Vca Canada Mississauga Oakville Veterinary Emergency Hospital

Having to take your beloved pet to the emergency is by itself very sad and stressful. Having the emergency doctor mistreat you on top of all that, is unforgivable. DR. NANCY PRAGOSA was DISRESPECTFUL, CONDESCENDING, RUDE, ARROGANT AND INSENSITIVE to me, my husband and our family Vet. Unfortunately, she was on duty the day we took our dog to the Mississauga-Oakville Veterinary Emergency Hospital. We had 4 telephone conversations with her that day, and if the hospital really records phone conversations for quality control, I urge the management of this institution to listen how DR. NANCY PRAGOSA treated us during this difficult time. She was unprofessional, to say the least, in all four of our conversations, but the third and fourth conversation were especially distressing. People like Dr. Pragosa should not be dealing with people or animals in a vulnerable situation. It is obvious that professionalism and empathy do not come natural to her, but respect should be the minimum standard, and she even fails at that. This is probably the only type of business where they charge an arm and a leg for the services, while still mistreating their customers. The reason they can do this is because they hold you as an emotional hostage. The life of your beloved pet is in their hands so you are left with little choice. But this is not right! The patients and customers of this business have the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Any decent institution would not allow this behaviour under any circumstance. After a couple of calls we had to call Dr. Pragosa back to approve the estimate and treatment, but because she was so unapproachable and rude in the previous calls, we checked the estimate and called our family vet to ask the questions Dr. Pragosa did not feel like answering. On our conversation with our family vet, she mentioned Dr. Pragosa had also been rude to her. Immediately after reviewing the estimate and getting answers from our family vet, we called back Dr. Pragosa. As usual we were put on hold and while we were on our 25th minute holding, we receive a call from the hospital. It was Dr. Pragosa who immediately started scolding us for not calling her as soon as she wanted. We were shocked by her words and tone. We told her we had been placed on hold for almost half an hour until she called, but she did not even apologize for the insulting and unnecessary scolding. Unfortunately, that is just one example of Dr. Pragosa’s behaviour which is unacceptable and reprehensible. The people who are in charge of this business should not allow this to happen to anybody else, ever again. Read Less

They provided us with the most amazing end of life care for our dog Butter. The vet communicated information clearly to us in a sympathetic way, offered choices, and was patient. Ultimately we had to put down our beloved dog, she was really sick when we brought her in. As an OR nurse myself, I can understand how difficult it is during times like this. The vet techs, secretaries and veterinarian are the gold standard in animal care. Our family thanks them for the amazing care and peace they brought to our dog Butter. Read Less

Our visit to MOVE was one of the most upsetting and unnecessary experiences we have had as 30+ year pet owners. Its effect on Charlie was long lasting and, in my opinion, cruel. The lack of compassion and simple bed side manner was astounding. We took Charlie home, comforted him for the remainder of the day and returned to our own vet after a day of recovery. Charlie had the surgery that MOVE declined to perform a week later and he is doing amazingly well. I am still angry at the treatment he – and we - received, the complete incompetence of the technicians who performed at least two blood pressure readings and heart evaluations that – according to the Doctors were so much in error as to be alarming – and yet we were offered zero apology or explanation. The “professionals” displayed a complete lack of compassion and “bedside manner” in dealing with this small elderly dog, suffering from a painful and infected broken tooth – instead he was poked and prodded and hurt and denied even a sip of water long after it was decided not to perform the oral surgery. The zeal to add tests and consults to an already outrageous bill and to begin a long process of invasive and questionable “treatment” with no consideration for the dog’s age, disposition or lifestyle is appalling. In fact, the diagnosis that “Charlie’s sudden severe heart murmur is the result of a ruptured chordae tendinae” – is not questioned, but I tend to believe it occurred during the excessive testing and manhandling he experienced in your care. In his 14+ years I have never seen him as stressed and agitated and frightened as he was at your clinic. Read Less

Last week, my cat of 16 years was suffering badly and was nearing the end.  Being that it was an Easter Sunday, I couldn't wait to see my own vet the next day to facilitate her passing.  I attended the above.  They saw me almost immediately and put an end to my pet's suffering in the most humane possible manner.  In addition, they were extremely compassionate to me and made a terrible experience the best it could be given the circumstances. Read Less

Very hard when you lose the pet you love so much. We were left in the dark when dealing with vetemergency on the return of our beloved dog ashes and when we call Karen answered and showed no compassion or empathy to our dogs passing and was extremely rude in rushing through the call and trying to hang up as quick as possible do not deal with Karen!!!! Read Less

