The last thing you ever want is a situation with your nugget that requires an emergency vet, but I've been so thankful this place exists the two times I've had to come here. The first time was when our cat crashed due to kidney failure and was diagnosed with CRF. After leaving him at our vet on a Friday for 2-3 days of IV fluids at a cost of $450/day, we were told that hey, we're closed on Sunday, so you'll need to come get him tomorrow and bring him to our emergency vet. Irritated that I wasn't told this before I dropped him off, I called my friend who runs a dog rescue and she told me to go here. That Saturday our vet told us his creatinine was 6.5 and if it didn't drop to a 2 or 3 we'd need to put him down, and that our only hope was more IV fluids. As he told me this I turned to look at my cat, who was currently licking his balls. To be blunt, and as I told the vet, he can't be that bad off and there's no way I'm putting him down if he's still licking his balls. Not a very scientific way to diagnose whether it's time to put an animal down, but it works for me. So, we brought him here. We saw Dr. Duffy, who said that since our little guy was walking around just fine and out of the crashing stage, extra days of IV wasn't necessary. He said he could keep our cat on IV fluids for an extra two days at a cost of $1,100 (which sounds steep, til you realize our vet stopped fluids at night since no one was there, and here it'd be a 24 hour drip, so ya, basically double the treatment at the same price). Dr. Duffy also mentioned that keeping the cat on the IV might artificially lower his numbers. He didn't want the cat's levels to shoot up the second we took him off, and have us beating ourselves up. He also added that there'd most likely be another crash, and we should save our money for that. He was right. Our cat made it on SubQ fluids and supplements just fine for over a year, with a creatinine that's been steady in the 4s. The second time we brought him here was over a year later, when our nugget could no longer raise his head and we thought he was crashing again. The staff immediately took him back to triage the second we arrived, and were nothing but positive the entire time we were freaking out. Again we saw Dr. Duffy, he gave us a list of possible scenarios, and testing and treatment options. In the end the little shit tested fine and all of a sudden started acting normal while we were there, so we were given an action plan for what to do in the following days to rule all the possible issues out. What I love about this place is that the staff is on point, and you can get all your questions answered and things explained to you even better than your regular vet. They are up to date on the latest treatments, have equipment a regular vet office doesn't have, and their pricing is fair (and you're never treated as a cheap ass for declining a testing option). The majority of vets are not up to date on CRF treatments, and my cat's treatment regimen is based on internet research (felinecrf.org) and Dr. Duffy's suggestions over the two visits. I also love how they give you a typed up synopsis of your visit before you leave. This includes your reasons for bringing him in, discussed courses of treatment, and suggested things to do in the future, so there's no worrying about being so frazzled you'll forget things later. Both our visits were under $200, and I gladly would've paid three times that since the info Dr. Duffy gave us was worth that much. Yes, this place is that good. read more

I had a very troubling and inconsistent experience here. My cat fell out of my 4th floor window, and being new to the area, this was the closest animal hospital open after business hours. I was initially told that my cat had fractured his paw, and would either need to have surgery of upwards of $3000, or have his leg amputated. The told me this all before taking an x ray. He stayed the night, and when I called early the next morning, I was informed that he was walking fine on all fours, and responsive, and that no fracture was found on an x-ray. It wasn't until three hours later that I got a call from apparently the only doctor there that has a clue and was informed that my cat had only torn ligaments and tendons in his paw very badly, but had also fractured his jaw, something that the two previous vets had completely missed. I left with my cat, a $725 bill, and a lot of confusion. While I did have a good experience with the final doctor, I can't really hedge my bets and hope for a 1 in 3 chance that my pet will get adequate and competent care. On the plus side, the facilities are well-located, very clean and attractive, and the staff and nurses are really quite wonderful and kind. I would never go back there though. read more

