St Charles Veterinary Clinic

My rating is for specific vets at this clinic. Dr. Martens is the only vet you should trust as she is compassionate and very caring, direct and truthful. She will do what’s best for your pet and your situation, treating you and your pet with utmost respect. I’ve been a client here for many years in the past and in fact brought my cat back to this clinic because I didn’t trust the care he was getting elsewhere. My cat suddenly started vomiting bile and stopped eating and acted very lethargic. I was able to get in to see Dr. Labak and was at first impressed with the thoroughness of care she offered. She wanted to do a very expensive blood test and said the results would be back in a few days. The test was sent out on a Wednesday and she said we would get results that Monday or Tuesday. It was expensive, but I agreed thinking we might be able to save my cat and give him a good quality of life for several more years. Well, later that night he started «drunk walking» so I frantically brought him back to the clinic where Dr. Aaron checked him out. He wanted to do all kinds of tests but I trusted Dr. Labak’s initial assessment and said no to them. He wanted to check my cat’s blood pressure, not disclosing how much that would cost. I agreed. It amounted to a technician walking in, wrapping a small cuff around my cat’s arm and pushing a button on a machine. They charged me $ 50 for that! I was stunned. I’m so glad I said no to other things he wanted to try. I think Dr. Aaron would do as many tests as he can get away with so be prepared for sticker shock if you let him. My cat wasn’t getting better after having had appetite stimulants, sub-​q fluids, and antibiotics. Dr. Labak suggested I hospitalize him and said it would probably cost near $ 1000 to do so over the weekend. I said no because my cat wasn’t going to spend his last days afraid and alone in a cage if I could help it. I spent the weekend just trying to get my cat through another day, giving him water and liquid supplements through a syringe, giving him Nutrical as often as he’d let me, stopping by another vet clinic for more fluids on Sunday since this clinic isn’t open on Sundays. When Monday came around, I called the clinic to inquire about the expensive blood test result and was told that it wouldn’t be in until the following Monday!!! That’s just unacceptable. That day I talked with Dr. Martens about his quality of life currently and what could happen based on certain outcomes, finally making the decision to let him go. There was no way he was going to make it another week without eating. When the test result finally came in, I spoke with Dr. Labak about the results. She gave only excuses for why it was delayed and made me feel guilty for not having done the test earlier and for not waiting for the results. Never once apologized for the delay or expressed any kind of sympathy for the passing of my cat. She may be thorough, but will do so at the expense of your wallet. And she doesn’t seem to care if you can’t wait for delayed results or can’t fund her quest to find out what’s wrong. A vet should understand that you’d like to do whatever you can to save your pet, but that it must be balanced with the quality and length of life you might achieve after treatment and your ability to pay for those things. I’ve never been so disappointed in the way I was treated by these two vets. So, unless you can get in to see Dr. Martens, take your beloved pet elsewhere. Having shared my experience with other pet owners I know, I’m hearing the same thing happened to them. I thought I was bringing my pet to a place I trusted. What a disappointment.

Our cat stopped eating and was diagnosed with liver disease. Our cat received great care while trying to minimize costs. The treatment included training us to give pills and do syringe feeding. Dr Aaron provided a lot of support with frequent phone calls to check on progress and change treatment on the fly. He also responded quickly to my frantic phone calls and questions. It was very convenient to be able to get all the medications at the clinic. Our previous vet sent us to a compounding pharmacy at another location. It was also very helpful to us that they have medical boarding. The best thing is that our cat is back to being herself.

