Deer Creek Animal Hospital

Unfortunately it’s been one mistake after another with this vet. Unorganized office staff that continued to make mistakes with the records. My dog was spayed and got a gastropexy at the same time. I was specifically told when I picked her up that I wouldn’t need to bring her back, that she had stitches that would dissolve. Friend who was pet sitting two weeks later brought her in for an emergency x-​ray to see if she’d eaten a battery (she hadn’t) and the vet was surprised to see she hadn’t been brought back in already to have the staples removed from her surgery. So they removed them. Just found that they only removed the ones from her spay surgery and not the ones from the incision for the gastropexy. Needless to say that this is the last straw for me. I live 40 minutes from this vet and took my dog there on strong recommendations saying they are one of the best. Sorry to say that I’ve been less than impressed and will be finding another vet.

I have used this animal hospital for a couple years now when we first got our Chihuahua/​Min Pin and luckily she has always been healthy. Recently I adopted 2 8 week old puppies from the Foothills Animal Shelter and I brought them into the vet for a well check, but also one was coughing quite a bit and the other sneezing a bit and my Min Pin just sneezed once or twice.
Few things I did not like, one being I don’t think I’ve ever seen the same veterinarian here more than once when I first brought my dog in for all her shots and regular visits and this visit was the same; new veterinarian that I’ve never seen.
Second thing I did not like was that when I asked the vet about a certain brand of dog food and his opinion, I mentioned I would never feed them Purina, he seemed taken aback a bit and after a few minutes he asked why I wouldn’t feed them Purina. I simply told him in my opinion it was garbage and with recalls and dogs getting ill off the product I would just never take that chance. My daughter later told me that he had a Purina label on his coat and probably was trying to plug for them and that’s why he seemed annoyed with my comment.
Third, he only prescribed medication for the one puppy for Kennel cough, but not the other. He said for me to keep an eye on the other two and if their symptoms worsened then we would put them on something. IMO, if the puppies are brother and sister and were both adopted together out of the same kennel chances are she’s got it too. I had to go back the very next day because that evening she started coughing more and my Min Pin started the next morning.
Another thing that really bothered me was that he said with the well check visit they would do a fecal test, but that it would be really uncomfortable for the puppies if they did it there OR I could just bring in a sample and they could test it. Well first of all any fur parent would never want to make their fur baby uncomfortable so obviously I opted for bringing in a sample. Of course, had the person who I set the appointment up with mentioned this I would have tried to go prepared.
Now the problem with this is they are puppies; puppies who are learning the potty training routine which means there’s no routine right now! Trying to get them both to poop at the same time in different places so I don’t get it mixed up, yeah not happening. Then when they do poop it’s usually when no one is looking and in a spot where no one is around so you don’t know who did it! NOT as easy of a task as I assumed it to be.
So what’s the big deal? Well, after a week of trying to get a fresh sample from both I gave up and decided I’d just have to make multiple trips to the vet (which is a 15 minute drive one way, so not just across the street) and the first one that I caught I’d take that sample in. Come to find out puppy number one has a parasite, giardia or something. Well, now I really need to get poop from the other one and quick! Had the vet just done his job and not guilted me into doing it the easy way we would have known over a week ago that these guys still had issues! And now since it’s been over 14 days since I adopted them I now have to pay for any additional medication whereas if the vet took the sample that day and got the results the next day I would have been able to get the medicine free of charge from the shelter.
They say you get what you pay for, well this place is like the filet mignon as far as cost and that’s really one reason why I stayed with this place, but with this quality of service I can get it from another place and pay less or I can pay less and actually get better service. I’d rather go find out than continue to give my money to this place when they don’t really seem to care about my pets.

Two more experiences with this practice. So this is our second major go-​round with our 5.5 lb Yorkie. This time, we saw Dr. Rubin, new to the practice. In addition to treating our pup, I feel like I got an education in dog nutrition, with a little chemistry and physiology to boot. This practice truly goes above and beyond with their furry patients — and their worried owners. Most of the practice are pet owners/​lovers (as in multiple pets) — and it shows. The staff couldn’t be friendlier, the promptness is unparalleled (I have yet to wait for an appointment) and the dedication of the treating physicians and staff is downright touching. Second experience: had our pup neutered there as well. Excellent experience all around (except for our pup, of course).