It has taken some time for me to be in the proper emotional state to write this review. Back on Sunday November 23, 2014 I brought my Cat, Gepetto, to this animal hospital as it was the only place open close to my home. It turned out he had bladder stones and they wanted $800.00 immediately in order to treat him. Being a Sunday with my Bank closed and my ATM limit being $250.00 I told them I could not come up with immediate payment but could pay first thing Monday morning and basically begged them to treat my dear friend. I was told they would NOT treat him and would NOT bill me for treatment, and I quote " You do not work for free do you?" Well, I am an auto mechanic and you generally pay for your car repair upon completion I explained. At which point they told me that is not how it works here. They proceeded to explain that they could bill me to euthanize him in the amount of 300.00. At which point I became slightly emotional and defensive. I told them to return my cat to me and I would take him somewhere else. I was then told for them to give me my cat I would have to sign a refusal of treatment release form. I refused as I felt I was not refusing to treat him they were and told them very firmly to give me my cat now! They called the police and had me removed from the facility. My girlfriend remained. They euthanized Gepetto, and had the nerve to offer to bill her another $200.00 for a box to bring Gepetto home in, for a total of $500.00 as opposed to treating him for $800.00 that they would not bill us for. Am I wrong to find this unbelievable? This place is horrid! Please do not use this despicable business as there are many very good vets in Chicago. Gepetto was a beautiful 2 year old, sweet as the day is long, full of life and love and did not deserve to die in this fashion, a piece of me died that day with him. read more

My cat died at AETC, following some questionable procedures. I've waited 3 months to post, so my loss wouldn't cloud the content. Aside from my feelings about AETC, I hope there is useful information here for other cat owners. Dec. 3rd. My cat was favoring his right rear leg, walking normally, but holding it up at rest. Dr. Duffy in ER (Dr. D) said the xrays indicated cancer, but to see their oncologist, Dr. Hintermeister (Dr. H), for a bone biopsy, to confirm. Dr. H and Dr. Sandman (Dr. S), AETC's surgeon, are in Chicago on Tues and Thurs. Thurs, Dec. 8th, post procedure, Dr. H said that he tried 3 times, with no success, to get a biopsy and couldn't be more aggressive without fracturing the bone. He also did a needle biopsy of tissue outside of the bone. If we didn't hear back Friday, we were to call him on Monday, so, clearly, these results can be had more quickly. However, Tuesday, and several phone calls later, all results were inconclusive. My options, per Dr. H, were to have a 'surgical' biopsy by Dr. S, or to go to another oncologist who might have different instruments. Back at home, Squeak was clearly traumatized, straight out of his carrier. Down the hall, I found him writhing in pain, screaming, hissing, panting. I attributed the pain to the invasive procedure and a diseased bone. I called Dr. H immediately, and frequently thereafter, describing every nuance of a leg Squeak could no longer use, and Dr. H volunteered nothing, actually responding with heavy sighs. Dr. D suggested I bring him back in through ER, but moving him was not an option.With every move he made, he screamed in pain, in spite of the Buprenex (pain medication). He couldn't even lie down without my help. It was the 20th before I was able to see Dr. S. My calls and questions about this next procedure, went unanswered, or were returned by Dr. H. Quotes for this next procedure, and a possible amputation, were vague and hard to obtain. My own vet had a high/low estimate for an amputation in print, in 2 hours. Dr. S finally called me the night of the 19th, assuring me that we would be in good hands. The next day, she went over the procedure before taking him away, and though she was going to open the leg surgically to get to the bone, she was going to use the SAME INSTRUMENT. THE INSTRUMENT: has a sharp round end that is manually twisted to cut and puncture the bone, in this case, a bone the size of a twig that was being hollowed from disease. Dr. S was very frank that the results could, again, be inconclusive, as it is difficult to identify the tumor from the rest of the affected bone. I was soon called back to a room and shown 2 xrays. #1 showed the spread of the disease, now certainly cancer, because only cancer was that aggressive. #2 showed that HIS LEG WAS BROKEN. We quickly decided to amputate the leg, and she left to proceed. 15 minutes later, I was taken to a room, and Dr. S came in to tell me that Squeak had arrested while being prepped for surgery. She believed a blood clot was to blame. She confirmed, when my husband asked, that THE LEG WAS BROKEN AT THE SITE OF THE INITIAL ATTEMPTED BONE BIOPSY. I will spare you further details of the suffering my cat endured. He was fairly stable several days before the second procedure, so I stayed on course with AETC. I regret not getting the opinion of someone outside of the AETC network. (There are Vets that are licensed to make home visits. We needed a Vet who would come, assess the situation, give me some clear direction, and not ignore my desperate pleas for help). It must have occurred to Dr. H that his leg fractured during the first procedure and broke when he walked on it at home, but this likely presented a conflict of interest. An amputation could have saved my cat. Squeak had a fighting chance (clear lungs, good blood count) before time wasted, waiting on inconclusive results, and redundant procedures, and a broken leg. As demonstrated on Dec. 20th, a series of xrays a week apart would have confirmed that it was, in fact, cancer. The procedures and instruments used for a bone biopsy are not acceptable for use on cats. I would rather have put Squeak down peacefully at home, than to put him through this torment. Squeak's lifeless body was brought to us and we had ample time to say our goodbyes. The 2 stars are for a nice guy named George at the front desk. Otherwise, we feel like we were passed around like an ATM, and Squeak paid the ultimate price. read more

