• Report: #763551

Complaint Review: VCA howell branch animal hospital

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  • Submitted: Wed, August 10, 2011
  • Updated: Thu, August 11, 2011

  • Reported By: mariane06 — winter park Florida United States of America
VCA howell branch animal hospital
10104 howell branch road winter park, Florida United States of America

VCA howell branch animal hospital vet jeaninne antonacci Worst Veterinary clinic, horrible experience, abusive to customers, improper testing diagnosis, lack of care rudeness winter park, Florida

*Author of original report: more reports on VCA clinics everywhere---many

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This is the worst vet clinic ive ever been to in my life..do not risk taking your pets to this nightmare of a place. This place makes banfield look ok, ie it's worse than banfield and that says enough.  My experience here was nothing short of a nightmare with an incompetent rude and abusive vet, bad techs---everyone here is bad... not only did my animal receive improper care and diagnosis, I had to wait two hours and be yelled at and treated badly in order to get it. After all the hell I went through who knows if it was even the correct diagnosis.  

This is not about the VCA division in general as im sure they have good service/care of animals and pets and can't judge them by any means. But this is towards the horrible animal clinic located on howell branch road...my experience here was nothing short of horrific and ive been to many vets in my life and have NEVER received such awful care, incompetency, bad treatment, lack of doing anything for the animal, poor customer care, rudeness etc...you get the picture...

I would have easily walked out but i have chronic fatigue and was very sick with the flu and my cat was in need of urgent care and it took me a lot to get her there...what I had to go through was waiting almost TWO HOURS...just to get her eye checked out...she had an infection or conjunctivitis...any other vet would have done a quick exam, prescribed her medication and let me go on my way...but this nightmare of a place almost kept me there by making me wait and WAIT unnecessarily for no reason...almost discarding me while they took care of others...and kind of threw me on the side and on top of that treated me rudely and badly and almost like a third class citizen. Also, they advertise these FREE exams for first time pets---beware of them!! For they will treat you like trash and a thief for using these coupons...and almost treat you as if you're getting free vet care and won't do anything for you except make you wait, suffer and get upset/angry and make your poor animal wait while it is stressed out etc...

Ive never witnessed such incompetency and RUDENESS and lack of consideration or care by a staff like that in my life...not just by making people wait unnecessary wait times, but not caring about anything, a Veterinarian being EXTREMELY rude and almost abusive to someone with a pet...and treating a customer so horribly...the vet here was Jeaninne AntoNacci and she was a monster...they advertise here about the great care they give their first time clients...but I was treated nothing more than a thief, and like trash just for walking in the door and trying to get my pet some care.

When I first went I was on time for my appointment, and then waited in the waiting room...Then the girl asked me if i wanted to wait in a room and i said sure--I was taken to a room and then proceeded to have to wait 30 minutes...I heard as they checked out several patients and then was told that the people in the back were doing x-rays or something of that sort...ok sure..that's fine but if they aren't checking out patients...why are they sorting x-rays rather than making a patient wait over 30 minutes...(i know how doctor and vet clinics work as many of my family members are doctors and ive been to many vets and rarely do they make someone wait that long who has an appointment time)...esp vets...

so I guess they were going over other things and just couldn't care to tend to me though my situation was a basic exam and simple check up (hmm wonder how they handle serious situations if they cant even tend to a basic small problem)...finally after me having to ask them numerous times, the doctor finally came in... no vet tech beforehand...which again isn't the way things are usually done...it seems as if my appointment was just a bother to them and they had no time to tend to my appt...and when I asked the girl at the front desk she seemed kind of peeved or just careless...finally the doctor came in and seemed nice enough and did a basic semi checkup but i had a lot of questions that i couldn't end up asking of course...

she recommended one test and then went to get me an estimate on the test then a vet tech came back with the estimate...I wanted to speak to someone I know really fast abuot the price so I went to make a phone call and a few minutes later- i got back to tell them my decision and next thing I know I was told they were doing a 'euthanasia' in the next room---err wtf??? they had to tell and inform me...as if that made any sense---hmm ive already waited an hour so far with nothing and for a very simple test that would be fast and now im having to wait for a 'euthanasia"...very unprofessional and disgsuting...

its as if theyre trying to say...hey...the doctor is busy so you have to wait...longer...it was done very rudely and strangely...so now im hearing an animal scream and not sure what is going on ...and have to wait 'longer' for an eye dye test... that's nice...they couldn't have done the test earlier...or did anything...im not sure if they had more patients but i didnt notice any or many...again if this is how procedures are done i can get it but most vets, come in fast, take a look at the animal...the tech comes first, then the vet...they do the necessary tests within a time frame and then you go... so far it had been an hour wait...with no patients around...and then im on the phone for a few minutes and now i have to wait 30 minutes more...

really ridiculous and strange...and they didn't seem to care its almost as if they could care less...though I told the girl before I was sick with the flu and if they could try to hurry or do something...it seems the only way they would tend to my pet is if I forced them to or complained--otehrwise i dont think they would have entered my room. Also when the vet entered my room she said "you have the free exam coupon"...as if...that's why they were treating me like crap---and that's exactly what it seemed...because I had the 'free coupon' they were treating me lower than dirt and making me wait almost two hours for a simple eye diagnosis that in the end only took one minute or less...it was horrible...

