Portage Park Animal Hospital

First time I took my pit here I was unsatisfied. I forgot the doctors name ( he was male), but he acted so scared of my baby and tried to basically push us out the door. A few years later I came back and had Dr. Tobin, she's fantastic. She takes really good care of my dogs. Read Less

I use to feel welcome and happy bringing my two little ones here but I'm here right now and I can tell you that customer service and love to their pets has DECREASED inmensanly. It is all about the money which is fine but pets owners should have better respect and support. And the pets should be treated with love! Also the quality of time that the veterinarian offer is very BASIC and SHORT. Front desk girls have a very disrespectful attitude and so is the nurse who took care of my dogs. If you're looking for a good place for your pets this is not the right one. 😕 Read Less

Had my dogs teeth cleaned at Portage Park Animal Hospital and they did a fantastic job with the cleaning and extractions that he needed... and he needed quite a few. I was happy and more importantly my dog was happy. He was alert, aware, and had his sense about him when I picked him up, he wasn't overly drowsy and not in any noticeable pain! The staff was friendly and facilities were nice and clean. A big thanks to their doctors and staff for taking care of Archie! Read Less

All the Doctors and their staff there are great and very caring. We recently lost our Harley and they sent a card and everyone on their staff signed the card and sent us a paw print ornament with his name on it. Their prices are very reasonable. Read Less

What a great Vet and staff! We took our cat meowzer here last week. He was an alley cat rescue and was very scared when we got him there. The Dr. And the Assistant were great with him and very patient with all my questions! Extremely clean AND professional. The Dr. Called the next day to check on meowzer and make sure I didn't have any questions. You got a client for life! 😸😸 Read Less

I've been taking my dogs here for many years. I've seen many different vets at this location and all of them have been very competent. Appointments are needed, but there have been times when I thought an issue was urgent and they have always managed to squeeze me in. The facility is clean and well run. The staff is friendly and competent. I just got new pet insurance for my dog and they set it up so I don't have to submit my claims to the insurance company, they do it for me (I'm not sure if this applies to all insurances). Read Less

I recently lost my first dog snowball. They are the best. They were helpful and very straight forward. Very compassionate. They gave me and my family enough time to say goodbye and I held him through out the whole process. Never once did they rush me out. Doctor Tobin and her male tech were just great. There are no words on how much I appreciate them. Will definitely be bringing my other dog there from now on. Read Less

I LOVE Dr. Melissa Tobin!!! very knowledgeable, friendly, sympathetic. The staff is great very friendly and accommodating. My baby Coco ended up getting squamous cell carcinoma and unfortunately had to put her down because it was advanced. I just wanted everyone to know that its a great place. This was my cats vet clinic and I will take my next pet there as well for the rest of my fur babies life and only to see Dr. Tobin Read Less

I went on Cat Friendly Vets website and found Portage Park Animal Hospital, because we were new to the neighborhood. I was pleasantly surprised that they offered a free 1st time exam. The staff was very friendly from the initial phone call and when we got there! The place was spotless (I grew up raising livestock, and did business with veterinarians for nearly 15 years after college so I am picky how a practice is run!). This made the grade. The veterinarian and the assistant were very professional, seemed very competent, and confident - I like that. They handled my sensitive cat with care and yet did their job. The only reason there is not a 5 star rating is the wait! I arrived right on time for my appointment. I do not understand what it is with medical professionals - human or animal - that they can't keep appointment times. In my financial practice if I kept people waiting for 30 minutes for their appointment they would hit the road and not come back. At 25 minutes they apologized for the wait and said they were making sure they had the records from the previous vet. I am a very patient person, but I almost took my cat and left. I know emergencies come up, but at least keep me informed of the situation! Read Less

