The Pet Doctors of Sherman Oaks

**********DR. LAURA BUNTROCK IS HORRIBLE!!!*********
Yes I’ve had bad experiences in life but I’ve never complained before on Unilocal or anywhere else, I just let it go, but I can’t let this go.
This was a good place and I loved Dr. Caldwell! I’ve been going there for over 5 years. He was caring, took his time and did a great job with my Chihuahua. We always left feeling safe and happy but he left last summer.
After Dr. Caldwell left I decided to go to the new vet they had DR. LAURA BUNTROCK who sucks! BIG MISTAKE!!!
All the rest are good, Dr. Achenbach, Dr. Cox and Dr. Dulake are caring and listen.
DR. BUNTROCK is pushy and aggressive and I felt like she was just trying to sell me everything under the sun without explaining the severity!!!
DR. BUNTROCK lacked compassion or patience toward me or my senior dog. it was just buy buy buy stuff!!!
My dog had elevated kidney and liver numbers.
DR. BUNTROCK never told me this was a life threatening situation!!!
DR. BUNTROCK was talking fast and trying to sell me everything she could and i felt that. it felt bad!!!
When i asked a question she would cut me off and keep rambling on dominating the conversation.
When i asked her to stop talking for a minute and answer some questions I had so i could understand, she just did it again.
Then i stopped her and told her she was being unprofessional. She answered by telling me i was unprofessional… excuse me???
I’m a paying customer that had been going there for years and spent thousands of dollars there. How dare you talk to a paying customer that has concerns about their beloved dog like that. YOU SUCK DR. BUNTROCK!!!
I called and complained to the manager Daniel, but nobody did anything else about it.
…and nobody followed up with me after that to still explain to me what was going on with my dog or how severe it was. WTF???
I called to complain about what the vet was telling me to do, and nobody helped me figure out a plan of action.
DR. LAURA BUNTROCK freeked me out and after complaining and having nobody help me, i didn’t think it was that serious. my dog acted totally normal. How should i know, I’ve never delt with this before. that’s what vets are for and i spent a lot of money there. sometimes vet say a lot of stuff but it doesn’t mean you have to get it all done. I didn’t know my dog would die from this!!!
I am so pissed off at these people!!! I HATE DR. LAURA BUNTROCK!!!
I went back almost 3 months later because my dog didn’t eat one day to see a different vet, infact i saw all 3 –Dr. Achenbach, Dr. Cox and Dr. Dulake, because i didn’t trust any of them anymore. these ladies were all very nice and they all told me my dogs situation was terminal. OMG!!!
for almost 3 months i could have done more to prolong and slow down my dogs kidney disease and he may have lived longer.
But DR. LAURA BUNTROCK did not tell me this, she was just trying to get me to buy lots of stuff with out explaining. i hate this lady so much! My dog died less than a month later, after i was told he had 3 months to a year left!!!
I hate you DR. LAURA BUNTROCK! and yes I blame you for not talking to me… you talked at me… you suck!!!
And DR. LAURA BUNTROCK didn’t explain the severity of the situation and nobody bothered to call me back in dec. after the 2^nd blood test to tell me this was something to take seriously after i talked to the manager and complained. I guess i was just $$$ in their eyes
I have never delt with this before so how could i have known, that’s what vets are for… to talk to you… not at you… and to help you understand what the situation is and what you need to get done vs. what can wait.
I loved Dr. Caldwell, he was the best.
Stay away from DR. LAURA BUNTROCK! I HATE YOU SO MUCH!!!
THIS IS REALLY BAD BUSINESS BEHAVIOR!!!

Since Dr. Caldwell left, I didn’t know who to see. Dr Cox was suggested and I love her. Outstanding doctor. Everyone there is outstanding. I am so lucky to have found The Pet Doctors of Sherman Oaks.

