Emergency Animal Hospital of Northwest Austin

Hate to say it, but MONEY is the motivating factor at this clinic, Our experience was terrible, We were treated with disrespect and spent a LOT of money for a terrible result. It is scary because there are some good reviews, but those must have been for simple conditions, It was a an EXPENSIVE NIGHTMARE for us at this clinic. Our regret is that we did not read all the reviews before we went there on a friends advice. more

THIS IS THE WORST VET EVER!! My 14yr old, normally healthy Pomeranian was having breathing issues and seemed like something was either stuck in his airway or he was heavily congested and was vomiting like crazy. We brought him in last night to try to get him help and more comfortable. They brought me an estimate for X-Rays and a blood testing along with a Urinalysis that was going to be anywhere between $325-$860!! We ended doing the X-rays... No blockage but did find a large bladder stone and that he was severely constipated. They told me to get Miralax and that was all they did! My bill was $294! They didn't do anything about the chief complaints! We had to get on a payment plan that was to be paid on Wednesday. Well, I called back today cause my dog is still not breathing well and isn't holding anything down at all! They told me that unless I pay yesterday's bill in full that they will not see or treat him! This is the initial complaint and problem! It's Sunday night and I'm hoping he makes it thru the night so I can get him to the regular vet first thing in the morning! This place is a joke! more

Not a happy customer. Took my dog in to see if he had a blockage. Got xrays and the vet misread them! I left thinking that wo the surgery he would not make it through the night. The vet ended up performing surgery and then later called me with the 'great news'- nothing in his stomach! I ended up with an expensive bill and a another vet bill for the next day for observation. The owner, Dr. Johnson refused to refund me. Plus my pet now has a 5 inch incision on his belly and 2 wks recovery. Poor customer service from the owner. Clearly only cares about money. more

These people are irresponsible and do not know what they are doing. My 17-year-old cat, Percy, had been having some breathing issues and had been treated for asthma, but had not been tested to find the cause of the breathing problems, by a previous vet. On a Friday night we went into this emergency clinic, because I wanted to have Percy put in an oxygen tank and X-Rayed to see what was wrong with him. When I got there, the girl at the front desk, who reeked of marijuana, asked me what was wrong. I said I wasn't sure, but I gave her the pills that he had been given from the previous vet and told her that he had already had a shot a few days before. She took him in his carrier into the back, and put me in a room alone. In the past, Percy had had very traumatic experience at vets, and ever since he had always been very afraid of the vet offices. After about 20 minutes I could hear Percy screaming, and then it stopped. A vet, Dr. Stacy Cox, came in the room and told me, ""Well, we gave him a shot, and one of the pills."" He had just gotten a shot at the other vet, and I had just given him one of the pills. I said, ""Why did you give him more?"" The vet replied, ""We had been told it was asthma by the front desk girl. ""No. I brought him in to find out what it was. Where is he now?"" ""We have him strapped down and we put him in a muzzle, because he was fighting."" I said, ""He's 17 years old, having breathing problems that could be related to a heart condition, why would you put him in a muzzle?"" She said, ""Oh. I didn't know he was 17 or that he had a heart condition."" Having been to this clinic with him before, I assumed they would read his paperwork before treating him like any reputable vet clinic. Immediately someone came in to ask me how I was going to pay, all while Percy was strapped down in the back with a muzzle on. I was filling out the payment paperwork, while asking if they could do something for Percy and get him out of the muzzle. I also asked if they could X-Ray him. They tried and came back and said they couldn't do it, because he fought them. I had asked them to put him in an oxygen tank when we got there, and after the X-Ray attempt they did. I later found out through the vet records that during the attempted X-Rays, Percy had stopped breathing and turned blue. It was after this that they put him in the oxygen tank. They never told me that this had happened, and they let me take him home, although there was a great chance that he had suffered extreme negative side effects due to the lack of oxygen, including heart attack or stroke. In the ten minutes I had been there, they told me that I had rung up $450. If I wanted to keep him in the oxygen tank, that it would be another $450. I decided to take him home because it didn't seem like he was getting any help there. Rather than let me take Percy out of the oxygen tank to put him in the carrier, two people came in with gloves and towels and they picked Percy up and he started to fight. I heard him scream as they twisted him. I heard the vet say, ""He's twisted! He's twisted! You're turning him the wrong way."" They dropped him in a cardboard carrier that closes at the top and sent him home with me. When I got home and opened the carrier, his eyes were rolled back, his face was drooping like a stroke victim, and he couldn't eat or drink, or barely breathe. This was a million times worse than when we had gone in. I continued to call the vet for the next two days, but they would not return my calls, and I was terrified to take him back in again. After two days, Percy died, and I feel that this vet clinic played a large part in his death. His primary vet later said that his death was most likely caused by an overdose or a heart attack. When I called to ask for an explanation or apology, they thought I just wanted my money back and hung up on me. If you truly love your pet DO NOT take them to this place. This place just wants your money. more