I would review this place had my pet actually been seen by a vet. We waited for 3 hours to see someone, 10:24 until 1:20 when we left to seek treatment elsewhere. Most of which time we spent waiting alone in the waiting area, nobody could even come out to check on our pet or let us know what the hell was going on. I will never come back here and will be advising my regular vet to stop recommending for emergency care to be sought here. If it wasn't an emergency I wouldn't have brought my pet there. Not trying to be insensitive to the patients they were helping already but some acknowledgement over 3 hours time would be appreciated. Especially since nobody was even manning the front desk for about 2.5 hours of that time. Never again. read more

Very compassionate and we were very thankful they were there for us on a major holiday. Our cat who was nearly 22 years old took a very bad turn and needed help transitioning to her next life. They were wonderful on the phone, got us in a private room and were both caring and compassionate in their end of life care for our beloved pet. We can't thank you enough for being there when we needed you. read more

Dr. Tim Crowe (an orthopedic surgeon) is a total quack. My dog is 18 months old and has a serious hip problem. After waiting 3 hours for a medical opinion on his condition (not complaining about the wait), the surgeon came out and tried to sell me on special (and expensive) alkaline water, "light therapy" that was developed by a quack chiropractor, and a magic necklace that emits an electromagnetic pulse that is weaker than ambient radiation. Keep in mind, this was all without so much as a basic physical exam. He even admited that there was NO EMPERICAL EVIDENCE that the treatment even works. This of course happened before he went into a rant on why drug companies are "evil." So his solution to my dog's problem, without even putting so much as a hand on him, was: a) magic water b) magic necklace c) blue light d) acupuncture It really upsets me that vets can get away with stuff like this. And I can see how it would be an effective sales tactic for people in a highly emotional state. For the love of your pet, you owe it to him to find a real doctor who deals in real medicine. read more

I was here twice in one week prior to my dog's death. Nobody told me she was dying. Instead, I was told that the symptoms that my dog was having is common in older dogs. Not one time anyone mentioned that it is serious. The vet did do a check up on her and did not detect or give any indications of my precious dog to have any major concerns. My dog passed away 3 days after the visit. I had to come in for the third time, because my dog stopped breathing early in the morning. They gave her CPR but when I asked the vet why my dog died, the vet mumbled and I was told it could be cancer or tumor in the brain..not the medicine that they prescribed. I just want an answer or proper diagnosis of why she passed away. After some research at home, asking friends, and other vets I concluded that my dog died from a heart failure. It is incurable but they could've prescribed the meds that could prolong my dog's life. The place is clean and vet's assistants are helpful but I wouldn't trust the vets here. read more

My pup has chronic regurgation problem and our primary vet recommended to see internist. Dr. Simpson is very knowledgeable and her bedside manners are excellent. We been dealing with regurgation issue for passed three months and was desperate for answers. Dr. Simpson answered and listened all of my concerns. Her email responses are very quick and detailed. With her treatment plan, we are already seeing huge improvement in my dog's health and could not thank her enough. I also like to mention that hospital itself is very cleaned and friendly. Scheduling the appointment was very easy and convenient. The price is very reasonable and you are given an estimate before any procedure. There are no extra charges or hidden fees. I would also like to mention all the ER Nurse that took care of my dog during his recovery after the endoscopy. read more

I've been to this place 2-3 times awhile back with the same cat and hadn't been very impressed with how's things worked there..for ex. they don't do exams in front of you. They take your animal either straight to the back while u wait in a room for someone to talk to you. Since, these 2-3 times I've been there many more times with 2-3 different cats. My one cat Rudy stayed there almost 1 month while they tried to get my now former vets overdose of potassium outta his his system. He eventually came home and we found he had a heart now had a problem due to the potassium OD. Now he was taking '8 medications' per day. He finally had a stroke and only then I decided he didn't had much quality of life left. I must mention Dr Dumbrosky ( might be spelled wrong) who dealt with him many times he was there who was FANTASTIC. She's pretty close to a dream vet. She's young, sweet, caring, and compassionate. I had another kitty put down there by her and she made the whole experience, tho I was sobbing, one where it couldn't have been done better. She wasn't even assigned to me....I asked if she was in and she made the time to talk with and console me between her other duties. So all and all there are some minor cons but if you get a good/great dr you will have a very satisfying experience. Oh, btw, my oldest cat must have gotten hit in her mouth and her lower fang was jutting straight out of her mouth. ...you could tell that it hurt her alot. She's over 17 yrs and I didn't want to wait so I called them only to be told they did NOT do any dental work there....that really surprised me...another major con. read more

