Vanderhoof Veterinary Hospital

My experience at Vanderhoof Veterinary Hospital has been exceptional. Dr. Dawson is such a great vet. She really takes the time to explain what is going on and it’s obvious that she really cares for animals. She is also one of the few vets that I could find who knows about birds.

About 5 years ago, my older dog developed 4 white wart-​like growths on his lips. His doggy day care woman said I should let a vet look at it. I took my dog to Dr Vanderhoof, who diagnosed the growths as Papillomas. He said Dr. Sloan could remove the growths. I believe I got a preliminary estimate for the anesthesia and surgery and it was several hundred dollars. I agreed to the surgery and it was scheduled.
The day before the surgery I googled this type of wart and found out that it was not uncommon in young dogs, and that it often went away by itself. Trusting Dr. Vanderhoof, I took my dog in for surgery anyway. It was noticed that my dog now had only two growths. The estimate the office gave me for the surgery that morning was $ 900 to $ 1000, as I recall. I left my dog, but about 10 minutes later, I «woke up,» called the vet, and after determining that they hadn’t given my dog any anesthesia yet, I told them to stop everything and I was going to pick my dog up.
I went back one or two more times with my dog. I mentioned to Dr Vanderhoof what I had found out on the internet and told him that my dog no longer has any wart-​like growths. He had nothing to say about the unnecessary anesthesia (always risky) and surgery my dog would have been subjected to.
I did like Dr. Vanderhoof and I did like Dr. Sloan, but they clearly don’t make much effort to keep costs down for their clients. Furthermore, Dr. Vanderhoof is very pleasant and chatty, but I don’t think he listens really well.
I have since stopped taking my dog, and the one cat that I was bringing to Vanderhoofs. Both my cats now go to Whiskers to Tails, and both my dogs now go to La Canada Pet Clinic.

I recently adopted a dog, and my neighbor recommended this clinic. It was described as «old-​fashioned and personal» and that is exactly right. They have a very friendly staff who are all good with animals. I got a same-​day appointment. I had a «well-​dog» visit — and found out at the end that there was no charge since I adopted my dog from a rescue organization! Wow! They really love animals and support shelters and rescues, too. Hopefully we won’t have a reason to return until my dog’s next vaccinations are due, but I highly recommend their service and caring attitude!

This review is based on my experience with Vanderhoof Vet for our dog’s TPLO surgery. We took our dog for a consultation and Xrays. We met with Dr. Dawson who was very nice and explained the surgical options for Turbo’s torn ACL. She recommended TPLO and gave us a quote for about $ 3400. Obviously this is a big expense so we have spent the last 6 months talking to multiple orthopedic surgeons around the area to find a surgeon we like and to see the price range for the surgery. I called Vanderhoof today to find out the exact price of the surgery because I couldn’t find our original quote. The quote today was $ 5500-​$ 6500. Quotes from other orthopedic surgeons ranged from $ 2900-​$ 3900. I was dumbfounded as to why the price would now be so much higher and also so much higher than any other vet. I called back and asked to speak to the office manager and was told that if I was calling to get a different price for Turbo’s surgery, they would not be lowering it. I told them that I don’t need them to change the price, but that I would like to talk about why the price is so different from our original quote. The person I spoke with said the office manager would call me back. An hour or two later the office called me back and said they had accidently given us a quote for the wrong surgery when I originally come in. Their new quote is for a tight rope repair of the ligament, which is not usually done on big dogs like ours. Their new quote for the surgery is $ 2900-​$ 3100 for an inferior option and a much less invasive way of fixing the knee. This option should cost significantly less than TPLO. We have decided to use a different vet in the area that specializes in TPLO and the price is $ 2900-​$ 3000. Just wanted to share my experience. If you’re looking for a cost effective surgery for your dog, steer clear of Vanderhoof Veterinary.

Kitty needed some major dental but she is older and she took longer than expected to recover. Dr. Vanderhoof’s office called me every day during this time to check on kitty’s recovery and offer advice. They offered to see her at any time if I felt it necessary. Now kitty is better than ever, playing like a kitten and gaining weight with a healthy appetite. I am so grateful for this quality care. Their charges were reasonable and they included several extra items since she was there anyway. I come from 20 miles away just so that I can have peace of mind that kitty is in good hands.