The staff have been very patient, helpful and understanding during our past 3 visits with our German Shepard mix. Our 12 year old dog Kayla was afraid to walk into her prior vet, but here she gets very excited. I'm happy we found this new animal hospital! Read Less

biggest ripoff vet!!!! paid $1,000+ over two visits and still no answer as to what is wrong with my dog. they tried to act as if i can't pay my bills when i called to ask why they cannot figure out what the issue is. all i want is a diagnosis and a solution even if it is monthly medication i need to purchase. they are more interested in your money. all the conversation keeps reverting back to with these people is money!!!!! please, take your business elsewhere.. to a more knowledgeable staff whose main concern is your animal's care and not how to drain your wallet.Additional comment after generic response from Linna: how dare you try and tell me I didn't follow through with instructions. I gave all meds as directed when I paid the $700 on the second visit. I have no issue with a "chronic condition," but after spending one THOUSAND dollars, you should be able to tell me what the condition is. Keep your generic commentary to yourself. You're still a rip off business and that won't change anytime soon. I see another yelper commented about your staff offering the "animal welfare league" phone number as well.... so you milk us dry and then offer us a welfare clinic. If that isn't a rip off then I don't know what is. Your words are not worth my time. Don't even reply! Read Less

Dr. Kate and the staff are wonderful and compassionate! I would recommend them to anyone who asked. I had to put my 14 yo Lab down last month and then found out my other Lab has cancer just 4 weeks later. Everyone has been very supportive. Been going there for 14 years and Ill never go anywhere else! Keep up the good work! Read Less

Every time we come, we are greeted with the friendliest staff. Everyone that works there is so sweet and genuine, they truly love their job and all of their patients. Our dog loves coming and we are always sure he is getting the best care possible. We would highly recommend to anyone! Read Less

DR. DICIAULA IS A LIAR AND ONLY CARES ABOUT MONEY! I was just there this morning. My cat dislocated her hip bone and I took her to a Premier Veterinary Group 24hr animal hospital on Sat. and they tried to pop her Hip back in but were unsuccessful (popping the hip bone in is 50/50 but its recommended before surgery) The animal hospital recommended to me that I should take my cat to a regular vet for the surgery since that location would have to charge much more than a clinic.  The vet told me I should expect to pay 1500 but that since x-rays were done possibly less.  So I took my cat to Portage Park Animal Hospital this morning and explained that my cat needed an FHO and she was already seen this past weekend.  I provided a disc w/the x-rays, the pain meds, and all the notes from the Sat. visit.  They only looked at my cat for about 5 mins. and before I knew it they were already giving me cost estimates for the surgery. (They didn't check her temp or anything)   On the low end the surgery was going to cost 1728, high end over 1900. Crazy! Included w/that were x-rays and a lot of extras that were not needed for the surgery.  They also had her down for laser surgery.  I then explained to them that I already spent a lot of money this past Sat. at the animal hospital and that I did have the x-rays.  Dr. Diciaula went to check the disc w/the x-rays and came back immediately saying how the viewpoints she needed weren't on the disc.  She kept saying how she needed the first viewpoint.  I then asked her to call the animal hospital to get the additional x-rays because I knew they took many.  Dr. Diciaula steps out to call them and not even 5 minutes later she was already saying "Oh, they haven't sent it yet and I need that x ray.  I only have the lateral view on the x-rays so I'm going to need to do an x-ray."  I replied by saying that I'd be willing to wait because I paid for the x-rays already there's no point in paying for the same x-rays again.  She steps away and while she was gone I look over the notes from the animal hospital and in the notes it says which x-rays were done for my cat.  She comes back in again in less than 5 minutes and I show her the notes from the last appointment to show her what x-rays were done and the animal hospital definitely has what she needs.  She doesn't even acknowledge what I show her and keeps insisting that she needs that x-ray.  I stand my ground and I say that I am willing to wait for the x-rays to be sent to her.  They receive the x-rays shortly after.  I then ask her to go through the cost of everything w/me to see what's needed and what's not needed.  There were about 4 things that were added on there that were not needed.  I asked her to take off what was not needed and to take off the cost of the first viewpoint x-ray.  She then says, "Well, that's not the one that would be taken off because it would have to be one of the additional X-rays"  I then say, "But I thought you said you needed the first viewpoint."  She responds by saying, "Well, we would still have to charge for that because that would be her first x-ray"  I also asked if the laser surgery was necessary and can't she have regular surgery. She said she needed to have laser surgery.  Dr. Diciaulo then goes to get the estimate sheet but the nurse is the one who comes back with it and there was practically no difference.(85 dollar difference) and the x-rays were still on there.  I explain to the nurse that I just spent over 800 dollars at the animal hospital and I want my cat to be better but extra have to be taken off. The nurse then suggests not to have laser surgery and just have a regular surgery.  Hmmm... interesting considering Dr. Diciaula said otherwise.  My mother was w/me during the visit by the way and whenthe Dr. came in my mother asked her to break down what everything was on the consent form so we can understand better what's on there and why.  Honestly, you could see the bullshit in her face while she was explaining everything, especially the laser surgery.  We asked for time to discuss it and then decided to go elsewhere to weigh our options.  While we were putting my cat in her carrier, Linna (not sure her position) comes in and gives us the number to the animal welfare league because they offer lower costs and they can also perform the surgery.  She also informs us that Dr. Diciaula is refusing to perform surgery on my cat if we come back because she felt "disrespected" because we were questioning all the charges. How unprofessional!  I am so glad we questioned the charges because we did take my cat to Ace Animal Hospital which is located just blocks up from the Portage Park location and they are only charging me 1307 high end/1347 low end. Portage Park animal hospital was going to charge me 1728-over 1900 initially.  After taking extras off it was going to be 1728/1878. That is a 400-600 dollars difference! GO ELSEWHERE! THEY ARE MONEY HUNGRY AND UNPROFESSIONAL! I WILL BE POSTING RECEIPTS SOON! Read Less