We are in the process of getting our sweet, “Jack” cared for here. We took Jack there urgently on a Friday. Although a long wait to receive tests, the staff and doctors, were and have been stellar, highly informative, attentive to your needs, and most compassionate. We will continue our needed treatment there, most certainly. Thank you for your comfort. ❤️🐾🙏🏻 Read Less

The people here are amazing. We have two older Boston Terriers who have unfortunately had to make a few visits here over the past couple of years. Each time we felt they received superior care and treatment. Doctors and staff alike clearly love animals and show great empathy and affection for them. Read Less

My mom's senior Bull Terrier declined quickly and we ended up at MOVEH over the weekend. The veterinary staff were kind and compassionate and I feel Zane was well cared for during his overnight stay. They provided their recommendations and they ensured he had the ultrasound quickly on Saturday morning. Unfortunately, the results confirmed what we had thought and he was laid to rest. I'm thankful for the care we received during a very difficult time. Read Less

The doctors and staff were amazing, and seem to have treated my dog amazingly. He spent three nights there, and even though they could not give a diagnosis for exactly what was wrong, they probably saved his life. My only complaint was meticulously they charged for every little action. The cost was high, and put me in debt, but I would spend it again tomorrow. Read Less

If I could give them less than 1 star I would! Absolutely despicable behavior....heartless money-grabbers that prey on people's love of their pet. I was completely flabbergasted! My mother took her dog in after not being able to get in to see her regular vet. Her dog was having trouble breathing. They first said that they would need to keep Toby overnight (Thurs to Fri) and most likely until Monday since there was no cardiologist on staff until then. My mother said no. They then said "well, he will die tonight if he goes home with you". My mother insisted she would be taking her dog home. Magically, the cardiologist appeared and then proceeded to say he would have to go home with 4 different types of medication and would have to see the family vet in a week and come back to see her in 1 mth's time. SERIOUSLY!???? So, now, he's apparently going to make it through the night with these magical pills. You people give real veterinarians that genuinely care for animals and their owners a VERY BAD NAME....SHAME ON YOU!!! Read Less

Wish I could give less stars. My dog lost a nail and was bleeding profusely, so, we took him here for Emergency. Sincerely, it was a terrible experience. We were crying thinking that the Dog was going to bleed out and then made to feel worse by the Secretary that chastised me for not remembering the "brand of Dog food" we feed him. Further, they completely took advantage of my dad and I. On the form it will say 185$ for emergency which is fair, but then, they added 200$ for "bandages, tape, and a cone" which is crazy! Sincerely, all they did was put the coagulation powder on his nail, cleaned it up and wrapped it in bandages. They then hold the dog hostage until the transaction is complete. Although I'm sure they've had people run out while they're trying to rinse them for every penny possible - My poor dog was dying to see us, and he was being restrained like he was in prison. After speaking with our vet this morning He told us how that they screwed us for the money and took advantage of us being worried about our dog and not having anywhere else to go at 2 am. Sincerely, I hope someone reads this before going and instead goes to Clarkson 24hour emergency hospital in an event of an emergency with their pet. its 10 min away and your pet isn't used as emotional leverage for the financial gain of a bunch of greedy people. The rest of these reviews telling you not to go couldn't be more right. I'm glad my sweet dog is doing better, but, at the end of the day a health care provider that cares more about the Animals and less about their bottom line is going to give you better care. Don't be fooled about the nice exterior and the no doubly kind demeanour that they'll present to you if you come on a regular day- because, when you need them, when it matters, they wont care. Read Less

This has been our goto location for emergency cat care. Staff has always been friendly and they're always upfront about costs on longer term stays. I have no concerns about their skills as vets and they definitely have our pets best interest in mind. Read Less

Service was great and pretty fast but there weren't many people there that night. The lady at the front desk and Dr. Kendra Goulet were both very friendly and kind. No complaints except for the price...very expensive. Read Less

Mixed reviews on this place. Obviously great to have a 24 hour emergency for our sick pets but the place feels uninviting. Again, for an emergency, it needs to be functional more than aesthetically pleasing but when you're stressed about a pet emergency, a warmer feel to the waiting room would be nice. It's not awful, by any means. There are comfortable chairs and a vending machine on site as well. The staff were hit or miss. First time, greeter/vet assistant was super nice but the doctor was not friendly, she just short of accused us of being bad pet-parents because we were struggling to get the cats weight down (due to diabetes/hyperthyroidism, btw). The 2nd time, the person at the front was okay, not overly friendly but nice enough and the Doctor was great! Reassured us these type of medical issues are tricky and also gave us some suggestions to help manage our cats reoccurring issues, which no one else had done before. Read Less

