The fact that Dr Najman neglected to keep Booboo with at minimum under oxygen when he clearly was hypoxemic since he was cyanotic and she was considering intubating him. He was gasping for air, fighting to live. To take him out to the parking lot without oxygen is not only cruel and unethical but also likely contributed to his death, even if he had survived this, he could have been left with permanent neurological damage. Although we believe that excessive sedation and inadequate monitoring of Booboo may have contributed to his death, that is for the veterinary review committee to decide. We believe that Dr Najman lack of ethic, compassion and professionalism is beyond appalling, no living being should under any circumstances be deprived of basic medical care such as oxygen to prove one’s point. Unethical, unprofessional, cruel but inhumane. No one should ever take their furry kids here. Read Less

Boo Boo was wheeled out while gasping for air, was cyanotic, was fighting to live. No oxygen. How can a veterinarian be so cruel and incompetent to make Boo Boo suffer so much. Such a thing is called neglected assistance. I can only recommend to everyone to never enter this vet's office. Read Less

What did I do deserve to have no oxygen? I was wheeled out to a parking lot while gasping for air without oxygen. Fighting to live. I personally would never ever take my cat to your place after what happened to Boo Boo Read Less

I was broken hearted to learn of the needless death of BooBoo, the very beloved pet belonging to Diana, a friend of mine. After being told he could go home, they were told, while driving over to the vets office, he needed to be intubated and they said no. How could he have gotten that bad in just a few minutes? When they got there the vet, still having the phone to her ear, screaming at them that if they wanted to see a sick dog, wheeled him out to the parking lot, with BooBoo struggling to breathe, his tongue blue from lack of air. Any professional and competent vet would have taken emergency measures to save his life! Not here!! This is unforgivable and I consider it to be malpractice!! If you love your fur baby, so taken them here! Dr Laura Najman is the veterinarian who treated BooBoo. Read Less

I am disgusted and shocked by the way you treated a bulldog named Boo Boo and his parents. You denied the poor boy the oxygen he so desperately needed, because your ego was more important than the needs of the animals you should take care of. I guess money is your only motivation to to this work. This woman Najman, I don't even want to call this sadist Doctor or Vet, should have her licence revoked and never be allowed to work with animals again. She is no vet, but a cool blooded murderer. We will make sure this money making scam will be exposed for what it is. A slaughter house in disguise.... 👿 Read Less

I’m both saddened and shocked to hear of the death of a dear friends beloved dog at the hands of this clinic and the vet that was supposed to treat him. Wheeling him out to the parking lot while he was in respiratory distress? And then fighting with this dog’s parents instead of doing everything in your means to save his life? I’d like to see the page from the medical text that says this is the proper treatment! I see others commenting on this same case, but then seeing tons of other reviews not related to this particular tragedy only seems to add merit than NO ONE should bring a beloved family member to this clinic. In these very stressful times, your lack of compassion and professionalism only proves that your clinic should be shut down and your staff should look for another line of work, far away from any kind of living beings! Read Less

I am writing this review because I am sick to my stomach at the treatment given Diana Munoz's precious fur baby, Boo Boo.  In her anger,  Dr (?) Najman was more interested in being cruel to Boo Boo's parents than in giving that poor, dying dog the oxygen he so desperately needed!  His tongue was blue and he was gasping for air - trying to hold on to life - and all the vet could do is yell at his poor parents while they pleaded with her to give Boo Boo oxygen!  Are you kidding me??!??   Very un-professional and downright cruel!!!  Shame on you!!!  I give you less Read Less

Treated my friend Diana Munezs beloved baby like crap. I have been through a similar experience and nothing is worse. I raked Pet Vet on Patton very badly everywhere add all over the net. What is with these vets and their oh so awful staff? I will tell you. $$$$$$$ Disgusting. Karma a bitch. Read Less

I’m writing in regarding a bull dog who was a patient under Dr Najma , I use the term Dr loosely due to the fact that Boo Boo was not treated with dignity or compassion . He was wheeled out in a parking lot fighting for air the lack of empathy towards his parents & compassion is appalling a full investigation should be underway ! If Boo Boo was human this whole incident would have led to criminal charges and disbarment unfortunately you may have paper trail to cover this up BUT YOU WILL NEVER HAVE A HEART !!!!! Read Less

