My 7-year-old English Pointer Charlie had a small cough and was breathing slightly more rapidly than normal, so I had made an appointment with his regular vet. His symptoms had not increased much, so I assumed that it was a mild situation. On Sunday, 4/5/26, he suffered what I thought was a seizure. I called my vet, whose answering service connected me to Arcata Animal Hospital. I left a message, and they called me back within minutes. We were able to make it there quickly, and the staff was ready to see us and had already started a file on his situation. By then, Charlie had seemed to stabilize, but was clearly still in some kind of distress. From the moment that we walked in the door, you could tell that the staff was understanding, genuinely cared, and were going to give him the best care possible in a clean and modern hospital. They asked to keep him for a few hours, and I went home. During the 5 hours or so that he was there, I received 4 phone calls with updates and asking for approval to do more testing, which I appreciated so much. I was able to take him home that night, and while a little groggy, he seemed to be in good shape. In addition to providing me a copy of the clinical summary and several different articles about his results, the staff also emailed me a referral letter and copies of his X-rays before I had even made it home. They also called me early the next morning to check in on Charlie, discuss scheduling the additional cardiac testing I had approved, and to get a copy of his medical records from his regular vet. While the diagnosis of left-sided heart failure was unexpected and not what I had hoped for, I am thankful to have an answer and to know what to expect. Dr. Bartlett and her team are nothing short of amazing, and I can't recommend this veterinary team more highly. read more

Kind, compassionate, reasonably-priced care. I have two reactive dogs, and Dr. Dossett sees them both. I called around to all of the vets in Arcata before I moved to the area. My Doberman is people reactive and will bite, plus he has complicated health issues which sometimes require frequent visits. AAH exam fee is $80, but a recheck is much cheaper which definitely eased my mind since there have been times we have had 3 appointments a month. AAH is a fear-free facility, and I appreciate the care that they show with their fearful and reactive clients. I want to specifically mention their team of vet techs who have been incredible. Sarah has sedated my Doberman twice. Even though he is muzzled, I recognize that sedating an animal who is actively trying to bite you is a stressful experience. She has been calm and always treated my pet with so much love and respect. Get established with this practice right away and they will always get you in when your pet needs to be seen. The combination of their hours, emergency vet fees, and scheduling ability made this an easy choice for me and my special needs dog. Some of the reviews mention not having accurate cost break down. I haven't found that to be true at all. Vet care is unfortunately incredibly expensive, but I don't think that is an issue with this practice in particular. read more

Arcata Animal Hospital - Clean and comfortable exam rooms. - Veterinarians Near Me - Arcata, California

I had to take my senior chihuahua, Bambi, to see the vet after she was limping for a couple of days. I had been to this office pre Covid but had not gone back. They are really great They calmed my nervous pup, okay it was with tons of treats but whatever, checked her out, diagnosed the problem, gave me options with no pressure and together we worked out a plan. I'm on a fixed income which is another reason I hesitate to take my pets to the vet. We're all older females trying to age our gracefully. The bill was reasonable and the service was stellar. read more

Upon reflection everything in last review was accurate AND Dr. Joy cares so much and works so hard so want to add that. There is so much to know and no specialists in our area so many of my concerns have been things I've experienced also at other veterinarians (only the last decade or so) and worse at Fortuna/Ferndale veterinarians (except Dr. Rice who was good first time i saw her anyway ..didn't get back to see her again due to issues with the office in general). Dr. Joy said wait and see on a eye lid mass where as a year later Fortuna/Ferndale said do surgery as likely is cancer but you can't get good margins there anyway and that is needed for mass cell tumors. It wasn't even stopping his lid from closing which Dr. Joy said would be the only reason to get surgery; she was right about that. I used Boswellia in MCT oil and it shrunk (it was never larger than ...oh i don't know a measurement reference, less than half the size of a pea?) and any time it grows which is slow and rare i do it again and it shrinks again...many years later it is small and doesn't bother him a bit. He is 70 lbs and 14 and was around 11 when Fortuna/Ferndale needlessly recommended surgery...especially not good for an old dog. read more

They were kind and considerate when my little dog of 14 years passed away. I was visiting my mom at Thanksgiving. I needed help with taking care of my little dog's final disposition. They arranged to have her cremated and provided a nice wooden urn with her foot print a a lock of hair. It gels with closure in these times in life. I recommend the vet facility read more

Seems disorganized between the front desk and vets. There is always a long wait time for appts to begin and a long wait to pay after the appt. read more

