Wonderful, caring staff, from the receptionists to the doctors, nurses, and vet techs. Every one was willing to listen, offer support and comfort, answer questions, and help however they could. They are very busy at times and the waiting can be very hard, but they saved our dog's life when no one else could ❤️ Read Less

It was late at night and I had a hard time finding it....but I was also in a panic about my pet. Vet and staff were nice, explained everything including the possible costs. Would definitely return for pet emergency Read Less

Brought my dog in because I thought he tore one of his pads. Turned out just to be a small cut. They didn't charge me anything! Where I live in Washington if I brought my dog to a er they would have charged me a 100 dollars just for walking through the door. I experienced no upselling here! They even offered me a free used e collar. Read Less

My significant other and I took our pet here because she was unable to move her tail due to a crack on the vertebrae.. the main vet was very rude. He was already out the door before we could ask any further questions, and when we did have a chance to try to ask a question he give us the fastest response possible then out the door. He did a "check" for our dog for 5 mintues then we waited 50 more minutes just for a paper to see what we would be paying for and what we can do. We didnt even see the x-ray of our animal while we were at the office. I called in for the x-ray to be sent to me. Very poor communication and people skills on his part. Everyone else did an excellent job! Read Less

We had to take our poor puppy to them at like 2am. She had to go to her final dog park. They were caring, professional, and not that expensive. It was how they treated the whole horrible situation with some strangers with great caring and empathy. I say they get an A. Read Less

This is a long review but it is totally worth it. I had to bring my dog in as an emergency at night. We were seen quickly, and the staff were caring and attentive right from the start. My dog was greeted warmly and the staff were gentle with him. They listened to our concerns; we felt heard and our fears were calmed. The vet was thorough and explained what was going on, as well as what the next best step was for our dog to recover. We were given a breakdown of our costs, and the vet tech explained each piece of it so we knew exactly what our dog was going to need and why. When they took him back to keep him overnight, they did so with a positive and upbeat attitude, and my dog happily followed. Even as I was crying and horribly worried about my dog's wellbeing, the staff was patient and understanding. It's not easy leaving my dog in a vet's office for so long, but I feel much better about it after my experience with the staff there. I was also able to call and check on my dog and speak to the vet to get an update on how he's doing. I felt my call was important to them, and that they cared about my dog's health. In the past, other E-Vets have made it feel like my call is a bother; at AVS my call was welcomed and taken seriously. Honestly, the quality of care, the gentleness of the staff, the thoroughness of the vet, and the peace of mind that these bring, altogether these are priceless. Read Less

Wonderful care and compassion for our dog Henry. The doctors and staff are extremely knowledgeable. Between AVS and the docs in Columbia they saved Henry's life. We are extremely grateful to AVA docs and staff. Read Less

These people will prey on your wallet. What they count on to get the ridiculous prices they get for advanced testing is that you 1. do not actually look at your bill and ask questions like why a 1 lb fedex shipment cost $35 or why disposable forceps cost $20 or why a dose of valium cost $41. (the list goes on and on and on. 2. But for the most part they make their living by betting that you wont shop around. Anything these GUYS do you can have the exact same thing done for substantially less at Midwest Vet Referral Center (chesterfield) or UMC Vet Center (well worth the drive to Columbia to save over $1000.) Bottom line: go ahead and Use AVS if you are a billionaire and money is of no importance. Otherwise-- SHOP AROUND! Read Less

These people are awesome. Our dog got very sick and we had to put Sassy down. They helped us through the loss. They sent us cards and gave us her paw prints as a memorial. Wonderful people who really care about their work. Read Less

We LOVE Dr. Hause and everyone at AVS. I'm honestly surprised to see negative reviews about him or his practice, because we have always had great experiences there. We are the type of people who would rob a bank to pay for our animals' medical treatment if we had to, but we have NEVER felt pressured or bamboozled into doing any kind of diagnostics or procedures by anyone at AVS. In fact, after several botched tests at Webster Groves Animal Hospital (totaling about $3000) and no answers as to why our dog was peeing in his sleep or having seizures, a friend recommended we see Dr. Hause. Within two quick appointments, one lab workup (that they very courteously repeated after I forgot to fast our dog), and I think less than $500, we had a diagnosis for him, and his chronic illness is now very easily managed. He hasn't had a seizure since (I wish I could say the same about the accidents, but those are at least happening when he's awake, because he is sneaky AF). Dr. Hause does have a dry sense of humor, and is very direct, so I can *maybe* understand how some people could take that the wrong way. But, I personally appreciate that he doesn't beat around the bush with ANYTHING, whether it be a prognosis, the necessity of a test or workup, or efficacy of a medication. I am convinced that Dr. Hause has tacked more than a few years onto our dog's life (our regular veterinarian was even surprised he nailed the diagnosis on his first try), and we will be clients of his as long as he is seeing patients! Read Less

