Clark-N-Oak

I have gone to Dr. Andres for several years now. I work with local no kill dog shelters and he even preformed several surgeries on the shelter dogs at a discounted price. I have never met such a knowledgeable vet as this guy. I have 5 small dogs and 1 cat of my own. He has cared for them all plus numerous family members pets… I found Clark & Oak due to over hearing a conversation two women were having about a doctor who gives discounts for adopted shelter dogs and that his compassion for animals was genuine. I have been seeing this doctor ever since. His staff is the same. friendly and caring. I am there often since I work with animal shelters and have never heard them be rude to anyone. Trust me, i have seen a hand full of crazy people in there… Even homeless people who have brought stray animals in, they have helped. They go above and beyond to help someone out. I have found His pricing to be better then any vet out there. At this point in his career, I truly believe that this doctor is not in it for the money. He loves helping animals and it shows in his staff as well. I trust them completely.

Went today for the first time with my new yorkie and had a great experience. Everyone was very friendly and knowledgeable and the prices were reasonable. Highly recommend and plan on going back for all future checkups.

Being doisabled and on a fixed income, I did a thurough check around the North & NW Sides of Chicago and they were by far the most reasonable — price wise for thier products & services.

Amazing experience. The doctor is incredibly knowledgable and I would definitely recommend to others.

Yesterday at noon I took my cat to meet Dr Andres because he couldn‘t pee since two hours ago. The doctor said that he will give him an injection with antibiotic and one more with anti inflammatory medicine because he probably has an infection. One month ago my cat got an antibiotic injection for upper respiratory infection so I asked if it‘s ok to give him so much antibiotics in such a short time. Dr Andres said that he will make an X-​ray to see if there‘s a stone or something that might be blocking the urethra. He did the X-​ray and he found a stone in the urethra that is blocking the urination. He said that anyway the treatment will be the same — antibiotics and anti inflammatory medicine that he is hoping will help my cat to pee out the stone. I asked what are we doing if he doesn‘t. Dr Andres said that if he doesn‘t start peeing today I have to take him back to the clinic first thing in the morning on the next day. Ok, but as I mentioned above, my cat was already unable to pee. So I asked Dr Andres if it‘s ok to wait until the next day because this is 24 hours without urinating. He said that everything is fine and I can make the cat wait until the next morning. ARE YOU F***ING KIDDING ME!!!
So, they charged me $ 260 for the injections, the X-​rays, and the exam and they sent us away!!! When we got back home my cat went to sleep and he woke up around 7pm when he suddenly started getting worse. For about an hour and a half he tried to urinate over 30 times with no success. I could say by his face that he is in a pain and his condition is progressively getting worse! I called a different clinic in the area (the only one open on Sunday evening). After I explained the situation they were honest enough to tell me that even if I bring the cat there they can‘t do anything to help him because this is a life-​threatening condition and I have to seek immediate help. They also told me that I absolutely SHOULD NOT listen to what Dr Andres told me that it is not dangerous to wait until tomorrow and I have to go to the ER ASAP. So they gave me the phone and the address of the emergency hospital on Belmont ave.
I took a cab and I took my cat to the ER. They immediately gave him pain killers because he was in a lot of pain. Then I left him in the hospital and he underwent a procedure to unblock the urethra by pushing the stone back to the bladder. He spent the night with a catheter and on the next day he underwent a surgery to have the stone removed from the bladder. They saved my cat‘s life!
I can say that I don‘t know where did Dr Andres get his veterinarian degree but he should throw it in the garbage!

