Burnet Road Animal Hospital

I want to thank Dr. Simmons, Dr. Toth and their assistants at Burnet Road Animal Hospital. They have taken such good care of my dog, Tommy, for several years. He lived to be nearly 13 years old and had a heart condition. As he passed away today, both doctors and assistants were with him. They showed so much love and compassion for Tommy and for me and my daughter.
I am so thankful that I found Burnet Road Animal Hospital.

This place is so good. I had been dealing with some really «trendy» vets with a lot of overhead in Austin. Unfortunately, their charges were really expensive. And they curiously always wanted to jump at doing surgery and procedures.
The reality is that the surgeries and procedures weren’t always needed, as I suspected. So after talking to some neighbors, I tried out Burnet Road. These vets are great and clearly have a lot of experience and know what they were doing. This was a million times better than dealing with the younger vets at the trendy vet hospitals in Austin that clearly don’t have the experience to offer good advice for my dog.

I am a born & raised Austinite & my family has used Burnet Road vet clinic since the 1970’s. I love Dr. Simmons & Dr. Toth. We are currently going through our first end of life season with our 16 year old cat. It’s a confusing & difficult time. The compassion, gentleness & kindness the entire office has shown us is such a blessing. I greatly appreciate their direction & willingness to answer all my question as we navigate the most merciful treatment of our kitty moving forward.

My parents always took our animals here, now I take my cat, Boo. Today was our first visit, and even as new patients, we were treated like family. Everyone was so sweet, and they loved Boo. Definitely recommended.

They are very straightforward, very knowledgeable, and very low-​key. We are a big pet household (big pets, and many of them), and rely on them for everything. I can’t recommend them enough.

Now they are open on Saturday! For a little bit, but it’s better than nothing :) I came in today because I’ve found little worms near my cat’s butt the other day. We got vaccines (I’ve been putting that off because he is so difficult to put into his kennel) and we got a topical tapeworm treatment. I found out today that he’s got a cavity or something. The vet pointed out a red dot on his tooth… Better to catch it now, right? I haven’t been brushing his teeth, but I’ve been giving him «dental treats,» so take care of their teeth, y’all.
One thing that is a little annoying is that I’ve called them 6 times at least and they only answered once. Is the phone number different from what I have? Is it trying to forward it somewhere? Are the lines full? What?

We have gone here for our other pets numerous times and it has been okay but today was terrible. We dropped out lab off for a 3 day boarding. When I went in to pick him up today the receptionist asked me how long he stayed for and if I had his records. The copy of his records were clearly laying in front of her in his file on top. I thought all dogs who stay in boarding have to have those up front anyways. Then as soon as we get our dog back the first thing he does in the parking lot is take a giant bathroom break. This seemed a little off and made me wonder when the last time he was out was. Then as soon as we get in the car I was overcome with the smell of urine. Our dog reeked of urine. I should have just gone back in immediately and demanded a refund. We called and they did offer to give him a bath but the next day. No thank you I will just bath him myself because I dont want him running around my house for 24 hours reeking of urine. I will never take my dog back here EVER again.

Both Dr Simmons and Dr Toth have been treating my puggle since I got her as a puppy in December of 2006. She has had a lot of ups and downs over the years and they have taken wonderful care of her. I love the fact that they treat both her and I as if we were family!

I honestly could not ask for a more knowledgeable, caring veterinarian than Dr. Everett Simmons. My family & I have been taking our pets here for over 30 years, & have had nothing but positive experiences. It is extremely difficult to find a vet who actually cares about his clients, as most others I’ve encountered or heard horror stories about are money-​hungry with no bedside manner. This is NOT the case with Dr. Simmons — He is a brilliant man who will do his best to treat/​save your pet without breaking your bank. My most recent situation involved my rescue Dachshund (Pretzel), who’s mission in life is to chase seagulls on the beaches of Port Aransas. With this being said, I was devastated when he went from acting somewhat «lame» to full-​blown «seal-​mode» (ie. paralyzed on his rear-​end) within a matter of 48 hours. I assumed that I would need to invest in a set of «Weenie Wheels» for him to use so he could still run down the beach, given the fact that back surgery is a risky, expensive, & extremely difficult surgery. I appreciated that Dr. Simmons did not refer to me to get a myelogram, as it’s very pricey; rather, he performed the surgery & relieved pressure along Pretzel’s spinal column in areas where he knew were statistically highly-​probable for causing such paralysis. How many other veterinarians are brilliant enough to perform such a procedure with such confidence? Within 16 hours post-​operation, I received a video from the BRAH staff which showed Pretzel WALKING! Dr. Simmons was right there beside him as he took his first steps, post-​surgery. Talk about a compassionate man — I was so thankful that he was able to give my baby his legs back so that he could chase seagulls on the beach again! I also appreciate the polite, caring staff at the front desk — Particularly Marilyn (Receptionist), Kathryn (Office Manager), & Tracey (Receptionist/​Vet Tech) — Thank you all very much! And most importantly, THANK YOU, Dr. Simmons, for your 30+ years of consistently kind, reasonably-​priced, insightful, & successful treatments of my beloved pets!

