TLC First Animal Hospital

Love love love TLC First Animal Hospital and Dr. Monica. She is great with the animals in my rescue as well as my personal pets! She knows what she is talking about and always takes time to educate clients about diagnoses and medications. The front desk staff and vet techs are super friendly and helpful as well!

Love this place. Doctors and staff are incredibly friendly and they aren’t trying to rip you off. Highly recommend.

I am honestly stunned — in a good way — by this place so far. I spent the morning working to obtain estimates for bladder stone surgery for my dog: if you’ve ever dealt with this, you know it is not only an expensive issue, but a recurring one — and estimates can range from $ 850‑3200. I’m not kidding.
Enter TLC: the person I spoke with was specific and broke out each facet of the cost; not cagey at all like so many with whom I had spoken that morning. They came in at the low end of average, and encouraged by the good Unilocal reviews, I called back for an appointment.
Because my dog was uncomfortable, even though they had a full day, they worked to squeeze her in for an initial appointment. Her vet records needed to be transferred, and I dreaded making such an awkward call as I do like her regular vet — but their prices are very expensive. Denise offered to make the call for me, and handled everything. I’ll update after the visit, but am so far very impressed.

I’ll give my review even if it was from Four years ago. The owners should not have their own dogs running loose in the building. Their dog attacked my four month old puppy and never went back. I don’t know if they still do this, so beware of going in.

Went to see Dr. Sue for the first time with a baby bunny and to acquire about a death of my 5 month old bunny that I took to another vet. Dr. Sue spent over an hour with me and little Peanut. She answered all of my questions and was able to shine some light on the unexpected death of my other baby. I did not feel pressured to leave and she told me to email her if I have any other questions or concerns. All of the staff and vet techs were awesome also. I love this place and am beyond grateful to have found it.

Dr. Sue and her crew are incredibly empathetic. I have brought both my bearded dragons and rats there. Both under great distress. The staff at TLC goes above and beyond to make you and your pet feel like family

I was looking for a new vet and saw TLC on Unilocal — 40 reviews and all 5 stars? Hard to believe. Well, you can change that to 41 reviews and all 5 stars. We took our 2 dogs in for the first time yesterday and could not be any happier. In the past, when we are done with a visit to the vet we are usually all shaking in the car on the way home. This was the most pleasant experience for everyone involved. The atmosphere in the examination room was calm and loving. Dr. Monica and her 2 assistants were gentle and non-​threatening. There were needles involved with both dogs, along with the usual poking and prodding, and after it was over, they were both just walking around the room, wagging their tails, while we talked about treatments, recommendations etc. So glad we found them!

Love Dr. Monica and all of the staff. They are friendly and very helpful. Easy to make appointments as well as ask questions in between appointments. Parking is super easy and the location is clean and well cared for.

Took my chinchilla there and unfortunately he passed away a short few minutes after getting to the vet (he was already pretty sick) and the vet made us a clay imprint of his paws and gave us some fur to take home as a memory. Not only that but they also mailed us a condolences card with all the employees signatures and short little notes from each of them. They were amazing. Very very caring. Will continue to take my animals to this loving animal hospital.

I recently moved near Niles and needed a good vet for my cats. I looked at a lot of animal hospitals before making the decision to bring my 16 year old female Siamese to TLC. Over the years I’ve visited many animal doctors but non have impressed me as much as Dr. Sue. She genuinely took a holistic approach to treating my feline friend as well as provided affordable options. I also got the sense that the entire staff cares about customers’ pets. Big hearts go along way with me.

Hi by far the best pet companion hospital in the Chicagoland area! Been going there with the kitties for years! Very professional and truly care for you loved one. Free parking. And Polish Red Apple right next door smörgåsbord all you can eat! Also pet grooming two doors down!

Our vet, Dr. Elizabeth Benson, has just merged her practice with TLC. Dr. Benson has been treating our pets for almost 25 years-​she is like family to us and our «fur babies». At first, I was nervous about the change. We were used to the staff at Dr. B’s practice. However, I couldn’t be more pleased now that we are regulars at TLC. We have a ten year old poodle who is a new diabetic patient, and he recently injured a ligament in his back knee. We have made quite a few trips to TLC for regular diabetic care and laser treatments, and the staff have been incredible! Everyone knows Scout and greets him with love and friendly smiles. Of course we still have our awesome Dr. Benson who knows our pups so well. What an awesome group of people!

