Banfield Pet Hospital

I've taken my 5lb Pomeranian to Banfield her entire life (10 years), but this was my first time going to the Brookhaven/Buckhead location. My Pom (who is typically very healthy and happy) caught Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) which is characterized by sudden vomiting and bloody diarrhea. The symptoms are severe, and HGE can be fatal if not treated early on, which is why after 2 days of symptoms I brought her in to receive medical treatment and testing.  I dropped her off because they did not have any open appointments and picked her up a few hours later. All of her blood work, xrays, and fecal came back normal, indicating it was indeed, HGE. Below are the reasons I will NEVER recommend this Banfield to anyone who has a sick pet in need of treatment and knowledgeable veterinarian care:1. They gave me 3 medications with no explanation of how to administer (empty stomach, with food, together/separate, drug interactions, etc.). 2. Two of the three meds were double the dosing amount needed for a 5lb dog (Metronidazole & an antacid).  One of which can cause death when given more than recommended (Metronidazole)3. The 3rd medication was FOUR TIMES the amount needed for a 5lb dog... Understandable why she couldn't hold it down.  Not to mention it was a huge horse pill (1gm Sucralfate pink pill) they told me to manually put down her throat to swallow. Anyone with common sense can recognize that my tiny dog would choke on a pill of this size, so I had to ask them for a syringe to administer the pill broken down in water. Something they should've recommended from the get-go, but I overlooked it.  Also - This medication is NOT recommended to be given with an antacid, which they also prescribed and did not inform me of this.4.  They administered subQ fluids to help with hydration.  They made 3 separate injections on her back/spinal area and returned her to me with BRIGHT RED BLOOD running down her back and in her fur, painful to the touch. When I asked why she had blood running down her back, they brushed it off as nothing and asked if I wanted them to take her back and clean it off. NO THANK YOU, please do not touch my dog anymore.Saturday and Sunday she was getting worse - extremely lethargic, dehydrated, had trouble standing or focusing her eyes on anything. She should've been improving pretty well by the 2nd day, NOT declining. Terrified, I rushed her to VCA Pets Are People Too where I learned that her medication dosing was too high and one of the meds was not needed at all.  She stayed with them overnight to receive an IV drip where she was closely monitored for 12 hours and dosed with proper meds.  Thanks to the proper care at VCA she has bounced back on the mend and is her sassy, happy, healthy self again.Pet owners: please do your research, ask as many questions as possible to your vet, don't back down if you aren't getting straight answers, and get a second opinion when something just doesn't seem right.  If I had blindly trusted the care regimen prescribed by this Banfield location, my baby could've died from an easily curable disease. I even googled the dosing recommendations online, checked numerous credible sources (including the manufacturer's site), and all confirmed the correct (LOWER) amounts recommended for her weight.  That's simply negligent veterinary care on all levels.The only reason for the one star is because the front office staff are very friendly and welcoming. The vet on duty and tech staff were  also friendly, but unfortunately negligent at the same time. Read Less

The people who work at this location and all other locations are very very kind, however, they were not able to see my animal when she needed it most on several occasions. I cancelled my wellness plan because I would have to take her to the emergency center instead and pay at least $200. Banfield is a great place for vaccines and immunizations, however, I will no longer be bringing my baby back for other services. Read Less

I brought in a stray cat that was in respiratory distress and had neurological deficits. I was seen right away. The staff was very knowledgeable and considerate as I made the decision to have the cat put down. A rescue group jumped in last minute and took the cat to an emergency vet for countless tests to try and save it. Banfield still charged me but it was at a much reduced rate. Read Less

