I don't know what the problem is with the bad reviews, but I don't agree with those people, they were great with us and our love Reno when it was his time. They have been great with our next dog Zeus too!! The staff has been AWESOME with our family. Friendly and listen to we have had to say about our kids (dogs), which are our kids!!! Read Less

The doctors are good, the vet assistants and receptionist are not. They are RUDE. You're in the business of customer service greeting and assisting PAYING folks to have you take care of their "children"...would a smile kill y'all? It can already be stressful being there... 3/8/18 - I was called by Pat (I believe) this morning asking how Jaxson was after his anal gland surgery and she also apologized for the experience that I had based upon the initial review above. While my experience cannot be changed, the phone call this morning asking about my boy, and again apologizing will go a LONG ways in my continued patronage here. Read Less

I have taken my pets here for years and I am always impressed with the level of care, concern and expertise they bring for both the animals and their owners. Right now I have my dog staying here for treatment for kidney disease and I have been stopping in multiple times a day to go visit with my pup. Behind the scenes, in the treatment areas there is nothin but net. It’s clean, my pup is clearly being treated well and I have watched them do the same for every animal here. I couldn’t be happier to have this place so close to my work and home. Keep up the good work Pet Central crew!! You are all super heroes to my family and you make very sad, hard times so much easier. Thank youRead Less

I always find them to be very helpful and kind - it is clean in there and the doctors very informative. I particularly love that they have a groomer, who is super affordable, and they also do pet boarding. Super convenient. Read Less

Doctor John Dirksen was so understanding and intelligent with our dog Chance's needs. He was very straight forward, along with being knowledgeable about our beagles needs. We knew our dog had allergies, but knew vet costs would be a lot, so once the time came to financially take him in, he was so understanding and didn't judge. We tried home remedies and Amazon products to help his ear infections, but he needed to see a specialist. When my husband brought him in, he felt so at ease with John. He was given multiple meds and great feedback, without feeling like a worthless pet owner. Yes, our pets are our family, but times get tough and we did have him seen. I want to thank John for saving our fur babies life. He is very down to earth and genuine along with being honest to his patients. Thank you Pet Central. Read Less

Such a great experience! Brought in my new Morkie puppy yesterday for her round of shots and check up. The front desk people were so friendly, they got to get to know her. The doctor was very personable and caring. This is my first puppy. When I brought her home she got really woozy and was in pain. I got scared and called them. They reassured me it was normal, but offered for me to bring her back in if I was concerned. They are definitely going to be my go to vet! Thank you guys!! Read Less

Great with my weirdo cat - when I first rescued her she had a lot of issues in the first two weeks but they were extremely helpful and caring. I’m a first time cat owner and they dealt with all my anxieties surrounding her really well too! Read Less

Thank you for taking such great care of my dogs while they were boarding!! I know the little one can be a handful and I'm so glad it's not big deal for you to give meds to them too!! They look so happy every time we pick them up!! <3 Read Less

They treat dogs poorly. I will make it known to everyone that this place is not an acceptable place to bring pets after seeing horrible pictures of a dog left to sit in it's own feces for 12 days. Shame on you. Read Less

After seeing photographic evidence of your "care" for an animal in your facility, I am appalled. I've been in facilities with bite quarantine dogs, and never once has one come out looking as disgusting as this dog. If your clinic is used to house animals for bite quarantines, your staff needs to know how to handle them. Read Less

I had to take my neighbor's dog here while he was on vacation- the poor old girl had a seizure early in the morning. A nurse met me at the door and opened it for me as I was carrying this 90 lb dog. I brought her in and they assessed her calmly, gave her fluids and even sat on the floor with her while I face timed my neighbor to inform him what was going on.Read Less

We had our Renascence Bulldogges in labor, when she quit pushing. I called the main phone line, gave a brief description of what was going on. They told me bring her right in. We should up minutes later and they had a room ready for her. After the exam, we were told she needed a C section because the other pups were in distress. After all said and done 8 healthy pups and a healthy Mama!!! Love you guys to the moon and back! Read Less

