Carlson Animal Hospital Google Review I came to Carlson Animal Hospital because I had heard that they are the best; and after the outstanding service and compassion they showed to me and my dog, I know it is true. My dog has been given a new lease on life thanks to Carlson Animal Hospital. Dr. Carlson and his staff are problem solvers and it is clear they are passionate about helping animals and their owners. It turned out that my little Maya had a complex illness, so at first we visited Carlson Animal Hospital often. Every time I brought her in, everyone from the front desk staff to the doctors gave her personal attention. Now Maya actually wags her tail when we pull into the parking lot! I brought my little Maya in because she was no longer enjoying her walks. She had always been a very athletic dog who not only loved long walks, but also playing fetch and racing around the kitchen. She is an older dog who was often mistaken for a puppy because of her energy. Dr. Carlson did a thorough exam and ordered diagnostic tests that included an ultrasound of Maya’s heart. I was shocked to learn that she was very sick: she had serious heart disease. Dr. Carlson gently broke the news to me that there was no cure for her congestive heart failure. However, he gave me hope. I learned that there were drugs that could make Maya comfortable and give her a good quality of life. I had so many questions and Dr. Carlson took a lot of time to explain everything to me. I spoke to him a number of times on the phone after that day, I was still having trouble accepting her illness. I am so grateful for Dr. Carlson’s patience and his ability to help me understand Maya’s complex disease. She is currently taking five medications and feeling quite well. Thanks so much to all of you caring people at Carlson Animal Hospital, Maya and I are very grateful. Read Less

We take our 2 cats to Carlson Animal Hospital and have never had anything but a great experience there.  The doctors and the rest of the staff are very knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful.  We particularly like Dr. Kate Swindell.  The staff patiently answer any and all questions and never seem like they are in a rush to get you out the door or off the phone.  One of our cats had to have surgery recently.  We did not hesitate at all to have the surgery done at Carlson.  His issue was quickly and efficiently diagnosed and the surgery was successful. We are moving 45 minutes + away from Carlson but we will continue taking our cats there.  The long drive is well worth the great service and care our cats get.  I'd recommend Carlson to any pet owner. Read Less

Dr. Swindell saw my elderly diabetes-risk cat (yeah, the one in my profile). She provided great information and left a very detailed voicemail about his (diabetes free!) condition. Great, friendly doctor and staff and very reasonably priced, am definitely planning on continuing to take him there. Read Less

I brought my Boston Terrier, Roxie, to Carlson Animal Hospital for a second opinion. Roxie has had environmental allergies since she was a year and a half old and prior to seeing Dr. Carlson she was a VCA Berwyn patient. Anyone with an animal that has allergies KNOWS how expensive it can be! We were always at VCA, but they didn't want to do anything for her besides up her Predisonolone dosage (even humans can't stand taking Prednisone!) so we switched doctors in 2016. I WISH I MADE THE SWITCH SOONER. They retested her for allergies and the ones she had prior to coming to Carlson were GONE! Now we are working on treating a single allergen: dust mites! Dr. Carlson and his staff have a lot of experience with allergies...his Chihuahua and some of the vet tech's animals have allergies! Roxie enjoys her visits with them and they take great care of her. One thing that sets them apart from VCA: the vet tech's snuggle your animal while the doctor talks to you! Roxie looks forward to a little extra lovin'! Make the switch. You won't be disappointed! Read Less

I brought my Boston Terrier, Roxie, to Carlson Animal Hospital for a second opinion. Roxie has had environmental allergies since she was a year and a half old and prior to seeing Dr. Carlson she was a VCA Berwyn patient. Anyone with an animal that has allergies KNOWS how expensive it can be! We were always at VCA, but they didn't want to do anything for her besides up her Predisonolone dosage (even humans can't stand taking Prednisone!) so we switched doctors in 2016. I WISH I MADE THE SWITCH SOONER. They retested her for allergies and the ones she had prior to coming to Carlson were GONE! Now we are working on treating a single allergen: dust mites! Dr. Carlson and his staff have a lot of experience with allergies...his Chihuahua and some of the vet tech's animals have allergies! Roxie enjoys her visits with them and they take great care of her. One thing that sets them apart from VCA: the vet tech's snuggle your animal while the doctor talks to you! Roxie looks forward to a little extra lovin'! Make the switch. You won't be disappointed! Read Less

