Sammamish Highlands Veterinary Hospital

I've gone to SHV for 3 dogs lives. Spent thousands of dollars taking care of my furry friends. Last night my 14 year old lab couldn't get up as hard as her dear heart tried and she was in pain. She had slowly progressed. It was time sadly to say goodbye. I was praying mother nature would let her pass, but it was my responsibility again. I waiting at the SHV clinic until they opened. I asked if they could please put my dog down in the car, like they did 20 years ago with my second lab. I was told I needed an appointment!!!!!###! When I needed them the most, they couldn't care less. A simple, vital, heart wrenching 5 minute procedure couldn't be done without an appointment. Holy crow does that clinic need to get it's priorities straight. They don't care...

Took our 13 year old pup there and they knew what they were doing. We had lots of questions and there answers made since. Going to make them our permanent vet

They misdiagnosed bladder cancer as a bladder infection. Our dog already had a known brain tumor. For about six months this clinic treated urinary signs as an infection. It was bladder cancer (TCC). That delay mattered. We went to a different vet. On the first visit, in about ten minutes, that doctor also found a massive ear infection this clinic had missed. Owners are never allowed in the room during the exam. You drop the dog off and wait for a summary. It feels impersonal, and after a six-month miss like this, it is fair to ask how complete those exams really were. If your dog has a serious diagnosis, you need a clinic that rechecks the obvious answer and lets you be present. This was not that clinic.

This veterinary practice appears to be highly competent and genuinely concerned about the animals they treat. The staff is friendly, the veterinarians are thorough, and they often ask questions that go well beyond the immediate reason for the visit. That level of attention gives the impression that they truly care about the long-term health and well-being of their patients. The challenge, however, is that as a pet owner, it can be difficult to distinguish between exceptional care and aggressive upselling. Nearly every visit seems to result in a lengthy list of recommended medications, supplements, dietary changes, vaccines, naturopathic products, tests, or follow-up appointments. Some of these recommendations may be entirely appropriate, but the cumulative effect often leaves the impression that revenue generation is intertwined with the treatment plan. My biggest concern is the lack of pricing transparency during the appointment. Recommendations are discussed, but costs are often not. It is only at checkout—before your pet is returned to you—that you learn the total cost of everything that was recommended and apparently approved during the visit. The charges are itemized, but by that point the decision has effectively been made. A simple discussion of costs and alternatives before services are performed would go a long way toward building trust. There is also a subtle feeling that questioning or declining a recommendation is discouraged. No one is overtly rude, but there can be an undertone that leaves owners feeling judged if they choose a different course of action. Finally, follow-up appointments seem to be routinely scheduled whether or not the pet’s condition warrants one. While this can certainly be interpreted as attentive care, it can also feel unnecessary when the diagnosis and treatment plan are expected to resolve the issue. In many cases, it would seem more reasonable to make follow-up visits conditional on the pet’s progress rather than automatically scheduling another appointment and fee. Overall, I believe this practice is staffed by caring and capable professionals. My concern is not the quality of care, but the lack of transparency around costs and the tendency toward recommendations that can leave owners wondering where medical necessity ends and revenue generation begins.