Central Island Veterinary Emergency Hospital

Our fur baby unfortunately had come to her time to cross the rainbow bridge last night, Jan7/2024, but the staff were all so sweet and nurturing to her, our hearts break with loosing her but happy she’s no longer in any discomfort, I couldn’t imagine having to give families this hard news but they were all so sweet. RIP Nala

Its sad you guys say you love animals, but in reality yous love money. You guys over charge for emergencies and pull at heart stings knowing owners will pay for it in that time to save their fur baby.
I had to pay for my brother dog to be out down a few months ago and yous wouldn't even consider a payment plan for him. When he was broke.
I had to fork up $400 to put him down then a week later I came up with another $300 just so you can release the ashes

Shame on yous for taking advantage of loving animal owners who actually loves animals

I cannot thank you enough for the incredible support you provided for me and my sweet boy before he passed. He was a vibrant 14-year old pug who went into respiratory distress on a Saturday night on Gabriola island. We were stuck there until we could catch the ferry on Sunday morning. Your guidance over the phone to help keep him as comfortable as possible, your responsiveness, knowledge, care, and compassion during an incredibly difficult and distressing time will never be forgotten.

On Friday June 2,2023 I had to take our cocker spaniel in for emergency care after a horrific dog attack - we received the best care possible and were treated in a very very respectful and compassionate manner from the front end staff and technicians and the vets Dr. Durocher who did her primary surgery and Dr. Luo on her follow up. Kudos to all staff involved - you are AMAZING - thank you thank you and thank you

Everyone at Central was absolutely phenomenal today! It was my first visit, and everyone I dealt with was extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and truly caring. While I waited for my cat to be seen, I watched and listened to their interactions with other clients and was thoroughly impressed with how they handled each situation. They took excellent care of both my fur baby and me!

My dog was in distress and after an exam, they presented with the prognosis that she needed a surgery and hospital stay that was very expensive. While I was trying to figure out what to do, they contacted my vet and got him to agree to do the surgery for a fraction of the cost. They were amazing! Thank you CIV!

Twice I brought my dogs here and was thrown a big list of things to be done, the dr that talked to me seemed very harsh.the secartary kept coming to the front and laughing.this gave me a bad feeding.then I was given this big amount to pay (7000), with only a 20 percent chance of my dog to live.this made me think wow I wonder if they tell you this kind of price to keep your dog.and make you pay all this money for a exray n you don’t get to take your dog home …. Urg I miss my girl so much. I did not trust them…. I only put one star because I couldn’t post without a star …… to me they don’t deserve one star

Dr. Preston and the staff at CIVEH have been great over the last year or so. Two different dogs of mine have had TPLO knee surgeries in that time. Staff are very caring and compassionate, and Dr. Preston was excellent. 5 stars for sure ️

My first trip to CIVEH after having animals my entire life was a good experience as it was after hours from my regular clinic. They were prompt to see my puppy. Friendly and professional staff. Very kind and compassionate doctor. Thank you to all the staff for working tirelessly around the clock.

The Central Island Veterinary Emergency Hospital provided compassionate care for my Weimaraner, Willow, after she experienced an ear laceration from a dog bite while hiking. The hospital staff held a high level of integrity in communicating foundational costs over the phone before we arrived. There were no surprises, except for the immense kindness of Keely, the technician who cared for Willow when we came to the clinic. I am grateful to this young woman for her gentle and professional demeanour and skill, and to the other front-line staff who softened our experience with their friendly way of being. As the laceration was determined to be minor, we did not need to see a veterinary doctor.

There was no option to rate this business 0 stars! They took our dog into the back (we couldn’t be with him) and returned 20 minutes later with no results. They suggested an x-ray, we agreed, but who would have thought a fr—-kin x-ray would be $500. I can have a full bite wing X-ray at the dentist for half that amount. When all was said and done we paid $888 for nothing. This business is there to make money at the expense of the pets. Avoid this place at all costs. Five days later we put our dog down. You would think a vet would know when your dog was terminal and not run up charges that have no chance of helping. Very disappointed! The charges were not after hours either, it was during regular business hours.

Due to an injury to my little girl I took her Central Island Emergency Veterinary Hospital. That was the first mistake. My dog had bad dental disease which lead to her fracturing her jaw. We were given 3 choices. 1. Euthanasia
2. Corrective surgery to repair. 6 to 10 thousand dollars.
3. Surrender her to vet who will correct, foster and adopt.
We reluctantly chose option 3. I regret that decision and will do so for the rest of my life. We were not given time to think about it…. Must decide now.
After crying for 3 days and desperately wanting to know is my little girl was ok I called them.
I spoke to a female who might as well been a dispassionate robot. She said because we signed my girl away we had no rights to know anything. I pleaded for anything and the answer was steadfast no…
My interaction with this staff member was to say the least cruel and mean. I will never take any of my remaining fur babies to this organization and will go out of my way to ensure others know of this poor and seemingly cruel staff member. Shame….

They quoted me $10-12k.for knee surgery for my dog. I am now getting it done in Abbotsford for $4500. Bunch of crooks!

