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Bramer Animal Hospital - James E Hagedorn Bramer Animal Hospital veterinarians and technicians are committed to excellence. Our world-class staff combines cutting-edge veterinary technology with decades of experience to provide the highest level of care for your pet. We are an American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) certified hospital and have been so since 1939.

AAHA is dedicated to establishing and maintaining the highest standards in veterinary medical and surgical care. Pet health begins with preventive healthcare. Semi-annual veterinary exams ensure that your pet's health is always professionally monitored.
Services
Bramer Animal Hospital provides veterinary service to Evanston, IL and the surrounding areas of Skokie, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glenview, Rogers Park, West Rogers Park, West Ridge, Edgewater, Lincoln Square, North Park, and Uptown. We are an American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) certified hospital and have been so since 1939.
At Bramer Animal Hospital, we wouldn't be who we are without our core values. As an AAHA-accredited animal hospital since 1939, we hold ourselves to the highest standards in veterinary medical and surgical care and are committed to providing the most outstanding quality of service to our clients and their pets.
Bramer Animal Hospital is proud to serve veterinary medical and surgical needs to the Evanston, IL area. Dr. Valerie Schoen achieved the goal she set as a four-year-old by graduating from veterinary school at the University of Illinois in 1997. As a child, Dr. Swiatkowski enjoyed learning anything and everything he could about animals-because of this.
Bramer Animal Hospital has been a part of the Evanston community for over 80 years. It is an honor for us to serve this community, and we value the trust our clients place in us. We believe in giving back to support organizations that mean a lot to us. We are proud to support the following local, regional and national outreach organizations with our time, talents and resources.
Reviews (28)
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C. W.
Jun 29, 2022
Brought my 2 puppies here since Dr Schoen did such an excellent job with my other dog. She is still amazing and knows how to interact with dogs (of course and their moms!) Very pleased that she answered my questions thoroughly and addressed all my questions. Definitely recommend!
Suzanne S.
May 19, 2022
I should have written this years ago, but to be honest, I wanted to keep Dr. Swiatkowski for myself. He has cared for 4 of my pets, 3 of them through some very tough older years, holding my hand through everything as well as their paws. Dr. Swiatkowski allows you to be a partner in the care of your pet. He tells you your options and lets you decide.

He is very understanding, patient, diligent, and delightfully funny as an added bonus. I have recently moved out of the area and am trying to find a good vet to care for my dog and already I am incredibly frustrated with the lack of personal attention, communication, and heart that comes so naturally to Dr. S.
Juliet G.
May 16, 2022
This is a very, very good veterinary practice, both the doctors and the support and admin staff. They have gone above and beyond to take care of our cat (and me!) over the last 9 years, and if we weren't changing countries there is no way we would ever leave Bramer. If you are looking for a vet, look no further. This is the one.
Jennifer Gerrard
May 05, 2022
We have had wonderful experiences with Bramer. Very professional and kind staff and vets. They have always listened and answered any questions we have had. They were very helpful when we moved overseas and had to do a lot of paperwork for our dog - we appreciated that so much!
Phoebe King
Apr 08, 2022
I recently transferred from another vet hospital to Bramer and couldn't be more pleased. Dr. Resnick (sp) is professional but personable and very comfortable with my animals (2 cats, 1 large dog). The front office staff are competent and super friendly. Check-in and check-out are a breeze and the wait time is minimal (no more than 5 minutes once I was in the exam room with my kitties recently).