We had to take our 7 month old kitten here as she was hiding and crying out when we picked her up. I cannot tell you how amazing everyone was. There were constant follow-up calls, and each one was done with compassion and caring. 24 hours later our kitten was back home, healed and happy. Other reviews talk about price - it's emergency vet care, it's not cheap, but it's worth it. Hopefully, we'll never have to use them again, but if we do, I know my fur baby is in amazing hands. Read Less

Dr Richards (ophthalmology) and her team have done a great job helping me care for my aging dog. They healed a corneal ulcer and provide ongoing care for his glaucoma. They are always compassionate and kind and take the time to explain the course of treatment. I find the prices in-line with other vets unless the appointment is an emergency or last minute, then extra fees are charged which gets expensive. Read Less

Pros: This hospital has all the fancy equipment needed to do major surgeries and MRI scans.Cons: the communication from this hospital is terrible. Getting in touch with my vet directly is extremely hard to do. The staff screen all calls and refuse to let me contact my vet. The vet is always disappearing, and not always in the building either.I would only go here if my pet was about to die, otherwise, go elsewhere. Not a good experience for me. Read Less

I rarely write reviews but I felt it required in this case. We came in here at 5am to try and save our kitten we had for 4 days, which turned out with their cost couldn't be. $2500 to save an 8 week kitten that had a seizure and dying from Fading Kitten Syndrome as our usual vet informed us later. How this vet sleeps is beyond me, especially when we couldn't justify it, he became overly rude with no understanding. Ended up having to pay $300 to euthanize him...horrific experience to begin with, and a very sad outcome. *The staff other than the Vet were very comforting RIP Maverick Read Less

Wish I read these reviews before hand. I love my dog. Piccolo is my best friend, we eat, sleep and play daily and he is the best dog ever. However he started having seizures. I am no vet, but when your dog is convulsing on the ground there is an issue. Rushed him to this hell hole for pets, explained the dire situation, and the vet asked me if he is having seizures why haven't you taken videos. Excuse me but my dog may be dying and my first thought should have been taking a vid. Are you kidding me. After leaving the vet calls and states he has blood in his urine and an enlarged liver . So obviously when I pick up my nugget I ask the vet about the bloody urine and enlarged liver and she had no clue what I was talking about. There is either poor communication or none at all. One thing is for sure I will NEVER bring my dog here again. BTW end result he was diagnosed with having seizures. Again not a vet, But I diagnosed him myself with having seizures. There is a reason these people work with animals and not people. They would be fired right away. Read Less

Horrible. It's all a cash grab. Would never take my dog here again. They wanted $7000 to remove a growth off my dogs eyelid. And another $1500 for a biopsy. Took my dog to another vet and was no where close to that. They have no compassion. Worst vet ever. Read Less

Had to take my brother's cat in for emergent care as it was 18 and had developed kidney problems months earlier. She was severely dehydrated and constipated, no bowel movement in 3 days and no urine for 12 hours so I knew it was bad. When I brought her in they took her to the back to check her out. Reception staff was ok, a bit aloof and could probably do a better job providing updates and ETA's for seeing the vet. Dr. Jeffrey Madge was really friendly and went through all my options with me, including costing for all the possible procedures which can be uncomfortable but he was professional and patient. We made the hard call to end her life, settled on a plan, and he advised they would prep the cat and give us some time to calm her down before the procedure. Nurse got the consent forms and invoicing sorted prior to starting which is a good idea as you can leave when its over, no awkward check-out issues post-euthanasia. They brought her in and we spent some time with her, calming her down and after awhile she relaxed and was lightly wagging her tail. Doc came back a little bit later and, with consent, started the procedure. The whole thing took about 30 seconds, even though it sounds weird I would recommend this place to anyone who has to make the tough call and end their pet's life. They were warm, friendly, professional, and helped us through a tough morning. Read Less

Had to take my brother's cat in for emergent care as it was 18 and had developed kidney problems months earlier. She was severely dehydrated and constipated, no bowel movement in 3 days and no urine for 12 hours so I knew it was bad. When I brought her in they took her to the back to check her out. Reception staff was ok, a bit aloof and could probably do a better job providing updates and ETA's for seeing the vet. Dr. Jeffrey Madge was really friendly and went through all my options with me, including costing for all the possible procedures which can be uncomfortable but he was professional and patient. We made the hard call to end her life, settled on a plan, and he advised they would prep the cat and give us some time to calm her down before the procedure. Nurse got the consent forms and invoicing sorted prior to starting which is a good idea as you can leave when its over, no awkward check-out issues post-euthanasia. They brought her in and we spent some time with her, calming her down and after awhile she relaxed and was lightly wagging her tail. Doc came back a little bit later and, with consent, started the procedure. The whole thing took about 30 seconds, even though it sounds weird I would recommend this place to anyone who has to make the tough call and end their pet's life. They were warm, friendly, professional, and helped us through a tough morning. Read Less

