Airport Veterinary Hospital
In Business Since 2005
(205) 621-0500
Hours of Operation
Appointments & Drop Offs Welcome,7 Am-6 Pm Monday-Friday,8 Am-Noon Saturday
Payment Methods
AMEX, DINERS CLUB, DISCOVER, MASTER CARD, VISA
Profesional Grooming & Boarding. Full Service Hospital. Dogs, Cats, & Exotic Mammals. Located off of I65 at Exit 234.
Products and Services
Pet Products,Full Service Hospital,Exotic Mammals,Dogs,Cats
About Airport Veterinary Hospital
VETERINARY SERVICES
Reviews
Review it at YellowPages.com
Overpriced!
Posted by greeneyz4u on 9/17/2009
I have no problems with the level of service received from either Dr. Buchanan or the technicians. I do have a problem with the receptionist who has on multiple occasions been very rude to both my husband and I. My instances are as follows: 1. My husband and I do not believe in giving our dogs heartworm pills as both of us have had deaths in beloved pets after giving them heartworm pills. I am fine with all other vaccinations but it is my choice not to give them the heartworm pills. I have had a very tough time getting this through to the staff here. They have called us repeatedly telling us about the benefits until my husband had to tell them to basically leave us alone. 2. Both of my pets recently went in to get spayed. I asked the receptionist at the time I made the appointment for an estimated charge at which time she told me approximately $150. When I picked up my pets following their surgery my total bill was almost $500! Apparently they "forgot" to tell me about all of the medication charges, miscellaneous charges, etc. as well as the fact that they claimed they only told me the cost for one spay not both. I have never heard of a spay costing $150 per dog! My last vet in NC only charged $45 per dog! 3. I have repeatedly told the staff here not to provide any service (due to the cost) without first clearing it with my husband or myself. Upon one occasion I picked my pets up and both of their nails had been trimmed (a $30 charge for both pets.) I asked why this was done and they said that my husband had given them permission. When I asked him about it he said that he had not even talked to them about clipping their nails and was furious that they had blatantly lied to me. Besides the cost of their services, which I think are a little too high, the receptionist needs to be dismissed. I have no idea if she is a relative of Dr. Buchanan but in my opinion, she is driving the business down. On all of the previously mentioned encounters, it has been she who I have been upset with as she was the one in communication about what to do or not do.
ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT!
Posted by Furbabiemommie1 on 7/9/2009
I agree, and disagree with Victoria on a few points. First, I have no idea how friendly or unfriendly he is to breeders, that is a personal case by case basis. In general, "Dr. Buck" appears to be much more pleased with the animals than with the owners. He has a dry sense of humor, and is blunt to the point. Although it works for me, it is not everyone's cup of tea. I completely agree that the pricing is high, especially for the Calera area. Although after taking our "furbabies" (we have cats) to several different vet offices in AL and in FL, (one of them being in Riverchase), I've been told that his prices are "competitive". I'm not convinced. He does offer a discount to pet owners, however, you must have at least 5, yep count 'em, 5 pets minimum to receive a discount. We have 4, and after joking, " Isn't that enough to score a discount?", we were told by the Doctor and Staff that we could always adopt another! They were not joking. On the plus side, "Dr. Buck" is great with animals; ours are usually well behaved, yet scared. They are always well behaved and relaxed when we go for their annuals at his office. The staff that treats and has direct contact with your pets are very good people, very friendly, trustworthy, and gentle. So is Dr. Buchanan; he has a great respect for your pets, and completely understands when you refer to them as your "children". On the flip side, he is very comfortable letting his staff push ALL the annual services on you. This is extremely annoying. If you refuse even 1 you will hear a barage of reasons why it is a necessary procedure. As I know what I want done for each animal, I just stick to my guns and am firm yet friendly in my responses (or refusals). Also, they are VERY reluctant to answer even the simplest of questions on the phone, and insist that you bring your pet in for a full examination. I made this mistake once, and literally paid dearly to be told that everything was fine, and that I "over-reacted". I do appreciate the annual reminder cards mailed to my pets themselves. I never have to wait when I get there, and the facility is kept very clean. I have also been able to personally see my pet after a surgery, which is not always the case at other facilities. BOTTOM LINE: This is a good vet, with a great staff in a clean facility, that is unfortuantely very pricey when you own multiple pets; offers no discounts under 5 pets; nor do they have ANY payment plans for unexpected events. However, you ALWAYS get a clear, concise, realistic evaluation of your pet's health. To me, this counts more than the money! :)
Not Breeder Friendly
Posted by Victoria2222 on 7/25/2008
Dr. Buchanan is not very Breeder or multiple Dog Owner friendly and charges way too much even if several Animals are vaccinated at the same time there is No discount. Other services way Overprices and he seems to more cater to people who have 1 animal.
