SoftSurg Testimonials

What our patient’s families are saying about Dr. Frey.

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Our Testimonials

This review is for an experience we had over 12 years ago with Dr. Tracy Nicole Frey. I can honestly describe Dr. Frey in one word … Amazing!!!  Back in 2011 (yes over 10 years ago), Dr. Frey was our surgeon for both of our little babies, Mochi and Tobiko. Our male Maltese needed his spleen removed and then a month later our girl Maltese needed all her mammary glands removed due to cancer. At the time, my wife and I were a nervous wreck!! We were so fortunate to have Dr.Frey as our surgeon. The experience we had with her resonates even over 10 years later. I clearly remember during the surgery dates that Dr. Frey would patiently explain in clear details how each procedure would be done. Step by step with patience, experience and care. She or a member of her team would come out and keep us informed on how our little one(s) were doing during the surgery. After the healing process, the suture scars were very minimal at most. Evidently, this was just a physical proof of how experienced and professional Dr. Frey truly is. Her team in San Francisco, at that time, was known as “Team Sparkle”. She was most certainly a flash of sparkle at those worrisome, dark times. Her care, compassion and professional skills truly shone. She is the utmost professional surgeon one can only wish for. We will always be forever grateful to you, Dr. Frey, and will always remember you as an angel to our lil babies. We highly, HIGHLY recommend Dr. Frey for all your pet’s surgical needs!

One day post-op front leg amputation: “I’m here with Missy and just wanted to say she is doing so great! We are eternally grateful for what you’ve provided us. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!”

Dr. Frey – we can’t thank you enough for getting Ursa into your schedule so quickly. Through various dog surgeries and owning horses for the last 20 years of my life, I have never seen such a clean and unnoticeable incision site – truly amazing! One day post-op, and Ursa is already resting and ate her first meal back home. I appreciate when our vet can use a surgeon that will make the process smoother for the animals’ benefit. I 100% would recommend you to any dog owners I know! Thank you again!

Dr. Tracey, a referring veterinarian with whom Dr. Frey has worked at several San Diego hospital locations, says, “I just want to tell you how much I value your awesome complement to what we are able to do in general practice. I have been preparing for upcoming appointments and have come across multiple patients for whom you have assisted in providing excellent surgical care. I don’t get to thank you often enough, but you are amazing and such a valued team member no matter where I am practicing 😀”

Dr. Frey is fantastic! We met Dr. Frey when one of my twin Australian Kelpies needed to have a tiny cancerous mass removed a few months ago. After surgery, he was very loopy from the anesthesia and cried a bunch, so naturally, being a helicopter mom (my doggies are my fur children and my whole world!) I texted poor Dr. Frey back and forth as a worried dog mom for an hour or so and she was SO there for me. She had actually prepared a great take-home packet with info explaining how dogs tend to whimper from surgery-induced dysphoria which was spot on. But of course, I had to be sure he wasn’t in pain so I texted her anyway. She was everything I needed. She calmed me down, educated me on what it likely was causing the crying, and totally held my hand through it with helpful suggestions. My little boy was totally fine. I was so appreciative of her. He healed up beautifully and now he is happy and cancer-free!

Fast forward to last week. Yep. His twin brother needed the same procedure. Of course I was determined to have Dr. Frey do it. The day I initially wanted to do it her calendar was full, of course, likely because she’s so good! So I waited an extra week knowing my little guy needs the best. This one went even better. He’s thriving!

So grateful for Dr. Frey and our amazing vet for recommending her. I’m thrilled with our veterinary team and highly recommend them. It’s apparent how much they love animals, are knowledgeable and experienced, AND they’re good with the pet parents. Normally you get one or two of those but they nail all 3. For ANYONE that needs Dr. Frey for surgery, don’t worry any more than you have to. Your fur baby will be in loving hands!

Words can hardly describe my appreciation for Dr. Frey. Finding out our 8 year old maltipoo, Charlie, had a perineal hernia was by far one of the scariest experiences. We were recommended by our vet in San Diego that Dr. Frey would be the absolute best surgeon to handle his case. We had just moved to the East coast days before finding out he needed surgery. We immediately booked a ticket out of Washington, DC to fly to San Diego for his surgery the next day. There was no hesitation whatsoever. All we knew was Dr. Frey was the best in our vet’s eyes and that’s who we wanted for Charlie. This turned out to be the best decision we’ve ever made.

Not only was Dr. Frey a professional, but a genuinely caring person who made our family and pet feel so comfortable during what can really be a scary time. Dr. Frey isn’t a typical surgeon, who you hardly have any contact with pre-surgery and who treats you like any other dog owner with a pup in need. Dr.Frey spends time with you and your dog. She gets to know you, your pet and thoroughly goes over the details of what’s going to happen during surgery, along with what recovery is going to look like post operation. Having that conversation with Dr. Frey made me feel so comfortable. I was able to trust in her immediately because her compassion just shines through.

Pre-operation and the days following, Dr. Frey kept me abreast of everything and stayed in contact with me, ensuring that all was well with Charlie. I have nothing but pure confidence in Dr. Frey and her abilities in her field. Dr. Frey is a real person, who makes you feel like she loves your pet just as much as you do!

