Pets First Animal Hospital Colorado Springs, Colorado

My puppy and I just had our first Vet visit today and the experience was great. I won’t lie I was a little nervous meeting the Veterinarian after reading a couple reviews on here. She was great extremely knowledgeable and straightforward. I got no rude vibe or arrogance from her at all and she even made me laugh a bit. My suggestion would be to not form an opinion from the bad reviews seen on here. Staff was very nice and the environment was very clean and friendly. My favorite part of the experience was the nice bag of information, toys and treats that was given to me, this was extremely helpful and above what I expected. I will be posting again after future visits for a update but I expect great things.

They whole group of people there are amazing. I can call about anything and they will help. One of my dogs can be a real jerk. And she still cares for him.

I cannot recommend Pets First any longer. The staff is awesome and always friendly, but the vet talks down to people. She believes she just being blunt but it comes across very condescending and rude.

Had my first appointment with my dogs today and they did an excellent job with my babies and laid out a detailed plan for my older dog to get healthier in the weight department. Highly recommend and will definitely be returning

Dr. Walker and her team are A+. If anyone wants to consider this vet I highly encourage you to give them a chance. Most of the 1-star reviews listed here derive from angry individuals who portray their lack of knowledge in the veterinarian world. This is a professional establishment which give expert advice but will also help you build a relationship between your animals health, the vet & staff, while your pet/fur baby learns to be comfortable with (eventually love) the team. It has been tough to find a vet to take in the breed of dog I have and has showed me how lucky I am to have found such an outstanding vet that wont discriminate against breeds. The expansive knowledge of Dr. Walker is unparalleled to any vet I have ever been to. You'd be mistaken to choose a budget vet over Pets First Animal Hospital. You might as well ditch you primary care doctor and go to an urgent care if your mentality is such as this.

My little friend was in some serious pain and like most owners we rely on the “experts” for help. They diagnosed him with diabetes gave him insulin and sent us on our way. Two days later we brought him back and they told us he wasn’t diabetic. Additionally he had trouble breathing through his nose so we were told he may have nasal cancer which they gave us medication for without testing him. They said let’s see if this medication will shrink the tumor even though they never tested or investigated it no confirmation was made by the facility he in fact had a tumor/cancer. Not only did they not know his gender when speaking to me, which lessens my confidence they just charged us for tests that were inaccurate. The following day, he had another appointment in which his health was deteriorating I requested an earlier appointment and was told take him elsewhere to be honest I’m glad we did because they identified he did have diabetes, and a high temp which was never taken at this location. I was advised by the alternate pet care facility that if a little more care and thought went into him with an original “professional” vet, he may have been in a better position. After reading the responses on here from reviews I’m not shocked anymore about this place. I do not recommend this “care” center for any person. Worst place to care for your loved one. DO NOT GO HERE!

First visit today and am very pleased. Dr. Walker is amazing and very caring about my puppy. She took her time and went over all my questions. The staff was also very kind. Highly recommend

I wouldn't recommend this veterinary clinic to anyone! Not professional at all. Made an appointment and when I arrived they said we never called. We showed them my recent calls and that they did receive a call from us. My dog has cancer and unfortunately we needed him to be put to sleep. The veterinarian wouldn't even see us or our pet Super heartless!

We have seen Dr. Walker since before she started her own practice. She and her staff are truly remarkable, giving, caring and knowledgeable human beings. The name of the practice says so much! She knows that our pets are our family and treats them as such. They are ALWAYS so nice on the phone and very helpful in accommodating our needs. All of our dogs whine with enthusiasm when we get near her clinic for a visit because they can't wait to get inside. Really! One of my dogs almost dragged me to the ground pulling on his leash to get out of the car to the door. Previously I've had pets who would shake and be terrified of the vet. Not so with Dr. Walker and Pets First. Why would anyone go elsewhere?

