Advanced Veterinary Specialists Santa Barbara, California

We had called to get a specialist's view on our dog, whom has been acting odd and not feeling well, and were met with an Un-Compassionate employee, 1/12/22 at 8:10PM, with their later employee, and when we told her we couldn't do a specific time and date, she sighed, made unkind and sneer comments and hung up mid conversation. I do not recommend this office after this experience of carelessness towards our animal in need, this could be everyone's pet, everyone could be in this boat. Upsetting and Enraging to say the very least.

I have owned many dogs over the years, and have visited many veterinarian offices and emergency vets, and I can say without hesitation that the care we received recently for our critically ill dog from ALL of the staff at AVS, was above and beyond exceptional. The compassion, patience, kindness, and responsiveness was more than you would ever expect, especially during these trying times when getting in to see a vet at all can be difficult. We feel so fortunate to have such a first rate veterinary clinic with such qualified vets and specialists on staff. If you are ever in need of emergency care for your pet, I would highly recommend you seek care at this wonderful facility.

Incredible experience with the Oncology Department. Dr B and the entire staff have always given us the highest degree of expert care and the most compassionate and tender guidance through a very challenging time with our Boxer, Max. They are a true shining light in a dark time. Thank you Dr B and staff, your help means so much!

Dr. Andrea Wells and her staff are the best. They take such good care of my dog.

Amazing and caring staff. Very professional.

as an ànimal emergency hospital, I was disappointed and frankly surprised to learn that they did not have a nursing bottle or KMR replacement milk for an hour old kitten needing care, nor did the front desk know what KMR was... just a sugggestion guys , this would potentially be an emergency item you should maybe have on hand!?

Our 7 year old Golden Doodle needed surgery to replace a severed ACL and damaged meniscus.Dr Shields and her staff did an excellent job and used a prosthesis to replace the ligament. and patched the meniscus. She and the entire staff at AVS continuously displayed professionalism and compassion.

Called because our dog was bit by an unleashed dog told to come in 3-4 hr wait. Checked in told to wait in car it would be 4-6 hr wait. After waiting 2 hrs a vet tech came out to ask questions the new wait time is now 6-8hrs! How can this be?

AVS is amazing. We were in Santa Barbara for the week of Thanksgiving, and our little dog was vomiting and have other symptoms on and off. We ended up visiting the ER here 4 or 5 times over the week as symptoms evolved. Whether it was the middle of the night, or the middle of the day, the staff was always very communicative, responsive, and empathetic. They obviously all love animals and it makes a huge difference. We ended up finding out we needing their internal medicine team called in the day after Thanksgiving, and subsequently their surgery team. This place seems to have a very well-oiled on-call protocol that made us feel very confident and taken care of. We ended up being taken care of the last few days by Dr. Delgado and the surgeon was Dr. Ludwig. Both were amazing, patient, and thorough with our questions. Dr. Ludwig is an amazing human, and walked us through all the possibilities of the surgery, whether good or bad, with so much compassion. Surgery on a little one is scary - but she put as at the most ease possible. Every person that came to get our little buddy from us was so sweet with her. This team was so amazing that we are going to stay extra time while she recovers so we can be in hollering distance of this place. Some other things about working with this ER: - As they will suggest, if you may need recurring care it is a good idea to try get in with their non-ER internal medicine practice. Like every other vet as the pandemic goes on, they are a bit backed up but I wouldn't hesitate if I lived in the area - They were really good about taking our inputs. Our dog has Cushing's and they were very mindful of it and I felt it was exceptional. We did need to re-give details of how things progressed each time we visited, but that's normal for a ER that typically doesn't have repeat visits - They will put together really good low end and high end estimates and walk you through before you commit to anything big. You do not need to worry about awkwardly asking about financial things - Their phone protocol is pretty amazing as you can't go in right now, but other than a few times I needed to call back they were always prompt. They are an emergency vet so emergency things happen, but the staff is never annoyed or cross if you call a bunch - Parking is super easy, they have plenty of curb space. Little things matter We've been to quite a few vets, this one is exceptional and I can't believe even through a holiday weekend they were so great. Thank you for safely getting our little one through this.

