When my dog started peeing blood on a Sunday afternoon, I knew I had limited options. This was my first visit to AEC and I will use them again in an after hours situation. They got my doggo diagnosed and out the door in a fair amount of time. The exam was more $ than a usual vet exam but of course it is - they're open 24 hrs a day. Thanks for being there for us after hours! read more

Animal Emergency Care - Yodi says thanks! - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

took 3 hrs to be seen. Front desk tried to put a leash on my dog that had a wound on her neck, front desk workers, gave attitude the rest of visit, after I decline, my dog is 3lb and a lap dog. worst vet experience i have had read more

We were in Bellingham for a weekend visit last month and had to take our dog in for an emergency visit in the middle of the night. They were very attentive, kind, and thoughtful in taking care our pooch. Dr. Drummond offered us clear treatment options and outlined the benefits, possible risks, and costs of them all. Nobody wants emergency vet services in the middle of the night, but this was a good experience. read more

great that we have a 24/7 vet hospital. wish they would not have recommended unnecessary imaging services for a known condition. they also overcharged me $500 more than they invoiced. had to dispute the charges. read more

I love this place!!! The staff are very comforting and supportive. I came in frantic with my puppy vomiting and I was worried about an infection. They were so, so sweet, comforting, and understanding. They helped guide me through the process every step of the way. With any kind of tests and procedures the staff were really good about explaining the necessity of these exams and on top of that they were good about collaborating a plan of care. They answered all my questions. They also gave me tips on future care for my puppy. Obviously emergency medicine is never going to be cheap especially since my puppy didn't have insurance since I just got her. However, they were very straightforward with the prices and they always asked ahead of time if it was okay to do so. One of the concerns was my dog having parvo and I was impressed with the way they handled the precautions needed. They came in with a gown and gloves and fully dressed in PPE and they gave me disposable pads just in case my puppy tested positive which thankfully she didn't. I hundred percent trust them with any of my dog's lives. They saved the day! read more

Animal Emergency Care - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Also 0 stars. My dog was transferred here in critical condition by a regular vet for a LIVER ULTRASOUND. Again, read that - he needed a LIVER ULTRASOUND and AEC admitted him for that. I won't go into detail about our poor experience, but over 24 hours and 3K+ later, they told us he would need to be transferred for, get this, A LIVER ULTRASOUND. They were unable to provide this service because their tech was out at a wedding, and they knew this when they admitted our dog. The FAST wand doesn't count - the regular vet could've done that, and it's not what he required and was transferred for. We, then, had to transfer our dog again. This is simply medical malpractice. You don't accept a patient in critical condition for a service you are unable to provide. You wasted 2 days of our dog's life and our time and money. I've put a stop payment on the service you did not provide. We wouldn't have come here in the first place if we knew you were unable to do a liver ultrasound. Call me to settle this dispute. Two words: CASH GRAB. Don't come here under any circumstances. Take your dog to AMCS in Seattle for proper care. read more

AEC competently treated my large LGD, but what really impressed me was that when they did not comply with one of my important requests, the doctor took the time to later explain why - and she was right! I value a professional who can disagree with me so compellingly. And my dog was uncharacteristically calm and compliant with their capable techs. Recommended. read more

My dog began panting and breathing heavily and trembling. My regular vet was closed so I did a search and EVERY RESULT said to take her to emergency care right away bcuz it could be a number of life-threatening conditions such as a heart attack, pancreatitis, etc. so I rushed her here at 8:45pm Long story short, after I described my dog's symptoms the check-in girl said my dog looked alert enough -well DUH, my dog was in an unfamiliar place, of course she'd be alert!- and when I expressed my heart attack concern, she said "oh they don't do that" ~~WHAT???!!!!~~ She continued to say that since it was a "non-emergency" that we'd have to wait to be seen, possibly 4-6 hours.. well crap, my regular vet would be available by then!!! So I left And all I can say is, if my dog dies overnight while waiting to see my regular vet, I'm gonna sue the bejeezus out of this clinic!!!!! Sincerely!!! And honey.. I had my neighbor with me who witnessed the whole incident!!!!!! read more