Took our 13 week old puppy here for his first visit and was told on the phone and advertised on their website that new/first time clients are free for the first visit. The staff is super friendly and helpful, but when the doctor came in she did not explain anything to us about his shots or why he was getting certain ones. She rushed through very quickly and gave him a shot and 2 pills and the bordatella up his nose. HOWEVER, looking online at certified AKC websites it shows he was already up to date and did not even NEED these interventions for another few weeks possibly up to 36 weeks!!! When we were leaving they gave us a ton of information on insurance and other types of medications and pills to get for our dog and also I was charged $89 for the visit, when they advertise and I was told that first visits are free. They told us to come back every 3 weeka two more times for basically the same exact shots. (Mind you, this was his 3rd round of shots already) The doctor also kept referring to our male dog as HER and SHE and asked us numerous times if we brought a stool sample, which made me feel as though she did not even bother looking at his chart or listening to what we were telling her. I felt that this place was all about the money and pushing meds that are not necessary. We have brought our 2 other dogs here when I was living with my parents and I never had a problem, so I feel as though they took advantage of me being younger (24) and not knowing much about puppy shots. Do your research, know what your dog needs, and be prepared to pay for your first visit no matter what they advertise! We will be taking our puppy to a different vet not only for a lower price but also to get a second opinion on what exactly our pup needs at this stage in his life. Chalking that $89 up as a loss!! They should have mentioned what shots he needs and the cost before just giving them and charging you when they say the first visit is free. Disappointed as I really wanted to use the same vet we used on our childhood dogs. Read Less

I had an appointment for my cat at 2:30pm today.  I checked in at 2:15 and was told that my cat's appointment was for 4:00pm. I insisted that the correct time was 2:30pm and got a "look" from the receptionist. I even repeated the conversation I had with staff when I scheduled the appointment that the vet my cat was to see was "wide open" for that day and that 2:30pm was the first appointment. I told her that if the practice can't get the appointment time right that I don't think that they would get anything else right. I walked right out. Read Less

This is where I took Cash last Friday morning. I thought I was just going to x-rays to see what could be done. I was told x-rays wouldn't tell them anything if it was a slipped disc. An MRI was recommended then it could only be fixed with surgery. He was in so much pain. I have always known I would never put him through any kind of surgery. I could have taken him home for a few days but I knew I would just be crying over him until I brought him back in. I made the decision to stop his pain and help him to go in peace. Everyone here at Portage Park Animal Hospital were kind gentle and understanding. I just received a card with Cash's paw print. Thank you everyone for making this calm and peaceful place to say good-bye to my boy. Read Less