The staff were so amazing! my dog had to stay over night to get I.V.'s and monitered and they told me to call and check up on him as much as i wanted to and come visit as much as i wanted! They explained everything that was wrong soo well and everytime I called for an update they were so nice and told me exactly what was going on. I hope I never have to go to the emergency clinic again but if I do I know my dog will be in great care and I will get great service!!! Pros: staff kindness, excellent care, showed legitimate concern more

I have had the unfortunate need for their veterinary emergency services for several of my pets that have had medical problems including rattlesnake bites and pancreatitis. Whatever the ailment, my pets and I have always been treated with courtesy and compassion. From the receptionists to the veterinarians, it is obvious that the staff are dedicated to saving the lives of pets and that they take their jobs seriously. I have not always had the most emergent case and have had to wait for my pet to receive care; however, the ?triage? makes sense and works for every pet that comes through the doors. I?d hate to think that a pet suffered or died because priority wasn?t given to the most serious needs and was instead given in time of arrival fashion. I hate that emergency veterinarians are necessary, but I am thankful every day for the doctors and staff at this hospital. They have always provided the best care for my 4-legged family and I am grateful that they serve our community. If you have a medical emergency, this is the ONLY place you should bring your pet. more

This really isn't the place you want to end up at if at all possible. Expect everything they do to be 2-3 times the cost of a regular vet, and they tend to over prescribe not under. Pros: open late Cons: more expensive than daytime vet more

Our dog was, literally, near death. He had gone into shock and they reacted immediately to the situation and today he is totally normal. Yes, it was expensive, but not out of line with other emergency care we've had for animals. The same team of two vets cared for him during his stay from Saturday until Monday morning. The chart printout was in great detail on the checking on him and what they did. The staff up front was attentive. I saw a review that talked about odor -- hey, it's a place full of animals in varying stages of emergency distress. It's not like your dog is just in to get his nails trimmed! Pros: Quick, professional, effective, caring, easy location to get to Cons: Expensive, but probably not more than comparable emergency care more

This clinic is exclusively for animal medical emergencies on weekends and overnight. Animals must be picked up and transferred to a 'regular' clinic by 7 am. I've used this clinic many times and I have to say that the negative reviews made me wonder if they were speaking of the same clinic. All of my experiences have been positive. Pros: Hours of operation, dedicated staff, knowledgeable staff Cons: expensive more

2 hour wait. Vet used that tone like you are an idiot for wasting my time. (You know what I mean if you've ever heard it- don't they train doctors how to acknowledge patients with proper concern and encouragement?) Didn't take my concern about ear mites seriously when I said they were itchy, inflamed and unusually waxy, and said her ears were NOT inflamed (what's all the pink then, idiot?) were just dirty (she DID have ear mites and I had to pay another vet bill later to get them checked properly). Lied to a tech about why she ordered bl@@d work (because I had a lot of questions she couldn't answer- bs). She either ordered them for my peace of mind (insulting, because I wasn't acting worried- certainly not worried enough to NOT be ASKED if I WANTed to pay an extra $75 for unnecessary tests) or to bring the bill up to something worthwhile for them. I imagine it was the latter. The place wreaked of urine and was crowded with sick, dirty, and bl@@dy animals that I couldn't totally keep my dog from being exposed to. It's just a travesty. I can't believe this is all the entire N. Austin area has to choose from for emergency vet care. It's sickening. Austin is probably the most progressive and pet friendly city in the state and yet it's still the south, that's for sure. This is what Austin gets because it demands no more for its pets. It's shameful. Pros: If you are DESPERATE, there is this one place you can go for help Cons: You wouldn't want to go here unless you think your pet is going to die, and even then, try to find someone else! more

This clinic has always treated me and my pets with care and compassion, and when emergency care is deemed unnecessary they have the ethics to tell me I can wait to see my regular vet. They've even taken injured wildlife from me to care for at no cost to me. They are honest, hard-working, kind, and they DO know what they're doing. Pros: efficient, knowledgeable, open when you need them Cons: hard to find -- call for directions! more

This a first time posting for me. I took my dog to this place because he was pouring, and I mean pouring, an unusual substance, much like ketchup, from his rear. I am frantic with worry over my dog, which is why I took him to an emergency vet clinic. I have no complaints about the staff, except for the vet himself. The vet acted like it was no big deal, told me they were going to run some tests and to come back when it was time for the clinic to close at 7am. I couldn't even walk out of the clinic without paying $441. When I return, I have to pay another $165 for tests done after we paid the initial fee. They charged me a fee for hooking something up to the dog that prevents him from tangling the IV cord. My dog was completely listless, after being so ill. I don't think he was doing judo in the cage or anything. The vet proceeded to shrug it off as something he ate. I took my dog to my normal vet, as he had been kicked out of the clinic (and thank God, there's no telling how much more it would cost me). My vet gave my dog a thorough check-up, and gave him some antibiotics for $65! My pet is healthy now, but if I would have known it would cost so much, I would have waited to go to the regular vet. I understand all the cost if I would have to had call someone and have them meet me at an office. This place stays open all night. All I wanted was for my dog to be alright--and he is. But I have to wonder if just an IV and a place for him to be comfortable would have been okay until I could get to my vet. It sounds harsh, because my dog's health has no price limit on it, but I felt like I got bent over and taken for a very uncomfortable ride. Pros: It was open Cons: Price gouging, apathetic vet more

