Banfield Pet Hospital

Absolute joke. Couldn't read xrays ( had to be sent out of course additional fee). Never hydrated a dehydrated vomiting pup until After all the tests and until we requested them to do so Vet gave wrong tests result levels over the phone. Said had liver issues. NOTHING was wrong with his liver after taking xrays and reports to a QUALIFIED Vet. Upset my nephew so bad with misdiagnosis and arrogant attitude. Vet tech trying to act as Vet..really!!! ...NEVER AGAIN. Read Less

I was nervous to go to this Banfield location after seeing the bad reviews. My husband and I recently moved to Florida and took our cats to a different Banfield location in our previous town. Our cats recently caught fleas. Upon arrival, we were called back in a timely manner. We discussed the necessary costs treatments (visit cost, shots out of date, wellness check, and flea medications.) The medical assistant compared prices of the necessary fees to what the cost would be if we had a wellness plan. In my case, it would have been over $200 for my two cats for one day, where as it was cheaper just to get the wellness plan. She was very helpful. Our cats were taken back and had the necessary work done then were brought back to our room. The doctor and medical assistant discussed the results of their blood work and wellness check up as well as demonstrated how to administer my cats’ flea medicine. The staff were very pleasant and helpful. Today (the day after the visit,) Banfield called to follow-up and see how my cats responded to their medicine. Thus far, I have only have positive things to say about Southside Banfield. :) Read Less

Do not take your pets here!!!All they care about is money out of your pocket and  in theirs. I rescued a GS was given  a coupon for a free office visit for check up. Went in girl was sitting on counter doing nothing. I was about 15 minutes early, she told me I would have to wait to check in. When my dog was seen the tech wanted to do vaccines and heartworm test even though I had paperwork that showed he was up to date and heartworm negative! The Vet Dr. Hudak only spent about 2 minutes looking at him. Never looked in his ears just did a swab and said he had ear infection. Which he may have and why I had him looked at, but usually every Vet I've been to looks in the ears and really looks over the dogs well. She recommended a bunch of test and x-rays to be done which was not necessary and very expressive. $90 for medication and swab, thank goodness the office visit was free because that's what it's worth!!!!!!! Read Less

I hadn't used Banfield in several years for my 5 year old Pomeranian after moving back to Jax and going to our family vet again. However, one Saturday afternoon, my dog began coughing excessively with a lot of mucus coming up. Worrying she had developed a respiratory infection I called the Southside location as I knew the emergency vet would cost upwards of $500. My experience was definitely 5 stars all the way. The receptionist/scheduler worked to get my pup in and was genuinely concerned for her, even though I was not a recurrent customer. I showed up 30 minutes later and was allowed to drop my dog off for her exam with a friendly tech who assured me they would get her taken care of. The vet called back within 2 hours and went over all of the results and then the quote for everything including 2 weeks of antibiotics ($275 which was half of what I would have payed at an ER). I am so grateful for this staff, their courtesy, kindness and knowledge. Thank you for letting me bring my pup in and taking just as good care of her as you do your recurring patients.Read Less

I was waiting for my dog's appointment to start and a woman walked in who was worried her dog had been bitten by a snake (the dog was shaking and apparently not putting weight on that foot). The receptionist finished flirting with the (admittedly handsome) guy at the counter before talking to the lady. Seems like an emergency would be higher priority... Read Less

I have been taking my pets to this Banfield location for the last 12 months and love coming here. The staff are wonderful and truly care for my pets. The Wellness Plan can be confusing, but it is very convenient and saves me a lot of money. Wait times are very minimal and if I decide to drop my pet off for an appointment I always get to discuss any concerns with the veterinarian. I would not take my pets anywhere else! Read Less

