Montrose Pet Hospital

I really wanted to like this veterinary hospital. But unfortunately, due to recent occurrences I can’t help but write a bad review.
My dog went into shock after receiving a vaccine and a cysto (procedure that extracts urine from a dog using a syringe that is inserted into a dog’s belly, puncturing the bladder). The story of what happened is long and I don’t want to drown this review with every detail. So, below are the reasons for my bad review in relation to what happened to my dog at MPH:
— Dr. Swope kept providing the same treatment to my dog without knowing what was wrong with her. She did not bother to ask for a second opinion from another veterinarian or recommend seeing a specialist to find out what’s wrong with my dog. She did recommend we go to an emergency room or a specialist group for MORE MONITORING only.
— While my dog was in MPH receiving treatment, I asked Dr. Swope to give me a call to provide an update. Her response was, «I WILL FORGET.» So, I had to call to get an update.
— The technicians forgot to give us my dog’s prescription. So, we had to go back and knock on the door (since they locked it the second we stepped out of the hospital) to get it. At that point, the technician seemed confused and wasn’t aware that she was supposed to give us a prescription when it was clearly written in my dog’s chart.
— The technicians were very pushy to get us out of the door. It was past 6 PM (their closing time) and we had asked for a few minutes to privately discuss our next steps as our dog was still in distress. At first, the technician left, but returned very quickly and just stood there rushing us to provide her an answer. After everything that happened with my dog at MPH, a few minutes regardless of their close time is not much to ask for. This was very disrespectful and we felt like we were just an annoyance to them. If felt like their business was dictating their care.
— When asked about their policy and what procedures are taken what an occurrence like what happened to my dog happens, no one could give me a straight answer. Dr. Swope and the technicians seem like their didn’t know what their own hospital’s policies were.
— THEY LACK CARE AND COMPASSION WHEN THINGS GO AWRY. No one ever called to check up on how my dog was doing. When I went in the following day to confront the Ben Sures, RVT and part owner of MPH, not one person (technicians and Dr. Swope) asked how my dog was doing. THE ONLY TIME THEY EVER SHOWED CARE AND COMPASSION WAS WHEN IT INVOLVED GETTING PAID AT THE END OF A VISIT. To me, this is POOR VETERINARY PATIENT CARE.
Fortunately, my dog is on her way to recovery by following the advice of another vet and a family friend who is also a vet. We decided to follow our gut and go against Dr. Swope’s treatment recommendations and take our dog home (She had us sign a waiver saying that she and MPH will not be responsible for anything that happens to our dog after leaving the hospital). Taking our dog home was probably the best decision we ever made.
Don’t let the friendliness of the staff and vets fool you. When sh*t hits the fan, they will do everything in their power to save their own hospital and staff. They’re only concerned about making money. They have no compassion for the animals they treat. I highly suggest you find a veterinary hospital that has an open door policy so you can see exactly what they are doing to your pet and veterinary doctors who are very transparent about what should be done and shouldn’t be done. Ultimately, you want the best treatment for your loving pet. This is not the place to go for that.

We have been going here for our pets needs for about a year or so now. Not anymore.
As long as your pet doesn’t have an allergic reaction to their vaccines or goes into shock from a procedure they do you might be ok. If your pet does… be prepared to pay for everything they do to attempt to bring them back. When our pet had to stay all day on IV fluids we asked the Doc if we can get an update on her status at some point, she replied. «I’ll forget, so just call later.» Thanks.
As long as the care they give your pet doesn’t take longer than their business hours you might be ok. We had to make a tough decision about what to do with our pet after a scary episode she went through around their closing time. They let us discuss in private in the exam room but were bothered every couple of minutes about whether we decided yet or not because they were closed for the night. Have some compassion. You can do ten minutes of overtime while we make a decision that effects our pets life.
As long as they remember to give you the meds prescribed to your pet you might be ok. When we realized they forgot to give us the meds we quickly turned around and walked back to get them but they had already locked the door behind us. We had only left 30 seconds or so prior. It seemed they really wanted to go home despite the stressful and scary situation we just went through. It felt like they were glad we left.
We may never know what caused our pet to go into shock. Vaccine reaction? Stress induced from the procedures? I understand that these things can happen but the way they handled the whole thing made us feel like it might have been a mistake they made. After all, they take your pet to the back and apply the vaccines and do a lot of their procedures out of your sight. Our trust in them was compromised.
It seems the care of this place is dictated by the business instead of the business being dictated by the care. It was just a routine annual vaccination. It went horribly wrong. They charged us for all of it. They said we needed legal counsel and would have to file a complaint to a third party to get our 200 bucks back for the emergency procedures. They lost more money in losing our business and that of our friends and families pets. The most frustrating thing is that our dog didn’t even really need the vaccination. It was part of the «package» they were selling. Remember, even a place like a veterinary hospital is in fact… a business.
Whatever Vet you end up at, do your research, ask questions, don’t just take their word for it. It’s worth it. For your pet’s health, your peace of mind, and your bank account.

