Two experiences here now. First over covid my husky with cancer - would never have let him stay here knowing how filthy it was after my second experience 5 days ago... My pug and his eye issues; walked away feeling talked down to like I wasted their time. Even apologized for it, like I enjoy wasting my own time and money. Also had a 250 dollar credit I found out 5 years later. So bizarre, no one could tell me how or why I wasn't updated. I can take rude Vets, I really don't care -health of my dogs over any doctors ego for sure. But the biggest red flag overall was how dirty it was (I was in 4 rooms total, unfortunately zero over covid-19 and I don't even want to imagine what that was like). My Husky walked out a different dog. read more

Awful Experience - Unprofessional and Irresponsible Service - Avoid VEC's Ophthalmology Department I had an extremely upsetting experience with VEC Animal Hospital, particularly with Nicole (Ophthalmology receptionist) and Morgan, the HR manager. On Monday, May 5, I urgently requested a refill for my pet's critical eye medication, which had run out three days earlier. Nicole never returned my calls that day despite repeated follow-ups. On Tuesday, I was told the medication was essential and ready for pickup. When I arrived, one medication was incorrect, and the other was labeled "for clinic use only." I was promised a corrected and urgent delivery the next morning at no charge--but nothing arrived. On Wednesday, Nicole admitted she hadn't checked her messages, and only arranged for delivery after I paid. Still, the medication never came. I called again that night and canceled the order, deciding to go through my regular vet. Despite this, the medication was delivered Thursday morning--too late. When I spoke to Nicole, she blamed the courier and refused to take any responsibility. I then spoke with Morgan, the HR manager, who was shockingly rude and dismissive. She didn't apologize for the mistake or Nicole's negligent behavior during an emergency, and instead told me to find another facility to care for my "fluff baby." I'm beyond disappointed by this lack of professionalism and empathy. Mishandling critical medication could have seriously harmed my pet. I'll be filing a formal complaint. I do not recommend VEC's Ophthalmology department to anyone who values timely, responsible care. read more

Special thanks to the kind, courteous and knowledgeable staff who did just enough to restore our kitty's health without pressure and with total clarity. From check in to discharge, in the middle of the night, this was a thoroughly positive experience. We can't thank you enough read more

Fantastic clinic. Great care and service. Dr. Grey and Dr. Mason are exceptional. Very knowledgeable and professional. I feel my dogs are in great hands every time I visit. read more

My pet had a couple of surgical procedures at the VEC. Here is our experience. 1. Too, too expensive. We were provided with a quote each time, the difference between the low and the high end of the quote was about $5,000. 2. Promises were made before surgery, but never delivered. 3. Communication with the vet was minimal. No one talked to us or provided any information. Conclusion: go elsewhere. Your family vet can do the same job for the fraction of the price. You will be much happier. Hope our experience helps you pick the best care for your pet. read more

This place is not good. It's just because there is not too many others around and you have no choice you come here the vet that I had she kept talking nonstop. She literally would not Let me ask questions. I asked many times I even said is your phone working? She confirmed that her phone works perfectly fine when I gave her feedback on how she's communicating with me she continued to interject and I asked her to please give me time to speak and she could not take the feedback extremely egotistical, especially when I'm the one paying thousands of dollars it was a disgusting experience read more

A combination of excellence in veterinary care and poor, uncompassionate, sometimes inexperienced and even rude staff behaviours. They also do not keep complete records unfortunately so please be sure to take notice around this point make your own notes but of course if you are with a sick pet it's not like you are going to write down people's names and make everything worse. If you have to file a concern with them they are unable to tell you how to do that if you call and ask. You get a bit of a runaround. They should have a feedback form for sure but also a process for client concerns. They assure you that you will speak with this person or that person but then an entirely different person (the unempathetic and defensive admin person) calls you back but yet you are still not advised on how to submit a concern. Open rudeness is so upsetting when you are there with a critically ill pet. You need and want the excellent veterinarian medical care but there is a great need to improve communications and I don't think they care much about this aspect of practice. It's too bad. read more

