I was referred to VCA over an emergency with my dog. When I got there, they didn't even seem to know why I was there, even though the referring vet had called them. I told them it was an emergency... the four receptionists just sat there, uncaring. Even though they weren't busy, I sat in the waiting room with my dog for 45 minutes so one of them could create a new patient account...really?. We then went to a triage room where again, after another 45 minute wait the tech didn't seem to understand why we were there. She took notes and left. An HOUR later, someone came in saying we had an outstanding bill that had to be paid before they could help us. I had no outstanding balance (remember, they had to create a new patient account)...but since it was an emergency and I was really scared for my dog, I gave her my credit card and said fine, charge me the $600 even though in my opinion it was extortion. An hour later she came back with my credit card, said she hadn't put it through yet, and we could leave and go somewhere else if we wanted to without paying the $600. WE WERE THERE FOR AN EMERGENCY for pete's sake. Then she said I'd also have to pay another $700 plus to cover the estimate for services. I paid it. They took blood. 45 minutes later, a tech came in and said they had to take my dog to the back. I asked why, and she said "I don't know; she's not my patient" (no one there seemed to realize my dog was NOT a girl). It turns out they needed more blood. They basically did a CBC and nothing else. Another hour later, the result was my dog needed meds for an infection. When I was being checked out, the "cashier" said I hadn't paid anything yet...I showed her my receipt and she still argued with me about it then finally went in back then came back and said everything was paid. I paid ANOTHER $450 for the meds. Another tech went through the discharge orders and couldn't even answer any simple questions that we had. The vet who saw my dog should have done that. I would never go back there. An absolutely, inexcusably hideous experience. They care about money, not your beloved pet. They didn't give a damn about my dog and me...that's for sure. A disgusting lack of care and empathy. They shouldn't even be in business.

I read the visit writeup VCA sent me...they described my dog as "unkempt". He is a clean, well cared for, extremely well loved labradoodle...he just doesn't have a prissy haircut, you arrogant snots.

Horrible, horrible experience. Had a brand new vet Dr Maura totally screw up and wrongly diagnosed a leg fracture on my cat. She also totally missed her hip fracture and tail fracture. My cat was attacked by a large animal that Dr Maura stated was a "cat bite" even though you can fit 3 fingers into the wound which no cat could ever cause that kind of damage. She cleaned the wound out but never even bandaged the wound and then without regard put the dirty and soiled shirt back on the newly cleaned wound hence cross contaminating it. She suggested we take the cat to Blue Pearl which is a specialty Hospital almost 4 hours away. After spending almost $1300 dollars at VCA Palmetto that wasn't an option and we told Dr Maura this multiple times which she completely ignored. She charged for pre-surgery blood work which makes no sense as we told her we were taking the cat to our regular vet the next day. Dr Julie was the one who told us the cat's leg fracture was wrongly diagnosed and that she also had a hip and tail fracture. This vet Dr Maura wasn't even going to give pain medication or even antibiotics. My sister who is a vet tech made sure we left with an antibiotic and pain medication. However the pain medication prescribed did nothing to alleviate her pain. The antibiotic given wasn't even the correct one for skin infections or wounds. Also no education was given to us as to how to take care of the her wound. No supplies were given. Just that the vet totally took advantage of us and got all the money she could get out of us. Luckily my sister is a vet tech and helped stabilize my cat till we could get her to her regular vet early the next morning My vet retook x-rays because she did not agree with Dr Maura's diagnosis. My vet charged me $140 for x-rays, the correct antibiotics, appropriate pain medication, not to mention all the supplies to dress her wound, laser therapy, and debridement. When I called to complain to VCA Palmetto I was given Dr Buerkle to speak to who is the Medical Director. The only thing she was willing to do was refund the emergency office visit fee of $127. She said she would use this as a learning opportunity to help Dr Maura learn better communication skills when dealing with clients. What about her incompetence and wrong diagnosis? My cat had to have surgery today to amputate her leg and tail. This is clearly veterinarian malpractice and this hospital is all about the money and not the well-being and health of their clients. Dr Buerkle obviously is covering up for this new vet who had no senior supervision and was left on her own to do further damage to my poor cat. Don't trust these money grubbing idiots with your beloved pets because they don't care. It's all about the bottom line. Shame on you Dr Buerkle and your practice. Thank goodness for vets like Dr Julie at Lori's Animal Hospital who puts the well being of their patients first and foremost. Unlike VCA Palmetto Hospital and doctors Maura and Buerkle.

