I have been taking my pets for routine checkups, spay and surgeries at this veterinary clinic for the past 5 years. Dr. Raichel and her team took great care of my furry friends since we moved to La Jolla. No complaints. We had a courageous Westie went thru the last stage of life: a goofy Bernedoodle got spayed; and an affectionate Goldendoodle underwent the Bilateral TPLO surgery. Each of these party animals had their heart wrenching moment and I am grateful that they have a vet to fall back on. What more could I ask for? read more

I highly recommend getting your pet care at Windansea Veterinary. The staff was friendly, professional and very caring! The owner is an extraordinary woman, and veterinarian! read more

The entire staff is awesome. Dr. Metcalf always has time to discuss care and outcomes. However today it was the front office staff, to be specific Angela. Angela took the time to help me secure a coupon for medication for my fur baby. Angela was incredibly friendly and patient, answering all of my questions with a smile. I had a couple of concerns, and she was thorough in explaining everything and even helped me find a great coupon. The team is super organized, and they always make the entire visit seamless. It's clear that they really care about both the pets and the people who bring them in. In our current times it's so important to spread kindness, I can honestly say the staff embodied kindness. read more

Dr. Ira Abrams killed our beloved Cali, in the prime of her life, by administering a vaccine during a visit for a minor ear infection. It was Cali's first visit to WindandSea. Our veterinarian was unavailable due to Covid and unfortunately we ended up in the hands of Dr. Abram. After raising concern when Dr. Abram mentioned vaccinating Cali, he assured my wife there was nothing to worry about and that he would instead give Cali one vaccination instead of the two he insisted on. My wife text me and I asked her, if he thought it was ok with an ear infection. Again he assured her not to worry. Dr. Abrams was also informed of a prior reaction Cali had to a vaccination. She was rushed to immediate care and it resolved without further issue. The ear infection was gone in 2 days, as it always did when treated, as we have multiple times over the years. THE NIGHTMARE began 7-10 days later. We rushed Cali to emergency care for swollen lymph nodes and fever of unknown origin. Shortly after she had a stroke. But Cali wasn't finished. Her little body and mind slowly recovered from the stroke with excellent care from VSH. Still, the vaccine had dug in and the fight had only begun. Cali fought for 5 months. Her little 8 pound body. I witnessed her go from running sprints on the beach to progressing to bed ridden. She eventually was suspect diagnosed with IMPA, most likely caused by a vaccine. No prior history. Her little body and joints locked and the meds took a toll on her organs. We fought hard. She fought hard. Now, we cry ourselves to sleep. And fight back tears every time we have to tell our toddler, WE MISS CALI TOO. Dr. Abram you changed our lives forever. U greedy SOB. It's not over. read more

See all

HORRIBLE- Do not go to this clinic! I spent over a thousand dollars with no resolution. They told me verbatim,"go somewhere else." I wish they would have told me to go somewhere else before they charged me over a thousand dollars and sold me 4 different prescriptions and a cone of shame. My dog was prescribed expensive medication that I had to throw out the next day which exacerbated the infection. If I could give zero stars I would. The woman at the front desk is cold and cruel her name is Sherri. Beware of an unprofessional and unpleasant experience if you have to interact with her. SEE BELOW REVIEWS RE: same receptionist being cruel. I did not leave this review previously because I wrote an email to Dr. Raichel explaining my concerns. It was dismissed. I don't want anyone to suffer through the experience I had. Go anywhere else! I saw others mention pushing vaccinations. My dog was bleeding out of her neck and ear and they asked me if they could give her a vaccination!?! While they had me hostage they just tried to pump my dog full of anything they could charge me for. Why would she need a vaccination when her body was so desperately fighting a horrible bacterial infection which turned out to be staph? read more

TERRIBLE! Overall strange place and experience. They HEAVILY push products and make you feel bad if you don't abide by their suggestions implying your animal will get sick. I would never go back to this place. The people are also strange - especially the receptionist. They repeatedly ask the same questions, request the same documents over and over, weird vibe for sure. Highly opinionated vets and it's obvious they are strictly after your money and don't care about what's best for your animal or your viewpoint. read more