My 100# & 90# black labs actually look forward to coming to the vet! The folks are so kind and spend extra time making my furry kids feel welcome.
The Father-​Son vet team bring decades of experience to the table. Plus, my dogs will never forget seeing a squealing pig or a fluffy bunny!

I can’t recommend this place highly enough! I’ve been twice, and have seen both father and son at this point, and both knocked the socks off any other vet care my dog has had in Austin. The staff is very warm and friendly, the prices are wonderful compared to what I’ve paid in the past, and the care and attention my dog received made me very, very happy. No one looks forward to taking their animal to the vet, but let’s just say that Zoe and I are both a lot happier when that visit is to Burnet Road Animal Hospital.

I tried to write a «softer» generic review, but Unilocal told me I wasn’t specific enough, so here goes. The service and care here used to be great, but in the last couple of years it has really gone downhill. There seems to be some discord going on among staff and doctors that has severely affected their practice.
Both my dogs came home very sick after staying here for a couple of days. When one of my dogs had to stay there because they couldn’t seem to figure out what was wrong with her, she was sent home with her backside covered in feces, so she had obviously been stuck in the cage in her own poop. Many times I have had to take my pets back numerous times for the same issue.
But the worst part of this practice is how extremely rude the receptionist is. One of the doctors told me she decides she just doesn’t like someone and starts treating them badly. He said he knew he had lost other clients due to her behavior. He asked me to write a confidential letter to all doctors which I did and personally handed to them. The «other» doctor then showed it to the receptionist who, guess what, was even more rude the next time I came in.
When I approached the other doctor, he responded by telling me once in eight years I had been rude to his staff. I am big on making amends, but never heard about this incident or I would have apologized. I still don’t think that accounts for me being thrown under the bus by the sharing of my confidential letter (which I was ASKED to write) explaining my disappointment that my dog had crusted feces on her backside and the constant rude behavior of the receptionist. Evidently, my asking for accountability for my pets care and requesting the name of the person I was speaking with has made me a «difficult» client.
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This practice is poorly managed and extremely unprofessional! While one of the doctors and several of the techs are very caring and competent, it doesn’t outweigh the rude behavior and uncomfortable environment when there are so many other welcoming vet practices in Austin. I have found a new vet who treats me with respect and has a clean clinic with friendly staff.

Let me start off by saying I took my Dachshund here a couple years back because of swelling in his face. Aside from picking up medications here and there, why I strayed from returning for so long remains a mystery to me. I am so happy about our rekindled relationship!
Vet Tech Steve has been absolutely amazing, informative, and extremely patient with me. The first time I called Burnet Road Animal Hospital we were on the phone at least 20 minutes. He answered every single question I had about both of my dogs. Although I felt bad for keeping him on the phone for so long, I appreciated every word of advice he had to offer and completely trust him.
After having an extremely unpleasant experience with another vet in town, I was relieved to find a vet that actually cares about my fur children as much as I do.
Dr. Simmons actually SAT DOWN with me to explain every question I had about one of my dog’s medications. His staff is AMAZING and even helped me take my crazy pups to the car at the end of the visit. I feel completely comfortable here and highly recommend this clinic. My pups enjoyed the love and treats that were offered to them, and I even met a fellow Dachshund lover! My fur children now have an adoptive, loving family as Burnet Road Animal Hospital.
Although I hope to not have to revisit the vet until their vaccinations are due, I can’t wait to see Dr. Simmons and his staff again!
Thank you all!
–Hailey, Jack and Meila

I cannot say enough great things about this veterinarian’s office. We took our Basset mix there on a suggestion from a friend, as they said the vets there are good with Dachshund/​Basset body types. We hope to be lifelong clients of Dr Simmons and Dr Toth — excellent doctors, warm, and friendly. My older dog doesn’t do well with male strangers, but I can tell the vet techs there are experienced animal handlers by the way they approach him. Thank you to everyone at Burnet Road Animal Hospital!

