Black Mountain Road Pet Clinic Review

This place is very hit and miss. One minute they are great and the next they are not. If you have an urgent issue with your pet it's very likely not a good idea to come here. After several issues with appointments and care I decided this place was not worth the money and effort. Idk if it's new ownership of the place but it's really gone downhill in terms of service.

The friendliest vets I've met! For new comers, they have a 20 dollar exam. The shots are at reasonable prices and they handle each animal with care. I've been coming here since 2009 with my dachshund!

Either the vet doesn't like people or he doesn't like large dogs, Not sure which.

Sadly, our first experience here was so very disappointing and uncomfortable (and expensive). We went in for a canine annual exam and vaccines for my 4-year old lab girl but, to my surprise, had a very different experience from other reviewers. Every one we encountered was "nice" but demonstrated disorganized, amateur, careless practices. From making my well-mannered, gentle labrador terribly uncomfortable during her exam/vaccines (which has never happened at any other vet before), appalling bio-hazard handling, awkward/inexperienced dog handling skills by the staff and vet (Dr. Quines), to uninformative/canned responses to health questions by the staff and vet; it was utterly disappointing. It felt like every one was just "going through the motions" unlike other vets and staff whose experience, knowledge, love and connection to animals shines through in their ease of interacting with pets and pet owners. Beware: They muzzle your dog to shoddily examine and vaccinate, regardless of your pet's gentle manner. This obviously creates (truly unnecessary, in my case) great stress for your well-natured dog. We will n.e.v.e.r. return to this "vet". I apologized ten times to my sweet lab for taking her here. Tough lesson learned.

Dr. Dhillon, Suvi, Raj, and the entire staff at Black Mountain Road Pet Clinic are amazing. I arrived earlier than my scheduled appointment, and they took me in right away. No waiting! They cared for my dog as if he was their own. Great customer service. They carried on explaining me in DETAIL about the medicine I was deciding to give my dog. I felt safety as my dog's well being was in their hands. I live in Oceanside, CA and it is a 35 mile trek from my house to this clinic. One would consider that a hindrance. I definitely do not. This will be my pet's clinic for any reason need be. Thank you again to the wonderful staff at Black Mountain Road Pet Clinic! You will be seeing Kuma and me again! =))

This was a great experience for me given that I'm a very stingy person and I don't like to spend money. I went there expecting to hear a ridiculous price to have my dog's neck stitched up and treated but I ended up paying almost half the cost of the procedure. Dr Dhillon is very knowledgeable and is willing to help you at any cost and he shows great concern for his patients. I also live almost 45 mins away and I'll drive back there in a heartbeat for his services. Well I got this procedure done today so we'll see how it turns out when it's healed but for right now I say he's great! Definately recommended!

I absolutely love this pet clinic, the staff, and the veterinarians. They took great care of my dog Unko and were available to answer questions whenever I called in. I highly recommend this pet clinic to anyone from the San Diego area who owns pets! A big thanks once again to the entire staff!

Black Mountain Road Pet Clinic is easily the best veterinary clinic that I have ever been to. Dr. Dhillon is a knowledgeable and caring vet. He did everything possible to assist us during a difficult time with our cat and made a terrible process much easier. Both before and since, he, Dr. Chang and the rest of the staff provide excellent advice and routine care for our cats. I was amazed today when people knew my cat's history from her first name. I highly recommend this pet clinic for any need, including urgent care.

Dr. Dhillon saved my dogs life. Several years ago, my Chihuahua mix was bitten in the face by a large rattle snake. I quickly rushed her to Black Mountain Road Pet Clinic and Dr. Dhillon treated her. He took care to stay after hours. He did everything possible, so that she could live. She was dire and spent several days in treatment. He went above and beyond in his care. Happily, she is recovered and we are very happy. Subsequently, we have had many more years with her. We have continued to use Black Mt. Rd. Pet clinic, because the service is exceptional. They are very capable and caring.

Taryn is amazing! She took care of our cat, made him feel comfortable, and paid extra attention. I could see how they bonded within minutes. We were on our way home in 20 min! This is our best trip to a vet clinic.

