Hearthstone Animal Clinic

The love for pets is so obvious for everyone in this clinic. Their dedication to their job and their character are something that is worth noting. more

I have been taking my pets to Dr. pelton for several years. When he moved and started his own practice, we followed.\r \r He is very kind hearted and his love for animals shines through in his work. His staff is awesome! Mary at the front desk is always ready to help out. The vet techs are great with the animals and really care about what they do.\r \r Whenever people ask me for a vet I send them to Dr. Pelton. We would never go anywhere else! more

I called Hearthstone Animal Clinic in attempt to schedule our next appointment and was informed that an exam was required. I expressed a concern with the vet tech, that I was confused with the inconsistency of required exams between my two dogs, as their vaccinations are only two months apart. The vet tech stated contradicting and false explanations, with her demeanor turning belligerent and insulting. This resulted in more confusion and additional concerns. In the end she was ill equipped and flustered and didn’t attempt resolution. \r \r Since Hearthstone could not explain the required exam prior to a rabies vaccine or detail the favor in which they list in their correspondence, their remedy was to terminate the relationship. With never speaking directly to the doctor, he judged me falsely through the vet tech’s fictitious accounts. They deem I am too cheap and not seeking quality care, as indicated by the correspondence sent by the doctor below. I have worked hard to attain my dream dogs; I am well aware of the cost and know this was not the initial reason for my inquiry, although the doctor and vet tech continue to insult and judge my financial abilities as their excuse. \r \r Hearthstone has proven that they are not the caring veterinary clinic they attempt to represent. Their reviews online seem suspicious, as they are each written in the exact same style and the previous negative review has mysteriously vanished. \r \r The doctor has even written the unprofessional comments on my animal’s medical record. Hearthstone behaving in this manner does not speak quality or standards. I am disappointed and embarrassed to even think I trusted my babies’ welfare in their hands.\r \r \r Note the doctor wrote on my dog’s medical record:\r \r “Owner called, she said she did not want to pay another exam fee for when she brought Sable in for the next shots. Myrna explained to her that the rabies was due, so she would need exam and then on the last set it could be a tech appointment. Owner kept bringing up the fact that I didn’t on Olive, so I had done a favor for her with Olive because we had seen that puppy recently for other issues and said it was ok. for the girls to give the shots. \r \r She was saying that Myrna was arguing with her, which she absolutely was not because I was in the room with her while she was on the phone with her. Ultimately, she just needs to try and find a vet that can better meet her needs.\r \r Ultimately, this isn’t the first time the exams and price have come up. Unfortunately, having two very large breed dogs money is always going to come into play.\r \r I would recommend either a low cost vaccine clinic, or different clinic. All will require and exam for a rabies vaccine.”\r \r \r Email received by the doctor:\r \r “After a review of recent events, we have concluded our standards of medical practice are not a good match with your choices for a continuation of a productive Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship. Therefore, at this time we are terminating our relationship with you as a client. \r \r We wish you the best of luck in finding a veterinary practice able to meet your expectations and needs for your pet(s) medical care. \r \r \r I'm sorry that you feel that we do not care about your animals and nothing could be further from the truth. I pride myself on the standards of care that we have at our facility as do our clients. I just think it's better for you to try to find a clinic that might be more willing to adapt to your needs. (I can promise you that any other veterinary facility will require an exam to give a rabies vaccine. ) I had done you guys a favor with Olive because of circumstances, and unfortunately that has turned around and worked against our clinic. \r \r \r Sincerly, \r \r \r Dr. Pelton”\r \r more

I own a dog training and boarding center. Four years ago I decided to look for a new veterinarian closer to home so I started asking my clients what they liked and didn't like about their vet clinics. I heard a lot of great things about Hearthstone Animal Clinic and especially about the vet, Dr. Pelton. I went by the clinic to meet Dr. Pelton and his staff and was very impressed. At the time I had eight dogs, five of whom were seniors who all had special needs. \r \r We've lost four of our seniors in the past two years, but each of them were able to enjoy every day they were with us and, thanks to Dr. Pelton, we had many ""bonus"" months with each. For example, three years ago I came home and found my precious Sassy laying on her bed totally unresponsive. We rushed her to Hearthstone and Dr. Pelton asked us to leave her so that he could run some tests. When we came back we were told that she had a mass on her liver that had burst and she was bleeding into her stomach. They had inserted an IV and got some fluids into her so she at least knew who we were... At her age (15 years old) and with the size of the mass, he advised us to take her home and spoil her....no amount of tests or surgery was going to help her...BUT, he gave us hope. He told us that he had seen other dogs like her pull through and go on to have a few good weeks or months. For several days she didn't seem to improve and the only thing that kept us going was the hope he gave us. Four days after we took her to Hearthstone she rallied. We had SEVEN extra months with Sassy! She ran, she played, she ate whatever she wanted...she was spoiled rotten and we enjoyed every extra moment with our girl. Any time I had questions about her I was able to email Dr. Pelton and get answers. Whenever he thought he needed to see her, I took her in. He has my absolute trust. Every time one of my seniors has issues, I just ask him what he would do if it were his dog. He's been right every time.\r \r We only have one of our seniors left and again, Dr. Pelton has found a way to give us extra time. Trigger has severe back issues and we thought we would have to make a hard decision a few months ago...but, Dr. Pelton suggested laser treatments and it has made all the difference! We made a video of Trigger before he started treatments and after he'd had four of them. Amazing! I sent the video to Dr. Pelton and he posted it on his Facebook page to help give others hope for their dogs. Trigger is almost 16 years old and is still going strong!\r \r Anytime someone asks me who my vet is I recommend Dr. Pelton. Every person comes back with glowing reports of how well they were treated and how happy they are with him and his entire staff.\r \r My dogs are not only part of my family, but they also help me with my business. Each one is special and, at Hearthstone Animal Clinic, each one is treated that way. more

