VCA Emergency Animal Hospital & Referral Center

Reviews 4

MA

Marina Ivanova

=== This clinics pharmacy charges $25 filling fee for each medication you buy there. === I brought my dog to this clinic (was referred by my regular vet) for a test and a specialist consult. The doctor was knowledgeable and the staff was nice. The doctor did the test and prescribed my dog 3 kinds of pills. When it comes to buying medications, especially for long-term use, I always shop around and compare pharmacy prices. But on that day I agreed that it would be a good idea to get a 2-week supply of meds right at the clinic, to get my dog started on them immediately. When I saw the bill, the price for the 3 meds was a whopping $140. I asked why the price was so high (I already knew a little about these pills just by googling them, and knew that 2 of these medications are cheap). I was told that it costs so much because the clinic charges a $25 fee for each prescription just to fill it. So my bill had an extra $75 in hidden fees for the 3 prescription. These fees were not mentioned in the bill(!), they were just lumped together with the price of each medication. The front desk lady told me that all vets charge these prescription filling fees (I know for a fact that its not true). I asked to take these meds off the invoice because I do not agree to such high pharmacy fees, and to just give me the written prescriptions, so I can pay the bill for the test and the consult, and then fill the prescriptions elsewhere. At first the front desk lady told me that they do not give written prescriptions to customers(!), they only send prescriptions to pharmacies. Then somehow they changed their mind and gave me the prescriptions. I ordered the meds online for way way less money (online price for one of the meds was 90 cents per bottle, and the VCA clinic wanted to charge me $26.55 for it). But I still wanted my dog to start taking these meds as soon as possible, so the next morning I went to my regular vet clinic, and they advised me that 2 of the 3 meds can be bought at Target pharmacy or Costco, and I got the meds at Target for very little money. Neither my regular vet office nor Target pharmacy tried to collect a filling fee from me! So, bottom line - I dont want to go to the VCA clinic ever again. The doctors and nurses may be good, but the fees at this clinic are too high, and their billing practices are not transparent.

---

LA

lane Herold

Ive had to go there a number of times since 1990 with different cats...they were pretty good back then. there was a dr. sarah ford , internist who was WONDERFUL! and the cardiologist was dr. Arron Wey...he was nice. but man has that place changed and really gotten to be HORRID! in 2001 i had 6 rescue kitties...and they all caught some odd virus at the same time. they had been to their regular vet but 2 of the kitties temps started to rise very fast...i was really scared (i love them as my kids)... Aggies temp was near 105 and Bears temp was rising over 104... i took both of them down there and GEEZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THOSE M*&*&*F$#$@#S! YOU COULD EASILY TELL THESE KITTIES WERE VERY ILL..AND THE DAMNED VET WAS LAUGHING , YUCKING IT UP...THE TECH WAS NO BETTER. I HAD THEIR RECORDS AND THESE TWO BLOODY WOMEN JUST DID BASICALLY NOTHING! I STARTED TO GET ANGRY (NOT A GOOD THING) AND DEMANDED ANOTHER VET. I WAS TOLD THERE WASNT ONE ...WHAT WAS MY PROBLEM? WELL FOR STARTERS BOTH THE KITTIES NEEDED CHEST X-RAYS, BLOODWORD, URINE TAKEN, YOU KNOW... A LITTLE THING LIKE A FRICKING URGENT EXAM!!!!!!!!!!!1 THE TECH GAVE THIS ANNOYED SIGH AND CAME TO LIFT BOTH CATS...TO TAKE INTO THE BACK.. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD HER SHE WAS NOT TO CARRY THEM AT THE SAME TIME... I WOULD CARRY THEM ETC IN ESSENCE... AFTER MY BITCHING AND MOANING (AS I WAS TOLD) I PUT THE KITTIES BACK IN THEIR CARRIERS, CALLED MY REGULAR VET (IT WAS AROUND 1AM) TOLD HIM WHAT HAPPENED AND HE PHONED IN NEW MEDS TO A 24 HOUR RX... THE ALLEDGED ER...TRIED TO BILL ME FOR..GET THIS: DOCTOR EXAM FOR 2 CATS (SHE DIDNT EVEN TAKE THEIR VITALS) USE OF THE ROOM! CLEAN UP OF THE ROOM...OH GOLLY, IM SORRY! THE KITTIES LEFT SOME CAT HAIR...THE NERVE THE.EXCUSE ME. WHAT??????? THE TOTAL BILL: 392.00 FOR LITERALLY NOTHING. AS I WALKED OUT, I MADE IT VERY CLEAR TO THEM YOU GO AHEAD AND TRY AND BILL ME...TRY AND COLLECT...I THEN LEFT MY ATTORNEYS BUSINESS CARD WITH THEM. NEVER HEARD A THING BACK.... AND THANKFULLY ALL MY KITTIES HEALED....

---

CH

Christopher Ives

I have been to this Vet twice. Both times were for my 2 year old dog. After a $400 bill on the first visit, their advice was to go buy over the counter Benadryl, and give it to my dog because she was having an allergic reaction. This advice was given after the costly exam of course, not over the phone when I called for help originally and was told to rush her in. The second time I went in, the Dr. tried to give me a $2000 bill just for diagnostics. This ridiculous bill even included a $200 line item entitled "miscellaneous." I refused to pay, looked the Dr. directly in the eye and asked "what does my dog REALLY need, stop trying to sell me things." The Dr. gave me a revised estimate of $195 for blood work. 90% less on the bill because I called them out on astronomical pricing for unneeded tests. The following day I took my pup to her regular vet who charged me less than $400 for everything the VCA quoted the night before at $2k. The same procedures, the same medications, and the same diagnostic tests. Of course my actual vets bill didnt have a "miscellaneous" line item on it. The bottom line is this. The VCA is set up as a sales organization. Although I do not doubt they care for the well being of animals, they prey on upon peoples emotional attachment to their pets, and present outrages prices hoping people blindly agree. You will hear them say "its better to be safe then sorry" many times while they try and justify charging you 5x the average price other vets charge. PLEASE, know that you can talk with them before you agree to pay. Demand to know what is necessary and what is "suggested." Only go here if it is a last resort. I would honestly suggest driving to another emergency vet even it is a little further for you.

---

TH

Thomas Allsworth

Dangerous veterinary office. The vet did not provide the care that she told us our dog received and that she charged us for. Our dog could have died after visiting this office due the X-ray we were told he received, but didnt really get. Our dog had several days of diarrhea so we brought him into the VCA Office around 7pm when his stool had more blood in it than it had before. The staff was nice, the doctor friendly and respectful. She seemed genuinely concerned with his health and explained that she wanted to do several tests. One of them was an X-Ray. She ran his blood, (allegedly) performed an X-Ray, and conducted a stool sample. All tests came back with negative results. We were told to that it looked like gastroenteritis and that he would likely just pass it through his system. He was given liquids to help with his slight dehydration and anti-diarrheal meds to take for five days. We were charged and went home. Our dogs symptoms got worse; he started vomiting a few days later and we brought him to our normal vet. They did an X-ray, and we found out that he had eaten something that was blocking his digestive tract. Our vet got his records from VCA, and it turns out that the clinic had never even conducted the X-rays (which cost us $233). Thankfully the blockage has started moving, but had VCA actually did what they said they did, we would have known FIVE DAYS sooner what was actually wrong with our dog (which happened to be a condition that could actually have killed him). When my wife called the VCA to get a refund for the X-rays, there was absolutely no concern on their end. No apology, no one even asked how our dog was doing. We will NEVER be returning to this clinic.

---

---