Short story: Terrible experience, they are alarmists and will over-diagnose to inflate the bill when you are not in a clear headspace or knowledgeable enough to question the charges. Long story: I'm sure peoples experience will vary based on which doctor and techs they see. For us, we brought our 11month puppy in because our normal vet could not see us for the breathing problems and lethargy she was having. Being an emergency clinic we knew the price was going to be more expensive but it seemed like we had no other options at the time. When we arrived they quickly diagnosed pneumonia in our dog and proposed a treatment plan. The plan was estimated to cost $5,000-$8,000 for the weekend, with the possibility of more treatments to follow. Times are difficult right now and we don't have this kind of money, but I completely understand they have expensive equipment and Vets that need to make money as well. So, not a problem - we just needed to find a plan B quickly since our dog's clock was ticking. Up until this point the staff was fine and professional. When we made it clear we needed to find another option they became condescending, fear-mongering and pushy. My wife attempted to see if any of the options could be done by ourselves at home (spoiler; they can and we did), so we could bring the cost down to something we could afford. They told us we would be unable to do that, citing that we needed to give antibiotics every 8hours (was not hard) and we would be putting our elderly dog at home at risk of death (which we have now quarantined them, again easy). They became pushy, insisting that we were killing our dog if we left and we must sign up for a credit card plan in order to save our dogs life. At one point they asked us "how much do you think you could afford? we might be able to make it work" like we were at the Ford dealership or something. I honestly don't know if they're just bad at their jobs and over-diagnosed by thousands and thousands of dollars, or if they were truly trying to upsell us by keeping our dying dog hostage. Meanwhile, while my wife was negotiating my dog's life like a car-dealership, I was calling general Vet clinics to see if they could see my dog. We finally found a spot in Fallbrook, which was a 1hr drive from Encinitas with traffic. The appointment was set exactly 1hr from now, so we needed to leave immediately in order to make it there before they closed. Veg proceeded to drag their feet, not allowing us to take our dog. The best quote was "we aren't keeping you hostage here, but it would be negligent to allow you to leave". The situation was very simple: 1. We could not afford Veg, we needed to find another option quickly, and 2. We found an option 1hr away and needed to leave. There is no more discussion necessary. But we had to convince them to allow us to leave, declining their credit card application and fear-mongering over the next 20minutes. While we were leaving the technician told us it was likely our dog would have a seizure in our car and die, and if she didn't we'd have to return and repay another examination fee. Thanks pal, that made the 1hr trip real comforting & safe. Even if you ended up being correct, which you were not, how does that help anything? Instead of being smug and insensitive you should be supportive of the only option we have And the best part is during the 1hr worst drive of our lives, we received 8 separate text messages from Veg, requesting that we pay our 600$ bill for their services and "support" as soon as possible. It's clear where Veg's priorities are, and it's in your wallet. The good news is despite Veg's efforts, we made it to the Fallbrook clinic (late), they provided immediate care at a price we could afford, and were supportive of us providing at home care. The treatments used were about 1/10th of what Veg incorrectly said was necessary. Our puppy is now about 60% recovered and making great progress, she is now eating and drinking and her personality is returning. I see Veg has a PR team replying to reviews, so I'll wait and see how you try to spin this to make it look like our fault. read more

If you find yourself needing to take your pet to the ER-THIS IS THE PLACE! Stop looking elsewhere, drive the extra miles... I can not express enough how amazing VEG in Encinitas is. From the moment you walk in, you will immediately understand what I mean. This is not your average animal hospital. It's an open concept where all the pets, vets, techs and nurses are in the same large area as you. You are with your pet every step of the way. Check in, exam, X-rays... you can also sit and visit with your vet during their stay. The nurses care deeply about your pet, and their genuine care and concern for your pet oozes from every pore. From Rae (nurse) ensuring your pet's crate is at the perfect temperature to maximize comfort, Amber and Dr Mortimer sitting with you and explaining every step in your pet's care, Allyson answering your billing questions... all the techs/vets that were involved are just incredible. They also very hospitable. No one wants to go to the Vet ER -it's never for a good reason, but you can't help but feel relieved and at ease while here. You don't feel like they're trying to gouge you which is also huge. They also offer law enforcement discounts. Take your pets here! Thank you VEG! read more

