Bramer Animal Hospital

I've been bringing my family pets here for over 30 years. They have provided exceptional care for all my beloved cats and dogs. This is why after moving out of the area I continue to make the drive up to be seen by what I consider the best vets in the Chicagoland area. Every doctor we've seen has had a genuine love of animals and a breadth of knowledge that keeps me coming back. Read Less

This is a great animal hospital. I've been going to Dr. Hagedorn for years and always know I'm going to get good advice in the best interest for my pups. We've dealt with many injuries and illnesses between my 2 dogs and recently one had a serious case of pancreatitis. Dr. Hagedorn did everything he could during the day and then referred me to a great animal hospital/specialist that could provide 24/7 intensive care as it ended up requiring several days of hospitalization. My dog made a full recovery and Dr. Hagedorn followed up with me and the ER vet to keep tabs on the situation. It's clear that he really cares about his patients and it made a big difference to have a dependable vet during this scary time. Thank you Dr. Hagedorn and Bramer staff. Read Less

The staff and techs are great. It's a very friendly atmosphere. Bramer is easy to get to and parking is rarely a problem. Dr. Swiatkowski has taken great care of my cat, who is an awful patient. Sometimes it takes three people to get my cat under control, but they always take care of him. I would recommend any of the doctors. I have had the most experience with Dr. Swiatkowski, who has been instrumental in my cat's health and quality of life. They're the best. Read Less

Just adopted a new dog. Decided to try them out. They're friendly and knowledgeable. Great first vet visit. I have high hopes for continued experiences with them. Prices are pretty typical for Chicago/Evanston vets. Read Less

Bramer is amazing! I just moved to the area and have recently taken my dog and cat into Bramer, I've seen Dr. Berkowitz and Dr. Rahn who are both extremely knowledgable, attentive and friendly. There has never been a wait and the doctors see you almost immediately. Friendly reception staff and reasonable pricing on visit/procedures/medication.I'm glad I found this place and highly recommend! Read Less

If I could give Bramer Animal Hospital ten stars, I would.  They are an amazing group of people from the staff up front, to the vets, to the vet techs and I can't recommend them enough.Front Office StaffI've seen notes about the front office being less than friendly and I think these are mostly older reviews.  Yes, the staff has been unfriendly in the past but that really seems to be in the past.  They are a fantastic and friendly bunch and I appreciate that the first thing you see when coming in with an ill pet is a friendly face.  They also have several options for making appointments so you can find the method that works for you whether online or over the phone.  And I really appreciate the multiple reminders that are sent both via e-mail and text.VetsOur cats have seen four of the many vets at Bramer.  Our preferred doctor is Dr. Swiatkowski who is amazing with all of our cats and very patient with us sometimes overly concerned pet parents.  I do want to say though, that while we tend to stick with Dr. Swiatkowski, all the vets are excellent!  If you do come in and you or your pet doesn't click with a particular vet, give Bramer another chance and schedule your next appointment with one of the many other wonderful vets - you will not regret it.  We've never felt so comfortable taking our cats anywhere else.Vet TechsWhile we haven't had a lot of one-on-one interactions with the vet techs, the experiences we have had with them has been wonderful.  They really do put us at ease and exude genuine warmth and caring - something our frightened kitties need at those scary times.  I sometimes even feel like our cats would rather go home with the techs than with us!CostSure, medical attention can be expensive but I've never felt slighted in any way by Bramer.  The prices are completely fair for the exceptional care that our cats have received over the years.Bramer Animal Hospital deserves every one of the five stars and then some.  We're very happy to have found Bramer and plan on bringing our companions here for years to come. Read Less

I've taken all my cats to Bramer - I've been a client for over 20 years. I generally see Dr. Bellamy or Dr. Rahn and they are wonderful with cats - patient and knowledgable. Luckily my current cats are young and healthy, but in the past Bramer has helped my pets with complex heart and thyroid issues along with diagnosing and removing a small tumor. In the past I used their boarding services with a small dog I had and they were superb and able to accomodate feeding the special food that I dropped off. I've sadly also had to use their services for euthanasia when my previous pets quality of life was greatly dimished and they are very respectful and caring of both you and your pet at this difficult time. They have a client for life with me and I highly recommend them. Read Less

