I have taken three of my Chihuahuas here over several years for various things that turned out to be minor, but I take no chances, even on weekends when this is the only option for veterinary medical attention.As far as the care goes, I have always had attentive and responsive veterinarians and, with most, technicians.  I never have felt gouged financially while getting medical services here. I have always been given cost conscious treatment options. That does not always translate to informed decisions for people who love their animals enough to take them to a 24 hour emergency hospital for evaluation, as we often have no real way to know what the best decision is.  However, I have never felt I was being taken advantage of while getting care here and the care, although not critical, was effective and compassionate.  I have had very bad experiences in a 24 hour emergency hospital in California, so I do have that to compare with my several experiences here.I can't imagine the cost overhead, logistics, and inherent unknowns of running a 24 hour emergency animal hospital that treats so many different kinds of animals, none of whom can tell us what hurts or how they feel.  I am always appreciative of the educated people who work in them, as they are too often damned if they do, and damned if they don't. I rarely complain about charges because the cost of running a specialty/ emergency hospital 24/7 365 days a year are unimaginable to me.That said, on my most recent visit four days ago the veterinarian who saw my dog, although really lovely and thorough, seemed REALLY rushed.  Somewhat understandable considering the clinic was very busy. But that does not leave a great impression when your dogs are the center of your universe. Had she not been very clear in her communications (most important factor) and my Chihuahuas needs not truly emergent, I may have felt my baby was somewhat overlooked.  But I didn't. I got what I came for and was charged a reasonable fee.The woman who took care of the financial part at check out was rather curt, rude, and dismissive, which, considering cost is such a sensitive issue to most of their clients, is very unfortunate. Read Less

I brought my puppy in after I was advised to after a bad reaction to a vaccine. The vet I met with at midnight was wonderful and full of concern. They kept him overnight and when another vet called me in the morning they didn’t seem to care at all and was basically reading me a report and almost sounded bothered by my questions. Hours later when I went to pick up puppy I met with a technician who was just like the vet, and seemed like I was more of a bother than anything. I am just happy that my puppy is ok but some more pleasant interactions would have been appreciated. Read Less

I had to bring my cat in for a urinary blockage. Everyone was very kind and helped us and our cat. They explained prices as well as future steps on taking care of our cat. I appreciated that they called us regularly with updates and that they weren’t frustrated when I called to ask questions. I was able to schedule times to come in and see my cat while he was still in hospital care. They are a great service, and my cat would not still be here if it wasn’t for them. Read Less

Front office staff were mostly nice to talk to. There was one person we had difficulty with but it represented a small portion of our overall experience. We could not afford to treat our cat's issues and chose to put him down to avoid suffering. The staff was sympathetic and even provided more than we had asked for with the cremation of the cat. It was very much appreciated. We felt like we mattered when we retrieved his ashes. Read Less

Very thankful for the staff at V.E.S.H. They are very competent and knowledgable. We were seen promptly and guided through our dogs care step by step. Our dog needed emergency surgery, and was kept overnight. We were able to call at any hour for an update, and felt very comfortable leaving her. I would highly recommend! Read Less

Brought my cat in at 2AM for what I thought was a blocked urethra. Turned out to be something less serious thankfully, which I found out through the help of the wonderful and kind staff. Facility is clean and welcoming, and all the staff were extremely helpful and assuring. They were able to work out what the issue was (or wasn't) and provide helpful advice and treatment. In the event of am emergency, bringing your pet here will ensure they are in good hands! Would recommend to anybody and everybody! Read Less

The emergency vet took very good care of my puppy after he scratched his eye. Everyone was super nice and the wait wasnt too long. They also told us how much the price would be before they proceeded with any treatments, which was helpful and the cost was very reasonable. We really appreciate how well they took care of my puppy. Read Less

My dog must have gotten into something. She presented throwing up white foam. She was two but huge, so they incorrectly gave her two X-rays. (Nothing shown) each 450$, I could hear my baby screaming in the back. Then after blood work showed significant damage to her liver, they did a quick 98$ CTscan, that showed the problem. She had less than a 50% (realistically less, because every minute counts) chance of living. They suggested starting with a 8000$ surgery. That would be extremely painful and unlikely to be the only one. We were beside ourselves at 2am and they pressured us to take out a loan! I refused many times, because they said it would be multiple surgery’s and tubes out of her stomach! After she died in my lap, they charged us over 1000$! I’m angry because the treatment was wrong and she maybe would have had a chance if they acted correctly. My dog was barely 2 devastation in 3 hours. Read Less

Had to come here last night to have our beloved dog put down.  Staff was so compassionate and nice.   Rather than bring him into a bright room on a cold hard table, they did it right in our cozy car with his head in my daughters lap. Read Less

I came in today visibly upset with my injured, bloody puppy. Everyone on staff was calm, professional and MOST OF ALL, kind. These people deeply care and I have never had a better vet experience. This is the place to go. A million thanks to these good people Read Less

This wonderful hospital was a saving grace. Our pup had an emergency accident while we were on the road, and the gracious staff was able to treat with little turnover time. Not only did they ease our minds as pup parents in crisis, but they treated our little Jackson like he was one of their own. I would highly recommend them to any and all! Read Less

