VCA Canada Calgary Animal Referral & Emergency Centre

We had to bring our Pom in after she was attacked by a larger dog. They were excellent with her and I recommend bringing your pet to these guys in an emergency. Our Pom is doing well and we’re so relieved. We saw Doctor Dave Eisenbart and thought he was excellent.

I give it a one because there are about 2 people who actually care if your animal passes away more than they care about getting their money. They did let me have my dog pass away outside instead of in the clinic but they are responsible for his passing. He passed exactly one week ago and I am in the middle of getting financing and I have had no less than 27 email, text, phone calls asking for the money with only one condolence to go with it. $13000 after $4000 at another emergency clinic. You wait on hold for updates while listening to how awesome they are even though your pet has just died. If you can find another emergency vet I suggest you go there!

I’d usually give this place a high rating but holy did they drop the ball tonight.

My parents brought their dog in who was in medical distress, he had to spend the night while the doctors tried to isolate the issue. Upon arrival they basically ran to the door to get him, to give you an idea of what condition he was in.

Flashforward to today and the neurologist leaves a concerning voicemail about a potential stroke. My mom called him back and he wouldn’t answer. The neurologist was supposed to be there until 6, and by 5: 30 he was gone without calling as promised. Front staff made the mistake of telling my parents he left to watch a soccer game and told me he had a family emergency. It feels like they lied to me to justify him going home early.

I’ve never seen such poor care from this centre. The discharge papers have zero information on what happened or how to prevent anything else AND it says continue medication but there was no medication prescribed. The vet tech says there’s no issue but the voicemail from neurology suggests he had a stroke. So now my parents have conflicting information from the staff and have no path forward from this traumatic episode.

I am so disappointed as I’ve typically had good experiences here.

Great experience with Dr. Campbell, would highly recommend him. The staff I dealt with were also easy to deal with.

Awesome vets very caring, I cant say enough about how good this animal hospital is. The attention to detail, the answers they give and the level of care that your pet receives is bar none. My cat Beany is a testament to this and Dr. Thomas Holland is outstanding as well as all the Vet assistants and vet nurses.

Beany is seen by Dr. Thomas-Holland and I would just like to thank her and her staff for all the care and time they took with Beany over the past couple of years. I will be booking her blood work in the beginning of April with you for continuity of care and it all being done at the same lab. She is back to her best self again. I cant thank you enough I really cant say enough good about this animal hospital, the vets, specialists, vet techs and the support staff at the front. You are all dedicated and wonderful.

The individuals involved in this fraudulent activity must cease their actions immediately. They have unlawfully obtained a sum of $1100 from me under the pretense of providing services related to my daughter's rabbit, such as footprints, ashes, and results. They assured me that these items would be delivered within 3-5 business days, yet it has now been a month and they claim to be unable to locate the whereabouts of the items. Furthermore, they have promised to contact me but have failed to do so. This behavior is tantamount to scamming and is equivalent to robbery.

Took awesome care of my baby. So helpful with how to manage his pain and diabetes in his old age. Front staff and the Vets are awesome. I appreciate all the help.

Dr. Dominic is the best. The staff were very good friendly but professional. Lady Bird (basset hound) came through very very well. Doctor was good at contacting us with information. Thank you.

My dog was attacked by another dog while we were out on a walk I had to bring her to the emergency at the 24 hour vet clinic The staff there was wonderful helped us out right away my dogs all better now that’s all thanks to them
Thanks from Roxy my wife and myself

The staff are very helpful, and as there was a 2hr wait they helped us find a place that didn't have such a long wait time.

I would like to say that Dr. Skorobohach is a terrific doctor. We drove down from Edmonton as no Ophthalmologist was available and she needed to be seen immediately to ensure she doesn’t lose her sight from glaucoma. He was able to fit us in and gave us options.

Called the hospital ahead of going. My dog was in distress. Was told wait would be about an hour. Got to the hospital and was told again that wait would be about an hour. Waited an hour and then was told that it would be about another three hours and that I should bring my dog to her vet in the morning. I’m back home with my dog who is still in distress. Going there was a complete waste of time.

Took my little dog in as he was acting strange and it's been very warm. The great nurses in the back checked his vitals and assured he was fine, his tummy was gassy. I was in and out in less than 30 minutes. Thank you everyone!

