We started going to Island Vetinary Hospital when my dog was a puppy during covid. They loved him as a puppy and he has always been very loveable, but as he got older, he started disliking going there and would behave badly when he was there. At this time, I also started opting out of their very expensive plans and advice on additional add ons. We did all of the required vaccines and treatments but would turn down their dog plans and stopped buying things in advance (they will push you to purchase flea/tick 6 months in advance and things like that). I noticed that their attitude started changing towards me and my dog at this point, they labelled him as aggressive and seemed to judge me for getting my dog from a breeder and would tell me all sorts of preconceived judgement towards the breed. They told me he had allergies that required expensive treatments and were more than happy to give him cytopoint and aquopel. I eventually switched vets and have none of these issues at our new one. It is a shame that the vet/vet assistants are like this, as the reception is so amazing. read more

I'm a new dog owner and I tried calling two other AHAA vets before calling Island Vet and both of them said they are not taking new dogs even though I think my dog needed somewhat urgent medical attention. Island Vet said I could bring in my dog that very day. They are very responsive and provided timely lab results. The suggested treatment plan is very extensive as far as tests and dental cleaning and I'll be declining almost everything they suggested. I don't think the quality of care they are giving my dog is compromised by these extensive suggestions, they are taking good care of my dog, he's getting well with the medication they provided. read more

Warning - they will do unnecessary and harmful surgery and phone you several times in the duration of surgery to scare you to death sounding very chipper about it... It's happened to many in the community - this is the only reason I'm posting this. Experience and observation over several years living nearby... This happened to us perhaps 5 years ago and I thought it was just me that thought they were very, very scary odd (bubbly over horrifying things) and cruel in their handling of a simple situation. However, since then I have talked to many in the community with the identical experience. Several happy Island vet people in my building have had dog's go in (to me) looking happy and normal and having extensive back surgeries or other surgeries - what are the odds? And now have issues. What clinched it was I took a taxi (to another vet) and the driver said never, never go to Island Vet, he took his cat there for something small, and they gave him thousands of dollars in unnecessary surgeries. Emotionally he told me, "They phoned me seven times!" to basically terrify him. The same thing happened to me . They found nodules, did a routine surgery and phoned several times in a weirdly bright, animated voice to say things like, "It's so weird, I don't know why but her skin is like rice paper - it's literally falling apart in my hands!" "She's almost in pieces" and when we picked her up, "She almost didn't make it!" I talked to other vets since who said this is absurd about dog's skin, it was tested etc... and a simple procedure where this NEVER could have happened - they were shocked and baffled - it remains one of the most disturbing, ugly human encounters in my life as the girl sounded almost revved up/enthusiastic/energized saying things that almost destroyed me. The more I live n this community the more dogs I see who, "oh can't walk the stairs," after trips to their surgery - and I was walking with them just days before!! They lay it on so thick, sitting on the floor and acting like they are in Sesame Street with your pet but that is also a sign that they are putting on a huge act - please be careful. My dog had horrible digestive issues for years since the surgery. 5 years later she died from related conditions - I can't connect it to them, but I still regret it. I did not regret it then, I was grateful she was alive. Many of the older people in my building rave about Island Vet, "They are such sweet girls! They did this amazing surgery," So I always thought I was imagining it, they couldn't be that way... this is why I am writing this 5 years later after talking to the taxi driver who had a bizarrely similar experience down to the t - and after hearing story after story of surgery and complications done on perfectly healthy dogs and realizing that the odds of that number of back surgeries, identical, for the small dog population in my building are completely off. Why could my neighbor's dog walk the stairs before seeing them but never after? read more

They're very good at contradicting themselves with their advice and excellent at guilt-tripping pet owners with a wide variety of tests.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ If you wouldn't miss your first born go right ahead and sell it to go in here. Crazy expensive, vets all try to sucker you in to crazy things. read more

