Bodhi Animal Hospital San Diego, California

We have been clients at Bodhi with our cat/s for years and have been very happy, especially with the wonderful doctors and assistants. They never rush and give their patients and 'families' the time they need to find out what is going on. …

I have two very high energy but nervous dogs and they take amazing care of them.

My dog is a very fearful and can get out of control. The techs and vets are so patient with her and so encouraging as well. They are quick to handle my concerns and if I need to speak with the doctor, I also get a quick call back. Its been a positive experience each time we go.

Really fantastic experience as a dog parent! Really sweet staff and my pet was well taken care of, excited I found them.

I am so, so grateful to have found Bodhi for my 4 year old Boston Terrier, Frankie. We love all the staff there so much and I trust them completely with my girl. Nothing but thorough, professional, positive experiences in our year of taking care of Ms. Frankie! Frankie had to spend three days “hospitalized” with them this year in the office, and the staff texted me pictures and updates throughout the day. It made a very stressful situation so much easier on me! Thanks to everyone at Bodhi!

I recently switched from Bodhi to a different vet. I’ve been lukewarm on Bodhi for the two years that my dog was a patient of theirs for a few reasons, but kept going because they were extremely close to my home at the time. While the veterinarians and technicians are extremely nice, I had a few unsatisfactory experiences with the front office staff (with scheduling, paperwork, following up, etc.). I also found that they are quite forgetful — I’d bring my dog in to be examined about two or three issues, confirm it with them at the start of the appointment, and then they’d discharge him without addressing one or more of the issues. I’d have to call them back and/or schedule additional follow-ups about the items they forgot. One such battle was getting his Simparica Trio prescription every six months for fleas/ticks/heartworm — always took more back and forth than seemed necessary for a monthly medication that he will take his entire life. We just managed to get it refilled a month or so ago. My dog was just seen by his new vet this week and we discussed his current medications. They remarked that our dog was unprotected for heartworm and roundworm, which was confusing because that’s exactly why we put him on Simparica Trio. It turns out that Bodhi had switched him from Simparica Trio to regular Simparica (fleas and ticks only) without notifying us or giving any sort of explanation. I’m not a veterinary pharmacologist so I didn’t even realize what had happened. Hopefully my dog hasn’t caught anything in the weeks that he’s been improperly medicated, and now I have five months of a medication I’ve paid for and won’t use. It’s a little frustrating to do everything I can to keep him healthy by bringing him to the vet, only to find out that they aren’t really paying attention and I have to second-guess everything they’re doing.

My Stevie, a 44 lbs boxer mix, has a very hard time going to the vet and everyone is always so accommodating and give her extra attention and treats! I really appreciate the staff.

6/1/21: Final edit. STAY AWAY from this place if you want good service and to not be ripped off. Scheduled an examination for teeth cleaning to see how much it would cost. The Dr never once touched on how much teeth cleaning would cost and instead chose to tell us that one of our dog’s teeth needed to be extracted, mind you, a year after they said the tooth was fine. Why are they just NOW saying this needed to be done, a year after his accident and not immediately after it happened? $$$ money-hungry and inept staff. We again had to BEG for our dog’s prescription after they refused to accept Chewy’s request for approval a month ago. Again, they want your money, not your loyalty. Now all of a sudden you have to PHYSICALLY GO and get the prescription. I spoke with Marina today and asked for it to be mailed. We’ll see if the request is done. Don’t waste your time with this incompetent, disorganized staff. 3/12/20: Out of desperation and not being able to find another vet we have continued to come to Bodhi. As my previous review states, the doctors are wonderful. The staff, again, is either overworked, they simply do not care, or both. We took our pup for a heart worm test on 2/29. That took maybe fifteen minutes, we were so happy. We asked for a prescription refill. We waited about twenty minutes and nothing. Ten minutes later someone tells us the doctor is too busy and cannot sign the prescription. We say its ok and if it can be mailed to our address. Person at the front desk says they cant. I asked for it to be emailed. They never did. The pup had an ear infection and again we go to bodhi on 3/6. Again the refill is asked for and it is not given to us. I call to see what is going on on 3/8 and they act as if they’ve done nothing wrong. I ask for the prescription to be mailed. They say yes (So why couldn’t they do it on 2/29?) Fast forward to today where we still don’t have the prescription with the wet signature. According to their “notes” the prescription was mailed on the sixth. With their history of not doing what is requested from them I doubt they’ll ever send us anything. I’m not sure if they do this on purpose so you have to buy from their pharmacy. TLDR; Doctors are good, staff are not. If you want to give your money to people who frequently mess up, don’t bother to follow up with requests, and pretend they’ve done nothing wrong then this is perfect for you. Dropping from two stars to one. — Oct 16/19 Doctors that have seen our fur baby have been very polite, caring, and friendly. The staff not so much. I called in for a prescription refill and apparently they had recommended our pup get some type of exam. They allegedly called and left a message. We never got one. I call to confirm which number(s) they had on file and I was treated as if I was someone calling from the looney bin. They never called when the prescription was ready to be picked up. When I called to confirm it was ready, again they said they left a message- my partner and I never received one at all. But they’re set their “notes” are correct.