By far the best vet I have ever been to!!! Highly recommend Clark-​N-​Oak!
My chihuahua TJ began vomiting early this past week… I called my regular vet in Lakeview and no one picked up during their normal work hours. Later that morning my vet left a voicemail saying they would not be in the office that day and to take him to the ER. This was the same response I had been given two months prior and had taken him to the ER. At that time he turned out to have gastritis and we received an outrageous ER bill for something that was non-​emergent.
Not wanting to go straight to the ER again… I found Clark-​N-​Oak here on Unilocal and figured I would see if they could answer some questions for me first. The person I first spoke with on the phone was so patient with me and my concerns, and they were able to get me in to see Dr. Andres later that day. Dr. Andres was very professional and gave us all the facts to make our own decisions about how to proceed with TJ’s care. He was very honest about what he would recommend doing and what the costs would be. There was a chance TJ had a bowel obstruction, but I preferred to be conservative overnight before doing further testing since he had just had extensive testing two months back for a bowel obstruction that ended up being gastritis. The next day, TJ was worse and Dr. Andres fit him in that day as soon as I could get there. He was available up front when I walked in to discuss options and immediately started doing the needed tests for TJ. By 4pm it was confirmed that TJ had an obstruction, and Dr. Andres went out of his way to contact the ER facility TJ had been at previously to set everything up so that TJ could have surgery done that night. He also got TJ all geared up with what he would need to get started for surgery (IV fluids, xrays, etc.). TJ had surgery at 630pm and was all done at 715pm… If Dr. Andres had not coordinated TJs care so well, he would have had to wait until the next morning or have an on call person come in which would have been very expensive. TJ was home the next day and is doing great thanks to his exceptional care.
TJ was a completely new patient to Clark-​N-​Oak and I feel Dr. Andres went above and beyond to take care of him and make sure he was able to get everything that he needed done quickly. This is especially commendable considering most offices were closed on these days secondary to weather. He was very considerate about costs and really did what he could to keep them down. I cannot thank Dr. Andres enough for his care for my dog TJ and would highly recommend switching vets if you do not currently go here! I know I will be switching!

Earlier this year, I had quite a scare with my cat (Russian Blue/​Domestic Mix) — keep in mind, she is my first cat ever. After she spent an hour vomiting violently, I took her to an emergency vet (it was a Sunday) and they told me to bring her to her regular vet the next morning. My cat spent all night in seemingly severe pain and discomfort, and wouldn’t eat, drink or move at all. I rushed her into Clark-​N-​Oak the next day, and was told by Dr. Pace he would call me around 1PM with results from XRays (it was 9AM when I dropped her off). I didn’t even get around the corner before he called me with the first results already! I was expecting a 4 hour wait, and I only had to wait 15 minutes to hear the first results. He knew I was very nervous and upset about the situation, and took every care to calm me down, explain things to me, and do so in a timely manner. After a full day of various tests, he called to tell me that he thought she would be fine by the next day, and invited me to visit her. He was so calm about everything that it made me feel as though I was in great hands, and that my cat would be just fine. The next day, he called me at 9:05AM (literally 5 minutes after opening) to let me know that she wasn’t doing as well as he thought, and explained all of my options, the best (in his mind) being exploratory surgery. I agreed, and waited nervously for his call that it was over. He called me right away (around 2PM — he had another more time-​sensitive procedure scheduled that morning) when he was finished, assured me she was fine, and told me what the blockage in her belly had been. Again, he was SO CALM and SO KIND that, while worried, I knew she’d be okay. He let me visit her each evening, and stayed in the office until I got there after work just to be sure he could talk to me in person and let me know how she was all day. She ended up being hospitalized at Clark-​N-​Oak from Monday morning until Thursday night, plus having surgery and a battery of tests, special foods, IV fluids, etc. I expected the bill to come to THOUSANDS as the ER vet had estimated — but all of that topped out at around $ 1200…not bad at ALL all things considered, and I have a healthy, happy cat today! Also, I called with rather ridiculous follow-​up questions (I even called to ask if it was normal that she was being nice to me…). He answered all of my questions with a patient sense of humor. I can’t recommend Dr. Pace enough for his life-​saving work on my little cat!

Clark-​N-​Oak is the best vet I have ever been to in Chicago. You can see Dr. Andrew is knowledgeable and caring for animals. The clinic may not look as modern as some other clinics in the city, but there is nothing short for any services your pet (s) may need from here, especially when you know all staff are there to help you. I had my cat’s bladder stone removed by Dr. Andrew, and in his explanation he was very detailed and answered every single question I had in the way I understand, even over the phone. The assistants are professional and excellent at following up with the results as well. When you have sick family members who can’t tell you in words what you can do to ease their pain, the good communication and caring help from your vet is the most reassuring thing you can find. There is nothing superficial or pretentious at Clark-​N-​Oak. I highly recommend this clinic to anybody who cares about animals.

I was in desperate need of a vet when my dog was having severe allergies to all the crazy weather we have been having here in Chicago and my dog walker had recommended Clark N Oak to me! I was so happy she did, the staff was so friendly when Emmy (my pup) and I walked in the door. Dr. Pace came to check her out and diagnosed her issues very quickly with a solution shortly after. Another plus about this Vet is the price. Can’t be beat! Everywhere in Chicago can be pricy but they don’t try to sneak fees into your bill. Needless to say they are my go to whenever my little puppy has any issues in the future or for he check up!

I love this veterinary. I’ve only taken my puppy here a couple times for some booster shots, but every single employee here is soo very sweet and helpful. The vet himself was awesome and very kind. I am a first time puppy owner no I had a lot of probably stupid questions that he answered patiently and thoroughly. He’s very trust worthy!