Having to euthanize your pet can be a very difficult process. My wife and I came in because our dog had cancer for 2 years and was at the point where we had to put her to sleep. The staff was very friendly and the Dr. was incredibly knowledgeable. She made sure to take her time and explain the process and her stage in cancer. You could tell that they felt for every pet they had to put down no matter how short their relationship was with the animal. They also helped facilitate getting her paw prints for us post process.
A special thank you from us and Peanut for the attention and delicate care you provided. We will definitely bring all our pets here for care in the future.
Thank you!

Our pup molly has been going to MPH since they opened. And we wouldn’t go anywhere else — even though we now live 30 miles away! Dr Swope has seen molly the most — she is incredibly knowledgable and caring.
Congrats to Ben and Dr Mitchell for their success and thank you for taking such good care of our fur baby.

Highly recommended! The doctors and staff are compassionate and they always make themselves available to their client. Regardless of how busy they are, each and every client’s pet matters are important and addressed promptly… a rare find indeed.

I always get great friendly great service here. Definitely the best vet around

Cannot say enough about my first experience here! From the first phone call, the cleanliness, convenience, kindness of all staff, and the knowledgeable, personable Dr Bayliss (sp?) I felt completely at ease. The prices were lower than my last vet and I really appreciated Dr. spending time with us to reduce my anxiety about using anesthetic on my small Yorkshire Terrier. We immediately booked a dental for next month and I think we have found our new permanent vet!

We visited Montrose Pet Hospital at the suggestion of Bichon Fur Kids while I was fostering one of their dogs in need of medical. I was so impressed that I am considering switching vets for my own personal dog!
PROS:
MPH is open 7 days a week!!!
They made a same day appointment on a weekend day
Can handle most pet emergencies with out the high emergency room fees
Extremely Clean office
Polite and pleasant staff
Easy parking
CONS:
No cons! There was a slight wait 15 minutes or so when we arrived but that seems to be the norm anywhere.
Since I was there with a rescue dog the treatment cost and options were handled by the rescue so I cannot comment of the billing or cost of treatments but the quality of our visit was first rate!!!

I am extremely pleased and happy with Montrose Pet Hospital. I recently switched vets and decided to give this place a try since they’re open on Sunday’s and my puppy was really sick. They were quick to give me an appt. the same day and took care of my pup so well. The staff and doctors are all amazing — very friendly, kind, and helpful. They made me feel at ease and the doctor took her time to explain everything in detail and made sure that all of my dog’s needs were met. I love the location and most importantly, they’re open on Saturdays and Sundays! Highly recommended this place! :)

We are devastated by the results we’ve experienced with two cats brought here over the last few months. Angel had his healthy cat checkup for adoption at Montrose Pet Hospital 3 weeks before he was admitted with a loss of appetite. After costing us thousands of dollars in testing and treatment, we took home a lethargic and despondent cat unable to open its mouth and barely able to move after 2 days of care at Montrose Pet hospital. I don’t know what went so terribly wrong and can’t believe the horrific results our poor cat has had to endure from treatment.
Angel was the most friendly wonderful cat we had ever had. A beautiful Maine Coon, he would greet you tail wagging each time he saw you and treated strangers to the same love and affection. We are deeply saddened that 72 hours after returning home from the vet, Angel has passed away. Even in his last few moments he was wagging his tail as I tried to comfort him. His mouth and tongue were totally paralyzed, as he departed. This post is in memoriam to a magnificent cat that we will dearly miss. Angel, my angel RIP.