I took my two dogs to this clinic for the first time yesterday. The doctor ignore me at all during the visit she preferred to talk to my 15 ys. old daughter. I was told one price for the services and I was giving a higher price when I checked out. When I was given the bill I decided to request a copy of the bill, the white attendant ignore my request and I have to ask her again, she looked at me very upset. The bill was overcharged and when I told the attendant she responded to me "we have increased the price for it", then I said, sorry but I am only going to pay what I was told, she made me wait for more than 20 minutes to make the correction. When she gave me the corrected bill she trowed to me in a very dis respective and discriminatory way, I asked to talk to the manager, but when I talked to the manager she told me in a worst dis respective way, "you have to wait to talk me", then, I decided to leave the place, because my children and dogs were already waiting for me in the car. I really believe I was discriminated and was not treated fairly as a customer by the doctor, the upset attendant, and the manager. I suggest to the administration of this place to place a sign in front of your clinic stating "for whites only", then people from other races like me could go to places where they can be served better, with more courtesy and no discrimination. I am a University Professor and I would not recommend this place at all if you are not white, because I saw that they treat whites very differently. Read Less

My cat had a seizure a few days ago, so we rushed her to this animal hospital. They were able to see her right away, and, after a brief examination and a few questions, were able to lay out a few diagnoses. The doctor gave us an estimate of what the expenses were if we were to pursue a further diagnosis. They didn't pressure us to go through all the tests, and we opted only for an xray (found nothing). Everyone was very nice and professional,  and they handled my cat very gently. The doctor even wrote a prescription to have on hand just in case my cat has another seizure. I was very pleased with my whole experience here, this is going to become my go to vet for all my cats. Read Less

I absolutely cannot recommend this animal hospital highly enough. Dr. Tobin cares for all 5 of my animals and is a fantastic veterinarian. As a former vet tech and a doctor myself I greatly appreciate her professionalism, kindness, expertise, and compassion. I had a very sick cat earlier this year and I attribute her recovery to Dr. Tobin's competence. More recently my brittany dislocated her hip badly and had to undergo a femoral head ostectomy surgery. Thanks to Dr. Diciaula and her vet tech Amanda, Holly made it through her surgery despite extensive damage to her hip and a heart murmur. I was even texted pictures of my baby before and after surgery! She is currently recovering and doing far better than expected. Disregard the reviews that say the staff are rude, the receptionists and techs I've interacted with have been great. Perhaps people giving them negative reviews should consider that these individuals have a job to do, and that's caring for your animal, not kissing your ass. I will happily recommend this hospital to everyone in the area. Thank you Drs Tobin & Diciaula and all the staff.Read Less

I hate to even write about this since for me it's a sad thing but I have to let others know what a great establishment this is. Recently I had to put my dog down. It was and is still quite sad and her loss is felt every day. That said, from start to finish they handled us both with such compassion and genuine care it meant the world to me. To top it off today, about a week later, I received in the mail a paw print of my pet and a beautiful card that all these compassionate strangers had signed for us. It made the rest of my day stand still for a moment. They know my grief, I'm not alone and it matters. Thank you to all the staff there. I'm forever grateful Read Less

Very nice and clean place. The staff was amazing. Even though they couldn't fully heal my dog because she needed surgery. I will come back with her for more treatments that she needs. The vet was amazing. He gave me good options on where to take her for the proper care. Excellent. Read Less

Dr. Wilde and Dr. Tobin have been amazing with my baby girl Coco-bean. I have been coming here for a few years now and my experience is just getting better and better each time. Everyone makes me feel very comfortable as well as my dog, considering she isn't very uncomfortable around lots of dogs. They dealt with her perfectly. Today Bean had a pretty intensive surgery. I was so scared and just a complete emotional mess. I called every two hours like a crazy person and they have reassured me everything is going smoothly. After the surgery they where very detailed when it came to explaining her pill schedule and made sure I understood everything. Just a wonderful staff that treat you like family. Thank you again for treating my best friend with the most care a dog mom can ask for. Read Less

Has been ok. Somewhat of a disappointment. Vet techs are not experienced and not very good at handling dogs for blood tests etc. Recently doctor was not very sympathetic to a new health issue. Was robotic and did not look at chart before greeting us....treated us as if we were not three year long patients...like we were brand new.....not really excited about our experience there.....did not even try to reassure me or give me any positive scenarios. Read Less

