Westarbor Animal Hospital - James C Clarkson

Last time I was here a doctor that is now retired tried to overcharge me 600 dollars for a tooth surgery. I immediately challenged him and he left the room all of the nurses apologized. Now when here today with my cat for something else, a multitude of tests were needed. This new doctor tried to defend the old one that blatantly attempted to scam me. Stating that he was her mentor.

While attempting to create a false narrative to suit her profit over protection of animals. Getting quite angry while I calmly explained why I was distrustful, so much so that she changed her tone and deactivated my account. Which just proves what I am saying is true so much so that a different doctor came in apologized again getting my prescription food for my cat, for free. The brand that the original doctor pushed on me when I price checked was significantly more. I will never come back or recommend this place ever again.

I had taken one of my dogs to West Arbor so I thought I would try them again when I got my new puppy. I have been going to them for about a year and a half - approximately 6-7 visits including spaying and dental surgery. For the most part things were ok except there were a couple of time where I had to clarify what the vet recommended during the visit (eg. another follow-up visit not recommended, that a stool sample had just been done, etc). Yesterday, about 3-4 hours after giving my dog her dose of Heart guard plus, my dog started trembling and acting like she was distressed.

It was 6:40 p.m. and west Arbor was open so I called. The first person answering the phone said the "welcome" speech in rapid speech and put me on hold before she finished stating the last few words. After 10 minutes on hold I hung up and called again. This receptionist apologized and did look up the record. Over the course of the conversation I explained the heart guard I was using was prescribed for a dog that had just passed away and was verbally ok'd by the vet to use as it was prescribed by a veterinary hospital, was the correct dose and had not expired.

She did consult with the vet (placed on hold for about 15 minutes). that my dog's symptoms were not typical to heart guard medication. She also continued to say they could not help me as they did not prescribe the medication even though I told her the vet ok'd it. She then went on to say "they did not know me"' "that it had been years since they saw my other dogs", they don't know what the medication is, if it is expired, or if it is the correct dose for my dog despite the vet telling me it was ok to use it.

I then made a comment that although the vet ok'd the heart guard they would not see my dog. She then said "it was after 7 and the office is closed". I told her that she was being rude and she again said I was being rude as they don't know me. Gee, my dog is only 20 months old and I've only been there at least 6 times including the dental surgery and spaying.

Anyway I went to Ann Arbor animal hospital and they took care of us professionally. Am going back there as they now have wellness appointments vs walk-in service. West Arbor is quick to say "lapses" in service are COVID related but this interaction had nothing to do with that.

They are so great with my dog. It can be scary to leave him because he is seen as an aggressive breed and he's a pretty large dog. As much as I hate that I can't go in with him, I know I can trust the vets and techs here to give him the best care. Thank you for giving him the best care! Added bonus is that their pricing has been very reasonable.

We have taken our cat to several veterinarian clinics in Lansing and were not happy with the care/service provided. They could not seem to come with a diagnosis. We were very happy with care provided by Dr. Anderson at Westarbor Animal Hospital. She answered all of our questions without hesitation. She was very personable and our cat loved her. She was able to determine what was going on with our cat. Prognosis is good. Thank you Dr. Anderson. We appreciate you!

We're very happy with how well the Westarbor Animal Hospital takes care of our rescue pit, Rose. She recently needed a tooth extracted which we were pretty worried about but they provided consistent communication throughout the day, had detailed notes for when we picked her up, and when we had a late-night question, we were able to talk to a vet that was on call at almost 10pm!

Nice receptionist. That's the only positive thing I can say. It's wildly expensive. They pressure to do excessive tests. The attitude of the vets is poor. I have found this to be pretty much the norm in Ann Arbor. I also live half time in a small town in Florida where the contrast in service and attitude is markedly better. The pandemic seems to have become an excuse for higher prices, poor service and poor quality in Ann Arbor vet care in general.

My boys always feel comfortable, safe & happy here, which is what I look for in a veterinary office

Highly recommend! I took my two fur babies Daisy & Chiquis for their dental procedures in July 2020. Unfortunately, I couldn't be there for my girls per the pandemic, but the the staff was amazing with keeping me updated with calls and text msgs. every step of the way.it was very appreciated! My girls are happier then ever. Daisy has even started happy barking (if that's a thing). Thank very much Westarbor Animal Hospital!

Everyone on staff at Westarbor is very friendly, kind and good at what they do. I feel like I get the level of attention I need as the "human customer" and my dogs also get the attention they need as "primary customer". I also appreciate that the clinic is AAHA approved. Happy to recommend Westarbor Animal Hospital!

Over priced. Staff lacks compassion. Would recommend s looking elsewhere. Plenty of great vets in the area.