If I can stop ONE person from going here, I did my best. To be honest, the doctor was friendly, very careful, checked my dog just fine. That being said I went in for an eye infection and they did an entire senior pet analysis for an extra 200 something dollars. I paid $ 501 and I ended up at a animal vision center down the road, where I paid an additional 300 something, which made my entire visit here unnecessary. Like any vet, they will do extra examinations to charge you more. Guaranteed! With a smile. :)

Every single person in that office that I have met, talked to on the phone or seen as our Dr. has been exceptional. I ask a million questions, forget most answers and ask again and they are always so kind. I have a pretty sick pup with chronic lung probs so i’m there every few months. Its true they are not the cheapest BUT you get what you pay for and then some here. Ill pay a few more bucks any day (and really its just maybe a few more– if even that) to make sure my pups are in amazing hands. Their front desk staff also deserves to be mentioned– really, really nice people, always positive and always call back when they say they will. If I could give more than 5 stars I would.

My fiancé and I have been bringing our new puppy here for a couple months now. The short version, they charge too much and provide okay service.
I brought my dog before to see why he’s been having irregular bowel movements. After hundreds of dollars and unnecessary medication, apparently all I needed to do was change his food. Which I found out from a suggestion from a fiend.
Now I brought him in today to check for a skin disease. When my older dog was going through the same thing, our old vet ran a blood test, found out about he problem, and assigned the medication, all around $ 250. I’m already at over $ 300 with no medication and no results.
I’m presuming that my situation is unique to me. Everyone else who’s walking in and out seems to be pretty happy and or satisfied with their pet care. But for me, it’s time for a new vet.

The doctors here are so kind! I recently switched from Beverly Oaks and I couldn’t be happier. Thank you Dr. Dulake

Took my baby Yoshi here because he wasn’t feeling well. Although they didn’t find anything wrong I thought the service was good and they were nice. I’d go back.

My little dog Bob hasn’t seen a vet in years, but having to board him over the holidays required him getting his shots updated. Having recently moved to the Valley and after reading other reviews I decided to give The Pet Doctors a shot. What a pleasant experience. A 9am appointment, actually meant 9am and the entire staff was friendly, knowledgeable and loving. They exceeded my expectations in every way and I am sure will exceed yours as well. :)

Great care for my kitten. They dealt with me changing my appointment 3 times gracefully too. Thanks guys!

Very high-​priced. wanting me to spend over 1000 dollars just for my dogs skin allergies.

There is not a time I have taken my puppy here that they don’t try to up sell us on something completely unnecessary. At first we tried to give them the benefit of the doubt, but now I feel outright right taken advantage of. Today will be the last time we take our puppy to The Pet Doctors of Sherman Oaks. All we needed was her nails trimmed, anals expressed, and a copy of her vaccination records to fly and they charged us $ 80 total. $ 35 for a «health certificate» (which I told them I don’t need Bc I’m flying domestically, I only needed a copy of the vacc records). Even though we were just there 11 days ago for a full exam, they wanted us to do another one! And then when we explained we just had an exam for the sole purpose of flying, they made sure to tell us they waived the exam fee for the health certificate. On top of that, they didn’t tell us about the $ 35 certificate charge until the card was being swiped.
It’s absurd and gross how much they will say «oh well, even though your puppy had an exam last week, you still need to have her examined for her rabies shot». They do not practice what’s in the best interest of the animal, it’s what’s in the best interest for their bottom line. And please know, I do not ever write negative reviews. So I hope that $ 35 was worth it to you guys Bc you just lost us as customers and I will make sure to let everyone know how I feel. Not for revenge, but in the hopes that you up your ethical standards of practice because they are totally nonexistent.

I decided to change veterinary clinics, and I don’t regret it one bit!
I just took my little 9 week old Pomeranian, Jax about a week ago to get his first puppy visit, and vaccinations and I could not have been more pleased with The Pet Doctors services. Jax’s veterinarian was Dr. Cox and she was excellent! I loved how patient she was and how thoroughly she explained everything to us. She answered every question we had with grace and great knowledge.
My puppy is so much healthier now, no more diarrhea! YAY for JAX≠]

I had a very positive experience. Everyone from the front desk staff to the back office techs were kind and friendly to me and to my sick dog.
Dr. Dulake did not rush me and even emailed me the next day to see how my dog was doing.
The medical advice was sound, and my dog improved soon after the visit.
I really liked the personal treatment I received from both the front and back office staff.