Feb 2018 - it cost $500 to euthanize my senior cat Dec 2022 - it cost $1200 for the exact same event/circumstance I know the staff is probably desensitized but please muster up more compassion during euthanasias...and also make sure the pet sedated before you put them down because the grasping at me and looking into my eyes will be burned on my memory forever. read more

My dog was scheduled for a cruciate ligament repair at TVEH when the vet discovered a previously undetected heart murmur. Within a week we had an appointment with cardiologist Dr. Chong. An exam and echocardiogram were completed. Dr. Chong shared his insights, recommendations and we were cleared for surgery again. Timely service, excellent knowledge and a caring clinic atmosphere. This appointment was expensive but equipment and tests are expensive. Veterinary care is costly. I didn't like how much it cost but I don't think that's VEC's fault. read more

If I could give a zero rating I would. It has been many years since we lost our Ziggy in 2014. He was majestic. A strong Berner about to turn 10 years old. He developed a very rare disease where his own immune system attacked his healthy joints. It was heartbreaking to watch, and we fought hard to save him. In 2014 the options were limited. I will never forget calling the VEC begging them for help and being told they can't help me and I needed to call my vet. I called my vet begging for help and they told me to call the VEC. When I finally became hysterical, I found out that the VEC sent a two-page fax to my vet outlining the treatment to save Ziggy. My vet received one page and the critical medication he needed to save his life was contained on page two. My baby died because of a clerical error. read more

Avoid this place that has Vets that are cruel, rude and dismissive. Dr Mason has the worst bed side manner and will make you feel small and stupid. He doesn't like answering questions because he is above everyone else. How dare anyone ask Him a question? read more

It has taken me a few weeks to build up the fortitude for which to re-live this story. I had a puppy only a few weeks old that I thought was building up a bloated stomach and when I watched her strain to poop it looks like there was no clear path for the feces to exit. I couldn't get ahold of my regular vet so I took her down immediately to this location in Yorkville. They took her in and insisted on almost $600 as an emergency reserve. They examined her and freely admited that they could see no particular reason for any issues and could not do an ultrasound until the next day when I can only assume the owner would be in. I kept trying to get ahold of my vet the whole time I was outside. When I finally did get ahold of my local veterinarian she told me that if she was stable just to bring her home and bring her in to her tomorrow morning to be looked at by her regular doctor. On the phone my regular vet told me what questions to ask to find out if she was okay and stable and whether or not her backside was blocked or clear. Once I could determine that it seemed everything was normal and it was just me overreacting, I wanted her released. Even this location confirmed that the puppy was stable the whole time and even according to this emergency service they couldn't see an obstruction anywhere and could not see a buildup of feces inside the dog either but they guilted me to the point where I was in tears crumpled on the ground in front of the building on the sidewalk in a panicked State. They kept pushing me into having an x-ray with contrast which is what they called it. I even phoned back twice from the parking lot telling them no, don't do anything further just give me back the dog and I will take her to my vet in the morning because you've already told me that she stable. And they twisted my emotions by saying "what happens if she dies in the middle of the night you will feel terrible let us at least to do the X-ray with contrast because you're already here". I explained that I couldn't afford this and was happy to go to my vet in the morning. They pushed so hard that I finally in tears let them do it. I realised afterwards that it was just their way of making sure they didn't have to give me back my money or as little of it as possible. I will never again go to this location in fact I will drive out of my way to go somewhere else because who needs that emotional heart-wrenching pain to spend more money that you can't afford. And by the way, the puppy is absolutely fine. There was nothing wrong with her and they should have said so. They should have said we cannot see a reason for any distress. Take her home and let your vet look after her because she's absolutely stable. There was no reason for them to take the other $400. That was my rent money and I told them that but they didn't care. read more