Animal Emergency Care - She's NOT feeling well!!! - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

It's always so hard to be at the emergency vet but the wonderful staff here make it a bit easier. We've had 2 of our 3 pets here recently and every time we have had to come (4 total) it has been made a bit easier because of the how the staff and vet communicate and handle our pets. I trust this team and give them 5 stars. Not sure how they do it everyday. So many heart breaking cases walk through the door while we wait for our pet to get in. The trauma care they give in heart wrench situations is amazing and selfless. If your pet is injured or sick, come here. read more

We had a very sick dog. She had not eaten in 4 days, had a high fever (105) and had almost no interaction with us. We started calling vets at 9AM and finally found Animal Emergency Care at 3 PM. Even our "regular" (given all our animal shots and checkup for many years) would not be able to see her for almost a month. Everyone stated she needed to see a vet immediately, but we could not find any vet or even any Emergency Vet Clinic to see her (contacted over 25 offices and clinics). We traveled over 65 miles to the facility. They took the necessary information over the phone during our trip. She was taken in to see the vet within 5 minutes after our arrival. The other "emergency clinic", that was closer to our house, stated we would need to wait in their office for up to 12 hours. The whole staff was very good, or should I say awesome. The vet gave us the estimated costs for just the ER treatment (take meds and go home that day) to a hospital stay of 12, 24, 36 and 72 hours. Contrary to other vets and emergency clinics we have visited in the past, they did not make any attempt to shame you into using their longer term care; i.e., they just wanted what was best for the pet and what we were able and willing to spend. In our case our dog had pancreatitis which is life threatening. The problem is that there are many possible caused, most of them with a poor prognosis (cancer, autoimmune, etc.). We took our dog home with detailed instructions from the veterinarian, medications and a prescription. It has only been three days, but in the case of our dog, her treatment has been very successful. Her fever broke the next day and she started eating two days after her visit and is much more alert and interactive. She appears to be OK, but she is still very ill. It will just take time. read more

my friends dog was hit by a car and was clearly not breathing and totally unresponsive by the time he arrived at AEC. Still, they performed CPR for .50 (billable, not sure what that actual measurement is) for $217. It was less than 30 minutes between leaving home in Custer and the dog being pronounced dead at the hospital and the bill was $400. In my opinion, this is excessive when, really, a basic conformation was all that was needed. The dog was clearly already dead and all that was needed were some kind and compassionate words, no useless CPR and epinephrin. Do better read more

If I could give 0 stars, I would I cannot in good faith recommend ANYONE bring their animal here after the experience I had last night at AEC. I brought my dog in with a small wound (that was actively bleeding) to be seen. Immediately without any opportunity to join him, he was taken to the back where they had him kenneled for well over an hour. During this time I had to ask the front desk for updates, where I was met with nothing but snide and snipped responses--giving an update regarding a patient is a part of standard clinical care and not an inconvenience, no one should feel bullied out of asking questions. After well over an hour, I was brought to a back room where, without my dog present and without the opportunity to observe him myself, the vet came in and told me my only option was to fully sedate him. This felt incredibly exploitative as she flipped back and forth between telling me he would be fine vs he would need to be put under for surgery. I did not trust her lack of explanation for why she felt a 7 lbs dog needed sedation for skin glue, nor did I trust the lack of other options. When I opted for a less invasive and more proactive treatment plan with my regular vet (losing them hundreds of billing dollars, but more importantly saving my pet from excessive risk that comes from sedation) both the vet tech and the vet were rude, short, and again failed to give me an opportunity to ask questions regarding discharge pr anything to be on the lookout for. When I asked to speak to someone before I left for literally ANY instruction, I was once again met with the most passive aggressive and rude tones I could've imagined in that setting. And they were playing computer games instead of helping an elderly woman with a walker get to their front door as their staff continued to mop around her, which has nothing to do with the care my dog received but I think says a lot about their "we don't give a shit" culture TLDR: unprofessional, poor level of care and expertise received, exploitative, and unbelievably rude. read more

