Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Care varies wildly depending on who's treating your animal. Prices are extremely high and they often push for additional expensive tests even when they wouldn't help the animal. They offered no low-income options and had no problem wiping out my broke college student friend's bank account just for giving a pet an IV and monitoring it overnight. Sometimes they want to euthanize an animal that's easily save-able, probably so they can let their students use the body for practice. My other friend has a bird that hurt itself and took it here for treatment and they pushed so hard to euthanize. She took it elsewhere and that vet said it wasn't even life-threatening and treated it. The bird is still alive and doing well no thanks to this teaching hospital that wanted to kill it. If you have a rare exotic or an animal with a rare disease, beware! They will most likely try to convince you to put it down so they can experiment. Take your pet somewhere else and get a second opinion! Go elsewhere and use this as a last resort. Even if you get a decent doctor you will still be paying more than you should. Read Less

Took my dog in. Vet recommend over 1k of testing because my dog might have cancer. Took her to regular vet the next day. Problem was very simple to find and treat. Cost: $80, not to mention the emotional cost...all the tears about losing our dog. Read Less

I see a lot of reviews on here complaining about the cost, but you get what you pay for here in my opinion. I took my bird up today for a medical emergency and they took him right away and he is having surgery first thing tomorrow. Thank God they are here because they are giving my bird the best chance to survive. Without them, he wouldn't even have that chance. Highly recommended for any animal. Read Less

Our dog Luna needed heart surgery and our research led us here from Florida. The first two palliative surgeries failed and we were left with no options except an open heart surgical repair. A daunting task, and not done frequently. Even with two failures, we were completely confident in everyone here. Especially the surgeon, Dr. Orton and also Dr. Scansen. The support from Dr. Gagnon and the many others was amazing. Dr. Orton was completely invested and spent 36 hours at Luna’s bedside from surgery through recovery. He never left. That’s the level of dedication at this facility. Each grueling step of the way was explained in detail and done compassionately. The support staff called and texted us 4-5 times a day while Luna was there. The Argus team and Erin were amazing as well. There are no words to truly express our gratitude to them. Exceptional doesn’t remotely cover it. The facility is itself amazing and state of the art. Their desire to make an awful situation tenable knew no bounds. We recommend every aspect for any procedure whole heartedly. A most amazing group of human beings. Read Less

Take notice of all the one star reviews and go elsewhere. We brought in a dog found outside to see if she was microchipped. After asking three different people their policy on scanning microchips, no one could answer us. They did not allow us to see their examination rooms either. The dog was taken from us without our consent and they came back out empty handed saying the dog was not chipped and they could not give the dog back to us. We explained that we wanted to take the dog back to the apartment complex where we found her to try to find the owner and if not, she could stay with us rather than a cramped kennel space. They would not allow it. They claimed they were required by law to take the dog and give her to the Humane Society though no such law is in existence. We were told the dog would be given to Larimer Humane Society and, if the owners not found, put up for adoption and possibly put down if not adopted. The system and this hospital specifically have failed this dog and the good people that try to do the right thing by animals. I would not believe that they have the best interests of any animal in mind. Read Less

I would give them 5 stars but you will be here awhile (maybe even a couple hours longer then you need so minus one star) and their billing is a bit silly (minus half a star). However they are knowledgeable and open all the time. No matter what hour you come in the staff work their hardest to help your pet. Everyone has always been very nice and they do check up on your pet after. Read Less

I'm currently sitting in the lobby waiting for my puppy to finish getting her shots and I am so impressed with the service here!! Edward has explained every single detail to me and has taught me some things I had no idea about. I will definitely make this my permanent vet!! Read Less

I can't thank the internal medicine team enough for helping my cattle dog. She had a rare problem with her nose and they have been so caring and helpful. I also paid a fraction of what VRCC quoted me. I will NEVER go back to that place, but that's a different review. The doctor I worked with, Dr. Alison Manchester, was always there to answer questions and help do what was best for my dog. Morning, night, weekends you name it. I have also had to visit the cancer center with a different dog and had the same positive experience. I will make the almost 2 hour drive again without hesitation. Read Less