VEG ER for Pets - Open concept animal hospital. Patients, owners and vets all in one room. - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Encinitas, California

Had a tough situation with my dog. This place is an hour from my house but they were the only emergency vet that could see my dog. My dog would have died without their diagnosis and intervention. He's healthy and doing great 4 months later During my time here I got to sit in the back for a few hours and watch how they care for the animals, owners, and their staff. The staff here is the best veterinary staff I've seen. I would recommend them without any hesitation. read more

I brought my older dog into VEG Encinitas on November 5th after he collapsed and seemed to be failing. The doctors (specifically Dr. Funkhouser) and staff at VEG were wonderful. My dog is at the end of his life, but they made him so much more comfortable for his last days. I am incredibly grateful to the whole team and thank them so much for their service and compassion. I highly recommend this group. read more

Beware if you own an exotic animal... do not bring them here for an emergency. Let me start by saying everyone that works here was very kind and very nice. That's not the problem for me. I am an exotic animal owner. I had a female panther chameleon that started showing signs of illness and dehydration. When these guys show these symptoms, it's usually too late, which is why I called this hospital first and asked if they SEE exotics. I should have asked if they have an exotic vet on staff. They don't. They told me sure, come on in. When really, they should have told me since this emergency is not due to obvious trauma, I should first seek out an exotic emergency vet. So I got down there as soon as possible. I provided my chameleon sub q fluids (I am extremely familiar with chameleon care and husbandry - she is not my only chameleon either). I showed up, they brought me to the back. I was asked questions about my husbandry for a good 10 minutes - I get that this is important but by the looks of my chameleon, she needed intervention IMMEDIATELY. I was left to sit there for FORTY MINUTES while my chameleon quickly declined worse and worse in front of me. All the while, staff members came by to baby talk her and I finally had to interrupt and say "where in the world is the vet?? This is an emergency vet office and my chameleon is literally DYING in front of me and no one has even come to see her." Finally, the vet came over. Telling me at this point she didn't think there was anything that could be done because of her current state. Which is why I'm so shocked they allowed my chameleon to sit there and suffer for 40 minutes until I finally said something?? She slowly died in front of us by the time the vet finally came over. The way this was handled was extremely disappointing. Was I made to wait 40 minutes because she wasn't a cat or a dog? I couldn't believe it. I cannot believe the vet doesn't come take a look to assess needs prior to having customers sit and wait for THIS long in an emergency situation. I do NOT recommend this hospital if you have an exotic that has internal issues. They don't seem to have the necessary knowledge on exotics, which is fine... but I wish they would have told me on the phone that they were not the best option for an exotic animal and given me a suggestion to someone who was. I will also say, as I was crying and checking out, I could hear staff members talking about me and the company I owned and just sold. I'm flattered that you know a company I built, but that was just very uncomfortable to be hearing in such an awful time in my week. All around a bad experience. My vet told me there's an animal specialty hospital in la mesa that is much better for emergencies with exotics so I suggest googling that if you have a sick exotic. read more

Wow! Just wow! These guys are amazing. They got my dog right in and the amount of love they showed for him was so touching. They were communicative through the whole process and even sent me a photo while he was there. I never had any doubt my boy was being loved while he spent the day there. I actually think they kept him longer because they wanted to love him more joke! Danica was the best vet I've ever had the pleasure of meeting . Highly recommend this facility! read more

VEG ER for Pets - Checking his vitals and holding his paw for comfort - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Encinitas, California

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I can't express the appreciation to all the staff at this establishment. From the front desk to the techs to the vets. All our vets and emergency hospitals near us were dealing with emergencies. So this place was a drive but so worth it. Dr. Reinhart was Archie's vet and she made my daughter and Archie feel very comfortable. Our nurse or tech not sure how they are called was Vanessa. She noticed how Archie was scared of the blue gloves and made him feel at ease. There was also a blond nurse/tech (sorry I didn't get her name) she helped and helped Archie feel loved and cared about. The way they communicated our options was very clear and concise. When it came to do his IV procedure and shot it was a little difficult but they made it go smoothly. read more

amazing experience! everyone working there was super nice and sweet with my poor sick puppy. loved how they included us in on every step of the process and did everything in front of us. every single person we encountered was great with our puppy and made her feel at ease. nurses mel and emma were great!! my puppy still loved emma after she took her temp, and loved all the love she got from everyone even while there were needles involved! dr carter was great! she kept us informed, and let us know what was necessary, and what to prioritize. much appreciated since emergency vet visitsshe was swamped and still made us feel like our "low priority" case was seen and heard and addressed my very long list of concerns! holly in the front went above and beyond checking in on us and explaining the estimates and alllllll the complicated puppy medical language we had never seen before! all in all they did a great job taking care of the puppies but also the puppy parents! i hope we never have to come here again, but it is nice to have such a great er in mind if we do! read more

