American Animal Care Center

For years we have been coming to this facility (even with all the changes of name) because of the vet who has cared for our cats. Dr. Sangha is a great person as well as an excellent veterinarian who is not only knowledgeable but conscientious, caring and very compassionate. Our cats are naturally tense when they have to visit the doctor, but Dr. Sangha puts them right at ease with her calm voice and gentle touch. She has always given us excellent advice concerning their health and well being.
That being said, we just discovered that although her name is still on the staff list, she has disappeared and no longer works here! Of course none of her patients were notified and, by the recent reviews, we can certainly understand why she would not want to be a part of a place that operates so poorly.
We have asked repeatedly to the staff for how to find our vet and they all say they don’t know Dr Sangha?! Really? She has been on staff until just recently!!! They know where she is but don’t want to say — not to us as clients, nor to other professional vet offices that have called them for similar contact information. According to some of the other vets I’ve called, this place treats them with the same brick wall and cold shoulder!!! All of us have been «shot down!» It may have been in Dr. Sangha’s contract that she could not notify her patients of her departure without a breach of contract… some clause that prohibits her from notifying her patients if she leaves the practice?
This is so frustrating. We would travel no matter how far to continue to receive her services for our pets, if we just knew how to find Dr. Sangha.
For sure, we will NOT be returning to this facility EVER again. If they think that by not disclosing where our vet has gone that they will keep our business, wow, are they ever WRONG!
If anyone reading this knows how we can locate our fantastic vet, Dr. Sangha, we hope you will respond to this plea for help in finding her. This is a terrible loss, as most of you can imagine if, like us, you believe your pets to be part of your family and deserve good quality care.

I wish I checked Unilocal before we brought our dog here for some problems she was having. To make a long story short, we paid over $ 800 bucks to treat an infection in her mouth but she is still having the same problems. Also, I used to come here to buy 2 vials of flea killer every month and it would take the girl behind the counter a LOOONG time typing god knows what on the computer and it would take way too long for such a small purchase. I think they only care about making money.
We took our new kitten to For Paws Spay & Neuter Clinic to be FIXED and they only charged 50 bucks and the lady was so nice and personable. THIS place quoted me over a hundred.

First off let me start by saying my boyfriend and I did not choose to take our puppy to this vet. The previous owner had taken our puppy here, and bought the puppy package for her so she could get all of the necessary shots. Plus if we opted out to switch vets before all of her necessary shots we would have to pay out the wazoo.
Each time we have gone to this place, the staff has:
1. Tried to charge us for the shots, even after we tell them we have the puppy package,
2. Couldn’t find our file and had not updated it correctly
3. Kept us waiting for 30+ min for a shot that takes literally a minute to administer… let’s just say it took us longer to get to the vet than it did for her to get that shot.
Fast forward to today, we scheduled our baby girl to have surgery to get spayed (foolishly at this joke of a place). We dropped her off at 8AM and told us she wouldn’t be ready until at least 6PM. Fast forward to 6 PM, my boyfriend came to pick her up, after an hour of waiting he asked what was taking so long, and he was told that she was being retrieved from the back. It took them 2 hours to «get her from the back», and every time he tried to ask how much longer it was going to take, the front desk «assistants» would ignore him and help everyone else.
We just brought her home, and her stitches look like shit, it looks like whoever did the surgery just started stitching anywhere and everywhere. a clear amateur. She couldn’t even lie down because she was in so much pain, even though they said that she was administered a shot for the pain before she left.
DO NOT BRING YOUR PET TO THIS GOD AWFUL PLACE !!! They are unorganized, unprofessional, and rude.

Bad place. Took my dog for yearly routine $ 727 4 weeks ago still waiting for the X-​ray result.