Don't believe any naysayers! People tend to forget that doctors aren't a "one size fits all", and just because someone has had a "negative" experience doesn't mean most people will have or have had one. My experience with Dr. Walker and her team has been a good one, and I am grateful for her being there to help me with my pets when I need it. During these uncertain times with COVID-19 Dr. Walker and her staff are taking all precautions necessary while still maintaining an open business to her clients and patients. While this makes some people upset or irritated, I for one am glad to see a Doctor trying her best to do her part and keep herself, her staff, and all the people that come into her office safe. Owners of cats and dogs alike are bound to find quality service here!

I will not go to anyone else! I am always so nervous to take Baby (my dog) to vets because of bad experiences...but at Pet’s First they got me in right away as well as when Baby wasn’t feeling well, took care of her the same day. The staff is so kind and patient...what a great team! The Veterinarian is so informative and I have learned so much from her in the two visits I have made. She also will treat your pets as if they were her own. You won’t regret taking your babies here!

We got in to see Dr. Walker today with short notice. I thought that she was very thorough, very gentle, and very patient with my obnoxious one year old black lab mix. Getting treatment for the reason we were there was quick, and I appreciated her additional concerns regarding my dog's dry skin as well as her food/ diet suggestions for him. She never tried to "sell" me dog food - she is passionate about a healthy diet for my dog. She did treat him to some baby food (turkey) and if she would have compared it to "heroin" I would have agreeed and laughed. My dog enjoyed it thoroughly. It's a shame that people are so critical and harsh about such silly things. Dr. Walker and her staff are all wonderful and clearly have the best interests of our animals in mind. I would 100% recommend and I will bring my pup there again!

They’ve been great with a Lab and our Frechie. Definitely recommend.

Dr. Walker is, in my opinion, one of the best vets I've ever taken my dogs to. She walks into the exam room and she acknowledges the "parents." She then proceeds to do the most amazing thing. She gives our pups baby food to keep them still and so she can look them over and calm their anxiety at the same time. They are easy to get an appointment with, her office is clean and smells nice, she has a small rug on the exam table so it's not just this cold sterile environment and their prices are very reasonable. I would HIGHLY suggest Dr. Walker and Pets First Animal Hospital.

I have been taking my family pets here since 2013. There is no mistake of how deeply Dr Walker and her staff genuinely care for animals. Dr Walker always takes time to discuss and educate me about the health of my pets. Especially my aging chihuahua, who is almost 13 years old. We found that she has precursor kidney disease a few years ago, and thankfully we caught it in time. Dr Walker has helped prolong her life by years. I have also heard other vet staff at another animal hospital praise Dr Walker for being a skilled vet (I was visiting another hospital for a consultation on knee surgery for my dog, and when they saw who my vet was they said “oh Dr Walker, she’s really good!”) Dr Walker is blunt and straightforward which, in my opinion, is a good thing as she will always give an honest and educated response each visit.

Dr. Walker is an awesome vet! The staff is friendly and knowledgeable! I will not go anywhere else!

I am very pleased with this hospital. I called yesterday because my pup wasn’t feeling well and they were able to get me in that same afternoon. When my daughter and I came in, I can tell they were very busy and they let me know as soon as I checked in that Dr. Walker was running behind. They had a kids area, which is awesome!! being that it’s an animal hospital, so we hung out there. When we got into a room the staff was very polite and they gave my pup lots of attention. Dr. Walker is a stern woman which i can appreciate because it just shows that she cares and she’s truly concerned for my dogs well being. It was definitely worth the wait and my pup absolutely loved her. Thanks Pets First !! ❤️

I love the staff and how they are wonderful with all my Animals and now they are my Primary Vet. When I switched I had 2 dogs and a Cat and the rescue Chihuahua (Roxy) who is afraid of everything and since I started taking her to them she is calm in the car during the visit everything she is much better than she used to be and don't act like she going to have a heart attack it is amazing the difference they have made for her and My Cat (Freya) she is very touchy she only likes me to hold her or touch her and she does fine with them she don't hiss or act up like she used to since I started taking her to them. When our Golden Retriever (Shadow) was sick they got her in right away and took great care of her. As I said they are amazing and I highly recommend them as a vet and I know it says hospital but they are also a Vet Take your animals to them you will be amazed at the difference and great care they take of your Animals A++++ I would give them much higher stars if I could Thank you so much

We have been going to Dr. Walker for years. She is very knowledgeable and has treated all of our dogs like her own. Our dogs even get excited to see her. We wouldn’t go anywhere else, she and her staff are the best.

