VCA San Francisco Veterinary Specialists

Reviews 3

AL

Allison Flynn

If you need to take your pet to the VCA Hospital in SF you need to understand that this is a business. You will be asked to make very emotional decisions that have long ranging financial and potentially heart wrenching consequences just at a time when you may not be in the best emotional state to make such judgments. I suggest that you bring along a trusted, rational, non-emotionally involved person to navigate the financial waters while you deal with the emotions surrounding trauma. Do not let yourself get caught up in going beyond your financial situation or agreeing to care beyond the best interest of your pet or your family. It is easy to do. We all want the best for our pets and a doctor who offers hope when the situation seems bleak can be irresistible. My experience with this hospital is beyond giving a star rating and it may not be typical. By that I mean that my experience with the hospital is mixed. The doctors were mostly wonderful. They are competent (except one who insisted on $2000 worth of analysis before he even examined my cat or read his chart), and they are compassionate. However, the services are beyond expensive. The hospital seems to be set up to be ever separating you from your money with no guarantees of success. There is never any guarantee when it comes to medical issues, but it is important to remember when you go to this hospital, regardless of the outcome of your pet’s health, you still have to pay. Actually you have to pay BEFORE they will perform any services at all. Be aware that communication between the different departments (medical and business) and you can be challenging and flawed. I experienced two regrettable encounters. The first was in regard to the costs of services. There were three estimates for my cats care; one to determine the extent of Cheddar’s injuries ($2500), one to determine the cost of repairing his leg ($5000), and one to determine the costs associated with amputating his leg when it was determined that the prognosis of success for the repair was not good. This last estimate was supposed to be $2000 less than the cost of the repair. What I did not know, what was not discussed with me, was that the estimator created a fourth estimate. This new estimate was a second, higher estimate for the original work to repair Cheddar’s arm. This new estimate was about $3000 higher than the original. I found out about the fourth estimate when I tried to reconcile the difference in costs when I came to take my cat home. After several unpleasant interactions with the hospital staff, the regional manager helped bring this part of the story to a satisfactory end. But then there is the issue with follow-up “care”. When Cheddar was released after his amputation, I was told that if I had questions about his health to call and speak to a technician. Each time I called I was told that the best course of action was to bring him in. Once there however, the Vet questioned our purpose for the trip since Cheddar’s vitals were in line with a convalescent cat. And, each time I brought him in for these technician-suggested visits it cost an additional $200. The regional manager told me that legally the technicians cannot offer medical advice. So this begs the question why tell one to call if one has medical questions if the person who is paid to answer these calls is not qualified to give medical advice and the only thing they can advise is bring ones pet back for more expensive treatments? Again, this is a business. And now the ironic -- and very sad -- ending: After spending the approximate equivalent of a semesters college tuition, my beloved cat died after all. Once again, I entreat you that if you MUST take your badly injured or ill pet to VCA emergency pet hospital, MAKE A PLAN. Stick with the plan! Your mental, emotional, financial health will depend on it.

AL

Alanna Krinard

FIVE stars, after multiple experiences with this hospital. We live an hour and a half away, and after experiencing the difference in care between VCA SF and other hospitals, Ill never take my animals anywhere else again, no matter the distance. Theyve saved the lives of both my cat and dog, who were each (on separate occasions) in dire, life threatening conditions. Most recently, my dog suffered two ruptured discs in his spine, had massive, (screaming) excruciating pain, and became paraplegic. His team, including Dr. Hammer, Dr. Klopp and Dr. Sutton, took EXPERT care of him. Hes now walking and expected to make a great recovery. He was originally mis-diagnosed at another hospital in our area, but the doctors at VCA SF knew immediately what was wrong, and acted quickly to help him. This was crucial for his recovery, as treatment for this condition is highly time sensitive to prevent further spinal cord damage, and a delay could have cost him his life, or his ability to walk. From the moment we walked in the door, his care was swift and we were kept well informed. A year and a half ago, Dr. Hammer and Dr. Mehl saved the life of my cat, who had been hit by a car. We originally took him to another hospital closer to us, who determined that hed been in a cat fight, and let him sit in a cage all day without even any pain medication. Dr. Hammer determined that his leg was broken and Dr. Mehl performed major surgery. Having been through these experiences, I can say that I understand the value of a hospital that has all of the equipment necessary for the various tests needed to determine an appropriate course of action for whatever is wrong. The techs and staff have always been kind and accommodating of us. A HUGE THANK YOU to the entire team of people who have cared for my loved ones over the years.

RI

Richard Rosser

I dont normally do these types of reviews whether on Yelp, Google or any other platform - in fact, this is the first one Ive ever done - but I was so impressed with how this facility handled a very difficult situation, that I felt compelled to post a review. After a weekend out of town (with someone left behind to look in on our cats throughout the weekend), my husband and I came home at about 9:00 PM to find that one of our cats, Zeke, was very sick. I Googled 24 hour vet care and this facility was the first one to come up. Every person we interacted with (the person who answered the phone, the woman behind the desk, the vet assistant who took Zeke back for treatment, the admin assistant who helped with the paperwork) was friendly, professional and reassuring (I only wish I had been "with it" enough to get their names so I could give each an individual "shout-out"). Dr. Van Geem, the vet who treated Zeke, was great - knowledgeable and very professional, yet easy to understand and very willing to answer all our questions. He took the time needed to communicate both the medical issues and our options quite clearly, and was very supportive and reassuring when we made the difficult decision to euthanize Zeke. We were treated with sensitivity throughout the process and given all the time we needed to say our good-byes. The euthanizing itself, although difficult to be part of, was done with extreme care and compassion. I know Zeke felt no pain and died with dignity and peace, and Im glad I chose to stay in the room to witness his passing. I hope no one who reads this has to go through this painful process, but, if you do, I hope you - and your animal companion - are treated as well as we were.