While visiting our kids, our female yellow lab woke up in the middle of the night needing to go out and pee every 20 minutes or less which was a 20 minute process in and of itself. I googled 24 hr vet ER Clinics near me and found Deer Creek. Called them, got info to get us through the night. Saw the vet the next day who was awesome. Diagnosed our dog with a UTI confirmed by a urine test and in under an hour we were on our way with meds in hand! Everyone we came in contact with from check in to check out was courteous, friendly, efficient, and super gentle and caring with our dog. Will definitely recommend Deer Creek to family and friends!

I like the fact that they are an emergency pet hospital as well as normal hospital. However, I found that it doesn’t mean much if the vet on duty doesn’t read the chart. I brought my senior dog in a lot over for about two months because he had been very sick. He finally threw up a hair ball at 2 am. I took him in to make sure he was ok. The vet rather dramatically told me his issues were solved and I no longer needed to give him Denysyl or his prescription dog food for his liver. This sent up red flags since I have been giving my dog for almost 9 years due to his liver enzymes being high. This vet also failed to notice a recent test that had been done showing his bile acids were high as well. If I had listened to her, I would have ended up with a VERY sick puppy. At the recommendation of the vet who had done the bile acid test, I took my boy to a specialist who was able to determine that my dog had a liver shunt. My recommendation to you is to ask your friends and neighbors who use Deer Creek which of the vets they really like. Are they expensive? Yes. But so is just about every vet I have taken my dog to. My guess is the people who complain about cost don’t take there dog to the vet often.

I’ve taken both of my dogs here for about 4 years. Recently one of my dogs contracted a very rare flesh-​eating bacteria and everyone from the front desk reception staff, to technicians, doctors, and surgeons have been phenomenal in her ongoing treatment. A very intense 4 month ordeal included daily vet visits, two surgeries, and lots of unknowns. The staff here did an excellent job with the care of our dog. We did not have insurance on our dog and they were incredibly helpful in working with us on charges. It’s very likely we would’ve lost our dog during this process. I am so thankful to DCAH staff for all they have done for our dog and family.

There are not enough words to describe how amazing the entire staff are here. They treat you like family and love our furry family members as we do. Our English Mastiff needed emergency surgery last night, they walked us through the process every step of the way, answered the 5 million questions that we had with no problem. Their compassion for us and our baby was unbelievable. I have been to numerous vets but these guys by far are the best! I could never express enough gratitude for them. I’m happy to report our mastiff is on the road to recovery, although a lengthy one, and he is in the best hands possible! !

I have been going to DCAH for more than 10 years. I think they are the absolute best vet in the country! The entire staff (front desk, techs, day care staff, vets, and the ownership) are just wonderful, caring people. They treat your animals as if they were their very own. They care and are so very ethical. They have their finger on the pulse of veterinary care, and any new methods or research they are totally on top of! I lost my dog last year and they were so amazing throughout that process, they supported me and cared for my dog in ways I could have never imagined. I was so impressed that when I got a new puppy I named him after my vet at DCAH, that is how much I love this place and how much I believe in the work they do! They are the very best in their field!

If you are hunting for a vet, I suggest going somewhere else. I had two cats who we brought here. Not only are they very overpriced, they are severely lacking in compassion for when you have a major medical issue with your pet. They also do not inform you fully about the prognosis’ of things and you wind up paying tons of money for more tests and medicine only to find out that it was all for nothing and the prognosis was always terrible-​they just refused to be straight with you until after they took your money. They also cannot keep their records straight. Only good thing about this place? 24 hr emergency care is nice.

This place is amazing! I brought my Shih Tzu to Deer Creek and from the minute we came in, the staff was SUPER friendly to my boyfriend and I and they treated my dog like he was their own pet. Usually Teddi would have been scared but he responded so well to the staff.
My dog Teddi went in for his Wellness Appointment, a nail trim and two vaccinations. All of that took less than 30 minutes yet the staff never made us feel rushed and they seemed so relaxed with my dog. I was so impressed with how well they handled him. The Dr. we saw was kind and answered all of my questions.
Although this place is a far drive for me, I wouldn’t take my dog any where else!