This company changed their name due to their bad reputation. They are the absolute WORST vet out there. They are a failing business and will probably be closing soon.
After my mom’s dog passed away, she paid to have her paw print done and to have her dog cremated.
1) They cremated our dog before having her paw print done. They did not apologize for this irreversible mistake. Instead, they blamed the cremation company that they contract.
2) Mailed flowers to my mom after her dog passed but addressed the flowers to the wrong name. Did not apologize for this either but instead blamed the floral company.
3) Did not call to tell us when our dog was ready to be picked up. Two weeks went by before we decided to call and check ourselves.
4) The name plate on our dog’s ashes was misspelled even though the day she passed the spelling of her name was clarified and verified by the front desk staff.
5) The owner Dr. Salwin avoided my family at all costs. We were asking for a refund for the cremation since they cremated our dog before getting the paw print which we will never have a chance to get. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS IN PERSON AND ON THE PHONE TO SPEAK WITH THE OWNER, in order to get a hold of him we had to set up a pretend appt for our other dog and requested him as our doctor. Of course he showed up but as soon as I revealed why we were really there he got scared and said he had to leave because he had a meeting. (It was 5pm on a Sunday). He also lied and said that he couldn’t give us a refund because he had to check with the «manager» but when I asked who the manager was he couldn’t come up with a name. When I told him that I knew he was the owner, he stumbled over his words and didn’t know how to deny us a refund. He continued to say it was not his fault and said a refund wouldn’t be fair to him.
6) The front desk ladies all admitted that the owner Dr. Salwin is a horrible doctor to work for and that they get complaints all the time. Francisca said she has been looking for a new job for a while. Anytime I said anything about the company, she agreed with me.
7) The front desk people cannot read or spell.
I have the entire interaction recorded and it is just a shame to hear the DOCTOR and OWNER take no responsibility, not apologize ONCE for this horrific incident, and DENY any type of solution. And on top of it all, LIE and just leave the room in the middle of us talking.
If you love your pet, STAY AWAY!

TERRIBLE PLACE!
I brought my dog here along with my mom because my dog was sick.(I’ll leave out the details) They said they were going to do X-​rays and prep her for surgery which to me sounded good. We left her there for about two days. We got a phone call from the vet diagnosing her condition and telling us that they were going to go through with the surgery which was a huge relief to me and my two little brothers who had grown up with our loving dog. We missed her so we went and visited her the second day she was there. She was found dead in her cage. I don’t understand how they didn’t know she was dead until around 5 o’clock in the afternoon. Do they not constantly check on the animals? I’ve heard many other stories about this place as well from my relatives, giving their dog pills that in return have their dogs seizures. I’m writing this review to warn every pet owner. So many other places to choose. Don’t come here!

I think this place is closed. No sign on building???

I did some research online and asked around, and discover that this place is very good for animals’ sterilization. Therefore I bought my two years old bunny in for his sterilization after a few months of struggling. I called and ask if it’s too late and the nurse told me it’s ok. I made an appointment and went to do a full check and sterilization on the same day. My bunny had to be dropped off before 10am in order to do both on the same day.
I arrived in the morning around 9:50pm and drop my bunny off with the nurse at front. The place seen clear yet there were a lot of dogs and cats going in and out. I also saw a day care room on the left side and the dogs inside seem happy. They require to pay at drop off, and I paid around $ 140 total for the sterilization.
The nurse told me that the surgery would be finish in around 3pm-​6pm. At around 4pm I got a call saying that my baby bunny is ready for pick up. My bunny came back wear «the cone of shame» and he looks SUPER unhappy. But when I see the spot of the surgery, it looks very nice done and neat. The nurse give us some med to follow up on our bunny. Now he’s been gone home for two days and after getting used to the cone, he’s fine and happy again.
I never met the doctor but I think he/​she did a good job on this surgery. There’s a recheck in a week and my bunny has to wear the cone for two weeks. :(

Our cat died and they we called around to see who was the cheapest for cremation. In fact we went later on a Sunday and they were still open which was nice. We went there and filled out the necessary paper work and paid the $ 73 and said goodbye to «Mama.» I know people give this place bad reputation but we used to take our dog there and we haven’t had any problems.

ZERO stars.
My dog had an auto immune disease and needed a blood transfusion with white blood cells. We paid thousands of dollars administering these transfusions with no progress. My poor Toby was fainting. Only after we FOUGHT to switch to another vet did we find out that Animal Care was administering incorrect fluids to my dog!!! We were outraged and even had to pay an exiting fee to have his records transferred. They nearly killed my dog.
(I haven’t made a review before, but I feel so inclined to spread the word about the horrible service. We switched my dog to Irvington pet hospital, I could tell my dog loves it there. He no longer shivers or whimpers when I take him to the vet. Id recommend irvington pet hospital!)
TL:DR: IF YOU LOVE YOUR PET, PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THEM TO ANIMAL CARE CENTER!