I think the Vets at this clinic are very knowledgeable and courteous, but I did feel like I was being gouged a couple times. The first question anyone (and everyone) at that clinic asks, at every visit, is "Do you have pet insurance?" Which I have found is usually a red flag. I got a second opinion after a high quote over a broken K-9 tooth (a while back) and saved myself about $700. I still go there to buy medicated shampoo and other pet supplies occasionally, but it's tough to get in during their business hours because they are pretty much on "banking hours." read more

Very pleased with the care they just gave our 15 year old cat. They did not try to over-do with tests and treatments, just treated the infection with antibiotics and gave the guy a blood test which showed he will need to be on thyroid meds for the remainder of his life. Like with anything, it's good to have a general knowledge and do a little research on your own for pet illnesses and if you do that prior to going to this or any vet, you will know what questions to ask and how to proceed with any suggested treatments but I did not find them pushy at all - they gave just the right level of care and follow up. All the staff is very friendly, it's a convenient location with good parking, has good rates for the wellness check (I've been quoted at other vets more than double of what Island charges for a wellness check). We will be bringing in the dogs shortly for shots. read more

Brought my dog in here with a tumor in his leg had already done 3 needle tests and an xray and they couldnt find anything wrong. Their first recommendation was to amputate the leg and they wouldnt even do the surgery to remove it. Wanted us to just continue doing expensive mri's and another xray. We went to another vet and had the tumor removed 2 days later he is completely fine now it was just a fatty growth. While being put through hoops and all these tests at island vet the growth tripled in size if i had gone somewhere else to begin with my dog would have suffered much less. read more

I agree with Angeline Z's comment. Vets are knowledgable when it comes to conventional treatment but not open to other modalities of care i.e holistic treatment. One of the Vet is Very pushy and suggested to euthanize your pet if you don't do the conventional way of treating illness. The other vet that examined my cat seems nice and caring but suggests overwhelming examination that is not probably necessary at that time. saved me $$ for not agreeing to the test, so i suggested something else instead (which turned out to be cheaper) and result was normal. Thank goodness i have a medical background. Vets who really care for animals will analyze and treat the cause, not the symptoms of a disease. Vets should be more open minded and work with pet owners who are looking for more alternative treatment for their pets. I treated one of my cats eye infection with colloidal silver without bringing her to the vet. There are only 3 vets that i know who do alternative treatment but unfortunately, they are not in Richmond area...too bad, so sad:-( read more

I've been pleased with the care they have given my wolf. Prices are decently priced and they are very informative about your options.

I have only been a client for about a year, but have had many appointments with my two elderly dogs. Last week Dr. Yvonne helped me euthanize my beloved dog. The staff have all been so compassionate and highly involved with my little family. I can truly call them all friends and feel honored to have them on my side. Anyone would be lucky to have them as a veterinary team. Thank you island vet read more

I have been bringing my dog to Dr. Dumont for several years. My dog is a senior dog so we make more trips than we used to over the last little while. We both love this vet clinic having been to several. They staff is helpful and friendly and always have enough time to answer my questions. I never feel like I'm being pushed into treatments and I am made to understand everything that happens. They have really good prices too! read more

The vets and assistants at Island Veterinary Hospital are lovely, helpful and informed. I have a small dog and she was not feeling very great this morning, they were able to fit me in last min and treated my dog like a princess. I get free dog diet help, weigh-in's and advice here. They make me feel like my dog is the best dog they have ever seen, I know they see a lot of animals so it is nice to feel special. read more

I work in Richmond and wanted to take my 11 year-old yellow lab, Remy, somewhere close to my work for her check up. I tried Island Veterinary Hospital and will never go anywhere else. The location is great, there is tons of parking, the staff are super friendly and the Vets are extremely knowledgeable. They recommended some meds to help with Remy's arthritis and she is like a new dog. Her pain is gone and she didn't show any of the side effects that she experienced when using meds recommended by other clinics. They also gave me tips on how to bring down her weight and her health is better than ever. I will never take Remy anywhere else. read more

Unprofessional and uncaring practice. Lack of transparency in procedures and knowledge with felines. Miss diagnosed terminal illness with poor/unprofessional follow up. This caused emotional stress and lingering issues with pet insurance. When inquired regarding insurance issues, the clinic took a very uncaring approach simply stating the patient is no longer with the hospital (after the miss diagnose I transferred clinic ) therefore they cannot assist further and its up to the other clinic. Overall terrible experience would not recommend for any cat owners. read more

Don't regret switching vets! staff and vets are great there! They give excellent service and i appreciate them for their work!

