River Heights Veterinary Hospital A Thrive Pet Healthcare Partner

Wow! Dr. Juriga is wonderful. There are area rugs in the exam rooms and he hopped down on the floor with our dog Dolly. He was very thorough and answered all our questions. The assistants were friendly and efficient. The facilities are extremely well designed and comfortable/homey. We went in with concerns of oral cancer and came out reassured. Read Less

I felt very welcomed and comfortable here. Dr. Juriga did not miss a beat with taking my two dogs under his wing of care. His warm personality prevails and I felt I could just listen to him share his knowledge all day. Such a gifted brilliant man. I felt honored to be accepted as a client Read Less

We took our toy poodle to River Heights as our poodle we adopted had extensive dental disease and needed many teeth removed. I was a nervous wreck for our 4.5 lb dog to have this type of surgery. However, from the moment we stepped in the door, everyone was caring and compassionate and put our mind at ease. I knew after meeting Dr. Juriga that our Toby would be in great hands. They gave us fantastic instructions for the night before as well as extensive post-surgical instructions and pain medicine. Our dog did extremely well and we consider the extensive surgery a huge success. To anyone who is scared or concerned about the procedure, this team is top notch and I recommend them without hesitation. Dr. Juriga gave me his cell phone in the event my dog had any issues with his recovery. I've never had a veterinary practice come anywhere close to the level of care we received at River Heights. We are extremely happy with all services performed and have a happy, poodle without dental disease :) Read Less

Extremely overpriced and overrated. I took my dog in for an ear infection and the vet said she wanted us to come back 3 weeks later for a follow-up. Never in my 15 yrs of owning dogs have I ever been charged for a vet-requested follow-up visit. $80 later I walk out with the vet telling me 'everything looks good'. I would question the prices they charge since the office is much nicer than most homes in the Oswego area. Read Less

I don't know were to begin . From the moment I first made the call to river heights animal hospital I knew it was the right choice . The staff is extremely wonderful and caring. My dog needed surgery in the mouth and I was very nervous on we're to bring her to get the proper care . When I met Dr Steve Juriga I knew I was in good hands. We went to 3 diffrent vets getting opinions on our dog , and Dr Steve Juriga being the last . I wish I would of knew about him first because I would of went there to start with . We are very blessed we waited and found him . Not only did my dog get the surgery that she needed, but we received it by the BEST! This is the first animal hospital I have been to were you can truelly tell from the moment you walk in the doors that the entire staff treats your animal like it's their own. I highly recommend coming here if you want to find the most compassionate and knowledgeable facility. Not only did the staff check in on our little girl karma before and after surgery , but Dr Steve also did as well and that ment the world to us knowing our little girl was in good hands . Thank you river heights animal hospital and Dr Steve Juriga for healing our little girl and treating her like she was your own. Read Less

I have been bringing many pets, over many years to this location. They have always been kind, helpful, and loving to my pets! I'm very grateful for everyone. From the moment you walk in, everyone who works there, is Awesome!!!! We won't go anywhere else Read Less

Boarded our older dog there. She walked in, when we picked her up she had to be carried out on a stretcher. We were told most dogs stand during the day, she did not as it was uncomfortable for her, so she was left to lie all day long. We were called, but only after she had not moved on her own for four days. Also, came home with a huge sore on the one side she was laying on. Thought this would be a good place to take her, since she was also a patient there, was so wrong. She is gone now, but not forgotten. Sad she had to spend some of her last days so neglected. Read Less

My pets have been going here since 2008, and I just love the staff and service we receive here. I take my pets here for regular checkups, as well as for grooming. Dr. Mayer has been my primary veterinarian, and has always been very knowledgeable and helpful whenever we've gone to see her. I highly recommend River Heights! Read Less

Dr. Juriga and staff are wonderful to work with. Always kind, helpful, knowledgeable and considerate. I have worked with them through puppy issues, dental work for several kitty cats and dogs, all the way up to the sadness experienced by owners during the diagnosis of terminal illness. If you're looking for a good vet, give 'em a call. Read Less

