This review has been a long time coming. My dog, Punky, passed away about 3 and a half years ago And that's why. Punky was a very willful, alpha kind of dog who was an extremely reactive farm collie kind of rescue from Helen Woodward Center in San Diego. Never in my life have I encountered such a reactive, dominating, extremely smart and intuitive dog. And, never have I had a dog rule me instead of vice - versa. The problem with Punky Is that she was an impulsive, uncontrollable chaser of birds and things. She'd take off like a shot and run really fast up hills in pursuit of things. I called her "Punky Long Legs" and her wild adventures eventually led to 2 Knee Surgeries (one for each knee) with Fido's Surgeon. We did alot of research before choosing Fido's Surgeon. Their approach is quite comprehensive and requires regular, disciplined commitment as a dog owner. We think it is the best approach, involving appropriate weight mgt to take unnecessary pressure off joints like knees, regular, daily long walks and a series of progressive physical therapy with ladders. Dr. Denny and his wife/ nurse Rainey are super - specialists in this approach.They are a small, h ighly committed "Mom and Pop" operation that operates out of several veterinary clinics in North County and general San Diego. Rainey does all of the surgery after - care and protocol herself. She requires and deserves great deal of account ability and commitment to work in partnership for the quality of life and results for your dog. So, do think about whether your are willing and able to meet the requirements before signing up. If you do choose them, I think that your dog will have the best quality of life afterwards, compared to other types of dog knee operations done by surgeons. Actually, Punky wound up in the best shape of her life because of their comprehensive approach. She thrived under the program and so looked forward to her rehab ladder work and walks. She, unfortunately, had been later heartbreakingly misdiagnosed with gallbladder disease by regular vet and once properly diagnosed, only lived for a very short period of timeI She passed away from undiagnosed Non- Hodgkin's Lymphoma because of it.Yet, till a few days before she died, she still rallied to try and do her walks but we had to stop her because, at that point, movement made the cancer worse. Eternally greatful to Fido's Surgeon and all they did to give Punky the best quality of life for many, many years. They are the greatest! read more

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Nalu was 9 months old when he fell 3 stories and fractured his right humerus on July 3 He was in surgery 3 days later where other places I called told me they couldn't see me for a few days for a consultation and then a couple of weeks for surgery. He is now 8 weeks post surgery and is doing very well. Dr. Aron and Rainy did a fabulous job. They were straight forward on what to expect and how I need to be committed to helping my baby feel better. Had I taken Nalu somewhere else and I am certain his recovery would not have been the same. read more

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Highly highly recommend! My 12.5 year old pup is back in action and able to be active again! read more

Fido's Surgeon - 10 months after surgery and back at the dog park and running! - Veterinarians Near Me - Escondido, California

I want to first say thank you to both Dr. Aron and Rainy for taking auch good care of our girl. She had a broken femur after an accident and we were so scared. The surgery was great and Rainy took our girl in for a whole week for rehab. I highly recommend this team! I know we made the beat choice! read more

Dr. Aron and Rainy are amazing. First I waited until one year post operations to write this review. I wanted to be honest and accurate. We had the honor to adopt not one but two of the Yorkies rescued from the hoarding situation in Poway last year. We were able to take them both on as both were medical needs pups that were going to require surgeries that fortunately we could afford to give them. Both had bilateral grade 4 luxating patellas. One so bad she was permanently hunched over when walking as she could not straighten her hind legs. Fortunately both were young about 1 year in age and would be able to recover, we were blessed with the funds and we had the time to take on the long recovery period. Unfortunately these two full grown Yorkie pups weigh 3 pounds each. They, and their legs, are tiny. Tiny. They were going to need only the best in the field to have any chance at normal lives. Enter Fido's Surgeon. We made appointments with two surgeon's and saw the other one first. He explained what they would do and when asked about rehab/recovery he said they would offer us a few tips but the more we listened to him the more we realized we would pretty much be on our own. Then we met with Dr. Aron. He is very serious about his work and I realized that he was interviewing us at least as much if not more than we were interviewing him. Simply put he and Rainy excel in their work by teaming up with the owners to focus on the best rehabilitation and recovery for their patients that is possible. Dr. Aron & Rainy were the obvious team we needed to team up with. He focuses only on the surgery, she focuses on the rehabilitation. We agreed to move forward and proceeded toward their first surgery. Both dogs were going to have two surgeries each and be in rehabilitation and physical therapy for the next 10 - 12 months. Both dogs came through their surgeries amazingly well thanks to Dr Aron's talent and expertise that would restore kneecaps to their proper location on knees that are so small they fit on bones the size of toothpicks. Both dogs came through their rehabilitation with flying colors thanks to Rainy's support, training and dedication to see us through all those months to the successful end at which we now have two perfectly normal pups that were never normal before. Thank you Fido's Surgeon! You are the best! read more

I really don't like to give out 1 star, but Fido's Surgeon went out of their way to earn it. I rate them one star for two reasons: (1) My dog, Melrose, did not fully recover under their care. (2) Rainy, the physical therapist, was incredibly unprofessional and uncaring throughout the process. UNPROFESSIONAL Rainy was very difficult to work with. She was late to every single checkup appointment, which was a huge hassle because we had to meet her during the middle of the work day. Once, she was 45 minutes late because she went to the wrong location even though she had chosen where we were to meet! She physically arrived on time for another appointment, but proceeded to sit in her car on her cell phone for 15 minutes while we waited. Her lack of caring was even worse. For example, Melrose stopped making progress after three months and mysteriously started gaining weight. Rainy chastised my wife and I and said it was our fault. This, despite the fact that we were following Rainy's directions to the letter and feeding Melrose a minimum amount of food. We finally took Melrose to our vet for a closer look and she had a thyroid problem that was quickly corrected with pills! (Uh, how was that our fault, Rainy?!) NO RESULTS The bottom line is Melrose didn't fully recover under Rainy's care, even after six months of rehab. Rainy gave us detailed instructions at the start of the process, so we initially thought she knew what she was doing. We followed her directions precisely, but she started changing the instructions seemingly at a whim without conducting a thorough examination of Melrose. At first, we went along since we assumed she knew best, but it soon became apparent that Rainy really wasn't sure what she was doing. It's very telling that after we stopped calling Rainy, we never heard from her again even though she knew Melrose's rehab was not complete. Having a pet go through surgery can be very traumatic for both the pet and the owners. There are too many other options and success stories out there to put your trust in someone like this. read more