I have had a Banfield wellness plan for at least 5 years. I took my dog this past weekend for routine labs in preparation for surgery. I dropped him off because they did not have room for in-house appointments so I dropped him to have the blood work and then pick him up when done (convenient enough, right?). I get the call that he is ready for pick-up. I asked the vet tech if there were significant abnormalities in the blood work. She verbalized that there were. I asked the tech if I could please meet with the vet briefly to go over them and she verbalized that this would take place. I arrived to pick him up and I got handed a website printing talking about kidney failure. The tech and the vet must have thought that the website print out would have been enough. When I asked the tech about meeting with the vet she sounded highly annoyed and said "I told you that either I or him would talk to you about the results". She sounded like a recording. I looked at her and asked to speak to the vet. I waited a bit but I don't care about the wait because I know that they are busy and they fit me in but the least I expect is talk to someone about my pet. He is in stage three kidney failure, we are plan holders, the least I expect is a few minutes of the vets time and not a stupid website print out. I can go and print it out myself. Vet came and talked to me with an ironic tone and barely answering anything. It was like pulling teeth. I am loosing my best friend and you don't even give me a few minutes of attention? ... Are you kidding me? ... Don't go to the Southside location. I had one of the worst days of my life. People like these (the tech and vet) should not be allowed to practice. Read Less

I hate writing a negative review, but my dogs mean everything to me, and obviously nothing to you, so here you go... When I found a vet (and assistant) that I liked I asked the lady at the counter to keep them, she said that was no problem, and she agree that the vet I picked was great. The next visit I had a new vet and assistant... The visit after that it was another vet and assistant... On top of that, I would ask for a larger amount of Trifexis every single visit. They would always have an excuse to why they couldn't supply me with it, but they would always give me 1... So every time it was time to give my dog her medicine, I would have to take off work.. or work around my schedule somehow to get to them during their hours. It was horrible. I'm very busy so if I would forget to pick up her medicine for a few weeks, then they made it seem like it was my fault.... They recommended 800-petmeds (in business terms they just told me to buy the product they could be selling me from another company and cut them out - I kept that in mind..........) Then I moved, every time I would go to the closest banfield, they would tell me that I have to "transfer my files over" and they would do it for me, but it would take a "few days". So I had to go all the way back across town to take my dog for a checkup and her 1 month of medicine, otherwise I would have to pay extra because they did not have me in their system as a member ( I have been a member at banfield for over a year then) I drove to the other banfield....... The next month I went to the closest banfield at my house again... They told me my files were still being transferred...... By the way I called 1-800- petmeds and they told me I had to verify my vet so they could verify I had the dog and they could get paperwork or something. So I told them the Banfield on southside blvd ( the one thats papers were still transferring from) and a week later, I got a letter in the mail saying banfield had no data of me or my pet so they canceled the order. I called banfield up and they told me they will straighten it out by calling back 1800-pet meds and I wont have to do anything, I will just get petmeds in the mail soon. Guess what? Never got 1800pet meds......wow One day I thought my dog had eaten some sago palm tree (deadly for dogs) so I rushed her to Banfield and walked in to explain it to the lady at the counter, and she smirked at me in almost a way that made it seem like she enjoyed how panicked I was. And proceeded to tell me that they didn't handle things like that and I had to go to an emergency care center. Thus making Banfield more and more useless to me, even though I pay tons of money. What a joke of a company. I have since got a second dog and found a much better veterinary clinic. You could have had double the money from me, but instead you have no idea what is going on. Oh and one of the vets I talked to about my dogs discoloration in one of her eye's, he told me it was nothing the first visit and just put some eye drops he prescribed me. The next time it was a different vet and he said something completely different and told me to send her a eye specialist. So much to complain about but i'll stop here. Read Less

We've been going here with our new puppy Maya for about a month and a half.   We decided on the Wellness Plan to take care of all the 1st year shots.  Pleased with it so far. The entire staff is extremely friendly and knowledgeable.  They love animals. It can be very busy at times and you may have to wait over 30 minutes.  However, the vets take a lot of time looking over my dog so the wait is justified because they take the time to do their job and answer questions.  Since we rescued a puppy we did a dog DNA test to see all the breeds she is.  The blood test is more detailed than the silva DNA test offered in other places.   We'll find out in about 3 weeks her family tree for about $80. We took the dog here without reading Yelp.  We have been happy so far. Read Less

