Pasternak Veterinary Center

S F

I have never personally visited Pasternak Veterinary, but based on my friend’s recommendation, I decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, my experience has been very disappointing. Last Thursday, my dog developed swelling under her eye, so my husband took her to the Pasternak Vet the next day. Dr. Henry Pasternak examined her, prescribed antibiotics, and told my husband that she might have been bitten by something in the grass. When my husband asked if it could be related to her tooth, the vet checked and assured him there was nothing wrong with her teeth. We followed Dr. Pasternak’s instructions and administered the antibiotics, but instead of improving, the swelling worsened, leading to an open wound that started bleeding. My husband took her back to the clinic, where they drained the abscess and finally acknowledged that it was related to her tooth. What frustrates me the most is that the Dr. misdiagnosed my dog, resulting in unnecessary pain and bleeding. We ended up being charged $350 for two visits, and now we have to take our puppy to a dental clinic to have the tooth removed. This situation could have been avoided if the correct antibiotics had been prescribed and proper guidance given regarding the dental issue. If you love your pet, I strongly recommend avoiding this clinic. I regret trusting my friend’e recommendation and taking my puppy here.

Dec 30, 2024

Anastasiia Lo

I am writing this review after the loss of my dog, Bella, and I hope it helps other pet owners advocate more strongly for emergency or specialty care when needed. Bella was treated at Pasternak Veterinary Clinic over the course of nearly three weeks for a severe gastrointestinal illness that progressed to jaundice and significant liver abnormalities. During this time, she was repeatedly given antibiotics, fluids, and injections. Despite persistently abnormal bloodwork (extremely elevated liver enzymes and bilirubin, high white blood cell count), visible jaundice, recurring anorexia, and multiple relapses, I was never advised to seek emergency or specialty care, nor was the seriousness of her condition clearly communicated. At no point was I told that her condition could be life-threatening, that she might require 24/7 monitoring, or that she should be transferred to an emergency hospital or internal medicine specialist. Advanced imaging was not urgently recommended, despite ongoing liver involvement and jaundice. Instead, care continued conservatively with antibiotics. During a relapse, Bella was also given a fecal transplant, despite having active liver disease and systemic illness. Shortly after this procedure, she developed a fever and further deterioration. When I raised concerns that the fecal transplant may have contributed to her relapse, my concerns were dismissed. In hindsight, this intervention felt unnecessary and poorly timed, given the severity and unclear cause of her illness. Bella ultimately deteriorated and required emergency gallbladder surgery at an emergency hospital, where she was found to have severe complications including peritonitis and abdominal fluid. Tragically, she did not survive surgery. I trusted my regular veterinarian to tell me when Bella’s condition was beyond routine outpatient care. Had I been clearly advised earlier to seek emergency treatment, advanced imaging, or specialty care, she may have had a better chance. While I believe the staff cared about Bella, I feel strongly that the lack of escalation, lack of urgency, questionable treatment decisions, and failure to refer contributed to a devastating outcome. I encourage other pet owners to seek second opinions or emergency care promptly if their pet has persistent jaundice, severe liver abnormalities, or is not improving. This review is written in the hope that future patients will receive earlier referrals and more appropriate escalation of care.

Jan 20, 2026

Brylla Diggles

Really amazing. My dog tore both her ccl(acl) and with acupuncture and meds and within a week she started to walk though wobbly but much improvement each time after her acupuncture. Amazing teamwork there and very friendly staff.

Jan 27, 2026

Natasha Suarez

DO NOT COME TO THIS VET UNLESS YOU WANT YOUR FUR CHILD SICK! I came to Pasternak over a year ago seeking a holistic vet after my original vet practice (Shelter Veterinary) who kept making my lovely pup sick even misdiagnosed w/ kidney disease. Upon first visit he concluded she did not in fact have kidney disease and just needed to change her diet, he went on to prescribe my dog herbal supplements to sustain her. A year later she was thriving until she had a sudden high fever. He felt some swollen lymph nodes and was suggesting a bunch of pricey test she needed to conclude what it may be. He prescribed her amoxicillin to bring her fever down. Four days later she was having difficulty walking so I decided to bring her in again. Her fever was still pretty high. He recommended 3 antibiotic shots plus an additional oral antibiotic which was Baytril in addition to the amoxicillin. I found it strange he was flooding her antibiotics that were not herbal and if for humans to take too many pharamaceutical antibiotics can be extremely intense and counter productive I can imagine on an animal. When I told him I was unfortunately going through a financial hardship and to please recommend what is extremely needed and if there was an alternative he started unethically talking about how he doesn't make money how other traditional vets/emergency vets do and went on comparing prices. I found that conversation odd. He addressed the reason she was having difficulty walking was due to the high fever/infection she might have. By that night my sweet girl lost her ability to use her hind legs. Through the power of discernment by the odd last interaction I had with him I decided to go to another ACTUAL holistic center. She was instantly diagnosed with upper respiratory infection and inflammatory condition contributing to her hind legs paralysis. She was prescribed herbal antibiotic (olive leaf extract) for the infection, along with other essential supplements her body needs to get better and stay healthy. She will need some physical therapy to regain mobility. I was able to get her diagnosed and treated for $800 comparing to the 3k he was suggesting in tests only not treatment. If it wasn't for Pasternak nasty greed rather than actually doing what he vowed to do as a medical specialist we would have been able to diagnose her and starting treating her before she got worse. Holistic doctor I'm now seeing is iPet Care & Holistic.

Oct 24, 2025

cappadoste

Dr Pasternak and his team are top notch. Kind, caring, and careful about spending your money. They are doing wonders with our Shepherd with hip dysplasia.

Oct 1, 2025