Balboa Pet Hospital

Vetty-​impressive!
We are recent retirees from OK who are in SF to help care for a new grandchild. We have 3 precious dogs and had to find a veterinarian here to care for our 9 yr-​old Westie, Brodie, who started limping badly. We chose the Balboa Animal Clinic because of it’s reviews on Unilocal and because of it’s close proximity.
PROS:
–The clinic is small, older, seems well maintained and very clean. There was ample meter parking right in front of the clinic, a big help to new drivers in SF!
–They got us in on the Monday that we called. The appt. secretary couldn’t have been kinder or more efficient. She even tracked down and obtained Brodie’s old med records.
–The med tech also was so calming and caring and seemed very knowledgeable. We and Brodie felt right at ease.
–They got us in and out quickly but spent an adequate amount of time with us.
–They seemed well-​thought of by their regular patients. One of their clients brought her dog by just to say hello! What?!!
–Likewise, Dr. Cantrell had a very
tranquil yet very competent affect and gave us lots of valuable education during an exam that was gentle but thorough. She ordered labs, meds, and x-​rays that we that we felt were very appropriate and necessary to adequately care for our pet, but we did not feel that she was trying to over-​treat or burden us with excessive charges. (Any doctor’s visit is somewhat costly, but our dogs have PetPlan insurance which is a great help).
–Dr. Cantrell’s discharge follow-​up has been impeccable, calling us two evenings in a row to review our results, reinforce instructions,
and just to check on our Brodie.
CONS: None. We have only had this initial experience but it was above reproach and we haven’t found any cons.
In short, this seems like a wonderful animal hospital and we feel reassured that our ‘fur-​babies’ now have a reliable and caring source in SF for their medical care.

I’m pretty disgusted by this place. I saw a couple of bumps on my kitty that I thought might be tics so I brought him in for a check. Turns out the only bloodsuckers in the room were the doctors and staff.

This is my first review ever!
I hope you all read this. I just want to start off by saying that their doctors and staff are polite (minus receptionist) and are very knowledgeable. That being the case they take advantage of you. In my particular situation I wrapped a rubberband over a sock to stop my dog from licking a spot between his toes. It swelled up pretty good in the morning and I freaked out so I immediately went to the vet. When I arrived the swelling had dramatically gone down but thought since I was here might as well get him checked out. They examined the spot he was licking at and recommended ALL THIS STUFF I didn’t need! They wanted to perform a small incision to see if there was anything inside his foot which meant anesthesia and the cost of a small surgery. WTF? The bill racked up to $ 560 dollars for things I didn’t need! If I was someone who first got a dog I would def pay this because I didn’t know what else to do but since I know a little bit and have a friend who is a vet, I know they were DEF trying to maximize their profit. They’ll charge you a FORTUNE and I get it they are a small vet hospital but you can’t take advantage of people like this! Especially someone that doesn’t have a whole lot of money! Anyways they get the job done by giving your pet ridiculous crap but I would recommend anywhere else if you don’t want get ripped off. If you have the money go here they’ll charge you a ridiculous amount of money but if you don’t I recommend looking elsewhere.

Love it when the receptionist completely ignores you while you patiently wait to ask a question. Other than that, the vets are very nice and knowledgeable.

After having some trouble finding an experienced rat vet in the area, we stumbled across this place. Don’t be put off by the hole in the wall exterior; the staff is friendly and the atmosphere inside is comfortable. The appointment was about an hour for a checkup and was about $ 60 (typically $ 70 before the new patient discount) — reasonable for the prices I’ve seen.
Dr Stanley was knowledgeable, direct and experienced with more complicated procedures. While we appreciated his candor and thoroughness, he’s definitely not one to sugarcoat the facts. He’s owned his own pet rats as well which is just nice to hear. Along with western medicine, he also practices eastern medicine which was kind of neat.

I’m always reluctant to trust a new pet hospital, since my uncle is a vet who occasionally takes care of my family pets. However, I adopted a bunny rabbit about a year ago and my uncle is extremely allergic to rabbits! So I had no choice. After doing a lot of research, I decided to take my Louie for his one year check up at Balboa Pet. I missed the first appointment I made due to prior obligations, and completely spaced to give them a call saying I won’t be able to make it in. One of the nurses gave me a call about an hour after my scheduled appointment to ask if everything was okay, and if i would like to reschedule, which I did.
They made me feel very welcomed, and the waiting room is very clean and quiet. A nice little touch was the welcome board which had Louie’s name and all the names of the other pets that were coming in today. This isn’t the most convenient location for me, but after coming here, I would rather make the commute than take my bun to a vet that doesn’t care. It’s hard to find a vet that accepts rabbits and knows how to properly handle them, especially in the city, but I was very pleased with my visit today. Dr. Russo was very gentle with Louie, and checked all the things I was expecting her to check (ears, eyes, teeth, nails, paws, digestion, weight, lungs, heart, temperature, etc.). Louie normally gets stressed out around strangers handling him, but he was very calm around the Dr. and let her do everything she needed to (even butt thermometer!). Thank you Dr. Russo and the rest of Balboa Pet, i will be coming back!