This clinic is the very best clinic I have ever been in for my pet. I have a 14 year old Yorki poodle mix , Rufio , who looked as though he had a stroke. i unfortunately could not get my dog in to see his vet and was instructed to go to the emergency animal hospital, but Windansea was able to take him in that day. He was diagnosed with Peripheral Vestibular disease , given Medications and a prudent treatment plan. The staff there were excellent, extremely knowledgeable, compassionate and reassuring . They accommodated our whole family in the treatment room as we all thought this was our last day with our precious pup. i highly recommend this clinic for your pets care and needs. read more

Reading the post from Sarbani B, I am confused and dismayed by some of her comments. I have been taking my dogs and cats to Dr. Dina Raichel for more than ten years and have always been extremely satisfied with her professionalism and extensive knowledge of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Raichel researches every unusual case, consulting with specialists when necessary, to be certain that every treatment is appropriate. Ear infections in poodles, and other dogs with hair, not fur, is a very common complaint among parents of these breeds. Mr. Sarbani seems to know that. Part of my confusion is that Mr. Sarbani should understand that dogs with recurrent infections need to have their ears cleaned or flushed routinely and the hair growing at the opening of the ears needs to be removed to keep the ears dry and aerated. This is done easily by most dog parents. The fact that the front office fit Mr. Sarbani in, during one of what are always very busy days at the hospital, is a clear indication of the staff's desire to provide immediate help to pets with urgent cases. It sounds, from Mr. Sarbani's post, that he expected to be seen immediately irrespective of other clients waiting their turns for their previously scheduled appointments. I am further confused by Mr. Sarbani's remark, "I do not know if they are prejudiced or what". Does he mean about poodles? Or people? my understanding is that Dr. Raichel herself has a poodle and raised and showed poodles while in college, So that can't be it. I do not know Mr. Sarbani's ethnicity, race or other defining characteristics One has only to meet WindnSea's diverse staff to see that that is not even a reasonable question! As for the staff at the front desk, I have had nothing but the kindest, friendliest most efficient assistance from them all. They are particularly caring when a beloved pet is at the end of his/her life. During the Covid pandemic, when Veterinary services were rarely available Dr. Raichel did not lay off ANY of her staff! She took emergency cases and kept her staff employed with hospital improvements etc. One emergency case she took was for a dear friend of mine's 9 years old Havanese Shayne who, while running in the yard, ruptured his patella. Her regular Veterinary clinic personnel told her that she would have to wait at least two weeks to be seen!!! I called WindnSea and Dr. Raichel saw him that day! She determined that he would need immediate surgery. The surgical hospitals were all closed from Covid so Dr. Raichel arranged to have an orthopedic surgeon go to her hospital and perform the surgery there! The successful surgery was performed two days after he was injured and he is fully recovered!! This is the most wonderful Veterinarian and Hospital Staff to whom I will always take my beloved family members!! read more

We have had the best treatment ever. Thy have saved two of my dogs from certain death. They are extremely fair as far as prices go too. I highly recommend them. Amir Homayoun read more

Love this crew! The staff is so sweet and took such great care of my boy. I was able to get a last minute appointment and felt so safe leaving him. The team provided me with a health inspection for travel and took care of the entire process without involving me or any problems. I couldn't have asked for better care! read more

more baby boomers who don't understand technology... why would I want these people doing anything medical on my beloved pet? I mean, they can't even understand how email works and they're completely clueless about what a catchall email address is. I mean, does the entire world full of baby boomers need to sit down and go through a computer 101 class every week until they finally figure it out or maybe they can just all retire so the rest of us can get on with our lives, digitally? read more

Dr. Raichel and her team are fantastic! My 10-year-old ragdoll kitty desperately needed a teeth cleaning which I was extremely nervous about. The team walked me through the procedure step by step to help me understand the procedure and calmed my nerves. I dropped kitty off in the morning, received updates on how she was doing, and picked her back up in the afternoon. She was doing absolutely great and had the pearliest whites I had ever seen! I only had to give her pain medication once after surgery; she was back to her normal self the very next day and with the newfound energy of a kitten! The team is extremely experienced, professional, and caring. I wrote this review specifically for owners who are nervous about teeth cleaning and anesthesia the way I was, since no one seems to mention their experience with this particular surgery at this clinic. I hope this helps! read more

I have been a bringing my dogs here for years, even when I moved further out I kept making the drive up there...today I decided to switch clinics because the receptionist is very unpleasant to deal with. read more

Appreciate wonderful Vet and staff. Very friendly and able to see me quickly. Little far for me to go but we'll worth it.