I have dealt with CSU vet hospital three times, all times I was happy with the end result, the only time I was unhappy was with the customer service (see bottom for the story of our third visit). The first time was for a small problem, I had a guinea pig that picked up a upper respiratory infection (which is common for small animals bought at places like Petco and Petsmart). They were very nice in letting me pay not all at once, and giving me a proper estimate. Ultimately, the guinea pig had to be put down. They were kind and respectful to me, even for such a small animal they understood how to help me best.The second time was for a chicken autopsy. Yes, a chicken autopsy. We have 8 pet egg-laying chickens. One morning, we came out to a dead chicken. With poultry, you have to be concerned with diseases (Bird Flu, etc) that can quickly spread. I called the CSU Vet and they gave me directions on where to drop off her little bird body so they could do the autopsy. It was very affordable ($25) and they gave me the results within a day. It turns out she had a chicken tumor, but I was still happy I brought her in.The third time was a much bigger event, our roommate has a 6 year old Doberman, named Oso. Oso likes to get into things, and eat everything he can. He decided to swallow a corn cob whole (God knows where he found it????). We took him to another vet initially (Moore Animal Hospital) who determined he had heat exhaustion after assuming an Xray wasn't necessary. He stayed there for several hours, and was transported to a 24 hour pet hospital at night because he wasn't improving. They finally did an Xray there, which showed them the corn cob that wasn't moving. They told us they weren't comfortable doing the surgery, and he had to be taken to CSU. The only unfortunate part of that was getting him to CSU. They didn't have anyway to take him there, so we took him there in our car which he proceeded to throw up awful smelling puke all over.When we finally got to CSU, they admitted him and came out to tell us about the cost of the surgery. The estimate was between $5,000-$10,000 (depending on if he was septic or not) and that wasn't guaranteeing he would make it. This is where my problem lies. They sent a vet student out to talk to us, that was working in the hospital. He was not kind or compassionate in any way. He said Oso was most likely septic, and therefore wouldn't make it. When we continued to push him on the matter, ("how do you know? is there a test to see if he is septic? do you see any punctures in his intestines in the X-ray?") he didn't seem to have any proof of that, and just kept saying he assumed he was. THEN he proceeded to say "Well I'm in a different financial situation as you, so I wouldn't be making the same decision" which is a big assumption coming from a vet student. Our roommate makes over $85,000 a year and had no problem paying for the surgery. He obviously was thinking about Oso and the stress putting him through surgery would cause, not the cost. Well, after the surgery, the real vet came out and told us he wasn't septic, and he would make a full recovery (which he did). She was much nicer. The only negative part of the whole thing was the first guy, and I hope he improves and learns not to sound like such a jerk.Overall, I would take an animal in for something serious because they are amazing vets. But it is expensive, so I don't take my dog there for routine checkups. Read Less

Botched my exotics surgery on his leg and it had to be amputated.... Cost me several thousand for both surgeries even though the amputation was their screw up. Very little sympathy they are all about making money here. If you have an exotic pet dont take them here youll get them back in pieces. Read Less

I am so thankful that we moved to Colorado and found this hospital. My little dog Rocky was at 2 pounds and was supposed to at 6 pounds. The doctors ran blood tests and found out that he has EPI which is unusual in Chihuahuas.  He is now on pancreatic enzymes and is at 6 pounds and doing very well on this. I know from past veterinary hospitals that they would have never thought of doing this and he would have died if I didn't bring him to this hospital. Now I bring my big dog here as well because they saved my chihuahua's life. Read Less

DON'T TAKE YOUR RABBIT! My rabbit died after being spayed! I called 5 hours after bringing my rabbit home telling them that my rabbit had not eaten or drank, and was sitting as though she was asleep. The student told me everything was OK, she was just fine. A few hours later we called and rushed her back to the Vet School and she became much worse within minutes, and had to be put to sleep. 4 years ago my rabbit broke his back when the student insisted that she could remove him from his carry on. They had to put him to sleep. TWO DEAD PETS IN JUST 2 VISITS!!!!! And don't think just because they destroy your pet that you don't have to pay!!! Read Less

