Dr. Simon put me at ease as soon as he walked into the exam room. I was so impressed at how he related to my dog as she allowed him to examine her. He not only described everything he planned to do before he began, but he gave me choices of possible treatments and the reasons why he was suggesting different alternatives. When we decided on how he would proceed, I felt relieved and confident in our decision. I left the clinic with the medication I needed and directions on how to administer it. Most importantly, my dog is eating and active again. Read Less

There is no person in the world that my dog likes better! Dr. Simon has a gentle and caring way with her...and it is reciprocated. He has always taken the time to listen carefully and find answers to my questions and to her problems. He is highly recommended.Read Less

Great place! Our black lab Roscoe was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, and within two months our amazing dog was completely back to normal. Dr Simon is thorough, and really knows the best of ways of treating your pet. The staff is so friendly and amazing! So happy my husband found this place... Read Less

We have been clients of Dr. Simon for over 10 years. In that time, we have used both traditional and alternative medical therapies -- the alternative approaches have been a welcome surprise in terms of how well they worked. We are believers! :-) Dr. Simon has a kind and calm way with the animals and a very personal approach with the owners -- and his staff is always friendly, fun and warm. I highly recommend this practice. A rare find in the world of veterinary medicine. Read Less

My dog had irritable bowel last year. Dr. Simon and his staff took excellent care of my dog. Also recommending to send her to a specialist when she needed more care for her condition. They are always helpful when she needed a quick appointment cause she was sick and needed to be seen. There was always a follow up call the next day to check on her. They always kept me well informed and would send e-mails if something changed in the office. They even sent condolences when she passed. Thank you Dr. Simon and staff! Read Less

Dr. Simon has helped us care for our cat and dog over the years. Our first visit was after our cat fell down the stairs, or rather, through them. He calmed our fears and gave her a thorough examination. A few years later, when she was at the end of her life, the staff was kind and caring during that difficult time.Our dog came to us as an rescue from a neighbor who could no longer care for him. Matted, underweight, and disgusting, I had no idea where to start. Dr. Simon helped me get him the care he needed, running some basic tests, getting him up to date on shots, and identifying a heart murmur which are common with Cavaliers. Today, he's a happy, healthy dog. Read Less

My review is from 8yrs ago so hopefully the experience would not be the same but it still bothers me so I thought I'd share. When my 2yr old border collie was hit by a car (snap disconnected from long line while playing ball in an open field and the allure of that ball overcame her recall), we went to the emergency clinic where she was deemed stable with a dislocated hip. I chose to transport her to Woodside for treatment as I had heard good things about them (I was new to tRead Less

I came to Woodside on an emergency, as my cat howled as he peed red, and my vet was closed to due in-climate weather.  It was great that they were able to get me right in. When it was discussed that my cat needed a blood draw, I was informed of the price, and then my cat was taken away into another room and placed in a "box" which held him still, and offered better lighting.  My cat did not like this.After speaking with a vet tech friend, she explained to me that some vets do use this. I would prefer the other way (the way my vet does it).The blood results came back (in office lab) while I was waiting, which was a huge plus.I did not think that this vet was as expensive as everyone has reviewed.In all, they did a good job, not necessarily what I was used to, but my cat is better now! Read Less

Dr. Simon is a great guy.Very knowledgeable in all facets of pet care. My only complaint, and why it was dropped 1 star is because he isn't the cheapest vet around. But in this case you probably are getting what you pay for.I feel it's worth a few extra bucks to enjoy Dr. Simons company for 30 minutes or so, and my pets seem to really like him. Read Less

Even though my sister missed the call. We all really appreciated the follow up call the next day to check on how Felix was doing after his shots. Everyone there was very friendly & helpful and took a genuine interest in Felix's care. Thank you. Read Less

I took one of our bunnies to Woodside. Very few places see "exotic" pets. I was so disappointed. Dr. acted like he had never treated a rabbit. I ended up leaving with some nutritional supplement (my fault, for buying it) with a charge of $130. That's just insane. Read Less

He should not even get a one star ,but I gave it to him. I started going to Dr. Simon about six years ago. I took my then 9 year old dog to see him because he said he does alternative treatments on animals. At first it was okay, did not like his attitude. So we were in route to N.D. to pick up another puppy and on the way a bee flew in to my dog's nose! When we got back home his sinus cavity was swollen with the bee. I took him to Dr. simon and told him what happened, he looked at me like I was crazy or something and he said that surgery had to be don right away it was an abess. I said no, and took him home and done research on line and gave him a homepathic remedy for bees and within a week the lump was gone! He over vaccinated our puppy and I had to take him to another vet. to correct that. Do your homework when finding a vet just cause they seem nice does not mean a whole lot when you have your animal is someone elses hands! I do have to agree with another reviewer Dr. Simon does not listen to the humans. People that have animals know their animals better than anyone. Read Less