If I could do 3 1/2 stars it would fit better. They were caring & concerned about my dog and her injuries. She is a small dog (12lbs) & they had to shave several areas to get to cuts she had. They scraped and cut the shit out of her skin in every single one of those areas. In two places there are actual wounds from it. Also, their prices seemed high, but I have nothing to compare it to. Secondly, a couple in the waiting room asked if there was a place to get coffee and were told there is a Dunkin down the street. However, the receptionist then told them that if they were both going to go they had to leave a deposit equal to their estimate. I found that ridiculous. If a couple brings their dog to an ER at 2am it's highly unlikely they're going to leave it there and not come back.  I was not impressed. I mean, how insulting! Read Less

would give 0 stars if I could. My father brought his 12 year old chihuahua mix in for difficulty breathing. No prior history. Dr. McLaughlin told my family our dog was in heart failure and we should come visit him. When we called back after discussing this amongst the family, we were told to come in 2 hours. I work at a vet's office in NY and could not understand why a doctor would have the family of a dying dog wait 2 hours to come in. When we got there, the dog came in looking pretty good and oxygenating well. The doctor comes in and tells us the radiologist, to whom she sent the radio graphs for consult, said that the dog was not in heart failure. he was basically having an asthmatic episode to put it simply. She then sends us home with cough medication (the dog was not coughing), an anti-biotic (no infection found), albuterol (got one thing right), and heart failure medication (the dog is not in heart failure) Her bedside manner and communication skills were awful, and quit frankly, she practices bad medicine. When the dog stopped doing well a few days later, we called. One of the other vet's said to stop the medication McLaughlin gave us. Seems to me, even other doctors can't understand what she was doing Read Less

would give 0 stars if I could. My father brought his 12 year old chihuahua mix in for difficulty breathing. No prior history. Dr. McLaughlin told my family our dog was in heart failure and we should come visit him. When we called back after discussing this amongst the family, we were told to come in 2 hours.I work at a vet's office in NY and could not understand why a doctor would have the family of a dying dog wait 2 hours to come in.When we got there, the dog came in looking pretty good and oxygenating well. The doctor comes in and tells us the radiologist, to whom she sent the radio graphs for consult, said that the dog was not in heart failure.he was basically having an asthmatic episode to put it simply.She then sends us home with cough medication (the dog was not coughing), an anti-biotic (no infection found), albuterol (got one thing right), and heart failure medication (the dog is not in heart failure)Her bedside manner and communication skills were awful, and quit frankly, she practices bad medicine.When the dog stopped doing well a few days later, we called. One of the other vet's said to stop the medication McLaughlin gave us. Seems to me, even other doctors can't understand what she was doing Read Less

We've used VESH over the years, and generally had a fine experience. Last Spring, we scheduled palliative radiation treatments with Dr. Abbo for our Rottweiler. He was professional, kind, and helpful. The staff was terrific. A few weeks ago, we had to take our new pup in for what appeared to be another bladder infection. We called ahead, as out regular vet wanted her to have an ultrasound. This is why we were there. We were told to come in for an ultrasound. After waiting for a few hours, we met with Dr. Bushra Zaidi, who walked into the exam room, glanced at our dog, and pronounced the dog didn't need an ultrasound, as she was certain the dog had another UTI. I asked her how she knew, she replied 'clinical observation'. I tried to make my case for the ultrasound, as our pup has had many UTI's, and we needed further testing. Dr. Zaidi was very curt and condescending. She snapped when I told her our puppy was not yet spayed, and told us we were putting her life at risk. Our dog has a recessed vulva, which is likely why she'd been experiencing the UTIs, and allowing a dog to go through a few heat cycles can often solve the problem. I thought a vet would know that. We left with a 400$ bill, no ultrasound, and testing found no UTI. We were charged an absurd amount for a few antibiotics and wipes for her vulva. A few days later, a message was left from VESH that our dog should come back in for that ultrasound. We're going elsewhere. The vet techs were wonderful and happy to answer our questions, unlike Dr. Zaidi. We'll likely end up at VESH again, and we hope to be treated with respect and civility, as we were prior to this encounter. Read Less

A busy place! Had to wait quite awhile before we heard news about our cat. Yes, they mentioned money before they took him in, but it was more to make you aware of what the charges could be. Our actual bill was much lower since we chose not to go with the next level of testing. The doctor made suggestions to follow up with our vet. We did not feel pressured to do more there. The staff is professional and the facility is clean. Much better experience than the one in Springfield. Read Less

On paper it's HBC, for us it was a very traumatic experience.  Our two-year old canine was hit by a car in our neighborhood, late in the evening.  A good samaritan gave us a ride the few blocks to home and recommended VESH in Deerfield.  We recently moved to the area from California, and had no idea what help was available in the area.Called, brought him in, they knew exactly how to handle his injuries and our mental state.  Buddy is a very fortunate dog, he suffered some lacerations and bruises, but didn't have any internal injuries or broken bones.  They did the right amount of diagnostics (one set of x-rays, and a few ultrasounds over the next day to keep tabs on some fluid around his kidneys that receded overnight).They welcomed our calls that evening and the next day, during their call-in times which were very convenient, and gave us the chance to come in to visit during the day.  Within 24 hours Buddy was home with meds (antibiotics, pain meds, herbals for his circulation) and tossed in the "cone of shame" and yummy pill pockets.  Everyone on staff was so kind and caring, both to us and Buddy.  It's good to see this level of care in an emergency setting, where you don't have as much choice of where to go. Read Less

My dog had a fall and hurt one of her legs. I was happy to see that she was taken care immediately and the staff was concern about making her comfortable not worried about the cash. They worked fast to stop her pain and to make me comfortable around the whole situation. Read Less

I brought a week ago my 13 year old chocolate lab Ciara. From the moment I walked into VES they were very compassionate and no wait. They sprang into action and ran out to the truck (it felt like a live hospital and I was at the ER). The whole staff was compassionate and on top of things. The doctor made the right call to find her almeant. I'm Sad to say Ciara is no longer with me but I can say the experience of her passing in their care helped ease my pain of her loss. I would drive an hour from my house to take any one of my labs there for care. thanks again to the staff of VES and thank you for the memory card I received. Read Less

I am completely appalled at what was done to a friends Maltese. The pictures are hard to look at. This is terrible and that poor dog has burns and nicks. I really can't believe the condition this dog is in due to incompetence. Read Less

