West Main Animal Hospital

Had been coming here for the last 8 or so years. It was close, for the most part staff was nice and the doctors seemed competent. However, it did seem like I was unable to walk out of this place for less than $ 250-​$ 300. I haven’t price shopped, but they do seem a bit high.
About a year ago, I had to wait for over an hour to be seen even though I had an appointment. They apologized for and gave me a few dog treats and extras for my trouble. Fair enough. But two weeks ago the last straw fell and broke this camel’s back.
I walked into the waiting area, probably about 4 other customers waiting in addition to me. I walked up to the counter and the staff member seemed pretty focused on some task, so after she didn’t acknowledge me for a min or so, I sat down, assuming she would look up and say something like, ‘Can I help you?’ I got to talking to some folks next to me and about 10 min later, I again approached the desk. The woman told me the other staffer was getting my file.
I smiled, sat, and continued talking to the other patrons. 45 min later, I inquired as to how much longer the wait would be. They whispered and murmured to each other, and then said oh, kinda surprised, then said, not much longer. I asked if they were just now checking me in, and the staffer said, oh, um, I thought the other staffer had checked you in. I left. Done.
As a marketing professional, I honestly want to be constructive in my comments, not hateful and full of self aggrandizing b.s. Your customer is the most important thing to your business. Charts, admin, which are all very important elements to managing a business, can always wait until after the customer has been adequately served, checked in, or accounted for. You have a waiting room that enables you to see everyone. You sit at two terminals less than 6 feet apart, talk to each other. Erring on the side of asking a customer twice if they’ve helped, or checking will never result in you losing that customer. There is absolutely no excuse for someone to sit in that tiny waiting area and go unnoticed and unserviced for more than 5 min. Your lack of customer service was a monumental fail and I hope this is something your entire organization discusses not to lay blame on anyone but to collectively learn a crucial lesson. It couldn’t be a simpler oversight that cost so much. I recently got another dog, for my son for Christmas and also we have a bearded dragon that will likely need veterinary services in the future. Customer relationship management can be the most powerful revenue driver, but if neglected, it’ll become your greatest expense.

I was referred to West Main by an emergency clinic we ended up at for my puppy’s broken leg. So happy that they sent me here! Every single person I have met here is thoughtful, caring, and warm with both me and my puppy. They truly go that extra mile to be helpful and thorough — and that includes the front desk staff, who are just wonderful.
I’ve been very impressed with both Dr. An and Dr. Sloan — and of course I LOVE Dr. Frics (seems like from the other reviews, everyone does!). You know you are in the right place when it is obvious that everyone loves what they do.
Even though it’s a bit of a longer drive than my previous vet, I am definitely making the switch and will continue to bring all my animals here. :)

I had the best experience Dr. Frics. He is knowledgeable, kind, and patient.
When my kitty are a plastic bag, I took him in to see Dr. Frics. He did the initial test and was very professional, didn’t add in extraneous tests or anything. He made me feel much better about my cat which is super important because I’ve been to vets where they just make the owner panic about their pets and basically sign them up for a million tears that they don’t need.
I didn’t have a regular vet but after this visit this is has become my regular.

Took my 4 mo old dog there a year ago. Called today to get rabies certificate. They said my dog wasn’t rabies vacinated and that he’d only had two vaccination visits (that had cost me over $ 200), but the rabies shot was to be given on the THIRD appointment, which we’d never scheduled or been notified of. The rabies vaccination is the ONLY VACCINATION REQUIRED BY LAW. So why wasn’t it the first shot given?! This office and the people a are nice, but how professional are they? They have a nice system for making money by saying your dog needs a bunch of shots (every year) and charge double what other vets do in Alhambra.

A very good place for my dog he had worms and he vets took good care of him they give me the medicine for my dog after all the care he needed now he’s a great dog.

This is my 2^nd time to visit West Main hospital. I adopted my 2 years old cat 2 months ago, and I took her here for a complete physical, blood and urine tests.
The staffs at the front desk are friendly and professional. I always make appointment in advance (usually I’ll avoid the rush hour), and I wait for less than 5 min before the doctor calls me. Dr. Fisher is very patient. She explain the detail of the treatment, and the test result very carefully. That really makes me feel good as a first time cat owner.
I cannot say the cost is cheap, but it’s reasonable. For example, based on the website for price compare, the cost for complete blood count (CBC) can range from $ 60 — 150. It costs me $ 110 to do it in West Main Animal Hospital for CBC with differential.
I highly recommend using their website
(of course it’s free :)), where you can see when you’ve visited the vet, and what kind of tests they’ve done. you can even make appointment on the website. The staff will call you to confirm the reservation. They have a small parking lot behind. The entrance is right beside the vet, so no need to worry about whether you need to leave early.

