Town and Country Veterinary Hospital

Love Dr. Laporte! After horrible experiences with both Midland Animal Clinic and Banfield Animal Hospitals it's been amazing to have a vet that actually cares about the well being of the animal not just the money in your pocket. You see HIM every time as apposed to seeing a random vet each visit. This leads to a very personalized experience because he understands you pet and its history, not just what was marked on the chart the last time. He has given us extra years of life to multiple dogs we have had, doing realistic treatments based on pet age and needs. Had a chow begal mix that after $2,500 in testing at Midland they said they still needed more tests, and exploratory surgery. We found this redicilous.. This is how we found Town and Country. Sent over all of the records to Dr. Laporte and he was able to tell us she had cancer of the liver just by looking at the blood panel and that the x-rays, ultrasound and all the other miscellaneous tests were completely unnecessary. He had all the information he needed just from the blood panel. Because she was a 12 year old dog an expensive, invasive, exploratory surgery was not only extreamly dangerous but unlikely to provide any more time to her life than giving her fluids every few months and medicine. She lived to see her 13th birthday 10 months later under Dr. Laporte's care. And they were so sweet when it was finally time. They even gave us her remains in a beautiful wooden back with her name engraved on a gold plate on the front (for free). This is just one story of our many pets that have been given more time due to Town and Countrys personalized, family style vet care. Please consider this when making the choice where to bring your pet of any age. Read Less

Stay away from this vet! I took my healthy lab puppy  to get spayed and she died the next day! I received  no apologies until wife filed a claim with the veterinarian board.  We now go to Midland and they are amazing. PLEASE DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE WE DID STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE! Read Less

Very nice people. Very understanding and helpful. 10/10 would recommend. My dog had a wire in her intestine and instead of jumping to expensive surgery a much cheaper method was recommended and it worked. Very thankful.Read Less

Love Mike & his whole team!! I have a Vet directly across the street for me in Carmel valley and several to choose from that are a lot closer but I'll take the long drive. I trust them, their just awesome!!! Read Less

NOT ONE STAR!  I took my Boston terrier to LaPorte for vaccinations, he got so sick I thought he would die! I later found out from other vets that he was OVER vaccinated! My in-laws had their dog spayed by him only to come home to her with her guts hanging out! They went to court only to have "Dr"  LaPorte claim he didn't have any money! If you love your pet(s),  GO ELSEWHERE! There is nothing I hate more than animals suffering! Read Less

Dr. LaPorte has been my families veterinarian for literal decades. We've brought all our animals throughout the years for everything from first check ups to last moments. He's gone over and above to accommodate us. For example; providing medication other veterinarians did not have or even believe in, or making a special trip after businesses hours to put down my dog of many years who was suffering greatly. Despite the distance and driving time being over 2 hours for us, we will continue going as his knowledge and compassion is invaluable.Read Less

We took our healthy 6 month old lab there to have her spayed. I picked her up the next day and she died that night. It was horrible. I know complications can happen during and after surgery, but I would do your research before taking your pet here. I sure wish I would have. Read Less

I took my healthy 6 month old labrador Lola to this vet this last Friday to be spayed. I thought of a spay as a routine surgery that is performed all the time, I wish I had only known what was to come. They called Friday after Lola got out of surgery to let me know her surgery went well and that I would be able to pick her up the following morning. On Saturday I picked her up and she seemed very off, but they assured me she did great even though she did seem very depressed. Early Sunday morning, I awoke to find her next to me on the couch not breathing. She had passed away sometime throughout the night. My husband and I are at a complete loss. Lola was like a child to me, she did everything with us and she was our life. When we called to speak to the vet about what could have gone wrong, he spoke to me briefly and then got off the phone after apologizing for our loss. I know that many things can go wrong during a surgery, but my gut tells me now that I should have looked into this vet more before taking my Lola in for her spay. I wanted to share my story so that others research carefully before taking their animals to this vet for spaying. What I thought was a routine procedure killed my dog, and now I live with the guilt of knowing I should have researched this vet more in depth before taking my Lola in for surgery. Read Less

Dr. LaPorte is such an amazing vet and human being! His staff including his wife are so lovely caring and helpful! I would recommend - and HAVE - him to my friends and family. He is not trying to sell you anything - he and the staff just care about animals! I could not say enough good things about them. His pricing is reasonable and is worth every penny with all of his years of experience. Read Less

Always choose a vet with good office staff. Went in for doggie teeth cleaning and all went well. Because of gingivitis the cleaning required anesthesia and antibiotics, but lucked out with a Yelp deal and got a little discount. Found the vet to be good and not into up selling. He does have an office in Ramona/Julian, so not always available in Poway, but that was OK to wait for appointment. Read Less