After a visit to to my regular vet earlier in the day for a suspected bladder infection, my dog took a severe turn for the worse. With no other nearby options at 11pm I went to this clinic. They acted swiftly, trying to revive my dog but unfortunately he was too far gone. The staff and vet were truly compassionate as I held my dog while he was being euthanized and gave me as much time as I needed to say my goodbyes and to explain what they thought had happened. To those who complain about the costs, please consider that veterinary hospital is equivalent to a hospital emergency dept. with similar equipment and staffing behind the scenes. I highly recommend this Veterinary Hospital for Emergencies. Read Less

Definitely lost the reason WHY they became vets. All about the money. If your beloved pet unfortunately needs surgery. This opens the door for them to rob you blind. Really gonna charge you $300 to sterilize their tools. TRIPLE THE PRICE OF OTHER VETERINARY CLINICS. $150 TO REMOVE A TOOTH. If multiple teeth to be removed. Yep $150 each. RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN FROM THESE THIEVESRead Less

I strongly urge anyone to find another pet hospital. They will take advantage of anyone in a desperate situation. We brought our 5 month old kitten in during emergency hours as he would not eat, drink, and was vomiting for more than 24 hours. We waited for 3 hours before seeing the vet. When we finally did get to see the vet, she was extremely uncaring, and rude. After explaining that our kitten was neutered three days prior, she said why are you telling me this' - I was simply trying to give her all the facts. She insisted our kitten had eaten something he shouldn't have and required ultrasounds, x-rays, and admittance overnight - costing $2,000. Our initial response was to find out what other options were available - at which time she did give a $300 take-home option of fluids and anti-nausea medicine. Not once was this option mentioned before we asked. We decided to go with the take-home option and reassess if his condition did not get better, but not without being chastised for not being willing to spend $2000 (and being told to "find some friends" or take out a loan to help pay). Thankfully, our kitten made a full recovery at home after being given the medicine, so we did not have to go back to this horrible place. We truly felt sickened by the fact that this pet hospital is taking advantage of people in horrible situations. Why they would not try giving our kitten anti-nausea medicine before suggesting to spend $2,000 on tests is beyond me. Find out all of your options!! Read Less

This place will take as much money from you as possible.  All they care about is profit and not the animal.  Significantly more expansive than others, rude staff, poor record keeping.  They will gouge you for every last penny, even when your pet is clearly dying.  No compassion here. Stay away! Read Less

In brief to my experience - Dr. Kelly was completely unsympathetic, unpassionate toward dogs, extremely unknowledgeable to which every answer to my questions were Im not sure. She took me for a complete run for my money. Over $3,000 later with broken promises, we lost our dogs life. Perhaps if I had not dealt with Dr. Kelly my experience would have been different and I would have saved a lot of money. Wait time is horrendous even for EMERGENCIES! If possible please avoid this clinic; I am still heartbroken over the loss of my beloved dog and my traumatic experience here. Read Less

Our girl was taken in as an emergency initially then as an Oncology patient. The part that's hard is the scared news, money and of course welfare of the pet. It was terribly stressful. The staff, techs and doctors are very compassionate. We've still got our dog that continues to require treatment. Eventually we know what the end will bring. But we've got into a sort of living in the present routine. Thank you for everyone being there. Read Less

Great Hospital. They know their job very well. Two years ago they performed surgery on my dog's back, disc problem. My dog started walking after few weeks. My only concern is that it is very expensive. If money is not the issue then it is one of the best. Read Less

I don't hate it, but I don't recommend it either.... Only because I went to a better hospital and my dog is now better than she was when she was over at MOVEH. The front receptionist that I happened to come across was extremely rude and condescending.The doctors on the other hand were extremely kind. The vet techs only suggested one option. A few options would have been nice. No one went over the estimate which seemed to be the only thing the entire staff cared about. If you want to save a few thousand dollars, I suggest you to go somewhere else. Just know there are other options out there who really care about your pets. Read Less

As a referral patient, my dog received excellent care and expertise, and I received caring support and consultation that I needed to get through her surgery and healing process. Many thanks to Dr. Gauthier, Dr. Sylvestre, Dr. Halling and the amazing team. Read Less