After years of caring for animals and navigating veterinary care in and around Austin, I had become deeply discouraged trying to find a clinic that still felt... personal. Not corporate. Not conveyor-belt medicine. Not a place where you feel rushed through one of the most vulnerable moments you can experience with a beloved pet. And then I found Dime Box Animal Clinic and Dr. Darden Hervey. Let me put this into perspective: I live in Far East Austin and gladly make the hour drive without hesitation. Yes. They are that worth it. After what we had been through with Lily--my soul dog, my best friend, my constant companion--I was emotionally exhausted and incredibly cautious about who I trusted next. Her orbital exenteration was not a small procedure, and by the time we arrived at Dime Box, I wasn't just looking for medical skill. I was looking for steadiness. Transparency. Compassion that didn't feel rehearsed. That is exactly what we found. From the moment we walked in, there was a quiet sincerity to the clinic that immediately lowered my shoulders a little. The staff was warm without being performative, attentive without creating chaos, and genuinely kind in a way that cannot be taught in corporate training videos. And Dr. Hervey? Some people are good at veterinary medicine. Some people are gifted at caring for both the animal and the human attached to them. He belongs firmly in that second category. Never once did I feel dismissed, rushed, or spoken over. After Lily's surgery, I had questions--many of them. Every single one was answered with patience and clarity. Not irritation. Not condescension. Not the subtle "we already explained this" tone pet owners unfortunately know all too well. I also want to specifically mention something that deeply stood out to me about Dr. Hervey and the way he practices medicine. He genuinely gives each patient and their family his time and attention. Not rushed, not transactional, not "let's move this along to the next appointment." When we arrived to pick Lily up after her surgery, Dr. Hervey was still speaking with another client. The vet tech came out a couple of times to apologize for the wait and let me know he was still with them. My response was immediate: absolutely no problem whatsoever. Because to me, that spoke volumes. It told me that when it's your turn with Dr. Hervey, you matter. Your questions matter. Your fears matter. Your animal matters. You are not being hurried through so someone can move on to the next dollar. I ended up making the drive home before I had the opportunity to speak with him directly. Not long after arriving home, I received a personal text from Dr. Hervey letting me know he'd heard I had questions and asking how he could help. And he answered every single one of them. That kind of follow-through, compassion, and accessibility is increasingly rare--not just in veterinary medicine, but honestly anywhere. The peace that gave me after Lily's surgery is difficult to properly put into words, but it meant everything to me. He understood that when you love an animal deeply, reassurance matters just as much as the medicine. There is a groundedness to Dr. Hervey that inspires trust. He communicates with calm confidence, explains things thoroughly, and creates the rare feeling that your pet is not simply another appointment slot in the day. And that matters more than I can properly put into words. The drive out to Dime Box feels almost restorative compared to the stress of navigating big-box veterinary systems in the city. It reminds me that there are still places where medicine is practiced with heart, where relationships still matter, and where people genuinely care about the outcomes for both pets and their owners. In a world increasingly dominated by corporate veterinary care, Dime Box Animal Clinic feels like finding something endangered and precious. Competence. Integrity. Humanity. I'm profoundly grateful we found them, and I look forward to trusting them with Lily's care for many years to come. read more

Dr. Hervey and his staff are extremely kind and compassionate. He explains your options and helps you make an informed decision about the care your animal needs. His staff is professional. I cannot recommend this clinic enough. read more

Dr. Hervey has taken care of many of my animals. I would easily compare him to James Herriot in "All Creatures Great and Small". He is reasonable and kind. Always takes the time to explain things even though he's always busy. I've been here many times and I've never been disappointed. I highly recommend this clinic. I personally drive 15 minutes further just to come here. I have multiple vets that are closer to me. read more

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Continue to have issues with this clinic which is a bummer since they are so highly recommended. Took me 2 months with daily calling to finally get someone on the line. We had a dog surrendered to us that used to go to this clinic, and they continue to deny providing medical records, even though vet records don't fall under HIPPA. Would love to continue medical care here but with the hostility we may need to look elsewhere. read more

Never 1 problem taking dogs and horses there, everyone is as friendly as you'd expect from a small town area.