My wife and I have been bringing our four pets to Arcata Animal Hospital for the past two years and have been thrilled with the care they've received. Dr. Joy is our critters' primary vet, but we've seen other vets as well. All the vets and vet techs we've worked with have been caring, professional, and efficient. The front desk staff are great: welcoming, knowledgable, and eager quick to problem-solve when we've needed urgent care. We have two slightly skittish older dogs, and staff here have been great about minimizing the time we've had to spend waiting before being put in a room. They've likewise been patient and encouraging with our dogs, which has helped them relax more than they ever have at other vets. When our cat recently needed a growth treated on her tail, staff were realistic about costs and willing to talk through options with us, and helped us reschedule several times as the growth removal became more urgent. I could keep going, but I think you get the point. Can't recommend this place enough! read more

Thank you for helping Brianne and Cleo. Thank you Dr Schroeder for listening to me and for all that you did for Brianne when she had cancer. Thank you Dr Joy for helping Cleo and making sure that I received her diagnosis. Thank you to everyone at the clinic for the wonderful card after little Brianne passed away, that was such a nice gesture and made my day. I appreciate your clinics time management, care and courtesy towards such sensitive matters, and I'm glad my friend suggested I bring my animals here. read more

As a former veterinary assistant I can truly say that the staff here is knowledgeable, professional, and compassionate to your pet's specific needs. Camila and Dr. Schroeder did an excellent job working with my cat, who (like many) can be difficult at the vet. The doctor worked with me to develop a treatment plan that was affordable and achievable, and the staff ensured a future follow up call on my cat's progress. I felt that we were taken care of very well by Arcata Animal Hospital and I would highly recommend their clinic. read more

This was one of the worst experiences with a vet I've ever had, they care more about the money than animals. My dog was gagging/choking, I thought something might be stuck in her throat so I brought her in as an emergency since she was gagging and trying to cough something up for over 10 minutes. I walked in and there's 3 receptionists, none of them greet me or say anything to me as i'm standing there waiting. I tell one of them that I'm worried my dog is gagging, choking, and coughing. The lady proceeds to tell me that she wants me to step outside in case my dog is contagious, I told her she's not sick and again say that i think something might be stuck in her throat. She told me it was a $150 emergency fee and I would have to wait until someone came out to see her since she was stable (she said that as my dog is actively gagging and coughing). I asked how long the wait would be and she told me that she didn't know but it would be awhile. At this point I'm so upset I tell them it's ridiculous and ask if someone can just come tell me if she's choking or not that's all I need to know, I ask if they know of anywhere else I can go that will actually help me... Once I got upset she then suddenly had an open room where she could be seen. I waited 30 minutes in the room and no sign of a doctor showing up. This was such a ridiculous visit. This business obviously cares more about the money than our pets. To charge $150 for an EMERGENCY visit and then to be waiting over 30 minutes is beyond absurd. I will absolutely never bring my pets here again and do not recommend this place to anybody, especially if it's an emergency! read more

I used to like this vet. In my opinion, over the past few years they have become more expensive and aggressive about adding charges and fees. We had a cat neutered recently. The vet recommended a $1000 tooth cleaning and warned us that if we didn't get the cleaning the cat might have to have a $2000 tooth extraction. One year later the cat's teeth are fine. Recently our dog was bitten by a rattlesnake over the weekend. We called Arcata Animal Hospital's 24 hour emergency line. Veterinary hospitals share emergency services so I was sent to Broadway Animal Hospital. They were great, she got emergency care, antivenom, blood work, a catheter, etc. That night it was Arcata Animal's turn to host 24 hour care so I took her up there for the night. She didn't get any more antivenom there. They put her on an IV and watched her overnight. I knew this whole thing would be expensive but I was surprised that Arcata Animal Hospital charged me more than Broadway Animal Hospital, although Broadway gave her the care and drugs to survive the snakebite. I wound up paying for two emergency visit fees in the same day. When I asked Arcata Animal Hospital why they were charging me an emergency visit fee when their 24 hour line had sent me to Broadway and Broadway did all the emergency care and Arcata just kept her overnight they refused to cancel the emergency visit fee. Yes, the vets are nice and clearly love the animals, but the business end of it is actively trying to charge as much as possible. We're changing vets. read more

