VCA Ocean View Animal Hospital

After a bad attack on my dog I went to this vet office because it’s hard to find a good vet theses days. This was not the answer. The establishment is very poorly staffed with under qualified professionals. After the first visit the problem was not truly assessed correctly. So a second visit had to be done. My dog was given anesthesia for a more intense stitching, a totally separate cost than the first and a lot more money. Whatever, you do what u have to do for your loved one. But when I got home I realized the catheter had been left in his leg… not good. A very dangerous situation which they seemed to not be too worried about. On my visit to get the drain removed from my dog, they accidentally removed the stitches, a week early. So my poor dog had to undergo again getting more stitches put back in due to their mistake. And what was a nice clean stitch line ended up being three temporary stitches not holding the scars well. For all this I got a bag of dog treats… ha! It’s about a month later and he still has a little bloody scar that I realized there is one more stitch still attached that they didn’t take out.
Do yourself a favor and do not go to this establishment it will waste money and time!
Ps. The manager had no sympathy and refused to help me at all. The situation was handled horribly and my poor dog had to go through way more than he should have.

I left with a sour taste in my mouth after this experience, a huge waste of time.
We recently adopted a new cat, wanted to get a check up done to make sure everything was okay. The front desk staff was very friendly, everyone was actually very friendly; HOWEVER, the vet herself was a joke. Rude, clearly has poor communication skills, and didn’t help us at all. We left, not accomplishing literally anything except for a few «free samples» the staff was nice enough to give us. We had to ASK the staff for things like how much our cat weighed, which USUALLY at a vets office they tell you right off the bat or at least give you a copy of the information they gathered. The vet was M.I.A. for most of the visit; all she did was «feel our cat up and down» and talk to my husband and I very rudely as if we were being talked down to, cutting me off everytime I had a question or remark; the staff literally did everything else. Didn’t give us advice or answer any of our questions, just kept trying to get us to do screenings that would empty money out of our pockets. You definitely don’t want to give off that vibe to parents of their fur-​babies just wanting to know if everything is okay.
Very disappointing experience. Our cat is our child, and we feel like we can’t even get a proper assessment and tips for him. I recommend the Avian and Exotic Pet Hospital (the cat and dog side), as we took our newly adopted rabbits there and our experience there was MUCH more informative and friendly. They actually seem like they care for the well-​being of the pet and its family.
We will not return here, and I am giving 2 stars just because everyone else EXCEPT for the vet herself were friendly and at least tried to help.

Happened to be from out of town and had an 11 week old Boston terrier puppy with an ear infection. We were concerned with the cleanliness of his ears and because our puppy hates us messing with them we decided to let the professionals do it. JAN was exceptional. She was not at all intimidated by our puppy’s drama. Or his attitude. We are very grateful for JAN and how she handled him. Thank you!

SO DONE!!! It’s really unfortunate the front staff is so difficult to deal with. I did feel the vets other technicians that actually work with the animals were so friendly and knowledgable. They even corrected a med my dog was prescribed from another hospital. They gave me a much cheaper option. Much appreciated!
Why only 2 stars? I just can’t handle having to deal the people at the front desk. Every timeI call they have the same issue locating my dogs chart. You think someone would have the common sense to just fix it. Then I called in a prescription refill and a week later i called to check and there was no record of my request. On top of it the receptionist was just flat out rude to me after THEY were the ones that keep screwing up. I’ve made 7 phone calls in the past 2 months. None of there have been professional or efficient. I will be moving on.

Unbelievable staff and service. I believe they just sold to a large corporation though, so it will be interesting to see if they will be able to continue the small business value culture that has made it a value added destination point of pet owners in the area for years now.

The staff and doctors are all awesome! Dr. Sharp and Dr. Kocker have been great vets for my 2 Boxers. Dr. Sharp took great care of my Boxer Nitro to the end… he recently lost his fight with cancer. I recommend this office to all my friends, family, and coworkers. I will continue to come here as long as I am a pet owner! Love Nitro & Bambi.