I want to enthusiastically recommend Dr. Simon to anyone whose pet has a chronic problem that they have not been able solve using conventional veterinarians. My dog "Andy" had ruptured a ligament in his knee 3 years ago. The cruciate ligament was surgically repaired by our previous vet but he never stopped limping on it. We took Andy to Dr. Simon who diagnosed the problem and performed "prolotherapy" on the his knee. I am happy to say that Andy is now walking normally and thanks to Dr. Simon's caring and unique holistic approach is now running and playing fetch again.. If your dog has been lame for along time or just has chronic arthritis and drugs or surgery have not helped I encourage you to go see Dr. Simon. He may be able to work his magic on your dog too. Read Less

I think that although Dr. Simon has a wonderful calm presence with the animals, he's excessively expensive, the office is often behind schedule and slow with their information.  I chose Dr. Simon for his more earth friendly approaches and have a great deal of respect for his passion, but you definitely pay through the pocketbook.  I paid more in 2 weeks at Woodside then I paid in 3 years at PetSmart.  Just saying...worth investigating other options. Read Less

This vet charges by the minute and he exploits every minute. He slowly writes in a book and if he makes a mistake he tears the page out and starts writing from the top. He moves as slowly as possible to do basic health checks. He clearly has had legal actions against him in the past as he makes you sign waivers which basically say he is not responsible for anything that happens to your pet based on his actions -- yes you get charged for that time as well.I would never ever set foot in this vet's office again.I went there based on an acquaintence recommendation. I have subsequently figured out that the acquaintence has mental health issues.I could find nothing redeeming about this vet.Waste of time, Waste of money.Don't waste your time or your money Read Less

I took my pup to Woodside for an urgent visit last fall.  Turns out she had a bizarre autoimmune condition.  Dr. Simon didn't know much about what was going on with her, and it took heavy sedation and a few calls to the experts for him to get a good diagnosis.  But we got a diagnosis and a treatment plan, and I'm happy to say my girl is all better now!Woodside's staff is wonderful.  So kind and caring.  When my dog was sick, they called daily to check in on her.  Dr. Simon gave us some traditional treatment and some alternative, which I liked.  The office is also very prompt- minimal waits, and it's pretty easy to get an appointment.  They're also happy to see your sick animal quickly.  They even give you the vet's home phone number!!The only reason they aren't getting 5 stars:  Woodside is expensive.   By far the most I have paid at a vet, even compared to what I paid in the SF Bay Area.  That said, they are very up front about costs, and you are welcome to decline any testing.  They have not made any negative comments about anything I have refused, which I really appreciate.  The costs are high, but not prohibitively so, and I will more than happily keep using Woodside. Read Less

When the back legs of our 13 year-old pet dachshund suddenly became paralized in March of 2008 a veterinarian near my home in Ann Arbor scolded me for not having brought our dog in a few hours earlier and brusquely told me that I could submit our dog to very expensive back surgery with no guarentees, but that euthanasia was a ""reasonable"" solution. After a weekend of heartache I looked to see if any other vet offered other treatments. I found Dr. Simon's web site and called immediately the next morning. He saw our pet that very day, took x-rays and blood tests, and explained what kinds of alternative treatments he could offer. He said that there were no guarentees, but if, after four treatments there was no improvement we could reevaluate whether or not to continue. Dr. Simon gave our little dog a series of non-invasive treatments ranging from acupunture to laser therapy. He also send me home with an assortment meds and instructions on how to perform magnetic therapies on our pet at home. At the end of four treatments we saw clear improvement, and within three months she was hobbling around quite well. We have continue the therapies for ten months and she now walks and runs perfectly. Our dachsy even chases squirrels again. Although the therapies were not cheap, they were probably no more expensive than surgery. We never had to deal with the trauma of a surgical wond, and we saw continue improvement over the months. We have told everyone about the wonderful care Dr. Simon gave our little dog, and we once again have our family pet happy and healthy. Read Less

We have a Jack Russell with an injured ACL - We wanted an alternative to surgery and we found it at Woodside. To date we have been through 3/4 of the Prolotherapy treatments at the clinic, and the results have been nothing less than miraculous. Words can not express our gratitude to Dr. Simon and his staff for providing the gentle, professional and friendly atmosphere that has allowed us all to heal. Read Less