Then, I was waiting for the 'euthanasia"...which I guess the vet decided to do in between my appointment or who knows what....also I found it very unprofessional and sick that these idiots came into my room to tell me about a euthanasia next door---that was so unprofessional and wrong of them to do....and though i dont know anything abotu procedures like that, it just didn't make much sense...why did I have to wait 45 minutes for someone to even see my pet while they were doing paperwork in the back...and then wait an extra hour for a euthanasia? My cat had an eye infection...its a simple diagnosis and I should have been on my way within 30 minutes...I finally asked the front desk girl are they going to see me? or do the eye dye test??

Ive been waiting over an hour? then when I walked back in...the doctor was in there trying to do the 'eye dye test"...literally...she put dye in the eye...put a lamp over it...and that was it---she gave a diagnosis in less than a minute...what a horrible situation and vet...i waited over an hour so this monster could do a test in less than a minute and give a shoddy diagnosis...i dont care if shes a vet or not how can you diagnose a condition in less than a minute and in that way...was it even a correct diagnosis who knows?? its wasnt even less than a minute it was 2-3 seconds...and that's it?? this is some of the WORST treatment you can receive...sit there and wait two hours so a monster can hold a lamp over your pet for 2-3 seconds and say...ok it's this....she barely held the light over my cat and gave a bad diagnosis...how can a vet even do this or get away with it? and worse... it was done...

I just wanted my prescription so I could leave... I was sick with the flu had to go to work and was halfway delirious by this time...the vet said it would take "MORE TIME" to get a prescription---huh?? she said rudely you can eitehr wait for the script or i can call it in to a pharmacy later....im thinking...wait for how long? she said...well i dont know and i said...well it takes one minute to write a prescription? She rudely very coldly looked at me as if i was fussing and then loudly and meanly said MAAMMMM I HAVE THIS DOG TO TEND TO and something else and then left...wow...wtf?? aer you serious?? SHe was beyond rude and so mean...cruel in fact and seeemd as if her only intention was to stand there and abuse me and put me through as much hell as possible...after I alraedy had waited 1.5 hours...with bad treatment a horrible diagnosis...how can a vet operate in this horrible way just for having free coupons?? This shouldn't be legal... she had no right to be so rude to me just for nicely asking if I could have a prescription...

she said she had already came in to do the eye dye thing...and left the dog....worse who knows if she even washed her hands in between a 'euthanasia' and doing a testing on my cat...it didn't seem like she did...and then i went to the front desk girl to ask her what i could do...about the perscription...i said the vet said seh was giong to call it in---the girl said "ok sure..just give us a number"...i said my phone was dead and i didnt have a pharmacy number if she could help me out-- she refused and said we had to get it ourselves---huh?? after having to wait 1.5 hours...now...for an eye dye test which took less than a minute...and being treated like dirt...and not tended or cared to while my poor cat is stressed and so upset...

while im sick and waiting for animal care...she cant look up one pharmacy for a patient? i was shocked again....worse who knows if that incompetent clinic would even call in a prescription and the way they had alraedy treated me so badly, i didn't trust them at all.. .and then went to charge my phone...by the time i came back in...a prescription had been written for me...(really so the doctor just took it upon herself to insult and yell at me and not tell me it could just be five minutes)...and then I was there to check out...wow what a nightmare?? Then the girl...charged me for a test...was rude...and as she gave me my CC she kind of rudely slapped it down as if "get out of here" type attitude or just rude... my poor cat had been sitting there two hours for no reason...and the worst part was---NOTHING was done...

i had to wait that long for a lousy perscription...nothing was done to help her eye...and even the exam was nothing and there was nothing done and I had questions about the cat but couldn't get aruond to asking them because the doctor was unavailable 95% of the time I was there...I waited 1.5- 2 hours for a prescription for an eye drop...and had to go through hell...get upset...be treated like dirt... ive never had such bad treatment in my life at any vet's office ever---never such incompetent stupid treatment...and never been yelled at rudely and talked down to by a mean cruel vet who couldn't write a prescription that took one minute...and had to treat a patient like dirt...

this is the WORST animal clinic you can ever take your pet to...do not make the mistake of having to endure the hell i had to go through...an incompetent very mean and nasty vet...bad techs...everyone there was bad it seems...the front desk girl was rude and weird...no one cared about a patient...and dont ever use their FREE coupon because basically it means if you come in with it-- you will be treated lower than a thief and your pet wont even be attended to unless you continuously ask them to take care of your pet----not only did i have to go through 2 hours of hell of waiting...i had to force them to even come in the room to see my pet...and really nothing was done except a lame prescription and who knows if the diagnosis was even correct---for she took about 10 seconds to look into the cat's eye to check out to see what was wrong with it---