I'm finding it very difficult to even leave a 1 🌟 review. I am writing this review for Diana Munoz on the treatment of sweet Boo Boo. It has been one of the most distressing things I have come across for a long time. Where was the compassion, professional care and empathy to wheel this poor boy when he was trying to hold on to his life without giving the basic thing he needed OXYGEN! Our pets are our children and expect them to be respected as such!! Read Less

This review is on behalf of a beautiful bulldog named Boo Boo who was not given oxygen by Dr. Najman at a critical time. She wants to put the blame on the parents instead of where it really belongs which is firmly on her shoulders. Why was he wheeled out into the parking lot gasping for breath when he should have been on oxygen? He was probably scared out of his mind. Now that beautiful dog is gone and Diana and Carlos have to live with the vision of him gasping for air for the rest of their lives. Why didn’t you help him? To make a point? They did not want to take him home if he wasn’t well. You were sworn to protect your patients. You failed Boo Boo and his parents. Read Less

I am leaving a review on behalf of Ms Diana Munoz who left her dog Boo-Boo in your care and who died as a result of incompetence on your part. How you could wheel a dog into the parking lot when it should have been on oxygen, is incomprehensible to me. There appears to be a complete lack of empathy, expertise, ethics or morals in the way you dealt with this dog and his owner. As someone who lives in Jamaica and has bred Boxers for many years, I am aghast. We have few of your first world facilities but I know of no vet here that would have behaved in this fashion. I am horrified and I hope that you will be forced to acknowledge the total lack of professionalism and caring shown towards Ms Munoz and Boo-Boo. Read Less

Why? Why didn't you help me? What did I ever do to you; to deserve such unprofessional, incompetent, neglectful, compassionless treatment? All I wanted was to live, to breath!! Rather than giving me the required medical care I so desperately needed, you wheeled me out into a parking lot to prove a point (whatever that was) to my distraught mom, dad and little brother! Why? Why I ask you? What answer do you have? None! There is nothing you could possibly say that would make it justifiable for you to take me from my family. I hope that no other beautiful, innocent being ever has to suffer under you care, or lack there of!! Read Less

One star is too much for this place. I took my beautiful 9 y/o Bulldog and they killed him. After they sedated him to death Dr Najman said that he needed to be intubated but she wanted us to see him first so she decided to wheeled him out to the parking lot without even providing oxygen. We could not believe our eyes when we so our beloved dog agonizing gasping for air and the Dr did not bother to even provide oxygen. How cruel is that! To make things worse now she is blaming us saying that we wanted to take him home regardless that he was dying. Really? Not only we have to suffer his loss but also now somehow it is our fault? If you love your dog please stay away from this place. They will not accept any responsibility and consider dogs as property not sentient beings Read Less

Boo was wheeled out to the parking lot gasping for air, fighting to live, his tongue hanging out and blue. He was dying. No oxygen. I had signed a consent form since the morning for them to take all measures needed to save Boo Boo's life... But ego played it's part. The fact that Dr Najman neglected to keep Booboo with at minimum under oxygen when he clearly was hypoxemic since he was cyanotic and she was considering intubating him. He was gasping for air, fighting to live. To take him out to the parking lot without oxygen is not only cruel and unethical but also likely contributed to his death, even if he had survived this, he could have been left with permanent neurological damage. Although we believe that excessive sedation and inadequate monitoring of Booboo may have contributed to his death, that is for the veterinary review committee to decide. We believe that Dr Najman lack of ethic, compassion and professionalism is beyond appalling, no living being should under any circumstances be deprived of basic medical care such as oxygen to prove one’s point. This women should never lay her cruel hands on any other fur child. She should be fired! By having her on board you are condoning her morally wrong behavior. · Read Less

I wish to register zero stars for the appalling treatment meted out to Ms Diana Munoz, causing the death of her dog. I am so disgusted that I have bothered to make this complaint from France 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 Read Less

This place went above and beyond to help me and my Goldie. I came here to write a review which I rarely do because the service I received from a wonderful nurse named was just excellent. She calmed me down and was really great with my dog. Answered and explained every question I had and just made an unfortunate event as easy as it could every be. Thank you for the great service Tammy! You can tell when one is going the extra mile and are are doing it because they get joy out of helping people. That's Tammy. I hope I never have to go to a vet hospital again, but if I have to, definitely this place. Read Less

