Arbutus West Animal Clinic

I can't thank Dr. Burstyn and his team enough for their dedication and professionalism. My dog had a complicated 5+ hrs life-threatening surgery performed by Dr. Burstyn recently and we are very pleased with the results. They documented every single steps of the surgery with pictures and walk us through the whole process after the surgery. It was nerve wracking and we are super happy that our dog is back to his normal and happy self again! In contrast to our previous vet experiences, I like Dr. Burstyn's no nonsense approach toward the whole diagnosis and surgery. I highly recommend Arbutus West Animal Clinic if you are looking for a vet that cares for your pet and wallet, or simply a second opinion about your pet's illness. Read Less

If I could give a negative star I would. Let's just say I'd suggest you shop around. Our dog wouldn't have made it regardless of where we brought her, but $6000 and a lot of unnecessary stress and pain, for her and us, is what we got from this vet. Read Less

My hamster died during surgery. The doctor was so confident having him surgery, and he does very careful despite our concerns of loosing him. We had been waiting for the call from him after the surgery, but we didn’t receive any call, so I called them and found out he is already dead. Read Less

I have been going to this clinic since 2006. I am not sure when the current vet took over, Dr. Burstyn, but it has been at least 6 or 7 years. In that time he has not learned how to pronounce my dog's name. Despite me repeating it to him every time we are there. I think he is a competent vet. He just up-sells you on everything. My dog had a tumour, cancerous, that he and his junior removed successfully. Clean margins. I will be forever grateful for that. But...I was quoted around 1500 for the surgery. When all was said and done, they tried to charge me almost twice that. Thankfully Dr. Burstyn's junior (I can't remember his name, but he is great) took some of the hours off and reduced the bill. I would expect that an experienced vet would have a much better idea of what the surgery would involve.After my dog's surgery to remove her tumour she was given antibiotics. For some reason, she didn't respond to them. 10 days after the surgery she could barely stand up. My wife and I took her to the Vancouver ER at 7th and Alberta (they are AMAZING, but that is in another review). She had a high fever and could barely stand. She had an ultrasound at the ER. She also had one at AWAC. The ER vet found a tumour on her adrenal gland. AWAC found nothing. But AWAC was happy to present themselves as competent vets to do ultrasounds. Anyways, while at the ER the vets there told me that my dogs infection and fever were 100% unrelated to her adrenal tumour. Her infection cleared up. They told me to look into it a month or two later. In the mean time, Dr. Burstyn told me that the adrenal mass could be responsible for fever/infection symptoms. The ER docs told me that there was no connection. Dr. Burstyn's junior vet told me the same thing. Everything I read online suggested the same. DR. BURSTYN WILL TELL YOU WHATEVER HE NEEDS TO IN ORDER TO MAKE MONEY. At one point he kept telling me I needed I have my dogs anal glands surgically removed because every once and a while they became "full". I told him that it was only a rare thing that she had been dealing with quite well over her 13 years. Nevertheless, he once took her into the back room and expressed her glands WITHOUT MY PERMISSION, and CHARGED ME FOR IT.Like I said, I think he is a skilled vet. But he doesn't listen to his clients. He advertises on Words with Friends. His focus is on $$$$$. Read Less

This review is quite late in the making but I have often been urged to make it. My husband and I took all of our animals to Arbutus West only a few years ago. For the most part, we had no problems and most of the staff were very friendly. The issue is that one of their veterinarians - I'd rather not out anyone specifically - was clearly milking us. Not only did we feel pressured to do every test suggested but even when other doctors tried to lessen the expenses, we were charged after-the-fact when this particular doctor found out.Additionally, after mis-reading one of our dog's scans, there was no apology or even comment made. We were told our dog had one of her ovaries still and were urged to get it removed. It wasn't until months later that we found out from a different vet that she still had her OTHER ovary AND her uterus. The final straw came after our dog had suffered a serious accident and was referred to Can West and the Arbutus West doctor contacted us months later - without asking how she was even doing - to simply get her back on medication that we had been urged not to put her back on from Can West. It was also quite frustrating when we decided to see the Oncologist at Can West - as we needed Arbutus West to refer us despite the fact that we were there for other reasons - we had to ask them three separate times to send the damn referral in and when we finally went for our referral the Oncologist said that the fax that came through questioned why we were seeking one - how about because they are specialists!It was a very stressful experience for us and we have since moved on. Read Less

