On Sunday December 19, my kitty went in to a bit of a health crisis. I called around several 24 hour vets but they had 4-6 hour waits IN the parking lot. It was Western who patched me through to a nurse who was kind enough to help me monitor and assess the kitty-and setting us up to come in for an Emergency visit with an immediate assessment of kitty. My boy stayed at Western for 5 days, some of those days on oxygen and some of them not. I was able to visit him every day and the head vet Dr Maggie was excellent with her constant care and diagnosis. I admit I was worried about the reviews but honestly here is the scoop. My kitty had to visit the hospital THREE times for his pnuemonia that never cleared. Each ER doc was right on with their treatment and all of the vet techs were fabulous with taking care of Sasha each time. Dr Henderson was the final IMV doc that came to help Sasha in April when he had to stay again for another hand full of days. Since my kitties condition was really hard to diagnose (recurring pneumonia that was never really responsive to medicine), we had to decide to do a CT scan on May 31. In the meantime, the vets all did their best to try and help Sasha regardless. I found he had way more intense and expert treatment IN the hospital than at any of his vets at the time who kept tossing more drugs at him. The CT scan helped us to discover that Sasha had extensive lung cancer and treatment wouldn't be possible. As devastating as that was to hear, Dr Henderson tried to hard to help me make those decisions. When she knew I wasn't ready she allowed Sasha to stay in the hospital under oxygen as a final attempt to help him out. I know that deep in her heart she knew he wasn't going to survive...but her compassion was endless. On Sunday June 5th, Sasha passed away on his own even with the excellent care of Dr. Hyatt who had to be the one to see him go. We are nothing but devastated. Sometimes you just can't hear the truth but I am thankful for the incredible attention and care in Sasha's confusing case. I feel like under the guidance of the excellent team, Sasha may have even lived longer than he would have at Christmas time. My advice to all is. GET PET INSURANCE ALWAYS! Sasha's bills between hospital visits, medications, Vets, testing and more came to over $30.000. Thanks to having Trupanion and not ever having had to use it in 7 years, it was a blessing that we could get Sasha all the appropriate testing and diagnosis. Some may say that was a waste of money-but we don't think so.None of us knew how bad his condition was until May 31. It was one very rare disease and I feel Sasha was cared for in the best way we knew how. Also If your kitty is struggling with ANYTHING to do with their lungs...GO TO THE HOSPITAL AND STAY THERE!! Meaning-don't go back to your vets and rely on their Xrays. The hospital will always have their high end equipment that can find and source disease faster than local vets. AND The front desk is amazing. All of the staff whom I've had the pleasure of meeting (Matthew and Jordan and the wonderful lady with the Russian accent), were lovely to me each time I would call or visit. And we visited ALOT!. When Sasha passed, Dr.Hyatt was kind enough to keep him on manual air supply until we could arrive (it was a 40 min drive). She showed compassion and kindness during our shock and sadness. I could finally spend time with Sasha after he passed in the "goodbye" room. It was the first time I could hold him without hearing him struggle to breathe. It was silence that we both had not known for months. Sasha's entrance in to the hospital 3 times and EXIT for the final time were handled with dignity and love. Though I will mourn his loss for the rest of my life, I take great solace in the amazing care that went in to his illness at Western. I will always be grateful and will only ever use this hospital in future and not just for sickness-but always for health and wellness! THANK YOU on behalf of myself and my beautiful Sasha in heaven.

I can't even begin to describe the horrific experience I lived and my dog Lucy did not may 19 that Lucy got into a tussle with a female sibling it was stopped right away but she suffered a severe eye injury we went to my vet in Ramsey who directed us to western pet hospital it says so on the building no when we arrived it's a process because of covid I' was freaking because a year before she had been blinded in her other eye long painful story short 2000$ I've quoted around 700 by 3 vets not this place she was removed physically removed from my arms and I was told that they would treat her .and I went to find money I didn't have everyone I know got to work that after noon after numerous calls I was told that keeping her would cost an further 1000 $ I told the doc I would find a clinic to house her for less fish creek when we went back the told me that they would confirm my arrival at fish creek and it would cost me almost 400 for care up till that point plus she asked about her other eye and the treatment she had received and if she was intact I said she had a appointment but because of covid the earliest was almost the end of summer it was my friends and my impression based on our possible appearance the just was that I was a puppy neglect ing dog fighting p.o.s I told the vet I resented her implication she was brought out after paying the extortion fee for Lucy s care I got my dog back my god..there's the horrible end to this story I picked the house my friends live in for the dogs my Lucy had a verifiable health record I love my Lucy she was and is my best friend I am far better than she for our friendship you see I wasnt a very good person as cps would gladly tell it I have become better as a person she taught me so much I wish our road had been longer for I loved her so much am my upset beyond anything rational you see Lucy saved me and I couldn't save her western did nothing beyond a cone and I.V. I didn't see a dressing or evidence of wound care I only did what many do I brought the pet that means everything to the ANIMAL Hospital................

Booo is all I can say. 11 pm July 27, 2023 we tried to call ahead of our arrival to the 10 Ave SW location, no answer. We arrived at the location, there were 2 vehicles in the parking lot. I assumed they must not be busy and hoped to get our dog in right away. I went to the front door and I was buzzed into the clinic. I explained to the woman at the front desk that our dog was in serious distress. He could not get up and could not walk. He was in obvious pain and was panting very heavily. He had diarrhea, and had vomited. I was told that there was nobody that could possibly see us so I would have to take him to another one of their clinics. I found this incredibly cruel as we had a very sick dog. How disgustingly uncompassionate, and unacceptable is that from a 24/7 emergency animal hospital is that. The woman was so matter of fact that there would be no service for our sick dog. Well I called the other VCA 24/7 emergency location and was told that it would be 2-3 hours of wait time. No asking about if our dog was in distress or if it was an emergency. I can not believe how bad this was. Worst service that I have ever experienced from a vet service. Terrible. I have had dogs my whole life so I have dealt with many veterinarians. 99% have all cared about animals but I guess there is one percent that is reserved for our experience last night. We called Alpine veterinary emergency hospital on McLeod Trail. They were awesome and helped us get our bulldog on the road to recovery. Alpine displayed what should have happened in the first place. I will never take any pets to VCA emergency animal hospital ever again. Alpine has my business of caring for our pets.

Our thirteen year old cat, Billy, received top notch care from the doctors and specialists at Western over the past three months. Dr. Hyndman and Dr. Pare demonstrated a level of care and compassion that is second to none. There were many instances that Dr. Hyndman could have had a receptionist, vet tech or nurse call to book an appointment or provide follow up information. However, he consistently took time to personally connect with us. His sincerity, honesty and professionalism were much appreciated as we navigated some muddy waters and made some difficult decisions. Dr. Hyndman always explained our options thoroughly and took time to validate and answer our questions; he even reached out to other specialists and colleagues to ensure he was providing us with the most comprehensive information possible. The words "thank you" just don't seem sufficient for the phenomenal care that he and the surgery team provided for Billy. We could not have asked for a more dedicated and caring surgeon. Likewise, we are thankful to Dr. Pare, from internal medicine, for her assistance and care for Billy. Again, she always acted with care and compassion. Also, a huge thank you to the emergency and critical care teams for the times that Billy needed weekend treatments, and for helping us through her final moments when we made the impossible decision to say goodbye earlier this week. I would not hesitate to recommend Western VCA to anyone seeking emergency or specialty care for their beloved companion. The facility not only has knowledgeable and skilled doctors, but also demonstrates a commitment to care and compassion that truly equates to the best possible treatment.

