Vca Alameda East Veterinary Hospital

This going to be quite long, but it needs to be said. I am so sorry to see the number of 1 star reviews here, especially because those ratings seem to be about the dollars and not the excellent treatment and quality care your furry loved ones get at this place. First of all, please understand this is a for profit business, not a free clinic. Fees for services are presented at check in a very transparent way. They are based on a high/low presentation of potential costs that might be associated with treatment for the most horrible things that can happen to our four-legged friends. I appreciate the straight forward approach so that there are no ugly surprises at check out. If you do not want or can't afford to have your loved one treated here there are many alternatives. Sadly our nerves are raw and emotions running in overdrive when we have to come in here for an emergency but please understand no malice is intended by having the necessary discussion about who is going to pay for the excellent care your pet will soon be getting from the entire staff at VCA Alameda. That being said, I have experienced the highest levels of sympathetic care and appreciation for my concern over the most important little creature in my life, my dog, Jenny. I can't say enough about the compassion and concern and help I we have received from this clinic. From the front desk staff, to the techs, to the doctors Jenny has received nothing but excellence in care. We have been in several times over the years for the accidents that happen to busy active dogs from a weird knot between her pads to a scratch on her eyelid from an overly playful doggy friend. Every doctor we have seen was great and I wish I could say that's all the services we needed but there's so much more. After switching from another vet almost 3 years ago these folks found that Jenny's bottom canine teeth had not grown in properly and were jamming into the roof of her mouth instead of sticking out between the spaces at the top. My previous vet did not notice this and I realized she had been in pain for several years while under their care. The other guys had cleaned her teeth twice and never even noticed. But the eagle-eyed Dr. Huff at VCA not only noticed but performed a procedure that saved and shortened the two bottom canine teeth. This was not cheap but when it comes to the highest quality care I don't want cheap, I want excellence and that's what I got. Jenny deserves it! Now sadly Jenny is in Stage 3 renal failure, which means I will not get to have her in my life as long as I would like. But the awesome Dr. Whitehouse has been treating her for her kidney disease since our move to VCA and recently prescribed a daily dose of 200ml of Ringer's Lactate. I tried like hell to stick the needle in her back and give her the IV but I just can't do it. I ended up having to take Jenny into the hospital every morning to get one of the amazing techs to administer the fluids. Again, everyone from the front desk on back was so helpful but this really stressed Jenny out. Kristi at reception sent an email to the staff to get me the help I needed. I had several responses from techs who were willing to come to our home and give Jenny her IV early in the morning in the comfort of our home. I came into contact with Kaitlin and Gabriel through her efforts and these amazing, caring people come on their own time to give my girl her treatments. Her quality of life has improved so much through the care she is receiving that she is her old playful self again. Her disease will continue to take her from me but these IVs are giving us quality time together. I can not put a price on that, ever! Thank you again to everyone at VCA Alameda for all you have done for the most special little girl in the world over the last three years. If you folks out there who really love your pets and want the best for them, you need to check this amazing place out. Jenny and I thank you all! Read Less

If I could, I'd give NO STARS. Absolutely disgusted with how this Urgent care is ran. They are too concerned with money, after every sentence they would state how much it would be. I get they want to inform owners of upcoming costs but they have no tact “Your dog might not make it through the night, if you pay $200 we can perform CPR to save him” Every sentence ended with a price. Once my dog was wrapped and cleaned up from his accident we were told we could not bring him home, that he needed an expensive surgery but the surgeon wouldn’t be in until the morning. Shortly after we were told we couldn’t go anywhere until the “ESTIMATED” charges (all the services that could possibly be done) were paid in full otherwise they would call animal control and report me for abandoning my animal even though they are forcing me to keep my dog there and I was willing to return when they suggested???? I was shocked.....In turn I paid ALL CASH for my dog’s urgent treatment and (SHOCKER) they owed me a refund because they exaggerated what would need to be done. Did I get my money back??? NO NO NO. Only thing I received was a receipt and a note stating my refund will be issued in the form of a PAPER CHECK in 4-8wks even though I paid in CASH.....WHAT A JOKE!!!! Upon check out my dog was handled to me in a towel with no discharge instructions (he had fractured ribs and flail chest) Thankfully one employee offered to help me to the car and that was the only person out of my whole experience that didn’t talk about money or stress me out. So the one star I am giving to this review goes directly to that employee. This business is GREEDY. I would be ashamed to work in a place like this. Read Less