OMG, I hate this place! They changed the name now but that doesn’t mean they are any better. Left my dog here for a few hours because I had to attend a party. When I picked her up, she was shaking, she smelled like cleaning supplies, and she was wet. Doesn’t seem like they care for their guests and on top of that, it’s a hospital. If this is how day boarding is, then God knows how clean their surgeries and other procedures are!

Updated note: see how they disclose my private info and my dog’s private info on their message. What a horrible practice. Animals are living beings and deserve respect as well as their owners. This clearly shows the opposite. Guess I’ll have to message Unilocal to have them take care of this confidentiality issue.
Nice try. This place changed their name so the reviews are not showing up. I had a horrific experience with my dog. I have the review saved bc I knew this hospital has changed its name many times. I will find it and post it. There are many great vets in the area please take your beloved pet elsewhere. Look at all the reviews, why would you even think of coming here? My dog was kept in a cage in his own urine for hours and awoke before the surgery was even over. He’s been terrified of vets after being traumatized here. I was called endlessly to remove my review, offered money, threatened to be taken to court, my confidential posted on Unilocal (breaking laws), harassed like the other reviewers here too. I filed a complaint with the board of vet and turns out their family has lost their vet license before and has several complaints.
Keep removing my post, I’ll keep reposting. You keep looking through other reviews for a good vet, I’ve found one.

There should be a ‘no star’ rating option because this place doesn’t even deserve the 1 star.
My review is based mainly on my latest experience with this vet and how they handled my situation. As for past experiences everything was usually average. They do have a nice facility (so maybe that’s what the one star will be for). They usually have lots of availability because I would make same day appointments all the time. The main reason I kept bringing my dog here was because it was close to my home. You definitely don’t get the personable customer service as if you went to a smaller clinic. This place is all business and you usually get a different doctor every time you go.
On Sunday, January 11, 2015 we had an emergency with our dog. It all began around 12pm when our dog, Yogi, started having unproductive attempts to vomit. My husband also noticed that his belly was bloated and hard. I called our primary veterinarian, American Animal Care, to see if I can rush my dog over because it was urgent. They receptionist asked what was going on with my dog and informed her of all the symptoms Yogi was experiencing. She informed me that they did not have the time to see my dog and I needed to go to an emergency veterinarian located in San Leandro which is approximately 20 – 25 mins away from my home. I asked for any closer options and she said there was none available.
As my husband attended to Yogi I did some quick research online for a closer location and I also called other vets to see if they were open. I found Ohlone Emergency Veterinarian online and gave them a call. The receptionist said to bring him in asap. We were getting ready to leave when Yogi laid down and wouldn’t get up. At this point I called American Animal Care again and begged them to see Yogi because I knew he needed medical help asap. I informed the receptionist of his condition and she put me on hold several times. American Animal Care is a 2 min drive from my home and I told my husband to rush down there while I was on the phone. They again refused to see my dog and referred me over to VCA in San Leandro even though I informed them my dog would not make it. I called my husband and gave him the address to Ohlone Emergency Veterinarian but by the time he arrived Yogi was already dead.
After doing research I learned that bloat is a life-​threating emergency which American Animal Care did not convey to us. Early recognition and treatment are the keys to survival. The receptionist spoke with the on duty veterinarian several times while I was on hold. I described all the classic signs of bloat when speaking with them and they still turned us away. As our primary vet we trusted them to assume responsibility for making medical judgements regarding Yogi’s health. We’ve been their client for over 8 years and this is how they repay us?
As a veterinarian, he/​she took the oath to solemnly swear to use their knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health and welfare and the prevention and relief of animal suffering but yet did not have «the time» to help save my dog’s life. I can’t say for a fact that they could have saved my dogs life but they didn’t even care to try!
The ethical guideline should be to stabilize and at least get it to definitive care — stabilize it for transport. Veterinarians are not obligated to attend to a dying dog but a honest veterinarian would shift their schedules and respond. In the eyes of the law they did not do anything wrong but why shouldn’t veterinarians be held to the same standards as my child’s pediatrician?
DO NOT trust American Animal care with your pet’s life. Their ignorance, incompetence, bad ethic, etc. has led us to lose a member of our family.