A great small clinic with very friendly staff. It was especially refreshing to have a vet quickly check samples under a microscope to verify a diagnosis. Not your normal vet or clinic, would definitely recommend. Read Less

Yesterday I went to Arbutus clinic with my Guinea pig Ninja. He had hard time breathing. Dr. there was amazing. Stayed longer just to help my buddy to breathe better. It worth every penny. He's breathing better, eating like a dragon. Right now we're waiting for results from the lab to see for next steps. Thank you for the amazing care and I hope results are positive and my Ninja is healthy. Fingers crossedRead Less

Just had my 6 month lab spayed at Arbutus West. They provided a laparoscopic option (possibly the only vet office in the lower mainland that does) and I would highly recommend it! The day after the surgery she did not appear to be in any pain. The incisions were very small so much less chance of infection. The staff at Arbutus West were very professional and easy to deal with. Thanks Arbutus West! Read Less

Very professional, friendly and a great value. I've never had a vet spend almost an hour with me in an appointment and then call me the day after my dog's surgery but apparently that is standard practice here. Really a terrific crew, highly recommended! Read Less

I took my rat to this place after finding her stopped eating solid food. She was also getting minor URI also some mites. The day I took my rat they asked me if I have other rats, I said I have another rat. They took me that URI is contagious and I have to bring the other rat in for a weight measure in order to give her medication( although the fee was very expensive but the doctor sounded very decent, so I decided to take my other rat in) So the other day my boyfriend took my other rat in and it was an absolute ripoff. My boyfriend and I are students and we are jobless We already knew that the rat had mites since she got scabs on her, and they did another mite check up using microscopes(without telling us it costs 90bucks!!!! To be honest I could totally take my rat to my school's lab and use the microscopes, haha) And also we just wanted to measure her weight in order to give her the antibiotics for URI, and they still charged 70 for the checkup fee! Absolutely ripoff, never will go to this ever again.... 500 dollars in total for us is one month of food :(((((((( Read Less

I brought my gerbils in for their first check up and the staff was very friendly and Dr. Hannah (I think that was her name) answered all my questions and concerns. The resident cat, Lancelot is also the most majestic looking cat I've ever met! Read Less

My rat had a lump on her ear and needed surgery. They were very nice and accommodating with appointments and got her all fixed up. Thanks to everyone who helped me at the clinic, Boo is a very happy rat :) Read Less

I am forever grateful for everything that this clinic has done for my cat Lucy and I. My previous vet clinic had called me to tell me that my cat most likely had bone cancer after a single xray, and that their only treatment option would be to proceed with an amputation. I was devastated and distraught, and felt that there must be more that could be done. I asked a friend for a recommendation and they recommended the Arbutus West Animal Clinic. From the very first phone call, I knew I was going to be in good hands. Every single member of their staff was patient, kind, attentive and compassionate from their office assistants to the veterinary technicians and doctors. You can tell that they all genuinely care about animals. Dr Uri Burstyn was our vet and he is extremely well trained, highly knowledgable, genuine and caring. With his extensive experience and special training in orthopedic and minimally invasive surgeries with cats, I knew my cat Lucy was going to be given the absolute best in care. Dr Uri and his staff made the time to answer my email questions and phone calls all very quickly. I even dealt with the other vet Dr Moloney on the phone a few times and she was kind enough to spend some time talking with me and answering questions even though my pet wasn't her direct patient. The staff are all very clear, compassionate and understanding. I am happy to say that with Dr Uri's recommendations we were able to do a bone biopsy with a special very small needle and determined that my cat did not have cancer nor did she need an amputation. I cannot thank him and all the staff at AWAC enough for everything they have done. I will recommend them every chance I get. Lucy and I will be returning for the rest of her hopefully very long, happy and healthy lifetime. Read Less

Dr. Burstyn and his staff saved my dog's life - twice! Shortly after we adopted him he had to have surgery for an abdominal obstruction - no doubt from living on the streets, and more recently after he was hit by a car. They are compassionate, understanding, responsive and sensitive to cost, particularly when surgery is involved. I am certain that without their care and attention, my dog wouldn't be alive today. Read Less

