SW Animal Hospital

I cannot say enough good things about this clinic! I live in Ridgefield but drive to this location because I truly believe they are the best small animal vet in the area. I originally found them when I was looking for a vet for my sick Guinea pig, who was wheezing. The staff at the clinic was able to get me a drop-off appointment and Dr. Burgess later called me and explained what was wrong with her. He was extremely knowledgeable and provided me with a great deal of information about my Guinea pig, including her diet. That’s actually when I learned that the veggies that I was feeding my pigs were not appropriate for them as they can cause bloat. I had been getting my information on what to feed them from sources online (they’re my first pigs, so I wasn’t as knowledgeable as I should have been) and was grateful for Dr. Burgess for providing this information as the information I found online was misleading. Fast forward to about a year later, to when I adopted another Guinea pig. She had what looked like a growth on her eye. I wasn’t able to get an early enough appointment for her at Southwest Animal Hospital, so I went to see a vet in Vancouver. This vet prescribed antibiotics and sent me on my way. When her eye didn’t begin to heal, I returned to the same vet. They told me that the eye needed to be removed. I was hesitant to do this because I didn’t want her quality of life to be affected, so I called Southwest Animal Hospital to get a second opinion and the incredible staff at the front were able to get me in for an emergency appointment. I was so happy when Dr. Burgess recommended that we do not remove the eye, and instead suture it so that we can actually give it a chance to heal. He explained that while she may not have full visibility in that eye, it’s still better than having the eye removed. I was so happy that he truly considered her quality of life moving forward. He did an amazing job with her eye, and I’m glad that we are trying everything we can so that she can keep it. Then my third Guinea pig got sick. She wasn’t able to move her back legs and I called the clinic in a panic. The front staff were extremely helpful and helped get my sick Guinea pig in for an emergency appointment. I really want to mention Stephanie at the front desk. She is one of the most pleasant people I’ve dealt with in customer service. She is always cheerful on the phone and in person and is also very knowledgeable. You can tell she really likes her job and loves animals too. What I especially appreciate about this clinic is their transparency in communication from both the staff and the doctor. Dr. Burgess walks you through his entire thought process when it comes to treating your pets and arms you with the knowledge you need to feel confident in the treatment plan. You just know you can trust them! I highly recommend this clinic. Thank you Dr. Burgess and staff for keeping my pigs healthy and happy. I am so thankful to have found your clinic.

The Incredible Dr. Ramsell and her team have given us the best exotic pet service and outcomes that I have experienced. My family is very satisfied with the service here. So far, 2 leopard gecko problems and the first one is back to thriving after a respiratory infection. The second is a bit of a guarded prognosis yet, but I can see that Dr. Ramsell is very interested in the case and is willing to go the extra mile on this mystery. This is in stark contrast to our experience at a famous ER in Portland last week. With exotics you basically need a specialist or that rare vet who is willing to take on the challenge for the sake of saving a life, and I feel like both of those converge here.

My little hedgehog son sees Dr. Burgess and we could not be more satisfied with the service and information he provides at each visit. He is professional, informative, attentive to details, friendly, yet realistic. I appreciate that he takes the time to really assess a patient - he doesn’t make you feel like a number. He and his staff make you and your animal family member feel seen and valued.