WARNING WARNING/MONEY HUNGRY!!!!! First time visiting Banfield Pet Hospital for veterinary services and my dog and I received horrible service. From start to finish. Our Vet Technician Rayvon NEVER actually touched or interact with my dog nor did he introduce himself as he was more lack luster interested in pitching the "GREATNESS" of the Wellness Plan. Room 1 was dirty prior to our entry from animal fir floating around to the nose/licking marks on the door mind you this is a 9:30am appt so I dont know how dirty the room should be at the START of the day. After waiting to see the Veterinarian Dr. Arsema Samuel who did my dogs complete "exam" and administered vaccines in the back of the facility out of view "something different" finally entered the room to discuss my dog. I made my payment and proceeded to walk around the PetsMart store. I decided after comparing brands to get the injection Heartworm prevention, so I returned to the Banfield counter for further assistance. I was told from a staff member Joshua that it would be no problem to administer the heartworm prevention injection and was put into the same dirty waiting room as before. After waiting 15 minutes the Receptionist enters to inform me I would be charged an ADDITIONAL office visit as well as the charge for the actual injection. Granted I had been in the same waiting room not an hour prior. Receptionist seeing my shock seeks to ask Practice Manager KayOnna if there is something that can be done to offset the additional office visit charge, KayOnna offers to reduce the amount by half (lol). Suffice to say we did NOT get the heartworm prevention injection. This organization is MONEY HUNGRY. Horrible Experience, Disappointed In myself I ever allowed them to touch my dog. Read Less

I should start off by saying that generally everyone who works here is kind. This is why they get two stars from me.I have taken my puppy here twice, first because I had a free coupon for a general consult, the second because my first experience wasn't that bad. I am not a fan. I feel as though they spent more time trying to push wellness plans and were less concerned about my puppy's health. At one point, I was told that my puppy had lost weight because her chart information was not entered correctly, which made me question a lot of what I was being told by the vet nurses. I'd seen 3 different vet nurses/assistants over my 2 visits and was told a lot of things that contradicted a lot of what Dr. Wolf told me.Dr. Wolf is a fine vet, although I think that he is a bit impatient (or lacking in time). If you're a first time pet-owner like me and have a lot of questions, I'd book an appointment with a different doctor. I myself am going to try a different vet. Read Less

On December 15,2017, I dropped my dog Tony Starks off to be neutered . Our regular doctor, Dr. Wolfe, called out sick and the procedure was not done . The next day Saturday, December 16,2017, Dr. Trujillo performed the procedure . Saturday afternoon I returned to pick up my dog and they informed me they do not recommend the regular plastic cones for French bulldogs because of their short necks and snots, and directed me to buy an inflatable collar from petsmart . I did as asked and returned with the collar . After blowing it up , The Tech Nurse Akisha , went back to the back and put the collar on and returned back with my dog . After informing me the collar needed to be on for 2 weeks , I purchased the medicine required and left . Tuesday night (12/19/17) after coming home from work I noticed an odor coming from Tony. I examined him and the collar and after realized the smell was coming from the collar , I took it off . When the collar came off there was a green residue all around my dogs neck and was as blood stains . Frantic, I washed his neck and tried to clean up the wound sites , waited til 7am and called Banfield . After explaining what was going on, the nurse answering the phone informed me that the doctor had no availability and recommended me to drop him off . I let her know this was an EMERGENCY and someone should see me today and I wouldn't be dropping him off , she then told me to put the collar back on my dog so he wouldn't lick the incision site ; and would call me if anything was available . When I finally got the call for the appointment I was relieved . We arrived for the appointment and were greeted with looks of disgust and questions like "how did this happen" "what is going on" . Dr. Trujillo then informed me she needed to shave the site because it was like a diaper rash that wasn't getting air . I was then charged for the shaving and the medicine and then sent on my way as if this was no ones problem but mine . My dog was a happy , healthy , beautiful puppy before this and now he is hurting , and he looks so bad he can't leave the house . After being almost $300 in the hole over a situation the BANFIELD employees caused , the company decided to not cover any expenses although it was THEIR doctors who informed me to buy this special product and even put it on my dog . BEWARE OF THIS PLACE ! THEY DO NOT CARE FOR YOUR PET ! Read Less

Lost a urine culture, but never called to tell me. I had to call in and get the run around until the admitted they messed up. Only to ask if my dog still had symptoms. Of course she still has symptoms, nothing was done! I had to argue with them again just to get the culture done again free of charge. Absolutely ridiculous. If you love your pet take them somewhere that provides sound, thoughtful, and individualized care. Major medical pet insurance is only $10 or so more and well, well worth it. Read Less

