Clay Road Animal Clinic

Best in Houston!

This practice was owned by Dr. David Piassoli for many years, and sold to Dr. Smith in 2007. We have used this practice since 1990, and I can't sing their praises highly enough. Both vets obviously love animals and love what they do. Dr. Smith in particular has a "Dog Whisperer" sense about him - he really takes his time to make the vet visit as low-key and pleasant as possible for both owners and animals. He is always willing to answer any questions in person or over the phone.

This practice has the lowest, fairest fees in west Houston, and Dr. Smith has not changed that philosophy. You will not be bombarded with charges for an office visit, or unneccessary testing. I personally know clients who drive over 30 miles because this practice is so awesome.

Do yourself, your animals, and your wallet a favor and try Clay Road Animal Clinic.

i will take my dogs nowhere else!

My husband and I recently moved to Houston from SC where I had a wonderful relationship with a vet there who took the very best care of my dogs, and treated me as a partner in their care. Needless to say, I had high expectations when it came to trying to find a vet in Houston. Unfortunately after having one vet want to push a ton of drugs on one of my dogs for a simple ear infection, and a technician at another office talk down to me (very rudely insisting that my female dog was in heat and that I did not know what I was talking about---she was not in heat, by the way), I was beginning to get flustered.

However, my dogs were due for their yearly HW test so I could keep them up to date on Interceptor, and a former co-worker recommended Clay Rd Animal Clinic. I remember thinking that from the outside it wasn't much to look at, but I was hopeful. That hope paid off. Dr. Smith came into the exam room after a less than 5 minute wait and was baby-talking my dogs and prepared for slobbery Mastiff kisses. He was very kind and made my dogs comfortable, and was wonderful about answering my questions. When he didn't know the answer to one question (about state laws for titering, as I have a vaccine intolerant dog) he offered to "do homework" and get back to me. Less than 2 hours after I left, my phone was ringing with my answer. When I told him that I feed raw (which many more progressive vets seem against for some reason... Must be all that Hill's training they get) he told me that as long as I'd done my homework he was fine with it, and he doesn't push diets. This was exciting to me, as I had a vet refuse to be objective in the past and wanted to blame every little thing on raw (scraped toe? It was due to raw... Really ridiculous).

Because I have two really big dogs, I asked if I could leave them in the exam room while I paid. Dr. Smith said he'd baby-sit. I came back in the room to find him on the floor with both of my dogs offering belly rubs. Needless to say, I can tell you where we will be going for all of our future veterinary needs.

And understand if you're reading this, I am not someone who walks into a vet's office on autopilot. I have worked with dogs for a living for several years, and have worked more specifically in pet nutrition recently. I am picky to a fault about what vet I will entrust my dogs care to, to the point of calling myself one of *those* dog moms. This world needs more veterinarians and vet staff like Dr. Smith and Clay Road Animal Clinic! They have my loyal devotion for as long as my husband's job keeps us here!