Veterinary Emergency Clinic - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Our cat Masha had a horrible case of stomatitis, poor baby already had some teeth removed and we've tried other alternatives that did not work and she was starting to be afraid of food as it caused her horrible pain, even a simple yawn was excruciating pain. Our main vet clinic suggested to go to Dr.French for more teeth removal. Dr. French who was not only the kindest but also super knowledgeable Veterinarian very gently suggested and explained that Masha should have all her teeth removed and with some hesitation we have agreed. It has now been 3 years, no teeth and we have the happiest cat in the world. She eats with absolutely no problems and she is full of life. The ladies at the front are also super nice and I honestly couldn't have asked for more. Thank you to all the staff and Dr.French you guys are truly the best!! read more

Veterinary Emergency Clinic - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Great service and care. Lovely techs / assistants. Lack of mask requirement for pet parents & staff is a major concern. Those of us who are high risk face decisions about not getting our pets the care they need or putting our own health at risk. It's deeply disappointing in a medical facility. read more

I would not have take my dog to Veterinary Emergency Clinic if he is not suffering in the middle of the night. One can imagine the cost with be a lot more than your regular vet. Unfortunately, he has IVDD which is specific to his breed and VEC does have neurologists on staff that able to operate on him within 24 hours of his ruptured disc. The alternative is to drive to University of Guelph in the middle of the night. It is not cheap. Over $5000 but fortunately I do have insurance that cover 80% of the cost. This make it so much bearable. But it is still a shock to see the estimate and of course the final bill! And I do need to pay everything upfront! I found all the staffs here are really professional. My dog was admitted and diagnosed within 15 minute of our arrival and sedative was given so he can be more comfortable. He was taken care through the night and able to see a neurologist and have a MRI and operation the next day. The staffs always keep me up to date with the progress. I would definitely recommend going to VEC in case if your beloved pet got really sick when your regular vet is not available. I am glad that this service is available for us pet owners to utilize!! They accepts all credit cards, even Diners! Even sadly my dog did passed away. read more

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Their internal medicine specialist makes assumptions without confirming the actual cause of an illness and as a result my dogs cancer when undiagnosed for far too long and he only lived 1.5 weeks after they finally determined he had cancer. I'd give you a ZERO if I could! read more

We used the allergist specialist services at the Veterinary Emergency Clinic. Dr. Waisglas provided a lot of useful information and we feel confident that he will be able to help us get to the bottom of our dog's complex health problems. The other clinic staff were also pleasant, knowledgeable and helpful. We would not hesitate to recommend this practice to other pet owners. A very positive experience. read more

We took our cat to VEC today to try to get to the bottom of a drawn out illness. The staff were friendly, thorough, and efficient. We met with Dr. Mason, who really listened and put the pieces of the health mystery together quickly, explaining his suspicions in a way that was easy to understand. We felt confidence in his care and are relieved that we have a much clearer picture of what is going on and how we can help our sweet boy. read more

These people are crooks!!!! If you can avoid it at all please do. My god ... they are a complete joke. Rude- incompetent and just an absolute nightmare anytime I have been forced to go here- today was a referral from my doctor to see dr. Mason they changed without my consent to see dr foster/ after waiting over a week. She has about as much insight as a rock. Brutal.. Off to see another vet after 1200 dollars of blood and urine tests. Update: Adding on my dog saw another vet on yonge and st.clair and he just had a skin infection and already after a week of antibiotics he feels much better. By the way I pointed this out to Dr.foster and her solution was a 700.00 ultrasound. Am I missing something??? read more

Don't be surprised by extra costs sent to you months later. Months later I was mailed a 'past due' addition to my bill that I had no idea about. Claim is that team did 2 types of blood analysis but forgot to charge me for one of them on original bill before checking me out. I was never given any follow up on the results of these separate tests or informed that the blood testing i agreed to would have 2 separate charges, so in the end paid approx $450 just for the blood analysis potion of my bill. The vet was great, and while it was long wait, I expect that and the higher prices from going to emergency clinic. What I didn't appreciate was a months later 'past due' bill that I had no understanding about and had to spend 2 days constantly calling to get through to a receptionist. This billing error was not my mistake but I'm the one that suffered the responsibility with no apology or decent explanation. read more

