Simi Valley Animal Hospital

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My wife and I started using the Simi Valley Animal Hospital after seeing their impressive website. And we were impressed by the high tech and shininess of their office. But quickly realized how they can afford all that flash and show. By focusing on mandatory overpricing and scare tactics to convince unsuspecting pet owners that their animals need frivolous and expensive medications. Or aggressively pushing whatever food/drug brands their food/drug reps want them to. Ex. #1: My wife took our new puppy and 12yr old for their initial exam and shots. First they told my wife that the foods we were giving them were ok but this other brand was much better and blah blah blah and oh they just happen to sell that other brand. My wife did not ask what the dogs should be on. They feign concern and ask what your pets are on and then use that as a ploy to sell you their brand. During the exam of our senior dog they mentioned that older dogs can develop hip problems. And to reinforce this they started moving the dogs hind legs around. I was not there so I don't know exactly what they did but my wife said that my dog was in so much pain she was literally slamming her head against the table struggling to get away. Now this is a dog that may not run but trots happily around the dog park and will excitedly stand on her hind legs for extended periods of time if she thinks she'll get a treat. These are not actions of a dog with serious hip problems. But according to the vet she needed to be on joint medications. If I had been there I would have been hard pressed not to punch the vet for abusing my dog and walk out the door. Ex. #2: 6 months later the dogs are due for shots and needed them quickly since they were staying at a doggie motel for a week. So we figured they can't screw up standard vaccinations and we'd find another vet later. I scheduled the appt for the shots and when I took them in I was informed that they needed a vet consult to be given the shots... odd. So we go in and when the vet enters I ask why the dogs need to be seen by the vet for simple scheduled shots. I was informed by the vet that the dogs needed check ups every 6 months and they would not do even regularly scheduled shots without a check up. Seriously. But I could always go to a low cost shot clinic elsewhere. Yeah thanks for informing me of this after it's too late to go there before the dogs went to the doggie motel. So instead of two shots costing me $25 or so they cost me $125 for the shots and two consults with the vet. I have never EVER heard of a vet flat refusing to give basic vaccines after having had a check up only 6 months before. They did find some wax in my senior dogs ear. And suprisinglly they did not offer to overcharge me extra to clean the ear. Perhaps they sensed what a hostile mood I was in at that point and thought better of it. The vet had also started in with the "see how much I care by asking what food your dogs are eating" scam. But I made it abundantly clear that we were happy with the brand we were using and she didn't push theirs on me. I would absolutely NOT recommend this vet. The Angeles Animal Hospital down the street is nicer, quicker, cheaper, doesn't have a superior attitude and even though (like everyone else) they have a favored brand of food, they will advise you on it only when you ASK them for their advice. I was immensely satisfied with their service when doing the initial consult to change our dogs prescriptions over and will never set foot in the Simi Valley Animal Hospital again.