My tiny, little pet really mattered! -Same day appointment -Very friendly front desk staff, really felt like they cared about our comfort. -Great advice from Dr. Kent, very obvious he is experienced with exotics and he actually cares! He didn't try to sell me anything I didn't need, if anything I felt like he was trying to keep the cost down for me. He really listened and made sure he understood the details of our little predicament. I didn't feel rushed, or like my pet didn't matter because he's "just a rat" or that our problem itself was insignificant. He really wanted the best for my little dude and I, without breaking the bank. (On that note - so did the front desk staff - who were very caring and understanding with my little pet as well.) Yes - we got in to see Dr. Kent a little while after our scheduled appointment time but there was an emergency just beforehand AND I was a same day appointment, so no surprises there. I was obviously happy to wait to let more pressing matters be attended to. Today was the first time I've had to come back in 4 years. It was another great experience and I'm happy to report consistent, excellent customer service. I think my rat actually likes the vet's office now, he was the center of so much positive attention, haha! These folks are great with exotics, I'd recommend them to anyone with rats. read more

Horrible experience. I took my anxious, but docile cat to this vet today because he was coughing and they were the only place to be able to get him in. Upon arrival, he was noticeably more anxious than he is normally at the vet. Typically, he'll crouch on the table or explore a little- today he full on attempted to escape because he was picking up on some weird energy. The staff full on hate each other- it's evident in their interactions. Totally toxic environment. The manager was insufferable. Possibly one of the most annoying people that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Her incessant nattering, nagging, and hovering was the icing on the cake of a horrible visit. Even the vet asked her to be quiet because it was stressing my cat out. While I was there, I requested a claw trim, they removed him from the room and took him to the operating room to do so. This stressed him out further. They were handling him quite aggressively. Eventually he bit the manager, which is unlike him, but fair given the way she was acting. I probably would have bit her too if I were a pet. They ended up giving him anesthesia without my consent. This is NOT ok. They didn't have his medical history nor did they ask me about it- it is pretty extensive. This "doctor" kept talking about himself, talking over me, wouldn't listen to any of my concerns. I also just got really creepy vibes from him. I wouldn't want to be left alone with him. I will NEVER come here again. I booked my cat's followup appointment at another, more reputable clinic. Any vet clinic that puts an animal under anesthesia without the owner's consent or their medical history is not one that you should be bringing your pet to. I will also be reporting to the Vet College. Horrible. PLEASE NOTE: that this review has been edited as I received a series of harassing emails from the manager stating that she is in fact a manager and not a receptionist. My sincerest apologies Valentina. Don't worry, it won't happen again. I would also like to add that this clinic repeatedly contacted me via email when I explicitly requested that they stop as it is harassment. If you cannot handle negative reviews, focus your energy on providing care that would allow your patients to leave positive reviews. read more

I went to this veterinarian years ago and left a review at the time, I've just received an email that my review was deleted after many years. I'm coming back on to leave it again because of how horrific this veterinarian is. Assuming they're deleting negative reviews as there were a lot more then. He was so aggressive with my dog I left in tears. He slammed her down on the table and pushed her head down so hard I was sure he was going to kill her. He should not be in business. Do not take your pet here. read more

Please save your sanity and protect yourself and your pet. Do NOT bring your pets here. I filled a complaint with the College of Veterinarians of Ontario. A panel of vets determined misconduct (improper sedation/anesthetic protocols) by Dr. Kent Ackerman among other issues. He tried to cover this misconduct by "losing" the medical records in a flood. He also lied about the whole visit and altered the medical records, which unfortunately wasn't picked up by the panel (in my case but has been in others) because I didn't provide them with evidence that refuted this. As this turned out to be a he said/she said, he wasn't disciplined; just provided advice to better his practice. He has other complaints against him. This vet is a danger to the public and I am certain he will be reprimanded in the future. I just hope it's not at a cost of a pet's life. This many one stars is a HUGE red flag. He also had a lawsuit brought by one of his former employees for harassment, which was proven true in court, and had his licence suspended for eight months. Not only is Dr. Kent Ackerman a terrible vet but a despicable person as well. read more

To say I am unhappy with my experience here is an understatement. Our dog was not feeling the best, so we brought him to the closest vet in the area. The vet took total advantage, charging us for him giving us tips on how to make our dog sit saying "I have been on tv many times and no one knows what I know". Very full of himself and very aggressive. Seems his goal is to make his patients feel stupid and coarse then into purchasing unnecessary items. Tried to send us home with copious amounts of food that we did not need, and when we refused he said "no, I'm telling you I am sending it home with you". Had to argue with him and he said that "we were misled" and that our other vet and breeder knew nothing and have not seen as many dogs as he had. AVOID AT ALL COSTS. He is a huge scam and will certainly try to take advantage if he can. Arrogant and rude at his best. Lastly, his debit machine never seems to work. You try twice and then he tells you "we are extremely busy here, go next door now please and get cash". read more