For the past two dogs I've owned (1 bulldog and 1 pug), Dr. Dhillon has been their Veterinarian. Looking at all of these negative reviews, I don't seem to understand why the Black Mountain Road Pet Clinic is getting slammed. Even my relatives that I recommended this place to said that they haven't had any complaints! For my bulldog, he had a few problems with his skin and Dr. Dhillon simply prescribed some medication for him and everything went well. I also got my dogs neutered there and there were no problems before and after the surgery. Not once has Dr. Dhillon told us to buy something our dog didn't need.

Now that both of my dogs have passed away, I obviously stopped going to Black Mtn. Road Pet Clinic. However, in the past few months, I've been dog sitting my aunt's dog and she takes him to Banfield (located inside Petsmart off of Aero Drive). And there, they tell us to buy things that the dog can pretty much live without. The past few times I took my aunt's dog there, there were probably three different medications the dog needed EACH visit. Not to mention the medication totals to $100+ each time!!

With that being said, I STRONGLY suggest this clinic not only because they're honest, but they actually care about your pet and want it to live to its highest potential. If I owned my own dog right now, I would take it to Black Mtn. Road Pet Clinic because I just feel more at ease and comfortable with them than any other pet clinics. Also, they don't prescribe three different medications and a follow-up visit each time I take my dog there.

Before I got my new English Bull Terrier puppy, I did research and saw all the great reviews, but I wanted to check it out myself. After our initial exam ($45, not including the coupon available on the website), we felt welcome. Dr. Dhillon was very friendly and professional. During our exam, the techs and Dr. Dhillon were very thorough, always asked if I had any questions/concerns and emphasized that there would always be someone to contact, even after hours.

As far as the facility, everything was clean and the staff was friendly and answered all of my questions. Since my initial visit we have been there three times for follow ups and to get our puppy neutered. Being our first puppy, I of course had questions and all were answered and explained. A few days after taking our bully home, Dr. Dhillon called to check up on Bruno's recovery - a plus!

Overall, great vet and reasonable prices. If you have any questions on anything (shots, food, pet insurance, neuter/spay, etc), Dr. Dhillon or the techs will give you prices printed out for you for your reference. Also, before any procedures are to be done, a run down of what will be done along with prices is repeated.

Great place and glad we chose this spot!

My parents took our dogs to this clinic before I was born, then my mother placed the responsibility in my sister's and my hands. This is the only pet clinic I would bring my dog, and my future dogs. This Pet Clinic is family friendly.

We brought in our cat susu today for suspected ringworm we aren't sure if he has it but are leaning towards him not having it but we did get medication to treat his spots on his ears. This place is great so far and they offer 5% military discount. And our first visit was only $19.95.

I have had my dog for 14 years now and have been to nearly every pet clinic/hospital within the Poway area. Dr. Dhillon and his staff are by far the most competent and professional out of any of the offices I have visited. Dr. Dhillon is amazing in that he cares about his clients' animals and is willing to put in the time and effort to explain to his clients his procedures and exactly what their money goes towards. Most vets tend to overcharge and slam their customers with unnecessary fees and treatments - not Black Mountain Pet Clinic. The nurses and other veterinarians are friendly and go out of their way to connect with you. Dr. Dhillon goes above and beyond conventional efforts to treat his clients' pets and even sees them after hours if the situation calls for it. In the time I have been visiting the clinic, there has not yet been a condition or diagnosis that has stumped them.

In addition to the awesome staff and doctors, the clinic itself is state of the art with up to date equipment and medical supplies. Their entire records system is electronic so looking up your pet's information is super fast. Pulling up the records happens in a matter of seconds, regardless of if the question is in person or over the phone. Their veterinary machines are all brand new and they are equipped to handle any sort of situation (minus emergency surgeries, which they do not tend to). Bottom line, your pet is in great hands when you bring it to this clinic.

This clinic has it all - excellent customer service, reasonable rates and prices, and up to date machinery. This clinic embodies professionalism and if you truly care about your pet, you will bring it to Dr. Dhillon and his staff, ensuring that it will be taken care of in a timely and truly pleasant manner.