Extremely enlightening experience, pointed out a lot of preemptive measures I could take as a cat owner. You can tell it's more than just a job for those that work there, most positive experience I've had at an animal clinic. Read Less

Wonderful and understanding people. Travelled far to get my bearded dragon treated and I couldn't have asked for more reasonable and caring staff. It is glorious to find a vet that is not merely focused on how much dollar can be squeezed out of you. Uri clearly cares about his patients and has spent much of his life to learning as much as he can to treating animals beyond standard procedure, such as the laparoscopic spay that he offers for cats. I live in north van and it is totally worth the trip to go here. Read Less

I've been taking our cats to Arbutus West (to Dr. Burstyn specifically) for 3 years now. I've been consistently happy with the standard of care we got, especially because our cats have had a lot issues from birth. Dr. Burstyn has always been helpful and his advice has kept our cats healthy. I was surprised to see another reviewer complain that this wasn't a 'cat place', I've always felt we were in good hands there. Read Less

the last few days were quite rough for our family. Fiona our rescue lab went in for normal spaying surgery by a vet who was contracted by Arbutus West Animal Clinic.(the vet that our rescue works with) Fiona was pretty dopey when we got her to bring her home and late in the night / morning she was bleeding all over the house and we had to take her in to the vet. when I walked in the vet that was going to help her was the owner of the company. He told me that because I was with Big and Small Rescue that this would be covered.I left Fiona at the vet thinking she had simply torn a stitch and as a result, bled all over our carpets and car. It was not as simple as that! The vet/ owner called me hours later at work telling me that she was ok, and that he had saved her life. He proceeded to tell me that she had a bleeding pedicle & a tear in the tissue around her kidney. He implied that the vet that had done the procedure was highly qualified but that he would be asking him what happened as this was a standard procedure and the vet did something wrong. He then went on to tell me that he still had to do some bloodwork and would determine whether she would come home last night or not. He also mentioned using a special spongue to help the clotting process and no one in the area has access to these except him and its what helped save her... He goes on to tell me that he did over $2000 worth of workWould I be willing to cover the supply of the sponge. He says its between $100 - $150 ... what can I say at this point.. ugh sure I guess.... he tells me he is going to call me around 5 after her final bloodwork to let me know if I can take her home.So I let the rescue know whats going on, and was informed that absolutely not I am not to pay a penny that they do not agree, as the vet is at fault for this and should be held liable.I show up at the vet around 6 to get Fiona, the ladies come and tell me about her meds, the vet/owner comes to talk to me about how it was tricky but he was glad they were able to save her, and that shes doing fine now.A girl asks me to settle up my bill............ I let her know that the rescue has advised that I am not to pay. She goes and get the vet/owner who then comes out and starts arguing with me and guilt tripping me that he saved my dog and the rescue is simply a bunch of volunteers who know nothing and that don't I think he deserves to get paid for saving my dogs life?! I let him know again that the rescue advised me not to pay, I appreciate more than words can say for him saving her life but if he wanted to get paid that he had to go through the rescue as I was directed. He started getting angry, telling me that I owe him and that this is between him and I and not the rescue... I am getting upset at this point so I tell him if his vet would have done their job yesterday, I wouldnt have had to come here, would he like to pay for my half day of lost wages, my entire house cleaned, carpets dealt with and a detail on my car, never mind the trauma that my family has gone through the last day and half!!! I said you told me the vet didnt do this right and that you would be talking to him.. He says, I cant get any money from him, I will have to pay him and I dont have insurance for stuff like this... I look down at the invoice, see that its not even $150 its $370!!!! I say, you told me the bill was $150 tops how the heck did it get to $370 all of sudden??!!!!!!I again say I am not paying this, you will have to go through the rescue, I find it very unprofessional that you are badmouthing them as quite a bit of business comes from them. He says he will never get money from them and that I can call the other vet and work it out. I explain that I am leaving and that he can take it up with the vet & rescue himself. This was his business and the financial part of this was done through the rescue that he felt inclined to bad mouth. He then told me he cant chase me down the street but that I should never come back to his business again!!I was mortified and so overwhelmed that I had seriously just had a fight with the vet, that a business professional such as himself would be so rude, so UN professional and to actually try guilt tripping me into paying him. 2 of the workers came out to help me load Fiona in the car and I say I cant even believe that just happened.. One of the girls apologizes and both girls have their heads down and faces are red..I left and called the rescue to let them know what happened and that he had done nothing but bad mouth them!If you know of anyone going to Arbutus West animal clinic on 16th and Macdonald in Vancouver - I would highly recommend reconsidering. There was no accountability from them at all. I am horrified and still a bit stunned that businesses treat others this way. I am and always will be extremely grateful that Fiona is alive and that he saved her..... but in business, if you mess up - YOU FIX IT... end of story Read Less