I wish I could give 0 stars! This is the absolute worst vet I have ever been to. If you care about your animals do not bring them here!!!!! I would not tell my worst enemy to bring their animal here Yesterday I noticed my budgie was unable to eat. I called around and they quoted me $40 for a trim so I decided to bring my budgie in. The vet was arrogant and rude. He did not listen to me at all regarding my birds health. He made the beak bleed while trimming it, and continually insisted the bird was fine. He straight up did not answer any questions I had as he was to busy bragging about how great he was. At the end of the consultation, he said it was not in fact the quoted $40, but it was $80 for the exam, plus $50 for the trim and taxes. Eventually, he agreed to only charge for the exam. Well today my bird is still not eating. When I called him this morning he continued insisting the bird was fine and just try feeding it different things. When I called him he said there was a complimentary follow up exam, then when I requested booking he said I would have to pay emergency night time rates because the only appointment was tonight. And his price for hospitalization kept changing, quoting 500 then 1000. Well, my bird is starving and I don't think he is going to make it. I don't have money to take him to another vet. Thank you Dr. Kent Ackerman for killing my bird. If you care about your animals at all DO NOT TAKE THEM HERE!!!!! read more

Because of my experience, I felt compelled to create an account and add my review. It's a long review but I believe I should outline the entire account to be fair. In summary though, I believe this vet should be avoided at all costs. Details: I called a few days in advance to make an appointment for 6:30pm to get my dog's annual shots. The lady on the other end asked me for my previous vet so they could have that vet fax them my dogs records. Sounds good so far. I walk in and there are 2 people behind the reception desk. I tell the one who wasn't on the phone that I have an appointment for 6:30. She ignored me and the lady on the phone waved me over to the waiting area indicating I should wait. Ok, no big deal. I was a few mins early so I waited. But, when she got off the phone, she did not address me. She started chatting with her coworker. While it was work related, I though it was weird she couldn't tell me to wait a bit longer because she had something she had to deal with first. Then when she was finished, she still ignored me! I get up and reiterate that I have an appointment at 6:30. By this time it is already 6:45. I tell her I'm a new patient and ask her if there are any forms I can fill out while I wait. She tells me to continue to wait. Finally 10 more minutes pass and she calls me over. She asks me for my dog's medical records. I'm thinking, you said you were going to get them. No big deal, I cam prepared and brought them with me. She then fills out the information (which I probably could have filled out while I was waiting). After that was done... more waiting. The vet (Dr. Ackerman) is finally ready to see us. It's now 7:15. The vet takes us into the room and I tell him we are here for his annual shots and I also mention that my dog has been licking his paws a lot recently. Not sure if it was OCD behavior or allergy. Here's where I start getting really annoyed. The vet doesn't listen to what I have to say. He spent 20 minutes telling me how my dog could be happier if I was more alpha. He tried to demonstrate how he put his hand on my dog to calm him down because he was nervous. I said, he shaking. I don't think he is clam. He says it's because the table is cold. I'm thinking really? My dog loves the snow, I'm pretty sure the table isn't as cold as playing in snow. Then after 20 mins of selling himself as the best (and possibly only) behaviorist in Toronto and mentioning his youtube videos about 10 times, he finally talks about the the licking. He said we need to get him on allergy pills. What bothered me is that he never asked about my dog. How bad was the licking? Any changes in diet? Any changes in environment? We are now 30 mins into the appointment and he asks me if there is anything else I need from him today. I'm like, I came here for shots! Oh right. Shots. He proceeded to call the vet tech to help with the shots and it was done in about 10 mins. Time to go pay and see what the damage is. Not too bad. In line with other vets (I've been to 4 of them in the area). While I'm paying the receptionist grabs the allergy pills. She makes a comment that I might notice my dog drink more water. I ask why. The allergy pills the vet prescribed had STEROIDS. I told her I don't want it as I want to do some research before giving this to my dog. She looked at me like I was stupid and yelled to the vet "he doesn't want the pills". The vet yells back "Tell them it is very inexpensive". Could not believe what I was hearing. I left the vet after over 2 hours. At my last vet, I was in and out in about 30 mins for shots. I go home and research allergy medication and steroids. Everywhere online says that this is a LAST RESORT only used when the dogs quality of life is threatened. The vet never asked ANY questions about how bad the allergy was. He never even confirmed if it was an allergy! He immediately prescribes STEROIDS? There are antihistamines without steroids. Why did he not prescribe those first? The side effects of the steroids was more than just "drinking more", it can cause aggressive behavior (roid rage) and other personality changes. I consider this negligence! The vet should have told me what was in the allergy medication and what side effects there were. DO NOT go to this vet if you value your pet. read more

Great advice and veterinary care from Dr. Ackerman. Specializing in cat behavioural issues, my wild Maine Coon has improved a lot in the past 7 months since switching to this clinic. read more

I am very happy with Dr. Kent Ackerman service. He is very professional and passionate veterinarian. My dog contracted a lyme disease and Dr. Kent Ackerman put a lot efforts to do a prompt and through diagnosis. I had no idea about what has happened to our dog, and it because of Dr. Kent Ackerman knowledge that our dog is alive and happy. Special thanks to Dr. Kent Ackerman for being available to see our dog for emergency visit right on Christmas eve when most of clinics were closed. read more

Greetings fellow pet parents ! I never write these reviews . BUT for Dr.Kent I will definitely write a review . This doctor is the best of the best . My dog is now 9 years old and I have been from vet to vet . He is beyond far the best vet yet . He is very knowledgeable, very welcoming and comforting. Dr. Kent is not one of those vets you just give your pet to and pay money . He will guide you every step of the way . Both affordable and someone I guarantee you can trust your furry friend with he works with most animals , but was great with my Doberman Zandra . Who is not very friendly with anybody . I recommend this vet HANDS DOWN HES GREAT !!!!! read more