I was extremely disappointed with my experience with Pet Central Animal Hospital. I just moved to the NE neighborhood and was very excited to have a vet just blocks from my new home but on my first visit to Pet Central, they literally forgot me in the room for 20+ minutes before I had to hunt someone down and let them know I was still waiting for the vet tech to come in. They were super unprofessional and unorganized, I definitely would never recommend anyone to them or go there again. I will sadly have to find another vet in the NE area. Read Less

Not super satisfied with this vet, they came highly recommended so I took my dog in for a biopsy for a large lump he had. They did not shave the area where they did the biopsy and overall did a sloppy job. He has suffered infection and pain since then and I will not return to this vet. Read Less

Dr. Dirksen , Dr Nelson and all the techs and staff have all my thanks and gratitude. My dog has a condition that's been very stubborn, to say the least, in being resolved.(1 year 8 months and counting. We go daily for treatments the last 8 months) They're in it for the long haul and not for the money, as they've shown me courtesies that I don't believe other vets would have. Read Less

The day before yesterday, our cat could not hold any food down. We brought him to Pet Central yesterday because a vet wouldn't be at our usual place and we ended up liking this place more. They were able to get us in to see the vet first thing in the morning with very little wait time, and Dr. Hilary did X-rays and showed them to us. She gave the cat barium to settle his stomach, the staff set us up with bland food for him to eat later, and they said to call or just come in the next day if he gets sick again. Since then, he has eaten the food, kept it down, and used his liter box. Pet Central was amazing; their prices are a lot lower than our regular place, and Dr. Hilary is a lot nicer than our regular vet. She explained everything and kept us calm when we were worried. I would definitely recommend this place and Dr. Hilary specifically.Read Less

I started bringing my dogs to the original clinic 35 years ago. I've never doubted that my dogs have ever had anything less than the best care possible. Every diagnosis was correct. Every recommendation was the right one for the dog. It's been amazing to watch the clinic move and grow into the facility it is today. NE Minneapolis is lucky to have such a great clinic so close by. Read Less

5 weeks ago we called seeing something that didn't seen right with our very pregnant due anytime Giant Schnauzer Belle. It was towards the end of a very busy Thursday. We were told to bring her in immediately. Thank you Dr. Nelson for you and your team staying late and doing the emergency c-section and saving Belles' puppies. One of the team members requested the day off and came in when called to help. We look forward to bringing the pups in for their puppy vaccinations when they turn 6 weeks old. Thank you very much Pet Central Team. Read Less

We took our dogs to Pet Central, for 10 years, we were always happy with our experience with the vets, vet techs and staff. We have now been fortunate to have adopted a beautiful black lab through them and she has been an amazing addition to our family. We are excited to be working with the vets, vet techs and staff yet again! Read Less

Excellent care at outlandish prices. Meh, what are you going to do. Almost everywhere you go vet care is too high. Both of my cats have had emergency care there, and that is what they do: CARE. Work on affordable prices and I'll give you that other star! Read Less

Dr Faas, Dr Ngo are great!! They are truly passionate about what they do and I am forever grateful for all they have done for me! They not only take great care of my 'babies' when they are well, but they are there for me when my 'babies' are ill. They were also there for me when I had to make the tough decision to put my beloved elderly dog to sleep. I also appreciate having Toni there to greet us! In fact, I bring my little dog, Leroy, in just to see Toni because he enjoys her so much! Thanks to everyone at Pet Central Animal Hospital! Read Less

I've been bringing my pets to Dr Nelson since he opened his clinic more than 35 years ago. He's especially compassionate in end of life decisions and has come to the house to put my babies down saving them the anxiety of a trip to the office. I highly recommend Dr Phil and the entire staff, especially Dr Faas who is caring for my Nellie Belle right now. Read Less

