Cascade Heights Veterinary Center

We've been with Cascade for 8 years. They are gentle & kind & love animals. What more could you ask?

🚨 If you consider yourself an ally to the BIPOC community, I would seriously reconsider bringing your pets here. My most concerning experience with this veterinary practice was how Dr. Paulson treated me as a Black woman when I advocated for myself. During our conversation, Dr. Paulson called me "aggressive." I directly explained to her that using the word "aggressive" toward a Black woman is not a neutral choice. That word has a long history of being used to stereotype and undermine Black women when we are assertive, frustrated, or stand up for ourselves. Her response was essentially, "My kids have Black friends." That response was incredibly dismissive. Having Black friends does not address the concern I was raising about why I found her characterization of me as "aggressive" racially loaded and inappropriate. And I wasn't upset for no reason. While one of my cats was dying, I received spoiled/rotten food from this practice and was asked to try that food. I also had to repeatedly follow up about blood work and struggled to reach anyone when I called. There were times I had to call five or six times and repeatedly leave messages before getting through to someone. I also experienced billing issues and believe I was overcharged. After my cat passed away, I had a credit remaining on my account that I used toward his cremation. After these experiences, I left a negative review describing my concerns, including the practice's AI-assisted phone system and how difficult it was to communicate with the office. I then requested written confirmation after I was told I should no longer bring my pets there. Dr. Paulson subsequently sent me an email confirming that they were ending our veterinary relationship. The email specifically cited my concerns about the front office staff and my continued dissatisfaction with their AI-assisted phone system, stating that they no longer believed there was the necessary "foundation of trust" to continue providing care. So to be clear: I raised concerns about my pets' care and communication, left an honest review, advocated for myself as a Black woman, and Dr. Paulson called me "aggressive." The practice then terminated our veterinary relationship. I am not saying veterinary practices have to agree with every client. I am saying that Black clients should be able to advocate for their animals without being characterized through racialized stereotypes. If you are an ally to the BIPOC community, I would seriously reconsider supporting this practice. And if you have a seriously ill animal, I would also think carefully about whether you are comfortable relying on a practice where reaching a person may require multiple calls and where I personally experienced receiving spoiled food during one of the most difficult periods of my cat's illness. This is my personal experience with this practice, and I am sharing it so other pet owners can make an informed decision.

The staff were somehow able to care for my tiny feline demon without her attempting to rip them to shreds- must be magic 10/10 no notes

Couldn’t get a ballpark estimate. Require a $90 exam for basic estimate. Not an issue if they have a lower price, but if it’s higher than others you just wasted $90 on an exam.

I can't say enough good things about Dr. Kraabel and the team at Cascade Heights! He is both extremely skilled at his job, as well as patient with all of my questions and easy and fun to talk to. He provides solid, up-to-date, evidence-based treatment, but also listens to what would work best for you and helps you make an informed decision. There is never any pressure or gimmicks and he seems to really care about his patients and their families. He is also patient and gentle with our dog, Lucy and I trust him immenesly with her care. I would confidently recommend him to anyone looking for a new vet!