this is horrific shoddy incompetent sick service...how can a vet treat an animal in need in this way or any animal in need...I understand maybe they were putting an animal down but i find it odd how within 2 minutes of my leaving a euthanasia suddenly began and then that was it---that's how these monsters do business...?? treat patients like trash who have animals in need who come in for care---make them purposely and unnecessarily wait two hours and not even give them an accurate and proper diagnosis and seem to just want to charge them money for a test that wasnt even seemingly properly done??? stay away from this nightmare of a clinic...im surprised this palce is even in business...dont risk your animal to the care of these very sick messed up incompetent and awful people
also to add teh way they treated me-- anyone would have walked out long ago...i wanted to walk out many times because there was no care or treatment for my pet...but it took me so much to get there b/c i was so sick and my cat needed it so badly that I had no choice but to stay---and wait and wait...but these people won't care for your pet if you have a free coupon...they just make you wait...several hours...and treat you like someone on the side they'll tend to when they feel like it and really that won't be ever...you have to make them tend to your pet...and when they do they make you wait longer...for something then for a test---then they refuse to write you a prescription right away though they can but just don't want to...and the vet even yells at you rudely in a very cold and mean abusive way...

the people here are abusive to patients and clients...and even to some pets who they apparently don't care to treat properly...my cat obviously didn't even receive proper testing treatment or diagnosis since the diagnosis was given in a time frame of 4-10 seconds or less literally...that isn't a proper diagnosis at all and these monsters actually charge you for this hideous kind of cruel service...beware of this bad clinic and how they treat animals and people coming in...I also dont even know if the diagnosis that was given my pet was accurate or not since it was given in less than a minute or 30 seconds in between 'euthanizing an animal" which is horrific....and doubt hands were washed and proper cleaning procedures were taken based on teh lack of doing anything correctly or decently or normally at this stupid clinic....

based on reading other reports about the VCA animal clinics I would be weary of taking an animal to any of these clinics as the incompetency rate seems high and they only seem to be out for making money.....also don't buy into their free exam hoax as it's just a way for these scumbags to get you in their clinics so they can charge you exorbitant fees for unnecessary tests and do nothing about helping out or taking care of a pet....don't trust these people at all apparently and this clinic being one of the worst....

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 08/10/2011 09:48 PM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/VCA-howell-branch-animal-hospital/winter-park-Florida-/VCA-howell-branch-animal-hospital-vet-jeaninne-antonacci-Worst-Veterinary-clinic-horrible-763551. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.


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#1 Author of original report

more reports on VCA clinics everywhere---many

AUTHOR: mariane06 - (United States of America)

more reports on VCA... just warning people out there...
vca's everywhere apparently



Never again
Anonymous 1 VCA East Colonial Animal Hospital
I took my bunny here for a lump on its neck. It didn't seem to be bothering him but it scared me. The vet removed it and when I took him home he didn't seem to be breathing properly. I woke up to a dead bunny the next morning. I wish the vet would've just advised me not to remove the lump if it was such a risky procedure.

I brought my cat in for a common eye infection this week and this vet is too expensive...I feel pretty ripped off.

The rate for an exam is $65, and it is usually about $40 at other vets. Way too high. I have also never paid as much as I did for pet meds before! You can fill pet prescriptions at Walmart or online for a much better price. In the end, I was stuck with an almost $200 bill for a very common eye infection in cats and I just don't see any reason why it should have cost that much. I was just none the wiser at the time so ended up paying it because I wanted my cat to get well and I didn't know what the true price of these meds were. After some research, I realized I was seriously ripped off. I found the same meds in 3 different places for more than 50% less. I saw Dr. Milanowski. I also feel she prescribed a second medication that was unnecessary.

I would recommend going somewhere else where you can get a fair price for the exam, but if you do go here, ask for a script and fill your pet meds elsewhere because you are paying a huge premium at VCA for pet meds.

I personally am going to find a new vet with better prices. I want my cat to have good care, but I just don't have the money to pay unnecessarily and I think a lot of other people are in the same position.

I've been going to this vet for two years. I am extremely unhappy with them. Whenever I go in for routine annual exams, they push extra (and costly!) services that my dog does not need. The one time my dog was sick (vomiting, diarrhea), I had to sit in the waiting room with him for over three hours. When a vet finally took a look at him, she left and returned with $900 worth of treatment she wanted to do that included x-rays, an overnight stay, an IV, medicine, blood work, stool sample testing, etc. We had no discussed any of this beforehand, but I had told her that I knew for a fact he had not eaten anything poisonous or indigestable for at least three days because he had been in my presence non-stop over the weekend. I talked her down to treatment that cost $120. I felt like I was dealing with a used car salesman while there. Also, they will not let you see your dog being treated, even if it is just a shot. You have to wait in the waiting room while they take your dog.

