Vca Canada Vancouver Animal Wellness Hospital

It saddens me that after attending this clinic for over 10 years, I've chosen to move on. I used to believe that the extra money was worth it, but none of the vets I used to see are there anymore and I recently experienced a situation that required them to prove their ability to show good customer service. Sadly, not only the receptionist, but the clinic manager, and vet chose to take the prideful route, and attempted to shift the blame so that they didn't have to accept that they'd clearly missed a basic step in their practice. Regardless of whether my issue was valid, the way they handled it showed their true colours. Perhaps the acquisition by VCA of this practice has created this shift in culture. I'm only giving two stars because I adore their vet technicians and I'll be sad not to see them again. Read Less

It saddens me that after attending this clinic for over 10 years, I've chosen to move on. I used to believe that the extra money was worth it, but none of the vets I used to see are there anymore and I recently experienced a situation that required them to prove their ability to show good customer service. Sadly, not only the receptionist, but the clinic manager, and vet chose to take the prideful route, and attempted to shift the blame so that they didn't have to accept that they'd clearly missed a basic step in their practice. Regardless of whether my issue was valid, the way they handled it showed their true colours. Perhaps the acquisition by VCA of this practice has created this shift in culture. I'm only giving two stars because I adore their vet technicians and I'll be sad not to see them again. Read Less

Wanted to bring our cat in for suspected UTI and GI issues. They were able to see us the very next day. Dr. V explained his thought process for tests and the elimination process to figure out what was going on, in enough detail so we could follow what was happening. Given lots of time to decide what tests we wanted to do (no pressure). Very gentle and caring handling of our scaredy cat. They followed-up each day after our visit to check how she was doing, prepared pain medication to give her, and called promptly to give results of urine tests. All in all, great service and very caring and knowledgeable staff! Read Less

Despite some of the harsh reviews I've read of this clinic, I have to say I cannot relate to any of the negative claims. My personal experience has been nothing but positive and I have been a client for about 5 years.  When I've gone to take my dogs to see the doctors, they always get a completely thorough examination. I perceive the doctors to be very intelligent and patient and take their time to get a complete picture of my dogs' health. What prompted me to write this review is that I just got a reimbursement of their fees through my pet insurance. If their fees are so off the mark and expensive as people claim, why would the insurance company send me a check?  I even compared my vet fees with another dog owner who goes to a different vet on the other side of town and they were the same. I also like VAW's holistic approach to pet care and their stance of not over-vaccinating animals is something I am onside with.  If they were all about maximizing their revenues, I'm sure they would be more than happy to vaccinate animals much more frequently -as many other clinics do- but this is not their practice.  I think VAW is an excellent animal hospital and I would highly recommend them. Read Less

Just another Vancouver vet who is more interested in your bank account than your money - the Mercedes in the back says it all. Save your money - take your business elsewhere - take the time to go to better places outside the city, your pet is more important than bankrolling this place. Crap customer service with too much attitude - your pet AND you deserve better. Read Less

Although they do provide good care, this vet is a bit over-prized (but conveniently located) and very impersonal. To me it seems, my pets are really is just any patients among hundreds. I never get the same Dr which for me is quite frustrating. They don't care if you go elsewhere (maybe because they have enough business). I wanted a simple rabies vaccine and it would have been around $180. I had been there several times before spending (for me) a lot of money and asked them to not do a full checkup ($105) but a re-check ($55). My dog had been there within the last 12 months and was and is perfectly healthy. They wouldn't do it and told me that I should go somewhere else to get it cheaper. That is what I am going to do. Another time, my cat had a runny nose and they quoted me all possible tests etc. for about $1400 which was shocking! It was hard to pick out from all the options. I went with a test and some antibiotics and it ended up being $600. He got over it with the antibiotics and the test showed he had some kind of cat flu. The biggest part however, why I am not going back there is because they are so impersonal and are not responsive to their customers pleas. Read Less

Insanely overpriced, never in my 10+ years of working in the animal care field have I ever been so incredibly ripped off. Their price was double what I would have paid elsewhere, and believe me I asked around, sadly I did so after the fact... Read Less

The level of care here used to be top-notch. However, it has been going downhill in the past couple of years. Continuity of care is next to none and costs are skyrocketing. They are also going too far in pushing naturopathy and often forget the importance of conventional medicine. I have changed vets and do not recommend them. Read Less