I took my beloved dog to this animal hospital after being told that they were “specialists”. I had received full ultrasounds and x-rays of her body at another animal hospital prior to coming in. When I first came in, I was referred to the emergency vet (after calling internal medicine for a non-ER appointment). I took her in and was told she needed to redo all the ultrasounds and scans so this hospital would have their own records. I agreed. I paid $1,295 + $250= $1,545 ($250 for medication which I was told to discontinue a few days later). The veterinarian recommended she take heart med and several other medications and again (like in all the prior scans) saw nothing awry to explain her discomfort. I was told to bring her back to see the internal medicine doctor. I brought her back to see the internal medicine doctor, who immediately took her off the heart med, because it was not necessary and causing bad side effects. She said it would be necessary for her to do all her own ultrasounds and x-rays AGAIN. I was required to pay $1,456.20 for x-rays and ultrasounds of her entire body (for the third time in two weeks). This doctor identified something near the bottom of her esophagus. She said it was either a tumor or a foreign object, but she strongly believed it was most likely a tumor. She said I should wait two weeks for their mobile cardiologist to be in office so they could confirm her heart was ok, put her under anesthesia and either scope her esophagus or do a CT Scan. After waiting several days with my dog in pain, and being relatively certain her heart was fine since she had recently (3 mths prior) had a long dental with ten teeth pulled under general anesthesia. I requested she have an endoscopy quickly (+$2,772.65) The doctor who did the endoscopy said it was most likely a foreign object because it looked very different in the two sets of X-rays and scans this hospital did (something the other doctor who charged me for the second set of x-rays and ultrasounds didn’t even notice when she said it was most likely a tumor — I don’t believe she bothered to even look at any X-rays or scans except the ones she did). The endoscopy showed no tumor or foreign object but what the doctor said was a hiatel hernia. She was treated for the hiatel hernia. She continued to get worse and I continued to return and pay more and more money to these “specialists”. I had to request pain meds because they didn’t even offer them to make her comfortable. I came in Friday 4/13, paid for a full physical exam, full blood work and medications, and was sent home hopeful. Finally, I brought her back to the ER vet in the middle of the night Monday 4/16 for a pain med injection because she was in excruciating pain. They suggested x-rays. After my last experience of paying twice with ER and internal medicine, I said I would bring her back in the morning to internal medicine. That morning she died in my arms at home after a horrific night of suffering. I was absolutely never given a correct diagnosis here in the over one month I kept coming back and spending money. (Please note, if they had told me what was wrong and made my dog comfortable, I would have welcomed spending any amount of money for her.) I do not believe my dog died of a hiatel hernia. My dog spent the last month of her life in excruciating pain because these “specialists” couldn’t make an accurate diagnosis (rather they just kept requesting I spend thousands upon thousands of dollars on more and more tests) or even keep her comfortable. And to top it off they marked her medicines incorrectly. The red line they put on the stopper where I was to give her medication was in the wrong place. Please DO NOT TAKE YOUR DOG HERE. I am so so so sorry to my baby dog that I did this to her in her final months. She did nothing but suffer and was never correctly diagnosed (I’ll never know what really happened or what was really wrong). Read Less

I gave up ! Smart decision " I found a PHD Vet inside the University ( teacher) 100 times more efficient , conscious and knowledgeable.Also less busy and lovely human being.Good news! I did not pay more for" excellence." My dog deserves it !Professors! Ps It is same rule for us ( human) It is safer a doctors with PHD( Professors ) in remarkable University Hospital. Ps1 The records are under my husband name. Read Less

My husband and I can't say enough about how caring Dr. Short and her staff were when we had to send our beloved Puffin to the Rainbow Bridge. The room where we had to let him go was very comfortable, and Puffin's passing in my husband's arms--with Dr. Short kneeling in front of him--was very peaceful. Read Less

The entire staff us great!  Especially Dr. Vorathavorn is caring, kind and very patient with all the "parent". She explains things clearly and precisely.  We have been going there since our  Shitzu develop heart disease in November and feel truly grateful for the entire process.  Thank You! Read Less

