Brought my cat in for an abdominal ultrasound due to chronic pancreatitis. Our vet, Dr King, was great and has a good personality. He was very knowledgeable and was able to prescribe me some meds for my cat to make him more comfortable. He was patient with my questions on the phone. All the staff were super kind as well. During the ultrasound, they discovered a mass in his stomach. I asked for a quote for an endoscopy and it was almost 9k to simply find out what kind of cancer my cat likely has. I think the VCA hires great talent and has some of the most extensive high tech facilities, but i just cannot afford their pricing :( Despite liking my experience at this facility, I am now looking elsewhere for more affordable pricing. If I have a grave emergency, I will be back here. Highly recommend Dr King! read more

Heartfelt Thanks to VCA Orange County Veterinary Specialists We cannot say enough good things about the exceptional care our granddog Juniper (affectionately known as Junie) received at VCA Orange County Veterinary Specialists in Tustin. Junie was referred to Dr. McDooling and the team by her regular vet, Dr. Dennison at VCA Yorba Linda, after a sudden and severe onset of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) that left her fighting for her life. Her symptoms progressed rapidly--she went from being seemingly healthy to losing a significant amount of weight and energy in a very short time. In addition to IBD, Junie faced challenges with her kidneys, low blood albumen, and proteinuria. Dr. McDooling was incredible throughout Junie's treatment journey. Her straightforward and compassionate approach made a world of difference during such a stressful time. She clearly explained the treatment options and potential outcomes, ensuring that we could make informed decisions about Junie's care. The team's expertise, combined with their genuine concern for Junie's well-being, gave us hope during an incredibly difficult time. After about six months of diligent treatment, including medications (Chlorambucil and Prednisolone for IBD, Telmisartan for her kidneys, and others), prescription Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Protein food, and lots of love and attention, Junie is now back to her happy, healthy self. She's regained all the weight she lost (and more!) and is enjoying life again. While we know that a relapse is possible, we are so grateful for this recovery and credit Dr. McDooling and the amazing staff at VCAOC with saving her life. Junie's happiness during her visits to VCAOC speaks volumes about the team. She has always been a nervous pup when it comes to vet visits, but at VCAOC, she was excited to see her "friends." She would tug on the leash to get inside the clinic and was thrilled to see her special friends, Holly and Giselle. It's heartwarming to see how much she loved them. Specialty veterinary care is undeniably expensive, and VCAOC's prices are consistent with other providers in the field. From our experience, they were more reasonably priced than the boutique provider we visited on the first night of Junie's crisis. Dr. McDooling was mindful of costs and gave honest recommendations about whether certain treatments were worth pursuing, which we greatly appreciated. We were fortunate that Junie's owner, our daughter, had excellent pet insurance through Healthy Paws. The total cost of Junie's treatment exceeded $30,000, but with insurance, our out-of-pocket costs were about 20% of that, split between us and our daughter. This made the financial burden manageable and highlighted the value of having good pet insurance from the start. We highly recommend Healthy Paws based on our experience and urge pet owners to consider investing in insurance early in their pet's life. To Dr. McDooling, Holly, Giselle, and the entire VCA Orange County Veterinary Specialists team: thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You not only saved Junie's life but also gave her back her joy--and for that, we will always be grateful. If you're considering specialty care for your pet, we wholeheartedly recommend VCAOC. They truly are the best. read more

If you are looking for an Internal Medicine Specialist for your fur kid in the OC, look no further. Dr. Andrea McDooling is a superstar. I am beyond impressed by the time and care she has given to our pooch and to me. It is clear that not only does she have a passion for pets, but she is passionate about giving them the best care. Dr. McDooling will not rush you through an appointment nor will she make you feel like you are one of many. She gives you her undivided attention and she spends whatever time is necessary to explain everything. She has superlative bedside manner. I am also impressed with the front desk staff and the techs at the VCA Orange County Veterinary Specialists. From my experience, they have all been friendly, understanding and attentive. They even answer the phone with a live person rather than a recording. I am delighted to see that this formidable level of pet care exists in the OC. I used to live in Los Angeles, and to say that the level of veterinary care has gone downhill there is an understatement. You may have to wait a bit for your initial appointment, however, the wait will be worth it. There is a valid reason as to why Dr. McDooling is in high demand. I would absolutely refer her to anyone who has a need for Internal Medicine Specialist for their fur-kid. read more

Brought my cat in around midnight on 3/6/24 for abnormal breathing and I must say, the doctor and staff was nothing short of amazing. Dr Sabrina Keigley was attentive, informative, compassionate and wonderful at her job. I opted for not keeping my cat overnight for further treatment due to the exorbitant amount of money they were charging to do so, but Needless to say, I followed him up with specialist outside of the ER and he is now doing much better despite his long term prognosis. I am truly grateful for Dr Keigley and the staff that night for caring for my fur baby. Thank you! read more

VCA Orange County Veterinary Specialists - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Tustin, California