Over the past few years my husband and I have been bringing our dog Ozzy here. Staff is always friendly and treat your dog as if he were their own. We always feel so welcome. We have seen all the docs at some point so far and they are all honest, patient, and are great communicators! Even with the pandemic ongoing they came up with a system that works efficiently so pets can be seen quickly. The docs and staff never seem rushed or stressed. It is always a pleasure to bring Oz in. I wish they saw human patients! Haha

We recently took our new puppy to Westarbor for his first checkup and couldn't have been happier with the experience. Everyone was very friendly, professional, and knowledgeable. They took great care of Murphy and patiently answered all our questions about his vaccine schedule, diet, etc. We will most definitely be sticking with Westarbor for all of Murphy's future appointments!

I had my first visit at Westarbor Animal Hospital yesterday and I was extremely nervous because of complex health issues that my pets have had in the past which was exacerbated by the pandemic anxiety of having to sit in outside in the car when my dogs went in - just due to pandemic and safety policy at all vets right now. I was having a panic attack when I took them in but the staff from phone support to techs to the vet were so kind, compassionate and educational in a respectful manner when giving their recommendations that I ended up feeling totally at ease with the care and really good about the visit.

I will also add that the examination for both my dogs at once, which was set up that way for my convenience (I have never had a vet do that before), was extremely reasonable in cost and very thorough. I was impressed by all of this and just wanted to recommend them here and give a SHOUT out. I also left with a bunch of free dog-related pet care items. Thank you for your kindness during the pandemic and I'm grateful to be their new patient.

Rabbits are a specialty pet-- Especially when it comes to dental health! Dr. Clarkson, took phenomenal care of my special fur baby that needed some major dental work done. I was beyond worried, but I trusted him from all of his experience! My bunny Lily had to get 7 teeth extracted, and has had to continue routine dental maintenance at West Arbor! (Most veterinarians don't deal with rabbit dentals) I travel over an hour for her appointments in Ann Arbor, and it was the greatest decision! My Lily is now hoppier than ever! Thank you Doctors and staff at West Arbor! Your work, care and passions don't go unnoticed!

Our experience with Dr. Clarkson was horrible (for us and our dog) and totally unprofessional. We had a 9:00 a.m. appointment to get our 11 year-old dog's teeth cleaned (for a very steep estimated fee of $1,200-$2,000). Per instructions, we stopped all food and drink at 9:00 p.m. the night before. We brought our dog in at 9:00 a.m. At 12:30 p.m. we called to see how things were going.

We were told that nothing has been started with our dog! We asked when they would start on our dog, and were told they would start in 1-2 hours. They indicated that they prioritize dogs at the beginning of the day, and thus our dog was still waiting. Can't they look at the schedule the day before and prioritize, and advise us to bring in our dog at noon rather than at 9:00?

By this time our 11 year-old dog had not had anything to eat or drink for 16 hours, and had been sitting in a crate in their office for over 3 hours. At that point we decided to just take our dog home. The vet tech who then brought our dog to us was nasty. We advised Dr. Clarkson that we were displeased with what had happened, and he was brusque in his response -- with no apology or explanation. Having a process which is not customer-friendly is bad enough -- but having health care professionals who are brusque and nasty when a customer is displeased is just plain unprofessional.

Their only comment -- we owed them over $200 for the evaluation and blood work they did that morning. Apparently they had enough time and energy to tell us what we owed -- but not enough time and energy to ask why we were upset and how they could make the situation better. That sort of says it all. We have had dogs for over 30 years and have taken them to many veterinarian dentists. We have never had service like this. We will not be going back to Dr. Clarkson or Westarbor Animal Hospital.

We have been taking our cats to Westarbor over 20-years. Dr. Clarkson is excellent, and all his staff are well-trained, courteous, and very professional. Westarbor takes good care of our fur babies.

My senior cat needed emergency dental surgery in the midst of the pandemic. I couldn't get an appointment anywhere and Westarbor got me in within 2 days and they took great care of my kitty. It was affordable and exception service. I got texts throughout the procedures which helped ease my mind. I highly recommend this place!

West Arbor Animal Hospital has been absolutely an integral part of our dog's care. The staff is overwhelmingly wonderful. They answer the phone right away; they are super polite and loving; the doctors do their very best and are super attentive and careful. Our dog loves coming here even if he doesn't feel well, and he feels right at home here.

We are very happy to have found such wonderful care for our pup, in addition we are very excited that this office has such a tremendous dedication to animals. Thank you for all the hard work you all do to keep our pets healthy and happy!

HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE. DO NOT GO HERE! They will rip you off! Go to Affordable Vet Services! They are very patient and affordable for your wallet. I saw a Westarbor doctor was swearing at a customer. DO NOT GO THERE! How unprofessional!