I wish we had not brought our extremely elderly dog here in the middle of the night. He was a 15 year old Corgi, quite lame in his back legs and pretty much had to be carried everywhere. He was on several medications for arthritis and we knew his time was drawing near but we were not prepared for this. After a trip to a family event he suddenly began pooping bright red blood, extremely uncharacteristically. It was a holiday weekend and we hoped to soldier though to see our regular vet when they opened. However his condition worsened over two sleepless nights, vomiting blood and bloody diarrhea hourly, panting and disoriented and we decided that it really was an emergency. We called and the receptionist said the vet would not give advice over the phone so we decided to take him in. We thought he was dying. We are not inexperienced pet owners. The extremely young and apparently inexperienced vet we saw sugggested several things: - that he didn't have arthritis but he had a neurological condition that our current vet had misdiagnosed - that this was from stress because he had been to the event - that this was just an upset stomach from something he ate - that this was because of his medication (which he had been taking for several years with no incident) - that she could treat him with an stomach medication and we should just take him back home When we declined more exploratory treatment and wondered if it might just be his time, she recoiled, and then suggested: - we wanted to put him down because of our own convenience or our inability to pay, neither one of which was true - that she wouldn't be able to sleep at night if she had to euthanize him (WTF, I wondered if she stopped to think about how we might have been feeling; we were panicked, exhausted from trying to keep him comfortable, and at the end of our rope.) After 'conferring with her colleagues' she agreed that in fact, euthanasia might be warranted. In the end, I really wish we had waited and taken him to our own vet who would have treated our dog and us with at least a modicum of empathy. She made us feel like we were horrible people. read more

My partner and I's cat (Enzo) ate a sponge and we were referred from our vet to the VEC for immediate emergency surgery to remove it from his intestines. We were so grateful to the VEC for the care they gave him in the 3 days he was there. They called us 2-3 times a day to give us updates, were incredibly patient with us on the phone, and gave us very detailed info about everything that was happening. When we brought him home, they would always take our questions and calls in a timely matter and gave us advice that was really helpful in taking care of him. They also phoned as a reminder for his final checkup. Three weeks later Enzo ate something else and we rushed him to the VEC to see if we could get him to throw up before he digested the object. They treated us so well, I felt no judgement for going back so soon (he is an incredibly smart cat who learned how to open containers), and thankfully he was able to throw it up. But they presented us with comprehensive care options for if he didn't, and we had no worries about leaving him in their care. When I was talking with Dr Donald after, even though they were busy she was so kind and answered all my questions on the phone no matter how trivial they seemed. She remembered Enzo from the last time he was in, and I felt like she genuinely cared about his well-being. Also, my partner and I are both men and the clinic was extremely queer friendly, treating us both as equals in owning Enzo, referring to us as partners without any questions, and also using chosen names on Enzo's records rather than legal names, which did not match. This really proved to me that they went above and beyond for us. Thank you Dr Donald, Dr Degroot and the VEC team! We really appreciate your work. read more

Had a great experience here. The staff were professional and courteous and I didn't have to wait long after my scheduled appointment time. I was out in just over an hour and was able to have all my questions answered. The only downside was the difficulty in finding parking and the one front desk staffer who looked unkempt and frankly a bit unclean. Not exactly what you want to see in a hospital setting. read more

I had a horrible experience with this hospital. They were rude, insensitive to both my cats needs and mine, seemed to care more about the money that could be made than my very sick bengal. I spent a lot of money on three visits and he died in my arms at home the day after his last visit. I would not recommend this place. We stood outside in below freezing for hours and they did not want to take my poor cat inside where it was warm. Left us both outside in a line up. I finally just walked right in and left him in their reception room in his carrier. Probably made him sicker than he already was after being in the extreme temperatures. They didn't want him/me to come in until they got all the visa information. Did they think I would run away and leave him? Is that why they wouldn't allow him into the warmth? GO ANYWHERE ELSE BUT HERE!!!!!!! read more