Last July my cat Harvey became very ill, and after taking him to Wicker Park Veterinary clinic (which I also recommend!), I found out that he had swallowed a thread that had wrapped around the base of his tongue and got tangled in his digestive tract. This is very dangerous for a cat, and cannot be simply pulled out. We were referred to Premier for surgery to remove the string, and they took in Harvey immediately after I took him to his vet for emergency surgery. I was of course a WRECK during all of this, but the staff was comforting to me and more importantly to my Harvey, who was hardly moving at this point. When I was leaving him there for the surgery, they walked me back to the cage he was staying in (which was very large!) and let me say goodbye and wish him luck. It was very reassuring to get to see that the back end of the hospital was very clean and up to date. The hospital called me throughout the afternoon with updates before and after his surgery, and everything went extremely well. They kept him over night to see if he would start eating again and to keep him hydrated on an IV. The next morning we went to visit him and to see when he could come home. He was purring again and so happy, but still not eating, so they kept him an extra night for us. We brought him home after 2 nights there. He had a large incision down his entire stomach area with a lot of staples. At one point we brought him back in to have his incision checked out, and they looked him over(no charge) to make sure everything was okay (it was!). After a couple weeks, we brought him back there to get his staples out (also no charge) and the nurse/tech said that as much as they don't want to see him there again, they will miss seeing him, because he is such a sweet cat :) As far as prices, it was of course an extremely pricey procedure, but it was to be expected. They had a couple different options for payments, including automatic monthly payments from a bank account(rather than all up front) and Care Credit. Overall our experience (although stressful) was VERY satisfactory and I would recommend this animal hospital to anyone! My sister in law has been taking her dog there for cancer treatments, and she is now in remission! She loves it there as well. read more

This place needs to close it's the worst hospital ever !! They blackmail you & take your money & they don't care if you animal lives or dies . Never in my life have I seen a place so unprofessional ! They almost killed my dog & didn't even give me the results for the so called blood work that they charged me for ? I took my doing the next day to diff hospital & they told me my dog will die if I take it from them to the diff hospital & guess whayt i took that chance & my dog is now doing 10000% better Fuck this Premier place ! Shame on them read more

We recently visited Premier Veterinary Group as a transfer from our normal vet due to a suspected intestional problem with our dog. To hear the words 'surgery' from the vet is scary for the owners of a 14-week old puppy. When we arrived at Premier, Colette and Dr. Pratt were SO helpful it made the whole process much easier. They gave us all the possible options, best to worst case, including the fact that our baby may have just been eating too much food! Dr. Pratt exceeded my expectations in terms of diagnosis and care. I hope not to return for more another emergency situation with our dog, but if needed would opt for this business any day. read more

I brought my cat here because I was referred by normal vet to take him and have a Trans Tracheal Wash done. The internal specialist explained to me the risks and benefits of this procedure and explained to me that we could try invasive strategies first. I went there with a cat that was going to have surgery, but was told about other options I had. If this place was in the business of just making money, they could have easily gotten a couple grand out of me today, but instead they treated my cat as if it were their own. Thank you! read more

I recently had to take my dying kitty here. Soon after arrival I was told my kitty had passed. The Vet and staff were very friendly, courtesy and showed a lot more sympathy than our regular Vet and staff did. A few days after our visit, I received a sympathy card in the mail from the staff (I didn't even get a call from our regular Vet - whom we had just spent $$$$ with). If you have emergency needs for your pets, I would highly recommend this place. read more

