Veterinary Specialty Hospital North County

This is our 4^th time using this veterinary service for separate cat emergencies over the last two years. The first emergency set us back over $ 16,000 for a gallbladder surgery, and now this cat’s visit is at $ 4,400 for an intestinal infection he got from eating tainted food.
These 4 experiences combined were very similar in nature including «uknown overcharges», and unnecessary procedures that are not indicated with presentation, (ie. presenting with gallbladder disease, but getting treated and having to pay for xrays for pneumonia because THEY gave him too much fluid and it looked like he had fluid on his lungs, or told our cat was dying and in renal failure or probably had cancer, when actually he had an intestinal and lymph node infection) and therefore I now can see that this is either a habitual way of predatory practice, or highly inept and inefficient staff. It appears the night shift which is the most important shift for emergencies only employs recent graduates as per our multiple experiences.
As a loving pet owner you may find yourself in a very vulnerable state when you bring your beloved pet in for an emergency. You will find that this clinic will take advantage of this and will throw charges and procedures at you that are highly unnecessary, I admonish you to take the time to itemize your bill thoroughly and ask questions on the necessity of procedures (Although Dr. Mallery gets highly offended when you question his authority). Try and see Dr. Fischer as I found her to be the most qualified in this practice.
Dr. Trott was the vet on staff a few nights ago, my cat was in a ton of pain and extremely dehydrated, Dr. Trott refused to give him any pain meds because he felt as though the anti nausea medication my prior vet gave him would comfort his pain and inflammation, and he did not give him IV fluids for another 6 HOURS AFTER we brought him in, despite him throwing up 13 times and was extremely sick and dehydrated, as «they were busy with other more critical emergencies» I was told. Of course the following morning when Dr. Don arrived she immediately saw the pain and distress our cat was in and administered his FIRST PAIN MEDICATION which was 14 HOURS AFTER bringing him in.
Two visits we were charged for very expensive tests that were not even indicated based on our cat’s presentation, (ie. one presented with gallbladder blockage, and second cat with intestinal infection) both visits had charges on the invoice that did not reflect procedures that were even actually done, with charges that were up to $ 1000 HIGHER than the HIGHEST approved ESTIMATE, we were given «CREDIT» as after pressing them on the charges, they could NOT determine the overcharges. In addition we were charged for a catheter and medicine that we actually had placed and injected from another vet prior to arriving. WOW! OMG!
When asked for an itemized bill for the overcharges since Vanessa the office manager could not determine why we were charged more than the highest estimate, we were asked to wait for Dr. Mallery who was in with another patient.
After waiting for 2 ½ hours to talk to Dr. Mallery regarding not only the bill but for a procedure he insisted my cat have done to remove fluid from his stomach based on a 9am ultrasound, yet when he did it 12 hours AFTER approval and payment, my cat no longer needed the procedure but I was still charged $ 565!
Since he never showed up to talk to us, we finally asked for Dr. Mallery to call us later that day, which he did not call back for 4 more days and he refused to discuss the bill, as this was not his area, but he did tell me that the credit that Vanessa gave us for the «unknown overcharges» was now back on my account? WTH?
Our cat was given back to us with his stomach, feet and legs covered in cat urine and dried up cat litter as well as extremely dehydrated. We had to immediately bring him back to a local vet to get more fluids.
So needless to say, I am disappointed, disheartened and will never take my pets to this shoddy clinic again, unless of course, I bang my head, have amnesia and have thousands of dollars I feel like giving away to the greedy.
POST SCRIPT FOLLOW UP:
After writing this experience on Unilocal I received a certified letter from Dr. Mallery at VSH stating that since I questioned his authority and voiced my displeasure with their services on here I was no longer welcome to bring ANY of my pets in for any services as I have been TERMINATED as a patient now and in the future.
(I told you that he had issues with his authority, rather than apologize for the MAJOR overcharges that even the office manager didn’t understand, and the mishandling of my pet, his HUGE ego got in the way, and I hope that bright and intelligent people reading this Unilocal review will think twice before allowing VSH to rip them off and potentially harm their pets!)