I rushed my dog here b/c she was attacked by another dog. The staff, specifically Claudette and Dr. Farnan were great. In fact, in later visits, I met more of the staff and they were all fantastic. I wish I knew everyone's name so I could thank them each personally. They treated my dog with care and helped me through the emotional trauma as well. I was a little surprised the bill wasn't more for everything they did for my girl. Yes, it was a lot, but she had emergency surgery, drains and stitches, not to mention an overnight stay, medications and supplies to treat her at home. She is going to be just fine, thanks to the great care she received at AVS. I love that they send home written instructions for post-op care. I was in shock with what had happened to her and there's no way I could have remembered how to care for her properly. I also called no less than 10 times to ask questions and was greeted by a caring and professional member of the staff every time. I have also called here on several unrelated occasions and they've always given me advice over the phone, which is appreciated more than words can say. They actually answer your questions instead of just trying to get you in the door (unless necessary). This place is a lifesaver, quite literally! I can't quite understand the negative reviews. Yes, ER's are more expensive than normal vets, just like with people. If you want/need the convenience of the hours, then you deal with it. Money WELL spent as far as I'm concerned. I have taken my dog back for 2 follow up visits since the initial attack/visit and I was not charged for either (presumably b/c they anticipate this and bill you upfront). I appreciate this very much and it's a relief to not be nickel and dimed to death, although I would pay whatever necessary for my "kids". I'm not sure my sweet girl would be here today and I would probably be in a rubber room without AVS. I hope I never have to go back (b/c that means one of my dogs is in danger), but if I do, I'll come here in a heartbeat. They saved my sanity, and more importantly, my baby girl. Read Less

I have used AVS for my cat to treat kitty crohn's in 2011 (age 11) and more recently to treat hyperthyroidism (age 16). The staff is amazing! I have no doubt they saved his life with the crohn's - he had to have a feeding tube and go on steroids. They really loved on him when he was there. I love my vet (dr Jack Phillips) but sometimes a specialist is needed. I wouldn't go anyplace else Read Less

First of all this site only allows us to give a 5 STAR Rating, we would personally give A.V.S. a 10 out of 10 STAR Rating and we would recommend them to family, or friends. We have never been to any other emergency veterinarian specialist that has been more caring and every single tech. Nurse, doctors that we have ever talked to or seen has taken care of our anilmal children have gone above and beyond to take care of them and make them comfortable. I have never taken any of my pets anywhere that I can call or show up and visit my animal baby's anytime of the day or night. We have been using A.V.S. for years for different emergency or illnesses and I know that their staff is very qualified and experienced in all types of emergencies. I don't understand how anyone could honestly ever give A.V.S. Less then a 5 STAR Rating. I truly believe that if your pet ever has any kind of emergency you should immediately take your pet to A.V.S. Due to they are very thorough and honest and will do everything they can to help or save your pet. Even though a couple of our animals had illnesses that was not cureable we asked them to do what ever it would take to make them better and they did everything possible to help them to there fullest extent all the way to the very end. We know that Peppy our German Shepard and Abbey our black lab was in the best hands ever, even at the very end they were so caring and gentle. Although Peppy and Abbey are very much missed we have other fur babies that have had to go to A.V.S. for major emergencies and major surgeries that with out A.V.S. a couple of our fur babies wouldn't be with us anymore, but thanks to A.V.S. we still have Yogi, and Buffy. We sincerely want to thank everyone of the staff at A.V.S. that has worked with us and our fur babies for all your help and support. You all have been there for us when we have needed you and we will come back if we ever need you again.Thanks from:Ron, Kathy, Ryan and all of our fur babies. Read Less

My 17 week old boxer puppy stopped eating, and didn't eat for a week. She was emaciated and in and out of my regular vet almost every day. They were clueless. Took her to AVS where they did an ultrasound and found a blockage. She was in surgery that night and home 48 hrs later. This place is amazing. The care they give is wonderful and the staff is top notch. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THEM!!!! Read Less