Dr. Dhillon and his very capable staff recently took care of our
two older (10 plus years) Standard Poodles. Dr. Dhillon used his considerable skills as a surgeon and successfully removed a malignant tumor from the female and performed much needed dental work on both dogs. The dogs are doing very well now and we are pleased to recommend Dr.Dhillon and staff.

Such great service! I was here as a referral from their Spring Valley clinic and they were able to get me in right away. My little 5 year old shih tzu had a big bit on his paw which had become infected making it painful for him to walk. Thankfully, since my usual veterinary hospitals weren't able to accommodate me, I reached out to Black Mountain Road Pet Clinic and they squeezed me in the following afternoon. Upon arriving, Rocky and I were greeted by the kind reception staff. Considering he had a swollen paw and can barely walk, the kind staff excited Rocky enough that he almost forgot his paw hurt because he wanted to play with them! He limped right over to them to say hello! Dr. Ertola, who had treated Rocky at the Spring Valley clinic had come into the exam room and was very gentle with Rocky and explained the plan to get him better. She then recommended a follow up so she can look at his progress in 3 days. Normally, I would think driving 40 minutes to see a vet would be ridiculous but the level of service received made the drive worth it.
When arriving to his follow up appointment, Rocky was greeted by Courtney and Kim. He was sooo excited. In the exam room, Kim was very gentle and playful with Rocky and gave great recommendations on how to continue treating wound. Dr. Ertola was again very professional and thorough while examining Rocky and offered assistance via phone call should I have any additional questions during his healing process. Thank you to the amazing team at Black Mountain Road Pet Clinic! Although, it's quite a drive from Chula Vista, I may now be scheduling all of Rocky's appointments here from now on. Quality of service received is priceless.

DR.Dhillon and his staff are so loving and caring i come all the way from spring valley just to bring my dog so he can treat them. He is so affordable i am extremely happy with the doctor hes the best vet I've ever been to i dnt kno what i would do without him. i would recommend him to anyone.

Black Mountain Road Pet Clinic is as professional and experienced as they come. Our experience with Dr. Dhillon and his staff has been nothing short of delightful. Everyone on staff is friendly and more than willing to help, which is a nice change up considering the general anxiety surrounding Pitbulls in recent times. In most cases, I can't enter a clinic without the staff shunning my dog. This is not the case at Black Mtn Pet Clinic, as I have received nothing but smiling faces and immaculate service. The entire clinic is in pristine condition which gives you the sense of comfort you want and deserve. In other words, you shouldn't have any doubts in your mind about this clinic.

Early Tuesday morning, June 26th, our old (16 years) cat began yowling and he couldn t move. I was terrified and realized I couldn t take him all the way to Escondido to the vet we had used in the past. I called the Black Mtn. Rd. Pet Clinic to see when they opened and Dr. Dhillon answered. He was so compassionate and told me to come in and he would see us at 8am.
While the prognosis is poor for our cat, the doctor was able to make him comfortable so we could take him home .and miraculously, he has improved daily.
Dr. Dhillon and his staff are a blessing and I recommend the Black Mtn. Rd. Pet Clinic to anyone needing care for their fur children .

Our recent and first visit to the Black Mountain Road Pet Clinic was nothing less than excellent! Dr. Dhillon and his staff were very professional and courteous. My wife and I recently moved down here from Oregon and needed to find a new Vet to take care of our Yorkie and Lab. An unfortunate bite yesterday at the dog beach left a gash in our lab that needed attention, the staff here made us feel right at home and left us reassured that we would receive the best health care possible for our dogs, at a price that surprised us to be undoubtedly reasonable. Thank you for all the help and care we received here this morning, we can defiantly say we have found our new Vet. I recommend the Black Mountain Road Pet Clinic to everyone looking for excellent clinic that will leave you at ease with professionalism and excellence.

Dr. Dhillon has been my family veterinarian for 15 years. I cannot imagine going anywhere else. He is thorough, compassionate, and thoughtful. He always pulls out a textbook to show me what he's talking about when he's diagnosing my pets. You can tell a lot about someone when he has helped end an animal's suffering, and he's been there for me and my family, as well as my pets. The food he recommended for my cat's chronic condition has kept her healthy for the past five years. As long as I'm in San Diego, Dr. Dhillon will be my vet.