Today my kitty had a somewhat urgent situation (almost no appetite this week following a horrible reaction to new treats) and my regular vet wasn’t able to squeeze me in so I went to Balboa.
They were *awesome*.
In retrospect, my (now former) regular vet was a pretty negative experience for my kitty and for me. The Dr. would automatically bring him «in the back» — even to weigh him (!). He would leave very shaken and afraid (he’s only been twice, only goes in when something is really wrong, so I didn’t have a ton of experience to compare it to).
Here, they insisted I stay with him during the course of treatment (fluids and a shot). He stayed calm, and the vet techs were incredibly gentle and sweet. The doctor was very knowledgeable and kind, and she didn’t try to pressure me into any further testing or treatment. She laid out all my options and took the time to explain everything very clearly to me. I was kind of shaken, honestly, and it helped to feel supported.
As soon as I brought him home, my cat went to his food bowl (yay!!) and didn’t seem stressed at all. With the other vet, he would hide in the closet for hours afterwards.
My doctor was Dr. Harrell. I highly recommend her.

Love the staff at Balboa, gentle and friendly and very compassionate. Ive been coming here for more than 25 years. This last time I came, I noticed a board welcoming the names of the animals and low and behold my Pumpkin was listed up there and it touched me so much. Balboa is a great place to bring your pet for care.

Please take my advice and run from this place, if you love your pet.

I want to start out by saying that this is my second ever review of a business. This place is AWFUL. If I could give them no stars or negative stars I would. I took my little pup here because most of the reviews sounded good and people seemed generally pleased.
The first time I took him in I got a bad vibe from this place. My guy has lots of hereditary and long term issues that he lives with and I explained them to the vet. He didn’t really listen and was passive and kept telling me I need to get my pup all these shots (which I knew he didn’t need because we had JUST had him at the vet in Canada before we moved to San Francisco). So I decided ok I won’t come back here, this place isn’t for me.
Reluctantly I came here a second time — it was an emergency and we needed to get him seen right away — got the same vet and honestly I was pissed when we left. He wasn’t informative and couldn’t answer half my questions (when he did he was very vague), he oversold us on things that were not needed (but because it was an emergency we were panicked and said yes do whatever needs to be done), he didn’t listen to us when we told him what happened and the doses. He only treated our dog for of the two concerns and he kept referring to my male dog named Baxter as «she». Give me a break! How do you not know the sex of the animal you are treating?
Someone did call me the next day to see how my guy was doing. I gave her an update and she wanted me to come in with Bax again the following day for a checkup and I told her we wouldn’t be coming back and explained how unhappy we were with the vet. I mean she was nice and apologized and said she would inform everyone there and see what they could do about it. Never heard back from them. Didn’t think I would though, they really don’t give a crap.
Honestly, if you care about your pet, don’t take them here. Find a vet that cares about animals.

Great place with a fair price for your best friend to stay. Friendly staff since your dog will know this place.

The MOST caring, professional, well-​informed veterinary and front office/​support staff in the city. We have taken our dog (s) to Balboa Pet Hospital for the past 15 years, for regular appointments and for emergencies. I am consistently impressed with the loving, compassionate care for them and for us. Recently, our older dog needed some dental surgery, and the staff worked with us to decide on the most appropriate care plan, taking into consideration his age, his temperament, and the cost of various options. And after the death of one of our animals, the loving kindness we humans experienced from the staff went well beyond what would have been expected. They are truly PARTNERS in the care of our animals. I cannot rate them highly enough.

Nikki & Addy are great. Even under pressure @ the front, there’s always a friendly smile.
The tech are always ready and calm as to not to make an unpleasant situation even more stressful. I have brought my Cavalier King Charles «Koa» to Dr. Harrell for Kennel
Cough and now my Boston «Rokko» for a fractured left paw. Things moved along quickly and proficiently and I was happy w/​the process. The prices here are comparable w/​Pets Unlimited, which to my dismay has been taken over by the SPCA.
Keep up the good work. My two previous dogs Kai & Kata were patients of Dr. Clary
when I was a boy, and the tradition of compassion still lives on @ Balboa Pet! Mucho Aloha!!!