I have been going to Banfield for over 4 years for my two dogs. I have the wellness program. I like the fact that I do not have to pay any additional office visit fees no matter how often I visit. I have been very happy overall with the care my dogs have been given. The staff are very friendly, and yes, there are waits to speak with someone sometimes, but that's during peak times of the day. For appointments, I usually have little wait to see the vet tech or the doctor. My dogs have annual teeth cleanings with no issues. My only complaint is how expensive they are with items not covered under the plan. It cost over $500 to have my dog's broken tooth removed, even during the cleaning surgery. My old vet charged under $100 for comparison. I also like the fact that they are open 7 days per week. Read Less

Hi. I'm Juliet, I'm a wellness plan member, and I've been handled! Here's my story... I have been a Wellness Plan member for about 7+ years and I have never had a major issue with this hospital until this recent visit. CoCo was there for a routine visit and updated shots when I was told the checkin/drop off process had changed. Great! For the "working parents", you can't drop off until 8 now, no big deal! I made sure CoCo and I were there at 7:58AM on the dot! The store was already open and a few dogs were being checked in. It took about 5 minutes to check him in, however the new "wait to talk to the vet tech about your troubles" process FAILED me! Never before have I done this! I didn't need to talk to the tech because all was well and he simply needed the routine plan procedures. I waited until 8:24 to tell Kelsey that. And didn't leave the consultation until 8:30! What was usually a 10-15 minutes tops checkin/ drop off process turned out to be a half hour ordeal. Why? While I do think that those who have issues should stay and chat as to get an accurate record of concerns, for me and plan members like me with no issues, this is terrible! I'm dropping off so I can have my dog seen and make it to work on time! They knew why I was there and pre-scheduled my visit for that single purpose! The nice receptionist did speak to the fact that there were only 2 techs there (with a board full of visits scheduled) and she also said that because of new procedures, she couldn't leave the front desk to take CoCo back as they have done in the past!  So, I waited about 30 minutes to "drop-off". Is that the new normal? While waiting on the orange benches, I couldn't help but notice all the dander and pet hair in the corners. So I stood, paced a little, and held CoCo while we waited. Finally, CoCo and I were called back and I spoke with Kelsey for about 6 minutes. She pulled up his file, saw what needed to be updated, asked me if he was ok, and that summed up our consultation. So that this wasn't a complete waste of my time we "consulted" about adding CoCo's Trifexis pill for checkout and she typed it in! All Done! Fast forward to 4:00PM: Prior to my appointment, I asked that CoCo be ready at 5:00PM. The receptionist made a note which I confirmed over the phone and again at drop off. So at 4:00pm when I was leaving work, I called because I hadn't received a call yet for CoCo. They said CoCo was "about to be seen." At 4:00? I was told that there's currently only 1 vet in this location. Great! The great receptionist assured me that he'd be ready! And he was! The vet called, made recommendations, and told me CoCo was ready at about 4:30PM! Awesome! I make it back for pickup at around 4:45PM, and I'm ready to pay for my Trifexis and leave with my CoCo only to be told that "his file hasn't been released from the back yet." Wait. What? I said, "The doctor called about 15 minutes ago and said he was all set." She (Beth) replied, "it should only be a few minutes." At this point, I'm sick! Whilst I wait, I ask if I can at least pay for my Trifexis, and Beth replies sure I'll add it for you! Thinking... Um, what do mean you'll add it? I had an unnecessary 30-minute consultation about it this morning. It's not already there? Kelsey didn't add it this morning? So why did I consult with her at 8:24AM? Deep sigh. At this point Kelsey comes out to the front desk, Beth (with a smile) says to her, "I added the Trifexis for you!" She says to Beth, "You were in the file and I was trying to add it in the back." Meanwhile, I lock eyes with Kelsey and I think she can read the displeasure in my eyes saying, "The Trifexis should have been added between 8:24-8:30AM when I talked to you, not now at 4:49PM!" Don't get saucy with Beth for coming in at the last minute and handling your dropped ball like a CHAMP! ... I digress.CoCo and I left at 5:00, and I was kinda' seething. I felt like I'd been handled at every turn, all day long by Banfield Southdide! So... Because, I'm a Wellness member (and I'll be back) who lives near the Southside location, but works near the St. Augustine location, and CoCo's grandparents live near the Gainesville location...  I might just have to transfer like a crazy person whenever I need something done! I just can't do this! The services rendered, GREAT! Just about everything else, POOR! I know you're better than this! Sincerely, Disappointed in Jacksonville. Read Less