I don't even feel comfortable giving Knightswood 1 Star. We visited Knightswood on 8/30/2018, one day after he was at VSEC emergency. Our dog had paralysis in the hind region when we brought him into Knightswood.(Dr Meyers was our vet) The day before at VSEC he had mobility and was prescribed 3 meds. Knightswood said an MRI was our only option and believed he needed surgery to either remove a mass or surgery on his spine. Neither of which we could afford. They said the meds may possibly begin to work and we left with our dog in tears because they gave us a grim prognosis and went home to make the agonizing decision to have him euthanized with lap of love (dr Brad). Overnight he began to use his back legs and stood unassisted although a few seconds. Saturday I went to knightswood by myself to ask if there was hope. Melissa the vet tech stated prolonged use of prednisone could be a detriment to the dog and read me a note left by dr Meyers stating euthanasia is the humane action for pacino(I also have this message on my phone) I left crying again and went home to await dr Brad and say goodbye to our Pacino. While dr Brad was here Pacino got up and WALKED! We began a very well planned regimen of change of diet, (Hills j/d) supplements, massage, probiotics and range of motion exercises. Little be little, day after day Pacino is getting better. I'm on leave of absence from work and am by pacinos side all day. At this point we need a med refill as they combo of prednisone, tramadol and methocarbamol are going to be administered for at least 4 weeks with decreasing the amount over time.
Knightswood REFUSED to refill his meds due to them being "controlled substances". So, because PEOPLE evidently misuse this medicine my DOG will be in pain during his recovery. I BEGGED for an alternative that's not a controlled substance and Melissa said not without bringing our dog in. (He can't walk! They don't offer mobile vet service!) So here I am concerned that my dog may soon begin to experience pain which may hinder his recovery. Thankfully Dr Brad from Lap of Love took over and called in his rx as he realizes how important they are in his recovery plan and pain management. Pacino quite possibly has IVDD which in many cases can be helped with rest, therapy, steroids and pain mgmt. There is hope! Not all cases end up in a costly surgery! We've been using Knightswood for over 25 yrs but they made a huge error, used poor judgement and lacked compassion for our Pacinos care! I shudder when I think of what could have happened had Pacino not stood up when Dr Brad came to the house!

VCA will probably get this removed or have one of their vets post a positive review above it about some cats he doesn't have. But be aware they are thieves and if you bring your pet to them you will endanger it's life & limbs.

How VCA Roswell animal hospital caused my German Shepherd puppy to lose a leg & foot

MY German Shepherd dog puppy went in with a dislocated hip and is losing part of his leg and foot as a result of having his leg wrapped too tight at

VCA ROSWELL ANIMAL HOSPITAL
1112 ALPHARETTA ST
ROSWELL, GA *****
*******031

Aug 12th
Saturday
Our 10 month old German Shepherd Puppy was walking on three legs holding his rear left leg up.

Aug 13th
Sunday
He wasn't better his vet was closed.

Aug 14th
Monday
Attending Vet Jessica Corley
He dislocated his left hip.
It just needed to be set back in place & wrapped and we'd be on our way. He'd have to wear the wrap 1 or 2 weeks.
(as a sidenote it was suggested we get x-rays confirming whether or not he had hip dysplasia $400 he does)
I was told to watch his toes, make sure they didn't spread or cross, that would mean the wrap was too tight.

Aug 16
Wednesday
For 2 days my puppy was in obvious discomfort & while his toes neither crossed or spread he cried, I brought him back to VCA at that appointment facility director Roper D. V. M. Checked if the wrap was too tight, he took it off the foot & cut slits in the leg.

Aug 18th
Friday
5pm my dogs toes were clearly swollen I put him in the car & as I was driving back to VCA to have (now by the layperson's eye), a painfully tight bandage reassessed the front desk clerk Danielle told me not to bother coming they were closing in 30 minutes. She stated I should go to the emergency vet, I drove home and removed the bandage myself.
My puppy's foot began to ooze watery blood immediately. His circulation had been cut off. HIS FOOT WAS ALREADY DEAD IT WAS TOO LATE

Aug 19
Saturday
I CALLED VCA SATURDAY & THEY WOULD NOT SQUEEZE MY PUPPY IN INSISTING THE DRAINAGE WAS NORMAL & They made me an appointment for Monday AUG 21

Aug 21
Monday
WHEN I GOT THERE, HE HAD A FEVER AN INFECTION WASN'T GETTING CIRCULATION TO HIS FOOT. THEY APOLOGIZED SAID THEYD TRY TO REESTABLISH CIRCULATION AND HED BE THERE 12-15 DAYS. HE WAS ON AN ANTIBIOTIC PUMP & ID NEED TO PICK HIM UP BY 9 & DRIVE HIM TO A 24 HR VET, TO BE WATCHED OVERNIGHT SO THEY COULD Attempt to bring some circulation back to his leg and he could be monitored. Then I would have to pick him up at 6 AM when the emergency vet closed and bring him back to VCA for the next 2 weeks.