My husband and I love the whole Bodhi team! Everyone is super nice and friendly and I know my puppy is in great hands when we take her there.

We were recommended to Bodhi Animal Hospital after our regular vet was too full to get us in for an appt. We could not be happier with the experience we had here. From the very first appt the staff & Dr. Hodgson were kind, informative & supportive. Unfortunately, the news was not good & ultimately we had to place our dog down. The staff & Dr Hodgson were absolutely amazing through the whole process & we couldn't have asked for it to be handled better. They were caring, supportive & accommodating during what was one of the most difficult things we've had to do. Highly recommend them as you will not be disappointed!

Our dog, Thirteen, has been in Dr. Christina’s care for the past 6 years and we wouldn’t trust anyone else with our little best friend. She truly loves all animals and is an amazing veterinarian!! Everyone that works at Bodhi is always friendly towards us and our dog. Another person that goes above and beyond is Natalie, she is so sweet and helpful! We also appreciated that we got an electronic version of our dog’s lab results with clear and easy to understand description of what every result means! We highly recommend Bodhi!! ????

Very friendly and they work with your schedule and care about your pets! Might be a little pricey but worth it for extra care!

We love the staff and the Drs at Bodhi Animal Hospital. Our dog is always very well taken care there and they are super responsive and attentive.

Can’t say enough. Everyone here is top notch. When I had to euthanize my last dog after a sudden severe illness they were professional, supportive, empathetic, and compassionate. With my new puppy they make me feel like he’s their only patient. Can’t recommend them more.

Dr Hodgson & Taryn are amazing! Staff is very friendly & professional & goes out of their way to help however they can, regardless of the situation.

Have been taking my Lab there for nearly 12 years and always greeted with a smile, great service, and quality care.

I’m a first time dog owner and Bodhi Animal Hospital makes me feel like my dog is always in the best hands. Anytime I have a question they answer promptly and go above and beyond to make sure me and the doctor are on the same page before any procedures or billing. Their desk staff and tech staff are great, and last time I went there they even came out personally to bring me some cleaning supplies because my pup had barfed all over the car while we were on the phone. The doctor made me feel especially calm after I was real nervous about what could have been going on with my dog. They really respect social distancing too and I’m so glad I found a great vet! Thanks Bodhi staff :)

Bodhi Animal Hospital was very helpful. My pit hurt her foot and even though they couldn't help me on the weekend. They did explain to me what to do and referred me to other hospitals who may be able to help me. They all said that they couldn't d help me. On that Monday I couldn't get an appointment anywhere but I was able to get one at Bodhi and they helped me in everyway possible. I do appreciate all that they did for me and my dog. Who we love so much. Thank you to Bodhi Animal Hospital for everything. I would recommend them to everyone. Thank also to the staff at Bodhi Animal Hospital they were very kind , respectful, and helpful.

You get what you pay for and I don't take chances with my dogs. All the staff truly cares about their furry clients. I moved from North Park to Chula Vista a few years ago but when I was ready to have a puppy again it was a no brainer that I was willing to drive back to NP to get her the best care.

The initial visit was great. Bodhi Vet explained my older rescue dog should be spayed as older female dogs can get infections in their reproductive system that will be fatal. Dr. verbally quoted me $500-$600 for the spaying and another $200 for a tumor removal. When they sent me the quote in writing it came out to over $1600. They did not offer an explanation as to why the pricing was so far off, only that they could remove a diagnostic charge of around $350 that I had asked to be not included in the first place.

The staff was patient with us while we made decisions about our dogs life. They were informative, kind and professional.

I took my senior cat in for a potentially serious issue, scratch that, it is a very serious issue. My cat has been indoor only all his life and does not interact with other cats other than his housemate, who is also indoor only (and healthy). Well, it’s been about a week and my cat now has a raging upper respiratory infection on top of the original issue. To no one’s surprise, my other cat now has an upper respiratory infection as well. So I went there for a consult and left with an URI. Definitely will never return or refer. Response to owner: Both my cats were vaccinated a little over a year ago before I moved to San Diego from the East Coast - I believe the records were sent to you. As a former critical care and emergency Vet Tech, I suggest your staff do a better job of disinfecting the exam tables and holding areas. My senior cat has gone to the vet many times and never came home with an upper respiratory infection.

