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VCA Emergency Animal Hospital & Referral Center
Compassionate emergency and specialty care for your pets, day or night.
4.2(5 reviews)
doctor
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Compassionate emergency and specialty care for your pets, day or night.
VCA Emergency Animal Hospital & Referral Center in San Diego provides 24/7 emergency veterinary care and specialized referral services for pets in critical need. Our dedicated team of veterinarians and staff offers compassionate, expert treatment for urgent health issues, from trauma to severe illness, with transparent communication and support for pet owners during stressful times. We prioritize timely care with advanced medical resources, ensuring your beloved companions receive the best possible attention when every minute counts.
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Immediate medical attention for pets with urgent health issues, available around the clock.
Advanced diagnostics and treatment from specialized veterinarians for complex conditions.
Continuous care and observation for pets requiring extended medical support.
Expert handling of severe injuries and life-threatening illnesses with state-of-the-art equipment.
Supportive services including euthanasia, with kindness and respect for pets and owners.
Clear, itemized cost breakdowns and financial options to help pet owners plan for care.
This was my first time interacting with VCA since I had to bring my cat for overnight monitoring and fluids. I was really nervous, especially seeing some of the older reviews, but all of the staff was very kind, prompt, and patient. They walked me through what they'd be doing, let me know I could call to check-in throughout the night, and answered all my additional questions. I left him overnight, everything went well and he was checked out in the morning. A staff member helped me bring in his carrier the night before, and promptly got him ready when I arrived to take him back to the vet. They were all very nice and my cat was prescribed a "very good boy" and that they "hope he feels better soon." Which thankfully I can say he is doing a lot better now :) My one con is that even though it's technically the cheaper ER hospital in the area, it's still a bit pricey, especially since you have to pay up front if you don't have care credit or any other credit card available. I was already told how much the night would cost at the vet prior to heading over, and they made sure to show me the itemized invoice so I didn't feel blindsided by the costs. However, that's something to keep in mind if funds are tight. Overall, I'm glad I was able to trust my cat in their care during this really stressful time.
Hope VCA Mission Valley actually reads this - our experience was so disappointing on Sunday 1/4/2026. We took our cat in at 3pm (afternoon) to be seen because he was throwing up blood. We waited until 7pm - he was never seen, we finally left with him and went to the VEG Mission Valley, where he was seen in under 30 mins. We understand that emergencies do take precedence and they did have a couple of dogs that did come in that needed emergency care. But what we don't understand is letting people endlessly WAIT with no end in sight - we did eventually find out that they were under staffed, with only 2 vets on duty in this huge VCA facility with at least 12 people with pets waiting (also hours and hours) who were never going to see a vet that night (because it's not humanly possible with just 2 vets) This situation is a lack of training and lack of consideration for pet parents - which could be totally avoided with proper communication so pet parents can make INFORMED decisions about the care of their pets. With just a simple message board at the front door area, Current Veterinarians on Staff: 2 - Current Wait Time: 4-5 hours. I've seen other clients do this and it helps pet parents make informed decisions about care. But to just leave people hanging for hours and hours without information is not satisfactory care. The staff here was friendly and they were trying their best to do their job with the lack of proper veterinarian staffing and resources. Do better VCA.
Dr. Thompson and Dr. Nadolski went above and beyond in caring for Pluto. They are both extremely knowledgeable and professional. They took the time to explain everything clearly and answered every single question I had. Even when I didn’t fully understand something, they patiently explained it further until I felt confident. They took such good care of Pluto, and I am very grateful for the way they handled both his condition and our concerns. We feel very fortunate to have had their support and will continue to trust VCA Emergency Hospital for Pluto’s care. I would also like to compliment the staff, especially Jessica, the technician assisting Dr. Nadolski. She was incredibly knowledgeable, kind, and patient. Jessica took the time to walk me through the entire estimate, line by line, and explained every detail clearly. She knew exactly what each item meant and was able to answer every question I had—her explanations aligned perfectly with what the doctors had already discussed with me, which gave me even more confidence in Pluto’s care. Jessica also checked in with us regularly to see if we wanted to visit Pluto and provided updates whenever we asked. Her kindness and attentiveness made a difficult situation feel much more manageable. Additionally, the front desk staff were very warm and kind to my fiancé, myself, and Pluto. Even as we were leaving, one of the staff members said, “Bye, Pluto,” and that small gesture meant a lot to us.
I can't thank vca emergency enough. Our senior dog Isaac was declining so we scheduled euthanasia at his normal vca vet in El Cajon but they were booked out a few weeks. I thought he would hold out for that appointment but he started to decline faster than I hoped. My husband called when I was on the way to let them know. I was able to get him out of our car but he collapsed in the parking lot. A tech came running out and let me know she was going to get a gurney. They came back out and took him back while I finished paperwork. On the worst day of my life they were so understanding and gentle with not only me but Issac as well. The compassion they showed the entire time we were there was amazing and made the process a little more easy. So thank you to everyone that helped and supported me and Issac that day.
I rushed my dog Bruno here in the middle of the night when he was bloated, softly crying, and went limp. We called as we left and they were there to open the door and rush my boy into the back. Over the next two hours, the staff and the doctor updated us frequently, were caring and honest, let us sit by his side in critical care and let us pet him and hold his paw as he passed away less than two hours later. This experience was heartbreaking and traumatic. On top of that, the expenses of life saving measures were beyond overwhelming in my emotional state. I was given so much grace while I broke down, time and patience as they answered my questions between sobs. Most of all, the doctor was very honest about these life saving measures effectiveness. She told me in the most compassionate way that his prognosis was very grave and he would likely pass away that very night. That allowed us to be there with him in his last moments and avoid more pain and medical procedures that wouldn’t help him. I am utterly heartbroken and devastated, but I am so grateful for the animal hospital’s help and the kind doctor working the night shift July 16-17th wee hours of the morning. Rest in Peace Bruno, my best friend for 11 years.
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