Let me start by saying that all my babies love Dr Pelton and his entire staff. We have been going to Hearthstone for many years. He has always been kind and and caring and has done many things to help me out over the years. All my babies are seniors now and it is so important to me that they have a Dr that is always there to answer any question I might have.I trust his opinion and I highly recommend him. more

\r I am involved in dog rescue and Dr.Pelton has taken care of countless foster dogs as well as my personal dogs since he took over the practice in 2008. He and the entire staff treat all my dogs with care and concern and they always make me feel at home. I trust his judgment completely and am thankful to have him as our vet. more

Where to begin? Mary lights up the place when you walk in. Love all the vet techs different and great personalities. Dr Pelton's smile and care always spreads through the room. Although we have had to dip into our saving for our zoo's care.... We will do it w/out a hesitation for the best care available!! Just some of the awesomeness they have brought to us: -Treated and saved our distemper/mange suffering rescue shepherd, who is now a 2yr old wild child. -Always treats our timid geriatric girl with the care and respect she deserves. -Is frank with us and tell us how it really is. ie...doesn't push treatment/care that isn't going to help (for money purposes only!) -Tells us how cute, fun, and original our newest addition is no matter how many of that exact same looking species has come through his office :oP Thanks to EVERYONE @ HAC for all you do for our furry family members! more

My whole family loves Dr. Pelton! He's been wonderful taking care of our cats over the years, and especially for our baby Moses. I rescued my cat Moses in 2007 only a few days old and he's been cared for first by Dr. Hall at Hearthstone and then by Dr. Pelton. Over the last year Moses went through horrible episodes of blockage and ended up in the emergency hospital and eventually had a P.U. surgery. Dr. Pelton has been with us through all of this, from the first symptoms, receiving Moses after being discharged from the emergency room first thing in the morning all the way to keeping up with his recovery after surgery, he is always attentive and makes me feel like my Moses' health is a top priority whenever I call or take him in. I greatly appreciate Dr. Pelton's meticulous work and his caring staff. more

I have been going to this clinic for 20+ years. I started with Dr. Hall and then Dr. Pelton when he took over. Dr. Hall was the ""old style"" country vet. Dr. Pelton is a different style of caring animal lover. HAC has always had the best qualified and caring staff. When the place I boarded my dog changed owners, my dog would get stressed and come home sick. I now board my dog with Dr. Pelton because I know she will get great care. The entire staff is friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. My and my dog have a stress free visit whenever we go. I have no problems recommending Dr. Pelton to anyone with a dog or cat. more

We started taking our dog, who is 9, to Dr. Pelton about a year ago. He is so thorough about everything, which is very important with an older animal. His passion for animals is obvious and you just know he cares. He's taken care of strays many times, so it isn't just ""work"" for him, he genuinely cares about the animals. The staff is also wonderful and very friendly, and the clinic is so clean! There is also a pet ""boutique"" right next door, very convenient. I feel like we're in good hands when we're there! more

Dr. Pelton helped out our rescue Otis who had been tied up with a chain and had horrible neck wounds because of it....he sponsored his surgery. What a wonderful vet! He has a huge heart for rescues. It's not all about business it's about giving back too. We highly recommend this vet. more

I have been taking my dog to Hearthstone for many years. I was very happy with it prior to Dr. Pelton purchasing the clinic and am even happier now. One Sunday afternoon several moths ago my dog got very sick.. I called the clinic and Dr. Pelton called me back. He said it sounded very serious and to meet me at the clinic. When I got there, he was there with his wife and children. I asked where he had been and he told me they had been at church. It turned out that my dog had parvo. Dr. Pelton did many things that most would not do. He came up on a day the practice was closed and remained there most of the day to make sure my dog was ok. He certainly did not have to do any of that. Dr. Pelton and the rest of the staff are the most caring and compassionate people I have ever had the pleasure of working with. I am a customer for life. more