I am writing on behalf of my friend (she doesn't have an account) who took her male Maltese, Kitzi, to this hospital for a normal abdominal ultra-sound on 12/28/16.  The vet seemed extremely competent (Kristin McLaughlin, DVM) and my friend needed to leave Kitzi until the evening for the procedure.  With trust that he would be taken care of, she left Kitzi in their care and picked him up later that evening. Once she got home, she put on her glasses, took off Kitzi's sweater and was horrified by what she saw. She saw that poor Kitzi had multiple cuts, nicks & razor burns on his belly.  He was also extremely uncomfortable.  She used natural oii to ease the pain and discomfort. The next day she called the clinic & spoke w/the  manager (Carrie Gardent) who seemed more interested in defending the actions of the clinic than actual help (she did offer to try & get her some medication which my friend declined).  Their "conversation" quickly escalated with what my friend describes as her caviler attitude of saying "we tell people these things happen" over & over again (BTW: my friend was not warned beforehand that there may be a possibility of injuries).  In addition, she's had dogs since the 70's and had never, ever seen this happen--despite the numerous procedures she's had to have her dogs have over the years.   Eventually, after my friend and the manager talked over each other for a  what seemed like a long time without getting anywhere, my friend said to the manager, "I am going to hang up now, this conversation is over." As a dog owner myself, I find this incident extremely frightening.  We put our trust and faith in these medical facilities and their staff--we really have no choice.  I don't think our expectations are too high that our pets are cared for without incident by experienced staff,  My friend had no choice, but to bring her dog to this hospital while in that town.  She put her trust and faith in them and they more than failed.  To make it worse, the manager was rude, lacked customer service and was completely out of line in arguing the point that "it happens,"  It doesn't "happen."  That's just horrifying to hear.  I'm also horrified that when my friend picked Kitzi up, they didn't even show her or tell her what happened.  This is not how this situation should have been handled.  I would never, ever step foot in this hospital if I lived in the area, I'm only grateful that Kitzi wasn't seriously injured.  Places like this should not exist. Read Less

If there were a 0 star i would give it. The vet was extremely competent, but dog came home w/all kinds of nicks & razor burns. I have lodged an official complaint. Don't take your dog here if you have another option. I know mistakes are made but it was the caviler attitude of the manager that I find irresponsible along w/the actual nicks & razor burns. I posted photos which were removed by the office, but I sent them in my official complaint to the state of MASS. Read Less

I brought my older dog Daisy to VES with a sore leg because my normal vet was closed. Dr Christine Ekness was Daisy's doctor and I was impressed with her. She gave the dog a thorough examination and a report of her findings. I went to VES just to keep my dog comfortable threw the weekend due to the fact I have an appointment with my vet on Monday. I didn't let her do everything she wanted to do because of the appointment with my own vet and am regretting that now after getting home and reading her report and the thoroughness of her exam. I learned of problems I don't think my vet would have checked for. I thought the price for the exam and meds was reasonable for a vet hospital with many doctors that provides 24/7 care. Daisy was walking better and much more comfortable after a few hours. Thank You Dr. Ekness Read Less

Yesterday was the second time in 3 years that I needed to visit the Emergency Hospital. My experience both times was outstanding. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful and they present you with low and high estimates. The services are expensive, but it's definitely worth it to have help close by. One review mentioned wait time and that they were short-staffed. Just like the ER for humans, sometimes there is a wait and urgent cases have to be taken first. When my cat needed to stay for 5 days, they called me twice a day with updates and encouraged me to come visit her every day. I am so thankful for the staff! Read Less

My year old lab swallowed part of a tennis ball wich was lodged in his intestine he was very very sick my dog almost died on their waiting room floor because of receptionist and techs wanting money up front before they would look at him all said and done after scrambling for me to find money to help my dog. 4000 dollars later they are very unprofessional and dont care about your animals only about soaking you for your last dollar Read Less

I brought my dog Kash from Boston Road to Veterinary Emergency Speciality Hospital for a second opinion and to get his surgery done, Boston Road said it wasn't an emergency so they refused to do the surgery.. As soon as I got to V. E. S. H. they took one look at Kash and asked if they could take him in back and give him pain medication we immediately said yes.. He was examined and they said it was a testicular torsion (which means his testicles were twisting and untwisting) when they did the surgery they found out the cord had blood in it as well! They updated me every step of the way even at two in the morning after surgery!! I can't say enough good things about them.. The doctors and staff were very friendly and compassionate, beautiful bed side manners, they kept kash comfortable and pain free.. Thank you to everyone at V. E. S. H who helped fix Kash and treating him like their own pet!! It meant a lot to us!!Read Less

i had to put my 2 year old dog Remmington down on saturday.....It was an emergency and the staff and vet were great.it was by far the hardest thing i have ever had to do.She explained what she thought and knew by the tests they took.and with there guidance and compassion we chose to end his suffering due to a cancer that had reaked havok in just one week ...they have a wonderful clinic.and have a great staff.highly recommended Read Less

I was referred here from my veterinarian in Suffield, CT, after bloodwork showed my female Belgian Malinois, Thai, presented with critically low platelets and RBC, high temperature. After Dr. Bushra Zaidi examined her, it was determined that she should be hospitalized for further testing. Due to the criticality of the symptoms, Dr. Zaidi rushed her to ultrasound and X-ray. Unfortunately, a very large mass was discovered, and enveloped her entire abdominal area. There was no way to operate, so she was euthanized. Through the whole ordeal, Dr. Zaidi was extremely sweet, professional, yet compassionate as I sobbed on the floor for my beautiful girl, only 9 years old. I highly recommend them.Read Less

I would like to express my gratitude for the exceptional service by the doctor and staff of the veterinarian emergency hospital that were on yesterday 911 2016 helping us during a difficult time while tending to a family member Sonny Boy outside the facility the level of empathy given to my wife and I was incredible. I just wanted to say thank you and recognizes the the staff for their professionalism you made it a bit more soothing during this difficult time with the heart wrenching decision that needed to be made thank you again. The Capua Family. Read Less