All the staff were very caring and compassionate iv can't say it was a good experience because it was awful but the staff had a noticeable calming effect omyself my 11 year old daughter and most importantly our dog. It's so hard to keep your cool when a you think your losing a close family member but the way they took charge and the questions they asked and their constant calmnes was a blessing and they took such care of our family member!

Wow I’m genuinely so touched how kind the technician was over the phone call.

My dog ate some cooked chicken bones and other emergency vet told me to come in to get examination to get any information about the dog and the situation

But this technician even sent me a text for symptoms to look out for. This is only possible because she cares
I’m absolutely touched by her genuine kindness

Very helpful. I called at night and the vet tech was able to help my pup and I over the phone using text photos and technical guidance (it wasn't an emergency!). Thank you

Waiting was smooth, comfortable and they set up a lot of treats for dogs to take while you wait. Nice grassy areas outside for anxious dogs to play in and location is good near Glenmore and Deerfoot Trail, and is easily accessed by bus transit as well. Met with Dr. Brian the Ophthalmologist for him to see my dog about a cataract in my dog's eye. Walked us through process, the surgery, and all the developments, risks, and procedures in quick, clear and caring way. Right to the point with humour, positivity and great attitude. Really appreciate all the people here, as I feel they really care about your pets.

Shockingly bad customer service!
I have never been treated in such a way in a stressful situation until now.
This company seems to only care about the bottom line. They are not willing to expense a second and a penny for a poor creature.
Absolutely do not recommend! And I personally am not coming back. Good luck with your heartless staff and stingy business plan.

I have no idea how this place has 4.3 stars. We went to VCA care with a cat emergency. The rooms were dirty enough I felt I needed a shower and to wash my clothes after. I have at least 8 things I could list that were terrible about this place, but my biggest grievance was them prescribing her 14 days worth of medication and only sending enough home for 5 days. When I phoned (three times over two days) to get her more, they said that it was “on our radar” and that someone would get back to me soon. It’s been two days since then, and no one ever bothered to follow up. Having a sick pet is stressful. Bringing them to a place like this makes the whole experience worse than it needs to be. Save yourself the trouble (and money… our other cat once spent 4 days as an in-patient somewhere else and we paid less than we did for two visits here…) and go somewhere else.

While I hope that we never have to return, I cannot say enough good things about the care center. Dr. Brian an his team took amazing care of our puppy, who unfortunately had to have his eye removed. I would absolutely recommend them to anyone.

I can not say enough wonderful things about the team at this care center. From front of house reception to back of house. Dr. Brian cared for my dog 22 who had some tumors on his eyes. His recommendation was to go for the least invasive surgery, his suggestions were made on what he would do if it were his own fur baby, which I truly respect. Dr. Larson is a fabulous oncologist as well, and her puppy Sue is always a treat to run into while there for a visit!
Thanks for providing stress free visits!

Called after hours and spoke with Jade. As per our conversation, she was essentially a 3rd party, on-call person. She was friendly, compassionate & informative with my inquiry. Her advice was helpful and no pressure to rush the conversation was very much appreciated. Unfortunately, we had to make the difficult decision to put our senior kitty down the next day. If you have after hours questions and consults, please reach out. Photo of my angel baby included for pet-loving purpose.

Our 7-year-old dog started having problems sitting and rising that gradually worsened over a period of weeks until she was hardly moving and only eating and drinking when we would hand feed her and bring the water bowl up to her mouth. After bringing her to VCA Care Centre Emergency, we waited a few hours and eventually she was seen by a vet, who referred her to a neurology specialist on staff. They kept her overnight and by the end of the next day, the neurologist had figured out that she was having severe joint pain, not a brain problem. They tapped all four of her ankles to test this theory. She ended up with a diagnosis of IMPS, an autoimmune disease. She is now doing much better, thousands of dollars later, after weeks on a powerful anti-inflammatory medication, prednisone, under the care of her internist (!). The vets at the VCA Care Centre really know their stuff.

I used the live-chat (on the VCA app) to get advice on whether on not to bring my 4-month old dog in while his vet was closed on a Saturday. From start to finish, the service was excellent. It took a few hours as he was the lowest priority in the daily triage, but the staff were constantly having touch points with us. The staff was well trained and even though it was likely near the end of their long shift, they were efficient and incredibly caring for every animal.