I had a dog with very severe skin and allergies issues that turned into a very sever skin bacteria infection. Dr. Carlson was very thorough in his evaluation and really conveyed to me and my wife the science behind what was happening to the dog. After trying several vet's over a period of about 2 years, Dr. Carlson was able to identify several underlying conditions and treated them concurrently, resulting in our dog finally being on a road to recovery and PEACE, after being very itchy for YEARS! Highly recommend them Read Less

I cannot say enough good things about the staff and my experiences with Carlson Animal Hospital. They truly care about you and your pet. I have, on a number of occasions, seen them drop everything for me and my dog and by the end of the visit I always feel better, and I know we are in good hands! They can tell when you are worried about your pet and take everything you say to heart, all while making sure their care is complete and thorough. I have never had a doctor be so thorough in their examination (including my own). I am always appreciative of their explanations of each test they recommend, why they recommend it, and then following up on the results. They really make sure you understand what is going on with your pet. The compassion that every member of the staff has for you and your animal is so comforting and touching. You can tell they love what they do and really want to help. They care about your pet's best interests. Read Less

I cannot say enough good things about the staff and my experiences with Carlson Animal Hospital. They truly care about you and your pet. I have, on a number of occasions, seen them drop everything for me and my dog and by the end of the visit I always feel better, and I know we are in good hands! They can tell when you are worried about your pet and take everything you say to heart, all while making sure their care is complete and thorough. I have never had a doctor be so thorough in their examination (including my own). I am always appreciative of their explanations of each test they recommend, why they recommend it, and then following up on the results. They really make sure you understand what is going on with your pet. The compassion that every member of the staff has for you and your animal is so comforting and touching. You can tell they love what they do and really want to help. They care about your pet's best interests. Read Less

I am really mad.  I brought my nearly 20-year-old dog to this place recently when his arthritis meds ran out and our longtime vet, who is retiring, referred us there.   Had to listen to lengthy   self-important speeches about how much research this particular vet has done in the field of arthritis and how this particular animal hospital does not prescribe carprofen (also called rimadyl) for dog arthritis.  Why not?  Every other vet seems to use it, with care.  Wish I had known.  Received lengthy sheet of proposed "high price" and "low price" treatment charges (why?) totaling nearly $1,000, for extra x-rays, twice-weekly arthritis injections, extra-special dog food, vitamin supplements I could purchase at the pet store, etc.  I was not interested in trying to turn my extremely old dog into a teenager again, only in making him comfortable, so I politely declined all but the most necessary charges.  This generated numerous inappropriate comments about how this was a case "with financial constraints."  Doesn't everyone have financial constraints?  I still paid well over $300 for blood tests.  (I was charged $60 for a urine test though there was no urine test actually performed.) Then the same speechifying vet insisted on changing my pet's anti-inflammatory meds, though I had related how very old dog had done fine on his previous arthritis meds (carprofen), and though they said the dog's blood test results were okay.   The motive for the medication change soon became apparent when the vet stalled in giving me a prescription for my poor old dog for several days while she and her assistant tried to persuade me to buy the meds directly from the animal hospital at a higher cost instead of taking the prescription to Costco.  Ugh.  The kicker?  My old dog who had done well on his old meds became violently ill from the new meds almost immediately and lay around refusing to eat and throwing up for several days until I stopped them.  Ugh. Ugh.  If you value your pet, take them somewhere else. Read Less

This is a thank you note for the lovely condolence card we received from the staff of Carlson Animal Hospital noting the passing of our dear beagle, Finn. While she was alive, and then sick, Finn received wonderful care from the Carlson team. Read Less

disappointed before even walking in door.called for new appointment for elderly dog on heart meds...had a week's worth of medicine left.  because dr. carlson was out of town for 2 weeks I was turned away and refused an appointment because no other doctor would see him.  all I asked for was a basic appointment to see a doctor to get prescription renewal and then see the person who has experience with hearts...not a cardiologist..just knows about hearts as I was told.  so all other doctors refused to see my dog...who just has high blood pressure and is on regular Meds because they didn't feel comfortable.pretty disappointed but glad I was refused I suppose if the staff of doctors there are not very experienced or confident to deal with a simple visit Read Less