Love this place. i have been taking my animal here for years. they have always treated my animal with great care. they have really good prices as well. went to a different vet because of my schedule & regret it. should have just waited. will only go here now for sure. lesson learned.

I previously rated this vet with four stars. Four stars for their doctors, and none for their reception. One of their doctors seems incompetent as a vet. And their receptionists still suck. I just felt that they don’t deserve those four stars anymore.
About a year and a half ago I took my dog here after he injured his leg. We were put in an examination room where my dog and I waited for atleast 20 minutes while he howled (very loudly) with excruciating pain.
When the doctor finally came in, he apologized and told me that he thought my dog was just playing around… He’s a bald, African doctor with a thick accent. I explained the whole situation to the receptionist, yet the doctor assumes I’m my dog is just playing.
To better understand my dog’s injury, they told me that an X-​ray would be necessary, so I agreed to it. I understood that I was paying for an X-​ray and also the film that it would be printed on.
When he and his assistant finally came in to take my dog in, they were tugging on my dog to follow them. Keep in mind, my dog’s leg is injured…
The doctor comes back out and tells me that my dog really really needs surgery. He didn’t print out the X-​rays, so he took me to the back where I just saw my dog just laying there. He looked at peace, so I didn’t mind. He explained to me he tore a ligament and that he would need surgery to repair it. I did not sign for surgery.
My dog stayed there for a few days to get better. When I picked him up, he was limping, but was in no pain whatsoever. However I noticed that his tail did not rise. It was just limp. I assumed that it would just go back to normal; maybe it was just because of his meds or just because he was at the vet.
Almost a year and a half later, my dog’s tail is still limp…
Thanks American Animal Care Center.
I will be forever grateful for you saving my dog’s life when he had Parvo 2 years ago…
…but I’m never coming back.

Negative –5stars I took my dog here for stomach pain n vomiting. The whole time they were insisting my dog ate somethin and had obstruction. Did so many expensive tests but a blood test which he should of got to show that he was loosing blood cells. And could of got his tumor out earlier and wouldn’t have spread. They don’t even know how to read a damn X-​ray. All they want is money n they feed you bullshit. Fuck this place

I picked up my doggy this morning after 8 days of boarding. My friend in the valley usually dog sits for us when we go on vacation but this time around I didn’t have the time to drive out 1.5 hours and 1.5 hours back… I picked this place for two reasons 1) my brother’s recommendation (he’s been taking his jack Russell there for 10 years) 2) it was much cheaper than our vet’s boarding prices and they offer the same service.
I didn’t look up the reviews until after I dropped him off and let me tell you that I felt very uneasy the first day because of all the negative reviews. The only thing that kept me from picking him up is that my brother has boarded his dog there many times before during his vacations. I figured if he kept going back it can’t be that bad especially with how much I know he loves his doggy. Even before we flew out of the country I questioned my brother again to make sure he never noticed anything odd when he’s picked up his doggy from boarding… he had nothing negative to say.
I can’t really say what the service for Shaky was so this review is based on my experience with dropping/​picking him up. I went in the day before drop off to check out the boarding room and they gave me the excuse of the construction going on… it sounded more like laziness because the lady claimed we would have to walk around the building to view which I stressed I had no problem walking but she kept insisting we couldn’t go. The following morning when I dropped off Shaky I asked again to see the boarding room, the excuse then was that I could only go during the hours of 6:30 — 8 pm when a manager is around to take me. I stressed the fact that I was there the night before during that time frame and the excuse I was given and she said that the construction is no excuse and they should have been able to take me to the back. Because of that run around I’m giving them 4 stars.
Picking Shaky up was a little nerve wrecking… based on the negative reviews I was expecting to see him malnourished and smelly. Instead, I reunited with my well behaved chihuahua, bathed, nails freshly clipped and happy. We travel for pleasure once a year and I think I will definitely bring him back for boarding during our next family vacation.