They are very kind and compassionate there. I appreciate all they do as the only 24hr vet serving nanaimo and North Island. Devin is a wonderful, talented and passionate technician, Dr. Emma (?) (I think that was her name) was very kind.

It's always usually a rough time going to the emegency vet but after calling around most of the morning trying to get my kitty seen I finally found central island vet emergency clinic and I'm so glad I did. The girls on the phone right away were compassionate reassuring and got my info and told me to head down (it was a bit of a drive for me) while in the waiting room we got to observe the fantastic level of staff interaction with other patients, we were throughly impressed with their sanitation after seeing another animal come in sneezing they really took all precautions and were kind every step of the way. The doctor who examined our kitty was fantastic she was very informative made sure he has medication to keep him comfortable and told us what he needs to get better (which we've scheduled at an appropriate clinic to do so) the doctor really went above and beyond in the explanation and even provided print outs with further details which was so nice to have to refer back to. When they brought our boy back out to us they told us how sweet he is and how much everyone in the back loved him which was just the extra heart warming touch we needed on a hard day. Thank you so much to the team at central island vet emergency, Si thanks you all but hopes he doesnt have to see you again soon:) 10/10 would reccomend!

Over the last few weeks, we’ve had 5 kittens in our care that each needed immediate medical attention. CIVEH was extremely compassionate with their care and attention to each kitten and their response and actions were vital to the positive outcome for them.
They provided excellent care during a critical time and every staff member involved was kind, respectful and fully committed to helping each kitten's life.
Their partnership with us over the last several years has been very important to ensuring the proper care of our rescued cats, and we are incredibly grateful for all they have done for us.

Sadly, my beloved cat Baby Minnie did not survive; he was just too sick when I took him into this emergency clinic a couple of weekends ago. But I'm so grateful for the timely, skilled and compassionate care he received; everyone I interacted with there was so very kind. They made a deeply stressful and painful experience bearable. Sincere thanks to all the staff who helped us.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve had 5 kittens in our care that each needed immediate medical attention. CIVEH was extremely compassionate with their care and attention to each kitten and their response and actions were vital to the positive outcome for them.
They provided excellent care during a critical time and every staff member involved was kind, respectful and fully committed to helping each kitten's life.
Their partnership with us over the last several years has been very important to ensuring the proper care of our rescued cats, and we are incredibly grateful for all they have done for us.

You hope you never have to visit, but if you do, you will be glad to have such professional, caring, and sympathetic vets and staff to help get your furbabies the help they need. Open 24/7,365 days a year. It's not cheap, but it's fair considering the service they provide. I've never had to wait to get a pet in, they will help you immediately, highly recommend

Dr. Preston and his surgery team are incredibly compassionate and absolute experts at their job. From the beginning to the end of our pet's major surgery, this team was thorough and top notch. Thank you Dr. Preston and the entire surgical team! We appreciate you!

Can’t thank them enough!
I took my very anxious pup there today because his nail was broken in half and they were amazing. They were quick, and I can only assume patient and kind towards him. He’s now passed out on our couch most definitely thanks to all of you. Thank you for taking such great care of my pup, and for not treating him any differently for being a pitbull ️

The whole team are amazing! From the bottom of my heart thank you so very much to doctors and staffs who dealt with me and my sick cat. I am very grateful for all the help I received, very kind, very caring and very compassionate people works in this veterinary hospital. I give you my 5 stars, YOU'RE THE BEST! Highly recommend.

The only place that worried about payment AFTER they took care of my animal. We called ALL OVER PARKSVILLE, COOMBS, SPCA. NOONE WOULD HELP. And then we called Central Island, and they actually CARED about our hurt animal. THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES!
THANK YOU It was a great outcome. They really are amazing

My pup had a motorcycle accident.
I rushed her here because it was the only place open.
I was greeted by a young lady quickly. However, after the initial examination, i was told outright that if i didnt consent to xrays and other procedures i would have to surrender her.
They also said if i cannot pay right away (i could have gotten the money within 3 days) i would have to surrender her.
They informed me about the lender they have scratch pay.
The interest on this is astronomical. I was forced to apply for 1000 dollar loan. Not cool.

The xrays and examination take place.
I wait all night. Literally arriving at 1030 11 pm and leaving at 5 am.
I was told, my dog is fine and has one broken tooth.
They gave her antibiotics and pain meds and sent her home.

Closer examination done bymyself (not a licensed vet) reveals much more problems.

She has three broken teeth and is needing dental surgery.
I don't understand how they missed that and how they treat customers that have experienced something like that in that way.

I also witnessed on the same night, a family bringing their dashhound in to be put down.
They made the family stay outside for over an hour waiting. While this dog is struggling to breathe and coughing.

I wont ever take my family here again.

I had my dog euthanized here. They went through a list of my requests. I received her ashes but never received the paw print. This is devastating.

Took our dog in during 50+ degree weather, as our dog clearly had heat stroke.they insisted on doing various testing for cancer, because cancer and heat stroke can have some similar symptoms. Anyways, 5000$ in bills to essentially put our dog down due to heat stroke. We are so heartbroken, having lost our family member, and now due to their irresponsible recommendations, we are also financially broken.