1 star for customer service laziness & absurd excuses. Front desk Rose refused during my telephone call today to fill my 95-year old mother's cat's medications until I was able to tell her what 2 medications I wanted filled. I informed Rose we were in the office just 24 hours prior to have the cats first visit & testing done & that certainly VCA's computer records would show what 2 medication's were prescribed by the physician!!! I was in my car & didn't have this information with me. I decided to drive to VCA, ask for a copy of the treating doctor's notes from the prior day, then read verbatim the 2 medications that were prescribed. I was then told by Rose it would take up to 2 days to have the prescription filled, as other patients medications were ahead of ours to be filled. I advised Rose that the flipping pills needed to be filled & I would wait. Keep in mind it is 3:15 pm & not 1 person is waiting in the lobby. There are no emergencies being tended to. Low & behold the 2 medications were filled in a timely manner. Upon speaking to someone from their pharmacy I asked if we had decided to give the cat pills yesterday instead of liquid form. Would we have had to wait for two days to have them filled? She replied oh no we would've had the medication's ready for you to take home with your cat yesterday. She said that they have all medication's in stock that they prescribe. So Rose, all as I can say, is you've done an excellent job in making sure that we never bring any of our animals to your facility ever again, and shame on you for treating me in the manner that you did, you couldn't have been any lazier & useless. read more

Was there with my dog for over 4.5 hours and spoke to two different people for about 5 minutes total. They asked me to call poison control because they were unsure how to treat. I called and was on hold for over 45 minutes and finally received a case number. It took them another 45 minutes to come in to retrieve the case number, even though I had told the reception I had it. Another 1.5 hours later, no updates, asked to speak with a Vet or Vet Technician, nobody came in. I had to leave due to a medical emergency at home. took them 30 minutes to check me out-they did give me the poison control report which stated they could not help because I did not have the original package. Please note the Vet did NOT come in and discuss the report with me at any time. i provided specific information on what my dog potentially ingested-did not provide treatment for what I had provided them. i understand they were busy, I asked several times to speak to someone. It was disheartening that poison control did not know how to treat yet still took my $95, the VET did not come into the room and discuss the *lack of* report with me and they would not try to help when I had a medical emergency at home. Unfortunately, I will not be returning to this facility with my pet read more

My cat has been having seizures, after 3 in one day my vet said to seek medical attention. We had an upcoming neurology appointment but he needed fluids and it was after hours so I had no choice but to take him to emergency. Reasons I will never come back to this place: 1. They charged my card $1000 before even taking him back 2. After they took him to the back I did not receive word from anyone for over an hour. 3. When I asked questions I got boiler plate robotic responses. "Your cat is in the back getting treatment" even after I had denied the treatment 4. After denying the suggested treatment plan, which included keeping him overnight, I just asked for fluids which I know from experience takes no longer than 5 minutes. 5. I didn't get my cat back for over 3 hours. All he got was fluids under the skin. 6. They shaved two of his legs and one of them was extremely red and irritated 7. When they brought my cat to me, the vet tech was carrying him lopsided in his carrier.... Imagine buying a cake at the grocery store and the bagger handing it to you in a plastic bag with one handle. 8. We came home with fleas. Don't go here. read more

VCA Orange County Veterinary Specialists - Shaved irritated leg - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Tustin, California

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Let me start by saying I wrote a review not to long ago I just stated facts nothing malicious my dog has the same problem it had months ago followed the specialist recommendation no changes. So after looking for another doctor they said it would be better to come back to the Vca animal hospital in Tustin. My wife made an appointment for the 29 th of March I wasn't excited about this but what can I do .So on Friday March 25th my wife gets a phone call from Vca saying they will not see our dog because of the review that was written and they refuse to service our dog the lady was extremely rude Got my wife really upset wish the Vca would of called me. So they could care less about your dog's health they can't take criticism they got well over 1200.00 dollars for nothing with no results we are at the mercy of these people because we are out of options and they decide what pet lives and who dies. read more

VCA Orange County Veterinary Specialists - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Tustin, California

Will be reporting to the BBB if I do not hear back after this review. THIS ESTABLISHMENT TOOK MY MONEY AND DID NOT DELIVER SERVICES! Took my frenchie in on 6/21/21 after noticing he was having trouble walking and kept shaking whenever we would touch him on his back. We called when we were outside (10:45am) and handed my dog over at the front door. We waited in our car for about an hour and half before we heard anything. We were told the only way to see what was going on was to get some x-rays done. Because we were very concerned about the pain level of our dogs pain, we agreed. After agreeing to go ahead with the x-rays, the doctor called and suggested we have them read to us by a technician...which was $100+ in addition to the amount we had already paid for the X-rays. We agreed. The doctor said it would take anywhere from 3-14 days to get those readings. After a $700+ bill and sitting in our car for over 4 hours, because they told us not to go home, our dog was released. WE TOOK OUR DOG 6/21 AND TODAY IS 7/30...STILL NO X-RAY READING. ITS BEEN OVER A MONTH!! No follow up. No results. They already have my money so forget my sick dog and his X-rays. I called 7/22/21 (a month after) and I asked for a refund or for the results of the reading. My name and number was taken down and I was told I'd get a call back for the status. Of course, I NEVER GOT A CALL BACK. I called today, 7/30/21, and I asked for a refund. I was told no one can help me until Monday. When I called, I was never asked for my name, number, or any personal info. Just told to call Monday. I am calling during regular business hours so it's VERY hard to believe no one is there to help right now. I definitely agree with the other reviews that say this place is driven by greed. If I don't get my refund for the "results reading" I will be reporting to BBB. read more

