I have been taking my animals to Valencia Animal Hospital for as long as they have been open. The current vet, Dr. Claire Zepeda, is a doctor who wants to work with you on the best plan for your pet. I took an older cat who I was trying to add to my pet family. The others were declawed, and he wasn't, so I asked Dr. Zepeda to declaw him for the safety of the others. She told me she wouldn't because Spaz was 9 years old, but I could probably take him elsewhere and find someone else that would. I got a little upset at that. Dr. Zepeda went on to explain about the issues she had seen in some older cats who had been declawed, and the fact that it takes longer for them to heal. It wasn't a horror story discussion. We had a frank and honest question and answer session that allowed me to make an informed decision that worked for my cat-- and one rather confused doxie--family. ﾠAt that point I saw that Dr. Zepeda really cared about what happened to my "kids." ﾠShe's been looking after the 4 cats and just did surgery on the doxie.

 

The Techs are wonderful, caring ladies too. Every time I bring my cats or dog in for an appointment that doesn't require a vet exam, like for a nail clip or something, they make sure to greet my pets by name and reassure them. They know the little quirks each animal has and respect their needs.

 

I have only seen Dr. Mayer once, and she was very thorough as she explained what was going on with my dog's skin growth--which turned out to be more than I thought it was. [Dr. Zepeda took it off today. Now we wait for the biopsy report.]

 

The other good thing about Valencia Animal Hospital is that you get an estimate of what your costs will be before anything is done. You have the option of doing all or none of what is listed on the sheet. You are in control of what ultimately happens. Of course, everyone hopes you'll be able to do the best plan for your pet, but realistically they know that money only goes so far. They accept the Care Credit program which is a good thing if you need to extend payments out over time.

 

The bottom line is if you want a place where you will get an honest straight forward answer as to what your pet needs, this is the place. They will use conventional or holistic, natural methods. Questions are welcomed. How else will we learn if we don't ask questions?