HORRIBLE! Treated our cat with such force it made me cry, just grabbed him by the bladder and then gave us an oral shlacking as well. I get that some of the smartest people have social issues, but we will NEVER ever take a pet there. We need to link these reviews to his clinic Yelp page because I checked Yelp before going, but didn't see the reviews of the head vet, just the clinic. YIKES! Read Less

I guess we're in the minority on Yelp but my wife and I like Dr. Nelson.I love Yelp...  But this may be one case where 7 reviews (at the time of this writing) doesn't represent the majority of his customers.  My wife and I own a building about a block away from Dr. Nelson's clinic.  I've seen his building nearly every single day for 8 years.  My wife and I must not be the only ones who like him because his parking lot is always full!  He seems to have a lot of regular, satisfied customers.You have to pick a vet that jives with your personality.  Don't expect any new age, lovey dovey, touchy feely treatment from Dr. Nelson.  He's tough, practical, knowledgeable, a little brash, and he tells it like it is.  He actually reminds me a lot of Dr. Pol from the cable TV show...with a no nonsense farm vet type of style.  Some people are offended by that style...but I really appreciate it.I have to add the disclaimer that my only experiences with him were for some special needs.  He cropped the ears on two of our dogs.  My wife and I were very, very happy with the ear cropping artistry and skill that he performed on our pure bred Presa Canarios.  He helped to calm us down when we were freaking out, thinking they were healing wrong.  But they turned out to be perfect.  (You can look them up in his photo album.)He also helped us find an expert for large dog breed knee surgery (and titanium implant).  He didn't charge us a dime for the appointment to evaluate the knee or for the referral.  The surgeon that he referred did phenomenal work.As a side note, several times, I've walked into the clinic (without an appointment) to get some advice on a problem. Each time, he made time for me and gave me great advice--no charge.  He isn't the kind of guy that will talk you into an appointment if it isn't necessary.In a world of politically correct crap, Dr. Nelson's no bullshit style really appeals to me.  He reminds me of the super practical, old school people I knew growing up in a rural Minnesota farmland.  He's also one of the few Twin Cities vets that will still crop ears.  Like my wife and I, he thinks it's hypocritical and ridiculous that people have no problem cutting the testicles off a male dog or removing the ovaries from a female dog...but for some reason, cropping the ears is animal abuse.  Give me a break!Dr. Nelson was part of the Audubon Neighborhood long before my wife and I got there.  I hope that Dr. Nelson and his new, larger, modern building are there for many more years.-Daddy Maxx Retro Read Less

I wish I could give this man negative stars. I wish I had read the other reviews before bringing my poor little ratties to the vet. I adopted two very healthy awesome rats, and was told I could bring them to one of the following vets on a list for a free check up. Since Pet Central was .5 miles from my house I went there. This was the worst mistake I have made in all my pet owning days. The check up consisted of careless and rough handling, with little to no concern of the actual rats health. He weighed them and forcibly held them down till they squeaked saying they looked fine. He told me that two male rats could never live together and to keep them separate. Rats are extremely social creatures so I asked him if maybe neutering them would help. He seemed annoyed at my suggestion but agreed to after I insisted. The lady who neutered them the next day was quite kind and has been very sweet and helpful. Unfortunately, I have only dealt with this idiot Nelson afterwards. My first check up for the rats ended in $60 of anti-biotics and pain meds for one rat because he developed an infection. The neuters alone had already cost $211 so this was an expense I did not expect, but okay, what ever is best for the boys. Over the course of the next week both rats seemed to develop an infection, and the anti-biotics did not work. So I scheduled another follow up. This time he flipped them around and barely even looked and told me they were fine, it was just a scab on the surgery area. I questioned him and he was condescending and straight up rude about my concerns. I was told to hot press the rats area (hot water on a cloth to draw out the infection) and then to PEEL THE SCAB OFF myself. Even though I mentioned both rats seemed to be in pain and you could smell the infection (seriously, it was/is rancid, and quite noticeable) he dismissed me. Total time spent looking at my rats: less than three minutes. Once I got home both rats were lethargic and not interested in their food, not even the little treats they usually go bonkers over. This afternoon after I got out of work when I got home I could smell the infection from my front door....my rats are in the very back room of my house so this was alarming. I soaked one rat in warm water and then gently pressed on the infection. When I say it exploded in pus, I mean it was a huge pus explosion. Yellow, green, and black oozed out of the infection. The smell almost caused me to throw up. I took turns soaking him, then draining the infection, for about 10 minutes. After that I felt so bad for my little guy I dried him off, fed him some bananas, and put him back. I then did the same to my other rat. Again, green, black and yellow pus, followed by the most sickening smell. I have an appointment tomorrow morning and I am fucking pissed. I will not be returning to this vet ever again after tomorrows appointment, and I am very upset that my rats are suffering because of this mans neglectful and harmful behavior. On top of this, I will now have to pay another vet to properly take a look, plus get more antibiotics/pain medication. Philip L. Nelson is a hack and should not be trusted with your pets. He is aggressive, rude, neglectful, condescending, rough, impatient, and over all a fucking asshole. If you love your pet, and I'm sure you do, avoid him and this place at all costs. I wish I had. Read Less