The first star is for the cleanliness, organization and general facility. This place is BEAUTIFUL. Welcoming, safe, and comfortable are the words that came to mind when I walked in.
Second star is for the emergency services and the ²⁴⁄₇ hours of operation. This is so amazing for those critical times when no one else is open, what a relief to know there is a 100% capable facility near me at all hours, and all days of the year.
Third star is for the staff. Absolutely incredible people. Dr. Ganz and the anesthesiologist Jenny made me feel SO comfortable with leaving my sweet Obiwan in their care– especially Jenny. Dr. Ganz was very knowledgable and patient with us, even though we easily asked 50 questions. I felt educated about my puppies problem, and the solution. Jenny made me feel safe. Made me feel that my dog was safe in her care, and her warm personality, care free positive attitude was a delight to be around in such a difficult time. I really, really appreciate her hospitality and Jenny if you’re reading this– THANK YOU. Thank you for the gift of feeling reassured, and if no one has told you lately– you are remarkable at your job and you were born to work with people and pets.
Fourth star is for the quality in care. This facility has the capabilities to do operations, etc. that most vets cannot, in fact– we were referred here by our vet since they were unable to fit our needs in an emergency situation.
I did not give 5 stars because this facility is quite pricey. I cannot put a price on my dog as I’d gladly sell a kidney to save my puppy, BUT they could be a little more compassionate with prices. With that being said, I do not feel like they added more things to my bill that were unnecessary, it is just simply the cost of the procedures and additional items. I justify spending so much because I’d rather have quality care than something half-​assed. I 100% know my dog is in the best of hands, and who can put a price on peace of mind? I would definitely come here again if another emergency situation arose. Thank you again for everything Dr. Ganz and Jenny!

Let me tell you about the $ 2,000 nightmare I just went through.
My cat hadn’t had a bowel movement in two days. I started off by seeing a new vet that I had only been to once before but liked well enough (until now). Xrays were done, specialist reviewed them, no issue was obvious so we needed additional testing that the vet could not do with his limited equipment. VHS came HIGHLY recommended. The vet could not sing their praises enough. At this point it’s been 4 days since a bowel movement. I call VHS around 4:30 and explain the situation — I’m sure to say kitty is acting 100% normal and eating his regular amounts. With urgency I’m told by the front desk clerk «you NEED to get him in right away. The vets need to see him immediately but just to warn you… if he needs emergency surgery it’s an extra $ 600 charge because we’d have to get a surgeon to stay after hours».
I take off work early and rush over. We get in to see a vet quickly and she verbatim asks «I’m not sure why you brought him in tonight instead of tomorrow as planned. He’s totally fine and if we do anything other than this exam it’ll cost you $ 600» then she checked and straight up told me «we have back to back ultrasounds tonight, we couldn’t even fit him in if you wanted to». That was an $ 80 exam fee WASTED as I had to bring him back in THE NEXT DAY and pay ANOTHER vet exam fee. All in all kitty ended up with ultrasounds, xrays, and an overnight stay for fluids and meds. I went home with no diagnosis or even treatment plan other than laxatives and nausea meds. Other than that emergency night exam AT NO POINT DURING HIS TWO DAY STAY DID I SEE ANOTHER VET. I paid over $ 100 extra for an «internist» to take over his case and NEVER SAW THEM. I had a few under 5 minute phone calls to explain that they found little to go off of and that’s it. I was never shown his scans, not walked through the full picture of his health, was just kind of told «well we can do all this other testing if you want». Also, every time he needed a new procedure the vet calls to explain why, then tells you someone at the front desk will call back with a quote. This always takes AT LEAST an hour but the longest I had to wait was almost two and a half, at which point I called them back to figure out what was going on. When I was finally able to take my cat home after 24 hour monitoring to make sure he had a bowel movement he had feces all over his back region that was MATTED IN TO HIS FUR, some going down the length of his leg, and THREE split, bleeding nails. Listen, I’m not asking for a full bath service here but I paid for 24 hour monitoring for a bowel movement — they couldn’t have taken a baby wipe to him afterwards? So after a harrowing two day stay the minute I get him home I have to add to both of our stress levels by cleaning matted mess off of him! And the THREE split nails? I have literally never seen him in his entire life get nails that split so badly. His entire quick was bloody on all three.
Within 12 hours of getting my cat home his health crashed, hard. He became completely lethargic. Eventually he cried out in pain and peed right where he was laying. I rushed him over to ABC vet and within the first 10 minutes of seeing a vet I got better care than the ENTIRE TWO DAYS WITH VHS. Based on those test results and the total lack of improvement internally they KNEW they were sending home a cat in critical condition but made me feel like the meds were working and that he would be fine. SO WRONG.
This place feels like a shark tank. They give you almost no information on your pets health, leave you stressed out waiting for information, and bait you with front staff that gush over how much they just LOOOOVE your animal instead of vets/​specialists telling you what’s really going on with your pet.
At the end of the day I spent $ 2,000 to get test results sent to another vet. Save the heartache and just go to a better vet immediately.