I adopted 2 shelter kitties (they were 16 months old, bonded pair, not related) just over 2 years ago, and of course, immediately took them to see Dr. Caldwell and The Pet Doctors. Although I have since moved ‘over the hill’, this is still our vet as I trust them completely. One of my little ones needed some extensive dental work and this is the only place I would take them. As always, Dr. Caldwell and the entire staff are kind, loving and very understanding of me as a new cat (s) Mom.

Everyone here is great with my dogs. Dr. Cox is very thorough, one of my dogs has a very thick file, she read though it and summarized it so she knows all the key elements of her case every time we come in. My dog loves it here as well, she is calm the whole time, which is a first… my dog is usually very nervous at the vets office.

I’ve taken my very very large dog to a vet for years, and while the treatments were always spot on and effective, they were quite abrupt with him. He’d always leave a nervous wreck and pee on the floor. By happenstance, my vet’s office was closed one day a few months back and so I looked on Unilocal and found this office. Dr. Cox was so kind, patient and slowly worked with him. She let him sniff around and get familiar with her, and worked slowly with him as she examined him so as not to upset him. I have to take him to a vet tomorrow for what I think are ear mites, and I’ve decided to ditch my old vet and am making The Pet Doctors my regular vet clinic.

I’ve had no issues here and I have been in roughly 20 times, anything from derm issues to nail trim. No doubt — this place is not a budget vet. I can wholeheartedly say that because when I got my Weimaraner fixed, it was at the tune of 600. Have a second dog now and that little guy will get fixed elsewhere under 100. So pick and choose your battles with this place, but overall, I do recommend it.

We recommend Pet Doctors of Sherman Oaks, especially Dr. Caldwell, who is the most kind, compassionate, competent vet my spouse and I have ever encountered.
When our dear Wheaten came in with severe neurological problems, he was so gentle with us. He walked us though the possible outcomes in a calm, loving way and referred us to the right specialist at VCA Pet Hospital.
We have since brought in our other babies for their regular care. All have been treated with the same love, care and competence.
The front desk staff and vet techs are also excellent. You don’t have to chase them to get an appointment, and they always find a spot on the schedule if you have an emergency. The front area is always clean with fresh water and snacks ready.

I said I would update my review, and now I am back to do it! Auggie’s care under Dr. Cox has been extraordinary. She has helped him through his disc issues, seizures, and weight problems so that he is now a perfectly happy and healthy pup. Everyone who meets him thinks that he is a puppy! Dr. Cox is so kind to him and helpful. She understands our budgetary needs whenever we go in and can help us prioritize. Most importantly, she keeps my pet healthy.
Front desk staff members are also helpful, speedy, and patient. I cannot recommend this place enough!

The Pet Doctors is a fantastic place! Dr. Calder is so great with my dog — you can tell immediately he really cares. I’ve taken Strider here since he was a puppy — and had a few unfortunate emergency visits thanks to a naughty black Lab — all with good results thanks to the vets at The Pet Doctors. After what seemed like months of trying to figure out some lameness issues in my then one-​year-​old pup, Dr. Calder helped diagnose a problem with an extra growth on Strider’s front paw pad and recommended a surgeon. Post surgery he’s a normal, crazy, highly-​active Labrador and healthy as can be, which makes us both so happy!
Better yet, the front desk staff is friendly, welcoming, kind too. I’d highly recommend them!

We have three animals (2 cats and a dog) so needless to say we go to the vet more than your average person. We found The Pet Doctors of Sherman Oaks (after being very disappointed by the service of another vet in the area) and haven’t looked back since. We’ve been going here for the past 2 years — they have been with us through the adoption of both of our cats and a feline leukemia scare, always being supportive, informative and affordable.

I’ve been taking my two small dogs here since moving to Sherman Oaks in 2007. I’ve had excellent experiences with all of the doctors, techs, and front desk staff. Dr. Caldwell in particular has provided us excellent service, and I always feel that my dogs are in great hands. Every once in a while I even see the Doctor walking his own dog around the neighborhood and say hi!
The facilities are always clean and neat. The front desk staff is always friendly and efficient. I’ve never had an experience of waiting an extended period in the exam room before seeing a doctor.
I’ve taken the dogs here for everything from routine annual checkups to post-​operations stabilization care. Best thing I can say is that my dogs are extremely healthy (based on recent annual bloodwork and exam)!
Thanks Pet Doctors!

