Neighbourhood Veterinary Hospital

I was referred to Neighbourhood Veterinary by my regular clinic during an emergency with one of my ferrets. They were able to squeeze me in quickly, and kept me updated on his condition.
Unfortunately, my little guy earned his wings that day. I very much appreciate how informative and compassionate the vet that cared for him was. I regret I do not recall her name (it was a very rough day). She was very detailed with her findings, shared her love for rats and their similar unfortunate health issues, was wonderfully patient and gentle. It was be such a struggle to choose when to help your little one cross the bridge; I appreciate the doctor recommending compassionate euthanasia.
I am relieved to have found another clinic with professionals so knowledgeable about ferrets. Veterinary care is difficult and often unappreciated. Thank you for being there to care for our littles ones.

I had to cancel my appointment because of an unforeseen emergency. I left a message with the on-call vet service the night before which was roughly 12 hours notice. I got a rude call saying that they require a $100 deposit before they would rebook as I didn’t give 24 hours notice. I asked them to make an exception due to the emergency. The receptionist was rude and refused. Good thing that there are lots of reasonable vets in town who understand that emergencies happen. Not going back

UPDATE: In response to the below statement from the Owner: Their staff member called me and told me that there was a $100 CHARGE which honestly got me upset. I immediately said that no one explained this policy to me or told me that 24 hours notice was needed prior to booking my appointment. The person who called interrupted me with a nasty tone of voice and loudly said “If you would just let me finish! ” Then went on to say that it was a deposit. I replied that I would have to call back to re-book my appointment. To have them now say that I was defensive and interupted is unprofessional and unbecoming on their part.

All they had to say in response was that they were sorry to hear that I had had a bad experience and explain the policy. The fact that they responded in this way is a poor reflection on them. I have never had to late cancel an appointment with them previously and they gave zero consideration to my emergency.

Not my vet clinic but I called in a panic when I saw a bird who had been hit but was still alive.i tried multiple vets nearby to the scene who told me no they could not help, one even told me “even if we could - you’d be on the hook for the cost” which wasn’t a concern. However I was still told they couldn’t help. Neighbourhood vet clinic was amazing and willing to help in such an awful moment. Grateful.

(When I had gone back with gloves and something to put the bird in, it was no longer there so either someone else picked it up or it somehow flew away but it seemed to have a broken wing so I’m hoping someone else is tending to it)

This was by far the most pleasant vet experience I have had. We went for an annual check up and vaccines. My dog is typically so anxious at a vet’s office, the caring, attentive, and kind staff made sure she felt safe. As an owner I felt that the team took their time, answered my questions thoroughly, and were very helpful overall. I would highly recommend this office - it’s also beautiful on top of the great experience!

Not a good experience.
Would definitely suggest somewhere else. Extremely disappointed.
Prices are absolutely outrageous as well.

Welcoming atmosphere and professional staff, plus a great experience with scheduling. Ample parking too.

Highly recommended! They remember names of pets, details and genuiniely care about their patients. I have met three of the vets there and they are each excellent!

My husband and I have taken our pets here twice now. They make us feel welcome to bring our dogs in on emergency rather than feeling like a burden. The facility is clean, and the staff at the front desk are professional and organized. We will definitely be continuing to bring our staffys here. Not every vet has been a nice experience, so we're thankful to have found this place! Thank you!

Neighbourhood Veterinary Hospital has been exceptional! I had brought my rabbit to them after a mishap with another vet, and there was no hesitation to get him in and taken care of! Both Dr. Broschak, and Dr. Helmers were very careful with him, and very helpful with details in home care. Very friendly staff, and an overall outstanding environment. If you're looking for somewhere to take your pet for the best care around, then I would highly recommend Neighbourhood Veterinary Hospital!

Always super professional, friendly, and responsive. Offering care for reptiles is rare enough in BC that it is a massive perk. Dr. Helmers is an amazing vet, who seems to genuinely care for her patients. The tech team, and reception/clerical workers are always awesome to chat with as well. 10/10 times I will go here first for everything pet related.

I had an emergency Saturday evening with my two dogs, Hunter and Toby. They got me in within minutes and treated them with so much love and compassion. I felt safe leaving them there for sedation and whatever else they had to do. We were given an estimate on the cost and Dr Helmers went over everything with us. The girls up front were so kind and made a tough night easier. My husband even said, "You can tell with Dr. Helmers and those girls that they do this for all the right reasons". Thank you so much NVC for the amazing experience. I have never seen such a beautiful, clean and decorated office before either. Hunter, Toby and I will be seeing you soon ️

Pam, Cary, Hunter and Toby

Toby is so happy he found a vet that he trusts and that trusts him. Highly recommended. The girls are all lovely and happy and totally made our experience very good.