Let me start by just saying call ahead and ask how many doctors are on staff, especially on the weekend. This is the second time that I go there and they are shorthanded. It is not worth watching your pet suffer needlessly because an emergency hospital cannot properly staff enough veterinarians.When i got there I explained I wasn't sure if it was time for my cat to be put to sleep or if further blood work could be done to help guide me in what to do. When a technician came to me I was told that there would be an hour and a half wait. I then asked if there could be a vet technician that could possibly do the blood work or someone to quickly examine him to see if he needed to be euthanized. She explained that no, since there where 6 others in front of me. 6 others ahead of me. I was in shock when I was told there was just 1 veterinarian. The other veterinarian was in the I.C. unit.How can a veterinarian take proper care of all of these waiting patients without allowing them to suffer to even a small degree? The answer is they cannot.Please feel free to read the review I left for another 24 hour clinic and the steps they took with a busy waiting room and 3 veterinarians. VCA Boston rd. Read Less

Let me start by just saying call ahead and ask how many doctors are on staff, especially on the weekend. This is the second time that I go there and they are shorthanded. It is not worth watching your pet suffer needlessly because an emergency hospital cannot properly staff enough veterinarians. When i got there I explained I wasn't sure if it was time for my cat to be put to sleep or if further blood work could be done to help guide me in what to do. When a technician came to me I was told that there would be an hour and a half wait. I then asked if there could be a vet technician that could possibly do the blood work or someone to quickly examine him to see if he needed to be euthanized. She explained that no, since there where 6 others in front of me. 6 others ahead of me. I was in shock when I was told there was just 1 veterinarian. The other veterinarian was in the I.C. unit. How can a veterinarian take proper care of all of these waiting patients without allowing them to suffer to even a small degree? The answer is they cannot. Please feel free to read the review I left for another 24 hour clinic and the steps they took with a busy waiting room and 3 veterinarians. VCA Boston rd.Read Less

I was highly impressed with the entire staff. This is a very professional facility where care for the animal is first. The doctor was sympathetic, compassionate and knowledgeable about the latest drugs. I appreciated the honesty when explaining the situations and medicines. THANK YOU! Read Less

Thank you so much for the wonderful caring way you treated Happy in his last hours of life. The kindness and understanding the staff showed made this sad experience bearable. Thank you for making all the arrangements and taking such wonderful care of him and my family. Read Less

Unfortunately, I'm going to parrot negative reviews here. I have taken my cat here a few times, once to be hospitalized. I will say that I felt he would get proper and the necessary attention he needed overnight and I did not worry about him in that sense. Rather, my last visit (and will be my last) is what prompted me to finally review and to review negatively.I took my cat in because he wasn't able to stand on his hind leg. Since it was Sunday, we had no choice but to go to this veterinary location rather than our regular and fabulous vet. My partner was told a sedated x-ray would be too stressful on the cat and recommendation was pain med and rest. I was skeptical as to why he didn't get and xray. Also, the more visits you rack up, the higher the price tag. A few hours later I called to confirm this recommendation and asking a number of questions as to why he wasn't x-rayed and how much it would be because I was certain he needed it. They repeated the recommendation.Well, he didn't get better, so we took him to our mainstay vet. He got x-rayed. OUR VET pointed out that the medical records said we declined to treat him according to recommendations and OUR VET suggested I contact them to correct this, since we absolutely did not decline treatment.**I believe they did this so that we'd have to pay for a second visit***The administrator insisted that my partner misunderstood directions and a few hours later, that I did as well. I told her that it was basically nonsensical that we would take him in on a Sunday and call later that day, then follow up with x-rays the next day -- only to have declined recommended treatment. NONSENSE. I would never disregard a vet's recommendation. Never. And trust me, cost never factored into my decisions.So they are insisting they said what they said on two occasions and when I insisted on the medical records being changed to reflect what actually happened and a refund for the wasted money I spent that day...get this, the administrator HUNG UP ON ME.So there you have it. I suggest people carefully read the medical report and make sure it reflects the appointment/emergency. Had I done so, I would've asked why they wrote what they did and either had them change it or get the x-rays (and not have to pay for a second visit). Read Less

Our dog needed emergency services. Her face got really swollen and she was not really moving! She had been loosing a lot of weight for the pass couple weeks and she was 9 years old which is somewhat old for an English bulldog! She was in a lot of pain and it was very clear that she was suffering. The staff there took very good care of us. They were very professional and sympathetic. We had to put our baby girl to sleep :( They gave us all the time we needed before and after our baby passed. They were very compassionate and caring and they understood how much our baby girl meant to us! To all the staff from VESH we thank you for everything and for understanding that our baby girl was so special to us. We all thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Maxi is at peace now. Read Less

Extremely unprofessional. I brought my cat there yesterday because there was blood in his urine, they told me he had bladder stones and that he needed $4,000 surgery and that I need to schedule it right away, and told me no other options. They charged me $245 for the emergency visit, the antibiotics and a "quick look ultrasound". His tail normally stands straight up, when I brought him home later yesterday morning his tail was and still is limp and bent about a third of the way down. When I went to examine his tail myself he hissed and it was clearly very painful. Today I brought him back concerned that his tail had been injured at the visit yesterday. On the phone they urged me to "come right down". The vet tech was extremely nice and I'm grateful for her, although I don't know her name because she didn't introduce herself. Also the front desk staff was complaining about another co worker while I was waiting in the waiting room and they were hardly personable or compassionate. I saw Dr Randyll who seemed irritated the moment she walked in the room. She was really rough with my cat, he was hissing and obviously is a lot of pain. She told me her probably strained his tail at home, keep in Ming he hasn't moved much and he's very sick. She seemed extremely nervous, and was speaking very fast so I didn't catch everything she had said and so I asked her to repeat herself. She got VERY irritated and raised her voice at me. She said my cat needed X-rays, and his tail was probably injured in the carrier on the way home. The staff at the office yesterday are the ones who put him in the carrier. I asked if there was another vet I could speak to and she said no. She was extremely rude to me and I don't know whether she was shaking because she was nervous or mad but she left the exam room and slammed the door. And then comes back and says he should be taken over night! I told the vet tech that I didn't feel comfortable leaving him in their care because Dr Randyll was already so irritated and nasty to be honest, and his tail was not bent yesterday before his appointment. I will never come back to this facility, I would give them 0 stars if I could. Extremely unprofessional. This is my first review I've ever written for any type of service, but this is how strongly I feel my pet and I were not taken care if properly at this facility.Read Less

