Dean Crowe, DVM

Absolutely LOVE this little oasis for pets! My cat ‘Shadow’ approves it too!
I am new to Encinitas. My cat ‘Shadow’ had a bad fall from jumping to a high dresser and landed on his wrist. After a few days seeing him hopping without sign of improvement, I decided to take him to see a vet. I did extensive research and found this place with great reviews and close to where I live (By the way, there are two different entries for this place so the reviews are split between the two — Encinitas Animal Hospital and this one since Dr. Ullman took over the practice from Dr. Crowe). I took Shadow in and I am glad I did. Dr. Ullman and her crew were absolutely top notch. They greeted us with smiles and positive energy. It was very apparent that they love animals. They treated Shadow with care and did everything they could to make him (and me) feel comfortable. Dr. Ullman took a look at Shadow and came up with a treatment plan right away. She didn’t try to push unnecessary treatment and was very conscious on helping to keep cost to be reasonable. After X-​Ray test and confirmed of a broken wrist (poor thing), Shadow was bandaged up with splinter/​cast and ready to go. I was surprised how well he behaved. The positive energy there sure helped.
While I was waiting, I talked to others pet owners and all had great experiences there and were repeat customers.
This place is tucked within the Encinitas Village shopping area so you can run quick errands or grab a quick coffee or meal at the nearby stores while waiting.
Took Shadow in today for follow up and he was healing well. He even got a special holiday treat (see picture)!
If you are looking for a vet, definitely check this place out!

I have used this vet office since I left the bank robbers at «All Creatures» in Del Mar.
My lab has always received good care under Dean Crowe. I didn’t actually see Dean Crowe all that much because my dog, thank God, is healthy.
However, a couple of months ago when my dog ingested his dog bed (yup, he’s a lab) he was pretty sick. He was fine all day and several nights in a row, he would vomit at around 4AM pretty extreme. I called this vet’s office, which temporarily was closed due to a renovation, I left a message and a tech called me back within an hour and told me to bring max to Dr. Sandy’s home! Really? Yes, they were serious. I sure did! And guess what, she EXAMINED my dog. She knows animals and she helped me understand instead of going nuts and subjecting my babe to invasive and costly testing to try to treat him with a couple of meds. She also felt he needed to have a little bit of food in his stomach late at night to help the acidity. She was 100 percent right.
By the way, I was not the only person that brought my pet to her home. There were plenty of pets that she was seeing urgently.
Dr. Sandy is THE best vet I have ever experienced. I trust her opinion and I’m so glad she’s my dog’s vet!

I am very impressed with Dr. Sandy Ullman, my young lab was hit by a car and her expertise in evaluating and treating him was second to none. As a retired physician I appreciated that she examined him and then determined that X-​rays were not necessary, his injuries were soft tissue related and the best treatment was rest, TLC and a few (very few) anti-​inflammatories. Then a gradual rehab exercise program She also advised that the Naproscin that I had given him was not a good idea as dogs are allergic to it. She truly is a good Doctor.
Stephen K Taylor DC, NMD.

Had a wonderful first visit with Dr. Ullman today! I really appreciated her warmth and desire to keep my cat as safe and as comfortable as possible during her checkup and nail clipping. Thank you to Sandy and her staff for taking such good care of us!

Dr Crowe retired but the new vet was just as fabulous. She took care of my pug dog’s hot spot and old age problems. I like this vet because I feel like they give it to you straight on your options and I feel that it is well priced so as the dog owner you can decide the next steps. She knew exactly how to treat my dog and he’s no longer scratchy and miserable. We’ll be back!

Met Dr. Ullman for the first time… Wow!!! Wonderful, compassionate, listens and very personable. Love her… this practice will flourish under her guidance. So happy for Dr. Crowe to retire and do what he loves… and leave his patients in excellent hands.

We just had our first visit with Dr. Sandy Ullman and she was wonderful! She is very personable and great with our new puppy. She is down to earth and approachable. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. It is clear that the staff work well together and everyone is sincerely happy to be there. We look forward to continuing a long relationship with this practice and Dr. Ullman. We highly recommend Dr. Ullman and staff!!!

Dr Crowe Retired sadly. I have been going there for over 18 years. HOWEVER, Dr Sandy Ullman is amazing. She is old school just like Dr. Crowe. Great table side manner! I highly recommend her as your babies Doc!!!

Sadly, Dr. Crowe has retired. Dr. Sandy Ullman is now at his practice and is absolutely wonderful. I have been seeing Dr. Crow for over 12 years and can tell you that Dr. Ullman practices the same type of veterinary medicine as Dr. Crowe. She seems honest, straightforward and caring. I understand she was previously a veterinary surgeon in Los Angeles. I will recommend Dr. Ullman to all of my friends and family without hesitation.

