Central Toronto Veterinary Referral Clinic provides advanced veterinary referral and emergency services in Toronto, specializing in areas like ophthalmology and cardiology. The clinic is staffed by knowledgeable specialists and a dedicated team focused on delivering thorough diagnostics, gentle treatment, and compassionate follow-up care. It serves pet owners seeking specialized medical attention for their animals, emphasizing clear communication and patient-centered approaches in a professional setting.
I am very happy with the care my cat received from Dr. Rattray and her team. Everyone was extremely friendly, professional, and welcoming. Dr. Rattray is very knowledgeable and always responds quickly to questions by email or in person.
My cat had blocked tear ducts, and the flushing procedure went very well. What truly stood out was the caring follow up,the team continued to check in and ask how my cat was doing afterward. I am very satisfied with the results and highly recommend Dr. Rattery and her ophthalmology team. Here is before and after photos.
J
jackie lariviere
via Google
· 10 months ago
Took incredible care of my Tulip. 🌷🙏✨ entire staff was friendly, efficient and compassionate. Dr. And technicians had excellent bedside manner. Tulip was very comfortable with how they handled her with tender love and care. A very big THANK YOU for putting my precious on the road to recovery. 🐶❤️🩹🩺👩🏻⚕️🐾
C
Ciara Foy
via Google
· 11 months ago
On Saturday, November 1, 2025 6:30pm, I brought my 11-month-old Vizsla, Torin, to CTVRC after being referred by video chat with Juno vets due to changes in his breathing. When we arrived, the vet tech who greeted us did not perform any triage. She did not take vitals, did not touch him, did not count his breaths, did not check his gum colour, and did not physically examine him. She shamed me for bringing him in because she said it wasn’t an emergency. She watched a short video of his breathing and told me adamantly “This is not an emergency,” and sent us home.
I trusted her because I believed the visit was out of an abundance of caution. I didn’t know how to assess respiratory distress, that’s why I came to an emergency clinic in the first place.
Only later did I learn that the video I showed her captured 9 breaths in 10 seconds, a respiratory rate of 54 breaths per minute, which is an emergency-level sign of respiratory distress. Had she followed normal triage protocol, this would have been identified immediately.
The next morning at 8 a.m., Torin was seen at another clinic. Three hours later, I rushed him back to CTVRC, unconscious in my arms. His oxygen saturation was 75%, and he never woke up again.
Days later, when I finally received the medical records from both clinics, I discovered that the same vet tech who turned us away Saturday night was also present at the Sunday morning appointment, something never disclosed. The Saturday record also stated he hadn’t been fully “triaged” but his breathing was 30-32 “normal,” which was not true.
What makes this even more devastating is that Torin was a healthy, active, energetic young dog right up until the day before. He had only just started showing mild lethargy and slightly laboured breathing. Because I didn’t know how to interpret these signs, I did the responsible thing and sought emergency care and that care was never provided.
When I tried to speak with clinic management, no one returned my calls. Instead, I received an email saying the matter had been forwarded to their liability insurer. CTVRC is owned by NVA (National Veterinary Associates), a large international corporate chain. Their insurance representative called from Texas, told me there would be no admission of responsibility, and immediately asked me what compensation I wanted.
There was no accountability, no empathy, and no transparency. As a pet owner, this was horrifying.
I am sharing this so that others know to insist on a proper triage, especially in corporate-owned clinics where decisions seem influenced by liability concerns instead of patient care. I truly hope my experience prevents another family from enduring a loss like this. I am going through the complaint and legal process and hope the vet tech is held responsible for her negligence.
T
Tetiana Gofman
via Google
· 11 months ago
I recently brought my senior Yorkie, Sonya, to see Dr. Andrew Chong for a cardiology recheck, and I can’t express how grateful I am for the level of care he provided. Dr. Chong is an exceptional specialist — thorough, knowledgeable, and incredibly compassionate. He took the time to review Sonya’s the most resent complicated medical history, explain everything clearly, and make sure I understood what was truly important for her heart health.
What I appreciated most was his calm, thoughtful approach. He never rushed, answered every question with patience, and focused only on what would genuinely benefit Sonya.
She was treated with such gentleness and respect, and I left feeling confident that she is in the best possible hands. It’s rare to find a specialist who combines expertise with this level of kindness.
I would highly recommend Dr. Chong to anyone whose pet needs cardiology care. He truly cares about both his patients and their families, and I’m deeply thankful for the excellent care Sonya received!
N
nour kabalan
via Google
· 11 months ago
It is very difficult for me to give a full rating because this is where I lost my baby kitten Chihiro, and because I had small issues with the billing.
However, it deserves a 4.0 and it is worth mentioning that this is a really good clinic. They were very responsive and signed us in immediately when my home vet called them sending us with an emergency, and they took great care of my baby when he had to stay overnight. They are also very professional, and the doctors there give you all their time when explaining a case and answering questions. I eventually had to heartbreakingly put him down, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t do a great job diagnosing him and taking good care of him. He just had a terrible disease and nothing could have been done.
One thing that could have been handled better was to let me know exactly what is being done on him before doing it. I am not going to complain about how expensive it all was - it is part of the having a sick cat package, but letting me know what exactly needs to be done before throwing in a random $100-200 on the bill: that’s what could have been better.
All in all, I recommend this clinic, they take great care of your pets in case of emergencies. I saw so many pet owners reuniting with their babies, it added a tiny bit of happiness to my heavy heavy heart.
Attaching a pic of my baby when he was all healthy and happy. I miss him so much💙
via Google