For the last 12 years, the caring staff of the Carlson Animal Hospital has taken care of my dog. From the beginning to the very end, they were kind, caring, supportive, and understanding of her (she was a bit of a handful at times!). We were so lucky to have access to such a wonderful team of caring individuals!! There just aren't enough words to express the gratitude I have for them and recommend that if you have a pet, make Carlson Animal Hospital the place you go to get the right care and advice to keep your loved one happy, healthy, and safe!!Thank you to all of you on staff at Carlson Animal Hospital, those of you who we saw and those of you we didn't!! You all made some of the best years of my life and the hardest thing I've ever had to do so much easier. Thank you Read Less

We brought Zoey in confused. Without repeating a long story the answers had we got from our local Vet were not working. Our Shih tzu was lathargic, not interested in her food and losing muscle in the shoulder area. Dr. Rich Carlson's high tech instruments matched with his highly skilled interpretation of the findings revealed a very sick dog. Zoey got 4 days in the hospital, the proper antibiotics, a total remake of her diet and the addition of probiotics. She was a very sick dog. Thirty days later she is better than she was before and well adjusted to a diet of dry food, fruits and vegatables. If you want...need the best and love your pet...Carlson Animal Hospital is the place to take your loved one. Ian Darien, IL Read Less

Dr. Carlson is an amazing vet.   I wish my doctor was that thorough.  My dog was losing weight and has lost all of his body fat.  You could feel and see his ribs and tail bones.   I am certain he would've died had I not found Dr. Carlson (through Yelp).   Neither my regular vet or the specialist that they recommended diagnosed the problem.   The staff is kind, patient and wonderful.   They were more expensive than what I'm used to, but you either want the best medical care or you want K Mart, it's up to you.   Dr. Carlson spent 40 minutes going over his test results.  The previous specialist gave me 3 minutes and said there was nothing wrong.  The visit was cheaper there. Read Less

We have trusted Dr. Carlson, his vet associates and staff with our 3 canines in over 20 years of association with them. They are exceptional in every facet of animal care. Thorough in their diagnosis, patient in their explanations, compassionate in their care. . Read Less

I could never say enough great things about this clinic and their staff!! My dog, Enzo, had been sick for 6 months and I had visited 4 other vets who could not figure it out before I found Carlson Animal Hospital. Dr. Carlson and Dr. Leslie diagnosed Enzo and had him on the correct treatment within a month! Not only are they exceptional veterinarians but they are also kindhearted people. They even spend time after hours and on the weekends calling or texting to check up on Enzo. Their whole staff is wonderful!! They genuinely care about the animals. I even started bringing my other (healthy) dog to see them!Read Less

I found Carlson Animal Hospital from a Google search. My kitten was very sick and our vet had no idea what was wrong with him. It was frustrating because we were watching him whither away before our eyes. Dr. Carlson and his staff were very thorough with their examination and it was evident upon watching them that the entire staff is passionate about the care of animals. They diagnosed my kitten quickly and efficiently and were able to perform surgery to save his life. Dr. Carlson is extremely knowledgable and was able to explain what was wrong with our kitten. He has been diligent at following through with a treatment plan. We are very grateful to have found such a fantastic doctor. Thank you! Read Less

I found Carlson Animal Hospital from a Google search. My kitten was very sick and our vet had no idea what was wrong with him. It was frustrating because we were watching him whither away before our eyes.  Dr. Carlson and his staff were very thorough with their examination and it was evident upon watching them that the entire staff is passionate about the care of animals. They diagnosed my kitten quickly and efficiently and were able to perform surgery to save his life. Dr. Carlson is extremely knowledgable and was able to explain what was wrong with our kitten. He has been diligent at following through with a treatment plan. We are very grateful to have found such a fantastic doctor. Thank you! (Mouse says thanks too!) Read Less

I would not trust my dog with any other vet. After seeing several vets, and going to the pet er multiple times Dr Carlson correctly diagnosed and treated his illness. Presto has been happy and healthy for 8 years! Thank you to Dr Carlson, and the whole staff! Read Less

I've taken 4 pets here over the years. Not that my fur kids or me enjoy seeing the doctor, but I am glad we go here. They care about the animals & take as much time as needed to explain ailments & treatment options. Read Less

Our cat Albie is high maintenance.  Twice now I've tried to internet-diagnose symptoms Albie was having only to end up taking her to Carlson and having a different, accurate diagnosis and successful treatment results.  The doctors are patient and have been spot on in diagnosing and treating my cat, so I don't hesitate in recommending Carlson Animal Hospital. Read Less

I'm new in Oak Park, so I hadn't had time to find a vet when my cat had a stroke.  It was clear she would not recover.  I went online and found Carlson Vets closest to me.  They were wonderful in a terrible situation.  They were very compassionate about losing my kitty of over ten years.  Most importantly, they did not try to sell me a lot of services I didn't want. Read Less