Took my dog in to the emergency room at CSU VTH today and had an incredible experience. Even with as busy as the staff was they provided phenomenal care and got him comfortable. We're on a long road towards recovery, but I couldn't ask for better care. The 4th hear student, Dr. Katy, who helped us was exceptional. You won't find better care than the CSU VTH. Thank you all for helping my boy, Charlie recover! Read Less

I got a feral rescue kitten that was sneezing uncontrollably, but due to my financial situation I needed another alternative so I called the CSU Teaching Hospital. I got a next day appointment my kitty was seen almost immediately after arriving. After running some basic tests (checking temperature, etc;) and talking to the Veterinarian, they determined that she mostly likely has the Feline Herpes virus and recommended I order some L-Lysine powder or chewables to treat her. The product they recommended arrived in a few days after I ordered it off of Amazon and it worked like a charm! They recommended that i schedule a follow up appt. for her other vaccines after she started feeling better. The whole experience only cost me around $50! Read Less

My husband and I had to put my dog of 13yrs (14yrs in November) suddenly down on a Friday night. They had a room ready and were so warm and comforting. They went above and beyond. I wouldn't go anywhere else. CSU also neutered our 2 male sugar gliders, and they did an amazing job. New exactly how to handle the little guys and answered all my after care questions over the phone. Very glad to have them around! Read Less

The only good thing about my visit was meeting Genevieve. She was such a sweetheart and really, truly cared about my dog, Chloe. Genevieve is going to be an amazing veterinarian! ON THE OTHER HAND. I had the worst experience. An intern named Cory was very rude, inconsiderate and so entitled. He continually talked down about my vet and the work he has done on my dog. We went there for HELP, not to be ridiculed for other decisions. And Cory also pulled his cell phone out to try to keep talking my vet down and saying he wasn't a good vet. Cory made me feel so uncomfortable and I felt like I couldn't trust him with my dog! I would never trust him with anything regarding veterinarian skills. I would never go back. Go to another emergency vet hospital if you can. Read Less

AMAZING!!! If I could give CSU 1,000,000 stars, I would! My puppy, Remi, was diagnosed with a PDA which is basically a birth defect in the heart, without treatment the dog would eventually go into heart failure. The veterinarian that initially diagnosed the PDA HIGHLY recommended the surgeons at CSU. I contacted CSU to get a better understanding of the procedure, risk, costs, etc. I spoke to Patti Mueller, she was so helpful and answered all of my questions. Even after multiple phone calls Patti never made me feel like I was disrupting her day or taking too much of her time. She was very diligent in following up to check on Remis status. She also presented our case to the cardiac staff during their weekly meeting. The surgeons reviewed her medical reports and provided their opinion on the treatment. Keep in mind that this was all done without asking me for a dime. After a very tough decision I decided to have a surgeon in Utah perform the surgery based solely on location. CSU is an 8 hour drive and I would need to take 2 days from work, plus the expense of lodging, gas, etc. Long story short, the surgery performed in Utah was not successful and Remi almost lost her life. The second I got off the phone with the surgeon I called Patti, she was not only was helpful in calming me down but made me feel like there still might be hope to save her life. We scheduled the surgery for 3 weeks out to give her time to recover from the failed surgery. After what seemed like an eternity 3 weeks time had passed and I was able to make the 8 hour trek to CSU. I had the opportunity to meet Patti, Stephanie (4th year student) and Dr. Ames and I could not be more impressed. Dr. Ames was extremely knowledgeable, compassionate and took the time to answer all of my questions. After examining Remi and reviewing her records she confirmed that she would be a good candidate for an interventional procedure and assured me that they would have another surgeon on standby if they had to correct the PDA with a thoracotomy. We dropped her off the next day for surgery, again, Dr. Ames and Stephanie made us feel extremely comfortable with the surgery. They kept us updated throughout the surgery, they called me once she was anesthetized and told me they were starting the actually procedure in about 10 minutes and after about 2 hours they called to let me know the surgery was a success and she was awake!! I cant even put into words how great it felt to hear those words. After many sleepless nights, tears and prayers, my little princess was finally okay! The next morning (Saturday) Dr. Ames spent time explaining the procedure, recovery process and even showed us a video of the repair. She called me on Monday to see how Remi was doing and asked if I had any questions or concerns. Dr. Ames and the rest of the staff at CSU truly went above and beyond, they surpassed all of my hopes and expectations. I realize this is a very long review but I hope I have conveyed even a fraction of my gratitude for Dr. Ames, Patti, Stephanie, and the rest of the staff at CSU. They saved Remis life and have greatly impacted mine. I cannot thank them enough. If anyone reading this review is questioning whether or not they should take their pet to CSU, please go, the facility is amazing, the staff is extremely knowledgeable, considerate, experienced and accommodating. I would drive 2 days straight just so that I could take my pet to CSU. I will be forever grateful for Dr. Ames, Patti, Stephanie and the rest of the staff at CSU. Read Less

