We have had three dogs, and Dr Harmon has taken care of all them. He and his staff are amazing, and very helpful. I wouldn't trust my animals to anyone else. read more

Been my turtle doctor since I moved back to Ames in 2005. It is so hard to find a good turtle doctor.

Taken every pet I've ever had to this vet. My father recently passed away and I inherited his bulldog which has been a patient of Oaks Veterinary his whole life. When we took the bulldog in to be seen for a severe cut on its paw the front desk lady told use that we couldn't bring the dog there because they were not accepting new patient. I explained that the dog has been a patient with them the whole two years of her life and that it was previously my father's dog but he had passed so now we are the owners of the dog. She then said she knows that the dog was with them previously but since his onwer died he is know longer considered a patient with them and neither am I since I have not had a pet in the last two years. this sounds to me like this gal doesn't understand who it is that they are taken care of. Why in the world who's a care taker is matter if they are willing to see the dog or not. When your an older white prejudice lady it matters evidently. I would not recommend this vet to anybody in fact I believe the hate crime attitude of the front desk lady should be a cause for the business to be closed or at very least she be fired. In 2025 there is no reason for these intolerable people who can't see past the difference in people and refuse to let them patronize there business because they do not like that persons race, sexuality, age or whatever it the difference. Grow up and quit spreading your negative hate. it doesn't farewell for you in the end. She should really think about getting a job outside of the service industry because she's definitely not doing the company any justice by running off existing customer. i don't have a business degree but im sure one of the first things you learn is that retaining existing customers Is almost always beneficial to the company. read more

Extremely kind and helpful staff. Well priced. Would return to this establishment again!

Our four dogs have been attending Oaks Veterinary Clinic for over eight years. Wouldn't trust anyone else with our furries.

I could not imagine my girls to have any other caregivers. The staff are caring, knowledgeable, positive and empathetic. I will never take my furry family member anywhere else. read more

If you need a compassionate Vet that really cares about animals , it's Dr. Harmon. Our whole family have taken all of our animals there for at least 20 yrs. They also have other Vets there that are kind and very caring of your animals. They never hurry you out, but stay and answer all our questions because the know how concerned you are about your animals. I absolutely believe they are the most reasonably price Vet in Des Moines. If your lucky enough to get your pets there you'll understand how great these doctors and staff are! read more

Oaks is a blessing to have... My baby Paisley was having serious issues with paws and I called this morning to get a script like she had before but after talking to them they said if we could be there at 11 they could see her quick... WOW my hero's and so much respect!!! I will never go anywhere else for my dogs thank you Oaks and all the wonderful staff. Kerin and Cari for helping so quickly you guys rock. read more

The vet was great with our veiled chameleon! He was thorough, very knowledgeable, and compassionate!! We were trying to find a place that could see exotic pets and everywhere around was booked. Oaks got us in right away! read more

I took my 6-year-old cat, Macie, to see Dr. Harmon THREE times (9/22/20, 3/16/21, & 4/01/21) for the same persistent symptoms (recurrent vomiting & excessive thirst). This was while they had their COVID rules that made owners wait in our cars, so I didn't know what all he was doing. He would just bring Macie out, tell me her "numbers" looked fine and that he gave her a dose of anti-nausea medication, hand me a small baggie of prescription dry food, and send me home. After my second visit in March, I called and asked what labs he ran to check her kidney functions (since Macie was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease the year earlier). Turns out he didn't even order any blood work! He just did a basic exam and gave her a shot of Cerenia. So, I had to bring her back in a couple weeks later and insisted he run a kidney profile and take x-rays. Again, I was told everything was fine and sent home with some dry food. Note that Macie is now TERRIFIED of her carrier and going to the vet, so making multiple trips is very traumatic for her. My vet-tech sister-in-law urged me to get a second opinion since Macie was STILL vomiting, so I took her to the Altoona Veterinary Hospital on Monday, where they quickly diagnosed her with a severe Urinary Tract Infection that had spread to her kidneys. Her SDMA, BUN, Calcium, and Creatinine were all elevated, and they told me that her BUN and Calcium had BEEN elevated in both the 09/22/20 & 04/01/21 lab records they received from Oaks. This means that Dr. Harmon was aware that her kidney function was poor, but essentially ignored it, and didn't even bother checking her urine. Macie has been in pain for months because of his negligence. I will NEVER take Macie back to Oaks, or recommend Dr. Harmon to any fellow pet owner. If you care about your pets at all, don't take them here! read more

