Larkspur Cat Clinic

I LOVE Dr. Smith, as well as the entire clinic staff. They are so attentive, and truly care about all the cats they see. My 2 cats get superb attention from Dr. Smith, and I never feel swindled after appointments. I feel that Dr. Smith only recommends necessary services, and never anything extra. I never feel like I’m pressured into agreeing for unnecessary services, like so many other vets. A+++ rating all the way!

Lion cut for my Maine Coon cat? Yes, please. For your skittish feline, enjoy a bark free environment. They are professional, efficient, clean, bright and newer, a welcome visit for my hairy captive. Now I gotta fit her in this cat carrier, excuse me, please. This *might* take a while.

I’m here with my Dallas… he’s gonna need a canine (is it still called a canine on a kitty?) extracted. Dr Smith just came in and he’s wonderful gentle man… he took Dallas back and bam tooth came right out. No anesthesia needed. And they only charged me for the office visit. They did recommend that he come back for a teeth cleaning. I have a new kitty vet.

I absolutely love this Clinic Dr. Smith is a wonderful and caring, knowledgeable Veterinarian. His Techs are always kind and so nice! I had a HIV Cat and Dr. Smith kept Sir Felix well which extended his life he had 16 years of quality life. Another Vet had told me to put him down and he was healthy, well she did me a favor and I found Larkspur Cat Clinic! Now I have a 9 year old cat and of course she is a patient here. You can’t go wrong best Clinic.

Best Vet I have ever been to for my kitties! This is a cats only vet so it is a very quiet and calm environment. No barking!
I took my cat Vodka here after a botched surgery from a previous vet and Larkspur took him right away and fixed him up. I take both my cats here now and every time I go in they are so caring! Dr. Smith (the vet) explains and goes over everything. Your receipt comes with printed care instructions, normal side effects of any medications they give your cat and things to watch out for. Sarah (office manager/​desk lady) also CALLS YOU to check up on you and ask specific questions related to your cats condition! Which I really appreciate!
My cat Nami is a spook and she peed in her carrier on the way over. When we got there Laura (the vet assistant) was very understanding, gave her a quick rinse AND washed her carrier AND put in a potty pad at no charge!
Love the staff! Love this place!

Love this place. The office cats just roam freely. They took excellent care of our cats.

I was going to Larkspur for some time and things were OK. Dr. Smith was taking time with my cat, but today I took my cat because she was eating less and Dr. Smith did not want to spend the time with my cat, he told me. He did not even examine my cat. He got mad because my cat urinated on the floor. It was unbelievable. I am considering not taking my cat again to this clinic, of course. After this visit I wondered if veterinary medicine is the right career for this veterinarian. I guess, there are veterinarians that are more compassionate out there.

I’m new to Phoenix, and I was pretty happy with my first visit here today. For starters, it’s only about six blocks from where I live, so convenience is a large factor. I also like the fact that there were no other animals in the waiting area. Buddy kind of freaks out over birds, probably because he wants them in his tummy, and I didn’t have to worry about hiding him from Polly. The place was really clean, and the staff was extremely friendly and helpful. My only very minor complaint was that I think Buddy reacted poorly to all of the cat noises around him, most of which weren’t pleasant. Buddy actually liked going to his old vet, shots and all. I was always so proud when he would purr away while getting his shots and then rub up against the doctor when it was all done. But he was visibly frightened, and I could feel him cringe every time he heard a shrill «meow» coming from the next room. I think this is a question of personal preference, though. He didn’t react like this to any other kind of animal. Except that one incident with Polly, of course.
By the way, Polly is safe.

I am completely and utterly shocked by the review written by «SS G.» After checking the other reviews they wrote, I have to question how accurate their review may be. I have 3 kitties who have been going to Larkspur since they were born in 2007. My babies go once a year for teeth cleanings, vaccinations, wellness exams and blood tests. Dr. Smith has always been an attentive and knowledgeable doctor who takes the time to review everything and explain what was found. He is very good to my babies along with the office staff. I love the «cats only» atmosphere and the clinic is adorable. My babies are in perfect health frankly because of the good veterinary care and of course the love and care they receive from us. I did take one of the babies in for an eye allergy and Dr. Smith prescribed the best medicine and diagnosed her patiently and thoroughly including detailed instructions in how to give the medicine. I always get a response to emailed questions and when calling they are always kind and willing to help. They also send the cutest kitty birthday cards and holiday cards. Again, not sure what happened with «SS G» but I have to question the validity of their review. Please call them or check out their website and come to your own conclusion.

I have been taking my three cats here for years. I love that this place is a cat only facility so I never have to worry about some other person’s dog trying to attack my cats. The doctor is always very friendly and very gentle when handling my cats. After any surgeries the office always follows up to check to make sure everything is good. The vet techs are always compassionate towards my cats too. Overall this place is great.

