Northern Oaks Bird & Animal Hospital

I learned the hardest way possible that sometimes a typical vet just isn’t good enough. We brought our French Bulldog to Northern Oaks Bird and Animal Hospital after he suddenly stopped eating, which was extremely unusual for him. We checked in, and at first everything seemed fine. The staff was friendly, and we were placed in a room. They then took our dog to another area of the building to examine him. Tragically, that was the last time we ever saw our dog alive. While we waited, the vet came in periodically with updates. One of the first updates, we were told an X-ray would likely be needed. Then we were told our dog wouldn’t allow them to position him properly for the X-rays. The vet suggested putting him under anesthesia to proceed. We were never warned of the risks specific to his breed. The next update was that the X-rays showed pneumonia. While the vet was explaining this, an assistant suddenly rushed into the room, visibly panicked, and said they needed the vet immediately. The vet rushed out. When he returned, we were told that our dog’s throat had closed while under anesthesia, he coded (essentially died), was revived, and was now being kept alive by an oxygen tube forced into his throat. We were in complete shock. We asked multiple questions: • Can the oxygen tube be removed? • Can he be woken up while on oxygen? • What are the next steps? We were told that removing the tube could cause his throat to close again and he could suffocate, and that it could take hours for him to wake up from anesthesia — something that should have been clearly explained before anesthesia was administered. The vet then admitted that our dog now required emergency-level care and that they were not equipped to handle it, even going so far as to say it would be ideal if there were ambulances for dogs in situations like this. At that moment, we realized how unprepared they were for the crisis they had created. That day, we lost a family member. To add to the trauma, we were charged over $2,000 — a bill we are still paying more than a year later. Some of the charges included: • Extended Labwork in House: $529.50 • Emergency Exam: $199.50 • Emergency Induction Package: $159.50 • IV Fluids: $139.50 • X-Ray Survey: $539.50 We arrived during normal business hours, yet were billed for emergency services — despite being told by the vet himself that they were not equipped to handle emergencies. That alone is deeply troubling. I didn’t fully understand how poor the care was until recently, when our current dog suddenly lost the use of her back legs. This time, we took her to BluePearl Pet Hospital. The difference was night and day. We arrived after normal business hours. The staff was calm, compassionate, and thorough. The vet clearly explained what might be wrong, walked us through all options, discussed risks and costs upfront, and even took time to ask our two young daughters if they had questions — something that meant a great deal to us. We followed the vet’s recommendation to start conservatively with a steroid shot and medication before jumping to invasive options like MRI or surgery. Within a day or two, our dog was back to her normal self. The total bill — including the emergency consult, treatment, and medications — was $512.63. Less than half of what we paid at Northern Oaks, and most importantly, our dog is alive and well. This experience showed us how veterinary care should be handled. Risks and costs should be explained upfront. Conservative treatment options should be considered first. And clinics should never perform procedures they are not equipped to manage if something goes wrong. Hindsight may be 20/20, but I can’t help wondering if our little boy would still be here had we taken him somewhere else instead of Northern Oaks Bird and Animal Hospital.

posted: 02/10/2026

I love these guys. They're really good. The doctors are wonderful with my pet dog. He's a labradoodle. His name is Finn, and they provide great services like rattlesnake. Venom and uh, uh, a little pricey, but they're worth it. I also brought my african grape parrot pepper there as well.And they're great with birds

posted: 07/30/2025

They are truly awesome. They always greet flora with such kindness and love. The staff upfront are very knowledgeable, especially because I called often when I first got her. They always answered questions. If they didn’t know or had to check with the vet, they got back to me within a couple of hours. Dr Diaz and his team are truly a blessing. He is amazing with Flora. And always reassures me on all my questions.

posted: 07/05/2024

All the staff is amazing and super friendly. Dr Sutter and tech Major were extremely knowledgeable and caring. I wouldn't take an exotic pet (rabbit in our case) anywhere else and will likely starting bringing my dogs and cats to Northern Oaks.

posted: 12/23/2025

They are bunny friendly. We are from New Braunfels and had to find a bunny friendly vet. The have the knowledge and it is a cozy environment to travel too.

posted: 08/24/2025