Dr. Harmon has taken care of 4 of my dogs over the last 35 years and he and his staff are simply the best. Great example is last Friday after hunting with my lab she had a serious eye injury which I discovered at 430pm. A quick call to the office and they got me in at 515pm. They know how much our pets mean to us and that quick appointment kept the injury from being worse than it was. Not sure what I would do without this clinic! Michael Woods read more

This is one of the best vets you can find in Des Moines and THE best when it comes to exotics. I take our pet skunk Stinker Marie here and they are beyond amazing with her. She is calm and relaxed with them, and they even gave me a free nail trim when I came in to drop off a sample for testing. Love love love this vet and will never take my beloved skunk anywhere else read more

Our extended family has taken our dogs to Oaks for more than 20 years. Dr. Harmon, his staff, and the other veterinarians have always been marvelous - throughout all stages of our dogs' lives. They take care to explain all treatment options and accommodate last minute appointments. Highly recommend. read more

This clinic came recommended when we adopted our big Olde English Bulldog. They are courteous, but don't uncharge you for unnecessary treatments. They always get our dog in for his needs, and they are always so nice and seem to feel part of our dog's family. read more

Oaks Veterinary Clinic - They took pity on our overweight bullies begging with his big brown eyes and gave him a small treat. - Veterinarians Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

I go out of my way to go to this vet clinic. After first using Avondale and having a terrible experience of upsells, unnecessary tests, and a hefty price tag, Oaks is a breath of fresh air. The prices are reasonable. They level with you on all your options, taking time to explain everything thoroughly. We recently had to put down a cat and the level of compassion Dr. Minor showed us was so appreciated. In fact, he flat out told me we could settle up with the bill another time because charging after the fact didn't feel right. It's not often you'll find a business like that. The only downside is that the secret must be out because it can be difficult to schedule appointments to get in right away and sometimes it takes a while to receive calls back. All that being said, I really love this clinic and will continue to go here as long as I have pets. read more

In my previous life, I took my Shibas to Value Vet, which is a great place. When I got my current Shiba I lived farther away from Value Vet but was given the recommendation for Oaks. Ive been coming here for a year. It's tucked away in a residential neighborhood and aesthetically speaking, it's like secret garden adorable. I enjoy coming here. The doctor and staff are great and seem to genuinely like and care about my pet. I like that he is constantly reinforced with treats while getting shots, toenails clipped, etc. The prices are extremely reasonable, which I thought about Value Vet but this is like really cheap. It's a great place to take your pet! read more

See all

What a great veterinary clinic! The location is sort of hidden but great. It has a less clinical feel since it's outside of the main vet's home which makes you feel more comfortable. My dog has been here for at least a year and it's been great! The staff and vet are kind and knowledgeable. Prices are super reasonable and they put the animals first. Highly recommend! read more

Doctor Harmon condescended and lied to me. After deciding that there was nothing he was willing to do to try and reverse a fungal infection, he concluded that my beardie would lose her leg. We said we wanted to try what we could and he prescribed "medicine" that he said may help cure the fungal infection on my beardie, but after doing research, I found out it was just an unmedicated soothing ointment. When we told him what we had researched , he claimed that he goes to a reptile conference every year and that he knew better than us. We did research and bought our own supplies and cured the fungal infection ourselves. Doctor Harmon doesn't actually care enough about his patients. read more

This place is the best Vet hospital I have ever come across. The doctor was so caring and loving to our chinchilla. Knew exactly how to handle her and know if she was healthy or not. The price for her medication and visit was extremely reasonable cause we didn't have to pay hundreds of dollars for a visit and meds. They took in my chinchilla even though they were fully booked, but because they knew it was an emergency they took her in. I highly recommend this place for all pet needs. read more

Oaks Veterinary Clinic - Oak vet entrance! - Veterinarians Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

My parents and grown daughter have both used Oaks for some time and been very satisfied. I'm a little distance away in a rural area and our old family vet retired so we tried Oaks. Only been there once but the visit went very well. The vet seemed skilled and the office staff made you feel like an old friend. It was worth the extra drive. I'm going to stick with Oaks. If anything ever changes my opinion I will let you know but its so far so good. read more