I’ve had my own cat for 10 years, and I’ve recently inherited a dog and cat by marriage. My husband has taken his pets to St. Charles Veterinary Clinic, and I have gone to a vet in Sugar Grove, so we have some comparison to consider:
Ex) St. Charles recently recommended that our cat get a dental treatment, and quoted $ 518.00 for this. We were in and out at the Sugar Grove vet with EXCELLENT care for $ 208.00 — got exactly what he needed, with no nonsense — no unnecessary add-​ons. It’s hard for me to understand an over 50% price difference, and, in my mind, that’s worth a bit of a drive to avoid.
Ex) We had our dog in for surgery for a torn ACL. Well, make that three surgeries. When they went in to repair the ACL, they didn’t take the meniscus, which I understand from Dr. Miles (who didn’t perform the surgery, himself) is routine. This caused major problems and finally was taken on the 3^rd surgery. We were charged for each procedure. This was REALLY hard on our dog, and could have cost nearly $ 1000 less if everything was just done correctly the first time.
Dr. Miles does seem highly knowledgeable and was very kind and concerned each procedure with our dog. But the high prices and difficulty with care have us going elsewhere.

My last visit… Our appointment should have only taken 30 minutes, but with waiting to see the doc, we were there for almost two hours! C’mon guys. Get your stuff together. Every single appointment I’ve had to wait a long time after my scheduled time. No apologies, no explanations. Every. Single. Time.

We have been taking our two great pyrenesse mixes there for grooming, and Stephanie does the bet job ever. All the groomers are friendly, and Stephanie goes out of her way to make our dogs feel comfortable. Kudos to her and a great staff.

Truly the best staff around!
We’ve relied on St. Charles Veterinary Clinic to take care of our animals for about a year now and have never been disappointed.
When my little Marge became ill last week, they talked us through every step of her diagnosis. The results of her surgery and biopsies were very scary, and the staff was more than accommodating when I broke down on the phone and in their office on an almost daily basis. Unfortunately, Marge’s prognosis was very poor and she had to be euthanized this morning. If it weren’t for the unbelievably kind, understand, patient and warm demeanor of the techs and doctors, I don’t think I would have felt as assured of the tough decision we had to make this morning. From initial diagnosis, all the way to her untimely rest, I always felt that the staff here truly cared about little Marge and for us, even though we had to bring her in on a busy Sunday.
Though the circumstances surrounding my latest experience there were negative, I have nothing but positive feelings for the staff here and will continue to bring our current and future pets here. The staff is informative, warm and thorough. Their hours are great, making appointments is easy, prices are very fair and the clinic itself is clean and orderly.

Wonderful vet! We’ve used probably three of their doctors and have loved them all. None are pushy, they are all super knowledgable, and all very sweet. I recommend Dr. Novak because I deal with her the most, but you can honestly not go wrong with any of these doctors. We used to live in Chicago and went to a vet in Lincoln Park, but they were always pushy sometimes even rude. We are glad we now live in STC and go to STVC. Much prefer STVC! Love!

I love it. Very nice people and knowledgeable vets. Great place to bring your animals. I’ve been bringing my cats here for years and won’t take them anywhere else.

Dr. Miles and his crew are simply the best. I’ve been going to this Vet for years and they have been outstanding with my dogs. I have even referred friends who had spent a lot of money elsewhere and their dogs were still sick. These friends are now permanent clients of St. Charles Vet Clinic. If you love your pet then give them the best care around.

This clinic provides excellent care for my cat.

The St. Charles Veterinary Clinic continues to amaze me with its quality of care and service that goes above and beyond. My parents brought our ailing family dog here in his later years, and the staff were so wonderful that I decided to bring my puppy, Ella, here seven years later.
It’s difficult to properly put into words how incredible the staff are at St. Charles Veterinary Clinic. From the moment you walk in the door, you and your animal companion are greeted warmly. The vet technicians have a wonderful way of making your pet feel at ease (Ella is usually so at ease, in fact, she doesn’t even feel the thermometer going up her bum!). And the vets themselves are so knowledgeable, thorough and professional that you have no doubt whatsoever that your pet is in great hands.
But what really sets this clinic apart is the way they continue caring for and about your pet after the visit has concluded. I regularly receive calls from the staff after Ella has had a vaccination, checking to see how she is feeling and reacting. We were also invited to a Puppy Party, where Ella was able to play with other puppies and owners were given the chance to ask questions of the vet. I can also tell you that when my parents had to put our family dog down, the vet not only called to check on our family a few days later, but also sent us a lovely card with her condolences. If only humans received the same kind of care and attention after visits to our own doctors!
I really cannot recommend this veterinary clinic highly enough — if you live in the area, I don’t think there’s a better place to take your pet.