Our dachshund Sasha injured her back and was unable to walk .... We gathered as much information about these types of injuries as we could and found out that they are quite common in this breed of dog and that surgery would cost 6,500 and no guarantee that it would work. Then someone suggested that we find a holistic vet that treats with a more natural approach with acupuncture and natural supplements and thats when we found doctor Simon .... The first session was long but there was a lot information to go over and we appreciate that we were given all options to come up with a plan that fit our budget .... Dr Simon was very thorough with his assessment. He said we would try for 4 or 5 weeks and if we did not see improvement we would have to realize Sasha would probably never walk again ...... Well we are very happy to report that after 5 weeks Sasha not only is walking again she is starting to run after squirrels again .... Unbelievable ! And we could not be happier .... So if anyone has this problem and your vet says surgery or put the dog down .... Get another vet ! And we strongly recommend that Dr Simon be your choice I know he certainly did a great job for Sasha and our family. Read Less

I have a mini dachshund that has the back problem that is known for the breed. I want to a surgeon and was told it would cost $6500.00 to fix her back with a 90% success rate. I don't have that money at this time. After doing some research I found Dr. Simon and explained my situation to him, he told me that he thought he could help and was willing to work with me and only do treatments that are within my budget yet would benefit Sahsa the most. After doing the treatments and continued progress she is walk, trying to run and jump although I have to stop her from trying to do to much. All I can say is that if it wasn't for Dr. Simon I don't if she would be back to her old self. Thank You Dr. Simon Read Less

Finding its home on Woodward, between 11 and 12 mile Woodside is a fantastic full service animal clinic. Offering everything from radiology, dentistry, surgery, boarding, bathing, and a pharmacy, this vet clinic is pretty much a one stop shop for animal owners. In addition to caring for dogs and cats in their friendly and clean facility, Woodside also sees less common furry (and not furry) friends like ferrets and iguanas. Woodside is home to a number of vets who specialize in all areas of veterinary care so your pet is in good hands and they'll be sure to find the perfect match for both your pet and you. In addition, Woodside even has vets that specialize in alternative medicine for animals like chiropractic care, bioresonance, Bach flower remedies, and detoxification. The vets and staff at Woodside are wonderful at communicating in real, understandable terms, so you know exactly what is or isn't going on with Mittens. They treat their clients like real people and not just a profit. If you're looking for a local vet clinic that is caring, friendly, and always helpful,take a look at Woodside. I bet you and your pet will be happy you did! Read Less

I live in Novi but for the past 2 years have been gladly driving over 20 miles to Royal Oak to see Dr. Simon. I can't begin to tell you how happy I am to have found a veterinarian that is friendly, highly qualified and truly cares about the long term health of my 14 year old cat ""Cuddles"". Cuddles may be 14 but now acts like a kitten thanks to Dr. Simon's care and knowledge of holistic medicine. I attribute the homemade diet he has recommended and the supplements he provides as the reason for Cuddles superb health. Sure his fees may be a bit higher than my old vet down the road but I have no regrets because I know Dr. Simon provides a unique form of medicine and has the knowledge and experience that will keep Cuddles with me for as long as possible. I have read all 3 of Dr. Simon's books and refer to them often. Because Dr. Simon is the only vet at his clinic I know that when I go to his clinic I will always see him and not some other doctor. I don't mind waiting a little longer to see him because I know that he will spend the time necessary to answer all of my questions and tell me about the latest developments in pet care. For people who feel that their pet is truly a member of their family and want the best in vet care I recommend Dr. Simon highly. Read Less

I concure with the last reviewer. Dr. Simon is extremely knowledge not only treating pet disease but preventing it through his altternative veterinary medicine services. I have not met another Vet in the area (or anywhere else for that matter) that has such broad experience in both conventional and holistic / alternative veterinary medicine. Strongly recommend. Read Less

Woodside Animal Clinic, Royal Oak, Michigan has been owned and operated by Dr. John Simon since 1970. Dr. Simon's interest in alternative medicine makes him unique in the are. He is certified as a veterinary acupuncturist -- one of the only vets certified in the area. I would confidently recommend him to anyone I know who is a pet lover. Read Less

When my 12 year old daxy "schnoodle" became paralyzed from a ruptured disk in his back my regular vet said there was nothing else he could do. So I began to look for veterinarians who practiced alternative medicine and thank god found Dr. Simon. He examined schnoodle very carefully and confirmed that the cause of the paralysis was indeed a ruptured disk. He explained that the dog's condition was very serious and that although he couldpromise nothing he had helped many paralyzed dogs with the same condition. He recommended a series of acupuncture treatments combined with pulsed magnetic therapy. After the 3rd treament schnoodle started to show improvement and thanks to Dr.Simon today schnoodle walks and runs almost normally. Clearly Dr. Simon understood our anxiety and fear and was compassionate, comforting, and supportive throughout the entire therapy regiment. His staff was wonderful and helped us maintain hope during the first three treatments. We wrote this testimonial because we wanted to thank Dr. Simon for all he has done for schnoodle and for our family. Read Less