VCA Orange County Veterinary Specialists - Called during regular business hours during a workday (7/30). No one available to issue my refund. Been waiting for over a month!! - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Tustin, California

We were referred to the internal medicine specialists by our regular vet. Our girl has multiple issues; Cushings, IBD, thyroid disease, is prone to pancreatitis and UTI's so we needed a specialist to work with us on the best care plan. Dr McDooling has been amazing. She is thorough, patient and very methodical. Medication to treat her ailments can be a challenge as what is good for one issue cannot be used due to adverse affects on another issue so it makes things a bit complicated, but Dr McDooling has figured out the puzzle. Often we hear that you'd never know she has so many challenges and I attribute this to the amazing care. However, as expected our girl has had some hiccups along the way and there are occasional hospital stays. But Dr McDooling and the internal medicine team always take great care of her. The last two night visit Dr McDooling was corresponding with the on staff Drs even while she was off. Couldn't ask for better care and our girl loves the staff. Her favorite is Caitlyn! read more

VCA Orange County Veterinary Specialists - Visiting our girl during her latest stay at the vet hospital. - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Tustin, California

My dog recently had such a traumatic experience at another vets office getting a dental cleaning. Apparently he had an adverse reaction to the anesthesia and while waking up he bite through the tube and it got stuck in his trachea! It was the scariest phone call of my life. Thank God my dog was in the hands of Dr. Andrea McDooling, she called me, told me what was happening and got to it asap. The way she handled the whole experience and surgery went as smooth as possible. Luckily he recovered and is 100 percent now! Thank you Dr! read more

True lifesavers! Went to a vca up north, so when my girl Gypsy needed emergency care, I was happy to have a 24 hour full vca hospital just 4 minutes away here in Tustin. They met us curbside, my dog was acting like she was poisoned, put her on a gurney, and came up with a great treatment plan. Gypsy stayed 7 hours under Dr. Kelly Schmitz and vet technicians like Sara's care. They were so kind, communicative, and tried the best plan for best results and price. My dog was saved because we brought her there and they took our calls days after with questions. Gypsy is bouncing back and I highly recommend coming here for any emergency needs! read more

VCA Orange County Veterinary Specialists - Gypsy chillin with her Daddy! - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Tustin, California

The two stars earned are because my cat did receive immediate and good care. We brought her in a few months ago in the middle of the night after a coyote attack and they tended to her immediately, the night staff (admin and medical) communicated well and were very helpful, and they were able to stabilize her. Initially we authorized up to $1,000 for immediate treatment. After she was stabilized and further care was assessed, we were quoted around $4k, which we could not afford so we declined, and by this time we were able to transfer her to her day vet and VCA was able to send over the X-rays and test results, which was hugely helpful. My frustration comes with the check out and administration after the fact. As we were checking out we were charged about $350 more on top of the $1,000. I kept trying to ask the admin about why the $350 if we only authorized up to $1,000. I kept just trying to ask if this is how it worked or what the policy was if we authorized up to $1k and why we were being charged more. The day admin was pretty short and unhelpful and just kept saying she didn't know because she wasn't here when we brought the cat in. The next week I got in touch with their admin (Katherine?) who was so kind and helpful and said they should not have charged us the extra amount over $1,000 and would be refunding me, although I pointed out with the refunds issued I was still owed $10. She apologized and said it would be rectified. Unfortunately, I have been completely ghosted since then (as of this posting it has been almost 2 months of radio silence). I have followed up multiple times in multiple ways about the $10 and no one will acknowledge me or respond to me. Yes, I understand it is "just" $10 but for a business to say they will be refunding you your money as necessary due to their error and then not doing so and completely ignoring you is not a sign of an ethical business, and I continue to be very disappointed by this. 8/10/23 UPDATE: I was acknowledged after leaving this review. While I regret it took this review to receive feedback, I really appreciated the quick action, the kind staff and feel they rectified the situation and did right by all of us. Thank you, VCA. read more

My otherwise healthy 14 month old puppy started vomitting that smelled like poop so I immediately went searching for a 24 hour vet as I was worried about intestinal obstruction. I went with VCA as I initially saw all 5 star reviews. My 12 year old son was crying all the way to the vet as he was scared of losing his bestfriend. From the moment I called them the Staff were very professional and compassionate and we felt our doggie would be safe in their hands. Dr Shephard was also very professional over the phone and explained everything to me. They were not pushy. Thank heavens our baby was fine and we took him home about 3 hours later. Now he's eating/drinking/pooping, running around happily like nothing happened. The only downside is the wait. Due to COVID we were not allowed to go inside with our doggie. It was an unpleasant, nerve-racking experience sitting in the car for 3 hours in fear (for your fur baby), anxious and apprehensive. I wish we were allowed to go home and wait. Overall, it was a fair experience considering the circumstances. read more