Lost a urine culture, but never called to tell me. I had to call in and get the run around until the admitted they messed up. Only to ask if my dog still had symptoms. Of course she still has symptoms, nothing was done! I had to argue with them again just to get the culture done again free of charge. Absolutely ridiculous. If you love your pet take them somewhere that provides sound, thoughtful, and individualized care. Major medical pet insurance is only $10 or so more and well, well worth it. Read Less

I've never left this place without being extremely frustrated. While the staff may be nice, you'll hardly ever wait less than an hour for an appointment. Every time we go we wait and wait and then wait some more before we see the vet. When we got our dog neutered they gave him the wrong size cone to wear which then resulted to him getting to the incision & it getting infected prolonging the healing process. We've been going to the same location for about a year and a half and have had not one but THREE different vets. The Wellness plans may seem like a good deal but they're not and you cannot cancel until your year contract is up. To me its worth paying a little more for better care, service, and timely appointments. Very thankful that our contract just ended! Read Less

I've taken my pet here since 2013 and "Hadji" started working here 5 months ago maybe....he is extremely rude, condescending, hates cats and overall just not a good hire. I dread taken my pet to Banfield and will be filing a formal corporate complaint. Hopefully they will get back to their old ways of treating all pets equally.Read Less

Dr. Z is the best veterinarian ever. Super helpful and will help you fit your pet needs with your budget, without shame. The staff is super helpful and knowledgeable. They care about the health and safety of your pet. I can't recommend this place enough. I never worry about dropping my dog off for a visit because I know they'll treat her like their own furbaby.Read Less

I moved to Atlanta two years ago and adopted my first dog in January. All my family pets have been with Banfield in Charlotte (they're fantastic), so this was the obvious and logical choice. My dog is a 1 year old rescue and has many behavioral issues that we've had to work through (potty training, separation anxiety, fear of men and children). I was concerned about taking her to any vet€as I knew she would be a production. The team at Banfield in Buckhead put all my concerns to rest. The technician and Doctor (male) took extra time with her so that she could feel comfortable and get acclimated before taking her back for heart worm testing and shots. Knowing how difficult she can be with new people, I really appreciated the extra level of care shown by the team. I love the wellness plan options. All are very affordable, include a wide variety of services (depending on the level of plan. All the basic needs are covered with no charge for office visits) and give me complete peace of mind. Read Less

This hospital is very hit or miss. I have been there some days when the vet on staff is so nice and knowledgable. There was one lady who was so helpful and explained everything really well. I loved her and wish I could remember her name, but God forbid you get the guy vet. He is AWFUL! I dropped my dog off there at 11:30 for an appointment for a skin infection and ear infection that he couldn't diagnose or get rid of the first time. So I brought him in for a second time and had to play phone tag with the vet all day to give permission to run tests that would cost extra. I gave my permission at around midday to a vet tech and they said they would relay the message to the vet. I called at 4 to see when my dog would be ready and just check in and the vet hadn't even performed the tests yet. Finally I called at 6 pm and STILL my dog had not been taken care of. I was livid. What a waste of an entire day of my baby's life! When the vet finally did come on the phone he was so incompetent. He presented the information and diagnostics like he was asking my opinion of it rather than coming up with a formal analysis of my dogs condition. I don't know where that guy went to vet school but he was so unsure of himself in his description of my dogs problems that it made me want to go to a different vet immediately to get a second opinion. I LOVE Banfield and the office staff at Buckhead are so sweet and helpful but if I ever go back it will not be when he is on call at the time. Or I will be trying another location in Atlanta because I love the wellness plan but I cannot imagine putting my dog through their inefficient system again. There was no care or sympathy and everything was way too clinical through the whole experience. Read Less