I simply can’t say enough good things about this vet. The doctors are kind, attentive, and always explain every single detail of your pet’s ailment/​treatment/​costs to you, giving you all the information so you can make a truly informed decision. Dr. Toth has called me and spent upwards of 30 minutes on the phone giving me updates on the status and continued treatment of my sick cat.
I just started bringing my two dogs here for shots and flea treatments a few months back, but I had never brought either of my two cats. Two nights ago, my male tabby cat had a blocked urinary tract (quickly fatal in male cats), and the speed at which he deteriorated was terrifying. I hightailed it to the 24 hour emergency vet clinic – and while I’m glad such places are available, the $ 1100 bill I was hit with was insane. The next morning I took my kitty straight over to BRAH, and he’s been there the past day and will be staying over the weekend. They let me come and go as needed to visit and comfort him, never making me wait, always available to answer in-​depth questions. And the best part is, I know I won’t be hit with another huge bill. Dr. Toth takes the time to weigh all the options in terms of cost and efficiency, and makes sure I know exactly what I’m paying for.
The whole staff is just absolutely wonderful, so cheerful and welcoming, and they remember me and my pets when we come in. I noticed on the wall of the clinic some common family names in the veterinary school diplomas; so, it appears this place is just a good old-​fashioned family business making Austin a happier place one pet at a time. Even if I moved way down south, I’d still take the time to schlep up here for pet care. The best.

We have been taking our two cats and two dogs here since we moved to Austin in 2005. Sadly, we had to put down one of our dogs a few weeks ago after a 6 month bout with nasal cancer. Dr. Simmons and the rest of the staff were extremely professional, polite, sensitive, and respectful during the entire process. We even received a sympathy card in the mail a few days later, which was signed by the entire staff. I have recommended them to numerous people and will continue to do so. These folks truly care about the pets AND the owners that visit their office. Thanks from the bottom of our hearts for making a difficult situation a bit more bearable.

Excellent clinic. Extremely friendly and helpful staff.

My Bouvier des Flandres was loosing clumps of hair and the vet I was going to was not returning calls about test results or what my baby’s problem after weeks of taking him there. BRAH looked at him and properly diagnosed his cancer on the first visit — tested and confirmed and removed the tumor. He was better immediately and it gave me another year and a half with him.
This is the most caring and best animal hospital I have ever found and have been going there for over 12 years. Friendly staff and very knowledgable doctors. Highly recommended.

I have been taking my cats to Burnet Road Animal hospital since 2003. I have always been impressed with their practice. All of the vets do an excellent job of hitting the right balance of providing excellent care without overtreating. In the past I have been to vets where when I questioned the financial reasonabilty of tests/​procedures what I heard back from the vet was «But if you really love your cat you wouldn’t question spending $ 5000 on a test/​procedure». I have never felt this way at Burnet Road Animal Hospital.
A few weeks ago I finally had to let my 17 year old cat who was in the final stages of kidney disease go. I was overwhelmed at how kind all the doctors and staff were. Not only were they kind to me while I was in the office, every staff member took the time to sign a condolance card that I received two days later. This was a small act that made a lot of difference to my grief.
A friend of mine once said, «I almost want to get another cat just so I will have a reason to go see Drs Simmons/​Toth/​simmons again.» I am not quite there yet, but I certainly understand the sentiment.

I have been taking my pets here since I moved to Austin. Originally, I lived up north and it was convenient, but when I moved south 8 years ago and adopted a new puppy, I called around in my area, and Burnet Road Animal Hospital’s puppy vaccination prices were far better than any veterinary clinic in close to my house.
Dr Simmons (there are 2 of them — father and son), is kind, patient and really great with my dogs and me. And I mean both of them.
Last night, after hours, I had a scare with my dog Toby that I adopted in February. He is older, nearly 10 years. After a blood pressure raising evening at one of those emergency after hours clinics and more than $ 500 (with them only wanting 4x more had I stayed) I took him home.
I called Burnet Road Animal Hospital first thing this morning. They told me to bring him right in, even though I had no appointment, and saw him immediately. I was allowed to stay in the room with Toby while Dr. Simmons and his staff ran tests and did diagnostics.
It turns out that my Toby is very sick, he has heart disease. Dr. Simmons was kind, offered an affordable course of treatment to try. The bill was $ 100.60 and the medicine for a 30 day supply at the pharmacy — $ 21. He gave me great instructions and asked me to call if anything looked out of whack. When I asked about all the tests the other place wanted to run, he indicated that they would likely lead to the same conclusion.
The staff there is kind, friendly and they remember me and my dogs.
If you want expensive cold care — go somewhere else. If you want first rate, reasonable care with a staff that cares. Burnet Road Animal Hospital is the place for you.