Downtown Animal Hospital

Really caring place. Can tell they love animals. Personally found them very reasonably priced especially for a downtown vet clinic. Have a been a few times now for large and small things and would recommend.

My pets have been patients at this clinic for all their lives. Despite dramatic price increases over the years and lacklustre service from time to time, I chose to continue going to DAH because it was convenient. But the recent acquisition by VCA has, unfortunately, seen a fundamental shift in the way the practice treats me. This quickly became intolerable, and after almost 14 years, I’ve moved to a new vet. I’m grateful fo those at DAH who have provided care to my pets the past and wish everyone there well.

The vet was 25 mins late without any apology. And she has been treating customer like this (habitually late). Don't recommend to anyone

Hassle free experience
They were very patient with my cat who gets anxious outside.
They didn’t force any test or process. They did communicate what are the items that are needed. Also, it was easy for me to get an appointment the next day!

Incredibly kind and patient staff. Nice calming environment. Also one of the least odoriferous animal hospitals I've ever been to.

Received the best care and service possible for an emergency situation with our dog. On top of that, they handled the transfer to a 24-hour emergency clinic for us as well. Wonderful team and I’m super grateful for them!

I have 2 cats and both go to Downtown Animal Hospital. I love the staff and specially Dr. Steede there. They are extremely attentive and very good with my fluffy babies. This place is highly recommended.

Best. Vet. Office. Ever. Name another clinic where your dog is EXCITED to go to the vet, starts smiling and wagging his tail when he recognizes where he is, and starts sprinting down the road when he hears me say “Let’s go see Marla and Dr. Steede! ”

The incredible, thoughtful, and most importantly caring staff at DAH watched my dog grow up and held my hand through it all, physically and emotionally as a first time dog owner raising a corgi puppy on my own (no small feat).

Their clinic goes above and beyond when it comes to making your animal feel safe and welcomed, from pheromone air plugs to treats galore, from all the cuddles and love from the staff to letting the animals get used to their environments. They are a FEAR FREE CERTIFIED clinic, and I am 100% certain their expertise in how to treat animals even beyond medically has made my life so much easier with a dog that doesn’t even mind thermometers stuck in his bum and vaccines sprayed in his nose because he trusts the vets handling him THAT much.

Of all the vets in Toronto, DAH has been the most responsive, ALWAYS finding a solution to an urgent problem, and helping me manage stress and logistics through nose infections, parasites, new dog-mama blues, tummy troubles, neutering, preparing my doc for cross-continental travel - and everything in between.

I have and always will trust this clinic with my dog’s life.

All in all, my concerns are their concerns. My wins are their wins. My love for my dog was completely and authentically matched. They never make me feel like I was under reacting or over reacting. They always make me feel cared for, they make my dog happy and healthy. No concern or question is too small, and as someone who pretty much visited them once month (if mot more often) during my puppy’s first year, I never felt like a burden. I only felt like my dog was a local celebrity there.

A special shoutout to Dr. Steede for being SO knowledgeable, and warm - you can immediately tell she is clicked on for any situation. And also to Marla, for being our #1 fan, for all the treat, help, support, joy, hugs, and much much more.

So basically, if you’re looking for a vet, drop what you’re doing and visit our friends at DAH. It will be the singular best decision you’ll have made in your and your beloved pet’s life.

Kind, attentive, so incredibly capable. We were very lucky to have Elly in their hands before, during, and after her surgery. I highly recommend them.

Dr. Steed is the best vet I’ve ever dealt with. She truly cares about my dog, and makes reasonable suggestions on his health and well-being. She is kind, compassionate and caring to both me and my dog. I’m grateful to be her client.

My pets and I have been with Dr. Vihos for 22 years. Need I say more. Dr. Vihos goes above and beyond especially as a Fear Free Certified Practice.

Very friendly staff, always trying to help calm down stressed animals and animal owners. Helpful in providing answers to questions and giving suggestions. Bella is showing less fear at each visit and is starting to love the attention!