Something that stood out to me was their understanding that pet owners are often experiencing a terrible moment in their lives, and they do their best to support them. A couple did not have time to prepare for an unexpected overnight stay while their dog received urgent care, and they were offered blankets and pillows. Even if this is standard in animal hospitals, the staff performed these small things in a way that made a difference.

No stars! $245.00 for a 5 min talk with vet that took 4 hours of waiting, just to meet with her. She said she was making a prescription. I was left in the room for another 15 min. I was so tired of waiting, I went to front desk holding my pet and not one staff person even looked at me! To top it off the prescription was a sealed liquid in a box. There was nothing to make! Absolute waste of time and money! And my pet was stressed!

The best people to deal with at the worst time of your life. Our beautiful cat reached the end of his journey after 11 wonderful years giving unconditional love to everyone he ever met and a fierce battle against diabetes. The staff at this clinic showed a tremendous amount of care and compassion not only for him but for us as well. They gave us the time and space to make hard decisions, to spend time with our boy, and to say goodbye. I cannot say enough thanks to them for helping us as we begin to grieve our loss.

The initial care and attention the staff gave my dog was amazing. When I took my dog home to another city, I asked the staff to transfer all of the information and pending test results to the vet clinic I've been using for years. Once I took my dog from VCA, the amazing care and attention disappeared. Four times I had to call and ask for my dogs records to be transferred. On the third call, the lady said she was doing the transfer as we speak. Four hours later, my vet clinic still hadn't receive the information and test results. I felt like once I took my dog home and paid the bill, they didn't care anymore, their job was done.

I brought my dog in because she ran into a barbed wire fence and cut her ear. The staff were awesome, and I’m sure the level of care for my dog were great but I’m insanely disappointed with the service. They bandaged her head which cost an insane amount and the bandage fell off as soon as we walked in our front door. I would have been far better off wrapping my dogs head myself and waiting to see my family vet. Disappointed in this vet and I would not recommend it to anyone.

Brought our very sick little kitty here after being told at another clinic he should probably be euthanized. The team were fantastic from the get go really looked after him and he was back to normal and back home within a couple of days. Thank you doesn't even cover it. Can't praise their efforts enough!

I drive into Calgary from Lethbridge to get specialist care at VCA, and I am so grateful for their team. I've had my pup there for a series of conditions that have turned up as she's aged, and each time the team (from the front desk to the vets/specialists) has been attentive, prompt, compassionate, and taken the time to answer all my questions. They have been transparent and forthcoming, shown me the scans and results, and made sure I understood what was wrong and the treatment I would need to do at home. I will say—the treatment is *not* inexpensive, which is the case for most vet care, regardless. I signed up for insurance (Trupanion, 11 years ago), and without it, all costs incurred could have been financially crippling. I am so glad I got the insurance, and would recommend it to all pet owners. It's meant I can keep my focus on getting my dogs the care they need to live comfortably and pain-free, and this has been priceless. Thank you VCA for all you've done for my sweet Annie, you've made some scary days a whole lot easier for myself and my family. <3

I have spent so much money and trusted my dogs in their care. I have pretty much lived at care centre since 2013 between 3 dogs. I'm Thankful for the specialists. Dr Diaz especially, internal medicine, ophthalmology and dentistry but I will never recommend this heartless hospital when it comes to euthanasia.they can't be bothered to do ink prints and didn't even let me know they don't do ink prints. I wouldn't have trusted my dogs body in their care If I had known. I would have drove her to a clinic that CARES about pets to get ink prints done.even to gateway.not only did I lose my heart and soul and my best friend in the most tragic and horrific way but now I don't have an ink paw print I'm so beyond devastated, heart broken and upset that I don't have my best friends ink print.the person I talked to said they are an er clinic so they don't do it.excuse me!? I trusted you with my best friend that I tragically lost and you can't be bothered to take a few minutes to do an ink print!? !? I'm beyond devastated. I'm broken all over again

I have regretted taking her to care that night.she was coming home until the tech carried her like a football and put pressure on her chest.what person carries a dog like a football when they come out of the oxygen tank? !? She was coming home and ill never forgive myself especially with how rude that tech was when I said something was wrong...

I'll never trust care centre again with any of my dogs and I will be looking at transferring files to western

This place is disgusting. Rocky Mountain Animal Rescue tried to bring a puppy there that needed assistance and they were threatened! I already knew about this gross place. Pathetic. Maybe get a different career path, if you don't want to help animals, especially when you're a 24 hour clinic!