I just moved to Brookhaven, and my dog has been on the wellness program for 2 years now. We moved from the Woodstock Banfield location, and though it is the same company, I was nervous to receive the same great service my pup and I got at Woodstock. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Though we have not been here long, my pup got a liver infection so we had several visits in a short span of time. The doctors called to give me check ups on her (since she stayed there for long periods of time), and updated me on her diagnosis. The treatment was successful and though I had to pay more than what was covered on her plan, I was eager for my baby to get better. I am giving 4 stars instead of 5 because of the wait and a bit of confusion that happened on her medication and prescription instructions. Read Less

i was very happy with the services i had gotten from the vets that were there to treat my cat in sept.  i had her checked. for what we thought was a tooth infection.. but, the vet wanted to make sure she didn't have any other possible problems and we might not be able to detect those properly  if we did blood work that day,,, so, i went home with antibiotics and liquid pain meds,,, as she was in pain,, she got better and it  looked like the tooth might fall out on its own... i kept a close eye on her behavior and she was doing great until 2 days ago and i noticed the tooth was red and irritated again and she was in pain again,, i called the vet's office and told them the history and wanted to get a appt asap!  i did get a appt the next day,, but, i did not want her in pain the rest of the day and evening and the next morning as our appt was at 3:oopm. i called back and ask if i could have the pain meds they gave her to get her thur the night..  they refused??  i went in the office with all her records and asked if  i could please have some pain meds to get her through until 3:oo the next day. and  all of a sudden they  were out of the meds,, so i asked for anything to help her and they told me no! also, late that afternoon, they canceled her appt for the next day at 3:oo... it seems that the new vet  wants to neglect a suffering animal in pain,,,i rescued her in 2001 and she means the world to me,, i think this  vet is neglecting his duty to uphold the ethics of his industry.  do not go to this banfield clinic in buckhead... it was a really nice place until the new vet came and i did not see any of the great staff members that i normally see,, now, they are making my cat suffer another day .  i will be reporting this vet.  he is a very evil person to make an animal suffer needlessly!! and last time i checked  it is  a felony to knowingly neglect an animal in pain. Read Less

I've taken my dog to Banfield for 9 years -- as a senior dog, she needs customized care and I don't feel that Banfield is able to provide the level of care she needs. My recommendation is to find a good local vet for your animals that can provide the level of customized care they need. Read Less

I have been bringing my two dogs here for five years now. They are such great care takers and they know us! It feels great to be in the hands of people who genuinely care about the well being of your beloved animals. Read Less

I think the care is okay, and the place is woefully understaffed or have too many appointments at a time. At least, that was probably the case for me. I came in for a wellness check to travel and even though I arrived early, we left 2.5 hours late. I could see that at least three other people waited about an hour after checking in....which is saying something because I waited 10 mins just to check in.The care is okay. Out of the three people I talked to, only one made eye contact with me. No one introduced themselves, which is somewhat unusual even for pet clinics. The receptionist was friendlier than the clinicians, for what that's worth.I would say 3 star service. Minus one star for the lateness (really, more than an hour for something like this is too much...and we waited over two hours) and lack of warning about the wait. There are at least four other people today that waited way too long, but I'm not sure they use yelp. If I lived nearby and had a couple of hours I wanted to spend in petsmart, I'd go again. But people should know the wait is *not* an isolated experience and prepare accordingly. I'd devote two hours for checkups, start to finish. Maybe more time if you need vaccines and such. Read Less

I find this vet office extraordinarily frustrating. Every time my dog & I come here the wait is no less than 30 minutes!  And that's with an appt !  They always shrug andsay they have a emergency . My dog & I travel back and forth so come sporadically,But I'm done with the casual disregard they have for their clients time.  Today's wait was almost an HOUR!!  How can they have endless emergencies ?! Our vet at home never does this . Better run? Certainly Read Less

