. Literally no one in there and she told me I would mess up the other appointments. Okay, because Dr offices aren't known to make you wait 20 minutes past time. Why should my dog have to suffer with blood in his stool and worms. This place has no sympathy and no care about the animals. This woman was flat out rude. I recommend going somewhere else like Oasis, where their employees understand life matters and have COMPASSION. Don't make an appointment here if you plan on having any sort of emergency delay you more than 15 minutes before your appointment. Oh yeah, you can't plan for emergencies. UPDATE : thank God for DIABLO VIEW for taking me in RIGHT AWAY after what happened. On my way there now. Incredible, compassionate staff. Read Less

I changed to this vet after having a bad experience with another local vets office. I wish I would have found this one sooner! Their staff is always very helpful and energetic. You can tell that they love animals and sincerely care about taking care of them. My dog got very sick earlier this year and they did everything they could to get her in if I needed to; and worked very well in partnering with Sage Emergency Vet in Concord when they couldn't. There was never a disconnect in communication with the services (which I was very afraid of during this emotional time). Unfortunately, my sweet dog passed away, and the doctor called me to see how I was going the next day. A few weeks later, I received a letter in the mail that they donated money to a local research organization in her name. What a lovely way to show they truly care. I will be forever grateful. Read Less

We switch vets after former animal hospital made too many changes. OMG, we found a hidden treasure in our own back yard ( literally)... Dr. Lamp is top of her game. Her care, her understanding of how being parents to an older dog works, her ability to translate into words we understand. Stellar..Speaking of stellar, what an amazing staff. Always responsive, friendly and flexible.So glad we found you! Read Less

Dr. Anderson is the nicest vet I've ever had care for my pet. He is so caring, honest and pays attention to detail. Adrian the technician is an angel and always makes both the owner and pet feel at ease and very knowledgeable. I'm so grateful to them. Read Less

I haven't been to Hillcrest but my dog Rosie was a patient of Dr. Anderson's. He was loving, calming & thorough - I have the most respect for his knowledge AND his demeanor. He also saw my other 2 dogs a few times & was just as wonderful with them. Read Less

I was visiting from out of the area and needed to stop in for some ear cleaner for my dog. The ladies were very helpful and nice. I stopped in and got what  I needed. Good knowing this place is here in case I need it next time! Read Less

The staff is caring and knowledgeable, but the customer service/organization is lacking. In December, my dog had a post-op check-up. We showed up for our appointment, checked in, then spent 60 minutes in the waiting room before we finally left, without being seen by anyone. Six months later, my dog had his annual check-up. This time we are shown into an exam room. After 30 minutes, I have to ask, as before, if they've forgotten about us. A tech is found to complete the tests, and we leave, without seeing the vet or receiving an annual check-up. Especially aggravating, as when I first began coming to Hillcrest, I was 10 minutes late for an appointment, and the receptionist cancelled my appointment, giving me such a hard time about fitting me in later, that I have stressed about being prompt ever since. So, for me, the stress of being seen/not seen, and rushing to get there, is not worth it. Read Less

I had my 1st visit today at Hillcrest and they were awesome, the front desk ladies were very nice and helpful.  Dr Anderson was great with my dog Ty.  He gave me options that would work for us.  So glad I found this vet for my dog! Read Less

Not sure what to make of this place which kind of sux b/c my animals are like my children and I can't get a solid read on this place. While on the surface it seems normal, there is a pervasive feeling of upselling going on in the background. -Constantly. I get it, it's a business but profiting off of unnecessary testing or sickness in general is odd to me. The upselling is mainly from the older gal in the pig tails, Andrea is always sweet and seems like she's working to keep it sane there. She def seems on the side of the patients and their most of the time CRAZY pet owners. As others have reviewed, I never see the same doctor either,  but ALL the doctors we have seen were phenomenal. The new one, Dr Anderson pulled a dog whisperer move on my EXTREMELY stressed out terrier mix who gets so out of control upset, he jumps off the walls, excessively pants and is tied in knots beside himself w/terror of what's coming! It usually takes him a while to come down once we get back home and all is normal again. Dr Anderson picked up the little stress ball of a dog and Blackie immediately stopped freaking out, stopped the hard panting and was ENTIRELY relaxed. -HAPPY even! It was the MOST shocking display of instantaneous & absolute okay-ness I've ever witnessed. -WTH? I'll deal with the admins for now, but a word about tact to some of the front desk staff may be in order while dealing with such an emotional trigger for people like a sick or injured pet. Read Less