Took our shi tzu in for a teeth cleaning and I found him to be honest and reputable. I just wish the prices weren't so high. But if you need a good cleaning where the vet goes under the gum, the dog must be put under. Our Hobbes had a lot of gingivitis, but didn't require any extractions. Now I am taking the cav in. She is in worse shape and I hope it won't be terrible. Word to all dog owners-- cancer, tumors, internal issues begin with poor tooth hygiene. Spend the money for a good teeth cleaning every year or so. It will prolong the dog's life and save $$ down the road. Read Less

Our labrador is our life, and I would not trust her with anyone other than Dr. LaPorte- he and his staff have remained beyond calm as I brought her in for eating anything and everything, are incredibly gentle with all of her shots, or following a horrible ACL tear, he explained both surgical and non-surgical options and took the most amazing care of her, even sending me pictures post surgery where she was up and already smiling away. He continues to monitor and discuss ongoing rehab options for her, and remains patient as I ask him every question or "what-if" regarding her recovery. Read Less

Today is the 1 year anniversery that this Vet killed my best Friend, my Dog Gus, I loved like a Son. I have not sued this man because to relive the events from 1 year ago would be to painful for me. But I believe he will get what is coming to him, God see's everything.My Weimaraner Gus was 10 Years old and some would say that is a normal Lifespan for this Breed, but my Boy was walking, eating and drinking, he just felt like he had a fever and he needed help jumping into my truck. So my Wife took him to see Dr. LaPorte. We had talked to Dr. LaPorte in the past about Gus's fatty Tumors, when she talked to Dr. LaPort she told him, that she wanted Gus checked out since he was running a temperature and that she did not want to put more stress on him by doing a Surgery.Well she left Gus with Dr. LaPorte. His Office called a few hours later to tell us that the Surgery was done. Dr. LaPorte did exactly what we ask him not to do. Gus had over 100 metal staples in his body.He never recovered from this unauthorized surgery, He was howling in Pain for Days and could not walk a single step. I had to carry him outside to do his business because he was to good of a Dog to go inside the house.When we called Dr. LaPort he told me Gus had a fever because he was in pain, I know a fever means Infection, I have asked other Vet's about that statement, I was told that I was correct and that Dr. LaPort made that up.Today one year ago we had my best friend and companion put to sleep, because we could not see him suffer any longer, my heart is still broken. We put in an official complaint on Mike La Porte and he showed the Board of Veterinary Medicine representative a forged consent form, signed by me with my signature for the unauthorized surgery on Gus. Yet my wife brought him and asked him not to do the surgery because he had a fever and could get in our vehicles on his own.Its makes me sad I had to put 1 star to write this message - he doesn't deserve it. Read Less

I brought  my dog with a laceration on her foreleg to Dr. Laporte's Poway office on a Friday morning. She underwent surgery.  Within 4 hours, several of the dissolvable sutures he put in were failing, unknotted and coming out. I returned to his Julian office that same afternoon and he stapled over the failing sutures.I had a problem with pain management that evening and felt he had not adequately prepared me for those needs. I had to seek out additional veterinary help.  More sutures came out overnight and a skin stapler was used to try to keep those areas closed over the weekend. I took her back in on Monday with more than half of the sutures failed and he said there was nothing he could do.  I decided to go to a second vet and had the records faxed to her. The records are brief and incomplete with NO details on the laceration - size, suture material used, # of sutures. There is no record that I had to return two more times because of suture failure and that he had to use a skin stapler the same day hours after the surgery. There is also no record of the Neo-Predef he sold me and instructed me to put on the wound. I was told by the second vet and researched more myself to find that medication with a steroid was not appropriate for her injury ($25 wasted).  I have written Dr. Laporte twice about my experience. The first one I mailed to his Post Office box and after no reply I hand delivered the second one to his Julian office and the receptionist assured me she would put in on his desk where he would get it. He has never responded to either of themThe bottom of his invoices say "If you like us tell a friend, if you are unhappy tell us" Apparently he just wants referrals and doesn't care about the unhappy clients? He can't be happy about the suture failure and me taking her to another vet after his care but to not respond to my letters is unacceptable. He provided poor veterinary care.My dog will have a scar for life over this experience and she is a show dog. It most certainly  would not have scarred as much if the sutures had not failed. Dr. Laporte was unprofessional and potentially negligent w/ his choice of suture material and prescribing the inappropriate Neo-Predef.     His invoices ask to let him know if the customer is unhappy!!  Since he refuses to acknowledge my letters it appears he has nothing to say for the poor veterinary care my dog received  It's experiences like this that give veterinarians a bad name. His office is always empty, that should have been my first clue. I encourage everyone to use anyone except Dr. Michael LaPorte!! Read Less