The best part of the visit was watching my kitty wake up after being under local anesthetic. For a good laugh, I highly recommend drugging your cat to no end. Not only is it hilarious but it also adds a healthy dose of cute overload. --**See Footnote** I have no complaints about King West Veterinary Clinic unless maybe I had been pressed for time. But I'm fairly laid back with a whole lot of nothing to do at the moment, so it suited me just fine. During our first visit, kitty made a bit of a fuss and went from cute and cuddly mogwai to absolutely possessed gremlin within a matter of seconds. Dr. Ackerman handled it beautifully and calmly. Sure, he's probably used to spontaneous bi-polar disorder kitties, but really, she could have done some serious damage to his face. Picture if you can the image of a flying squirrel, only it's not a flying squirrel. It's actually a gigantic cat (she's fat, yo!) that looks as though it has been flung straight from a slingshot. And as this projectile heads straight for you with its ears laid flat and a glint of crazy in its eyes, a disturbing howl erupts from somewhere deep within and you find your face inches from ten razor sharp fully extended claws... Ya, Dr. Ackerman handled that shit really well. Anyways, it wasn't the best of days for kitty and some routine tests were required. Dependent on those results further testing could be required, so I left my kitty behind as my guilt and I marched out the door. Long story short, things turned out just fine. Due to the situation Dr. Ackerman could have conducted some additional tests, however, he felt that due to kitty's age and overall good health it wasn't absolutely necessary and I ended up saving almost $300. I appreciated that he looked beyond the finance (he is after all running a business) and cared enough not to put kitty through unnecessary procedures. I returned to the clinic again this week so that kitty could have a thorough plaque removal (it was absolutely necessary - - apparently there's a reason why they make plaque control pet food and I should have focused more on that than weight control pet food -- but I told you she was FAT, yo!). Another long story short, kitty was very well taken care of, Dr. Ackerman survived another mauling, and I went home paying less than I expected. I am very happy to have found this clinic. Not only have they been honest and professional, but I feel that I can leave kitty behind without worry. --**Footnote: No kitties were harmed in the making of this review. read more

BEFORE READING THIS I SUGGEST YOU ALSO READ OTHERS EXPERIENCE! THIS VET WILL RUN YOUR POCKETS AND BE A COMPLETE WASTE OF YOUR TIME. Today I was at King West Veterinary Clinic, and let me tell you it was the absolute WORST AND IGNORANT vet I've ever experienced!!! For one Dr. Ackerman is very dismissive and talks to you like you're stupid and don't know anything better about your pets well-being. And instead of focusing on your pet he rants about his youtube channel... Mind you I had an appointment at 9:30AM and wasn't seen until 9:55 and had the audacity to charge me an extended consultation examination when he was with my dog for 10 minutes. COMPLETE SCAMMER! Instead of educating me on ways to prevent the type of illness my dog has which was hot spots he was he was talking on why dogs get less anxious when the owner isn't around.. he says its because they feel they have no one to protect........ completely irrelevant to my appointment then says go on his website for free advice. Before the appointment ended I had asked to see the vet bill and what I was specifically being charged for.. Dr. Ackerman told the receptionist to take over as I was going to be checked out. When I saw I was being charged for an extended wait time, I told her I was waiting longer than he even saw my dog!! She went to go and try to speak with him but he was unavailable so she came back into the room and SPECIFICALLY SAID "I'm going to wave the fee to simply make you happy." Great! Time to go, Dr. Ackerman comes back and tells me that I still need to pay for what she said she was going to wave. COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE!! I don't understand why someone should have to pay for an extended wait time as I should be getting paid for him making me wait 25 minutes past my appointment. Having to pay a total cost of $300 when the receptionist told me $220. At the end of the day we all work hard for every dollar we make and Dr. Ackerman is a scam artist! He also tried to convince me to get all these other tests done that simply weren't needed.. Please go somewhere else! Where a vet will be more concerned about your pets well-being and not their own personal bank account. read more

When I got my new kitten a few months ago I started pricing out a few vets in the city. Despite the reviews below, they were the most reasonable priced and seemed to be the most knowledgeable. I have now gone to this clinic twice and both times I was greeted with incredibly friendly personalities who truly love the job they are doing. Granted, I have had to wait almost an hour both times I've gone which isn't ideal, but the wait is worth it. Dr Kent takes the time to really exam your pet. He looked up some solutions for me when he didn't know the immediate answer and he offered advice that he really didn't need to given I was there for a simple vaccine. I can forgive the delays in this clinic because when he is in the room with you, he is really taking care of you and your pet. When you are cashing out, they even take the time to explain everything on your invoice. This clinic is definitely worth being your family vet. read more

Dr Ackerman was professional and did a great job spaying my cats. They were up and about after just a few hours as his incisions were very small. Easy to make an appointment too. read more

Can I level with you? Pet owners like myself can get a little crazy about the creatures they live with. And if they look sick or get hurt, we freak out. Vets are in a position to profit from this. Agreed? Good. The vets at King West are eminently competent. Let's get that out of the way. Most of my experiences have been with Dr. Julian and they've been 100% positive. I can't say the same for the clinic's owner. He's quite pleased with himself and that's fine. I'm not sure that I needed that to be communicated to me quite so clearly or frequently. Dr. Ackerman took the trouble to give me some good advice on dominance postures with my dog. Very useful stuff. However, he didn't mention that he'd be adding a "behavioral consult" to my bill. Blargh. At this point, I've found these guys to be a little too willing to perform testing and prescribe antibiotics. I appreciate that it improves their bottom line but I'd like people to be a little bit more respectful of my own. read more