So they told me that I had paid in full the day of surgery, but when I went back for new anti biotics they charged me over what I had paid the first time ON TOP of the new anti biotics, and of course I can't pay this money because it was a minor miracle I was able to pay the first time. They made an excuse as to they can add charges up to a week after my visit. Now they are going to send my bill to collections because it's either pay my rent or pay my vet bill. Not to mention the new antibiotics haven't even worked. Read Less

There are a lot of awful reviews here, so I thought I'd make sure to get my positive experience recorded. Everyone here was super friendly and we had a very short wait time. The vet student we got to take our intake information was very nervous! However, he was kind and taking everything very seriously. I decided it was time to see a veterinary dermatologist after our general practice vet began just taking expensive shots in the dark on the potential cause of my dog's skin condition. Clarissa Souza was the clinician we saw and she seemed very knowledgeable in her field. I did have to repeat much of what I told the vet student, but I am fine with that as I just wanted to ensure no lines of communication got crossed. He also asked her a few questions which is great as he is a student and actively learning the trade. We were sent home with a treatment plan and instructed to return in eight weeks. I received a follow-up phone call from the veterinary student to check in on things about a week after, which I felt was a nice touch. So far, I'm very satisfied with the CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Hopefully we can get my dog's skin condition figured out and treated appropriately. Read Less

I will be completely fair and honest in my review of my pros and cons for CSU vet teaching hospital. If you are considering this facility, my review will be relatable and hopefully helpful. This is my very first dog and I only want what's best for her. I saw the many great reviews and heard wonderful things about this place. All of the employees are attentive and sweet. (receptionists, check out clerks, students, vets, Dr's., physical therapists, etc.) Very few made me uncomfortable, no fault to the hospital. However what I least enjoyed about the facility was having to repeat myself each visit. I understand this is a learning experience for each student, but if you are like me, I like to pick up where our last appointment left off. When I make an appointment and they don't know my me or why I'm here, when it is a follow up appointment from a previous visit, it's quite frustrating and leaves me with an uneasy feeling that I may not be a priority. Then when I reintroduce myself, I receive a wide variety of answers for each problem. When I was looking to spay my puppy, one student told me to wait until after her first cycle. Then after waiting many months until her first menstrual cycle happened, a different student asks me why I hadn't done it sooner and the complications that can occur from waiting this long. I still don't know what is the appropriate time to spay a dog because of the information I was given. This miscommunication happened a couple more times after. Then (each) student requests theories and probabilities of what the problem may be. I don't mind checking and ruling out every possibility but I do recommend asking how much it will cost. If you are on a budget I suggest going somewhere else. The prices can go from affordable to breaking the bank in a matter of a few blood tests. Every time I check out of the hospital, I'm surprised and overwhelmed. They do sympathize with the expenses and try their best to reduce or accommodate some of the payments which is undoubtably noble and helpful. I just can't afford to pay their prices. If you have a great paying job this is a the place for you. If you're young and work minimum wage, definitely look into other options. A very HUGE pro to CSU vet hospital, is their surgeons and procedures, they are 100% THE BEST in my opinion. My dog needed TPLO surgery and it went extremely well and she has recovered swiftly. The price for the surgery is expensive in general; anywhere I went would have quoted me the same price. The X-rays showed me exactly how well they do their jobs; how it's placed, stitched up, and how well it healed. I was overjoyed to know everything was better. From experience, I recommend if your animal needs surgery or rehabilitation this hospital is great. I thank them tremendously for fixing my dogs leg. The two star rating is for the unprofessional level and to let people like myself, in a tight budget region, to check all options before residing with CSU vet hospital. I would't have taken my dog anywhere else for her surgery. But for regular check ups, less serious injuries, behavior, or vaccinations, check out less expensive vets. It's unfortunate my review is bitter sweet but I have to honest about my positives and negatives with CSU. I hope for others it's helpful and I know they'll continue to be a benefit to Colorado animals. Read Less