I brought my dog in last week when he was retching and throwing up bile. My regular vet recommends this emergency facility. I've been to an emergency facility in another state on more than one occasion and had incredibly long wait times. This was not the case at Premier. I'd called first and upon seeing I had a Lab, Jean at the front desk knew I'd just called about 15 minutes prior and had a nurse come out immediately. My dog had X-rays within minutes of being there and the results showed his stomach flipped and would need surgery immediately. The doctor printed out an estimate with a range of cost depending on how affected my dog's other organs were. My dog was in surgery within an hour and a half of bringing him in. The doctor who performed the surgery called me to let me know everything looked good and despite my dog being 12 years old, everything else was perfectly healthy and he could probably go home the next night. My dog was able to go home the next night and my bill was adjusted accordingly (they require a payment of the low end estimate when leaving a pet there for something like this), and I received a refund of nearly $1k. The first couple of nights were scary (for me probably more so than my pup), but it's been a few days and my dog is practically back to normal. I'm grateful facilities like this exist and the speed with which they treat these types of cases. Thank you, Premier. read more

The nurse (I can't remember her name), doctor (Emily), and Nurse Manager (Angela) treated my cat and our situation beautifully. The care team took a lot of time with us and were compassionate. read more

We had a WONDERFUL experience here when I had to go here in an emergency situation. We had to go here after another clinic let us down tremendously. I HIGHLY recommend this business for your pet. Our cat was treated properly and they did not use scare tactics. read more

My Labrador girl had a splenectomy. Big time surgery and a 24 hour stay at Premier. I waited 3 weeks to write this review just to make sure everything was as great as it seemed. Cost: I'm in the "you get what you pay for" camp. Veterinary specialists are crazy expensive in urban areas, no way around it. I've had LOTS of experience with both emergent and planned specialist care over the years with many dogs, and found Premier's pricing to be right in line with the others. Quality of care: top notch. Specialists were highly competent, caring and respectful yet appropriately reserved. In this context I find sugary sweet talk to be fake. Instead I prefer cutting edge competency, obvious compassion for the patient, a respectful attitude and good listening skills. Given these requirements, I was satisfied with Dr. Bob who did the ultrasound (maybe 4 stars for the listening thing), and VERY pleased with Dr. Wolf who did the surgery. Dr. Wolf was awesome and SO thorough; I cannot say enough about her skill and competency. The vet techs/nurses were all very knowledgeable and willing to answer any questions from this worried mama. They were also happy to let me visit during post-surgical recovery. Customer service: all staff showed kindness and compassion. Including front desk staff who were always warm. We felt like we were in excellent hands throughout the whole process! I like CVESC, but for me Premier comes out on top. read more

The very best vet experience my cat and I have ever had. My cat Bernardo is almost 19 and was having what seemed like serious constipation. He was very uncomfortable and my regular vet office was closing as it was Saturday late afternoon. They suggested Premier. My pet was treated very gently and lovingly which put him at ease. Dr Pratt was excellent. He listened well and I was very grateful for that. He needed to give Bernardo a little pain meds and check to see if there was a mass. Luckily Bernardo was ok. Dr Pratt typed up several suggestions for care at home. He was extremely professional and personable. The fee was much lower than I expected. I was very very pleased with my experience at Premier!! read more

If you want your pet to live, DO NOT TAKE THEM HERE. I went on Aug 11, 2020 for my 15 year old dog who had kidney failure. I was desperate to help her and was seeking a second opinion because I did not want to give up on my baby. When I got to the emergency room I let them know what was wrong and they stated there was a three hour wait & emphasized consistently that I had to apply for their Wells Fargo credit card. I agreed and told them money was not an issue to please just help her! I decided to wait but my dog began to have seizures so I called them again and their technician came out. When the technician came to get my dog, she reminded me again about the prices and to apply for the credit card. I became bothered because I was so desperate to get my dog help, she was in pain. I explained to her that money was not an issue to please try to do everything they could for my dog. Then she finally asked what was wrong, after I told her she asked whether I wanted to hospitalize her or say good bye. I was so shocked, how could me putting my dog down be an option right away when they had not evaluated her?! I immediately responded with "Please do everything you can for her, I don't want to put her down." She notified me that it would take 15-30 minutes to evaluate her and do blood work. Finally after over thirty minutes the same technician called me and asked about my dogs history. The technician asked about my financial situation and if I'd be able to afford the services if my dog was hospitalized. I reminded her it was not an issue, I just wanted to know how my dog was doing and if there was any hope. The technician reminded me that it all depended on the veterinarians evaluation. I waited another fifteen minutes after that phone call, I was really worried about my baby so I called to ask if she was hooked on to an IV because she was very dehydrated. The technician AGAIN asked if I had applied for the credit card yet and I said no I don't have to. I did not feel comfortable explaining my financial situation any further because it was not a concern. However, they were far more concerned about the money rather than my baby! After that, I knew my dog was just in there suffering so I chose to take her away from their money hungry hands. I would have much rather appreciated them letting me know that there was no hope vs them keeping her hospitalized for her final days just to take my money. My baby also passed away the next day. read more

