Veterinary Cancer Group

If you are reading this, it is because you have a pet that you consider to be a family member. You have recently received bad news and are searching for what you can do to help your pet. You are wondering about your options, the possibilities of a good outcome, the right thing to do for this friend you love. For us, it was a sad and anxious time. And I read these Unilocal reviews of Veterinary Cancer Group as part of the decision process. Since I am adding a review that may be used in your decision process, it is important to me to be fair and factual, and to try and keep my emotions out of your decision. So I will only tell you our story.
In late October 2015, a hard lump the size of an olive appeared on the top of our cat Bob’s head, almost literally overnight. He was seen by our primary vet and an Xray showed damage to his skull bone, likely caused by a tumor. It appeared to be aggressive and we were given a referral to Veterinary Cancer Group. Time was of the essence. We called Vet Cancer and were given an appointment for the following week. During that phone call we were given a run down of the probable tests and a tentative estimate of the costs.
We met with Dr. Bommarito who examined Bob and explained each test and the reason for recommending it. Dr. Bommarito was professional and understanding and answered our questions. Based on the preliminary physical examination, Dr. Bommarito was honest about the fact that Bob’s tumor was most likely a lymphoma and could possibly be located in a place that would involve the eye. If that were the case, it would be reasonable not to undergo treatment, but just take our cat home and love him. We were lucky, however, and the tests revealed that treatment was a viable option for our cat.
So the journey began. I can say with confidence that we have been treated with warmth and respect by every Vet Cancer staff member that we have encountered in the eight months that we have been a patient there. Dr. Bommarito has always taken the time to lay out the various treatment options and their costs, answer questions, and ask for our input at every step of the way. He creates an atmosphere of warmth, quiet humor, and partnership. The front office staff are welcoming and kind, and Bob’s nurse Allison has always been a cheerful, knowledgeable, valuable link in the chain of care.
I am happy to report that we are nearing the end of Bob’s chemo regimen and he is in remission at this time. He is living a good life, and we are grateful for the opportunity to spoil the heck out of him every day. This would not be possible without the people at Vet Cancer. It was the best decision we could have made, and there are zero regrets.
At our last visit, I sat in the waiting room while Bob received his injection. There were four or five other people in the room, and several dogs. As we waited, the dogs began to «talk» to each other — a friendly little woof here and there. And then the corgi started to howl. All of the humans looked up and we just started smiling at each other and laughing. And I’m thinking that every person here has a very sick animal, and this is still a happy place. A true Vet Cancer moment, in my opinion.

I’m a little late on getting around to writing this review but better late than never. After several test, X-​rays and an MRI from other facilities my dog Maggie and I ended up at Veterinary Cancer Group to see Dr. Bommarito. We were there because my dog had a brain tumor and she was going to need radiation to stop it’s growth. Dr. Bommarito meet with us and went over his findings and explained what my dogs options were. He put my mind at ease when he told me there was a treatment for the tumor and that my dog will be healthy again.
It was a long treatment process that required her to be there every day from Monday to Friday for a total of 22 days. I do not live in the area and was concerned on how I would get her there for the treatments. With the help of the radiation staff and a boarding facility in the same business complex she was able to complete the process.
I can’t even begin to explain just how wonderful the staff at Veterinary Cancer Group is. From the first day I arrived there with my dog they were very sympathetic and understanding to all of my concerns and questions. The front desk staff is always so friendly when I come in and the radiation staff took excellent care of my Maggie. They would call me during the week to let me know how she was doing and each time they would comment on how much they loved my girl. It had to be true because my dog does not like to be away from me, but when the radiation tech would come to take her from me she had her tail wagging and trotted off with them to go in for her treatments.
Since I don’t live in the area they would pick her up from the boarding facility and bring her to their building for her treatments each day. They made sure she had her medications, was feed and took her for several walks during the day for restroom breaks. When a group of people take such concern and care for your pet it just solidifies the trust I will have in them.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you do Dr. Bommarito and staff. With your efforts I have been given a chance to have several more years with my girl Maggie. Keep doing what you do!