I cannot say enough about the compassion and quality of care at Advanced Veterinary Internal Medicine.My adorable, loving cockapoo, Buster, was viciously attacked by a St. Bernard.  I rushed him there and they immediately scooped him up and went to work on him.  Dr. Duesberg and Dr. Cambridge cared for him night and day.  He had to have a second surgery a couple of days later.  Everyone from Ari and Dani at reception to all of the doctors and techs were loving and compassionate. I never had to worry about his care. When the time came that he could no longer fight, they were honest and let me know. I held Buster in my arms while they put him to sleep.  They tried so hard to make my friends who were there with me and me comfortable during the process. I received a call that afternoon from Dr. Cambridge and a card from all of the techs.If you have a pet emergency, this is the place you want to be.  If I could give them 10 stars, I would. Read Less

Thank you so much for being so patient and kind to Creamie and our family. we had to make the difficult decision to let her go as she is and will always be "our forever baby" being that she's a small little bundle of joy. Your staff and doctors are wonderful and the facility is so clean and nice.  It helps to be surrounded by kindness and understanding people. It would have been an aweful experience if the staff were mean, emotionless, and irritable ...which I have seen before in other offices. I would like to share a video that my sister DT Pham did yesterday...to show our happy last moments with our baby Creamie. She had a wonderful 17 years with us. youtu.be/ICQwO95u8og Read Less

Dr. Vorathavorn is so caring and sweet. My experience the AVIM is top of the line! From the time I first went in to meet the Doctor, all the front desk staff was professional and kind. The back office assistants to the Doctor are so caring and detailed and concerned for your pet and you. I had to bring my pup in after hours too and the Doctor and Stephanie were lovely. I had the very best care and great experience. Thank you for all you do to keep our pets healthy! Read Less

I couldnt be more grateful to Dr. Duesberg, Short, Cieplucha, and Vorathavorn. WIthout them and there fantastic staff I wouldn't have my pet by my side. Me and Munki will always be thankful for all your kindness. Read Less

After a recent scare with our beloved Buddy, our regular Vet (the AWESOME Dr. Roellinger at Irvine Pet Complex) referred us to an Internal Medicine CRITICALIST at AVIM.  They got us a same-day appointment (within hours), and emailed me the paperwork so that I could email it back and not spend time filling it out in the office.  They got all of Buddy's medical records from our primary vet, and were ready to assess him when we arrived.  Dr. Short was FABULOUS!  So loving, attentive and THOROUGH.  She obviously cares deeply for her patients, and checked all possible scenarios (checking for back pain issues, although we initially assumed stomach pain, since the two can be closely related).  The office / reception area was clean, they asked whether we preferred to wait in the reception area or in an exam room, and had a variety of complimentary beverages available, should you want one.After additional tests and recommendations, we were sent home (Buddy had started to perk up a little, after all of the examinations / prodding).  Both Dr. Short and the office staff called several times to follow-up on Buddy's status over the next WEEK.  I hope we don't require another emergency internal medicine specialist, but if we do, I'm glad to know they are around the corner, and can be reached 24/7! Read Less

AVM pet hospital is simply the best in caring for s pet. I brought my rat terrier in when he was in crisis. The competent Vets saved his life and he is now recovering. I am forever grateful and will refer my friends and family. Read Less

These people are THE experts. They find things and fix things average Dr's can't and don't.  If you want the best, for a difficult to diagnose dog or cat, Cindy Duesberg is the competent answer. For ortho surgery, Tony Cambridge is tops. These people are serious Dr's that put others in their respective fields to shame. I have never recommended them to anyone who was not blown away by what they can do. I am convinced they have saved two of my dogs over the years when it was clear after repeated visits and worsening conditions,  that regular local vets were out of their leagues. Pay more and get the best and know that you have done everything possible. Read Less