I really, really wanted to like this clinic as it's so conveniently close to my house. But after 6 months and 4 visits, it has been increasingly disappointing and frustrating. I felt they were trying to oversell me stuff rather than giving advise. They even wanted to test my cat for things that she had already been tested for in another clinic with her prior owner "just in case", they said. And ultimately, after all this time, I'm still dealing with the same issue with my cat, for which I get more information reading online than going to these visits.

But the last straw for me, was that with advance notice, I booked an appointment to travel with my cat outside the country and I sent them the documentation needed to be filled out. Only to find out when I arrive to my appointment that the vet didn't know how to fill it out - even after I sent them the docs through email and with advance notice, there was apparently 0 preparation for that. But they were quick to charge me close to $300 for it. They filled the papers however they felt like doing it and not in front of me - they went to a separate room to do so, which still to this day doesn't make any sense to me-, and then when I went to CFIA, they were wrong. So I had to re-do the whole process, which they didn't even want to give me an appointment for, I had to insist due to the window of time for the trip closing in and not having the time or energy to deal with another failed trip to CFIA. In the end they agreed but again, went to a separate room to fill the papers and I wasn't even allowed, after the process, to ask an unrelated question about my cat's health to the vet. They told me to send an email instead.

It's like going to the dentist and having to tell the doctor what they need to do and how, really. Yet you pay the same price. Incredibly disappointed, and wouldn't recommend this kind of service to anyone.

Service is great and staff are always available to assist you on your issues. The only reason why I would give this place 4 stars is because the location isn't the best and the clinic itself is small.

I came in with my friend to lay her pet to rest. Staff could not have been more sympathetic. Thank you so much!

I’m appalled by my experience at this clinic. My kitten has been registered with them since he was young and got all his vaccinations here (rabies, etc). After his neutering surgery they called me to let me know that my cat lightly nipped at one the staff as he was distressed. The staff then went and had him reported to public health claiming he’d been bitten by an animal that could’ve possibly been rabid, fully knowing that this clinic themselves vaccinated him against rabies and he’s just a small scared kitten. The hospital manager called me to just “let me know” a couple days after. Public health then made me go through a bunch of paperwork, made my cat quarantine and threatened to take him away all because of their mistake. This was absolutely ridiculous. Please do not take your pets here if you care for them as I would never want any other pet owner to go through what we did. Switched clinics asap.

I've been with this hospital for a few years till the passing of my beloved cat. Highly recommend it. Your pet will be in good hands. By the way, the whole procedure of euthanasia was carried out with dignity, compassion and great professionalism.

They do not care about anything except charging you. They sold me 3 Nexguard deworming tablets for $113 and when I asked to return one tablet, they calculated the refund as only $7.7 which means total cost of over $105 for just two tablets.moreover, their invoices are not accurate and does not show all the key details. I will not go there anymore and I am not recommending this place to anyone else.

Absolutely fantastic staff. Genuine not the fake bs people can see right through. The Dr. Incharge is a brilliant Scientist, Dr, down to earth woman who has the touch of Princess Bell. For those unfamiliar with my reference please watch "Beauty And The Beast". We feel so fortunate to have our cat's under her watchful, attention to detail, creative orthodox and brilliant state of the art treatment. Silver always leaves happy as can be.

We bring our cats here and they really helped us feel at ease and confident our whole visit. And they were absolutely fantastic with our very grump old lady Milly. Thanks for all you've done and continue to do!

P.s they even make me feel less anxious which I didn't rhino would be possible

We had a sick bunny emergency. Dr. Vihos & the team at Downtown Animal Hospital were there to help. They made time in their scheduled day to see our bunny within an hour of my call. They quickly diagnosed the problem, gave him some urgent care and got him stabilized and sent us home with a happy healthy bunny. They're fantastic!