Marie and the Dr and the whole staff for that matter are great. Pros: kind and honest more

Okay, I probably sound like a huge brown-noser, but seriously, guys, I will NEVER take my pets anywhere else. In fact, I actually live in Austin and am totally willing to drive into Houston to take my babies to Dr Pelton. The whole staff there is absolutely amazing. You can tell that everyone who works there, from the Techs to the lovely front desk woman, really cares about your pets and their health. The office is spotless and very homey, which I find very comforting. Recently, my cat had an emergency life-threatening situation and while the vet I took him to in Austin wanted me to put him down and was overpriced and understaffed, Dr Pelton gave me ALL of my options and was prepared to follow through on a plan to save my baby's life. And he did! And I saved hundreds of dollars to boot! Pros: Price, Excellent Staff, Well-Informed Doctor, Great Communication With Clients Cons: There aren't clones of these people! more

I have worked with many vets through the years and I have NEVER had a clinic or a Vet as NICE as Dr Pelton and his staff. They are very friendly and really seem to care about you and your pets. Dr Pelton and all of his staff will take as much time with you as needed to make sure that you undertand everything and are comfortable with a treatment plan. They are very reasonably priced and I have not seen them try to dig into any pockets. I would highly recommend this office. They have excellent comunication and follow up skills. Thanks to Dr Pelton and his staff. Pros: Friendly Vet & Staff, reasonably priced, feels like family for your pet more

My Dogs have been going to Hearthstone Animal Clinic since I first got them at 7 weeks of age. They have provided fast, friendly, efficient, and cost effective service. They have provided all the necessary medicine, tests, and other such services in the above listed manner. I have full confidence in the vets at this location and would recommend them to any Labrador Retriever Owners out there. Pros: Everything Cons: Nothing more

Hearthstone Animal Hospital is now under new and excellent management. Dr. Steven Pelton is the owner and veterinarian. My cats have been under Dr. Pelton's care for about 6 years now. He was previously the Medical Director at the VCA Spring Branch Animal Hospital. I initially sought out his help when one of my cats was diagnosed with symptoms of FIV. Dr. Pelton was the first veterinarian I could find who was willing to work with me to help Squeaky live out the remainder of his life in the best possible health given his condition. Subsequently, two of my other cats were diagnosed with renal failure in their old age. There again, Dr. Pelton was willing to do extra research on the new medications that were being introduced at the time and to work with me in trying some of those medications in a balanced regiment of diet and supplements to improve the quality of life for my cats. Even with advanced renal failure, they continued to live good quality lives for several more years each. When one of my other cats was diagnosed with fibro sarcoma, a fast growing form of cancer, Dr. Pelton didn't hesitate to refer me to the finest advanced animal oncology unit in the area, the Gulf Coast Specialty Clinic. After his referral and their amazing help, this cat is now into his second year of remission with all good hope for future good health and absence from cancer. I drive one and a half hours in congested Houston traffic to Dr. Pelton's office. I wouldn't consider going to any other vet. He and his excellent staff get 5 stars and then an extra 5 for all the kindness and consideration they give to their clients. Pros: Everything Cons: Nothing more

Have used Dr. Hall for over 12 years for my two dogs. He has always been thorough and honest about their treatment. When my dog was diagnosed with cancer, Dr. Hall did not recommend unnecessary, expensive follow-up treatments that would not have resulted in any better quality of life for the dog. The dog is doing great two years out from the operation! more

Dr. Sterling Hall and Hearthstone Animal Clinic have been our Vet for 14 years. His expertise and compassionate treament has been instrumental in keeping my cats and dogs well. His staff has been especially helpful and never too busy to answer questions even by phone. He has been there when our animals turned 19 years of age, helping us get referrals to the best specialists in town. And, he was there for check-out and encouragement for our new rescues. Even if we moved from the area, we'd be coming back to this experienced and knowledgable 'Aggie'. I recommend his office highly for anyone in the N.W. Houston, Copperfield-Hearthstone-Lakes of Eldridge area. Pros: Easy Huffmeister-529 access. Listens to us and never rushes with our pets. more

I took my two puppies for free pet exam and planned to have Dr Hall to be their vets in the future in case they would get sick in the future. However, after I declined to have fecal analysis, vacinations, and flea/tick treatments, their service turned into nothing. He did not say anything regarding what they saw in the exam. They even denied my puppies were there when 1800PetMeds called them multiple times. Pros: Nothing Cons: Deep pockets, pushy more