Our cat had to be hospitalized last year and our vet recommended we take her to CSU. I was a little skeptical about such a big facility, but am so glad we used the college. Once on site, both on-duty vets kept us informed throughout the entire process and genuinely took the time to explain all the options instead of pressuring us into a decision. The staff truly cares about all animals and understands how pet illnesses can be a stressful time.The check-in process was quick and stress-free. While the exam rooms are bit cold and clinical, the care our cat received was excellent and very reasonable (compared to average hospital costs). She made a full recovery and has had no similar issue since. The vets made multiple follow-up calls and also coordinated with our local vet. While the NoCo area has a lot of great vets and vet hospital options, CSU will be our first choice! Read Less

I am so thankful I live so close to the 3rd top vet school in the nation! The techs, vets, staff and students are all so compassionate and *smart*.  I know what they chose to do is vetted by a team of experts since they share cases with each other during their rounds. We were fortunate to have Dr. Laver be our resident vet and Aurora as our student. He explained everything thoroughly and honestly. Nothing was ever required ever, and no guilt about it if you choose to do nothing. I so love how others get to learn about it along side the treatment process. it is like getting two benefits from one experience. Your pet gets his best chance of getting better while others get to learn about it.They took care of my pupper while he was there like he was their own. I am so, so happy we ended up making the trek up there. it was oh so worth it!!! Read Less

I cannot write good enough things about CSU. When our two-year-old lab puppy got sick we took her to our vet and two other hospitals all telling us she was going to pass away within hours. We immediately Drove up to CSU and saw Dr. FitzPatrick. Her bedside manner and love for our sweet sick little girl was unparalleled to anyone. The entire staff was kind and loving and tried to comfort us as much as they comforted her. They did as many tests as possible, did blood transfusions and really tried to make her comfortable during her last days. They believed it was her liver but because it was deteriorating they did not want to do a biopsy in case she passed during surgery. She ended up passing away six days after getting sick but I know that she went as pain-free as possible. After she died I was destroyed. I felt like I could've done more as she was my baby.I got a handwritten note from Dr. FitzPatrick telling us that we truly did everything we could and how sweet Dolly was. When you lose your baby having someone tell you that is such a blessing. They also did the biopsy after she died as I never wanted anyone to experience the pain of losing such a young dog in such a quick time. Dr. FitzPatrick continued to call us to update us on what they found. I can't say enough about this place and what a sweet lady she is. If you have a sick dog take them here. Despite the outcome they will be truly loved. Read Less

Had a sick kitty . On disability pretty broke. Was told the teaching hospital would most likely be the best and most affordable. The check in area was pretty crazy and full of leashed big dog's. The tech came out pretty fast and gave awesome explanation of what it could be and what they would do. Said they have financial help but it was about 125$ examine. Read Less

This a review for my dog Bear. He came in for mast cell tumor removal. Had to bring him back for a couple of Urgent care visits due to him scratching at and tearing through his stitches. The docs/interns were all professional and cared for the well being of our pup.I read one of the other reviewers state the prices were high and unreasonable. That's far from the truth. We paid about a third of the price tag we got quotes for in CA!  Plus they are willing to work with you on payment due to their grant services.  We are definitely going back...just hope it's not soon lol Read Less