In this vast community of veterinary clinics that I have visited for 19 years, there is one that stands out like a shining star. Through out the years I have paid thousands and thousands of dollars taking my dogs to different Vets in the city of Chicago around my house. These doctors prescribed very painful, aggressive and costly options, some vets would take them in the back and returned to me trembling. As a last hope when one of my dogs, that I got from a shelter became very ill, I took her to TLC, hoping they could help her, and hopefully I would be able to afford the cost. My cocker spaniel, Nikki was scared, heavily panting, with hives all over her, and shaking when Dr. Sue walked into the room, she spoke softly and sprayed Nikki with a homeopathic spray to calm her down. It was almost like Glenda the Good Witch of the North, my dog stopped panting and shaking and was calm. Dr. Sue was able to examine her and came up with a treatment that cost half the amount of the other veterinary clinics I had been to. After our visit to TLC, the office called the next morning to check on Nikki the Dog and kept checking. There have been several other problems that developed through the years but Dr. Sue was there to take care of Nikki who is an 11 cocker spaniel and Lexie who is now almost 16. Dr. Sue constantly does research finding new, better and cost-​effective techniques to treat and cure her animal patients. Dr. Monica joined the practice in 2011. She is a very knowledgeable, and thorough doctor that works on curing all animals. In addition, Dr. Monica is an excellent reference on finding different ways to obtain costly medicine for animals at a more affordable price. Not only do both doctors deal with dogs and cats but they also take care of exotic animals.
Dr. Sue and Dr. Monica are the veterinarians at TLC, but the hospital is more of a little community. The whole staff is amazing from the front desk to all the vet assistance, to the veterinarians everyone is so kind, caring and accommodating, it is unbelievable that they can be so nice and helpful. Nothing seems to phase them at all the whole hospital really love all animals and their human owners, the staff bends over backwards to help them.
I feel that I am doing the best I can for my dogs by taking them to TLC First Animal Hospital, that is why I drive 9 ½ miles to get there. I am giving TLC First Animal Hospital 5 Unilocal stars because they are the best at caring for my dogs!

My cat Cooper had a dental with 6 extractions at TLC and Cooper’s almost 10 so I was incredibly nervous and his recovery has been pretty rough. But all of the staff at TLC have been great throughout the whole process. Dr Sue and Dr Monica are both so nice and you can tell they really love animals. I trusted them immediately. Numerous times I called and emailed with questions and Dr Sue always got right back to me. I think this is the first vet I’ve been to where there’s no waiting around in the lobby or exam room. Everyone at TLC is so helpful and cheerful. It’s refreshing.

RUN away from this nightmare of a «hospital». Gross misconduct does not begin to describe Dr. Lavishly. Today she wrote a prescription for my roommate ‘s poodle. She did not know the difference between hydrocodone and hydrocodone /​homatropine. The pharmacist knew the difference and required me to make another trip to «Dr» Monica“s office to get the correct prescription. WRONG PReScription!
Did they apologize? No did «dr» monica show herself and explain? No. The women sat and laughed at making me waste 1 hour of my day.
We’ll see who is laughing at the Ill. DEPT OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION when I file a complaint.
I am always wary of the spewing Unilocal reviews. However this is serious.

Took my Julian boy (cat) who is 18 to Dr. Sue. He can be quite scared when it comes to going to the vet, poor guy, but Dr. Sue truly has a special way with pets! She was giving him kisses and he was just eating it up. He calmed down immediately when she came to greet him and he has not been that way in the past with vets. Turns out he has hyperthyroidism and we are giving him meds everyday. It’s sad to think about it, but when it’s time for him to go, I would not feel comfortable bringing him anywhere else but to TLC. I know that he is loved there!

I brought in my bunny today for first time appointment to see dr. Sue she is the best vet I’ve ever met and super knowledgeable and explains everything in plain English for me to understand. Free street parking is always nice and the staff was well organized I was seen early and out before I realized that we were there for 1 hour and half.

One of the nicest groups of people doing what they love. Just after Thanksgiving I brought a kitten I just rescued from the side of the road to Dr. Sue and Dr. Monica after her health took a major turn for the worse. The staff, after consulting with the Dr’s instructed us to rush. unfortunately, Princess (as our daughter named her) didn’t make it and passed on in the car. In a matter of seconds Dr. Sue was there consoling us. Spending 40 minutes explaining what had most likely happened to her, and letting us know we gave her the best last week she could have had. EVERY MEMBER of the staff came in to say goodbye, give hugs and make us and her, fell loved. Then, we received a card during the holidays with personal messages from the staff. Again, every member, remembering us from that evening over a month before.
Now, know we had NEVER gone there before. NEVER met any of them. All of this love came from one urgent phone call for a lil kitten.
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!
Thank you, everyone at TLC.

Our new home!
My husband, myself, and our golden retriever relocated from MI to Chicago at the beginning of this year. I was super nervous about finding a new veterinarian for our 10 year old, epileptic dog, and had visited a few other vets, leaving unimpressed.
My first phone call to TLC First was a HUGE sigh of relief! They are compassionate, listen to you, and follow through with any promises.
Dr Monica was absolutely superb with my dog, and also with explaining issues to me! We went through with surgery with our dog, and Dr. Monica has been nothing but wonderful in the past two weeks post-​opt! We have found a new home for our pets care, and I am completely happy with everyone on this staff!!! Keep up the great, compassionate work!

Can you believe that bunnies are considered exotic creatures? Well, they are in the world of vet medicine. And since, then, my bunny is so exotic, I was off in search of a bunny doctor bc most vet clinics will not see them.
After having a ghastly experience at a place in Skokie, I came here. So glad. The woman is a bunny whisperer.