I brought my Main Coon cat in for a general check-​up last week after price-​checking several vets in the area. Clark-​N-​Oak was by far the most affordable ($ 50 for general wellness screening, which included: skin check, weight and temperature measurements, checking in the mouth, checking teeth, eyes, ears and listening to her heartbeat. Other vets nearby charge $ 68 and $ 89 for the same check-​up).
My cat has never been to the vet so I wasn’t sure what to expect and was so happy that our experience here was 5-​star! Clark-​N-​Oak is a clean facility without feeling too sterile and both the vet tech and the vet doc we saw were true animal whisperers. My cat doesn’t looooove people she doesn’t know, but she let both of these guys hold her, pet her, and examine her. It was amazing! Also, I wanted advice for cat transport in long car rides and Dr. Andres gave me several ideas and tips without trying to sell me any unnecessary medication. My cat was calm the entire time we were there, I was a calm pet owner, and we both left very happy.
I will absolutely use Clark-​N-​Oak again for any and all of my kitty needs — they’re the best!

A year ago I gave Dr. Andres five stars. Now I want to downgrade him to zero. Here’s why:
Last year, my cat was diagnosed at Heal as having two teeth that needed extracting. Their cost estimate was really high, so I wanted to shop around. I called over a dozen places around the city and Clark-​N-​Oak was the least expensive that I could get to.
During the appointments for my cat, Dr. Andres was understanding of my financial situation (long term unemployed). I was pleased with the results of the extraction and dental cleaning and okay with the pricing, so I brought my dog in for his shots. I felt that I had found a great and reasonably priced vet for my pets.
My opinion changed last month, when I brought my cat in because his gums looked inflamed and his teeth had developed hard tartar/​calculus. I was especially concerned, because he had just gotten a dental the year before. Dr. Andres said the teeth were ok and his staff helped get the hard tartar/​calculus off. I then asked him about my cat’s alopecia (hair loss). My cat had hair loss on his belly last year when he came in for his dental. Both Heal and Dr. Andres said it was likely from overgrooming due to stress. This time though, Dr. Andres said he suspected hyperthyroidism and I okayed him doing an initial blood test. The test wasn’t a firm answer, so he recommended doing another one, only this one would cost $ 105 or so. I said I’d have to look into it. Due to my financial situation, he suggested that one way to tell if my cat had hyperthyroidism or not was to put him on the medication and do a blood test after 30 – 60 days. I took the script to get it filled at CVS, because the vet tech had a difficult time figuring out what to charge me. It seems that it’s one price on their website, another in the office, and another somewhere else, but whatever.
I did a lot of online research, including reading published veterinary research articles on hyperthyroidism, and was really unsure if my cat had it or not, since the style of alopecia my cat has didn’t seem to be at all related to hyperthyroidism. I emailed Dr. Andres twice to discuss my concerns, specifically citing the scientific literature I found online, including that my cat would need several blood tests once starting the medication, and that the medication has bad side effects. I didn’t want to put my cat on the medication if he didn’t need it and was trying to figure out what the best blood test would be. I was very careful to question the initial test results, and NOT Dr. Andres. He’s the doctor after all, I’m just the worried pet owner.
However, his last email to me was curt and basically told me to find a new vet. Greatly dismayed, I emailed back that I wanted my pets’ medical records, and got no response. (I was eventually able to get them by calling the office a few times.)
I’m still upset about being dropped as a client so suddenly. I feel like I was fired for asking too many questions, for being low income, and for trying to decide the best testing and treatment plan for my cat. Considering that Dr. Andres said he believed my cat had a potentially life threatening ailment, hyperthyroidism, I think what he did was also unethical. Can a doctor just tell their human patient that they don’t want to treat them anymore, even when the patient can pay for it? I sincerely doubt it.