I would recommend avoiding this clinic if possible. Your animal's wellbeing takes a backseat to their billings. I was told that if I declined a $3,000 image (which two nurses said was ineffective for our scenario) they could "slit my dog's neck artery by mistake and he would bleed out on the table and die". This was then followed by them looking up my then current vet who they said "was not qualified to do the procedure" (this vet owned their own practice) and that taking his care elsewhere would be dangerous. They maintained that their surgeons were the only safe option. This was for an abscess, which is by all accounts the most basic of emergency procedures. After this I was quoted upwards of $15,000 plus roughly $1,200 in daily monitoring charges (they prescribed two days). We took our dog's care elsewhere the following day and paid roughly 11% of what we were quoted after paying ~$2,000 to have our dog monitored for less than 36 hours at the VCA. They put him on fluids and did not administer requested painkillers (as confirmed by his records). Again, this was for a basic procedure, and we were told if we discharged him he would lose his priority in the surgery queue. We only kept him there in case we could not secure another option. I will credit the surgeon who called the next morning. She was great with questions, and followed up with me personally after I requested the discharge. When I told her why we took our dog's care elsewhere, she sighed and said she understood. There were other disappointing items within this experience, but in the interest of time I think I've made my point. We will not be returning to this clinic.

We had to take our 5 year old Pomeranian mix in on Saturday after he ingested some multivitamins. They promptly proceeded with the correct treatment to contact pet poison control and subsequently pump his stomach and start him on IV fluids. Our dog had to stay for 48 hours over to weekend to be monitored and run periodic blood panels to ensure his organs (kidney, liver) were functioning properly. Throughout his stay he was given top quality care and lots of affection. He did not want to leave when we picked him up! I was quite upset understandably when he initially had to leave him, and the staff were great. They brought my husband and I a 5 week old kitten to visit with while we waited for an update from the attending veterinarian. Bringing your pet in for emergency care is stressful, the staff here was incredibly helpful and understanding throughout our entire experience. Luckily, we have pet insurance but we hadn't had to use it before. The front end staff were able to submit our claim for us - taking an additional headache out of the equation. We are thankful for the care our dog received during his time at Western. - With the exception of their billing efficiency. We paid our claims upfront, and they failed to submit our claim even though I had called 3 times to ensure it had been submitted. A lesser charge of $100 was submitted for a follow up appointment, but not our bill for our pet's initial treatment which was in excess of $1000. Only upon calling the insurance company for an update on our claim did I learn this. This led to a delay in our claim being paid.

Two weeks ago my dog cut his paw. We paid $1500 to have it treated. Two weeks later the pad is falling off his paw but they won't let us bring him back in because my husband and I have COVID. We suggested we could send out teenage son who just tested negative and has zero symptoms but they said no. These people really don't care about the welfare of your pet. Any one of the people or the staff in there could be COVID positive, unless they did a negative test today. There is no longer any restrictions around "close contacts" but they make these rules up with zero regard for the wellbeing of my dog. I was able to pay but so many people there were not able to pay. The staff's attitude? Oh well you should have got insurance. Which is ridiculous. It shouldn't cost $1500 for a 30 minute procedure and some pills. They are just taking advantage of how desperate people can feel when their pets are injured. A year ago, we brought our dog in for an allergic reaction. Three days later he become SERIOUSLY ill and we had to bring him back. Completely unrelated except that I am 100% positive he picked up a virus in their office. That time the cost was over $3000. They insisted on doing a bunch of tests when we suggested they just treat him for the most probable cause of illness. In the end, they never ended up figuring out what exactly was wrong with him - just sent him home with some anitbiotics. So we literally wasted thousands of dollars for no good reason. Nothing but terrible experiences here. I will be finding a new emergency hospital next time.

I read a lot of reviews before coming here. It was surprising to see so many mixed reviews. In the end, I came here because my pooch may have had an intestinal obstruction and this was the closest hospital. Add to this that it was a very busy night with many pet emergencies coming in. All of the staff were kind, courteous and understanding that I had questions and I was worried for my pup. Overall, it was an 8 hour process. The doc was very clear about my options, the info was emailed to us in real time to review and the doc even told us what items she believed were essential today. Yes it is expensive, but I get it. This is a business, there were two doctors (ER and Radiologist), staff up front and other professionals running an after hours per hospital. I slept in my car in the parking lot. In the lot were another 4 cars with people sleeping in them waiting for updates on their pets as well. Whenever I called for an update, there was a kind and compassionate human on the other side of the line. On this night it was Erin. Earlier in the night it was someone else and I cannot recall her name. Emergency pet services will never be cheap, it’s a lot to set up and have ready for our beloved pets. But if you find yourself needing help after hours or simply have a pet emergency, I recommend you put this clinic in your address book now and hope you never need it. My story ends well with my beauty coming home with us shortly. Edit: the doc was dr. Shandruk. She was just the best. I wish our human doctors had half her bedside manner!

About 2 months ago, I called Western Veterinary with an emergency. My 15yr old boy was suffering and I needed to put him down as I didn't want to see him in pain. It was approx. 10pm, I was on the phone with them for about 10 min, the receptionist took all my information and told me to come down. I made my way from Airdrie to SW Calgary with my boy. I had him wrapped in a blanket, his breathing was quite shallow, they took him right away while I waited in a private room. A few minutes later they came and got me to come say my final goodbye's and hold him while he passed. I was then led back to a private room to wait for them to bring him to me until I was ready to let him go. I held him, cried and when I was ready they came to get him. They were so gentle and caring, they gave me as much time as I needed. It was a rough drive home without him. The next day there was a bouquet of flowers at my door with a lovely note from the hospital...brought me to tears. About a week later, I received a card and a beautiful note from Amber....again, brought me to tears. Today, I received a phone call (I don't recall her name) from a lovely lady asking me how I was doing since his passing. We had a chat and as I tried not to cry on the phone told her I was doing ok and that I missed him terribly. I felt the need to write and thank Amber and the team at Western Veterinary for all you did for Phineaus and I. I am blown away by your compassion and I know Phineaus was handled respectfully, gently and with love. Thank you

Absolutely traumatic experience. My dog passed away last Friday. We came home and found her in her bed and I went into bargaining mode and wanted confirmation that she had indeed passed. Thankfully my friend drove me and they were the closest 24 hour vet in the area. We waited outside for an absurd amount of time while I held my dead dog not knowing if there was anything more I could do. The girl on the phone then started asking me basic information like my address and I lost it. I could not believe they were forcing us to stand outside instead of letting us in and triaging us immediately. That information could all be handled later. There was no care, no compassion. We sat in a room for another 15 minutes until we were told that the vet tech needed to take my dog to the vet to confirm and then bring her back. The vet didn't even come see us. She brought her back and confirmed she had passed. Who knows in all that time if she had been dying in my arms or not while we waited. I then had to leave my dead dog in the room and then waited ANOTHER 20 minutes at the front desk until someone clued in that we were waiting. I then had to follow up on the remains and found out they had been sitting there waiting for me and that they were "going to call". When? I would NEVER recommend this place. God forbid something urgent be needed for a pet and they have you risk losing your pet in their ridiculous waiting periods. They seemed completely clueless and tone deaf to the situation. Absolute garbage people.

This is the best hospital in the city for complex animal care. They have the most advanced hospital equipment available and thats not just my personal opinion, but a matter of fact. Our dog was in an emergency situation and was sent from McKnight to WesternVCA by ambulance. He stayed in critical care for 5 days and the doctors were so wonderful to deal with. I truly believe that if it can't be done at Western VCA then it can't be done at all. The team communicated thorough, factual, and realistic expectations to make sure that we understood all aspects of his treatment. We have Trupanion pet insurance which made billing easier as they can direct bill. The only negative reviews that I have read on here are all related to dollar amounts, which is essentially a moving target at any clinic because they do not know the specifics of what work needs to be done until they get in there. Estimates are just that- an educated guess as to the approximate cost. In all of my experience at Western VCA the estimated costs have been accurate and without any surprises. If you think pet insurance is too expensive then you certainly cant afford 100% of the true dollar amount of a vet bill that gives the comprehensive care that your animal needs. Veterinary care is an expensive endeavour in general, but can be especially so when your animal needs emergency or life-saving treatment. This is not to the fault of this hospital.