I cannot say enough positive things about the staff and doctors at Carlson Animal Hospital. I am a crazy dog mom with high expectations but Carlson never fails to exceed them! We have visited Carlson for the routine visits (annual exams, vaccinations) and allergies, oral surgery, stomach issues and even hospitalization when one of our dogs became VERY sick with the canine flu this year. I really appreciated that Carlson did not take advantage of the canine flu outbreak to push the flu vaccine like many of the other vet practices out there. They took their time to really research the virus instead of over-vaccinating dogs with a vaccine not even designed for this strain! One of our dogs is a terror during nail trims and Carlson is the only place he remains calm and collected. No, they don't sedate himI truly believe it's the compassion and love they show all of their patients. Our dogs always get excited when we arrive at Carlson. I highly reccomend Carlson for issues that you have not been able to solve for your furry children. We had gone to two different vets for one of our dog's allergies and stomach issues and did not find a solution and proper management program until we came to Carlson.Read Less

We had to put our 12 year old Shar-Pei to sleep couple of weeks ago. The entire staff was so compassionate to our family during this extremely sad time. We as a family and our dog were treated with great respect. This past week we received a sympathy card signed by the staff. Each staff member wrote a brief note in the card. I very highly recommend Carlson Animal Hospital. Read Less

Well, the estimate for neutering my 70 pound MALE dog was $620-680. It was $342 at PetVets. Yes, they were very nice and professional. But it's usually with a smile that someone picks your pockets too. I'm not sure a smile is worth paying that much for.If we wind up going with Carlson's it will only be because we love our dog so much and are already so (probably unfoundedly I'm sure) worried about giving him over to someone for this that if anything were to happen we'd feel guilty about having tried to save any of our hard-earned dollars. So minus one star for price gouging. Read Less

The one caveat I have to say here is it is a bit expensive compared to other vets. But the flipside is that you aren't getting ripped off because you are paying for what you are getting. That is to say, it is a hospital and an academic medical center for animals. There is a team atmosphere, a team concern for your animals well being, and the techs and docs remember your dogs. They have rounds on your animals in the morning like your docs do when you are in the hospital. More than one medical mind is presented with your animals problem so its looked at in unique perspectives. We bring our Millie and Izzy here because, despite the fact they might be a few bricks shy of a load, they are members of our family. This is the place you know you are going to get the right answer, the right treatment, and right referrals. We were referred here. I can say with the confidence of messing with a few other vets that this a great medical home for your animals if you want the best care. Read Less

I'm sorry to say that we had a really poor experience at this vet and we will not be returning.  Instead, we have opted to drive all the way out to our previous vet in St. Charles.We took our dog here because he had an eye infection.  The entire time we were there the vet did nothing but upsell me and guilt me into things our dog did not need.  She insisted that we need to run tests for glaucoma (on a perfectly healthy 5 year-old dog) and make sure he didn't have a scratch before she could give us the eye gel he needed for what was clearly a simple infection.I cannot stand vets who are in it to sell you extra shots, extra treatments, etc., etc.  In the end my bill was around $250 and all he needed was a $30 tube of eye medicine.  I left feeling taken advantage of.She also insisted on emailing me a quote for a teeth cleaning. Quote was almost $1000. Read Less

Good care, but extremely expensive and not forthcoming about total expenses before it's too late. Get all procedure expense estimates in writing, and ask if there will be any incidental expenses. A surgery I committed to after being told the cost would be about $700 has, so far, actually cost over $3,000. I feel misled. Again, good care, but be prepared to (over?) pay for it. Read Less

Carlson Animal Hospital has provided such good care for Artie through two rough bouts of pancreatitis. Not only do they provide state of the art medical testing, but they take great pains to explain the ailment so you pets aftercare is easier - more intuitive. And the staff - they're fantastic! They show Artie the love! Its hard to hospitalize your pet. Its easier when you know he will be surrounded with the best medicine available and the gentleness and care you would provide at home. Read Less

