VCA Canada Vancouver Animal Emergency and Referral Centre

First I need to say I've been coming to VCA for years, and my review only reflects a single visit. Unfortunately this one time left a very big concern.I understand there is a shortage of vets who care for small animals/exotics. So when the nurse told me the one on shift that day couldn't see my dear one, I understood.As I begin grieving, my frustration is at the fact that no one at the front desk mentioned this to me, not over the phone when I called ahead, when I checked in, or when I sat there almost 2 hours waiting for a nurse. Maybe those 2 hours could have made a difference. Maybe not. Maybe my pet would have been less stressed going to one less vet that day.Please train your front desk better, when someone is dealing with a life or death emergency, extra care goes a long way. They should be aware of the vets on shift.As I mentioned above, this review does not reflect on my usual caring experiences at this hospital.

I’m blown away by the red carpet service we have experienced so far! In my 13 years of being a dog mom, I’ve never felt better about the care my dog is receiving and the customer service I am receiving. Every staff member has been competent, caring, thoughtful, diligent and knowledgeable. I had some questions for the doctor following my dogs visit and in most cases at other hospitals that would have been an extra fee. The receptionist offered to have the doctor call me free of charge and she was so lovely! I would give the 7 stars out of 5 if I could. Top notch in every aspect.

The wait times are unbelievable. Why they only treat one pet at a time is absolutely ridiculous when it’s an EMERGENCY hospital.Absolutely go somewhere else if you have a choice!My girl was vomiting consistently for four nights in a row and I went there on the third night they told me it would be a two hour wait which I declined as her vital signs were normal, and we were just exhausted. Then the following night I went back and they said it would be a two hour wait again turned out to be over three hour wait and they don’t let you know when there’s a problem with one of the other pets ahead of you. So had to leave again and my pup has still not seen a vet. they also kept us separated for two hours. until I finally said, I’ve had enough and I want my dog. Serious disappointment

My dog fell and we were extremely worried because we thought he had broken his leg. We took him to the emergency room, and the service was great. Staff were super friendly, and they explained everything, they let us know in advance that it was going to take a long time for our dog to be taken care of, but we still waited. It took exactly the time they said it was going to take and the service was great and for a reasonable price. You can call ahead to ask the waiting times.

They tried charging us $4000 to test and treat my dog for his GI issues. Dr.Tara White had zero empathy and was not patient to answer our questions. She probably thought since we couldn’t afford the bill, we were there to waste her time. We brought him in to our old vet and did blood test. Turned out he had pancreatitis. We spent less than $700, and now he is doing great! If you are looking to go to an emergency, we recommend Canada West. The doctors there would not give you sloppy reasons to all the different tests and exams they recommend your dog to go through. They certainly will not tell you, “I only suggest necessary exams. If you have budget issues, go with the bandaid solution.” If you had good reasons to perform these tests, we would have paid for them. They simply lack professionalism and treat animals as money making stocks. Please have some morals, Dr. Tara White.

I came here a couple of nights ago with my sphynx cat , as she had sudden and extreme eye pain. The doctor we saw here was absolutely fantastic and recommended the perfect course of action. I wish we could switch to her as our permanent veterinarian. The team at the front desk was also absolutely phenomenal-very carrying professional and polite. A couple of days after our visit we even got an email asking how Mimi was doing.For people complaining that the wait is long, it is an emergency vet. Also as I waited, I have seen many people coming in with non emergencies expecting to be seen right away. It is not how it works.

I am so thankful to have had an excellent experience, given the circumstances, at VCA. My cat had a complete urinary blockage that they were able to resolve quickly and has since made a speedy recovery thanks to them. After a terrible night, I found my cat unable to walk due to the pain - VCA received us efficiently and immediately took him into their care before even checking in. The staff were all very friendly - they let me come into the treatment area to see my cat before leaving him for the night, and the conditions he would be in for the next few days looked clean and well managed. The veterinarian we spoke to was well spoken, knowledgeable, and professional. They inspired confidence in his treatment plan and recovery. Due to this I would highly recommend VCA, and though emergency vet bills suck, you'll be well assured your money is going towards excellent emergency treatment of your animal. Can't thank them enough!

I took my 4 month old chihuahua in after he had some concerning symptoms and I thought he may had ingested something on our walk. The receptionist on the phone was wonderful, she gave me the instructions and told me what to do. I went down to the hospital and she met me outside. She was very friendly and reassuring. My puppy has had 2 out of 3 sets of shots so he couldn’t go inside with the other dogs. They found me a room to wait in which was very much appreciated as normally you would have to wait outside of your dog isn’t fully vaccinated.We were seen in a timely manner. The staff were very accommodating and explained everything before hand. Turns out my puppy ingested some THC at the park which luckily didn’t require any treatment. The staff explain any possible costs before hand so you can have an idea what the costs are and can consent to them. Because my puppy didn’t need any treatment and was seen quickly, I wasn’t charged anything for the visit. I would trust my pet with VCA anytime in the future. From the phone call to the visit they were helpful, friendly and supportive every step of the way.

1 star is far too much. My dog is dead. My dog that was so full of life and love, and should have had years to go is dead after surgery at VCA. Any surgery can go wrong and I gave the benefit of the doubt to these experts"

I brought my dog in today after he ate something that was causing him incredible distress. Everyone in the clinic was helpful and kind. After an initial vet review, they brought him out to let me know that his vitals were good, but he'd need further support. However, since they had quite a few more serious cases ahead of him, it would be hours before they could get to him, so they instead booked me an appointment at the clinic down the street. The clinic was able to help my dog quicker than they could have. They didn't charge me for this visit. I appreciated their quick assessment of my dog and the honesty about the wait.