Let me start by saying I had the misfortune of having to bring two of my cats to AVS. One for diagnosis of intestinal lymphoma (back in 2008) another for radioactive iodine treatment for hyperthyroidism (Dec 2015). My first experience was with Dr. Wayne Hause. My cat was puking and loosing weight and my regular vet was suspecting IBD or intestine lymphoma. We basically just needed a confirmation. AVS did a whole battery of labs, EKG (since my cat had a murmur), and abd ultrasound, upper endoscopy with biopsy. Basically stick me with over $3000 dollars vet bill. I'm an cardiac ICU nurse, so did my cat need an EKG? No. He is NOT having heart problems. He is having GI problems. (some can argue that if the heart failure is bad enough you can have GI problems... But come on, there would be other symptoms). Does my cat need the endoscopy or biopsy just to differentiate intestine lymphoma? No. The end result and treatment is basically the same. Steroids. Basically they talked me into doing unnecessary tests and procedures on my poor kitty just to make money and to be "thorough".For my second cat, me was also puking and loosing weight. Turns out he had some sort of GI bug as his became hypertyroid was getting worse (funny thing was, my regular vet had checked thyroid levels less than a year ago). This time we saw Dr. Christine Cocayne. Granted, we had brought my cat to AVS after hours as he was getting dehydrated (yes, I was tempted to fluid resuscitate him myself at home) and I had to work early next morning. The oncall vet that was there basically didn't do much other than give my cat an IV and some fluids and waited until Dr. Cocayne got there in the morning. While she was professional and we had a couple conversation over the phone regarding diagnostics and treatment, she was appearently too busy to bother spending more than a few minutes talking to me when I picked up my cat. There was no followup what so ever. In fact, when my cat had recovered from his GI bug and I called back to schedule his radioactive iodine treatment, Dr. Cocayne did not even bother explaining anything to me. They repeatedly told me over the phone and when I drop him off about the cost for the treatment, making sure I knew how much it cost. During the 2 days my cat was there, I spoke to the nurse. When I pick up my cat, the receptionist basically asked for payment before I even got to see my cat. After she collected $1400 from me without giving me an itemized breakdown of my bill, she went over the discharge instruction with me, but don't ask her any specific questions that's not printed on the paper... Cause she doesn't know the answer. The nurse just brought my cat out in his carrier. I tried to ask her specific questions (what to do about the dirty liter, exactly how radioactive is the waste, how radioactive is my cat, etc.) I basically got a lot of dodging. They don't Geiger the cat waste... They are only required by law to do this and that... When I asked if they had a vet or manager I can talk to, she told me there wasn't anyone. Granted, it is Christmas eve, but if one of my patient's family ask for my manager, I contact my manager and ask them to contact the family, Christmas eve or not. Bottom line, they don't care about you or your pet. They just care about the money. Are they able to provide good medical care? Yes. But they have zero bedside manners. So why do I bring my pets there? Because there are no other veterinary specialists, unless I want to drive hours to another facility in Columbia or Kansas City. They know they have the monopoly. Read Less

If you are low on funds, do not go to this vet. They will not work with you. Like a lot of people, I live pay check to pay check. And due to the trying economic times, I have a low credit score, so I do not have credit cards and do not qualify for the animal care credit card vets are always pushing on you. My 10 year old Diabetic cat, Tucker, stoped eating and drinking and in 2 days time, was severly dehydrated. I was able to get an appointment with my regular vet (Howdershell) on Thursday night and they agreed to hold my debit card until the next morning when my check was depositied. My vet examined him and the prognosis was not good. His temperature was low and she said most likely his kidneys were shuttng down or he had ketoacidosis. He was going to need tests but she couldn't do them until the next morning and he was going to need fluid treatments throuout the night or he would die. She sent us to AVS and assured us they would hold our card until the next morning as well. Dr. Bergman at AVS examined him and presented us with a bill for over $1000 and demanded a downpayment right then. I had $40 on me. We explained the situation, that we would have money the next day and all he did was offer us a credit card application. He would not start treatmeant until after he had his money. Because we love him and didn't want him to suffer, our only option was to put him down, but we didn't even have enough money for that. We had another cat die ealier in the year from kidney failure and we chose not to put her down and it was horrible. She suffered terribly during the night and we didn't want to see another loved one go through that again. We were going to take him home, and they offered us the option of a "humane euthenasia," but they would not let us stay with him while they did it. Because we didn't want him to suffer, we left him there and it was one of the hardest decisions of my life. I don't know what they did to him. Was it something they didn't want us to see? I don't know if he was scared, or suffered, but he had to have wondered where his humans, who had faithfully served him all his life, had gone. I understand that AVS is a buisness and need to get paid and probably they have had problems with it in the past, times being what they are, but they showed little compasion for me or my cat in our time of need. They demonstrated to me, that money was more important to them then the needs and welfare of their clients. We have been to AVS before and never had a problem, until money was an issure, and despite the fact that we have a clearly established relationship with them as clients, they refused us comfort and care. I will not go there again, and I hope you think seriously about this before you go too. Read Less