I noticed Oscar hopping on his hind leg and decided to take him to Market Street Vet. They referred me to Dr. Aron (the surgeon of fido's surgeon). I've been super impressed. If your dog needs surgery - best to go with a surgeon who operates daily and really knows what he's doing. The real gem of Fido's Surgeon is Rainy (Dr. Aron's wife and the physical therapist). Rainy is 100% dedicated to helping you for the next four months while your pup recovers. She took Oscar home right after surgery to watch him and kept him for a few days to work with him to start walking (I couldn't get him to walk by myself). You can tell just by talking with them that they really do love animals and want to help them have happy healthy lives. read more

The most amazing service and care I have ever experienced. They are a bit expensive, but you pay for the quality, professionalism and care that is second to none! They help you every step of the way and are on call for you 7days a week 365 days, 24 hrs! ( My dog had her leg broken in 3 pieces and bone shattered. ) - I recommend 100% A++++ read more

INCREDIBLE INCREDIBLE SURGERY!! My dog had ACL surgery in September and is healing so well. Everything was perfect from their professionalism to constant support. They give you more than you will EVER get anywhere else. My dog will have his second ACL done next month and I am so confident after the other that I would be another $1000 just to have them do it. To mention, while they are the experts of all experts, the cost is no more than anywhere else. I checked all around and their price is set at or below the average. read more

We were referred to this surgeon and called them Friday (3/11) evening leaving a message to please call us as soon as possible. Our poor baby can't hardly walk and we wanted to get her treatment ASAP. Monday comes and goes with no call. So I called Governor Animal Clinic and scheduled to have an appointment to get their opinion and referral. We were able to call Veterinary Specialty Hospital and get a next day appointment for Thursday. Today is the 16th and still no call back. Clearly these folks haven't cared to improve based on these reviews. If I was the vet who recommended this surgeon I'd be mortified. So glad our fur baby will be getting taken care of promptly by true professionals and not people who don't care enough to return a call. read more

Dr. Aron and his wife Rainy were recommended to us by our vet for our dogs ACL surgery. Dr. Aron performs the surgery, Rainy is the orthopedic specialist. We couldn't be more pleased. They were totally committed to our dogs health and rehabilitation. Do they expect you to be just as committed? OF COURSE! Don't be surprised if you get scolded for not getting that weight off of your dog or not following instructions. Rainy had us all whipped into shape in no time! Where can you get this kind of follow up care? Rainy took our pooch home for five days after surgery to monitor and get her back on her feet. She took her into their home again while we were on vacation for a week because she didn't want her in a potentially hazardous environment of a boarding kennel. We had constant contact over a period of seven months. Monitoring diet, exercises, walks and behavior. 24/7 availability. Sure, there were times when appointments had to be rescheduled but they're taking care of many dogs and dealing with emergencies like a poodle jumping off a second story balcony! It was a long haul but worth it. Our pooch is happy, healthier than when we started and back to romping with our second dog, her best friend. read more

FIRST OFF IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING USING FIDO's SURGEON I WANT TO SAY THAT I GIVE THEM MY A PLUS RATING. As many of you my pet is my baby. He tore a ligament in his leg and couldn't walk on it at all. I was very worried about him so i began to consult with a few different vets who were ortho surgeons in order to better understand my options. The last person I called was Rainy who is married to Fido's Surgeon. I live in OC and they work out of San Diego so at first I was a little worried about the commute. After spend time on the phone with her and going back and forth with my decision, I realized that the care they would give my Theo would be much better than any local doctor. Every doctor told me that even more important than the surgery was the proper after care. This was a big deal in my decision making as Rainy kept theo in her house for 2 weeks after the surgery because I was traveling and she sincerely wanted to protect the surgery he just had. Rainy truly cares. She was the only person that I felt sincerely cared about his well being and not just the money I was paying. On top of it, my dog got into a little trouble 4 weeks after his surgery so his knee was swollen again and I called her panicking. Rainy let me drive Theo down that night and she took care of him for another 4 days until his swollen knee was better. She has always returned my calls promptly. She would email me photos of how he was doing and most importantly, I could tell in her voice that she cared truly. I read another review that some guy wrote on Yelp and I will tell you . From first hand experience, Rainy is none of those horrible things that man mentioned. I am sooooo happy with how Theo is doing, how well her husband did the surgery and how well Rainy handle the after care that I would recommend them to ANYONE I know. If you are considering surgery for your pet. Hands down, I would use Fido's surgeon (Dr. Aron) and his wife Rainy (PT). This is coming from a pet owner who treats her dogs like her children. I spent days of research before deciding what to do and who to use. Sincerely, Leila read more