Not a great experience. Went with my dog who got a burr splinter. I don't have enough time to write and explain all that happened, but here's some of it. Dr. Vinhos didnt have good bedside manner, pinched on her sore paw 3 times at the exam as she squeeled in pain and said "oh yeah that's bad and hurts". Well yeah, you should've known that the first squeeze. She was very rough to the touch and kept brushing off my questions.was very tight lipped about anything I asked. It was essentially a splinter, but she only gave 1 treatment option - surgery. I asked if there's other options if she can freeze and try to pull out, but she said no - need to swab, xray, and do exploratory surgery. I felt really pressured to get her treated there as my usual vet couldn't get me in for 3 weeks, my husband was out of country and her paw was already getting infected. I regret it and wished I went to the emergency - I probably would've been treated better, and it probably would've been cheaper.cause for the paw surgery, xrays, swab, re- bandaging, 3 meds it was nearly $3000. And she didn't even find a splinter.just cut into it, cleaned it and stitched it up. Then, each time I had to bring her in every few days for bandaging, I was charges $75 for bandages and they forced her to walk up the stairs with a sore limping paw rather than treat it on the main level. The vet and vet tech said conflicting things as well. I just felt unheard, left in the dark, taken advantage of and overcharged. All that said, I ended up treating it the rest at home, cleaned it, took stitches out myself, and my pup is healed now thankfully.

Its a nice cute hospital for our furry friends! Took my new stray boy Luka to check if he got any microchip on him. If u are on after office hours, this is the best place.
I even got contact info on how to get him adopted, very friendly receptionists and nurse. Helped us Good for all who️

I have been a customer here for 7 years and it is the best vet clinic I’ve ever patronized. I recommend to everyone. Dr. Steede is incredible although I’ve had other vets since the hospital has accommodated me last minute many times in times of need and they have all been great. They did a fantastic job throughout the pandemic but I’m happy to be able to attend appointments again

There are no words for my continued and overwhelming thanks for Downtown Animal Hospital. The dedication the staff have to rescue animals is beyond comprehension. I have been working with DAH since 2014 to rescue dogs via several rescues including Coveted Canines Rescue. Their determination, unyielding love, flexibility and care is incomparable. The magnificent Dr. Steede is an truly an angel. The amount of hours she has dedicated to our rescue dogs are far too many to account for. We have rescued hundreds of dogs together and have taken on some incredibly challenging cases.
I truly recommend this practice. They are a business that really care. They give back to those less fortunate via their support of rescues. I cannot recommend this vet clinic enough. You will not be disappointed if you come here. Especially if you have a nervous dog or a rescue dog that needs to decompress from the hardships of life. Their fear free strategies truly work. The animals come first. It’s evident in every aspect of their care.

I was very impressed with Dr. STEEDE. She understood what I was going through and what I wanted information- wise to help my boy, Bauer. I know when I go to Downtown Vet, he will eventually get what we are trying to do for him and eventually look forward to going for his visits. There is nothing worse than walking this world in fear. Thank you for your compassion.
Sharon Kirkby

Very friendly staff, very caring, I could tell they cared about my pet very much so!

The doctors here are very thorough and vary informative, and want to do all the can for your pet.

Great service and always accommodating. Dr Hall is fantastic with my cat and I trust her with her care. Very fairly priced. Highly recommend this clinic.

Dr. Vihos is an amazing rabbit-savvy vet who has helped pull my lil bunny from the brink of death a couple times. She seems to genuinely care about her patients and is always super thorough. It's so hard to find someone who is a rabbit expert, nevermind downtown, she is a total lifesaver and I am so grateful for the treatment she provided for my rabbit.

I also really appreciate Downtown Animal Hospital's relatively late hours and how they usually have emergency slots available day-of, which can be so hard to find for exotics!

Filling in for my vet that closed due to Covid outbreak. Was thankfully able to get my diabetic cats food quick and easy without prescription after my vet took payment for my order and then closed up and left me high and dry! Thank you!

My hamster’s nails were extremely long, and I decided to take her to Downtown Animal Hospital. I found everyone friendly and respectful. All my questions were answered, and I was treated kindly by everyone! I felt confident and reassured by Abby and Taylor. Thank you!