Great service, but unless you pet is in serious, death or painful status the wait can be unbearable.can't blame them from prioritizing from need basis, but they will check your pet if it is imminent danger.

They took great care of my dog that needed knee surgery. They explained everything very well and even came in at the low end of the quote. Excellent service.

I have been taking my kids to the CARE Center for many years now, for a variety of conditions: radiology, oncology, surgery, cardiology. Very recently, one of my little girl dogs was diagnosed with a large tumor and had to have a splenectomy. Because of the skill and expertise of Dr. Neil Connery and his team, she came through with flying colors and her recovery was truly remarkable!

The staff at the CARE Center certainly lives up to their name! Their kindness, compassion and understanding, combined with exemplary knowledge and experience are unsurpassed. I feel truly lucky and grateful to have such a clinic in our city. Highly recommend with no hesitation!

RIP BAMBINO: DEC 28/06 - OCT 3/21, Amazing people from the front reception to the client coordinator and the veterinarian! Highly recommend AAA+

We were seen pretty close to our appointment time. The doctor was really kind to my puppy and explained everything she would go through both during and after her surgery. Everyone was very nice and knowledgeable. An all around great experience.

Good services, expensive though, front end staff courteous friendly very helpful.my little dog diagnosed with dry eye and on medication for remainder of her life by opthamalogy. Dr Brian very kind and helpful and his assistant very gentle and courteous.

If you have need for a Specialist for your pet this clinic is the place to go. The Vets are caring and make you feel at ease leaving your pet.
I recently had dental surgery done on my Rough Collie Ash. He had to go there as he would stop breathing under anesthesia when he got neutered. Dr. Campbell called me multiple times while Ash was under anesthesia. He reassured me all was going well and I felt totally at ease. I highly recommend them!

They were very professional and Compassionate with me and my pet from the moment we entered, which was around 11pm. Wasn't cheap but for the Kind, Friendly and prompt service, it was more than worth it.

I took my 1.5 year old tabby here after I noticed he was breathing quite heavily. He was seen right away and was initially diagnosed with potential heart failure. After staying the night in the care of the great staff at VCA and a few tests we were actually able to receive a second (different) opinion at the same location! The fact that we had two different vets provide opinions at the same location within 24 hours was very appreciated and extremely helpful. He has now been referred to a specialist for a follow up consultation and we are praying that he remains healthy and treatable. All of the staff at this VCA were friendly, professional and provided great communication and service.

Excellent service! Wonderful staff! They kept us posted as they took care our fur baby. She came in on a stretcher and ended up walking out.

Today our girl, our soul of the family is here. She is here to be cared for and taken care of. She needs care, she needs help. The clinic staff and doctors are very attentive and responsible, they helped us with everything we need. They took our girl from us and now we hope that everything will be fine. Nice people take care of her, give her a drink and say that we love and wait for her at home!

She's not in here now. She crossed the Rainbow Bridge! Be healthy and happy there, our friend!

Our pet had an abdominal ultrasound. The vet gave us the details shortly after the appointment. He was thorough and kind in his conversation. Would recommend this facility.

The staff here are understanding and supportive when dealing with stressed out people. I appreciated their patience and understanding. Wait times were quite long on a Sunday but they take care of business.

We first brought a dog here when it was still C. A. R. E. At that time, the front desk interactions and the vets were both outstanding. We've now had several visits there since it was taken over by VCA. We've found that the front end procedures and processes for interacting with clients have become quite terrible. However the actual veterinary staff are still outstanding and make it worthwhile when no in the front answers the phone or email or has any clue what's going on when if they do.

Terrible place! Only care about money. Even when they are wrong they won't own up to it. Tried to get us to do 15k surgery that was completely pointless other than picking our wallet. Couldn't get a manager to call us back. Took several days and me phoning them over and over. Oscar eventually called me back but wouldn't give his last name he was just "Oscar" when i asked. Could have spent even more money with other vets just to emphasize how wrong they were. But i have the ultimate proof my dog. She is being treated by a good vet that actually figured out what she needed. She is happy and healthy being on the proper meds. No surgery needed. They wanted us to choose between an expensive surgery we couldn't afford or putting her down. So happy we didn't listen to them. Cost me over 6k to realize how terrible they are. A lesson i won't forget and will share with everyone i know.