Great front of shop staff and a vet who listens well and explains very patiently. He never makes us feel rushed and looks at our beloved older dog's multiple symptoms as a puzzle to solve.  You can see the delight as the gears turn. So this is someone who cares about animals and wants to help them and what more are you looking for in a vet?  And his prices are way better than SD vets we've seen. Read Less

Not only will we never come to this Vet again we will never be able to.  Our family lost our beloved dog and companion 2 days ago.  He performed a procedure that should have never been done.  Unknowing prior to the procedure our Dog had a bad back and this issues should have been addressed prior to butchering away his fatty tumors.  Mr. Laporte knew that we would had done anything for this dog and we said, "if you feel he is not healthy enough for this procedure lets wait". The money hungry man that he is completed the procedure on our 10.5 year old Weimaraner and shortly after he had to be taking to a local Vet and put down.  This is unforgivable and wish we had never brought him to this Vet.  This is not the way we wanted our friend to pass.  He will stay in our hearts forever. KF  ZERO STARS Read Less

**UPDATED REVIEW***I hate to do it but I have to lower my rating for this vet. I have taken my German Shepherd to this vet twice now, and each time, my dog's ears get cured to about 85%, yet I get told it will get to 100% on its own. After about two weeks off the meds, her ear infection kept coming back. It seems they didn't want to heal her 100% in order for me to keep coming back. The staff there is amazing and it truly shows that they do love animals, which is why I am still giving them two stars. As for the veterinary services, find somewhere sleds if your animal has a complicated issue. This is possibly the best veterinarian in San Diego. I drive 30 miles one way just to make sure my dogs are seen by the vet here. Recently, my GSD got a bad ear infection. I took her to her regular vet at Miramar, and they gave me some Meds for her which do not work. When a coworker told me about this place and said she's been coming here for 16 years, I had to try it out. The Dr placed the medication in my GSDs ear, gave me some additional Meds, and tol me to come back in two weeks for a follow. My dog's ear was cleared in a week, she has no more pain, and I couldn't be happier with the vet. He has my business for life. If you love your pets like they are part of the family, and you only want the best, this is your vet!!! Prices are very reasonable compared to other vets in the area. Read Less

Very knowledgeable and gets right to the issue but is also very conservative on the Meds given to ur animal - which is exactly what I was looking for. If this medication runs it course, as I see it doing the doctor consoled me that my little chihuahua will not need to have surgery! :) His prices are very reasonable and he really spends his time with you... Also very sweet and helpful nurses and receptionists. I will definitely be bringing my little Jimmy back here even tho it's a 35 min drive its worth it! Read Less

Dr Laporte is very knowledgeable and comes highly recommended by people in the community.  I recently brought a rescued terrier into him and he removed a very large tumor and did it for a really reasonable price.   He is like a good old fashioned vet but with up to date knowledge and a very friendly staff.  I definitely will refer him to others. Read Less

Dr. Laporte is a very reasonable vet. I've been taking all my animals to him for years. I have 5 dogs so of course the vet bills can get pricey but Dr. Laporte has always kept the price fair and has never run any unnecessary tests. And the staff is always so friendly and helpful. I love this clinic. Read Less

We have been going to Dr. LaPorte for 4 years.  During that time he has always treated our dog with care and respect.  Having used other vets in the past that run up the tab with unnecessary lab work and unreasonable tests, we found Dr Laporte to be a throw back to the old country vet that does only what is necessary providing you with solid advice and quality care.  We truly appreciate the sensible treatment he gives to our furry family member. Read Less

I wish there could be negative stars. This man is a con artist in a vet's clothing. When I told him I was taking my rescued kitten to the clinic he told me he'd charge me 15$ to do it so I went to him trying to stay loyal. Well when I went back to get the boosters done on Dec 23 (yeah, Merry Christmas I'm going to rip you off) he did all these tests and whatnot and it totaled to 105.00. Well there went my Xmas bonus. I didn't sign any paper with the services okaying him to do so. Well my bf went to confront him kindly about the situation and it took months to get ahold of him. He said he'd take care of us. NOPE. Not to mention we have given him 6,000+ of business the last year and he did those con artist moves on my bf doing all this stuff to add to the bill. Really nice DR. Shame on Dr. Laporte. Read Less

Dr. Laporte is amazing - extremely honest and knowledgable.  He has two locations - one in Julian and one in Poway nicely convenient.  The reason why  he has been in business for 25 years is because of his reputation with all animals.Very well diversed in cats, dogs and horses.His pricing is very reasonable and was able to work with me so that I wouldn't break my bank roll... The concern is for the pet not the dollar sign.I would highly recommend Dr. Laporte's practice seeing as I have had many encounters with Vets that are all about upselling... You won't find that here...I've taken all my dobermans to this Vet and has been nothing but good results with fair prices.Thanks Dr. Laporte for making my dogs happy again. Read Less