Since I was blocked as a customer to leave a review about my deplorable and disgusting experience at VCA, I’ll use my husbands account. I have never seen a business so concerned about money, and less about our animal. After giving $1100 up front , they did NOTHING for my dog, but give comfort measures. Each time the staff called the first thing they said began with money. We had a concern, which was voiced about possible lymes disease , and they completely disregarded and went towards something outlandish instilling complete fear in our family. After not getting the care that my dog nor my family deserved we decided to take our dog to Newtown Vet. Within one hour, and without a mention of it the head of the clinic was immediately nervous he had Lymes. Unfortunately, because our dog was left untreated and with wrong medication for 25 hours he passed away. This clinic is about money not your pet. Don’t ever bring your animal here , the staff is rude and forgets that we are paying customers. Unfortunately after speaking to many people in the area they’ve had the same experience. I highly recommend Newtown Vet, they were exceptional and kind to our whole family and were honest with the entire outlook. Read Less

Brought our dog to this vet and had a horrible experience. Our dog had a severe bite on her tail that was infected. The vet took a look at the wound and then quickly concluded the tail needed to be scheduled for amputation. And that for today we would need to buy antibiotics from them. Appalled we left paying a $160 examination fee for the vet to just give us a quick opinion. The vet DID NOT even clean the wound which was infected, had puss coming out of it, and was in general all around dirty and covered with hair. Additionally It’s common practice to write a prescription for antibiotics so that the customer can then shop different pharmacies and choose where to fill the prescription. The medicine they were pushing us to buy from them was only $16 at Costco but $80 from them. Read Less

They didn’t care enough for my dog. She was bleeding from her rear ended and they made me wait 2 hours. No one informed me of how long the wait was. They took over dogs ahead of mine. I finally asked when will she been seen and they said it was at least 1-2 hour wait. I said I’ve been here since 5:30 it’s now 7:30. She went and told the doctor I wanted to leave and they told her I can THS the dog will be fine. I will never go there again. Rude for them not to think this was an emergency! Read Less

Horrible place. Do not bring your pet here if there are alternatives. Do NOT rely on their quotes, prices change in matter of seconds from waiting room to checkout/desk. Said that the antibiotics our dog needed were $5.20 when the price actually came out to about $30. When we went back to ask why this was they "apologized" and said that was the cost per pill but that math did not add up either. Currently searching for new vet who is more interested in our animal than the money. Read Less

I had to visit VCA for two separate incidences. One being with my puppy & the other with my kitten. The staff is very friendly & care about the animals. Extremely clean that was a big plus for me. I definitely recommend them, they always do good work! Read Less

Unless every other animal hospital was full, I would never come back. The male veterinarian was extremely rude and unprofessional. After waiting three hours to be seen, he could not have been more condescending. The rest of the staff was very nice and accommodating, but our experience with him was terrible. Read Less

My dog came to the emergency room with an injured eye. Amanda, at the front desk, and the rest of the staff were so kind and friendly. They promptly examined him and gave a reasonable price. Amanda was very sweet, accommodating, and made us feel comfortable through the process. Thank you, VCA. Read Less

We took our 5 month old Cali girl in there for not feeling well. She ended up needing emergency surgery and it was touch and go for a short period, Dr.Forbes came in talked to us after the surgery and we cannot say enough about his compassion. The Doctors and staff kept us posted each day about how she was feeling..After they sent her home they continued to call each day to see how she was doing and answer all of our concerns. The surgery was expensive and they worked with us for a payment plan. Thank you to the VCA staff for taking such good care of our Cali...and easing our worry. Read Less

On Saturday at noon I picked up our dog Marley from Trumbull Animal Hospital. She had been vomiting every single thing that went down her throat.. food and water were literally spewing out moments after being ingested. Dark brown thin liquid was constantly being vomited. We were referred to VCA Shoreline by Trumbull because she needed 24/7 care at this point due to nothing at the Trumbull location helping and no specific cause isolated. Trumbull was completely baffled.. they also didn’t have 24/7 care on Sundays like she needed. Upon tons of questions to support our next steps between my wife and I.. regarding what would be best for Marley.. do we continue to try random things to isolate the issue? She hasn’t gotten any better in two days after being treated at Trumbull. My wife and I were wanting to give her nothing but love and console her through this battle. I made it clear that I was not going to VCA shoreline immediately.. this was due to wanting to be close to Marley and love her through whatever she had going on. When we left Trumbull, Marley had a bandage on her leg. I figured for protection of where she was shaven and “had” the IV plugged in. In trying to console Marley.. on Sunday morning it’s time for a good bath to help her feel better.. upon going to remove the bandage.. a line in her vein is underneath the yellow bandage..... WHY in the world was I NOT told by Trumbull???? Why in the world would you leave it there?!?!?! A point for infection.. endless blood loss if torn.. discomfort for Marley... you see the non stop list of problems with this by now... I call Trumbull.. no answer so I leave a detailed message.. I stop by their location.. not a single person on site.. who in the world watches their dogs on the weekend??? After receiving no response to the voicemail.. at about 11:30pm Sunday... I’m seeking immediate help as Marley is beginning to pick at the bandage.. I’m watching her like a hawk. I reach out to VCA shoreline and they confirm that this is BAD. For all the reasons listed above. VCA saved my dog without thinking twice. I was there within 20 minutes after our call. What happened on that call? They saw their opportunity to do the right thing and request I come in. Within 10 minutes of being there.. Marley was out.. no more line in her vein.. no charges.. amazing care. VCA Shoreline put Marley first and did the right thing. They went above and beyond. They fixed someone else’s mistake. I don’t know whether that will help sway folks to head over to VCA.. it’s my experience.. and it’s a damn good one. I can rest easy tonight. Marleys bandage has come off.. and she’s doing great. Thank you VCA Shoreline. You took action on something that I know for a fact any other place would not even touch without having cash in hand first. My family and I appreciate you all 100%! Read Less