I am so grateful for this place. My puppy got into my sugar free gum. I was able to rush him right over. They saw to him right away and where very friendly. He stayed overnight and made a quick recovery thank goodness. He was happy and excited like he was never sick much different from when I bought him in. They where helpful and kept me up to date with his recovery. Read Less

Baxter barely ate anything on 18 Jan 16. I took him to the VESH Veterninary Emergency and Speciality Hospital vet who keep him overnight. The vet techs I spoke with did not have a lot of compassion. They were more concerned about thinking Baxter is being stuborn and not moving fast enough for them than realizing he is 14 (which they had the wrong bday)., than being patient with an elderly dog. They thought because he romped outside and then he didn't want to come inside, that he was being difficult. The vet techs were not wearing a jacket that was warm enough for this cold weather. They need to stop complaining due to my dog being slow (due to his lar par) and smelling stuff, and put on a winter coat. The reality is he can't walked as much as he thinks he can. He will start off fast, then realize he doesn't feel well and lay down to rest. Getting upset with him because you do not have your coat on and its cold outside does no good. He has many different conditions, which should all be in your system. He had surgery last Mar/April 2015 was in your hospital. I reminded the vet and vet tech about his conditions. The condition I came in for is him not eating and having diarria. He also was lethargic - meaning he didn't want to get up. The conditions he has are Laryngeal paralysis (lar par) and arthitis in his hind legs. His front leg was amputated due to localized tumor that was cancerous. One of the techs was so impatient with him she left me to put him in my car, I asked for help for a reason. I have many health problems and its painful for me to get him in the car. When I picked him up the helping jacket had been motified to fit him way to close for a dog who has lar par. He doesn't have a collar due to his lar par condition. The vet techs should have asked me to adjust the jacket. I could have brought him home but decided to trust VESH a dog I love with all my heart. I made and mistake and regret taking him there. I will find another ER to go to. VESH is really expensive but I felt if Baxter was getting the best care its worth. Also, how do you get his birthday wrong? He just turned 14 in December. I spent over $800 in less than 24 hours, when I should have just brought him home. I noticed he wasn't wagging his tail when I picked him up. That is totally opposite of Baxters personalitly. Even with cancer and having his leg amputated he keep wagging his tail. When I got him home and in the garage he started wagging his tail again. This is less than an hour after I picked him up. Read Less

these people are wonderful! we just brought our beloved 20-year-old cat in to be euthanized. her kidneys were failing & she was suffering terribly. it's the saturday after new year's & everywhere they told us to come back on monday. yikes.these folks took us right away. they were beyond compassionate & caring.they made a traumatic experience as gentle as possible.it wasn't even expensive.much gratitude to VESH. Read Less

I found a large tick on my cat and called them to ask for advice as it was around 10:30pm.  The admin assistant told me I could bring my cat in and they would help me remove the tick and show me how to do it.  When I asked how much it would cost she said it wouldn't cost anything, we can help you with that.  So I drive him over there from out of town.  But once I arrive the front desk clerk says there was a mistake, it will actually cost $40 for a nurse visit.  So I pay that, they remove three ticks and we are on our way.  Now I am determined to keep my cats inside as the weather is colder and fleas and ticks attach to any warm body they find the staff stated.  However, the next night I notice one more tick on the back of the same cat's head imbedded itself like it's been there a while.  He's got medium long hair so maybe they missed this tick the previous night.  It's 10:30pm when I notice this the second night as well from petting my cat.  I call the clinic and tell the clerk who said yes, they may have missed it yesterday.  But it will still cost another $40 for to remove that tick (a total of $80).My issue is that they went from free and we'll show you how to do it to $40 and now $80 not showing me how yesterday like they said they would.  If we are business of really caring about pets and pet owners who rescue the pets from shelters, we need to put the right information out to concerned pet owners to start with, help educate them on things they can do to help their pets and follow through with what is said or agreed upon.Since they didn't show me how to remove the tick like they said they would, it now becomes an issue.  I am not impressed.  The female vet met with me about it yesterday but I could tell from what she said and how she presented herself, she was more concerned with the money than taking adequate care on my pet or what he was going through.  She only talked money and didn't even take a look at him; how much concern does that show?  They didn't follow through on what they quoted over the phone and didn't even try to meet me halfway when I drive all the way there expecting the service they mentioned over the phone.My advice is I would get a quote regarding costs before accepting treatment from them as a general rule so no surprises take place (once you arrive or after treatment is provided). Read Less

