Veterinary care gets real when the dog is scared, sick, huge, complicated, or dying. Vida has met…read morethose moments for me across four dogs and 13 years.
My current dog, Mama, is a 140-pound Bullmastiff rescue from a puppy mill. She recently came in for an ear infection and wedged herself under my chair in the lobby like she was trying to disappear. Naturally, she got stuck. Vida handled her calmly and competently, with no drama. They called between visits to check on her and didn't charge for the follow-up.
That is what I've come to appreciate.
When Mama once refused to get out of the car for vaccinations, the vet came outside and treated her while she crouched in the passenger footwell. When Anja, my independent white shepherd, needed coaxing, they worked with her temperament. Peanut butter helped. When Roger, my stoic pandemic dog, developed cancer, they explained the tradeoffs between extending his life and protecting his quality of life. I never felt pressured or rushed.
And when Churro, my starved Bullmastiff rescue, reached the end, they were exceptional. He was taller than Mama, only 90 pounds, aggressive, complicated, and dying from cirrhosis of the liver. They didn't judge him or flinch. They gave him dignity, and they gave me space to cry and say goodbye.
Vida is clean, organized, responsive, easy to schedule online, and transparent about costs. They are not cheap. But that's the price of unconditional love.
The front desk is usually efficient and welcoming, though one recent visit felt more abrupt than usual.
I would recommend Vida without hesitation, especially for large, complicated, and deeply loved dogs. They know how to take care of our fur babies as well as the person attached to them.