I cannot express enough how amazing and caring the staff was during my last visit when I had to make the unfortunate decision to put my cat of 19 years down due to his failing kidneys. Not only did they treat my baby with such care and grace, they comforted me and sympathized with such sincerity. Nothing can make you feel any better about losing a pet but they sure did an amazing job of comforting me and explaining to me the process and allowing me time with my little one. Prior to our last visit, all previous visits were A+ by Dr. Crowe and staff. He always explained thoroughly and I never felt that I was overcharged. The staff was ALWAYS very gentle and professional with my cat. You can tell they all have your pet’s best interest and enjoy what they do while doing it well!

Great Vet!!! We brought our lab in due to a fatty mass. Dean Crowe was amazing, he didn’t push surgeries or products we didn’t need on us. The staff really cares about the animals. Love this vet office.

Been taking my fur family to Dr Crowe for 30+ years and never have been disappointed by the knowledge, care and compassion. Like Dr Crowe, his staff consistently displays a genuine interest in all creatures great and small. I often hear stories of friends who took pets to other places and the incentive seemed to be to order unnecessary tests and do procedures that may not have needed to be done. It is NEVER that way with Dr Crowe. He is methodical in his examination, with a «step at a time» approach. This is the way veterinary care should be! I feel as those Dr Crowe’s destiny was to be a vet! :)

Been going to Dr. Crowe for 30 years. He’s great. He has an alternate vet who works a few days a week. Don’t go to him as he is rude and arrogant. If we need a vet appointment on one of the days when Dr. Crowe isn’t working, we go to another facility as the alternate vet is a horrible experience. Dr. Crowe, on the other hand is great and we named one of our dogs Dean after him. I wish he would get a better vet for his alternate as one never knows which day of the week one will need a vet appointment.

My family and I have been taking our pets to Dr. Crowe for as long as I can remember. Dr. Crowe has become the yardstick that I measure every Veterinarian I have ever been to since. When we moved back to San Diego, Dr. Crowe’s fridge magnet was just clear enough to make out the phone number, and we reconnected right away. He is experienced, honest, and fair. There are always good times and bad times with pets, and we’ve been thru them all multiple times with Dr. Crowe. As long as I have a furry friend we will keep seeing Dr. Crowe!
J

I’ve been going to Dr. Crowe for my 2 year old pup. When I first got the dog, I didn’t feel like he did a thorough job checking her over. He basically said that since she had just come from the shelter she must have been cleared already. I wanted to start off on the right foot and get my dog introduced to a vet right away but now I’m wondering if we should have waited until something was actually wrong.
My dog did end up getting sick and when I took her in, I completely changed my mind about the Dr. He was warm and attentive. I was really happy with him. The only complaint I have is that he is not clear about pricing. She was in the office for a UTI and I asked him about a spot of skin on her. He did a scraping sample and looked under the microscope. She was fine, but I got slapped with a pretty large bill for this sample. I am 27 and my dog is too young at this point to consider pet insurance. He should be more clear about costs like this. A few hundred dollars to me is a big deal.

Called to ask a question about heart warms and they were very nice and helpful even though i haven’t used their services yet :) but i will in the future !

When we moved back to Encinitas, first order of business was finding a vet for our pup. On a whim, I checked in on the vet for my childhood dog and was so happy to see he was still practicing. Dr. Crowe did a great job then, and he does a great job now.
We’ve had Dr. Crowe check out cysts on our dog, do an annual checkup and have consulted him on advice. He is so friendly, compassionate, and knowledgeable. He also has the capability to draw fluids, prepare slides, and give you some answers on the spot without sending out to a lab. We’ve always found his pricing to be fair. We had a wait to even get in with him because the practice has a full slate of patients, which speaks volumes about his work.

I’ve been shopping around for a vet since I moved to the area 3 years ago. This office was my 3^rd attempt at finding a vet for my 4 legged child. lol
I’m so glad that I found Dr Crowe! He and his entire staff are very professional, caring and accommodating. They also solved my Pet’s problem without gouging me on the bill. Dr Crowe even called me personally to discuss the test results– and was extremely friendly and comforting when doing so. He doesn’t rush the call and takes his time explaining things– this is rare in my experience with most vets.
I think if you are very particular about who provides care to your 4 legged kid– you will love this office. :)

What a nice vet! He was just kind. That is the best way to sum him up. He is obviously an animal lover, kind and gentle. Was basically the cat whisper for my cat, who is old and cranky and hisses at everyone! She barely let out a peep during her exam.
He was kind to me… just sensitive, patient to my concerns — over my cat or the potential costs of her treatment…
I appreciated him all the way around, and his staff was very nice!

Any pet owner knows that they want their dog/​cat/​marmot to be heathy and happy. Dean Crowe and staff are not only some of the nicest people that I’ve dealt with in a while, they truly care about what they do and it shows. I’ve brought the pup in to be checked out a few times now for a paw thing and a case of reverse sneezing, which looks and sounds way scarier than it is as it’s not really harmful to your dog. I’m very pleased to know that we’ve found our permanent veterinarian.
BTW: Thanks, Unilocal!If it weren’t for you I would have not known that Dean and Co. are the best in Encinitas. Oh, and they’re $ 17 less than the old vet. Woot!