I had an appointment scheduled for my cat to be neutered and the day prior I receive a call from the Vet saying the doctor does not feel comfortable without examination. I can completely understand the doctor's feelings but not only was it extremely last minute, but on top of the original surgery, they are the fees for the examination were well over $200. Long story short: this vet does not care about the pets, they are only in it to squeeze the money out of the poor soul who wants the best for their animal. I will not be visiting another Banfield and I will advise all close to me to beware as well. Good day! Read Less

I would have given a rating of 0 stars if that were possible. I took my dog to Banfield on Southside Blvd in Jacksonville, FL on 1/13/2016. I informed them (when I scheduled the appointment, checked in for the appointment, when the nurse entered the room, when the doctor entered the room and when I paid upon checkout) that the reason for my visit was for them to refill my dog's HeartGuard prescription. After checking my dog's knees, ears, & teeth they convinced me that I needed their service plan, but did not provide the prescription. I repeatedly questioned them about the prescription and they told me that I can order it from 800-PetMeds and gave me instructions on the process to place the order. Well, I did just as I was instructed. Then, 2 days later I received an email from 800-PetMeds informing me that the doctor was not responding to my refill request. I called Banfield this morning only to be informed that they did not do the testing that was required for me to be able to have the prescription refilled. You can only imagine my frustration with this place. That was the purpose in our visit to this Vet and they were very much aware of this. They are full of it & a huge waste of time & money. Needless to say, I have cancelled the service plan within the 4 days for a full refund. I will never visit another Banfield regardless of the location based on what I have experienced. Read Less

My dogs have been with Banfield for over five years. I've been raving about them for years!! Since moving further south, my experience at the Southside branch has been poor. Though the staff is generally friendly, the average wait time is 45+ whether it's dropping off or waiting to check out. There was one incident that I had to wait over 90 minutes to pick-up my dog even after they had called and told us they were ready for pick-up. Not sure if they are short staffed, but they are not very responsive with follow up requests as the clinic in River City. The latest appointment - we requested an acclimation certificate, typical documents for pets traveling during cold weather. It was a typical long waiting period, 45 minutes for me to drop two dogs.  Northside typically has two working the front office, but the Southside office only has one person manning the front. Today's visit they had no idea what an  acclimation certificate was and insisted that the health certificate was all they could provide. Mind you I've spoke to the tech when I dropped them off specifically telling her what I needed and called a few minutes later explaining the acclimation cert. The airlines reps assured me that the vet would know what an acclimation cert is and it should not be difficult to get. Apparently, it was not very easy for this clinic. It took Google to convince them.I'm cancelling my wellness membership and looking for a more competent and professional vet clinic. If it wasn't a nearly hour drive to the Northside clinic, I would bring my dogs there. Time to look for a new vet. Read Less

They punctured my cats ear drums while cleaning it, and all i received was 500$ in charges for medicine that didn't do anything. No apology, no compensation, no care in the world, just talking to the vet, he himself stated he just likes to show up. in the world of treating lives, you should show more drive to educate and better yourself/staff. If you like throwing your money away and killing your animals, go here. DO NOT TRUST ANYTHING THE VETS OR THEIR "HELPERS" SAY, ITS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY WITH THEM.Read Less