So happy with Balboa Pet Hospital for my crazy orange dog. I appreciate that they don’t push products or treatments that are not necessary, and are genuinely interested in keeping my roomie healthy. They go the extra mile to send lab results vaccination updates to Dottie’s dogspas, too. I live in the Marina and several other vets are much more conveniently located, but I like BPH so much I don’t mind the extra miles.
Thanks so much taking good care of my gal pal!

Used to be a great place for pet care. Now the vets are so-​so, the front desk staff can be rude.
We used to feel that they cared about our family and about our pets. It makes me sad to write that is no longer the case. All they care about is making money.
The last (and I mean forever) time we were there, they told us to leave the exam room while they took our pet to the back for a procedure. Okay, we can deal with that. But when we tried to go to the waiting room, they told us it was full and go sit in our car. Really?
After 30 minutes, they came out and told us we owed almost $ 500 for something that cost $ 300 when we went to the car.
We’re happier with the vet on West Portal. They’re not cheap, but the care is better. The vets know their stuff, and are much more aware of new and healthy care options than the staff at Balboa. We have never felt rushed, or that the only reason we were in the building was to add profit margin.
Don’t go here. It’s not good for your pet.

My son’s cat hasn’t been eating or drinking. He took him to the vet. After a check-​up, blood work and x-​rays, they said he was dehydrated and gave him fluids. This cost $ 800 and no follow-​up. For that amount of money, they should keep him overnight for observation! They said if he didn’t urinate in the evening, then take him to emergency! They just pawned my son’s cat off to emergency which will cost him more money!
So dissatisfied with Balboa Pet Hospital. So much better when I had my dog 25 years ago. In fact, I’m changing vets for my dog now.

We’ve been bringing our dog ever here since she adopted us in 2000.
She does have several basic chronic issues and, as she ages, others become apparent as well. The staff here are focused on the entire pet. They also explain things and even offer a choice of approaches, explaining the effecacy of each one.
The way they interact with the pets clearly shows both their passion and dedication to their profession and their genuine interest inboth the pet and the family as indivuduals. They also keep in contact with you and ask how the pet is reacting to any prescribed treatment. Additionally, they make time in their already busy schedule to answer any questions. This is definitely a place where we know our pet is getting the best treatment modalities possible.
.

Yes this place is pricey, but it’s the doctors. Most pets have no insurance and even if you do, it’s even more of a rip off. Dogs get sick just like humans. Suck it up or don’t own a pet.
Service is great. You pay for what you get for. The staff is so friendly and the doctors know what they are doing. My dog needed major dental surgery. He has major infections and is getting old. Cost me an arm and a leg, but I love my dog. Balboa Pet Hospital called me all day to keep me updated on my dog’s progress. Even how much the updated bill might be. They called me when my dog woke up and when he was ready to be picked up. They even called me the next day to see how he was doing. They really care.
Everytime I come to take my dog for shots, check up, or blood work, it has always been the best care. The front desk people always answer all my questions the best they can and are always super patient. I ask a ton of questions and not once did they ever get annoyed.
You rock!

Okay,
I usually do not take my dog on crazy trail hikes in Marin. Against my better judgment I took ol charlie on a grueling hike… he musta ate something really bad because he came back (sorry here it comes) sick as a dog. I am talking a total mess. not eating lethargic, puking, diarrhea etc etc. I was ready to give him a pint of my own blood.
This is why I love Balboa pet hospital they care and take such good care of their patients. Doctor Holiday is amazing she is smart, caring, empathetic… you get the picture. They took xrays, samples of everything… finally put the poor mutt on antibiotics… he still wasn’t getting much better: He would not eat or drink.
Brought charlie back and, first of all, they found he would eat some canned dog food they were serving to another dog. Next they gave him a special antibiotic that makes canniness want to eat by tricking the brain into thinking they are hungry.
Well I am happy to report the dog is as good as new thanks to the help of Doctor Holiday and their Wonderful staff.
I would highly recommend to anyone with a sick pet or a pet in need of a checkup to check out this wonderful Hospital.

Ya know this is one of those things I hate spending money on but I know I need to… maybe its because I’m not a huge fan of going to the doctor myself! But the DOGhter needed her annual shots so the «Lady K» and I could go on vacation and leave her at Wags Hotel (see my review for more on them).
I made an appointment and was treated very nicely on the phone. Maybe it helped that I had the same name as the guy taking the call. Maybe it didn’t…
Is it just me or is everyone working here under the age of 18? No big deal… The Vet was super cool and although she started to give me the upscale on dental hygiene for my pooch, I was completely happy with their services! See ya in a year!