Update 12/​03/​2013: My dog developed lameness in her hind legs with limping late April of this year. Her symptoms progressed rapidly to the point that she couldn’t hold herself up at all. She was hospitalized here in Clark-​N-​Oak Animal Health Center for presumed tick-​borne disease and Dr. Andres made great efforts to contact vet hospitals who treat more of these cases to give my dog the most appropriate treatment regimen possible and I really appreciated that. (My dog tested negative for tick-​borne diseases on three separate tests but her clinical presentation and the fact that I saw a dead tick on my kitchen floor the week her initial symptoms started made them treat her for presumed tick-​borne disease). In August, I had brought her to an ortho specialist for her continued hind legs weakness and on and off limping. The specialist had recommendations and said he left a message to Dr. Andres’ office. I didn’t hear from Dr. Andres till a week later and he said he hasn’t heard from the specialist so I told him the recommendations that the specialist discussed with me. I wasn’t really into putting my dog on steroids because she seemed to be doing relatively okay just with the anti-​inflammatory (Rimadyl) which I gave to her on an ‘as needed’ basis. I left it for Dr. Andres to decide whether my dog should be on steroids or not but he didn’t seem to have a take on it. In October, we came for my dog’s annual shots and Dr. Andres asked me what happened with our visit with the ortho specialist because he did not hear from him and the matter was «put away on the side, so to speak». In other words, he had forgotten about it. I think a doctor should be responsible enough to follow-​up on such consults. He seemed to me like a really busy man that certain things are simply put away or just simply drops out of his mind. Anyway, had I felt my dog really needed the treatment, I would have called his office again and again so it wasn’t really too big of a deal to me.
HOWEVER. .. and this is what really made me decide not to continue using Clark-​N-​Oak Animal Health Center:
11/​21/​2013, I brought my dog in because her urine turned orange then orange/​brown, then orange/​red, and just before leaving for the vet office, to red with clots. As the vet tech was looking at my dog, I noticed a bruise in her inner thigh and it immediately made me think she might have some blood clotting issues going on. Dr. Andres examined my dog and took my report on the changes in her urine. He started saying that the orange urine could be a sign of red blood cell destruction and with my report of her urine being bloody with clots, he prescribed antibiotic pill for possible urine infection. I asked how soon should I expect to see an improvement and he said about a week (which sounded too long to me but, oh well). I declined IV fluids and an antibiotic shot because my dog was drinking and keeping fluids down anyway and in my mind, I was planning to bring her to a specialist soon because I did not believe it was a simple urine infection. Before we left the office, my dog urinated in the lobby and Dr. Andres looked concerned that it was frank blood with a clot and at that point, I had agreed for the antibiotic shot. Overnight, my dog continued to urinate red with clots, frequent but in small amounts. I called his office that next day but decided to take my dog to the ER instead. On our way, he left me a message saying my dog might be having something more serious, sounded worried, and said «Good luck». In the ER, my dog was checked and treated for Immune-​mediated Hemolytic Anemia and Immune-​mediated Thrombocytopenia. She stayed in the hospital for 5 days but her bleeding continued (less in her urine but now bleeding in her stool and throwing up blood too). I eventually had to make the decision to let her rest.
I understand that our experience on our last visit with Clark-​N-​Oak would not have changed the outcome for my dog. I myself work in the medical field and have a full understanding of that. But the fact that Dr. Andres did not even see the bruising in my dog’s inner thigh, the fact that knowing my dog’s history of having presumed tick-​borne disease predisposed her to such immune-​mediated responses, and the fact that he actually saw my dog urinating frank blood with clot in the clinic lobby yet he still sent me home with the notion that this is just a bad case of urine infection. .. I felt it demonstrated a lack of thorough assessment and a lack of sense of accountability on his part as a doctor. I would have to agree with the other reviewer Ami H when she said Clark-​N-​Oak is fine for routine things, that is, for otherwise ‘healthy’ dogs.
I hate to leave such a review because Dr. Andres himself, the front desk staff, and the vet techs have been so nice and accommodating and caring to my dogs. But I have to give an objective review of the clinic based on my own experience so that other pet owners can make appropriate decisions for their pets.

RECOMMEND RECOMMEND RECOMMEND.
Always professional and they go above and beyond what is expected to care for pets.
Brought my dog here with a doggy cold, and the vet was quick to diagnose and cure him of his ailment with a prescribed antibiotic.
Very reasonable price for dog care, and they don’t try to pressure you into buying irrelevant products or services. It’s straightforward as it gets and I love that. They did a full dog check up and will vaccinate my dog in the near future to ensure he’s up to date with everything.
I’m a cheap bastard, and have been ailing the veterinarian for a long as I can, but my dog needs his check-​ups just as much as I do. The financial damage wasn’t damaging, my wallet and bank accounts will survive.
I will be coming back to this forever and forever until my dog dies.

I loved this Vet. The doctors and staff are so thoughtful and considerate. I was going to take my dog on the plane and was curious about getting some medication for the trip and they didnt try to sell me on any medication, but advised me on tips of just using childrens benedryl to keep her calm. I thought that was so helpful and appreciated them not trying to up-​sell me on stuff.
They also are great with shot reminders and answering any questions I might have about my dogs health.

