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    VCA Capital Area Veterinary Emergency and Specialty

    3.2 (104 reviews)
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    My 9 year old diabetic dog Kobe got cataracts due to his diabetes, he then became blind due to his cataracts. I looked at a few optomoligst and came across VCA caves. I brought him in for a consultation at that point I knew this was the place for my Kobe to get surgery. Dr. Penelope Buechner could not be any more sweet and straight forward about the outcome of the surgery and what to expect. Dr. Penelope and her team treated Kobe as their own. THANKS to her my Kobe got his vision back!! He, my family and I are grateful we chose this place. I highly recommend them!

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    So responsive knowledgeable and caring would recommend to anyone who love their pets

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    Ask the Community - VCA Capital Area Veterinary Emergency and Specialty

    Review Highlights - VCA Capital Area Veterinary Emergency and Specialty

    Every single person was so caring, calm, and compassionate I can hardly describe how grateful I am with just words.

    Mentioned in 7 reviews

    Read more highlights

    VEG ER for Pets - VEG veterinarians in surgery

    VEG ER for Pets

    (61 reviews)

    We had to bring our 5-year-old, 15-lb Pomeranian to the clinic after he started gagging and…read morevomiting bile--possibly from eating something questionable around Central Square. From the moment we called ahead to say we were on our way, the staff were incredibly responsive and ready for us when we arrived. They quickly assessed the situation, diagnosed the issue, and carried out the necessary procedures. The clinic itself was very clean, welcoming, and well equipped. Dr. Estes explained everything clearly--what was happening, the prognosis, and what we should do next. The techs / nurses--Kim Nguyen, Kendra Baker, and Jennifer Ducharme--were also wonderful: professional, patient, and very caring. They were attentive throughout the entire process while our Pomeranian was undergoing sedation, and you could tell they genuinely cared. I'm sure they see situations like this every day, but they still treated our dog with the attention and care he needed. Small things like that matter. These are clearly very capable people who could work in many different fields--including human medicine--but they choose to care for pets, and it shows. I would absolutely recommend this clinic and would return again if needed. My one tip: call ahead so they can prepare for your arrival.

    it was wild in the best possible way - every single person from the receptionist to the head…read moresurgeon was radiant with competence, smarts, compassion, and total commitment to the best outcome for my cat. Open space concept for procedures & surgery (!!) so you can be as involved as you want, with a small private room for me & the cat where much of her treatment and waiting happened. That reduced stress on her and we were never separated which I so appreciate. Her surgeon came up with plans A - C from least to most invasive . A failed, we moved on to B which worked beautifully so we avoided C = major surgery. I recommend VEG without reservation.

    VCA Russell Animal Hospital

    VCA Russell Animal Hospital

    (21 reviews)

    My family's experiences with Russell Animal Hospital - both before and after it became part of VCA…read more- have always been positive, including the care we received when our cat needed to be euthanized, regular visits for another young cat we rescued (who is now 12), and most recently for a puppy we added to our family. They are thorough, have stellar follow-up and the whole team is professional and kind. Very happy with the care our pets get here!