Do you have a pet that has experienced horrendous treatment at an Emergency Vet Clinic? Have you experienced outrageous treatment by an Emergency Clinic? Notify your Texas legislator about the issue. Vets are regulated. Dr. Scott Johnson owns a number of Emergency Clinics in this area. I've discovered incidents of the following: he has diagnosed an animal has having a minor situation then the animal died that night; his doctors told a client that the pet ""wanted to die"" ; his clinic, after racking up several thousands of dollars from a client, first acknowledged an over-charge of less than $100.00 and then refused a refund and then refused to ever allow the client to bring an animal into a Scott Johnson owned clinic. I also understand that he was refusing treatment at the Round Rock clinic, which was an Emergency Clinic at night, while an animal was in care after recovering from surgery during the day. And Johnson is on the board of directors of a nationwide association. Lobby your legislator for better care and supervision of Emergency Clinics since these clinics are a scarce commodity and since Scott Johnson owns almost a virtual monopoly in this area. Pros: Some of the Vets are very good; and sometimes they are not. Cons: Virtually A Monopoly Owned Service in Austin, With the Owner Acting As Such more

Run, don't walk away from this clinic. I love my pet, but after my experience here I would rather wait for a REAL veterinarian at a REAL clinic to open than ever go back here. These yahoos don't know what they're doing. Maybe they actually did when Dr. Celeste Treadway was the Medical Director here years ago, but they don't now. (Take your pets to Dr. Treadway at Lakeline Animal Clinic--that's what I did after these yahoos here told me ""everything is fine"" with instructions to go home and watch my pet. Had I followed their ""instructions"" I may have watched my pet die in front of me. Yes, that's how stupid they are. No wonder the other reviews slam them and note misdianosis.) My pet was seriously ill and could have died and the yahoos at Austin's Emergency Animal Clinic could not care less. They will not return my phone calls. I understand a Dr. Scott Johnson owns the clinics. He should do the people and pets of Austin a favor and close the doors. Yes, we would be without an emergency animal clinic, but in my opinion we are now anyway. more

Our 10 week-old puppy knocked a heavy speaker over onto herself, and broke her hind leg. This happened after-hours, and she was in a lot of pain, so we took her to Emergency Animal Clinic. The vet on-call took front and side X-rays of her leg. After waiting for nearly 2 hours, we were surprised and relieved when the vet told us that the puppy's leg was *not* broken, and that she just needed to go home and rest. She gave us the X-rays, so they could be added to her records at her normal vet. The puppy continued to be in a lot of pain, and cried (in pain) all night long. Cons: Ignored complaint, Outrageous charges, refuses to negotiate more

The vets @ the Emergency Animal Clinic saved my dogs life when he was suffering from pneumonia. My regular vet gave up on him and suggested euthanasia; they gave him a 30% chance of overcoming the pneumonia. I had my dog transferred to the clinic (for a weekend stay) and the Drs were able to nurse my dog back to health within 2 days. Every employee @ this hospital is extremely professional, compassionate and courteous. The Drs are superb and under no circumstance did they perform or bill me for any unnecessary treatments. I highly recommend this clinic if your pet needs medical attention when your normal vet is closed. Pros: Great Service, Compassionate Drs more

I took my dog in for a rattling sound in his chest thinking he had a cold or pneumonia. All tests were normal, but the vet said there were foreign objects in his stomach and intestines and he needed surgery right away! I consented for fear he would die, but there was nothing in him at all. Then the vet said she needed to do a second surgery in case the first one was leaking from all the biopsies! Again, nothing. Still, he had the sound in his chest. I finally got him out of there after dropping $3000, and my regular vet gave him an allergy shot which fixed him right up. Unfortunately, my elderly dog endured an enourmous amount of pain and suffering which this clinic refuses to make right. I would not recommend this clinic unless you are pretty sure your animal is going to die otherwise. Pros: none, none, none Cons: Ignored complaint, Outrageous charges, refuses to negotiate more

This place has the MOST caring staff and I would recommend them to anyone. When my Boo-Boo (who had a heart problem) needed care at 11 p.m. they did all they could to save him. 3 days after he died we received a sympathy card in the mail. I couldn't have asked for better care. Fully equiped and ready for any emergency. No wait time. PROS: Excellent, Caring Staff - Worth every penny CONS: more

I took my dog here at 3 a.m. in the morning when she was in excruciating pain. The staff here were very good and kind to my poor dog. They immediately gave her something for her pain. more

This is not where you want to be at 2 in the morning, however the physicians and vet technicians make it a little easier to cope with. They were very supportive and caring when we had to send our 12 yr old cat to kitty heaven. more