I wish I could give no stars for this vet, they are absolutely horrible here and just try to make money off of you. Not to mention they butchered my dog during surgery and he took months to heal because of the poor job they did. Do your research, I recommend reading some of the negative experiences here. They tried manipulating, and making me believe something was wrong with my dog when he was completely fine, but they decided to take blood tests and scans without our approval..nothing was wrong with him they just wanted me to pay this unnecessary cost which I most certainly did not. They do not have a passion for animals, they talk like pharmaceutical reps and just want to sell sell sell. Its extremely sad that people pay to have their pets examined by these vets. I have pictures to prove their awful job.Also, just because they work with charities and non profit organizations, does not mean they do this out of their good heart. They do this to make money, and because they lack in clientele. If you really care about your animal, you will do your research and research different vets in Vancouver. I would recommend Acadia on Broadway. Read Less

Dr. Burstyn was amazing... my cat is alive and very happy after he performed dental surgery on her (West Boulevard vet almost killed her when they attempted the same surgery).  I have never been so happy with a vet before. :) Read Less

Here is a copy of the e-mail I wrote to the vet regarding the condition of my rat after boarding her at this clinic while I was away. Unfortunately she passed away yesterday. They ignored my questions and concerns when I picked her up and never replied to my e-mail. I will never return and I don't recommend bringing your pets here. Dear Dr. Burstyn, I regret having to write this email as I have been very satisfied with your clinic in the past, however, I am actually shocked by the condition that Trixie is in after being in your care for nearly two weeks. When I dropped my rats off on April 4th I told the receptionist that Trixie's foot was still bothering her and that I would happily pay for an exam and treatment upon my return in addition to boarding fees. I also gave written consent on the form provided to give any care needed and I would incur the cost. I also told the receptionist that I wasn't sure how cel phone reception would be so it would be best to contact me via the e-mail address I provided. I did have my cel phone turned on the entire time I was away but unfortunately did not receive any calls and I checked my e-mail every day. It's bad enough that no one communicated to you that I wanted an exam done but to make matters worse no one noticed that she was sick and did anything to make her more comfortable until April 14 ten days afterwards. Trixie cannot move her hind legs at all. She can't even lie down flat and she's not using her front paws to eat. Her face and paws are covered in dried porphyrin and I bathe her to get the urine and feces off of her because she can't groom herself. This failure in communication has caused a great deal of unnecessary stress, physical pain and trauma for my pet. I'm not sure if Trixie has a chance at getting better but I can only hope that you can find a way to be sure that this doesn't happen again.Read Less

We just started taking our little dog to this clinic. We have been treated very well and everyone is friendly. We didn't feel any salesman-type behaviour. Dr burstyn explained everything thoroughly and was very agreeable when I expressed that I was concerned about getting the rabies vaccine. He Offered to give a half dose, which is just as effective for a dog of my dogs size. No attitude, just kindness and compassion.*Okay. I've been seeing this vet for 2 years, and am not quite as happy. They have made some minor mistakes. For example, my dog's ears went black inside, and the vet said it was old age/pigmentation. I asked how that could happen in a period of just a couple of months. I also mentioned that i thought it was a condition common to his breed called "leather ear". he was a little condescending, and poo-pood my research. I don't know what was wrong with his ear skin, but the fur started falling out. eventually we figured out when we fed him grain-free food, his ears cleared up. no biggy, but he was wrong. On another note, he didn't push for us to have a dental a year after our dog's last dental where he had a bunch of teeth removed. he looked at the dog's teeth (i brush them daily) and he said they look great. Well, they weren't. you can't tell by just looking at the teeth. We had to see a dental specialist for a growth on his gum. when the specialist took x rays, she found his teeth were terrible. some were floating with no roots at all, and 9 had to be removed (!!). I guess the vet doesn't want to seem "salesy" but I wish he had told us with my dog's bad teeth we should do cleanings every 6 months, and at least have suggested Xrays. His pricing is also a little unreasonable. they charge for not only medicine, but administering the medicine. they also charge for every time they took his blood pressure, and every time the vet checked him when he was so unwll he had to spend the night at the clinic. they don't say to themselves that this has been very expensive, so let's try and be reasonable. We didn't ask for a billing reduction, but maybe they would have given us a break on all the little charges if we had.That said, he's a very nice vet, and the front-desk staff are very nice. their location is also super convenient with parking right outside in the strip-mall. Read Less