In short, I recommend avoiding totally. However, if you are just in it for the basic yearly vaccines for your pet, you might be okay - but DON'T sign up for the wellness plan packages! It's a trap! I sorely regret signing up. Jacksonville is ripe w/vet clinics, and there are many that are rated very well. I encourage you to find one! Why? Well, dealing with them is always frustrating. They are ALWAYS shorthanded, so you'll usually sit on hold for a long time (10+ minutes) if you call, or you will have to wait a very long time just to approach the desk to check in/out or ask a question. They really need to have more people on staff, especially during peak hours. (To be fair, one thing I can say that's good about them is that they're always pretty accommodating when it comes to emergencies, and I've even been able to get my dog in the same day within a couple hours for certain situations. However, I think this contributes to them always being overbooked and understaffed. In spite of this, the Client Service Coordinators are very, very nice.) However, do I think I'm getting the best level of care? Absolutely not, and I can prove it. I've gotten vials of my dog's meds with conflicting info on the label regarding dosing, and when I called in, no one had any idea what was going on and had to ask multiple people, and I never really got a solid clear answer. Luckily I did my own research on the drug manufacturer's OWN WEBSITE, realizing that Banfield was instructing me to exceed the daily dosage per pound of body weight, on a potentially dangerous med, of which the side effects were NEVER discussed with me! I adjusted the dose myself, and thank goodness I had the brains to do that. With this very same medicine, I called back in days later, really concerned because my dog's appetite declined in accordance with her taking this med (even on the correct, reduced dose!) to the point that she had gone 24 hours not eating, and I was told by someone on staff that it can't be that causing it. Even though the bottle clearly states to watch for signs of intestinal upset, like lack of appetite. Their answer to that is "We put that on every bottle." Ok, fine, but it is happening! Before the meds, my dog ate just fine. The attitude I got was "We're right, don't ask questions, don't be stupid, you didn't look online for this nonsense that it causes lack of appetite, did you?" Their suggestion was to make her bacon so she'll eat something. And "if I'm really that concerned" then bring her in. Why? So you can run me up another $300 bill trying to determine some phantom cause for her not eating, when the answer is plain? 2 + 2 = 4, folks. Well guess what, I did find multiple sources online that site this as a side effect, and sure enough, as soon as I discontinued this drug, her appetite came back. I found a natural supplement online, and the situation was resolved. Too bad I wasted X amount on a vial full of pills that just went in the trash, and caused my dog discomfort in the process. As if this wasn't enough, I just found out that Banfield completely misdiagnosed my dog. Even after a battery of tests, I just found out from another vet (who was doing an X-ray for something completely unrelated) that SURPRISE my dog actually has bladder stones. She was diagnosed with "spay incontinence" by Banfield not that long ago, so they completely missed this. I couldn't be more upset, but what can I do? Nothing. I can just be appreciative that another vet caught this before it became critical. Bottom line. If you go here, take EVERY single thing they say with a grain of salt, and use your head. Take your dog's care into your own hands - don't just blindly follow what they say! Do your research!Read Less

I wish I could say something nice, but after waiting for nearly an hour after their posted hours, I have yet to see an employee. We just moved here and this is our first Banfield experience.... Not impressed at all!I recommend calling ahead if you are doing early drop off so you don't get frustrated, angry and infuriated before your day really even starts. Read Less

This vet constantly up sells you things your pet doesn't need.  They are dangerous!  Our dog went in for a 6 month check up perfectly healthy and became deaf 3 days later from an ear drop they prescribed her.  They didn't disclose to us they could make her go deaf or we'd have never given them to her for a simple ear infection.When we took our dog back 5 days later to address this, Dr. Pallozzi said " well dad she is getting old".  Dogs don't lose their hearing overnight.  Our dog was perfectly healthy before going in there.  She showed no compassion whatsoever.  She is in the wrong field in my opinion!Don't do it!  Stay away.  You've been warned! Read Less