I have been going to WMAH for a very long time. My second yorkie and I still going to Dr. Frics. My yorkie is 11 years old and has had the best care with Dr. Frics and the staff. The staff are wonderful! Yes, they are expensive but if you want the best care does not matter the $$$ and they are willing to work out payment installments with you. They care for your animals and I highly recommend WMAH!

Very friendly yet professional. Dr An is an amazing doctor! He is very detailed in explaining and answering all questions and concerns.

I’d like to give the 5 star rating because that’s how good my interaction with WMAH was/​is, but guess I can’t (shouldn’t) since my experience with them hasn’t been long enough.
A few months ago I started fostering an aprox 9 mth old Maltese rescue, (Janek) and long story short, I turned out a complete foster failure, fell head over heels in love and ended up adopting him.
The rescue group has a long standing relationship with WMAH, both for being reasonably priced, and exceptional service. Janek was neutered, chipped, vaccinated, dewormed and treated for a pretty bad cut on his neck there that presumably was due to a bodged groom by shelter staff (GRRRR). He was also held for about a week for observation and received a booster shot since he was so super skinny. Throughout all staff there was extraordinarily kind, thoughtful not to mention skilled at what they do.
But the most remarkable to me is, that even though I have not been back to their office with my boy since we live on the Westside and he suffers from car sickness, they still respond to my emails about his paperwork (rabies certificate, tags, chip numbers etc etc.) promptly, efficiently and kindly, even after I stated I’d most likely have to find me a Vet close to home.
I’ve dealt with Gracie, she is wonderful, mailed me his tags and certificate of spay/​neuter to get him licensed, transferred ownership of his ISO (international chip on top of his AVID because he was due to be adopted out to Germany). I’d already payed the $ 19.95 for the AVID transfer, so she likely saved me $ to do the same for the ISO and replacement tags. I was about to not bother with the ISO chip, but she was concerned that should anything ever happen only one of the chips would register during the scan.
Needless to say, I LOVE them, and am still hoping my boy’s carsickness will get better with time, so that I can take him to where his journey started out with these lovely people.
Oh screw it, I’ll go 5 stars anyway, because that’s my honest experience :)

*Update* We’ve since lost our old man Pismo, and West Main was so incredibly kind, compassionate and helpful. They knew our hearts were breaking at the decision we needed to make and they gave us all the support one would imagine they would their own family. Seeing how upset we were when we arrived, they put us in a room to wait rather than the waiting room so we could have some privacy. They brought Kleenex, water and checked on us often. The doctor and the nurses/​techs were amazing. We were able to be there with Pismo as he passed, and they made sure we had a paw imprint to take home with us. It came in a gift box along with a candle and memorium poem in a gift bag. While we didn’t really appreciate the gesture in the moment because we were so overcome with grief, we really felt the kindness once we were home. The staff was there every step of the way and helped us decide what final arrangements were best for us and then made it all happen. The company they contract with to do cremation was top notch as well. Our loved one was returned to us quickly and the container was placed inside a beautiful brocade box. A sympathy card and touching poem were included in the package and we were able to pick up at West Main. Later they called to check on us, and a month later we received a sympathy card from the staff. A month after that we were invited to participate in their holiday gathering for their patients who have lost their furry loved ones this year. Along with the invitation, a star to decorate as you wanted to memorialize your loved one was included. You could decorate the star and then mail back for their tree and then they would return it after the holidays. We weren’t up to attending (we were both still too raw from the experience and sick with bad colds to boot) but were amazed at the compassion we have received from West Main. We miss our Pismo terribly, but still have two more that we will gladly take to West Main for their care. A word to the wise for other animal lovers… vet care is expensive. It’s a fact of life. Having to make decisions about your loved ones care based on your available income is heartbreaking, so be prepared. Set up a savings account for emergencies. Look into pet insurance and take into account how old your furry one is. Most of the insurances we have looked into are on a reimbursement system… so the money still has to be there in the beginning, which is where the savings account comes in. I can’t stress how important this is to properly care for your beloved family members. Thank you West Main Animal Hospital for all you have done for our family. :)

The only thing I don’t like about coming here is that even with an appointment you have to wait 30+ min to be seen.

