Highland’s Pet Medical Clinic

If you want a great place to take your pet, this is the place to go. Dr. Venghaus and his staff are very competent and professional. I have been taking my dogs there for ten years and they are the greatest.

When presented the option to give my small dog a Bordetella vaccination, I expressed hesitation because I didn’t see it as necessary at the time. He is never boarded, and I hardly take him around other pets. However, the vaccination ended up happening anyway. I don’t think it was a targeted or malicious act; however, it did happen despite my expressing that I thought it was unnecessary and intimating that I’d rather not pay for an extra vaccine. A week later he has a very nasty upper respiratory infection, which I called in to ask about — I know how vaccines work in humans, I wanted to know whether it was linked, and know whether or not they would make me pay for another visit given the fact that this could have resulted from their vaccine. The woman at the front desk told me I was mistaken — that this never would have happened, despite the fact that I was in the room and remember the episode very clearly — and was extremely unhelpful and quite rude to me for having the gall to complain about their services. She said she didn’t know what to do about him being sick, and only recommended a second exam — a VERY costly one, mind you, compared to other vets in Austin. The doctor saw my dog for maximum five minutes, gave him a vaccine I did not request, and now I’m left with a $ 230 (yes, $ 230 for an annual) hole in my pocket and a sick dog I need to spend more money to take care of. There are far better, kinder, and more affordable vets in Austin.

I highly recommend Highland’s Pet Medical Clinic if you are looking for friendly, caring and highly competent staff to care for your pet for a very reasonable price! We have been bringing our cat here for a couple years and we really appreciate that the staff is clearly motivated by improving the health of animals and not by dollar signs!

Dr. Venghaus is a great vet. My little old lady (miniature pinscher) has been going to him for 7 years and being that she has Addison’s Disease, we see them A LOT. Monthly for injections in addition to regular check-​ups and issues that sometimes arise from her illness. Anyone with a sick pet knows that vet bills start to get very expensive. Dr. Venghaus is always very sensitive to this and I’ve never felt him pushing treatment or additional medications on us. You’d think this would be a no-​brainer, but after years at another Austin vet I came to realize that’s not always common practice. In fact, it was after switching to Dr. Venghaus that our dog was taken off several of the meds she had been prescribed. She was almost instantly healthier and seemed like her old self.
We’ve since adopted a great pyrenees mix who was in need of some major rehabilitation and they were so helpful and loving with her. They’ve taken so may calls from me with health questions about both dogs and Dr. Venghaus always follows up with me personally.

I’m really happy with Dr. Venghaus. My dog got really sick and I’ve never had a vet call me to check up on my dog before, but he called frequently so we could slowly wean him off his meds. It was hard to figure out what was wrong with my nugget, but Dr. Venghaus was able to help me find a reasonable treatment plan and connected me with a specialist that figured it out! I was pleasantly surprised with how upfront he was about costs, and options, and didn’t just assume I would happily pay $ 50,000 to keep my dog alive (sorry, Conner). He also gave me a free nail trim last time — a chore I dread!

We’ve been taking our cats to Dr. Venghaus at Highland’s Pet Medical Clinic for over 20 years. Dr. Venghaus is a wonderful and caring doctor. With all the pets he sees, I don’t know how he remembers the details about our cats, especially about our current kitty, who has several medical problems. He can quickly figure out if something has changed in the cats’ health, and he always gives helpful and sensible advice. Over the years he has helped to keep our cats healthy and has given the older ones a longer and happier old age. And the staff… They are always professional, friendly, and caring. The prices are reasonable, and it’s is easy to get in quickly… never a long wait. It’s a great place!

Love Dr. Venghaus and the crew at Highland’s Pet Medical Clinic!!! I’ve been going to Dr. Venghaus with my 7 year old cat, Rudie, since I moved to Austin in January 2014 and was recommended his clinic by two coworkers who are also long time clients.
Rudie is overweight (what spoiled house cat isn’t!) and also has FLUTD (feline lower urinary tract disease). Dr. Venghaus (and Dr. Hill when he was out of town) have done a good job diagnosing him and managing his condition. They are always upfront with cost and only seem to recommend additional test/​x-​rays when they are actually needed. The staff is all super nice and always remember me when I call or stop by.
I can’t really comment on the cost of things because Rudie has spent a lot of his life on the east coast where everything is more expensive. Dr. Venghaus’s prices are comparable to what I was paying up there, so I guess they may be slightly higher than average for Texas. I don’t mind paying more because I really trust what everyone has to say, the convenient hours, and ease of scheduling last minute appointments.
Overall, great place and great people!!!

We’ve been taking our two dogs to see Dr. Venghaus for 7+ years and have never had a bad experience there! He is incredibly caring and efficient. Always gets them in if an emergency pops up and explains everything to us in detail. Would highly recommend Highland’s Pet to anyone looking for a vet in Austin.

Excellent vet and helpful, friendly staff. Dr. Venghaus is truly kind and intelligent. Hard to find better care. Wholehearted recommendation!

I’ve been very impressed with this place. They always take care of my pups and I think their prices are reasonable.
We’ve done everything from regular yearly exams to having their teeth surgically cleaned. We trust them with our babies.
Dr. Venghaus is wonderful and very kind!
The office staff are top-​notch and super friendly!

Wow! I took my pup in for his initial 8 week checkup, tests, and vaccines. Dr Mark and his asst were both extremely friendly and knowledgeable. He asked multiple times to make sure I didn’t have any other questions or concerns.
When I got the bill, I literally asked «.are you sure that’s all?» Multiple medications, initial checkup, tests, vaccine, and puppy kit for waaay less than I was expecting.
To top it off, Dr Mark called me the next morning to see if I’d noticed any worms — sure enough I had and nearly forgot. A call directly from the vet for a $ 10 prescription… mind blown. They truly care about their clients/​pets.
The front desk girls are great too. Even if you don’t live nearby, I promise it’s worth the trip!