Getting right to the point. My five year old Yorkie died because they misdiagnosed a cyst he had on his small intestines. They put him through a battery of tests that accomplished one goal; emptying my bank account. One of the technicians even said; " We're throwing darts hoping something hits the bullseye". The diagnoses they came up with was that he was overweight. Barney weighed 10 lbs. The actual veterinarian spent a grand total of ten minutes with the dog before prescribing more pills and food ( over $200) and sending us on our way.So if you're looking for a doctor to animal veterinarian; this is not the place. Especially if you care about your pet. I give this place a 1 star rating because they did spell Barney's name correctly on his chart. Read Less

The best - our lab just had to be put down for pancreatitis.  Banfield staff did everything in their power to cure Madison.  However, after a month of her not gaining back her strength, we all thought it best that she should no longer suffer.  The WHOLE team at Banfield could not have been nicer, sympathetic and just overall great.  We have been using Banfield's Pet plan for 9 years on Madison, and have been very satisfied with the services offered by Banfield.  When we called Banfield to cancel our plan on Madison, it had already been taken care of by this Banfield Southside location. We could give kudos to particular people at Banfield, but honestly, it was a team effort and EVERYONE there was great. Read Less

Signed up for a puppy wellness plan, what a mistake.  They say it covers everything but I was hit for between $50-$100 everytime I stepped in the door.  In addition we ended up relocating this puppy to a friend and they would not let us switch over the plan they wanted both parties to pay full new puppy plans.  NEVER USE BANFIELD they are a complete ripoff Read Less

I liked that we were able to take our kittens in as a drop off. We had adopted them the day before and one was sneezing and it was very concerning. The receptionist that put us into the system was not very friendly, having worked customer service for 4+ years now I have a high standard for customer service. If you're being paid to be an attentive friendly person, and you still can't do it? You need a career change. After we entered the treatment room and were attended to by both tech and vet, they decided that it was either, a sinus infection, feline herpes, or allergies. So they sent us home with 3 different prescriptions. Two antibiotics, in case it was an infection, and powdered lysine, in case it was herpes. So if he does get better, in which case it wasn't allergies, we still have no idea if it was a sinus infection or herpes, because they are treating both. We decided to hold off on the lysine so that we will know exactly what is going on, (we did our own research and this seemed the safest and most practical course, despite having already paid for the $20 product.) When they rang up the bill it came out to $152. Almost half, $66, was just for the exam. HOWEVER, and this is where we got really upset, we had seen both on a flyer given to us by a cashier just yesterday, and on their website that the first visit was free.  We showed the receptionist the coupon on our phone where she then informed us that we had to have a hard copy. But the website said nothing of the sort. That could be deemed as a "bait and switch" which is ILLEGAL. But above EVERYTHING, we asked if we could bring in the coupon the next day, to which we got a no. We asked if one of us could run home, print it and bring it back and we got a no. All the while the flyer that had a hard copy of the coupon was only feet away from us, something we didn't realize until we had got back home. I find it very hard to believe that a woman working in the office had no idea that coupon was there the whole time. And I am outraged. In summary: the customer service was terrible and they were out for every penny. I highly suggest going elsewhere.And as a sidenote, I was extremely perturbed how amusing the vet tech thought that my cats aggression towards food, (she gets very territorial and will strike out or bite if someone tries to touch her food) was amusing and continued to taunt her. Even taking her out of the room to show the other employees. She was adopted from a shelter just yesterday, she will of course need some rehabilitation. But reinforcing her aggression by giving her a treat every time she bites is not acceptable, regardless of how funny one might think it is. Read Less

the vets are really nice which is rare since most doctors have huge egos. however ive had some snappy staff before, telling me to carry my puppy in instead of walking him b/c of possible diseases and crap. sutff like that doesnt bother me but Jesus be nice about it. I really like how they have a board that welcomes the pets I think thats a cool on off, and their payment plan is very nice. Read Less

these guys are amazing! For past five yeara they helped me take care of my Sasha!  She passed away on March 17 and everyone in this location knew her, took great care of her when she needed the extra care.  They also take care of my very demanding  Mika (jack russell).  Staff and docs are amazing! Read Less