U. of I. Small Animal Clinic - Urbana, Illinois

Timothy T.

*This review is for the neurology department only! (I'd give zero stars if I'd have to account for the predatory pricing).

First, I want to give thanks to the whole neurology department for providing great care to me and my dog Rex. Even when I didn't have the money for a MRI or a spinal tap, you made it work to were he has a great quality of life. Without you, Rex would never had a chance, and I wouldn't have the joi and love of having such a great dog within my life. I will always be grateful for that.

My dogs been a patient at UofI for about 2 1/2 years now. I had him hospitalized twice for severe cluster seizures and they always treated him good for what I can tell.
Rex is very difficult to work with when it comes to drawing blood and they make it work every single time. I know they treat him good cause he doesn't mind going to the neurologist at all.

I once left my Midazolam on the front porch during Christmas and it froze. Rex had a seizure episode and I didn't know if I could use it. I called on Christmas night and got an answer from a doctor within 5 to 10 min.

Multiple times my pharmacy didn't have Kepra on hand and I was running out, they gave me a refill through the medication dispensery within hours on the same day.

The neurology department did such a great job at finding the right medication balance that he was seizure free for a year and a half. The seizure rescue protocol they formulated actually worked and broke the cluster seizures. That is pretty rare.

When me and Rex go to an appointment I feel listened to. They keep great track of any minor change since the last appointment and take their time.

If the UofI neurology department can't control my dogs seizures, I'm sure no one can.

Thanks for all you do!

*Again, this is only for the neurology department.

Gia S.

I had an extremely disappointing and heartbreaking experience. Before they even saw my pet, they charged $200 just for walking through the door. Despite paying upfront, I was left waiting from 9 PM until 4 AM with no updates or communication about my pet’s condition. The lack of urgency and compassion during such a stressful time was devastating.

When I was finally able to speak with the vet after hours of waiting and crying, she casually asked, “Sooo what do you think is going on?” This was after I had already explained everything multiple times and spent hours waiting for answers. It felt dismissive and unprofessional.

We ended up taking our cat to Good Friends where they took our cat immediately, reassured us, and saved our cats life. I would recommend skipping this place and going somewhere where they actually care about your pet and not about profit.

Yulia C.

I could not have asked for more caring and compassionate care when my dog passed. They were very informative, had a comfortable room to say goodbye to our dog (with children’s books about dealing with pet’s passing), had cozy blankets, gave us hugs and reassurance, etc. I’m very grateful that they made such a hard day a little bit easier.

Brandy S.

They've been giving my 13 yr old dog a refill on his cushings medication for the past 2 years with no issues until today. They're requesting to see him before they'll refill his medication. He has only 4 days left of his meds. They said my dog is considered a new client since they haven't seen him in 2 years. The only openings they have for new clients is slim to nothing. I have a son with cerebral palsy who already has appts scheduled in the area where this clinic is. We live an hour away and very tight on funds considering we don't get any assistance for our disabled son and I'm out of work to care for him over some break. This lady is able to override and put him at a different time other than 12:30 and she wouldn't do it. I was told by other staff that she could do it. She didn't care about my son going without his appts nor she cared about my dog dieing without his meds. This is beyond the worst customer service I've recieved from them. We've been to U of I multiple times and been a very good client that pays their bills on time. God for bid they could move my 13 yr old dog that's dieing from cushings that I pay over $400 a month in medication a month to keep him alive. I would understand the circumstances if I was given a warning about this inconvenience coming but not a letter, email, or call was made to notify me of this ahead of time. You expect me to drop my son's appts. Put my dog over my special needs son that can't walk and delayed in many other areas. You've lost your damn mind!!! The lady that does the scheduling was very understanding and believed the tech would make this work with my schedule due to my circumstances with my son. I had no problem bringing him for a recheck but they only give you one opening option on Wednesday's. 12:30. That's it. My son has an appt from 10:30-11:30 I couldn't promise I could make it on time without getting a speeding ticket. She didn't care. She doesn't realize my son can't physically load himself up in the car etc. I just lost a dear friend to a car accident couple weeks ago and I won't dare jeopardize my life, my son's, or anyone else's so that you can make some money on that 12:30 slot. You ma'am don't get paid enough to sit here and argue with me about what's most important. You lack tremendously in kindness and understanding for those that have it much harder than you. I hope you never lose the ability to walk. Appreciate what you have because one day you maybe in my shoes.