In 2009, our Boxer (Elsie) became extremely ill after ingesting a "Smokehouse Dog Bone". Being a breeder of Boxers, I knew she was in distress and rushed her to an emergency clinic near me who gave her fluids and instructed me to take her to my vet in the AM. I did just that and she was immediately admitted for fluids to ensure she stayed alive long enough to have extensive ex-rays taken. A few hours later, Dr. Gary Gallerstein of Acacia Animal Hospital in Escondido, CA, called to tell me Elsie would have to have surgery, BUT she was not strong enough to endure the surgery until 6PM that evening. I waited for Elsie to undergo extenstive abdominal surgery by Dr. Dennis Aaron, assisted by his wife Lorraine (Rainy) Aaron, a critical care veterinary nurse. After a 3 hour surgery, where I was kept informed every hour of her progress, Dr. Aaron came out with the contents of what she had in her stomach. I was elated to know she made it through the surgery and Dr. Aaron's comment was, "She's not out of the woods yet." Elsie was taken the next day to Dr. Aaron's home where she stayed for over a week on IV's to sustain her. She could not even take a 1/4 teaspoon of water without vomitting it up. After about 10 days, she was able to eat Stage 1 meat baby food, taking a few teaspoons 5 times a day. Her recovery was long and involved, with her diet changing almost daily as her intestines healed. I cooked for Elsie (with Rainy's detailed instructions) for 12 weeks. Rainy checked her weight 2 times a week and then once a week until she had gained most of her weight back. It was a long, arduous recovery and without Rainy's assistance, Elsie would not be back to her normal 55 lbs. she is now. After surgery, Elsie weighed in at 42 lbs. and her temperature was low, so she wore a warm coat and slept with a heating pad under her bed in an x-pen in my family room. I took her temperature every 3 hours and recorded it for Rainy's information. I would have lost my precious dog had it not been for the wonderful care and attention to detail from Rainy and her husband, Dennis. I will always be indebted to them for answering each and every silly question I had, and holding my hand along the way as I cried and prayed for Elsie's recovery. Today, Elsie is again herself and even was shown again as a veteran at 6 years old, taking yet another Best of Breed. Elsie is now 7-1/2 years old and will live a normal lifespan. She is totally back to her normal weight and I even have to monitor how much she eats so she doesn't get fat. Nursing an animal after a surgery is no easy task and the owner has to be understanding and willing to put their own needs aside to ensure the best care for their pet. Rainy was wonderful, always returning phone calls and available for advice. Fido's Surgeon is, in my opinion, is the only place I recommend to my puppy buyers should something really bad happen. I cannot thank them enough for what they did for me. read more

I have had nothing but a positive and wonderful experience with Dr. Aron and Nurse Rayni. I recommend them to anyone and everyone who has a special pet in your life that needs extra special attention. While we are still "in" treatment with my canine pal, I have been nothing but impressed with Fido's Surgeon. From the first phone call, I was met with urgency but not pushiness, and they saw me quickly when my puppy was hurt. They gave me a price point that was cheaper then other surgeons in the area, for a surgery that typically is very difficult and especially not easy with a 13 week puppy who's bones are still forming. Dr Aron has been completely honest with anything that could have gone wrong during surgery and future complications that could happen due to the nature of my dog's surgery. Rayni has been an open book and easy to contact, she's answered all of my calls and even sent me photos of my dog since they had to keep her for a few days after surgery to monitor her progress. Neither her or Dr Aron have been late for any appointments, but she did tell me if she's ever not on time, to call or text or because she may be running late with a "patient." Personally, to the negative reviewer below, I really feel like you may have considered this when she was running late, and if she was on the phone, she may have been talking to a concerned pet parent who was checking on their dog. I appreciate that they aren't just a vet. They really are hands on and seem to love what they do. They're thorough, to the point and don't hide things. Rayni gave me a full set of instructions but told me to call her on her personal line if I had any questions. The instructions are all special to my dog, not carbon copies of a standard list of instructions for each and every dog. All in all, I could not say anything better about these wonderful people and their services. If you're looking for a specialty surgeon, PICK THEM!!! read more

My dog, Buck ( Cane Corso/English Bulldog), was diagnosed with an ALC ( torn ligaments) in his back knee and needed surgery. My veterinarian, Dr. Burnell, suggested Fido's Surgeon, Dr. Aron. I have been so pleased with all of the services at Oceanside Veterinary Hospital, especially their patience with the Ol'Buckeroo, that I was anxious to make an appointment with Dr. Aron and his wife, Rainey. Blood work and Xrays were completed Feb. 18th. by my vet so we'd be ready for surgery! Rainy called February 25th. The soonest they could schedule my consultation was for March 12th @ 3p.m. !!!! I arrived early Wednesday for the 3pm appt. and at 3:10, a vet tech came to the car and told me that Dr. Aron had an "emergency" and "could I return at 5p.m. for the consult?" Fine. My dog has extreme stress at the vet office, so any trip to the vet is a huge deal for both of us. Buck and I returned Wed. for my now 5pm consult. I went in for my hour long consult/sell. Dr. Aron assured me that Rainey would call me within 48 hours to explain the costs and schedule the appointment. He said if she did not call within 48 hours, I should call her. I then paid the $100 (refundable if you choose Dr. Aron for surgery) consult fee. By Friday night at 6:10, I had NOT received any call from Rainey, so I called her. Rainey said she had completed all of the paperwork for Buck. She wanted to call me back in 20 minutes. She never called back. And Today is Monday 10:40 am and I have heard nothing. I contacted my vet. When he called Rainy, she told him that I was to CALL HER BACK!! That makes no sense . It is her job to call me within 48 hours, and I did call her until 6:10. It had now been 5 days!! Rainy called me Monday afternoon, after my vet called her! She apologized for not getting back to me "over the weekend; they had had a "crazy time." Rainey was to call me BY Friday night (within 48 hours)....no excuses. I needed surgery for this dog who was in pain! AND I needed to know the PRICE!! HELLO DR. ARON ! Unbelievable! I decided to call Dr. Tarvin (VCA Animal Specialty Group) as he did back surgery on my poodle and bloat surgery on my mastiff. Within 24 hours I had my consultation, the price and Dr. Tarvin decided to keep Buck and operate the next day!! Amazing. It was now 30 days from my initial X-rays and blood work which had to be redone because I waited around for appointments with Dr. Aron and his wife. Rainy. Dr. Aron did not pull through for me. And I wanted you to be aware of my not-so -professional encounter with his services. My vet refunded $100 consultation fee, as Dr. Aron did not perform the services he promised IMG_9230.jpg read more