Dr.Walker and her employees are very nice and helpful with all of my pets needs.

I would not recommend this vet clinic to anyone purely because of Dr. Ricia Walker's bedside manner. I was treated poorly from the moment she entered the room. My kitty had not been eating properly for several days and was beginning to lose weight unhealthily. So I took him in to see what was wrong. Right off the bat she was upset with me for letting my kitty be indoor AND outdoor (even though outdoor is only our small fenced backyard). She handed me a passive aggressive piece of paper showing the statistics of a cats life for indoor versus outdoor. She then went to examine my kitty (which included only looking at only his front teeth and eyes). She said they should do some bloodwork, which I expected. They took him and came back shortly saying he was too aggressive to draw blood so they had to knock him out for it, fine I understand. 30 minutes later I'm given my kitty back in his carrier and Dr. Walker comes in and shows me a picture on her phone of my kitty's mouth. She doesn't explain anything, she simply asks "what do you see wrong here?". Well, I'm not a vet (thought that was her job) but his gums were very inflamed so I said "it looks red". She then went off on a rant of how this was one of the worst cases of stomatitis she had ever seen and how he would probably have to get all his teeth pulled IF we could get the inflammation down. She then instructed me on how to give him his meds, particularly the powdered antibiotic and asked if he liked soft food. I responded no, he is a very picky cat and only eats hard food. She scoffed at me and said "oh, he's a hard food junky". I told her I would try soft food, tuna and even baby food but she literally rolled her eyes and said "you can try but he's a cat. Once he doesn't like something he doesn't like it". So at this point you're thinking she would give me tips on how to give him the antibiotic right? Nope! Sent me on my merry way without any advice and no instructions on a follow up appointment. At this point I was practically in tears because she made it sound like my kitty was dying and that the only solution was to pull all his teeth. The only positive thing about this visit was the vet techs. They were unbelievably helpful and friendly. They came in to give me his meds and tell me which ones to give when (at this point I was fully crying and trying to hide it). They were very sympathetic and complimented my kitty and tried to distract me. By the end of this visit I was out $650 and was told my cat needed a full teeth extraction. I reached out to another clinic to get a second opinion. The vets were 100% nicer and understanding and said he doesn't necessarily need all his teeth pulled depending on how he handles his meds. They gave me advice to give him his antibiotic and said to schedule a follow up in a few days. I then received an email from Dr. Walker with my kitty's bloodwork results (which were promised a day earlier than I had received them) and I found a very unprofessional note made by Dr. Walker herself that was upsetting. She had written "had difficulty understanding the severity of the kitty's oral problems and strongly advised owner to make kitty indoors only". This felt like a stab at my intelligence and was not appreciated nor helpful. Very unprofessional. All in all, this clinic would be a wonderful place if Dr. Walker would work on her bedside manner. I was treated like I wasn't worthy of taking care of my own kitty and was basically scolded on how to treat him. I did not go to the vet for advice on raising my kitty, I went to get him help. That's not what I received. I am adding to this review because I just received a letter from Dr. Walker apologizing for her harsh behavior. I am sad to say that my kitty was diagnosed with cancer and will not be making a speedy recovery as we had hoped, but his stomatitis did clear up thanks to Dr. Walker. Included with this letter was a check for the office call itself. This was a very kind gesture on Dr. Walker's part and I am extremely grateful for her reaching out to me. I wish her well in her practice.

