Camino Alto Veterinary Hospital & Wellness Center

I have used this vet hospital for years, but now do not have a dog since it’s switched over to Dr. Vaikhary. However, I am thinking of adopting a dog and asked Dr. Vaikhary for her opinion and she took the time to talk to me in great detail about the potential future dog. She was thoughtful and knowledgeable. I am a picky dog owner/​person and I will definitely be bringing my future furry friend to her.

We’ve been going to Camino Alto for some time, and we really like Dr. Vaikhary (aka Dr. V.). She’s patient and thorough, and wonderful with our dog and cat. As our good olé’ dog ages she’s really taken the time to listen to us and help tweak his medications to keep him in a good place. The staff has always been responsive, helpful, and genuinely nice people. We highly recommend.

We are so happy we found a loving and professional vet for our Havanese. Our little dog adores Dr. Vaikhary and feels at ease at every visit. Since our dog was a rescue and we adopted him last year and were looking for a caring and expert vet to make him feel at safe and secure. Although our dog has no medical conditions, we did take him in for an initial exam and to have his teeth cleaned. The staff is very professional and called to remind us of our upcoming appointment. Our neighbor recommended Dr. Vaikhary because she was very caring and supportive so we thought we would switch vets and we are so happy we did! The staff is caring and professional and the office and exam rooms are warm and inviting. We are very pleased and highly recommend Camino Alto Vet Hospital. Thank you Dr. Vaikhary!

This vet is really kind. She really cares and her patients and their owners. I truly appreciate how concerned she was about Tora’s recovery.

Dear Dr. Vaikhary,
Last Monday afternoon you came to our house and helped us say goodbye to our sweet yellow lab, Sadie. I first met you late last year, just after you took over the practice; I had brought Sadie in to discuss her progressively worse arthritis. I cried in the exam room that day as I realized then that even though there had been much turnover in the practice, I was in fact talking to the last vet that would care for Sadie. You offered the treatments in your arsenal and they did indeed bring comfort to Sadie. Unfortunately, things took a turn for her this past May when she started exhibiting unusual behaviors. When her blood test came back with elevated levels, I was blown away by the urgency with which you wanted to do the follow-​up tests. You knew that we wanted the best care for her and you balanced this with always making sure we knew the financial impact to help us make our decisions. Your team was wonderful about only doing the tests that needed to be done, starting with the least invasive, stopping when you had enough information to make a confident diagnosis. Even though that was only 2 months ago, you never made any comment that Sadie’s age (11.5) was anything to consider. I am grateful that you saw what she could still do rather than what she couldn’t.
Because of this trust I had in you and your ability, the news you gave me just 12 days ago was heart-​wrenching. «It might be time.» Severe arthritis, Cushings Disease and Diabetes. And, despite telling me that, when my husband and I showed up committed to managing the diabetes for as long as we could, you supported us and gave us what we wanted: the milestones Sadie would have to reach to be able to then start pain treatments at the Sams Clinic. You knew Sadie’s time with us was limited but you gave us the optimism to enjoy the time we had with her. Last Saturday, after having brought Sadie home from her insulin treatment the day before, you called to check in on her. This wasn’t the first time you called on a Saturday to check on her, of course. I was happy to tell you Sadie was doing wonderfully. That night things changed, however. Perhaps without us knowing, you had empowered us to be able to come to the knowledge on our own — and with clear signs from Sadie — that yes, it was time.
Calling Wendy on Monday morning was one of the hardest calls I’ve had to make. But, Wendy being who she is, she was compassionate and helpful. I can’t say much about the time you spent on our lawn as we said goodbye to Sadie because it’s just too much. You and Alonso were patient, explaining the process, letting us have our time with her and understanding our grief and sadness.
Today I checked the mail. You sent us the most beautifully written condolence card, so representative of the personal level of care, compassion and kindness your practice provides. Thank you for making these last months with Sadie possible and providing us the ability to say goodbye to her in the peacefulness of our home.
My best,
Cherity