Prince, my dog, has been under the care of Dr. Ackerman since he was a puppy at 10 weeks old - he is now 8. He recently had a very major knee surgery at King West Vets. Despite the clinic's need to support all walk-ins, pets who were boarded, and appointments, phone calls etc., Dr. Ackerman was kind enough to take the time out to call me pre-surgery, during surgery, post-surgery, and also walked me through the results, after-care and outcomes personally. I think that any pet owner will quickly learn that the cost of ownership is not cheap, but that is not at the fault of any veterinarian. Much like human healthcare, many costs are passed down to doctors and it is unreasonable to think that they would not need to earn revenues to cover their operating costs, in addition to income. On this note, I would say, this is what investing in insurance is for. I believe (in Ontario especially) we are spoiled into thinking that healthcare is as simple as walking into a doctor's office and not paying for anything. For humans, maybe, for pets, unfortunately there is no provincial coverage and tax dollars supporting our fur babies. With respect to the staff that some people are balking about, put yourself in their shoes. Firstly, Dr. Ackerman has a revolving staff as he supports many students/interns, so learning (administrative, bedside manners etc.) is part of the process. In the end, if you wait a while longer than expected, or have to dole out some cash, if your pet is well cared for, isn't that what matters most? I wholeheartedly recommend King West Vets for any pet owner. My pup has seen his share of illnesses and now as a senior, I feel extremely comfortable with the care that he receives from Dr. Ackerman and his clinic. read more

I WISH I COULD GIVE ZERO STARS!!! We were unfortunate enough to receive a diagnosis from Dr. Kent that our dog has heart worms. Now, I'm not saying this was Dr. Kent's fault (obviously). However, the care (or lack thereof) we received from his office after this scary and life threatening diagnosis was horrendous. Anyone familiar with heart worm treatment knows it's pretty intense. A lot of time (and money) goes into curing this disease. So, after taking our dog in for the first round of treatment, we definitely knew something wasn't right about the lack of care we felt we were receiving for curing our beloved family member. Treatment one, we had scheduled to drop off Nala (our dog) at 8am, before either of us had to go to work. Now, keep in mind this was a scheduled drop off. Dr. Kent showed up at 9am to finally inter his patient. After NOT hearing anything from his office by mid afternoon, we called to ask when we could pick our dog up. We were told late evening (I think 7pm. It's been a couple months). We arrived to pick up our dog, only to be told we had to wait. We waited nearly an hour before we could finally take our dog home. The reason being he wanted to use his new ultra sound machine to look at our dog's heart. A totally pointless and expensive test. Pointless because any results from this test wouldn't have changed the course of treatment in the least. Needless to say, we were pretty upset with the customer service at this point, but figured we'd give them another shot. Come phase two of the heart-worm treatment (approximately a month after the first phase), no one had called to confirm our appointment. We finally called, and were told to come in Monday morning. So what happened when we came in Monday? We were told the medicine hadn't arrived yet, and we'll get a call when it's come in. Three days later, we switched vets. The scary part, is phase two DIDN'T require the medicine they were waiting for!!!!!! SOOOOO disorganized. And potentially fatal to our dog. The final straw, (and why I'm writing a one star (actually zero star) review). We paid for unused medicine before we switched vets and were told me could come pick it up any time. When we went to pick it up, we were told, after mutters about how we should have stayed with him, that "You'll get a call if we find it". CROOKS!! I can overlook being too busy to accept to clients. I can't accept arrogance over quality of service to pet owners, and most importantly, patient care. If King West Vets is reading this, give us our meds that we paid for. read more

I brought our 4 year Shiba Inu rescue into see Dr. Kent when we moved into the area back in November. Our dog suffers from skin allergies, as most Shiba Inus do, however, due to his past it's been difficult for us to ever get him properly treated. He is a very loving and gentle dog, but when put into situations in which he feels uncomfortable, he can get aggressive. We rescued him when he was 3, and aren't sure what the details are of his life before us, so we always attributed these behaviours to past experiences. Since we rescued him, he's had 3 skin flare ups. When we've taken him to other vets, he has gotten so anxious and upset that he has not allowed any doctor to even approach him. Other clinics have tried to muzzel him with no success. We always end up paying for an examination, without ever having our dog properly examined. We get the standard steroid medication and cross our fingers that it will work. It's been extremely frustrating to see our dog in pain and not being able to really help him. When his last flare up occurred, we took him over to Dr. Kent already anticipating that this visit would go the same as the last ones did. We ended up walking out speechless, having our dog fully examined, given a shot and with medication that we were certain was properly prescribed. Dr. Kent spent over an hour with us, showing us his behavioural techniques (alpha dog positions, and how to show our dog that we are the boss/leader), all for free. We were shocked at how quickly Dr. Kent was able to gain our dog's respect and trust, and to see how docile and well behaved our dog could actually be in these situations. Dr. Kent was able to pick up our dog and do a full physical, as well as give him shots and apply his first round of medication. We cannot tell you how comforting it is to know that we now have a place to take our dog where he can get properly treated. Dr. Kent's techniques have had such a great impact on our dog and we have seen a marked improvement on his behaviour when he's put in uncomfortable situations. We will be life long patients of Dr. Kent! read more