I could write a review that reiterated so many of the points made on this page. Obviously, since I am giving Dr. Aron and Rainy 5 stars, I'm a big fan and tear up a bit when I think about the great gift they gave our Rottweiler, Ivan. What I would like to do, is to help anyone who is coming to this page, with a sick or hurting fur baby, understand why there are both 5 star and 1 star reviews. Yes, Dr. Aron charges $100 up front for a consult where other surgeons may not. Pay it. Even if you don't decide to proceed to use Dr. Aron as a surgeon, you will want to hear his opinion. He's extremely credentialed and experienced and $100 is a bargain. You are about to make a huge decision for your pet - get as many opinions as you can. Yes, Dr. Aron has a strong personality. I understand the posts from people who were put off on their first meeting. When you are meeting Dr. Aron, you are probably feeling incredible stress, fear, and heartache. You might want to be comforted by someone who is going to soften the blow or tell you they can fix the problem in a few hours on the surgery table. Respectfully, this is the time you need to be strong for your pet, keep your wits about you, work hard, listen intently - YOU have a big decision to make. Don't expect any surgeon to make this decision for you. At this point Dr. Aron's job is to give you the benefit of his many years of experience, not make you feel better. Take a friend to the consult for comfort. Remember that medicine, whether for humans or for animals, is not magic. There isn't always a solution to the problem, let alone a quick and easy solution. One of the key differences with Dr. Aron and Rainy vs. other options, as is mentioned in many of the posts, is their focus on on-going rehabilitation as part of the solution. Stop and think about this - if the other surgeons aren't talking about this part of the process, and talking about it in great detail, you should be suspect. Again, medicine isn't magic. Depending on the problem with your pet, the on-going therapy could be long term, if not life-long. We are six months post surgery and still spend an hour and a half on therapy with our dog EVERY day (ok, so most of that is just walks, and that is good for us too). There is a particular exercise we do to keep Ivan's muscles built up that I suspect we may do for the rest of his life. The biggest problem with Dr. Aron and Rainy is that there is just the two of them. So, yes, this could result in waiting to get an appointment or sometimes you might have to return a call to them when they said they would call you. Let's look at this from the other way around. They are an incredibly scarce resource. You might have to work a little harder to work around their schedule, but these are the people you want. If Rainy doesn't return your call, I absolutely guarantee it is not because she doesn't care. She cares so much about animals that she takes on many of the hard cases, running herself ragged, and, as noted, keeps the animals in her home when they need her the most. If she said she was going to call you, she meant it, but as you can imagine, she's got huge demands on her time. If she is in her truck on the phone, I guarantee she isn't on the phone chatting to a friend about dinner plans. She's talking to a pet owner who may be crying on the other end of the line. Is it inconvenient for you to wait for her, sure, but someday, you could be the person on the other end of the phone. I would like to extend compassion for those that left 1 star reviews. I can understand why you felt the way you did. When your pet is in pain, it is a difficult time. For the people who read those reviews, be strong for your pet. To make a long story short, our dog had clinical hip dysplasia on both sides. None of the surgeons agreed on the recommended course of action. Dr. Aron's recommendations (bilateral FHO) were (a) scary (b) unorthodox and (c) required long term rehabilitation. For us, it was his 'matter of fact' approach that caused us to go with his recommendations. Were we convinced we were doing the right thing? No. Its not reasonable to expect to be sure of your decisions at that point. But in hindsight, we are totally convinced we picked right. Our puppy is happy, healthy and pain-free. Thank you Dr. Aron and Rainy! read more

I was going to wait until my dog was totally done with rehab before posting, but since some people might be looking for a surgeon before then, I did want to recommend Fido's Surgeon. My little Bichon had medial luxating patella. She never acted like she was in pain, but she would hold her leg straight when running and never bend the knee. Whenever we pick her up, bathe her or have her on our laps, we can feel the knee moving/popping. I didn't want her to have surgery and I spent a lot of time looking for alternative treatments. There really wasn't any other choice for her condition. She was recently diagnosed with arthritis in the knee and I didn't want it to get worse and have her not be able walk someday when surgery could prevent that. Her primary vet recommended Fido's Surgeon. He said I could probably find dozens of very qualified orthopedic surgeons, but Fido's Surgeon had a follow up program to rehab the knee. Besides rehabbing the knee to athlete stage, we could also contact them with any problems that would come up anytime, weeks or months after surgery. Dr. Aron contracts with my normal vet hospital, so I was able to see him right there. The consult was $100. and that gets applied to the surgery if you choose to get the surgery. There can be as many follow up calls for questions afterward at no charge, but they really want the surgery done ASAP as the injury just gets worse the longer you wait. I was 99% sure I wanted them to do the surgery after the consult and my phone call with Rainy, the rehab nurse, but I did get a second opinion since this is a very big expense and will affect the life of my dog. Fido's Surgeon was much more thorough with the long term issues of the knee and also less expensive than the other surgeon I met with. It's been about 6 weeks since my dog had the surgery. She's been on the rehab program since and still wears a soft cast. If all goes as planned, the cast will come off in about 3 weeks. Rehab has been very easy. We do 2 timed walks every day and we recently added in a strength exercise that is also very easy. My dog is doing great. She gets really happy when we meet with Rainy (that's always a good sign) and I look forward to her being to jump and fly off the furniture again in the future and running really fast without having to hold her leg straight. Hopefully, nothing will delay her continued rehab. If any of my dogs need specialized surgery in the future, I'll use them again. If you need surgery for your dog, check these people out. They don't have an office. They contract with other hospitals, which helps them keep their costs down. If they don't work out of your regular vet's office, you can check their website to find one close to you where they do work. They have a surgery fee (which covers all the months of rehab) and the hospitals have all their own fees. So, the overall cost could be different at different hospitals. They are ethical and won't let you shop around, though. Wherever you meet them is the only place they will perform surgery on your pet. read more

