Towne Centre Animal Hospital — Local services in San Diego

I have seen a lot of positive reviews for this place, and I feel the need to share my experience. Please note we are first time pet owners, so we don't have much experience with vets however, this protocol seems very unprofessional.

We brought my new puppy (starting at 8 weeks) here in June. All of this has taken place during the COVID pandemic, but when we scheduled my first appointment I was not told of any of their policies. The system they have in place for COVID-19 involves the pet owner calling the front desk, a vet tech coming out to take the pet and take note of any questions the pet owner has, the vet tech taking your puppy to get examined and then the vet tech returning and filling the pet owner in on what happened. Despite asking to speak to the vet to ask questions, AT NO POINT HAVE EITHER OF US SPOKEN TO A VET, and at this point I do not even know which vet is seeing our dog. One day we will have Dr Cote's name on our invoice for the next appointment and our vet tech says Dr. Tassin said "...". This rubbed us the wrong way the first time we went but we liked our first vet tech, and we persisted through to ensure our puppy got all of her vaccines.

Our second major issue with this place is the front office got the timing wrong for one of our DHPP vaccines. At first, they told us we should get one every 3 weeks until she turns 15 weeks. Then, for the third DHPP they scheduled our appointment for 2 weeks out instead of 3, telling us "it really doesn't matter there is not a huge difference between 2 or 3 weeks". So being new pet owners we didn't question it and we went to get her shot. Now at 14 weeks she had her 4th DHPP shot (what we thought would be her last), they told us we need to return in 3 weeks because they want to administer the last shot after 15 weeks. They gave us an extra shot for seemingly no reason other than "there is no harm in getting it" and now they want us to get another. If the original schedule was executed as planned we wouldn't need to pay for an extra shot. I feel that it is very difficult to advocate for your pet when you cannot speak to the vet.

These were the major issues we have had, but there are minor issues as well, such as not getting invoices, the vet tech putting our puppy on the ground before outside before she has been fully vaccinated (after telling us not to), and vet techs being short with us in general. Maybe most of these issues are occurring because of COVID-19, however the fact that I have not spoken to the vet, makes me almost question if there is a vet seeing my puppy or if the vet tech is the only one there.

EDIT: While this review still holds true with my previous experience, I want to come back and edit this with the positive experiences we have had with this vet. We love the vet tech Shelley and she always remembers our dog and her experience really does show. When we did have an opportunity to speak to Dr. Tassin, it was clear she really cared for our dog and wanted the best for her. I think this place has a lot of heart that they rely on and we have kept coming back even despite a lot of issues from this review. My advice for those reading this is to make sure you do your research before hand and know when to get your dogs vaccines and don't expect you will talk to the vet every time. This is definitely a great vet for experienced owners, but if you are a first time pet owner it is not...

Friendly, mostly up front about costs but unprofessional and not thorough.

They were friendly enough to take us a few minutes early, and the second star is for at least letting me know the cost ahead of time, except for the ~$45 'wound cleaning' charge to get gunk from his ear (which was worth it for this instance, but a notice would have been nice since everything else was brought to my attention). Their sister office also delivered medication that they were out of stock on so I didnt have to go to costco myself. While the staff was professional over the phone requesting humane society information about my recently adopted kitten for his first check up post-adoption, it unfortunately stopped at the door.

The exam room was awkwardly half lit, half in the dark, and both the tech and vet were very informal, asking none and few questions respectively aside from his name, age, and if he would need follow up FIV shots. And despite me sending the requested health records adequately beforehand, no one had read his records of treatment from before nor referred to or asked about them during thr visit, and I had to remind them of his history several times myself.

He was very underweight for his age you could feel most every bone, which was dismissed as "hes a kitten, theyre supposed to be small" by the tech- yet the vet ten minutes later agreeing it was worrying. They forgot to do or overlooked basics like check his temperature which I had to ask for at the end, never listened to his lungs or felt his tummy as standard for first appts, I had to remind them both of the weight theyd taken earlier.

The vet made also casual comments that he 'may have ringworm' with a black light test, had me look to confirm, and then made no effort to tell me how contagious it was or follow up on treatment except to 'watch it, it might be poop, it might be ringworm. If it gets worse come back'. Then making a joke that she should 'realy keep other scrubs at work, those were her only pair and its contagious'- which seems like a health risk for other pets also? No gloves were changes throughout. Ultimately, they completely misdiagnosed my main concern, and what our follow up vet at another clinic called a "horrible ear infection" by guessing it was earmites, despite taking a sample for testing and admittedly seeing a good deal of bacteria, which the vet stated was likely from scratching his ear with poopy paws.

At check out, it wasnt made clear what was happening. the visit itself was billed several days beforehand (when scheduled online) there were totals and refunds not explained because of it, and had one staff member awkwardly loudly whispered to the other about my visit paperwork while I was standing directly actively being checked out. Ironically asking if I'd followed instruction sending the health paperwork that I had in fact sent, was confirmed at check in, and was never looked at.

I would have loved for this to be a return local vet office for us as its so accessible, but after following up with another more professional vet I know that they missed and treated casually things that needed to be addressed. Hopefully this was a one time thing and they take others more seriously or thoroughly, but I wont be going back to find out...

DO NOT TRUST THIS CLINIC!!

I do not usually write bad reviews but this Animal hospital sure deserve one!

I brought my 8 year old dog to her annual vaccine.

After waiting outside of the clinic due to their COVID protocol for about 45 minutes I called to check in, I was told there was an emergency and the technician had to go help out, and my dog should be out shortly.

about 15 more minutes I got a call from the actual doctor telling me there was an issue, when the technician was on her way to bring my dog out she got out of her collar and ran OUTSIDE of the clinic!

Apparently they spent good 30 minutes trying to chase her down without calling me or letting me know that my dog is on the loose!!!! They said they tried calling me but I can easily prove a single incoming call from the doctor only after she was caught. To my understanding she getting away was the emergency!

She also told me that my dog hurt her leg on the chase and she treated it (complimentary oh wow thanks...)

Obviously I walked inside the clinic very upset, one of the staff was ready to kick me out while yelling at me that being inside is against their COVID protocols. I was not wearing a mask because CDC regulation does not require so (fully vaccinated) but apparently they can make up their own rules. My requests to get my dog from the back was repeatedly ignored, and the staff member was inches away from me ready to through punches!!!

I was never treated like that by any provider, especially not one that I need to trust when I leave my loved pets with.

They lied to me about trying to reach me, they lied to me about the emergency, And I'm sure they lied to many more clients only because our pets cannot testify otherwise!

STOP USING THIS CLINIC OR YOUR PETS...