Duarte Azusa Animal Hospital

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HIS IS A LITTLE LONG, but PLEASE READ AND BEWARE!!! If they had 0 stars I would have to rate this hospital and Dr. Z a negative 0. I had used Dr. Z and his outside so-called surgeon specialist for orthopedic surgeries about 10 years ago for my lab and I never had a problem, BUT years later things have really changed. I don't even know where to begin as my very recent experience here has been a true nightmare and mostly a nightmare for my suffering rescue dog I tried to put at the best hands and care of. Dr. Z is NOT cheap at all and that's not even the gripe I have if the overall surgery and aftercare had been good, it wasn't even adequate... My rescue dog needed an amputation after the first determination of Cecil needing an ACL repair of the knee, Dr. Z determined once they opened his leg up that there was a mass and a biopsy was recommended. I agreed to the surgery of having my rescue dog's leg amputated as Dr. Z recommended this was the best results for him living a pain-free life. When I picked up my rescue lab from this hospital, I was so horrified to see the surgical site extremely swollen with blood dripping out of the surgical site... I knew this was NOT normal.. Dr. Z was harsh and abrasive when I showed my concern for poor Cecil who had gone through so much already... He harshly replied with, "just leave him here you can't handle him"... he meant I couldn't handle the infection they had already caused as he had been in their care since the amputation on Sept. 1st and 5 days later I was degraded with harsh talk and was NEVER given a proper discharge instructions. Of course I did NOT choose to leave my dog there, it was the weekend of Labor Day their office hours on Sat. are only until 2pm, and they would be closed throughout the long weekend. I asked who would be caring for him during this time... "there is someone who comes in only from 8am-12 to check on the dogs boarding".... My heart sank as I knew his surgery site was infected already! I asked for my records and took my dog home only to have to rush him into emergency as his surture site was still oozing with blood and liquid that was not normal... and you don't have to be a professional to notice that there was something completely wrong with it. I had paid a total of $3,000 for this BUTCHER to do this to my poor rescue lab Cecil. I ended up having to pay an additional $3,150 to the 24hour emergency Vet where it was determined he had a staph infection and aggressive antibiotic therapy and debrailing (where they aggressively clean the area until the dead skin shows improvement), in addition to resurturing the site, Cecil had to spend a week in 24hour care. I feel guilty because I took my rescue dog to Duarte-Azusa Animal Hospital, Dr. Z and his ortho surgeons and staff there. I trusted them to take the very best care of my rescue dog and this is the treatment I received. It's shocking and horrifying that there are heartless so-called professionals out there that are solely in it for the money and have no consideration for your actual pet. This is one place to STAY AWAY from completely. Disgusting all around with blow-up charges as well as HORRIBLE care. Beware unless you plan on paying double for ANY surgery for your beloved pet!

I have neither a cat or dog but a Silkie pet hen examined by Dr. Z twice in 6 months. On her first exam Dr. was thorough in examining every orifice of her little body, her skin, her tiny comb, ear lobes, feet, toes, etc. I was satisfied that he knew about chickens quite well. His recommendations agreed with my limited knowledge about chicken health. The second visit she was suffering from labored noisy breathing and I was able to get in immediately. Dr Z, his assistant, and I held the little 2 lb hen still so he could see into her little trachea to determine if there was any obstruction or parasite. She was not treated with antibiotic injection until he ruled out the unrelated ailments. I was very happy with his diagnosis, treatment, feeding recommendations, and that I was given an antibiotic-type powder to mix in her drinking water at home. By evening her labored breathing had calmed down considerably. My error I forgot to confirm how long to administer the drinking powder so will call back in the morning to get a timeline. One assistant said Dr likes chickens and would love to have some himself. Don't know if the assistant said it to make me smile but the little Silkie DID draw much attention from staff and patients! Backyard chicken owners can take preventative health care to a certain point but when serious issues arise, don't hesitate to seek out veterinary help for your chicken just as you would for your dog or cat!

BEWARE! This veterinarian is either (A) less-than-adequate or (B) attempts to take advantage of his clients. Here's why...



We knew our dog (a Pomeranian) was having some health issues and just wanted some confirmation or resolution. So we took our dog to see Dr. Z for the first time, because it was a local office. Here's the short, but accurate, version:



1. After the exam, Dr. Z was not able to diagnose the problem; he said it could be multiple issues.



2. He recommended giving our dog antibiotics, then returning in 7 days for a follow-up.



3. If the problem persists after 7 days, perform more procedures: x-ray, blood and urine samples, etc.



4. The total of all procedures was close to $500.00.



5. I paid $40 for this exam, which resulted in the above diagnosis (aka nothing).



The next day, I took my dog to another veterinarian for a second opinion. Within 2 minutes, this veterinarian was able to determine the cause of the health issue and justified the diagnosis based on the all present symptoms and the conditions of our dog. My guess is that any good and honest veterinarian would have provided the same service.



This leads me to believe my first statement: This veterinarian is (A) trying to suck our wallets for money or (B) needs to study-up on his profession.



If you're reading this and deciding if you should go here, DON'T! If you can, I strongly urge you to use another animal hospital. And if you're a current patient, I'm sorry. No amount of perceived kindness expressed by this facility will outweigh the underlying problems with this place: a veterinarian that is either inept or a crook.



Good luck.

I have been using Duarte-Azusa Animal Hospital for years for two dogs and several cats. I have always had excellent service. From shots to surgery, I've always been given options as how to proceed, no pressure on doing things one way or another, but good advice. This is my first choice in pet care.