I moved to this location from downtown Wellesley hospital which was a disastrous experience. I emailed Downtown Animal hospital and they immediately made and appointment for my baby Winston. The vet was super thorough. She took her time and explained everything. She told me what was needed and went through pricing and told me exactly what I was being charged for, unlike Wellesley animal hospital that kept pushing their products on me and didn’t tell me a thing about what the check up involved. It’s my first pet so I needed someone to be a bit more gingerly with me with downtown animal hospital really came through for me. Winston is happy and healthy. Thank you so much. See you in a few weeks for her second vaccination.

Called to order food. I explained clearly what the food was because my dog has specific dietary needs for food sold only at veterinarians, I was very clear on what I wanted, the brand, the formula, etc. The individual on the phone assured me it was in stock. I drove there and another individual answered and said it wasn't available. I won't be using them for anything again, extremely unprofessional and disorganized.

The staff were great, very friendly to me and my pup. The vet, Dr Low, was terrific. Great experience, and just round the corner from my house!

Horrible customer service. Ignored the door buzzer, didn’t even have the common decency to answer the door even though open for business. Brought my dog there with a severe ear infection and they said they were unwilling to see her for 4 more days.

Zero compassion.

Don’t trust your animals with these people.

I have two dogs and a cat. We take our dogs to a local vet in the west end, but I continue to take my cat here and we’re likely going to switch our dogs over too. The staff is unbelievably kind and understanding. They understand budget constraints, they take your own worries seriously, the entire staff is so kind with your little loved ones. Highly HIGHLY recommend this vet clinic if you are needing one in Toronto or are wanting to switch.

I’ve been coming to Downtown Animal Hospital for 13 years. Even though I now live in the Beaches I still drive downtown to take my cat to the clinic. All of the veterinarians are wonderful but Dr. Steede in particular has been incredible.

Amazing service at DAH! Bimba is often nervous around vets and she did incredible despite me not being there due to social distancing! Love how the Dr.took the time to explain everything to me and even explained the test results over a phone call. Very honest service! Definitely found our go-to vet in Toronto!

Very professional quick service and highly knowledge vet who knows what our pets have issues with, I love that no matter how busy they are they will always find a slot for your pets emergency or not!: D

I got into a fire in my apartment and everything I own was destroyed And I had no one to help me Or Even too board my cat The ladies at downtown animal hospital Without missing a beat They took her in and for the last 3 days They cared for her and watched over her fed her and loved her absolutely free I cannot say thank you enough To the wonderful ladies at downtown animal hospital I Would also like to say thank you on behalf of our mutual friend HEY YOU
You Ladies gave me back my friend in better condition than I brought her in and I know she's grateful as well too she's just the strong silent type

Amazing Vet! My dog had a very serious infection due to a bad grooming experience at Wellesley Animal Hospital. That was my previous vet and they refused to see her. Thank god for places like Downtown Animal Hospital. All the emergency clinics were full and they took the time to see my very sick dog. I appreciate them so much for helping me with such a time sensitive situation.

Best vet in Toronto!

Amazing service and very attentive staff catered to our pup, @Shadow_the_shihpoo, on his first visit! We received great information and advice to kickstart our dog parenting. We’re happy we chose this facility for our beloved.

Not helpful at all in getting to a resolution. Rather than provide meaningful information and help they suggested we drive 1.5 hours to Durham.

The vet team are all very attentive. Very helpful and patient answering all my questions. Their checkup procedure is a good example of how good their expertise foundation is.

Good vet. Sometimes a bit of mixup with foods and updates on medications etc, but generally good. A bit expensive.

Very friendly Vet and staff, they took good care of our dog Turca. Explaining us everything that needed to be done with a good description of prices

My kitten had an emergency and I called so many places and these guys took my cat in same day without an appointment. He broke his hip yesterday and I’m thankful he is feeling comfortable now while we wait for a specialist appointment with the surgeon.