I writing to express my deep disappointment in Dr Gray's recently announced refusal to do breeder's CERF's. I understand that COVID has affected services but I had a puppy CERFed on October 6th and you refused today, October 23, to book an appointment. My breed has a number of genetic eye disorders, with no DNA testing available. I also understand that doing CERF's may not be as lucrative to a specialist's practice but if an ophthalmologist's mandate is to treat (and prevent) disorders of the eyes, my puppies and my breed are not well served by many ophthalmologists in Ontario. read more

What a scam. I purchased a prescription for 100 pills from a people pharmacy for $55. I had to pick up the same prescription from VEC for 65 pills at the cost of $93. What an unecessary markup. I really dont like this place. read more

There was no one in the waiting room, but was told I would have to wait 8 to 12 hours. My dog was bleeding from the rectum and had not eaten in 4 days. I current vet did not have an ultrasound machine and she told me to go to the VEC. When I complained to the recep, her answer was that they were busy even though the waiting room was empty. DONT GO THERE! Emergency clinic...yea right read more

Terrible place for emergencies. Came here on a Saturday night as my puppy had ingested something poisonous. When you call from the door the options are not clear and lengthy for an emergency clinic. When finally you reach reception/triage they are not courteous or sympathetic with your situation. I was told waiting time will be six hours. And i noticed few people outside ( just two couples) I think they don't have enough staff. This is a emergency clinic joke that spend a lot in google ads. Improve your call answering system and invest on training to your receptionist! read more

Amazing. Looked at my dog and checked vitals for free- gave me peace of mind and let us go home. Cannot recommend enough! So fast too.

They saved my dog's life by performing a general procedure surgery. Hence a 1 in the overall feedback and recommendation. VEC is a poorly run clinic with terrible customer service. - Not 1 follow up phone call to check on my dog and his well being after being discharged. - I had to call in 3 times to get an invoice from them - for services that they bill you upfront. - During my follow up visit, the staff was rude, as my dog was distressed and didn't want to re-enter the clinic - Discriminatory practices by staff when dealing with customers - from their attitude, to how they treat the pets, to how they follow and enforce their Covid-19 protocols - I got one phone call from them with the test results. They sent me a 3 page scanned photocopy of an article from a scholarly journal. When I called them asking for more details and/or articles, they declined. They said they sent everything they had. - During the follow-up visit, all they did was confirm that my pet's sutures were healing fine and that there was no discharge or signs of infection - this is a basic level of care and observation. I checked him every day since he was discharged from his surgery to when I went for the follow-up to check for this, as it is quite a common sense idealogy to do this for any healing. This is all they had for me. - I asked to speak with a supervisor or clinic manager - they transferred me to the reception - I asked the receptionist to speak to someone in charge, she told me to leave a voicemail for their head of HR. - I asked them to contact me, and I have not yet heard from them If and only if you have an emergency and no other backup, consider taking your pet there. My biggest learning out of this: As a pet owner, do you research beforehand on hospitals, etc. so that in the unfortunate event that you do need to use one, you are well educated and informed. read more

I have read some of the previous comments and i see that a lot of the negative comments are over a year old. This is my experience this year (and the last 7 yrs at VEC): - My brother's dog has had 3 surgeries at these clinic (2xACL) and a separate emergency procedure. During all 3 surgeries we've been extremely grateful that our dog has made full recoveries and the service as a customer and as a patient (our dog) has been with the utmost care and empathy. - About 2 weeks ago my mother's dog had been referred to a new vet who prescribed strong medication (for no apparent reason) and our dog nearly passed away. When brought to VEC, not only did they explained to us exactly what happened but they brought our lil guy back to life. From reception, to nurses to doctors and medicine specialists, everyone cared enough to show us compassion, called us twice daily with updates and seemed to be extremely conscious as to find ways to minimize the expenses incurred. Once our lil guy was fine to come home he was discharged early and they refunded what was entitled. Total different story than what we had gone thru with the vet that overcharged, over medicated and almost killed our dog. We are extremely grateful to VEC and to all their staff for the care and compassion we received. Also during covid times, they have been quite strict in regards to check ins and i think thats also important to point out as it reflects their commitment to ensure safety for everyone. read more