We went there around 3am to bring our dog Annie for emergency as she was in pain and when we call the hotline at the parking area they told us there is a waiting time of 4 hours as only one doctor available on site so it will be on a triage. They took our dog via a stretcher and asked us to fill up a form online but we told them if we can just fill up a print out paper and so they provided us with one. They asked us if we want to wait in our car or inside or come back but we decided to wait inside so they brought us to a waiting room and they were nice there. The attending doctor who checked our dog was nice too. She was caring not only for our dog but to us as well. They even offer us water and coffee. We didn't wait for 4 hours as Annie was in critical condition at that time so they addressed her needs at once. It was our first time to try this place.

UPDATE: My dog had to get some non-dissolvable stitches removed as they were not dissolving and it does take being pushy just to talk to the surgery department because reception will leave a note for the surgeon to call which did not happen. I called three days in a row and had to really be pushy to reception in order to get them to find the surgeon and was able to communicate with the surgeon. Once I did the surgeon had me come in right away to take care of the stitches and it was done. I just wish it didn't take 3 days of calling.

Provided good medical services and everyone including surgeon and ER doctor is extremely patient to all my questions and multiple calls. In regards to the prices, it is more premium pricing but it's the pricing for specialists which would be higher than general vet practitioners. The final bill was lower than the quote we were given and the costs were transparent.

Our dog Cooper had successful cataract surgery in the right and lost his left eye from glaucoma. Dr. Brian was very professional and empathetic and did his best to save the other eye. We had to recently put Cooper down as he went blind in the operated eye; however, VCA we would recommend to anyone for their quality of care. We gave our dog the best chance possible with their help:) God bless:)

Dr Johnson was incredibly kind and compassionate when it came time to making the difficult decision to put my girl, Harmony down. He made made the experience very peaceful and I am forever grateful for that. She was my heart.

Our pup had a surgery there and surgeons and nurses were friendly and professional. When he was hospitalized, they update us everyday about his condition and explained us his recovery plan well. It wasnt cheap (surgery, hospitalization, exams.) but they definately took a good care of him and now he recovered fully back to normal himself.

The doctors and staff are amazing. They get 5 stars but.there is always a huge disconnect between CCC, receptions and the specialty teams. The communication between teams is next to nothing and it really affects clients and their pets.

I am also always on hold for 10-20+ mins at a time. I know it makes it difficult with Covid but as a company you need to adjust as most companies have. Hire more receptionists. Figure out what times you are busy and support your front line staff. It shouldn't take me 45-60mins to pick up eye drops. As I am writing this review I have already been on hold for more than 22 mins. This is the only hospital I deal with where I have to wait so long to pick up medications.

There are solutions. Please seek them.

The staff is great. I have 3 stars cause I am annoyed with how long it took them to review x rays. They were done at 8 in the morning and we didn't hear from the doctor until 2. Something that doesn't take long to go over took them a long time to get back to us on.

I was contacted by them Friday morning onJune 18th. Sadly Dante had been run over brought in the same night by the Driver. They performed CPR for 12 minutes but he passed. My cat had been missing since April 8th. I had lost all hope. They were very helpful in sending after care options on Cremation Options and Urns. Being sympathetic and telling me to take my time. I was even given a copy of the accident report. I brought Dante home this past Monday evening.

Literally the best veterinarian experience I’ve ever had. They saved my dogs life and explained every possible affliction, every possible treatment and every possible price it would cost. Exceptional team and amazing bedside manner

I've been to this C. A. R. E center twice with my pup, once for a sudden onset of lameness in the leg and then for a consultation with a surgeon for TPO surgery (hip dysplasia). The staff there are very friendly, knowledgeable and understanding. A bad situation was made a little easier to bear because of the amazing people that work there. Thank you all so much!

Great place with outstanding staff and doctors. They are expensive but you get what you pay for.

A very good group of veterinarians have helped my dog during acute situations throughout his life. Covid-19 has effected the service level when having to contact the hospital for appointment dates and times. The call volume is higher than normal.the wait times to speak with someone can be excessive, but the veterinary care is outstanding.

Such amazing service! The staff and veterinarians at this hospital where very professional, kind

Kindest and skilled techs and doc. This place has overnight stay, emergency services and more. They were stellar to my pet and kind to us.