I do like this place. Setting up appointments aren't too bad, but personally, I think calling them is a whole lot easier that setting up an appointment through their website. Mainly because, you can't pick a specific time. Instead you request for an appointment during a time range, and then they will confirm a specific time later in an email. But getting back to my appointment, I was able to move it around with a simple call and they were very accommodating. Their service was pretty amazing. Extremely efficient and polite. I came in with a cat, and I was able to get my annual check done within 15 minutes if not less. Pricing isn't too bad and on par with what I've paid at other places. There are some things to be mindful of and that would be their parking and working hours. Unless they have something hidden at the back, I believe the only option is metered street parking. Davis is a pretty busy street and it is often hard to find parking. Or finding a spot right outside. That might take some time so be aware of that. Their hours are on par with other work hours and their Saturdays fill up pretty quick, and I don't think they set up appointments during lunch hour. Because of that, I had to take a day off from work to bring in my cat. It wasn't a huge deal, but still a tiny inconvenience. Read Less

I'm so happy with this place. I love that it is so easy to do business with them and everyone is so nice to us and our dog.Usually, it is difficult to schedule appointments but with them they always accommodate us and they tell us how much it will be before we get there so, we won't have any surprises! I also love that they are so quick!  The vet we used to go to would bring us to the room and we would wait for 30mins before they see us,  which is horrible especially for dogs  wait a long time in a stressful environment. Bramer is efficient and well-staff. When we brought our dog for a quick re-check, they meant quick! Lastly, I am so glad they have an app to track my dogs medications, appointments,  and information! Since, everything nowadays has an app for,  it makes it so much easier to know when I need to schedule annual checks and to do it on the app instead of having to call. I wish every vet was like them! Read Less

I have been going to Bramer Hospital for last 6 years. My three cats are in love with Dr.James E. Hagedorn!!! It is the best care for your furry children in the neighborhood. Great stuff, wonderful medical care, convenient location. Thank you to everybody at Bramer Animal Hospital for a great service and care for animals!!! Read Less

I've been bringing my cats to Bramer Animal Hospital ever since I moved to Evanston over twenty years ago.  It is easy to get an appointment for both routine exams or sudden, unexpected illnesses.  I am most familiar with Dr. Schoen as she has been the doctor to primarily care for both of my cats.  She is very adept at dealing with my skittish cat and making her feel as comfortable as possible.  Her exams are thorough and she is an excellent communicator making sure to answer all of my questions.  She responds to email questions as well; usually the same day.   I have referred friends to Dr. Schoen as well and they too are very pleased.  The technicians and office staff are great.  I've always had nothing but the best of service. Read Less

Went to our first visit--I have a couple of reservations with the place.  I didn't like that they take your dog away from you into a mostly concrete back room for shots, etc.  Next time I'm going to go with my dog; I was caught off guard when they said there's no reason for me to come.  The other is that their heartworm medication is $20/6 months more than my previous vet, who was competitive with online pricing.  Worse, the receptionist didn't offer a rebate coupon, and when I asked if there was one, she said she didn't know, shuffled some papers, and handed me one a minute later.  How would she not know this right away, let alone offer it unprompted, given how many they must prescribe?So the vet we saw was perfectly nice and was amenable to only getting the necessary vaccinations--though again, she didn't ask if we board our dog and assumed we'd want the Bordetella vaccine.  She concurred only after asking that it isn't necessary if we don't board.  So really, below grade for being mindful of costs.  On the plus side, the vet seemed knowledgeable and friendly.  Waiting times were very reasonable, and the place seemed relatively clean.  I'll return albeit with a careful eye on costs. Read Less