My dad had been bringing our family dog here for years. I tried multiple times to get him to change facilities but he wanted to stick with this place for the sake of consistency.
a) The Middle Eastern receptionist is rude. As I was standing at the counter right in front of her, she just typed away at her computer. No «I’ll be with you in just a moment» was said. She was an unpleasant person to talk to when she finally did «help» me. I asked about how our dog’s insurance kicks in, since my dad is the one that normally comes, and she was no help at all. I had to call my dad after the appointment to get info.
b) Very long wait time in the exam room before the vet arrives.
c) I was concerned about our dog getting UTIs frequently and the vet said they’d need lab results to see what kind of bacteria is causing the infection, which was fine. However, I had to call the facility to hear about the lab results (sigh) and when I asked what kind of bacteria was the cause, the male vet who answered the phone never answered my question. I didn’t want an explanation that our dog’s chronic condition probably made her more susceptible etc etc. I asked the same question multiple times and he kept evading the answer.
The cherry on top: Our dog died less than a week ago. My dad phoned American Animal Care Center the day after her death to notify them of our loss. Today, my mom got a call saying that we need to bring this dog in for a follow-​up test. Really, guys? We’ve already told you that she died. It’d be great if you’d make note of that and not rub salt in our wounds.

If I could give negative five stars I would.
This place tries to sell you «pet insurance» which costs anywhere from $ 25 to $ 40. Here is a TIP: DO NOT BUY THIS — IT IS A HUGE WASTE OF MONEY. Banfield, the vet clinic connected to all Petsmarts also sells this. If you ever go to a vet and they try to sell you «wellness insurance» which covers nothing but office visits and shots, walk away and never come back, it is a sign that they are only after your money. Think about it, $ 40×12months=$ 480 a year. That would cover your dog’s vet visits and shots for like three years anywhere else!
While I took my dog here they told me that they needed to do blood testing and see what foods he is allergic to. They also told me he had impacted anal glands and I needed to bring him in every three weeks for $ 35 each visit to have his anal glands expressed. They also told me that his teeth were badly covered in plaque and he needed a teeth cleaning which was not covered under the fraudulent pet insurance package they had me purchase and it was going to cost a lot because I had to pay to put him under…
The best thing that ever happened to me was that I moved to the South Bay. I started going to Adobe in Los Altos because a friend from a doggie day care recommended them. I took my dog in and told them the slew of problems he had including his impacted anal glands. The vet at Adobe keeps you in the room the entire time they work on your dog. They don’t drag your dog to some back room and have you wait there while they do (or not do) what they say. The vet told me his anal glands are not impacted at all and that his teeth looked great and definitely do not need a cleaning!!! WHAT? WHAT? But the other vet at American Animal Care said… ohhhhhhhh I am a huge SUCKER!
So here is the deal, they are ripping people off big time by lying to their clients about services their pets need. And as a good owner you feel obligated to go along with what the doctor tells you. This place is as bad as a car stealership. My dog did not need a $ 400 teeth cleaning, he did not need a $ 35 every 3 week anal gland expression, nor did he need a $ 40 wellness package for 2 office visits and a round of shots. Do yourself a favor and go find a reputable vet. Do not come here unless you want to waste hundreds of dollars for services rendered in the «back room» where your your pet is probably just hanging out waiting to be led back out front.

NO STARS for this PLACE!
I really HATE this Place!!!
Took my Jack Russell who is 2 years old Male to see the Vet for the bite mark I found on him. The Vet Name TAMA MUMAH was the Vet on Duty. The lady took the Dog Temperature in the office and it was Fine. Then she wanted to take him in the back so that the Doctor could look at him. «That was Weird» 5 minutes after he comes in the office saying that dog has the temperature of 104 and their doing I/​V and injecting fluid and running cold water… WTF?
So, I said I want to see my dog he was fine when she took him and now your doing I/​V. He gave me the lame excuse — I care about the Pets first. He does not even speak a good English and has no idea how to talk to people… He should first ask if he can do the injection or anything to my Pet. I told him I am taking him home right now… He kept saying you have to sign the paper. I told him I am not signing anything and I am going to take my dog home… I went to the back where CUSTOMERS ARE NOT ALLOWED. Found 2 Guys who were holding my dog in the towel trying to find out what is going on. I told them I brought him here to find out what’s the bite mark is all about. They took the needle off his leg and told me I can take him. I left that place all pissed off.
I would never ever go back to this place.
There is NO people there and you don’t need to make an appointment; that should of told me something…
I hope this place close down or get the license away…