Took my dog with urinate problem and all they care was all about money, they charge for the checkup, with nothing to resolve, next week I took him to Carpinteria veterinarian hospital and My sorprise was the condition of my pup was to late to treatment, and I have to put him to sleep To keeping from suffering , I won’t recommended if you love your pet

For the second time Dr. Ludwig used her surgical skills to prolong the lives of both of our Frenchies. She compassionately and thoroughly explained our options, and what we could expect as outcomes, and carefully used diagnostic procedures so that we were able to make fully informed decisions in both cases. We are grateful to have more joyful time with them and to have Dr. Ludwig and the excellent AVS team as part of our community.

I highly recommend this place for euthanizing your pet (that's all I can rate them on). I called early in the morning, got in right away and only had to wait a few minutes. They were so kind and let me be with my sweet cat as she slipped away in a calm environment. The entire staff was sensitive and caring. I was so glad they let me be with her since my actual vet is not letting people inside now, thanks to Covid. All in all it wasn't the miserable experience I was expecting it to be. I think it was as good as it can be.

We brought our beloved Macie dog here because her breathing was labored. She’d been previously diagnosed with an enlarged heart and it had gotten much worse. She was in full heart failure. Sadly, we had to say goodbye to her and she painlessly and humanely was put to sleep. The staff was very professional and delicate. We’re grateful they offered cremation and she’s back with us again. Thank you Advanced Care.

We had to rush our pup here when he developed complications from a heart condition and none of the other "emergency" clinics in our area had a doctor on call on Sat evening. Though they were unable to save him, their care, compassion, and efforts allowed him to pass with dignity and help us through the loss of our baby. They will forever have our gratitude for helping us get through the process including arranging for his cremation and our receiving his ashes. I cannot say enough good things about Advanced Veterinary Specialists. Thank you so very much.

My experience with the vets and their care of my animals has been amazing. I've had to use their Emergency, Internal Medicine, and Oncology departments, and they have all been compassionate, thorough, and have saved a couple of my animals' lives. I will always be grateful!

Wonderful staff — compassionate and knowledgeable. It's always hard to see your pet in pain an important to take them to a place you trust.

Do not expect good care here. Will try everything with predetermined expectations. And if you need heart medicine on any day except Friday or Saturday, don’t expect AVS to be able to help you. Coast to coast cardiology “simply rents space” from them so if your dog with heart problems needs medical attention, don’t expect them to share records with the department THAT SHARES THE BUILDING. 5 thousand dollars in 1 year and they tell me my dog isn’t a patient. Avoid at all costs.

We went to VCA on Garden Street first and were told (with a straight face) 'It might be a 5 or 6 hour wait, and we won't call you, so you have to wait in the parking lot, and if you leave you'll lose your place, oh, and we don't have a night doctor so we close at 4 so you can wait and still not see anyone, and if you have to come back tomorrow IT STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN.' This says VCA either treats its employees so poorly they can't retain staff, or they're so callous about the public this is simply their business model. In either case, what a relief when we simply went directly to AVS, be taken within 15 minutes even though they were crowded, have our dog treated quickly, get a thorough consultation with a wonderful Vet, and know they offered follow up. How can 2 pet hospitals be SO different? It's clear AVS is owned by caring people -- and VCA is just in it for the money.

Very unprofessional. They took my cat, made me wait for 3 hours without a word or a quote, then the male assistant was hostile and uninformative.

Dr. Budreckis and her team are amazing. Sky was diagnosed with cancer and that was such a hard thing to hear, but with the care and treatment she is getting she is feeling much better. Thank you Dr. Budreckis!!

AVS is top notch. They saved my dogs life. Dr Barish is an excellent doctor and the staff is wonderful.

The rudest most disgusting experience of my life. Never take your animal here!!!

wow, so kind caring and responsive. We came to avs with tears in our eyes as our dog was in a lot of pain and they handled the situation with expect care. bonus for the time the doctor spent explaining the situation (staying late on a Friday for 30 min) and treatment options. They are good people with amazing compassion and doing great work.

Amazing team!! I took my puppy Mili and the AVS team assisted immediately. Everyone is so kind and compassionate, they made me feel at ease and in good hands. Highly recommend AVS Hospital for any emergency. Thank you!!

the most caring and compassionate staff! so helpful in those stressful pet emergencies, handle both owner and pet with love. cannot recommend them enough. worth every penny!!