A NOTE OF CAUTION: I am writing this review as a caution to owners of pets with cancer. Please, please do your homework before you give your older dog the cancer drug Palladia. A young veterinarian at Vet Cancer Group of Orange County suggested that we try this drug for our beloved 13-​yr old pet. The second dose took away all my dog’s remaining strength and I strongly believe it shortened his life. He went from being reasonably active to immediate weakness and then death within two weeks of taking the drug. It broke my heart. If faced with this decision in the future, I would NOT by any means administer this horrible cancer drug to my older pet.

I highly recommend VCG, Dr. Fiocchi and the wonderful team. Over the past few years I have had 3 cats (ages 14 – 16) diagnosed with different forms of cancer. One has passed but the other two are still living happy lives.
I truly believe because of Dr. Fiocchi, my cat Cloud lived happily, fulfilled and normal life up until the end.
The level of care (wether or not you decide to treat) is more than I have experienced in any other vet. They do not push you into treatment but clearly lay out parameters and what may be possible/​expected in some cases.
I have had to go through many health issues with my cats and never second guess my choices because the information and care level here is so great.
Even my cat Moobear loves this place. He once got upset (when he came with Cloud) but he couldn’t go into the back room with the tech. I’ve never seen a cat scratch a door/​meow after a dr left the room. Or get upset at going home!
Bottom line, if you are going through the horrible possibility of cancer with your furry loved one, come here. You won’t second guess the doctors or yourself.

What an awesome place! Our furry family member was diagnosed with a malignant tumor on his leg. Following surgery, we went to Veterinary Cancer Group for radiation treatments. I drove nearly two hours each way to get there, but it was worth it. The treatments were painless, and done with such a kind and gentle touch that my pooch actually looked forward to making the trip each day. Dr. Bommarito was amazing and took the time to give us all of our options. His staff always greeted us with a smile. We always felt important and cared for. They made a difficult time very bearable. We are so grateful to have them.

I write this review with a mixed feeling. I’ve waited quite a while to write this one. I found this facility off Unilocal and other online reviews. There simply isn’t many other facilities that can cater to pet cancer treatment. I decided to take the chance with my rescue dog of 14 years.
Our dog Lucky was everything to our family. She’s travelled with us and has been pampered since day one. Unfortunately last September she was diagnosed with pretty severe cancer. Doctors said she would live no more than six months but realistically 90 days. After two operations we visited Vetinary Cancer Group and linked up with Dr. Julie Bulman-​Flemin.
Dr. Julie is probably the most kind hearted compassionate doctor you’ll ever meet going through a situation like this. She told us our options and gave us a price quote of about $ 6k-​$ 8k depending on the route we took. Although our odds seemed slim we decided to take them. At the end we probably spent 5−6x that amount in the span of 9 – 10 months.
For the first 4 months it seemed as if our pet beat all odds. She was acting normally, running, eating and full of energy. We brought her back every week then to bi-​weekly for chemo. It was at the 6 month mark when things took a turn. They recommended that we go from injected chemo to pill for (paladia). Once we switched her tumors began to disappear. Unfortunately after a few more months of paladia she began suffering from other issues that two other vets confirmed they believed it was from the paladia medication.
They both agreed to have our pet taken off all cancer medication as became a point where she suffered more than benefitted. Our beloved pet passed in September of this year. Despite all odds she beat her slimmest odds by six additional months.
Why did I knock two stars? When you come into this place they’ll paint a picture for you. We spent probably 5−6x the amount quoted in the beginning. Spending hundreds to thousands every visit. We bought excess medication and when our pet started suffering from chemo they tell you your pet needs XYZ. We went along with their recommendation until the end where our pet suffered severely from the medication they gave her. Of course every situation is different. It’s a business, they’re here to make money at the end of the day. I don’t blame them but I wish they would be compassionate towards the pets vs. dollar figure as well.
When we were coming here for treatment we got calls almost weekly, once they saw her health decline they stopped calling, stopped asking how things went, etc. Like I said above, it’s all business for them. Dr. Julie is one of the better doctors here, I have issues with a few others here. They’re extremely rude, if you decline any services that costs 10x the amount what your vet charges and tell them you’ll have it done at your preferred vet they will use various pitches to make you feel guilty. There was various little things that make me question their services as well.
I paid for and they did routine blood test on her but were unable to see issues within her body. At her worst, we brought her into our vet because Veterinary Cancer Group couldn’t provide a solution or answer. Our vet did a blood test and he was immediately able to diagnose issues and provide treatment for those issues. When I brought this up with Veterinary Cancer Group they would provide no answer as to why they didn’t notice these issues.
To summarize, I’m not writing this review because my pet didn’t beat the odds or how Veterinary Cancer Group wasn’t able to provide a magical solution. I am simply writing this to remind everyone that at the end of the day it’s a business here. We didn’t turn any of their service down until the very end. It wasn’t until two vets not affiliated with them agreed it was best for her. There isn’t many other options out here, just don’t believe everything they sell you.