Brutal experience with Dr Ackerman. His staff was truly lovely, and worked to fit me in very last minute in an emergency for my dog. I am in a panic, near tears, and this guy spends the entire time pitching me on his youtube channel and behaviour training. I don't need dominance techniques right now, I need to you to tell me why my dog was convulsing on the floor. I also don't need to hear about how high tech and expensive your equipment is, I need to know why my dog appears to be in intense pain. The experience was self-indulgent and pretty despicable. He also followed up asking how she was, and I said that her breathing was still very off and I'd like to schedule a full heart ultrasound. He never responded. She ended up passing away the next week from heart failure (and I do not at ALL blame that on him, it was out of anyone's control), but it shows the urgency of the situation and how ludicrous it was to be pitching his training techniques to me at the time. Please go to Queen West Vet instead, nearby and with wonderful service. read more

I've been coming to this clinic for about 5 years for my dog. I first saw Ackerman then, and as others have pointed out - he is arrogant and irritating, and couldn't stop talking about what a great behaviourist he was to actually properly listen to me an inspect my dog. After a short look, he ruled we needed to do tons of tests (to the tune of $1300). The diagnosis: my dog has a sore leg, and keep him on leash walks - no running for 6 weeks. There was another vet here, who has since left, who was lovely, so I stayed at the clinic. After he left, we see the vet so infrequently, I didn't bother looking for a new vet, I figured it wasn't that big a deal. But most recently, my appointment was with Ackerman. After waiting for half an hour (and I was the first appointment in the door!), there no apology or acknowledgement. He spent about 6 minutes with us. He gave us some medication (for my dog's allergic reaction), and my kid started wailing (she needed a nap). I let him know that i needed to get home - it was nap time. He released us and we waited at the front desk for about 10 minutes (while my kid was crying), so he could "write his notes" before cashing us out. So irritating. Not the end of the world, but whatever. Finally we cash through - $170. For a spray (that was apparently only $40), and the vet fees (I suppose his rate is $15 a minute)? I'm done with this place. It's too expensive, and they don't seem to care about your time. read more

Please stop judging. I had to put down my best friend in October. My cat.. I put it off so many times because I didn't want her to go through an unnatural death and I didn't want to die watching her die. But I finally had to do it. She was paralyzed in her back legs and couldn't even use the litter box any more. My experience at King West Vets was the same as most of yours. Dr. Kent is arrogant, rude, full of himself, etc.....BUT..... He told me exactly what I needed someone to tell me. It was her time to go and she had been telling me that and I had been ignoring her, for myself. Shit. Her passing that day was the most beautiful thing I could have ever dreamed of. I had the choice of a quick euthanasia or a longer lasting sleep like euthanasia. I chose the sleep-like and it was amazing. I was able to hold her and kiss her face and her eyes, which made her close her eyes, and I swear she had a little smile on her face when her life ended. I wasn't sad. I felt release for that soul that I was lucky enough to have known for 13 years. Please overlook people's faults sometimes. Dr. Ackerman may be an eccentric person but I wouldn't go to any other Vet. Ever. I stopped in last week to say hello and he has hired some new staff. I hung around for a little bit - they are f_______g amazing! Please give this place another chance. It's not about you. It's about your pet.......... read more

Dr. Kent Ackerman is knowledgable, supportive, and honest! As a specialist in exotic pets, I was really grateful for his help when I brought in my guinea pig. While her symptoms were difficult to diagnose, Dr. Ackerman did not push me to spend more money on an ultrasound which, as he pointed out, would not necessarily locate or identify the mass that was developing in her abdomen. He examined her thoroughly, trimmed her claws for free, and prescribed an antibiotic to rule out the possibility of an infection. He was empathetic as we discussed guinea pig quality of life. Something I really appreciated is how Dr. Ackerman accommodated my financial limitations as a student and did not pressure me to spend more money than I needed to. After her course of treatment, my guinea pig became less lethargic and the mass disappeared. She has since gained weight and I would not hesitate to bring her back to this clinic. Additionally, the staff are amazing and go out of their way to provide you with support and advice. Several months later, I booked another appointment with Dr. Ackerman to bring in a newly adopted rescue cat. Once again, he examined her thoroughly, identified sketchy details in her medical records, and also discussed behaviour modification as she can get aggressive in conjunction with being very sweet (which, as he told me, is apparently a calico thing). I consented before we discussed strategies for shaping her behaviour so I knew that I would be charged for this consultation but Dr. Ackerman, again, made an effort to accommodate my financial limitations as best as he could. I think the price was more than fair, especially considering that our consultation included important preventative cat care, e.g. checking her teeth, etc. While Dr. Ackerman is certainly a personality, I found him to be kind, reasonable, and skilled. You can tell that he loves animals and has a wholistic approach to treatment and healthy pet management (food, behaviour, medicine, etc.) I feel that this is a vet I can trust and who will go above and beyond to provide support for my furry friends. read more

about DR KENT ACKERMAN , this veterinarian is firm gentle smart witty and he,s concerned knows what he's talking about and is straight forward to the point. We need more vets like him.its not his job to make you care about your pet and maybe it could become extremely confusing when someone else other then yourself may seem to care more than you do about the pet. i read the reviews and decided to bring my precious fluffy in. we know the game only we don't play it. Go ahead cut cost cut corners but don.t cut yourself short by not getting the best there is to offer at A great rate. Kind of funny they all cost the same but when you get the best at the same rates as other places that,s the greatest rate there is. thank you DR KENT. read more

I've been going here for a few years and always felt as though I was being hosed. Dr Kent Akerman has an arrogance to him that doesn't serve him well. Every time I go to this clinic I'm charged with a bunch of test I really don't think are necessary. I always feel like I'm being sold on something and they make you feel like an idiot if you ask a few questions about what they're selling you. I recently booked a procedure an asked for a quote before we go ahead. Two weeks went by and no one called. So a week before the procedure I called and his price was insane! At that point I had had enough. Time I pull my dog out of there and quit giving this greedy vet any more of my hard earned money. Go elsewhere please. read more