If it were possible to clone Dr. Lindsey and Dr. Dorian at Windansea Vet, I would pay to have it done and distribute their dopplegangers to every Veterinary Clinic in the United States, heck, in the World! I have taken rescue pets as well as expensive & rare breeds to Windansea and all were treated with incredible empathy and professionalism. In fact, on different occasions, both of these outstanding vets have correctly diagnosed and solved medical issues that were mysteries to previous vets. (And the fact that Dr Dorian is SO CUTE and Dr Lindsey is so SEXY SHOULD put them in an afternoon soap! Ah well, Hollywood's loss is our gain) Because of the phenominally high level of care my animals have received, I now contractually mandate that animals I place with new owners must agree to have Windansea as their Veterinarian Clinic. (And really, its because of the medical care, not because the vets are so good looking. No, really.) Even if you have to drive into La Jolla, it is ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY worth every minute of the drive. The care given here has been extremely cost-effective (yes, even though it is La Jolla, the prices were EXTREMELY reasonable!!!!) as well as medically appropriate. ( Secret: ALWAYS Great Parking around back: SHHHHHH, Dont Tell! You have to enter through the alley-way off of Nautilus) They do it all: dental, medical and surgical care. In fact, this practise has been here for decades: if they weren't excellent & absolutely top-notch, the local community wouldn't support them. (And the fact that they are cute is TOTALLY irrelevant.) In summary, if you want your little Bowser/Fifi/Kitty treated to top level La Jolla medical care at modest & fair prices, YOU MUST RUSH to WIndansea right now, while the pet is still healthy. You want to get in and develop a good relationship with them NOW so they will save that pet when it is nearly an emergency! (You do NOT want to pay after-hour$$ at some emergency vet price$$$ when you could have been at Windansea during normal hours and saved your pets life!) Oh, and by the way, if you bring cookies or fruit or candy, that would be very nice: The support staff are wonderful, they always remember the animals we bring in: Show them how much we appreciate them! (PS: If you are looking to adopt a pet, ask them. Some times folks tell them when they are looking for new homes for pets) PPS: You should see their video! ............... ..................... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9igsTcz2LWQ (How they had time to make it between puppy appointments is beyond me...) COOLNESS!!!!!. (See, I TOLD you they were ADORABLE!) read more

My dog and I received nothing but amazing service and care at Windansea Veterinary Clinic! After having issues with our last vet who kept bypassing my dog's symptoms as allergies which lead him to receive the wrong treatment and not get better, my boyfriend and I decided to take our 105 lb Chocolate Lab to Windansea Vet Clinic. The team was nothing short of amazing and accommodating to my pup and I. With COVID regulations enforced, even though I wasn't able to go into the clinic, the staff and Doctor made sure to come out and inform me of what was going on and ask for permission before treating my dog and charging me. I highly recommend this clinic to any other animal parents who are looking for someone reliable, accommodating, and friendly :) I will continue to keep bringing my dog here! read more

Took very good care of my girl when she went in for her shots. Definitely nice people. Always feel a little put out when they try to sell me on extra vaccines that are not necessary. I appreciate their work however! read more

How much do I love these doctors and staff? Cannot say enough. Compassionate thorough patient kind gentle and superb. Both Vets are equally amazing. Have been going there last seven years and will go nowhere else read more

Pets are like children, and we only want the best treatment for them, right?! Like healthcare, vets are a business, and it's hard to find a doctor who's not trying to make monetary decisions for their pockets instead of helping you make a decision thats best for you and yours. This IS that few and far between vet. Everyone is so helpful and sweet, and they really do try to help their owners make the best decisions for their babies. Please keep it up read more