A very welcoming facility.
Unfortunately, my 7.5 year old terrier was diagnosed with Lymphoma. We had asked our friends and family for the best referral oncologist and majority pointed us to the Veterinary Cancer Group.
When I made the phone call for appointment, I consulted with a staff and she was very helpful in getting me to see a specialist in a timely manner.
The office space was very clean and soothing (a big plus especially for those who are already going in with bad reasons can feel a bit at ease). Upon arriving, we were welcomed by a group of staff and was very warm and inviting. Apparently, everyone knew who we were and was escorted into a private room.
The oncologist Julie was very nice and very informative. While she went over some of the options and treatments for our pup, our terrier was excited to see her and continuously went over and wanting to be petted.
We were reserved on the amount of money that will cost for the whole treatment and veterinarian was practical about telling us other options. Overall, it was a pleasant visit and my husband and I were a little bit more at ease knowing that our pup is in good hands.
We are visiting again next Tuesday. (WISH US LUCK!)

A LOVE LETTER
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Exactly one year ago today, on October 1^st, 2014, I walked into VCG for the very first time, and was dealt some news that made my heart and stomach sink to the floor, where I thought they would remain indefinitely.
My loving Golden Retriever had cancer, and he only had a few months. Although I couldn’t afford it, I opened up as many credit cards as I could while sitting in that room, and started his chemo treatments that very day, in order to provide him with the most comfortable last months. (Chemo does not have the same negative side effects on dogs as it does for humans; it only makes them feel better!)
The next three months were an emotional roller coaster. Mostly highs, mostly celebrations! Overall, my beautiful boy did very well until about Christmas time.
I am happy that we sought chemo; it really made him feel better. For awhile there, it seemed as if he were completely cured. He was back to his happy go lucky self, and people kept commenting that this was not a sick dog! He celebrated his birthday with tons of gifts and what turned out to be his favorite sock monkey sweater, clowned around in his sheep Halloween costume, greeted every single trick or treater at the door, had a hearty appetite (enjoyed a Thanksgiving Day carb-​free feast… I was determined to make my very first turkey for him), was puppy pouncy, played ball and his absolute favorite game hide n seek, we did a charity dog walk in Long Beach, and went on a road trip to Santa Barbara. (Have you seen the Suburu commercial with the dog and the bucket list?) For this reason, I would do it all over again without a doubt, debt and daily commute from Calabasas and all!
I thank Dr. Bommarito and the staff of VCG, for providing loving care both to my baby boy, and also to me. I am thankful that my Brando had such sincere care all the way to his last minutes on this earth, when staff members waited to receive us in the parking lot. Chris retrieved and carried my boy in, and handled him with respect and dignity. Shannon was also there to provide me emotional support while she let me just weep on her shoulder in that parking lot. You people at VCG might be the most loving and caring people I have ever met.
They set a beautiful room and blanket for us (I think there might have even been a candle), as we had our last moments with Brando. It was loving and warm; it was not your typical sterile medical setting.
Thank you for being there for us during some of the most trying days of my life, as we tried to navigate the best possible last months for my Brando. I am grateful that we spent them with you.
xoxo,
Sue (and Brando too!)