In December 2014, our Roxy developed a ruptured disc. She wasn't able to use her back legs. It was a sad, sad sight. Dr.Voss, our vet,  said that Roxy needed surgery. We were quoted some astronomical prices by other surgeons in town. Dr. Voss called the University for us to see what they could do. Their quote was acceptable. Dr.Voss setup an emergency surgery, that day. We high tailed it up to Fort Collins, where Roxy was admitted right away. I had to leave my little girl there. It was heart wrenching. The staff called me periodically to let me know her status. And entertained all my phone calls and questions. She was there a couple days longer than anticipated. And wasn't making much progress with the rear leg movement. The surgery was a success and she was no longer in pain.  They suggested we bring her sister with us, to visit. WOW! What a visit. They set us up in a room where we got to play with her and ask all the questions we had been brewing over. They said that she was not making much attempt to use her back legs and recommended a wheelchair. GASP! They not only provided us with a make-shift harness for her rear end, but also loaned us a wheel chair until her 6 week check up! After 6 days, they released her to come home. They sent us home with some physical therapy routines and strict instructions for her recovery. On Christmas Eve, we came home to check on Roxy and she started walking. YIPPEE!!! On our 6 week check up, we returned the wheel chair to the University and they cleared her from any further visits. Not only did they give us "our" Roxy back, but the came in under the estimate for the hospital visit. AMAZING EXPERIENCE! It's only been 3 months. Roxy walks with a "drunk butt" but its the cutest dang thing. The staff is well worth the drive from Denver! Read Less

I don't know if we are done with our experience here yet, but unfortunately our first was not a good one. It's been a few days, and I realized that I am very upset with the particular resident that we saw for a consult in cardiology for our boxer. We have seen a cardiologist (a well experienced one, at that) here in Denver at VRCC, who recommended a pacemaker for our boy's condition. He was definitive and even said that this is the gold standard for treatment. He told us the prices at VRCC and made us aware that it is much less steep at CSU, so wanting the best for our dog we took him there to have it done. Every op requires a consult, which is where the service certainly fell short. We had blood work and another test done. Everything went fine until we had an extensive conversation with the resident. She had some sort of speech impediment or something; she mumbled a lot and didn't seem to be able to speak clearly. I'm sorry, but with the complexity of everything going on, I need someone who can effectively communicate with me to lessen the confusion. And not be condescending in tone. That just makes me more upset. Don't talk down on me; I'm not an idiot. Alas, the brunt of my frustration and overall disappointment was when the resident said that they don't like to do pacemakers unless the condition becomes more severe. Yes, his meds are working "ok" in the meantime, but he still by no means 100% back to normal for us. What about his QUALITY OF LIFE in the meantime? This is what angers me most. I am hoping that the entire teaching hospital doesn't practice in this manner. We made this big decision to have this procedure done to make sure our boy is living the best life possible- we don't want him to be miserable. I know this is a teaching hospital. I am aware not everyone is well experienced. But at the very least, every practitioner needs to believe in improving the quality of the life of any living animal that walks through their doors. I think that's why we care for our pets the way we do, isn't it? Read Less

The oncology department here is incredible and extremely caring. After just a few chemo treatments our dog felt at home here. In the waiting room, techs would make it a point to stop and say hi to my Hobo and they all knew him by name. Unfortunately we lost Hobo but not due in any part to the wonderful vets, students and techs here. When they found out about him passing they sent us a card and a wonderful book signed by so many of his friends at the hospital. CSU has also saved my horses on many occasions, a few while I was out of town even. They are great and we are lucky to have such a great resource in Northern Colorado. Read Less

This place is amazing and was an answer to prayer for us and our bullmastiff!!!! We'd seen 2 vets in denver and one emergency animal hospital and no one had an answer for our very sick dog. We dreaded the trek up to Fort Collins to hear the same story but we didn't! They did a surgery at about 1/2 the cost of other vets and figured out what was wrong with him. He had grass awns in his paws that had spread over his body. They removed them and after 10 days of an antibiotic my dog is happy and healthy! It's worth the drive denver folk and I will go there first in the future!!!! Nixon and I thank you for the best care and follow up phone calls we've ever had. We'll be back. Just hopefully not very soon:) Read Less