Blaire R.

I cannot say enough good things about the small animal clinic. My Shih Poo went into the ER with elevated liver enzymes due to pancreatitis. He had to stay up there 2 nights (I am 3 hours away so this was pretty rough) and they called multiple times a day with updates on how he was doing and kept us in the loop with price. I know that’s not always important when trying to keep your fur baby alive, but still good to know! Dr. Sharp and the student vet helping her were amazing! I don’t think my little Henry could have been in better hands. He went in a very lethargic pup (He’s 5 lol) and he was back to his energetic self when we got there to pick him up. It has been almost 2 weeks since he got discharged and they have called to check up on him. It may be routine, but I still appreciate the effort and I can tell he was very well taken care of <3

Owen

They put down a baby possum we brought to them because it was “too much work”. The nurse grabbed the baby possum and would not give it back saying “she couldn’t” that i would have to come tomorrow. well over night they euthanized it because they didn’t have enough volunteers to keep it fed for ONE NIGHT. The possum was not sick or injured just orphaned. We explicitly stated to contact us if they were just going to put it down but they killed it without a second thought. we saved the baby possum just for them to kill it with no remorse or accountability. They also misdiagnosed my dog about a year ago and tried to get me to pay over a grand for a procedure she didn’t need and after i took her to her normal vet she got on an antibiotic and she’s fine. Please do not take your animals here, as the other reviews have said there is a high chance they will put down your animal/pet. Also the nurses we have talked to have been nothing but rude and acted like they didn’t know anything, they wouldn’t tell us a single thing. please do not go here, and i hope the nurse who took the baby and staff who were there on may 13th 2024 at 12:30am gets fired and never let a newborn animal into their hands again.

Arete B.

On 10/22 around 10pm, We brought our small dog in for some leg pain. the receptionist Rhonda (sp.) was extremely kind and communicative with us. We went back to see Dr. K and she walked us through everything she did to diagnose our dog and gave some suggestions as we had already set up an appointment with our vet for the 23rd. She expressed relief that there was no break in the leg and hypothesized it could be a ligament tear, turns out it was exactly that and with the staffs wonderful care and communication we were able to rule out anything extreme and got some pain meds to tide our boy over until his appointment the following morning. I will not hesitate to come back if I ever need emergency care for any of my dogs.

jieyi M.

I'm writing this review with a heavy heart to share my experience at UIUC Vet School. My beloved baby girl underwent a procedure that was marketed to have a 99% success rate. Regrettably, the outcome was devastating, and I feel compelled to share my story.

In fact, I know of at least six babies that have died as a result of this procedure that he claims has a 99% success rate, and for which he offers no apology but a false and insincere apology. The lack of transparency and hidden surgical data is deeply concerning. Had I been aware of the actual risks, I would never have chosen to proceed with the surgery. The surgeon Dr.Ryan Fries was confident, repeatedly assuring me of minimal risk, and the benefits outweighing any potential drawbacks. Tragically, my baby’s surgery did not go as promised. The clamp that was guaranteed to stay in place came off, leading to her untimely passing.

In my time of desperate need, the attending surgeon's Dr.Ryan Fries absence during the aftermath compounded my distress. I remained outside the hospital for 10 hours, whole night , waiting to speak with him, only to be met with an apology that felt insufficient for the weight of the loss. It's disheartening that promises were made without accountability or remorse when they were broken.

As a pet parent who deeply loved and cared for my companion, I placed my trust in the expertise and transparency of the medical team. The lack of openness about potential outcomes has left me grappling with anger, sorrow, and a profound sense of betrayal.

My intention in sharing this review is not to spread negativity, but to highlight the importance of transparency, accountability, and genuine compassion in veterinary care. Our pets are more than just possessions; they are beloved family members who deserve the utmost care and respect.

If you're considering the UIUC Vet School for medical care, I encourage you to seek clarity about procedures, potential risks, and aftercare. It's my hope that this review serves as a reminder that every life in their hands deserves the truth, care, and respect that comes with the responsibility they hold.