Extremely happy with Montrose Pet Hospital– All our pets come here and they are completely well taken care of. The staff is amazing and the office is always clean and taken care of.

I love MPH, ever since i’ve found this place, I have all 3 of my pets here. The staff is so friendly, and the doctors truly seem to love their job. One thing that really makes them deserving of the 5 stars is their transparency; when it comes to giving the rates or estimate of what you’ll be spending that visit they will tell you. I’ve gone to places where they’ll just add on to your costs without even mentioning it until it is done! This place is a charm, please work on your cons and I guarantee some of the 1 star Unilocalers will return :)
4 Stars (Pros)
*Friendly staff
*Affordable and informative
*Compassionate doctors
*Sanitary
–1 Star (Cons)
*Long holds on the telephone
*Too much gossip at the front desk

I really like this hospital! I also work in veterinary medicine and these guys know what they are doing! Techs and reception are very friendly. Dr. Bailiff (?) is always pleasant and knowledgable. My kitty was always happy to come home after the visit, but was never super stressed out by their treatments. Anthony, a tech that discharged my cat, was courteous, informative and absolutely *adorable*. I will be coming back!

So Mocius (my 70lb super energetic Pittbull) and I LOVE Dr. Alex Swope. She is always patient and so knowledgeable about all the things we’ve come in for, she’s great! My last dog Apollo (who passed away), also loved her!
I usually call them to tell them when I’m there, and they come get us when they’re ready, straight through the back. This is very good if you have a dog with vet anxiety, or who, like mine, gets crazy excited around other dogs… and I would suggest it.
I have only had an issue with this once, where we were told to come through the front and wait anyways. This resulted with my dog ripping one of her nails, and me being charged to fix it. At the end of it all, however, I will say this. Their techs did a great job wrapping it, as Mocius is very active. Also, their head office manager Ben called me to work out the situation. It is now in her chart that we only want appointments during low traffic times, and we will always wait for her appointments outside. This makes me feel better about taking her in. Accidents may happen, but at least I know their staff does care.
Going to a vet isn’t just about the vet themselves. It is about their staff and office techs. While that one situation was tough, they showed that they are all in it for the best for your pet.

My little chihuahua had an injury over the weekend so I looked up a vet that was open on Sunday’s hoping to find not an emergency hospital that would cost an arm and a leg. I came across this one and I couldn’t be happier I did! We got a same day appointment on a Sunday. I took my little man in there and all the girls at the front were super amazing. We actually went in the room on scheduled appointment time and the doctor came
In right away BONUS! She examined him thoroughly for over 10 minutes, every limb — neck — back etc. she determined to that it seems to be a neck injury and that a simple muscle relaxer and anti inflammatory pill would help and just let him heal over the next week before we went into
X-​rays. I don’t know about you but I love taking things slowly before rushing to conclusions resulting in unnecessary treatments/​expenses. It’s hard to find a vet that doesn’t want to just start with X-​rays. Dr. Bayliff was absolutely amazing and I now feel so much better taking my pup home knowing he has the proper treatment to make him out of pain while he recovers.

Sent my cat here for 6 years. Liked the location and the service. Was moving too the beach and wanted my cat looked out before we leave. The Vet reported he had a cavity, and should get it taken care of shortly. Decided to hold off and get a second opinion from my new Vet. My new Vet in Manhattan Beach tells me his teeth are fine, no issues. I ask if they can take a second look. They said everything is fine.
Started to have doubt and trust issues about what the Vet at Montrose Pet Hospital was saying
Sadly, my family has been taking there animals, four cats and two dogs to Montrose Pet Hospital. My mother takes her 12 year old hound dog to the vet this week for some blood work on her liver. The Vet recommends a rabies vaccination before receiving blood work back. The day after going to the vet our hound dog is unresponsive in the dining room.
Now I’m not a Vet, but I have close friends that are Vets, and what happened is NOT right. The vet should have known not to vaccinate 12 year old dog before receiving blood work back. As we get older, our immune systems become weaker.
Very disappointed at the Professionalism and accountability of this Vet.
This should have not happened.