CSU staff is the best and the pricing is cheaper than any vet I've found so far (and I've been to quite a few).My cat was diagnosed with lymphoma in December. He did chemo weekly for 2 months. The staff was amazing. It's obvious that they know their stuff and care about the animals. Whenever I brought my cat in, the nurses all knew him (even if I'd never seen him before) and they always raved about him and seemed genuinely happy to see him. Even if they weren't working with him, they still came over to say hi and pet him before going off to what they were doing. One took me into a room to show me how to give him fluids subcutaneously and before she put him back in his carrier, she hugged him, kissed him, and told him that she loved him. Before I put him to sleep, he was brought into urgent care. His doctor had the next day off so she gave me her personal cell phone so that I could reach her without having to go through the hospital. She also came in twice to check on him and once so that I could visit with him. He stayed in the hospital 3 nights and 4 days. He had a nasal feeding tube, 2 ultrasounds, x-rays, IVs, oxygen, a ton of meds, and monitoring, plus the euthanasia and body disposal. It came out to less than $2500. (For comparison, I took my other cat to Aspen Meadow where they kept her overnight (10 hours) with a plain saline IV, and did an x-ray and urine culture - $1100.)On the 4th day, they found that part of his intestine had died so despite all the effort to get his intestines moving and some nutrition in him (hence the feeding tube), he couldn't get anything past the necrotic portion and he would starve to death without invasive surgery that could have fatal, painful complications and a difficult recovery. They were very straightforward about everything that happened with him. When I put him down, they gave me as much time as I wanted with him in a large room with comfortable couches and chairs. They even put a sign outside telling people to be quiet. When the doctor gave him the injection to euthanize him, she got down face to face with him, stroked him, and told him that we all love him as he drifted off to sleep. I had asked to donate his body, which meant that they do an autopsy on him and they would send the results to me.After his death, they sent me a paw print and a children's book about cat heaven and almost every page had a little paragraph from each nurse and doctor that dealt with him.I'm very pleased with the service and pricing of CSU and I would recommend them to everyone. I will definitely be taking all of my pets here. Read Less

Why aren't more animal loving Yelpers yelping up this place?Rushed our pup there who had died an hour before to get a necropsy - animal autopsy - an extremely sad day.  Was met by a 4 year student - Morgan Curtis - most kind and considerate.  If she becomes a vet in Colorado - we'll all be better for it - and so will our animals. Read Less

I have to say that I feel very fortunate to have a resource like the CSU VTH so close to home, though I only have had to use them with my pets on a couple of occasions (knock on wood).  The most recent was in the wee hours this morning, when one of my standard poodles was restless enough to wake me up with his whining and pacing.  His posture was a little hunched and he was licking his stomach, and when I telt his stomach he let out a little belch.  I was worried that he was bloating, so off to the VTH we went.  It was a little weird when I first got there -- apparently I should have needed to buzz-in, but the door was unlocked so I just walked-in to an empty lobby.  The resident on duty noticed me on their monitor after a few minutes and came out with a couple of students.  They did a quick assessment right there in the lobby, and the resident determined that my dog's condition was stable and he didn't think he was bloating.  He then had one of the students take us to an exam room for a more complete exam. To make a long story short, it turns out that my dog most likely has an irritated GI tract due to "dietary indiscretion."  Depending upon what he got into, an intestinal blockage could be a concern.  They could have recommended more procedures -- in fact, before she went back to consult with the resident the student did mention that the next step would be to take some radiographs or do an ultrasound  -- but I appreciate the pragmatic approach the resident took.  He took the time to explain what he noted during his clinical exam, what he would and would not be able to see on a radiograph, and clinical signs that he would look for to indicate it was a more serious intestinal blockage -- basically telling me that he didn't think further procedures were necessary without saying so in so many words.  After this discussion, he documented everything we discussed -- history, findings, recommendations, etc. -- and sent us on our way.So, in short, I may be a bit over-reactive as a pet owner, but I appreciate the peace of mind that comes with being able to bring my dogs to the VTH at any hour and knowing that they will do right by my dog AND my pocketbook. Read Less