The ladies here at ocean view are amazing. I had 2 emergencies with my cat, Lucky, and they took him in asap. they truly care about you and your furrbabies. when lucky was hit by a car the dr did everything she can. when we euthanized him we were by his side the whole time. I was a mess with my bf, Gama, crying and the nurses were very sweet. A couple weeks later I received a card signed by all of them. really heart warming. Thank you ladies so much for everything

I’ve been going to OVVH for many years and have to say that my last experience will be the last. The staff and doctors are always pleasant enough but it’s so chaotic that the right hand doesn’t seem to know what the left is doing. The money gouging has become intolerable and the Vet didn’t even look in my cat’s ears with an otoscope during the exam, let alone check anything else. The injectable antibiotic was twice the price of oral meds and then they added on a «medical waste» charge for disposing of the syringe. I stopped vaccinating my 18 year old indoor cat a few years ago and the shameful look and «Well, you know…» attitude just got my goat.
Sorry, but I’ll be taking my pets elsewhere from now on.

They diagnosed what another vet missed over several months. They fit us in
quickly and have weekend hours!!! They don’t push expensive procedures or
products. They all seem to absolutely love their work. Would have been 5
stars if not so expensive. Why not throw in a free nail clipping or ear plucking
from time to time like my «other» vet always did, especially as I spend so much
money there.

A PERFECT PLACE FOR RODENTS!
I have visited Ocean View twice for two of my rats. I saw Dr. Sharp both times as I think she is the only doctor that treats rodents.
Both times I did not wait more than 10 minutes. I was greeted nicely and was quickly put into a room so my rat could relax.
On another note, I am aware that rats are not a very common animal to choose for a pet and am used to people being squeamish and unwilling to touch or be near them. However I love how the nurse (vet assistant?) who helped me both separate times was excited to see my rats and wanted to hold and pet them. I really do appreciate that she was willing to give such loving and personal care to animals whom are usually regarded with disgust.
Dr. Sharp was also very lovely. Once again she was very personable and enthusiastic about my rats and showed them lots of love. She was also professional, not making me feel rushed and also not making me wait long. She gave me plenty of information and advice for my rat care without being condescending or rude.
I paid between $ 60 and $ 70 per visit. It seems fair to me, as I was given excellent service. I will definitely go back here again if another rat of mine needs care.
While I cannot attest to the effectiveness of other doctors here, I can say that Dr. Sharp is an amazing doctor!

I like to think that a vet would put the animal first before the dollar? I have been using Ocean View for many years now and have spent thousands of dollars there on pet care. Today, I had a very frustrating experience there, and I don’t think I can go back. They had their pet clinic which I have attended often over the years because you can get a free examination with the pets shots.
I thought I would take my dachshund in for her prescription of heart worm medicine since it had expired this month and they had told me they must see the dog first for an examination before giving me another prescription. She was due for two shots but I decided not to give her these shots because after her last shots she had a bad reaction. Also, my dear friend who also has a dachshund recently gave his dog some shots and his dear dog had a terrible reaction, and now his dogs health is failing radically.
I live 30 minutes from Ocean View, so I first tired to call them to inform them I didn’t want the shots just the heart worm medicine. I called three times and finally left a message explaining my situation. Since it was nearing the end of the clinic time I decided to take my chances and drive in thinking they would surely check her out and give me another prescription (Honestly what is the difference of a prescription shot and a prescription pill). My dog had just finished her last pill so I needed this before next month.
When I got to the clinic they said no I could not have her examined like the rest of the clinic clients because I was not getting any shots. I asked how much the examination would be and they said 67 dollars and I would have wait until all the clinic people had gone through first. I said why don’t I pay for the shots you think she should have (these were $ 21 and $ 27) and then NOT get the shots but get the free examination and buy the prescription for the heart-​worm medicine from them.
Dr Kocher then came out and explained he could not do this. I said why not… I am only asking for what everyone else is a examination and a prescription medicine I was purchasing from them. He even looked at my dogs chart and said yes she did have a reaction to the shots the last time, and that it was a reasonable if not good idea not to have the shots. He even commented that the dachshund breed can have more adverse reactions then other breeds and suggested I might do the titer tests first when I want to give her shots like rabies and distemper.
I said OK we have determined that maybe shots are not a good idea for this dog, but you will not let me pay you for the shots she shouldn’t have to get the free examination so I can buy the heart-​worm medicine from you which I have been buying from you since the dog was a puppy??? let alone all the other high dollar expenses I have paid here over the years. I tried to explain to him that I spent over 3K on this dogs mouth so yes I was trying to save a few dollars by attending the clinic. I told him I tried to call earlier three times before I came to the clinic and got no answer and now after a 30 minute drive he would not examine my dog for 47 dollars (which everyone else who was getting shots was getting for free) and then I would purchase for another 27 dollars the heart-​worm medicine from them. (Most likely I would be spending as much money or even more money then the people there just getting a shot or two)
He said no he could not do this, and he would be sorry to lose us as customers.
He should be sorry! this kind of response is all about the money and not the dogs health!!! A very sad day for me and my dog, and now I am looking for a new vet who will care about my dog before the dollar.
And by the way what if when I had called it had been a real emergency??? no answer after three calls??? Shame on you Dr. Kocher!

