Companion Animal Hospital River North Chicago, Illinois

Beware of their new price increases.

Dr.Archer, Alex, Julie , Madison and the whole staff at Companion Animal Hospital were amazing! Their kindness, expertise, and through details of what to expect for our loving family member, Luna’s, surgery, was helpful and gave us hope in saving her life ! Luna is healing nicely and We definitely recommend to anyone looking for a compassionate and safe place for their best friend. 1 million thank you‘s again to everyone at companion animal hospital . Sincerely, The Betancourt Family

Companion is the best vet ever, would never go anywhere else!!

I took my two new hairless guinea piggies for a wellness checkup. It was such a great experience! They clearly knew lots about piggies and handled them so well even though they’re quite skittish. Thanks so much!

I've taken my cat here a few times for sedated grooming. The first 2 times went well with no issues besides the total cost being ridiculously expensive. This last time, there were complications with the medications they gave to sedate my cat. He had difficulty breathing with the first sedation medication so they reversed it and gave him the second medication which didn't work at all. They then asked if they could give him the 3rd medication which is not reversible so I said no. I picked him up and was thinking the staff would be considerate and sympathetic for us, but no, they made us pay $350 for sedating my cat. I asked numerous times if they could give us a discount just because this was an unusual case and they said no. In order for the grooming to be completed, I would have to bring him back and do the same thing again... paying ANOTHER $350. I was very upset to see that the staff there doesn't care for their clients. My cat is now at home feeling and looking awful and I don't know what to do.

I am totally happy with Companion RN! They even helped me and my pup when we were forced into a bad position by my previous vet. They are professional, courteous, clean and act in all ways as though they care for your animal. Because they do. They treated my dog for an infected bite wound and he’s well on his way back to being 100%.

In and out in just minutes for a nail trim for my little puppy. Thank you!

Was a client but after several incidents of shady and disorganized practices I had to switch hospitals. During a visit I was charged for a puppy general exam $45 and $75 during another, both doctors did the same exam (ears, eyes, etc.). Also sold me 3 months of heartworm medication and had to return in 6 weeks, when my pup came for her visit they wanted to inject a heartworm shot unaware they had prescribed simperica (heartworm medicine). Had to deal with technicians that hated their job and were always trying to sell persistently. It's disheartening to know what the real objective is here.

This caring, professional and very nice group of animal lovers took great care of our boy Lambeau (and me! with text messages) during Lambeau's stay for ear amputation surgery and teeth extractions. Highly recommend this gem of a Veterinary Service in Chicago's River North!

This is the second time i brought him here for the grooming service. The first time was really great, not sure what happened this time. The hair behind his back legs were very long and they needed to be trimmed, he came home with one side longer than the other, like it was not professionally done!

If I had listened to the first vet here my cat would have died. We got switched to another vet when I insisted on bringing my cat back to be seen. Then, two times in a row I was sent home with half of the medication that was prescribed and I PAID FOR. It was only because I looked at discharge instructions and emails that my cat got the medication she was supposed to get. I was promised management would call after the second time in a row I had to return here after just leaving. Guess who I never heard from? Management. Once my cat has her follow up from the vet that actually helped her, I’m done here. Very expensive with a 50/50 chance of receiving care that matches the price. Super disappointed. I switched here after reading all the good reviews.

Have always been treated with care here, even in emergencies!

Called on a Saturday and spoke with Julie about hopefully getting an appointment today. I was told that there was nothing for today but she gave me a list of different clinics and hospitals in the area that perhaps had openings. She apologized for nor having a spot and wished me luck. She went above and beyond when she couldn’t help me out, and I appreciate it.

Companion River North responds fast and has given excellent guidance for my new puppy Max. Dr. Schnitker provides a full write up after each appointment of what was done including detailed home instructions. My puppy had an allergic reaction and Dr. Melin and lead Dr. asst Brandon quickly helped turn it around, were thourough in making sure Max was safe by doing a scan and giving 2 injections. I was delighted to leave with healthy Max and expected to have a hefty bill. Instead was pleasantly surprised to leave paying under $10.