A bit expensive but unusually knowledgeable and caring. I found they took a healthy cost/benefit approach to treatment, even at the expense of their bottom line. That's refreshing as most vets are all about increasing their revenue however they can. read more

Such a wonderful group of people! Our dog was hit by a van and received emergency care from them that saved his life! They were upfront and honest about prices and how dire the situation was. Our dog stayed a couple nights with them and we owe them for his life! Will definitely go here for any animal emergency. read more

I recently called Premier because when I came home from work, I noticed my dog had vomited several times and there was blood in the vomit. I called and unfortunately had the displeasure of speaking with Jennifer.  I explained what was going on, and she repeatedly told me  that there were actual emergencies there and mine wasn't an emergency.  She then went on to tell me that Premier is very expensive and I should go somewhere cheaper. I told her I was not concerned about the money factor, I just wanted to get help for my dog. I was very concerned because my dog seemed very out of it. She kept insisting it was not an emergency, and then topped the conversation off with a "honey". How condescending is that? She was completely unprofessional  and I am sure she gets bad reviews all the time. I then took my dog to VEG, yes they had a wait time but they treated me with dignity and didn't assume I didn't have finances to care for my pet. Avoid going to Premier,   Thanks for nothing, Jennifer "honey" read more

As a grieving pet owner I've thought a lot about my experience here. Knowing that anger is one of the stages of grief, I waited 2 years to write this review. After much deliberation I feel two stars is generous. We were referred here by Wicker Park Vet for treatment of Olivia's (our 11 year old Doberman) case of ITP. The staff was very friendly and helpful, the vet appeared to have genuine care for our dog. Despite reading terrible things online about the side effects of Prednisone on dogs, we began an aggressive treatment of Prednisone and "because we could afford it" Cyclosporine. After a week of treatment, Olivia developed an ulcer and had some internal bleeding as a result of the Prednisone. We treated the ulcer and she stabilized. We came back for a re-check and all levels were stable indicating remission of ITP, we expected a decrease of Prednisone as it is an aggressive drug and it's best to reduce the dose ASAP. We were told to keep the SAME dose of Prednisone for another two weeks. Olivia, the doberman that I spent 11 years of my life with died of internal bleeding and organ failure due to unnecessarily extended use of Prednisone. If more closely monitored, this may have been prevented. Do your research, ask questions, challenge the vets, get second opinions. The job of a vet isn't easy, they have to care for creatures that cannot communicate and have a variety of ailments across many breeds, but careful case management and attentive care was not given in our case, the vet was negligent. read more

Was told of this place by my vet when my cat had respiratory issue related to heart failure. Took my cat there for further and intensive care and treatment. The vet explained what treatment plans they were going to do and gave me a low to high estimate on the cost of treatment. They kept me informed throughout my cat's 24 hour stay and I got to visit him there as well. The vet was very informative and thorough in explaining his condition. The vet made me feel confident that if they couldn't fix him then it would have been time to let him go but, the good news was he was treatable. I was not at all surprised by the bill at the end of the day. I think they took great care of my beloved cat and now he is at home with some medications and much TLC from me. I would highly recommend this place as an emergency vet hospital. All the staff members were attentive and friendly and knowledgable. Would take any one of my cats there for any emergency event, hopefully not any time too soon. read more

Staff explained everything to me in detail including the costs and what I'd be paying for. I came in at 2 in the morning and they were more than patient and kind. They really made my cat feel at home. Recommend highly. read more

I give the Animal Emergency & Treatment Center the highest rating for both professionalism and business ethics. My 16.5 year old shorkie, Pookah, almost drowned in a lake. I pulled her out and she seemed normal, but at midnight she lost all control of her bodily functions and couldn't even stand. The next afternoon I took her to AETC in Grayslake and she was critical. After minimal paperwork and estimated costs of treatment, the staff gave her blood tests and x-rays, in less than 30 minutes. There were 8 other animals there also getting treatment. Dr. Anthony Coronado, DVM, conducted a thorough physical examination and diagnosed pneumonia in one lung and a bacterial infection elsewhere which I didn't know about. He explained the situation to me and showed me the cloudy x-ray of her lung which was unlike her healthy lung. Dr. Coronado used technical medical terms and answered my questions, and did not dumb it down. He started her on penicillin and IV fluids and recommended she stay overnight. Dr. Coronado and Dr. Deak then checked her every 2 hours for the next 24 hours and gave her physical therapy exercises to clear her lungs. Dr. Coronado advised me of other tests and treatments but did not recommend them, given her age and prognosis. He did not suggest MRIs, more x-rays or tests, CT scans or extended hospitalization that could have increased my costs. He said the penicillin will cure whatever she's got. He dictated a 7 page medical report plus lab results. He volunteered to xerox it, gave me a copy, and sent one to my regular vet. Dr. Coronado even phoned me a week after he discharged her, to see how she was doing. My family doctor doesn't even do that. She recovered in 1 week, and 3 months later she's doing well. I highly recommend AETC. read more