I moved to Arcata from a city where I had found a good vet, and I didn't want to start over. I have a rat which makes it harder to find a vet because I need a small pet hospital that sees exotics. My phone was also not working for phone calls. I was able to communicate with this hospital via text but was not able to get an appointment at first. Luckily, I checked back for a different reason but was informed of a cancellation and was able to get my sick rat in for a visit. She needed medicine within a few days, so I am glad my rat was able to be seen. The vet technicians and veterinarian were good with my rat and respected how I wanted to treat my rat. It was a good experience, and I am glad my rat was seen. Her breathing is much better, and she will live a while longer. read more

horrible place don't go there there's a lot of good veterinarian hospitals out there this is not one they hid cost after they told me a certain price not very comforting from a company who tries to help fur baby families !. don't make my mistake read more

I recently called to make an apt for my sick kitty to be seen and was very upset as I was calling.. the receptionist was very sweet and caring and got me in that day to be seen. Unfortunately my kitty had to be put to sleep due to a large tumor and age and I was basically in shambles when I heard the news .. the ladies working there were so very caring and compassionate towards me.. gave me options and just talked to me with sincere sympathy.. they assured me that there was a nurse with my kitty every second she was in there petting her and comforting her until it was her time to go.. they made me a clay paw print ornament with her name and decorated it for me to remember her by.. I cannot thank them enough for their service and how the situation was handled. As long as I live here I will never go anywhere else. Thank you so much Arcata Animal Hospital! read more

The vets and staff at Arcata Animal Hospital (AAH) are outstanding. We moved here last year, and knew we had to find a vet before our animals were ailing. AAH accepted our two senior dogs as clients, and they have provided them with excellent care. About 2 months ago our 13 year old lab didn't want to get out of our car, so we called AAH and they immediately took her in for a diagnostic exam, and identified the problem (degenerative disc/spine disease). Thanks to AAH she now has the care and meds needed to continue to enjoy her life. Our 12 year old chihuahua mix is also receiving excellent care for her heart condition. AAH has been terrific. read more

AAH is very expensive. The receptionists do not acknowledge my presence when I walk in the door. Not even to ask me to wait. The communication is very bad. The Vet told me she needed a blood test and the tech came back to take my dog outside to get a urine sample. Very confusing to not be told what tests are going to be performed. The follow up calls are made after hours by the vet herself which is why I am giving two stars instead of one. read more

IF you can get in somewhere else... go I believe they have Decent veterinarians... but in my experience it is almost impossible to get care here. Reviews stating they can "squeeze you in" for quick appointments points to the general issue here.. they have too many patients.. they throw people on the schedule double booking everyone. If you have an appointment at 4, expect to be seen at 5 at the earliest. Bottom line, they are in the business of making money, more patients = more money. Less time for care, shitty wait times for you but what do they care? They over charge for everything. phone calls lead to just a busy signal and no option to leave a message. Some days I have tried to get through to someone for almost an hour. If you text them though, they will respond. Leaving me to believe they leave the phones off the hook and intentionally don't have a voicemail. Also they tend to keep your animals in the back for excessive periods or time... once I kept calling trying to get through after my rabbits appointment because he hadn't been brought out... and finally an hour after my appointment a receptionist answered and said "oh we thought we already brought him out to you!" ... meaning he sat in a small carrying case in his own pee just waiting, hearing dogs bark and being scared out of his mind... and he's elderly and had just had a stroke.. yikes. Also.... How do they not know where the animals are inside their facility? Pretty scary As a rabbit owner I have struggled with specific things, they refused to treat EC without a test when it is common knowledge in the rabbit community that these tests are unreliable and unneeded and the treatment-basically dewormer-is not harmful if they don't have EC. Also being underdosed on a med because other species dose is every 24 h. When a quick google search leads to medical literature about how quickly this med is metabolized by rabbits and the fact is they should be dosed every 12 hours. When I initially brought my rabbit in I was told I could put him down because "he's 11" When I suggested a prescription she agreed. He's 98% better now, a year later. I'm grateful I googled before going in. And they do some weird annoying stuff like "oh your dog needs to be on this forever but we will only fill a prescription for 5 days and then you have to call for a refill" but then they don't answer the phone to order the refil. If you HAVE TO go to this vet, because others are responsible and won't take on new patients when they are full, SEND YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS TO CHEWY. My rabbit has had 2 strokes. He is 11. He is disabled. Stressing him is not a good thing but they refuse to refill his medication unless I bring him in and pay them to literally just look at him and shrug. (Not to mention it costs more because he's an 'exotic') Today after putting him through all of this they canceled my appointment as I pulled into the parking lot. Honestly not at all surprised. She told me they were over booked and had thrown and emergency on the schedule. I honestly don't believe they had an emergency. They overbook every single day in my experience. I've learned I can't trust these people. I've spent well over a thousand dollars at this place, and still they do not care at all about customer care or the animals health. Now they are willing to risk his life, not refilling his prescription because THEY canceled my appointment! And this has happened before. Insanity is continuing to do the same thing hoping for a different result. I'd be insane to trust Arcata vet with any of my animals health. I gave them a shot. It's been over a year. I really don't know what to say at this point. Yeah the vets seem like nice people. But whoever runs this place is making some major mistakes. There aren't many options for vet care out here, especially for rabbits. Keep looking friends. read more