Our dog had two knees busted and our vet sent us to the clinic telling us the charges might be $10k+. After reading some reviews and preparing for the worst we were surprised to hear from the clinic that the costs would be much lower and went ahead with the surgeries. That's why we got insurance when we got our dog. The service we received was definitely worth five stars and started with the initial visit. Unlike at other places nobody talked like a 4 year old to our dog as if she has brain damage. Even on busy days and under stress the people were friendly and took the time to answer any questions we had. We got updates during and after surgery, we got a room after surgery to see her, a vet came and explained everything in detail in ways we could actually understand. Instructions for the following weeks of recovery were great, so we could do our home rehab without issues. Dealing with the insurance was no big deal since the people at the front desk helped us with everything, if they couldn't, they found someone who could instead of telling us nonsense. Thanks for that! Now our dog is her old self and can enjoy the rest of her life without follow up surgeries, worse damage to her joints or pain, which would have been the case if we went for the cheaper options. We thank Dr Fugazzi, his team and everybody else we met for the great service and support during all those weeks. Worth recommending.

I had to bring my senior kitty in for sutures after she experienced a laceration. When it was my cat's turn for care (it is a hospital so triage is part of care!) I was aware of the full treatment plan, my options for care, and I had an estimate. My vet was wonderful, engaging, and open to all of my questions. My kitty came home with the right pain medication, a write up for after care, and a cleanly dressed wound. I took her back to my regular vet for suture removal to avoid being triaged at another visit. During my time there it was very busy and reportedly an exceptional evening. Pets that were deemed terminal in their presentation were handled immediately and their owners appeared to be kept with their pets. They didn't have to wait in the waiting area, nor was their checkout out front. There was also an emergency with a dog and coyote (as per the owner, after their vet consult this doggy will be making a full recovery) and the dogs family raved about the care in the waiting room. For a tough night, this was nice to see! Emergency vet medicine is very pricey. It's private care with no subsidy unless you have an insurance plan. Keep this in mind! My bill was steep due to the need for sedation and monitoring (you can't suture a cat and believe they will stay still, let's be reasonable), but now that it's fully healed it was worth every cent!

Don't walk, run away from this place. We were referred by our regular vet to dr. Hyndman for a tail amputation for our older Sphinx cat. They set up a consultation appointment and informed me that they wanted to do an abdominal ultrasound at the consultation. Cost for the consult was around $200 plus about $800 for the ultrasound. I inquired why they needed this abdominal ultrasound for a tail amputation and I got no clear answer. I called on the morning of the appointment to ensure that I would be able to be present when dr. Hyndman did the examination and they said that it shouldn't be a problem (COVID protocol). My plan was to ask the doctor about the ultrasound at that time. When it was time for the exam one of the assistants came to take my cat for the exam and informed me I couldn't be present. That was not what they told me when I specifically asked that question 1 hour prior, so I decided that the appointment was over and I was leaving. After I arrived home I received an email charging me for a missed appointment. The nerve of these people!!! I ended up taking him to another veterinary hospital and they were confused as to why the previous doctor asked for an ultrasound. Thank God I didn't allow Dr. Hyndman to operate on my beloved cat. I have zero confidence in this organization and I will never be back under any circumstance.

Their services are wonderful but honestly if you have an exotic pet (guinea pig, bunny, etc.) and it's not an emergency you should wait until an exotic animal clinic is open. It's more affordable and the care is much better. This clinic is transparent and says they don't have an exotic animal vet and I appreciate it. I just wish they told me to wait to see a specialist rather than take my pet in anyways especially when they knew it wasn't an emergency. The low review is because they do not have a specialist for the exotic animal vet. My guinea pig had an abscess. They said he would need surgery and I was told by the staff that it would cost $3000. I cried. It was so stressful. However they did refer me to an exotic animal clinic but I had to start from scratch with them because the referral I was provided did not help reduce costs at all. The exotic animal clinic did not mention surgery at all. It was flushes to the wound and some oral antibiotics. Not very invasive at all and it was maybe $350 max for the treatment. When I brought up possible surgery they said it was unlikely but if needed it would be at most $1000. This location has lovely staff and all are very kind. Just unfortunate that I they can't help exotic animals but still take them in. I hope anyone that has any exotic animal sees this review so they can save $100-$3000

They were good at laying out costs and what would be done but not good at laying out all of our options/pointing out which parts of the plan were critical. They suggested a hospital stay which would have been and extra $1000 which we did not accept and was not nessecary.They discharged my cat and after getting home and reading the report they sent I realized he had an infection. I was surprised that his condition had not been explained to me better and that he had not been released with a prescription. We had to take him back to get checked again to receive the prescription. All around it was hard to get answers and information from people. There were times where we would call and get put on hold for 20 minutes and then we would hang up and try again and they would answer like nothing happened. I spoke to one vet who was helpful in going through my invoice with me. The day after he had been brought home I noticed that his back paws were a little pink. I've since realized that the majority of his back nails have been ripped/broken with just the quick remaining. He hadnt been left alone for more than an hour so I am highly suspicious that it happened at the clinic. We also found out that we paid 5 times more for the same list of services than what other clinics charge. In the end we got the prescriptions we needed. 2 stars.

We had to take our senior dog Louis in for an emergency case, due to Covid we were unable to go inside (we had Covid not because of their protocols) so we had to leave our sweet boy in their care. The whole process through was professional and compassionate. They were forward with what they thought was best for him and never once pushed us in any direction but gave us all the details and information to make the decisions on our own. Unfortunately the day ended with our sweet boy Louis having to be put down in the operating table. Whenever the vet called me she told me how sweet he was and how he was getting all the love and attention from the techs which we so appreciated hearing as we couldn’t be there with him. I just wanted to send a big thank you to the team of doctors (and staff) who helped try to save him and were so compassionate when it came down to us making a tough decision. We will be eternally grateful to you all and appreciate how you helped us navigate the road ahead. I also don’t know if this is an All VCA thing now, but having a therapist call us to check in to see how we were doing after his loss was such a beautiful gesture of the compassion this team & location has. It really showed us how much they care about us. Here’s a picture of our boy incase the staff remember him. Louis ❤️

My cat was seen by specialists in the Western Vet clinic as he had developed kidney injury secondary to kidney stone during the Easter long weekend. They did an incredible job and I am extremely grateful for the excellent service I received there. My cat was assessed by an Internal Medicine Specialist, Surgeon, radiologist and critical care specialist and they all worked collaboratively to determine the best course of action. I was continually updated as the situation progressed; the vet techs were wonderful to speak to on the phone and they sent me photos of my cat throughout the weekend. I was worried that because this issue arose during a long weekend, this would delay treatment and diagnostics. However, the exact opposite was true, as multiple vets and vet techs came in after hours specifically to ensure my cat was taken care of. I have no doubt in my mind that my cat received the highest standard of care during his stay there, and am so thankful to everyone involved for being so thorough and thoughtful throughout the entire process. We are so grateful to have him home again. It is very comforting to know that there is such an excellent service available in Calgary and the place is a real testament to the everyone that works there. I will be recommending Western Veterinary Clinic to everyone I know.

BEWARE! I had to bring my pet in for an emergency. My pet has had this emergency happen before, so I knew what to expect. While I’m grateful for their help, I was extremely upset with the service and cost. The last thing you want during an emergency is to take 10 minutes to explain your street address (no language barrier). This just added to my stress and my pet’s as he was waiting with me during this. Of course, you don’t get to see your invoice until after you pay, which I have also never experienced and is not transparent. I paid because I was just going through the motions during this stressful event. My last experience with this situation at another vet cost me $280 (including the $175 after hour fee), I paid $460 here…. At the last vet, anti-nausea meds were $11…..here it cost $125. That’s just so slimy. Beyond disappointed with my experience. It just added to my stress. I feel like they intentionally take advantage of their clients. I will not return. Highly recommend asking them to print the invoice before you walk out to ensure they are not overselling you. I will, for the first time in my life, be calling the manager! This just isn’t right. Unreal. If you can go elsewhere, please do!! You’ll save hundreds, if not thousands based on other reviews.

Our 11 year old pug Sadie went into respiratory distress 2 weeks ago. We had to rush her to Western Vet Specialist on a Sunday evening. Lindsay at the front desk was very informative and reassuring (we were not allowed to go into the vets office because of COVID). We waited in the parking lot for a call from the Vet. Dr. Alex called and let us know that Sadie was stable but not in good shape, she went through some options but we decided to let her go. Dr. Alex was very informative, and explained everything very clearly, it felt like she had been Sadie's vet all along. Seeing as there were 5 of us (my kids, my husband and I ) and only 2 people were allowed in the vet office to be with her when she went, Lindsay brought Sadie outside for all of us to say goodbye. We got as much time as we needed with her and then went in to let her go. They took the upmost safety when it came to the COVID situation. My son and I had to wear a mask a gloves while in the office. Dr. Alex came in and let us have as much time with her before and after she was gone. It was one of the hardest days for my family and Dr. Alex and Lindsay were the most caring, kind and compassionate during such a hard time. Thank you to you both.