I have tried this vet numerous times. I literally live a half block away. I thought by the cleanliness that they would be a great perk of living in north park. Boy was I wrong. I have never had a positive experience here and the last experience guaranteed that I will avoid this place and not ever suggest anyone I know to go. My bulldog had something wrong with him where he was woozy and going in and out of conciseness. We called immediately and they said “since we close in 30 mins we will not take him in” we explained it was a emergency and we live across the street and they repeated that same thing saying they are closing soon and can’t help.. REALLY?? We rushed him to the next closest vet and unfortunately he didn’t make it and I can’t help but think that when our family really needed Bodhi, they just really wanted to go home and they weren’t there for us. I wish I could take back every penny I ever spent there. Completely disappointed.

My pet has been to Bodhi for both for his regular care and his surgeries for years. I really love everyone there especially Dr. Powers who is his regular care vet. Dr. B did his resent tooth extraction surgery. And Dr Powers as his regular Dr. excellent care. Excellent service. Skillful caring people. Helpful People all with great attitudes. Years ago when I came with a very young dog with cancer Bodhi won my great and my business both with their care for my pet and for myself. Today I have a mid aged dog and an ancient cat. And they treat both animals with warmth care and expertise. And as I age into a nervous worried person momma there do all they can to keep me calm and informed while they take excellent care of my pet. There are so many great vets in San Diego. And Bodhi was my choice from day one. And still is. Shout out to that telephone and drip off snd pick up staff who has to deal with this worried momma dripping off her pets and picking them up. I know I’m anxious and ask the same question 3 times. And you smile and reassure he again that all is well. Blessings to all of you for making this happen especially during Covid. With appreciation. Eleanor Jacobs.

After taking my cat for a surgery with Dr Hayes, who had done an exceptional job helping my pet, I returned back for a similar issue with my cat. Unfortunately, Dr. Hayes was not available that day, 04/16/20, so I was scheduled with a different doctor, Dr. Powers. Right off the bat, Dr. Powers did not focus on the main issue - which is my cat eating terrible for him objects, and insisted on getting my cat anti-diarrheals. Since I did not get an answer to my question, I have requested an xray, after which my estimate was $471, including a quote from a radiologist. After the xray, Dr. Powers called me with her opinion on the xray, letting me know I need to come back (and pay) for extra xrays, without having a radiologist taking a look at it first, a service I paid for. The next day I get a call saying that they have no idea what is wrong with my cat, but according to Dr. Powers, it is fine as long as he doesnt get worse, because only then will they take care of him (a stat ultrasound and a surgery if he feels worse). After having such an amazing help from Dr. Hayes, I did not expext to get absolutely no help from Bodhi Animal (aside from anti diarrheal meds for a cat whos smaller intestine is swollen and who obviously has objects in his stomach - but what do I know, Im just an owner who lives with my cat ). Aside from getting poor service, I noticed that the prices has gone up quite significantly, especially in the times where majority of people have lost their jobs or got pay cuts. So not only did the vet did this -> ????‍♀️, but they also got paid almost 500 dollars to do so.

Bodhi is not my regular vet but when my dog was bit on the stomach by another dog, they were the closest animal hospital. The circumstances were unusual to begin with because of COVID regulations but the women at reception were extremely kind and got me taken care of very quickly. I took my dog back to the vet to have a look at the wound and felt that the vet was a bit dismissive of my concerns. I'll admit that I was feeling stressed out and emotional, so I didn't think much of it. I left my dog with them and they got him stitched up and sent home with orders to return in 2 weeks to have the stitches removed. This is where my experience went south. My dog is not an ideal dog at the vet. He has extreme anxiety for which we tried to give him medication in advance of his appointment. Again, due to COVID, circumstances were such that I was to wait in my car while they examined the stitches. Not 5 minutes later the tech returned with my dog saying the vet couldn't even get close enough to look at the wound. I easily picked up my dog and flipped him over to show the tech the wound. She suggested I take pictures and email them to the vet for review. Why the vet couldn't come out to the parking lot to see for herself, I am unsure, as we did have a scheduled appointment. I was assured that the stitches would dissolve on their own. I followed the instructions, took pictures, and emailed them to the address on their site. I called 2 days later to follow up and they asked me to send them again to a different email address, which I did. I never heard back from the vet after that. My fiance ended up removing the stitches after some time when they didn't show any sign of dissolving on their own. All said, my interactions with the technicians and those at the front desk were pleasant and the wound did heal nicely. However, while I understand this is an unusual time, I was truly disappointed and underwhelmed by the lack of care or follow up from the vet.