I am so happy with the care they have given my furry baby!! They treat our pets like their own. Dr Pocius and Dr Mayer are amazing and I would highly recommend them. The front staff are great too and always make you feel welcome!! Read Less

From the moment you walk in to river heights veterinary you and you pet feel so welcome! The desk staff is always friendly and Dr Weaver has always taken amazing care of my cat. She always answers all of my questions and is kind and compassionate with him. I highly recommend this place if you are looking for a new vet to take your pet to! Read Less

Just left there and I am livid. They pushed my appointment back this morning at the last minute. Then when I arrived I was not greeted for over 5 minutes. Three staff members were hovered over a computer. Finally, someone noticed me and started talking about how much I owed. She had a different patient's file (a dog) as I was standing there with my two cats. When I did get checked in, after 25 minutes I asked how long it would be. I was told curtly they were back logged today and nothing else. I left after 35 minutes of waiting in the lobby. Completely unprofessional and unacceptable. My poor cats were sitting on the cold floor in their carrying case. A trip to the vet is stressful for any animal, so to waste my time and make my cats go through unnecessary added stress is disgraceful. I could never trust such an unorganized, uncaring place with the care of my animals. Read Less

My mom and Sister brought in our Dog Hazel to this great vet hospital and Hazel ended up going in for Surgery. Doctor Juriga is an amazing doctor as my family and I have heard so many great things about him! Hazel is doing a great job after surgery and you all are doing a great job as well! Keep up the great work! Read Less

I can't say enough about the excellent, caring & compassionate care Dr. Juriga, Verena, Megan & the entire staff gave my dog Mandy. Dr. Juriga really takes the time to explain things & reassure us dog moms of the safety of his anesthesia. This was a major concern for me since Mandy is almost 13. I couldn't be happier with Mandy's oral surgery & how well she recovered. Thank you to everyone at River Heights Veterinary Hospital! Read Less

Thanks so much to Dr. Juriga and his caring and professional staff for fixing our 10 week old kitten Tony. He injured himself around the house somehow and ended up separating the skin covering his bottom jaw from his jaw. It was so horrible looking and very painful for kitty. I just wish we would have gone to see Dr. Juriga first before we got the shoddy fix performed on him by the VCA Arboretum View Hospital in Lisle and been taken to the cleaners by them. River Heights is a great place and I highly recommend it! Read Less

We started coming to River Heights 3 months ago after being recommended by 2 acquaintances of ours who RAVED about the care their pets received here. Even though we have only been clients for a short time, we have multiple pets who have had medical issues & we have literally been seen here at least 10 times. Then we just adopted 2 kittens from a litter that they were fostering, so the staff seems to know us well now & vice versa. It was obvious to me right away that this practice was different from others we've been to. I loved the separate waiting area & exam rooms just for cats. I was impressed by how high tech everything is, from online medical records to digital xrays & ultrasound equipment (no more costly trips to VCA for this). The staff was very professional, friendly & competent. It was very apparent after having a 50 min conversation with Dr. Juriga (during what was suppose to be a 15 min re exam) that this atmosphere of dedication, compassion & excellence in treating animals & their owners, comes from the top down. My husband had a similar experience with Dr. Juriga during a consult for dental work that turned into a 45 min chat. He came home raving about how impressed he was with him & that I will love him when I meet him. He was right. Our pets have been seen by all five doctors in the practice & they were all wonderful but I have to say that Dr. Juriga & Dr. DeVold are our favorites. Their passion & dedication for what they do come through & that is something very rare to find these days. We are so grateful to have found River Heights & expect to be longtime clients of theirs. :) Read Less