And I could hear the staff through the walls gushing about how sweet and cooperative my kitties were when Dr. Resnick took them back to get their shots. Overall friendly, positive vibe at competitive prices. I highly recommend Bramer Hospital.
Bonnie S.
Apr 06, 2022
We have been taking our doggie to Bramer for 11 years. I always feel like we get great attention and care. I could see any of the docs, but Dr Retsek has been our go to!
Emily H.
Feb 27, 2022
We have been going to Bramer since I adopted my bulldog, Gwendolyn, almost 3 years ago. We mostly see Dr Retseck but have also seen 2 of the other vets when she needed an emergency visit on Christmas Eve one year. (I called that morning and they saw her an hour later.) We have been so happy with everyone at Bramer. Between the vets, techs, and front desk staff everyone is so kind and attentive. As far as Covid goes this clinic goes out of their way to keep everyone safe.
Teresa Elward
Feb 19, 2022
I have taken all my dogs to Bramer. The dogs love going there and the staff treats them like royalty :-. I have seen all of the docs at one time or another and have never had a bad experience. They have all been stellar. When needed, they have referred us to a specialist but mostly they have taken care of all of our veterinary needs. Price-wise, they are comparable to others and have even told me I am welcome to get our meds online. Love Bramer!
Laurel O.
Feb 01, 2022
I cannot recommend this vet highly enough. I have been taking my dogs there for over 15 years. They are compassionate, knowledgeable and couldn't be more responsive to their clients. Recently our aging lab has had multiple and different issues going on. Several times we thought he was near the end and every time they fit us in and accommodated Blues health needs. Dr Ken Swiatkowski is hands down the best vet I have ever experienced.

He is the best possible combination of highly intelligent and competent but equally caring. He is also super dedicated to his patients calling after hours, texting on days off. I will always be grateful for how wonderfully they served both my dogs.
Olga Kalantarov Hautin
Jan 18, 2022
The physicians are great, but the scheduling and service are extremely disappointing. They need to improve. I have scheduled an appointment for my cat last week, and was told on the phone that my appointment is at 4:40pm on Monday. I have arrived 4:49 and have been denied entry and was forced to go back and reschedule. The receptionist told me they actually scheduled for 4:30pm and that I didn't receive any confirmation email or message with this time due to IT problems on their side.

Because I was 20min late, according to the time they didn't let me know about, they cannot accept me. Travel by car is traumatic for my older cat, and it is 20min each way from my home. This really should have not happened, and they could have been more flexible and considerate.
Mike Twaddell
Jan 16, 2022
I have been a Bramer Animal Hospital client for 30 years for a good reason - the services, the staff, and the value are all of the most consistently high level. If our pets had voices I'm sure that they'd second this review!
D. G.
Jan 04, 2022
I brought my peanut yesterday due to possible ingestion of sharp ingestion of plastic from chewing a pen shout out to Dr Swiatkowski who took care of my furbaby made sure he was fine, he made me feel that he was the only patient that day.,,h e took his time explaining thoroughly. this am he again took his time to call me personally and get an update from my furbaby thank you so much guys. we need this type of service in this World
Dr. Meggie Smith
Dec 06, 2021
I've seen a few different vets at this practice and they are all great. They take a really good amount of time to fully listen, examine and understand. I've been to a lot of vets and I really like Bramer.
K. S.
Nov 11, 2021
Bramer has been my choice since 1979 when I got my first dog. A wonderful animal hospital. Highly recommended.
Ben P.
Nov 09, 2021
We have sad, mixed feeling about Bramer Animal Hospital. We took many, many cats to them for many years. They were great and kind and helpful and patient. But their attitude is "wait and see". This cost our cats a lot of time that could have been spent getting better. For some, it was too late. Due to Covid, we had to switch to an animal hospital that is a lot closer to our home.

The new hospital is much more pre-emptive in their approach - suggesting more tests and diagnostics. This can get expensive, but at least we are forewarned and know our options. We now left with feelings of regret that we did not act sooner for some of our cats and do more preventative tests. I think Bramer can do more to give people the full range of options/alternatives, instead of their usual cautious (cost-saving?) approach. I am still very grateful to Bramer for years of help. But we will not be returning :(
Valeria P.
Oct 16, 2021
If your pet has a serious condition, don't count on Bramer Animal Hospital. I've taken my dog here for 7 years and I got a sense they really don't care or are unable to treat most common emergencies. The only thing they will do over and over again is refer you to another hospital or vet expert. This happened when my dog had a ruptured ACL and again today when she ate rodent poison.