1 My daughter was caring for my african grey and the grey got sick. I was out of town and told her to take the bird here, as we used to see this vet for it's regular care. They refused to look at the bird because we had no appointment, they told my daughter to go all the way across town to a vet we had never been to. The bird died on the way. The particular vet we used to see was there and available which is the bad thing. Yeah, I got a call after I complained from the owner that he was so sorry they messed up. This is the worst and most overpriced place we ever went to--stay away.

normally go to the VCA Animal Hospital on Elston. I needed to get a flight certificate so my dog and I could fly to California. I live near Water Tower and I decided that it wouldnt make a difference if we went to our normal vet and I made an appointment with VCA Lake Shore. I have gotten a certificate at least 10 times on Elston and I think the cost is under $40. I took my dog to VCA Lake Shore today and my bull was $97!!! The exam was $65 and all they did was take his temperature, check his breathing and look at his teeth! Then the cost for them to write the information on the travel form was $27!!! To write like 20 words down. I WILL NEVER GO BACK!!! What a rip off. It will be well worth the drive to my normal vet

My little dog's eye was popped out of socket, so we took him to vca fort worth animal hospital. we wanted them to remove the eye, however they insisted that they could save his eye. So now, 1100 dollars, five days later, and one serious eye infection later... Lil boy will have to return to a different vet next week to get his eye removed. After only a few short days, the stitches which were suppose to stay in tact for 3 weeks, came out resulting in his eye rupturing?. we too him back to vca and they almost had us arrested because we refused to pay $300'.00 just for discussing this serious problem with doctor|.This is ridiculous! We never even talked to the vet the night of surgery.. These people just don't care that they botched my dog's eye up and have caused him such a serious infection that they can't even do surgury until some of the infection is gone?. Only five days have gone by... This is ridiculous and I am going to sue them and file a complaint against them. They could of at least made it right by fixing it instead of trying to charge even more money! come on Animal rights activist! Where are you?? help shut this complany down. There are so many complainst filed against them already.. 9f82

VCA animal hospital is clean and the staff is friendly for the most part. However, after taking new puppy there for a wellness check, I was floored by their pricing. Even with a coupon for a free initial visit, I ended up paying over $150.00 for medication for an ear infection and antibiotics for a cough. And they tried to add a de-wormer in as well without even telling me!

When asked if I wanted to schedule next visit or call back...well you can guess what I told them.

I just felt like they were all about the money. 9be0

VCA Southwick Animal Hospital - Run away from them, don't walk

Anesthesia was not necessary to groom him!! Try and convince someone else that his head was kept still and elevated the entire time he was being groomed. I know with out a doubt Southwick Animal Hospital killed my dog. I will never return to VCA Southwick Animal Hospital in Massachusetts. I brought in a healthy dog and left two weeks later with a box of ashes. Also, the initial surgery was DOUBLE the estimate. I paid it and then incurred thousands of dollars more to try and save my dog. They did not want to release his ashes until there was a zero balance. I have been a long time client and have spent almost $10, 000 there this year...?.and yet inspite of them making a surgical error that killed my precious dog, I was told I couldn't have the ashes". In my opinion, Southwick is OK for routine shots but go elsewhere for surgery, even if it is routine surgery". Now that I am asking around, I am hearing other horror stories of animals that died there as a result of improper anesthesia protocal!. Nothing will bring my dog back'. I had him 11 years...and he deserved so much better in the end then to be some jr Vets mistake. a0be

Experimental Surgery at VCA
VCA Animal Hospital Complaint by DogLover9

You were reading a complaint about VCA Animal Hospital.

Filing a new complaint about
VCA was our regular vet until we got a new puppy. They examined her, and said that her bladder was in the wrong place and that they could use laparoscopic surgery for her spay and to fix her bladder. This, or course, cost a lot of money. I was wary and we got a second opinion.

The second vet (now our new vet) asked for the original exam results from VCA. Apparently VCA needed to fill her bladder in order to get a picture for the diagnosis. VCA could not produce the tests, and apparently never filled her bladder to examine it. They also just got the equipment and had never done this surgery before. Turns out laparoscopic surgery isn't so great either, and would have caused some serious issues for our puppy because of an unusual placement of some blood vessels?. She is fine now mainly because we dropped VCA".

Go somewhere else for vet care, . VCA wants to sell expensive often unnecessary procedures that you don't need;. At least get a second opinion from another vet before you spend a lot of money?. VCA also does not respond well to questions especially if you are questioning their procedures, pricing or have other issues, even of you are pleasant about it. a13a

wanted to bring my dog to TUFTS Vet Hosp when VCA told me they had never seen this type of reaction to anesthesia before. They talked me out of it saying I could do the same thing at home that Tufts would do. VCA was wrong. I was a mess and counting on the so called professionals to help guide me. I had every reason to believe the Vet. In the end, a cold heartless VCA vet told me my dog would starve to death and never told me what she based that statement on. She never even touched the dog but stoof at the counter. I needed her guidance to understand why he got sick the night before. I wish she had asked me about his eating pattern throughout the week but she just focused on the fact he was losing weights...becasue her vet told me to sryinge force feed him which he resisted. Maybe had they told me to try letting him eat on his own he would have. There were so many misses and lack of communication at the VCA hospital I took my dog to. But to tell a client with an urgent care dog NOT to go to TUFTS, makes me think that VCA was worried a real hospital with experienced staff would see VCA's mistake...that ultimately killed my dog. VCA was not proactive at all. I hate VCA! I think they push procedures and tests and have inexperienced vets who don't know what they are doing. Our pets are not for practice.

Written by One unappreciated Cat! on November 23, 2010

I'm a VCA employee and often feel ashamed to work for them. They are more about the dollar than the actual care for your pet. Everything is overpriced and they try to get us to sell packages with lab work that can be useful;however is not needed. I've been there 5yrs and never recieved a raise. I speak for most employees on that. They do not appreciate their employees. The economy's down and their stocks were up but still no love for the few employees who really work hard. Take your free exam and run. Sad to say!