5 stars are not nearly enough ! This team is beyond incredible ! They are extemely good at what they do, nice, compassionate and caring. My dog atr a rock and it git lodged in his small intestine. They helped us so incredibly much and fast. The whole team went above and beyond in the care ot my Nanuq. Excellent surgeons, everyone super friendly. I have never before had a team at a vet clinic take such loving and great care of any of my pets. And honestly I will not ever go anywhere else for emergencies or surgeries that are required. They made sure to update me on Nanuq, all promised follow up calls were made and everything was explained so well. And every one I spoke with just seemed to genuinely care so much about the well-being of my sweet pup. Wish they also were a regular Vet, I would definitely drive the 35 minutes one way anyday to have those amazing people take care of my pets health. I just can not praise the whole team enough. Thank you to all the staff there ! You guys are angels for how you care for the pets and how you treat the owners. I wish I could give you way more stars ! Best Vet team I ever met. Thank you for all you guys do !! I am forever grateful to the whole team.

People, who work there, are very nice, polite and friendly. Thanks for giving my cat help (which wasn't necessary btw, but I was very scared that day). BUT. My cat always enjoys going outside for a walk, even after visiting vet clinics and plane flights. But after that one he is so scared to go out, probably thinking that we are going there again. He is really smart, so I believe he made a connection with a last "walk". I have never seen him THAT stressed and I'm wondering, what doctors did with him there and how they treated him, especially noticing how he reacted when they approached him when we were on our way from the hospital. He was scared and hissing. You can't walk to the part of the hospital where they keep animals, so you can't check, how they are there and what and how doctors treat your pet. Well, now my cat really scared of going onside, crying and doesn't want to walk anymore, and even scared of his beautiful permanent vet. I can't tell if there was something, obviously, I didn't see anything, I wasn't with the doctors, but I can only judge by the way my cat acts. Hope, we will avoid emergency next time.

I had a terrible experience here. Dr. Alex Soengkono was the worst doctor to see here. We came in with our cat with blood in urine. She did a quick scan and diagnosed with chronic urinary tract disease. Her response to this was to suggest seeing our OWN vet in a few days (nothing really specified as to when) IF he doesn’t improve with conservative management. However, WHILE suggesting a urine and X-ray COULD be done she didn’t deem it important that night and thought our own vet could do it and wait, WHICH WAS HER SUGGESTION. To top it off, her report states WE declined it, which our vet was of course not happy about. We were following her advice and when did try to chat about it, she left the room in a hurry before anything else was discussed and got her tech to give us discharge information and a “quote” without and medical implications provided. Completely appalled by the service by her and her lying on legal documents. I will be lodging a formal complaint. Providing education is important, but so is providing correct medical advice which was not done. And now our cat is unfortunately doing worse.

My dog was stung by a bee and was in distress so I brought her to this clinic. I was fearful she was having an allergic reaction and it could be very serious so I ignored my better judgement (I would normally take her to a 24 hour clinic in Fish Creek that has a much better reputation). They denied my dog pain management care because they said they couldn’t tell us the cost because their computers were down. They refused to let us leave to seek care from another vet, screaming that we couldn’t leave without paying. Their computers were down, we had no way to pay and they would not accept us leaving payment details so they could process payment when possible. They essentially held us hostage until their computers were fixed. I have always felt like VCA cares more about profit than pet care, but I couldn’t imagine having as horrific an experience as this was for us. I believe we were there for over 4 hours, much longer than necessary. My dog was in pain and treatment was delayed for the majority of that time. I am incredibly regretful that I ever put my dog in this situation and I will NEVER be back.

The communication from the staff was great and everyone was very nice. The surgeon thoroughly explained the procedure my cat needed. The vet techs were knowledgeable and kind. My only complaint is that I was given no discharge information until pickup after the surgery. Due to the nature of his surgery, my cat needs to have strict rest for 8 weeks and I had to make a lot of changes to my home to accommodate this. I wish I got the information sooner to make preparation a bit easier. Overall, I appreciate the communicative staff and prompt response rate after the referral and quick turn around for surgery. Overall, a nice space with great staff. Thank you! Edit: Came back with my other cat in an emergency situation. Staff were smart, prompt, and kind to me and the client care specialist was extremely sweet in letting me know my decisions for my cat were right and okay. The only downside is lack of follow up from staff after my visits here. They never check in to see how my cats are doing after the fact. As well, the wait times for urinalysis and urine culture were really long.

After coming home to see my senior dog’s face puffy and swollen on one side, I thought it best to take her to an emergency clinic. My anxiety was through the roof; however, after a couple calls, I was referred to VCA Western due to wait times and the health complications of a heart murmur and collapsed trachea. Every step of the intake process was efficient; the intake forms were texted and emailed, and I was briefed by the veterinarian (Dr. Kettler (sp)) as well as vet techs and front desk staff at regular intervals. I was also briefed ahead of time regarding risks, potential costs, and long term care. While they could not treat my dog directly at this clinic, they narrowed down the causes of the swelling and let us know what we could expect in the next 48 hours. Finally, once I was able to phone our regular vet, they informed me that VCA had already forwarded all their notes and care protocol to our home vet office, saving me a significant amount of time explaining what happened. All in all, I am very impressed and relieved we have this emergency vet option as a backup.

I can’t say enough good things about the people at VCA Canada Western. We have had two of our dogs treated here and we have made the trip multiple times from Vancouver and now the Kootenays. Our dog Kelvin was referred here for targeted radiation therapy for prostate cancer and the care that he received was excellent. Our dog Edison was referred here for abnormally high calcium levels which they determined was an abnormality with one of his parathyroid glands. They performed surgery to remove the affected gland which restored his calcium levels to normal. During this process they discovered a mass in his neck. They performed a CT scan and biopsy to get a definitive analysis. It came back that the mass was not malignant and we just had a second CT scan 6 months later to check any growth. We have dealt with both Dr. Lavallee and Dr.Sweet and both have been wonderful and always take the time to explain everything to us despite being very busy people. We can’t thank the doctors and the rest of the amazing team for the wonderful care they have provided to our boys.

I had brought my dog to our regular vet in Strathmore because he was sneezing excessively and likely had a foreign body stuck in his nose. I would like to mention he was bleeding because of the repeated sneezing. He was quickly assessed and I was told he needed an endoscopy and they didn’t have one. I was not charged. I called around to several vets and there weren’t any available on the weekend. VCA Western said they had one so I brought him there. They took him inside and after waiting 45 minutes they reported his stable health to me and said he needed an endoscopy but they didn’t have one on the weekend and charged me 265 dollars for the check up and said that someone would call me during the week to book an appointment. I told them that the reason I brought him there was because I was told that they would be able to perform an endoscopy. The gentleman apologized for the miscommunication. I didn’t get a call from them until Wednesday - 4 days later. I felt completely scammed by them and will not be using their services ever again.

I have been breeding companion and show dogs for over 40 years—and as a consequence have had to visit emergency clinics many times. Without doubt VCA Canada Western Veterinary Services has been the gold medal winner. Recently one of our younger Standard Wire Dachshunds (Lucy) had to have emergency surgery. Dr Germaine Hung and her staff responded to a very critical situation with confidence, compassion and high competence. During the two days that Lucy as at the VCA Emergency Care Centre Dr Germaine called me four times to offer information and updates and twice after Lucy came home. That level of communication is rare! Within a week of her surgery to treat pyometra Lucy was back to her usual happy and playful self. If I could give Dr Germaine and her staff 6 stars I would. Instead I will post a 5 star rating with two pics of Lucy — one the day she came home from her surgery wearing the post-surgery “onesie” provided by VCA and a second picture of her one week later. Very Highly recommended!