I don’t even know where to begin. I am so grateful for this entire hospital. We had taken our cat to a different hospital the night before and given a huge estimate of $ 1,550 for xrays and bloodwork and urinalysis. That’s just to tell us what was wrong and not even fix the problem. They told us they didn’t even have the equipment to be able to perform the procedure to fix the problem. Our poor kitty had something stuck in her throat.
The next morning I took her to the veterinary specialty hospital in San Marcos and immediately knew she was going to be taken care of. From the moment I spoke with the vet tech I felt more comfortable. I told them we didn’t have much money and they completely worked within our budget. The doctor showed so much kindness and compassion for Bow. Turns out she had swallowed a sewing needle with thread attached. It felt like they actually cared about the animals. Thank you thank you thank you! So much!

This pet hospital is incredible. What a compassionate, caring group of people from the front desk to the doctors. Dr. Greenwood patiently listened to me as I rambled on with tears in my eyes, contemplating what might be wrong with my dog. You couldn’t want for a better veterinary hospital. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

I’ve had to go here a couple of times for pet emergencies. The staff here have always been very courteous and helpful both on the phone and in person during the emergencies. The care has been stellar and if it’s a late night call they allow the animal to stay for free after the surgery. I thought this was great and extremely helpful. The prices are very expensive as all vet clinics are, this one is no exception. I’ve never really liked places that try to push unnecessary things onto the bill to get you to agree to and they do do that here. Although if you tell them you can’t afford it or what to take off they will explain the things to take off. Either way, still a great place to go to in case of an emergency.

I feel like we live at the vet! We have been to the Animal Veterinary Specialty Hospital in Sorrento Valley at least 4 times in the last month and to our primary care vet in Poway (Advanced Veterinary Care) about 7 times in the last 2.5 months. This last visit to the Animal Veterinary Specialty Hospital in San Marcos was actually a pleasant one and we think that things are finally on the right track.
My dog, Beamer, had some terrible side affects that flared up literally over night, due to a disease we didn’t know he had. The numerous visits to the vets were filled with attempts to pinpoint the problem. We finally know that he has liver disease which was thankfully caught in time and it seems like we are going to be able to manage it for the duration of his life.
I won’t lie, we have spent a ridiculous amount of money up until this point. About $ 4,000 or so. That being said, it could have been more, but the doctor’s all seemed to be vary conscious of the costs and were quite honest about the different options. We did not feel that they were trying to just get as much money as possible by doing procedures that were not totally necessary.
We originally saw Dr. Dong (I’m not sure if she works at this location or just Sorrento Valley) and she was very nice. She called me a lot throughout the days that Beamer was there receiving blood work, ultrasounds and whatever else they did. She answered all of my boyfriend and I’s questions and never once seemed annoyed.
He was then taken over by Dr. Fischer, who is more of an internal specialist. She also called us a fair amount to discuss her findings and she was very upfront about costs and options. We really felt that she truly cared about Beamer’s health more than squeezing us for money. When I took him in for this last check up for a while, she seemed genuinely happy to see him and even more happy that his test results were improving. She helped me find a pharmacy (Costco) that would fill ALL of his meds for the cheapest price.
We really appreciate everything that ya’ll have done for our puppy (he’s 8 years old, but still our puppy!). We are so relieved that he is doing better and credit that to your care and diligence. We look forward (as much as one can look forward to your dog being sick) to continued work with you and Beamer!

