Carlson Animal Hospital, A Thrive Pet Healthcare Partner - Oak Park, Illinois

cat mae

This is our regular vet for our 3 month old kitten and 1 year old poodle. It is an hour drive from our house but even with gas being so pricey right now it’s been so worth it to us to make the drive.

We switched to this vet after we lost our other poodle in August. Since then I have been a huge worrier with our two babies.
The staff here have been so communicative, and so helpful to quickly answer any question or concern I have about them, even on days when I can tell they’re incredibly busy.

Dr.Rehm is our primary vet and she is awesome, but everyone at this hospital is so kind and it’s clear how much they genuinely care about our animals. Ignore any bad reviews on here. This hospital has given us so much peace of mind & their team is amazing.

We are also big fans of Ray, the office cat. He rocks!

Andrea Grillini

My husband and I are first time puppy owners (aside from the family dogs we had growing up), and adopted our little 4 month old love bug Bristol in December. Our experience at Carlson Animal Hospital was nothing short of above and beyond - exceeded all of our expectations! We unfortunately had a bad experience with another local vet - we felt they were not responsive when we were concerned for our pup. The switch to Carlson was everything we needed and more for our family, and especially Bristol, to feel cared for. The staff was fabulous with her, she LOVES them, and we do too! Answered all of our questions, gave us reassurance when needed, diagnosed what’s likely going on very efficiently, and engaged with us very compassionately. We were hoping to find a vet that had more of a community / family vibe, and we feel we have found just that. So happy we found our forever vet!

Danielle Risi

We truly have had such an incredibly positive experience with Carlson Animal Hospital. My boyfriend and I own a big breed American Staffy mix named Bruno, we rescued him from our hometown in Michigan, but we live in the city of Chicago. After researching many different vet clinics and animal hospitals in the surrounding Chicagoland area, we chose to bring him to Carlson.

Bruno is not a huge fan of going to the vet and because of his size, we do have to take special precaution when bringing him in. At our very first visit, we received the utmost care, respect and courtesy from the staff and providers. From the front desk receptionists, to the medical tech assistants, as well as the providers themselves, we were blown away. We were particularly impressed with how they are a teaching hospital and conduct panel discussions amongst the providers in order to get to the bottom of specific cases, if necessary.

There was a point in time when we had to get rid of our car and we were not able to bring Bruno to the suburbs to Carlson. The difference we saw in vets downtown in the city and the care/attention he received versus this animal hospital was shocking and unsettling. Thankfully, we finally have a new car and we were relieved to be able to bring him back to Carlson.

Just a few individuals who we have been lucky enough to have work with Bruno are, Jennifer at the front desk, (now in grooming), Mary Ellen the vet tech who is so understanding and gentle with him during blood draws and vaccines, Michelle the tech who has reviewed pricing overview at check out with us, as well as Dr. Rehm and Dr. Hopps — we are so grateful for each of them. Dr. Rehm has gone above and beyond with providing us research and consistent communication regarding some of Bruno’s health concerns. She has made us feel heard, validated and supported.

Again, we are just so pleased with the care we’ve received from Carlson and we highly recommend this animal hospital for your furry friends’ needs. Thank you so much, Carlson!!!

Katherine Pittman

I can't recommend these wonderful people enough. Dr. Lazar and Dr. Rehm are so kind, thorough and wonderful, the techs are all patient and awesome - special shout out to Jess for being a goofy cat whisperer and Mariel for performing miracles on our 17 year old grumpy pup, and the customer service reps are all really helpful and lovely to talk to. If you need a vet in the Oak Park/Forest Park area, this place is a gem.

Brian Kibble-Smith

I went through three vets, each with deteriorating service quality, until I landed with Carlson. My sister had the same experience happening to her. I recommended Carlson and now we're both true believers!

Jennifer Stix

We started at Carlson about seven years ago, with our first dog, after a bad experience with a different veterinary practice. Everyone - from the office staff and techs to the doctors themselves are tremendous. Even during the pandemic they have been incredibly responsive, thorough and compassionate.

We have a puppy now, and know that he’s in excellent hands. I think it’s fair to expect the majority of vets are good with day-to-day problems, but when something mysterious or serious comes up, Carlson is by far the best in our experience.

Sarah Chew

I was going to move out of Oak Park but stayed for Carlson! They go absolutely above and beyond and truly partner with you to give the best all around care and make sure you understand medically what's happening--as a first time dog owner that means the world as I navigate the world of veterinary care for the first time. In addition to her chronic health needs, my curious two year old pup has had many moments leaving me in an "I wonder if we need to go to the vet?" situation. With Thrive Plus it has taken so much stress off me to know I can get Ziggy, my dog, the care she needs in a place she feels safe without breaking the bank. I'd give 10 stars if I could! Ziggy would too!

Katie Wilson

Everyone was very friendly. We recently moved to Oak Park and found the staff at Carlson Hospital so warm and welcoming. Highly recommend!!