I have had nothing but great experiences at this Arcata Animal Vet Clinic since my previous clinic treated me so rudely. Even with COVID the staff goes the extra mile to come get my animal and Dr. Joy calls me as I sit in the parking lot and she is always kind and informative about the status of my furbabies. I am getting a new pup tonight and just learned about a contract I have yet to see mandating a vet check within 72 hours of arrival. These vets and staff work hard to carry the load they have but Dr. Joy worked me in for Monday graciously. This is the place for me and I want everybody to know how decent and excellent this group is. Thank you Dr. Joy and staff! read more

Cat who was fine one day and not the next. Already a client and told that this was a life and death issue. Paper says that cost to fix was $3k, call back was $7k, and no consultation to suggest that putting the cat down would have been best for cat in the first place because all of the work at the vet and afterwards would have given him a longer better life. Plus they asked I wanted to spend more money to have his paw print put into some sort of clay/other thing. read more

Wow, just so much wow. Exceptional care for our dog which needed attention for an ear infection and the huge plus is they respond promptly. Another huge bonus is that we're happy to accommodate my deafness and they text and email. Just so much wow. Outstanding consideration of my budget they performed "complimentary care" for our sweet puppers, cleaning is ears. He is feeling so much better. Thank you a million times, Dr. Dosset read more

My experience was awful. I brought my cat in as a new patient with high hopes. Instructions told me to wait outside in my vehicle for a tech to come get my cat. I sat outside for well over an hour after I notified them I was there. They came and took my cat, but when they brought him back, they were gruff and impolite, insinuating that I was responsible for the fact that my cat had scratched them. They informed me they had run tests on my cat. I never got any test results from them, so I asked them to please send the test results to my previous vet. They still have not done so. All I did receive was a $335.00 vet bill. I still don't know what that amount is for. I cannot afford that, but they refuse to send me an itemized bill or work with me on this. I recommend caution before choosing this vet office. read more

Visiting from TX and my Rambo decided to break his foot while running in my sisters yard. I called them they got me in within hours. Great staff, amazing techs and an outstanding veterinarian. Thank you for fixing up my guys broken foot!! read more

Arcata Animal Hospital - Veterinarians Near Me - Arcata, California

I am a traveling RN and have been in the Eureka area since April 2020. When my Boston Terrier developed some GI problems (vomiting and diarrhea), I started calling vets trying to get an appointment. Due to Covid-19, many vets told me they are not accepting new patients. Fortunately, I called Arcata Animal Hospital. They were able to get Stella in within 24 hours. The staff were all extremely friendly, and Dr. Joy showed genuine compassion for Stella. They even called me this morning just to see how Stella is doing. I am very glad I found Arcata Animal Hospital and highly recommend them. read more

I have taken both my rats here and can't recommend them enough for small mammal care. Dr. Bartlett is experienced, gentle, and empathic -- she understands that even though the animals are small, the love is big. I'm happy to have found a vet that is both competent and caring and will continue to take all of my pets here. read more

I just moved here and didn't have a vet for my cat. She got a UTI recently and I called in last minute for an appointment and they were able to squeeze me in within 2 days (given my busy schedule as well). The receptionist said "It sounds urgent so I want to get her an appointment sooner than later." When i got there, they were timely and very professional. My cat can be difficult but they handled her just fine. I got a urinalysis result and antibiotics within that day. Overall, I'm very thankful. You can tell Dr. Joy has tons of experience and loves her job. Anyways... thank you so much! read more

Everyone was extremely helpful and made room in there day to se sour sick kitty. The nurses were very tender and kind and were very transparent with pricing and services. Dr. Joy and her team are the best! read more

Well I tried to simply call and make an appointment. I was asking questions and the receptionist was rude and made me feel uncomfortable and even called me suspicious. All I wanted to do was put my dogs appointment under my spouses name. Yet, she made it difficult and insinuated that I was suspicious and told me she couldn't help me make an appointment for legal reasons. When I tried to re explain myself and tell her that what she was saying made me uncomfortable she hung up. Okay what if I still wanted to book? Now I definitely won't. I understand the policy, but she could have been nicer and not called me suspicious. I will def be finding a different vet in this area. read more