Beware: This was our experience: A year ago on September 8, 2014, we took in our beloved black Labrador to the Veterinary Cancer Group of Tustin for radiation on a back leg cancerous tumor but instead, he became instantly paralyzed as a result of the treatment given to him. We had him 13 years and all those years, he took 4 mile walks daily. Other than a cancerous tumor on his back left leg that had grown, he was in perfect health — perfect vision, white teeth, lean, in shape, highly alert and perfect hearing. As for what happened, we were told prepayment was required and we paid. We asked if we could watch the procedure, saying this was important to us. We were told this was not allowed. This proved to be a big mistake. Our dog walked in completely mobile, limited only by his tumor but that would be the last time he walked. The radiation procedure took many more hours than what we’d been told and when it was finished, he came out, being held up in a sling, totally unable to walk and in obvious pain. Anyone could imagine our shock and horror. The veterinarian and technician told us this had never happened before and suggested our dog was probably just sore. He never walked again and suffered terribly. They had paralyzed him somehow while he was under anesthesia. We concluded he had most likely either been dropped while being manually lifted to or from the table or that his other good leg had been carelessly overextended so far upward when then put into a sling for the procedure that it destroyed his back. The veterinarian explained this to us following the procedure, saying this might be why he was sore but he was far more than sore. He was unable to walk and any movement at all caused him great pain. When we arrived home, we called his lifelong veterinarian who came to our home to help and to administer pain relief. Sadly, our veterinarian had recommended, in advance, that we go to a place in Oceanside if we were going to do radiation but we had met another couple who was having their dog treated here. Our veterinary care became hospice care, in which we were in no way prepared. Between the radiation and the subsequent veterinary care needed, we incurred astronomical costs. Three days later, we carefully lifted him and transported him via a full body stretcher to his real veterinarian, where he was put down. Every bit of movement proved our dog was in terrible pain. When we approached the veterinarian at the Tustin Cancer Group about any sort of refund because of the disastrous, unexpected outcome and extra costs, we were told nothing would be refunded. Call me if you have questions, Doug 949−529−4744.

Over the last year and a half I had been bringing my beloved dog to Dr. Julie for a variety of reasons. We ended up losing him last week but only after after a very long and protracted battle with two different types of cancer, one being a tumor that after months of chemotherapy resulted in a hind leg amputatation (great success that allowed him to live an additional year very happily), the second a malignant melanoma, removed and an unrelated bloat surgery, all of which he recovered and lived on for months later. I know you may be thinking that all of this sounds pretty dire and that I am crazy for going through all of this and paying all of this money to save a dog, however if you are reading this it means to me that you are probably in a similar situation and afraid that your animal may die of cancer. I would implore you to go to the Veterinary Cancer Group and consult with one of their fine physicians to determine what options are available for your furry critter. The staff here is so extremely loving, helpful yet realistic. I can’t describe in words how thankful I am to them. All of the things that my buddy went through were fixable at the time and that led my decision to seek treatment for each option however he finally succumbed to old age and quite possibly a third cancer. It was time. I highly recommend this place.

Thankful that we found this place and Dr. Julie to help us take care of our furkid. I feel like we could not be in better hands. The location is more than an hour away but I will be happily making that drive to ensure that our pup is getting the best care possible.

I won’t get into the heartbreaking details of our beloved dog Duncan’ battle with cancer but I will say that Veterinary Cancer Group and every person we encountered there was like a gift from above. These are some of the kindest most genuine people you will ever meet (Erica, Sergio, everyone at the front) and we were always treated with warmth and compassion.
Dr. Bommarito was exactly what we needed when facing this diagnosis — he was honest from the start, compassionate, extremely well-​qualified and very patient. He made himself available to us — even on his days off. We always felt he was there if we needed him and that was very comforting to us as the disease progressed and symptoms changed. He was a blessing and we will be eternally grateful to him for putting us on a path that allowed us to have more quality time and happiness with our dog than we thought would be possible. I would highly recommend VCG to anyone facing a cancer diagnosis of their beloved pet.