My dog used to stress, cry and try to escape the vet clinic I used to take him to. So I found him a new vet and saw a dramatic difference right away. He doesn't mind walking into the Vancouver Animal Wellness Clinic himself and hops on the scale right away and is pretty chill for his whole visit. They have a very calm and relaxing environment and great staff. Dr. Kramer is very patient and thorough and has been a wonderful vet for my dog. Read Less

Wasn't that happy with this place. Got a new dog last year and the vet checked him over and felt like they pushed insurance on us. We got a "free" trial but turned out it didn't work the way the vet said so was a waste of time. Also he assumed what was wrong with out pet was based on what happens to dogs of his (part) breed hit when I went to another vet he explained in much more detail how it could have been three different things causing the problem so we got an X-ray and at least now we know for sure. Won't be going back. We switched to 1st Avenue Animal Hospital and love it there. Read Less

Our two minpins Belle and Rocco have been patients of Dr Vasilescu for the past few years. He was able to treat Belles kidney failure very efficiently. Rocco is very shy but Dr Vasilescu has been able to earn his trust and has treated some skin and ear infections effectively. The receptionists are friendly and the technicians are gentle with the dogs. We highly recommend Vancouver Animal Wellness Hospital. Read Less

I've been taking my cat here for the past 7 years and they have always been excellent. My cat tends to get himself in trouble and they've managed to revive him every time. Most recently he was diagnosed as diabetic, they worked very closely with me to help get his blood sugar under control. I chose to do his weekly blood sugar tests at home (instead of coming in and having them do it) and Dr. Bruaset and Dr. Vasilescu both responded personally to my emails within a few hours of sending them, so that we could adjust his insulin doses accordingly. Two months later he's now in diabetic remission -- fingers crossed he stays that way! I really appreciate all the help and support they provided. Can you imagine a human doctor that responds to emails? Definitely not something I've ever experienced.... Thanks again! Read Less

The facility is nice and the staff are reasonably friendly but it is WAAAAY over priced for what it is and the service is sub par.  Brought my cat in as she had a cold that wouldn't seem to go away.  They did an exam and then said to put her on antibiotics and if it didn't work then we'd need to do blood work.  The appointment was pricey (over $100 for just a 5 minute look over) but I love my kitty and just wanted her to feel better.  The antibiotics did the trick so no complaints there.  But the markup they gave me for her tests came to $600 for basic blood work.  Luckily she got better.I then got a kitten a month later and needed her checked out before bringing her home to my other cat so I took her to a different vet which was much cheaper... Ok no biggy right?    The cheaper place was quite nice as well and honestly spent more time looking over the kitten and asking me questions.  But anyway I wanted to be sure my older cat had her vaccines updated so I called Vancouver Animal Wellness and turns out my cat needed all her vaccines updated.  I found it odd that they wouldn't even mention this to me during my visit as my cat has only ever been there in the past decade and we even discussed during my visit that she is an outdoor cat.  All her vaccines had expired though.  Some had expired two years ago!  So they didn't even look at her record?   Or think to mention this to me when I had her brother in multiple times a year ago when he was eventually euthanized there?  So I asked them how much it would be to update the vaccines and it is almost 4 times the price at Vancouver Animal Welness.  I also asked to compare some other things and it turns out VAW is just a huge ripoff and you get nothing extra for all the extra fees.  The new Vet I go to even maintains a website you can visit that shows  your cat and anything that needs updating soon etc all personalized with a photo.  And it costs 1/3 of the price for most things and half for some others.  Also no 'handling' fee which they throw in at VAW.  Can't recall how much it is but it's basically a made up charge In case they get scratched or something and they charge it no matter how docile the pet is.  Don't go here.  Even if you need to cab somewhere else it will be cheaper than this place.   Don't make the same mistake I and these other people are, there's better for cheaper.  They're nice, but not THAT nice and I would rather pay for competence and the ability to maintain and look at my cats history and keep me properly informed anyway.  The only vet she's been to in a decade but I'll be switching and wish I could get some of my money back.I know you love your pet and think paying more means getting better treatment but that simply isn't the case here. Read Less