If your looking for a kind, compassionate, trustworthy and sweet veterinarian then this is the Veterinary Hospital for you! Dr Vaikhary has taken over this practice almost a year ago and has turned it into a comforting environment for pet owners and the pets. She is the only Veterinarian in the practice, This makes it a very personal one on one practice. I started coming here, after a bad experience at another practice, just when she took over the practice last year. Our experience has been incredible. The staff is nice and accommodating. I never have any problems getting an appointment. Dr. V. spends a lot of time with you and your pet. This past April, our 13 year old Wheaton Terrier became ill. Dr. V. exercised every option and helped us make the best decisions for him. She followed up on him every day to make sure he was doing well. There was no excessive testing, no over drugging and no excessive charges. When we made the decision to put him down, she was so caring and sensitive to our situation. We both cried together after he was euthanized. Dr. V. loves animals, takes pride in her work and she quickly becomes a member of your family. I’ve recently moved from Marin County to the East Bay and will continue to take my pets to Camino Alto Veterinary Hospital because I couldn’t even fathom going anywhere else. The 45 minute drive will be worth it! I highly recommend this practice to all animal lovers!

My family moved recently to the bay area and finding a new veterinarian was not something I took likely. Based on a neighbor’s recommendation, we found our way to Dr. Vaikhary. How fortunate we are for that recommendation!
Dr. Vaikhary was so kind, thorough and patient. In addition to looking at our dogs vitals, she wanted to know the bigger picture to ensure our approach with diet, exercise, etc. was fitting for his age and health. All the while, our 10-​year old dog was the calmest I’ve seen him at a vet visit – so comfortable with the doctor and her staff. We are so lucky to have found Camino Alto!
One note after seeing some of the older reviews posted on Unilocal.There is only one veterinarian at this office — some negative feedback here was left for prior vets. Not sure why that isn’t removed since it is unrelated to the current practice. All reviews for Dr. Vaikhary (Dr. V) and staff are the 5 stars they deserve!

We came across Dr. Vaikhary and her wonderful team quite by chance when our dog became sick at the Mill Valley dog park. They were amazing at looking after him, and subsequent visits have been just as stellar.
They obviously LOVE animals, their service is excellent, and Dr. Vaikhary is extremely knowledgeable. I could not recommend this vet and her team more highly.

Dr. V and her staff are wonderful! They could not have been better at handling my fear aggressive puli. I’ve moved to kentfield but will continue taking both my dog and two cats to Camino Alto

I really dislike this office. The staff is pleasant enough and the doctor is competent enough, but I feel they are very overpriced and really try to get every penny that they can get. It’s a pity that most vets play into your emotion – I mean, you’d do anything for your pet, right? They know it and they gouge you for everything they can.
My biggest issue with this office is that they would practically MAKE you buy medicine through them, no matter how inconvenient it is for you. They won’t fax or call in your prescription to 800-​Pet-​Meds, for example. Their reason is «online companies are known to sell expired products». Well, that’s my problem to worry about, thank you. I buy medicine from 800-​Petmeds all the time without any issues. I think they are using it as an excuse more than anything else, no matter how much of a hassle it is for the clients.
So if you want a cool vet, who only charge you for what’s needed and what’s fair, who makes it easy to buy meds from anywhere, Camino Alto IS NOT it.

Dr. Truitt is an animal lover’s dream vet! I’ve always found her to be sensitive, sensible, extremely knowledgable and understanding, whether we are there for a routine visit, a recurrent issue or something as difficult as saying goodbye to a beloved pet.
While her concern for the animals is paramount, she’s also practical and sensitive to the expense that’s involved. Her office staff is also very personable and helpful.
Our most recent experience with Dr. Truitt was an excellent example of her holistic approach. After a difficult few days and rapid decline, we were ready to put our dog down. Dr. Truitt went out of her way to come to our home on her day off AND she gave us invaluable advice about how to consider our children’s needs around such a difficult farewell. We are extremely fortunate to have this practice in our community.