We took our dog here for what turned out  to be  a semi-common condition (without going into detail, it was a condition which any reasonably seasoned vet should have been able to spot).   The vet forewent any diagnostics beyond a simple visual inspection and recommended surgery.  He pressured us toward getting this done as soon as possible.  It was only with a trip to a second veterinarian that we got a more thorough, accurate and ultimately correct diagnosis.  I would double down on what has been said below about the "weird vibe" described by Mark H. below.  The vet tried to up-sell us "lifestyle shots" for a variety of contagions that even he himself admitted are unlikely to be encountered in the GVRD and pressured us toward the aforementioned procedure as well as early neutering without any real consultation or solid basis.  The place is just odd and the main vet's bedside manner is very poor.  From personal experience I would say skip this place and go to Amherst Veterinarians on Alma and 4th.  Our experience -- and those of other owners we have talked to -- have been much better there. Read Less

I have been a client of AWAC since I adopted my cat, Frisson, from VOKRA! My cat, recently, went for his teeth cleaning and he was returned with beautifully cleaned teeth. Unfortunately one extraction was required. With the excellent care from Dr. Uri, and his staff Frisson was well looked after and did not seem to be in any pain. The next day he was his normal playful self. It has to be said that Frisson is not a good patient, Dr. Uri's staff was in far more pain and discomfort then Frisson, yet they still smiled, treated Frisson with kid gloves, only wishing they had put the gloves on sooner!! I'm so happy with the care provided here. They are my vet clinic of choice!! Thanks for a job well done:) Read Less

Dr. Burstyn and Dr. Gordon (sad to see her go) have provided excellent and competent care for our two cats and dog over the last 3 years. The staff at AWAC is friendly and caring, always making us feel welcome. And, of course, we love Lance, the clinic's cat, who saved our kitty's life by being a generous blood donor. Thanks Lance! One big plus at AWAC: Dr. Burstyn is one of a few vets in Canada offering laparoscopy, a standard in many surgical procedures in human medicine. We took advantage of the minimally invasive surgery option when we spayed one of our cats and our dog. The recovery was fast and without complications. It was great to have our animals back to normal within days! Read Less

the main veterinarian here is extremely condescending, rude and uses the scientific names of diseases to make himself sound smarter. he gave my partner and i a hard time because we told him we had been using diatomaceous earth for treating fleas on our kitten. he asked if we were amish! we just don't prefer to use strong chemicals if we don't have to.he also tried pushing services on us and tried using scare tactics to get us back in and spend hundreds of dollars at his clinic.worth noting that the reception/assistants here were very sweet.all in all, don't go here! animal wellness clinic on broadway is so much better, with kind thoughtful staff. Read Less

If you are taking an animal to this clinic I highly recommend that you ask to see Dr. Burstyn specifically.  I have always been very happy with the work he does.  I have only taken rabbits and chinchillas to Arbutus West so I cannot comment on their treatment of other animals but Dr. Burstyn is one of the few veterinarians in central Vancouver who is knowledgeable and experienced when it comes to small animals.Dr. Burstyn is kind, competent and thorough.  He recently performed an enucleation on one of my chinchillas (she had a serious cataract) and did an excellent job.  He was careful to explain the risks of the procedure beforehand as well as the prognosis for recovery.  My girl came out of surgery looking good and healed well.  I have had similar positive experiences with him and the other animals I have taken to him over the years.  I feel that he genuinely cares about every animal he sees and he personally will call you to check up on your animal following a procedure.Having had two terrible experiences with one of the other vets that work at this clinic, I will only take my animals to Dr. Burstyn.  It must also be mentioned that the front desk staff are always disorganized and in some cases seem to be actually incompetent.  I put up with them because I have so much faith in Dr. Burstyn as a practitioner. Read Less

