We have been bringing our dog and two cats to Dr. Walker at Best Friends for almost 5 years. We’ve had many visits including a few surgeries. We think Dr. Walker is a fantastic surgeon. Many friends and neighbors have commented on what a beautiful job she did—no scars whatsoever!
The staff has always been so helpful and caring. Even though we’ve moved twice out of the neighborhood, we wouldn’t go anywhere else!
Diane & Nicki Guyton Cleo, Max & Patches
We were thrilled when a vet’s office opened w/in walking distance of our house, and over the years Dr. Walker and her friendly and reliable staff have helped us negotiate the various stages of our pets’ growth whether it was a new kitten’s first check up or an aging dog’s illnesses.
Dr. Walker has been the only vet our 7 year old Golden Retriever, Leo, has ever known, and though he still doesn’t like coming to his annual appointments, he is warmly welcomed and spends most of his time eating treats and wagging his tail.
When our much older Sheltie, Lily, started showing signs of possible diabetes last year, it was Dr. Walker who confirmed the diagnosis and gave us the information we needed to plan for Lily’s future. Our personal experiences with family members and previous pets made this a particularly difficult diagnosis. Ultimately we weighed all of the factors concerning Lily, who had alot of health issues over the past few years, and made a plan to move forward w/o insulin treatment. Our goal was to manage her illness until her lifestyle was greatly compromised or she was in pain. Even though this was a hard choice to make, Dr. Walker did not judge us for our decision and checked in with us regularly to see how Lily was doing. Lily had a great final couple of months, but when the time came to put her down, it was a peaceful and compassionate experience.
Dr. Walker is a warm, empathetic, professional with a personable, caring staff. They all made a very sad experience manageable and we look forward to years of future pet care with them as our resource for whatever may come.
James & Kathleen Meyer
I will never forget the day we met Dr. Walker and her staff. It was a September afternoon when our basset hound, Astro, began to have a seizure. Frantic, we called our vet right away. After they informed us they would ‘try to fit us in, but we may have to wait’, we quickly got into our car and began to drive in pursuit of a veterinarian—any veterinarian.
As we tried to comfort Astro, I vaguely remembered seeing a office near my school. We pulled up and rushed Astro inside Best Friends Veterinary Medical Center. The staff immediately dropped everything to rush our Astro back. Before they even knew our name, Dr. Walker and her staff instantly dropped to the floor comforting Astro with blankets and stabilizing his condition. I knew at that moment we had found a new veterinarian.
We were devastated to find out that Astro had cancer. Dr. Walker provided excellent care to Astro and helped us through a very difficult time. Astro now lives on through our boys, Cosmo and Turbo.
Dr. Walker is one of the most warm and compassionate people I have ever met. Her knowledge and sincere love for animals is admirable and we feel so fortunate to have her in our lives.
Corinne & Spencer
Taking my kitty KC to the vet had always been a chore, filled with embarrassment and guilt. It usually took two vet techs, the vet and myself to hold her down for any procedure—and this was after she had been rolled up tight in a towel.
The very first time that Dr. Walker cared for KC I thought she might be crazy for not calling in the troops. Yet, I was wrong. Dr. Walker’s gentle voice, her warm patience, possibly her aura was all KC needed to ensure her that she was safe. It took Dr. walker and her alone to draw blood from her in the blink of an eye. KC just sat as if she was being scratched under the chin in her favorite spot. Simple as that and at that moment I knew that Dr. Walker was the one for my furry family and me.
KC is gone now. She lived to be 18 years old and her daughter Calie slipped away this past July at the age of 20. I was truly humbled by the overwhelming support, goodwill and kindness Dr. Walker and her staff offered during the illness and passing of KC and Calie. I was reassured by their caring quality that KC and Calie’s quality of life was seen through to the end.
I still have two cats, Sassy and Dominique. We continue to visit Dr. Walker for routine check ups. Unfortunately Dominique was recently diagnosed with a life threatening illness. Although I am very saddened by the thought of losing Dominique I know that she is being cared for by the very best. Knowing this will help carry me through this difficult time.
No words can express my thanks for the outstanding treatment that we all receive from Dr. Walker and her staff. A thousand thank yous for all you do.
Patty Schnabel
We love Dr. Walker and Best Friends Veterinary Medical Center.
Dr. Walker is the best vet I have ever known. She sincerely cares about our family and that caring shines through in every interaction.
My 4 year old Lab, Lola, who was a reluctant patient with previous vets, joyfully bounds into Dr. Walker’s door every time we go in for a visit. And we see Dr. Walker a lot since Lola likes to eat everything in sight—socks, tennis balls, underwear, hamster food and window frames. Lola actually gets more excited going to the vet than she does day-care.