On our vacation, our dog got sick and this place was recommended to us. I called ahead and that helped so that when we got there, they walked my dog in. The staff was friendly, professional and so kind. Dr. Bailey was so amazing and even though we got a terminal diagnosis for our dog, they provided us with options, comfort and availability. I am so thankful for all their kindness and professionalism. read more

AEC was very accommodating on a Sat night. My dog had a ruptured anal gland abscess and I brought her in. I was there 3-4 hrs and they took excellent care of my pet. Appreciated the status updates from the staff and vet. Hope I do t need to go back anytime soon! read more

As a licensed insured pet care/house sitter it is my responsibility to clean up my mistakes. When trying to replace a bit of medical equipment (needed daily) I had accidentally thrown away, I called AEC at 5am. By 6:30am I had a new syringe needed to give this dear old fella his chemo-therapy. No charge! While I am responsible for my mistakes, it was this organization that made it possible. read more

Our puppy, Willy, cut his back paw while hiking. The wound was deep and we had a hard time getting it to stop bleeding. We took him to AEC where we were met by a very kind, professional and familiar tech, Karen. She checked his wound and quickly got us checked in. Dr. Johnson examined him and called us with details about his wound and the procedure needed to repair his paw; along with the cost. She answered all of our questions and made us feel at ease. We felt confident Willy was in excellent hands. Communication was amazing! Received all call when he was finished and ready to be picked up. They explained aftercare in detail and checkout was quick and easy. I would highly recommend AEC. They truly cared for my fur baby and I'm so appreciative! Whatcom County is blessed to have these folks!! read more

I've had multiple really good experiences with AEC, and wish I could leave multiple reviews. I'll share the stories below. Three caveats: Caveat 1: Emergency care is EXPENSIVE. It sucks, it really does, and there's no real way around it aside from having pet insurance or something similar, like Pawp. Caveat 2: It really sucks to have to wait when you're worried about your pet, but if they tell you it's because there are other emergencies that are more urgent, it's true. A dog who's bleeding is still more stable than a dog who's lethargic and unresponsive with grey gums. That seems insane, but one can recover with rest and a blood transfusion. The other won't live through the night without immediate and aggressive care. Caveat 3: When I say "good", I mean straightforward, with clear expectations set about cost and time, and kind, clear communication. No experience at an emergency service is going to be great, because no one goes in for a good reason, but I know I'll go back to AEC as my emergency vet for as long as I live in the area because they've always been honest and kind, and I know from experience that their priorities are in the right place. 1: took my 1-year-old lab mix to AEC after thinking he might have ingested some sharp plastic shards. The wait was VERY LONG (like five hours) which suuuuuucked, but I knew it was because he was stable and they were working with the dogs who would die if not seen faster. I think I paid $500 for the emergency fee+an xray. He was fine (and we switched to a metal food bowl). 2: Took my 6-year-old pit mix in for a bloat scare, after consulting with a vet chat service online. They immediately took him in, and the wait was about three hours for him too, because he wasn't showing any signs of emergency other than a very fat stomach. Got an xray, was told he had a lot of something in his stomach but they weren't sure what, and was advised that I could either take him home, or leave him there, but the only thing to do was keep an eye on him and see if he had a bowel movement. I took him home, slept next to his crate, and he had the biggest poop of his life the next morning. (Turns out he inhaled 2lbs of kibble in approximately 30secs. I called them to tell them that and they got a good laugh out of it.) That also cost about $500; leaving him overnight for supervision would have been another $300, I think. 3: Six months after the last story, ended up taking the same dog to AEC after pale gums led to a regular vet visit which led to an xray and a referral to emergency care. I called AEC as I was driving over, and knew something was very wrong when they had me pull up to the front doors instead of park and have a vet tech meet me outside. They did another xray and a thoracentesis, calling me in between to get approval for the latter, which would be about $200. Long story short, my heart and soul dog had developed incredibly aggressive hemangiosarcoma that took over his heart and spleen in less than six months, and was bleeding into his chest cavity. You know something is very wrong when the vet comes out to talk to you in person, instead of getting a call. The vet did her best to gently explain that he wasn't a candidate for surgery and this was a death sentence. I have enough of a medical background that I knew what she was saying before she got too far into the explanation, so I don't know how someone not familiar with that sort of language would have felt about it or if the message would have gotten across. I asked her if I could get 24 hours with him. She said she would do her best, and sent us home with some medicine to boost his clotting factors and referrals for at-home euthanasia services. I paid $800 and ended up with the worst news I could imagine, and that SUCKS, but it's also the reality of healthcare across the board, human or animal, and they were very upfront about the cost throughout. I was in and out in two hours. So, if you're frustrated by the long wait, please know that as infuriating and boring as it is to sit in your car, it's a good sign. read more