People here are so super kind!

This Hospital has always been very flexible with scheduling. If you have an emergency, they will fit you in. I love that they are open on the weekend because that is when everything seems to come up. They really care about me and my pets, they have helped me through life and death with my animals. I highly recommend this office, any vet that works there is amazing.

If you are looking for a veterinary clinic in the Monterey area for your pet, Oceanview Veterinary Hospital is where you should go. I take my dog to the vet at least once every couple months, if not every month. I have seen many doctors and gone to several practices. I know what makes a good veterinarian and practice.
Please don’t make the mistake I did and not come here. I tried Parkview for about 5 months, which was a terrible mistake. That practice is awful. I should have come here from the start. We LOVE Oceanview and I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a veterinary clinic, and even people who have a veterinarian already.
We recently saw Dr. Kocher, the practice owner. It was a great experience. Dr. Kocher took the time to listen to me and my concerns, took a complete history of my dog (which is a feat in and of itself as he’s old and has many health problems). It was an excellent appointment. I didn’t feel rushed, and Dr. Kocher spent a lot of time with us, even though he had other clients he was seeing. I can’t say enough about what a great doctor he is.
We have also seen Dr. Sharp and Dr. Fenstermaker. Dr. Sharp got Max through a nasty case of kennel cough, and Dr. Fenstermaker treated a bad lick granuloma on Max’s paw, as well as a severe ear infection (although that treatment didn’t go as well, which I will describe below). The vet techs and support staff have also been amazing to us. Sarah at the front desk has gone above and beyond to get me prescriptions in New Mexico when I forgot to get them before I left.
The one MAJOR problem with Max’s treatment at this clinic involved Dr. Fenstermaker. Max had a serious ear infection that flared up within 24 hours. It was terrible. It took him in a day later and he was examined. Dr. Fenstermaker prescribed antibiotics and cleaned his ear out. Two weeks later, and the ear wasn’t improving and only getting worse. More antibiotics were prescribed. She seemed surprised that he wasn’t responding to the antibiotics but kept prescribing them. Another two weeks went by (so Max has had this terrible infection for over a month), and the same procedure happened. The antibiotics were still not working but being prescribed.
Finally, my poor dog’s eyes started rolling back and forth, he started walking in circles, and falling over. The ear infection had progressed to his inner ear and he has now having neurological signs and balance problems. I was terrified. Panicked, I took him to Pet Specialists of Monterey’s emergency clinic at 10 pm. They saw him and correctly diagnosed that it was a terrible ear infection that was causing these symptoms. I took him to Dr. Flynn, a dermatologist at Pet Specialists, the next day, who recommended a myringotomy for both ears (where they puncture the ear drum slightly, and drain and flush out everything in the inner ear). Thank GOD Pet Specialists and Dr. Flynn knew what they were doing. Max was fine and recovered. Under Dr. Flynn’s specialized care, Max has done so much better. The lesson for Dr. Fenstermaker and other Oceanview staff is that they need to know when a problem is too severe and a specialist is needed. It can be crucial.
Even though we had a negative experience with Dr. Fenstermaker during Max’s ear infection, the staff have gone above and beyond to help me and my dog, Max. Just a quick anecdote (one of several): Max was getting his teeth cleaned in late September of last year at Oceanview. Max gets very anxious and has severe separation anxiety. When the staff saw how nervous both of us were, they let me stay with Max until he was taken into the back for the cleaning. They also let me stay with him while he was waking up. I can’t tell you what a difference this made to both me and my dog. This is a kindness that no other veterinary clinic will extend to their patients.
They are always able to get me in when there is an urgent problem with my dog, even on the weekends. They are not obsessed with getting every dollar they can from their clients, and deeply care about how much someone can spend and balancing that with wanting to take care of their dog. I’m a graduate student, and they give me a military discount and free samples when they can. No other clinic has shown as much concern for what I spend and has taken such great care of my dog as Oceanview.
They also have an impressive relationship with several distributors and drug reps. For Atopica, which is a really expensive anti-​fungal medication which usually costs me $ 70 – 80 per box, Oceanview is able to offer it to their clients for under $ 60, and gives a box FREE when you buy 4 boxes at the same time. That is INCREDIBLE. They have also obtained a new drug for skin infection prone dogs like mine that other clinics are having a hard time stocking.
I will be very sad to leave this clinic when I move after graduation. It truly is an amazing practice and Dr. Kocher is an incredible doctor.