Hello This clinic is the worst in Toronto the doctor over charges and makes you wait HOURS for your appointment. I heard him SCREAMING AND I MEAN SCREAMING at his staff and belittling them. The staff changes weekly, I never speak with the same person twice. DR. KENT ACKERMAN is a self centered, Egotistical, jerk with a GOD complex. I'd stay away from this clinic. read more

Stay away!! As someone with some veterinary history... this place DOES NOT know what they are doing. They didn't even take my puppy's temperature before vaccinating him... the doctor was too busy talking my ear off about his crazy training techniques and YouTube Videos. After one visit I knew I wasn't trusting them with my pet - twice since then I was forced to go. Once for an emergency nail break (lots of blood!) on my 14 year old lab. It happened less than a block from their clinic, so I carried him (all 80lbs!) there in a panic. After waiting for about 25 minutes, stopping the nail bleed myself... they told me that seeing an emergency would disrupt their entire appointment schedule for the night, and I'd have to go somewhere else. Thanks for the compassion! One more time... I tried to buy dog food since I was completely out and didn't have time to stop elsewhere (this place is 2 minutes from my house). After waiting way too long - they informed me that selling 2-3 cans of food "wasn't worth their time" and I would need to buy at least six. This is after wasting MY time while you try reorganized your mess of a clinic. In short - this place is insanely unprofessional, their customer service is atrocious and I didn't feel the quality of medicine was acceptable. Take your beloved babies elsewhere! ** Side Note - I heard Dr Julian is gone now. He was the little fleck of hope this place had... keep that in mind as many previous, positive reviews were for him! read more

This may not be what some would expect from a vet clinic, and Dr. Kent is definitely on the eccentric side, but he saved my birds life and worked with me and my unfortunately tight budget. Finding an avian vet can be challenging especially in the downtown core, but he knows birds, and my little girl is doing fantastic after a long illness and surgery. She definitely wouldn't be here if I hadn't found Dr. Kent, and would take both my birds here again if they needed medical attention. read more

I brought my cat to King West vet because it's extremely close to my house. We had a good vibe from the doctor even though he was a bit funny and gave us a quick lesson on alpha-relationships with owners and pets. Each appointmemt took over an hour which I realized was ridiculous when I brought him in for his second booster and the doctor was so busy he had to be quick and it only took 5 mins. All those other times he wasted our time! His third booster is coming up and the clnic has cancelled on me FOUR TIMES. I have since asked for my records and will be going to another clinic where I do not have to work around their schedule. read more

We've been going there for a couple of years now and I always feel like we're being overcharged and convinced to do procedures that are not necessary essential. I know vets are big business in Toronto, but a little honesty and care goes a long way. I feel like Kent is a good sales person and doesn't really have the personal/sympathetic touch that I would expect from a vet, it's all business all the time (that or him talking about how he is so awesome at something and is the ONLY one on the planet that can do it). read more

6 years ago my male cat, Cha Cha, had a urinary tract infection. I made an appointment at King West Vets (I was new to the neighbourhood and this was the closest to my house) and was presented with a 'Gold' package by a Dr. Julie, I believe, for a battery of tests that from the best of my memory was in the vicinity of $1500 dollars. I declined it and was then presented with a lower package and then another yet lower. I declined them as well and asked to just give Cha Cha a urine test (Dr Julie also suggested on keeping him 1 day for observation and I agreed). Cha Cha was diagnosed with the urinary tract infection within the 24 hour stay, was released and subsequently cured. With the prescription, special cat food and test it came to about $380. When I left Cha Cha there for the observation Dr. Akerman was at reception and I started to ask him a question about my cat....he cut me short and said he had to run because he had a gym date with his girlfriend (it was about 6pm), and he left. This past Friday Dec 12, 2014 our other cat (Stevie - female) was ill. I came in from work at 2:30pm and there was a pool of vomit and she was listless and appeared dehydrated. She had been eating and drinking very little the day before. I am familiar with the signs of dehydration as it had happened to another family cat who had kidney disease. I called King West Vets (3 blocks from my house was the deciding factor) and made a 4:30pm appointment with Ashley. I told her that Stevie was barely eating or drinking, had vomited, she was unhappy and was dehydrated. My hope was to get Stevie rehydrated with an IV of fluids asap, then of course, diagnosed. I waited in the reception area for an hour and Dr. Akerman saw us at 5:30pm. He examined Stevie and told me there wasn't much he could do for her because it was Friday night and they close at 6 o'clock. I should take her to an emergency hospital. At this point it triggered in my mind that he perhaps had another gym date. Or maybe rollerblading this time, as I had read in one of the previous reviews on another rating site. Dr Akerman said he could keep her overnight but he would have to stay an extra hour out of his time to run some tests and get her hooked up to an IV and give her an enema (which was unnecessary as I found out later). He said these things don't just come in a blue miracle bottle (or something to that effect) and it was going to take time and he had to get up and get back to work bright and early the next morning. He said it would cost me over $1000. I did not ask what it would cost, he threw it out there. He then said that they closed at noon the next day (Saturday) and I would have to come and get her at noon and take her somewhere else anyway to get her hooked up to the IV again. He also advised me that the Emergency Hospital was very expensive but strongly advised it was the route to go. "Now I'm not trying to kick you out " he said a couple of times. So I left and after paying an $88.00 exam bill I asked the receptionist to send Dr. Akerman's notes to the emergency hospital, as Dr. Akerman had suggested, to hopefully defer the cost of another exam. I headed straight to the Veterinary Emergency Clinic at 920 Yonge - the one with the entrance on McMurrich. They were very good, by the way. Kind, compassionate and caring was the general attitude of everyone who worked there. I had to wait another hour due to a shift change and pay a $100 exam fee again as they have to go on their own diagnosis rather than accept Dr. Akerman's - which is logical. Dr. Lamborne waived the $50 emergency fee. HERE'S WHAT I THINK SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED: When I called in to King West Vets on Friday to make the 4:30pm appointment with Ashley and told her Stevie's symptoms she should have said: Let me just check with the Dr........ I am so sorry we don't have the capability to take care of a dehydrated animal today. Stevie certainly could be dehydrated if she has vomited and isn't eating or drinking. It would be best if you take her to an emergency hospital where they treat animals 24/7. I would be glad to recommend one not too far away. Would you like the phone number and location? Upselling by Dr Julie? My experience is that all Vets do/try this - It's up to you to be knowledgeable and avoid paying for unnecessary tests. As for Dr. Akerman's "bedside" manner, please feel free to draw your own conclusions. read more