My cat had a life-threatening situation.  I'd never been to this hospital, but they answered their phone on a Sunday afternoon and we needed help quickly for our cat.  I called the hospital while I was en route so they would know all the information in advance so the cat could just be rushed in for the necessary treatment.  The woman I talked to sounded nice and made it seem like the information would be conveyed to the appropriate people and the cat would get immediate treatment.  When we arrived, there was room full of people waiting to be helped and the person who greeted me had no idea what I was talking about when I explained  that I had called about the emergency with my cat.  Obviously no preparations had been made and I was told to talk to a nurse about some forms.  I really wanted to talk to the doctor and hear what they were going to do for my cat and explain to the doctor about some serious allergy problems my cat had.  They weren't going to let me talk to the doctor initially but then did decide to let me talk to the doctor.  The doctor filled out a form and then was taking my cat away saying he was going to give the cat some pain medication.  I asked him about doing the procedure that was needed to fix the problem with the cat and he didn't explain anything to me.  He was just taking the cat away in the back section with no discussion of treatment, cost, and no concern for providing me any information about what was happening.  After a couple minutes of becoming concerned that they were just medicating the cat but it didn't sound like they were prioritizing the emergency procedure that the cat needed, I opened the door to the back section to see if I could get the doctor's attention to learn more about what was happening.  Then I heard the doctor and the nurse and another person or two in the back relating stories about how I brought the cat in and laughing about how I was upset that no one knew anything about me calling ahead, etc.  I had a very bad feeling about the whole place and everyone who had dealt with me so far seemed to lack compassion both for me and the cat.   It also struck me as the kind of place that would prescribe a lot of medications and tests, talk little with the pet owner, not care a whole lot if the pet didn't survive in the end and would then probably deliver a very expensive bill.  Hearing them talk so rudely about me and joking about the situation while my cat was in a crisis situation was a bit much so I walked into the back and scooped up my cat and left.  We drove to our regular vet who was further away but is very kind to animals and their owners.  At least there I know our cat will be treated by someone who really cares whether he survives and someone who will give him immediate treatment.  I just dropped the cat off with him and, as expected, he took the cat in for immediate treatment.  I spoke to the vet a couple hours later and he said the cat will be ok. Read Less

If you need a hug when your pet has a life threatening condition, wait for your regular vet. If you want people who are going to go the extra mile to save your family member in an emergency, these are your folks. We are a dog rescue and are not one of their clients. One of our fosters recently bloated while I was 1900 miles away. All via telephone. They stepped in. They stepped up. They kept me informed. They save our rescued dog's life. What more could you ask for? Read Less

I won't return to this place. They gave me an estimate for an eye exam, and then charged me $200.00 more, explaining that my dog was difficult and that they had to use additional techs in order to do the exam. I told them going in that my dog would have nothing to do with strange people poking things in his eye, and that he would have to be sedated. They ignored me and spent the first 20 minutes traumatizing my dog without sedation, while I stood out in the hall listening to them struggling to restrain him while he was crying and yelping- so much so that they actually ruined his leather collar. After that, they decided to sedate him. Never again. I should have refused to pay the extra $200.00. Live and learn, unfortunately. So far from animal whisperers that it's sad. Read Less

This was the WORST experience of my life! i would absolutely NOT recommend this place for the care of ANY animal. After our regular vet confirmed our 14 year old cat had dementia, as we were witnessing rapid decline in his cognitive abilities and his emotional well-being, they recommended we take our him here as a last option of ours which was euthanasia. This was a long thought out decision which grieved us all greatly and which was made over a lengthy period of time.. Although calling 10 days ahead to make an appointment, we were told they do not make appointments and to bring him right in, and they could certainly take care of him. We took the long ride, as this is location is not local for us, and we were made to wait about an hour while witnessing many other 'patients' checking in for appointments? After a 2 minute physical, Dr.Tracy Doherty told us there was ongoing therapy she could offer and to consider this instead, and then she simply refused treatment and we were quickly dismissed. The treatment we received here was cold and impersonal and lacked any empathy for a heartbroken family. The facility was poorly laid out, and no rooms available, and very little interaction or acknowledgement from Reception. The Dr's lethargic attention was completely unsympathetic, unprofessional and she lacked awareness or knowledge of this fairly common condition and the degradation of life it has caused in our beloved pet. Stay far away from this establishment if you truly love your animal. Read Less

Over the past 2 years, I was very happy with VESH. However, in the past 2 months, I have become extremely dissatisfied with this facility: I had an elderly dog with a compromised liver and arthritis. My dog, Lola, was already on meds for the liver (denamarin, ursodiol, and vitamin E. The dr. at VESH also put her on gabapentin for the arthritis. The eye doctor at this facility also had my dog on 4 types of eye drops, the last one being a prednisone based medication, which I did not want her on but was talked into. About 2 months ago the dr. decided that Lola needed to be on Metacam for the arthritis as well, another  medication I was hesitant to put the dog on, but was talked into it by the doctor. Within a week, my Lola's appetite had decreased and she developed severe diarrhea. I was told to give her metamucil, even though the dog had a fecal river coming out of her. After 2 days, I called back to tell them my dog was still sick. They then prescribed a probiotic paste, a probiotic pill and an antidiarrheal. Within 2 days of this, Lola also developed a UTI because of all the bacteria caused by the copious amounts of diarrhea coming out of my dog. I had to bring Lola up to VESH, have a urine sample taken, as well as a culture. They also did a liver panel, which when it came back, I was told that one of her liver values was elevated, but that was probably due to the prednisone based eye drops. (Translation: this "hospital" ran bloodwork on my dog that was inaccurate due to a medication that I didn't want her on to begin with, charged me for the inaccurate bloodwork. Had I been told that the prednisone based meds would affect the bloodwork, I would not have agreed to have the bloodwork done. Anyway, Lola was put on cephalexin for her UTI. 4 days later I received a call from VESH telling me that the culture tested positive and cephalexin was not the right antibiotic. Now I had to purchase and pick up yet another medication for my Lola. Then the price of one of her liver meds (ursodiol) went from $60 for 90 pills to $400. The only place i could get this med for a reasonable price was VESH ($75.) However, they did not give me this med in a capsule form, like it had always been. It was now in a chewable form and I, of course,questioned this because I wanted to make sure the medication was correct, as on the bottle that they gave me that the medication was a capsule. There were supposed to be 60 pills in the bottle. Well, guess what? there were only 55. After all this, my Lola died this past Tuesday. My dog was overmedicated these past 2 months and that "hospital" knows it and doesn't want to take the responsibility for it. DO NOT GO THERE. THEY WILL TAKE YOUR MONEY AND SHORTEN YOUR PET'S LIFE. Read Less