I was there but two months ago and they're very well organized everything is clean and that reminds me I left my Brandon iron there I gotta go pick it up read more

my babygirl & family want to thank dr hervey for his assistance & patience in getting my baby through a life and death situation last night. if not for him she would have died. he took time to talk me through the process & got her meds to help her recover. his patience & reassurance with me meant and means the world! today my baby is just tired but alive!! im so blessed & thankful! my nova recommends everyone taking their fur babies to dime box vet for excellent care love & attention your babies will also thank you as well & never fear going to the vet again!!! nova & i cant thank you again dr hervey for helping us last night you are 1 in a million that truly care about fur babies & have them in your heart! i pray many blessings upon you & the vet clinic & am so thankful you are here for all our babies! god bless you all!!! read more

I have a zoo at my house - 4 german shepherds, 2 other dogs, 4 horses, 16 donkeys, one goat, one sheep, 1 bird and 7 cats. Dr. Hervey and his team are fabulous in every way. They try to not do any extra that is not necessary but are good at figuring out what is necessary and what is wrong. They love their patients and are very knowledgeable while being as reasonably priced as possible. I would drive a long way to come to them with my animal family if i ever moved away. They are the best! read more

Darden is just the most wonderful vet you could ask for. He really knows his stuff and shares it with you in a way that makes it easy to understand. Darden is caring yet practical. Best of all, he is also the son of my favorite high school math teacher! read more

Dr. Hervey is an amazing vet. He has taken great care of my animals during routine and emergency visits. He is extremely knowledgeable and wise. His staff is helpful, caring and efficient as well. Darden's veterinary visits and services are very competitive and reasonably priced. I highly recommend Dime Box Clinic for all your vet needs. read more

Darden and his staff. Dimebox veterinary clinic is the most fantastic unbelievable caring veterinary office I have ever been to in the 33 years I have been raising Horses. Darden and his staff go out of their way to not only help you. They also hold your hand. They do everything that they can to make it easy on your wallet. Darden bedside manner is such that when he needs to be serious and get the job done hes 100 % focused. He's also light hearted and funny and most of all he cares about you and all of your pets. There is no other vet within 50 miles to compare to Dimebox Clinic. The smallest of animals to the largest of beasts it's the only place you should take your animals. read more

My husband and I are so lucky to have Dr. Hervey, his family, and his wonderful staff as our vet and our neighbors. We have been truly blessed with his caring, and commitment to the well being of not only our animals, but also to us. Thanks for always being there to help. Sally Cunningham Dime Box, TX read more

We have raised and bred Labrador Retrievers for over 20 years and have used many different vets. Dr. Hervey is one of the best we've ever dealt with. He gives you all the options and his recommendation for treatment. He's always been available for us and his staff is awesome. This is a very busy practice treating large and small animals. I take my horses there as well. While they may be super busy, they always take time to greet us and make us feel like a valuable client. We now have a 41 run boarding practice and we don't use anyone else. read more

Dr. Darden Hervey and his staff are awesome. He has taken care of our animals many years. Hands down he is the best vet around!! He really cares about his clients and explains the medical situation in terms easy to understand. His staff is great with boarding and caring for the animals. read more

This guy is a rockstar amongst vets. I've had 2 bad experiences with vets leading up to this. Then Darden helped my dad with a heifer around Christmas time. We had called several vets, all of whom were done for the day. (friday afternoon before Christmas) This guy was the first we found. He spent a lot of time with us giving advice. He's too far out in the sticks to become a "easy money only" dog and cat vet ;) The price was quite reasonable. We just wish he wasn't an hour away. read more

Dr. Herve and his staff are wonderful. No matter what the issue is, he and his staff display the most patience when explaining the conditions of my various animals. Even when I have had emergency problems after hours, Dr. Herve has the same patience. Another admirable trait is that he doesn't hesitate to refer me to specialists if necessary. I highly recommend this vet practice. read more