Unfriendly supportive staff left a bad taste in my mouth. After 2 prior visits within the last year I found myself dreading having to bring my cat back to them. Thank goodness I found another place to go tonight.
The vets are ok. Appears they hire new graduates that try to cover all differential expensive diagnosis which is fine. They didn’t pressure me too much or make me feel that bad for not letting them run all the full work up expensive tests, just in case.
The front desk girls and vet assistant really made me feel bad for coming in. Sorry I inconvenienced you with my animal. They didn’t smile, unfriendly, condescending and didn’t appear to be happy working there. Listen to the parents of the animal because you don’t know the pet parents background, profession or knowledge. They sometimes know more then you so don’t put them down like you know everything. The care of the animal is jeopardized when you make the parent uncomfortable. Working with animals means you have to listen to the parent & try to establish a good relationship with the parent. Thanks.

Front office staff is great. Will not use on a regular basis! Recommend that you use them only for emergencies, but get ready to pay! Not even a follow-​up phone call to check on my pet! They seem to only care about getting your money!

If it wasn’t for the doctors and staff at VSH, our dog Koda wouldn’t be alive today. We brought her in on Labor Day and resulted in her needing emergency surgery to remove a mass/​abscess in her intestines. We were kept updated on every step of the process and of her condition each day she was staying there. They answered all of our questions and concerns, and provided us with detailed after care instructions. Even after she was home, they called multiple times to make sure she was recovering well. We are beyond thankful for taking such great care of our Koda girl.

Everyone at this facility is amazing! They have saved my dogs life numerous times and I’m great full for them! Dr fisher is my favorite however all the doctors are good! Dr Stevens is another one of my favorites! Kathy one of the technicians is just awesome she treats my dog as if she were her own and that makes me happy! If you want your animals to live this place will do everything in their power to make that happen!!! I recommend this facility to everyone!

We had never been to VSH before. On a Sat. night, our 16-​year-​old dog was not going to make it through the night. We had no choice at the day/​time, so we took her to VSH — North County in San Marcos. Yes, our dog had to be put to sleep but we would never go through it again without the professionals (front office staff as well a vet. technicians and veterinarian) here. And, several days later, we received a condolence card from them. They were amazing at a very difficult time for our family!
Thank you to all of them–

I brought my golden retriever here after our home vet told me that he was probably going to die and needed to be seen here. He told me the dog might not even make the drive. I made the 20 minute drive and upon arrival they told me my dog was going into cardiac arrest. They asked if I wanted them to try and resuscitate him and of course I said yes, as they wheeled him away one of the techs said «we need at verbal agreement you will pay 500 dollars». I was in shock and hoping they could help said yes. Less than 10 minutes my dog was dead and the bill was 658 dollars. No payment plans accepted there. Though the woman who came out to give me the news was very nice, I feel that I was taken advantage of and the service they provided was way more expensive than necessary. Very disappointed. I could understand if they were with him for maybe an hour or something, but really, 10 minutes for $ 658. I’m giving them 3 stars because they sent a nice handwritten letter saying sorry for our loss.

Once again, Dr. B is awesome!
I email a concern at 10pm expecting it to be viewed and replied to next business day… nope 20 mins later I had a reply.
So awesome!

