VCA Great Lakes Veterinary Specialists

Reviews

• PI

  Peter Iskandar

  Aug 6, 2026
  1.0
  YES you should take your pet here if you would like them to die. Over 20 years of pet ownership and 12 pets ... this is THE WORST experience I have ever had with a veterinary clinic. I trusted this clinic with my sick dog, and they treated her with such carelessness and lack of compassion. During her visit, my dog was dropped while already in a fragile condition. The IV placement was handled so roughly that she was cut so deeply she had scars on her skin. Watching someone treat an already suffering animal, MY best friend this way... was heartbreaking. We were told her bloodwork, and samples would be back in 1–3 days, and based on that information they placed her on the maximum dose of pain medication and sent us off with the bill. When we asked reasonable questions about whether this could become a recurring issue, the vet gave what felt like a completely dismissive and patronizing response, reducing our concerns to, "Cancer is bad," and explaining what cancer is instead of addressing our actual questions. We weren't asking for a textbook definition... We were asking about our dog's future. After four days of complete silence, we had to call because our dog's condition was rapidly worsening. She was in obvious pain, losing weight, unable to eat, the mass was growing quickly, and she had started urinating on herself without the ability to even keep her head up. Only then were we told that the results would actually take closer to 1-2 weeks completely contradicting what we had originally been told. 1 week after still hearing nothing, we called again looking for answers. Instead of concern for our dying dog, we were told we needed to pay more money and that our bill for the tests was due. Even though we had already paid around $480 at the visit, for that testing and treatment. The lack of communication was unacceptable. The lack of urgency was unacceptable. The lack of empathy was unacceptable. At no point did anyone reach out to check on our dog or keep us informed. We spent days desperately chasing updates while watching her deteriorate..... none ever came. No calls, no communication, only disregard. Whether the lab was delayed or not, the clinic's communication, professionalism, and compassion were entirely within their control, and in my experience, they failed on every one of those fronts. I cannot recommend this clinic to anyone. Based on my experience, I would never trust them with another animal. TO PET OWNERS - As my dog was pleading for help, scared and unable to understand what was going on with her, VCA failed us. Please do not take your best friend to this clinic. You will lose them.
• KP

  Karen Pazos

  Aug 6, 2026
  5.0
  We were visiting Cleveland when our pup decided to eat a bunch of gravel. We were nervous to go to an emergency vet that we didn’t know, but we had a wonderful experience with VCA Great Lakes. The staff was kind and patient as having a sick pet is stressful. There was a bit of a wait, but that’s more related to have they rank the seriousness of the situation. They want to make sure they can take care of the most serious situation first - just like a regular ER. Overall, we are grateful that we were able to take her here. She had great care and the staff could not have been kinder.
• CC

  Cordan

  Aug 4, 2026
  5.0
  We recently brought our cat here late at night as we believed that he was getting sick and were almost immediately given a room. Once inside, the wait time for staff to come in was very brief and they were kind, thorough and patient as they listened to us describe his symptoms as well as offer us feedback. At the end of the visit, they determined that he was probably just temporarily stressed which was a huge relief for us and they didn’t even charge us for the visit which is something that no other vet has ever offered us before. We’re eternally grateful to all of the wonderful people who helped us with our cat that night and I’d just like to say thank you again for your kindness and assistance when we needed it the most!!
• LB

  Lynda Bryant

  Aug 3, 2026
  5.0
  On 7/21 my pup ONYX ingested some unsavory paraphernalia from a neighbor’s yard 😢I was frantic & assumed he was dying his VET no names refused to see him or refer me to an emergency vet so I immediately googled emergency vets near me & VCA popped up 9 min away. I immediately raced there they grabbed ONYX IMMEDIATELY & began treating him I had no clue who or what to do! But they graciously & intentionally figured out the problem. They never made me feel judged or negligent. They monitored him overnight & even gave me a small refund as he didn’t need all the treatment they previously thought. I knew then where his new vet home was!! Since then he is thriving & they even caught other incidentals!! Trust me this is the BEST HOMW AWAY FROM HOME FOR YOUR FUR BABY THEY UNDERSTAND THE ASSIGNMENT!! Top of the line pet care home away from home❤️❤️❤️
• MM

  Michael

  Jul 29, 2026
  1.0
  I don’t review businesses often, but this one felt necessary, because people’s pets deserve better. In the early hours of Sunday, 07/26/2026, I was at a different emergency vet clinic, reference treating my dog who had pancreatitis symptoms. The other clinic didn’t have anyone on staff to perform an ultrasound, to get a definitive diagnosis, and to rule out other possibilities. They suggested me reaching out to this VCA location, due to it being nearby and being equipped for ultrasounds. Upon leaving, I called this location, spoke with a receptionist, and they stated that if it was possible to get her in later in the day I would receive a call back. At 8:26 AM I received a call from a doctor at this location stating that they could get my dog in for an ultrasound, and to arrive at 2:30 PM. I arrived at the scheduled time, to only be looked at and talked to with complete confusion, but reassured that yes they could fit her in. This is when everything got very unusual - they sent someone out trying to take my dog into the back of the facility. I asked why, as it wasn’t for the ultrasound, and the employee couldn’t properly articulate why they needed to remove my dog from me. They would only say that they would take her in the back, so I could speak to a doctor about what was going on. I should’ve known better, but wanting my dog to receive care I let myself be pressured into allowing them to take her to the back, where I could no longer observe what they were doing to her. She wasn’t back there for an exam, for the ultrasound, or any kind of agreed upon treatment. Then came speaking with the doctor. There was zero empathy, caring, or concern from the doctor. She made it clear in speaking with me, that she wanted to do an exam on my dog that wasn’t agreed upon prior, and how much that exam would cost, and that only then would they agree to perform the already scheduled ultrasound. I have never in my life of having pets, working in the animal care industry, or otherwise, seen this kind of practice from a veterinary business. To not allow owners to be with their pets while waiting, or for routine exams (because the doctor stated she would be performing the exam in the back of the business away from me also). My regular veterinarian and others I have been to always perform exams and other basic care in the room with me. Only taking my dog away for x-rays, surgery, and other more serious procedures. VCAs practices lacked transparency and created a great deal of mistrust, especially considering all dealing with me were cold. To put it all simply, the vibes were bad and completely off. Use a different emergency vet if at all possible.

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