AVS is not my normal vet, but we all know that our normal vets are not always available.  In my situation, AVS was available and I am so very thankful that they were.  I cannot give them a high enough rating for the way the entire staff bent over backward to assist me in what was an emotional, trying time for me where I was not able to think clearly.If any of you have ever read any of my reviews, you know that my dog Skippy is such a big part of my life and my only lifeline since I moved to the St Louis area.  His time is drawing near though and so Skippy's reviews are going to be coming to an end really soon.  However he is not done yet and he wanted me to make sure I went on Yelp and told you my experience so you, too, can make a good decision when your vet may not be keeping office hours or you are looking for a new vet.Without getting into it too much, Skippy has a heart problem and his heart is enlarged due to it.  Lately he is getting worse and we visited our normal vet today -  but this review is about AVS.  I write this on a Saturday and after taking Skippy to his normal vet he was doing better but then that kind of went sideways on us and his vet was closed at that time. Skippy would not eat or drink, was breathing in a labored manner, and was visibly uncomfortable and I thought this was the end, that I was going to have to put my good boy down to ease his suffering.  I called AVS after a Google search brought them to my attention.  The angel on the other end of the phone was both empathetic and sympathetic and talked to me as a person and like a friend even though we never met.  I was distraught and she knew that.  She talked with me about whether or not I was just being panicky or whether Skippy needed to be seen.  We had both come to the conclusion that he needed to be seen.  I was going out of my mind with grief and she knew that.  She made sure to give me very specific directions on how I could find their place coming from the direction I was coming - actually took the time to go over landmarks and how I would know if I went too far.  I packed Skippy and all his medications up and we went there.As I walked to the building, she saw me coming and mouthed to me through the window "I took your call" and she let me in and knew exactly who I was.  I could not have been more impressed with her and she could have told me anything at this point and I would have followed any of her recommendations because I got the sense that she cared about Skippy and about me.  To give credit where it is due, her name is Kathy (I hope I am spelling that correctly -  if you are reading this Kathy or Cathy, feel free to correct me) and she is a fantastic, quality human being as well as whatever her title is at AVS, she is a fantastic one of those.  She is what I will always remember about AVS and she is  the face of AVS to me. She is more than just a qualified and competent professional, she is what every pet owner hopes their vet clinic is staffed with when they take their pets to them. This is not to take anything away from Dr Bergman (I hope I am spelling that correctly as well).  My dog even took a nip at him and he still treated my dog with a concern on par with my own, was thorough in explaining what he saw as my dog's condition, and was mindful to keep the billing reasonable, not ordering unnecessary tests or procedures.  He saw from the Vet Sheet I brought in from my earlier visit to my vet that I had Xrays done so he did not try to get me to pay for more, he simply listened to what  I know I had repeatedly told him over and over because of being nervous and overly ... everything!  By the way, Dr Bergman, Skippy says he is sorry for nipping at you.  He was having a bad day. Long story short, we did not put Skippy down but we did manage his condition and AVS taught me some more on how I can do that by personally instructing me and leaving their door open for me if I ever need a return visit which I am sure will happen.I have gone on so long now, I do not want to belabor this any further.  If you want my advice - YES - take your pet here and know they are just the best at what they do.  If Skip were not so attached to his primary vet, I would make the switch in a second, but we love our other vet too.  But after hours or when it is an emergency, AVS is my other vet now.  I am impressed and grateful for all their help as is Skippy.  He can continue being my good boy!Skippy is going to pass soon, he knows it and I know it.  No one was expecting miracles nor do I think AVS should be judged because they could not perform a miracle on my dog.  They should be judged on the level of care and the ability they show in their job which is not only caring for your pet, but caring for the owner as well.I cannot say it enough, thank you Dr Bergman, thank you Kathy, and thank you everyone at AVS ( hanks to the girl with the broken arm as well! way to be a team player, coming to work with a broken arm!) Read Less

