VCA Canada Western Veterinary Specialist and Emergency Centre

TL Gilbert

Mar 6, 2026

On February 26, I brought our dog Maisie in as an emergency. Right from having 2 employees come out with a gurney and lift her out of the car, I felt she was in good hands. We ultimately had to make the heartbreaking decision to say goodbye that day and I am so very grateful for the care and compassion shown both to her and to us. She was treated like she truly mattered and our heartbreak was not dismissed. There are no words to truly express how a devastating loss was made easier by how we were treated. I would like to express my sincere thanks to the kindness of the vet who took care of us that day, but I was in such a fog that I’m not sure I ever caught her name. We won’t forget your kindness though. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for caring for us and our girl as we said our final goodbyes.

Megan Evans

Feb 1, 2026

My chihuahua Sophie was a patient of Dr.Kong with cardiology and Dr.Henderson with internal medicine and they were so wonderful to us, patient and kind and thorough. They added years to Sophie’s life I wouldn’t have had otherwise. I never felt rushed in our appointments and I could ask any questions I had either over the phone or in person. At the end of Sophie’s life, the emergency/ critical care team took amazing care of her and did everything they could for her. Dr.Osborne helped with Sophie’s passing and I couldn’t have asked for a more supportive and kind experience during the hardest time of my life. Thank you to all the VCA Western team, the doctors, technicians, and front desk staff for your professionalism and kindness over the last few years.

Xi Cheng

Nov 16, 2025

Avoid this hospital if your pet has complex disease but doing fine at the moment. Our 3-year old cat, Tofu, was diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney failure and HCM. After the second hospitalizations at VCA Western, he became extremely stressed, stopped eating and drinking, and was discharged with low body temperature and was so weak that he can’t lift his head. Tofu was not well taken care of at hospital either. His mouth was sealed by dry food from force feeding that he couldn’t open his mouth. His rectum was blocked by dry stool that I had to clean his butt and squeeze the dry poop out of his rectum so that tofu could poop. He was having running nose on the side that feeding tube was placed. The VCA western vet gave up on tofu completely, and recommended us to put him down within 1 to 2 days. The whole family was so sad when hearing about this. We took tofu home so that all family members and tofu’s little brother to have a chance to say goodbye. The little one didn’t give up and either did we. With daily medication, renal-support formula, and care at home, he slowly recovered—eating, drinking, using the litter normally, regaining 1/3 of his weight, and returning to normal body temperature. This made it clear he was not ready to be put down and it has been one month since he was discharged despite the vet saying he only had few days left. Recently, we took him back due to heavy breathing. The vet diagnosed that tofu has heart failure and fluid in the lung, and explained that there is no good treatment for his heart failure without damaging the kidney even more. They gave us the quote for sedation and x-ray for further diagnosis. We rejected their quote as we don’t see the point of risking his heart with sedation and doing more test without good treatment plan. We kindly asked to take tofu home considering how traumatized tofu was last time he was in hospital. The doctor asked us to sign the waiver since it is against her medical advice to allow us take our pet home, but as the owner, we made the decision based on what is best for our little guy. She mentioned if we insist to take tofu home, she would recommend euthanasia within 24 hours but didn’t explain to us what euthanasia was when I asked. They disregarded Tofu’s improvement with home care and said the 0.7kg weight gain is due to the fluid. We signed the form but VCA filed complaint to Calgary Humane Society the next day, claiming we refused treatment, while there wasn’t any treatment plan except for euthanasia. This was extremely stressful, especially as I am almost 40 weeks pregnant and it is already traumatic to accept that our tofu won’t have long lifespan. We were forced to scramble for a second opinion within 24 hours. Thankfully, another clinic saw Tofu and agreed that euthanasia was not appropriate at this time. She also disagreed with VCA’s diagnosis that 0.7kg weight gain is all due to the fluid. She recommended to closely monitor Tofu’s behaviour until we notice any signs of decline, and make the decision by then. This is far more reasonable recommendation and we have informed the Calgary Humane Society officer that we would be willing to follow. Our experience with VCA Western was traumatic, lacked compassion, and pressured us toward euthanasia when our cat is still having quality of life.

Heloise Fan

Nov 13, 2025

If the maximum rating is 5 stars, I wish I could give them 10. No amount of gratitude can fully express how thankful I am to this incredible team—they saved my girl’s life and took such wonderful care of her. The doctors, technicians, and front desk staff are all extremely professional, patient, and compassionate. My cat, May, was hospitalized in October due to acute kidney failure caused by medication. When I first rushed her to the hospital, her creatinine level was over 1300, and her condition looked extremely grim. In those early days, I was told more than once that choosing humane euthanasia would not be considered the wrong choice. Hearing that broke my heart. She looked so weak and lifeless, and every time I visited her, I cried uncontrollably. But she is my child. I adopted her when she was only a little over two months old, and even when I moved across countries, she came with me. I couldn’t give up—not as long as there was even the smallest chance of hope. After 27 days of hospitalization, May finally came home. She is not only alive, but slowly recovering—something that felt impossible during those first few terrifying days. Throughout her stay, the doctors called me every single day to update me on her condition and talk through each step of her treatment plan. Every concern I had was addressed with patience and clarity, which brought me so much comfort during an incredibly stressful time. Extended hospitalization can be very hard on a cat, and I was only able to visit her for one hour a day. But during the many hours I couldn’t be by her side, the staff made sure she felt loved and secure. They put on cat TV for her, held her so she could watch the fish in the tank, cuddled her, whispered to her, and even gave her kisses on my behalf. These small but deeply meaningful gestures touched me beyond words. This truly is a team full of heart, and knowing May was surrounded by such care made everything a little more bearable. If your fur baby is ever faced with an emergency and you are looking for a team that is not only medically skilled but also incredibly compassionate, don’t hesitate—VCA is truly the best！

Fancy Travel

Sep 1, 2025

We are pleased with the emergency services provided for our senior cat. Dr. Shandruk communicated compassionately and clearly about our situation and even called us on her day off to update us. The facility is clean, and all the staff we interacted with were friendly. You can tell that all are passionate about animal welfare. There is free parking on the left side of the building.