    I've waited 3 months to write this review as I didn't want it to be out of spite or anger . My…read morefirst thought was to go into great detail about my family's experience with Russell's Animal Hospital but decided to make a long story short .....My daughter & Son-in-law had an 11 year old golden retriever. He was brought to Russell's in January with several health concerns including fear of cancer . He also had a large mass on his sternum. He was in and out of Russell's for numerous tests and bloodwork that they suggested from Jan 2025 into May 2025 . Test after test and bill after bill and over 3,000$ in Doctor fees , tests , etc. Russell's failed to find the cancer that eventually took his life on Memorial Day Weekend. Once it got to the point that he wasn't sleeping or eating my daughter & son-in-law took him to the Caves Emergency Hospital in Concord NH and in less than 20 minutes and a fee of 150$ vs 3,000$ ( not exaggerating) the doctor on duty was able to thoroughly diagnose him & gave us the sad news that he had a cancerous tumor that was bleeding and it may be time to consider euthanizing him . I Don't blame Russell's for the cancer and I don't know if the outcome would of been any different, but if Russell's would of done their job & been more thorough in finding his cancer there may of been treatment options available to us , but at the very least my daughter and son-in-law could of spent more quality time and been able to say goodbye over a longer period of time, Rather than getting blind sided and having 1 hr to say goodbye on a rainy cold Sat morning on the floor of the Cavs emergency room . Although Russell's did allow me a 2 hour meeting with one of there long time Doctors to voice my concerns and answer my questions, I must say I walked away feeling as if they accepted no responsibility for not finding the cancer , and offered no sincere apologies. I'm sorry to say but " SHAME ON YOU RUSSELLS!!! " you dropped the ball . In my opinion you were too focused on " Taking the round about way " ringing up bills and rushing through tests than being more thorough and finding our poor dogs cancer . WE TRUSTED YOU WITH OUR BELOVED DOG & YOU LET US DOWN!! With that being said I COULD NOT AND WOULD NOT RECOMMEND RUSSELLS ANIMAL HOSPITAL TO ANYONE!! . If you do bring your pet there , be extremely careful , and bring the credit cards because they love to stack up the bills . I truly pray that your experience with Russell's has a much better outcome than our families .

    SAVES - Small Animal Veterinary Emergency & Specialty - Before SAVES

    SAVES - Small Animal Veterinary Emergency & Specialty

    (43 reviews)

    After hiking with Lily, our Golden Retriever, on Saturday we noticed she had 4 small quills…read moresticking out of her nose. We did some quick research and called SAVES. They suggested we come in. This was our first time at SAVES. The place was very clean and the waiting area was large. We gave out information to the receptionist & sat down to wait but it wasn't busy. Someone came out to talk with us. She went back to check on a room. When she came back to take Lily, she was calm and efficient. Lilt went into the exam room and came back in a short time. No Quills! They said the quills were quite small and it was no problem. There was no charge! Thank you SAVES.

    I am VERY disappointed in vet services given at a cost of $1375 for one visit…read more My pet had stopped eating and drinking, and was becoming weak over a course of approx 24hrs, which required the vet visit. (My vet office was booked) I understand the initial visit is $300- as it is an Emergency small animal clinic, and my pet needed X-rays, bloodwork, a fluid pack, and nausea meds to stabilize him. FINE. All that made sense. -But I was told during the visit, that a first dose of antibiotics would also be given In HOUSE before he left- which wasn't, and I was not sent home with anti nausea meds to alleviate his vomiting issue prior to taking his antibiotics either! He threw up everything I gave him, wasted multiple doses of antibiotics, still not eating or drinking due to nausea. Called them the next day, only to be told if I drove there, they would give me some probiotics for free. Probiotics? I agreed, but said I'd need some anti nausea meds too, so my pet would actually be able to ingest the meds and not purge them back up again. So, It turned out I was not able to go pick meds up myself, but found someone who could. They get all the way down there(mind you this is a 2hr round trip commute), and they told the pick up person, that they were not prescribing anti nausea meds for my pet! That they wanted to continue with the protocol of antibiotics and probiotics! Seriously?! How am I supposed to have him keep the meds down? Not only that, but the probiotics they gave me, have to be mixed in with his water or food (which he REFUSES TO DRINK or EAT, BECAUSE IT MAKES HIM VOMIT!!!!!!!). Common sense doesn't live at this place I guess. Or- it seems, they just wanted him weaker, so I would feel the need to bring him back in for MORE Bloodwork and X-rays!! Because by then.. he could REALLY be in trouble! $ **** . ** RIDICULOUS! As far as I am concerned at those point, This place is only good for one thing, "Emergency Euthanasia"! [EDIT]- No thanks to SAVES, my pet is FINALLY starting to take water and broth without vomiting! I had to find an alternative anti-nausea medicine on my own, because they wouldn't give me a script for it, Otherwise my pet would have starved to death due to an unknown type of infection, because he couldn't keep the antibiotics down!!!! Highly Dissatisfied! Would NOT RECOMMEND this place- unless your vet office is closed, and you need to have your pet euthanized!! -and their examining rooms seem to not be cleaned after every visit!! Hair all over the floors! HONEST OPINION!

