Kearny Mesa Veterinary Center — Attraction in San Diego

After explaining what were my dog symptoms, I was given a very expensive list of procedures to follow. The list amounted to close to a thousand dollars. I explained that I have a very limited budget but was told that those were the exams needed when in fact the vet could have advised me to start with allergy pills and see if that worked and then, if it didn't, to proceed with the next test, etc. I was also told that the x rays would be over $300 but that no vet there is a radiologist and therefore it would be another $250 to have them read elsewhere. They presented me with another blood work procedure that would also be over $350 and charge me extra for disposing "medical waste" meaning the syringe used for drawing blood. Even after I declined, asking the vet if we could just start with the x rays and take it from there, I was given allergy pills that were over $100, when perhaps knowing my budget was very limited, they could have started me with Benadryl and see how my dog reacted.

I paid my bill in cash, over $500!! Only to realize they charged me for the medical waste disposal!!! When no blood work had been done. When I asked for a refund, I was told they could only credit me the money for my next visit, and did not give me cash back, even though I had just paid cash.

To add insult to injury, I when I asked to please send me an email with my paid bill and the credit showing, as well as a copy of the $300 x-rays, I was told they would email it to me. To this day, three days later, I have not received the x-rays, the invoice with the credit showing and also no call from the vet to see how my dog is doing.

I hope to receive my bill with the x rays and credit showing by the beginning of the week. Otherwise, I feel like I should post my review in public.

It is outrageous to me that after explaining my very difficult financial status, that exams were over $1000 right off the bat instead of just suggesting as a first course of treatment an inexpensive and perhaps efficient course of allergy pills!

I am considering looking for another veterinarian for my dogs

Second review:

I went back on Monday to talk to them and hoped for a resolution. The receptionist was open to listening to me and told me she was willing to send me a link of where I could download the x-rays in zip form. It was the only way they could share with me.

I asked if I could get my money back from the pills, as they turned out to be pills that treated allergy itching and not for coughing. At first I was told they could not refund me the money because those pills were given as a possible treatment and I had agreed to take them with me. I explained that I had taken them because I was not the professional and I had trusted my vet to give me the right treatment but another vet I saw afterwards told me those pills were not meant to treat coughing, only itching, and that was why I wanted a refund. I said I felt confident enough they were the wrong pills that I was willing to take it to court.

The receptionist was nice enough to go ask the manager again for a refund and they decided to refund me for the pills I brought back that I had not used. They also refunded me the medical waste fee that had been incorrectly charged the first time.

After checking my email account to see if the email with the x-ray link had been mailed to me, we doubled checked and they had my email wrong, so the receptionist was kind enough to correct it and resend me the email.

I was very grateful that she was helpful to me and that she understood my situation and was willing to help me.

My new vet did suggest to give my dog a Benadryl pill each morning with food and wash all her bedding.

Since I did so my dog's cough has...

KMVC is the best vet center in San Diego county, no question!!! I've had animals my whole life, and as an adult I learned the challenges of finding quality, affordable, sincere and caring vets for my beloved fur babies.

One of the things I cannot stand about a vet center is being told my animal should be given something he DOES NOT NEED. Whether it's a test, diagnostic, product, whatever, if he doesn't need it and it will not serve a reasonable purpose, don't scare me into spending money unnecessarily in this economy. Dr. Barre and his staff has not tried to "sell" me anything.

I believe they love what they do, and care about my dog... and oh, finally... what a breath of fresh air it was finding KMVC,.. it felt like hitting the jackpot! Actually, I was referred to Dr. Barre by a neighbor who RAVED about him, and I already had an appointment scheduled with my regular vet. After hearing about Dr. Barre and his staff, I decided to give them a try and quickly got an appointment for my suffering doggy.

Each detail and aspect about my experience with Dr. Barre, KMVC and staff has been top notch. From the ease and convenience of making an appointment to fit my time schedule, to being checked in, a very short wait, all the way to watching the doctor gently and kindly interact with my dog - who seemed to know instinctively that he was being cared for.