If your animal needs specialized or emergency care, I would highly recommend AVS and Dr. Hause.  They gave us several more months with our precious dog, Aliyah, and helped me keep her quality of life better than it had been by being very accessible and informative about how to manage her diabetes.  They also took very good care of our dogs, Rocky and Sam, when they had some digestive issues.  I trust Dr. Hause completely with my animals and am forever grateful for their expertise and kindness. Read Less

This review is directly for Dr. Robert Ulbricht who is the veterinary dentist at AVS.  My dog, Gemma, broke one of her upper molars chewing on Nylabones (who knew?!) and it was discovered about a month ago.  Our vet told us we could leave it alone but I didn't want to risk an infection.  We were referred to Dr. Ulbricht and I'm so glad we were.  I am an internet reader so of course I had looked up the risks of anesthesia and pet dentistry.  Dr. Ulbricht explained that she would need a root canal or her tooth pulled.  In the hopes of keeping the function we opted for the more expensive root canal.  He explained the entire procedure and the complications that could arise that would require the tooth to be pulled.  He explained the risks of anesthesia and that process in full detail as well.  I of course cried in the office but my girl is like my first kiddo so I was a wreck anyway.  He dealt with me so nicely and professionally.  During the procedure, Dr. Ulbricht called to explain that there was a lot of damage to the root and a root canal would only have a 50/50 chance of working.  He recommended having the tooth pulled.  We ended up proceeding as such.  Knowing that a doctor will not just perform a surgery because it costs more was comforting.  We picked up Gemma that night and while she was upset and anxious, she was herself after all the drugs wore off.  We had a wonderful experience and would highly recommend Dr. Ulbricht at AVS. Read Less

I can't say enough about this place!  Was referred to them by my amazing vet & friend after my kitty was suspected to have histoplasmosis in her lungs.  This is a devastating fungal infection and had it not have been for Dr. Hause my kitty would probably not be here today.  Top notch from the receptionist (Darla) to all of the nurses and staff who worked with us.  I have referred my cousin and she has had the same experience.  Truly the best in the area! Read Less

This review is a long time in coming, but it took a while for me to be able to relive this.  After a warning sign (a single pupil dilated while the other was not) sent me scrambling to vet emergency at 2am, my beloved feline was diagnosed with Lymphosarcomic Cancer.  I opted for treatment instead of the (what I think is all-too-easy) option of putting her down.  After a quickly needed surgery, the vet emergency advised me to find a cancer specialist.My friend Kathy had taken her dog to Associated Veterinary Specialists and all I can say is ~thank God~ I went here.  My kitty wasn't the easiest animal to deal with in the doctor's office, but Dr. Mike Slawienski was patient and careful with her on visits.  I was pretty lost on cancer treatment & chemotherapy specifics, but everything was explained to me in minute detail so I knew exactly what was going on.  Thanks to treatment, my pet put weight back on and got her energy back.  A long time later, when she eventually succumbed, I received heartfelt cards from both the vet office and from staff.Thank you AVS.  I hope I don't need you again, but if it happens you'll be the first ones I call. Read Less

Unfortunately, my dog had a rough incident trying to catch a bocce ball in her mouth (oops).  After an emergency visit to the vet, we were immediately referred to Dr. Ulbricht at Associated Veterinary Specialists....who is a vet who specializes and has extensive experience and training in animal dentistry.  He took us in on short notice for an immediate root canal to prevent extensive soft palate issues upon removal of the canine that was broken in half.  He was so easy to talk to and explained to me in detail the procedure, potential risks, and the cost.  I signed a cost sheet and a waiver up front, and they led my pupster into the back.  At about 2pm that day I got a call from Dr. Ulbricht, telling me how the procedure went, the follow-up care, and when I could pick up my dog.  She was a little doped up (understandably), but didn't seem to experience any remnant pain.On our follow-up visit, where a crown needed to be put on to cap the tooth, we had the same experience.  Very professional and thorough.Hopefully your pet doesn't have to experience the same thing that mine went through, but if so, Dr. Ulbricht at Associated Veterinary Specialists is the vet to see! Read Less