I can't say enough about River Heights Veterinary Clinic. We live in Chicago, and when our 7-year-old Chihuahua's face started swelling, we went straight to our vet. The verdict was a fractured tooth and infection, so they referred us to Dr. Juriga in Oswego, and we are so happy they did! I called them at 8pm on a Thursday, and they got us in at 8am the next morning (despite having a full day of back-to-back patients!). After an examination, Dr. Juriga and his team sat down with us to go over exactly what was going on with our pup's dental issues, why things cost what they did, and what to expect during and after surgery. After such a great first experience, we recently went for a second visit to have a teeth cleaning for our other Chihuahua. Despite having a full day of patients, Dr. Juriga spent almost an hour with us just talking to us about the importance of dental care and proper diet. Then while our pup was under for the cleaning he noticed that he had a lot of wax build up, so he cleaned his ears and made sure we had the proper medication to treat what ended up being an ear infection. He then called twice to follow up the next few days. You just can't find this level of care anymore, so despite having to travel an hour both ways to see him, Dr. Juriga is well worth it. On a side note, the compassion is shown in the details: they offer a Keurig cup of coffee while you're waiting; they have a map of the area ready for you with shopping destinations highlighted; they give you a $5 coupon for a local coffee shop; and the post-op rooms look more like mini-lounges with chairs and couches. These people obviously care about the pets AND their owners! 5 stars hands down! Read Less

I traveled with my working Search Dog down from McHenry County because of Dr. Juriga's reputation. I was not disappointed! My dog had a mysterious condition, and Dr. J. took the time to discuss it in detail and lay out all the options. He consulted with other vets around the country and world to help find a solution. When emergency surgery became necessary, he opened his clinic on New Year's day to help save my dogs' life. My dog recovered quickly and even worked a search for a missing woman several days later. It's six months later and my dog is doing great and none the worse for wear! A big Thank You to Dr. Juriga, Verena and the staff at RHV. Jenni Read Less

I simply cannot say enough good things about Dr. Stephen Juriga! (and his assistant, Verena!!) I have had occasion to take two of my dogs for dental work and have GLADLY driven 3 hours round trip each time to do so. I had initially taken my pup to a veterinary dentist closer to my home.....someone I had taken a prior dog to. I couldn't have been more disappointed with her lack of interest and lack of a specialty approach. So, after a little more research, I found Dr. Juriga and could not be happier!! He provided cutting edge dentistry for my pup, then 5 mos. old, that was a complete success! He is proactive, extremely knowledgeable, and enthusiastic about what he does. He has my respect and trust. Read Less

I've taken my cat Lucy to River Heights Veterinary Clinic many times. From illnesses to exams and dentals, I've been really happy with the level of service and care that Lucy has received. She can get in pretty quickly and the staff is extremely friendly. Because she has chronic dental issues, Lucy needs the care of a vet dentist, and Dr. Juriga is the best! When I lived in Naperville, this clinic was convenient. But now that I live in Milwaukee, not so much. I went to another vet dentist in the area and was very disappointed in the experience compared to previous ones at Riverside. Lucy was out of it for days and problems came back within weeks. So I called Dr. Juriga and arranged for Lucy to have a dental over a day visit. It was the best decision I've made. Dr. Juriga and his staff were thorough in finding the causes of her bad breath and pain. Lucy had all of the teeth on her right side--including canines--pulled, and the difference in recovery was like night and day. She wasn't groggy, didn't seem to have residual discomfort or drooling, and bounced back right away! She's eating both wet and dry food without problems. The staff took excellent care of her, walked me through her pain management and the things I might expect from her in the coming days, and even followed up over the phone and email to ask how Lucy was. Also, expect to take time going over x-rays with the staff...it is invaluable to know exactly why they do what they do! On another note, I took Lucy to many vets over the years, depending on the area of the country I lived in. And dentals really can be expensive. But from someone that took her cat in for many dentals that didn't offer x-rays and other care, I soon realized how much time, money and anesthesia I could have saved had I gone to the right kind of clinic right away to diagnose the problem, vs. just doing a cleaning. Problems with your teeth impact all other areas of the body, so don't just wait until too many problems arise. I spent over six hours in a car to bring Lucy to Oswego, and I will do it again. I was even given a token for a free coffee at a local shop so that I wouldn't have to wait at the vet's office. Wonderful people. Wonderful doctor. Wonderful staff. No question...best veterinary experience out there. Read Less