    Animal Medical Center of New England

    Animal Medical Center of New England

    (33 reviews)

    We bring two Labradors to this location. The staff and doctors are really good. We feel well cared…read morefor and would certainly recommend AMC. They are not inexpensive, however, price is what you pay, value is what you get. Regarding the facility, I realize they are renovating and potentially improving the place, the current facility needs a good cleaning.

    They did successfully fix up our cat in an emergency surgery situation when he was clogged up with…read moreurinary crystals and near death, but read on for the full story. After overnight stays and several thousand dollars later he was in survivable shape and emerged with a lifetime prescription for veterinary formula food (both wet and dry). The prescription for this food was explicitly written to indicate that he would need this prescription food for the rest of his life and it was written to cover 50+ refills of any size wet or dry. The script did not include any expiration date. This would likely be enough food to last the entire balance of his life. After a few years, though, this facility decided that they would no longer authorize prescription refills of the food when contacted by food retailers (Petsmart, Chewy, etc.). Even though the prescription explicitly said he would need to receive ONLY this food for the rest of his life, and even though we were nowhere near the number of refills provided for in the script provided to us post-surgery, this facility decided that we could no longer purchase the prescription food (by denying script refill authorization). Several conversations ensued after retailers notified us that this place was refusing to authorize refills. The bottom line is that this facility decided to hold the prescription food hostage until and unless we brought our cat, who was/is perfectly healthy otherwise since the blockage surgery, in for a checkup appointment. This cat either throws up, poops himself, or both virtually every time he is transported anywhere by car and gets stressed to the hilt when he is forced into a carrier and then taken somewhere in a car. As his owners and family it is our belief that the stress it would cause him to be taken in for an appointment, in light of his clearly good current health, would outweigh the benefits of scheduling a vet visit at present. This facility does not respect that decision, though, and despite originally providing a script that explicitly said he would need to be fed this food for the rest of his life and which prescription had no expiration date and which has not even been refilled 1/3 the number of times it was written to provide for refills, and which prescription food he has now been fed successfully for several years post-surgery, has determined that they will now hold the prescription hostage until he is brought in for a visit. We are currently working to gradually transition him off of the prescription food (albeit certainly a bit nervous) due to this unprincipled action, and if he indeed needs a trip back to the vet at some point you can bet your bottom dollar that it will not scheduled at this place. Be careful, as even if they may fix up your loved pet in an emergency situation, you may yet in the future find your prescription(s) being held hostage to future appointments. ------------------ Edit 8/4/2025 in response to Animal Medical Center of New England's 8/4/2025 reply to the above review: Response to my review "This should never be the impression we leave..." inaccurately implies there was some ambiguity in terms of the multiple conversations that ensued between myself and the facility. However in reality there was/is no ambiguity as to the circumstances involved. On multiple occasions the staff there have left no doubt about what transpired. Despite vet diet food script being written, post-surgery, with no expiration date and providing for enough refills to last for a decade plus, and despite writing on same prescription that our cat should receive *only* this food for the rest of his life and also reiterating the same verbally (that he should be fed *only* this food for life), you refuse(d) to authorize continued refills in accordance with the written script. The impression left is wholly consistent with both the reality and with the office ultimatum given; bring him back in or we will not authorize further food refills. "it's important to us that your cat remains healthy and comfortable..." rings darn hollow.

    Port City Veterinary Referral Hospital - Isabel Rose and Dr Kelvin Kow

    Port City Veterinary Referral Hospital

    (100 reviews)

    Port City is always our "go to" when our normal vet is closed. We've always been taken care of…read morequickly, and everyone is friendly and knowledgeable. Prices are extremely steep, but, you pay the price for your fur babies in an emergency.