This place is absolutely disgusting. I took my dog here because she consumed raisins and I did not have any hydrogen peroxide and it was 2 am. When calling the staff and doctor they took the situation as if it was a joke. After asking for a quote I was quoted 300 dollars for induced vomiting, which I okayed. I then received a call from the vet saying my dog will have to be kept there for 4 days in intensive care and the cost will be 3000 dollars. When I questioned this he said I should have received the quote (I did not). This whole time they were more concerned with money than caring for my dog. When I questioned the bill the vet was extremely condescending and tried to use fear to get their way. Absolutely disgraceful. Stay away from this place if possible. On a side note the owner who had their husky there over night, I heard the poor pup screaming as he was on the ground a worker was yanking on his collar repeatedly to make him get up. Just absolutely disgraceful.

We took our cat here while she was in active labour because our concern was that she couldn’t feed them because we suspected she wasn’t producing milk. We went there with that primary concern. When Dr. Radu spoke to us the first thing he said to us was there was a chance she would need a c-section to deliver the rest after she had only been in labour for a few hours. He told us that there would be a 50% chance that she would need one and if we refused care from them she could die. The vet in the morning completely contradicted what he said and said it would be better for her to deliver the rest at home. So we were definitely scared into leaving her at the vet by Dr. Radu to milk more money out of us. Another problem is that they told us she was producing milk when she wasn’t. Which in turn resulted in all of our babies dying. I would never go here again. I’m heartbroken from my loss and feel completely used by this vet. Go anywhere else if you can.

My rabbit was in GI stasis so I brought him to Western. He was seen by Dr. Radu Mirescu who basically told me there was nothing he could do. He said that he wouldn't take x-rays because he wouldn't be able to interpret them and that he would not give IV fluids because he wasn't confident that he would be able to hit a vein. I made him send me home with at least pain killers and the prescription was for 7 days worth of medication but the bottle barely contained enough for 1 dose. My rabbit's regular vet then told me (when I was finally able to get in to see them) that the dose my rabbit was given wasn't enough to even have an effect on him anyways. I was charged $250 dollars and wasted 6 hours for Dr. Mirescu to do literally nothing. I understand not being confident treating an animal he is unfamiliar with but charging me for this and not even putting me in contact with anyone that would be able to help is borderline malpractice.

Initially when reading reviews I'll admit I was worried about how my experience would be here, but we needed to come here due to being the only hospital in the city offering these services. I was actually blown away at how amazing the internal medicine team was with myself and my dog. They were very accommodating and took the time to make my dog feel loved and comfortable. They even got down on her level to do a physical exam and spent time discussing treatment options and prices. They also were outstanding on the factor of communicating with us after our visit, they truly cared about the well being of my girl and still do. They did everything they could to make sure she is comfortable and to treat her illness and im so thankful for them. The team has went above and beyond, especially Dr Pare, with helping my dog Mya. She truly cares about the animals in her care and does everything she can to help them.

Recently had to bring in our cat in an emergency situation. Dr. Longmore was the veterinarian on that day and gave excellent care to our cat. Dr Madden then took over care as the primary veterinarian and was absolutely awesome! Both doctors kept us informed, provided us with detailed medical information, timely updates and provided compassionate care. Both doctors, definitely a 5 star rating. Arrival and check in experience was disappointing ( admin staff, nurse, ? vet techs)- very business like, less than friendly, abrupt and impersonal. This was experienced in all interactions with support staff. Very disappointing and surprising considering they are in the animal care field. Our pet was in for emergency care and it was a difficult time for her and us and the lack of compassion was definitely unexpected and again very disappointing. I would recommend the doctors but the rest need improvement.

Great for emergencies and conveniently located. The initial exam fee is around $170 but that is on par with other emergency vets in the area. I have had to use this clinic on two separate occasions for my dog and I have been very happy with the care that was provided. The doctors are thorough and do not mind explaining treatments in detail (if you’re a bit of a helicopter paw-rent like myself, this was absolutely fantastic). Emergencies are seen first and wait times can be up to six hours some days, but the staff are very communicative with you when you check in. I personally do not mind waiting for this level of care as I am very happy with the experiences I’ve had here. The interactions with the staff didn’t feel rushed and the front staff are very kind and joyful. This made for a very welcoming environment for both me and my dog when faced with a stressful/urgent situation.

We usually go to CARE but when they couldn't provide us with answers we were referred to Dr.Pare for urinary incontinence and blood in the urine then Dr. Hyndman for surgery after a CT scan. Both their teams of professionals really came through for us and took amazing before and after surgery care for our doodle Peggy Sue. From consults to surgery they were informative and caring from day 1. Dr. Hyndman did a great job on Peggy's abdominal surgery, found what could be contributing to her bladder leakage, we are hopeful it has been resolved and they sent another area of interest from her CT to pathology just in case. She's healed beautifully over two weeks. Her post-op stay there, which I think was key in kicking off her recovery plus our home care made this a stress free experience. We truly appreciate your professionalism, knowledge and great care your team provided.

We're from Red Deer and had an emergency situation which unfortunately our beautiful boy didn't survive. It was a terrible situation and we were treated with dignity and respect. They were extremely patient and understanding throughout the whole ordeal. They made sure we understood all our options and we're willing to do whatever our wishes were. They had a very quiet and suitable area set up so that our boy could be put down with dignity with us by his side the whole time as he was too sick for us to take home and do it in the privacy of your own home. We went back the next day to claim the body and bring him home. They were very understanding and helpful throughout the whole process. If we lived in Calgary this would for sure be our vet. Sorry for the raw pictures but that was our reality and his end was as beautiful as we could make it

I cannot say enough positive things about this urgent care. I brought my six month old puppy in today with nasal discharge, lethargy, lack of appetite, and reserve sneezing. Although he was not considered an emergency, the wait for care was reasonable and they were transparent about his examination needs. Unfortunately he had to be sedated for further tests and X-rays. The estimate was high but what one could expect from urgent care. They kept him for close to four hours and only charged me for the actual cost of care. I got a refund on my deposit and paid half of the estimate. They were clear and helpful with a stressed and worried dog owner and he is already feeling better after one round of his medication. Although I hope urgent care is not a regular need for my little one, I would not hesitate to bring him back should a reason occur.

Our veterinarian recommended that we go to Western because they are the best- and boy were they right. The staff are unfailingly professional and are doing what they love doing. From the moment we arrived we were treated with care and compassion. They worked diligently to find a diagnosis for my 5 month old puppy. They kept us updated every step of the way, which included the financial cost and was very much appreciated. My puppy is currently healing and will require one more surgery in the coming weeks. I absolutely recommend this hospital to anyone with a pet who needs care. One more important thing I would like to mention- as you can imagine we were hit with a very large and unexpected vet bill. A very generous Doctor donated a significant portion toward the vet bill. I cannot put into words the gratitude we have for this hospital.

After discovering that my 3 year old female cat was straining to urinate, we immediately took her to VCA Western fearing the worst. I cannot praise Dr. Erinn Mills enough for her amazing bedside manor both with her human clients and animal patients. The kindness and attentiveness that she showed towards our cat Laina was truly unmatched, and she quickly got to work on doing a thorough exam and laid out the best and most reasonable treatment plans to ensure that nothing was missed. Her discharge instructions were very thorough and easy to comprehend which is much appreciated considering how little little I knew about what was going on with my cat when I first walked in. Thank you again to Dr. Mills and all of the staff including the receptionists, techs (shout out to Barb), TA's, etc. for helping Laina and giving me peace of mind.

We had a nightmare experience with this practice and would not recommend it to anyone. We spent 7 hours with little treatment for our very sick dog. The inexperienced vet had no idea what was going on with the dog and did not refer to any senior colleagues. We were left in an empty room, with the dog elsewhere, for 5 hours. When we saw the dog again she was unrecognizable and failing badly. The vet recommended a $6,000 hysterectomy on our severely weakened 121/2 year old lab. We spent $1100 to no good effect and then we had to decide to put our poor dog out of her misery, still with no real vet guidance. They refused to let us have her body or her medical records. We did manage to retrieve her body the following day. We have complained and we were fobbed off. The only bad vet experience I ever had in 55 years of pet ownership.