VCA Orange County Veterinary Specialists - Love of our life! - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Tustin, California

If you love your pet don't take them there. They don't care about your pet or you, just the money. Dr. Andrea McDooling is a bad doctor, told me not much wrong, when took to CASE Hospital a different outcome. The manager Rachael is mean and they lied about when tests were done. All for $1854.15. read more

Helped me out when my dog was in a bad situation. They told me inducing vomitting was better than the other procedure. They care about your wallet. read more

Met with Dr. McDooling, seemed great at first but left my dog to run (expensive) testing. Approved and paid for the quoted amount, when my husband picked up our dog- they said there was a balance due of $600. I was confused because I thought it was paid already, when I called to ask- they said they added on another test. Well great... no one ever called me to approve this! I spoke with the doctor and she gave me attitude about it saying well they needed the test done. I told her, there would have been no issue and I would have approved it but someone should have at least called me to notify me! & then to have attitude about it, when they were the ones wrong, really pissed me off! VCA's are corporate owned, they want one thing- to make money. They do not care about your pet or providing you with customer service. If you need a specialist, look for non corporate owned businesses like Rise Pet Health in Irvine. read more

Having an emergency during the pandemic is probably one of the worst feelings for pet owners. Unfortunately we had an incident where my dog's paw got caught and he pulled off one of his toe nails. He was bleeding profusely and after calling our regular vet I was told to take him to VCA on Edinger. At this time, VCA is doing only curbside pickup/drop off so pet owners aren't allowed inside the facility. They were able to admit my dog about 15 min after I arrived. The vet tech handed me paperwork to fill out, and I was instructed to take a screen shot of the paperwork when done and emailed it to the front desk. Then I sat in the car and waited for the vet to call back to let me know the prognosis and treatment plan. I've specifically asked them to call me before performing any type of procedure. This is something I've learned from experiences with other emergency vet facility. Dr. Geiger called about 45 min later to go over everything with me. She was very kind, warm, and comforting. She answered all my questions and did not try to up sell anything. Another 40 min later my dog was brought out, and the vet tech patiently went over everything with me again. I was there for about 2 hours from arrival to check out. My dog was bandaged up and sent home with pain meds. The total bill was about $220, $113 for the visit, $79 for bandaging, and $29 for pain meds. I paid over the phone. It was a traumatic incident but I'm so thankful that the staff at VCA made the entire process easy and smooth. Everyone I interacted with was kind, patient and reassuring, even though they were so busy. read more

I would give zero stars if possible. The experience I had here and the money they bilked me out of is obscene. I took my 4 yr old Pomeranian here after his primary vet said his diaherrhia was going on too long and his extreme pain around his back end needed an ultrasound. I went over to VCA and they gave my dog a quick exam but got right down to the MONEY issue immediately. Believe me that's all they care about! They gave me an estimate ranging from $6000 to $20,000 for his "treatment plan.". I said no to several of the things on this "plan" saying I was here mainly for an ultrasound. They wanted to hospitalize him because he was screaming in pain and lunging at his tail/rear end. I said he had had anal gland issues all his life and this all came on after an anal gland expression. They said they'd "check." Well long story short after 5 days of hospitalization he was no better except for them giving him methadone for pain. The ultrasound showed nothing. Again I said all his symptoms are things he does when his anal glands are bothering him. Each doctor I saw said they did a "rectal", he's fine. They released him back to me with no diagnosis other than maybe "IBD" and plenty of pain meds, I got him home and he ran frantically around the house shrieking in pain and trying to bite his rear area! this went on over 3 hours. My neighbors came over to see what the awful screaming was and were appalled that he would be given back to me in this condition. I took him back that night and the female doctor said"just give him more meds". Again I said there has to be a test to see if it's something to do with his anal glands. She said "he's difficult" to examine! Uh yeah he's in excruciating pain so... I'm sure he's upset. I said I can't let this go on, I'm wondering if I should euthanize him. Meanwhile I'm in tears and feeling like I may have a heart attack. She said he may have to be on "pain management" for the rest of his life. WHAT? For $11,000 this was the result? Outrageous! I took him to Rise Pet Health and told them that he had been in pain now for over 2 weeks and no one will listen to me about his anal glands. She said they would do an MRI and concentrate on his anal area and then if any abnormalities an ultrasound of his glands would be done and retrieve fluid for analysis. She called me after the MRI and guess what? IT WAS DISCOVERED TO BE HIS ANAL GLANDS! And I had contemplated putting him to sleep? They did an ultrasound and took fluid to check it. After they started him on the proper meds and gave him antibiotics for his glands he started to get better and now he is back to his playful happy self. Rise charged $10,000 but they came through!!! They are the best. All in all this cost me over $20,000. Thanks to VCAs incompetence. I tried writing to Dr. Todd Lavender, the head of their big corporation but of course he never even had the courtesy to answer! And you can't get ahold of anyone by phone at their corporate office in Los Angeles. They are just awful ppl only interested in money. I am not done getting the word out on what they did to my poor little dog. Beware of this place read more