I have been a client of AVM for almost two years, and have had a very sick pup on my hands throughout that time. I have a few up front thoughts to share about the process of seeing a specialist generally, and then will go into a review of AVM specifically.  This is a long post but I hope my experiences will be helpful for you. First, a few things to keep in mind if you are seeking out specialist care for your animal:1) Cost - going to any vet specialty group is akin to seeing a specialist physician for humans. If you don't have pet insurance its going to be expensive. Bottom line: if your pet has a condition that requires a specialist get ready for big bills. Doesn't matter what specialist you see.2) Be Proactive - Be your pet's (and your pocket book's) advocate. Ask lots of questions. Research your pet's condition/s and develop a working knowledge of it. Ask the vet questions about what you're hearing from them and make sure you understand what they are saying. Get to know all the doctors in the practice and go with one you like and trust. Rapport is really important. Also, get a second opinion if you can. Bottom line: don't be a passive patient. Be involved. 3) Emotion - If you can, bring someone with you to appointments so if you freak out there is someone to 'hear' what the vet is saying. If you love your pet as much as I do, you will likely shut down a bit in the face of bad news. Bottom line: Have someone on hand to be your eyes and ears. So, on to AVM. My pup, Jax came to AVM with some sort of muscle degeneration issue. Possibly genetic, possibly due to something ingested. We never found out. But, Dr. Duesberg, with whom I worked closely, did about every test imaginable to figure out what was up with Jax and we were able to start a treatment course that gave him and I many months of good health and fun times together before we had to put him to sleep. I found Dr. Duesberg very accommodating and the more involved I was in learning about what was up with Jax the better result I had at AVM all around, and I think this goes back to #s 2 & 3 above - I tried as much as possible to ask questions, listen, learn and stay calm even when my dog was very, very sick and I was feeling desperate to save him.  I should note there were several check ups where I simply couldn't afford the tests that should have been done like bloodwork and xrays. I knew they were warranted, but Dr. Duesberg was really good about helping me prioritize based on what I had been seeing with Jax at home (energy level, appetite, etc.) and what I could afford. I saw Dr. Duesberg, Dr. V, and Dr Chung at AVM. I liked them all, but clicked best with Dr. Duesberg. She is calm, forthright, and clear-headed in her explanations.  She is also compassionate but not overly so (if you're looking for melodrama in your vet she's not your gal). I liked her no-B.S. bedside manner especially when Jax was at his sickest. She is a damn smart diagnostician, although not dispassionate: she cares about her patients 24/7, not just during business hours. I received several calls from her regarding Jax's food and meds aside from our appts  and I spent quite a bit of time on the phone with her vet tech, Tina, figuring out feeding issues and licensing issues as Jax could not be vaccinated. In fact, Tina filled out all the county licensing paperwork for me, mailed it to my house, and then followed up with me and the county when the county flaked out.  One of my favorite AVM stories: I dropped by unannounced, for an unscheduled weigh in for Jax and the team was looking for his (very thick) chart, only to realize that Dr. Duesberg had taken it home with her the previous evening to review, and it was still with her.  Not my type of riveting bedside reading, but I'm pleased it was hers!Overall, I had a very positive experience with AVM, even though I had to put Jax to sleep a few weeks ago. His condition was never going to be curable, sadly, and putting a pet to sleep is awful. The decision was made much easier because of the extensive work AVM did on our behalf. We kept Jax pain-free and happy for many more months than he would have been otherwise.I also received a lovely note from a non-profit called the Animal Health Foundation (AHF) yesterday. AVM contacted my primary vet and together they both made a sizable donation to AHF in Jax's name. AHF helps all sorts of people with medical bills for their pets - people who otherwise couldn't afford to keep their pets such as seniors, people on fixed incomes, etc. I loved that gesture so much. So much. So.....long post, I know. In closing, I would highly suggest Dr. Duesberg and everyone at AVM if you're looking for a specialty vet group. Please do keep in mind #s 1-3 above, and most of all: good luck! Read Less