I recently Googled to get the number for the «Cat Clinic of Mill Valley» on Lomita Drive and the first thing that came up was an ad from ‘Cat Clinic of Mill Valley’ but the number and url for Camino Alto hospital. Don’t be fooled.
The real Cat Clinic of Mill Valley is staffed with knowledgeable and caring professionals. My cat always stays calm when they see him and they are so reasonable with their charges. That’s why these guys have five stars on Unilocal.
I did try Camino Alto once and my cat had a very bad reaction to the vaccine they gave him. But the worst part is that they weren’t concerned at all about his bad reaction but did manage to bill me several more times and sell me expensive pills for $ 10 each that didn’t seem to have any effect. I ended up nursing my cat back to good health on my own and Dr Truitt agreed that he was too sensitive to the vaccine to give it to him again. But they still mailed me a reminder saying, you guessed it, time for another dose of vaccine. I can see why they’re trying to steal the good Cat Clinic’s customers…

Very expensive and not willing to give an estimate. They try to do too many tests and cross sell you. Somewhat inexperienced. Well she got my wrong.

Dr Truitt is awesome. Very smart, patient and kind with our Boxer. Woof woof!

I have been taking cats to Camino Alto Vets for the past five years. Our cats Nabu and LB (aka Puzzle) have received the most compassionate and diligent care from Dr. Venner and now Dr. Truitt. Our current cat, Bomba recently had a physical and teeth cleaning. He is in the best hands possible. Dr Truitt is a gem of a vet and we feel lucky that she took over Dr. Venners practice. She has continued his extraordinary care of our pets. She spends an incredible amount of time explaining everything and more specificallly how we can better care for Bomba and add quality years to his life. I highly recommend this veterinary practice to anyone searching for an outstanding vet I love Dr. Truitt and the incredibly kind, caring and compassionate staff. Your pets will love her too! Meow!

I took my dog to Dr Venner and his amazing staff for 9 years and they were the best. But after a horrible experience with Dr Truitt who took over Dr Venners practice when he retired, I have left Camino Alto Veterinary for good. Dr Truitt did surgery on my dog to remove a tumor. After multiple trips to have additional sutures and staples put in because his wound re-​opened, he ultimately had to have surgery again to close the wound correctly. I took him to the Pet Emergency Center for the 2^nd surgery and never heard a word of follow up or concern from Dr Truitt. She does seem like a nice enough person during routine consultations, but I wouldnt trust or recommend her care to any pet owner looking for something beyond routine care. I will truly miss the staff they because they are wonderful, but I love my dog too much to take him back to Dr Truitt.

Camino Alto Vet clinic is love, caring and incredibly knowledged when it comes to my pets. (3 dog, guinea pig, duck, hamster, cats!) The new vet Dr. Truitt and staff have gone above and beyond to make my pet and me feel comfortable. They give the best and most current care for my pet. They even spent the weekend at the clinic stitching up my duck that had gotten attacked by a raccoon. I will forever be grateful. The prices are fair and the service is over the top.

Dr. Venner and his staff are great! My first born is a labrador name Dublin. Dr. Venner treated Dublin for over 2 years. After we took Dublin to UC Davis for a third opinion– (UC Davis diagnosed him with «kidney disease» and gave him 6 months to live). We went back Dr. Venner and they put him on a special diet and everything has been fine since. Its been over a year and Dublin still looks and acts like he is 2. Dr. Venner was always very attentive and proactive to Dub’s needs. I don’t understand why they have received such negative reviews… They might cost more– but doesn’t EVERYTHING in marin cost more?! I would highly recommend this office.

Zero stars please.
Took my french bulldog to this vet and was advised that he was suffering from allergies (causing worse than usual breathing and cherry eye)…they told me to give him a bunch of steroids and antihistamines.
After these did not help I took him to another vet that was recommended to me who informed me that he had such bad breathing problems he would DIE this summer in the heat. The surgery was $ 700 and had a half-​day recovery-​saved his life at a relatively low cost to me.
The cherry eye was also correctable by surgery. This new vet told me my dogs eye would over time be irritated to the point of blindness… but with the minor surgery were fixed in one day.
Please NEVER bring your pets here for their lives sake! If you love your dogs take them to a reputable vet!

Called to get an estimate on a yearly checkup, shots, etc.
The woman who answered the phone was terribly rude and unhelpful. Maybe she just had a bad day — still that’s no excuse.