I have been going here for years. I absolutely love everyone here. They are friendly and truly seem to care about every pet. My parents used a different vet for their dog, which they always complained that it seemed like they were in it to make money and not care for the animal. When their dog became ill and unable to walk any longer I convinced my parents to bring him to my vet, STC Vet Clinic. A year after the loss my mom still talks about how STC Vet Clinic brought her comfort and made her feel like she’d been a client there all along. I have to say thanks for helping my mom through such a loss. As well as, taking such great care of my pets all these years!

Last Saturday I adopted my new girl Brody. I had planned to take her next week for a checkup since she was fresh from animal control but it became apparent Sunday she had something bothering her as she was scratching her ear relentlessly. I am new to the St. Charles area and was not sure where to go for the best pet care (or anything else for that matter: p). I consulted Unilocal and after reading all the great reviews and seeing the «free wellness exam» offer I called. Staff was friendly and got us in the very next day. The property, office, and exam room were clean and comfortable. Dr. Liv was great with Brody and with showing me how to give her ear drops. She also listened to my questions and took time answering them which I was extremely thankful for. I did not feel rushed or uncomfortable. Everyone was very kind to my pooch and myself. Leaving with great advice was an added bonus to getting great service. I did not receive a «free wellness exam» so I think that may only apply if there is nothing wrong with your pet as I was charged for a new pet examination (so I would ask about it ahead). Even without the free exam I was charged a reasonable fee, especially for the great service we got. I will not go anywhere else :)
A++!

Dr. Miles is the kind of veterinarian any pet owner would want.
I brought my dog, Jack, to Dr. Miles for a second opinion after being told by another veterinarian that he needed dual hip surgery. After Dr. Miles did a thorough exam, he saw that his hips where not the issue, however Jack had partially torn ACL that needed to be repaired. He explained different options, and how surgery could be done. He even demonstrated where the pain was and why he believed it was the ACL and not the hips. We asked for a quote on the ACL surgery and planned to take Jack for a 3^rd opinion.
After a day of absorbing the new information, we realized that Dr. Miles’ diagnosis was obviously correct and his strategy to determine the issue before proceeding was much more logical. In other words, we felt Dr. Miles knew exactly what he was talking about.
During surgery the clinic kept us updated, understanding that Jack was an important family member. He was well loved and cared for, and Jack’s care during his recovery at the clinic was second to none. Everyone that came in contact with him loved him as if he was their own.
Jack is now fully healed from surgery and back to his happy puppy-​like self. Thanks to all of the staff at St. Charles Veterinary Clinic who cared for him.
The Clinic has now become our regular veterinarian. Never once have we felt pressure to purchase «extras», such as special foods, or unnecessary items. Dr. Miles has even offered some cost saving suggestions on things that would help Jack.
Finally, they work with a local rescue (Homes for Endangered and Lost Pets) and give medical attention to so many homeless animals. I believe that the professionals at St. Charles Veterinary Clinic are there truly for the love of animals.

Awesome clinic, I’ve been a client for years and couldn’t imagine a better place for my pet care.

I have three cats, none of which do well at veterinarian’s offices.
Before I found St. Charles vet clinic, I could NOT find a vet that could handle my pets. Once, a different vet actually put my cat in her carrier and hit it to make her hiss so he could check her teeth.
Then one of my cats became diabetic and the nearby clinic told me it would be acceptable, and probably desirable, to put her down. I spoke to Heather Stewart at the St. Charles clinic and she guided me through home monitoring and giving insulin shots. A few weeks later my cat was in remission.
I now drive the 40 minutes to the St. Charles clinic to get my vet care.
Moreover, I recently had to put my oldest cat down. This was a horrifying prospect, but the folks at this clinic were compassionate and kind. They made this awful experience bearable.
I cannot say enough kind words about the people — because that’s what it’s really all about. They may have state-​of-​the-​art equipment and a beautiful, immaculate facility, but what really makes the difference is the people.