I have to admit I was shocked by the rapid escalation of care that they wanted to perform. We came home and our beloved lab was obviously having GI issues. When we found blood in his stool we knew that he needed some attention. 24 hours previously he had been swimming up a storm and showed no signs of illness. We arrived at the center and everything seemed ok except for a wait which we were fine with as long as he was provided care. When we were finally seen by the Vet she advised blood work and X-rays which we agreed to. After the test provided negative for any type of abnormal results she raised the stakes. Suddenly our dog which a day earlier was running like a V8 needed invasive procedures according to the Vet. The also advised us that IV's and a night stay for observation were needed ASAP. It started to dawn on me after working in healthcare for 20 years that normal protocol would be wait and see for at least 24 hrs. Why would a invasive biopsy on his liver be needed when 24 hours previously he was fine. At this point we requested some water so we could observe if he would drink. He quickly drank 2-3 bowls of water and retained it without issue. Soon a Vet Tech appeared and again pushed IV's and other procedures. At this point my wife asked me why an IV when he was drinking without issue. I had no reason why. When the Vet returned we thanked her for her help and requested our bill. Thirty minutes later we still waited. We waited another 15 minutes and asked what the delay was. A few minutes later a tech appeared with a bill with more suggested services. We refused - my ears were burning - I felt like I was buying a car with upselling. Finally we were able to pay for the services rendered and left.We returned home and our dog ate and drank like there was no tomorrow. After 1 day of down time he quickly returned to normal and he went through his normal routine without issue. I'd love to read the guidelines with the new pet insurances. If they escalated that rapidly with medicare they would be flagged for audit. I hope this was just one bad experience. If this is an organization that preys on people when they are their weakest then shame on them. Read Less

We had to use the emergency vet a couple of weeks ago and unfortunately our cat passed away. The folks working at this emergency vet were really nice and supportive and provided us with many different options and information. The vet kept checking in with us and kept us updated. Also, the total bill wasn't bad especially for the procedures they had tried to keep out cat alive. Overall, I hate the fact that we had to come here and we only went because it is the only 24 hour vet hospital close by, but the service was considerate and affordable and I am happy our cat got the best care he could. Read Less

Only giving one star because I can't give it NO STARS..My vet called this place to verify that a vet opthomologist was on call to treat an emergency with my dog. My vet was told - "YES, board cert opto - on staff and will be called in once your patient arrives". I drove over 2 1/2 hrs - checked in, history taken, faxed reports from my vet were there ;) I sat for 1 1/2 hours in the waiting room thinking the wait was becasue the opto vet was being called in. Finally taken in to examine room and told the vet we needed the specialist only to be told the opto vet was out of state and NOT ON CALL.....So they prescribed EXACTLY the treatment my vet would have given me for $50.... and charged me $230 - If you are going there for a specialist call and ask to speak to that person before wasting your time and money going there. Now $230 wasted - 10 hours driveing and waiting around for nothing - and my dog has not seen an opto specialist and may lose her eye because of the greed of this establishment. Read Less

The staff are knowledgeable and professional and put you at ease in an emergency situation. Yes the prices are costly, however, you get the care you pay for, and their care is the best around! Blood work is done in hospital so results get to you quicker, and they also have an ultrasound machine that not many other animal hospital's have. I definitely recommend this place when in an emergency! Read Less

The staff are knowledgeable and professional and put you at ease in an emergency situation.  Yes the prices are costly, however, you get the care you pay for, and their care is the best around!  Blood work is done in hospital so results get to you quicker, and they also have an ultrasound machine that not many other animal hospital's have.  I definitely recommend this place when in an emergency! Read Less

The staff are knowledgeable and professional and put you at ease in an emergency situation.  Yes the prices are costly, however, you get the care you pay for, and their care is the best around!  Blood work is done in hospital so results get to you quicker, and they also have an ultrasound machine that not many other animal hospital's have.  I definitely recommend this place when in an emergency! Read Less

BEST PLACE EVER! THE RECEPTIONISTS ARE SO NICE AND HELPFUL! Sure its more expensive than a regular vet but thats because its an EMERGENCY vet- it costs money to run. So stop complaining about prices and don't have a pet if you can't afford it. obviously. Read Less

In the past month and 1/2, I have been at VESH 4 times.   Is my bill high?   Probably not any higher than at my regular vet.   Did my pet receive exceptional care?  Most definitely.  Did the ER doctor empathize with my situation and keep me informed at all times?  Yes.  I returned to see the internist due to the inability of my primary care doctor to find the cause of severe anemia.   Did the internist find why?  Not yet, but we are doing every imaginable test to find out as well as meds ultrasound and diet.  Did she consult with others?  Yes, the critical care doc who was on duty as well as my two primary care vets.  VESH sends all reports to my PCV.  She knows my pet's needs and all the symptoms.  She listens, she discusses, she gives me choices.  Am I pleased?  Yes.  In two weeks I will need to return with my dog for surgery if all that we are doing doesn't work.  Am I nervous?   Yes.  Do I trust my doctors and vet techs at VESH, MOST DEFINITELY. Read Less