Written by Stay away from VCA on July 9, 2011

Never go to a VCA Animal they steal your money.

3. Written by No Longer a VCA DVM! on June 10, 2011

I also left VCA, because of the way they bleed people for money.

4. Written by No Longer a VCA Doctor! on March 26, 2011

I can no longer be a DVM for them because of what they charge people just to have their pets cared for.

have a constipated dog and took him to the VCA. 2 days and $2100 later I still have a very sick and very constipated dog. They didnt do ANYTHING except run a bunch of tests, hold him for two days, increase charges, and administer TWO Enemas a day. The things they were charging for were ridiculous! $85 dollars to administer shots. Not counting the price of the medication that was being given. $40 for an IV dispenser rental. Thats right; they charged me a daily rental fee on the bag holder for my dogs IV?. Unacceptable".

This was one of the worst experiences of my pet owning life|. I feel used and fully taken advantage of, . I will forever and always recommend against the VCA to everyone I meet from here on out'. Greed in your moment of weakness is their business plan. a35c

I saved me dog when VCA tried to KILL him
VCA Animal Hospital Complaint

You were reading a complaint about VCA Animal Hospital.

Filing a new complaint about
I have been a client at vca valley animal med center in Indio for many years seeing Dr. William Farber for acupuncture with MIRACULOUS RESULTS. When Benson, my 10 year old St. Bernard mix showed signs of bloating, I rushed him there. THEY DID NOTHING TO HELP HIM, JUST LET HIM LIE THERE FOR NEARLY 2 HOURS SO HIS STOMACH WOULD TWIST. I rushed him out of there when I found out that against protocol and owner instruction THEY WITHHELD EMERGENCY TREATMENT. I have reported it to the Cal Vet Board, BBB has now downgraded their rating for their failure to complete the resolution process. Also, there excuse -- he seemed stable and they didn't think I could afford treatment?. Didn't know i had to dress up in my best clothes the rush my dog for emergency care in the middle of the night, .

Good news -- I found a place about 80 miles away, rushed him there, and despite VCA's attempt to either kill him or wait to the last moment before death to try to bring him back BENSON SURVIVED!.

The Doctor was rude, incompetent, and started immediately with scare tactics eventually telling me the dog's condition was so bad he would DIE in TWO HOURS..

I'm suing them;. I'll let you know what happens. a629

VCA Howell Branch Animal Hospital
Review from DiDi B.
7 friends14 reviewsDiDi B.
Casselberry, FL
8/6/2010 I went here for years and never saw the same veteranrian or staff member. Makes you wonder. I also felt they were always trying to upsell me on products and services. The last 2 times I went I waited 30 - 45 minutes in the exam room waiting and waiting no one came in to let me know what wa going on. So i walked out and told the receptionist of the day I was taking my business elsewhere. And I did.

Crestwood VCA in Ridgecrest, Ca is horrible, we brought our dog in for an EMERGANCY because he was seizing and he was falling over, couldn't walk and they left him on the floor in the waiting room for 30 min while they continued to take regular appointments ahead of us. The vet tech looked at him from over 6 ft away and says "he's fine"... Really?! Once we finally got in a room we waited in a room for another 10 min while my dog was condition worsened. My husband insisted on a vet to come in, she came and took vitals then left again. Associate Veterinarian Catherine Nieh, came in took his vitals and said he was "not in a seizure" she left. While she was gone his condition worsened. She had no idea what was wrong and really didnt try to figure it out. She tried to give us anti inflammatory and antibiotics. Really how can you prescribe something if you dont know whats wrong. We refused the drugs as she was prescribing them blindly and we left, but not before they charged us Emergency fees and I told them all off. How could you trust these people with your best friend in an emergency???!! WE took our dog to Tehachapi and we saw the team at The Veterinary Hospital, Dr Komin is awesome. Our dog WAS in fact in a seizure and now probably had brain damage from being in it so long. Dr Komin did blood tests and gave him meds to get him out of the seizure right away. They took care of our boy and though he did not make it, we felt much better with the care and attention we got in Tehachapi. I would not recommend Crestwood VCA to ANYONE, not even someone I didnt like?. They just flat out do not care; you can tell the moment you walk in!. Caring is something you really can't fake and they dont even bother to try, . The whole staff was really heartless

took my beloved cat to VCA in Albuquerque, NM and they torchured her with treatment, upon treatment for her cancer. They then called to tell me that she was ready to be picked up and offered a good prognosis. Prior to her scheduled release (after a week) they decided to give her an unauthorized blood transfusion. I went to pick her up and was told that she was doing great. They brought her out and she was unable to walk, keep her head up (it drooped), and as soon as we got her into the car, she began to vomit and had uncontrollable bowl movements. Within 24 hours it was obvious she was not going to make it?. She refused food, and still could not walk or lift her head!. We took her to a local country vet and he said it was time to say goodby.. The $3, 500/.00 bill was eventually cut in half as they agreed that she was improperly treated!. After many years of loving this animal it still hurts that she had to die the way she did; it has been over 6 years and I am shocked that these mutilators are still in business

You were reading a complaint about VCA Animal Hospital.

