Chicago Vet filter: Who is the best vet in Chicago?

May 26, 2020 11:10 AM

Does your Chicago area vet clearly have an interest in diagnosing issues and solving problems? Willing to change diagnosis and/or try a different medication if the first doesn't show improvement? Bonus: responds to your questions within 24 hours and has experience with feline asthma

My sweet kitty has had well managed asthma for years, but got much worse in the last two months. We moved to Chicago and do not have access to our fantastic vet in the Pittsburgh area (please PM me if you need a Pittsburgh area vet recommendation!). I'm looking for recommendations for a vet in Chicago that actually wants to solve and diagnose issues. I've taken him to two vets that have basically washed their hands of him once their original diagnosis and medication did not show improvement. He has some serious testing at MedVet Chicago tomorrow but I will need someone else to do follow up care and wellness visits after. Thank you!

posted by pumpkinlatte to Pets & Animals (10 answers total)

Best answer: A LOT of my cat-owning friends recommend Cat Hospital of Chicago; they are, as the name suggests, kitty specialists. I am steadfastly loyal to Family Pet Animal Hospital for my dog(s) and have taken cats there as well (although I currently go to a more affordable, closer vet for my cats).
posted by misskaz at 11:33 AM on May 26, 2020

Best answer: I will definitely second misskaz's recommendation of Family Pet Animal Hospital, we have been taking our two cats there for years. One of them had an on-going issue with losing control of her rear legs, which happened so rarely it was hard to diagnose, but the vet absolutely had the "diagnose issue and solve problem" mindset you mention, as it took multiple specialist visits and referrals to get to the root of the problem. (We did have to take the cat to MedVet for further testing, but the results were reported back to our home vet.) We also live in the area so it's pretty convenient for us, if it's less than a few miles from where you live I would recommend contacting them.
posted by andruwjones26 at 12:13 PM on May 26, 2020

Best answer: We have a cat with multiple hard to diagnose and hard to treat issues. We have been very well served by Animal Medical Center on Diversey.
posted by crush at 12:24 PM on May 26, 2020

Best answer: I had mediocre experiences at Cat Hospital of Chicago and as I recall (they appear to have moved slightly so I'm not sure) good ones at Portage Park Animal Hospital. The shelter I associated with used Portage Park and Family Pet. But that's all 8-10 years ago.
posted by wotsac at 12:30 PM on May 26, 2020

Best answer: I don't know anything about cats, but my dog's vet his whole life has been Medical District Veterinary Clinic. They're an offshoot of the UofI veterinary college, so in addition to their permanent staff they also have student vets and trainee vet techs who rotate through, meaning there are more people actively trying to learn about your critter's health than a typical vet clinic. I have had very good experiences there, including a couple troubleshooting experiences for stubborn ear infections.

Also, they put out a monthly newsletter that is just fire.
posted by phunniemee at 1:50 PM on May 26, 2020 [3 favorites]

Best answer: No idea if it's the best, but I had only good experiences with Metropolitan Veterinary Center in the South Loop, with a very old cat that had many medical problems.
posted by eotvos at 2:44 PM on May 26, 2020

Best answer: We use Pets First on Broadway in the Boystown area, specifically Dr. Mitchell. He was very helpful in investigating and diagnosing our cat's IBD a couple years ago and coming up with treatment options. The whole team is extremely nice and responsive, we have used them since we relocated to Chicago in 2015.
posted by ailouros08 at 3:12 PM on May 26, 2020

Best answer: I've also had good experiences with Medical District Veterinary Clinic (cats).
posted by pullayup at 3:56 PM on May 26, 2020

Best answer: I recommend South Loop animal hospital. We took our kitty there when she had cancer and they were thorough and compassionate.
posted by mai at 5:24 PM on May 26, 2020

Response by poster: Thank you, everyone, for your responses. I received his diagnosis from MedVet yesterday and will be calling the suggested veterinary practices to see what experience they have with it, and going from there. I marked everyone as best answer as they gave me a good place to start. Thank you!
posted by pumpkinlatte at 6:07 AM on May 28, 2020