Pros: - Vet is extremely kind and clearly knows his stuff (I think it's Dr. Ackerman? as noted in other reviews). - He won't rush through the exam, takes his time and gets to know your pet and you. - Convenient location for West-enders as it's on the King streetcar line. - There's a cat at reception that is friendly - *but be forewarned if you have a dog that doesn't like cats. Cons: - Apparently it's one of the pricier vets in Toronto and they will charge you a fee for transfer of records. - Long wait time (probably because the Vet takes his time with each client! So it could be a pro) - Parking is around the corner and metered - sort of a pain. - It might be a fluke, but I never received a reminder for a check-up for my cats, which I think is unusual. Overall, if you have a healthy pet and you're looking for a nice vet then try here. Otherwise, I think if you had significant concerns about your pet's health then it would be advisable to go somewhere else with speedier turnover. read more

Pros- -Friendly reception -Great location -Seemingly knowledgeable vet Cons -Not enough vets on call to meet client need -I had an hour and a half wait -Although everyone was nice it was rather unprofessional, vet took a call in the middle of our appointment and was interrupted a few times by vet tech/receptionist -Rushed service because of lack of staff available Overall I would say that this could be a great clinic if they took the time to make a plan to improve a few small things. I waited an hour and a half for my appointment which should never happen, this could be improved by better communication or attention with receptionist and vet or a better computer program to make sure I was brought in at the correct time. Also on a busy night there is not an excuse for only having one vet on, everything was running late, the vet became unprofessional by taking a phone call that no one else was available to take in the middle of our time, and was interrupted several times. The rushing vet also made me question whether or no he would be scatter brained around my pet and maybe miss a treatment option. read more

Everyone is right here! I took my dogs in and needed to get my female spaded at the time. The same vet said he had to do blood tests before he could spade her. He also wanted to change the correction of my dogs aggression towards people. He charged me for that five minute lesson. I think he could have thrown that in. The bill came to to around 500 and she still didn't get spaded yet! I left kinda confused and feeling ripped off!! He also tried to get me to bring my 70 year old chiuahua in for a knee operation. I told him no, it was very unnecessary for an old dog and he's looking to make more money ! He tries to find things so he can rip innocent people off! He tries to also make u feel bad if u say u can't pay for everything. He knows we will do anything because we LOVE our animals. :( Anyways, I got home and felt really used by this vet. So his price he quoted me with was around 3 to 4 thousand. This was for cleaning of the teeth and spaded, cut out a cist that might be cancerous. It also was an extra charge to send the cist away to get results on top of everything!! Biggggg scammer can't believe it! So, I called the Blue Cross and they estimated the bill was around 1300 much lower ,I was a bit happier with them. When I called and told the vet he was over priced he said.... his secretary made a mistake it wasn't that much. All of a sudden the price dropped really low??? I told him I can get a lower price still with the Blue Cross. The vet told me the Blue Cross didn't do the drip ! What a lie ! I called they did do the drip! After all this I finally went with the Blue Cross and was very happy with my decision. Please don't bother taking your loved one to the Kings Way animal hospital there scamming u any way they can. I am now more careful where to treat my babies. read more

The first time I went there, they tried to sell me everything, telling me my dog needed a ton of shots, medication etc. He was just there for a checkup. My dog (small Pomeranian) was sniffing around in the waiting room. Their resident cat, Gus, came up to him and smacked him in the face for no reason. The second time I went there, Dr. Kent was 1 hour late seeing me. When I inquired why, he said "Don't worry, I'm upset too -- I was going to go rollerblading today but I had to come in to see this parrot." WTF? ICING ON THE CAKE My dog was severely overweight and had luxating patella. Dr. Kent told me he needed both kneecaps fixed and quoted me a sum of $2500 per leg. When I said I'd get a second opinion, he tried to discourage me by claiming that he was 1 of 2 surgeons in the city who could do it, and I could get it done tomorrow if I wanted. I declined and took my dog to another vet. That other vet told me that my dog was too fat to have surgery and if he got it done, the surgery and recovery might be too much for my dog's heart and my dog might die (!!!)The other vet said to get his weight down and we'll go from there. A year later I came back to the other vet and my dog did need surgery. But turns out, he only needed ONE leg done, and the cost was $1500. So apparently, King West Vets was willing to risk my dog's life and charge me more than double for it. read more