We wish Dr. Andres would move to CA! For the past two years, we have taken our cats, Archie and Woody, to him. The only reason that we no longer have him as a vet is because we moved to CA in December.
You can tell that Dr. Andres really cares about animals because he takes the time to explain your pet’s situation. We have taken our cats there for annual check-​ups as well as some emergency situations. He always made us feel comfortable and provided us with different options. Clark-​N-​Oak is very reasonable especially compared to other vets we have gone to in the city. We have never been to another vet in the city that seemed to genuinely care about pets as he does.
When we moved to CA, he provided us with suggestions on how to best care for them on the road. Recently, our cat, Woody, had to be rushed to the Vet ER due to urethral obstruction. After Woody was stablized, the ER wanted to do a follow-​up surgery, etc. We called Dr. Andres for his opinion and he was kind enough to listen to our concerns and provide us with some ideas. He went above and beyond especially since we will no longer be going to his office due to the move.
I highly recommend Dr. Andres and his team to anyone looking for a compassionate, reasonable and caring vet.

Thanks to fellow Unilocalers, I found this place when I got my miniature schnauzer puppy couple of months ago. Now we’ve visited this place three times already – for my puppy’s shots and check ups. Every time we came here, the staff at front desk was very friendly. The price was reasonably for vaccination shots. Doctors are knowledgeable and provides good information. The only downside is that Dr. Andres was a little more on pushy on the medication (flea/​heart worm medicine) than Dr Heatter. He would repeat some medicine over and over again when we said «we will think about it next time», which is another way to say «no I don’t want it». Maybe he’s older and nags more? Oh well, other than that, I am fine with everything at this vet.

Great veternarians and staff!
I switched to Clark-​n-​Oak after a less than thrilling experience taking my beagle-​mix, Samosa, to the VCA.
The doctors and staff at Clark-​n-​Oak are all fantastic. Super friendly, knowledgable and helpful. They clearly love what they do and I really feel like they are looking out for Samosa’s best interest.
I never feel pressured into services or up-​sold on additional tests or medication, and I really appreciate that. I feel that the doctors always present the relevant information and then give me the options of what to do next. They are also very clear and up-​front with pricing, which is greatly appreciated.
I’d happily recommend Clark-​n-​Oak to any pet owner!

After moving back from college and into my new place in Lakeview, I wanted to find a close vet. I was recommended to try one located just south of Wrigleyville. I was not pleased with the service or prices there. When my dog required an emergency visit, I brought her back and was advised she needed thousands of dollars worth of surgeries but even then she still may not survive. I was advised to «just keep her comfortable while you can.»
I took my dog in to Clark N Oak for a second opinion. Not only were they able to perform the surgery in one trip, they also charged only a fraction of what I had been quoted at the first vet.
The entire staff at Clark N Oak clearly cares about the animals they see. It may not be as convenient for me to get to, but it is well worth the drive. I won’t even consider another vet now.

I haven’t taken my dog to a vet in a couple years, mostly b/​c I would just go to PetCo vaccination clinics and get his shots there–
My Weim will be 11 in July and I decided screw getting up early on a Saturday, waiting in a long line with horribly owned dogs and just go to a vet-​I searched on Unilocal for awhile to find a vet that got good reviews–
When I got to the bldg I was at first taken back, not a fancy or new office yet the people behind the counter were nice to me and I got taken back to a room right away-​I never once had to wait-I’d rather go to a place like this than an ofice that was just built yesterday–
2 assistants talked to me and got my concerns and what I was in for-​Then a tech came in and put Jäger on the table and did an exam and asked me questions–
Then the vet, Dr. Andres came in and talked to me about what shots and blood work I wanted to get done, giving his recommendations-​He did his own exam on Jäger and looked at every thing I had mentioned-​I never once felt like he was telling me things to make me spend more money and wasn’t telling me BS, which is a relief-​So Jäger was throughly examined 2x, from tip of his nose to the tip of his tail-It’s the first time since I left our vet in Florida that I found a place that I feel comfortable at-​He gave very detailed answers and was just pleasant to talk to-​He wasn’t some pretentious vet that I’ve experienced before here in Chicago-​Even when I left he talked to me, just makes you feel comforted when you get treated like that–
I felt the cost here is the best in the city-I’m just so very happy I found a vet downtown and I have a place to go to now–
I left the place smiling and feeling really good about the visit–
***3/​17 UPDATE
Just got a call back from the blood test they did yesterday evening, I’ve never had such quick turn around from a vet’s office-​Great people that work there :)