The staff and doctors at Deer Creek Animal Hospital are simply AMAZING! Not only will you get the BEST value for your money, you will also receive the very BEST care! They have everything your pet ever needs right there at the clinic — from X-​rays to ultrasound equipment! Everything! I wouldn’t go anywhere else!

What a great place! I adopted a little rescue dog out of the shelter with some health issues. The staff and doctors (shout out to Dr. Hanson!) have been wonderful in helping me get my new little buddy to feeling his best. My little dog was a little shy at first, but they keep a secret stash of cheese in one of the exam room drawers… worked like a charm! My dog and the vet were besties in no time.
My dog’s lab work and X-​rays were done all in one appointment. It was wonderful that the doctor was able to pull up the X-​rays in the exam room; he clearly and succinctly explained the findings. We then were able to schedule an ultrasound within a week with a specialist right at the animal hospital. Client-​doctor communication is excellent… I was called back the same day with the lab results and ultrasound results explained in layman’s terms. Care for your geriatric dog-​friend doesn’t get better than this!

The one vet that I have used (there are many) was wonderful.
The people that answer the phone… another story. I had an appointment scheduled, which I did on the phone, got there and was told nothing was scheduled. They did get me in that day, but I wasn’t happy. It happens and they apologized. They are now sending email reminders of appointments, this may somewhat solve the problem… but it would be best to hire front office staff who give a s****. I also called for boarding… my dog is 13 and a rescue, when I first brought him in I asked that a muzzle be used when they trimmed his nails… they were really overgrown and he was VERY scared for a couple of months. He is flagged as a problem dog now. I was told they wouldn’t board him, but that I could put him in medical boarding. I did, had to cancel the reservation due to date changes. When I called to reschedule, I was told that they don’t do medical boarding for this reason. PLEASE review your policies and get them straight… and make sure all employees are on the same page. I began taking my dog here, because Deer Creek has been a wonderful supporter to many animal rescue groups in the area. They (reception and front office) need to work on their customer service and pay attention to detail.

Deer Creek Animal Hospital is as good as it gets! We were traveling through Colorado on a cross country trip when my dog was bitten by a rattlesnake. My husband and I were terrified that we were going to lose our our girl, Frida. We were at the vet for a couple of hours in the back treatment room and were blown away by the professionalism and care given by ALL of the staff. Dr. Stevens treated our dog and was so calm, helpful and concerned. All of staff were so caring and continue to check in on us and our dog.
Frida had to stay overnight and we were nervous to leave her. We stayed almost an hour longer with her in her kennel and she received her drip medication. The staff checked her vitals every 15 – 20 minutes and she did not need a muzzle at all (she usually does because she gets nervous at the vet). We saw other dogs in for nail trims, treatments, and dogs recovering from major surgeries. The staff was so gentle with all of the dogs and truly cared. I overhead them talking happily about a dog who was finally standing up after a tumor was removed. They were happy to see his progress. Another dog was scared to have his nails trimmed and they were calm and gentle with him. The staff is also very courteous and professional to each other, which is a sign to me that they like their jobs and that Deer Creek is a pleasant place to work. All of these signs and interactions allowed us to build trust with the staff and leave our dog overnight. We were able to call at any time to check in our girl.
Above and beyond: If the care at the hospital were not enough, they went above and beyond but answering several of our calls when Frida seemed to develop an allergic reaction to one of the medications or the venom several days later. The on-​call vet one night even offered her personal number so we could text her a picture of the rash/​spots. She advised us to go to vet where we were staying to make sure that Frida wasn’t hemorrhaging.
I wish I lived near Deer Creek because they would definitely be our regular clinic and my dog trusts them.

We started bringing our German Shepherd and Australian Shepherd here on recommendation. The doctors and staff are always very pleasant. Unfortunately we ended up spending a couple thousand dollars on tests and being told she probably had lymphatic cancer until a vet we hadn’t seen yet suggested food allergies. That’s all it was, food allergies, she need a hypo allergenic diet. Also, do your research before you go and buy the food they sell and recommend. We went from paying $ 136 a month for one dog buying their food to $ 56 every 1.5 months. We continue to go there because we like the staff and doctors but we are sure to be more pro active in asking questions and exploring options to avoid wasting time and money.

