Veterinary Medical Center North–University of Minnesota

We were referred here by our normal vet after our family dog was mauled by our neighbor’s unsupervised and unleashed pitbull after it had leaped over the fence. The injuries were severe and unfortunately our dog succumbed to them days later. Dr. Lawrence was fantastic however. She was very upfront with us about the prognosis as well as the cost of everything. We worked with another doctor as well one night, and she was good too. I just can’t recall her name at this time. They were really good about keeping us updated about our dog. And while he didn’t make it, we are still happy with the quality of care received here

I took my dog to urgent care with vague symptoms that started that day. Everything was prompt, the providers laid out all the diagnostic and treatment options to me with explicit pricing. They found that he was in an Addisonian crisis with the very first test. Everyone was so sweet to him and were patient with me and all of my endless questions. They were very concerned with my subjective observations. They gave me a clear understanding of the path forward and when I got to take him home, called daily to check in. Truly amazing and trustworthy care. The only down side is they are more expensive than my local vet.

I love a lot of the folks we worked with here and who helped us, but the level of care received is very hit or miss and dependent upon who is working with you. My dog had a tumor and we had been coming here for three years to receive treatment. In October/November, they recommended we do surgery on our dog after two years of telling us it was not feasible. The surgeon was French and was kind enough to give us a surgical briefing, answer our questions, and even provided diagrams on a whiteboard. He was very optimistic that the surgery would be successful. Before we could schedule the surgery, a different doctor examined our dog and recommended euthanasia. When asked about the surgery, she explained how it would be a bad decision and surgery would only make things worse for our boy. She said the previous surgeons notes indicated that surgery would be a bad decision and that he advocated against it - this was not what he (the surgeon) explained to us on two separate occasions. I am very disappointed in the surgeon, he seemed overly confident and almost costed us over $10k in bills and the unnecessary trauma our dog would have gone through. There are amazing folks working here but also a number of folks who shouldn't be employed from the admin staff to doctors. Last, there should be mats/rugs along the floor next to the walls to help dogs who struggle with carts/buggies and want to walk but struggle due to the slick floors. I will help buy them myself for others to use if necessary. In short: mixed communications, poor communication, and a couple of administrative staff who lack empathy and tack, and a surgeon who shouldn't be there. Also - some great staff members and doctors who were always very kind and informative.

Brought my cat in because he was vomiting repeatedly, and found out that he'd swallowed approximately a foot string. It ended up being an emergency surgery in the middle of the night situation, but they saved his life. The surgeon was amazing and kind, and did a wonderful job of explaining everything to me. The staff at the front desk was caring and compassionate; I saw them dealing with people going through incredibly difficult situations with grace and kindness during the time that I was waiting. After the surgery, the doctor called me several times to update me, and they called after he was home to check on him. I called them on his fourth day home because I was concerned about his appetite, and the doctor on call talked me through what was happening and put my mind at ease. I feel very fortunate to have been able to access their care. I also went home and immediately signed up for pet insurance- just like human emergency room visits, pet emergency services aren't cheap!

Our Pepé was the best little guy we’ve ever had the joy of raising. He had so much kindness and liveliness packed in his five pound body. He did however, also pack quite a few health problems as well. Thanks to the phenomenal team, we were able to get a few extra years with him before his passing, managing his seizures and IBD well. We also received phenomenal end of life care for him as well when he developed liver problems that didn’t take to treatment. He passed in early October and he is missed every day. Thank you for doing your best to give us extra days and keeping him in comfort until the end.