Unfortunately this is not a place anyone should bring their pet. I arrived to VCA on Friday evening at 11pm to treat my sick puppy (whom we have recently discovered had a seizure, which VCA failed to acknowledge) the first thing VCA asked was if our puppy had gotten into marijuana and after several times of saying no we were still looked at and treated as if that was the case; After spending four hours there without an update or check up - the doctor came back to confirm that our puppies drug result returned negative (as we already acknowledged but were still harassed about) and were given options that were not explained and after so long seemed like a way to scam. Before giving us our puppy back to take home; we asked if she was still behaving the same and were told yes, ironically when we got her in the car she was more responsive than she had been before taking her into VCA and was back to normal by the time returned home. This place does not care about the well being of animals; their only concern is making money; we have yet to even receive a courtesy call to ask about how well our puppy was doing which is a prime example of careless behavior.. Read Less

If I could rate this place a 0 I would. They care more about money and don’t give a damn about your pets. First of all I call the lady to ask for my dogs rabies shot and was told it was going to be 27 dollars and I still asked if that was the whole cost and was told it was. I get there and check in and still wait 20+ minutes for the vet to come and check my dog when I didn’t even ask for a checkup when my dog had one with them 2 weeks ago. And I don’t know what type of check ups they do because they literally take 2 minutes to check your dog and that’s it. I had to pay 70 dollars when I was told 27 for one shot. Never again. DO NOT COME HERE Read Less

I am so disappointed in this place and of all vet clinics honestly. You people are supposed to be in your positions for your love of animals, because you want to help and protect them...since when did an animals life not mean anything if no money can be given? I know treatment is expensive, but some people just need a few days, or need a payment plan and don't have great credit to get your credit card. I took my kitten here last night because she was accidentally stepped on, she was fully breathing, kept trying to stand up, she was just hurt! It was quick for you to offer to kill her for FREE, but refused to help her in any way unless I had all the money right then and there. I can't believe I had to kill my beautiful kitten last night because you refuse to work with people. I make money, good money at that, I had JUST paid all of my bills and I'm 3 days away from payday, you refused to help me with a payment plan, automatic payments, nothing. You let my baby die over some money. That is so crazy to me. But hey at least she's in a better place right? Thank you to the ladies that make it quick and made her feel comfortable....but I'm so disappointed. Will never say anything good about this place! Read Less

I waited 7 hours in the emergency room and my dog did not receive treatment. I was leaving town early the next morning and my dog was vomiting and had bloody stools but he was acting normal. I did not want to wait till the next morning and have my elderly aunts take my dog to our regular vet so I went to VCA Alameda East ER. At 7:30pm I was told it would be a two hour wait. They were busy. At three hours, they told me they had several emergencies come in and it would be awhile more. At five hours, I was told I was next. I finally saw a doctor at 1:30 am. He suggested x-rays and an IV for dehydration. He was not interested in the stool sample I brought. After watching, a cat with a urinary problem and a rabbit that would not eat be treated ahead of my dog, I demanded that they return my dog. He made excuses like, “didn’t you see that other dog that came in that was in a fight” and” “ I have not read his x-rays yet”. At 2:30 am, I paid for the visit fee and an unnecessary x-ray. My aunts took my dog to our regular vet the next day and she treated him with medication. She also checked his stool sample. He was fine after one day. My vet even followed up with me by phone since I was gone all week. I would not even take my pet rock to VCA Alameda East. Read Less