Well, this was an odd appointment. A stray cat ran into my house late one Friday night and it looked like she was pregnant. I immediately started searching for a place close by that would be able to see her on the following Saturday morning. I didn't have any issues with the receptionist or making an appointment, but unfortunately that didn't really save my experience with Dr. Nelson. I brought her in under the impression I was paying for a full exam but her temperature was never taken? Hm. He did scan her and look at her ears, eyes, and mouth and after feeling her belly told me that she wasn't pregnant but had given birth somewhat recently. Ok cool. Now what do I do with her? At first he told me to just let her back outside so she could find her kittens and said I shouldn't feed her so she wouldn't return to my house. Well.......she was so skinny that of COURSE I'd fed her the previous night and I was hesitant to let her back outside because she seemed very happy being indoors and we have lots of coyotes or foxes (seriously don't know which) that hang out near my house. AND. She's the sweetest damn cat I've ever met and if I could adopt her and give her a good home I wanted to. As much as I would have loved for the potentially alive kittens to be saved, she had so much milk in her that it was apparent she hadn't been feeding kittens recently and I didn't want to risk her health on the chance they might be out there somewhere. Instead of responding to those concerns he started talking about how they must be coyotes and not foxes and talked for 10 minutes about the coyote population in NE. Great. What about this cat I would like maybe adopt?He seemed slightly dismissive of me and my cat because she was just some stray I'd brought in and he didn't give me the answers I was looking for.  He'd been suggesting that I let her go until I mentioned that I wanted to have her spayed if I couldn't find an owner. After I had hinted at a follow-up appointment with him he went from "oh, just throw her back outside" to "alright. bring her in, it'll cost this much to have her spayed and this much to have her micro-chipped". I'd never dealt with a stray before, definitely not one that had been nursing and all I wanted to figure out was the best thing to do given the circumstances. He didn't make it easy and seemed disinterested. Maybe that's just a lack of "bedside manner" on his part but, as a Vet, what you lack in the social department should be made up for in how much you care about the animals you see. Read Less

Dr. Nelson was very helpful, kind and took his time with my pet.  He treated us both with respect and I have returned to Pet Central and have seen Dr. Mary and she has been wonderful, too.  They are considerate, not too pricey and kind.  Their cat groomer Elizabeth, is WONDERFUL.  I find their service to be reasonably priced and very professional.  I have not experienced anything negative, nor has my family.  The staff is wonderful, too.  I will continue to take my cat to Dr. Nelson and to Elizabeth, the cat groomer. Read Less