Dr. Walker does a great job of educating pet owners. I’ve learned how to recognize when Lola is sick, what plants and foods are bad, the importance of brushing my pet’s teeth and more.
Dr. Walker also does a phenomenal job of patient follow up. She and/or her associates always call to check on how Lola is doing after any cold or surgery. I highly recommend Dr. Walker and Best Friend’s Animal Clinic to everyone I know. No one in Portland is a better veterinarian.
Shana & Lola, the chocolate lab
We met Dr. Walker in November of 2007. Our darling thirteen year old cat, Cleofus Jane, had just been flown across country from Miami to Portland due to a move our family had made. She lost some weight on the trip and was eating less.
We took her to Dr. Walker expecting to hear something simple. Unfortunately, Cleofus had cancer. Dr. Walker talked to us in depth about treatment options. She spoke openly and honestly to us about the progress of Cleofus’s cancer and was realistic concerning the results of all possible treatments. She offered biopsies, possible radiation, anything we thought would be appropriate, while also providing us with enough information to make the right decision. My husband and I prayed about what to do. Cleofus was our child, our baby. While we wanted to see her life extended, we wanted her to maintain her quality of life. We chose the option of hospice.
Dr. Walker provided Cleofus with pain medications the last months of her life. She saw Cleofus as often as we requested, often one or two times a week. When Cleofus was dehydrated she offered fluids, when she was constipated she offered relief. Cleofus was able to live her last months on earth was peace and dignity. When her quality of life declined to the point she had to be put to sleep, Dr. Walker let us know she was available at any time for us. She offered to meet us in our home or at her office whenever my husband and I thought Cleofus was suffering.
When that time came Dr. Walker met us on a Saturday afternoon and gave Cleofus dignified ending. Cleofus’s death was a devastating loss for our family. Dr. Walker sent us a sympathy card and a book on healing after losing a cat. She was with our family every step of the way.
While we did not see Dr. Walker for a few months we were happy to reunite with her this spring to introduce our new family members, Lucy and Bella. Lucy and Bella are wonderful, energetic kittens whom we adopted at a local animal shelter. They came home to us with colds and ear mites. While the shelter offered free visits for the next month we declined. We wanted the girls to meet their doctor! Dr. Walker greeted us with a smile and a hug.
Now she is providing us with the tools to raise kittens. She offered us advice on immunizations, weight control and behavioral issues. I am glad to know our girls will have us an amazing veterinarian to take care of them all the days of their life. Thank you Dr. Walker for all you have done, and continue to do for us!
Don & Kerry , Lucy & Bella
We have two rescue kitties, and for the past five years their care has required Dr. Walker’s expertise about hair loss, weight management, teeth issues and injuries.
One of our kitties was a scratcher, and we needed advice about how to minimize her scratching without a declawing operation (she’s an indoor cat). Dr. Walker educated us about our options, and we ultimately chose a tendonectomy. We did some more research and found that no other vets in town are as knowledgeable or helpful as Dr. Walker, and few even offer the procedure. She held our hands—and paws—through the simple process and made it a positive experience. Our active cat didn’t miss a beat after the procedure, she was playing as usual. Dr. Walker personally called us the nights before and after the procedure to make sure we felt comfortable with the process, and she was patient and supportive while answering all our questions.
Later we referred another cat to Dr. Walker for the same procedure, and his people gave her a glowing review, too! In addition to Dr. Walker’s expertise and professional excellence, she’s a fun, caring person whom we’re glad to have as a trusted advisor.
Max, JJ, Chia & Sunny Lee
In the ten years Dr. Janelle Walker has been my veterinarian, she has proven herself to be a compassionate and very experienced caretaker of my many cats. Animals are never rushed through her clean and thoughtfully designed exam rooms. She will explain what options are available to your pet for care, in addition to her recommendation.
In complicated cases, Dr. Walker will not hesitate to consult or refer patients to specialists. She always has the best interest of the animal at heart. Her sensitivity extends to owners, and there are many of us who have been calmed and comforted by her support. She will even make house calls! She cares not just about the cure but the comfort of her patients as they heal and offers pain relief when warranted.
I can unreservedly recommend Dr. Walker as a dedicated veterinarian who I trust completely with the care and keeping of those I hold dear.
Connie
“Dr. Walker does a great job of educating pet owners. I’ve learned how to recognize when Lola is sick, what plants and foods are bad, the importance of brushing my pet’s teeth and more.”
— Shana & Lola, the chocolate lab
“Taking my kitty KC to the vet had always been a chore. It usually took two vet techs, the vet and myself to hold her down for any procedure. The very first time Dr. Walker cared for KC, her gentle voice, and warm patience was all KC needed to ensure her that she was safe. At that moment I knew that Dr. Walker was the one for my furry family and me.”
— Patty Schnabel