This animal hospital receives two stars instead of one merely on the fact that I waited less than two minutes for my appointment and they provide discounts for USF students and faculty. However, I did not like this vet office. They were very judgmental about the food I was giving my cat. They did this only to offer high priced food they sold from their office. They also insisted upon me getting pet insurance for my cat which I did not feel was necessary and to come in multiple times a year for "check-ups". My vet insisted on this because cats need care just as much as a human. Yes, I love my cat but he sees the vet as needed - not monthly. I agree with what another commented stated - it felt as though I was on a used car lot and the vet was trying to get every penny out of me. I will definitely be finding a new vet to see.

We normally take our kitten, Charlie, to the nearby New Tampa Animal Hospital-just 5 minutes away, but we were referred to the Temple Terrace branch which uses laser surgery for de-clawing. We had him neutered as well. Charlie is doing extremely well post- surgery. He's even frisky at times; eating well and is very, very glad to be home. However, the e-collar does hamper his ability to eat out of a bowl. It is necessary to put his food on a flat plate and place it directly on the floor and even then, it is a challenge for him as the e-collar manages to push as much food off the plate as he can eat. We were given pain medication to administer once Charlie was home. The container advised three tablets were inside, yet there was just one. We are not sure if Charlie received the first two pills during his stay at TTAH, or if somehow only one pain pill made it into the box to begin with. In any event, the entire staff was knowledgeable; very courteous and efficient and professional in their bearing and appearance. Our wait time for both dropping off and picking up Charlie was short. The office and exam rooms were clean, pleasant and filled with interesting and informative posters and literature.

In Memory of Drake Thomas Nolen 6.20.2014 Warning! Please read before using Temple Terrace Animal Hospitals Euthanasia Services. I am writing this to hopefully spare another pet owner from making a painfully irreversible decision to use this facility for the service of helping their loved pet to be euthanized and pass on peacefully. Our ultimate desire was to use an at home hospice care facility that we had just previously used for Drake’s brother Spencer just two months prior. We could have not asked for something so painful to feel so full of love and peace. All of our dogs were together with their brother and us in our home. We all were at Spencer’s side as he passed on peacefully and painlessly. Unfortunately, the severity of Drake’s illness moved too quickly and it would have seemed cruel to have had him push through the night until his appointment the next morning. The woman I spoke with at Temple Terrace Animal Hospital said they offered a special room and online they spoke of sensitivity in this difficult time and compassion. We didn’t go in there with unrealistic expectations. We knew it wasn’t going to be how we would have truly wanted it but we walked out of there with Drake in our arms and we felt as if they stole the last few minutes of his life from us. The room was lit with the over head fluorescents even though they had a soft glow lamp in the corner that was not even plugged in. They had an empty box of Kleenex on the counter, a dog bed thrown on the floor, and a small couch with pillows. We could have overlooked the lack of serenity that they offered considering it was a last minute emergency decision to use a vet we did not have time to do research into because of the time constraints. What we cannot let go is the fact that Dr. Armstrong who did the procedure did not really talk to us. They came and got him to take him into another room to put a line in. They brought him back after what seemed like an eternity. We at one point had to stick our head out the door and ask if everything was ok because no one had come back to tell us they were having an issue getting his vein. When they did bring him back they set him on the dog bed that was on the floor never bringing his special blanket back with him. Dr. Armstrong never really spoke to us, never explained what she was going to do. I had to ask the questions. She injected the first medication that is to relax the animal and we saw at that point she had a bit of a problem pushing the medicine in the line. We asked if the IV infiltrated to let her know we had some medical knowledge and we know with dachshunds their veins are difficult in the best of circumstances but she explained none of it. In fact I do not think she responded at all. As we were talking to our little boy she administered the final drug and he was gone. She never asked “Are you both ready” Nothing… He was just gone and she stood up said “I am sorry for your loss take your time” and away she went. We just sat there stunned… It was all so cold… We asked for his blanket. We wrapped our little boy up and we got out of there to the car as fast as we could. After something like that the pain is already tremendous without the feeling of being robbed from the compassion they promised, from the chance to say we were ready, and the moments before administering that final drug that takes him completely from us to say goodbye. I do not want to trash the business or the doctor I just want them to offer what they promise and realize that offering sensitivity in this time and move at a pace that is in line with the owner of the animal can make all the difference in feeling the pain of losing a loved one compared to the pain of feeling the life was stolen.

I spent YEARS looking for a great vet, and I'm so happy I found this place. Great service, great care, and if you are looking for more holistic care, they are happy to work with you on that as well. I see a lot of comments about price, I don't really think they are overly expensive and I have been to a lot of vets. Perhaps if you are only looking for vaccinations and medications there may be lower cost alternatives. I am looking for exceptional care for a pure-breed dog and they offer exactly that, exceptional care. My dogs have been in this hospitals care for 4 + years now and I am very happy, would never go anywhere else.

I have never had any issues with Temple Terrace Animal Hospital! The staff there is wonderful and inviting. I have no problem leaving my cat there for dental care or grooming while I am at work. They explain everything and follow up with me after to let me know how everything went. Great job!