VEG ER for Pets - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Encinitas, California

The best veterinarians I've been around ! Hands down will take care of ANY animal 100% recommend ! They take you in right away no questions asked & let you stay with your animal to comfort them will be bringing my future pets here Sadly my Guinea pig passed but they did their Best I saw with my own eyes they did everything they could & that meant a lot to me thank you guys read more

Been here a couple of times with two of my Guinea pigs and have had good experiences. The experience this time actually went well until the end of the visit when it came time to pay. I had accidentally sent my payment to their sister branch in Oceanside as the payment link they had sent me wasn't the appropriate one. Once we figured out what had happened, the person checking us out told us that they should've explained to us that the link they had sent me was the incorrect one but that they'll keep in contact with me. Totally understandable, it's an emergency vet so sometimes things forget to be mentioned and after all, it was my mistake to begin with. Where I began to feel extremely uncomfortable was with the calls that came afterwards to try to resolve this. In total, they called me four times and each time I picked up trying to be extremely accommodating so that we could get the situation resolved. But for some reason, the verbiage they used was made out to be very accusing as if my family and I were trying to steal or scam from them. I tried taking it because as I mentioned before, I made a mistake and it's totally understandable for a business to want their money after a service is provided. But each time they called, their tone became much more accusing, which at that point I just couldn't take it anymore. If I had been their previously, they have all of my information on file AND I have been picking up all their calls trying to be as accommodating as possible, I don't understand why they thought that tone was necessary. Their only saving grace was the last person who helped me and understood that CareCredit was telling us both two different things, never having an accusing tone with me. She is the only reason I gave a second star Edit : I got call from Mr. Jose H. apologizing for the incident. I truly do appreciate the call that was had, it truly helped us feel better about the entire situation read more

Such a hard working staff all around. My dog was attacked by a dog, and they made a very stressful experience calm and assuring. Dr. Wellard went above and beyond, and every technician we encountered was so pleasant. Thank you guys again! read more

My dog broke two of her canines, was bleeding and in pain. I called VEG and the Dr said there was nothing they could do but to bring her in anyway to get an evaluation. Really? $$ It's midnight, I walk in with my dog. There's no one in the waiting room, but the receptionist gives me an ultimatum saying I'll have to follow her medical advice or wait outside. Really? Where's your compassion and common sense? I'm a healthy woman by myself with my injured dog. You tell me there's nothing you can do for my dog, tell me to come in, expect me to comply with your fears, then expect me to wait outside at midnight? Really?? What part of this story says you care about my dog? Why didn't the Dr inform me of the ultimatum when I told her it was a 25 minute drive? Really? $$ The character demonstrated by their lack of empathy, discernment, knowledge, and common sense tells me I need to keep my dog far away as it appears the lack of oxygen has impaired their ability to think. You're mistaken if you think I'd pay anyone who disrespects me and my dog. read more

I am so beyond grateful for the team at VEG. Not only did they save my puppy's life but they kept me informed all along the way. Everyone kept me up to date and I even got the chance to be next to my puppy as everything was going on. Dr. Teel (&Dr Solomon) were honest and made sure I understood everything that was happening real time. Dr. Bertuso also helped assist in aiding Cali back to full health. Sam nursed Cali back to health and made sure to love on her while they watched her. Cali took a real liking to Sam and I'm glad she was in good hands while they nursed her back to health. Holly did a fantastic job of getting Cali in right away and relaying the pricing in a way that I understood. My heart is so full of gratitude for this establishment and the people who work here. Not only did they get my puppy back to 100% but they earned a customer for life. Thank you all again for all of your help! read more

VEG ER for Pets - Cali waiting on some test results - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Encinitas, California