They’ve been my vet (well actually my cat’s vet) for over 10 years now, I wouldn’t go anywhere else. I really trust them to provide top care yet not to overmedicate and overtreat. Dr. Venghaus has gone so far as to give me his personal cell phone number when my kitty was super sick. They’re really the best.

Just to let you know, my dog recently passed away and the staff were so nice. Dr Venghaus called me directly about what happened and the staff sent me a card. Very touching. They knew my dog very well. I appreciate their concern.

I have a diabetic cat and he gets excellent treatment from Dr. Coleman and Dr. Venghaus. I came to this clinic on a recommendation from a friend because my old clinic was always trying to sell me grooming and teeth cleaning that kitty did not need. None of that here. They can always fit me in and I like the advice they give.

I really can’t say enough wonderful things about Highland Pet Medical. I have been taking our cat to Dr. Venghaus for about 10 years. If are thinking about trying them please visit their website and read about the doctors and staff. What you see on the website is exactly what you will experience in person. Absolutely top notch care by dedicated animal lovers. My cat was born feral has some health issues. Dr V always explains my treatment options and potential costs and often recommends one of the less expensive options. Also, I always can get a quick appointment if there is a problem.
Finally, I really like every member of the staff. I think Dr Venghaus is kind, smart and so caring. (He is really nice to me too). Last time our cat had some minor surgery, Julie in reception sent me a text with of photo of my kitty that read «please come and get me. I want to go home» Honestly, could you ask for more?

I had a very poor experience with Dr. Venghaus and another staff member. A simple question about the well-​being of an animal was met with outright rudeness. Not recommended.

Highland has been my vet for over 20 years. Dr. Vinghaus and his amazing staff have seen my dogs through every stage of life and have always helped me make the right decisions to keep them healthy and happy. They never miss a follow up call to check on the dogs, stay on top of the latest developments in preventive care, and manage to make even the most stressful situations understandable. It is so clear that they love all of the animals.
I have sent many friends to Highland over the years and will continue to do so. They are simply THE BEST!

I am wholly unimpressed with Highland Clinic. And my pet didn’t even get to see the doctor!
I thought the somewhat shitty attitude of the woman I had spoken to on the phone before coming into the clinic was perhaps just her unfortunate phone manner. Apparently not.
I am a first time pet owner. I haven’t even had my dog for a month yet, but I wanted to do what was best for her so I made her an appointment. Upon making the appointment I gave the girl on the phone the information I had regarding my dog. Fuck me for thinking that meant they had the information they needed on her.
I spent the entire morning having huge anxiety about taking her to the vet because she is not (yet) very good around other dogs. I walked in and received a less than pleasant welcome. Instead of greeting me in a way that would be acceptable for a business, I was rudely greeted with «Did you bring her paperwork». I answered «no» and was basically told that it would be a waste of the doctor’s time to even look at her. But I could reschedule if I wanted to.
No, that’s ok. I will take my business elsewhere.

I found this clinic on Unilocal when I was looking a place that was a little bit closer to my apartment. Reviews seemed good so I gave it a shot.
First visit: Receptionist was friendly enough. The waiting area is a bit awkward because you can hear everything going on in the examination rooms, but I did not have to wait too long.
My Pug had a few issues: itchy skin, a random cough, and a very small wound on his neck (probably from all the neighborhood cats he confuses with toys), so I just wanted to see what the problem might be. The vet was friendly enough, seemed very sweet and sincere. By the time the appointment was over, though, I felt like I’d been had.
What I thought would be a simple examination turned into a vet services extravaganza for the staff. The doc «offerered» to shave the spot over his neck wound, about 1 square inch of skin, and «offered» to trim his nails, which were getting a bit out of hand for sure. She also «offered» to run some tests on his blood and reccommended some options for his skin rash. She said Benadryl should do the trick but if it gets worse we «could» do some steroids. She also said if the cough got worse we «could» do some medicine for that as well (I had told her it seemed to be clearing up on its own already).
After all of these «offers» and «coulds» I thought my bill wouldn’t be too bad. I walked to the front desk to pay, though, and was greeted by 3 bottles of pills and a bill totaling $ 200 (including $ 15 for the shaved spot on his neck $ 15 for the nail clippings).
I am a newlywed on a very strict budget and I never would have agreed to all of the services offered by the «friendly» staff if they had not mislead me to believe they were doing a favor. I have also never been to a vet who offered something as simple as a tiny shaved spot and a quick nail trim and then charged me for it without even asking if I wanted to pay for it. I also did not use ANY of the prescriptions she gave me. The dog’s cough cleared up the next day, and Benadryl cleared up the skin. Not once did the doc tell me she was sending the meds home with me that day… she just had her receptionist add them to my bill without warning.
I did return for a follow-​up appointment a couple of weeks later, and the receptionist must have noticed my shocked response to the first visit because this time, when the examination was over, she sent the brought the bill in to the room for me to review before I came out.
On a related note, the doctor was nowhere to be seen both times I was confronted with the bill. She had mysteriously disappeared into the back room.
Overall, I found the staff to be friendly enough, and there was good parking and no wait time, but I would not go back to Highland’s Pet Medical Clinic. I simply cannot afford to be penny-​and-​dimed when it comes to my dog.

I live in South Austin now but still take my cat Max here because of Dr. Venghaus and his awesome staff. I am a strong believer in Aggie Vets and our family has always gone to one.
It’s been at least a 10 year relationship and I don’t know why I would change. Max isn’t such a fan but he doesn’t care for car rides or getting poked or prodded.
I would reccomend Highland Pet Med. Clinic to anyone who wants their little friend to have great medical care.