My first baby, Monty, was diagnosed with acute onset Leukemia and was sent to Premier by the emergency clinic. From the moment we walked in, Monty was treated with love and compassion and we were treated with respect and kindness. When he was hospitalized for a couple of days following his first chemo treatment, they were more than gracious when it came to visiting and never made us feel like we were a nuisance coming to see him, even if there were emergencies coming in at the same time. Everyone from the doctors to the nurses to the receptionists helped us feel as at ease as possible, and there was zero doubt in my mind that our boy was being well taken care of. They are truly the premier veterinary specialists in Chicago and we thank them endlessly for their support and expertise during this extremely difficult time. read more

In short, they not only saved us from having unnecessary surgery performed on our dog, Nemo, they saved his life. Doctor Crawford was great, listening attentively to our dog's history. She explained clearly what she intended to do to try to reach a diagnosis. I loved that we were informed very clearly upfront how much everything would cost (it actually ended up being a bit less than the estimate). I also loved that everyone spoke to us very calmly and clearly, and yet no one was condescending. The diagnosis turned out to be Addison's Disease, something we never even knew a dog could have. Nemo had to spend the night. He had never in 4 years spent a night away from home, and my husband and I were kind of a mess over having to leave him. Everyone was so kind and empathetic, letting us spend as much time as necessary with him before we left, and I could see by the way they interacted with Nemo that they truly love animals and treat them with respect, which really put me at ease. We were able to pick Nemo up the next day. I could see that he had been well cared for and had even bonded with at least one of the staff members. Over the next few days, we received several calls from the doctors, checking in on Nemo and asking how he was doing. They worked with our regular vet to make sure they knew how to treat Nemo and were always ready to take time to talk to us if we had questions. I couldn't be happier with Premier Veterinary Group. We have our little guy back to his old self, and I'm so happy we didn't have to put him through unnecessary surgery. Special thanks to Dr. Coronado, Dr. Crawford, and Dr. Vasilopulos for saving our little guy and making sure he got the care he needed. read more

I would just like to let you all know, they did nothing that would've helped her cat, let her take him home to see if he would eat after they told her they know 100% he had leukemia, but couldn't do anything about it until the results came in, BUT they didn't think to check for it until the day after. She took the results home and I researched some information. WHY WASN'T HE CHECKED FOR LEUKEMIA IN THE FIRST PLACE, WHEN WE INITIALLY TOOK HIM IN AND THE FIRST RESULTS FROM THE BLOOD TEST APPEARED. WOULDN'T IT MAKE SENSE TO CHECK THE MOST SEVERE OUTCOMES FIRST, AND START CHECKING THEM OFF GOING DOWN TO LESS SEVERE? Ten minutes after she took him home, they claim he just had a stroke from the way she described his behavior, and died. This is absolutely ridiculous, she is in great grief right now that could have been avoided if they actually tried to help. read more

AETC saved my cats life, no joke! I had to bring my cat in at 3am after I woke up to her crying and acting weird. Once we got in they took her right away. About 30 minutes later, the doctor on duty came out to talk to us. We ended up having to leave our cat overnight. She ended up having a really rare raise in sodium levels. Dr. Derse was calling us with updates every couple of hours, and working non-stop to determine what was the cause of this. The thought of the staff all doing research, and being so active in understand what was going on with my cat, made me very comfortable with leaving my cat at AETC. Even though the care came at an expensive price, saving my cats life is priceless. read more