We were recently referred to the Veterinary Cancer Group. Our 10 year old Lab Maggie was diagnosed by our Vet with bone cancer. We made our appointment and were compassionately welcomed when we arrived. DVM. Sara Fiocchi is probably one of the finest and most impressive persons I have ever met. DR Fiocchi was extremely Knowledgeable and was very thorough when explaining her findings and opinions. Unfortunately, our Girl Maggie didn’t have many options and we lost her 3÷10÷15. The Dr. And everyone who works there helped us keep our beloved Maggie pain free and happy the final months of her life.
If you are in the unfortunate situation of having a pet with cancer, these people can save them! They have helped so many pets live a longer and healthy life.
I thank them for everything they did for us. These are truly some of the most amazing people you will ever meet.

If you’ve gotten the same unfortunate news and are looking for a veterinary oncologist, I apologize. Remember, cancer is a word, not a sentence!!! But if you are looking for somewhere to go explore your treatment options, I’m not sure there’s any better place to go.
The scheduling/​reception staff is excellent. The facility is clean. Water dish provided for pets. There’s a box of toys in the waiting room. The exam room had a big fluffy pillow in it for our pup to relax on while you wait. All prices for everything from the visit to the x-​rays were quoted up front, with no surprises.
Dr. Julie is amazing. She clinically diagnosed our girl as «cute» upon walking in. We already knew this, but it was nice to get a medical opinion. She spent probably 30 minutes with us discussing our options, explaining each option in great detail. We got to ask every question we wanted without feeling rushed or hurried. She even sat on the floor in her dress and lab coat to examine our Lexi and talk to us.
Tustin is about an hour away from us, but we’re going back to her for any follow up care our girl requires after her surgery.

Sara Fiocchi and her colleagues are kind compassionate and thorough. Having a very ill pet is the nadir of dog ownership but getting top care, good information, and help in those special situations when the chips are looking down is the best you can hope for.

The BEST Staff Ever! Dr. David Bommarioto, his technician «Sergio» and the Entire Staff showed compassion and Love during Lucy’s Radiation Treatments (English Bulldog). Unfortunately, Lucy did not survive her cancer and she died at home peacefully about 3 weeks ago. Lucy was older, tired and her heart just gave out.
They had so much patience with Lucy as she had complicated breathing issues and was a special needs patient. I would ABSOLUTELY recommend Veterinary Cancer Group to ANYONE going through such a difficult time. I am glad my journey with Lucy took me to these wonderful/​caring people. I really feel the treatments were working.
Not much more to say, but I felt their prices were reasonable too!
Great GREAT People! very caring!

We are currently seeing Dr. Julie Bulman-​Fleming for treatment of our ⁴¹⁄₂ year old Bernese Mountain Dog that has terminal histiocytic sarcoma. Bodie, our pup, is like a child to my husband and I, and this group and especially Dr. Julie has made Bodie’s treatment the best possible situation that it can be. I will list the reasons below as to why we are so fond of VCG. We tried 2 other Vet offices prior and found VCG to be the absolute best.
1) Compassion– they are so loving and really care for their patients and their family members dealing with difficult diseases. Bodie loves Dr. Julie, he normally does not let people touch his face and he is very nervous in vet offices but he adores Dr. Julie and runs to her tail wagging and he let’s her fully access him.
2) Convenience– it is so easy to schedule appointments and they are punctual! I visit at least every three weeks and have never had to wait more than 10 minutes past my scheduled appointment time. We formally took Bodie to So Cal Vet Specialty Group and would wait for 30 – 45 minutes in the waiting room alone! VCG is extremely considerate of your time and they hold to their appointment times.
3) Follow Up– Dr. Julie is incredible with follow up and tracking Bodie’s progression with his disease. She is not over-​prescribing and in fact does the opposite. She encourages treatment ONLY necessary to help him and make him comfortable.
Overall, this is a Vet that you can trust and in addition the office visits are as pleasant as can be. Everyone is incredibly friendly and compassionate. I highly recommend VCG and Dr. Julie.