To be honest, I cannot recommend this clinic. We felt the vet tried to sell us as much service as possible as I'm upset because I feel ripped off. Therefore, I feel I have to share my experience. In a recent "emergency," which was later proved to not be one, she told us we could still pay $300 for our cat to stay there even after she told us it's nothing at all. Another example: when we brought our 5 month old kittens in, we were told we needed to get them proper dental cleaning ASAP (even though they were just kittens!). Then, my boyfriend's mother pointed out, "But if their teeth are baby teeth, wouldn't they just fall out?" The people there were silent for a while, and then were like "Oh yeah...that's true...oh well." So the next time we went there, we were given an estimate close to $1000 bucks for ONE kitten's cleaning. We asked around, called other vets, even talked to our relatives who are vets in the US about it - and we found the price is just simply ridiculous. Not to mention that the two times we went there (one for a regular check-up and vaccination, the other for the aforementioned mild emergency), we had completely no idea how much it would cost until we were paying about $300 each time at the counter. Did I mention they also charged us $10 for two kid toothbrushes and two toothpaste samples that were given as "samples"? For sure, this clinic is clean, the front staff is very nice, but I won't recommend it to anyone unless you are someone that wants to pay all that $$$ for the fancy bits. If that's your thing, go for it. You never know how much it will cost until you pay. read more

started going here a few years ago with my 2 cats, although they are very good and knowledgeable they are extremely expensive and are very pushy about doing unnecessary tests. they had been very pushy about me bringing one of my cats in for more blood work, x rays and another health exam when that was already done months before (everything was ok). on top of that, they bombarded me with phone calls (5 calls in one month, including 1 email) because they wanted to know when i was bringing my cat in. i explained to them 2 times that i would call them when i could book the appointment and continued to call me 3 more times after that. i was hesitant to refuse the testing because there is a review on google from a woman who brought in her cat and she refused more testing and they threatened to report her to the SPCA...that scared me. every time i would leave any appointment, the bill would be outrageous (even just for a basic health exam). i decided to take my cats elsewhere and was told they really dont need that testing done unless i really wanted to but might be a good idea to do it once a year (i agreed) and was happy that they left it up to me and didnt push. dont get me wrong, island vet is good but i felt uncomfortable with the pushiness and the unexpected costs. read more

My family recently moved to Richmond so I was looking for a new vet for our pets. I read several reviews, but not the ones on Yelp which I regret now, but I have to agree with the other reviews that say it's very overpriced and definitely not worth the extra cost. Our dog (just getting his yearly shot) and new kitten (first vet visit and shots) totaled $480. Simply outrageous. It's my fault for not requesting a quote, because based on the reviews I read before I made the appointment not a single one said anything about them being expensive, but I will NOT be returning and will never recommend them to anyone. While they were very nice, I am 100% positive I can find the same quality treatment, experience and friendly staff for a fraction of that price. I have had pets my whole life and have never ever paid this much for the basic appointments. I am terribly disappointed in myself for not researching this before hand, but just a warning to anyone else considering them, be prepared to sell a kidney to make sure your pets stay happy and healthy with this vet. read more