Absolutely amazing. We had to take our dog in at 1am for an emergency and we are so grateful for the staff. They were Kind, knowledgeable and very open about pricing, which was quite affordable for an emergency vet. Thank you everyone that helped our sweet boy Dozer tonight. read more

Highly recommend this place! Thank you so much for the excellent, compassionate, highly competent expert care! You all have big hearts! Everything was explained well. We were able to stay with our dog the whole time while waiting for surgery and throughout recovery. We found this place from Yelp and chose this place because of the multiple 5 star reviews. We now understand the 5 star reviews because we experienced it first hand. Every staff was dedicated to caring for their patients and families with such kindness and compassion. Special thanks to our awesome team: Enrique, Elton, Chelsea, Margeaux, Drs. Kim, Shapiro, Cain, Reinhart, Salazar and Maxwell for their expertise and compassionate care. read more

Professional, Personal and Flexible! Highly Recommend. Concerned my dog might be having another urinary obstruction we needed an exam and ultrasound. VEG staff took our information over the phone and was expecting us upon arrival. Being a medical practitioner I found the facilities to be a miniature version of the ER I worked to see my patients but way faster and more efficient. I know this facility is relatively new but I can only hope it continues to stay as well staffed and run as it is now. A true gem in the emergency vet-med arena. VEG is now part of our pet care plan. read more

TL;DR Excellent, honest and absolutely recommended vet guided by empathy towards you and your pet. THANK YOU, ANGELS. Veterinary Emergency Group saved my rabbit's life in November 2021. I rushed my poor bunny to VEG late on a Friday night following a 2-day hospitalization at another vet who left her covered in feces and feeling just as poorly as when they got her. My bunny was very unwell suffering from GI Stasis which is lethal to rabbits, and VEG were honest with me from the start that the prognosis was guarded and things could not end well. VEG checked with me if I wished for them to perform CPR should the bunny need to be resuscitated. They also let me know that they will always put the pet's well-being first. Even with how dire the situation was, the wonderful VEG team made me comfortable as they transparently explained everything they were planning on doing to save my bunny. They were upfront that they are not rabbit specialists but see rabbits in emergencies which I appreciated - super humble and honest - and went above and beyond to save my bunny working around the clock. VEG is a busy emergency clinic and they still found time to bathe my rabbit and ensure her comfort every step of the way. They took my calls and always gave me up-to-date, honest updates, even in the middle of the night. They discharged my bunny only after they were confident she was better and promptly refunded excess hourly fees before I even thought to check on that. They swiftly replied to emails when I double-checked some of the medication recommendations once I had my bunny home. Last but not least, they took great care to recommend follow-up tests my regular vet could run to check that my bunny's recovery is progressing well. Thank you to everyone at VEG including all doctors, nurses and front-of-the-house team for saving my precious bunny who is back to her sweet, bouncy self hopping about with her bunny sister. read more

VEG ER for Pets - My sweet bunny right after we got home from VEG. - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Encinitas, California