The queen, Bicce, was treated with love and respect

EDIT: I changed this from a 5 to a 3. I dropped my cat off for a neuter today that I have been under the impression I already paid for because I'm paying $144 more on his vet plan to have added the neuter, only to have them bring me a checklist of the $133 of items not included - which mistakenly included the $16 cone for post-op. I double-checked the plan I signed up for and saw the cone was included, so when I got home I called them to complain. So they took off the cone and then I asked more questions, because I signed a whole bunch of paperwork about my pet's potential death and it was freaking me out. When the tech came to my car for the added costs, she asked if I wanted to add the anti-nausea meds, but didn't tell me that there's potential for the cat to vomit under anesthesia and die - seriously, disclose the purpose of the medication and why I may need it, I'm not a vet and need to make informed decisions regarding my beloved pet. Anyway, when I called they said they give the pet the anti-nausea medication anyway and then bill you for it. They also give you pain meds anyway and bill you for it. If you're going to give both the pain meds and the anti-nausea meds anyway, then inflate the cost of your vet plan to include those, rather than surprising me with a bill of $101 that I didn't budget for because I was already under the impression that what was needed was covered. That just lacked so much integrity. Now to add another recent thing, in my first review, I mentioned the baby kitten that died and I had cremated with them. I wanted to name the kitten just as a sign of respect, so I gave him/her the name Kicsi (little in Hungarian). Lo and behold they add the dead kitten to a mailing list, and I was receiving wellness reminders for a dead baby kitten that traumatized me. I can't imagine the lack of consideration if you took a lifelong family pet to be euthanized, only to receive a notification from the vet that was there with you to bring in your deceased best friend for a wellness check - I know it's not but it feels like a cruel joke. I think this is a great vet clinic. I have been taking my cats there for about a year. I started going there when my cats were about 4 weeks old, and one of my kittens I was worried was acting lethargic and maybe had a parasite. After being declined by the first clinic I called, Bodhi was able to see them same day for emergency check-up, and they even let me bring her sibling for moral support. A few months later the same kitten was teething, but I didn't know and it sounded like she was choking (clicking teeth and coughing) - they also took her in as an emergency and everything was ok. Now my kitten had 2 kittens, and one of them was a faded kitten and died shortly after being born. I could not just throw the baby in the garbage, so I called the vet and they were able to help me with cremating the dead baby kitten same day, even gave me a comfort room to say goodbye. I haven't had many issues with them, although my cat wouldn't have gotten pregnant if spays & neuters were considered essential during the COVID shutdown as I had tried to get a neuter for my male cat before the female went into heat, but those services were closed. I am definitely traumatized from the death of the baby kitten and keep checking on the one that lived to make sure it doesn't happen again. I am moving to Utah in a month and have recently rescued a 3rd kitten (feral) that I will start on a vet plan there, and after reading reviews of clinics in Utah, I will definitely miss Bodhi's willingness to see last minute, same-day emergencies.

I really like this place. The doctor was very nice and knowledgable. They have great hours and clean facility too.

I love this vet. I was suggested to it by my boyfriend who took his cat here. They have been so great to my fur baby and I. They did my baby boy's PU surgery and have been helping so much with an eye infection. The doctors and staff are always so nice and care greatly about my fur baby. However, I took away a star because of my experience with a receptionist last night. Her name is Christina and she was so rude. She came over while I was texting and had the nerve to knock on my car on the metal... I HATE when people I don't know touch my car... And I opened the door and told her my kitty is on the other side and she asked in a snobby tone if I could grab him and hand him to her. The past few times I have taken him, they have always walked to the other side of my car without me having to get out and walk all the way to the other side to get him. They open the door to get him out. Then when I paid and everything, she took FOREVER to bring my baby boy, whom is always scared of the vet, back to me... She finally came over and I had to get out of my car AGAIN for her to hand my baby boy off to me rather than putting him back in my car like everyone else. When I spoke to the doctor on the phone, I mentioned to him that my two kittens needed to be weighed and he said someone would bring out a scale. Christina did not come out with a scale at all. She was about to leave for another car to handle when I told her the doctor said someone would be out with a scale and she rudely said she can take them inside to weigh them. So I opened the door they were in and I opened my passenger side to put in my boy and she actually grabbed them out. When she got back, I AGAIN had to get out of my car so she could hand my carrier with my other babies in it. So I had to put them back in my car. This girl is so unbelievably rude. I hope I do not get her to come out to grab my babies ever again.