When my dog was at the end of his life, we called this place and asked general questions about wait times because we didn't want to put our dog through anything unnecessary right before the end. When the woman answered, she told us they were only taking patients who were critical or at final stages. I responded through tears that we "have one of those" and she coldly and sarcastically responded, "so you're telling me your pet is ACTIVELY dying?" It was the least compassionate response I could've possibly imagined and I honestly would never go there and hope the woman who talked to me while I was sobbing has an absolutely horrible rest of her life. read more

Just had the first scariest moment with my Mainecoon kitty. He's never had any health scares or anything and tonight was his first one. I wish I remembered the receptionist's name I talked to but I was having a full blown panic attack because a long piece of string was hanging out of his rear end and he seemed to be in pain. They were already busy at 11pm but the nice receptionist talked me throughout it and stayed on the phone with me until the situation stabilized. Luckily his symptoms weren't getting worse and he was able to pass it himself. I have never been here but I'm so grateful to know I have such an amazing emergency vet so close to me. read more

We were visiting Bellingham when our 4 month old puppy was hit by a truck. From the moment we were met in the parking lot, the care and warmth not only our little one, but we, received from all the wonderful women who work here was so moving. Dr Callihan's in-depth care, dedication and skill means that our little pup has the best chance of a full recovery and the active life she so wants. This woman deserves a medal for what she puts in to the work she does. I feel so blessed that this place exists and that we called them during this trauma. I can't recommend them highly enough. All after care instructions were made super clear and the costs were not exorbitant. We left our last appointment with our pups legs in blue bandages covered in yellow hearts and stars, decorated by a caring team of smiling practitioners who our pup adored. read more

We brought our dog who hurt his feet so bad the blood was non stop all over my husbands close by the time we got him to AEC. They said they needed paper work done they came and got the dog and said it will be $759.00. They wanted that before they would take care of him. Ok we paid 6:45p.m. Well it's 12:19 AM and they are just wrapping his feet. I ask why it's taking so long . Well we had emergencies that came in Worse than yours ! Really ! Was it they could make more money off those pets ? As we waited we had 3 different people say well hope your ready to pay first and you will be lucky if it's under a $1000.00 . As I'm still sitting in my car another young man is having the same issue. From what was said we might get out by 1:00 Am . Mind you they aren't stitching him up even they are cleaning his paws then wrap them. 61/2 hours . We can't go in ! So where are they keeping him a cage sedated out of his mind? I just know they got our last dollar . read more

We went after hours because we had a dog of 15 years whose time had come. Our regular vet recommended them. I cannot say enough about how thoughtless, insensitive, and downright rude the vet was during our ordeal. Village Vet, 2 week wait time, still recommends them even after that nightmare. Never again for both of them. read more

I don't have a good answer as how to fix this situation, but when we have a pet emergency and have to come here, waiting all night to even get in, and now they want a deposit, then to send you home only to billed the actual amount on top of that! I am not from here, so having to wait all night is asinine to me!!! Get it together Whatcom County! Smaller towns all over the state can figure it out!!! This is AWFUL!! Should have just drive to Mt. Vernon read more