Wouldn't recommend. Went and was told my animal needed blood work and possibly an xray. We told them on the phone we didn't have alot of money and said to come down they would help out. Told them we only had about half and they changed and said well he's probably fine just bring him when you have money. Wouldn't help or give us anything we can do at home. Said was stable. Only care about money not the animals. Still had to pay almost 200 and didn't get no help. Ended up putting cat down 2 days later. Read Less

Sadly, the end of life came for my 16 year old Siamese boy Miko (aka "Puffy") this past weekend. I was truly a mess as Puffy fell victim to a stroke....I rushed him to VCA in Shelton...The incredible staff - each and every one of the Ladies working at that point - were so very VERY kind to me and took very good care of Puffy - explaining every single detail of what was happening (a huge help as I was inconsolable)...the Veterinarian, the Technicians, EVERYONE was just wonderful. I can never thank you all enough. All the very best to the entire staff at VCA.....Blessings to you and yours! C. Read Less

I cannot say enough about this place. First of all, their neurology department is amazing. The entire staff is friendly and helpful. Our dog has a degenerative spinal disease and has been treated here for a few years. I’ve called sobbing. They are always there to help. They all go above and beyond to treat and diagnose. We are so so lucky to have such a brilliant and talented staff of animal lovers to take care of our babies. Truly amazing Read Less

A couple weeks ago our 9 and 1/2yr old shepherd broke her back leg. So we took her to our vet who gave us some options for her treatment. She had a small mass above the break which could possibly be cancer or some type of infection. And the leg was broken in such a way that they wouldn't be able to fix it. Countryside referred us to Shoreline. Our vet sent over all the x-rays and the exam notes and got us in with Dr. Nolte as soon as possible. She pretty much said the same things our vet said but Shoreline was the right place for the surgery. Amputation was the best option we could go for. The only thing holding us back from doing the surgery immediately was coming up with the money for it. Needless to say Maggie went from a quad-pawed to a tri-pawed. I can't thank Dr. Nolte and the other vet's and vet techs' and the staff enough for their care and compassion of both Maggie and us. We will forever be grateful for Dr, Nolte and the whole staff. Now we just have to wait and see what the biopsy results are and go from there which after the amputation there isn't any other choice except for quality of life over quantity of life. But for now we still have our baby. A lot of people complain about the price which for some people like us is really pretty steep. But it is totally understandable because this is an emergency surgical hospital for your fur babies. I personally think the prices are high due to corporate and not each individual location. But yeah thank you to everyone at Shoreline for everything. Read Less

Brought my dog here who had labored breathing, my suspicion was from eating a bully stick too quickly. As soon as I brought him in the staff was lovely and quickly ended to his breathing issues. They took him to the back and hooked him up to an IV Catheter immediately, and within a few minutes the doctor called me in to discuss the series of events leading up to me bringing him in. The staff, especially Dr. Cohen, were very thorough and included me in all of the decision making along the way. Luckily, the obstruction moved and his breathing was restored to normal before even leaving the hospital, but they did x-rays for my peace of mind anyways. Thank you so much Shoreline team! Read Less

Overcharge every chance they get. No matter what is wrong with your animal they will recommend the most expensive stuff first. Went there this week charged me $900 and couldn't even tell me what was wrong never again Read Less

I sadly had to make the decision to put my cat to sleep to spare her anymore suffering from kidney failure. I didn't want to bring her to a place that was cold, unfeeling, rushed, noisy, and have her last moments be on a cold metal table. I had to make the best decision for her not me. I brought her to Shoreline Vet early in the morning where they gave us our own room and gave us time to say our goodbyes and make peace with this horrible but necessary decision. We were NOT rushed, we had sofas to sit and hold her through her final moments, they explained how they gave muscle relaxants to ease the process and allow her a calm peaceful end. They allowed me to sit and hold her throughout the entire process so that my wish came true for her to no longer suffer and not spend her final moments in a loud, noisy, cold, unfeeling place on a cold metal table. Rather she left knowing and feeling she was loved and passed in my loving embrace. The staff gave us as much time as we needed to be with her once she was gone as well. I cannot thank everyone at Shoreline for making my wishes come true and allowing my beautiful baby girl pass in my arms, feeling love as she lost all pain and suffering. I couldn't have asked for a more helpful, caring and compassionate group of amazing people to have been there for my cat, myself and my family. Thank you Read Less