I am updating my 4 star review to a 5 star review. We have had Morgan on their Wellness Plan since January, 2013 and our new puppy has been on their plan since we got him in June of 2015. I'll admit, I was skeptical about bringing them to a vet in a pet store, but Dr. Z has been the best vet we've ever had... Kind, gentle, easy for us to understand. He gets down on the floor and plays with our boys no matter how busy he is, and they always run up to him and lick him. He has always been spot on when Morgan has had any issues. Max (puppy) just got neutered and three days later we can barely see the wound. He also had papillomatosis on his tongue and Dr. Z removed that, which caused some expected bleeding. Three days later, his tongue looks great. On top of all this, their Wellness Plan allows us unlimited free office visits plus very affordable preventative care. I can't say enough about this place. Yes, I've had to wait a while before, but that's typical of any vet. Book your appointment right after the lunch break and you'll be fine. Check this place out and ask for Dr. Z! Read Less

I would rate this negative 1 star if it was available!  Long wait in anxiety inducing waiting room with my poor shaking dog. The doctor finally came in after 30 minutes and asked if the nurse had been in yet, when I said no, he left. Ten minutes later the nurse shows up, takes my dog to the back to wash her infected paw (for a charge of 20.00) 15 more minutes goes by, the nurse comes back, and asks if she can keep her for an hour or two.  I said no, I got my 14.antibiotics for $35.00 ; 3 anti inflammatory pills for $8.50, and a charge of $14.00 for an Elizabeth collar they never gave me. I will only be going back for my $14.00 they owe me. I will not be taking my dog back. Read Less

I agree with the previous post. We were treated exactly as Sara D. Took both our dogs in the back without us. Then came out and said we were up to $380. The vet even called our two 4 and 5 pound Chihuahuas "Corgies!" That was after the so-called physical! Their main concern is to pitch you for their "service plan." Don't expect any breaks on costs unless you join this plan, as a matter of fact, they can be pretty darn expensive! The only reason I used them was because it was Sunday and the only time we could take them in. We suspected an ear infection. We have had our 2 "Chihuahuas" for 14 and 16 years. Never have we or they been treated like this. We were so exasperated that we left and realized that they did not even tell us if they treated the dogs ears. Nothing was noted on the bill, and it finally came back at just under $500.00. For ears? Something is wrong here. If you can wait, check out another vet to care for your family. Read Less

I got my first puppy in July after going to many pet Hospitals I found Banfield on Peachtree RD...it has been Nothing but amazing... The staff is top of the line. I am on the wellness plan( less the 25 a month and it covers so much more then any other vet clinic offers)and have not had a prob. at all..I was in there weekly it seems like my first 4 months and never had to pay anything but meds for my puppy. I think if PinkWasabi could have called the customer care line they would not had had any Probs. Read Less

We took our new puppy here to get his first check up. I signed up for the Wellness plan and it all seemed ok at first. I spoke with Winter on the phone who understood everything, laid it out easily for me to make the choice, however once we got in the room with the Vet Kimberly Campbell, it went down hill. Our pup had red mange. So she wanted to run all of these tests on him, and I stopped and said no. She also wanted us to buy all these unnecessary products (12 medicated wipes for 11.99 = 1.00+ for each wipe!) Which was ridiculous. Instead of giving us a full bottle of Ivermectin, she gave us less than 1/4 the bottle and told us to come back in 2 weeks for his boosters. Well, this is after telling us, yes he needed to be neutered earlier and no rabies shots can come at 6 months. At the end, the billing was screwed up. The receptionist charged me for the ear swab that was included with the wellness plan, and then said she'd give a credit for the next visit, after arguing me about it. Seemed fine... We went just yesterday for the refill and boosters. and guess what?! New vet! Dr. Ropper was his name. He gave our pup rabies shots at 3 months and also told us not to get him neutered until after 6 months?! He recommended a benzoyl peroxide shampoo for our pup with the itching, but they were out of it. AND the refill? Well... they ran out of that too. The billing? Well, the girl that said there would be a credit was there and never put it on the account so I had to discuss it with the other receptionist who was really sweet, Ashley. The only person who made our visit delightful was Paris the vet tech. She understood what was going on with out pup... Read Less