My dog was Referred to VCA Canada Calgary Animal Referral & Emergency Centre by our vet because of an oral lesion that required seeing a dental surgeon.
Our initial experience was fairly chaotic, which I understand some of that is due to Covid and the safety protocols.
In dropping our dog off, we were asked to sit in the parking lot and wait for multiple phone calls to explain the next steps, and verify the treatment plan with the doctor.
We waited over an hour after they took our dog in for the first call, which was to tell us that a member of that doctors team would call us. 20 minutes later we got another call from someone on the doctors team to ask questions, who was surprised to learn we were still sitting outside and told us we could have left after they took our dog inside.
They had our dog overnight, we were to wait for the morning for our dog to have a CT scan, and have a conversation with our dogs doctor.
The doctor called us in the morning to tell us what the day looked like, which was very appreciated.
However, the doctor told us that after the CT scans he would call us and tell us/ask us what the plan was going to be. Instead we got a call telling us that our dog was out of surgery, we had no consultation after the CT which is what the doctor told us would happen.
When we picked up our dog the person who brought him out to us, told us that he would need a follow up appointment in 2 weeks, and that someone would call us to book that, which is the same thing the doctor had said.
No one called us to book a follow up, when we did call to book the follow up, we were told that it was our responsibly to book it. I left my number for them to call, and they still called my husbands number instead. When he asked them to call me, he got a rude remark from the person who called him to book a follow up.
We’ve been met with many rude remarks, condescending tones, not receiving call backs etc. We had an issue with our dogs medication, they didn’t seem to care and wrote us off.
The lack of communication is unbelievable. The treatment towards owners is almost resentful. I’m sure the care for the animals is great when they are in the care of this team. However they are very lacking in genuine human connection as well as professionalism. We’re almost 3 weeks to the date of the surgery and are still waiting on biopsy results.

I was referred to VCA in Calgary by my vet in Lethbridge. My Pebbles liver enzymes were extremely high, and needed more specific tests.
I was prepared for the bill to be anywhere from $800 -$1000.
When I spoke to Dr.he suggested a different way to check for her liver enzymes. I waited for 3hrs and was relieved to find out she didn't need further tests, just a blood test every 3 months and keep her on the supplements.
The bill was just under $500.
Would highly recommend this VCA

We were able to get our dog in for a tooth emergency even though it was after regular hours. We really appreciate the care and concern.

They are 100% the right people to bring your puppy into. Our dog herniated his disk and despite the unfortunate and sad outcome for our dog Harry, Dr Diaz, and the whole team at the hospital were communicative, forth-coming and some of the most wonderful people we've dealt with. The whole team have been there since Harry went in to emergency, and throughout the process they were able to support us and talk with us. And even after the passing of our dog, they are continuing to support us in the grieving process. Thank you for everything.

I was referred to this clinic for a dental consult with Dr. Campbell. He and his entire team were extremely kind, personable, and professional. Even with the additional challenge of Covid, everything was easy and efficient.

They took great care of my kitten. The pricing was fair and the vet was very kind and comforting

We see the optometrist, Dr. Brian here. He is so kind and very personable. He and his staff are caring and compassionate. They are so wonderful with my dog and they take such good care of their patients. I would give him more stars if I could.

Update March 2021:
We returned 2 years later for a recheck as Buddy was having some issues and Dr. Brian was just as kind and patient and professional. Dr. Brian's staff member came out to get Buddy and his tail was wagging and happy and then Dr. Brian came out himself to explain buddy's condition and the treatment plan and buddy was happy and calm.
We LOVE Dr. Brian. Thank you.

Was referred to VCA Care Centre when our dog has a MST which could have been removed at the VCA North Animal Hospital. Both hospitals are owned by the same corporate owner. We were told the surgery would be somewhat more. Turns out the quotes was 3X more. We didn’t proceed with the surgery and went elsewhere where we paid 80% less at a smaller locally owned Vet. Had a good experience at the locally owned Vet. VCA is partly owned by a publicly traded company called MARS where they are 100% for profit. I even filed a formal complaint about this unbecoming behavior which I viewed as collusion-like and extortive in nature. Not surprisingly, the ABMVA (veterinary association that regulates vets and deals with complaints) didn’t see a problem with this type of unprofessional behavior. Surprise surprise, Vets are on the Complain Resolution Committee (CRC). They protect their own breed and have little teeth to actually do anything for the customers and their best interests. What a joke! Stay away from VCA. They are overpriced and unprofessional.