AUG 22
TUE
A DAY LATER HE WAS RUSHED TO BLUE PEARL IN SANDY SPRINGS GA BY VET AMBULANCE FROM THEIR FACILITY TO SEE A SURGEON AT WHICH POINT I LEARNED HE WOULD LOSE A LEG.

Aug 25
MY German Shepherd dog puppy went in with a dislocated hip and is losing part of his leg & foot as a result of being wrapped too tight.
My dog has been at VCA on heavy sedatives and an antibiotic pump this entire time with each passing day I take my son to visit the dog.
AT 11 AM
I took my dog to The University of Georgia where he is having a partial leg amputation and being fitted for a prosthetic.

Since VCA seems to be in a habit of getting legitimate reviews removed from the internet for BS reasons, let me state at the outset that everything in this review is a matter of public record. There are NO privacy concerns.

VCA San Francisco Veterinary Care Specialists and Drs. Catherine Stevenson and Kristine Chan ("VCA"), and The San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Drs. Richard Chu, Randy Bowman, Emily Adamson, Kathy Gervais, Anne MacFarlane, and Shelly Harrington ("SFSPCA"), are jointly and severally liable for $10,000 for mistreating my cat, Harvey. Causes of action include: Veterinary malpractice; Fraud, deceit, fraudulent concealment, intentional/negligent misrepresentation; Gross negligence, negligence; Intentional/negligent infliction of emotional distress; Breach of contract. Actual damages likely exceed $100,000.

This case is simple. What should have been a straightforward hyperthyroidism case costing less than $1000 and with a rapid recovery, turned into a months-long nightmare for which I was charged more than $5000 (not including large additional costs for pharmaceuticals and rehabilitation) due to defendants' incorrect diagnosis, fraudulent concealment of options, and numerous medical mistakes. Lost earnings and extreme emotional distress made these losses far greater.

Facts: On June 20,2016, Harvey suffered a thromboembolism (saddle thrombus) and was paralyzed from the waist down. Saddle thrombus is a symptom of heart disease. He had just been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. It is well established in veterinary science (including VCA's published articles) that hyperthyroidism causes secondary heart disease, "[h]yperthyroidism is the most treatable cause of cardiomyopathy [and] complete resolution of the heart disease is possible." vcahospitals.com/main/pe. In addition to the saddle thrombus, Harvey was also suffering from other life-threatening consequences of heart disease secondary to hyperthyroidism, including respiratory distress, hypertension, heart murmur, cardiomegaly, cardiomyopathy, and congestive cardiac disease. Harvey should have been treated immediately for hyperthyroidism.

Instead, SFSPCA and VCA failed to identify the likelihood that Harvey's heart disease was secondary to hyperthyroidism and easily treatable. They falsely told me there was no effective treatment for Harvey and pressured me to euthanize him. They fraudulently concealed the fact that hyperthyroidism causes heart disease, failed to inform me that heart disease is reversible when hyperthyroidism is treated, failed to treat hyperthyroidism, prescribed 25% of the recommended starting dosage of thyroid medication with no instructions for increasing the dosage, warned me not to give even this pitiful dosage, and fraudulently concealed the fact that this was too low a dose to control his hyperthyroidism.

As both SFSPCA and VCA knew, Harvey was also at risk for congestive heart failure ("CHF") and pulmonary/pleural edema. They should have given me guidance about what CHF is, how treating hyperthyroidism could reverse CHF, how to recognize the symptoms of CHF/edema, and how to increase the dosage of the life-saving diuretic Lasix in response to those symptoms. VCA fraudulently concealed this information, prescribed an inadequate dose of Lasix, warned me against giving this inadequate dosage, and failed to return urgent phone calls when a life-threatening situation was unfolding. SFSPCA failed to provide Lasix at all until weeks later. These and other wrongful acts caused delays in treating Harvey's highly treatable condition, ultimately resulting in catastrophic harm to Harvey and me.

Imagine how shocked I was to discover, months later, after applying my own research to the situation, that we actually had a simple problem with what should have been a simple solution. Harvey's dire situation began to stabilize with a simple, affordable, at-home treatment protocol. Harvey was not hopeless and did not need expensive and stressful echocardiograms and other expensive treatments that had been pushed on me. What Harvey needed was a proper dosage of the thyroid medication, methimazole. When Harvey finally got a higher dosage, the other problems started to resolve. Not only did Harvey's breathing stabilize with adequate thyroid medication, but also his anorexia and weight loss resolved. His appetite returned, and after many months he was finally restored to his original weight of 11 pounds.

Message me if you want a copy of what I filed (it's a matter of public record) in court.

Great Vets and pet care. A little expensive.