This review is actually a response to the Ricky D's review as the response is limited to only so many characters, I couldn't properly respond to each "strike". I apologize that you were not happy with our services and I’d like you to know that several of your complaints are actually the reason our clients love us. Allow me to elaborate; I know your pet is a puppy so, Point #1 – Intestinal Parasite Screening; Young animals, such as puppies and kittens, are more likely to be infected so we follow the recommendation of the Center for Disease Control when we tell you to bring a fresh fecal sample to each puppy visit. Definitely, no news is good news. Fecal and heartworm tests are routine preventative health lab tests and if a parasite is found in the analysis we would contact you immediately and the doctor would prescribe a medication accordingly. Point #2 – Taking the pet from the exam room for treatment; this is a process that we seem to revisit often. In most cases we feel this is the best for everyone involved for several reasons; a) your pet does not associate the exam room and the pet owner with procedures. b) Our treatment area is filled with pet treats, chews, and peanut butter, one of which most always takes the pets focus off the treatment and helps make the vet visit a positive one –hence the ‘happy puppy’. Believe me when I say we would not put our license in jeopardy by telling you we gave a vaccine that we really didn’t give. Additionally, we will try to accommodate any client that requests a treatment or procedure be done in the exam room. Point #3 – Surgery estimates; this means exactly that, estimate. If your puppy is 22 pounds and growing, we’re going to give you an estimate in the “over 25” category simply because we don’t want to under quote the procedure. You certainly would not be charged in that weight category if your pet does not reach that weight but we try very hard not to mislead our clients when we discuss our fees. Yes, there are places that are funded for low cost spay/neuter procedures which may or may not include pain medications. While this may fit the needs of some pet owners, not everyone feels the same. At Veterinary General, our spay/neuter fees are all inclusive not ala carte. We feel that the Gold Standard Level of Care includes pre-anesthesia blood work, IV fluids, pain medication (injections and to go home) as well as having our technicians monitoring your pets heart rate, level of oxygen in the blood and body temperature during the procedure. Our fee also includes cold laser therapy at surgical site and an Elizabethan collar to go home to prevent licking and chewing as well as a 2-week follow up appointment. Honestly, to have a successful relationship with our clients there really needs to be a trust factor. Without trust there can’t be a positive relationship. That being said, we really enjoyed visiting with your puppy. She’s a sweet girl and if there is anything we can do in the future for you please let us know.

To make a long story short, I have reservations about going to Veterinary General. I simply don't find them trustworthy. Strike 1: I paid for an internal parasite screen and shortly after dropped off the sample. I never got a call back notifying me of the results. In fact, they later called me to remind me to drop off the sample. At the next appointment, I had to remind them of the test. They gave me some line that "no news is good news". Strike 2: My dog was due for some shots during a recent exam. I don't know why I didn't question it at the time, but they took her to another room to give the shots. Problem is, my dog (who is normally very shy) came back as happy as could be, as if nothing happened. Why not just give the shots in front of me? Now I'm left wondering if my dog actually received her rabies vaccine or not. Strike 3: I inquired about the cost of spaying. They base their prices on weight. At the start of the appointment, my dog weighed in at 22 lbs. When they told me the price, they put her in the next higher bracket (over 25 lbs). When I questioned it, they were adamant it should be the higher cost. Each one of these separately isn't a big deal. But together the picture seems a little clearer. I won't be returning. For anyone that's wondering, there are a few much more affordable spaying services around town. Check out the ASPCA website for a low-cost spay/neuter program near you. The Humane Society charges around $150 and another place around $100, both of which include pain meds. I believe the general vet services, such as shots, are much less costly at these places, too. They may not even charge for a wellness exam if shots are given.

Love Dr Barta and his team. They are super nice and even let me break up procedures so i can get the stuff done when i can afford it. They have always gotten us in for emergencies and even see our foster dogs. Our dogs even love seeing him.

Dr. Barta and the staff are wonderful with my three cats. Even though the cats are semi-feral, the techs and the doctors can easily handle them. At another place I went, my cat was able to scratch me and the tech because the tech didn't know how to hold a cat. I first went to Veterinary General because it was close to home, but I continue to go there because I think they are wonderful. They were very informative about extra care I need for outdoor cats. (Yes, I know they'd be better off indoors, but they are still quite feral, even though I can handle them, they are not house cats.)

Dr. Barta is a very good and caring Vet. He has taken good care of my Clifford from teeth cleaning to shots. I like the hours they are open because you never know when you have to see the Doctor. The whole staff are friendly and helpful. If you are looking for a Vet. I would recommend Dr. Barta and his staff. They operate a very clean and caring environment.