This animal hospital is amazing. They are very responsive and helpful, and even during the pandemic it doesn't take long to get an appointment. The fact that they're open late is a big help too. I have two cats with ongoing medical issues that require me to interact with the vet regularly and I've had nothing but excellent service and support. Sure, they're a little more expensive but it's really worth it. I can't tell you how many interactions I've had with the vet via email or over the phone to help guide me through this challenging time. This level of care and service more than makes up for the slightly higher rates.

The staff at this animal hospital are wonderful. They treated my dog with so much love and care, and the vet took the time to answer all of my questions. I highly recommend this place!

My favourite animal hospital so far! They had longest opening hours and the most friendly staff!

I brought my new 8 week old puppy to the vet for the first time and he absolutely loved the staff. Everyone was very friendly and very professional. He wasn’t scared at all. I would have given them a 5 star rating; the only problem is they are a bit pricey. Other than that an amazing get to go to!

Purely the front desk during COVID. I understand policies are in place due to COVID. But if your policy is to call when you’ve arrived and wait outside, then don’t put your clients on hold for 15 minutes (in negative 11 degree weather) BEFORE you ask what they’re there for. You answered, asked if I could be placed on hold and then did so before I responded. I can understand waiting after I’ve told you why I’m here. Not before. If your policy changed for customers, then the staff should adhere to those changes. We can’t all be inside waiting for you to answer the phone (as per your own policy). Very disappointed.

Update:
Before seeing the response from the company, I was going to update my review to say that I have noticed changes, such as asking the purpose of someone calling prior to going on hold. Simple, common courtesy. But now they are trying to discredit my review by claiming to not have my name on file. My name is in your system. My email matches my name. My dog’s last name matches mine. This is concerning that you can’t find my file.have you lost my dog’s records and my invoices? So unprofessional. Also, if you had read my review, you would see that I said I understand wait times. My issue was that I was put on hold without agreeing to it, and before they asked why I was here. For 15 minutes in below freezing weather.

I took my Italian greyhound in for a fractured leg yesterday as my regular vet was fully booked. They are extremely prompt with answering the phone and don’t place calls on hold. They rushed Leonardo through the covid lineup in the back and were wonderful with me as I was quite upset. They took great care of my little guy and I would definitely use their services if I needed them in the future! Definitely recommend this vet in an emergency!

I had a positive experience with Dr Heather Stead who has treated my senior rescue dog for a few years. My boy required extensive dental work which was a huge worry for me and I was keen to try non invasive options at first. Dr Stead was understanding, never pushing for the big op. In the end, dental surgery had to be performed. I received a lot of reassurance and they took good care of him. He made an excellent and quick recovery. Whilst veterinary service are never cheap. I found the pricing for the surgery and care very reasonable.

Dr Stead has an excellent assessment table manner, she has her own pets including a senior. I can not recommend her enough.

The staff here are amazing! Especially Dr. Stede and Dr Hall the dentist.

Thank you so much for taking care of Beau.

You guys rock!

I have been a client for more than 20+ years. Sadly, the level of customer care has dropped significantly in the last 5+ years with the hire of the Customer Service manager.
Sure, they’re good at running a barrage of tests for your pet to let you know that it may be diet as it was in my case. However, further tests were needed to be certain. Another cash grab is the certification of “fear free” for your pet which means sedation for many routine procedures including grooming.
The reception and clinic is run in a militant fashion and Wendy rules the chicken coop.
Pricey, business model all transactional and customer loyalty not appreciated or rewarded.

I had a great experience here with my cat. Vet and staff were friendly and professional. Made extra accommodations for my cat who gets very anxious at the vet. I'm really pleased with them and will be returning.

The vet barely looked at my roommate's dog. He had a cut paw, and we took him in as an emergency, but she just immediately rang up a $300 bill without even touching him.