I had the unfortunate chance to visit the Emergency Center today to put down my cat of fifteen years. I was referred to the Center by another vet, Ansonia Animal Hospital, due to her (my cat's) condition. I came to the Emergency Center because my cat was bloated and unable to go to the bathroom. Dr. Cohen, the Veterinarian, was very warm and helpful during the process each step of the way. She made sure to explain the available procedures, the possible results, the available interventions should anything else be necessary. We did an ultrasound and found that my cat had growth on liver and fluid build-up, and that it was most likely liver cancer. We decided that the prognosis was poor given her (my cat's) age and decided to put her down. I can't thank Dr. Cohen enough for her gentle and caring nature during this hard time. It should also be noted that the staff at the Emergency Center was very attentive, nice, and caring. I'm thankful that I made the choice to go to the VCA Shoreline Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center. Thanks for your help today. Read Less

We had the most pleasant experience during a worst circumstance. We brought in our very sick kitty to put him to sleep and starting from the front desk to nurse and then doctor, everyone was incredibly compassionate, delicate, caring and loving. We could not have asked for more that day. Thank you! Read Less

I see many people complaining about the cost of services . I found the cost for my dog's surgery and aftercare to be up to par with most reputable facilities. I don't really care about the cost ( having pet insurance might be wise, folks. I have it). What I DO care about is the treatment of my dog, the expertise of the surgeon, the concern of the staff and the communication and updates about my dog while in their care. I can't be more pleased by the surgeons, the vet, the technicians and the front desk area at Shoreline. My dogs are my babies. My life. I was totally confident in the ability and desire of all staff to make my fur baby as comfortable and well taken care of as if I had been there myself. I can't begin to tell you how wonderful they all are, and no, I'm not getting a kickback from this review. LOL. I have not one negative thing to say. Not a one. I do however, want to say "Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, and Molly's, for the amazing care she received while she was there". For those of you who are upset due to cost, get your pet insurance coverage. Shoreline sends out all the necessary billing right to the insurance company. Immediately. Yeah folks, they really are that good. With deepest appreciation, Lisa DeRosa Read Less

I have had to use this facility & so has a friend of mine. Since moving to Bridgeport Avenue, I have found the staff VERY good, the vet care excellent. The vet took the time to explain testing/procedures to me. For an ER vet, their costs are reasonable. I was happy with the emergency care my pet received there and so was my friend. I would highly recommend this facility. Read Less

I can only speak for myself, but my experience at shoreline was a very positive one. My dog ripped his ear open during a Sunday hike and I have never seen anything bleed so much. We drove straight to the shoreline hospital. They immediately brought us into a room, wrapped his head to stop the bleeding and the doctor was in to see us within 10minutes. At that point she told us she was going to have to sedate him as the ear is a difficult spot to stitch. I was very nervous. Dr. Tessler took the time to explain everything, and although the cost was high, it was what I expected to pay for an emergency surgery on a Sunday. After the surgery I went to pick him up and the stitches burst before they could even bring him out. Dr. Tessler calmed me down, explained how awkward of a spot it was and how difficult it is to still ch because while they want it to stop bleeding, they do not want to cut off the blood supply to his ear completely. She told me they would need to sedate him again and try to repair the bursted artery. I was obviously very worried about my pup, but also trying to figure out how I was going to pay for a second surgery. Dr. Tessler assured me that no additional costs would be incurred. I was very surprised. Long story short, his ear was still bleeding after the second surgery and they felt it was in his best interest to stay there overnight where he could be monitored and kept sedated. Again they did not charge me any additional cost. Dr. Tessler was upfront about every potential charge, explained what was going on at each step of the process and put up with me asking a million questions. She turned an awful situation into a manageable one. I could not be happier that I brought Jackson to the shoreline animal hospital. Read Less

Hello. My beautiful cat died of a heart attack before we arrived at the emergency center of VCA Shelton. I was distraught and the vet talked to me kindly in a matter of fact way about how this was not my fault (details unimportant). Definitely what I needed to hear as I was terribly upset. Either way, they were very kind about giving me time with her in their little room with couches to say goodbye. I also received a nice sympathy card that was handwritten and personalized which I appreciated very much during this very sad time. Unfortunately, cremation is very expensive but that's how it goes. I loved my cat. Read Less

I would not bring my dogs here again for emergency care. I was grossly overcharged and was taken advantage of because I was out of state at the time of the emergency. I can't believe that people pay these prices to these crooks! My dog was there for 2.5 days and they charged me close to $4,000. dollars. I don't know how they get away with it! Read Less