I could get my 8 weeks puppy in Banfield right away I called VCA and they got her in the same day with a free exam and free training on trimming her nails...The staff was very nice especially Amy she kept me updated and at that I was greeted quickly walking thru the doors...One of the staff member gave my children's crayons to keep them occupied while Misty get her vaccines...Great place and Great Experience...Great Doctor as well... Read Less

I could get my 8 weeks puppy in Banfield right away I called VCA and they got her in the same day with a free exam and free training on trimming her nails...The staff was very nice especially Amy she kept me updated and at that I was greeted quickly walking thru the doors...One of the staff member gave my children's crayons to keep them occupied while Misty get her vaccines...Great place and Great Experience...Great Doctor as well... Read Less

In Sept 2011 I took my 8 yr old Golden in for not eating or eliminating. The same thing had happened a week before and she got something then to help with the accompanying nausea and more. She was back to normal very quickly. A week later she repeated those symptoms. I had a supervisor flying in that week, and I thought that she would be ok if I dropped her off for treatment which turned into an overnight observation. The second day Hawthorn xrayed her and found something she had eaten that was tearing her intestines. I ok'd surgery. She stayed there Tuesday to noon on Sat. I visited her every day; they would take her off her drip and we would walk gently in their backyard which was fenced. She would always head for the gate. They have no one in the building between closing the day before to 8:00 am when they opened the next day. The place closes from noon on Sat until 8 am Monday, so you have to pick up your pet no matter what its condition. They put Maggie in the back of my CRV and I drove home, arriving 20 minutes later. When I opened the back of the car, all I could see was ths long incision on her belly oozing blood and puss. I called them and they were gone, so I drove her to the emergency vet further south off Milwaukee. They examined her and told me that her blood pressure and potassium were way too low for them to operate so they would try to remedy this and would try to improve these conditions so they could. They said it was 50-50 once they were able. She had the surgery in early evening and passed at exactly 10 pm. I since learned that if a vet does not staff overnight to care for Animals; they turn down any drips and the animals were alone from closing to 8 am. I told the woman vet in charge what happened and that I felt her death was at least in part their responsibility. She offered to return a third of their bill, but I would have to keep my mouth shut. I told her that I wouldn't sell my dog for $800, and I told everyone I saw about Hawthorn Animal's cynical approach to your pet's well being. BTW, the bill from the emergency vet's bill was $11,000. Two months later I adopted another 8 year old Golden and a terrific new vet, CARE Animal Hospital in Libertyville. They saved Sadie's life twice. I am forever grateful to them. Read Less

Let me say first off that I rarely review places unless I think there is truly injustice occurring. This place is a shining example. Be sure to read this article: google search "how to avoid getting ripped off by your vet" by craftycreatures (he/she is a veterinarian) My background- As a human physician who works in county hospitals, thinking of ways to make it easier cost-wise and medical systems-wise for his patients to complete treatment, I could smell the upcharging and disingenuous tactics from a mile away for my nearly 18 year old german shepherd mix. I will be discontinuing my care here, and don't think for a second this hospital has had a hand in getting my dog this far in his life as healthy as he is. Unfortunately my parents already put a great degree of money into this place before I was adequately medically trained. The vets and ancillary staff here have a thin veil over their true disdain for their pet owners. When I objected to bringing my dog in to get antibiotics for a corneal ulcer to avoid their $300 mark up, I was last told by the veterinarian that I should know better as a doctor that it should be examined in the hospital despite the fact that I am an emergency medicine physician and my significant other is an ophthalmologist (simply put, we know our stuff - a lot of stuff overlaps between human medicine and vet medicine as most drugs and interventions go through animal models first). I ended up realizing that the costly triple antibiotic they use is unnecessary, and treated my dog with a cvs generic bacitracin/polymyxin B with white petrolatum vehicle ($7 from CVS). He's doing great with it btw. When I used the example of them going overkill with a gentamicin/clotrimazole/steroid mixture in the past for an ear infection, and stated gentamicin (a ear toxic agent in the human world, very controversial for topical ear infection) was too much, the vet said she does it all the time, and proceeded to disrespectfully object (btw, they also marked it up to $50 when it's $13 online). In human medicine, if it's controversial or you don't know if it's ok to use, we DO NOT use it - we don't just say "based on studies with a sample size of 15...yada yada" - which is what I'm pretty sure this vet is basing her stuff on. Save your pet excessive and unwarranted health interventions from this place, and save money. Read Less

I brought my cat in for annual one year vaccine. They gave a Benadryl injection first due to a reaction from the same vaccine previously given. My cat was taken out of the room for the Benadryl injection& vaccine injection. They brought my cat back up in the carrier and I went home. Once I was home I took my cat out of the carrier and he was not able to use his left hind leg he was dragging it. The cat I heard scream was my cat I was devastated that they would send me home with my cat and not even tell me what had happened. When the vet gave the injection she hit the sciatica nerve. It has been a year now and my cat cannot squat to pee. He has to stand he is able to have use of his hind leg however he has a slight limp. They had me come back in to take x-rays the same night and I could not believe they charged me for that as well. I have not heard from the California main office nor from anyone at the Vernon Hills office either.Read Less

I was born on the streets of Chicago early 90's. My first owner that is was fun to test their hand speed and coordination by trying to slap my face, head, feet...without getting seriously bitten. My current owner ... well if you read, "White Fang" you know my story. These ladies at Hawthorn put up with the biting and saved my life. My brother & sister died 4 years ago from Thyroid problems. They introduced me to a cutting edge diet that is just being tested now. I'm alive, in my mid twenties and been around the block. This place is run with passion and understanding. They think I don't understand what they're saying and even caught unguarded they sincerely care for my welfare. And the cost is reasonable considering I got a rich neighborhood. Whiskers ya, i dig these people! Read Less