I work as a veterinary assistant out in the suburbs and as all pet parents know, dogs can get into trouble quickly. I had to bring my 20lb terrier mix Dingo to this Premier after she decided to eat dark chocolate cup cake the size of a coffee mug while I was brushing my teeth. After trying to get her to vomit on my own and knowing the risk of chocolate toxicity going to the ER was my only choice. Working in the field, I have heard bad stories of ER's being incredibly expensive with rude staff. I am very pleased to say Premier is nothing is like that. The numerous technicians I spoke with, the receptionist, and the DVM were all very nice and pleasant to be around. They kept me updated on her status and spoke with me about price before doing anything. They were all greatly educated and caring with my crazy little dog. The doctor sat down with me to talk about everything for about 20 mins after Dingo was okay. I learned things from her that I now use at work! When it came time to pay the bill for the emergency exam, medication used to get her to vomit, and fluids to keep her hydrated I was surprised at the bill. It was much lower than I expected. It really wasn't much higher than a normal non emergency small animal clinic. People don't understand the price of veterinary care and always assume things are to expensive. Premier has great prices for all that they do. When I arrived at work about 8 hours later, they had already faxed a full report to the doctor I work for. I had a very pleasant experience at this location, I highly recommend it to anyone in an emergency situation. read more

I was pleasantly surprised by my experience here. Based on previous experiences with vets in Chicago, I have been taking my dogs to a vet near my parents in Wisconsin. That being said, I had one awful evening where my dog broke out in a rash and hives and based on reviews and availability, I ended up calling Premier. The person that answered the phone was very calm and gave me an at home remedy to try which worked until I woke up to my dog pacing around at 4am. When I shone a light on her, her hives had come back. I called them back and they asked me to come in and explained exactly how much it would cost and what they would do. I realize that mine was a pretty straight forward allergic reaction but it was one of the more transparent experiences I've had with a vet. Even though I was anxious, they walked me through everything on the phone while I waited in my car. The vet I spoke to explained everything, my med options, even the conflicting literature on blood testing for allergies with dogs. I feel like other places would have shamed me into expensive blood tests or scratch tests that may not have revealed what set it off. Instead I was given practical advice (watch where she goes and what she eats) and what to look out for and when to call back. I also really appreciate the COVID-19 precautions, masks, gloves and curbside doggie pick up and drop off. So a big thank you to the techs and vet that helped my Scout feel better. read more

Fantastic experience. My cat was having difficulty breathing and I did not want to take him to the place on Clybourn. I found some reviews for this place on yelp since it was after hours for most vets. They took him right away and began to treat the problem and stablize him. Dr. Porter was professional and empathetic. She is someone you can trust, which during times like this, you want. No one wants to have to take their pet to a place like this, but when you do, you want the right treatment and professionals to do it. AETC gets it right. read more

This place saved my dogs life. Over christmas my dog ate tinsle off the Christmas tree. I took him to another vet that botched the surgery. After the first surgery my dog was not ok. Screaming and throwing up a substance that looked like blood. I brought him here and they performed emergency surgery. They opened my little guy up to find his stapes on his intestines missing. Thank god for this place. Sure it's pricey but owning a pet is pricey. My dog is worth more than all the money in the world. Plus the staff here is amazing! My dog was here for about 5 days and they let me visit him many times. On Christmas day we stopped by to see him they set us up in a little room with a blanket. I can't say enough about these guys thank you read more

Have been here with my dog and hour and a half already when they said it would take another 1 to an hour and half before she is even seen, my dog has a big lump or even it's her vagina/uterus hanging totally exposed and bleeding, from one hour to over 3 and still not seen, if I weren't from out of town and knew where else to go for my dog I would. read more

A wonderful experience and the doctors seem honest and open about what is best for your pet. I came in because I was worried my teacup Maltese had ingested plastic because I found her chewing on the curtain cord and I thought it was a big piece for such a small dog- but when I got to the clinic everyone was SO nice and sent me home without charging me anything. Very honest and good emergency clinic. read more

One day I came home from work and noticed my cat was limping. I thought it was nothing, maybe she snagged it on the kids blanket as she done before. Then about a week later, I noticed that her nails were overgrown in a curve to her pads. I felt horrible, and we went here. She was sedated, so not in pain, and antibiotics. Went home with pain meds. My princess is all better. Ow, and even scratching on a post. After everything we spent about $240. $130 to look at her and the rest for pain meds and antibiotics. Everyone was pleasant. Yes, can be expensive, but what do you expect, we were in and out in about a hour. read more

I called twice tonight with some questions about heart worm treatment and found the staff extremely helpful and polite. I believe the lady I spoke to was called Michelle - thank you so much, you really helped ease my concerns. read more