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First of all. Thank you, VEG, for being the only place that offers the space to treat bunnies. We are SO INCREDIBLY thankful for all the compassionate techs and doctors we've seen. But we've had a complicated relationship with VEG based of one experience with a doctor, worsened by a response from VEG, and topping it off with a hostile remark and confrontation from the doctor herself the last time we were in (12am today). 6/30/2023 - 7/1/2023 we were in for a visit. Long story short. After about 20 hours and 2300 dollars later, the doctor who was assigned our case tried to pressure us into performing surgery on our 9 year old bunny who wasn't stable enough to begin with. We left undermined, shamed, and blamed for feeling unheard and unsure. After. We called every emergency hospital in San Diego where in which ALL doctors advised against surgery. We then went to IVVE (Irvine Valley pet emergency hospital) and managed to find an opening where Dr. Simpson and Dr.Bouboula had agreed that surgery would have probably killed her. And though we live an hour away, sent us home after over 24 hours will all the tools and medication to get us through until we saw our primary. We then saw doctor Kelly and Proenca at Acacia and, seeing her condition, also agreed that surgery was a risky option giving Yukis age and condition. Then. We saw Dr. Young at Discovery Valley, who also spayed yuki 9 years ago, and had been their doctors for years. He also. Agreed that surgery would have been too much. Almost ALL doctors were honest with us with not really knowing what was going on, and said that ultrasounds on bunnies are INCREDIBLY hard to decipher. All to say. We don't make judgments lightly. And we nursed Yuki back to health, and I am SO GLAD that after being shamed and called unreasonable, we nursed her back to health anyway. We understand that while our emotional response to Dr. Cruz was EMOTIONAL. It was accurate. And im so glad that my sister and I were able to put our pride aside for our bunny Luna and went to VEG again. It's sad. I'm glad our review, rooted in hurt and trauma, left such an impact on this doctor, that at 12:30am, she storms into the room and sarcastically thanked us for being critical of her. I really am glad that though she has the liberty to speak to us that way in the middle of me coming down from adrenaline after a crazy night, that others don't have to be at the end of it. Graciously, she was right in sarcastically congratulating us for "having the GUTS to" be able to come back to a place that almost took the life of our bun Yuki. It's not easy, but. It is completely necessary to forego our own feelings to save and preserve the lives of our bunnies. We will not hesitate. So you shouldn't either. But please, my fellow pet parents, stand your ground. Protect your babies, and at the end of the day, it's your money and your baby. Don't be like us, and go against your gut in the first place. Though its a heavy burden, I learned that I'd rather regret letting nature take its course and having my baby die in my hands than to decide for them against a will they cannot advocate for, and have them die on the table. You can respect your doctor and also maintain autonomy. It might as well save your pets life. We are endlessly grateful for this lesson and to Dr. Cruz, for pushing us to realize that it really was up to us. Give yourself the space to disagree and take the risk. It's not our job as patients to know the answers and have to pull teeth to be given the time and space to think. Remember that it is the DOCTORs job to handle your cases with care and the best intentions. So if you feel like something is off, call it out. I'm so grateful and recognize the validity in both super high and low reviews. I wish someone would have helped us be on our own side and reminded us that in this scary, panicked, vulnerable state, it's STILL up to us. It's okay not to know what to do. But it's not okay to be pressured into a procedure or made to feel unreasonable, for being against something you might feel will endanger or worse a condition. Take heed. And thank you, VEG. read more

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Very kind and compassionate. We brought our dog here because the regular vet was unable to diagnose her and wanted to do very expensive testing without knowing what was wrong. The vets at VEG, while not able to give us a diagnosis, tried different meds and ran X-rays and spoke with infectious disease vets. She was kept at the clinic for several days in an oxygenated kennel, and we were updated by phone. Dr.Trott, whom we saw on three consecutive days, helped us to make the decision to put her to sleep, and stayed with us while she drifted off. Although they are an emergency office, I wouldn't hesitate to use them again if necessary. read more

Your response that is filled with untrue statements and accusations further validates your business practices lack the integrity needed for people to trust you with their cherished pets. When presented with an opportunity to see where to improve you decide it is more important to create a false perception of what really happened to try and validate mistakes made by exaggerating and manipulating what actually happened. When writing a response you failed to articulate that the pet was seen prior to coming to you and was given ultrasounds by an internist and also a Cardiologist. Two specialist you do not have access to and was given a full green light for the routine surgery that needed to be performed. The heart was diagnosed for the first time as having a minor murmur but by no means would be a concern. After he was looked at by your facility, additional ultrasounds were taken and was once again told that if there were concerns with the heart you couldn't proceed with surgery. After review it was determined just as the Cardiologist said that he was fine for surgery. When you say in your response that he had a "significant heart condition" this is a blatant lie to try and discredit the review of your performance. You wouldn't have even proceeded with surgery if so and wouldn't have even gone to your facility if not approved by a specialist with the proper credentials. You didn't have Cardiologists so unsure why in hindsight you would want to try and blame it on the heart. If this was the case it would be very negligent to even allow to proceed as was communicated. Once again, This was supposed to be a "Routine Procedure" and they'd give anything that was a potential blockage to the owner. To say I wasnt told it was "routine" is an absolute lie!!! They even showed me a bag with something from the previous pet that had just got out of surgery. I was never offered or received anything. To say that wasn't said when it was multiple times is a huge red flag to all that honest and integrity are missing. They told me they do this surgery daily, it was routine, they showed me a pet currently having the surgery through a window, and how they'd return what they found. When I had a chance to review the extensive 5 figure bill I received it was noticed that charges that were not needed were replaced with other charges that were never on the estimate. I was given a worse case scenario price which would have included and extended stay when did didn't even stay the minimum. I was told that it would be several thousand dollars less if he didn't need to stay. This was not needed but replaced with other charges as an estimate with a "total amount" was signed which empowered you to charge the full amount regardless. When I spoke with the Medical Director she admitted that she wasn't there at surgery and only had the notes by the doctor who performed the procedure. These notes were not accurate but is all she had to go on. When opportunities arise for improvement in any business, It's an opportunity to own opportunities to improve and put a best foot forward. When responses like this are given it further validates the defensiveness, dishonesty and lack of integrity. To respond in a way that you handled everything perfectly and made no mistakes is absurd. Being in the pet industry, I've had the opportunity to review this case with several highly trained and extremely experienced professionals. I haven't had one say they didn't grossly mismanage the communication (pre & post Op) as well as obvious concerns with their business practices as well. There was obviously a reason this was the only surgical facility in San Diego that had an opening. With all of my heart as a person that dedicates his life to helping pets and supporting rescues to please find another facility. If you want honestly, integrity, and professionalism you will want to keep looking and not bring your beloved pet here. Pets are family and deserve to not be utilized to take advantage of people. Thanks for the response VEG. read more