Our bulldog had developed a cyst which started to rupture. This facility is amazing. Everyone is friendly and accommodating. They treated her until we can schedule cyst removal surgery. Great staff, extremely knowledgeable and very professional. It took our fears away. Highly recommend!! read more

Buddy was terribly ill on a holiday weekend. We brought him late at night around 11:00pm. Wait was about 40min and he was in the care of some of the most professional caring medical staff i have experienced. They were able to dispense his medication right there and answered all of our questions and explained the follow-up care we needed to do. When you have a sick pet, especially in an emergency, you want the best and most skilled. When you want the best care come here. They are also pretty good at calming the frantic pet parents lol. read more

This place was beyond amazing, we came in tonight around 9 pm with our dog and they got us in so quickly, were very informative and so so sweet to our baby while we were worrying. We got out of there with not too bad of a bill for being an after hours emergency vet, and the vet that helped us even told us when she would be off the next morning, and told us to call her at anytime during the night if we had any worries or questions. Love this place and so thankful they were there when we needed them. read more

Animal Emergency Care - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Really have to give it to AEC. Understanding that Covid cause an influx of pets, they were the only ones in the Seattle area that would take us during a pretty serious emergency as our cavapoo was uncontrollably throwing up blood every 10 mins and would not stop. Every ER we called in the Seattle area turned us down, and AEC was soo nice to us and understood the seriousness of the situation. Unfortunately it took us 1hr 30mins to drive there, but they took her immediately and as far as I'm concerned saved our pup. I cannot thank them enough. Penny is recovering and she very much thanks you too for your help and proper diagnosis of an issue we can correcty address moving forward. read more

Woke up this morning and my dog cannot walk, she walked fine last night. I called aec and we were on our way to get her checked out. When we arrived we were unable to enter because of this political covid-19. We then walked back into the car and called them on the number provided on the door. I had to provide the same information over the phone which we had given previously and then we waited another half hour in the car and decided to leave. The emergency seemed to only exist with us and not them. Their attitude was overwhelmingly nonchalant. We were never told it would be a while. We were never told that they were busy. We were never told anything other than will be with you. If I could give them a zero I would. Pray that you don't have an animal that's in real need because these people are no use. read more

Went to AEC after our pup sustained an unfortunate mountain biking related paw injury yesterday. We ended up at AEC in the middle of the night after ferrying back from Orcas Island. It was a long day- and this would be our first time needing urgent attention for our pup. Definitely felt nervous and exhausted, and we just were not sure what to expect. I am so glad to share that we had a GREAT experience with AEC. Communication was seamless from pre-check in to post check-out. Everyone we dealt with was so friendly and professional, you would not have known it was the middle of the night (literally, 2 am). Staff regarded our concerns with focus and attention, despite how busy they undoubtedly were inside. Most importantly our guy seemed genuinely well cared for and at ease post-procedure. Thank you Dr. Drummond and the AEC team for taking such excellent care of Bridger (and for the bonus nail trim under sedation! Yes! You are truly the best!) read more

Animal Emergency Care - Going to be all healed up soon! - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

A+. We had to take our newly adopted puppy in for some digestive issues (I won't go into the gory details). Dr. Ryan was fantastic - very caring and patient in explaining everything. Also very calm, which is greatly appreciated when you are dealing with a pet emergency. The staff is great too. If I need emergency vet care in the future, I will definitely go here even though there are clinics that are closer. It is absolutely worth the drive for the quality of care. read more

The location has changed since I was here last - but the quality of care has not. I felt that the receptionist was caring and kind and the vet was personable and methodical. I really appreciated her hands-on approach and sympathy. She has a watchful eye and saw to my immediate concerns, but also had some recommendations for me to follow up with my primary vet tomorrow for continuous care. I was very pleased with my experience here and found the prices for be reasonable for an after hours clinic. There is plenty of free parking and a spacious waiting room. The entire facility is clean and well lit. read more

The staff and service here are so wonderful! Arianna in particular. They went above and beyond to care for our lady. It makes all the difference when you feel the person working with your animal cares as much as you do. read more