It’s just like it says in the name: PETS FIRST! We’ve been with Dr. Walker since 2012. We’ve had three dogs and our beloved cat treated like family since then. The staff is FABULOUS! They are professional and kind to our fur babies and to us! One cannot ask for better treatment and care than what is provided here. They have seen us through having to euthanize our sweet dog Pooh and just recently, the loss of our wonderful cat, Puma. Puma’s life was prolonged by the excellent care of Dr. Walker. If your pets are more than possessions, and are part of your FAMILY, you owe it to yourself and them to give Dr. Walker and her staff your trust in their care.

I recently moved my animals over to Pets First and I am so thankful to have made the switch. The staff is overwhelmingly kind, gentle and positive. They truly care about the animals in their care. Dr. Walker is incredible. She is compassionate, respectful and loves her patients. My dog, who was mistreated at the last place she went to and was visibly afraid of that vet, is happy and excited to go and see her new friends at our new vet. I recommend this office every chance I get. The receptionist and front staff are very responsive. I have left messages a few times now in the couple months we have been there, and I always get a call back as soon as possible. They provide timely care, and I'm sad to see others gave them a bad review because they had to wait a whole 30 minutes when the staff was handling emergent issues. If you are looking for a safe and wonderful place for your pets, look no further!

We were recommended this vet from a coworker and have been very pleased. Its so nice to find a vet with nice/clean facilities, a caring but realistic approach to pet care, and doesn't charge an arm and a leg. I am a puppy owner and have been several times now (both planned and unplanned). I have been able to get to vacc appointments without taking time off work because of thier accomodating hours. I have called on a Thursday and recived an appointment on Friday morning for what turned out to be doggy conjunctivitus. I have called on a Friday and recived an appointment the following Monday for a bad case of sinustis (which they followed up with 2.5 weeks later to make sure everything cleared up correct, it did!). They have also kindly answered my worried call/questions without judgement when she threw up a full sock (#labpuppyprobs). They instructed me what to monitor for instead of scaring me into coming straight in for unnecessary and expensive tests. Our puppy actually loves this vet also. We are always quickly placed in a private waiting/appointment room. When the vet arrives, she gives her turkey baby food, which is basically synonymous to a snake and snake charmer. Oh, and everyone in the front office has always been pleasent and efficient (important when your puppy's attention isn't quite at the sit/stay stage yet). UPDATE: Our dog is over a year old and the positive experiences have continued. We have been back multiple times since my last review (x-rays, vaccinations, more conjunctivitus...). Additionally, we have pet insurance and filed a claim that was rediculously denied. Pets First called, emailed, and wrote letters to the insurance company numerous times to help us appeal the denied claim.

I was very happy with how knowledgeable the staff was. They treated our dog kindly and they were very gentle with her! Everyone was very respectful and I’m glad we’ve found our new vet home!

Dr. Walker and her staff showed incredible compassion for my dogs, especially when a tough end of life decision had to be made. As busy as Dr. Walker is, she also seems dedicated to studying the latest developments in veterinary science. I have had other vets that seemed to just coast after school and never learned anything new.

Having a new puppy we’ve been a couple of times in the last year and every time it has been a great experience. They have always been great with booking appointments with my schedule and leaving a reminder message the day before with instruction so I don’t forget! Our fur baby had surgery and they called me a couple of times to let me know how it went and I really appreciated it so much! Dr. Walker knows her stuff and is great with our fur baby. She makes sure we know what is best and keeps us informed of why it is important. Her potty training directions were a life safer and super easy to follow!!

Apparently they don't know how to schedule, I had an appointment and waited for over 30 minutes and finally walked out because we were still not called to the back and who knows how long it would have taken once we got to the back. Would not recommend this place .

Staff is so sweet to our dog Maya. From the first visit as a puppy , Maya is excited to go to the vet and is happy to be there. Dr Walker gave her turkey baby food on day one and every visit thereafter, Maya loved it and still does. Dr Walker stays up on research of dog foods and fads, which I appreciate, as foods keep changing., she answers questions and over all we feel very welcome and cared for

We had gone to pets first once and thought it was fine, must have called and gone in on an off day. Everytime I've called since no one answers and leaving a message is pointless cause they never ever call back, I've called several times now.. Personally I wouldn't waste your time, I'm calling another office now!