Had a quick emergency with my dog and the team handled it quickly. Very nice people there. Thank you for helping Bentley with his swelling!

We sat and waited our turn in line while a few pets were moved in front of our turn. We waited 2 1/2 hours to be seen by the doctor for 2 minutes, were given a $1,000 estimate for services then waited an additional 2 hours for something that we were told would take 10 minutes. Then were looking at an additional estimate of another $1,000+. I didn't feel like our pet was of as much importance or concern. We were left to sit for extremely long periods of time. Just the week before I went to California Veterinary Emergency in Carlsbad with my other pet. Their efforts were seamless. We show up, they take your pet in for care, and the doctor calls you with a diagnosis and care instructions. Then you go back and pick up your pet. I just feel the waiting around was completely unnecessary. They should finish with one patient and move to the next and complete the service. read more

The best place to go for an emergency! Oh my gosh the staff is just amazing. All of them were so extremely caring helpful and loving. My bird I would refer to as my child was injured. Dr Salazar was extremely helpful and open and honest to what could happen what possibly could happen with the most caring and loving way of telling me any information. Shirley the technician... Went out of her way to keep me posted and updates on my cockatoos situation. She gave words of conference and sat with me. Kseniya the receptionist offered me food and drink and was extremely understanding. Technician who I barely knew at the end Elton was extreme words of comfort and extremely helpful to get me into a bird veterinarian the next day. I was a basket case and worried about my bird and everyone seemed to understand and was very supportive of me and didn't judge me by my crazy nerves. I could not express how wonderful the entire staff was and it was my first time ever visiting them. Also it was an emergency and they didn't turn me away. They were there every bit of the way for me they patched up my girl so I can get into a bird veterinarian. My Cockatoo and I were very lucky to have met everyone there. Thank you everyone if you ever read this and kudos to you all thank you thank you thank you read more

VEG ER for Pets - Baby (that's her name)... The day they saw her. - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Encinitas, California

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An outstanding team, with fantastic customer and pet care. You get to stay with your pet the entire time, speaking directly with the veterinarians, nurses, and technicians every step of the way. Instead of sitting in a waiting room wondering if anyone is helping your animal, you can be there providing comfort, and see and interact with the team dealing with your emergency. If I ever have another emergency with another pet, I will head directly here. I'm ruined for other options. read more

Wow, looking back at this review and it doesn't even seem real! Ever since Asher was diagnosed with Addison's disease by Dr. Kent he has continued to improve and is healthier now than he was several years ago. He turned 14 years old in November and is so full of life and happiness. He has gained 20 lbs and a lot of sass. Asher almost died 8 months ago and they gave me back my baby with a whole new life. I will be forever grateful for everyone at this establishment and will never forget their care and compassion. It feels like Asher has reversed age. Ivana and Holly and all of the people I mentioned in my previous reviews will always hold a special place in my heart. read more

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My frIend referred me to VEG... to see Dr.Kim and WOW!!! Dr. Kim is not only very knowledgeable she's super sweet. She made our experience enjoyable for something we'd normally dread. Saara, who cleaned my dogs ears, did so with a great deal of care and answered all of our questions with patience (Great sense of humor too) She was a wealth of information. Everyone seemed very polite, patient and knowledgeable. Great experience overall and worth the 30 min drive from La Mesa. Thank you so much Dr. Kim and Saara read more