I want to preface this review that I have been going to Dr. Raichel for several years. My dog has had recurrent ear infections. While Dr. Raichel was out of town , I saw her associate who told me that my poodle's infections were due to allergies, food I was feeding him and harangued me regarding diet and then told me what a culture was despite knowing I am a medical doctor. I was trying to tell her the history of recurrent infections, and that poodles are prone to these infections. We have a regimen in Texas and the doctor there has done videoscopy on the ear to rule out various things which I coulld not even get a word in edgewise. We are super careful with diet, but this vet did not listen and was absolutely outrageous. In the meantime we went to another vet who diagnosed suppurative otitis with psuedomonas, a very bad organism. I gave the office another chance and had a good experience with Dr. Raichel. Today I called because the office because, Dr. Raichel and I had discussed culture results and we thought if things were not going well we could try another antibiotic. The front office fit me in, but act as if they are doing me a favor rather than taking care of the patient . I do not feel they can be bothered to ask the doc to look in the ear . The told me she had looked a week ago. I would urge Dr. Raichel to have her office staff be more polite and understand that diseases evolve. I have paid thousands of dollars to this office and am switching due to the front office staff and the hit and miss other vets. I am appalled and very upset. If a patient is coming back repeatedly for the same problem one would think they would be a bit more introspective and want to solve it. I am unfortunately switching vets. I do not know if they are prejudiced or what, but clearly something has changed in the last year, as to the other reviews which post a very unpleasant front office staff. read more

I hate leaving a negative review, especially since I frequent this vet quite often for my dogs needs. However, this time, I've been taken advantage of. My dog has worms and I brought a sample to get checked out. Today, I brought my dog for a weight check and got TWO Drontal Plus 68mm tablets for deworming. I was charged a total of 56.32 for the pills and when I got home, I saw the same medication online for $9.99 which is for a FULL BOTTLE of 50 tablets!!! I know this is a business and they have to make a profit.. but come on! This is unethical and they should be ashamed of taking advantage of their customers this way. Fecal Sample Test $57.18 2 Drontal Plus 68mm $56.32 Total = 113.50 https://www.californiapetpharmacy.com/drontal-plus-for-dogs-68-mg-medium-per-tablet.html?productid=drontalmed&channelid=FROOG&gclid=Cj0KCQiA6JjgBRDbARIsANfu58EvA1hVs5bvLmh7aAi8mAcdMXHP6MrVoFVwbrjS7kb-ehZDms2bvCcaAuNIEALw_wcB read more

The vets and technicians are great, but their receptionists could definitely work on their customer service :/

I have been bringing my dog here for a few months and she has had a problem that they said they could figure it out with a couple tests. We are now 6 tests later and they still can't figure it out. I have spent tons of money and given my dog a lot of medicine for them to say well let's try this and see what happens. They aren't confident about their treatments and what is happening, they just want to keep testing her. Also, when you schedule an appointment, they aren't ready for you and there is no communication between the staff on what is happening with their patients so you have to tell your story over and over again. read more

My cat, Finny, has issues with vets. Every time I take him, he gets incredibly scared, jumps in a corner, and hisses at everyone. He pretty much just sits in my lap and burrows his head in my arms. According to Governor Animal Clinic, my 9 month old kitten is too aggressive and they basically won't touch him until I spend the $600 to get him declawed. They also recommended filing down his teeth...? Hate them. Personally, I don't think it's very surprising for a cat to get aggressive when he's in a room that smells like dog and is surrounded by dogs who are prancing around the waiting room. My roommate took her baby kitten here so I decided to try this place out too after she recommended it. Our kittens are pretty different, hers is actually friendly and calm to doctors but I figured I might as well give it a try. I managed to squeeze in a quick appointment because I was worried about my kitten's ringworm but Dr. Lindsey still took his time and spent a good fifteen minutes getting to know Finny so that he wouldn't be as scared and he could get a close examination. Not only are the prices here reasonable but Dr. Lindsey was also very sweet to Finny (even though my cat was being a little pansy hiding in the corner). He also made me feel a lot better about my cat's aggressive behavior at the vet's office and gave me tips so I could avoid the "inhumane" procedures. read more