Filing a new complaint about
I took a very, very badly injured kitten to VCA Palmetto Animal Hosp. in Conway, South Carolina and over 30 min?. later they finally decided they could see him!. They wanted to stablize him:.(he had a very bad injury in the shoulder and could not use his leg at all) They waited 4 DAYS before they xrayed and took him to surgery!. He died because of the severity of his injuries and lack of concern by VCA". AND they charged me almost $900.00. NEVER AGAIN. I love animals and believe they have a right to decent care and I don't mind paying but they let him down, me down and all animal lovers everywhere. b253

vca se animal hospital is not an emergency night shift clinic. We took our healthy dog to this fake clinic with stomach bloat. The vet on staff (dr. allen) could not figure out what to do so he sedated our healthy dog and put him in a cage?. He died 4 hours later of a horrifying and painfull death!. This clinic is not a 24 hour emergency clinic|.We are currently trying to get them to remove their outside sign which states that they are a 24 hour emergency clinic.. They are really being mean, unwilling to replace our dead dog, we are taking them to court.. Please do not go to this clinic if you love your dog or cat. b309

My dog was at home chewing a rawhide when we noticed that she started to choke on it. We opened her mouth and could see the rawhide but when we tried to get out we couldn't because it was lodged so tightly in. Our dog was having a hard time breathing. My wife put her in the car and was rushing her to the vet who is only a few minutes away and is the closest animal hospital to us. I stayed behind with a very shaken up 7 year old and called the vet and explained what was happening and that they would be there soon. I thought that way they could be ready. I was told by the evening manager Sarah that they wouldn't see my dog because they didn't have any appointments left for the day. I told her that it was an emergency, my dog was having problems breathing and she told me again they wouldn't see her. She then tried to refer me to another VCA hospital 30 minutes away. I again told her that my dog was choking and was having a hard time breathing...thinking she must not understand this was an emergency. That my dog wouldn't make it the other other VCA hospital that it was too far away. She told me she understood this but they still wouldn't see my dog. I was so upset I hung up the phone. I told this woman no less than 6 times my dog was choking and having a hard time breathing and she kept telling me they wouldn't see her. My wife decided to go there anyway and demand that they treat our dog. Luckily as she was getting her out of the car she coughed it up.

Aside from the obvious what concerns me is: How does someone who works at a vet turn away an animal in an obvious crisis? And yes this hospital is large with multiple vets and able to handle situations like this. Another concern is they told me to take her to another VCA hospital 30 minutes away when about 15 minutes from there was a pet emergency hospital. They know about this hospital because the vet used to be one of a few in our area that took turns working there at night before he sold out to VCA.

When we called back to speak with the vet we were told we couldn't speak with him. Sarah also told us that it was their protacall to send clients to the other VCA even in an emergency situation like ours. Not to send them to a non VCA emergency hospital. How is this right?. We were also told had we just showed up they would have assessed our dog:. Even though on the phone we were told they wouldn't treat her'. So our response was so we shouldn't call you to give you a heads up we should just come in". The woman just laughed!. I thank god that our dog was able to cough it up on her own because in the confusion created by Sarah at VCA our innocent dog could have died all because VCA is greedy and there staff obviously doesn't put animals lives first. b3bf

vca caused the death of my sister's otherwise healthy, happy 5 yo black lab. The dog obviously needed Doxycycline for treatment of Lyme disease. The vet in question failed to listen to my sister's repeated concerns and requests for antibiotic. The vet said that antibiotic would compromise a clean catch urine sample...no not true. Early goal directed antibiotic would not have hurt this dog and antibiotic use could have been noted on the urinalysis lab order.Instead my sister was given a laundry list of expensive unnecessary tests including $600 for dental work. My sister was made to feel like a bad pet owner if she didnt go to this expense.The dog's lab work clearly pointed to advancing lyme. A second highly competent vet was consulted when this poor sweet dog could not walk . She deteriorated rapidly with all the stages of severe septic shock including renal failure, low platelets and intractable vomiting?. Sadly IV fluids and IV Doxy could not stave off her death:. The family made the heart wrenching, unselfish decision to let her go, . She died surrounded by her family on her lawn.. VCA did indeed misdiagnose her illness;. They failed to listen to the owners of this dog who knew her best. b49d

3000.00 OR GET OUT !

My puppy flew in with American Airlines, arrived in horrible condition. Puppy Pnemonia...VCA in weymouth charged me 489.00 for two hours of fluids and antibiotic, wanted to keep puppy for two more days. FOR 3000.00 !!! I couldnt believe it ! If you cant pay it up front, you go home with a pup that may not make it...I was given an atibiotic and sent on my way... I have been steaming her, to loosen up lungs and patting her ribs to get the fluid out of her lungs, she is 50% better and eating well. its been a week now. What if I couldnt make her better... what if i had a small child with me? Do these animal hospital staff members realise what they are doing? Maybe its just me, but pup pnemonia can be fatal..its okay with you that if i dont have 3000.00 right this minute then go home and your pet may die overnight !!! where did people go ?? inflation in care for animals is wrong!!!