I cannot say enough great things about the Veterinary Emergency Group. My wife brought, Pepper, our lab mix to them after Pepper had a seizure and went into cardiac arrest. The tried to use CPR but could not revive her. They asked my wife if she wanted them to keep trying. They were so caring and kind toward my wife who was traumatized by the experience. I was away when it happened. I arrived home that evening and went to the clinic where a tearful aid gave me a quiet room out of the away of all the other patient activity. They then wheeled in Pepper so I could say a proper goodbye alone and try to find closure. The staff has a difficult job. Total dedication to both pets and their owners. I'd give them more than 5 stars if I could. read more

I would not recommend this emergency vet office to anyone. They overcharge for every aspect of care. Subcutaneous fluids were almost 3 times more expensive than the other emergency vet office, my cat's antibiotic cost over 5 times more than at our regular vet, and they pushed for an unnecessary $750 ultrasound. I spent so much money and got zero answers as to why my cat was sick. We had a much better experience at another local emergency vet. read more

I absolutely have reached out - several times regarding my pets care - don't write here telling other readers that I haven't! In fact I called and spoke to the Doctor once expressing my dissatisfaction, she defended her treatment plan, then I called back and asked to speak with a manager who called me back and we spoke the next day, I'm now waiting for a call back from the "Managing Director" who is going to call me back next week. So I have indeed reached out to discuss the care my pet received at VEG. read more

5 stars are not enough! My 2 year old Cooper had his very first medical emergency late last night. In a panic I headed over to VEG not knowing what to expect. What I saw were nurses lying on the ground comforting pups, doctors rushing around caring for their sweet patients and most importantly, every employee that I interacted with was kind and truly showed concern. Our Cooper was cared for quickly and after he was stable I was given very detailed information about his care and recovery. I hope we do not have to visit VEG again anytime soon but I could not be more satisfied with the service provided. Thank you! read more

VEG ER for Pets - Sweet Cooper getting the best care! - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Encinitas, California

I am floored by the level of care and comfort VEG showed my partner and I when we came in with our beloved kitty. There was unfortunately nothing they could do for him, but late at night in the pouring rain they let us sit and hold him for as long as we needed to in their patient room. It was one of the hardest moments of my life but they treated us with such deep sympathy and compassion. They took care of everything and allowed us what we needed in the moment. I just received a hand signed card from their staff in the mail offering their condolences for our loss. Even though we did not need their medical service in the end, I have never been so impressed and touched by the kindness of strangers. These guys are the real deal. Thank you for everything. -Ellsworth's Mom read more

VEG provides excellent services for pet emergencies and their staff is excellent. They are very well organized, work together as a team, and are attentive to guests and their animals. The facility is very clean and the welcoming. You are allowed to stay with your animal while you are waiting, which makes the experience less scary and unknown. The staff were unable to diagnose my pet due to VEG being domestic animal specialists (I have a guinea pig, which is considered an exotic animal), but I wanted to shout out the staff for being so amazing in the whole process. If you have a dog or a cat in crisis, I would highly recommend VEG. read more

You can tell by the vibe when you walk in the front door that these are people who love what they do. My granddaughter's cockatiel broke his leg. The vet and staff are so caring. It was traumatic for my granddaughter and I'm sure her bird. There is only one other emergency vet that takes birds and that's in La Mesa. We are so happy to have this ER Vet. I highly recommend them!! One of the many things that impressed me is that their cages are in the same big room as the staff, so the pets aren't lonely read more

Absolutely amazing! The staff is so warm and kind, and I love how they let you stay with your pet the entire time. Our dog had to go under anesthesia and they let us hold her as she fell asleep and as she woke up. It was really nice to be there to comfort our pup and to have the vet explain every step to us. read more

I received the best and most comprehensive care for my pet at this clinic. Dr. Lopez, Clara and Orsa were beyond amazing when it came to dealing with a critical situation for my bunny, Bandy. They were so pragmatic and compassionate about our options, and then tremendously sympathetic when it came time to put him down. It was one of the worst nights for me and I'm very grateful for this team managing it the way they did. I can't thank them enough. read more