Really great with getting our pup in quickly for a tooth extraction. Then after the surgery, the following day, they called to check in to see how he was mending. Great service, clean facility and helpful staff.

I had a wonderful first visit here. We did not have a vet after moving to the city from the suburbs. My Cocker Spaniel has a problem with his eye that turned out to be primary glaucoma. The pressure was dangerously high, and they took fantastic care of him. Even though they were busy, they kept giving me updates and were incredibly kind.

I first became aware of Companion by volunteering for a local animal shelter and began taking my own pets there when their vet left the clinic I had previously taken them too. They are so kind, informative and genuinely care about your pet’s well being. They make unfortunate and horrible situations better with their compassion. Some people may say they’re expensive but I believe you get what you pay for.

Answered all my questions and staff was kind

The people at companion animal hospital are very kind! My puppy is always actually happy to be there and they’re all so sweet to her even when she’s acting a little nutty. They’re fine as long as you remember that they are a business first! They will try to sell you something extra nearly every trip. Whether it’s $200 worth of medication for a minor bacterial infection (which I later looked into online and realized I made a huge mistake buying alllll of that stuff from them) or a follow up appointment where they will literally look at your dog for two minutes and then slap you with a $75 bill. Vets aren’t cheap and I’m a new dog owner so I’m not entirely sure how this works but I recommend pushing back and asking what is actually necessary. I do feel a little taken advantage of but they’re so great with Betty, I’m going to continue going. Proceeding with caution into appointments though. Ask what things cost before they give them to you so you’re not shocked at the end of an appointment like I always am. ????

I love companion!!! I recently moved to Chicago and wasn’t sure where to take my puppy, but followed the other positive Google reviews. I’m so glad I did! The vets and vet techs are great. They’re very thorough and upfront about testing if your pet gets sick. Every staff member I’ve spoken with over the phone or at the front desk has been wonderful and so compassionate. But what’s made my experience with them the best is my experience with dog trainer extraordinaire, Charmaine. Charmaine works as a team with the vets to provide holistic and thorough training. After my move, my puppy was very anxious when I would leave the house. He would whine and it got to the point, I was worried my neighbors would complain or I’d never be able to leave my house. Working with Charmaine and the many recommendations she’s fine tuned through 20 years of experience in the field has helped my dog feel more comfortable when I leave. He’s been much calmer when I leave and the best part, he doesn’t whine loudly when I step out the door. We’re still working on making him comfortable and I appreciate that Charmaine doesn’t make you buy a package or certain number of classes. Instead, she tailors the training to your specific dog’s needs through online or in person sessions. Her help with my dog’s anxiety was so effective that we’re now working on getting him prepared to fly in-cabin in his carrier with low stress. I can’t recommend her enough! And finally, I love the daycare at companion. It’s helped my puppy be excited to go into the vet’s office and he always leaves in a great mood (but also, thankfully, tired and played out!). I really can’t say enough positive things about this practice. Thank you, Companion! ????

We came in for an evaluation appointment with our puppy. The plan was to do a basic examination and check his ears. He had already had the initial vaccine done by the breeder and we had the vaccination plan worked out. The problems started happening once we entered the examination room. The table cover on the examination table was filthy and covered by debris. It was hard to tell if the debris was animal feces, or other animal byproducts. I took one look at it and immediately did not feel comfortable. We had mentioned this to the technician; she then tried to scrape off the chunks of material sticking to the table cover but was unsuccessful. Instead of replacing the table covering with a clean and sterile material they proceeded to use this filthy cover (g-d only knows what was on it). The next person to enter was, Dr. Rachel Courville accompanied by the technician. Neither one of them washed their hands or used any hand sanitizer. The doctor proceeded to examine our puppy and was no thorough with the examination; it appeared to be a very quick procedure. The biggest problem from this visit is what happened next. The doctor told us that we must give our puppy a vaccine for: Bordetella. She did not provide any information whatsoever as to why? Why does an 8 week puppy who will be staying at home for quite a while require a vaccine against Bordetella? This information was never provided; the side effects were never discussed with us. The doctor then proceeded to administer the Bordetella vaccine. The Bordetella vaccine is not a core vaccination product and will delay the vaccination schedule in general for our puppy. Upon further research and speaking with a different veterinarian who specializes in dogs from a different facility (NOT Companion Medical River North), we had learned that the Bordetella vaccine is ONLY for dogs who will be staying at dog care centers, participating in competitions or active in dog parks. NONE of these activities pertain to our puppy! From an ethical standpoint none of the above reasons were discussed with us by Dr. Rachel Courville. Our puppy was put at risk, for no reason whatsoever and we had delayed the core vaccination schedule. All of this could have been avoided had the Veterinarian discussed this with us and informed us of the reasons behind the Bordetella vaccine. We would have definitely said NO. The entire experience felt unprofessional, unhygienic and unethical. It is my opinion that Companion Animal Hospital should be avoided.

