Pet Hospital of Penasquitos-Veterinary Specialist

I believe my mouse Flash died because of the negligence of this clinic’s staff. I am not a veterinarian — I didn’t know exactly what to do at first, so I trusted the clinic. Later, after researching, I learned that the medication they prescribed, Amoxiclav, was completely inappropriate for my pet’s condition. For respiratory infections in rodents, the correct medications are usually Doxycycline or Baytril (enrofloxacin). When I first called the clinic, I explained that my mouse was showing signs of a respiratory infection. I expected the staff to check with the doctor about whether they had the proper medication available before taking my appointment. Instead, I was charged $125 for the visit plus a $30 late fee when I arrived a bit late because I got lost. After paying, I was told they did not actually have the proper medication in stock and that I would have to wait for an email from some lab. I explained multiple times that my mouse could die within days, but no one took me seriously. At the beginning of the exam, the doctor even dismissed the symptoms by saying something like, “Oh, maybe this mouse makes these noises just because it’s a mouse.” I told her no, that I had checked YouTube and Reddit, and people with mice had shared videos with the exact same sounds linked to respiratory infections. Only after listening more carefully did the doctor admit, “Yes, I can hear there’s an infection in the lower part of her lungs.” The front desk administrator, Yvonn, was also extremely rude and unprofessional. She raised her voice at me, kept repeating “goodbye,” and tried to kick me out of the clinic without even giving me a prescription. This was shocking to me — it was the first time I had ever experienced something like this, especially since English is not my first language. I felt lost and didn’t even know how to respond. It was deeply unprofessional and very upsetting. Later, when I asked for a refund so I could try another clinic, I was instead pushed toward a prescription for Amoxiclav, which was not suitable for the infection. I called the next day hoping at least to get the correct prescription (Doxycycline or Baytril), but no one ever followed up. I never received any email, call, or real help. Days later, my mouse died. In the end, I feel this clinic only took my money, treated me rudely, and failed to provide effective care. They don’t care what kind of service they provide, whether the animal lives or dies — the main thing is that you pay. They could have easily given me my money back, and if the administrator hadn’t just kept saying “goodbye,” I would have gone to another clinic the very next day, where the proper medications were available, and my mouse would still be alive.

I boarded my beloved bearded dragon Tubby II for an entire week and was absolutely thrilled with the care he received. They were happy to answer my calls and send me pictures of him in their habitat and in his bath. The staff was wonderful very caring in all ways. This was my first experience boarding him and knowing I have a now have another “home” I can plan more trips. He is healthy and happy. With the type of care he received from the devoted staff of this Pet Hospital why not. I cannot thank them enough and highly recommend them

About two months ago, we saw Dr. Bitter for our hamster, who had developed a swollen abdomen. We arrived with him in a small bin with a homemade net on top. From the start, we felt judged for the way we transported him. When Dr. Bitter uncovered him, she reacted unprofessionally to his appearance, making us feel like “bad pet parents.” She then grabbed him with a towel aggressively, which caused him to squeal and try to bite—something he has never done before, even with his condition. She was unable to determine the cause of the swelling through examination and told us, whatever it is, it’s not good and is likely terminal. She recommended an ultrasound. We declined, as we didn’t want to put him through unnecessary stress for what was likely a terminal diagnosis anyway. After declining the ultrasound, she returned and recommended euthanasia, saying he was severely uncomfortable and suffering. We didn't understand why euthanasia wasn't the initial recommendation if he truly was suffering as much as she claimed he was. We left with one week’s worth of pain medication, but she refused to prescribe more, telling us this was her way of hoping we make the right decision. At that point, our hamster was still eating, drinking, grooming, and foraging. Dr. Bitter dismissed this, saying hamsters continue these behaviors until death because they are prey animals. While true to a point, we felt we would know when the time was right. Two months later, our hamster is still with us—eating, drinking, foraging, and greeting us every night. We recently sought a second opinion from a more experienced vet, who immediately recognized the swelling as fluid in the abdomen, a common issue in hamsters. He examined him gently, with his hands, and our hamster was curious and calm wiggling all over his arms. That vet stated although our hamster has seen better days, he is still foraging, eating, and coming out to greet us. He said if this was his hamster, he would not euthanize yet but to look out for loss of appetite, activity, curiosity, etc. This second opinion only highlighted how terrible our visit with Dr. Bitter had been. She was cold, judgmental, and dismissive during one of the hardest conversations a pet owner can face. I cannot speak for the other doctors, but I’ve heard great things about Dr. Boyer. The front desk staff and our technician were wonderful—warm, welcoming, and supportive. Unfortunately, our experience with Dr. Bitter was unprofessional, upsetting, and not what we expected from a veterinary clinic.

I've been going to Pet Hospital of Penasquitos for almost 3 years, and I've seen a variety of different vets at their practice during that time, and I have never had a group of vets that are so caring and thoughtful and informative. They are definitely pricier than some other vets, but one time I tried cheating on them with another vet for surgery and hated how my rats were handled. It feels like PHPQ cares about my animals for their whole life, not just when they are sick and coming to the vet. They are incredibly thorough and will call to check up on them weeks after an appointment to see how they are doing. I would highly recommend Pet Hospital of Penasquitos to anyone who has the financial ability to give their furry family the absolute best care possible from an amazing group of experts. I have brought my rats in for tumors, abscesses, malocclusion, cancer, heart failure and pretty much any other ailment you could think of and they have handled all of it.

My bird needed her nails trimmed and the got me in the same day that I called! As opposed to everywhere else who had a wait of 1 to 2 weeks. They see not only dogs & cats but rabbits, birds, and reptiles - and are so helpful and knowledgeable.