Took my little dog Snoopy here for a running nose and really bad breath. Dr. Swoop did his examination and was really caring and took her time explaining her diagnosis and plan of care. Before anything was done on Snoopy, I was presented with an estimate with a low and high approximate of the procedure expenses. The care that Snoopy needed was quite substantial so Dr. Swoop helped me to prioritize what procedures should be done now, as soon as possible, and what could wait or needed to be addressed only until other health issues were cleared up.
Two months later after I had saved money for his procedure, I got a next day appointment. Again, I was presented with an estimate which included a limit on the amount of the expense. If issues arose during the procedure that would result in the cost possibly going above that limit then I would be called for approval. The day of, I was given a call for approval of a blood test because they forgot to include it in the estimate, I was called throughout the day and the level of communication was excellent. An hour before I was to pick Snoopy up I was contacted for permission to keep him overnight for observation. They wanted to be sure that there would be no complications and that he was kept comfortable. This was great being that I have a baby. This was done at no additional cost. In the morning I was called and given an update and was advised that I could pick him up at any time. Upon picking him up I met with a great staff member, who took his time answering questions and giving me post instructions and free samples of products that Snoopy could benefit from. All in all a great experience at this Veterinary office.

Here is my logic behind the three-​star rating:
Plus one star: It is a convenient location, parking is decent
Plus one star: The staff is friendly and they genuinely seem to care about pets
Plus one star: They were able to diagnose my dog properly
Negative one star: They did not explain the costs to me at all. Many of the vets that I have taken my dogs, have explained the costs before they do the procedure or etc. Although it may have not been the intention of their staff or vet, it seemed as though it was a lot of nickel and diming. I wish they had a done a better job of informing me of the costs and etc. Maybe I was just spoiled at my other main vet!
Negative one star: Although they had taken out the foxtail out of dog’s eye (I felt so bad for him for having that in his eye!!), they had pulled out a big piece of foxtail out of his eye (which the charged an amount for, I’m not sure how you can determine the cost of pulling out a foxtail out of an eye), but they had also taken out a small piece out of his tear duct. After a week later of medicating his eye, we had found another piece of foxtail (which was just as big!!!) I couldn’t believe there was another full piece of foxtail. Hind sight is ²⁰⁄₂₀ but it would have been nice to realize that the smaller piece of foxtail coming out of his tear duct was another fox tail.
All in all, I felt that they were a capable and professional vet office. However, I wish their communication was a little bit better regarding costs and etc. Without a certain level of communication, it appears to some customers that they are just looking to pad the bill to increase profit: (

I’ve been taking my cat to Montrose Pet Hospital since we got him a year ago. Growing up my family took our cat and dog to La Canada Pet Clinic and I would have loved to continue there, but there’s only open for three hours total on the weekends and as a young professional I need to be able to take care of my cat’s shots and checkups on weekends.
From the receptionists to the vets everyone is just so friendly and loving towards my cat. The hours are amazing and they’re always SO well staffed; unless you’re being particular about a specific vet it’s very easy to get an appointment when you want one. They send plenty of reminder emails when your pet is due for shots, which I appreciate. So far we’ve been very happy and we’ll continue bringing Dobby there!

Best vet in the LA area hands down. My furchild Ava is a Cavalier King Charles and the breed is notorious for developing health problems. They are also an incredibly sensitive breed so finding a caring veterinarian was a priority. She has been to Dr. Mitchell and Dr. Swope and they are both amazing at what they do, highly recommend them. What I really love is that they don’t try to upsell on services and medications, only recommend what she actually needs.
I would give this place 5 stars if it weren’t for the reception area. I work in customer service and the front desk of a business is so important. I was there for a regular visit but there were 2 other people with very sick pets and the receptionists were all laughing and gossiping with one another the entire time I was up front. If my pet was sick I would feel like this was pretty insensitive. Other than that I can’t complain!
Pros
Plenty of parking
Reasonable prices
Clean and modern environment
Expert veterinarians that give thorough exams and make the right recommendations
Cons
Gossip at the front desk
Location is a little far for LA