The day we got our puppy we brought her here for a check up. The staff was amazing- very personable, patient with all of our questions, and gave her so much love and attention. The doctor called us during the appointment to ask permission on giving certain tests, explained everything being done and the purpose for each, and gave us great recommendations. We were so satisfied with our visit the we purchased the vaccination package and know she's in good hands!

best vet clinic ever he help my pitbull mix (cash) super fast with out a apoiment and Dr. Dhillon is 1 of the best vets that i know that worrys about the animals and not the payment so much 100 stars for Dr. Dhillon

I recently had my princess teeth cleaned and pulled (one P4 unfortunately) at this clinic by Dr. Chow and all I can say is I made the best decision bringing my dog here. The whole team really took a good care of my dog before and after the procedure. Thank you, Dr. Chow and the crew :)

Dr. Dhillon is one of the most caring and knowledgeable vets I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. He and his staff took care of my 13 year old Grayhound during a difficult time as she is getting older.

He answered my worried call the first time at 7:50 am last Sunday! He saw her personally and helped that very morning!

I recommend this practice to everyone in San Diego! Thanks!

Brought my cat here a few years ago for a dental and he died a few days later. Preface: My cat was having issues already so idk how much of what happened was due to the procedure or not. I made the appointment and was early. I ended up waiting for over an hour for the doctor to even show up to the office (did she sleep through her alarm clock?=unprofessional). She was nice. Did the initial exam and said she wasn t sure if the dental was the right thing to do for the problem (cat sneezing blood and puffed up eye). I had taken him to vsh where they told me he needed a $2k Ct scan of his face but I had just gotten hit by a truck and couldn t afford that due to having to pay my own medical bills. Because he had dental disease, I thought perhaps that was the cause. He needed a dental anyways because of gingivitis etc. I went ahead with it. My mistake. During the procedure the dr called and said that the dental was done and was not the cause of my cat sneezing blood. The puffed up place under his eye was still there and she suggested aspirating/opening it up to see what it was. I said yes, mistake 2-was this just to get money? Idk. There was nothing there once cut open. I got my cat back and he looked like the scarecrow stitched together (poor quality on the stitching-I m a vet tech). He was so drunk on the pain pills that he couldn t walk which I get. I called the office three times before I actually got someone on the phone who would help instead of just relaying back and forth and back and forth between dr and receptionist over two days. I lowered his dose like the dr office suggested but then he d just lay down and yell. He would lay on the ground laboring for breath and i didn t know what to do. I called them back and got no help. I m crying even now...years later. His paws started to get cold and his gums started to turn blue. He was dying in my arms. This little buddy of mine who helped me after the first few months of being bed ridden (broken from being hit by that truck) and he helped me get through very dark times and he was now in so much pain and I couldn t do anything to help or to preserve his life. I brought him to Dr. Boord at animal dermatology clinic, where I was just fired from not being able to work due to being hit by that truck (awkwardly saying hi to the people who just helped ruin me as I limped by carrying my dying cat) and she helped me put my cat down. During this he fought it, he started to push away like he didn t want to go and I am still struggling to this day about it. In fact currently sobbing. Dr. Boord said I did what I could and beyond for him but the guilt still looms. I went to the Humane Society for their pet loss group which was nice. The maybes creep in- maybe if I had continued to give him the pain meds, he d feel okay enough to breathe? or maybe if I wouldn t have done the dental at all (ended up being over 1k after everything anyways)? or or or...the end result was my cat dying and the hospital didn t give me any portion of the money back (shouldn t expect it but damn.). I know he would ve still been sneezing blood (probably cancer). I had a dream about him last night. Him and my other cat reunited and hugged and played and snuggled. I woke up in tears. Now my other cat needs a dental and I m so afraid. Idk where to take her, maybe vca?

Wonderful Clinic! They really care about the animals and the staff is excellent!