I cannot express enough how grateful I am for the care we received at the hospital. From the reception staff to the ER doctors, the nurses and our surgeon - the communication and honesty was spot on. In human health care we get to be present for so many things in our loved one's hospital stays, but with vet med, we simply can't. I received multiple phone calls the day of my puppies surgery to ensure I knew exactly what was going on, with timelines as to when I would hear from the team again. We also got sent pictures and were able to call and speak to the nurses every day. The team was able to take a horrible experience for us, calm my nerves completely and now I feel nothing but pure gratitude now that I have my little guy home and healing. Thank you so very much for making this the best possible experience for our family.

We were referred to VCA Western by our vet office in Medicine Hat and we were hesitant as the first couple of reviews didn't sound promising...THOSE REVIEWS ARE WRONG. Everyone was very friendly and beyond helpful when it came to helping our boxer. He ended up having to stay overnight for some monitoring, but they let us give Bruce some hugs and kisses goodnight with no questions asked! They were very thorough with their work and answered any and all questions we had, big or small. Upon coming home, Dr. Lindsey S has reached out via text multiple times to check in on Bruce and how his meds are responding. I had a couple of concerns about his eating habits and she addressed them in a very professional manner. They saved our dog's life and we are forever thankful for the hard work they put in every day!!

I received amazing service over the phone from Crystal!! I have had a Bengal cat for about 3 years and he has never actually socialized with another cat. A few days ago we got a kitten (Siberian) and we were very afraid of how our Bengal would react. I called VCA vet clinics 24 hour phone number for guidance and have texted a few times with my questions and concerns (about my kitties). Crystal is very professional and super helpful! I did not catch the other girls name who helped me the first time but she was wonderful as well. They both gave me many great pointers on the cats introductions to one another and gave me much more confidence in how to deal with their intro as well. They also found me many articles and taught me a lot! Thank you!! VCA Western has amazing staff who are very attentive.

I have a 13 year old Chihuahua that needed surgery on her eye. The diagnosis was cancer. I was given a 1 month perception for pain medication. I was told that I could get refills. The cost of operation and diagnostic was $2700. 1 month later I tried to get refills and was told to go to a regular veterinarian and pay $$$ to have my dog examined so that I could continue refills through the new Veterinarian. My dog has a limited life span left and I would like to keep her comfortable as long as she is alive. I found the phone receptionist to be quite unsympathetic and more interested in money. I was informed that the veterinarian who did operation was no longer there and if they were going to give refills I would need a new assessment. It was only 5 weeks since operation and $2700 payment.

My dog ate some deadly rodenticide. The doctors were excellent but I found the front staff were trained to use specific phrases rather than answer my questions which was frustrating. Overall I’m happy, as my dog is alive, but I feel too many unnecessary expensive tests were given and I found their explanations confusing. What made me decide to write a review was the lack of consideration of my time, especially when coming back for the daily blood tests, which couldn’t seem to happen without a 3-4 hour wait, and the less than compassionate young woman who spoke far louder than comfortable or necessary to me from a foot away to ‘explain’ my dog’s situation. Bottom line: be selective which tests you agree to and insist they explain until you understand BEFORE you agree.

I have had to seek emergency care for my dogs at this hospital several times. I’ve always received such compassionate care. When my beloved doggy was hit by a car they immediately triaged and were incredibly responsive. So many things were happening at once as their professionalism and expertise kicked in immediately. I also so value the wisdom and heart of the doctor who supported me in deciding not to try extreme measures on my fur baby. Not only that but a staff member on her way out the door (undoubtedly after a long shift when she deserved to just go home), consoled my distraught friend. The counsellor there left me the most thoughtful and gentle voicemail message later that week. These folks are incredible, and I’m so grateful for their care. Thank you.

Very disappointing service. My daughters dog pulled up lame, and she was told a time to bring him in. The dog was admitted quickly, and then left alone in the back for three hours while 20+ other dogs were admitted, treated, and discharged. They then recommended a number of unnecessary tests, and X-rays ( the only necessary test ). Three more hours later they had to be asked repeatedly to return her dog, but the front staff and vets were too busy socializing, and finally returned the dog after being pressured to do so. They showed no empathy to the dog ( and other dogs as well ), fraudulently did unnecessary tests, and were rude to their customers. What happened to this site? It used to be very good. If I were in the US, they would have been served already.

We had to bring our 9-year-old dog in for TPLO surgery with Dr. Hung in December. Although I find the COVID restrictions frustrating (not being allowed in with your dog - having to pick him up in the parking lot, sit in your car and wait for the phone in consultation) - they handled everything professionally and personally from the on-the-phone bookings and consultations to the surgery itself and the follow-up care. Even though his two week checkup landed on the day of the mega snowstorm and I canceled, they did a phone consult after I sent in photos and addressed a couple of minor concerns we had. He's fully healed at 8 weeks and we're working on the strengthening exercises now. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend them for the care and compassion we received.

I could not be more grateful for Dr. Kong and the whole Cardiology team for the care that my little boy Champion received. I had wished that we have been referred to them sooner, they did all that they could. The support we received is truly incredible. Unfortunately, my little boy passed on. Despite being just seen by them once, we received a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a card with a heartwarming message. Our local vet who has been taking care of my boy for years didn’t even bother sending out a sympathy card. That speaks volume about how Western Vet deeply care for their patients. We are from out of town and I wouldn’t mind doing the drive if it means getting the best care for my boys at Western Vet. Thank you. ❤️

My girlfriend's cat started to have some serious reactions to eating food and made a sound I can only describe as thoroughly haunting. This place is close to home so we went there ASAP and tried to figure out what was up. They recommend a couple tests but the vet seemed confident that he's okay to go home for the evening and see his family vet tomorrow. I expected that the bill would be bordering on a thousand plus so it wasn't really a surprise. The surprise was that they give you a low and a high, and don't push you for the most expensive options. They gave us just what was needed and made sure he has fluids. Naturally he was fine in the clinic and freaked back into oblivion and pain when we got home but fingers crossed.

Dr Laura Osborne saw my super senior cat in emergency and she and all the staff so incredibly kind and patient with us. She went over his history, everything that could cause his issue and other conditions that may be linked to it. After he was sedated for testing she spent 20 minutes on the phone explaining in detail what the results were and what our options are. With such a senior cat we’ve often felt in the past (at other clinics) that we’ve had to fight for him to get comprehensive care and understand what was going on rather than the diagnosis of “old cat”. Dr Osborne was very clear and compassionate in explaining how we can treat our cats issue and keep him comfortable. I’ve never felt so confident in his care.

I took my dog in last night she was very sick and I was very stressed!! They took her in right away and gave her great care she is home now and doing better. The staff here are absolute amazing!! While they were working on my dog I saw multiple people come in with other emergencies and they handled it so well. They work very hard and care lots!! My bill was expensive but not as high as I expected it to be. Any emergency with an animal is going to cost and I was expecting it to be much higher. I can’t thank them enough the veterinarian was amazing and explained everything so well, I wish I remembered her name. You all are amazing thank you!!

My brother brought a parrotlet to VCA Canada and they took 4 hours to diagnose a tight band on his foot. They told my brother that it would take an hour to proceed and than continued to lie about the care the bird was receiving. Before we had evened arrived at the vet we called to check if there was an avion vet at the clinic, they had told us yes and than upon arrival which was 40 minutes away they told us there was no avion vet present. Now our bird is damaged with a broken foot created by the clinic and a $400 vet bill for commitibg more damage than success. I would never recommend this place and they should be shut down after this.

As a breeder I wanted to avoid this place . Nurse Bernadette and Dr Lavalee were the worst experience . They overcharge and underdeliver. Ask for the documentation records after every visit , we received ours yesterday and there were multiple mistruths charted by Dr Lavalee about us and our puppy . You can feel the toxic environment as soon as you enter. They play on your emotions until their bank account is full and then afterspending $12000 and wanting to move services they tell you that you are neglectful. Ask for your chart after every visit. We are current dealing with the Regulatory body that governs this surgeon and facility !