My son took our healthy golden retriever in for rabies shot and was required to do a wellness check. The bill was $724.00!!!! They told my son the dog needed bloodwork (CBC), urinalysis, fecal sample, heart worm screening….on and on. The upsell here is ridiculous! The appointment made was for a wellness check for updating core vaccines - feels unethical.

I live in the neighborhood and wanted to try Companion animal hospital for our new puppy. This review is focused on the unethical business practices and invoices. After the visit which included the technician and doctor I expected to proceed back to reception and receive and itemized printout of all the services and then pay for it. Instead I was kept in the examination room with my shaking dog who wanted to go home. The technician did NOT provide the printout or even go over what I am paying for. Just simply said today's visit is $250. I wanted to get my dog home as soon as possible and did not have time to think. When I got home, I called the companion hospital to enquirer about the cost. They said that they will email the invoice and it usually gets emailed automatically (which was not the case). When I did receive the email with the receipt it contained a number of items which I did not ask for. Ultimately it is unethical and illegal not to provide the bill of sale to customers and go over the services. Please do better.

The folks at Companion Animal Hospital were caring, professional, and lovely through and through. I had poor luck getting a prompt appointment at other veterinary clinics, but Companion was responsive to my cat's medical needs (and my anxiety about his medical needs) and helped schedule him an appointment the next day. The staff who took my call and received my cat at his appointment listened to my concerns. Dr. Bohaty was so smart and kind and explained her treatment rationale thoroughly. Staff explained cost breakdowns before and after treatment. The facilities were clean and inviting.

Companion Animal Hospital is the best! The care given to my dog is unparalleled to any other. The staff, techs and veterinarians are all very friendly, professional, and treat my dog like their own. They even follow up on appointments to make sure my dog is doing well. They explain everything in detail so I fully understand what is going on with my dog, and always answer any questions I have. I have not found it difficult to make an appointment in a timely manner, and they even offer curbside appointments. I would recommend Companion Animal Hospital to anyone with a pet! I’ve seen dogs, cats, a bunny and even a Guinea pig! Definitely check it out!

Excellent service! Professional, helpful, and understanding. They took great care of my pup as she was being looked over and would 100% recommend you come here.

My terrier is terrified of vets and has to be sedated to be handled or groomed, which is a source of great anxiety for me (and him, of course). After a couple negative, expensive experiences with our last vet, I decided on Companion River North for its great reviews, which turned out to be accurate. They listened to my detailed concerns and made me feel more comfortable than any other vet has, and got everything done that was needed. The resulting bill was also hundreds of dollars cheaper than the previous vet. Thank you so much, Companion River North, for listening to me and taking care of my difficult beast.

Took my 8 week old pup here for his 1st vet visit. Staff was very responsive and friendly. Doc was great and answered all my questions. It was a great experience!

I was nervous for the vet visit because my indoor cat rarely leaves the house but they treated Little, with such care & calmed all my nerves as well as hers! Happy I found a great vet downtown! :)

Very friendly, knowledgeable, and accommodating. My dogs are not frightened to be treated there or groomed there.