Do not go to this clinic unless you absolutely CANNOT wait until the next day to see your regular vet. We went here and we were constantly lied to about how long it would take, as well as put on hold and forgotten when we would call for updates (while waiting). Communication is terrible. The vet will only talk to you over the phone due to covid - our regular vet will come speak with us outside after the appointment. Fees are incredibly OVER priced. We actually ended up here after seeing another emergency vet who sent us here to do a procedure that they didn't have the equipment for. After 4 HOURS of waiting the vet here had only just assessed our cat and told us a completely different price for the procedure than the first vet had said. ($6,000 vs $3,000). Absolutely no direction was given as to what we could or should do if we could not afford to pay these prices. We spent $1,000 that night for the vet to tell us exactly what the first vet had said, with no new answers. A complete waste of time and money, and our cat was doing significantly worse the next day. read more

Very expensive but great service. Very people-oriented and clear in their explanations and plans. Very soothing with my dog, who had swallowed an entire skewer of meat. Would recommend very highly. read more

3rd vet in 5 days. I couldn't get to my regular vet office, so I tried to get the best care I could under the circumstances. Twice the cost of the two previous vets combined. Still don't have a diagnosis for my cat. Dr. was not truthful about costs of tests either. Under sold the prices. Tried to sell unnecessary tests as well. Suggesting a kidney biopsy before even getting a blood test. Who would do that? Does that even sound reasonable? I declined the biopsy. The vet intern also took down incorrect information. It seems the vet was unaware that my cat hadn't eaten in almost 6 days!! I was very clear about that to the intern. I had the same information about my cat before I came in. Now I'm out $1300. With no further explanation about what might be wrong, and the same treatment regime I had going in. But she had some mighty fine and fancy tests! The doctor didn't even take her temperature! If she had, it probably would have appeared as a separate charge on my bill too! I'd love to know whom to complain to about this. No place to lodge a complaint it seems. That's why I'm posting here. I tried to leave feedback on the website 3 times to no avail. I tried calling to ask about certain charges on my bill. I was told that they would make a note of it.... read more

I came here for a specialist visit with Dr. Mason who diagnosed my cat Max with a Ureter blockage. He advised to proceed with surgery was required to clear the blockage and advised to use the most skilled surgeon with lowest complication rate was Dr. Ringwood. I asked a MANY times about the chance of mortality and I was assured over and over that the only risk is anesthesia. PERIOD. Risks were ONE SINGLE revision surgery required as it's a small area they are working in. Given Max's strong clean bill of health aside of this, we agreed to proceed. Long story short Max went through THREE surgeries (PER THEIR RECOMMENDATION "if we don't, he will die") and was discharged to be euthanized at home. When I picked him up, his health was so deteriorated I knew it was inhumane to keep him alive any longer. He smelled of urine and feces, cried out in pain when he did try to poop, lost 40% body weight (why wasn't a feeding tube put in, was he being fed?). I knew due to the condition of his body, this was a fight that could no longer be fought anymore and it pained me to think how long he was in this condition given they had him for 2 weeks. I was never given a consent form and after researching the surgery myself I read that SUB BYPASS is the best option for this situation given the success rate of the surgery and traditional ureter surgeries are RARELY performed anymore (It's always stents or subs). I questioned why SUB BYPASS wasn't suggested and I was told this is a salvage surgery. The real reason? I found out they never actually done a SUB BYPASS. Further more I asked them how many traditional ureter surgeries they done in the last 12 months, excluding Max, it was 2. Before when I asked about the skill level, they said Dr. Ringwood has done this surgery MANY times, countless where they couldn't give exact numbers. Does this sound like a specialist in the field? 2 surgeries in the last 12 months? Clearly Max's case was far more complicated than what Dr. Ringwood is able to do. We were told that he was the best, lowest complication rate and that he's done so many that they don't know the exact number but post death they admitted to only doing 2 aside from Max. Think about that. Isn't it a little misleading? Given COVID they also didn't let me see Max to make decisions and rarely allowed for ZOOM so I have no idea the care he was receiving but his notes after discharge also stated "Max removed his catheter" as if I believe that and one time that it was blocked... I was given a lot of misleading information. Dr. Ringwood is not only arrogant but rude. When he finally called me after the third surgery since I demanded a phone call. I understandably explained my disappointment given Max was in great health prior to him operating. His response was I needed a therapist. I was very polite so I was a little blind sided by this. Canadian Veterinarians take an oath to promote animal health and well-being and to relieve suffering. I believe Max suffered the majority of his stay at VEC and they did surgeries that shouldn't have ever been done. I've tried to reach out to management but it doesn't seem they care to make any changes to their processes. ALWAYS demand numbers and don't let them rush you. VEC cost Max his life and has left a giant hole in my heart. Additionally, as I've mentioned to management, I recommend they send Dr. Ringwood for client communication courses. I don't care about what education you have, you have zero right to speak to a customer like that. I believe this was surgical error and misleading information. Dr. Ringwood, we blame you. read more