Amazing emergency vet care. I have had to use their services twice due to pet emergencies and every time they have been beyond amazing! They are financial understanding, kind and gentle with the pets, and are very patient dealing with pet owners. I am not sure why they get the bad reviews but I strongly suggest you give them a chance. I got to sit in the waiting room while my dog was getting fluids and I saw their interactions with many owners. They have a kind touch, patient tone, prioritize well and most importantly they work with you if you’re financially tight! Thank you for taking care of my Dasha doxie!

They were very thorough gave me options on care, they took great care of my dog, who came out looking all happy and carefree. Staff were kind and compassionate took the time to communicate with me on what would happen. They took my dog and triaged her right away. (other places I called said it was a wait in order of arrival and gave me a wait time of 4-6 hours with a dog that was bleeding). They took the time to explain the treatment and I received a follow up email with instructions. I hope no one ever needs to take their pet to the emergency vet but if you do I highly recommend them!!

I can't say enough good things about the vets and techs at the clinic. They made the most difficult situation imaginable as comforting as possible. Our dog developed a brain tumour while in the care of a friend when we were travelling. The clinic went out of their way to work with our friend, contact us via FaceTime, explain what was happening and options available. Unfortunately Suunto had to be put down but we were able to find a place with a cell connection where we could see her and say our goodbyes. Thank you also to the counsellor who called later to see how we were doing.

We went to this veterinary clinic under the worst possible circumstances. Our 9 year old dog fell, broke his leg and was in terrible pain. The staff at the clinic were exceptional. Our Harry was cared for, given pain medication, diagnosed with advanced cancer and we said goodbye to him all within a matter of 2 hours. All the decisions were ours. The support of Dr Maloney was beyond anything I could have hoped for. She was kind, direct, gave us the information we needed to make our decision and I won’t forget her poise in the face of our pain. Thank you.

Always had incredibly kind service here .. until today took my beloved cat Paul in to be euthanized, as he is very ill, a woman named Megan loo was the one to put him down … as I held him dying in my arms I was told by her that I was a neglectful and horrible pet owner and that she does not believe his illness is current ! And she said that she is reporting me to the humane society . I never got time to say goodbye or let my 14 year old cat die in peace due to her insensitivity and unprofessionalism …. Absolutely horrible and I am feeling traumatized.

Not a fan and will go elsewhere in the future. I didn't enjoy the process and don't like how they take your pet and leave you waiting for hours to find out what the prognosis is. Pet owners should be with their pet during a time of trauma. Plus I think they sedated my cat for the triage exam and that's why they made me wait 4 hours to see him again. So it would wear off before giving him back. He was still drowsy when we came home. I didn't consent to any sedatives and he certainly didn't need any. They need to seriously improve their communication.

Our second visit on an emergency basis. Very professional, knowledgeable and compassionate team. The veterinarian explained what needed to be done thoroughly and updated me when the procedure was finished. An estimate was presented with a low and high amount. The cost was appropriate for the work done. The waiting area was clean and well set up to spend a few hours. The front end staff checked regularly if I needed anything. I know my dog was well taken care of and treated with compassion and care. I recommend this hospital for any emergency care.

We took our cat here because another emergency vet told us we needed to put her down when we knew that there were other options. The internal medicine team here at Western VCA has provided our cat with the treatment she needed and has improved her health and my family and I are so grateful that they took us as their patients. Dr. Pare and Joelle have been beyond amazing with us, listening to our concerns, giving us options, and providing us with support. I will forever be grateful for the care they have provided my cat, they are truly amazing.

My 15 year old cat and best friend, Jack has a heart murmur. He was referred to cardiology to see Dr. Kong for an echocardiogram. I received a very thorough report of his overall health. And a complete diagnosis of his heart condition, which as of today is good news! I was updated along the way and Jack was in good spirits when I picked him up. He usually doesn’t have a great time at the vet, but he had a good experience here! Many thanks to the cardiology team, and front end staff for making this day easy for myself and Jack :)

5 stars is not enough. Our pug had severe brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome and had Dr Hyndman as our surgeon a few days ago. He was so incredibly nice, thorough, and professional! We had so many updates and several calls before and after the surgery which really helped ease my anxiety about her surgery. They’ve all been so incredibly amazing to us from the front reception to techs right to Dr Phil Hyndman. If your pet needs to come here, rest assured not only will they be taken care of but so will you.

Western & both Dr. Williams in Oncology & Dr. Williams in Internal Med. have been absolutely amazing to deal with. The reception, RVT, & TA’s were so kind to us and made us feel very comfortable. Their communication is spot on and they made us feel very comfortable leaving Lilo with them to do diagnostics on. We cannot thank them enough for taking such good care of our fur baby. We will not hesitate taking our girl to Western for anything in the future. See you in a a bit for her follow up CT scan! Thank you!

My cat had to be put to sleep here on Saturday night. I couldn’t be there with her as I was out of town but the care and compassion from Dr Kathryn Shandruk and Jana was absolutely unparalleled, and I’ve had a lot of vet experiences. I felt so taken care of, they were very communicative and I could tell she was in the best hands possible. I do not wish the experience of losing a beloved pet on anyone but the team here is the absolute best. I’m so grateful she had such a compassionate hand in her final hours.

I brought my kitty in because she was barfing all over the place and very lethargic. I thought we where gonna loose her she was so so sick. I brought her home the same night feeling much better. They where very kind, caring, and compassionate. If your pet needs emergency care take your pet here they will be in good hands. I'm just gonna say my kitty was quite spicy to the doctors here they handled her very well! The staff and doctors care so much about your pets when you bring them in, it's wonderful!

Thank you for looking after Zelda. I am amazed by how kind and communicative the staff were during this difficult time. They were communicative despite how busy they were. They gave me updates every step of the way and went in detail all the options we had available. When it was time to say goodbye they were so gentle and kind to us all, it meant a lot. The people here are good people who care about animals - every single staff member I interacted with. I can’t thank you all enough.

Vet techs and Dr. Genovese were great. However, front end was incredibly disorganized and slow today. I don't believe this is a skill issue but rather an issue of not putting enough staff on at once. Given how busy this place is and the high phone call volume I would suggest having more receptionists on at once, 1-2 is not enough. Today my dog and I waited an extra half hour to be seen because the receptionist was so scattered she forgot to tell the derm. department we had arrived.

Absolutely amazing service we've had with Dr. Kathyrn. I was so nervous and freaked out when we had a emergency with our cat, Yuki and Dr. Kathryn was very thorough and explained all her findings one by one. She is very knowledgeable and caring and definitely understands all the concern we have and is also very transparent. Hope we can see her all the time but I think she's only for emergency? Regardless I highly recommend this place! Thank you for all your care and support.

Thanks to all the amazing staff at Western Vet, you truly have an amazing staff who care deeply about animals…unfortunately our little Tinkerbell had to leave us for the rainbow bridge. If we had never transferred her to the amazing Internal medicine team we would have lost her months ago (I will always see the ambulance and the scratches on the right side, knowing that the damage was to save our little girl). Thanks for caring and compassion…Chris and Elizabeth Burton

We first met Dr. Katherine Sweet one year ago.We came as a referral for radiation therapy for our cat in her 16th year. Our goals of quality and comfort were by far exceeded. Morgan and the Radiation Oncology team carefully answered our questions and were available for in person appointments whenever it was necessary (during COVID this particularly stood out). The video attached was filmed hours before our companion's journey came to an end. We cannot thank you enough!!!!!

Very impressed with the level of care my veterinarian gave my cat. I forget the name but he was a man. Didn't love the prices and I felt they were gouging a bit. My cat ended up having to be euthanized as he had a large mass in his throat. They were very great and quick throughout the process. He even came out while we were paying to inform us that he had found something post mortem and if I wanted it to be sent for biopsy. I was very impressed by this and very grateful.

The internal medicine specialist I saw - Dr Pare was very nice, she was able to explain to me clearly and easily about the status of my dog's liver disease, what she was concerned about and what to watch out for. Visit was on time, professional, and all staff members were really nice in making sure me and my anxious dog were comfy. She definitely helped me with a plan going ahead and made me feel very much better and reassured we can get my dog's condition well managed.