Dr Harmon is very knowledgeable and is the best veterinarian. His staff is extremely caring. They are very willing to work in emergency appointments. Very reasonable and one of her best veterinarian clinic in Iowa. read more

I have been with Oaks Vet Clinic for approximately 15 years for my own Cockers and Papillion, as well as the many, many dogs I have rescued and re-homed. They are excellent at everything, caring, compassionate, reliable, answer all of my questions and are reasonably priced. My daughter and son each take their dogs to Oaks and trust them explicitly. Thank God we have Oaks! read more

I really wanted to like this clinic but too many things went wrong. 1. During COVID, they understandably have the humans stay outside but there's nothing to sit on so you just stand in the lot if you walked or sit in your car. It took 2 months to get an intake appointment set up. 2. There is a small area to the north of the clinic that looks like a walking area. It also looks like a place they throw various forlorn yard decorations to rust. It's full of burrs and there is no signage to let people know that they should not take their dogs back there to for bathrooming purposes. 3. I submitted my paperwork from the adoption agency in the form of pdf's via email about 2 weeks prior to my appointment. I specified that I wanted to get up to speed on anything my dog might need and asked the lady if I would get reminders in case my dog needed any vaccinations, et c. She said, yes, that they would call. At my appointment two weeks later, I spoke to the vet who asked what brought me in. I said that I was here for an intake appointment and wanted to make sure I was doing everything my dog needed, "Does he need any medications, vaccines, procedures...?" The vet said he would look. The vet used a comb to removed the many small burrs from my dog's face and legs and then brought my dog back out to me and said everything was fine. I was able to watch all of this through the north window. I asked again if we needed anything else and he seemed confused that I would ask again and said no. Fast forward a couple months, I want to take my dog to the groomer. I send the paperwork to them and they let me know that my dog was due for vaccines a full year before I adopted him. I can understand an adoption agency missing this information but this was the entire point of the intake appointment at the vet was to make sure I was up to speed on all of these things. I was embarrassed and angry. I will be looking for a new vet first thing in the morning. read more

Fantastic DRs and reasonable prices. Have taken pets here for MANY years through several pets. Trust this place completely!

This vet is a gem! The building is a house in a residential neighborhood. It's very endearing. The veterinarian is knowledgeable and sweet.

We love this little clinic! It's very cozy and we always feel right at home. I have two little dogs that can be a bit overwhelming and the staff always welcomes us with open arms. Dr. Harmon is the best vet we've ever worked with and I cherish our care that is provided here. read more

I recently got a new puppy and she is my world! The thought of my puppy getting shots and all the things brought tears to my eyes. How could I? All the staff at OAKS were amazing. They were so great with my puppy and never made me question a thing. On top of it all, it is VERY reasonable in price. I am SO glad I was recommended here by another dog loving friend of mine. Thank you OAKS for taking care of my pup! read more

I can't say enough good about these folks. They are the real deal and I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone. I take my dog(s) and my reptiles on a regular basis. They are the only vets I would trust with serious issues related to my reptiles. Whenever there is a shred of chance for a successful outcome, they deliver. read more

This vet clinic is awesome! They really care about animals and are so knowledgeable and gentle.

My first visit here, Dr. Prattis was very nice, knowledgeable and accommodating...the staff however seemed annoyed with me and the doctor. I will return and hopefully they are more cheerful at that time. read more

We've been going to Oaks since I was a little kid - first with previous vet - Dr. Johnson? - and now with current vets. I can't fathom going anywhere else where a vet could care so much about your pet and you. They remember every cat, dog or whatever your pet is. There isn't an ego in the place and it's full of common sense. If your pet is having an issue, the vet will walk you through all of your treatment options and help you choose what's the best fit for you. When my year old kitten was diagnosed with cancer, one that couldn't be officially diagnosed without invasive and expensive procedures done at ISU, Dr. Benham, walked us through what we our options were. We skipped the Ames step and just worked on keeping her healthy and happy during her final year. We had her for an additional 9 months which was truly a blessing and we only had to go in once a month for some anti-biotic and steroid injections. While we saved thousands of dollars, I know she got the best treatment available with little to no stress. read more