The Sams Clinic

So Yoyo had recently had a TPLO surgery some 4 months ago. A week before we moved to SF, we started to hear a ‘clicking’ sound from his knee. Just before we left it was diagnosed as a torn meniscus which is a complication in 5% of TPLO patients.
Dr. Sams wasn’t in for the initial consultation, but his colleague had flown in from WI to cover him. He did a great job explaining the options and what we needed to do. Dr Sams followed up the next week with some more discussion about what to do.
On the day of the surgery they were very friendly and efficient. We collected him the next day. Kristin was very thorough explaining his recovery régime and all the medications.
Overall, this is a first-​rate clinic with excellent customer service and clinical care. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.

There’s no way for me to adequately express how truly grateful I am to the Sams Clinic.
Our pup had a minor limp that just wouldn’t go away, and it got worse with play. The vet didn’t see any abnormality in x-​rays. We were referred to the Sams Clinic, and Dr. Sams did a deeper examination, including MRI. Rex was diagnosed with bilateral elbow dysplasia with fragmented coronoid process. Surgery was recommended — osteotomy to both forelimbs to correct the incongruity being the worst of it… I was heartbroken.
I was really hesitant to subject our young pup to such a major procedure. We were very worried that being subjected to such a traumatic surgery, long recovery period, etc. would impact his inherent good nature (he’s the happiest dog alive!).
We are SO glad that we went forward with it, for a number of reasons:
— Rex no longer limps (he must have been in a LOT of pain before), unless he’s been playing for a very long time
— The whole procedure, including all medications and follow up hydrotherapy was covered by his pet insurance (woo hoo!)
— It absolutely did not make Rex a less good-​natured dog in the slightest. In fact, the staff told us that he was wagging his tail while still under the influence of the anesthetic!
— Rex is faster and more playful than ever, which is really telling — he must have been in so much pain before…
In fact, we wish we’d gone forward with it sooner. The staff at the Sams Clinic is nothing short of fabulous in every way. Everyone on the team, from the front desk, all the veterinary technicians, rehab specialists, and of course, Dr. Sams — are just so great at what they do. They are so worth traveling to. A special shout out to Kim, who worked with Rex on his rehab plan — we had several hydrotherapy sessions, following which I feel confident in his musculature and reconditioning. It really did him a world of good.
Not only did I get the best care I possibly could for my beloved beast, but he even got extra belly rubs and kisses from the team! Thanks a zillion for everything!

I can’t say enough about how wonderful Dr. Sams and his staff are. My husband and I have a very active 3 ½ year old Australian Shepherd, Crosby, who was diagnosed by his primary vet and radiologist at VCA Loomis Basin with fractured coronoid process (FCP) elbow dysplasia using x-​rays and physical exam. He only has a very tiny limp, but it had been going on over a year. Once I knew his diagnosis, I started my research on Pubmed etc. Based on my reading, Crosby was an ideal candidate for medical management. I saw Dr. Sams for a second opinion since the surgeon at Loomis Basin, Dr. Mayhew, gave me ONLY SURGERY as an option. She never mentioned medical management. She said, «Your dog is in pain and needs surgery.» That just didn’t seem right. I chose to get a second opinion. Dr. Sams was AMAZING! The CT scan showed the fracture was too tiny and Crosby’s symptoms too insignificant to warrant surgery. Dr. Sams thoroughly discussed all the ways we could medically manage the elbow dysplasia and arthritis. I am so grateful to him for his wonderful, thorough care of our sweet boy, Crosby.

Add another star on top. Simply THE BEST!!! Our french bulldog Walter had a very unusual fracture in his patella (knee cap). Dr Sams carefully diagnosed via range of motion tests and CT scan and then performed surgery. Dr Sams pleasantly took the time to thoroughly explain in detail what he planned to do prior to the surgery and then also explained post surgery what he found and had performed. Everything went as planned and I was impressed. Not only was Walter back on his leg in a couple weeks but 6 weeks later back to normal. Dr Sams did a tremendous job and I highly recommend him to anyone. He also took the time to follow up after surgery to check in on Walter. Lastly, his staff and techs are excellent as well — with the planning & coordination, pre and post surgery instructions, stitch removal, etc they were all great. We are so pleased, THANK YOU!!!

