Sage Veterinary Care

I recently moved to the Reno, Sparks area and was in need of a new Vet. I did my mini research on Unilocal and made many phone calls to plenty of offices. What set Sage apart from everywhere else was the ease of actually emailing the office and getting a reply back within a timely manner (I guess I was lucky compared to other reviewers about this place). I originally called them with a refill/​new prescription on my dog’s meds, being the starving college student that I am, I of course was also trying to find the most reasonably priced place (she’s on Apoquel; which is VERY hard to get, it’s back ordered by the manufacture). Without getting into too much detail about how they worked their magic the medication that I needed (my original vet has been out for close to 3 months), I am very happy at the connivence of being able to get my prescriptions refilled online and being able to email them about scheduling appointments.
Dr. Malinas and her staff were all very friendly, easy to talk to, and answered all of my 101 questions. They sat down on the floor with my child, talked sweet baby talk and showered her with super love and attention. I never felt rushed, and I honestly feel like they had my child’s best interest at heart (not their wallets).

This is a sad story. All pet lovers look for a vet who will care for their animals and be there in a time of need. This has not been my experience with Sage. Over the holidays I was traveling– taking care of several family emergencies. While I was away my dear puppy needed a few more days of his medication… Just enough to ride him through until I got home. I called Sage 3 times. The 1^st time The receptionist listened to my dilemma and said the Dr. Would call me back. However no one called. The second time I called I was more concerned… They said they would call in my pups prescription… However the pharmacy did not receive any calls from Sage. The 3^rd time I called Sage I was distraught. Yes I was upset because my puppy will die without his meds. I firmly asked to speak to the Dr. who did speak with me but only to inform me that she would not send in a week supply of my pups prescription — and that she no longer wanted to be our vet.
I can see that sometimes these things happen… People are busy, life is stressful… But for Sage to turn their back on a simple request… That would save my dog from dire consequences demonstrates Sage’s lack of compassion and understanding. I would rather take my pets to a vet who shows they care through their actions.

We no longer have pets, but we have grand dogs. We had our son’s 12’year old dog this week-​end. She was suffering from leg/​back weakness, and decided to call Sage Veterinary on Friday of Memorial Day week-​end. (We feared this was her end of life stage). Instead of giving us the long week-​end/​early out brush-​off, they apologized that we would not be seen until 5:30, but we were grateful they would remain available. From the minute we arrived, the staff treated Nala as their own. They immediately worked on making sure she was comfortable until she could be evaluated.
Dr. Hess examined her, suggested a course of evaluation, and then provided us a cost estimate. We proceeded with the recommendation, and began treatment of pain shots and X-​Rays. Dr. Hess used the X-​rays to consult with us (ruptured disc) and gave us a step by step map to work for her recovery.
We were super impressed with Dr. Hess and her staff, working late into the evening, showing extra care for our pet, and communicating very professionally and friendly, from the minute we made a phone call, until we left the hospital.
A super clean and well organized facility and staff!
We highly recommend Sage Veterinary for pet care!

First off, the definition of 2 stars is «Meh. I’ve experienced better» So with that I want to stress that this place isn’t bad. My dog and I have seen both Dr. Hess and Dr. Malinas. I believe they care about animals. And their prices are competitive if not better than some other places around. However, their bedside manner for treating pet owners is awful. Both times I felt belittled and I felt they looked at me like I am bad pet owner. I recently adopted my 3 yo dog from the SPCA. When you adopt a dog with an unknown past it can take a while for that dog to come out and become comfortable especially with strangers who are poking and prodding at them. These vets do not seem to be supportive, kind, or reassuring. At this point I have not decided if I will be remaining a client of this office. I have quite a bit of time before my pup will need to go back. I will be asking around to see if I can find a better fit for myself and my dog.

I want to start by saying this was one of my best experiences at a vet office, and I have had many. The staff was very friendly to my dog and I. The nurse and doctor sat on the floor of the examination room so that the dog would feel safer. The service was very prompt. I was not left waiting around for someone to take care of my dog. I will definitely be using this veterinary office again, and I will recommend them to my friends and family. If you are in the market for a great vet, don’t be afraid to try Sage, plus there is a great groupon available to help make your pets visit more affordable.

I am very unhappy with the care my dog received at Sage Veterinary Care. When I called to discuss this I was told Dr. Malinas would return my call which she never did. Upon multiple attempts to talk with staff I finally was able to speak with Karen the office manager who was very rude and surly. She referred to me as «you people» which I am not sure if it was racially motivated or not. Judging by the character of the Veterinarians and the poor treatment of owners I do not believe that beloved pets are safe in their care.

We first met Dr. Hess when she was practicing at another clinic that has since gone out of business. We were THRILLED when she opened her own practice last year, as she is one of the few vets in town that really knows avian care. We have been in to see her several times for routine visits as well as illnesses, and every time she was professional and courteous, and educated us on what we need to do to treat the situation and help prevent future occurrences.
On one occasion, when one of our cockatiels was experiencing troubling symptoms, Dr. Hess took care of us right away, and we were in to see her within an hour.
I have not yet met Dr. Malinas, but she is probably equally good.
Office staff is great, and we love how the birds greet everyone who comes in and leaves. (One of the birds even meows!!!) Clean, safe, caring environment.

I don’t know about Sage… It was really great when my sister and I took her dog in after he was attacked by another dog. Dr. Malinas was so great! Her actual care and consideration for our dog and for our questions was stunning. It is so hard to find someone so thorough. We had Dr. Hess as a follow up because Dr. Malinas was not available and she was not as helpful. It is so hard to find somewhere that I can trust with my dogs. I ended up going back with another dog… why? For another chance? And again Dr. Malinas was not there and again I left feeling unfulfilled. I don’t know what to do. my questions were not totally answered and I feel belittled with some of my concerns.