There are simply no words to express our gratitude toward Dr. Aron and Rainy! Dr. Aron performed a TTA surgery and meniscectomy on both knees of our 7 year old shepherd mix Hadlee, in two separate surgeries on 5/20 (R) and 6/16 (L). Dr. Aron and Rainy are great at what they do and they genuinely care about their patient's well being. They are competitively priced, more affordable than many other surgeons I researched, AND their costs include an entire rehab plan through Rainy that is very easy to follow, and access to Rainy via cell phone 24/7/365. After two successful surgeries, we are 10 days post-op and my 7-yr old dog's attitude is like that of a puppy again, so happy, and 10 lbs. down since our first weigh in with Rainy a month ago. We go back to get her left leg's staples removed in two days. On 4/22, Hadlee collided with another dog while running at dog beach and stopped putting weight on her left back leg shortly after. The emergency vet told us it was most likely a cruciate ligament tear, which our regular vet confirmed, and for a dog Hadlee's size (78 lbs) surgery was recommended. I was feeling so lost in the search for our best option. There are so many surgeons, types of surgery, etc. and the price tag is steep. I started reading studies on holistic repair, and we made an appt for water therapy and acupuncture in an effort to avoid jumping to a costly surgery too fast. But the day before the appt, Hadlee tried to jump on our bed and totally collapsed and yelped in pain. This time it was her right leg, and she couldn't bear any weight on either of her back limbs. Surgery was basically our only option to give her any kind of relief. I did hours and hours of research, and it all just fell into place with Fido's Surgeon. I learned more in my first meeting with Dr. Aron and Rainy than I had in all of my previous research, and I instantly trusted them with our girl. Without their guidance on all aspects of this process, I would still feel overwhelmed and scared. Rainy's instructions for rehab and lifestyle are easy to follow, and they obviously work... Less than two months ago, I was terrified we would never see our girl walk again! Both legs were totally lame, and we were taking her outside to potty with a towel wrapped around her belly. Now she is taking full, walking strides, going on two 10+ minute walks daily, and increasing that leg muscle mass! She truly needed these surgeries, and it feels great to know we chose the right people to do them. And I can't write this review without mentioning... Rainy cared for Hadlee at their home for several days after both surgeries! They don't send their patients home until they are totally ready to succeed at home, and those first few days often require extra care, pain meds and fluids via IV, etc. We were so appreciative that we didn't have that added stress on our plate. For the second surgery, we had a planned vacation in June and we were so worried we wouldn't be able to go given the situation. But Rainy worked it out so Hadlee had her 2nd surgery the day before we left, and stayed at the Aron home for our entire week-long vacation! We really lucked out when we found Fido's Surgeon, and I am forever grateful. Seeing the huge smile on my dog's face makes it worth every penny :) Thank you so much Dr. Aron and Rainy! read more

If you are reading this, I am sorry if your dog or cat is injured!!! Nothing is worse than having a furry child in pain and not knowing what to do. As clients of Dr. Raffy Dorian at Market Street Veterinary Clinic for the past few years, we immediately followed his advice WITHOUT QUESTION when our precious 11-year-old Russian Blue named Fox Mulder mysteriously and instantaneously tore his ACL. This surgery surpasses what Dr. Dorian and his staff perform at MSVC and he recommends, endorses and provides an operating room for Dr. Dennis Aron and his wife/anesthesiologist/rehabilitation coach Rainy to perform surgeries on dogs and cats who are clients of his amazing veterinary clinic. Dr. Aron is in high demand - he and Rainy currently perform operations at 20 veterinary clinics throughout San Diego! We were scheduled for a full one-hour consultation with Dr. Aron within a few days of Mulder's injury. We knew immediately that whatever his injury was, it was severe and most certainly going to require something scary and expensive. Dr. Aron knew immediately from radiographs taken by Dr. Dorian and by a physical examination that it was his ACL. This type of injury is more common in humans and dogs but not altogether nonexistent in cats. The consultation was extremely beneficial because it made it crystal clear to us that surgery fixes the problem but the rehab that follows the surgery is 100% necessary to make certain that the surgery's success is preserved. Basically, we were quoted one price and the surgery was roughly half of the price. It is what comes AFTER that is the most critical. They've been performing these surgeries on dogs and cats for 33 years. Since Mulder's injury, it seems like everyone we know suddenly has an ACL story; it's always a dog and it always ends up being a nightmarish story with a bad ending because the surgery "didn't work." The surgery works alright - you just have to safeguard your furry child until that knee is OK or all of that scary and expensive medical magic will disappear: POOF!!! We waited 11 days in total from Mulder's actual injury to his surgery day. The surgery went flawlessly. Mulder went HOME with Dr. Aron and Rainy and then Rainy and I began to speak on the telephone each and every day. After a week, Mulder got to come home to us. Our lives are drastically different now and will be for a very long time because we will be rehabbing Mulder's knee for FIVE MONTHS! He lives in an extra large wire dog crate with a fluffy bed and a low litter box and his private food and water. He only comes out TWICE per day in the AM/PM on a harness for rehab walks. Our condo has hard bamboo floors so we go out into the common area's carpeted hallways and make it fun - we are up to 15 minutes as we add 5 minutes per week. His gait is wonderful and he is so happy to be out and free and aside from the shaved leg and the healing scar, you would be hard-pressed to know that something so radical just happened to his spindly little leg! Now life is not all unicorns and rainbows! He hates the crate, of course! But he came home to us WALKING and in zero pain! We are still sleeping next to him at night and showering him with attention. I am just beginning to go a day or two without texting or talking to Rainy EVERY DAY!!! She is available to me 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for as long as it takes --- FIVE MONTHS?!?! I was calling and texting quite a bit in the first couple weeks when he was fighting the crate and biting at his stitches and I would get paranoid and feel like a bad mum. Rainy always errs on the side of caution and always talks me down from the ledge. She is going to meet us as MSVC every couple of weeks so she can monitor Mulder's rapidly improving ability to use his new knee. And for those of you confused about the need for the crate, you cannot force a cat to NOT jump! We are in a critical time as his body accepts Dr. Aron's handiwork. There are fibers growing and strengthening all around the material (that resembles a heaving fishing line) that Dr. Aron utilized to rebuilt his knee. One huge jump up or down to a countertop or anywhere high could cause irreparable damage. So no matter how heartbreaking it is for us to keep him imprisoned (even though his crate is decorated chicly with framed artwork!) in his crate, we couldn't bear to deviate from Dr. Aron and Rainy's tried-and-true regime. Mulder is the most amazing cat in the world to us. We paid what we needed to pay and we are following orders to a T. I cannot stress to everyone strongly enough that there are many pet surgeons in the world who you can find to perform these types of surgeries on your dog or cat but it means NOTHING if you are not cared for afterward and you get home without proper supervision and your pet re-injures itself. Please read all other 5-star testimonials here on Yelp -- they are true!!! read more