I first brought my dog to Downtown Animal Hospital last week after a foot injury and am thrilled with the amazing care he has received so far. Dr. Steede and the vet techs have been extremely thorough in ensuring everything heals as well as possible and that any pain he is experienced is minimized. Dr. Steede has also been so wonderful in helping me feel less anxious throughout my dog's recovery.

Knowledgeable staff
Late hours!
Intriguing products available as well

It's my new vet for my 4 fur babies!

My husband and I came here to put down our beloved cat, Didi. Our regular vet was closed but this vet is open pretty much year-round. It was a beautiful, clean facility and we were treated with kindness and compassion. It’s never easy to put down an animal, but we found comfort in the service we received.

Excellent care and empathy given by Dr. Steede and staff, including follow up. Gave me helpful suggestions based on severity of situation, and was up front about costs involved.

The consultation fee is way toooooooo expensive than other hospital, my dog didnt have any body check, no blood test, no poop test, no temperature test, only 5 mins asking questions and it cost $105 for only consultation? ! Not recommend！Please don’t come here.price is too ridiculous!

I would highly recommend the Downtown Animal Hospital! My kitty received great care. Dr. Steede was so helpful and understanding, explaining every step of the procedure at a level that anyone could understand. I could really feel that Dr. Steede was vested in my kitty's health and I am so appreciative of that.

I have visited other vet clinics and they have made me feel that they are after long invoices. Downtown Animal Hospital go that extra mile to understand the needs of my two dogs. I feel my fur-babies are in good hands when I visit this clinic for any health trouble with my pets.

I had visited this clinic plenty times in the past.
I have decent service most times, however this one visit was unfortunately the last visit for me.
I really don’t like Leaving reviews, but as much as I like this clinic I have to warn you NOT to go here.
There is an employee, a slim African American man with long dreads, I have heard him speaking profanities in the past but the past visit I had really upset me.
As I am someone who does identity as Trans, and I was offended by his comments.
He had made comments about myself and my partner (not directly to us, but he does have a loud voice and could be heard as he was walking out of the waiting room area)
We are unfortunately no longer going to come to this clinic. They claim to be welcoming to the LGBT community but keeping staff who say such disgusting and ugly things with no care and no worry is really upsetting to us.
Dr Steede, Lubina, and Mary are wonderful. The reception ladies are wonderful and friendly, but it really does take one rotten apple to spoil the bunch.
If you want to go to a clinic who supports the LGBT community, unfortunately this one is not it.

Good customer service bad unprofessional vets and extremely overpriced.

I got my kittens from pet smart adoption and they weren't feeling well on the first day and they had diarrhea. We came here for an examination and the vet gave them deworm pills and other medicines. In total cost me $400. Also, they don't accept drop ins. So if it is emergency, don't go there.

The other day, we went back to pet smart and the lady there was mad because the medical records clearly said my kittens are dewormed and they shouldn't be taking more deworming pills. Also, the medicines they gave us cost us more than $100 and the woman at pet smart gave us a lot of them for free.

Further, the vet did not put down the deworm on the medical history form and did not know how to read the vaccination records. I am not satisfied with the service at all.

The purpose of this hospital is make money and they don't tell you any prices before hand.

If you love your pets and your money, don't go!

I got a new cat from a different owner and he wasn’t eating for the first 2 days and I felt something was wrong so brought him to the vet. The vet made me do 600$ worth of blood test to only find out it was the change of environment that made him behave this way. They did find some cloudiness in his urine and did absolutely nothing about it, just sent me home. Well my cat ended up with a UTI and I had to spend another 400$ at the other vet. Money hungry.

Last night they said they are going to close the hospital and there is another client there so they refused to take a look of my cat. It was 11.20 and they asked me to go to another hospital and when I arrived the next one. The doctor there found out my cat has died already. If they could just take a moment to look at my cat. Maybe he still has some chance to survive.

Dr. Vihos is awesome! She cares deeply about the health and well being of her animal patients. She's professional, knowledgeable and honest.
All staff members are professional.
Facilities are clean!