I absolutely love this place! I am a first time fur baby owner so you can imagine I have many, many questions. I have called many places asking the same questions. I was basically shopping around and trying to get a feel of the place and people. When I called Hillcrest Vetrinary, I felt nothing but love. Heidi was very patient, answered all my questions and even gave me recommendations. Below is an email that I sent to Dr.Thibedeau. For Coco's first visit, we saw Dr.Thibedeau and for her second visit, we saw Dr. Anderson, both were great. However; Dr. Thibedeau did do a follow up phone call, but Dr. Anderson did not. Good afternoon Dr. Thibedeau,Per our conversation yesterday, the reason for me choosing Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital for our puppy Coco's care was due to one of your staff members.  I am a firm believer of giving credit where credit is due.  I have never owned a puppy, so I was calling many veterinary hospitals getting quotes and asking many questions (I would ask each veterinary hospital the same questions).  However; your employee Heidi really went above and beyond and truly exceeded my expectations as a new puppy owner.On Saturday, 2/6/16 around 9:15 AM, I had called asking the basic questions: how much would it cost for my puppy's exam, how much would the shots cost. etc. Heidi was very patient, professional and answered all my questions, but most importantly, she was very knowledgeable.  How Heidi carried herself in our telephone conversation, I could tell that she loves what she does.  I was concerned about the cost later down the road and Heidi even recommended Trupanion.. Heidi briefly went over what Trupanion covers and how it works.  She had mentioned that when I brought Coco in for her exam, there would be more information that I can take home and read about.  Heidi even talked about CareCredit ( I believe that is what it is called).  Unfortunately, I did not take Coco into Hillcrest for her initial exam because I was able to get a coupon for a free exam at Banfield and that's where I received Coco's basic shots.  However; when I called Hillcrest back to cancel Coco's scheduled appointment, I had let the lady know (not Heidi) that once I get Coco's records started, I will definitely take Coco to Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital for her primary veterinary needs.Thank you very much!Jen C Agustin Mommy of Coco Agustin Read Less

So, I have been taking various pets to Hillcrest Veterinary Hospital since the mid 70s. I am now in my 3rd generation of Drs. there.  There has never been a visit when I wasn't pleased, helped, informed, and felt my little companions were totally cared for.Yesterday was a very difficult visit.  The most we can imagine as a pet lover.   Our extraordinary little Mickey dog had to be put out of his pain.   The entire staff was compassionate with my frantic, emotional phone calls in the days prior.  During the visit, they were so, so kind to me and my little boy.  They allowed me to be with him through the process, which Dr,  Anderson explained to me so I would know what to expect.  It was quick,and painless and I cannot convey how grateful I am.   I am aching, yet so appreciate every single soul who works there. Read Less

I've been taking my two dogs to Hillcrest since moving to Pleasant Hill about two years ago.  I've never been particularly happy with them, but today was the final straw.Their exams are VERY short and cursory.  Weight and temperature... then immediately onto up-selling services like vet insurance and dental cleanings.  There is zero attempt to actually create a relationship with you or your pets - I've seen a different doctor every time I've been there.  The techs are rude and also money driven.  If I'm there for one dog, and I even dare to ask a simple yes/no question about the other, the response is - you need a separate appointment for that.... it's all about the money.But today marks the end.  I received a "Shot reminder" card in the mail yesterday - postmarked November 30 - "reminding" me that one dog is due for a Kennel Cough vaccine on Dec 1!  What is the point of a reminder if they send it out ONE DAY in advance??  Because of this, I couldn't take the dogs to daycare this week.  If they can't get even a simple automated reminder card right, I certainly don't want them caring for my pets.  I'll be getting this shot at VIP while I look for a vet that actually cares about my dogs more than my wallet. Read Less

I've been taking my cat, Chicken here for 2 years now.  The staff is very professional and pet loving.  I am picky about who touches my baby but I trust them.  They do not try to up-sell items or tests on me and even give me free shampoo samples when I'm in and need it, I really appreciate that!  I would recommend this vet for your kitty.  I also appreciate that they have a divided lobby, one side for cats and little creatures and one side for dogs.  They are very friendly to call and ask a quick question. Read Less

We have been taking our pets to Hillcrest Veterinary Clinic for over 25 years. The care that the staff gives, the professional manner and the expertise that is shown has been wonderful to experience. We highly recommend Drs. Thibideau and Asseo and staff! Read Less

My little musk turtle Max got bitten on the head pretty badly by his bigger, meaner tank mates, and I was pretty worried about him. I brought him here and Dr. Asseo checked him out, and planned to take him in for surgery to cover his exposed skull, as well as gave him a good amount of medicine(administering medicine to turtles is hard) to take home.On the day he was supposed to go in, she determined that he had healed well enough to not need the surgery after all, and sent him home with instructions for a checkup in a couple weeks.Now, on top of Dr. Asseo's expert knowledge of reptiles and the reasonable rates, they opted to skip what would have been a very costly surgery they already knew I'd pay for. It's unfortunate that many veterinary hospitals will not hesitate to milk anxious customers who are willing to pay, but that's not my firsthand experience here.This excellent experience has made finding a reliable veterinarian for my dogs(as well as my other turtles) very simple. I simply cannot recommend them enough. Read Less