Our best friend, Barkley the Dog Bear, is a very active Golden Retriever, and we were devastated when he tore his CCL. We were referred to Dr. Sams, who we soon learned was the best of the best. We took Barkley to meet him and Dr. Sams was friendly and positive, while still realistic about the prognosis and the implications. We really appreciated that – there was no sugar-​coating of this unfortunate situation we were in, but Dr. Sams and his staff would make sure we made the best of it. We considered our options and decided to have the TPLO surgery. We took Barkley in at 7 am on Wednesday, the day of surgery. Of course it’s stressful leaving your best friend to have a major surgery, but the staff reassured us he was in good hands, and they called us as soon as surgery was over to let us know how it went. And later on, Dr. Sams himself called to let us know about the operation in more detail, which we really appreciated. Throughout the whole process, Dr. Sams and his staff were incredibly kind and helpful, always making sure our questions were answered and letting us know they were there if we needed anything. Dr. Sams always spends time talking through everything, which we found refreshing and reassuring. We picked up Barkley on Thursday morning and were given thorough discharge instructions, both verbal and written, and were reassured that they would be there if we needed anything at all or had any questions. I would recommend Dr. Sams and his clinic to anyone who has a best friend who needs any orthopedic surgery done – they are fantastic. I wish I could find a regular vet I like as much as Dr. Sams.

This review is not about the clinic this is about someone i spoke to on the phone her name was Jeannette. I called because my dog referred by a wonderful friend who does body work on dogs. I simply called explaining my dogs condition and wanted to know how they could help. She was extremely rude and rudly told me to go see my own vet. I explained to her we can’t figure out what’s wrong with him and that I really just want someone to evaluate him. She was so rude like hello my dog is hurt and I’m upset. I was being super nice but I have never heard a dog Person be so disrespectful. I hope I get to go to dr. sams because I hear great things. but she should not talk to future clients that way. She should be kicked to the curb I was In tears after talking with her. Instead of taking to me like I was an idiot all she had to say was «we want to help in anyway we can, here is what we offer» but nope she had the worst attitude with me and I was sad. Who is rude to someone when they are sad about their dog. I am still so shocked and I’m sure this place is freaking great!!! And I hope to be able to take my dog to there but as of right now I’m so upset with how I was talked too.

My name is Ron Braxton and my dog was «Smokey». Smokey was a bluenose pitbull and he was 1 yr. and 11 days old when I took him to The Sams Clinic for his double ACL surgery. I received a phone call in the later part of the afternoon on November 3, 2014 that changed my life forever. I was advised by Doctor Andrew Sams that Smokey had coded and they were working on him. They were unable to save my beloved Smokey and it tore my heart into a trillion pieces. To this day I have dedicated a vinyl mural of «Smokey» on the hood of my truck, I wear his dog tags around my neck and his collar hangs from my rear view mirror ²⁴⁄₇. I cannot explain the bond I had with this dog other then it being beyond weird or normal I guess? I still hurt today as much as I did on November 3, 2014. I know for the love I had for this dog and still do the pain will never go away, but I have moved forward. Smokey will always be in my heart and on my mind ²⁴⁄₇. I for several weeks I blamed Dr Sams and his staff for the death of Smokey. I decided to have an autopsy done in Davis Ca; and the autopsy concluded that Smokey had severe clogged arteries in his heart and another issue I can’t remember off the top of my heads with his heart. The doctor performing the autopsy believes the death of Smokey was more then likely caused by the heart condition and the local anesthesia. I sometimes don’t want to except that conclusion, but I have to. I for several weeks still wanted to blame The Sams Clinic, but after time went by I told myself that I guess this was just meant to be. I thought about the Doctor, his staff, his facility, the way they handled my first couple of visits and I have to truly say this clinic is very professional, kind and considerate. I was very upset and yelled at the Doctor and almost got myself arrested. I then contacted the Doctor via a letter and then shortly thereafter a phone call. I did man up and apologize for my actions. I was informed that Doctor Sams always has a board certified anesthesiologist on hand during surgeries. After talking to several doctors I was advised I was pretty lucky because most doctors don’t do that and they usually handle it themselves and/​or with their own vet techs. I truly now except Dr. Sams did all he could for my Smokey. Most of you got to take your animals home after surgery, but I did not. I still think today if I had another problem with my dog I would ask Doctor Sams to see me and my dog again. I would ask him again to do whatever he thought was right for the dog. A lot of people that lose something would not go back to that person or place for their own reasons. I had a tremendous loss, but I still trust Dr. Sams and his staff and would go back in a heart beat. If after losing the love of my life please believe me that I would not post something like this unless it was true in my heart. I want to thanks Doctor Sams and his staff for trying to save Smokey’s life. I did act out, but I was truly heart broken, but still except full responsibility. Please visit this Doctor and his staff if your dog needs the type of care provided by this facility. Thanks again for all your help, kindness and support during this very hard time I went through. I give you 5 stars and keep up the good work. Ron Braxton…“RIP my beloved Smokey. I will forever miss you and you will be in my thoughts 24/7…love dad!