Dr. Barre spent quality time with us, quickly diagnosed the problem, explained our options for treatment, then prescribed what I now realize was desperately needed medication that made my dog feel better right away. Dr. Barre also humbly shared his expertise, and offered a variety of FREE resources to learn more about his condition, and taught me how to participate in my dog's veterinary care.

I truly cannot say enough about the courteous and helpful staff, doctors, lovely facility, plentiful parking, location, and best of all, the results. I adore these people. But don't just take it from me, read other reviews, research, and better yet, find out for yourself. You won't be disappointed, no matter how picky you are! Even my best friend, who happens to be a dog trainer, was very impressed and gave KMVC and Dr. Barre five gold stars as well as two thumbs way up.

A quick word about "loyalty". We are loyal to our pets, as they are unconditionally loyal to us. Don't be "loyal" to a vet just because you have always taken your pet there. If there is something wrong and you're aware of it, just think of the things that are wrong that you're unaware of. I stayed "loyal" to a vet office just because I had gone there for nearly ten years. I am VERY proud to say that I made the right choice in changing vets. Even if your pet has a health condition that is understood and monitored by this vet you're so loyal to, don't do your pet a disservice by not allowing him or her an opportunity for far better care at KMCV. I love my pet, and I believe I showed it by giving him the finest veterinary care that money can buy, which just so happens to be truly affordable for any responsible pet owner. I really do love KMVC and Dr. Barre....

I typically do not write Yelp reviews; however, I feel compelled to share my experience with Dr. Martinez following my visit with my cat.

First and foremost, I want to acknowledge that the staff and customer service were excellent. Unfortunately, my experience with Dr. Martinez was highly unsatisfactory.

I brought my cat in for an evaluation of a scab on his paw and a general check-up. She diagnosed my cat with pillow foot, and recommended testing for feline leukemia/FIV as they are associated with the disease. We agreed, and she performed an in-house SNAP test may take some time, so we left and came back after an hour. She proceeded to give us the diagnosis of feline leukemia (FeLV) in the waiting room and handed us a two-page print out and let us on our way.

The patient education and empathy displayed by Dr. Martinez were notably inadequate. Instead of providing guidance and support, she handed us a pamphlet and left us to navigate the situation on our own. This lack of clarity and emotional support left me feeling confused and devastated.

In an effort to understand the diagnosis, I conducted my own research and had my other cat tested for feline leukemia. The negative result for my other cat, who had been sharing food with the affected cat for over three years, led me to question Dr. Martinez's diagnosis. When I reached out to her with follow-up questions, I was informed that the blood test used was an in-house test with a reported 100% specificity rate, which supposedly confirmed the leukemia diagnosis.

We asked for further testing just to be sure, but we were met with push back. She only agreed to do an additional blood test with our persistence. We ended up doing an ELISA test that came back negative, which only confused us more. We asked what other testing was available and she was unable to answer. She instead tried to convince us that our cat was indeed positive, despite the possibility of a false positive.

However, we were still not convinced because 1) he was negative when we adopted him, 2) our other cat has had prolonged exposure to him but tested negative, 3) he is an indoor cat exclusively, and 4) we had a negative ELISA test. Also, he did not express any further symptoms of the disease. Even after expressing our concerns to Dr. Martinez, she fervently dismissed them and ensured he was positive.

Seeking a second opinion, I had a PCR done at another clinic, along with an additional ELISA. Both tests came back negative and confirmed that my cat was, in fact, negative for the disease. While I was relieved to hear that my cat was healthy, I was deeply frustrated by the incorrect diagnosis and the emotional distress it caused.

In summary, my experience with Dr. Martinez was deeply disappointing due to her inadequate patient education, lack of empathy, and poor handling of the diagnosis process. The misdiagnosis and subsequent emotional trauma could have been avoided with more thorough and compassionate care. Based on this experience, I cannot recommend Dr. Martinez or...