VCA Canada Vancouver Animal Emergency and Referral Centre provides emergency and referral veterinary care in Vancouver. Customer reviews praise compassionate veterinarians, attentive front-desk staff, and clear communication, including successful eye surgery and careful transfers to CanWest for advanced care. While feedback is largely positive, one review notes concerns about communication and costs.
We are very grateful to Dr. Mantovani for her compassion and care in diagnosing our dog, Buddy, with liver and spleen cancer. Her guidance gave us precious time to be with him and focus on comfort rather than suffering. Sadly, Buddy passed away on the way to the emergency hospital few nights ago, but we take comfort in knowing he was loved until the very end.
We also want to thank Julie at the front desk for her kindness and support during such a difficult time. It truly meant a lot to our family.
R
Rachel Ennis
via Google
· 8 months ago
My partner and I brought our cat in for an after-hours emergency. Shaine was honest and forthcoming with us, he saved us money and didn’t push us to do unnecessary procedures. Trustworthy veterinary office for anyone unsure of what to do.
B
Brittany Sampson
via Google
· 8 months ago
I just wanted to take the time to share what an amazing staff and medical team you all are. When I read the reviews I called and was met with kindness as I asked the awkward questions about the reviews.
I have a senior(almost 15 years old) french bulldog that was in need of eye surgery and a lump removed off his leg. We wanted a hospital to perform it as he would have access to the best care 24hours.
When we arrived for our appointment we met with the surgeon for his leg first and then the optometry department. Throughout the whole time we felt taken care of and our concerns were answered without judgement. (I'm a worried fur baby mom with a list of questions.
Well it was a success he survived what will be the last surgery he has. They treated us with empathy kindness and explained everything in detail.
We are so happy with how things went and Choncho's recovery has been smooth sailing. So thank you from my whole heart for taking such good care of Choncho.
When reading reviews remember everyones experience is their own and these are high stress environments. Yes they all are extremely good at their job. Mistakes can happen as we are only human. Or sometimes it is time for our beloved babies to cross the rainbow bridge.
I'm really happy I did not let anything change my mind about VCA.
Our experience was as stress free as it could have been.
L
Leon Lee
via Google
· 8 months ago
I would not recommend anyone to come here. I’m extremely disappointed in the care my dog and I received.
I brought my dog last month because he vomited blood. The doctor recommended a treatment plan that they said is the “golden standard,” which included a urinalysis. What they failed to explain was that this particular test is both invasive and often inconclusive. They later told me that the crystals they found in his urine could simply be from the sample being stored in the fridge, and the blood could have been caused by the urinary catheter itself. They then recommended collecting a free-catch urine sample instead, since there was more blood in the sample than usual. It was frustrating and concerning that the hospital suggested such an invasive procedure when a less risky option was the better choice from the beginning. We later did a free-catch exam with our family vet, and the results showed his urine to be perfectly fine, which also could mean that the first urinalysis caused my dog more harm than normal, since the VCA test found more blood than usual.
Before agreeing to let my dog stay overnight for 24 hours, the veterinary tech showed me the estimate and asked if I planned to pick him up at 6 AM. When I said yes, depending on how he was doing, she warned me that I might be charged extra because mornings are very busy and the hospital charges by the hour. I found this odd. It didn’t feel right that pet owners might be charged more simply because the hospital is understaffed.
When I saw my dog the next evening during visitation hours, I brought up this concern again with the doctor and tech, and they assured me I would not be charged extra, which I thought was more fair.
The next morning, the hospital called to say my dog was improving and ready to go home. I rushed over, but when I arrived, the tech told me he had been having constant diarrhea that morning. She also said she had been told I was adamant about taking him home within 24 hours. I explained that this was a misunderstanding, because why would I want him discharged early if he wasn’t ready? She reassured me he just needed rest and that the doctor said he was well enough to go home. She also mentioned the only reason to keep him there would be to avoid me having to clean up his diarrhea myself.
Once we got home, his diarrhea worsened and I noticed blood in his stool. I didn’t know if the bleeding was internal, from straining, or from the rash caused by the awful shave he received at the hospital, which contributed to an infection. I emailed and called hoping to speak with a doctor or tech. Eight hours later, the only response I received was that I needed to bring him back in because the doctor was too busy and because I had “refused” their recommendation to keep him longer, which was not the case.
It’s extremely heartbreaking to experience this level of miscommunication and lack of accountability. Seeing my dog being extremely sick is overwhelming enough, but their lack of care and the way they shifted the blame onto me added unnecessary stress and frustration.
It was a truly traumatic experience. I will never take my dog back here.
J
Jen Eve
via Google
· 11 months ago
Years ago, my family brought my chihuahua here for eye surgery, and it was successful, so I've always held this hospital in high regard. Unfortunately, on Thursday, my pug was very unwell, so we rushed him to VCA.
The vets were so caring and were great communicators. Unfortunately, he took a turn for the worse and had to be intubated. He was transferred to Canwest for advanced critical care and was taken by two lovely staff members, complete with all the bells and whistles, in the back of a cab. I've never seen an animal transfer before, so I didn't know what to expect- it was pretty intense, but they took great care of him and got him to CanWest safely. Can West told me that VCA did everything right and they took great care of my sweet little pug.
It's been a rough weekend, thinking I might lose my little buddy, but it appears, for now, he is on the mend—he is doing much better today... eating, drinking, and going to the bathroom. He was also extubated and is breathing well on his own. I'm hoping he gets better enough to come home.
Thanks VCA, for taking great care of my baby and getting him transferred to Can West safely
via Google