The doctors at AVIM killed both of my dogs within 6 months!I really don't have any positive feedback to give but to say I thought my dogs were under the best of care.  We were seeing Dr. Chung for about 4 years to help keep my dog's Cushings' Disease under control.  Turns out it wasn't the Cushing's that killed my dog.  Dr. Chung's explanation for my dog's condition (which she didn't give me a concrete diagnosis) was it's part of the breed (chihuahuas).  After spending thousands of dollars, I feel that is not a good explanation for her condition.  She gave me the same explanation of my other dog's condition who passed about 5 months earlier, that it is part of the breed(chihuahua).  Really?Here are my lists of CONS:1) Quarterly visits: When I would go in to get my dog's quarterly tests done to determine whether her cortisol levels were in the therapeutic range, I never got to see Dr. Chung.  It was always the vet tech.  The only time I did get to talk to her was over the phone to tell me the test results.  There is no good patient/pet to doctor relationship.  And I had to call for the test results.  My dog was on trylastene.2) Poor communication between staff and doctors:  There were many experiences, but the one that stands out is this one. At one point when my dog was in dire help/support, I thought I could reach out to my specialty vet, and all she could do was discourage me from bringing my dying dog in to the office. I needed their help in trying to get my dog to eat as she was not eating for days.  Dr. Ciepulha (filling in for Dr. Chung that day) said, "You know your dog the best". So in other words, you can figure out how to get her to eat...very frustrating at the time, since I had all the trust and hope in the world that these vets could help and that is the advice she could give me...3) Unfriendly Staff (NO CUSTOMER SERVICE - don't expect Nordstrom service like you do at VCG and VSG)With an exception of 2 female staff and the fill in staff (Adam at VCG), the staff here are very unfriendly and not patient oriented at all.  Never received a welcoming feeling here.  Not like at VCG(Veterinary Cancer Group) and VSG (Veterinary Specialty Group) next door.4) Vet Expertise/trained staff:I feel Dr. Chung should have operated on my dog at the time where we noticed considerable change, but she opted not to, thus helping to increase the likelihood that we would lose my dog.  We were reluctant, but felt we had no choice but to get a second opinion, a month later, which was too late as that vet did operate to find some issues contributing to my dogs disease and at that time my dog was too ill to recover from it.  As a result of getting the second opinion, I never heard back from Dr. Chung and didn't even get a condolence note in their card to me.I, too, feel with my other dog and his abrupt death, a transfusion was ordered.  I called an hour early to see how he was doing from the transfusion,  Everything was going well up until an hour later, they said he was having a difficult time breathing...Not sure how trained the techs are, but was told with a transfusion, the pet must be closely monitored throughout the process.  Was he?5) Refund Dispute:In writing I was given the amount refunded to me, and then the office sent me by mail half the refund amount with no explanation.  When I called the office, all they could say was, didn't someone call you to explain the charges.(poor communication again)  Very disappointing after losing not only one dog, but two within 6 months care with AVIM.  I asked to see in writing the amount they feel was not charged and they sent me a bogus invoice.  The invoice date was made up(I wasn't there to receive vet service at the time), and the itemization was ridiculous charging dollars and pennies to equal the refund amount sent to me.  Looking back at my records, It was also astonishing to discover I was charged 3 night stay ($3,000) and a 1  night stay ($3,000) - same cost???.  The explanation for the deposit was that the office was having issues with the computer and I wasn't charged enough, so they deducted half from my written refund.  6) Lastly, after 6 months from the passing of my last dog, I received an email from AVIM and their service/YELP/Etc. wanting their patient input.  I asked to be taken off the email contact list.  They had the audacity to call me and ask why???  DUH!!!  Need I say more???I DON'T RECOMMEND THIS SPECIALTY VET OFFICE to ANYONE!!! Read Less

I took my dog, Linus, to AVIM from May 2013 through March 2014.  When Linus was found to have liver disease, my regular vet had a real laid back attitude, as if they expected him to die.  I took him to AVIM and I was able to have 9 more months with him.  Drs. Chung & Duesberg as well as the overnight vets were professional, informed, compassionate and helped me know that I did everything I could for my little guy.  Yes, they are expensive.  Specialists always are.  They have the extra training, expertise and equipment.  They try to help offset the costs with a program that, while it costs to join, I know I saved a lot of money using it.  The vets were very good about calling me about Linus' tests and follow-up.  No, they didn't always call as early as I wanted, but I had to remember there were other animals who needed their attention too.  If it had been an emergency, I have no doubt they would be on the phone to me in an instant.  Often they called just to check on how he was doing at home.The bottom line for me was my 3 year old pup.  For a while, he responded to treatment but then pancreatitis on top of the liver disease took its toll.  The doctors and staff helped me do hospice at home with him, keeping him as comfortable as possible.  I would go back in a minute if Linus' sister Lucy gets sick. Read Less

I have read some of the reviews that have 1 or 2 stars and I get it. This vet and any other vet can be expensive! What I don't get is why you would rate them so low since they offer the best specialty medicine around. I have a senior dog with a heart issue. I found the staff very friendly and compassionate. There were tests they wanted to run that I could simply not afford. They drastically reduced the costs so that they could better evaluate my dog. That was two years ago and Lady is still with us today because of this group. The are special, they are advanced but they do not do tests that are not necessary. The only reason that it is not a 5 is because it is expensive.Read Less