Today I was just given the number for the poison control line: when I called poison control they told me to get my dog to vomit and call my regular vet. I did so. Bramer Hospital was open: they just told me they had no appointments and referred me to an emergency service. As every pet owner knows, going to emergency hospitals means long waits, unknown vets, and a huge bill.

All that did happen. So if you are looking for a vet that will only take on well visits, this might be ok. If you need a vet that will see you when it actually matters, stay away from this place,
Celia B.
Aug 16, 2021
We have been going to Bramer Animal Hospital for six years with our two dogs. One of our dogs is a sweetheart--anyone would be able and willing to treat her. But the other one is grumpy and a little aggressive. I've been very happy to see that they are treated the same. We see Dr. Schoen, and saw her predecessor (also a woman vet) and couldn't be happier with the overall care.

It is very detailed, to the point that they maintain immunization records and let me know when the dogs need to come in. Their support staff is extremely good, and really know what they are doing. And the hospital is well linked with a nearby emergency vet, so they have backup at night and on weekends. I so appreciate the care we receive from Bramer Animal Hospital and would not go elsewhere!
Harry K.
Jul 08, 2021
Great place to bring your cat for annual check-up. Staff is friendly and helpful. Wilbur the cat seems happy and so am I.
Jon S.
Jul 03, 2021
We have been bringing our cats to Bramer for almost twenty years and just love everything about the hospital. The staff are wonderful, knowledgeable, and compassionate. We had to say goodbye to one of our cats a few years ago and felt complete trust and support through that emotional process. More recently, our other cat had to undergo surgery for an intestinal issue and continues to need support, and he actually seems to look forward to getting in the carrier to see Dr. Swiatkowski (I don't mean to single anyone out because everyone there is great) whose calm and reassuring manner puts our cat at ease. He's also had to deal with another cat of ours who was, suffice to say, a bit of a hellion--but Dr. Swiatkowski handled her with aplomb. All in all, I definitely recommend Bramer to anyone who needs a vet. They're fantastic.
Craig Grzesiakowski
May 31, 2021
Such wonderful people and fantastic service. My babies are particularly and the staff here is great. Everything you look for in a great doctor can be expected here. Great covid protocol in place. Fast, efficient, reliable service. Highly recommend. I've owned dogs my whole life and have had many different experiences and I can say, whole heartedly, that this place is above and beyond. To the staff here, a big thank you, and please keep up the tremendous work you do. My babies thank you too.
Anna C.
Mar 21, 2021
If you have a pet with no special considerations, i'm sure Bramer is a fine place for care. However, in my experience it is a bad fit for large, fearful dogs with special needs. The Bramer team was reluctant to deal with my fearful dog, as a result they overlooked significant aspects of his care. On one occasion after following mild sedation protocols, they became frustrated and turned us away at appointments saying he they still couldn't manage him and insisted that he would have to be fully sedated for any and all exams. Additionally, they misdiagnosed a mast cell tumor as lipoma without aspirating it.

