VCA TLC Pasadena Veterinary Specialty and Emergency

Reviews

• SO

  Stephanie Ostby

  2 days ago
  5.0
  Even though our cat Henry didn't end up pulling through, we had the best possible experience here. Dr. Barnes was compassionate, realistic, and honest. We felt that Henry was in caring and capable hands and he helped make an extremely difficult process more manageable. Yes, it's expensive, but all emergency vets are expensive. We paid a deposit based on the estimated cost of care, but when Henry's health took a turn for the worse and he no longer needed the full extent of that care, VCA immediately refunded the difference. We appreciated not having to have any conversations about money while we were dealing with our loss. I highly recommend Dr. Barnes and wish he could be our other cat's regular vet!
• AQ

  Ashlay Quinonez

  Sep 14, 2026
  1.0
  I still wake up choking on the memory. I carried my dying puppy into that clinic the same second another woman carried hers. Same trembling body. Same labored breaths. Same silent prayer that someone would fight for them. They took both dogs behind the swinging doors. Then the waiting began. I sat there for hours, rocking slightly, whispering to an empty carrier, while the fluorescent lights buzzed like they were mocking me. Every time the door opened my heart tried to climb out of my throat. Finally they came back. Only one dog returned. Hers. They looked at me with that practiced, hollow calm and said the words that still live under my ribs like broken glass: “I’m so sorry… we did everything we could… he didn’t make it.” But they didn’t do everything. They did everything she could afford. Her dog is alive right now, somewhere, breathing, healing, being loved. Mine is ash in a little cardboard box because I walked in without a shiny insurance card in my pocket. I can still feel the exact second my world went silent. The way the air left the room. The way my hands went numb around the empty carrier. The way I had to walk back out into the sunlight carrying only the weight of a decision someone else made about the value of my puppy’s life. They didn’t just lose a patient. They chose which heartbeat was worth saving. And every night since, when the house is too quiet, I still hear the soft click of those clinic doors closing on the only pure love I had left… while another dog’s family got to drive home with theirs still breathing in the back seat. I hope the memory of what they did follows them the way it follows me. Because I will never, ever stop feeling the moment they decided my puppy’s life was not worth the fight.
• PF

  Pamela Fischbein

  Sep 12, 2026
  5.0
  My heartfelt thanks go out to Mitch who spoke to me on the phone, welcomed me and my dog upon arrival, kept me talking and connected from entrance through the very difficult decision I had to make that night on behalf of my soul dog Lucky. Thank you Dr. Taylor for being exactly the medical expert I needed and Lucky needed that night. From my heart and soul, thank you! My experience was profound because I brought my soul who was 16, in distress and decline in for medical care, evaluation and guidance. Mitch at the front desk, the nurse and Dr. Taylor provided me and my soul dog Lucky with compassion, warmth, clarity and excellence. I am and will be forever grateful for their care, support and medical excellence. I recommend VCA TLC Pasadena Veterinary Specialty and Emergency to any pet and pet parent in need of critical medical care, life/end of life decisions. Thank you, Pamela and Lucky
• DD

  Desiree

  Sep 10, 2026
  5.0
  Dr. Pickell is such an asset to the team; we would love to see her again. I am considering making VCA Doshi's primary care center, given the care he received. We came in on an emergency basis, worried and unsure what to expect, but we were treated with care right away and quickly placed in a consultation room. Dr. Pickell met with us and was warm and thoughtful throughout her assessment, walking us through her recommendations clearly and answering all our questions. There was a long wait before Doshi returned, which was hard given the circumstances, but he came back wagging his tail, happy and feeling much better than when he arrived. It's such a relief to have an emergency facility so close by when something like this happens. We're grateful for the skilled care Doshi received, and for the compassion the whole team showed us during a stressful time.
• JH

  Jennifer Hsia

  Aug 9, 2026
  5.0
  I brought my 16 year old cat in for the first time due to repeated diarrhea and some vomiting. They quoted me 1-2 hour wait time initially, but fortunately, my cat was able to be seen in about 20 minutes. Overall, the staff were friendly and helpful. I was particularly impressed with Dr. Hutchinson. When they first brought my cat to be examined, I didn't hear back for almost one hour. I wasn't sure if it was because she was being seen by the vet or if it was because she was just waiting to be seen. Upon meeting with Dr. Hutchinson, it was immediately clear that Dr. Hutchinson had taken the hour to thoughtfully review in detail my cat's records (beyond the most recent labs that I had sent via email) as well as conducted a thorough exam. She very clearly explained what the treatment options were and which ones were necessary vs. optional. It was abundantly clear that she cared a lot about my cat. After a bunch of lab testing and an ultrasound, she took the time to explain her findings and what they meant. We decided to have her stay overnight at the hospital in case her diarrhea was not fully treated. Dr. Hutchinson reassured us that our cat "is my baby today" and even told us she was on the schedule for the next day so that she could continue to look after our cat. As a cat parent, it meant so much and felt so reassuring that she would look after our cat as her own. It was clear from all the time she spent and the care that she took that she meant what she said. In such a stressful situation, Dr. Hutchinson is exactly the type of compassionate and knowledgeable doctor that you need. I did not once feel rushed by her or that she was unwilling to take the time to talk with me. I will acknowledge that the costs at this clinic are much higher than the costs at my cat's normal vet office. However, in my view, the peace of mind knowing that my cat is in such good hands during a precarious time for her health is worth the trade-off. In addition, I have great coverage with my pet insurance, so that eases a lot of my burden also. When I couldn't have my pet seen at her normal clinic and when I heard the exam fee costs at this clinic, I was quite skeptical and unsure about the care my cat would receive. However, I now believe this was a blessing in disguise because I couldn't imagine my cat being in better hands than with Dr. Hutchinson. From beginning to end, I know that my cat received the best care possible, and they sent us home with very detailed instructions and information for follow up care. They even decorated the bag that they gave us to take home. Based on my experience, I would not hesitate to bring my cat if needed in the future, especially if Dr. Hutchinson is working. One suggestion for this clinic to consider is having cameras in the kennels. When my cat had radioiodine treatment a few years ago and had to be hospitalized at a different facility due to lingering radiation for several days after, the facility sent me a link to a webcam just for my cat that was on from 8 am to 8 pm everyday so that I could check in on her whenever I wanted during those hours. Dr. Hutchinson told us that sometimes animals get upset when you visit without taking them home. I think a webcam could address this issue because, as owners, we can check in on them without making them upset. The only other small suggestion I have is to consider having a text or phone call option to let us know when the animal is being called (and give maybe 15 min time to return to the clinic) so that we do not have to wait up to 2 hours in the waiting room. Aside from this, I really don't have additional suggestions for this clinic (aside from do whatever you can to keep Dr. Hutchinson on staff). I had a wonderful overall experience here, and while I hope my cat never needs to go to emergency or urgent care again, should she need to, I would not hesitate to bring her here.

Frequently Asked Questions About VCA TLC Pasadena Veterinary Specialty and Emergency