Pet Specialists of Austin

Lindsey Goodnough · 5★ · 2025-12-17

Over a year ago, our rescue cat, Yurt, started experiencing serious health issues, and with no known history, we were terrified we were going to lose him- especially when cancer became a real possibility. After being referred to Pet Specialists of Austin, their team ran extensive testing and ultimately diagnosed him with histoplasmosis, a semi rare and potentially fatal fungal infection.\n\nWhat followed was a long, expensive, and emotional year of treatment, monitoring, and medication adjustments- but through it all, the team at Pet Specialists was incredible. They were thorough, compassionate, and genuinely invested in Yurt’s recovery. Today, I’m beyond grateful to say that Yurt has officially tested negative for histoplasmosis and is happier, healthier, and more playful than ever! (See before and after pics attached!) We still have a road of monitoring ahead of us, but it's so reassuring to know that I have an awesome team in mine and Yurt's corner.\n\nA special thank you to the Internal Medicine team, to Dr. Hetrick for the clear communication and consistent follow-ups, Kelly for being Yurt’s biggest cheerleader (he says thank you for all the Churus), and Katie at the front desk for always handling everything with kindness and care. Thank you to everyone in between- every interaction we had with anyone in this office was always a positive one so thank you to the entire Pet Specialist team for being so amazing!\n\nPet Specialists of Austin truly saved my cat’s life. I cannot recommend them highly enough and will forever be grateful to this team for giving us more time with our sweet boy. 💙🐾\n\nSide note: I also highly recommend that any pet owner consider getting pet insurance, if it’s financially feasible. What would have cost us nearly $7,000 this past year ended up being just around $1,300 out of pocket for my partner and me. You never know when unexpected health issues may arise, so it’s always best to be prepared- for both your wallet and your fur baby!

Destinee · 5★ · 2025-11-23

Oh my goodness, this place is a God-send!\n\nMy sweet little dachshund, Cami, had swelling around her nose and mouth. I took her into her local vet and she was given allergy meds and watched for a few hours. Right before I picked her up, her mouth got worse and she was referred to the ER. I took her into Pet Specialists of Austin on a Friday evening and was given a room immediately. As soon as I gave her over to the staff, they were quick and efficient in diagnosing her. Snake bite!\n\nDr. Wilby was so kind. She explained the next steps and possible outcomes of the treatment. I agreed and was given the quote by the staff who also provided an itemized list of the cost expectation on the higher-end. And I’m the type of owner that would sell their kidney for their pet’s welfare so I didn’t really care about cost as long as my baby was under good care. I’d figure it out. I did see brochures for patient financial assistance too that I’m sure I could have inquired about but I charged it.\n\nI got to say goodnight to my sweet girl and went home knowing that she was in good hands. I was reassured by the staff that I could call or coordinate a visit anytime. I called them at 10pm to check on her before bed and Dr. Hartmann gave me an update on Cami.\n\nDr. Hartmann and staff treated her throughout the night, administering her antivenom and called me right when they said they would for an update the next morning. All clear for discharge!\n\nDuring discharge, I was explained everything and they answered my questions. I got my sweet Cami shortly after and I can just tell how much the staff truly love their job. Cami was in good spirits and looked so much better. I was refunded over half of what I was charged, due to it being an intentional worst-case estimate. Which is was super grateful for because I always want to have expectation of worst case!\n\nI literally cannot thank Pet Specialists of Austin enough for taking care of my sweet ween. If you are ever in need of a trustworthy pet hospital that will take care of your baby like their own - this is your place.

Jenny Costilow · 5★ · 2025-11-28

I have been here several times for pet emergencies but this last time was exceptional. My pup had an urgent back injury needing an expensive surgery, and the team was compassionate and helpful. They helped me navigate the options, and when the best option was to transfer him to Texas A&M for the surgery they helped pave the way by talking to the vets there and making the transfer smooth. I am so grateful for the team at Pet Specialists.