Stay away please...this clinic is now owned by a 'corporate vet', expensive/unnecessary foods are pushed to increase sales targets, 'up selling' is constant through fear tactics including unnecessary cosmetic surgeries. Prices are through the roof and upon comparison with other vets are much higher. Due to pressuring it becomes very difficult to maintain a trusting relationship with the vet. Avoid and find one that has your pets best interest at hand...not your pocketbook. Read Less

Clinic and staff have been amazing! Works closely with my dog who has an immune disorder. My mom adopted a dog through connections and they are perfect together. Always willing to make time for us, even when I call with my many questions. We are from Stony Plain and wouldn't take my animals anywhere else. Read Less

This vet is clean and has friendly staff.  Dr Goldberg has been our vet for over 15 years and he is wise and caring. The prices here are exceptionally high ...and prohibitive for anyone that does not have pet insurance.Our dog recently required knee surgery (ACL) ... and the VAWH quoted us 4600.00 for the surgery (PLUS additional fees for after care)  We had the surgery done by a vet in Langley for 2400.00 ... everything included. The initial examination fee in Langley cost us 44.00  while at VAWH it cost us 260.00.  It saddens me to think that we have been gouged for pricing all these years ..and we will be moving our vet services out of town from now on. Read Less

This is an AWESOME place! I would recommend to anyone and everyone! We saw a different vet each time since we were flexible, and each one was consistently amazing. Owning our own first pet, my partner and I had a lot of "silly" questions, but the vets were always patient and never rushed us out. I appreciated their professional demeanor with my very squirmy kitty and that they treated her so well. I also felt like they were never overcharging or taking advantage. Unfortunately we are moving out of province, we'll greatly miss this place! Read Less

It was my first time seeing Dr. Goldberg this weekend, and I found him to be patient and kind. I also liked the fact that he truly cares for animals because he has several dogs himself (I think he has 5 or 6 dogs in his home)!. What I liked a lot about Dr. Goldberg was he understood my financial situation and didn't push products or services onto me. I'm not a rich person by any means... in fact, quite the opposite.PS, our 1 hour and a half consultation was $155, so I'm going to warn you ahead of time that it isn't cheap. Again, I'm going to remind you all that I'm not rich, so every dollar spent counts for me. I have to be very strategic on how I spend while still trying to save my dog. I've had previous vets before push me to buy products and even sneak extra products onto my bill, which was not cool. So I started looking for a different vet. I posted my dilemma on social media, and strangers, friends and even one pet shelter wrote to me telling me that Dr. Goldberg was honest and one of the best known vets in the Lower Mainland. So that's how I found Vancouver Animal Wellness Hospital and specifically requested for Dr. Goldberg for my first visit for my dog, who was having seizures (and possible) liver problem. If you read my previous review on Canada West Hospital from several days ago, you'll see what my dog is going through currently. They were awesome to me too, and respected that I wanted to seek out Dr.Goldberg for alternative healing and non-conventional medicine cures. And you'll probably see more reviews from me related on my dog and dog's visits to hospitals instead of dining for the next little while. I've been a very stressed out Furbaby Mom and came to Vancouver Animal Wellness Hospital to avoid conventional medicine and surgery, to see if Dr. Goldberg could provide a second opinion, or alternative methods to heal my dog. PS, if you have any pets and you are looking for holistic, homeopathic, Chinese medicine, acupuncture and alternative methods.... or even just to get a second or third opinion, check this hospital out first. That is why I'm here.Sometimes a 2nd or 3rd opinion can save you from thousands and thousands of dollars. After seeing Dr. Goldberg, I have the option of spending $2500 (MRI) + $1500 (endoscopy) for my dog at Canada West..... OR... treating him homeopathically for $600 over the course of half a year on home-cooked food + supplements + homeopathic medicine with Dr. Goldberg.... OR a mix of both. So this is something I need to decide on recently because I want my dog to be healthy but I'm also tight on money. Read Less

I have had nothing but amazing experiences at VAWH. The staff are always sweet and gentle, and the prices are reasonable. My cat hates leaving the house (what cat doesn't??) but they are always kind and inobtrusive, giving him lots of space and letting me handle him so he feels more comfortable - but they always make sure to give him lots of encouragement and love. He was neutered here as well, and aside from traditional pain medication they also provided homeopathic options - but are not at all pushy if that's not something you believe in. They really go above and beyond here, and I can't recommend them highly enough! Read Less