Let me just say, we love Dr. Dina! We have a soft coat wheaten terrier with really bad food allergies and Dr. Dina is WONDERFUL with her! She is the first vet we have taken our dog to that actually cares about her. Dr. Dina gets down on the floor with Mazzi and really listens to our concerns, she gave us great recommendations and really helped with her allergies. We are so thankful to finally have a "real" vet in this town. Not to mention, Mazzi loves her too :) read more

Five woofs! - Dog We love the staff at Windansea Vets! read more

Windansea Veterinary Clinic - Sail Dog! - Veterinarians Near Me - La Jolla, California

Dr. Raichel and Dr. Spengel are the greatest vets anyone could ask for. They go above and beyond providing quality care for our animals. I am always astonished at the amount of attention they give us each and every time we go to Windansea vet. Deb Georgie Kathy and Vanessa are also amazing and I can't thank them enough for their positive attitudes, professionalism, and smiles. We would not trust our animals with any one else! read more

Windansea Veterinary Clinic - Veterinarians Near Me - La Jolla, California

This place is great. I called the morning of and my dog Rosie was able to be seen same day. They answered the phone quickly and professionally. We were seen right on time. The vet nurse was very informative and answered all my questions. Dr. Raichel was very polite and extremely helpful. My dog was thoroughly examined and treated very well. A few days prior I adopted her from a shelter so she had some matts that looked awful--they trimmed those off at no charge! It was an easy checkout process and they set up reminder calls for our next appointment! All around great service and I highly recommend this place for your pet! read more

I just moved to San Diego and was looking around Yelp trying to figure out where to take my sick pug where 1. I'd trust them to give her the care she needs and 2. Wouldn't charge ridiculous amounts. I'm SO GLAD I chose the Windansea Vet Clinic! They got us in right away and were very friendly, helpful, and right on point with advice and the procedures they took to make sure they covered all aspects of what her sickness could be. My little Lucy Bean thanks them very much! read more

After adopting our puppy, we went to another vet in our area and had a horrible experience. Finding Windansea was such a blessing!! We have been going there for over a year now and love everyone there. I can call anytime and have no issues getting an appointment that works for my schedule. Most recently, our dog was hit by a car (all is good and he is making a full recovery) early in the morning so we went to emergency care. Bye the time we made it home, they were notified of our dogs accident and called to check in every day during the next few days, which were critical. They made themselves available if we needed to bring our dog in for any reason. Keep up the good work Windansea.... read more

My one-eyed Chihuhua is going to lose a tooth. I adopted Odin about 8 months ago from the Humane Society. He was a stray who'd come in with gnarly teeth and a bad eye. He lost the eye to glaucoma, lenticular sclerosis and lens luxation, so the vets at the SDHS surgically removed it. I took him home the day he got his stitches out and madly searched on Yelp for a trustworthy vet for the three subsequent days. The first time I took him to Windan Sea, I got a frank, thorough review of my new little dog's health from Dr. Lindsey. I also got a rather vague caution that the SDHS vets were right, he'd probably need his teeth cleaned within a few months. However, he might not, if I brushed his teeth religiously and made sure he gnawed on some dental chews. I promptly went to Petco and bought every dental chew they offered and three tartar-removing products. Odin was abnormally itchy with no sign of fleas this weekend, so I carted him over to Windan Sea to have a gander at his epidermis. His skin is fine, but his teeth are gnarlier than ever, it turns out. My brushing and dental chews and crunchy kibble provisions couldn't reverse the damage done by 8 years of dental neglect. So, Odin has to go in for a cleaning. Dr. Raichel was very patient and understanding. She addressed all my concerns about anesthesia and the loss of Odin's canine (he'll be having it extracted). The vets and staff at Windan Sea could not be better. They're all really friendly and really obviously care about their patients (and their patients' owners!) -- I wouldn't take my little furball anywhere else. read more