I would not trust anybody else with my American Pit Bull Terrier. Meeka had the TPLO surgery to repair her back right leg. She had a fully torn CCL. It has been three months since the surgery and she walks and runs like normal. The staff and Doctor are amazing. They are friendly, professional, helpful, and really care about the animals. My dog Meeka received the best treatment and so did I. They accommodated my schedule and have the best staff of any veterinary clinic I have ever seen. Thank you so much. I would recommend this vet to anybody who cares about the quality of their dogs life. Amazing.

So my 4 y/​o pekingese somehow dislocated his hip the day before we were leaving for Thanksgiving. Not sure how he did it, but when I came home, he was curled up and wouldn’t get up. I took him to the Animal Internal Medicine on 9^th. They took an X-​ray and told me the news. The vet and folks there were fabulous. They said they could put his hip back in, but it was ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ if it stayed. Most likely, he would need surgery.
Unfortunately, the hip didn’t stay in and we returned to the ER 1 ½ days later. I needed to find a board certified vet surgeon that was open and available the day after Thanksgiving! The vet at AIM recommended Dr. Sams. I called and called, but only got the answering service. After a couple of hours, I got a call from Dr. Sams apologizing profusely but they were closed that day. He recommended a place in Rohnert Park and asked for me to call him the next day to let him know what happened.
Off we went to Rohnert Park (VCA) where again, the folks and surgeon were wonderful. Dr. Alexander (surgeon) put the hip back in and recommended giving him another chance before surgery. I called Dr. Sams back on a Saturday, he called right away and listened to what happened. He was happy I could find someone on this holiday to take care of Baron. I asked Dr. Sams if we could come see him for his follow up and of course he said yes.
On Sunday, Dr. Sams called me! Asking how Baron was doing. I thought ok, but didn’t know if his hip was in or not. He said to bring him in Monday morning and he’d look at him. I brought him to the Sams clinic and dropped him off for evaluation.
Dr. Sams called quickly and said he thought all was good, but going to get an X-​ray to verify. The X-​ray told us the hip was still out and Baron would need surgery. We talked through a couple of types of surgery and ultimately decided on a FHO (femoral head osteotomy). He said he’d take care of my little guy and keep him overnight. A staff member would be with him all night.
As you can imagine, I was a mess for almost a week. Very little sleep. Sleeping on the ground with my dog, taking him out for potty breaks at all hours. Dr. Sam was a godsend!
He did well with the surgery and I picked him up Tuesday afternoon. Recovery the next few days were rough. My dog did not tolerate the pain medication (narcotics) at all and after numerous calls and visits to Dr. Sams, we took him off all pain meds except for his non steroidal (ibuprofen). Dr. Sams always called me back right away, saw me when I needed to and was such a support. Everyone there was just great!
He recommended physical therapy afterwards, so I got 5 sessions and have to say I was a little skeptical about doggy PT.
The PT staff were friggin awesome! It really helped get my dog walking again and be confident on his leg. I didn’t know how my short dog would do with the underwater treadmill, but he loved it and it worked out his leg really well. We had exercises to do at home, too. This has made a huge difference in his recovery.
3 months recovered and my dog is running around and a happy guy because of the good care he got. Huge thank you to everyone, especially Kim in PT!

I knew nothing about ACL surgery for dogs until my 3 yr old great pyrenees/​border collie mix was diagnosed with a tear a few months ago. I was referred to the Sams Clinic by my vet and I couldn’t be happier. Mika’s surgery went smoothly and her rehab has been going well. Dr Sams, his associate and the staff are a pleasure to work with. I had to call Dr Sams a day or two after surgery (on a Sat morning) due to a reaction to the pain meds and he returned my call immediately. I know why people drive for hours for their care! I would highly recommend the Sams clinic for any veterinary service!

Joey is doing great! He finished his PT in the summer. I attribute his successful recovery to Sams Clinic! Forever grateful! With love, Joey

We were referred to Dr. Sams by our vet at Arguello Vet Hospital, and then got a seal of approval in our corgi group from Vivian and her dude Cote. In April this year Mr. Kilgore Trout had his right CCL tear repaired. We were not even sure that was the issue because scans failed to show for sure, but sure enough it was a small tear. Throughout Dr. Sams and his team were AHMAZING. I was terrified, and well my wallet hurt a lot, but it was worth every penny. Kilgore was mobile in days, and back to his normal self lickety split. Now fastforward, we await surgery on the other CCL as his overcompensation compromised the other leg. We wish we were not here again, but I know we are in amazing hands, and my little dude will be up and at em before we know it!