I honestly can't say thank you enough. My dog has chronic kidney disease and recently declined drastically. He had to be hospitalized for a few days...BUT I knew he was in great hands The reception staff...techs...vets were all amazing..the communication was always there. My daily updates and pics were so appreciated. We have alot of follow up appts but they got my boy home to me and feeling better. Thank you all for the amazing work you do and the compassion you have

My dog was hit by a car and brought immediately to VCA. They rushed her in and started right away with a full exam. Our little girl was degloved and her foot didn't look like a foot. Dr. Hoang created a treatment plan that was fairly cost effective (no skin graphing) and after 3 months, my girl is back to normal. The staff are great and my dog was super excited to see the team every time she walked in the door. Thank you! PS GET TRUPANION PET INSURANCE FOR YOUR PET!!

We had to bring our dog in to see Dr Lyndsay Kong (cardio specialist). The service we received was extremely professional, accurate, and personal at the same time. We left feeling confident in the game plan for our dog, and that we can always get support when needed form Dr Kong. The facility is very nice, and all of the staff were extremely nice to us as well. They even have a side parking lot which is pretty handy given the location. Highly recommend!

Our 6 year old female black lab, Magic, ruptured her right cranial cruciate ligament and had TPLO surgery at Western Veterinary Specialist in Calgary 10 weeks ago. She is now fully recovered and Dr. Phil Hyndman, Kennedy Nelson RVT and the rest of his team did an awesome job. She has not had a single day with discomfort since surgery which speaks to the skill of the surgical team and the post operative care provided by this hospital. Highly recommended.

Would recommend in a heartbeat. We were in need of emergency vet care last night and they were very courteous, understood the need for expediency and got the puppy in, the second we arrived. Because we could not go into the building, constant updates were given in a timely manner, over the phone. Do not hesitate for one second if you need critical vet care for your companion. Everyone I met there cared deeply for the little runt I brought in.

Worst clinic ever. All they care about is how to charge the most amount of money in a single visit. You pay a 500$ deposit before you even walk through their door. Yet when you do work for VCA clinic, they take months to pay for your invoice. They will lie about diagnosis and deny, deny, deny when confronted! Save your money and go to a reputable, locally owned VET clinic, where the vets are trustworthy and actually care for your animal.

Every staff member we came in contact with was extremely friendly, thorough, and calm. Although it was quite busy, our puppy was taken into emergency care right away and communication was very good. We were sent a full treatment plan with breakdown of costs, and were even refunded upon pickup for some costs that were not needed. Thank you so much to VCA for taking such great care of our pup (and us!) during a scary and stressful time.

Avoid this place at all costs. They overcharge and under perform. Our regular vet was unable to see our dog after he was attacked by other dog. We were informed by our regular vet that his skin was dying and they needed to add a drain to help with the infection. After VCA had stitched him up, they decided to tell us they should do a culture to monitor his infection…so he needed to be sedated a second time. An absolute money grab.

The specialists here were able to save our tiny dog Daisy which was attacked by a bigger dog. She had three broken ribs and needed special care, she's back on the mend now. Thanks to amazing vets like Dr. Madden and the entire staff we wouldn't have our Daisy right now. Thank you so much to your whole team! Even the front end staff were super friendly and expressed empathy, you can tell everyone who works here loves animals.

Call last minute to cancel the appointment on us.Saying they charge $1,000 for quill removal? Strathmore only charged less than $300 last year. We traveled an hour & half out of city. We were almost there when they called to cancel. Ridiculous... I felt racially profiled. Making assumptions we can't pay a bill. When they don't even know how bad our dog is without looking first? My dog has approximately 20 quills? If that???

I cannot say enough good things about every person I dealt with today. They had us in quickly, they were sincere and went over and above to help me with my situation in so many ways. They provided me with several options and were not pushy at all and really did so much more than they asked of me. I will not hesitate to bring our animals back here. Top quality care and top notch staff. I am so very appreciative. Thank you!

We took our dog to VCA Western in the middle of the night on a weekend due to abdominal pain. The staff were great and triaged our dog immediately. We discovered our dog was bleeding internally and surgery would be needed. The surgery went well and our dog was able to pull through. During the entire process the staff and veterinarians were professional, kind, and kept us up to date on the status of our dogs well being.

When our senior Basset, Maddie, took a sudden turn for the worse the VCA on 10th Ave SW helped us through an extremely difficult time. The staff was very accommodating, empathetic and walked us through the process step by step. We were not rushed and they allowed us to take all the time we needed to say goodbye. Given the circumstance we found the pricing to be transparent and very reasonable. My wife and I thank you.

We were met with kindness and compassion when we brought our sick hedgehog here to get looked at last night. Unfortunately it was time to for us to say goodbye to him but with all the staff being so understanding and kind it made it a bit easier to go through. I can’t say enough amazing things about this place and I am really thankful that we ended up going here when we needed to. Thank you so much to all the staff.

BEWARE. My sister had her beloved dog become seriously ill and within 3 days had a bill of close to $20,000. If you love your pet, they will continue to offer all sorts of expensive tests and treatments to try, without a reasonable hope they will recover. Cost over $5,000/day and then still had to euthanize. Should have discussed that option with her WAY sooner and I did not feel they were ethical in this respect.

Our rabbit, Bodhi, was brought into the care of VCA Western last night. While it was unfortunately time to say goodbye, we will never forget the kindness and compassion provided by staff. They treated Bodhi with the utmost respect and listened to every story of his mischievous adventures. He had a grand life and was given the peace by staff that all animals deserve at the end. We will be forever appreciative.

We felt Dr. Lyndsay Kong and the rest of the staff at the hospital wanted only the best for my cat. They were able to get us in at short notice when our cat's health took a downturn, when another client cancelled their appointment. They gave us multiple options based on our budget and watched his progress closely. Thanks so much for everyone's hard work, including Brittney for always keeping us up to date.

I have brought many pets here. Cats, dogs and even a reptile. The service has always been superior to any other vet. They make you and your pet feel safe and like family. I really enjoyed my experiences here until they handed me the bill. They are on the pricey side of things but that being said customer service is always worth something! I do recommend you come here because they are worth the extra cost

They were so quick to take in my puppy and took such good care of him!! Our pets don't choose when to have an emergency situation and I'm super grateful they were there to help us out. Thank you Amber for helping me over the phone prior to coming in and being so supportive and thank you Dr. Shandruk for your care! I hope we don't ever have an emergency but if we do I'd definitely bring my dog back here.

This vet has always been so amazing, they are genuinely caring and compassionate. I've been to a lot of vets with different issues and I've never encountered any that are as understanding and accommodating as this particular VCA location. They are so helpful during emergency visits and display an above and beyond level of humanity that makes them superior to anywhere else I've gone for veterinary care.

The staff here was amazing for being night-shift staff. Very informative and checked in on me waiting to update me on the process of checking my beautiful baby Chini out. For a 2AM shift they were sharp and so kind. From the moment I called and the line was busy I had a staff reach out and text me to make sure my animal was ok. Phenomenal. If you’re in an emergency I highly recommend. Big thank you!

Brought both of our dogs in after they were displaying signs of intoxication from eating fermented fruit from the compost. We were so anxious and upset and the staff was extremely comforting and helpful, brought our dogs back to health, and were just so happy we brought them here. Thank you everyone at the hospital, you made this terrible experience so much easier. Bane and Bourdain Katie and Rich

I had to bring my 9 month old pup in to induce vomiting since she ate some plastic! From the moment I called, all of the staff were so kind and helpful. Once we arrived, they were sweet with my girl and got her taken care of right away. The vet made a point to check-in with me twice! I really felt like they cared about the well-being of my girl. Would 100% come back again for emergency care.

Had to take my cat in around 10 pm. The nurse with VCA emergency on the phone was great for assessing urgency. The wait at the clinic wasn't too bad but obviously it's a triage process so could have got a good night. Space was clean and staff were very friendly. It's obviously more expensive than a regular vet visit, but when your animal is in crisis it's nice to have a 24 hour option.

Unprofessional service. Forced me to repeat I was putting my dog down in a waiting room full of people loudly because the person behind the counter wasn't paying attention. Heartless and unworthy of calling themselves professionals. They made an already emotionally tumultuous time so much worse by their conduct and attitude. I would never bring another animal here. Just disgusted.