I had a very poor experience here — (If you don’t want to read this full review, please skip to the last two paragraphs, well worth the read) I was trying to see Dr. Cox because I wanted a second opinion on one of my cats. Please keep in mind I am not a new cat or dog owner, I am very familiar with their habits and behaviors, cost and fees and so forth.
Anyhow my cat had been losing some weight and had what appeared to be an infected nail the week prior but cleared up. Nonetheless my cat is under a year old, I got him from a shelter and I was worried he may have a more serious condition underlying here for his weight loss. I arrived on time to my appointment for Dr. Cox, I didn’t get put in a room until about 40 minutes after arrival, I believe my appointment was 910 and I got put in a room at 945 or so, and didn’t see the doctor until another 5 – 10 minutes. She examined my cat, which is fine. But I had told the staff multiple times on the phone I need blood work, so my cat had fasted over night for this as they instructed. Again mentioned this to the Dr, just so I can get to the bottom of what was going on or have a better idea.
She started rambling on about different options for my pet — heating up food, trying different kinds — basically everything we had already done, and then said maybe there specific food would help, various different tests we could run and test for. Finally when the exam was over she sent a vet tech in to present me with a bill of my treatment options which totaled to $ 600. I felt really taken back at the fact that the doctor had the audacity to suggest so many options for my cat when a simple blood test had yet to be done, and personally I felt like I was trying to be taken for a ride.
Also keep in mind I asked multiple times what the exam fee was, no one knew, the person who courted us into the room said she thought it was $ 56 but then said she would have to double check — never heard back.
The doctor attempted to make a connection with myself and my cat, but I really wasn’t having it — you know when you feel like you’re trying to be conned — that’s exactly how it felt. I’m a straight shooter, so I don’t appreciate this type of behavior. I found them off Unilocal,the good reviews are clearly lies.
On top of it they charge over $ 200 for a blood test for a cat, which I walked out without having done — my poor cat was starving by the time he got home. Maybe you’re not aware but a human blood test runs at about $ 120 — so if you’re curious if their prices are gauging, they are!
THIS PLACE IS A RIP OFF BEWARE. THEY WANT TO UPSELL WHAT APPEARS TO BE NEW PET OWNERS AND SCARE THEM INTO OVERPRICED TESTING. Their exam alone was $ 58 just to look at my cat — a procedure which took all of 10 minutes, was inconclusive and instead presented me with some outrages treatment option bill. I felt like I paid $ 58 to wait in a waiting room for longer than my cat was seen.

Still think they are the best! My Baby is 19 now and Dr. Cox is wonderful. The entire staff is sweet and helpful.

I transferred my kitties here from a vet in Burbank and have been pleased with the service.
I have had both Drs Cox and Winhoffer and both are good at what they do. I brought my cat in with what ended up being an indicator of something more serious.
All along the treatment, they were very thorough with what was going on and were able to explain things on ways I could understand. They also outlined two pricing plans — high end and basic. Yea, it gets a little pricey, but I’d say it’s to be expected.
They never forced treatments but simply made suggestions. Dr Cox was very relatable and personable and had a lot of compassion in an otherwise sad pet situation.
The only question mark is, my cat needed to stay at an overnight emergency clinic (down the street) a few nights. I had to pick him up in the mornings and bring him back at night. While I was thankful for the time to see him, I could see how this may be an inconvenience for someone with less flexible work hours.
The front desk staff was usually pretty good. Some more than others, of course. The vet tech who brought my cat to me was careful and kind as well.
Overall I’m pleased with this place and have referred it to others.
Additional note: when my kitty ultimately ended up crossing the rainbow bridge, I got a sympathy card in the mail signed by everyone in the office. It was a nice, personal touch.

Love the care and attention here. The vets we’ve worked with are great. Empathic and knowledgable.
The care is reasonably priced. The place is easy to find, clean and has convenient parking.