I came here yesterday for the first time when my chameleon had a prolapse. The staff made an extraordinary effort to fit us in for surgery even though they were already booked. Everybody was very friendly and helpful. Dr. Asseo is amazing. You can really tell she has a passion for reptiles and loves what she does. We were not rushed at all, and she took a long time doing a thorough examination of our little guy and answering all of our questions.She was also very understanding about our budget and financial situation, allowing us to make a partial payment for surgery and not trying to sell us on any additional medical procedures. (By the way, the final bill was CHEAPER than the original estimate..how often does that happen?!?) We will definitely be back for any future veterinary needs. Read Less

This was my first trip here with my grouchy little dog. The staff was really sweet and took so much time talking to me and interacting with my pup. I had previously taken my dog to a large corporate vet hospital which was always a zoo and they always tried to up sell us when we were there.I think we found the right spot for our pooch and for us Read Less

Dr. Thibedeau is the best veterinarian I've encountered over a lifetime of pet ownership. He is seriously the best! I had good feelings about him from the very first time we met him - he shook our hands and then actually sat down on the floor with our puppy to do his exam (and has done so at every visit since!). I've had pets all my life, with various veterinarians, and have never had another vet sit on the floor with my pets to make them feel comfortable. This was only the beginning of our relationship and good impressions from Dr. Thibedeau.We depend on Dr. T for our dog's health and would never even consider taking her elsewhere. This is because he was the one who discovered our dog's heart murmur (something another vet had missed!). He recommended additional testing, so we had two echos done - one performed at Hillcrest by a specialist and another done by an expert cardiology vet, Dr. Allen, at VCA in San Leandro to confirm the uncommon findings. These led to the discovery that our dog has an extremely rare combination of two different heart defects (we're talking like only 10 other documented cases of the same combo - lucky us! *sarcasm*). We were told that our, then 6 month old, puppy would have a shortened lifespan of 6mos. to 2yrs. Needless to say, this was absolutely devastating. However, had Dr. Thibedeau not caught the heart murmur that lead to our dog's diagnosis, she likely would've passed away under anesthesia while being spayed and we never would've had the wonderful memories that we have today of our happy, (relatively) healthy dog who is now TWO YEARS AND TWO MONTHS old, woohoo! Dr. Thibedeau and his staff have been nothing but supportive and are always willing to listen to/see us when we have panicked moments or urgent situations occur. He not only takes great care of our dog, but he always asks how WE are doing, too. Our rather extreme situation aside, the staff at Hillcrest truly go the extra mile with their 'patients.'Like I said, we wouldn't take our dog anywhere else and highly recommend Dr. Thibedeau to anyone who is looking for a great vet! Read Less

Crowded, hot office. Female vet (not currently on their website) was very loud/hyper with my dog and had a rather obnoxious personality preaching about dog dental care when my dog has perfect teeth. I paid for a full exam on my dog, but the vet neglected to inspect her skin, underside genital area, or ears. When I noticed an obvious genital skin condition a few days later and tried to schedule a follow-up appointment, they refused to waive the second exam fee of $55 and claimed the vet's notes proved that the genital area was "normal" at the time of the first exam. This was a lie because the vet never even inspected this!! Horrible experience here. Read Less

I took my dog, Colbie to see Dr. Asseo after two recommendations from people that I work with. They were able to get me in within a few days of my initial call. When we went into the office, I was impressed with the overall cleanliness of the office. I also like that they have a separate entrance for dogs and cats. When we were brought into the exam room, I liked that the door was only a "half door" so we could see and hear what was going on outside the room. Dr. Asseo came in shook my hand and sat down on the floor with Colbie. I loved that she got down on her level and didn't use the cold examination table, which my dog has learned to know means bad things are coming. She waited for Colbie to come to her on her own terms and took her time getting to know all about her history. She offered some great advice on some issues I'd been having with her. Colbie has had kidney issues in the past, so they did need to do some blood work and get a urine sample. A few hours after leaving the office, one of the staff members called me to tell me that they had charged me for a urine extraction, when Colbie had actually gotten a lil nervous and give one on her own. So they credited me back the charge. I found this to be very honest. It also showed me that they we weren't just a priority while we were in there, but that there was some thought given to her care after we left. Overall, I am very impressed. This far outreaches the care that we have received at some other local vets. Read Less

After taking my dogs to another vet in Concord, I decided to take them here for a second opinion. The difference was like night and day. Dr. Asseo is particularly amazing, although all of the vets I've encountered there are good too. The office is clean (which is probably hard to maintain) and the staff is very friendly, organized, well-informed and helpful. They are all very professional there and you can tell that they genuinely love animals. They are a little pricier than the other vet I used to go to, but the money is well spent. Read Less