I brought my 8 week old baby to VCA Orange County Veterinary Services for emergency 24 hr veterinary care on 4/16/20 after being diagnosed with Parvo. With this being my first puppy, I was willing to do whatever it took to save him. VCA advised my family of potential cost for 48 hr care would be approx $2627.00 to $5739.00 via telephone. We were also advised that my pup had a 60-75% chance of survival at this time, enough for us to justify the cost of his treatment. On Day 1 (4/16/20) the itemized breakdown included an additional $700 of Misc Professional Services and Misc Medications to go home which were never rendered or given. Before the end of Day 1, we received a second treatment plan for another 48 hr of emergency services. We were confused as to why a second treatment plan was give on 4/17/20, with the potential cost of the treatment now ranging from $8943.00 to $10388.00. My pup had just completed his first day of care and now the office was already asking for more money before the end of the second day of treatment. VCA sent us the final invoice on (4/18/20) for services that were not clearly explained in stark contrast to the treatment advised on Day 1. There was no clear reason or explanation for any additional work. At this point, we were very frustrated and in limbo. Do we continue to spend thousands more and keep him at VCA? We jumped on Yelp to read others' experience with VCA. We called our Dr friends for their professional opinion before we decided to take our pup out of VCA and transferred him to another hospital on 4/18/20 (Day 2). My concern with the VCA, was the request for additional payment when my pup had not completed his second day of care (he was in septic shock). Septic shock in a young puppy drastically increases their mortality rate resulting in a poor if not hopeless prognosis. Instead of being ethical and humane, they only cared about adding additional treatment and increasing the charges. VCA made us feel as though there was hope in saving our puppy with additional treatment, when in reality, chances were poor. Is it all business to them to tap on others' emotional weakness at the time of desperation? That's the sentiment we felt. The VCA should be held responsible for their callous and heartless approach to veterinary care. They suggested treatment that would not have benefited any but their own business. At the new hospital, we were advised that our baby was in very poor condition and that any further treatment was unlikely to improve his outcome. The new hospital was patient, humane, and honest with their explanation unlike the staff at VCA. In the end, it was with a heavy heart that we decided to euthanize our little baby so he would no longer suffer. It's egregious and emotionally upsetting to be misinformed with treatment when we trust our providers. Notice the amount of poor reviews that the VCA has garnered with their callous and thoughtless approach to care. We wished that we would have read these reviews prior to taking our baby there and we hope that others will have an opportunity to review our comments. Please be careful if you are considering bringing your love ones to the VCA in Tustin. read more

VCA Orange County Veterinary Specialists - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Tustin, California

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My girlfriend and I brought our kitten here after noticing he was peeing super frequently but not getting much out and meowing in pain before he went. He was otherwise fine and played normally and behaved normally outside of bathroom time. When we got to this vet, reception told us he might have a blocked urethra and might need emergency attention which would've been expensive, we opted to just get an xray and a urinalysis done instead and didn't see our kitten again for 2 hours (and mind you we came at 8:30 pm and there was no one else waiting when we got there; we left at 11pm). Upon his return, the vet tech informed us he couldn't tell from the X-ray if there was anything wrong yet and would give us a call the next day once the radiologist took a look. Now, with just a bit of research you can find that if a male cat has a blocked urethra for even two or three days it could be fatal and very serious, and after calling every day for the next five to six days, they finally called, but while I was at work, so I missed the call and upon calling back they said the tech would call me back when he was free, which so happened to not be until the next day. Thankfully our kitten was ok with the temporary antibiotics they had given us for a potential UTI (which is supposed to be very uncommon for kittens his age), but I fear what might have happened if he actually had had a blocked urethra and was forced to wait that long due to the negligence of these vet techs and their poor handling of the situation. They do not care about your pets or your time, they care about your money. Will not be coming here again and I recommend anyone else who genuinely cares about their animals to seriously weigh other options before deciding to go here for any kind of emergency care. read more