this place is awful avoid it as much as you can. The receptionist didnt even take out her headphones, looked up and said 10 hr wait, while my dogs throat was closing from an allergic reaction. I understand being over capacity and having long wait times but I would appreciate more respect and compassion from the workers. read more

In the decade I've been coming here for all of my emergency and specialist needs I've never been less than blessed by the care my animals have received. Over the last year especially Dr. Schneider and the neurology department have been phenomenal. I cannot emphasize how strongly I recommend them. They are genuinely the most caring and wonderful people. My dog gets excited when we take her because of how amazing everyone is. read more

Our dog broke his leg in October while we were out of town. Two days later, we were able to get him an appointment with the VEC. At the appointment, we re-confirmed the break and scheduled his surgery at a cost of roughly $7200. Dr. Ringwood performed the surgery. Our dog's bones were reconnected using a small metal plate. He wore a soft upper body cast that kept his leg perfectly still. He could barely walk or sleep. We took him in for weekly dressing changes and, each time, his new cast was shaped differently and he'd have to try and get used to it all over again. After a couple of weeks, we notice that his mobility drastically declined. We took him back to the VEC and they decided to do another x-ray. It's determined that, somehow, the plate had broken in half and another surgery was needed to fix it. We asked how this could have happened and the only response we received was that "the odds of this happening were SO LOW". Add another $5500+ for a second surgery to fix it. Ringwood installed a "stronger" plate. His cast came off a few weeks later. We were encouraged to do physiology. At the third appointment, the doctor refused treatment because our dog's leg was regressing. She urged VEC to do x-ray immediately. They did and claimed that the leg was healing properly, but urged us to restrict activity - no physiology, no walks, no stairs, etc. Unsatisfied, we had x-rays sent to our regular vet who was concerned with what he saw. He referred us to another orthopedic surgeon who further confirmed that the leg was in very rough shape and likely beyond repair. We talk to VEC and they want to 'make it right'. Claims no accountability, of course, but said he was invested in this 'just as much as we were.' Offers to do external fixator or amputate free of charge. Again, the chance of anything going wrong with this surgery/recovery was "a very low percentage." Our dog's leg was amputated in February. Once home, our dog had severe PTSD. He screeched when we tried to pet him because he associated us with having to go to the hospital. Within a couple of days, he started regurgitating after EVERY bite of food. He was prescribed acid reflux medication ($) which had no effect. He couldn't eat anything and began dropping weight drastically. His regurgitation gets significantly worse, so we had to take him back to the VEC. We had done some research and came across 'strictures', but they doubted it and dismissed us because the chances of that were very "low". They suggested an ultrasound as "it could be a hernia." We inquired about the cost (we were approaching the neighborhood of $15-17K by this point) as he'd previously told us that he wanted to "make it right"- but he dismissed us completely. Ringwood said that even if this was a complication from the anesthesia during our dog's surgery, this was technically a separate department and he was done covering the costs. He exhibited ZERO compassion, stopped referring to our dog by name and said, "I'm not going to keep paying to fix YOUR dog." We weren't actually looking for a complete handout- we just wanted him to admit that the regurgitation COULD have been the result of a complication that occurred during the surgery- but he'd admit nothing. We were on our own. And without linking his regurgitation to the surgeries, we'd have to file a new claim with our insurance and pay another deductible. Of course it wasn't a hernia. He finally admitted that- if there is an issue with our dog's esophagus that it COULD have occurred during anesthesia--but that he couldn't confirm, nor was he responsible. Having just wasted money on an unnecessary ultrasound and after being made to feel insignificant by such an incredibly rude and unsympathetic person - we took our dog and left the VEC forever. After further consultations and testing elsewhere, it was confirmed that it WAS an esophageal stricture and WAS a direct result from the anesthesia that our dog endured during his surgery at the VEC. Just like we knew all along. read more