We found Bramer under rather unfortunate circumstances when our cat, Lizzie, became gravely ill.  Dr. Berkowitz was incredibly caring to Lizzie and compassionate towards my husband and I as we had to make a very difficult decision after it became apparent that Lizzie wouldn't recover.  Even after our last visit with Dr. Berkowitz, the compassionate care extended to a lovely, handwritten condolence card, which we very much appreciated.  We may not be getting a new pet for quite some time but if we do, we would absolutely choose Bramer again! Read Less

The veterinarians here are very knowledgeable, skilled and caring. The receptionists at the front desk are efficient and friendly, and the vet techs are also friendly and really love the animals. The waiting room and the exam rooms are clean and smell fresh, which is impressive when you know there have been animals and people in and out all day! Of course the most important part of a veterinary practice is the actual pet care. My most recent experience is with Dr. Retseck, who helped me care for two senior cats with chronic issues over the course of the last year. She has a matter-of-fact approach with humans and magically calmed my stressed out cats every visit. Their prices might seem higher at first glance, but many costs are posted on the website (unlike some places), and Dr. Retseck always clearly explained the costs and benefits of tests and procedures up front so I could understand the options. So I think it's worth it. Read Less

Compassionate and caring, from that difficult, final moment with our 20-year old cat, to the first joyful moments with our twin kittens, through their first year, to saving one of them when he became seriously anemic. I don't consider them at all overpriced and we are very grateful for the kindness and concern they have shown our three furry guys. Read Less

We have been bringing our cats to Dr. Retseck for the last 3 years- she is kind, and clearly adores our cats as much as we do... even though she must see loads of cats everyday. One time, one of our cats Watson was having some issues with blood in his stool... I called to ask what we should do... fully expecting to have to bring him in, even though that is very traumatic for him. She spent a good amount of time on the phone with me, sent me information in and email and suggested we wait and see rather than bring him in right away... all of this free if charge. She clearly valued my pet's well being and state of mind over the visit fee she could have had. These doctors love animals and treat each patient as if they were their own pet. I will continue to come here as well as recommend to friends as long as I live nearby. Thanks for being great Dr. Retseck and Bramer!Read Less

I've been coming to Bramer for two decades - since I had my first kitty Jen. My primary vet is Dr. Hagedorn although I've also had others through the years as well. Without exception, Bramer's vets have all been kind and compassionate with my animals and helpful and patient with me.Read Less

Like my parents before me, I use Bramer Animal Hospital for our household pets (cats in my case - dog and cats in the case of my parents in the 1960s through 1980s!). Bramer Animal Hospital has been a trusted resource for my family for going on 60 years. Ken Swiatkowski was our vet for our cat, Goblin, who lived to be 19 years old, in no small part to the expert care he got at Bramer. Goblin died a few years ago. Just a year ago we adopted two kittens, brothers, from a shelter and they, like Goblin before them, are under the loving care of Dr. Swiatkowski. Like most people, we think of our pets as members of the family, and as such they deserve top notch health care just like the rest of us. Go with Bramer, they've been doing this kind of cutting edge care for a long time! Read Less

I have been associated with Bramer Animal Hospital for years now. My first pet was a little cat named Musetta. She received her veterinarian care from this Hospital for over a decade, and when it was time to put her down, it was done with professionalism and much care and dignity. Eddie, our Pug-Tzu, has been a patient all 8 years of his life. I am very happy with the care and attention he receives. Bramer Hospital is nicely located in downtown Evanston and is easy to visit.I would not change to another hospital. The staff, both medical and clerical, are excellent - I would not think of going to another hospital for Eddie's care. Read Less

Bramer is honestly the best group of veterinary professionals I've dealt with. My Dalmatian developed a serious matter while I was out of the country and they (Dr. S & team) not only worked around the situation but also with my dog sitter to arrange his care & surgery. Going so far as to text me updates and provide me in depth details on what was needed. I couldn't ask for a better team to care for my dog(s)!Read Less