Advanced Veterinary Services

Dr. Halsey is an exceptional veterinarian. I highly recommend taking your pet to Advanced Care.
Unfortunately, my 10 year old cat Rigby, developed a tumor. I didn’t think there were many options for her but Dr. Halsey has succeeding in not only making my cat more comfortable but increasing my time with Rigby.
Dr. Halsey’s consult was kind and informative; her genuine concern for my pet came across in her demeanor and I felt she provided me with enough information to make an informed decision on how to treat my pet’s illness. She was personable and patient with me through the process and her recommendations were never fueled by a desire to turn a higher profit.
I decided to bring Rigby in for surgery to remove the tumor and it proved to be a success. The incision was large, necessary to remove the size of the tumor, and still the suture was done beautifully. Dr. Halsey is certainly a skilled surgeon, I am very pleased with her work.
In summary, the service Advanced Care provided, namely Dr. Halsey, is unparalleled.
Thank you for your help with Rigby, I will certainly seek your veterinary expertise in the future!

After years of great care and service, something has happened. I don’t know what but the attention to detail and the communication has taken a really serious turn downward over the past 1 – 2 years. It’s gotten to the point where we can no longer work with Dr. Doss to care for our cats.
In the most recent visit we were charged for exams that were not discussed with us before they were done and when I asked for the results of the exams I was chastised by Dr Doss for asking and then there were no test results he could provide for the physical exams which tells me the exams were not done. Also during this visit, one of our cats was crying incessantly while Dr Doss was with him and this is the cat that doesn’t ever cry or complain and is the least vocal and weak of all of our cats. Dr Doss clipped all of this cats nails in a fashion which caused a great deal of pain to the cat. Our cat wouldn’t even let us touch his paws for almost a full week after the nail clipping and this cat has a history of very thick and sensitive nails that Dr Doss pointed out to us when we first got him. So it’s not like he didn’t already know. And… I did not ask Dr Doss to clip this cat’s nails which makes the situation even more challenging to understand.
When me and my husband reached out to Dr Doss about the curious fees on our invoice we got no response. We waited about 10-​days for a response and reached out to him twice — via email and voicemail. It wasn’t until I stopped payment on the check I issued him did Dr Doss respond. I sent him an email to let him know the payment was stoppeds and again requested an explanation of some of the charges which seemed incorrect to me. His response was inflammatory. It lacked any accountability on his part to care for his patients in a gentle manner. It was condescending, as he was offended that my husband and I could even question his process and approach toward caring for our cats. And his emails were misogynistic because his emails to me and my husband referenced my concerns as ‘venting’ and ‘emotional’ and ‘attacking’ but when my husband made the same points Dr Doss didn’t show any spite.
This review is difficult because it has been a very sad and disappointing process for us to part ways with Dr Doss who has cared for my cats since 2008 and who I trusted deeply with my cats’ care. I’ve referred him to many of my friends and pet sitters. Dr Doss even helped to place one of the recent cats my husband and I acquired after my mother died with one of his clients. We had a lot of challenges with one of the cats my mother left because this cat was much younger than the others and there was quite a bit of discord in the house as a result. For these things I am grateful. I was willing to take a break from Dr Doss and return to him in a year or so when he was able to get over the hump he’s going through now. But the misdirected anger that he attacked me and my family with crossed the line and, unfortunately, there is no returning to Dr Doss.
What was once a 5-​star review is a 1-​star review.

Dr. Doss came to our home in San Diego to help our precious dog Maya depart the earth for other realms. He has a lovely blend of intelligence and kindness. He took his time to get acquainted with Maya, and it was clear that his priority was to minimize any discomfort or suffering she might experience. We highly recommend him in this difficult situation. It was a gift to find Dr. Doss and save our old arthritic girl the physical and emotional trauma a car ride and a trip into a veterinary clinic. For us — and hopefully for Maya — being at home, in her familiar environment, with her people — was more peaceful and humane. Thanks to Dr. Doss for offering this service.

I have been using Dr. Doss for many years now, first for my cat that had epilepsy, and now most recently for my cat that had a blockage in his urethra. We knew there was something not right with our cat, we called him, told him the symptoms, and he came right out. He fixed the problem, got our cat on a new diet so it wouldn’t happen again, and all is good at our house once more.
It is very special when you can not put more stress on your animal by putting him in a car. Dr. Doss comes fully prepared to your door with his trunk of tricks. He is professional and really knows his stuff.

My 13 year old cat doesn’t like to travel, and we’d just moved twice in 4 months. She’d hurt her claw (torn it off!) and I was worried it would get infected. Open paw wound and a litter box just didn’t seem as it would end well. She hadn’t been to the vet in years, so I really wasn’t sure who to call. I really didn’t want to take her for a car ride to a vet. I did a Google search for a mobile vet and made a couple calls late on a Thursday night.
Dr. Doss called me back that night! I told him what the problem was and he agreed the cat needed to be seen. He came the next morning! His «bedside manner» was excellent, he made me feel confident and made my cat as relaxed as she could be with a vet. He was quick and efficient. A great summary of her general health as well as in depth information about her torn claw.
A few days after we’d seen Dr. Doss we received a personal thank you note in the mail as well as a packet of information regarding everything we’d discussed about the cat’s health (overweight, senior age, etc). What great customer service!
The only (slight) downside is the price was slightly high — however the service was outstanding. It’s more than you’re going to pay going to a vet’s office — but the convenience of Dr. Doss coming to my home and the great attention he gave to my cat was well worth it to me.
I will call Dr. Doss again next time my cat needs any veterinarian services. I would recommend Dr. Doss to my friends.