Dr Lisa Daniel · 5★ · 2025-11-14

I am so glad I took my senior dog Rue who has Cushings Disease , to see Drs Hagler and Hetrick . She had been sufering w vague and distresing signs of pain and severe acute behavioral changes for several months and I was uable to find the cause . Dr Hetrick found that she has eye inflammation (uveitis )and retinal hemmorhage secondary to her Pituitary tumor . I started her on the recommended meds and just 48 hours later she is feeling so much more like her old self ! I know she won't live forever since she is already 13, but i do want her final years to as comfortable and happy as possible . We are very grateful to the kind speciailists and support staff for their compassion and expertise and Rue thoroughly enjoyed her visit to PSA

Susan J · 1★ · 2025-11-11

Writing this review was not an easy decision but I’d like to honor my cat, Sunday and hope to inform others. Last month, Sunday died unexpectedly at this clinic under their care. She was 14 years old and was sick with an illness that was not yet fully diagnosed. We were days from seeing her regular vet when I noticed she had labored breathing. But she wasn’t mouth-breathing or in distress. She even jumped on my lap, purring, while I had coffee that morning as she usually does. I was just being cautious. I called PSA before I took her there. They told me that they had an oxygen kennel to get her comfortable and encouraged me to bring her in. I was hoping for a physical exam, to get a vet to listen to her heart and lungs to see if they noticed anything alarming. And just to stabilize her over the weekend. When we got there, a tech had me sign an intake form and took her back to the treatment area and we were separated- due to their policy. The tech assured me that Sunday was doing fine in the oxygen kennel. About 20 minutes later a vet came into the waiting room and informed me that she wanted to take a chest x-ray of Sunday. I was a bit worried about giving her anesthesia because her senior lab results weren’t in with my regular vet yet. The vet assured me that they’d be using a mild sedative and that she would be semi-conscious. I agreed to it, putting my trust in the doctor’s professional hands. I waited nervously in a small room when I overheard someone yell out, “I need a doctor in here now!” outside. Now, when I was separated from Sunday I expressed worry and they assured me that if anything unexpected were to happen they would come get me, so I could be with her. But no one came to get me, so I was hoping that call wasn’t about Sunday. But about 15 minutes later the same vet came into the room and very matter-of-factly told me these words: “So, after we gave Sunday the sedative, she stopped breathing.” She didn’t prepare me for what I was about to hear. She didn’t seem bothered. It was as if a mechanic had just told me that my car had died. I asked to take her body home to bury her. When they gave me her body her mouth was open with her teeth showing. I couldn’t help but wonder if her last facial expression was one of fear or shock. I was devastated. Devastated. I had Sunday’s regular vet look at her ER records the next morning and talk me through what she thought might have happened because PSA did not have an explanation for me. My vet assured me that she thought they had used a mild sedative and it isn’t what killed her. In her professional opinion, they tried giving her the shot too quickly after removing her from the oxygen kennel, not giving her enough time to readjust to the low oxygen level atmosphere when she was already short of breath. And she likely “decompensated” while she likely stressed over the needle being put in her muscle. Knowing her personality, especially under duress, I’m quite certain that she suffocated to death in this scenario. An expected reply to this comment might be that she was an older cat and that she was already sick when she went in. X-rays later showed fluid in her lungs. But she wasn’t at the brink of death, gasping for air, or mouth-breathing. All I wanted was for her to be more comfortable until she saw her vet a couple of days later.\nRealizing that she lived 14 years with me until she got sick and died isn’t the sad part. I’m grateful for the magical years we shared since she was a kitten. And for all of those years until the end she never had other health issues. It’s that I wasn’t given a chance to hold her in her last moments or to say “good bye”. A part of me regrets taking her to an emergency clinic, like somehow it’s my fault that she passed away like this. But I’d like to ask the medical director at this facility to examine their operations. And as their clinic director assured me that “they are trying to improve things”, it’s not far fetched to say that they do need improvements. I hope no other beloved furry family member has to go through what Sunday did.