Is Banfield a Good Vet | Banfield Review | The Akita Life 

Have you been to @banfieldpethospital ? What was your experience like?

This was a really good video. Very helpful for us deciding, and a fair review. Thanks!

My dog just passed away while she was on a Banfield plan. Since the plan is a “Contract “ I still owe the monthly payments until the plan is up. I’m paying for care on a deceased pet. I feel this is wrong. Also it is hard to get appointments because they have a lot of customers. I also had one location wanting to charge me $6k for a surgery while another location ended up charging me $800.

Great video!!!!

I love my Banfield! The entire staff knows my furbaby, Gracie, a purebred Akita very well. My husband and I saved Gracie and her litter mate, Penny from a very bad place. They were both sick when we found them. We were taking them to a local vet and were able to get them both healthy. Very expensive between the check ups and the medications. When they were a few years old, they had both contracted some type of skin infection. We went through four different vetinarians to find out what was happening. None of the vets were able to figure out what was happening to our beautiful furbabies. A friend had recommended Banfield to us and on the very first visit the vetinarian told us exactly what was wrong with our girls. With the proper medications and skin care both our girls were healed. We signed both our girls up for Banfields plan which covers their vaccinations, health check ups, bloodwork, dental and more. Two years ago Penny had become very sick with kidney disease and the vetinarians helped her and us through some tough times. Sadly, Penny passed away at home last year from kidney failure, she was seven years old. We received a sympathy card from Banfield signed by the entire staff. Still to this day when we bring Gracie in for her check ups the staff are happy to see her and Gracie loves going for her visits to see all of her friends and even makes new ones in the store. Thank you Banfield for helping us take care of our furbabies.

We’ve been going to a private practice for years and the prices just keep getting higher and higher for routine/preventative care. We have an appointment at our local banfield coming up soon. The optimum wellness plan makes more sense for routine care and we still have the private practice to go to if our pup ever has an emergency or needs in depth treatment.

I love Banfield, however we go to a stand alone location. Much better experience than the ones inside of PetSmart

Tony, very fair comparison. However, the facts are the facts. No professional Breeder uses Banfield. This is simply because they don't provide the highest level of care as they/you will find at either a Veterinary Hospital or a major Veterinary University like we are so very fortunate here in Northern Colorado. Thank you Tony for your well intentioned experiences.

I like Banfield. It’s very convenient. All my dogs health records are easy to reach. I do find the ones not attached to PetSmart have the atmosphere of a private practice.

at one time I had a great Banfield vet service- the owner was a Rottie fan, had them as well and his 4 clinics were top notch. Then he retired and sold his franchise, and the same clinics were terrible so like any Vet clinic I think it really depends on the vet's outlook on medical care over making money.

Banfield Tech Ridge Austin Texas mistreated my beloved companion Bitsy and she died. 😢😢😢

With over 15 years of experience owning, training, and breeding American Akitas I can assure you that no breeders take their Akitas to Banfield. They have considerable vested interests in their prize Akitas as I do with mine. Furthermore, when I started out with my Akitas I took them to Banfield. However, I quickly realized that they were not equipped in both the abilities of the veterinarian (s) and supporting staff, and the equipment or the lack thereof. Now, I don't want anyone getting disillusioned by Tonys' favoritism towards Banfield. He is sincere and clearly wants the best for his first pure-bred American Akita as does he for everyone who uses his forum for owners and perspective owners. Lastly, there are opinions and there is experience. Furthermore, a list of services provide by Banfield was eluded to in detail by Tony. This is intended as a fair and reasonable representation. However, to portrait these as being exclusive to Banfield only is completely inaccurate. To say some Veterinary services offer more and some less is true as is the case in and with all business(s). I can assure you that South Mesa Veterinary Hospital in Ft. Collins, Colorado offers far more than Banfield over the past 20 years that I have observed and experienced. As I have factually stated, Banfield is not intended to provide the same level of surgical capable veterinarians, staff, supporting and advanced equipment, and a much broader level of other services. Similarly and above and beyond, everyone at South Mesa also knows all of my Akitas as Tony had mentioned of his relationship with Banfield. Services also include the abilities to preserve alials in stasis for future insemination (This and all associated services are not provided nor supported by Banfield) as I will be doing with a new female in the new year ahead. Your stock has to be rotated simply because the breeding must not exceed 3x. The breeding process takes its toll on the female and you run the risk of birth defects, and "still-borns", etc. I do not advocate breeding. It is a very serious endeavor and must only be conducted by professionals. When my first Akita "Krypto" passed South Mesa sent me beautiful card signed by all, and a very special mention that $50 was dedicated to a charity in his name. I could go on and on, but that would be petty. Tony, you are again invited to take my considerable experience to help you and most of all; to everyone out there who either owns or aspires to own an American Akita. For whatever reason you have that my knowledge and experience threatens you would be and otherwise makes no sense. That not withstanding, keep in mind Tony, your experience is based on an Akita mixed 3 times over, and your first current purebred Akita. Comparatively and by simple observation, that does not qualify you as having an otherwise abundance of experience with purebred American Akitas. How old did you say your Akita pup is? PS - Today's pearl of wisdom is to remind all of my fellow American Akita owners and those who aspire to own one... is about creating the "bond"...While your Akita is still a pup, pick up he/she very often and walk around, etc. When you do this as often as you can you are going about establishing and reinforcing that you are the Alpha. This is very important as you begin to teach your Akita the structure of your family, of which he/she is an important part of. The Akita must learn from you where they fit in and their role in the family unit as lead by you, the Alpha. Never, ever, strike or beat your Akita! That in no way is how you teach your Akita about right and wrong.

I've been to Banfield twice And.both times the person I spoke too had an attitude with me and refused to cooperate with me Never again!

I had someone suggest me to go to banfield bc they are so cheap for my new puppy, the first 30 mins the tech kept trying to tell me prices of everything without the plan, and I was like a normal puppy package is like 150, so why are you guys charging so much, she goes well I can help for 116 with the plan, but what I wasn't told is for the whole first puppy visit they charged over $400 and when I decided to cancel, I was told I need to pay the remaining 300 before I can cancel, I was like ok but the hotline said I have to pay in the vet office, the office said they can't do that and it has to be through the main office. So I am not sure what to do, because I don't want them charging my card for the full plan when we don't plan to use it. I am hoping I can get this figured out without unnecessary charges.

Could not hear it idk why...

I like banefield..... would love it more if I can walk back in the back with the animal.

Banfield is horrible. I have been twice with different dogs and both times it was very clear that animal welfare was the farthest thing from their priority. The first time my 1 year old mixed breed puppy had a large sore on her leg. It was a weekend so I couldn't go to my normal vet. I spent the first 30 minutes I was there with them trying to sell products, i.e. memberships and insurance etc. When it became clear I wasn't buying that stuff, they tech left the room and said the vet would be right in. After the first hour, I left the room looking for someone. The place was empty. After the second hour, I could hear voices and opened the door again and they were in the back playing games. Over 2 hours and never saw a vet and I had to leave with an injured dog. The second time, I had a 9 week old Akita puppy that had a UTI. They refused to see her then or work her in anytime in the coming week. UTI's are extremely dangerous and can lead to kidney failure. It was obvious while we were there how much pain she was in. Also, while waiting outside the grooming salon once a woman came up with a stray she found that was so pregnant it could barely walk. The poor thing was in obvious distress an had cuts and abrasions all over her. They refused to see her as well.

Is this a paid promotion?

NO they are horrid here in Austin TX. Their negligence caused my beloved Chihuahua's death yesterday. Won't allow you to accompany your pet in the treatment room.