    Recommend Dr. Bliss TPLO surgery and Kim Hospital Services Manager!!…read more Have you ever met a special person who comes along once or twice in a lifetime? A person who is extremely compassionate, empathetic, and approachable? A person who is a problem-solver with a can-do attitude? A person who treats you and your animal with utmost respect? A person who has the unique ability to assess your situation and work non-stop to find a solution? Let me introduce you to Kim. Kim serves as the Hospital Service Manager of Client Services at Port City Veterinary Referral Hospital. After several misfortunes with other veterinary hospitals, surgeons, and vets, I found myself at Port City. It was my first time there. I drove there immediately after a horrible experience at another clinic 30 minutes away. I met with Kim and explained what I had been through in trying to get my dog scheduled for TPLO surgery as soon as possible. At other facilities, I had experienced incompetence, long delays, miscommunication, and an overall lack of empathy for my dog who was suffering greatly from a completely ruptured CCL and a badly torn meniscus. Kim listened attentively, often looking up to establish eye contact as she typed on her laptop/tablet. I was astonished at how willing Kim was to help find a solution for my black lab named Star. I left the hospital Tues Nov 11th in the early afternoon with a commitment from Kim that she would talk to Dr. Bliss about the immediacy of getting Star in for surgery. I was still driving home when Kim called with an offer to have surgery performed on Sunday, but with a different surgeon. I thought about it. My preference was to have Dr. Bliss perform the surgery especially after what I had experienced at other hospitals. I had thoroughly researched Dr.Bliss. His outstanding credentials and years of experience instilled a level of confidence in me. I was confident he would help Star, provide relief from her pain, and perform the TPLO surgery successfully. I thanked Kim, and asked her if she could move forward with talking with Dr. Bliss the following day (Wed, Nov 12th). I hung up the phone in disbelief. In less than 4 hours, Kim already had a potential solution. I made a mental note that Kim was special, an amazing advocate for a client's needs and concerns, and a problem-solver. At 5:00 PM on Wed Nov 12th, Kim called. She asked if Star and I could be at Port City at 8:30 AM on Thurs the 13th to meet with Dr. Bliss, followed immediately by TPLO surgery. I jumped off the couch, and screamed YES, YES, I will be there! Star had her surgery on Nov 13th. It was a huge success. Dr. Bliss is a distinguished, exceptional, and brilliant surgeon. I am forever grateful to Dr. Bliss for everything he did. It is beyond comprehension how skilled, concerned, and compassionate Dr. Bliss is. I highly recommend him. I'm including a video of Star 6 days post-op. Doesn't she look fantastic? Never have I seen such amazing results. To learn about my experience in detail, see my Google review at https://share.google/x5HCqrxLZ7mACZ7Dn I am just so appreciative and forever indebted to Kim, Dr. Bliss, Michelle, and the entire team at Port City Veterinary Referral Hospital. I feel blessed to have met Kim. Kim went above and beyond to help Star. She truly cares. She is kind, respectful, and patient. Kim has an open, approachable, and solutions-driven posture. Kim is a person you gravitate toward, a person you want to emulate, a person that... well...comes along once in a lifetime. I recall sharing with Kim that she is in the perfect position as a client advocate, a problem-solver, and a hospital manager, striking a key balance between the needs of clients and the needs of the hospital. For these reasons, Port City is now my hospital of choice. It is unmatched in quality, superior to all others, and exceptional beyond comparison. I hope you consider this hospital. I was thrilled with the wonderful, competent, and remarkable people I met. I never felt like a number. I felt confident in the hospital's ability to help my suffering animal. Overall, I am incredibly impressed with the superiority, excellence, and compassion that radiates throughout this hospital. I'm sure you will be as well. Thank you to Kim, Dr.Bliss, Michelle, ICU, and the entire team. Star is swiftly returning to a happy, enthusiastic, and pain-free dog. And for that I am eternally grateful.

    VCA Capital Area Veterinary Emergency and Specialty - emergencypethospital - Updated July 2026

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