VCA will lure first time pet owners with discount coupons but you will walk out the door paying higher pricing than other vet hospitals. I was quoted $6, 700 to try and save my dying cat?.

The attending female Vet was very insensitive and laughed at me while facing having to possibly put my cat to sleep:. The lab work arrived late while my cat was dying and the entire experience with them was a nightmare Your pet is nothing but a fury ATM machine to this chain:. Save money and your pet by going to another vet'. My personal experience was with VCA Crosspoint in Fishers, IN?. They are a chain and it's all about upselling their services. b60c

took my Benji pup to VCA office in Cleveland, OH. Dog yelped when she moved him. She told me he was spoiled that's all. My dog had bad hip problems, probably born with it. That's why he cried. The vets there are cold, uncaring people who seem like they don't know what they are doing. Charging ridiculous amounts for sub standard care. Stay away from VCA! Don't jeopardize your pet's health.

Insensitive" is an understatement. I took my cat in and when the Vet walked in she gave me all of the bad things that could be wrong without even looking at my cat. This, to stir the "ATM Machine." Could be cancer, or diabetes.

Uhm, could you please take a look at my cat to see what may be causing him to cough. They wanted to charge over 400 dollars just for tests. I told them to rehidrate my cat, give him some antibiotics injected, and to take home. We got home and my cat went straight to his cat bowl demanding food. Maybe I should be the vet and charge them for my diagnosis of my cat.

My hubs worked for VCA. The one he worked for starved their animals, did not walk them, and the vets were incompetent. He left within a few months. They only care about making money. NEVER go to a VCA - you might as well take your animals to a slaughterhouse.

VCA McClave Animal Hospital Love your Pet? Don't use this Pet Hospital, They lied about his treatment, sent him home sick, Overcharged what they stated. Reseda California

User Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
by the worst place to work and take animals too 05/12/2009
this is ONE of the worst vet animal hospitals around. kennel (T)help kick the animals and hit them, your dog lost weight because they most likely forgot to feed them. That happen a lot because they are not the sharpest tool. The bathers would hit the animal in the tubs or tie them up really tight (hurt them)because i'm sorry there animals and didn't understand yelling. They were always abusing them. A lot of times they didn't take them out to potty they would let them sit and lay in there own crap. (B) the office manager would threaten you and the doctors as well if you didn't over charge try to sneak in chrages that the pet owner never saw. He would make the Dr.'s run teats they didn't need or x-rays just to charge more money. I think he got some sore of kick back. Office staff is very rude and trashy. One office staffer would steal money and animal drugs every night she worked. And if you told someone they wouldn't do anything about it becasue she had been there for about 16+ years. Hello she had also been steal for that long I'm sure. The place is very dirty where they keep the animals not where they would show you the owner but where they really kept the dogs and cats. Lets just say I quit after working there and had the health Dept come in there hummm and then it changed companys once again. What it is it's the same company just different mnames. They have all the same office, bathers, kennel people still there so changing the name does nothing for the place. PLEASE PLEASE don't hurt your animals any more go some where that cares for your animal not your money.

If there were such a thing as a Negative Star I would have selected it!

Dog Abuse!

See the pictures! go Flickr com and search on "VCA Roswell Abuse"

My dog weighed 37 pounds two weeks ago. After 9 days with VCA she weighs 29.5 lbs! This used to be a local vet with people who clearly cared. We have gone to them for over 6 years but today I picked up two of my dogs from the kennel and my pit mix was covered in open bleeding wounds.

Her ribs, spine and hip bones are all sticking out!

I took my cat here tonight because he was shaking his head and gagging/licking the roof of his mouth continually, and just generally lethargic. I am so irritated at the quality of service I received that I am staying up even LATER on a work night to write this review.

For starters, it took almost two hours from the time of arrival until we were finally ready to go. Keep in mind that while there were a few animals that came in after us we were the first to arrive and the last to leave. At one point I actually left the exam room and went to the front desk because I thought they may have forgotten about us.

The vet (I think her name was Dr. Yoo) was completely useless as to what was wrong with my cat. When I mentioned that a relative's cat had recently had the calicivirus and I was concerned it may have been transmitted on my clothing somehow, she didn't seem to know what the calicivirus even was. I know this isn't a rare virus because I've seen posters warning about it in my regular vets office. She also dismissed the idea that he might have anything wrong with his ears (even though he has had ear infections in the past) without bothering to check them. any case, she recommended bloodwork, xrays, checking for feline leukemia, and a full round of shots. I declined, stating if a return visit was necessary I would prefer to take him to his usual vet who is closer to home for those things. I only came to this facility because it was the nearest 24 hour pet hospital. After declining the follow up appointment in favor of taking him to his usual vet, Dr Yoo repeatedly told me to "Just be sure you actually take him to the vet tomorrow". I found the repetition extremely insulting. I wouldn't be sitting in an exam room at 1am, about to pay premium prices for an after hours visit if I didn't care for my pet a great deal.