I am very disappointed with a recent experience I had at Neighborhood Vet. There is apparently a new policy about short notice cancellations (a significant fee) ; that is not what I have a problem with. My issue is that this policy does not be appear to be on their website, nor was this information disseminated prior to my appointment. Unfortunately I did have to cancel with short notice due to follow up care my pet was receiving at a another vet clinic. I am disappointed that this policy was 'sprung' on me without notice. My confidence with this facility has been affected. I will now be hesitant to refer others here.

I see Dr. Helmers for my pet rats and she is such a warm and wonderful person. I never feel rushed during our appointments. I won't lie, their prices are considerably higher than all other vet's I've seen for my Rats, but I am willing to pay extra for her expertise and care. She is VERY knowledgeable with Rats and I fully trust her. Compared to other vet's, she prescribes antibiotics for Rats the most correct way without me having to ask. Most other vet's I have seen will only do 2 weeks of antibiotics but she knows that Rats need at least 21 days and sometimes more. They have a very high success rate for surgery on Rats as well because they understand the different needs that Rats have compared to other pets when it comes to sedation, fluids and warmth. Highly recommend this vet for anyone with pet rats as Dr. Helmers has taken extra courses to understand the complex needs for rats, as well as other exotic and pocket pets! They also see reptiles =)

My daughter has two pet rats that we figured had mites. We were calling around and unfortunately every other vet clinic had long wait times for an appointment. Eventually we called Neighbourhood and they told us we could get an appointment for the next day. I was shocked when my daughter came home and showed me the $345 bill. We were charged $102.90 per rat just for a consultation fee alone. Surprised by this, I left a message, and the vet Adrian Helmers called me back and insisted that that was a fair price. I also noticed that the invoice was incorrect, as the dosages were different for both rats, and were mixed up on the bill.
After this call, I called around to other vets, and was quite shocked at the price differences. One vet, that we usually deal with and is also experienced in small animals, would’ve charged a flat fee of $68.25 for BOTH of them (not each), since it was pretty obvious that they both had mites and would need to be treated the same. Another vet charged a rate of $90.30 for both of them as well. This is pretty shocking that the starting price for an appointment for two rats was $205.80 at Neighbourhood. Vets of course have the right to price their services however they like, but a price difference of this level is quite upsetting. It was our fault for not asking for a price estimate beforehand, but we weren’t expecting it to be such a large price difference from other vets.

If you are going here, be prepared to pay top dollar for any work here, as our bill has proven. Ask for an estimate beforehand, or try a different vet.

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RESPONSE

I am quite appalled at the response I have received from “the owner” of Neighbourhood Veterinary Hospital.

Each vet in Kamloops who accepts exotic species follows the same detailed examination as you do. As you mentioned, MOST veterinarians charge based on the provincial averages set forward by the CVMA. With that being said, each visit must be analyzed on a case by case basis. The two vet hospitals that I contacted said since both rats obviously had mites that the cost for the consultation fee would be $68.25 for both rats at one clinic and $86 at the other clinic. With a price difference of $137.55 and $119.80 is of great concern.

In regards to the assumption that adults bringing in pets to see you are capable of making both financial and medical decisions about their pets: I am not sure what you are alluding to, but we are quite capable of making a medical AND financial decision for our rats. The financial part of it is an exorbitant amount of $345.80 is being charged for 2 rats with mites.

The statement of maintaining client confidentiality for the owner while addressing the family members concern doesn’t pertain to our situation. If you would have taken the time to ask questions during our phone conversation, you would have known our family situation. Our daughter and her rats reside in the same home as us.

I was surprised a business of your stated calibre felt that everything had been settled after our telephone conversation yesterday. Dr. Adrian Helmers was quite adamant in her decision that we were charged a fair price. During our phone conversation, I had stated that I was still upset about this situation, and would be writing a review based on our situation. It would be apparent that I was not happy about the results of that vet visit.

I am not disputing that the rats haven’t been diagnosed and treated accordingly; my issue is that the cost of $345.80 is nothing short of price gouging.

If you truly do not want anyone to leave your clinic upset, I would hope that you would review the circumstances involving this incident, and come to a fair price conclusion.

We have a small zoo of exotic pets going on at our house. Dr. Helmers has proven to be knowledgeable, compassionate and willing to go the extra mile to make sure both our furry friends and I have everything we need. Dr. Helmers has been with us through happy times and sad times, and with each experience I'm glad to have had someone who cares about my fur babies just as much as I do.

The staff is always welcoming when I arrive, are happy to answer any questions I call in with and I have never had to wait long to get an appointment. You are in good hands here.