These are GREAT vets!  Look no further, you have found the best vet around!Nothing, even my own doc, compares to the treatment and compassion we (my pet and I) received at Carlson Animal Hospital. I didn't know how sick my cat was (the Vet told me that cats are very good at hiding illness), but the doctors pulled him back from the brink.Today I am bringing him home along with really clear instructions for home care while he continues to improve - the doc spent tons of time reviewing the treatment, care and answering all of my questions. Oh, yeah, throughout his illness the veterinarians kept me informed as to how he was doing - good and bad.The Vets showed me my cat's ultrasound (people ultrasound equipment) and what was going on with him. WOW! I don't know what I was looking at, but the docs did!We've been going to CAH for years now, and we will continue to go there for regular care, of course  . . . and hopefully never again need serious illness care, from them. But, we now know we can and are relieved.One of the other people in the waiting room told me that she had asked Dr Carlson if she could bring her children in for their check-ups.  Their pediatrician just doesn't compare to the care her pet is getting. One last thing, when I got home and looked over the treatment, someone from Carlson's had drawn a heart around my cat's name. They love their patients. I guess that says it all. Read Less

I can't say enough good things about Carlson Animal Hospital. My pup recently had some major problems (and by that, I mean he almost OD'd on Advil Liquigels.  Read: dogs can't handle that). The staff here, who have handled him for the last year for regular reasons, has been extremely supportive and understanding throughout all my dog-related blunders. I've yet to meat Dr. Carlson (Which is why it's taken me so long to actually review the place) but I've been seeing Dr. Swindell and she's been so good with Yoshi. The girls at the front desk are all sweethearts, and they're all very good with my dog (have I mentioned he's basically unable to walk on their hardwood floors? He's a ball of nerves/anxiety). If you're new to the area like I am, this is the place I'd recommend you take your pets. They also do boarding, which I've never taken advantage of, but from what I hear if I ever actually need to board the Yoshinator, I'd totally take him to Carlson. Read Less

We recently adopted our dog from the Anti-Cruelty Society in Chicago, IL and upon adoption our dog had a terrible case of kennel cough and allergies. After reviewing on yelp.com, I called and made an appointment with Carlson Animal Hospital. They were able to get me in within two days and were incredibly helpful with all of my "new pet owner" questions! Upon arrival at our appointment, the staff was very nice and helpful and were able to answer all of my questions. In the exam room, Dr. Traci was extremely patient with our dog, she is shy and skiddish around new people, and worked slowly, but efficiently with her. It was very calming. Also, she did not want to over-vaccinate our dog if we did not have too (which I loved!). She also gave me other sources to contact about medication that would be more cost-effective. Dr. Traci was able to answer all of our questions and give us good ideas to try at home. I can't say enough good things about Carlson Animal Hospital.Also! The hours!! Simply Amazing! Read Less

YOUR KIDS SHOULD BE SO LUCKY TO HAVE A PEDIATRICIAN HALF AS GREAT AS MY VET!______________________________________________My dog, Artie, recently got sick the night before I was called out of town on business. I brought him to Dr. Carlson 2 hours before I was schedule to leave. They took Artie in and immediately began exploring what was going on with him. Through their tests they were able to rule out some of the likely culprits (a reaction to tick bites from this past summer, something obstructing his stomach or intestines, etc) and get to the culprit -- Pancreatitis. They discovered this by performing an ultrasound  on a piece of advanced equipment that is unusually sophisticated for vets in this area -- I think there are only 3 such pieces of equipment in Illinois. The key images were explained to me with great care when I got back into town. Dr. Carlson met with me for over an hour, showing me the images, and sharing with me how he diagnosed the core problem, and showing me all of the other organs that were being impacted by Artie's illness. After I fully understood how he came to his diagnosis, he went on to explaining the best practices that would make Artie well again. Here were my take aways:-- I wish that my own doctor would take the care explaining my illnesses and cures when I get sick -- geez with my own doctor, I am lucky to get 10 minutes of her time!-- Dr Carlson cares passionately about the practice of vetinary medicine -- and spends a tremendous amount of time keeping up with and administering care according to the very latest findings -- and teaching these findings to his staff of doctors -- FANTASTIC! to be contributing to the next generation of superior scientific veterinarians.-- I felt like Artie was in great hands -- and found myself wishing that all of my friends from my doggy groups, agility classes, etc., could know about Dr. Carlson and his team...I feel safe knowing the fine caliber of the talent that is there at Carlson Animal Hospital to help see us through if something happens to Artie again! Read Less

My dogs love coming here. They have both needed something more than routine vaccination at some point or another and each time I knew they were in the best of hands. Dr. Carlson is very thorough- a quality both my pups and I appreciate. I won't go anywhere else! Read Less