They did everything they could for my baby boy. He was with them for a week and I was able to call and ask questions and just see how he was. The doctors and nurses and techs were all so very very nice and I am very grateful that they gave him love and attention and scritches to keep him comfy when I couldn’t be there. Read Less

This the hospital is amazing ,My fur baby got lose and the neighbor took her here because it was a Sunday night late. They took great care and got her back to me through pet link and a good friend.!!! thank you so very much!!!! Read Less

Been taking my dog there for over 10 years. Their Doctors & Surgeons are the best. Dr. Steen has always gone out of his way to understand any problems or concerns. When trying to take my pet elsewhere to save a little money, it has always ended up costing me more in the end. Trust is everything, I will never take her anywhere else. Don't be put off by the people at the front desk. Many are unprofessional and seem not to care. The doctors and other staff are world class. Don Holtz Read Less

The professionals at Alameda East were absolutely wonderful. They are creative in the treatments they provide and went to the ends of the earth to make my little Gracie Allen well. They are responsive to the needs of the animals as well as compassionate and communicative to the parents. Thank you Alameda East for the care you provided Gracie and for the compassion you provided me. You are all wonderful and I will be eternally grateful. Read Less

Unfortunately I’ve only taken my pets here under sad circumstances but the level of care we’ve received each time has been amazing. The vets truly care about what’s best for the animals and put cost second. They’ve worked with us every time to figure out what’s best for our pets and our pockets. I recommend this clinic to anyone in need of emergency care for their animals. Read Less

I am fling a complaint with the Better Business Bureau because of a bill I am disputing with them. I was planning to have my dog's teeth cleaned but informed I needed to schedule a preliminary exam prior to the cleansing. During this "exam" the vet spent all of 5 minutes looking at my dog's teeth and then informed me that she didn't expect any complications. Then she informed me that they would charge approximately $500 for the cleansing. I have my dog's cleaned every year and it is normally between $100 and $200 dollars. Shocked, I asked why it would be so expensive, and she told me that it was because of the anesthesia. Every other place I have done this has used anesthesia. So I leashed my dog and we left. They have started sending me bills for $40.10 for this "exam", which I have disputed, but they are unwilling to budge, even after informing them that I would take this to the BBB. This facility is very modern and looks very nice, but they have very unethical business practices. If you schedule something with them, make sure you ask about prices before your appointment. Read Less

Unfortunately I've had to come here a couple of times. Fortunately, these vets are amazing and helped my dog immediately (it didn't seem busy when I was here each time). They are very professional and are well educated. They cared about my dog and they were very friendly towards me as well. Vets deserve more credit. Read Less

I have to say I am amazed with this facility. The staff is fantastic. I came in on an emergency visit for my fur baby, the second I walked in the door the staff swarmed to get her checked out and in asap. There was no wait and the staff is beyond amazing with not only my little girl but with me as well. This was my first emergency with my little girl so I was pretty worked up. The staff was not only there for Myla but they were understanding and helpful. They helped me get my self together while assuring me my little girl was in good hands. As I was waiting I watched countless families come in and get great care for there fur babies. I am overjoyed with the care we were given. I want to thank all of your wonderful staff and amazing care. I know Myla is in good hands when I take her here. I do recommend this place to anyone that loves there babies as much as I do. Read Less

A total professional business and staff. Not only are they great with the animals but they are great with their human partners as well. We took our dog who is very sick down to see Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald Who was not only a professional but a person who definitely cares for the animals he is working with. We had to euthanize Harry after being with him for 12 years. You could feel the love coming from the doctor for the dog as well as us. When he brought Harry in to be with us for our last time together, he was more than understanding. I have never seen a doctor give a dog a kiss on the fore head before initializing the process. It made us feel like he really did have a love for this dog. It was quick and very painless for Harry and with his actions comforted us quite a bit. Thank you very much to all the staff who made us feel very special at this moment. And a huge thank you to Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald. You are truly a gentleman in your field. Read Less