Centre is very well organized and all staff seem to be very knowledgeable and give you a feeling that your pet is well taken care of. Everything is well explained before and after treatment.

My dog was receiving chemo treatments at CARE over the course of 6 months. I was happy with the care of the Oncology team and had no problems. They always took the time to explain pre and post op instructions with me and it was easy to deal with them directly over billing.

I’m giving 1 star because of how I was treated by the front end staff when I brought my dog in for an emergency exam because he had fainted a few days after a chemo session. Due to covid they took my dog in by himself and called me with updates, which is normal procedure. When everything was said and done they called me to pay the bill, it was an outrageous number something like $1200 for an exam. I had a feeling they had included a previous chemo treatment into the new bill for today. The receptionist REFUSED to go over the billing with me and wouldn’t even list the invoiced items, stating that if I had a problem with the billing I would need to wait and speak to the Doctor herself and that the doctor will call me back. I just want my sick dog back to go home! I wait in my car, 30 mins go by and no call. I try to call the office but am put on hold, another 30 mins go by. I cannot reach anyone and now it feels like they are holding my sick pet hostage. The front doors are locked so you can’t go in and talk to anyone either. I’m sick of waiting so when one of the back end staff come out to return another persons pet I have to stop her and explain my situation. Luckily this person is willing to listen and helps me fix the billing so I can pay the correct amount. They did accidentally bill me for something chemo related. I am made to wait yet another 30 mins before they bring my dog out to me after paying. No apology from anyone for the inconvenience and wasted time.

It is really unfortunate that the front and back end of this clinic is so disconnected! The customer service and wait times I experienced from the reception staff is unacceptable, they made me feel like I was trying not to pay my bill when I’ve already spent THOUSANDS of dollars on chemo here.

Don’t take your beloved animal here please!

get second opinions and trust yourself and your knowledge of your own pet. We went into this scam establishment with our dog after being referred from a vet that is affiliated with this hospital, our dog was having an upset stomach. This place exploited our family out of thousands and is responsible for the very early death of our pet. They were obsessed with keeping our dog for 12-24 hours and then for days and days after insisted on keeping her, they ignored our knowledge of our own pet pet, and how sensitive our dog was to being separated from us, which was worsening her not wanting to eat. They insisted on multiple scam tests and scans which did not provide any evidence to any of the multiple things they suspected were wrong, but they thought they knew better. During the care of this facility they blamed all of the shortcomings on covid, refused to let us visit our pet, we insisted a few times.then they said ok! Sure! So where did all the covid rules go? They had our dog for over a week, apparently feeding her through a tiny tube, as we visited each time we could see she wasn’t being bathed or cared for, and her beautiful white hair was stained yellow from sitting in filth. She lost half of her weight because she was so nervous she wouldn’t eat for them. They were not concerned about our family or our pet. And most importantly for this company.they did not Care at all about our finances, everyday they did they’re routine up-sell call to keep our dog for another day without any acknowledgment at the immense cost it would be, I was shocked at appalled at the apathy in the staff voices as they called. After a week of no improvement, in fact getting worse over the stress of it all, we insisted on taking our dog home. They held our dog ransom and refused to bring her out until we paid the exorbitant bill without explanation or any proof of any of the service they allegedly performed, also there was no cost breakdown or consent for additional charges when they insisted she stay again and again. We were handed back a skeleton version of the dog we dropped off to get better and to be cared for, the staff couldn’t run back in the hospital fast enough. The amount of medication they had prescribed for a little dog was astounding, with some light research, a lot of the medications were over prescribed and contradictory. My parents spent the last money that had set aside for refinishing they’re home on this scam business who did nothing for our pet. They did nothing but let her stress and waste away and sit in her filth whilst lying to our family. We called another vet to our home a few days later and they recommended she be put to sleep as she was severely dehydrated and malnourished.

We lost a member of our family and it was the CARE hospitals negligence that was the root cause as they’re only concerned with keeping your pet over and over without doing anything meaningful to help, they were given a beautiful dog with an upset stomach and like I said we were given back a heartbroken sad skeleton version of of our beloved dog that had days left to live after being held hostage without any meaningful amount of food or water and from being pumped full of pills.