I am so very impressed with Dr. Raichel and Windansea Vet. I have been bringing my terrier, Kevin, to them since I adopted her in 2015. Kevin had a couple minor health scares and they have always went out of their way to see her and make time in the schedule even if it was last minute. Dr. Raichel takes the time to get to know you and your pet, understand your lifestyle and give you options and education so you can make the most informed decision. What stands out to me the most is how her and her staff follow up to see how your pet is doing. Kevin was recently hospitalized and they called to check on her daily and were in communication with the specialist for the length of the visit and eventual discharge. They are happy to consult on the phone so that you don't make a trip if not needed. All around, I one hundred percent recommend Windansea Vet and am so happy they are able to keep Kevin healthy! read more

Windansea Veterinary Clinic - Kevin enjoying Windansea! - Veterinarians Near Me - La Jolla, California

I just got a new puppy and, after doing lots of research (and getting a great referral from my neighbor), I decided to bring him to Windansea Veterinary Clinic. I'm so glad I did! Everyone, from the moment we popped our heads through the door, was so welcoming and warm. The veterinarian and assistant were so cuddly and sweet with my fur-child for the entire examination which put both of us at ease. It didn't feel like it was a get-in-get-out type atmosphere; she listened and answered my questions and took her time getting to know my pup. After the exam, they gave him the second round of puppy vaccines whine-free. If you want your fur-babies well taken care of and don't want them (or you) to be traumatized by rushed, rough, sales-y vet visits, I strongly recommend this place. read more

When I found out my dad's companion dog of 14 years had cancer it was devastating.when it came time to say goodbye ,Dr.Raichel and the staff made his passing a compassionate and caring experience.I truly believe Buddy knew he was surrounded by love!! Thank you too all the caring staff at Windansea. read more

We take our two cats to Windansea and have seen all three veterinarians at least once. They are always so good to our kitites. The staff are friendly and kind and the pricing is much better than the other options I've seen in San Diego. They are upfront about tests and pricing and it's easy to get an appointment on short notice. No complaints here :) read more

The best group of vets in town. They cared for our baby up until the very last day with so much love. Our vet who retired at the end of last year, Dr. Spengel, came back today to put her sleep today. The vet, Dr. Raichel, that diagnosed her with terminal cancer last week, came in on her day off today to give us condolences. I've loved them since day 1, but even more after helping us to make the hardest day a little easier and truly caring about their patients. read more

I feel like I got good advice on my dog's allergies that he has suffered since moving to San Diego almost two years ago. He never had any allergies prior to coming to SD. We've been bouncing around trying to help our dog and feel like we are now on track! The vet and the vet's assistant were kind, knowledgeable and to the point. The office staff are personable and booked my pet right away. Thank you Deb for making Kenney feel so comfortable! read more

I called to get a quote, which I understand may not be the exact price once all is said and done. Anyways I called to get a quote on a dental for my dog and the receptionist was rude and instead of being polite and respectful and educating me on why it would be hard to quote me (like the last clinic I called for a quote) she was rude and interrupted me to say "well, without seeing your dog it would be impossible to quote you!" And yes it was that loud which is why I used the exclamation point. So needless to say I don't care how cheap their services are first impression is everything to me and I will not be going here or recommending them to anyone. The fact that they are #1 on yelp for la jolla vets just means they paid alot of money to yelp! read more

Dr. Spengel and the entire crew at Winansea Vet Clinic are the best!!!!! They really care about our lovely Hootie as much as we do; which is hard to do :) Wonderful people and a wonderful Vet Clinic. We will not take our dog any place else. Thank you!!!! Sincerely, Brett, Kera and, of course, Hootie read more

Here is what is exceptional about this team: 1. It is small and personal. Everyone will come to know you and your pet. 2. The two doctors are communicative, skillful and technical professionals who live compassion and, from our experience, diagnostic proficiency as a natural way of being. 3. The two doctors are relational and will be with you and your pet for whatever time it takes for you to feel that both you and your pet have been cared for. 4. Both doctors have evidenced their ability to put the appropriate care of a pet first (as opposed to their business) by not hesitating to proactively make a referral to a specialist at another clinic. 5. The people who comprise the staff are caring, diligent, and responsive. We've been to vets across the United States. These people are the real thing. read more