It’s hard to find a good vet now days– one that shows compassion, one that follows up, one that is thorough in communication.
My family has been taking their cats here since I was a preteen– back when Krista (I think that’s her name) was running the place. So, when I moved back to Arizona this is the first vet I decided to take my cat to see.
My cat has IBS and has for years and lately her symptoms have worsened and have been causing her severe pain. The new vet at Larkspur cat clinic saw my cat and he recommended two medications to ease her pain and inflammation.
Now, when he gave me these medications he didn’t mention any cautions or side effects. Didn’t say to watch out for anything in particular– he just told me that they would help relax and ease the pain. So, I went home and I gave these medications to my cat. Within a couple hours she looked drugged up and out of it. She was acting quite strange and after 2 days she was very constipated and straining to the point that she was crying in pain.
I decided to look up the medications prescribed and every single website I went to (and I went to a bunch) said that both medications are used in dogs– one of the dog medications was commonly administered to dogs in 17−23mg dosages– which my cat’s dosage was 43mg (seems a bit high for a 6 pound feline), and the other medication had repeated warnings that it was controversial for cats and I read several times that is should NEVER be used on cats because it can cause constipation and blockages that can lead to disease and death, or something to that effect.
At this point I called the clinic and I explained my cats odd behavior and the constipation and straining. I also mentioned the medication and told them that I understand if there was a reason that the cat was given this type of medication, but was concerned because I read that there were side effects associated with this drug in cats and my cat was straining a lot and seemed out of it.
The woman told me the doctor was busy and couldn’t take my call. So, I asked if he could please call me back before 4PM that day because I was very concerned about my cat (it was 9 AM when I called),. The woman literally… LITERALLY, snickered out loud, condescendingly, and snorted that the doctor was very busy and she’ll ‘see’… ~click~
Anyhow, the vet NEVER called. Surprise!
I have found a new vet– that so far has been very good to my cat. They follow up and check in and make sure my cat’s symptoms aren’t getting worse. I showed the new vet and the nurses the medication that I was given to administer to my cat. They were all shocked. First, one of the medications are these huge capsules– they are people sized. The first comment I heard was, «I’ve never seen medication in that format… for a cat». The other medication I was given were broken pills. Again– everyone was shocked by the format of the medication alone.
The new vet said she was unfamiliar with using the 2 medications on cats. I could tell she didn’t want to say anything negative, so instead she told me to give her a couple days to research the drugs and she’d let me know whether or not it was safe to give to my cat.
A day and a half later I get a call from her. She says one of the meds is probably ok, but if the cat hasn’t gotten better from it– don’t give it to her. The other one– she said she didn’t feel comfortable with me giving it to the cat and asked me not to.
I will NEVER go back to Larkspur Cat Clinic. From giving me dangerous drugs (it seems like they buy what’s on sale and give it out generically even if it’s canine medication) that could kill my cat, no warning to the many possible side effects and complications to the dangerous dog medicine prescribed for my cat, then the horrific service– (Who condescendingly laughs at you when you are calling to say that your cat is having a bad reaction to the medication your doctor recently prescribed?) and then the fact that they NEVER called back– not to return my call, not to follow up, not to give further direction. I can’t believe I paid $ 100 for this! They charged me almost $ 40 for the bad meds as well.
I’m actually filing a complaint with the state board, and I told my family about what happened and we are all switching vets. I don’t know what happened to this place, but it’s not what it used to be.

This place is fantastic! My friend Julie recommended them, since she has 2 cats and had really good experiences with her cat’s surgery. One thing I love is that it’s a cat only clinic. There are no annoying dogs barking at my cat or scaring my cat. The staff are super friendly and know a lot about cats, obviously. The vet, Dr. Justin Smith, explains everything with great detail and doesn’t act as though in a hurry. He remembers things about me and the cats from previous conversations. I had my new kitty neutered there, and my older cat has gone for a variety of reasons. The clinic also has options for boarding in case you have to leave town and want your cats to stay there.
I was very impressed after one visit. I had spoken to Dr. Smith regarding an issue at 10 am on a Friday morning. The clinic closes at 12p on Fridays. However, at 7 pm that same evening, I received an email about the issue we had discussed.

On the recommendation of iain B. I took Bo in for his check-​up, vaccines and a grooming. I was pleased upon walking in. The traditional antiseptic vet smell was not present. The Lobby and the exam rooms were bright and clean. In glancing through out the facility I noted the cleanliness through out.
A few cats in carriers with their owners waited but were quickly received and greeted in their exam rooms. They also had 2 cats roaming freely keeping every one in check and were the true managers of the place. :P They were very polite and friendly. The folks here were friendly, they discussed the option of sedation for the grooming, which I was against, and asked instead for a call if he became unruly and I would just come and pick him up as is.
Luckily it did not come to that. Turns out he was as the Tech/​Groomer described him a «total meat loaf» and let her comb away. I picked him up and he was calm and about 5 lbs lighter with just the combing… maybe next time a shave? We’ll see how the early stages of summer treat him.
In closing, for those with cats I would recommend checking it out.

this is one of the nicest veterinary clinics i’ve ever visited, and i’ve been to quite a few, in a variety of states. first of all, it’s an all feline clinic, so everyone there is sensitive to kitties and there are no dogs to freak them out. secondly, there do not offer declawing at larkspur! to me this means they are compassionate and intelligent humans who truly care about the well-​being of cats. also, they use ear thermometers (as opposed to a more invasive method i won’t mention), which the cats really appreciated, i’m sure.
both the technician and the vet were awesome with my cat-​friends. it’s the first time we’ve been to a doctor where no one even came close to getting scratched! Seriously, it was kind of amazing.
i highly recommend this clinic. it took us half an hour to get there and it was totally worth it.
they also offer boarding and some supplies and toys.