We took our new puppy here to get his first check up. I signed up for the Wellness plan and it all seemed ok at first. I spoke with Winter on the phone who understood everything, laid it out easily for me to make the choice, however once we got in the room with the Vet Kimberly Campbell, it went down hill. Our pup had red mange. So she wanted to run all of these tests on him, and I stopped and said no. She also wanted us to buy all these unnecessary products (12 medicated wipes for 11.99 = 1.00+ for each wipe!) Which was ridiculous. Instead of giving us a full bottle of Ivermectin, she gave us less than 1/4 the bottle and told us to come back in 2 weeks for his boosters. Well, this is after telling us, yes he needed to be neutered earlier and no rabies shots can come at 6 months. At the end, the billing was screwed up. The receptionist charged me for the ear swab that was included with the wellness plan, and then said she'd give a credit for the next visit, after arguing me about it. Seemed fine... We went just yesterday for the refill and boosters. and guess what?! New vet! Dr. Ropper was his name. He gave our pup rabies shots at 3 months and also told us not to get him neutered until after 6 months?! He recommended a benzoyl peroxide shampoo for our pup with the itching, but they were out of it. AND the refill? Well... they ran out of that too. The billing? Well, the girl that said there would be a credit was there and never put it on the account so I had to discuss it with the other receptionist who was really sweet, Ashley. The only person who made our visit delightful was Paris the vet tech. She understood what was going on with out pup... Read Less

I wish I could give this Vet negative stars. (This is the one in Buckhead, not downtown). We brought our newly adopted dog there to get checked out in general and also to have some cuts examined on his legs. They took our poor, sweet dog back there WITHOUT us, did skin scrapes without asking, then charged us $300 for medicine and shampoo that has done nothing. They also charged us to run "tests" -- none of which were conclusive, then told us he had a fungus then later said never mind he has a parasite, then later retracted that and said they didn't know. Our dog was so nervous in the back that he had a giant accident, and instead of showing him care they threw water over him and sent him back to us sopping wet (didn't bother to dry him) and still bleeding from this skin scrapes. This was hugely alarming, disgusting, and disappointing that a vet would treat a dog this way. I am horrified and will NEVER go here again. Read Less

I have found the staff at the Banfield in Buckhead to be very polite and really caring when it comes to animals. Yes i may have to wait, however they spend as much time as needed with patients/pets answering questions etc. This is not just retail, this is a Veterinary Clinic. People are in too big of a hurry. Wait your turn, have some patience, but be nice to these people, they really do care about YOUR pet too! Do you think you could drop your kid off at the doctor and be gone in 1 hour? Your pets get the same care.. I have seen them spend as much time with a young child with a sick hamster (ok, i thought they were disposable) as they did discussing my pets Heart Murmur, care and treatment options. My pet IS a family member, and I am happy that they spend the time with me that they do!! Doug JR and Clark, the Hairless Chinese Crested (the best looking one around!) Read Less

If you choose to use Banfield's service at the Buckhead location, be sure you ask for a manager because the information you will be provided by the receptionts will be inaccurate. I recently contacted them to find out if dogs could get ringworm and the receptionist put me on hold to ask a nurse. She came back and said ""yes"", so I immediately asked when the free office hours were. I was told T & TH from 2-4pm. (There is no charge for the office visit.) I took off work the following Thursday to take my dog to be checked only to find out when I arrived that the free office visit is only for vaccinations. I looked at both receptionist and asked who did I speak to, 2 days earlier, who told me the free visits were on T& TH? One finally admitted that she had told me that but they didn't bother to see me or the dog, even though they had given me wrong information and I had taken off work to get there. This isn't the first time I've had problems with Banfield. Find another vet that understands what customer service is! Read Less

I think Banfield provides outstanding care for our pets, but they are exceptionally slow. A couple days ago, it took over a half and hour to just drop off our pet for them to examine him. Then it took over an hour to pick him up. They usually only have one person working the front desk and about 3-5 people ahead of you in line. The one person working the desk spends about 5-15 minutes just punching stuff into their computer and zero time listening to you or really caring about your time. All in all, the service is very poor. Read Less