I got my new kitten in 2015, I took him downstairs to the laundry room then outside for about 10 minutes in a patch of grass surrounded by concrete so that he could experience outdoor grass and in our way in a wasp flew past him and he went for it ; getting stung in the lip making it swell and I quickly searched online and decided to give them a try since most places needed an appointment. I knew that he needed Benadryl and I had it but being a kitten I didn't want to chance giving him too much so I took him thinking they would be able just to give him Benedryl and I would be out of there... after a short wait V.M.D Ken S. comes in with two pretty assistants like he was a game show host or magician and with in a five minute conversation and him rubbing my kittens belly for ten seconds (Comprehensive Exam) came out a huge bill not to mention everything he added for my cats second visit; bunch of things I didn't need even though I explained he was an indoor cat that been outside just that one time when he got bit, he added Deworming, Flea meds, parasite screening and of course another wellness exam. One of the pretty assistants argued that if a cat even breathes outside air they need all these things in my invoice when I was questioning at checkout. This experience was a 1st of a pattern of me taking my cat to them and they figuring out with all their tools (products) to make sure they over solve the problem, not explaining options or what is optional and them pushing their products or services like the only option. Another was when my cat developed an ear infection and rather than suggesting a cheap remedy ($15 Bannixx Spray) They prescribed eardrop meds, rinse solution, 2x Cytology exams and 2x wellness exams  ($200+) The ear meds ended up making his ear bleed with irritation and the solution made it worse; it ended up splashing in my eye and the corner of my eye twitched for a week+ of his two week treatment and even after all of that money and both our discomforts the ear infection came back week later but I used Bannixx instead of going back again and it cured it in 6 days not two weeks using something non-toxic to both of us. This confirmed to me that they are a business first and will grab everything on their shelf related to solve the most basic things like ear infections or bug bites. The times I made an appointment I got new DVM every time which is kinda of annoying and bad practice for the pet and the owner, I want a vet that knows my pet not reads about him on his screen or chart before he sees him.My old vet retired sadly so I must continue my search for a vet that doesn't sell me products and services I don't need or want and first recommends natural or low cost solutions that provide the same result. Make sure you do your homework on treatment options and costs if you leave it up to them they will only use in house products and services to solve them and they are pricey. Read Less

We've taken our two dogs to this clinic for the past few years - stellar staff and care. However, sadly, we had to put down our 15 year old shih tzu last week. The staff at Portage Park Animal Hospital made the entire process as calming and compassionate as possible - offering a private room and time alone. They even sent a sympathy card with a small memento to remember our dog (a clay keepsake with his paw print). Very touching - and just a small example of the thoughtful care this team provides throughout the entire life-cycle of your pet. I couldn't recommend this place and this team, with a callout to Dr. Tobin, more. Read Less

I've been coming to this vet for years. They are pricey but they are awesome!!! Awesome staff and great doctors. I put down my 9 year old lab last month and my 16 year old chihuahua today. Each experience was tough but they made it easier on my family and I. I appreciate your hard work and dedication for animals for the past 15 years. Thank you guys so much!!!!!! Read Less

I love it here! I have a cat who I adore and the staff always makes me feel like they adore her as well. They are friendly and accommodating and we always feel welcomed when we come. I bring my cat in to get her nails trimmed and apparently the sixth visit is free which is a bonus! I highly recommend this place for your furbaby you won't be disappointed. Read Less

I bring both of my dog's here and they are very good vets, very knowledgeable with a lot of experience on finding out what is wrong with my dogs. Portage Park Animal Hospital is a little bit on the pricey side but it's worth it so that you know your best friend is being taken care of by professionals. Read Less

Fantastic first time experience with my kitten!  Very friendly and professional. The vet assistant was just awesome, and thorough explaining every procedure. Looks very young but yet so knowledgeable!  The female veterinarian we saw was extremely nice and efficient. Front desk girls are sweet and funny! I LOVE these guys, so happy to find such a great office! Thank you ! Read Less

My cat, Jagger, out of no where started getting really sick. I brought him in to the Portage Park Animal Hospital & Dental Clinic to have him checked. Dr. Kate told me his kidneys were failing. I was so scared of losing him, he's only 7mo old. I left him overnight & by the next day he already looked 10x better! By day 3 his levels were back to normal. I'm so thankful for the doctors & staff for helping Jagger, I don't know what I would of done if we lost him. Thank you! Read Less