I dont often give reviews, however I am taking the time out to give this onea FABULOUS #Vancouver find for all my fellow animal lover vet-seeking peeps out thereVancouver Animal Wellness Hospital @VAWH is THE place to go to in #Vancouver for all your #pet care wellness needs. Wanted to give a shout out to Dr. Redgrave and his staff, they were attentive, compassionate and provided me with comprehensive progress reports during Jules sudden illness. Dr. Redgrave was one of the better vets I have dealt with during Juless long life, he is respectful about the quality of life of all our best friends that are put into his care, he was honest/forthright, which made all the difference. Jules was in great hands with Redgrave these last few days, right up till the very end. On a happier note, Juless brother Percy (side script: same old age as Jules and is in good spirits since the loss of his lifelong pal, phew) has found a rockin new vet in Dr Redgrave at The Vancouver Animal Wellness Hospital!!!Read Less

My cat was constipated so she underwent an enema procedure yesterday.The receptionist Emma was kind and informative.Dr Redgrave was nice, friendly and professional.A nurse after the surgery was also kind and explained things nicely.As I left, a nurse let me know two things briefly: 1. My cat can be sleepy so do not put her in a high scratching post 2. There might be some leakage from her anus as the remaining fluid from enema may leak out but they will be just like the syrup medication.I am pretty much quoting exactly what they told me here without omitting any other extra warning they gave me. It was very casual and I would not even call it warning.All were the same level as what we expect and what we get at any animal hospital in Vancouver. With paying $350 just for consultation and an enema, I expected that everything would be smooth after the procedure.My cat seemed way more comfortable comparing to before the procedure so I was very pleased.However, after one hour I realised my place was filled with disgusting poop smell. I looked around and realised there are poop and diarrhea everywhere in the apt. On my bed, on the couch, on cushions, on the floor and on the table. I could see that the fluid was leaking out, but not just fluid, it was leaking out with all poop. A LOT OF poops. Also my cat was dragging her butt on the floor, making trails of mess on the carpeted floor.The whole point of having enema at the clinic is to have all the feces out so I don't have to deal with it and that is what $350 for. I have two theories for this issue:1. They did not do an enema procedure properly and did not know or expect that that much amount of feces would come out and make a disastrous situation at my place.or2. They knew there was a possibility of giant dumping disaster but did not give me proper warning to prepare for it. They could have told me to have a close look at my cat or isolate her for a few hours until she leaks out all the feces so it doesn't ruin all the new linen I just put on my bed and couch.or they could have just advised me to get some extra underpadsor just give me some extra underpads since I already paid a lot of money for an enema!?!?!? Read Less

I adopted 2 kittens from VOKRA and VAWH was the nearest vet that was offering a free initial exam and spay, provided my kitties take part in a study on pain management.  I am glad we had the opportunity to try this vet without paying for these services, because the price would have probably deterred me from ever considering it in the first place. My experiences with VAWH have been great so far, however, so I will likely stick with them for the long haul, even if it costs a little (or quite a bit) extra.  The kitties had their initial exam with Dr. Redgrave who was great - he seemed to be very thorough in the exam and answered all of my new kitten mom questions.  The kitties loved him too.  He mentioned that instead of just vaccinating the kitties every year that they do blood work to see if they need booster vaccines, which is something that I think is invaluable given the rising concerns about the negative health consequences that are possibly associated with over-vaccination. The second time I went in it was to get the kitties spayed.  The receptionists and veterinary assistant were very helpful in explaining the procedure and letting me know what to expect afterward.  After I left, they called me a few hours later to let me know that the procedure was finished and that they were recovering well.  Now, I remember the last time a had a cat spayed - she hid under furniture, was lethargic, and did not want to be touched. This time, the experience was the complete opposite.  As soon as I got them home they were playing with one another like normal - you would never have known that they had just had surgery (except for the silly cones they had on their heads)!  I also had them purring on my lap in no time.  In sum, from what I hear this place is expensive, however your animal will receive excellent treatment.  If cost is not too much of a concern for you, I would highly recommend it - it's well worth it! Read Less

Wyli is very well cared for at Vancouver Animal Wellness Hospital. I am so grateful for that level of care, the alternatives given and the knowledge imparted, when we have an appt. Wyli loves the brownies! Read Less