This is the worst vet clinic I've ever been to. Supposed dr. Nelson seems so far out there I wouldn't be surprised if he was in back poping the pet meds. This guy walks in the room without a word straight to his computer then walk out no words still. Comes back and defiantly doesn't really know how to approach dogs any better than humans. All in all came in for a small issue and he wanted 500 for issues that really were not (this was according to our great vet in boulder co). So we decided to get a shot and he was telling us about his children's worts? And my fiancé and I were kind of not paying attention any more to this fool and he blind sides us and our Siberian husky with the needle with a rightfully so yelp from our dog and a twist this "dr" throws the needle damn near across the room. Our dog is extremely calm even in past getting shots but this was not how to go about it the dog could have bit him or my fiancé who he was sitting near. Gave him the shot again while I held him and what do you know it was fine. So we will call him mr. Nelson walked out of the room again no words to leave us sit and wonder if we were done? Are we to leave the room to go pay for this non sense? So we walk out to the front desk and the dip shut was just standing up there so we ask are done? He was like yeah I guess. Defiantly will not go back or recommend them to any one ever! Read Less

We took our cat there for her first exam.  I scheduled our appointment for 10:15, we were not seen there until 10:30. We were seen by doctor Ngo.    I will not be taking my kitty there again.  The doctor did not listen to our concerns and spend maybe 2 minutes examining the animal.  She was also kinda of rough with her, and did not seem that she liked her job or animals.... Read Less

His license has not been revoked, surprisingly. I went to this vet anticipating this man's behavior, as there are numerous warnings on other websites. I brought my pet rat there to get some antibiotics. I'm not a bleeding heart, nor impractical,  just trying to keep my pet alive if possible. I do not believe Dr. Nelson looked at my face once while I was in his waiting room. He consistently called my pet by the opposite gender (a sign that he could care less about her well-being) and referred to her as a "thing". For a veterinarian that advertises "pocket-pet" care, he sure treated her like vermin.Long story short, I ended up returning to have my pet put down. The vet tech was wonderful, and they (surprisingly, illegally?) euthanized her without an examination. (Just a rat, afterall...) 15$ for death, reasonable. I'd have paid much more for some compassion. Indeed, this man was sadistic and in the wrong profession. Read Less

I'm posting this review of Central Animal Hospital for a family member:---My adult indoor cat had a small area (3" X 2") of matted hair on her back. A fine veterinarian, Dr. Barbara Ault had previously removed it by hand, - causing no pain - and showed me how to remove the hair by gently drawing it away from the direction of its growth. I was particularly impressed with her kindness, compassion, and skill.Unfortunately, I was unable to remember her technique well enough to perform it myself, so I called the clinic. I was advised that she was no longer there. I made an appointment anyway: to have her matted hair removed, and for her to be "chipped" (installation of a microchip for identification).When we arrived at Dr. Philip Nelson's clinic, his Central Avenue Animal Hospital was under construction - adjacent to the clinic.  We went into the examination room with a technician. My cat waited patiently on the examination table. She was unhappy about being away from home, but well-behaved.Dr. Nelson stormed into the room, banging the examination room door against the wall as he entered. Without a word, he abruptly grabbed my cat by her head and began violently tearing out her hair. She was in obvious distress. He refused to stop - until she began to defecate on his exam table. He angrily cleaned the feces from the table while stating that my cat needed sedation and left. Total time elapsed: 1 minute.He returned with the syringe for the injection of the microchip. We should have left the clinic immediately after the hair ripping incident, but I was truly in shock, and very nearly as traumatized as my cat. I'm aware of how microchip injections are performed, but Dr. Nelson's technique was particularly brutal. He stabbed the syringe into her back with excessive force.In my opinion, Dr. Nelson displayed conflicted, sadistic, and disturbed behavior.  I do not advise bringing any living creature into his clinic. I've been having trouble loading his website. Perhaps his license to practice veterinary medicine has mercifully been revoked. Read Less