This is an amazing clinic! All the staff are friendly and professional, and the clinic itself is well laid out and stylish. Dr Helmers was great with my dog, I'm not worried about her hating the vet here!

Super happy with the service we recieved, they were fantastic with my rescue dog, Axel. Even called a few days later to make sure he was good and if we need anything further. I highly recommend them!

Today was a very difficult day for me as I said goodbye to my best friend. I want to thank the entire staff at the Neighbourhood Veterinary Hospital for being so accommodating, supportive, professional, and compassionate before and during our visit. Thank you for letting me bring my elderly cat in this morning on such short notice, for walking and supporting me through each step, and for taking such good care of him the entire time. It meant so much to me and my family. You also have a beautiful space and I truly appreciated having a calm and quiet room to wait in and eventually to say goodbye to my beloved cat in. I'll always recommend you to anyone who is looking for an amazing veterinary team. Thank you so much for everything. ️

We brought our French Bulldog, Cooper, into Neighbourhood Veterinary Hospital after he ate a large amount of chicken bones and garbage. The staff were all very professional and accommodating as Cooper was assessed, monitored, and without delay taken in for emergency surgery under the adept care of Dr. Broschak. We were very impressed by the in-house diagnostics and modern equipment available at this clinic, and the fact that they offered overnight care. Cooper is back to full health thanks to the excellent veterinary care he received here. We highly recommend this clinic to anyone looking to receive gold standard care for their pet.

I took my precious Ragdoll cat, Barkley, to Neighbourhood Veterinary Hospital to get his vaccinations and what a great experience it was! Everyone at the clinic was so friendly and I could tell they really cared about the animals that come in. I saw Dr. Broschak and she was super thorough while examining my kitty. She was also very knowledgeable and was able to answer all of my questions and calm my concerns. I would definitely recommend this clinic to anyone who is looking to get their pet top quality care. I know I will be bringing my cat here again. Thank you Neighbourhood Veterinary Hospital!

Jess and Barkely:)

Newly opened facility however, locally operating vets for years in Kamloops. I have trusted them for years with all my animals and will continue to do so at their beautiful facility that shows - dreams do come true.
Dr. Broschak and Dr. Helmers have both seen and cared for my animals needs since I started booking with them. From routine checks, to concerns and hardships we all face owning animals.
Dr. Broschak was there for me after hours in time of need when I had to say good bye to my Eligh and I couldn't have asked for more compassion and professionalism in such a time. Not to mention the care in the time I had left with him.
Dr. Helmers has aided in short notice booking time for an emergency with Mia having a nuisance nail removal. Just recently Dr. Helmers seen and is now treating my old lady Mia for a couple infections that were caught timely however, need the necessary treatments to continue longevity and happiness for my old girl.
Veterinarians don't get enough credit for the time they put in with our animals let alone the compassion they have and these ladies are the proof that the love for our animals is not taken granted for and taken seriously in their profession.
I highly recommend this facility, the front staff that make day to day procedures not only easier for the vets but the atmosphere surrounding, and of course Dr. Broschak and Dr. Helmers for being there for every animal as well as the owners.
Thank you for everything you guys do, it's appreciated time and time over.

Ive been trying to find a forever Vet since moving to Kamloops 3 years ago. I found the ones I've previously gone to over priced and pushy on things I wasn't coming in for. I gave this new Vet a try for my bulldog who gets occasional ear infections. I found the prices very reasonable, staff very friendly and the wonderful Vet did not try to push for anything else that was not related to his visit, happily treated my dog for what he came in for. I'd recommend them and will be back for another visit if needed. Thank you!

It's an amazing vet hospital! It was spotless & Dr. Broschuk was excellent! Highly recommend!

What a fantastic experience! Being new to the area I was looking for a reputable Veterinarian and because we have Vets in the family I was worried I would have a hard time. But. I was so impressed with the front staff/vet techs and the main Veterinarians.they have top notch experience and you can tell they just love animals and not to try and force anything on you with useless tests for extra costs. My Lab was in need of some urgent attention and they were amazing.very sweet and prompt healthcare for my dog. I can't say enough good things here. This will be our new Vet home for sure. Thank you guys and such impressive backgrounds the vets have too.

I'm so happy to have found this clinic. I feel very confident taking my German Shepherd to see Dr Megan. The clinic is beautiful and the staff is friendly.

Got there with my cat for her first physical examination. Turns out cat needed some vaccine shots done as well. Was trying to use BCSPCA certificate for her first free physical examination with the vet on the checkout, they refused it saying "we cannot accept this certificate as we were administering prescription drugs". Receipt shows physical exam as a separate item.
To sum up, nice office, friendly staff that seems knowledgeable, greedy imho.