Every surgery has risks and right before Charlie went off for surgery, I thought to myself, if anything happens to Charlie during surgery, I believe so strongly that even if Charlie didn’t make it, Dr. Frey had my full trust that she would be the surgeon and person to do everything she possibly could to save his life. To feel that type of comfort was more than I could have ever hoped for and sums up my respect and appreciation for Dr. Frey.

You did surgery on our dog Kelso a week and a half ago to remove his gallbladder. Within a few days he was behaving almost completely normal again. Less than a week after surgery we had to work really hard to keep him from jumping, running or playing with his brother. Now he’s like a completely new dog. He has more energy than he’s had in a long time. Thank you for everything 🙂

Hello, Dr. Frey!

I wanted to let you know that Pancho healed incredibly, and is doing great! Since the surgery, he has become even more energetic than before! Even though it didn’t seem like the hernia was causing him any pain, it makes me wonder if it was and we just didn’t know it. He’s always been a happy boy, but as soon as he made a full recovery, he seemed to a be puppy all over again. He’s been full of energy and joy for life! Every day we give thanks that we found you, and are so appreciative for such a seamless experience, with such an ideal outcome! I am happy to share our experience to help others find the right surgeon for their furry friends! Thank you again for your expertise and kind, professional approach! You are truly an angel and miracle worker!

Hello Dr. Frey,

I wanted to write you a sincere thank you for the amazing care you gave Rupert. I have never forgotten. Despite the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and intestinal lymphoma that the biopsies showed, he’s doing AMAZING. He was completely back to normal within a couple months, playful, and now he’s even quite plump as I let him eat as much as he wants ^_^ He’s been under the care of an oncologist and is taking medication, although we can’t be certain how to explain his incredible course over the past 8 months. The oncologist said this is unprecedented! My husband, children, and I were all praying for Rupert’s recovery and we know you are a part of this miracle. It all started with his major and urgent surgery that he received just in time. Had it not been for you, I know he wouldn’t be here.

I can’t express what it has meant to have had Rupert for all this extra time. He has slept next to my head almost every night since I adopted him 15 years ago, and with my husband deployed this past year, it has been especially meaningful to have had my little guy with me. So, thank you. I will always be grateful, and your care and surgical precision will never be forgotten.

My family and I couldn’t be more pleased and appreciative of the stellar work done by Dr. Tracy Frey. Our 4-year-old English Staffy needed surgery and we were nervous and uncertain to put it mildly. Dr. Frey’s initial consultation walked us through the various options and really put us at ease; her combination of undeniable expertise and genuine compassion for our beloved pup brought us a lot of comfort. The surgery and recovery were very smooth, surely thanks to Dr. Frey’s skill and experience. Moreover, she was available for weeks post-surgery for guidance on the recovery process and kind, thorough and thoughtful responses to our many questions. I wish all medical professionals delivered this level of service and expertise. We were so fortunate that our four-legged family member was in her care.

Hi Dr. Frey,

We wanted to reach out and say THANK YOU for the great work you performed on Harley. You successfully performed a Left Anal Saculectomy for Mass Removal. Harley had a check up today and he is a healthy happy boy. It is hard to believe he is 10.5 years old because he has the spunk and carisma of a 2 year old! Two years earlier you had completed the same surgery on Harley’s sister Angel! Angel’s surgery was a little more involved as she had to have a lymph node and spleen removed as well. She recovered so amazingly well and your surgery stitches are perfection. You really can’t see her scars at all. Thank you again for your kindness the night before surgery and spending time on the phone with me and thank you for your wisdom and skill that will now give us a little more time with our sweet boy and girl. We have felt so blessed to have you in our life during 2 very difficult times with Harley and Angel. We always pray that God sends us the right person to help us in tough times and he certainly did when he sent us you. Thank you for your education, skill and beautiful caring spirit.

Hi Dr. Frey!

It was one year ago last month that you saved my boy Ollie’s life with perineal urethrostomy (PU) surgery at our regular vet’s office. He has been thriving since then and hasn’t had any more blocking issues (knock on wood)!

Just wanted to say thank you again. He means so much to me and I’m so happy to see him healthy. He had blocked three times before his surgery and I was so worried about putting him through it. But you took wonderful care of him and he healed beautifully. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Dr. Frey is not an ordinary veterinarian in any way. She is the finest – the cream of the crop – in terms of knowledge, experience, and depth of care. Not only did she support my dog’s health by successfully removing a mast cell tumor at the base of her ear, and saving her ear and likely her life, but she went so incredibly above and beyond to ensure that my Ellie remained safe and healthy. She took time to explain to me what she had done in surgery and why and answered the many follow up questions I had, consulted with others in her field to help me determine follow up steps when I was reviewing my options, and even responded to a question about a family member’s pet when I had an issue. She recognizes that pets are family, and she treats each patient – and their owners – with such dedication and care. I wouldn’t go anywhere else if you need an oncological surgeon. She is simply the best.