Experience here was horrid and unprofessional. Came here because our original vet was booked for 2 months. Dr. Clarkson quoted my pet to have 29 teeth removed. I thought that was absurd because her original vet quoted 15-18. When I asked if we could stick to the original vet quota since her information was agreed to be faxed over, he said it was "All Or Nothing." Before I left, Dr. Clarkson and I agreed my pet to get an x-ray, blood work, & contact me before any additional procedures.

Once he called, I was charged an estimate of $800 worth of procedures I did NOT consent nor signed to. "STOP BULLSHITTING ME" were his exact words to me along with other disrespectful comments. This place is a rip off.

Where to start. Well, I'm not from here. So it took me awhile to find a vet that I like. The staff here is SO amazing and kind and most importantly, they listen to you. They go over itemized items with pricing and options before performing any procedures/tests on your pet. Unfortunately I had to put down my first pet (my cat, Tootsie) with them, and I am so thankful I found them as my vet.

They made the process so heartfelt! A few weeks later when I brought my other cat (Sadie) in, the vet called me later on to go over her blood results. And guess what else? To offer her condolences for Tootsie (it was the first time I had been back to the hospital since I put her down). I highly recommend this office for your furry companion!

I rarely post reviews, but West Arbor has been so great to me that I had to. Jim did a very specific surgery on my cat that allowed her to walk again, and the clinic properly treated my rescue dog when she had heart worm. Nicole is an amazing vet tech as well - ask for her!

We love West Arbor! The vets and technicians are very skilled, compassionate, knowledgeable, and communicative. All of the staff is always so friendly and welcoming. They took tremendous care of our dog Bella after we adopted her with heartworms. They also offered us a free first exam for our adopted pet!

My wife and I have been taking our two dogs to west Arbor AH for a couple of years now. Mainly because the staff are LVT's not just people off the street. That made it easier for us to spend the money on the much larger bills than any other vet office we've ever been too. I've referred several employees to them, that is until now. We asked to schedule a meeting with the owner, Dr Clarkson to discuss why when my dog was throwing up everything she ate that they didn't do a fecal test for worms but wanted to Take multiple x-rays and ultrasounds and refer us to two other hospitals in Michigan.

After putting my sweet little dog thru 3 weeks of hell we find out during a biopsy at MSU that she has a round worm in her stomach that should have been the first thing West Arbor should have tested for and treated. When we asked Dr. Anderson about it she kept saying we declined a routine fecal (11 months ago),w hich has nothing to do with her acute situation now.

Because we don't buy our heart worm meds from them "anything could be in there". (They signed off on the prescription for petmeds of course. )The $6000 plus we spent on these worm should have been 1 vet office visit and dewormer. Stephanie and Dr. Anderson, was extremely hostile. No apology no empathy, nothing but finger pointing at us, the customer.

We have been nothing but caring, kind and a fan of the folks at West Arbor but that trust has been crushed by Dr Anderson and Dr. Clarkson. We weren't looking for money back, I'd spend ten times that on my dogs if need be, but that won't be at West Arbor. Dr. Clarkson turned down our request for meeting to discuss the misdiagnosis. I'm not looking for money, however our dog suffered painful and unnecessary procedures without even the smallest of apologies. According to Dr Anderson they don't make mistakes

Misdiagnosed/undiagnosed my dog after taking him there regularly since Feb. They did not take his health crisis seriously. Took him to another vet, they dianoised him within 2 hours with terminal cancer. We lost him 2 weeks later. Avoid this place.

The Staff is Well Trained And Very Very Nice, Always Handling My Dog with the Great Care. Randy Weir

I am so happy to have found this wonderful clinic to care for my beloved Alaskan Malamute! The Vet I saw here is top notch. He was extremely thorough when examining Bree for a possible problem. Our visit was followed by a phone call from the staff, and the Vet himself. They are all wonderful here! They are compassionate, as well as professional. I cannot recommend them highly enough!

My two kittens needed to get fixed before they started peeing on everything (TMI?), so I was referred to Westarbor by Kat Snips (more info here: http://www.katsnips.org/). It was immediately clear to me that everyone who works here LOVES animals and that they would treat my kittens with love and care. Dr. Anderson was very friendly and gentle with my two tabbies.

She and the staff were very informative about the procedures the kittens were about to undergo and called us the next day to check up on them. Picking them up was a breeze and didn't take more than a few minutes! I'll be recommending Westarbor to any of my friends with pets who are looking for veterinary services. :)

I take my cats to this clinic and they are the very best in town! Dr. Clarkson and Dr. Morgan are meticulous and sincere professionals. I consider the staff at this office Family! You can follow their blog at www.westarborblog.com or find them online at www.westarbor.com