I wish I could give a lower review, because how do you even provide a 1 star review for the vet that kills your dog? Don't go here. Just don't, at least definitely don't go for emergency services. We have, sorry, had, an 11-ish year old yorkie that had been throwing up with diarrhea as well. About 3:00 am on a Friday we became concerned and brought here to VCA because it was close and they are open overnight. She was obviously very dehydrated. They recommended blood work and subcutaneous fluids, which we agreed to. They also wanted to do X-rays and fecal tests, but since those were not an immediate need, we decided against them. In the morning I was contacted to pick the dog up. Overnight, they called my wife and told her that the dog "looked bored" and they didn't indicate just how sick she was. Wen I dropped her off, she was able to sit up and hold her head up, but she was very lethargic. Still, she was a dog. When I came to pick her up, they told me that she needed to eat chicken and rice and that she has soiled herself which they cleaned up, which was why her body was damp. Well, she wasn't the same dog. She was basically a rag doll, unable to hold her head up and at death's door. They gave no indication of how sick she was, they just handed her off like there was nothing major wrong. Thankfully, there is another urgent care vet right on the other side of the gas station (I wish we could have gone there in the first place, but they were not open) and we drove straight there and admitted her to the doggie hospital. It would be like taking grandma to the ER when she complains about a headache and then picking her up and being told she could go home while she was having a full blown stroke. I can not fathom the level of utter disregard for a dog's life a vet has to have to not recommend immediate additional care, even if you think you were told we didn't want to do it. That is what they are claiming, that we turned down more aggressive care (which we most certainly did not) and opted to care for her at home (which was not possible). If I had taken her home, she would have been dead in a matter of hours. She was having bloody diarrhea in the car in the few minutes it took for them to give us the laughable (terrifying) at home care instruction for a dog that needed to be hospitalized. As it turns out, the more aggressive care, IVs, a nasal feeding tube 2+ days of care... were not able to save her and we did have to put her down. Some of her symptoms did bounce back, and she al least was able to walk (gingerly, and for just a bit, but still walk) on her own after the more aggressive care. I can't help but think if they had been more aggressive with her care and put in an IV instead of just a bolus she might have made it. Her blood pressure was unmeasurable when I picked her up. Her blood glucose was basically 0. Her blood was clotting causing all sorts of additional issues. She was in shock, both from whatever initially had distressed her and from not receiving adequate care from VCA. And their response to all this was insulting. I received a follow up call where I told the (I assume) nice young lady what happened. I would have expected someone to contact me, but they didn't. So I called, and the manager was unavailable but left a message to get a call back, expressing just how unhappy I was. Well, a few hours after that I called again, and the manager didn't do any research into what happened. Finally, another 24 hours later she called me and somehow thought the care her hospital gave was adequate. Stay away. Just, stay away. read more

Our tough little chihuahua met a mean coyote in her own backyard one very early morning hour but we were able to scare off the bad-guy and she got away and was lucky enough to find Dr. Leyla Fatourechi at VCA OC and an amazing crew of big-hearted, highly-skilled, kind and informative, doctors, technicians, and staff that explained options in treatment & correlating costs, who were helpful in working with me. My recommendation to everyone, is to get pet insurance for furry family members (just like auto & home/rental, health, life, etc.) Thank you all ....Rose is sweet and tough as ever!! read more

VCA Orange County Veterinary Specialists - Rose sure loves Everyone at VCA OC Specialists 3 - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Tustin, California

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This place is criminal. Price gauging at its best. $5000 a day to care for a pet. The vet who is the internal specialist is so rude and likes to tell you how good she is. Vet techs are all over the place with what's going on. The surgeon did save the dog but aftercare is criminal. And after spending $32,000 you don't even get to talk to the surgeon. Shameful read more

Took our dog there to see the Cardiologist. He was great. They prescribed my dog 3 medications with refills. One of the medications didn't have a refill so I called to get it refilled and made a follow up appointment with the Cardiologist for 60 days away. This office would not refill the one prescription that didn't have a refill before my next appointment. Why would they give me enough medication to get me through to the next appointment for two prescriptions and not for one and then deny my request for a refill knowing I have an appointment in 60 days? Now my dog is missing one prescription so I have to make an appointment with a vet in the area to get it refilled. I hate to say it but I really feel like this is just a way to get me to come in earlier and pay money. Do better VCA OC Tustin. I'm headed to another Cardiologist. read more

I cannot begin to describe how thankful my boyfriend and I are with the love, care, compassion, and patience Chiquis and we were treated with here during her short stay. We were recommended to this hospital for our cat's very sudden & critical condition. Every staff member, from the front desk ladies to the vet techs and Drs, from Sunday afternoon to Monday night were absolute angels. This was such a difficult few night for us but your compassion and empathy made the process of saying goodbye to our sweet girl easier. This place is more on the expensive side but it was so worth it, we saw with our own eyes how diligent and knowledgeable the techs and vets were. They monitored her condition up until the second we made the difficult decision to let her go. We will always be so so thankful for all of you. You are all in the right field. read more

VCA Orange County Veterinary Specialists - Baby Chiquis - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Tustin, California

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I have waited almost 3 years to write this post because I wanted to ensure I had the perspective to give a fair review of this facility. I would NOT recommend this emergency vet facility. The vets and staff took advantage of my love for my cat to milk me of every last cent I had when it was a lost cause from the beginning. I took my 9yo cat to VCA almost 3 years ago because he had something wrong with his eye. He was getting progressively worse. My local vet recommended VCA. VCA could not determine without test after test after test what was wrong with my cat. Every day they would call with a new estimate for $2k more in tests and fluids. I kept asking them if my cat were their cat if they would recommend euthanasia because I loved him but did not want him to suffer. In addition my cat was in a cage where they also cared for dogs who were barking and scaring him. Looking back I wished I had just taken him home with pain medicine so he could've lived his last days with me. During this time I was incredibly stressed out because VCA would call asking for more and more money saying it could help us determine what was wrong. I believe VCA knew or had a he had a brain tumor and would not tell me so I could actually make an informed decision. I felt so guilty and VCA made me feel so guilty not spending all my money to save my cat. I wished they would have just told me it did not look good for him but they would keep saying they didn't know and giving me false hope. After about $6,000 of bills over a period of a little over a week, I decided to tell them to stop...before VCA ever finally determined what the health problem was. I had to take out a loan to pay for the costs of the medial care. Then I had to pay a few hundred more to have him euthanized. It broke my heart and I was literally broke. It is really reprehensible what VCA is doing to make money for their business. It is unacceptable to play on peoples' emotions when they are in this especially vulnerable state. Do NOT go to VCA. Please please go to a facility which will treat you and your cats with dignity, respect, and honesty. read more