Okay so our puppy broke his femur in this crazy spiral compound fracture after landing wrong going for a ball. His thigh ballooned up with blood and he went into shock. When we moved him to get him into the ER, he screamed like an alien from Alien, and it was heartbreaking. This is six or seven years ago.
There just aren’t a lot of surgeons that can fix something like that. The ER doc wasn’t optimistic, but he referred us to Dr. Sam. All I can say is wow. So, our pup recovered and runs around now like nothing happened (though he doesn’t jump much any more, which is for the best, really). At the time, we were ecstatic, but we didn’t really realize how lucky we were until much later.
Our dog later had to get both his ACLs repaired (I’m told it’s genetic). By then, we were no longer within range of The Sams Clinic, or we would’ve gotten the surgeries done there. Both of the surgeons that did the ACL repairs had not only heard of Dr. Sams and had immense regard for him, but wanted to see X-​rays of the work he did. One doc took X-​rays of my dog’s thigh (the opposite one from the one he was going to do surgery on) just to look at the work!
Flat out amazing. Sams is the best.

My bulldog had a torn ligament, and Dr. Sams did a TPLO surgery on him.
Dr. Sams office has been the best vet I have ever been to. The staff are always friendly and they don’t talk down to you like some other vets have. They also took the time to meet with us and were very patient answering all of our questions. They were very accommodating. They also recognized my dog and I didn’t need to always tell the staff who I was, which was really nice.
I had been stressed out about this surgery both the recovery, the surgery itself, and the bill. Luckily, our bill came out on the low end of the estimate and our dog healed up great. They know what they are doing here that’s for sure. All of the staff are so friendly and incredible. They really have the best interest of your pet at heart and are true animal lovers.
I can’t express how great this vet is in words. Brutus, my bulldog even liked going there. He would get so excited to see the ladies in the front that his butt would wiggle around. My only regret is they aren’t a regular vet that we can go to for check ups. :(
Overall, if your dog needs a surgery on it’s leg for whatever reason, check out the Sams Clinic. They really put my mind at ease, yes it’s expensive but I don’t regret any money spent with them. You get what you pay for and my dog can run around again and play. Great people, everyone who is in animal care should be exactly like them!

I’ve been going to Sams for a few years now and I really love the staff. They are always really kind to my dog and know her by face.
Whenever I call, they know who she is and what her general issues are; so it’s always easy to communicate any concerns I may have about her.
We recently went in for a follow up. My dog has arthritis and needed some pain management. We usually see Dr. Sams but that day we visited Dr. Hawley.
What a great experience. Dr. Hawley sat with me for a long time explaining everything from stem cell replacement, HA injections, to medications to help manage my dog’s pain. I felt like he really cared about her and wanted to make she feel better. On her new regimen, she is like a new dog. She’s more active and happy.
Whether I am there to see Dr. Sams or Dr. Hawley, I know my dog will have the best care. That’s why I am always willing to drive the hour and a half to take my dog there instead of anyone closer.

I brought my little pug here and these guys were awesome! He needed major surgery and as far as I’m concerned they saved my little boy. He had a major back surgery called a laminectomy. And though it took him almost a year to fully recover and though he has lost most feeling in his back legs they still gave him back his life. He had so much damage that I am so grateful for what they were able to accomplish. I would recommend the Sams clinic highly to everyone!