Just over a year ago (last month), Dr. Aron performed surgery on my pug/chi mix because she had terrible knee problems. Both her knee caps needed surgery in order to stay in place in order to not cause any more damage and terminal arthritis. I did some serious(and I mean serious) research before choosing them to do the surgery, one, because it is my precious baby and I wanted it done right, and two, because it is a LOT of money so again, I wanted it done right. I am so thankful for finding Dr Aron and Rainy through Market Street Vet Clinic. They are a team literally of experts and I could not have found anyone more qualified to do the surgeries (she needed the knees done separately). One of the biggest reasons I went with them for surgery is because they don't just perform surgery, keep the dog for the day, and send you home with their fingers crossed hoping for the best. When I got involved with this process, Dr Aron told me it would be a long road because the other half of the equation besides surgery is REHAB!!!! Most vets do not even address this issue, but rather just send you on your way and a few months down the road the dog has issues again (shocker!). I was committed to getting my dog back to "normal" so she could run as much as she wanted and not have ANY issues later on. In order to do that, my husband and I had literally MONTHS of rehab, homework, and healing that we needed to do with our dog. She had daily exercises that progressed as time went on in order to ensure she healed properly and the muscles grew back strong. In order for things to turn out successful, we had to dedicate a lot of time to daily walks and rehab, but we knew this going into it so we were prepared. We would not have had ANY clue that this is the way surgery on a dog SHOULD be if we had not come to Dr. Aron and Rainy, and for that I am SO grateful!!!! One year later, Deegan is totally normal!!!!!!!! She can literally run up and down a flight of stairs with no issues and I am confident in her doing those things because we completed the entire treatment and rehab process after surgery! I can't thank Dr. Aron and Rainy enough for helping my baby! The surgery is not cheap and you could probably find some random vet to do it for less, but don't be surprised if the result is crap a few months down the road. I would recommend them to anyone in need of surgery for their fur baby! They are wonderful people and seriously dedicated to helping animals! read more

99% of Dr. Aron's new patients are referrals from past patient's families, and it's no surprise. Three friends-unrelated to each other-recommended Dr. Aron. One was a surgical nurse who has worked with many SD-based veterinary surgeons. She was unequivocal; there was no #2. Dr. Aron would not treat Emily unless I committed to take the rehab and weight loss program seriously. Otherwise, the result would be compromised. He's not Mr Congeniality, but I wasn't seeing him for that. He quoted a fixed cost, including ALL pre- and post-op care, that was significantly lower than the two other surgeons that we had met with. Once Emily was in surgery, Dr. Aron found that the damage was more than he expected. (Soft tissue damage can only be verified by MRI or sight; I only gave him x-rays). He completed all work for the original estimate. Dr. Aron and Rainy kept Emily at their home for five days so they could control her locomotion and pain meds. Small pets can be hard to medicate. Again, they chose to include this in my original cost. I've mentioned cost twice but this actually isn't a factor in my review. Their veterinary expertise, personal and business ethics, professionalism, and true caring for the animals they treat are the reason I'm sharing my experience with people who need to make the same crucial decision. Rainy provided a detailed day-by-day recuperation and rehabilitation plan that was easy for me to follow. She called frequently to check-in with me, and I could call her any time, 24/7, if I had any questions or concerns. I was required to report Emily's weight weekly. She had to lose 20% of her body weight but lose no muscle mass. Depending on Emily's progress, the rehab schedule might change slightly, e.g. continue 20 minute walks, next week 25 min. I met briefly with Rainy every two weeks for three months for cast modifications and progress evaluations. If Rainy ran a little bit late (max 10 min), it was because they were dealing with other critically-ill pets and their worried people. She was delightful to work with; warm, caring, courteous, and professional. She was a true teammate for me. Our regular vet is "amazed" at Emily's knee. Surgery was 9 months ago. I only wish that I had met them five years ago when our other two dogs needed advanced medical care. read more

My 7yr old English Bulldog Bronx blew out his knee in early December. We met w Dr. Aron for a consult and were convinced that he and Rainy were the right fit for helping our boy get better. It's been a little over a month since surgery, and Bronx is doing great! Rainy has been fantastic - such a genuine, caring person. Bring your pet here if you're looking for the best care. read more

My husband and I can't say "thank you" enough to Dr. Aron and Rainy. They are the best! Our Aussie named Foster had been through elbow dysplasia surgery at 18 months of age by another surgeon. Foster did pretty well for several years after that, but mostly because he was on an anti-inflammatory drug. Foster started limping again at age 7 and 1/2 and was referred by Dr. Judy (our vet) to Dr. Aron. We didn't expect to see Foster ever walking limp free again, BUT thanks to Dr. Aron and Rainy he is now totally limp free and not on any medication at all. Dr. Aron is an amazing surgeon and his wife Rainy is a wonderful therapist! Foster was in a "cast" for three months and Rainy was always there for us with instructions for his re-hab and emotional support. She was always available whenever we called her and she would either meet us at our vet's office or at our house. Foster was in therapy with Rainy for almost nine months and has had amazing results. He is now almost ten years old and runs like the wind at the beach. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Fido's Surgeon team. Cay and Larry Moore read more

We have nothing but good things to say about the surgery done by Dr. Aron and the after care and rehabilatation done by Rainy for our beloved pointer Reggie. The care and support we received after the surgery was just wonderful and professional. We were coached every step of the way after Reggie started to be allowed to walk again after major back surgery. We highly recommend them for others in need of orthopedic surgery and rehab. read more