She ended up giving my cat subcutaneous fluids (which I can appreciate because he was running a fever) and a shot of pain medication. I was also given 2 doses of painkiller for home. After further thought once I got home I am extremely irritated at being charged for the two extra doses when I stated I was planning on taking him to the regular vet first thing in the morning. I really don't want to have him doped up when he is examined in the morning, so the extra doses of pain medication seem like a useless attempt at charging more money. Not to mention I'm not sure why they gave him pain medication in the first place, since they couldn't find any source of pain upon physical examination.

Disappointed that after paying almost $200 I came home with a sick cat that I still have no idea what is wrong with, and is also now all doped up. I won't ever bring another animal here.

UPDATED: He had the kitty flu according to his regular vet, after listening to his lungs. A shot of antibiotics, some vitamins, some rest, and he's on the mend. So bloodwork and xrays because Dr. Yoo couldn't diagnose a simple ailment? Yeah, money grab in my honest opinion. Regular vet also agreed that there was no need for painkillers, so the extra home doses are still sitting in my fridge. Expensive lesson learned.

This place is just after money. People here are heartless minus a few of the ladies upfront. The doctors are always looking for ways to make extra money. I had my dog there for a simple bandage change and the doctor wouldn't change it unless I gt x-ray and did a full examination which will cost me about an extra three hundred. I told them I go to another vet and already had appointment with them next week to do so. She kept sending the nurse back and forth to tell me the message. After that she did change his bandage but when we got him home my dog could barely move cause she messed up bandaging him and we ended up redoing it ourselves. There was medical tape pressed between his paws for no reason and when he moved it made it worse. They also say i didn't pay for one exam which was a lie cause the nurse herself said they never did the exam so now there's a past due amount.
Before this when my puppy got hurt they said he needed surgery and I said no thanks I'll get a second opinion. The doctor said if u don't have the money to take care of te dog give it away. Who says that?!? I was not going to pat over two thousand dollars for something my puppy didn't need. He healed just fine. The doctor kept pushing for surgery Like some tacky used car salesman. These doctors are damn rude. I will never come back here unless it truly is an emergency and if I can't wait until eight am for my other vet. Don't ever come here!

I have taken my cat here several times and will probably never take her back. I went in to get her checked for a urinary tract infection and they took her into another room to give her a blood test and never checked her for the tract infection. I walked out paying $250. I could not believe it!! I diagnosed my cat!! And the vet didn't even touch her expect to draw blood. I was soooo livid. Never again! Heard West Park and Gateway in Tremont are the best on the west side.

VCA Rotherwood Animal Hospital

OMG... Animal Hospital ??? They didn't want to put a muzzle and give regular shots to my partially tranquillized dog. What kind of responsible professionals ? Waste of time and money. I got to find somewhere else who are equipped and can deal with animals

My cat died in their care following a routine neutering. they decided to stop treatment in the morning, and never called me. when he came home covered in blood, they said he had hurt his claw. He really had torn sutures when the hospital staff allowed him to get out of his cage unsupervised. They decided to let him sit in a cage by himself for hours before i picked him up. I was never told what happened until after he died, and I threatened reporting them to the board. Do not take your pet here, please.

Here is what happened to my beloved cat Nina. On June 23rd I took my Nina to VCA for a routine check-up. The vet recommended that I have her teeth cleaned. My cat had a history of a heart murmur. The vet recommended an echocardiogram to determine if it would be safe to anesthesize her. On July 7th Dr. Neil Harpter performed the echocardiogram. He noted that she had "mild to moderate enlargement of the left atrium" three times in his notes, but did not tell us. On July 17th, Nina was anesthesized and had her teeth cleaned. On August 12th Nina suffered congestive heart failure and was admitted to critical care at Angell Memorial Hospital. The diagnosis was restrictive cardiomyopathy which is a fatal condition with a life expectancy of less than a year. Over the next 4 weeks Nina was treated on an outpatient basis at Angell. Her condition did not improve and on September 5th, we elected to have her euthanized. We filed a claim against VCA. The adjuster from Carl Warren & Co. stated in his denial of our claim, that we declined to have all of the recommended treatment and your cat was discharged at owners risk 10 hours after admission according to the Angell Memorial records Information revealed in the investigation reveals that you did not have some medical care performed due to financial reasons, which is any pet owners prerogative. However, Dr. Nevena Nikolajevic, the cardiologist who actually treated Nina at Angell wrote that she had frequent telephone calls and in person conversations with Mrs. Kadis and I (Dr. Nikolajevic) felt she had followed all my instructions to try and make Nina better and had never refused to have any medical test or treatment done that was suggested.

One of my main regrets was that I selected this place for my dog's care. Their services are expensive and they do as many tests as they can. Worst yet, they do not do the tests that matter most and cost the least!!

My dog had an anal sac carcinoma that could have be caught early if they EVER did a rectal exam. For the cost of a physical, this simple exam is the least they could do.

Because they did not, we only caught the cancer once it had spread to his lymph nodes. Last time I brought him in (before the cancer was diagnosed) he has lost weight and they were going to "follow him". Turns out he had inguinal lymph nodes that were so enlarged that a second year Tufts vet student picked it up on a physical!

If that is not incompetence on the part of the VCA staff I do not know what is!! If you want fantastic care go to Tufts vets in Grafton. It is a 40 min ride but worth every minute you will send getting there.

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