Where do I start… Dr. Sams and his staff go above and beyond when it comes to customer service and attentiveness to your pup. It all started with a gopher hole at Pine Lake Park. We were playing fetch and my corgi was taken down by the rodent’s home. With a high pitch scream and a hobble back to home base, we were worried fur-​parents. We searched Google high and low for what could have happened to our dog and the consequences that come with it. Dr. Joe Fong at Irving Pet Hospital concluded that it was a torn CCL (ACL in humans) and he referred us to the best of the best.
I called to make an appointment the next day and with popularity came a long wait list. I made an appointment a month from when we first called and placed our name on the waiting list for anything earlier. Dr. Sam was understanding of our concerns and squeezed us in earlier! Cote had a successful TPLO surgery on his right knee. He stayed overnight at the clinic and we picked him up the following morning. The day of the pick up, We met Caesar and Dr. Sam in a room where they explained all the medication, what was to come next, and easy instructions to follow for the next few days and weeks. After 8 weeks, his bone was fused and was cleared for a little bit more physical activity slowly working him a little more each day.
A month later, he blew out his other CCL of his left knee just walking on some sand. Worried and frustrated, Dr. Sam and his team assured me that everything was going to be okay. He went through the same surgery last month and now he’s a champ during hydrotherapy. He’s healing a little more every day and getting stronger as he bears more weight on that leg. Almost back to his obnoxious self :)
The front desk girls are pretty darn nice and very helpful. Every time we see them, they greet us by name and will always give the pup a nice belly rub. They helped me schedule out Cote’s appointments with ease.
After each surgery, Cote had three sessions of hydrotherapy (under water treadmill) and a session of Puppy Pilates. The hydrotherapy is great, you can see little changes in his stride and he gets more confident when walking on land. It’s pretty cool and comparable to an Alter-​G for humans. Just more wet. Kim and Sarah are great therapist for the pups. They each connect with Cote and make it a less scary experience for him. They are very knowledgable in the field and actually train the pup to do the things they want him todo. I was pretty surprised. Many of the exercises that I was assigned for homework worked magnificently. Many humans don’t even do their PT homework.
Anywho, I highly recommend his team. The facility is pretty darn big and very clean and open. What more can I say.

Looks like another 5 star for Dr. Sams and his staff! Our lab/​pitt mix had X-​Rays taken at our local veterinarian because she has started limping. He diagnosed her with elbow dysplasia. We live in Gilroy, CA so he gave us two choices. He said you can go to one of the top arthroscopic surgeons in the country or you can go to the SAGE Clinic that is local. After heading home with the news my husband and I started combing through the internet and looking for information on elbow dysplasia and arthroscopic surgery. I checked out the reviews for both clinics and quickly realized that if we wanted the «best» for our dog, which we always do, that I would be driving 2 hours to Mill Valley.
When I called The Sams Clinic it took a month to get our dog in for the initial CT Scan. This scan allows Dr. Sams to confirm the diagnoses and it tells him more about how the arthroscopic procedure may go. His staff is really so helpful. They filled out 2 prior authorizations for my pet insurance, plus they had to fax over the whole file once I submit the claim and they seemed happy to do it and they were highly organized.
Dr. Sams has amazing bedside manner. You can tell he is brilliant but has a great ability to describe everything that is happening to your pet and what can be done. I have some background in medicine and my husband is a PA so he is very good technical knowledge. My husband was never able to make an appointment with me but Dr Sams was always telling me that my husband can call him any time if he had any questions and he even referenced my husband by name every time even though he never met him.
On the day of her surgery I had to drop her off at 7am and the staff knew that I was driving 2 hours so they said I could drop her off later if I wanted. Once I arrived I broke down in the ugly cry absolutely sobbing because I was just so scared for my dog and the staff is just so good with her that it put me at ease. I picked her up the next day and Dr Sams said that the procedure went great. He showed me some of the video and what they found. It is all so interesting! His staff explained all the medicine that she needed and answered my 400 questions. They also gave me great advice on how to manage her healing and if she couldn’t sleep with cone then to put her into a long sleeve T-​shirt which worked amazing!
The total bill included follow up visits and X-​Rays. Since the clinic is so far for me they suggested that we follow up with our local vet to get the sutures out and we would just play the rest by ear. So this knocked down our total bill a little bit. I really appreciated all the flexibility they had with us. I am happy to report that we are almost a week post-​op and my dog walks better with stitches and bandages on her legs than before her procedure. Her limping is minimal and she seems really comfortable and happy to be home! We know that this isn’t a cure for elbow dysplasia but I think that our dog will have many years of comfort versus the alternative. We are so glad that we picked The Sams Clinic for our dog!

There is not much I can say that hasn’t already been said. The Sams Clinic is top notch — 5 star all the way — in customer service, patient care and facilities.
The highlights to me are:
*thorough explanation of procedures, possible complications, outcomes
*timely follow-​up, before, during and post-​op
*rehab consultation post-​op
*honest/​up-​front estimations of costs
Each staff member has been kind & caring with me throughout the process and has been gentle, patient and concerned for Techno, my dog as well.
I only wish that Dr. Sams could be our regular vet! Thanks to Hanna & Katie, Cesar and all of the staff at the Sams Clinic.

Well my puppy had to get his other knee worked on. A TPLO to be exact.
His first knee was done in October and we knew that the other one would need to be done but he told of to wait.
Well it has been 2 weeks since his surgery and he is going GREAT!
I can’t stress enough about how wonderful Dr. Sams and all of his staff is here. Thanks for helping Dr. Sams!
They are always there to answer your questions.