Thanks to Fido's Surgeon, we are now back at the park getting to play catch with our beloved pup. Last spring, when we found out that our lab had torn both of his cruciate ligaments and would require bilateral surgery to repair them, we were crushed. He wasn't even 2-years-old, and we were terrified that we'd never see him running and playing at the park again. Enter Dr. Aron and Rainy. From the minute we met Dr. Aron, we felt comfortable and reassured that our dog was in the best hands possible. In his first meeting with us, he talked about how his goal was to get our pup back in action. He assured us that this wouldn't be easy, but that with a lot of hard work and dedication to rehab, we'd get there. The day of the first operation, Dr. Aron called us as soon as he was out of surgery to give us an update. Everything had gone well, and he said that he and Rainy would like to keep him for a night or two (in their home!!) to make sure he was recovering like they wanted. I can't tell you what a relief this was to know that he would be under their professional care after the surgery. Two days later, we picked up our boy and got to finally meet Rainy- who had been talking to us via phone and text for the previous 48 hours assuring us that our pup was doing well. I'm not being dramatic when I say she literally changed our lives. From the moment we met her, a calm and assuredness came over me. It's not just that she's so incredibly knowledgeable about the surgeries and the mechanics of the injuries and the recovery; on top of that she is also beyond warm, reassuring and helpful. For the last year (through two operations, 9 months of rehab, and various bumps in the road), Rainy has been there for us at every step and every moment of the way. She helped us when we were frustrated, she gave our pup (and us) the one-on-one attention he/we needed when we were determining when and how to progress through rehab, and she remained calm, caring and infinitely wise throughout the process. There are really no words to convey how amazing our experience was with Dr. Aron and Rainy or how grateful we are to have our running, playing, goofy puppy back in action. All we can say (and will continue to say) is THANK YOU!!!! read more

We had a great experience with Fido's surgeon. Our 5 year old lab needed to have surgery on her hind leg. The process was easy and the care was phenomenal. We received excellent follow up care as well. I often get asked how old is our puppy because our dog is able to run and play like she did when she was young. read more

We noticed an odd bulging in the stomach area of our older lab, Emma, and got her in to see our amazing vet, Dr. Kim Dembinski. X-rays and an ultrasound were performed, and it was determined that Emma needed a splenectomy. My husband and I met with Dr. Aron and Rainy the following Monday. After talking to both of them, and getting all of our questions answered, we felt Emma was in the best hands she could be in. Rainy took Emma home that night, and we received twice-daily progress reports. After three nights, Emma came home to us feeling so much better. It was such a relief to know that Rainy was watching over our Emma girl. Thank you, thank you!!!! read more

Dr Aron and Rainy are THE BEST. Both are highly qualified and caring professionals. They inform the pet owner in detail what they can and cannot do, outcomes and risks of any procedures. It is very important to follow up on after care to the letter for the best possible outcome. They are open to calls when you have questions and answer in a compassionate manner. Dr. Aron has performed four surgeries over the years on our dogs. I wouldn't want anyone else to handle these surgeries and after care but them. Highly recommend them. read more

FIRST CLASS SURGEON FIRST CLASS CANINE PHYSICAL THERAPY! I was devastated when my 7 year old dog tore her ACL running on the beach. Having recent knee surgery myself I knew only the best would do. Through word of mouth and research I found Dr Aron. The team approach exceeded my expectations. If you want the best call them! Sunny D. (La Jolla, Ca) read more

I don't like to write negative reviews but my experience with Dr. Aron was so bizarre that I feel it is important to let people know what they might get during a consult with him. If someone had taken the time to document an experience like mine, I'd never have gone to see him. My dog has an injury. My vet at Amici Pet Hospital set up an ortho consult with him as my dogs leg wasn't getting better. I read about him and his wife Rainy and hoped this might be a gateway to some PT for Milo. Instead, they took milo to the back. About 10 minutes later Dr. Aron came out and said, I just examined your dog and I have to tell you. I don't know what's wrong with your dog. He then proceeded to tell me about the tests that need to take place and that I would need to do something to exacerbate his injury so they could do a nuclear scan and then maybe an MRI but nothing could be done for him unless we did those tests. I couldn't fathom the idea of making his leg worse and wasn't sure they actually needed to do that . Dr Aron's presentation was really odd and it just didn't foster a sense of comfort and trust. I was beside myself about my dog and this meeting made me feel completely helpless and hopeless. It didn't foster trust in my Vet who set this up either. I am now taking milo to the animal acupuncture and rehabilitation hospital center in Sorrento valley. Dr. Claire Sosna took 1 1/2 hours to talk to me, observe Milo and palpate and thoroughly evaluate him. I filled out a thorough questionnaire and she reviewed my answers with me. She was able to determine what he needed. What a relief this was. This is what Dr. Aron should have done a month before. I so wish someone would have guided us in that direction at that time. We could have been much further along than we are now. Maybe he's great if the injury is clear cut but he barely tried to determine the problem with milo. And for THAT, I paid $100.00 (and gad to wait over a week for that appointment) and it cost Milo a month of his young life and me a great deal of heartache as I didn't know how to help him. It was a waste of precious time. I think both my vet and Dr. Aron could have done better. read more

what an exceptional team Dr Aron and his wife Rainy make. i couldnt be happier with the care that my dog (coco) recieved, she need not one but two surgeries , as soon as Dr A finishes Rainey steps in and takes over the physical therapy part , and is there for you literally day and night ! . i never thought my dog would be able to walk around the block due to her injuries , after therapy she now goes for long walks and loves to run on the beach chasing birds .Thanks to Dr Aron and Rainy my dog is going to have a long, happy, active life, and for that i am truley greatful to them !!!! read more

My boy, Vasyl, had bilateral TTAs done by Dr Aron. This was in 2009. He is in fantastically great shape now. The surgery went well and though I was a bit neurotic about his recovery and pain management, Rainy helped me stay sane. She taught me how to do his rehab and I followed her instructions. The aftercare was just as important as the surgery. My dog can walk all day long, run like the wind and play and horse around with our other dog. If I ever need a surgeon again, you'd better believe I will return to Dr Aron and Rainy! Many heartfelt thank yous to the Arons! read more