I went to River Heights Veterinary Clinic because my dog had a problem with her teeth and my regular vet said that Dr. Juriga was the go to guy for advanced dental care. I really love my regular vet and I felt really scared going somewhere else especially because it was quite a drive for me and my little girl to make. But, I trust my vet and I want the best for my dog, so I called to make the appointment. I was a little worried because I couldn't get in for an exam for almost a week and a half, but it wasn't like this issue was bothering her at all, it was just bothering me. We got to the appointment early so my dog could get used to the smells, and I wasn't sure what the paperwork situation would be like, and I was awfully nervous. Well, they were running a little late, which is fine. The ladies at reception were nice and kept me updated on the delay. Our appointment went well. Dr. Juriga was very informative and gave me an estimate and told me that I should have my dog's teeth fixed in the next few weeks. I explained I'd have to check our finances and then make the appointment, although I guess sometimes they can do procedure the same day (which I love). But it took me 3 weeks to get the funds together for the dental and I noticed some changes in my dog's problem teeth, so I put a call in to check and see if I should come in for another consult or if I could arrange a consult and procedure on the same day, and I didn't get a callback. Fair enough, messages get lost, so after a week I put another call in, and two days later I still haven't heard anything. I really like this place, so when I do get my answers I will get my dog in as soon as it is possible for Dr. Juriga to see her. This place is great. Expect the best but do yourself and them a favor: and have most funds ready prior (probably need a credit card because I don't know how you would know what the procedure would cost), schedule your procedures ASAP- at the time of consult if possible, and I don't know what you do if you have questions and need to get a hold of someone, because their callback system is not efficient in my experience. Other than not being able to make an appointment, I am beyond happy with my experience. Read Less

I have brought my pets to River Heights for nearly 18 years. During that time, they have cared for my three dogs and seven cats. The service they've provided has been first rate. Whether it's been examining a puppy for the first time, or showing me how to take care of a diabetic cat, they've been thoughtful, informative and compassionate. The front desk staff is professional and friendly. I'm always greeted warmly.....as are my pets for that matter! I really have appreciated how helpful they've been. The hours of operation are wonderful. I can make an early morning, evening or Saturday appointment. Even though they are a very well known and busy clinic, the staff is very accommodating in providing appointments that work for me! I have so much respect for the Veterinary staff. They are knowledgeable and compassionate. They truly care for your pet's well being. When a health issue has arisen, the Veterinarians have taken the time to carefully explain the problem/diagnosis with thoroughness and sensitivity. What I appreciate the most is that I am given a spectrum of options so that I can best make a decision regarding my animal's care. I have never felt that I was being pushed into extensive and/or expensive treatments. Lastly, a huge part of my satisfaction with the clinic lies with the Vet Technicians. Their fondness for animals shows during every appointment. They have always been so friendly and sweet to me (shout out to Amy G.!). They have warmly welcomed my new pets and hugged me when I've had to say goodbye to my dying pets. I cannot convey my appreciation for the thoughtfulness they have shown me over the years. If you're in need of a new Vet, I would highly recommend River Heights to anyone. The expertise provided from the Veterinary staff is top notch and there is no doubt in my mind that my pets are receiving the best possible care in their hands! Read Less

We have taken our English Setter, Ethel to River Heights since she was a puppy, 4 yrs now. The staff from the front desk, technicians, assistants, office and the vets are wonderful. They treat Ethel as if she were there own, are so friendly, professional and always go the extra mile. I appreciate all they do for Ethel. Read Less

I cannot say enough about the people who work at River Heights. They genuinely care and are timely and love my dog! The quality of care has always been the best and I wish some of my own Doctors had as nice of bed side manner as these Veterinarians. I highly recommend River Heights. The hours are great and they ALWAYS get my dog in if she is sick. I don't know why anyone would go anywhere else! :) Read Less

I would not recomend this clinic. My shepherd puppy was seen on a Monday and we were told by the vet that his weight was fine and he was healthy. Two days later he was very sick and needed to be seen again. He had gained a few ounces since the Monday visit, however we saw a different vet that day and were told he was extremely under weight, when we asked why we were told on Monday his weight was good we were not really given an answer. I have also had problems with the paperwork on our cats. Information put onto the wrong cats file, files not updated things like that. Read Less