I agree with my whole heart with Kate from Pasadena’s review
Before you make the step to venture through these doors & seek help for your loved pet, my advice would be think twice. Eight weeks was all it took for my poor dog to suffer & die. At every appointment, they were not happy with his results, & prescribed more & more chemo, & every time he came home we was worse than when he went in. Aren’t they supposed to be the experts? The ones who know how to prescribe the right kind of treatment, not make your dog feel worse. In the eight weeks he was treated he never felt better regardless of what they told us.
Telling us they caught the disease early, it was not in his bones & it’s treatable, that they can help, with the right kind of medicine our dog would live another 20 months.
We walked away shocked that our poor dog had cancer but were assured that we had come to the right place.
We were fortunate enough to be able to afford the treatment, but seriously, every time we left the place we had another huge bill for treatments that were basically killing our dog.
I am confident that had I taken a moment to step away from my grief, step out of the room, waited 24 hours, I would have made other decisions that would have helped my dog die in a better way
In the end, they pumped him with so much chemo, 4 different kinds, since every one did not work, that I had to carry him into the the hospital & watch them take his life.
We should have listened to our hearts & not our pockets.
I felt like they mislead us, with chemo side effects, expectations of life expectancy, the real diagnosis of his cancer & overall the general health of my dog, we had one honest person during our entire 8 weeks & it was not one of the doctors.
I am a rational person & understand that Cancer plays no favorites, but this was just unacceptable, their motivation felt more like a profit driven center than a cancer care group for pets
We feel cheated that our poor dog has left us so quickly when we thought we had gone to the experts.

Greatest staff ever! Our dog Friday is doing GREAT GREAT GREAT!!! The radiation treatments shrank the tumor, reduced the pain by at least 80%, gave him back the use of his leg AND gave us a few more months with our baby! Thank you VCG!!!
As you know, Cancer treatment in a pet OR IN A PERSON is still an Art more than a science. Expect the worse and you will be happy with the great results.

So the last time we were here we had an amazing consultation with Dr. Autumn. Dr. Autumn moved to Montana.
This time was just plain creepy. I don’t know how it is ethical to sell medicine and medical treatment based on «worst case scenarios» exploratory diagnostics with no diagnosis and FLUFF.
Here are the facts:
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Cha– Ching! Sums it up.
If you are blind and like being treated with PHONINESS and coddled into believing you need to spend thousands of dollars to take care of your pet properly, come here.
The consultation was 2 hours long, she spoke to us like we 2, repeating, overly explaining, pushing the worst case, phony compassion, phony niceness. She could have explained what she did in 15 minutes. She also got on the floor and sat there the whole time, like pretending compassion and closeness to the animal. I found this beyond unprofessional; maybe if the dog was a puppy, puppy. This is not how real doctors behave.
They pull you in and keep you for so long because by the end your head is spinning and you are exhausted. Its like going to a sleazy car dealership.
Remember real doctors are no nonsense are logical and to the point. Medicine is a science not a lesson in salesmanship. People with a lesser education and critical thinking and logic skills could fall into this phony routine easily.
The quote for exploratory diagnosis was absurd. The nickel and dime for EVERYTHING. Past that the dog would then have to get surgery after the exploratory diagnostics ANYWAYS. So they wanted to put my dog under 2 times, despite the logical solution to to everything at once. Is this medically ethical to you?
Okay on to the surgery: $ 3700 to CLEAN UP A SOFT TISSUE ABSCESS. Um hello and doctors out there know, that simple soft tissue surgery not removing any tumor, muscle etc. is SIMPLE and a doctor BASIC! They also said lab work would take 5 business days… WTF Aren’t you a specialty cancer hospital??? Why the hell would the lab work take that long?
We spend $ 800 for what they wanted $ 3700. The discrepancy is so large it is fraudulent to me.
Oh and the lab work which all goes to the same place IDEXX, took 2 days.
If you choose to come here REMEMBER: They have 20,000 sq ft of rent to pay in Irvine/​Tustin, they pay a premium for «board certification,» that often times doesn’t mean much.
Oh and they need to take a page from Plastic Surgeons regarding nurse consultants, some lil chick from Santana aint gonna sell me. Sorry. Just cuz you repeat how qualified and amazing everyone is– it’s a shitty low budget pitch and delivery.
If you feel like paying their rent and being sold, please do seek treatment here. Creepy, creepy experience. Makes you appreciate human insurance companies that can regulate what doctors can and cant get away with.