VCA California Veterinary Specialists-Carlsbad

Reviews

• AJ

  April Jensen

  Sep 14, 2026
  5.0
  Excellent! Thank you to the staff at this VCA ER vet. I've gone here a few times this year for 2 different issues with my golden retriever and each time they have been fast, qualified, efficient, communicative, caring and just overall wonderful. A very special thank you to Dr. Fritsch, Dr. Darrow and Margaret & Ghazal ~ such kind people! My goldens and our family are so grateful to know we have such a competent team there if we ever need them for an ER situation. Thank you VCA Specialists Carlsbad!
• BL

  Ben Levine

  Sep 13, 2026
  5.0
  Thank you for saving Pickle’s life five times (and counting) because he eats dumb crap. You guys are the best.
• TL

  Tink Love

  Sep 8, 2026
  5.0
  Our female dog has cancerous lung nodules. The oncologist, Dr. Prouxl and his team are working with us for her best care. They all have compassion and caring for the animals. You can tell when with our first visit him and the team sat on the floor surrounding our girl. You could see on her first she felt safe and comfortable with these people.
• SG

  Sierra Gonzalez

  Sep 7, 2026
  1.0
  We had a terrible experience at this location! We have been to other vca hospitals in the past and had great experience this was by far the worst location! We took my cat in as he seems not him self. Told they would take him back for vitals and look at him. We were told in a room he had a urinary blockage as the vet did a physical evaluation and felt his bladder was full, and during the procedure was a risk of rupturing the urethra. Following would need 24 hours in the hospital. We got a break down in the cost of $4,000 as they then changed the 24 hour stay into 48 hours we questioned the change but did not get much of a response. we then paid it so they could start the procedure. Later in the day they called my husband explained the procedure was done his lab work just showed his kidneys were elevated and still recovering he needed a shot during the procedure but nothing seemed abnormal and expected to go back to normal in the 24 hour window. We were happy as it sounded like everything went smooth other than the elevated level but nothing critical. The next day I called to check in and told his labs are slowly improving. The next thing we know they wanted another $1,500-$2,000 so he could stay an additional day or two. As soon as we declined they told us to come get our cat not even the full 48 hours as quoted. When we got to the hospital expecting a partial refund as he did not stay the full time quoted they said he needed additional tests and other things as the procedure did not go routine and required additional cost. I was very confused as nothing of this was communicated to us that there was anything critical that went wrong during the procedure. Any time we got communication it was made to seem like he was fine just needed fluids and one additional shot so we where under the impression he was doing good. We did not find out until pick up he had been in a critical state and required large blood panels and additional work. We did not approve anything additional to what we where quoted and paid for in the treatment plan and told when we paid if anything was to deviate from the treatment plan we would be notified for approval but that did not happen. When we questioned further they said they could not get ahold of my number as it was not put in their system correctly and because it became not a routine procedure the cost changed. I mentioned they where able to call and speak to my husband and this was never mentioned to him about additional treatment or unable to get ahold of me nor when I called them multiple times to check in on my cat while he as there. We also found out during pick up, when he arrived he had beyond a critical kidney lab result at the time of check in. As Aparently they took blood when they did his vitals when we arrived but never told about any lab work and where unaware when we consented to the procedure to the potential risks of his kidneys or the critical result of his labs. Had we had proper knowledge we could have made a more clear informed consent to the procedure as well as the potential costs of recovery due to the critical lab value. we had our follow up a few days later at our normal vet they also found it very odd they did not issue my cat any pain medication to go home with as they had documented he was on medication for pain management while he was there. It was in our original treatment plan we paid for that he would be sent home with medication to help him after the procedure. It very much seemed like they ran up the bill with out clear authorization or communication to us. then once we said no to spending more and him staying longer they told us to come get him and sent him home in pain. Thanks to my normal vet banfeild at Petsmart Oceanside, he is on pain meds and is now happy and comfortable. The lab work from our vet is showing normal and we are now questioning why they wanted an extra $2,000. I will say at check out the women at the front desk who helped us and read through our instructions for his diet was the positive highlight at his location she was so sweet!
• MM

  Mg

  Sep 6, 2026
  2.0
  The front office staff are great. So pleasant. The internal medicine doctor however does not have a warm bed side manner, Dr. Garcia. As I was explaining things to her, she responded "uh huh" throughout the entire appointment. I felt rushed with her constant "uh huh". It is rude to be brushed off by "uh huh". To me it means she's not listening but instead wants to end the appointment. I took my dog Lulu in for a possible ct scan. However, lulu had been fine for several days but being a responsible person, I kept the appointment. The doctor didn't ask me any questions about how lulu's issues began or what her symptoms were when the problem started. She didn't give me any advice for future episodes. She was in and out like a bolt of lightening. I drove from Southbay all the way to Carlsbad. What a waste of time and money. I was charged close to $300 for nothing. And to make matters worse, my dog's anal external area was practically dripping from liquid that was used to take lulu's temperature. I mean come on. As rushed as she was with me, I wonder how my dog was made to feel back there wherever they examine animals. As it is, lulu was nervous coming into the hospital. If I return to their hospital, I will ask for another doctor.

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