Recently my little senior dog became very ill and I had to make the very,very hard decision to let her go. I cannot say enough of the kindness and compassion expressed by the staff. They were with me every step of the way from the first day I brought my little Blossom to them and to her last moment.She received the very best and loving care from Dr.Garcia and Dr.Kate. Jessica and Jacob were heaven sent.I have been taking my pets here for almost 18 years and have always had the finest of care. My pets have always loved everyone at this office. Wonderful caring people.Thank you for caring for my Blossom and all my gang. Read Less

I never would have thought that the first family member that would need emergency care in our new neighborhood would be Charlie, our family dog. We have only been our neighborhood for 7 months and still needed to a establish a regular vet in our neighborhood. So it was kind of scary to just to kind of pick a random animal hospital and hope for the best. I am so happy I chose Portage Park Animal Hospital for Charlie's emergency.  I called them first and they told me to bring her on in, giving me instructions that it was ok to park in the "loading zone" in front of the Hospital to help with the ease of transporting my girl. The staff were all friendly and genuinely seem to care about their patients. They quickly took Charlie in the back for treatment and Dr. Tobin kept me up to date with the treatment and progress. I have a medical background so many of the treatment terms vets use, even though they are treating animals, are the same whether the patient is human or animal.  So I was very happy at the lengths they took to explain every single thing in layman's terms.  I could have easily told them they could use medical terminology to save time, but I always like to make sure medical personnel (for humans or animals) aren't skipping any pertinent info. While I was there (2 hours) I noticed the clinic is super busy, there were many dogs and cats coming in for surgery, check ups and medication administration. I don't know if it was because of our emergency, but it seemed like appointments were running a little late.  And when I came back to pick her up (they told me to come back at noon), I still had to wait about 30 minutes before they brought her out to me. The clinic waiting room is open/airy and pretty modern looking. Someone was keeping the waiting room clean, dusting and mopping despite the slush all of us were bringing in.  Plus they had a single serve Keurig for our use.  NICE!Charlie is as happy as ever, my 3 year old son still has his BFF and we have found our vet.  All is well. Read Less

I don't know what I would do without this place. Prior to moving out of state, I had brought my pets to Portage Park Animal Hospital for years and couldn't have imaged taking them anywhere else. My dog was attacked by another dog on a Saturday afternoon and not only did they tell me to bring him right over, The doctor and her staff stayed late (on a Saturday!) to repair his ear. That showed me that they really care and wanted the best for him. I have seen many different doctors and they are all so thorough and really explain what is going on with my kids. The facility is exactly what I want for my pets' care and I truly believe you get what you pay for. I appreciate the high quality care and their focus on modern pet medicine. I only with there was a Portage Park Animal Hospital where I live now! I would highly recommend Portage Park to anyone seeking outstanding, thorough pet care.Read Less

Last year my wife and I adopted a new family member from Harmony House For Cats, and although Portage Park is not our regular pet-care facility, they are the clinic associated with Harmony House.  So when our middle-aged bundle of joy had a couple of problems right out of the gate, we took her to Portage Park.  Harmony House "warranties" any outstanding health issues for their adoptees, so most of the costs were covered by the shelter.  Our new girl was apparently getting over a kitty cold when we took her home, so when it lingered into her second week with us, we contacted the shelter.  They sent a purchase order to the hospital, and after that the hospital took very good care of us. Everyone that I dealt with, from desk staff to veterinarians, were warm and courteous.  The vet tech on the first visit was particularly wonderful; I'm sorry that I did not catch her name.  Having been at Harmony House for several years, our girl had been a regular at Portage Park, where she was apparently a staff favorite.  I sure appreciated that they knew her by sight and really cared about her well-being.We ended up getting a couple of prescriptions, and when I called a day later with a question, all the information was available to the staff member who answered the phone.  Also, the doctor himself called to follow up after one week; we had about a seven-minute conversation about Penelope's progress, and he recommended next steps to continue her care.Shortly after, we took her in for a dental exam which led to a couple of teeth extractions, plus a follow-up checkup.  In total I believe that we visited Portage Park four times over a couple of months, and the experiences were all very positive.  Our last interaction with them was to request Penelope's records to be transferred to our regular veterinarian's office, which they did just as cheerfully as everything else.  I highly recommend them to anyone who lives in the area.PS.  They have evening hours--until 8pm Monday through Friday! Read Less