Started going here on the recommendation of a friend and have had a great experience dealing with minor problems. All of the doctors that work at this clinic are solid, but Dr. Vanderhoof is the best at diagnosing and explaining his reasoning. The staff is always nice and will do their best to help squeeze you in for an appointment or give you extra flea/​tick protection.

Toby and I have gone through a few Vets in LA before finding Dr. Vanderhoof. He is simply amazing. I think of him as the dog whisperer. My coworker recommend him to me after I moved to Pasadena. His staff is super friendly which is a blessing after the last Vet I went to. Dr. Vanderhoof has the magic touch. Toby gets super nervous going to an vets. He usually shakes like a leaf the entire time while we wait. I was amazed at how well Dr. Vanderhoof handled him that put Toby at ease. He is very knowledgeable and you can tell he genuinely cares for all his patients. Highly recommend Dr. Vanderhoof if you are looking for a new doctor for your furry one. They are located in a small plaza so parking is not an issue. They do not accept AMEX.

Dr. Sloan performed a back surgery on our 83 pound 8 year old chocolate lab last month. This surgery would extend the life of our lab by avoiding paralysis and incontinence from collapsing vertebra. Dr. Sloan did a great job our lab was standing a couple hours after surgery. I was nervous to bring him home so kept at the clinic over the weekend. The techs and weekend nurse were just great checking in with us and letting us know how he was doing. Dr. Sloan is an excellent surgeon very skilled and knowledgeable our dog was in great hands. It has been a month and our dog is back to his normal routine no pain, no problems. Also the bill was much less than the original estimate! I would highly recommend Dr. Sloan as a surgeon and Vanderhoof Veterinary Hospital staff. They all took great care of my dog, could not be more pleased.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND

A friend has been bringing his dogs to Dr. V. for years so when I got my cats I brought them there too and we got great care. They did not push us to get shots that my cats (living totally indoors) did not need. Recently we found out that our older cat had kidney failure, a condition that cats are prone to for which there is no cure. They showed us procedures to help Tommy live longer and be more comfortable, and when the end came, Dr. Dawson was very responsive and caring.

Never had any trouble with Drs. Sloan or Vanderhoof. But took our cat to Dr. Dawson with a nose problem. She pushed us into very expensive blood work, then diagnosed the cat with untreatable nasal cancer. Then wanted us to pay a huge amount for a biopsy, including $ 70 for anesthesia (for a cat!) and more for an IV, etc. When I said I didn’t see what good the biopsy would do if the cat had untreatable cancer, Dr. Dawson tried hard to guilt me into the expensive biopsy, playing on my love for the cat. Luckily I looked online and found Whiskers to Tails vet (cats only), which is fabulous. They told me that they would charge more like $ 30 for the anesthesia and that the IV was not needed. I brought the cat in to be examined there, and the vet used a $ 10 diagnostic (swiped a microscope slide across the cat’s nose and looked at it in 5 minutes in the next room), diagnosed the cat with a fungus (THAT DR. DAWSON SAID HE DIDN’T HAVE, according to her blood tests), and cured him with cheap pills. Believe it or not, I saw that another woman in our neighborhood had a very similar experience with Dr. Dawson insisting on expensive unnecessary tests and telling her that her cat had cancer. I wrote to Dr. Vanderhoof giving particulars and he never even responded. I would never take a cat near Dr. Dawson.

I’ve switched vets. Have had times where the records were not correct/​complete from previous visits, or put in my other pet’s chart. Staff doesn’t seem to be happy to be working there. Vets don’t run on time. Place is run-​down and needs updating. Dr. Dawson is great, but can’t risk not being able to get in to see her when I need to. I think they are expensive having now compared to other places and there’s no added value.