Never really had a regular vet before. But I will admit after a good referral I came here and have been very happy with the results. The staff makes it a point to remember you whenever you call or visit. They are very accommodating and super nice all the time. Some procedures are kind of expensive but I’m sure all vets are like that. If you’re looking for a good place to trust, west main animal hospital is highly recommended. We have 5 dogs in total that come here!

Came to this animal hospital for a 2^nd recommendation for my dogs surgery an everybody was awesome! Walking in they welcome u with a big smile on there face. An they even have a doggy bag because it was our first time there. Great place, is truly recommend this animal hospital to everybody I know!

I was told the same thing about my dogs’ teeth cleaning: «To save my tax return.» :-| They do charge an obscene amount of money for that.
I had been going to this Vet for years, but I always had a problem with the wait time. If you arrive 15 minutes late they may refuse to see you, but if you wait 1 hour, it’s ok? I don’t think so! My last time there, I called for an appointment and was given 1pm. I showed up a few minutes before 1pm and waited… and waited… and waited. I asked what was going on and was told I would be called soon. At about 2:15pm I got up and left. I took my business to VCA, where they take care of my dogs’ needs «pronto»!

Dr. Frics, is the real deal, he has the manner of a old school country vet served up with compassion and knowledge. 3 weeks ago the vet down the street gave our adorable kitten 7.5 month old kitten Marley a death sentence telling us he has FIP… bad news that… well a good friend took us to her vet… the symptoms disappeared in his eyes and his white blood count is now good. Dr Frics what happened. a miracle? or just smart medicine? Well of course the good news made us happy but his investigation and knowledge that they made here is amazing… and the front staff is super nice as well.

West Main Animal hospital is filled with staff who are compassionate and professional. The receptionist are all very welcoming and know our pets by name. All 3 doctors are great and knowledgeable, Dr. An and Dr. Fisher are exceptional doctors who take their time examining and explaining the health of our pets. Dr. Frics the lead veterinarian offers his expertise to the doctors and patients. Our black lab has been sick since August and west main animal staff has truly given her the best treatment as well as been there for our family emotionally during this roller coaster of a ride. I strongly recommend West Main Animal Hospital.

I came here for vaccinations for my dog and discovered he needed a teeth cleaning and extractions. His teeth are in very poor condition because he never liked chewing on any rawhide or teeth cleansing products. He would also never let me brush his teeth, so I guess the teeth cleaning at the vet became the only option.
I have 2 grievances…
1. PRICE point is horrible
I was quoted $ 1698.00 for a teeth cleaning/​polish, aesthesia, IV catheter/​fluids, extraction of 2 carnassial, 5 pre-​molar/​molars, and 8 incisors .
I did my due diligence and got a second opinion. I ended up getting the exact same procedure done for my dog at Washington Blvd Animal Hospital in Whittier for $ 700.
Don’t let these thieves take your money and do your research.
2. UNPROFESSIONAL & TACTLESS
After Ms. Flores broke the sad news to me that my dog had to have several extractions, she told me that I «better save my tax return» to pay for his extractions because it’s going to be expensive. She then proceeded to draft the estimate for my dog’s cleaning and extraction procedure in the back room, immediately behind the door of the exam room I was in.
At this point, I was distraught and worried about the dent this will leave in my wallet, she proceeded to badmouth (no pun intended) the condition of my dog’s teeth and laugh with her veterinary technicians. I was never this upset. Even IF my dog’s dental health were the worst you’ve ever seen, you shouldn’t be talking and laughing about it when I’m still present.
Ms. Flores’ tactlessness reflected her lack of sympathy and showed poor character and judgement. I will never be going back to this veterinary hospital and will make it my duty to persuade others not to go either.

Excellent Animal Hospital!
I took both a turtle that I had rescued and my chameleon here so they do exotic animals and Dr. Frics was amazing!
Both the doctors and staff are very friendly, very communicative with everything, they all know their knowledge on things.
The place is neat and tidy and they have a weight loss program for the patients!
Although the location and parking can be tricky, I would definitely recommend coming here