I found myself taking my dog to the emergency clinic at 4:30 in the morning. I was so impressed with the entire staff and the way they do business. I was greeted quickly by one of the med techs Randy who had me come to the back exam area a large room, which felt like a living room experience. She examined my dog and took vitals while Imani the other tech got my information and instructed me to go to the online check-in form to complete it. I was instantly calm down by their gentle and welcoming behavior. Then the doctor came a wonderfully knowledgeable veterinarian Dr. Salazar who examined Callie and instantly put me at ease. My dog had some rather severe reverse sneeze spasms at home that scared her and me; after examining my dog, she let me know that they were benign and also told me what to look out for in case they might have been a sign of something else. An emergency came in and Dr. Salazar kindly excused herself and attended to them. I wasn't there for more than an hour and a half and felt like I was taken care of. in some other veterinary ER clinics. Their process is streamlined and efficient and also personal. The way they handled the paperwork by asking me questions and starting the intake form and instantly taking vitals was a big relief. I have been to other ER vet clinics where they took the dog in the back and I didn't hear anything for hours. The nice thing about this place is that you know exactly what is going on and you are not separated from your pet. I love that they handled the more urgent situation right away, and still kept me and my dog feeling like we were taken care of as well . I highly recommend this clinic not only for their professionalism and humanity but also their process which moves the process forward quickly. I felt secure that my situation mattered and would be swiftly addressed. read more

Money money money before actual real diagnosis.I had to go to another vet to get a actual finding and cause for my poor dogs problem. Dr. Had to consult with 3 additional Doctors to come up with a diagnosis. This was after she told me the surgery X-rays looked great. Went in for a throat issue and they claimed it was a previous surgery infection. The infection was ruled out 2 days later by another vet. Additionally the X-rays they took didn't show the whole throat area. This would have disclosed something peculiar.But according to this clinic there 2 board -certified specialist claimed otherwise. Sorry Veg you failed my girl. read more

Here we are again ....7/28. Admitted and transfer by our vet Dr Dawn Love(North Orange Vet). Started our adventure around 12:30 Friday 7/28, still on it 0630 Saturday 7/29. We ate rat poison, which doesn't have antidote. Induced thus induced vomiting, charcoal, IV ......and VEG is amazing. Dr. Teel, Dr. Dre, Stephanie (knew from her Dr. Smith & Dr. Love days), Ashley, Margo and so many others whose names escape me....were so extremely amazing and kind. I have observed them all night, busy with all kinds of trauma.....so efficient. Very content pets. I called Dr Dre the miracle doctor. They work very well, even with shift changes....the team moved as one without missing beat. They even sang HB to me at midnight....and my pup is doing extremely well. I credit Dr. Love &staff plus VEG! I said before we'd return but hope we don't have any "emergencies " but if we do, we're definitely at BEG in Encinitas. read more

VEG ER for Pets - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Encinitas, California

All of the staff here are amazing. Brought my girl Effy in for injuries to all four paws late last night after having run off scared by the fireworks. I was a complete mess but Dr. Rothstein, Kat, Kaity, Kiana and the rest of the incredible veterinary staff went above and beyond to comfort both me and Effy. Through to about 3am when we were discharged, I was allowed to stay right by her side and was always kept fully updated on every detail in real time. I couldn't be more grateful and would absolutely recommend this hospital to anyone in need of medical help for their pets. read more

Our 1 year-old sheepdog mix, Kaleo, got a three-pronged fishhook lodged deep in his lower lip while walking around Miramar Lake. This being our first pet ER experience, we went to V.E.G. because it was recommended by Hannah Shaw (aka "the kitten lady") who my wife follows. They were outstanding - the front desk assistant who took my call, the technicians, and Dr. Shapiro who was on call. Special thanks to the one male tech that actually got the hook out (I did not get his name). Dr. Shapiro was kind and humble to give him credit, and he complimented her on her care and expertise - very genuine/unforced. The staff clearly work well together and love animals. I was able to be with Kaleo throughout the experience. The cost honestly wasn't any more than our vet would charge (for an emergency visit... on a weekend!?) - which was surprising. While I obviously wish this hadn't happened, I am glad to know that I now have a place I trust if we ever need emergency vet services again. read more

VEG ER for Pets - Kaleo in good hands! - Emergency Pet Hospital Near Me - Encinitas, California