My chihuahua oscar went in there at 2 am like minutes from death, couldn't breathe. I fully expected to lose him, however these guys managed to save his life and diagnosed with heart failure, they put him on a med regimen and hes been doing good since. And helped us find a vet. Thank you so much, highly recommend for your fur babies. read more

I am very upset with us place our friends had an emergency with their dog my son drove them to this vet and this place turned them away that their dog wasn't in danger and that they have to wait till midnight . their dog some how cut her leg by running after a rabbit the their dog was bleeding my son drove our friends there so she can get some help I wouldn't go there it was bad enough that they lost a family member today I wish I could give them a big fat 0 cause this vet place wouldn't take the dog in read more

We had our dog here for two nights and were originally very nervous about it. After the two days we made up our mind this place is the go to spot if your pet needs good loving care with an accommodating staff. (On weekends or odd hours) It did not matter what time of the day or night we called, we were always given an update and a quick call back from the nurse on call. They would let us stop by and check on our puppy and seemed like the genuinely cared. I'm not sure about what to comment about the cost, I think any time you bring your pet to the ER it's going to hurt. read more

Early on a Sunday morning, one of our male cats was crying and growling in pain from a blocked urethra! He was licking himself (that area) and I suspected it was a UTI or blockage. We ran right in, and he saw Dr. Kristen Janusz. She did a great job getting him unblocked using sedation, gave him pain medication, anti-nausea meds, antibiotics and pills to help relax the urethra. He also was given fluids under the skin and a new catfood to try. I was extremely impressed with Dr. Janusz thoroughness. When the urine results didn't fit what was happening, she did another urinalysis and found the complete picture that went with his diagnosis. I would trust her completely with any of my cats! If you have a cat with those symptoms, take him in immediately. It is a life threatening emergency and your cat could die! She saved my cat's life! read more

I wish I could give the clinic 10 stars. Our 13 year old dog, Luna, was hit by a car. We could not get her seen in Mount Vernon because the vet was too busy. This clinic got us in right away. Their kindness and compassion was over the top, The vet on duty was factual and did not encourage all the whiz bang tests that she could have recommended. She talked about what could be done and what was likely to happen. We made the decision to end Luna's life. The vet was so supportive. Every staff member made way for our grief and kept our needs at the center. Luna died with her favorite stuffed toy on her favorite pillow. As hard as this was, they made it bearable. I cannot thank them enough for their kindness. read more

I can't say how thankful I am for the nice people here. My dog was very sick and, after another vet said she was fine, proceeded to get worse as the evening went on. The vet and her assistant (nurse?) were fantastic. They were thorough and compassionate and their love for my dog was apparent as soon as they walked in the room. Best of all, they saved her life. I hope I never have to bring a pet back here, but am happy to know there is such a great place to go in case of an emergency. read more

This was our first time having to use emergency care for our dog. We recently had to take our Boxer in at 1AM after she would not stop throwing up (we are talking every half hour or so from 5PM until we took her in). We called around midnight and they explained that they were about to go into emergency surgery and to come in in about an hour if our dog threw up again. Well.. she did and we took her in, she received great care from the staff and veterinarian. I loved how they laid out all of our options (x-rays, blood work, overnight stay, etc.) and let us choose what we wanted to do. We found nothing in her stomach from the x-rays so they gave her a great anti-nausea injection, gave her fluids because she was dehydrated from all the vomiting and sent us home with more anti-nausea meds. I appreciate all of you for what you do, emergency care cannot be easy and my husband and I thank you for taking great care of our boxer girl! read more

My fiancé and I took our senior cat here on a Saturday morning after our regular vet refused to get us in for an appointment. Our cat was showing signs of kidney failure and it was crucial we get him seen right away. We got in right away and the vet confirmed that it was kidney failure. The veterinarian went over our options and we decided on euthanasia. Everyone was so nice and understanding. They gave us a paw print to take home. It was one of the worst days I have had in a long time, but the staff made it a little easier. read more