I started going here a year or two ago, when my favourite vet moved to this practice. She then moved on (and is now just too far away to go to). I kept going to this clinic, and agree that the main vet is rather odd. However, I have recently stumbled across Dr. Gordon, who is there several days per week and is lovely. Yesterday, my dog swallowed some unidentified toxin and Dr. Gordon and the staff worked for about 2 hours (a good portion of it overtime) to make sure she was OK. (She seems basically OK today.) So I would definitely recommend Dr. Gordon. Read Less

We went here for 16 years. After this clinic changed hands, I lost my loyalty. The vet care improved; the chief vet here is topnotch in terms of being up-to-date and highly skilled. However, I  became unhappy with other aspects of this clinic. I questioned why the prices were so high, and whether all the tests and checkups were necessary. A month ago, our dog was diagnosed with cancer, again. Somehow the vet didn't communicate the surgery date to his staff. We found out the evening before the expected surgery that our dog wasn't scheduled.Instead, we found a new vet.  This new vet saw our dog almost immediately and operated the next day. The lab report came back--the cancer was successfully removed. We paid less money and now have enough for all the other problems facing our ageing dogs. Read Less

I've never had a dog until 3 months ago, when Turbo entered my life twitpic.com/6e5l18 . Not knowing a thing about well anything to do with dog ownership, we brought Turbo here for the usual puppy visit.I'll give it that the girls at reception are pretty cool and friendly, but the vet gives off a weird vibe.Animals obviously have good instincts about people. Well Turbo didn't like the vet so much, neither did I.After doing his rabies and other BS shots, the vet turns into a pushy salesman. He says we should neuter him ASAP. We say we'll think about it. He says 'How about Tuesday?'  Wtf. Then he goes on trying to upsell us all these BS preventative shots, spitting out drug names like a well-stocked drug dealer.Turbo says 'woof off'. Read Less

I have been here twice with my Hedgehog. the first time was ok. The second time the dr perscribed something to help with her dry skin that contained oils FATALLY TOXIC to hedgehogs. I called the dr and he did not seem too interested or concerned. I will never return.Edited to add: I have heard through the grapevine that this Vet business was sold in the last 2 - 3 years to the current owners for what it is worth. Read Less

I brought my hamster here last night due to an infection in her eye. The doctor that was helping little Honeycomb seemed pretty experienced with small animals. Most animal clinics won't take in small animals and this one did. My doctor wasn't the most patient with Honeycomb, but he certainly remained careful with her. I can't say that the nurses were extremely nice, but they didn't do anything wrong. Lance the big cat that pretty much lives there is always around. Doctor seemed pretty friendly with the cat there. Overall - if anything happens to my hamster again, I'll probably bring her back to this animal clinic. Read Less

We recently adopted a new kitten from VOKRA, and all of her initial shots/microchip/neutering etc. was included in her adoption fee through one of the associated veterinary clinics. Arbutus West was one such clinic. Having been visiting Cats Only with our other cat (a place we adore) we were somewhat shocked with just how *not* cat focused this place was. It seemed to me that cats were a necessity, but that they really catered to dogs. Even the examination rooms had dog related pamphlets and information everywhere with not a peep about cats. We were there with a cat, however, and just weren't happy. We explained symptoms on multiple appointments that our cat was exhbiting, and it took us demanding outside lab work before our concerns were looked at - and it turned out that she had an undiagnosed problem that should have been caught on any of 3 or 4 previous visits. Once we finally had a diagnosis she was prescribed medication which they gave us in powder form... and it was impossible to administer. As in, whether we put it in a pill pocket, mixed it with water and squirted it down her throat, or force fed her with food (all options we had to research to find as we got no help when we asked), she ended up screaming and running around literally foaming at the mouth. Not fun. We asked if the medication could be prescribed in a pill rather than powder form, and were told abruptly that it couldn't and we'd just have to deal with it. One call to our regular vet and we were assured that it could be given in a pill form, and despite the fact that Arbutus was no additional cost with our adoption we went to a vet we could trust.  If you are taking a dog - I can't speak to that, and these folks may be great. For a cat however? Take your cat to a place that obviously caters towards cats rather than tolerates them on the side. Read Less