THIS PLACE IS AWFUL!!!!First of all, you never meet with the same person. I understand it's a teaching hospital and students come and go but it is so frustrating to explain your case over and over again to different people who write down different things and don't keep track of things that you've already said! Another thing is that they're shady about prices, My golden retriever had a basal cell tumor on her back. When we discussed prices with the vet he kept saying that it depends, then he gave me an estimate of $800 to $1500. Another vet at the hospital said it would be $1000 to $2000. The overall cost turned out to be $600, which is fine but as a college student I was worrying where I could get the money and was considering taking out another loan to pay for the surgery. Maybe, if one person was assigned to my dog than I wouldn't have some many different numbers and they could have given me a better estimate. They are also terrible at communication and diagnosing. My dog was also limping a lot and they said that they would get an x-ray of her leg and see what was going on. The next time I went in and asked about the x-ray that I paid for and they said that they had no record of an x-ray of her leg. Before we decided to have the surgery to remove the tumor, we asked whether it was more important to get the tumor removed or her leg treated. They had said before that they thought the tumor was benign, but when I asked them that question they made me feel like she was going to die immediately if I didn't remove the tumor it right away. We got the tumor removed and found to be benign which was good news. But later, we found out the she had ripped her ACL and that they had a treatment to repair the ACL before it completely tore but they didn't think twice about looking into it. Anyway, before she released to us, she was screened to make sure there weren't anymore tumors in her body, which they said there were none present and that she was totally healthy. Unfortunately, a few months later, she started getting sick again and when we got an ultrasound of her, she had multiple cancerous tumors in her heart and spleen and she had to be put down. So, overall, if you want to deal with people who don't listen to you, don't keep good records of your pet, won't give you direct prices for surgeries, won't show you ultrasounds or x-rays of your pet(s), and who lie to you... be my guest and go here. Read Less

I absolutely cannot imagine what they could have done to make our experience any better!Our Russian Peterbald, Mr Mewton, is the most amazing cat on the face of the planet.  He's a registered therapy animal, walks on a leash, uses the human toilet, and loves everyone.  And he has great health insurance, which covers 80% of all vet bills.When we found a mass in Mr Mew's bladder, our vet told us to get an appointment with CSU oncology ASAP.  In the end, Mr Mews spent 17 days in the CCU, had three surgeries, and had at least five veterinarians on his case.The doctors, residents, and vet students were all amazing!  From the beginning, they made themselves extremely available to us.  When they said they would call with results, they called and willingly answered all our questions.  All were willing to discuss the options in extreme detail, while being perfectly blunt about how long we had to make a decision.  I never felt rushed by any of the vets or staff, only by Mr Mew's declining health at certain points.  Most importantly, our doctors all seemed to communicate amongst themselves.  At one point we talked to our oncology surgeon immediately after talking to our CCU doctor, and it was great to have two different presentations of the same information.  I felt assured throughout that we were all on the same page.  Just, amazing care!  We did not expect Mr Mews to live more than a couple of weeks, six weeks at most.  Three months later, Mr Mewton is doing great, and every day with him is a blessing for us! Read Less

The CSU Veterinary Training Hospital has more or less have given my family a positive experience throughout the years. The first time around was not good though. My aunt's Dachshund had to go in for something here and they had to keep him over night. The dog's condition was believed to be kind of serious but we were not sure how much. We called to see how my aunt's dog was doing and was told that during swimming therapy his bladder burst and he died. Very surprising and upsetting. My aunt blamed this veterinary school for her dog's death and believed that since it was a teaching hospital that it was a bunch of wet behind the ears novice veterinarians that did not know what they were doing. That was all some time ago though... Years later I rushed my Chihuahua to this hospital and was very pleased with the outcome. My little Chihuahua was grabby with anything that fell on the floor. My aunt, my grandma and her dog were all on pills at the same time and all living under one roof. They were always getting their pills mixed up and pill bottles always spilled pills all over the floor. Mix and match I guess. It wasn't so funny when my little one snatched up a pill that was my grandmother's though. Before the pill could really hit her I called the CSU Vet Training Hospital and got a prompt call back. They ran the type of medicine that she ate and determined that it would harm her if she let it digest. I rushed her to the hospital where they put eye drops in her eyes to make her vomit. And boy did she. Her poor little tummy was all cleaned out after she was done. The student thought that they had to bring the puke for me to look at which was really TMI... I believe you that you did your task successfully. Thank you. The bill was a bit steep... over a hundred bucks but my little girl was ok. Of course she kept glaring at me all night after we got home trying to make me believe that I violated her human rights because of her trip to the vet but like I said she was ok. My grandmother's dog also went here for bladder stones and came out ok. There were a few complications( the medicine he was on made his urine too thin and he could not hold it and made lots of accidents) with the medicine he was on after wards but they did a good job on getting him back on the road to recovery with that particular ailment. Read Less