Unfortunately, I have been here a few times with a cat. The doctors and the staff are great. It is just so expensive! Of course, it is an ER and so depending on how urgent the situation is, you might need to be prepared to wait. I have the utmost trust in the care we receive here. I am so grateful. read more

Don't ever come here. Worst service ever & horrible workers. Called because I had an emergency for my animal. My dog was experiencing pain in his paw, likely chance an allergic reaction, we gave him over the counter meds but at 2am he couldn't stop crying about his pain. I immediately called her since it's a EMERGENCY, and they completely denied me. They said it's not an emergency & I would need to take him to a primary doctor. I informed her it is an emergency because my dog won't stop crying. She said they only take dogs that get hit by a car? What is this? Super ridiculous. read more

VCA values profits over pets lives. Our 1.5 year old golden doodle tragically died last weekend at VCA Tustin and we still haven't received any updates or records from them regarding what happened during the 17 hours she was in their care. The timeline: ⁃ 10am Friday: dog sitter realizes she's acting sick - waits to see if she will eat or drink throughout the day ⁃ 630pm: she has not improved and they bring her to VCA Tustin (not our preferred emergency vet - we prefer irvine valley vet but we were trying to be gracious about the distance and time for our sitter, to our bitter remorse) ⁃ 10pm: the vet admits Boo and runs X-rays and blood tests ⁃ 11:30pm the vet calls us and says she's stable and they would like to do surgery for what seems to be a blockage in her intestine - they want to keep her and monitor her overnight and operate in the morning when they have a surgeon available (apparently they don't have a surgeon on call overnight) - they quote us $2-4K for this. We agree and it seems as if all is fine. ⁃ 10am Saturday - the vet calls and tells us that our dog has gotten dramatically worse overnight and now has only a 50% chance of survival with the surgery & aftercare, which now they're quoting us at $17-21K. we agree to the surgery and start the application process for financing because she is our little girl and we would do anything for her. ⁃ 12pm they begin to intubate her and all of her vitals start crashing ⁃ 12:30pm she is dead. There are so many things that VCA mismanaged and the first of my questions is: - why didn't they tell us of the urgency of getting her operated on the night she was admitted? - Why didn't they suggest moving her to a location with an available surgeon? We have had a similar surgery on her before at IVV and they admitted her and operated within 3 hours of receiving her. ⁃ if she was being monitored overnight for this hefty fee, why didn't they notify us that she was getting more sick/her chances of survival were growing slimmer? ⁃ Why haven't they been able to provide the time stamps of when they checked her overnight or X-rays from her admission? ⁃ Why was there zero indication made by the night vet that her dying was even a remote possibility? We have sent them an email asking all of these questions above and also for the time stamps and the records and called more than once asking as well, and were told "yes yes we'll get them right over". It's been a week and we have nothing from them. On the other hand, when it comes to collecting payment, they made sure it was handled promptly. Other things they failed at - I arrived in tears to see her remains and the receptionist told me to wait outside (in the parking lot) and then came out with a clipboard to "review aftercare options" before I had even seen her. There is no bedside manner or sign of remorse for the death of my 1.5 year old puppy. They then led me into what appeared to be an unused office, with a taped over window where I must have been sitting next to a break room because all I can hear is the staff gossiping about patient's pets and giggling. They brought her body in and then left us there, and we had to signal for attention multiple times to be able to talk to a vet or the receptionist to figure out what to do next. When I asked the operating vet if there was someone monitoring her overnight he fidgeted and said 'oh yes definitely'.. if so then where are the time stamped check in logs? IVV has provided them every time we bring any of our 3 (now two) dogs to see them in cases of emergency. We are heartbroken and devastated. I can't help but wonder if our sweet little girl might be alive if we had brought her to a vet that operates with quality rather than pushing for quantity. We had to take one of our other dogs in to a specialist this week and the specialist said that ever since VCA was acquired by the same owners as Petco & Mars bars they have declined in service quality and only care about numbers. If you care about your pets health and well-being I beg you not to frequent this VCA. Irvine Valley Vet (or BluePearl) is not far and they provide a far superior service with constant communication and staff that actually cares about you and your pets. They also charge a lot less, and are much kinder when faced with human emotions which arise when one of our beloved family members is dealing with a crisis. read more

Excellent emergency care! Professional staff that go above and beyond to help your pet. Dr. McDooling provided outstanding care and support for our Labrador Retriever through an emergency. She kept us updated and got our pet well and home with superior clinical skills and dedication to both pet and family. Aftercare was prompt and professional. We so grateful to have her and the VCA team here in OC! Thank you VCA. Highly recommended. read more

Great place for your pets! I pick up and drop off patients here frequently on behalf of AALOC, a local non-profit shelter. The weight can sometimes be bad, but they're doing the best they can here. read more