Had to use the emergency vet last night for our dog and we were very pleased with the care we received. It wasn't exactly an emergency, more like an urgent care issue but we weren't sure if it could wait until the morning. We were seen in a reasonable amount of time, the staff was friendly and helpful, and we weren't charged excessively. Total time there was about 2 hrs- which is much better than most hospital ER visits. Total bill was $215 which included exam, shave/ cleaning of a wound, IM pain meds during the cleaning, and antibiotics and pain meds to take home. My only complaint is that the vet didn't come back to talk to us after she cleaned the wound and we had a few more questions, but I think she was busy with another emergency. I would definitely come back here in the future. Read Less

I understand the concerns other reviewers have had with VESH and I have certainly had my words with them in the past. I continue to use them because I use them, like anyone should, as a last resort. They are expensive, yes, but highly competent and probably your best chance of saving your pet if something genuinely catastrophic occurs. Read Less

Caring and compassionate staff. I give them an A++. I have been bringing my dogs here for several years and have not had any negative visits. Dr.'s will go over what they beleive is best for your pet, however, they will also try and work with you and your budget. Very knowledgeable and thorough staff. I will always go to The Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital when in an emergency! Read Less

We have had our dog at emergency vets for two separate issues and both experiences were wonderful. Staff are caring and compassionate, and the vets and cardiologists are outstanding. Amazing talent close by. Read Less

Actually, this place should only get one star -- except that they're open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They don't really handle "emergencies" in the sense of trauma with household pets; they seem uninterested in routine issues, and only want Hollywood trauma situations. That's too vague, but they'll write up their treatment suggestions in a way that makes you get an IV into your pet, and stay under overnight supervision -- and charge $1000 for the privilege. When the problem may be something a lot more simple. Go if you need the urgent care, but be prepared to advocate for your pet and your wallet. Read Less

NO STARS. They are unscrupulous, unethical and not at all knowledgeable- on account of being a money-grubbing profit based organization, only minimally experienced, fresh-faced grads seem to work there as "doctors." And judging by the amount of unnecessary tests and unnecessary medications they ordered to pad their bill, they must work on commission. Then, when my dog got sicker because THEY OVERDOSED HIM, they charged another office visit and another $100 of meds to fix THEIR mistake. They used guilt and high pressure sales tactics to try to get me to pay for hospitalization for an "undetermined" (their words) amount of time, to provide services that I was perfectly capable of handling at home.I can't caution against taking your beloved pet to VESH enough. Not only are they GREEDY, they are inexperienced, callous and worried more about their bottom line than their patients. Read Less

First of all, I wouldn't even give them one star.Secondly, I've already told my friends, family, and colleagues to never bring their beloved animals to this emergency veterinary hospital. To make a long story short after spending 3,000.00 the doctor who performed 2 liver biopsies after still with no diagnosis asked "What were his symptoms again?" Are you kidding me??? I acted immediately and brought him to another veterinary hospital who gave him the best loving care he deserved! I also agree they are money driven!!! I deserve a refund. Read Less

We had never been here before but were referred by another fantastic veterinarian when we knew it was time to euthanize our beloved dog, Nike. Our son had to finish work so that he could be there and the place we were also treated with much compassion was going to close at one (it was a Saturday of a Memorial Day weekend) so they referred us here to be seen later in the day. In addition to being an amazingly compassionate service who can see you when you've never been their patient before, they are open 24 hours! They are in a beautiful country setting in a clean and modern new-looking building. We were happy with what we saw when we drove up, after spending 40 minutes in the car with my lovely Nike in my lap. We walked in to find staff smiling and immediately keying into our pained expressions, asking us softly what we could do. There was business to be done, of course, but I barely filled out the form when I was distracted and the girl took it and said it was ok, I didn't have to do any more. They called triage to the front and within 2 minutes someone appeared and asked us what we needed,and we told her. It went very smoothly from there; quickly we were given a room to spend time in, as much as we needed. Ten or so minutes later, someone asked us if we were ready for a dr or did we need more time. They made us feel that they had nothing else to attend to all evening, except to care for us. When the dr came in, and I am sorry I cannot remember her name because she was fantastic, she also made sure we knew this was all about us. She explained everything to us in a soft, caring voice and watched us for signs of other concerns before doing anything. She offered us the option of going outside in a little garden area on a bench to do this, and we opted for that since Nike's favorite thing was to be outside. Again, we took our time saying goodbye, and this lovely doctor, a wonderful person whose calling in life is clearly to be a veterinarian to care for well loved pets and their owners, made us feel as though she did not have another thing to do or think about for the rest of the evening, but take care of us. What a blessing this place was for us! If you need emergency or specialty care for your pet, you are doing the right thing to bring him or her here. I don't know if they do regular vet services, but if they do, and you live within 30 miles, you would do well to bring him or her to this veterinary office. As it is, if I ever own another dog, I will bring her here for any special or emergency service. It is so completely worth a drive from anywhere! A true blessing! Read Less

Be aware of this hospital, they are very dishonest and very uncaring. My puppy suffered a deep corneal laceration to the eye that required immediate care by an ophthalmologist, our vet referred us and we were on our way 1.5 hours south, upon arriving we were told the DVM had to leave and could not wait anymore. No Phone call to us or nothing they then said sorry you will have to continue another 1.5 hours east to the next closest ophthalmologist, Thanks and have a great day!!! Horrible place and no compassion for animals. They would not even attempt to call the Dr. back in given the fact this was an emergency and we drove 1.5 hours just to get there, what kind of animal hospital would do such a thing. Cannot recommend this place at all. Read Less

Horrible experience. The vet I dealt with was an angry, entitled woman who did not care about my pet, me or the potential costs. I brought my pet to my regular vet as soon as they opened and he was taken in made comfortable and with 2 simple tests was given a diagnosis and therefore a plan of action all at about 1/4 of the cost I was quoted at this hospital. My advice is to go here only if it is a life or death emergency and plan to spend some unnecessary money. Otherwise, wait until your regular vet opens, they will be more caring and understanding of not only 1st steps for what your pet needs, but also what you are going through and the financial considerations. Read Less