Dr. Julian is so great. My cat came in with dental issues, inflammation, infections and weight issues. Dr. Julian combined medicine and holistic/nutritional treatments to make all of her problems managable. he does extensive research and relays that information to his clients. He is also really open about the costs of various procedures, and explains all of the options without pressuring. All of the other staff in the clinic are great too. They always remember me and my cats when I come in, and you can tell they really love animals. read more

In June of 2012 I purchased a micro pig. At first I was worried I wouldn't be able to find a vet in the city to take her to. To my amazement Dr. Kent Ackerman specialises in exotic animals. I made one call and he agreed to see her. Although my pig was very loud and by loud I mean ear piercing loud as she was scared of shots. Dr. Ackerman and his staff were very happy to help and treated her so well. I was extremely happy that Dr. Ackerman did lots of research about pigs before our visits and he knew what he was doing although it's not everyday you see a pig at the vets. I highly recommend King West Vets as your pets health is always his first priority. He also gives a lot of advice on how to take care of your animal and his or her behaviour. He doesn't push tests that aren't necessary and really is informative. The website is also very helpful for new pet owners. This has helped me so much. read more

My girlfriend and I met Dr. Kent last year. We found that he was a very passionate vet, with loads of knowledge and experience. He had more energy and passion than anyone about what he did. We discussed philosophies regarding pet health care, which we agreed with. Dr. Kent has a keen interest in the welfare of the animal. He will not recommend anything that the pet doesn't need. Other vets will push vaccinations and products that are counterproductive to health. We knew that Dr. Kent was passionate and knew his stuff. What we didn't know was what kind of amazing service he provided. He spend as much time with us as he could. Answered any questions we had. Only recommended what he thought would be best for our dog. He also showed us an amazing technique called "Gentle Alpha". We have a Boxer so it is hard to keep him under control. This technique we use daily and and in one session we learned exactly how to keep our Boxer under control with out any force. It is a great and fun way to interact with your dog while establishing the natural alpha dominance. We appreciate great service. A+ Simon Bialecki read more

The service at KWV has been great and Dr. Ackerman has gone above & beyond when it comes to care and advice - always in a positive and non-judgmental way. During an appointment six months ago he noticed that my dog was showing aggression, barking at him and other men in the clinic, and took the time to offer a behavioral consultation in order to help me fix this problem. He spent one hour with me teaching me how to correct this behavior by using gentle alpha training. He took me through each step and explained to me all of the benefits. The change in my dog over past six months is unbelievable! Like Dr. Ackerman said, it took a commitment on my part to fully employ the gentle alpha training he taught me, but I can't imagine how my dog would be without it. It has made him a happier and more relaxed pet that seems more comfortable all in all. I would recommend anyone who has a problem with his or her pets' behavior to spend the time with Dr. Ackerman to try his method, it is truly a positive experience!! read more

I brought my white capped pionus the first time two months ago. The doctor that is THE BEST AVIAN SPECIALIST in Toronto. My bird had her blood tests and a general exam and nail trim and beak filing. Dr Ackerman was so good with my bird. He taught me the importance of becoming Alpha with my bird. I was having trouble with my birds temprement and she was not listening to me. This Doctor explained how to work on a better relationship with my parrot. His nature with her is so amazing. I have went to two other specialists in Toronto and was greatly disappointed..... There was no time explaing behavior or his skill to really mesh with my parrot. I went back again a few days ago and again I was treated with the sane amazing detail to her progress after the doctor taught me a few months earlier. I never have behavior issues of stepping up. She doesn't bite me! The Doctor once again gave her first class care....... I would recommend this CLINIC AND DR ACKERMAN. You will be in the best of hands. By the way. The first time I went to this clinic. I was afraid my Parrot would be laying an egg for the first time in her life. The clinic saw me the same day I called. Since then they always will accommodate appointments the sane day of the next. This clinic is by far the best! read more

King West Veterinary Clinic - Veterinarians Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

1 star is too generous for Dr.Ackerman at this vet clinic!! The unfortunate situation with this clinic started when My boyfriend first brought my dog Brockie to Dr.Ackerman to look at his nose because his nose was red, irritated and dry. We have always been told that a dog with a dry nose means he is ill. Once Dr.Ackerman met with my dog, he hardly gave him a through exam before saying that the issue was most definitely something that needed to be corrected by surgery. He said that Brockie needed to get this expensive surgery on his nose and that basically this is the only way that he will start to feel better. Since he hadn't even performed any sort of exam on Brockie or did any tests/X-rays on him, We decided to get another opinion by a different doctor and I'm so glad we did! My second opinion that we got was much different than the first one. Basically the Dr said that the issue was with Brockies teeth not his nose and that all he needed was some antibiotics to cure him. We even went to a third doctor to get a third opinion and he said the same thing as the second Doctor! They were astonished and very unimpressed when I mentioned Dr.Ackermans quick evaluation and suggestion for Brockie to need surgery and they had consulted with one another and then called him up and he wouldn't accept their call. That by itself is extremely shady and you can basically tell that he was purposefully trying to get me to dish out thousands of Dollars for a surgery for Brockie that he didn't even need and would not even address the actual problem. So glad we got more professional opinions after my visit with Ackerman and we would not return to his practice ever again if it was the last place on earth! Do not go here if you value your pets well being. Disgusting. read more