Always at your service at VVH. All the staff are attentive and thorough. I always recommend this animal hospital, especially for cat lovers. Simply the best

Dr. Dawson, Dr. Vanderhoof, Dr. Sloan, the vet techs, the assistants, and the front office staff are all incredible. They genuinely care about the animals they treat and they care about the animal owners, as well.
Dr. Dawson is our primary vet and she is excellent at working their rather neurotic tendencies (we have only rescued animals — some aren’t easily handled); she is always gentle, thorough, and professional. I respect her skills as a veterinarian, in that she is knowledgeable, practical, and compassionate. Her approach to care is based on the needs of the animal, first and foremost. She is honest and can be blunt, which I very much appreciate. And she is forthcoming with information, so I, as the animal’s owner, can make an educated decision about my pet’s care.
She also does not push expensive testing and diagnostics, or surgeries, and only advocates for such when she feels that they will be of benefit to the animal. I get a feeling that she became a veterinarian because she likes animals and wants to heal them, not to make money or gain prestige.
I have had only limited experience in working with Dr. Vanderhoof, but have been equally as impressed with his care approach and gentleness. And Dr. Sloan I have only interacted with when I’ve had an animal requiring emergency surgery — his work was detailed and lovely, and my pet, which was dying, not only survived, but thrived after the recovery period.
Vanderhoof Veterinary Hospital is not stocked with the latest, high-​tech equipment, but it is staffed with gifted veterinarians and support team members, who go out of their way to ensure that the animals they see and treat, and their humans, are respected and treated with compassion.

I’ve been bringing my cat here for 4 years now. Our vet is Dr. Dawson, and she’s great! Very knowledgeable and caring.
She identified hyperthyroidism in my cat just from a galloping heartbeat. Lab tests confirmed her initial diagnosis. Shows she knows what she’s doing!
Staff is nice, and I think this office is very conscientious of cost, which I appreciate.

I have been using Vanderhoof Veterinary Hospital (VVH) for a little over a year now and have decided to switch after still having problems with my pets’ records. I had three pets when I moved to Pasadena in July ’11, and because I had a good experience the first visit (pets saw Dr. Sloan, a good vet), I had all three pets’ records sent there. This is a major reason I am parting ways with VVH.
Over the year I have tried in vain to get my pets’ records straightened out with this place. I had the records faxed over 3 times because the girls behind the desk at VVH said the records were never received. I contacted my previous vet, Laguna Hills Animal Hospital (LHAH), a wonderful and well run vet practice, and they confirmed the dates that the records were successfully sent from their end of the fax line. VVH finally said they located all records. So today when I went in to pick up an RX refill (they were supposed to call me back when it was ready but it never happened — another fail on VVH staff’s part) I asked about when my older dog’s shots were due only to find that they HAD NO RECORD of his shots. After some searching, they found them — unattached from the folder they should have been in. That was it, I am done with the slip-​shod record keeping and so-​so attitudes of the two younger girls who man the desk.
They are supposed to have my records of visits with them ready tomorrow… I am not holding my breath. Too bad, Dr. Sloan is a very thorough vet.

We have been going to Dr. Vanderhoof and Dr. Sloan for 20 years! Can’t say enough about the expert care these doctors and their staff provide. We have had 6 dogs and a cat throughout our years with Dr. V. Through it all: cancer, thyroid disease, knee surgery, separation anxiety issues, and severe skin allergies, they have provided exceptional advice, care, and compassion. Both of these doctors are very knowledgeable and thoughtful in their recommendations and procedures.
Thank you Vanderhoof Vetrinary Hospital!

I agree with the other reviews and feel my Dog is very well cared for at this compassionate place.

Compassionate and capable veterinarians with awesome techs here. Dr. V and his staff saved the life of our elderly, beloved cat. They took amazing care of her. From being near death, they treated her condition, and our cat lived for another five years (happy, reasonably healthy on meds) under their care.
When our other cat finally died, Dr. V and his staff sent us a card and a paw print of our deceased cat– we were very moved.
Whenever I come here, I wonder why health care for humans can’t be more like at Dr. V’s hospital– competent, compassionate, attentive, and well-​priced.
Dr. V’s hospital is always clean, and his entire staff clearly love animals. They know all of the animals under their care by name, ready with treats, a tender pat for each animal.

They are wonderful here. Extremely helpful and efficient. I brought my G. Shepherd in who is an old guy and the doctor was so thorough. He didn’t waste time, but he was very explanatory and answered all my questions without making me feel rushed. They saw me last minute too and even though the office was packed I waited maybe 10 minutes-that’s it. love them!