VCA A Breed Apart Animal Hospital

I have been taking 3 of my dogs here for a couple of years now. Everyone - the receptionists, the techs, and the vets have been very nice and pleasant. I have also gone to TLC in the past, and did not get the same feeling in terms of quality of the vet. I highly recommend this place to anyone.

I have two parrots one we inherited (an African Grey) and one we bought (an African Senegal) and I knew nothing about their care. Dr. Sostrain has been a life-saver regarding my novice and has actually helped save the African Grey's life a couple of times. She's instructed me on how to feed and care for them and does their wing, toenail clipping, and, on the African Grey, beak filing. She even told me not to put the two parrots together because of the size difference which I didn't know mattered. I have been extremely satisfied with the care I've gotten and feel anything I pay is worth it.

I agree with the other reviewer who mentioned how this place seems to always have a bunch of add-on or up-sell costs to basic services. I was there today with my 11 year old Shep mix. She's having some bladder issues and since she's been a patient here for her whole life, I thought it best to bring her back. Instead of offering just the basic urology test that they recommend and advertise in their brochures and online, the Vet offered me some kind of package deal that was twice as much as what I needed. There could be a chance that we'll need more tests and lab work, but I needed just the most basic test for her to rule out a bladder infection or related issue. I want the best possible care for my pets, but like most folks, my budget is pretty tight these days and I have to plan and spend accordingly.

I've taken my two pound puppies to this VCA location off and on for nearly 10 years, and have generally found the service and staff to be quite good. On my latest visit, the vet mentioned that my dogs could benefit from one of the more popular flea treatments on the market. We talked about it briefly and I believe I nodded in agreement. However I was never given a cost for the product, and I honestly forgot to ask, likely due to the fact that the combined weight of my dogs is over 110 lbs. and they were not being shy about pulling on their shared leash to let me know they were ready to leave. At any rate, the total for the visit - nearly $300 - seemed more than a bit high, even though both dogs needed a full check-up and shots. It wasn't until I got the dogs home and settled and took a closer look at the bill that I realized I'd paid $110 for a six-pack or the flea treatment. I should have asked for an explanation of the charges when I was making the payment; however, I believe it is usually customary for these things to be explained by the professionals rendering the service at the time. I did end up returning the unopened product for a full refund with no questions asked, but I just felt a bit put off by the situation. I'll have to do a little bit of comparison shopping for the basic services received to make sure I'm not overpaying. As for the optional products being sold, I know that I can get them online at quite a savings. Our dogs have been patients here for nearly a decade, but with the economy what it is now, I may have to take my business elsewhere if I can get a better price.