Six months after the tumor misdiagnosis my dog started having seizures and they recommended no treatment or referrals. At that point I decided to seek out a second opinion and took my dog to a new vet where we had a much different and more positive experience. The new vet was able to fully exam my dog without total sedation, including aspirating the tumor which turned out to be cancerous. If you have a dog who hates going to the vet, perhaps look elsewhere. The folks at Bramer will probably thank you since it doesn't seem to be their forte.
Juliet Garrard
Dec 19, 2020
Excellent care, great communication, and lovely people. Our cat has been treated here for the usual annual check ups and shots, has had his teeth cleaned, and was helped during a health emergency a few years ago from which he emerged in great shape. You can trust them with your animals, and it's always a pleasant experience too.
Jill N.
Aug 29, 2020
I have been bringing my cats here since 2001 and have always appreciated the care and professionalism the staff has always brought. With one exception, every veterinarian there has been so helpful. I even had a nurse assist me in getting my cat back from someone who took her thinking she was a stray and not planning on giving her back to me! Above and beyond. Currently, Dr. Retseck has always been so knowledgeable and I feel confident that she and the rest of the staff genuinely care about my cat.
Kingford M.
Aug 28, 2020
While happy to administer regular shots and dispense overpriced meds, when I called this morning reporting that my dog was uncomfortable and scooting on the carpet, I was just told they had ONE appointment an hour from now (which I cannot make happen) or I'd have to wait until November. Now that's what I call customer service. STAY AWAY!
Max C.
Aug 02, 2020
I have been bringing my pets to Bramers since 1991, back when Dr. Hagedorn wasn't the seasoned veteran he is now. I can not speak highly enough about every single veterinarian, vet tech, office and reception workers. Sincerely, this is a group of individuals who are absolutely compassionate when our animals have been ill or had to be euthanized. They never recommend expensive tests unless they are absolutely necessary - even recommending against procedures that would have earned them a sunbtantial amount.
Ann J.
Jul 02, 2020
I have been a client of Bramer Animal Hospital for nearly 20 years, I believe. They have had four of our dogs as patients, and so I have seen nearly every doctor there, because sometimes one of your dogs finds something the squirrels drop in your yard and eats it, or your dog gets sick, hurts their shoulder, gets cancer, etc. So I have definitely been to Bramer for more than routine visits.

I believe they always got it right. My dogs enjoyed long happy lives. (My current "puppy" is a spry 14 year old dachshund we adopted when she was 7.) And they have been super compassionate when the dog's life in this world is over. I find all the Doctors to be super knowledgeable and caring to the animals. I receive all lab results back in a timely fashion.

The front desk staff are always helpful and follow through with appointments, medicine refills, appointment reminders, clear invoicing and much much more. I am always treated with respect. Oh, and they run on time! I have never been left waiting a long time! I will be a client of Bramer's for hopefully a long time to come!
Ryan K.
Jan 21, 2020
This may prove the hardest review I have ever written. I can not speak any higher of the amazing Dr. Retseck. From the very first moment we brought our cat Freya in to have Dr. Retseck take a look at the lump that had formed on her paw, we felt the care and love she has for her job, her patient, and the families. She was gently and caring when she had to deliver the news to us that it tested positive as Cancer, and from that point forward was the most clear and concise as to our options and paths of anyone we talked to.

She was attentive and helpful to our extra calls and e-mails as we set on our course to combat the awful virus that had formed in our little girl. Her patient after care and helpfulness is honestly second to none, and she helped us feel like we had someone on our side who cared and was open to the overflowing amount of questions and concerns we had.

She went above and beyond to provide us names and information on procedures that were beyond Bramer's ability and even continued to take our calls when the other Vet Hospital was lacking in answers, help, and customer care. This all equated to a result of a successful surgery and clean margins post amputation. Most importantly I will forever be grateful to her for the way she handled when the Cancer returned.

Sometimes you can do everything right, but Cancer is unforgiving and it stacks the deck against you. Less than two months after we got those clean margins from the other vet, Dr. Retseck had to deliver the news that it was back and in Freya's chest/Lymphnodes. Once again we were treated with the utmost care and concern by Dr. Retseck and she stood by us giving us care and guidance through our remaining months with Freya.

Although my wife and I are heartbroken by the loss of our baby girl far far too early, we are so very grateful to have had Dr. Retseck's care and guidance. Thank you Dr. Retseck for making one of the hardest times in our lives a little less scary and helping us to feel less alone.
Will Thor Mc
Mar 19, 2019
My entire fur family has been helped here. Recently, I experienced the first departure of one of my pets. It was unexpected and difficult. The staff and doctors were all very helpful and kind. Thanks to their abilities and skill, I was able to have 2 additional months with my little buddy. I will continue to bring my pets here and recommend all others do as well.