I went here after a bad experience with my cat at an emergency vet clinic. He could no pee and they told me I either have a very costly surgery done or he would die. The next morning I took Prince here for a second opinion. The staff was so kind and the vet who saw my cat was amazing. He injected fluid under his skin and the very next day he was showing improvement. This vet saved my cat's life and saved me an astronomical amount of money. Here we are a few years later and Prince is doing great, I put him on the food the vet reccomended and he has not had 1 problem since. I am forever greatful to this Clinic!!!! I wish I could remember the vet's name to include it.

Dr. Maielo is great and we have actually changed vets to be seen by her. The staff that answers the phones are a hit or miss. They are very passive aggressive at times. It can be super hard to get a phone call back. This has happened to me on several occasions. I have mentioned it and it has not gotten better. I had an experience today and that is what provoked my posting a review. My dog is out of food and I didnt know her prescription had expired for food. I was offered no advice as to what i can give her for the next two days. The lady was not very friendly and could have cared less. This continuous behavior usually means the staff has no concerns of being reprimanded for complaints. Not sure why they keep these people...there are plenty of others in need of jobs that have compassion.

I wish that I had the advantage of living near such a wonderful, caring pet clinic. After speaking with Dr. Dhillon on the telephone yesterday I became intrigued by what he had said and wanted to learn more. After reading the glorious reviews, I know that if I had the chance to allow him to assist me with my 9 year old terrier mix (Hannah) WE would definately be in good hands. I will continue to follow Dr. Dhillon's progress in the years to come. It is refreshing to find a human with such love for our animal companions.

One of the vets here is extremely duplicitous. He told me the only option for a bump on my dog was to do $1000 surgery. He gave me no other options. I got another opinion about the surgery, where I was told I could simply do a biopsy, so I inquired about it at this clinic, and they obliged. However, this ABSOLUTELY should have been offered without me having to inquire about a cheaper, less invasive option elsewhere. This should have been offered by this horrible vet, but instead he wanted to charge us a large sum of money, inconvenience us greatly, and put my poor dog through unnecessary trauma and pain. What a crook.

Definitely won't go back! My small dog who has a heart murmur had to have a dental, and while she was under anaesthesia they called and demanded we pay $1000 over the phone before they could proceed with the dental, even after we discussed payment prior to the procedure. They even told us the longer we waited to pay the more stress on her heart. Not to mention when everything was said and done the quote was probably half of what the actual cost was, but she was already under when they did this, and I didn't want her to be put under for nothing.

Dr Dhillion is a very knowledgeable and caring vet. I first took my newly adopted dog to him 3 yrs ago. I called him in a panic not knowing what was wrong and he saw my dog at 10 at night! He always has me call him to let him know how my dog is or he calls several times to follow up.
Cheryl

The best vet experience I have ever had. The doc was kind and understanding, didnt try to push any extra services or costs. The staff was amazing, they were quick, kept me updated while I was waiting and went way above and beyond to make sure my kitty was comfortable and not stressed out. They were superb, couldnt ask for any better!

Worst place ever. The nurse and the vet does not know how to perform an examination. They said skin was fat. If you go there don't go see the asian nurse and vet they will try to rip you off on exams. How do you x-ray an bladder? What exactly will you see? Talk about dumb people if I can rate it a minus it would be a minus 10. Do your pet a favor and stay away from this place.

I recently had to have one of my cats put down. The employees at the clinic counselled me and were very sensitive to the situation. They arranged to have his remains taken care of. Today, I received a nice card with very nice condolences from the employees. They all made a difficult experience more tolerable.

Black Mountain Rd. Pet Clinic is my favorite place to take all of my animals.
They have new veterinarians, who are younger and full of great new ideas.
I have experienced both of them. Dr. Maiello is female and Dr. Junco is male. I haven't had vets that were so kind and loving to my animals. While at the same time having great ideas to help your pet. They do not push you to do extra procedures that can be very costly.
I must admit that I was almost ready to look for another vet, but I love the techs and office staff! I was so happy to not to change and meet these great new vets.
I highly recommend this Black Mountain Rd Pet Clinic.

I was at my wit's end with fleas on my Australian Shepherd. I went in to see if they could help and they definitely did. After a quick examination, they made me feel very comfortable with my pet's health. They got me exactly what I needed, and even gave him something for the itching. The staff is very friendly, they truly care and go the extra mile. I have now switched my vet after one visit!