Dr. Doss was referred to me by my regular vet (that happens to be a block from my home, but my dog just wasn’t strong enough to make it even that far). My main objective was to get as thorough a diagnosis on my 12 ½ yr old German Shepherd as Dr. Doss could make, with his recommendations after he’d examined her. She had stopped eating anything 4 days prior, and barely drank anything. All she could do was lay in the bed, and had already had an accident due to her inability to get outside. I feared the worst, and was pretty upset since I brought her home when she was 8 weeks, 1 day old. Her condition came about so suddenly.
I made the appointment with him, and he was delayed somewhat, but that really didn’t bother me since he was no doubt treating other people’s cherished pets and we had the time. When he arrived, he gave my dog an exam, and discovered some things that I though had been treated and over with long before his visit, and discovered one thing that had not been previously diagnosed — which I thought was strange — considering I’ve been a patient at my regular vet for years and my dog has regular check-​ups.
I enjoyed Dr. Doss’ point of view as a vet who isn’t tied to a clock with patients and was willing to spend as much time as I needed to answer questions. I asked him if my dog were his, would be believe it was time to help her move on, and he answered honestly that it was time. I thought I was prepared mentally, but when it’s right there in your bedroom staring at your doggy it is very scary. I couldn’t do it, and he completely understood. I asked him to give her anything that would make her comfortable and he did give her IV fluids, vitamins and other meds to help her, and trimmed her nails since she needed them cut.
I told him I’d like to keep him updated on her condition and when it was time, I’d like to call him. He was fine with that, and I emailed him for a few days after his visit.
He was upfront and honest. He was professional and prepared. The thing that mattered to me the most was his compassion and honesty — and he displayed both.
As for price, I can’t say he was either expensive or cheap, since vet care is just expensive across the board. I imagine I would have paid close to the same amount had I been able to get my dog to our regular vet.
In the end, my doggy went another 3 days without eating and finally on the 4^th day after his visit she started eating and drinking again. She’s much better and now we are doing the tests to see what exactly is going on. Glad I couldn’t euthanize her that day, and glad Dr. Doss was the vet I called. I’d recommend him without hesitation.

I was referred to Dr. Doss by a friend and I am very glad that I was given that referral! On multiple occasions I had taken my cat to another pet hospital in the area to be treated for anal gland problems (sorry for the detail) and their treatment had actually severely traumatized my cat. In addition, her problem kept coming back and it was very frustrating. I can’t tell you how helpful it was to have Dr. Doss come to my home and treat my cat in her own environment. He was very gentle with my cat and very calm, even during treatment. Dr. Doss was able to successfully treat the problem and gave me effective follow-​up steps in which I can take. I would definitely recommend him to be the vet for your furry family member!

We have been using Dr. Alex Doss for the past 15 years and I wouldn’t use anyone else. He has taken great care of our cats and our new dog. He is kind, patient and a true professional. There is nothing better than not having to wait in those small cramped smelly rooms at typical vet offices with a stressed-​out pet. Dr Doss has everything he needs in his vehicle to examine and care for your pet in the comfort of your home. He takes the time to explain what is needed for your pet and if he cannot do the procedure he will negotiate with the best facilities in San Diego to get you the care your pet needs. 10 years ago he even took the time to drive our very sick cat to multiple facilities to get exploratory surgery to remove what turned out to be a piece of a cat toy our cat ingested that had blocked his intestine. That same cat went on to live another 12 years to the ripe old age of 20 and Dr. Doss was there to help us care for him in his last days as well.

Dr. Doss came to our home to help us have a smooth transition with putting our dog down. He was very professional and kind but did not disclose the fee ahead of time. It was much more then expected. He was great and I would recommend him but definitely find out the cost first!

Our nine year old boxer had had a full life and we called Dr. Doss when the time came. We had a couple friends over for support and Dr. Doss couldn’t have been a more compassionate, caring professional. He was very responsive when I called, arrived on time, created an atmosphere of comfort and our dog passed with minimal discomfort in the familiar environment of our living room. I would wholeheartedly recommend him for any and all veterinary service.

Dr. Doss is a saint. He was referred to me by a friend who hired him to come put his old dog down. He wanted to be able to say good bye at home. What he did not expect was the amazing care that Dr. Doss provides. He’s professional, courteous, and most of all, he truly seems to care for your pet.
I became a customer called on him to do in-​home vaccinations, check-​ups, and in one case, a treatment involving an IV (he suspended it from my curtain rod!) Like my friend who referred him, I called upon Dr. Doss when it was time to say good bye to each of my dogs. I can’t imagine saying good bye to a dear friend like that outside of the comforts of our home.
While I suspect that most clients initially use Dr. Doss for older pets, I would strongly recommend him as an everyday vet. His prices are reasonable, and the quality of care and «bedside manner» are unparalleled.