It took a few weeks to post this as our family has been very upset. The purpose of this review is the hope it reaches at least one family and will help them pull pin on this place before it’s too late to save your pet. If you feel the communication is horrible and inconsistent or something is off and wrong.it probably is. I would go anywhere else you can and get a second opinion, I’ve heard there is an animal hospital in okotoks that is good, also one in fish creek

Helpful, caring and nice. Everyone I spoke to were friendly and helpful. You could tell they just want the best for the animal. If I ever have a pet emergency again I will go here.

I want to say a big thank you to the entire VCA ER team for the great care you provided to my dane and the amazing support every members of your staffs has given us through the hospitalization. Dr Diaz is such a knowledgeable, caring and professional neurologist and I am so thankful that people are still doing their job with passion and care. Thank you also to Richard, the entire ER reception team, the emergency doctor who took care of Rosie! We are sincerely appreciative!

We were referred here from VCA Calgary North when we thought our dog might have spine or leg pain in the middle of the night. VCA North had a 3 hour wait due to emergencies and didn't have a neurologist so we called ahead to CARE while driving in from Airdrie and were told there was currently no wait (1 am). Awesome and probably rare! We parked and checked in via phone due to Covid protocols and were looked after quickly. They took our dog inside while we waited in our car for the consult with the vet. She was very thorough, accessing her twice after further speaking with us and what we thought was back pain was actually stomach pain. We were discharged with meds and a plan for her next 3 days. They took payment via phone and also submitted our Trupanion claim. (We actually paid while my fiance drove us home, talk about trust!) When we got home she had more pain after her meds so I called the vet again and she said it took time for the meds to kick in but told me what to look for in case we should take her back in. Side note: if we returned for the same issue within 24 hours there would be no additional consult fee. Luckily we didn't have to do this. We were happy with how we were helped and the VCA CARE is right off Deerfoot near Ikea so easy access. Wouldn't hesitate to return if needed.

Our dog has had 2 major surgeries and one major health issue diagnosed here. He also sees Dr. Brian, the opthalmologist, here. We have been so impressed by care our dog has received and the level of empathy and professionalism from all of the staff. We highly recommend this Centre.

Recently our 13 year old dog injured herself running around. Dr. Johnson and the team did a great job of explaining what happened, what our options were for treatment and what they recommended. They took great care of our little dog family member and were exactly what we needed from a veterinary team. I appreciated their approach and would recommend them to anyone who asks.

This place is super expensive and always charge around $180 for emergency fee! My dog had swollen eye and they finally didn't find out what exactly it was only some guesses! And gave her Antibiotics. Charged me $617 for that

It's a blessing to have medical professionals like Dr Murray and his team available when an emergency hits on a Saturday night. They promptly received our German Shepherd dog and dealt with her problem so we were able to bring her home the next morning with medication and instructions for follow up. We are thankful to have Luna on the mend and appreciate the efforts of the staff at VCA.

If your dog is your life (as is ours), this place made us feel at ease despite the stressful situation. We had an emergency checkin, our boy couldn’t walk suddenly. They had a neurologist see him less than 24 hours later (and he’s the only neurologist in Alberta!). They took amazing care of him for 2.5 days, he’s now home and resting, we’re hoping for a smooth recovery, and it’s all thanks to Care! Thank you for your kindness, patience with all of our questions, and everything in between.

Excellent services when I was first referred to see a specialist, albeit there was a waiting period to get in to see them (unless it is an emergency)!

Even better service with any follow-up appointments regarding a special issue! The staff are great, and with Covid-19 protocols in place, you will feel extremely safe at this work site!

We can't say enough about the extraordinary care our beautiful cat received in the hands of Dr Walzthoni and staff. We had to make the heart wrenching decision to put her down. We hesitated taking her in because we didn't know VCA and worried that her last moments would be in the hands of strangers. Much to our relief, our sweet cat was treated with the upmost care and respect. Dr Walzthoni was very attentive to our needs. She explained all our options and walked us through the procedure to best prepare us. She was caring, attentive and extremely compassionate. We had a room to ourselves to say our final goodbyes, we never felt rushed and we were able to spend as much time as we needed with our cat. Thank you VCA, support staff and Dr Walzthoni, from the bottom of our hearts.