Dr Samar called and gave us condition updates every 4 hours and went the extra mile in every way imaginable to try to save our little girl. We will forever be grateful for her determination and kindness during a very difficult time.

They called us to pick up our dog at 6.30, it took an extra 2 hours to get him after the receptionist said "we'll be outside in a moment". Waited in front of the door for that long with no explanation or timeline. Overall, it took 7 hours and full $700 to do an x-ray.

Please do your due diligence if you are considering the oncology department/Dr. Budreckis. They seem well meaning, but disorganization, unreliable communication and a lack of awareness pervade this practice. Regrettably, we continued to give them second chances, believing it was in the interest of our beloved dog Scout to have a local oncologist treat her lymphoma, which became very touch and go as it advanced. One example of their shortcomings follows: Scout fell out of remission in early November 2020, and received a new chemo drug in early December. It worked like a charm. and we hoped that she could have a few more good weeks, or possibly months. Unfortunately, Scout’s lymphoma started showing signs of recurrence. We brought her to see Dr. Budreckis on December 23rd to get her looked at before holiday closures. Sadly, Scout continued to decline. On December 28th she was scheduled for a blood draw to run a CBC for her appointment the next day. We spoke to the oncology client coordinator (who was kind and helpful) and advised that Scout was declining. Dr. Budreckis gave Scout fluids. Upon discharge, a vet assistant called to make sure we were right outside AVS, because “Scout can’t really walk right now”. We asked if Dr. Budreckis could call us later as we were concerned about Scout’s condition. We were told that “she will talk to you guys tomorrow”. Dr. Budreckis did not take our call the next day. In sum, we called AVS early that morning and asked to speak with the client coordinator as Scout was continuing to decline, and bringing her in for a drop off appointment (which averaged 4-7 hours) seemed unwise. The receptionist took a message. A series of conversations transpired, with the same vet assistant from the day before, that kept moving the goalpost and left us scrambling: “Dr. Budreckis has to focus on her chemo patients” (Scout was a chemo patient and had an appointment that day so time was allotted for Scout in the schedule); “Dr. Budreckis needs to see Scout in person” (she examined Scout yesterday - we were told we could confer with her today, at the very least could we speak to her and get Scout’s lab results to see if they were instructive as to Scout’s condition, and determine next steps accordingly? Scout is not doing well, but if that is our only option we would bring her in); “Dr. Budreckis can’t see Scout until tomorrow” (Scout’s condition was declining and we were extremely worried about her); Dr. Budreckis can see Scout later “but only if you want to put Scout to sleep” (an unfathomable ultimatum, we explained that we did not want to put her to sleep, and couldn’t make that decision without speaking to the doctor, getting her lab results and evaluating her status appropriately). We were told we could bring Scout to AVS in an hour (it was now about 4pm). Once at AVS, Dr. Budreckis advised she was very worried about Scout, based on her labs which showed that the number of unclassified cells in her blood had ballooned to an alarming number, and recommended that Scout be put down at AVS. We explained that our wish was to have Scout’s last moments be at home and fortunately we were able to arrange for an in-home euthanasia provider on short notice. Dr. Budreckis was well aware of Scout’s condition, our concern about her decline, and surely is aware of the rate at which lymphoma proliferates. Her continued refusal to have a simple phone call with us during regular business hours is troubling, especially given that once Scout was at AVS, it was her lab results that instructed Dr. Budreckis’ advice, which was that Scout’s health was in a very precarious position. We spent our last two days with Scout trying to get basic guidance from her doctor, rather than being able to fully focus on Scout and our precious last moments together. This behavior compounded our anguish and heartache and was not in Scout’s best interest. We hope improvements will be made so another AVS client will not endure such a harrowing experience.

Absolutely wonderful place that cares about animals and won't nickel and dime you. We were able to show up with a suspected problem in our dog and get seen immediately. Staff are caring, listen to + address concerns concerning pet medical history. This vet hospital is our new go-to for emergencies

Sadly it was time to put my senior kitty down. They were so compassionate and kind .