Needed a health certificate for travel. Apparently they don't do this very often, they made a simple exam and piece of paper a big deal that would cost way too much. Found another vet got it done for $35. If you walk in the door even if your pet is in great health you end up spending $150. For what? Maybe they do other things better but I avoid them at all costs. Read Less

They are awesome! I have been bringing my iguana to see Dr. Fitzgerald by recommendation from the green iguana society. We also saw Dr Hebert last time we came and they are always so great. I always know that we are receiving top quality care. The doctors take the time to listen and ask questions. Highly recommended to any reptile parent.Read Less

All about the money. We took my daughter's cat to this clinic and she had to stay the night. We could not believe how high the cost was for everything. The prices are 7-8 times more than the clinic we ended up going to for surgery on the cat. Example: 1 night stay to observe the cat here: $700-900. Overnight stay at the vet doing surgery: $90 You can't tell me it costs that much more for the care just because it's a big clinic. Ridiculous, will not go there again. I hate that most times, vets make you choose between finances and your beloved pet. Not fair! Read Less

Our vet is Doctor Hebert, and she's amazing! She provides such amazing care for our ferrets! She was so compassionate when we lost our ferret Olive to Lymphoma. I highly recommend her. I would give 5 stars, but the cost for everything at VCA is incredibly high. It's 80.00 for us to walk in the door, any test is also expensive. I'm not saying it should be free, but I spend an average of 150.00 to 200.00 dollars a visit. It's too much.Read Less

We have been going here for years with our pets. Always the best most caring service. Even in dark times such as having to put my cat down to his cancer issues they gave us complete respect and our sweet kitty the respect he deserved. As long as I can I will always go here for their experience, compassion and love. A shout out to nick who I hope is still at the front desk, it's been awhile since I've seen him. He by far made a lasting impression with his understanding and love for us. Please go here for your pets, they are amazing! Read Less

It's with great sadness that I write a poor review for Alameda East. For several years, my terriers were under the care of Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald and received excellent care. When one of them was diagnosed with Lymphoma, we visited with Dr. Ann Skope and the experience went downhill quickly. Dr. Skope - whose research work encompasses lymphoma (!) - suggested Chlorambucil. Just two pills in there was trouble with my dog. She couldn't stop hard breathing/panting (with her mouth closed). Every once in a while she would take a big breath and exhale and I thought it would normalize but she went right back to hard breathing. It was horrific. I left several panicked messages asking for Dr. Skope to phone me. The practice confirmed they had reached her but she made it clear to them she would not be taking the time to return my call. I was invited to bring her in as an emergency case (full charges in effect). Eventually at midnight on Sunday, I phoned the practice and insisted on having a triage vet put on the line to listen to my girl's labored breathing. Rightly, I was advised it was time to have her put down. I asked to have Dr. Fitzgerald do it and was given an 8:30A appointment - a special early slot which I truly appreciated based on her suffering. My uncle was a vet for 55 years and said he never got over putting animals to sleep so I asked to make sure Dr. F. would know what would be happening at the appointment. Unfortunately, no one communicated this to him. And with his sweet nature he came in with possible stabilization ideas. I felt awful for him, for me, and of course for my pet. A bad situation all the way around. Later... unbelievably, things got even worse! I had my girl cremated but did not order the "fancy" urn as I intended to put her back into nature. Upon pickup, the ashes were in an urn. I asked for them to be removed... no one was available to do it and I was told to come back on another day to have the urn opened properly to get the ashes. I have ZERO idea as to why no one had the proper tools or knowledge to take care of this for me - especially during this emotional time. It didn't look complicated. I was forced to pay the full amount until I came back to fetch the ashes for a second time and was refunded later. Years later, as my other terrier was diagnosed with cancer we worked through Flint Animal Cancer Center (CSU) in Fort Collins and VRCC in Englewood. The care has been outstanding in both places. The depth of knowledge at CSU (one visit) and VRCC (where we elected to do monitoring and treatment) is incredible, responsive, organized, and supportive (emotionally and otherwise). Read Less