This review is specifically for Dr. Eve Flores.
This may not be the most appropriate place for this review, but as I am unable to find a separate Unilocal account for Dr. Flores, I will post my review here.
You should be warned that this review has to do with in-​home, pet euthanasia, so if this is a sensitive topic for you please stop reading now.
This may be a little-​known fact, but Dr. Flores does offer in-​home, pet euthanasia services. Of course there is an additional fee for this service.
Anyway, the experience, with Dr. Flores in charge, could not have been better. Dr. Flores was amazing! Never having requested in-​home pet euthanasia before, I did not know what to expect. I’m glad I made the call.
Dr. Flores arrived to my home, was casually dressed, yet professional. She was friendly and easy-​going, yet not inappropriate. Her bedside manner was exceptional. Dr. Flores took her time and we did not feel rushed at all. She socialized with us and showed real concern for our pet’s well-​being. The care she exhibited was extraordinary.
When we let her know we were ready to proceed with the process, she did, explaining what she was doing all the while, and what we may expect.
As Dr. Flores gave the final injection, she seemed genuinely moved by the experience right along with us. This of course was not necessary but gave me the feeling that she was fully in-​tune with what was going on and just how serious and emotional it was for us.
After our pet was declared dead, she said she was going to leave us a few minutes for some private time. During this time she voluntarily waited out front for the crematorium service who was scheduled to come pick up our pet’s body. It should be noted that when we initially called her to schedule the in-​home service, we told her of our desire to have our pet cremated and she made all of the arrangements for us right then.
After about 10 minutes, Dr. Flores came back to our house with a white sheet to wrap the body in. It was actually a very nice sheet with an ornate border. Dr. Flores lovingly laid the sheet down and opened it up. She then carefully picked up our pet’s body and gently placed it on the sheet, positioning and carefully wrapping it, papoose-​style with an opening exposing our pet’s head so that we could say our final good-​byes.
After we done, Dr. Flores carried the body to the crematorium service vehicle for us.
Again, I cannot say enough good things about Dr. Flores. She is truly an amazing human being.
Thank you, Dr. Flores!

The first time I went here, I bought in one of my cats to see Dr. Flores. I actually really liked her — she did the tests that I thought were reasonable to do with my cat and then gave him a prescription which I agreed with. My first experience, everything went well.
However, the second time, the boyfriend went and brought in one of our other cats. I’m not sure which vet saw her but she had a skin condition that was causing fur to fall out. The vet said go use flea medication and that was it. No tests, no nothing.
Obviously, the flea medication didn’t clear it up so after a couple of months, I brought her back and saw Dr. Frics. First of all, I had an appointment for 10am and when I got there, I was the only patient. I checked in at the front desk and then waited. And waited. I started getting really annoyed after 30 minutes, especially because the receptionist didn’t even acknowledge me or apologize for the wait.
I was finally called into a room 45 minutes after my appointment time. I was really worried about her by now so I was pretty much willing to do whatever the vet said to do — which I now know I shouldn’t have done. Basically, Dr. Frics tested her for everything; even unnecessary tests. For example, he used a Woods Light on her to see if it was fungal — which would have been fine except they did that on her the last time she was there and nothing showed up. At around $ 30 a test, I just didn’t think it was worth it a second time. Mainly because this test consists of shining a black light over the patch of skin — not worth $ 30. I wasn’t that angry about that test because you never know.
He asks if I want to do blood tests. Well, I guess I do; she didn’t get blood tests done last time so you never know. He says even though she’s not an outdoor cat, he’ll test her for Bartonella too. I agree because I was just way too trusting and assumed that that was important. More on that later. He also wanted to test her urine which I agreed to. I felt like these tests were pushed on me though because he basically said them and didn’t give me a chance to ask questions or think about it
Then, he gave her a depo medrol injection which I did not like because vets should not just throw steroids at things if they do not know what it is. He also gave her a vitamin b12 injection — and didn’t even tell me why! I felt like I was totally taken advantage of when I left because I had to pay around $ 400.
But what really made me mad was after I looked into Bartonella. I talked to my best friend who is a vet (just not around me) and she told me that there was no need to test for Bartonella. Not only does that not cause the symptoms my cat has but even if she tests positive, there’s really no harm that comes from having Bartonella.
She did test positive for it and apparently that can mean that all 4 of my cats have it. Since it’s in her blood and I have not gotten cat scratch fever yet, there’s really nothing that needs to be done about it. However, the vet said he wanted to put her on antibiotics and then in a few months, re-​test her for it — after some pushing, I found out that it would be an even more expensive test (the first one was $ 60).
I will not be going back to this vet except if I have to use them to refill my other cat’s prescription. I’m giving them 2 stars because I had a decent experience with Dr. Flores. However, I would not go back because of the bad customer service and Dr. Frics who I believe just takes advantage of poor pet owners who would do anything to make sure their pets are healthy.