I was referred to Dr Aron by Banfield vet.....I made an appointment for a consult with him my understanding of a consult is not what happened.....to start off he took my dog in the back didn't examine him in front of me was back there for a total of five minutes he then came into the room introduced himself and then said "some people like me some people don't, I am very blunt and straight to the point" and then asked me if I was in a hurry I said no and he proceeded to tell me how great he was cutting me off at every question I asked and making me feel like I was annoying him with stupid little questions, he boasted about himself so much it made me question his actual surgical skills, because he said over and over "if anything goes wrong after the surgery it is from what you are doing at home" OK!......I sat and listened to this condescending arrogant person for 45 minutes and then when I calmly asked him to get to the point a little quicker or maybe just answer my questions about my dog (the reason I was there) he glared at me looked me in the eye and said "you think you are the only one doing the interviewing right now, I am doing the same to you and I don't like what I see" right there I should have given him a piece of my mind and walked out.....I highly do not recommend these people they are a waste of time and the quote they gave me was way overpriced when I started looking around, I decided to take my dog somewhere else completely Banfield has lost my business and I hope for owners and animals out there these two morons get a grip and realize that the animals are what is important and maybe learn some people skills and thst they are not ortho gods! read more

Can not say enough good things! Here is my story: My dog Belle started limping early last year. We decided to take her to our normal vet to see what happened. My vet had x-rays done on my dog and refered us to Dr. Aron for a consultation. He went through everything during the consultation from what happened to my dog's knee and what needs to be done to get it fixed. He told me that Rainy (post op care) would contact my with in the next 48 hours about pricing and setting up the surgery and she did. She answered all of my questions and we set up the surgery. She kept my dog a few days after the surgery until she felt she was ready to return home. I was very nervous considering my dog is highly energetic and wants to play all the time, but Rainy told me as long as I followed her directions I should be fine. My dog ended up eating through a few casts and had a few emergency visits with Rainy. She is always available for your call! Half way though my dogs recovery, she ended up needing surgery on her other knee. I met with Dr. Aron again and set up the surgery. My dog is now 7 months past her second surgery and running! The money for the surgeries is beyond worth it for the care you get in return. It's amazing how well my dog's life has improved. Listening to Dr. Aron and Rainy is the key to success! Follow their directions exactly! I highly recommend Fido's Surgeon! read more

It has been well over a year since our Molly a small poodle had surgery to repair her left cruciate ligament.I was getting ready to get back to work after having surgery myself for a meniscus tear in my knee I took Molly out in the backyard so she could go to relieve herself,and play some, I threw her toy across the lawn,and she ran for it and that's when she started keeping her left rear leg up.After checking the bottom of her left pawn,and finding nothing I knew something else was going on.The next day we saw her vet,and the search started for the doctors who would do the surgery on Molly the search was long many phone calls appointments,and then the most important call we would make that would be Fidos surgeon when I called I spoke with rainy who must have spent over an hour explaining the types of surgery,(and there are three)to me on the phone.We decided to make an appointment and meet Dr Neil Aron.This surgeon Dr Neil Aron is a passionate man about what he does,and after spending at least an hour with us I had no doubt to put our trust,and Molly's care in fido surgoens hands.Molly is family,and today you would not know she had the surgery.its important to say the after care is the most important part of your pets recovery you must follow all the care instructions. rainy what can I say you were great in taking care of Molly first at your home after Molly's surgery,and then going back and forth with follow up appointments.Thank you Dr Aron,and thank you rainy very much for your dedication,and care of Molly,and all the other pawn pets out there.To have a successful recovery pet owners need to do your part. whatever care instructions are giving they must be followed read more

I am a registered veterinary technician and I have worked for several vets and been around many dogs that have had surgery and or needed surgery. When I found myself and my dog in the position that we needed a surgeon we went to Dr.Aron. Dr.Aron and his wife Rainy are both awesome!! They are professional, caring and will be with you every step of the way. Lets face it, when your dog has surgery it is difficult. You need to be prepared to make a huge commitment to your pet and their recovery. Dr.Aron and Rainy are with you every step of the way making sure you succeed. There may be some speed bumps along the way but Rainy will be with you guiding you towards your goal. I have referred several people to Dr. Aron and they have all had success. I would recommend them without a doubt and if my dog needed another surgery they would be my first phone call. Thank you Dr. Aron and Rainy for your commitment and dedication to all of our animals. read more

My family and I would like to thank Dr. Aron and his wife Rainy, for saving our dog Roxy. Our family had just lost the best friend that anyone could have, our boxer Ali. The trauma of her lost had the family not ever wanting another pet, but along came Roxy, a bundle of joy with the energy to match. We got Roxy from a friend of our daughter due to their having to move and not be able to keep Roxy. We noticed that Roxy was walking differently and would sit really funny but not in a good way. We took Roxy to our vet, x-rays were done on Roxy's hips, after which the vet informed us that Roxy had a serious problem requiring surgery. We wanted the best for our pet and that is when we were introduced to Dr. Aron and his wife Rainy. Dr. Aron described our pet's condition in that Roxy's femur bones were abnormal and she needed surgery to correct this condition. If not for surgery Roxy would not be here today. If I had to describe my experience with Rainy in one word, it would be AWESOME. Rainy volunteered to care for Roxy following surgery and took her home for the first week. Rainy did everything that first week to include the sleepless nights. If not for the caring and professionalism of Rainy and her knowledge of Roxy's condition our life would have once again be torn apart. It has been more than 10 months since Roxy's surgery and still today we are receiving the personal attention of Rainy in the care and treatment for Roxy. Not only has Rainy guided us through the physical recovery of Roxy but also help improve her nutrition by recommending the proper diet to accentuate the course of her treatment. Rainy is someone that I can truly say is nothing short of a godsend, she genuinely cares for her patients and their family. There has never been a time when she was not available to answer our questions or evaluate Roxy to alleviate our concerns. I would not hesitate to recommend Rainy to my true and closest friends if their pet should ever need a caring angel. Surgery was the right course for our pet and Rainy is truly the best in her business. read more