Verdict: Avoid AVIM at all cost (as it WILL cost you dearly). It's difficult to tell if the people who work at AVIM actually do it because they love animals, because from the way they act, they're only there to make money off of your pets. There are better emergency animal hospitals out there. PRO: Dr. Sebastian, from the Veterinary Surgical Specialists located next door, saved our dog's life last fall. He is a total professional and really the only person in the whole hospital complex who gave us realistic information. Dr. Chung was overly optimistic about our pet's chances for survival and Dr. Deusberg didn't think that after 3 days post-op in the hospital was enough, or that our home round-the-clock post-op care would be better for our dog. CONS: -Be prepared to pay exorbitant prices. We've spent about $10k at AVIM. They know they can charge a lot because they know pet owners love their pets because they're our family members. They exploit this and there's no kind of oversight that checks this price gouging at all. -At the same time, be prepared for terrible customer service. Despite having spent so much already, if you don't keep spending money at the hospital (and go back to your local vet), they could not care if your dog's medication runs out and dies. Also, no one who works there seems to know how to crack a smile.  -Appointments don't count: they will keep you waiting for AT LEAST 45 minutes of your scheduled appointment time if you're not there for an emergency. Aside from our initial visit, all follow-up appointments have lasted 2 hours each time due to long wait times. -They never call -- YOU have do all the follow-up. During post-op, we expected the doctors to call with a report every morning since they promised they would. Silly us, we usually never heard until the late afternoons, and that was only because we'd called several times earlier in the day to get a status report. -Unnecessary diagnostics: For follow up exams, they give your pet a physical as well as a specific urinary test...even though you're getting a blood test as well. Why? My dog doesn't need a urinary test. Answer: because AVIM says it's required.-Cleanliness: On one of her visits, my dog pooped on the waiting room floor. I picked it up with a baggie and threw it out. But when I asked one of the front desk assistants if they had any antibacterial wipes or bleach so I can wipe that area, she just stared blankly at me. I can only wonder how they clean up the rest of their clinic...-Post-op care/the back room: Yes the care is round-the-clock, but your pets are kept in cages and the lights are on 24/7. It's not a quiet space for your pet to recuperate -- people are shuffling about and other dogs are whiny/barking/etc. As soon as your pet is able to go home, TAKE THEM HOME - it'll get better rest and care there and it won't cost you a fortune. Read Less

Mr. Rocky has been coming here forever; which is a good thing. I only wish people could be cared for as well as the doctors and staff demonstrate here over and over again. Rocky has had numerous life threatening situations, and each time, he is given the best care, and miraculously pulls through due to their veterinary expertise, and state of the art facility, and equipment. Rocky is now going through aging challenges and diseases, and again we feel comfortable with his care, and decisions made for his overall health. You discuss your pet's health, understand, and realize your choices. Wow, I wish Medical Doctors would provide the same exceptional care for a patient/pet. They know Rocky. Thank you Dr. Duesberg, Dr. Chung, Nancy, Tina, Angeline and the entire staff for your dedication in exceptional personalized pet healthcare. Read Less

We had taken a couple of dogs to AVIM quite a few years ago and had an excellent internal meds specialist.  So when we found out in 2012 that one of our dogs had a nasal tumor, we decided to go back to AVIM.  We live on the central coast, so it's a 3 1/2 hour drive for us; but there really aren't any vets around us with the expertise and equipment that is available at the specialty vet medicine campus in Tustin.  Before we made the drive, we have a phone consult with Dr. Duesberg; I don't remember if we were charged for it or not.  Anyway, we decided to take our dog to the Tustin specialists, starting with Dr. Duesberg.  There were only 2 internal meds specialists at the time, so they were extremely busy; however, Dr. Duesberg, the vet techs and the office staff were wonderful about accommodating our schedule because of the travel time.We think  Dr. Duesberg is one of the very best internal meds specialists around.  She was very thorough with several diagnostic tests to be sure our dog could go thru treatment for the nasal tumor before she referred us to a wonderful oncologist (Dr. Bommarito) and a wonderful surgeon (Dr. Cambridge) to try to save our dog's life.  She was very straightforward about our dog's prognosis; she didn't try to sugar coat it.  She routinely tracked our dogs progress and condition and worked with the oncologist and surgeon.We don't think our dog could have gotten better care anywhere.  Yes, it is very expensive; but we'd rather spend our money on trying to save a beloved pet than anything else in the world.  We feel very lucky we had the money to pay the vet bills and that our dog had such great care. Read Less