I have used Alameda East many times in the past for vet needs, but always deferred to our smaller, local vet. I recently needed to euthanize my beloved 15 yr old yellow lab, Emma and I turned to Alameda East because of their professionalism. It was a great choice! Dr. Fitzgerald immediately recognized the pain I was going through and without undue conversation, caringly and compassionately led my sweet dog away. I later received Emma's ashes and the best poem akin to the 'Rainbow Bridge' with a paw print of Emma. I would recommend this place with 5 stars for end of life care for your pet. Thank you Dr Fitzgerald and staff!! Mike Davis (and Emma!) Read Less

My wife and I were there to unfortunately put our dog down. Neither one of us were in a good state of mind because of having to say good bye to a member of our family, but everyone that we had to meet was very polite and respectable to us . They all seemed to care about what we were going through . The place was very clean and comfortable. We had our dog Eli cremated and we received the remains within a week of our visit. I would recommend this location to anyone. Read Less

Cold and impersonal hospital. Don't go here. I recently brought my 11yo cat Bill in here against my better judgement, (a transfer from another company). Firstly, I was ignored in the reception area by not one, not two, but three receptionists for ten minutes, (Unacceptable, for an emergency clinic considering that only one of them was assisting anyone), before I was able to check him in. I informed them he was being transferred from another clinic, (& was told my admittance fee would be $79 because he was a transfer patient). I informed them that Bill had an IV in place already, and gave them x-rays and blood work information, then was escorted to an exam room (with blood on one wall, and the floor), to wait for the Dr. After reviewing Bill's case with a Dr., I was informed that an overnight stay was necessary (at a cost between $2,300+ and up to $3,800+, UP FRONT!!!), with no guarantee that he would benefit for long, if at all. I could not afford such an expense, & I said so. The Dr. gave me a look of disdain I will not soon forget. He gave me information about less expensive clinics and euthenasia services, then had me sign a form that I was taking Bill home AMA. When I went to pay, I found I had been charged for a (second) IV, (not cool, considering that I brought him in with an IV already in his leg), and that I had been charged the full $115 emergency room fee as well. I brought it to the attention of the clerk, who then tracked down the Dr., who dismissed the IV charge, (but gave me yet another look of disdain as he walked away without a word). Sadly, Bill has passed away now. I most certainly will NOT be bringing my other cat to ANY VCA facility in the future. Read Less

My dog had a terminal cancerous lump on his leg and I had an appt elsewhere at a reputable low cost vet to put him down. (I had some very unfortunate circumstances that took all of my funds just a couple weeks before) Early one morning, about two days before my final vet appt, at about 430 AM it became apparent he needed to go right then and there to be put to rest. Unfortunately the only hospital open was the VCA East vet. Went right in, the ladies were extremely nice and comforting and I was able to hold my baby as he was peacefully put to rest. They said I could pay later but it would need to be all at once for the full amount. The vet I was originally planning on going to offered all services including urn and ashes for roughly $130, VCA East was close to 200 dollars!!! My dog was 11 pounds. I asked them what services they offered additionally over another vet charging 70 dollars less, she did not have an answer and said I would not be able to get his ashes until it was all paid for within the next 14 days, the price is the price. I really wish I was not forced to go to that vet and was able to do has I planned because now I do not know if I will be able to get his ashes :( he meant the world to me. It's nice there is a 24 hour vet but it's a shame it's this one because all they seem to care about is money and taking advantage of people during a sensitive time. Avoid if it all possible. The only reason for the additional star was for the sweet ladies working the night shift.Read Less