My story starts on February 2nd of 2016. I've got back home from work and noticed right away that somethings wrong with my dog. He wouldn't touch his food and stay really quiet. It didn't get better so the next day on Wednesday we ended up taking him to Island Veteran Hospital in Richmond. I've been there many times before and trusted them with my dogs health. They checked my dog and told me it's nothing major, it's just a flue. She gave me some pills and collected $500 of me. Two days later on Friday I ended up going back to the vet because nothing has changed was concerned that my dog has "blowing" since his stomach was swollen, but they told it's not. So he ended up taking an xray and gave me for 10 days water pills. That cost me again $500. The xray was useless because he told me he isn't professional and doesn't have a lot of experience with xrays, so we would have to go to Canada West Emergency in Vancouver. Well that's just typical! Thank god I ended up at Canada West, because their doctor noticed right away that our dog has water filled in his stomach and a tumor around his heart. His heart was working only 50% the doctor told me. I'm really upset and frustrated with Island Veteran Hospital for not hearing the difference in his heart beat. Taking xrays for no reason just to make me pay $ 500 and sold me pills for 10 days that I don't even need! For me it's a rip off, they only think about the money before your dog's health. I can't recommend this clinic at all! My dog passed away on Saturday. Two different Doctors and no one recognise that's something wrong with his heard. They should be hear the difference and if so maybe he would be still alive. read more

A friend suggested to take my 10 year old dog to her vet. I am so glad I followed her recommendation. I was extremely pleased with the level of care my Gigi received. Everyone was very friendly, professional, compassionate and super kind treating my pet. I also appreciate the information I was given about the equal monthly instalments dental care at 0% interest which I will definitely take advantage of. Thank you Dr. Van Duin and staff for everything you did and please keep up the amazing work. read more

I disagree on the price, if your an animal lover they'll pray on you.$450 for a kittens first checkup? For instance a $5 flea comb works way better than the $50 flea drops, and better for the kitty....but they dont sell flea combs. I've been going to Landsdowne since. read more

Island veterinary hospital in Richmond is absolutely amazing. Just getting back from a visit as our dog Gizzy got a perineal hernia, and I can honestly say I've never been this impressed with a vet in all the time we've had him (13 years). Jodie was super thorough both with her exam of Gizzy as well as with explaining and talking to us. All the nurses and assistants were awesome as well, and everyone seems to be genuinely there for the love of the animals, not just because it's their job. The prices are very reasonable, and a lot lower than his previous vet. Our other vet, always wanted to do a barrage of expensive tests repeatedly, and here they're not just looking for extra procedures to just raise the bill. She explained all our options and helped us find one that fit our situation best. I will recommend Island veterinary hospital to anyone looking for a vet . Our search for the perfect vet is over :) Only regret is we didn't find them sooner. read more

Wow. I am surprised at some of the negative reviews on here as that has not been our experience at all. We have been clients here for a long time. The entire staff do an excellent job and the hospital is immaculate. We see both Dr. Van Duin and Dr. Dumont and I can say without question that both Vet's are amazing. Our kitties have received the most kind, competent and knowledgeable care by both of these amazing ladies. They do not recommend tests unless they are warranted to get to the bottom of unknown issues, and we have never felt like we have been pressured into doing tests that were not needed. They have gone above and beyond for us on numerous occasions, and we'll never forget that. We trust them implicitly and would not think of going anywhere else. read more

Earlier this month, I noticed that my dog had an ear infection. Seeing as my dog is a Lhasa Apso with big floppy ears, ears infections are quite common and I have dealt with them quite regularly in the past. The average cost of treatment is around $120 at the most at my last vet, and only required about a week to completely treat. At Island Vet, they suggested a "new type of treatment" which cost over $600 and three weeks to treat. After those three weeks, my dog's ear is still infected, and they charged me another $200 for medication to continue treatment. The $200 option was already their cheaper option as they had wanted to do more testing to determine what the problem with my dog is. They were completely unapologetic about charging me $600 for a BS treatment that did not even do anything for my dog, and had the audacity to suggest yet another ridiculously expensive treatment. This veterinary clinic may be thorough and appear professional, but their lack of concern for their clientele is a complete turn off. They expect their clients to be able to hand over thousands of dollars on the spot, without regard for their methods or their mistakes. After this incident with my dog's ears blows over, I certainly will not be back again. read more