We were desperate for emergency treatment for our dog today. Being visitors, we didn't know any vets. We were turned down by several with no suggestions. When we called Arcata, the vet we spoke to wasn't able to see our dog, but took the time to ask about the problem and then gave several very helpful suggestions of which vets to call. Thank you so much. read more

Great practice staffed by great people. The vet tried to make my dog feel comfortable (even broke out the cheese spray!) Unfortunately it didn't work and he wasn't super happy with the whole process. I definitely appreciate that the staff tried their best to make my dog feel at home though. I also love that if I need a same day appointment, I can get it. The first time I took my dog there, it was because the next appointment available at my former vet was 10 days away! And he had a UTI, so not something that could wait. AAH was able to get me in for an appointment less than two hours later. I love them (even if my dog isn't a huge fan--sorry buddy) and I'll be seeing them soon for a nail trim! read more

I just received a hand written card from my vet honoring my cat Pickle's passing. Each vet wrote a message and all the techs signed it. They also gave a donation in Pickle's name to their pet care fund. I've never had such heartfelt sentiment given by any other vet. Sure, it can be pricey but I can tell that my pets are given the best care, as well as thoughtfulness toward me. For all those in the Humboldt area, I highly recommend Arcata Animal Hospital. read more

This is one of the best veterinarians in the area, and I have been to 3 different ones, not only are they very kind and concerned about the animals and their people but they really go the extra mile. And they try to keep their prices affordable. The receptionist Amy G, really helped get my dog the right food medicine long after I gave up with complications getting records from other veterinarians. She was a real gem and I hugged her as she helped me get the food in my car. - I think her dedicated thoroughness saved my dog. read more

I moved up to Humboldt for college about two years ago. I had my 9 year old yellow lab (now he's 11) with and needed to find him a vet. I took him to this vet and have continued care with them because the staff is so friendly. The two vets I've seen are very sweet. Dr. Schroeder is awesome. She gets that not everyone has the money to do all the tests and is realistic about peoples situations. She helps make the best choice of treatment that doesn't break your bank. My old dog gets a lot of love here and gets all the treats he wants. read more

Dr. Joy was awesome! She and all of the staff were extremely kind and helpful. Brought our family dog Petie to visit with my daughter at HSU and had to come in for a leg injury check. If we lived in Arcata or surrounding area, we would be bringing Petie here for his regular care. Professional, clean, informative and even had snacks and coffee. Dr. Joy even helped us with breakfast recommendations when she phoned with lab results read more

They were so nice here. They saw my dog in an emergency and were very fair with their pricing. Very kind with my puppy. read more

Arcata Animal Hospital - Veterinarians Near Me - Arcata, California

We had to put our dog, cracker, down today. They were so kind to me and my family, and very loving to cracker. The process was peaceful and we were with him the whole time. I can't thank Arcata Animal Hosptial enough for their kind hearts during this time. They made us paw prints for us to take home and bake (or they can bake it for you and you can pick it up in a few days). They were so great and our boy is no longer suffering. read more

We had an absolutely amazing experience at the Arcata Animal Hospital. My dog Gidget broke her leg and the wonderful staff was able to get her in right away to be seen. Everyone was so sweet and the Techs and the Dr. explained everything that they were going to be doing. To top it all off they Socrates her splint with a flower and a butterfly. I wish I lived in the area and Dr. Bartlett could be her regular Vet. read more

Arcata Animal Hospital - Veterinarians Near Me - Arcata, California

I have been bringing my dogs here for years. I have had some of the most compassionate people work on my dogs!

I cannot say enough good things about Arcata Animal Hospital. They have the best customer service. They truly care about each customer and there pet. I am a local and used many different vets in the county and they are top notch. read more

We love this place; friendly and knowledgeable staff. Can be pricy at times, as most vets can be, but they have special pricing for certain situations which really helped us out; office visits, check ups and shots, etc. run a fair price. Dr. Shroeder is THE best, very compassionate and you can tell she loves her job & wants to do it right. read more

Wish they were more personal. Won't return calls or call when they say they will... Wouldn't even guarantee my dogs worm medicine before the holiday weekend when it was suppose to be taken care of on Thursday anyway /: loved the staff but I feel very disrespected for the lack of treatment to my dog and myself read more