When a vet and specialty clinic saves your pet's life, you are grateful forever!! this is where the most highly qualified vets live. we are lucky in OC to have so many, and for this place in our hour of darkness, they healed our Orange Tabby. If you resist putting a price on your pet's life then go here every time. you will save wasting some money on smaller places. Read Less

I am so grateful to AVIM for the wonderful care that my dog, Josie, has received from Dr. Cieplucha and the whole staff at the hospital.  We were looking at a possibility of bladder cancer. Dr. C was very thorough and, luckily, the diagnosis was not cancer. Dr. C worked closely with my regular vet. I can't say enough about AVIM. Not cheap but I would recommend Pet Insurance to anyone. Thanks again AVIM and Dr. Cieplucha. Read Less

It is expensive, but they are very thorough.  Hopefully if you are reading this review you have pet insurance...otherwise 'ouch.'  Our pup is doing a lot better after a 2 day stay, they are the best specialists in OC. Read Less

Dr. Duesberg has treated my cat Sweetie for 12 years. At age 2 Sweetie was diagnosed with an acute liver disease and has since developed kidney, heart, digestive, and bowel diseases. In addition, she had cancerous tumor removed 5 years ago. Dr. Duesberg's thorough and quick diagnosis' in every occasion has lead to a good and comfortable life for Sweetie. Dr. Duesberg is compassionate, understanding and extremely good at what she does. I have had excellent service and attention through this clinic and would highly recommend it.Read Less

GREAT GREAT GREAT, Dr. Chung and her team took great care of our dog Benji. They communicated with us on every level letting us know what was going on with treatment, surgery and follow up. It has been a year since Benji's emergency surgery and he is back 110% we love Benji, and are grateful to still have him in our life!! Thanks for the great care! Mark & Mona Read Less

I found the staff here to be so compassionate. I took my French bulldog here on a Saturday after a referral from his vet. It turned out he had internal cancer that had quickly spread to most of his internal organs and a mass that exploded in his stomach. The vet was so understanding and upset for us and explained all of our options. She was gave us her opinion which I very much appreciated. Unfortunately he had to be euthanized that day. She called on Monday and checked up on us and called our regular vet to give her the news as well. They made my furbaby comfortable in his last moments and when I asked for a nose and paw print, they did everything they could to get it. I will be forever grateful that we were with him in his last moments and they did not rush us to say goodbye. Read Less

Dr. Duesberg was competent and, when we could get to her, knowledgeable and pleasant. That said, the front office was catastrophically awful, twice keeping us waiting 90 minutes or more after our appointment time with no indication of what was going on. One of those times, there was a patient in for critical care that delayed the doctor. While I understand that other patients can go long, there was no effort whatsoever on the part of the front office staff to let us know what was happening. A little communication goes a long way, and apparently they don't feel obliged to make that happen. Similarly, they failed to send the results of the test we sent our dog in for (a bone marrow biopsy) to our regular vet. Sloppy and simply inexcusable, especially considering the premium prices being charged here. We will not be back. Read Less

The vets at AVIM were very knowledgable and professional in my opinion.  They deal with very complicated medical conditions and don't recommend unnecessary diagnostics.  This is a specialty hospital and you pay a premium price to see an Internal Medicine specialist and you definitely get your money's worth here.  This is not a regular General Practitioner Vet hospital.  I've brought in all my pets here who were going downhill quickly and they are all doing great now!  I am very impressed with the docs here and will always be grateful. Read Less

We ended up here as a referral from the surgical center in the same building. Pros:The vet was thorough in their testing and we were able to find out that our cat had a serious infection that two other vets failed to discover.  The staff was also friendly.  The place is clean and the vet is very knowledgeable and thorough. Cons: It's very expensive to the point that our pet insurance had to re-negotiate the reasonable rates and we ended up out of pocket way more than we expected. Some of the other frustrations were that they told us they would follow up on certain things, and ever did.  We had to send several emails and call to get resolution on items.  When we expressed that we were frustrated that we had not heard from our vet or anyone, we didn't receive a response.  The main problem is communication with the vet after the fact and getting answers and follow up. Read Less