My boyfriend and I had to bring our dog here about a month ago after he suddenly passed away, so I can't speak to what the actual veterinary care here is like. However, the staff we did speak to at the front desk were so so so incredibly kind, patient and compassionate to us as we grieved. We admittedly felt very overwhelmed when it came to making decisions regarding our dog's cremation/remains, and at no point did we feel rushed or like we were taking too long to decide or being a burden on the staff. We'll be forever grateful for that kindness and understanding as it allowed us to really process and make the best choices. They even made sure to ask if we wanted to keep his collar, which we initially completely overlooked. If the staff we spoke to are any indication of the caliber of vet here, we wouldn't hesitate to bring our pets in again.

What a wonderful team! We had a scare with our Mini Aussie last night. One of his pupils was pinhole and the other dilated. They took him right in and observed him. He thankfully resolved naturally, but the team was so helpful and so kind throughout the whole process. From the call to ask if we should come in through to the discharge! Thank you!

Thank you to all the staff for the love and care they gave to my Hazel.to avoid any further suffering they advised me to let her pass over the rainbow.
Thanks again
Cheryl. June.and Mitch

Two days ago, my family's 19-year-old cat, Penny, reached the end of her life in the capable, kind hands of Dr. Trish at this clinic. Our little one's demise was gradual until it was sudden.and so was our need to release her. This clinic was open and available almost immediately. Everyone I was in contact with was patient, clear in communicating, and most helpful. From my experience, the staff here will do everything they can to accommodate animals and people who are in crisis with the utmost professionalism. Even as I was told there were a few serious emergencies being dealt with, Penny and I didn't have too long a wait until she was tended. Special mention to Laine, a veterinary tech whose presence was a gift. I am so grateful for the help at a terrible time.

My best bud of 12 years needed urgent care. I called and he was seen within the hour. Unfortunately my pup didn’t make it. The care and compassion we received was amazing. It felt as though they truly cared and knew what we were going through. All options were clearly explained. I don’t know how we would have done it without them. My dog passed peacefully and without pain. I highly recommend them.

I had to go to work early monday morn n got my step daughter to bring Bo in to get looked at they got him in soon as they opened and had to put my 18yr old best friend down i already got back his foot print and waiting for his ashes best pet care ever thank you so very much

I just got my guy back, "Benny" after emergency surgery for a bowel obstruction. CIVEH was absolutely wonderful with the level of care they provided for Benny. Sure it's never cheap especially when it's urgent, but my concern is for my companion animal and best buddy. The vets and staff at CIVEH exceeded this with their care and compassion during Benny's stay! Thank you for everything. Kane, & Benny.

Thank you SO much for squeezing my dog in when you were clearly super busy. You made me feel confident Maestro was in good hands at a time when I was super worried.

Prompt, efficient triage and excellent care of my dog.

Thank you again!

Currently waiting for more information but so incredibly warmed by the staff here. From the manager advising me late at night, to the staff on the phone doing intake, to the vet seeing our baby, I'm incredibly impressed. Everyone has made me feel very at ease that my furbabe is in a great place

From making the phone call that no pet owner ever wants to make until my little guy crossed the Rainbow Bridge, the staff at Central Island Veterinary Emergency Hospital went above and beyond for me and my dog. Words can't express the gratitude I have for everyone there that supported him during his final moments. I drove home feeling at peace knowing that he transitioned to heaven in the most comfortable way possible. The team felt like family, remembering the small details about him and checking in the following day. I can't thank the team enough at Central Island, and highly recommend them during those difficult moments with our furry friends.

Took great care of our little Luna, we’re very accommodating on such short notice, and the staff was super friendly and informative. This place was amazing.

We brought our young lab to Nanaimo emergency hospital on Good Friday. They sent us home with double the steroid dose and painkillers. If they had sent us to Victoria for more diagnostics that day there might have been a different outcome. Our local vet saw her on Saturday and said get to Victoria immediately. Sadly we lost our pup one day later.

Sadly, we had to let our dog, Buddy, go. He was almost 15 and deteriorating quickly through the night. We brought him in at 5 am and the lady at the front desk was very nice and helpful, over the phone and in person. The vet, who helped Buddy over the rainbow bridge was very kind, caring and understanding. We definitely felt like our boy was in very good hands and I really appreciated, that even with covid, I was able to come in and hold him, while he went to sleep in my arms. They helped make a difficult time less painful.

My cat Lilly was in so much pain and I was scared I would be ripped off again like at Lighthouse Veterinary Hospital who charge for the time the cat is at their place. But I had a pleasant surprise here at Central Island Veterinary Hospital. Although it was a Sunday, which calls as "emergency", I was neither charged an emergency fee nor anything for the 6 hours they kept her there. The costs for the examination was totally reasonable and Dr. Trish Mackie is really wonderful, very empathetic, knowledgeable and friendly. Thanks for taking care of Lilly and helping her heal.