I’ve taken my dog here several times. I never wait long, I’ve had two vets, both of whom are great. Dr. Ottone was so helpful when my dog needed knee surgery and walked me through the whole process. Recovery was supposed to be several weeks but she was up and moving in a day or two. She’s been so much better since and I felt the cost was fair.
I saw a review on here where someone called and didn’t recieve a call back. That’s unfortunate and I hate when that happens. In my defense, I’ve called for general information on my file and over-​the-​phone information instead of coming in. I have always gotten a call back and even get email reminders and updates.
Finding a vet is so hard and I have found a few that I have loved. This is definitely one of them.

Had an emergency with out dog, we were considering an over night emergency vet. A strong recommendation for DCAH who had after hours was a plus. Was significantly less expensive the the main after hours vets. The staff are all very friendly and knowledgeable. Out time in the office that night was limited and their help was much appreciated. The god my buddy back on his feet.

Finding a new vet is so hard. I avoided it for five months after moving away from the best veterinarians in the world (Yorkshire Vet Hospital in Colorado Springs). However, my luck ran out when my dog developed a hematoma on her ear flap.
I agonized over where to take her, and even made an appointment elsewhere before reading about Deer Creek and it’s recent Best of Denver A-​List award. So, I canceled the other appointment and brought her to DCVH. I chose poorly.
Now, in DCVH’s defense, my dog HATES the vet. She was scared to death and in pain, and was very tough to work with. The vet we saw blew into the room like a tornado and immediately put my dog on high alert. It went downhill from there.
Long story short, my first visit lasted almost three hours, with my dog sedated and muzzled and left for surgery on the ear. She had never been muzzled before, which added to the freak out. And, I got to do the muzzling, which almost caused me to burst into tears. Imagine muzzling your frightened animal and walking away… I had to call them to check on her three hours later, and scheduled her discharge for 11:00 the next day. When I arrived, they could not find her in the computer. I kept my temper, even though I was so mad I was shaking. Twenty minutes later a tech came out with her «discharge» paperwork. No instructions on caring for the wound, how long to leave the collar on, etc. They wanted me back in a week. Oh, and they didn’t give her a pain pill that morning, so we were already behind on the pain, which was evident when she was whining in the afternoon.
Oh, and they didn’t give me a receipt for my $ 600 bill. I was too upset to even realize it until I got home.
So, I just placed a call to my old vet to get some help. I’ll be driving the 60 miles to see her next week when she resumes care of my dog.
Bottom line… if this is the vet for you, that’s great. I wouldn’t want anyone to relive my experience, and I know I’m not the only one who has had a bad one here. Just find someone you trust, who treats you and your pet well, and hang on to them!

We’ve been coming here since we rescued our lovable pup in 2009 and we’ll keep coming back. They keep notes on how your pets behave, if they need something special during their visits, and send me email reminders when the pups are due for shots.
The last time we went in, they took Honey out of the room we were in for her vaccinations. She’s protective of us and this helped her stay calm when she was getting her medicine. :) Brilliant.
The Pom is content licking cheese from the counter while she gets a once over and annual shots. But, they let us check out IN THE EXAM ROOM because our dogs also both bark at everything that moves in the waiting room.
It seems like they’ve really taken the time to figure out the best ways to treat their human and animal customers and put it into practice. Thank goodness they did!

I can’t think of a better place to take my dogs. It’s such a warming feeling to know that if your dog is boarded there and something goes wrong (God forbid) that the doctors are right up stairs to check in on whats going wrong. They are warming, caring and above all else honest with you. They always give their 1000% no matter if it’s just a simple booster and nail trim or something much worse.
Their front desk staff is just amazing, they greet you, and get you going as soon as you come in. Their boarding team is especially great, and although not seen often anytime they do make interactions with the owners they are polite. Their doctors are some of the best I have ever experienced, they cover all the angles and make sure that my two babies are well taken care of, inside and out. Thank you DCAH!