River Oak Veterinary Hospital

I have been going there for over 30yrs and they are the best around, so calm and compassionate when it comes to your furry loved one, caring for them like they were their own pets, Iwouldn't dream of taking my fur babies, big or tiny, anywhere else! Read Less

I had to respond to the previous review. I have been taking my cats and dogs here for the past 3 years and have been pleased with not only how how I am treated, but with the care and compassion they show my animals. I have seen both vets and am very confident with their professionalism, knowledge, and consideration. I have been to vets who only swoop into the room for a few minutes before moving on, but at River Oak the vets spend time with both the animals and talking to the owners. I never feel like I'm being rushed and I do feel like I'm listened to. In all the times I've been there the lobby has never been dirty, it has never smelled and I'm always pleased with the service. Read Less

I took my cat to Rive Oak Veterinary because he fractured his leg. My cat is 19 years old and does have kidney failure that Dr. Shaner diagnosed 9 months ago. Dr. Shaner spent 2 minutes with my cat and was very rough with him and then told us to come back in 45 minutes so they could take an xray, When I arrived back he took me back and told me that I could either take my cat to An orthopedic specialist at UC Davis that would "cost a nice chunk of change" or put him down because he is not a surgical candidate. I asked if there were any specialists in the area and he said nope go to Davis or the bay area. After Calling around I found Sylvan Vet had an orthopedic specialist however he was not going to be in for a week so they referred me to Dr. Frey is Stockton who said my cats leg was repairable and he splinted it for me. I will never return to see Dr. Shaner he has no compassion. This is the second time in 9 months that he told me to put my cat down the first being when he was diagnosed with kidney failure 9 months ago. I know my cat is old, but I also know he is not ready to go. This review is in no way about Dr. Hellman as i have never seen him. Only about his colleague Dr. Shaner. Please be aware of him. It seems his answer when it comes to cats is to put them down.Read Less

We've been going to Dr. Hellman for about 23 years! We absolutely love him, his bed side manner to both our furbabies and to us! I also want to recognize Jenn, she is awesome with my babies and I only make scheduled visits when she"s in the office! Read Less

Dr. Hellman is awesome. My cats, Abby & Roxy love him. Even our gkids like going with my cats for their check-ups to see Dr. Hellman. First time I took my granddaughter Toria she was 3 yrs and took her doctor bag to help Dr. Hellman. Read Less

Dr. Hellman and Dr. Shaner are excellent vets. The Doctors and the staff are competent, friendly and compassionate. I travel 1/2 hour to utilize their service even though there are a number of veterinarians much closer to me. They usually charge less than other vets in the area, perhaps due to the fact that the hospital is well established and probably not saddled with a huge debt. The hospital may not sport an ultra fancy waiting room, but it is clean and sanitary. I have raised dogs for years and now find myself as more of a retirement community for my dogs. With an aging population of dogs, I find myself visiting River Oak with greater frequency. Occasionally a problem is difficult to diagnose. This has nothing to do with the competence level of any vet. The same thing happens with people and their physicians. Two years ago I almost lost my 15 year old terrier. Late one evening I found him struggling to breath. I rushed him to the emergency clinic. After oxygen, sedation and x-rays it was determined that he had something obstructing his windpipe. The emergency clinic was unable to perform this type of procedure. The recommendation was euthanasia since respiratory failure was imminent. I wasn't ready to give up on my friend and at my insistence, they found a specialist. Having just spent $400 at the emergency clinic, my husband was reluctant to pour a huge amount of money into a 15 year old dog. The moment River Oak opened in the morning, I was on the phone. Dr. Hellman would see my boy. He performed this very risky surgery removing an inflamed polyp that was severely restricting his breathing. The cost was less than half of what I was quoted as a base price for a specialist. My friend died on Monday at the age of 17 1/2 years. I'm grateful to Dr. Hellman for the two additional years. Both of these doctors have diagnosed and effectively treated my many dogs and cats. I'm sorry the last reviewer didn't have the desired outcome with her cat. Pet ownership can be expensive. Outcomes with health issues vary. The Doctors and staff at River Oak are truly the best in their field. Read Less

The wait time took almost 2 hours and no one was even there. The employees were fooling around in the back and I did not even feel comfortable leaving my dog here. The wait room was very dirty and smelled repulsive. I would not recommend this clinic at all. Seriously. Read Less