Our cats Smuckers and Sofie have been going to this vet hospital for 7 years. We never feel we are over-​charged. Everyone is friendly and the wait time is anywhere from 5 – 20 minutes. I would recommend this place to anybody with a cat. They are very nice here. Appointments are easy to make. Thank you Ocean View Vet Hospital for taking care of our cats.

Great, kind, efficient care from the front desk to the vet techs to the vet. Bit of a wait, but not too bad, and I’ll take that in trade for getting to be seen the same day I call. I’ve only been there a few times, & I’m happy they’re on my team.

Dr. Kocher is an amazing vet. He is so gentle and caring with all animals. The vet techs and nurses are so kind and helpful. I completely trust them with my pets. I love this place and recommend this pet hospital!

The staff here are so caring. I found them to be professional and kind. The vet was gentle and sweet to my dog. I brought my sick little Boston here at the beginning of November. He was having breathing problems with backward sneezing fits. We were helped right away and taken back. The vet gave him a allergy shot and a anti inflammatory. Which was a relief. My little guy was feeling better! He was completely better within three days, up and playing and back to his old self.

I liked this place, but it in NO WAY comes close to my vet back home! We were able to get an appt. the next day and didn’t have to wait for more than 5 min once we got there. The front desk girls were very friendly, and our vet tech was nice as well. A couple of other techs were not friendly at all. I promise it won’t kill you to smile. Just saying:))))))
Regardless the vet we saw was nice. I can’t remember her name. She was in and out in about 1 min. My cat had an infected paw so they gave him a shot of antibiotics and some stuff to soak his paw in everyday. I was shocked that it ended up costing $ 160!!! Wow! I will probably keep looking around for another vet. I have 3 dogs that are my babies and will not settle for overpriced average care.

I just moved to Monterey and people here made me feel like I’m a part of the family as soon as I walked in. The staff are so sincere and seem passionate about what they do. The doctor and staff took time to examine my dogs and were very knowledgeable.
I waited for 30 minutes but didn’t mind because everyone was apologetic and so friendly. After watching how the staff interacted with other clients’ animals, I could tell they really love animals in a non-​discriminating way. I am so glad my friend recommended this place.