I am impressed by how polite and caring everyone at the hospital was. I am very happy with the care and treatments provided by Dr. Rosado and Liz (the tech that assisted). They were kind and honest. I have a senior dog (17 years old) who I adopted a little over a year ago. He has developed a tumour on his ear which has started to compromise his ear and skin. When I arrived, it was actively oozing and bleeding and I felt hopeless. So, I brought him in for 1. a second opinion (the first was to do surgery to remove the ear) and 2. assistance in learning to treat and manage what I could. We recieved undivided attention and support the entire time we were there. He even happily went with Liz and Dr. Rosado when they took him to get cleaned up and examined. I figure thats a pretty good sign.
I will always go here for emergencies and cant say enough about their honesty and generosity.

We took our 8 week old puppy here twice in the past week. When we picked her up from her previous owner, we discovered she has fleas, worms, and a skin irritation on her neck. Being a first time puppy owner, we rushed her in immediately to get it taken care of. The technician, Kathy was fantastic! She was sweet and showed true concern for our little girl. She even gave us a recommendation for a regular vet for her. The vet, Tanya Cruz was just as equally sweet and involved. They took care of her in about an hour. And we weren’t completely blown away with a giant bill.
Two days later– our puppy still wasn’t feeling right. She was still getting sick. So we called and asked a bunch of question. Kathy once again gave us some great advice, but after consulting with Dr. Cruz, they suggested it would be best to bring her in since she is so young and wasn’t keeping anything in. Once again they were so helpful and supportive, and gave our puppy what she needed to start feeling better. And once again, we were so happy that our bill wasn’t out of control.
We love the technician and vet at this location. If only they weren’t an emergency hospital, so our puppy could get everything she needs as she gets older from the wonderful and caring staff here. If you’re in a situation where you pet needs to be seen, or if you even need guidance and advice, please give this place a call. They are wonderful.

Not sure what is up with all the bad reviews. I had a very nice experience with all the staff and services received by VSHNC. Another vet referred me here so my dog could see a neurologist. I was able to get an appointment fairly quickly and was seen right away when I arrived. The neurologist, Dr. Delamaide-​Gasper, and her assistance were both wonderful to work with. She explained everything to me easily so that I could understand. She genuinely seemed to care about my dog and her well being. She was honest and up front with me but did not try to pressure or guilt trip me. The doctor and all the staff were so nice, friendly, helpful and caring. The facility was clean and well kept. If you have needs for any pet specialty services this is a great place to go.

We came here a few days ago when our 10 year old cat was having breathing problems. We were referred by our regular vet in case she needed longer care as they closed at 4. We came in and she was taken back right away. Long story short, our kitty had heart failure and we ultimately decided to put her down. The staff and the doctor was so great. It was one of the hardest things we had to go through but the staff and the dr really talked with us about everything and made the technical side of it easier. Yes, it eas very expensive. But they are a specialty hospital and an emergency facility. So its expected for something like that.
It was a very sad day but I think the vet was very professional and compassionate.

The only reason this place is getting two stars instead of one is because it was open on a holiday weekend. I took my kitten in due to vomiting and they just tried screw me over and take advantage of me. My kitten got vaccinated yesterday so his leg was sore and they accused me of hurting him and wanted to give him all these extensive xrays for fractures. Obviously my kitten doesn’t have fractures, he’s sore from the injection site. They tried to give me all kids of random medicine that he didn’t need and tried charging me over 500 $$ for random things. They left us in a room for two hours before we left. We went to the front desk and told them we didn’t need any of the extra services and that we’re leaving. They emailed me discharge paper work that was incorrect.
All in all, this place was terrible. I wouldn’t go here unless this was the ONLY place open. They don’t want to help your pets, they just want to take your money.

This is a place that heals you and your animals. Look, you have to understand that we often question decisions of our animals in this case… the decision to heal them was easy!
Doctors
The doctors here are comforting and honest about the procedures. The surgery on one of both dogs was well done with no complications. It was clear the technique was high level.
Medical Staff
This is why I did not give it five stars. Mistakes happen. We have had a couple misdiagnosis on the issue of a cast. The good news is that it is important to advocate for your pet. You know them well. Advocate.
Overall, this is a high quality and professional location.