Horrible experience with this vet - it didn't seem like they were at all interested in healing my dog, but just were after my money. Exploitive and completely against everything a vet should be. Never take your pet here read more

My bulldog had to be hospitalized for three days due to struggling to breath. They had to keep him on oxygen for the first 24 hours. He was released to go home and rest. Surgery couldnt be done right away due to some complications he had. So they sent him home with meds and gave us strict instructions to wait two weeks until his body was ready. They also gave me strict instructions as to what food he should eat during this time. The food they recommended needs a vets approval. so once I got home I immediately ordered the food and it was sent for approval. Which NO ONE responded to it. waited two days and still no one approved it. So I went a different route. Its been a week since Diesel has been home. Did anyone from this facility call the next day to check on him? Did a staff member or doctor that saw hime call this week to see how he was doing? NO! no one did a follow up!!! after me spending a shit ton of money. Thats the least these people could have done. They act all so concerned when your there but once you walk out the door your a nobody. great customer service at this place. Since this place has been bought out. All you care about is money and how much you can charge a person who is at your mercy to save their dog. As for doing surgery here. hell no! I found another specialty vet that is 100% better in all areas. read more

Absolutely not. Their service was the worst I've ever experienced. They have a revolving door of vets who come and go and you never talk to the same one twice. By two different vets there, I was told that for the procedure that cost me $8,000, I would get the biopsy results sent to me via email. When I didn't get them I called and was informed that they wouldn't be sending them to me -although two vets had already told me they would- and that they were only going to go to my primary care vet and I would have to contact that individual to get the information that I just paid $8,000 for. WTH?!! Never, ever again. read more

I brought my dog Caprice here a while back, and he was diagnosed with lymphoma. He stayed at VCA for a few days, and they took great care of him. When he got back home he seemed so healthy and looked like he felt better. From there, I took him to the veterinary cancer group for treatment, and VCA was very great in handing all his medical records and treatment over to them. On Labor Day, Caprice felt very sick and had labored breathing. As no other vets besides emergency vets were open, I called VCA and they said to bring him in immediately. As soon as I pulled up to the parking lot, they sent someone out within 5 minutes to take him in and he was carried out of my car as he couldn't walk (which I really appreciated). Even though they did all they could, Caprice had a septic abdomen and had to be euthanized. Dr. McDooling, who had previously cared for Caprice there, was great throughout the process and provided support and reassurances that were really appreciated. Thank you to Dr. McDooling and the rest of the team that cared for Caprice while he was sick. They also sent beautiful flowers and a card for our family. read more

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Hello - I just wanted to write review to express my gratitude to all the staff at VCA OC Vet Specialists Animal Emergency Hospital. I brought my cat, Minnie, about a month ago in for an emergency illness. They did everything they could to save her but unfortunately she passed away a few days. Everyone (I wish I remembered everyone's name but I was anxious and talked to so many people) was so kind to Minnie and myself. They never made me feel like a burden when I would call every few hours for updates. They truly cared for Minnie as if she was their own pet. read more

VCA Orange County Veterinary Specialists - My baby girl, Minnie - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Tustin, California

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I write this with a HEAVY heart. VCA in Tustin, in particular the vet tech nurses and Drs. Ponteres, and Shepherd did everything worldly possible to save our dear little Zoee--she was 15 yrs old. The doctors were so creative to try to save our girl. It was just her time. Man I wish I could hold her now. VCA sent flowers today also. Such a nice gesture. I will definitely bring my other dogs to these doctors. PS, Huge shout out to the vet insurance HEALTHY PAWS. No questions asked, they paid such a huge vet bill to allow the doctors to stay in the fight for my girl. It would not have been possible without Healthy Paws--no caps on treatment or lifetime benefit--huge deal over other providers. read more

Unless you are ready to spend 5k don't bother going to a VCA, they are a hospital not an urgent care, they recommend aggressive diagnostic and full work ups. After $700 for an evaluation (no work up) and a few IV meds, I was sent home with no more information than I came with, and hundreds of dollars of meds my dog could NOT take since she isn't eating! I took her to my vet the next business day and in 5 minutes with a quick exam and stethoscope he said it's heart failure and no pill will cure/fix her situation. He discussed short term symptom management options vs putting her to sleep. Gave me full explanations, not a bag of pills! We opted to take her home for a few more days. VCA makes you wait hours upon hours just like a regular ER. All the VCA staff were very friendly and attentive but at an expense that was not worth the price of admission for my situation. read more

VCA Orange County Veterinary Specialists - No help from VCA just a huge bill and a bag of pills she can't take. - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Tustin, California

I cannot say enough about this emergency hospital. When our local vet almost killed our dog, they instructed us to bring them here. He was in anaphylactic shock and almost died, but they saved him. Don't get me wrong. It wasn't cheap, but it was worth it. Caitlin and the other ladies at the front desk are just so sweet and helpful. There was never a time I felt like I was imposing on them calling all hours of the night to check on our fur baby. There were so many doctors and technicians involved that we can't remember them all but just know we appreciate you all so much. You are such strong people. Thank God for you! The world needs more caring people in it like you!! Thanks again for saving Cooper. read more