I had the best experience ever at VEC recently, particularly with Dr Elizabeth Lamborne. I was referred from my usual vet's office, where I had gotten a very disturbing diagnosis that was extremely upsetting to hear. Oddly when my dog was seen at VEC the finding was completely different - no arrhythmia or fluid in her chest. I was relieved and very grateful when Dr Lamborne called to explain her findings. She suggested we do blood and urine tests, which I was all for, and though they came clean and we still don't have a reason for her symptoms, she was exactly the type of doctor i needed for reassurance. She was transparent, honest and caring. I can't recommend her or the clinic enough. read more

If you are being referred to a specialist, I strongly recommend finding another place. TL;DR Promised deliverables are not met, deceptive quoting and invoicing practices are used, there is one very rude staff member in the surgery department, inefficient and poor communication. Promised deliverables are not met: During our appointment, Dr. Ringwood told us "I will have a look at the results today and let you know my initial thoughts." This never happened despite multiple follow ups that day. We were then told to just wait for the results, and since we had been told they would come in 1-2 days that was fine with us. During our appointment, Dr. Ringwood also said "I will get back to you within one to two days with results." This never happened, and it was the basis for our decision to go with this vet despite the egregious costs, as we urgently need a diagnosis. Our appointment was Tuesday, and between Thursday and Friday I left around 4 messages to follow up which were ignored. My last message was returned by a rude surgery staff member who, after hearing my concerns, said "you can wait until early next week." Since Dr. Ringwood was not in until Tuesday, I did not follow up on Monday. I called EOD Tuesday (a week after the initial appointment) and the receptionist spoke with the same surgery staff member who would only state that he will be calling people tomorrow (Wednesday, not early in the week). Over the course of the many messages left, I was always told that the surgery department would get back to be by the next day, but they never did. Deceptive quoting and sneaky invoicing: The initial quoted cost was $2400. This was to include our consultation, blood work, a CT of head and chest (Dr. Ringwood made it seem as though the CT for the chest would be included in the cost for the head CT but it was not. It felt deceptive but we let it go), and various consultations / processing costs. When our pet was ready for pickup, the surgery department called us and said there was a mistake on the quote we were given and that it would be an additional $200 (this was after we went and took out a loan for $2400, and after they had witnessed me crying when receiving the quote). No clear explanation was given other than a mistake. The receptionist looked at the paperwork and said it was likely due to the omission of the anaesthesia on the quote. Indeed, if you look at the paperwork this seems to be the case, as the anaesthesia was tacked on separately as a second invoice. However when looking at the paperwork more closely, it seems this was to trick us, as the anaesthesia is on the quote under a different name, and the largest price discrepancy appears to come from an unauthorized upsell of the CT to be a whole body scan. Like the promise of a 1-2 day turnaround, the price impacted our decision to go with this vet, and ultimately was deceptive. Poor communication: Currently all calls go through reception, who do not put calls through to departments and are forced to go back and forth between the department and the caller. This is inefficient and frustrating for the caller, and likely difficult for the receptionists. There is also no one to contact directly to dispute a bill, making doing so all but impossible. All pet parents would be put at ease by being told that a result is coming later than promised and why, instead of waiting anxiously for a call all day, over the course of many days, that never comes. Messages should be returned within 24 hours, and any change in service level that costs more should be communicated and authorized prior to being conducted. 10/10 do not recommend. read more