Reviews of VCA Canada 17th Avenue Animal Hospital (Hospital)

Heather Hartlen

Very friendly and nice staff and they always have the cat food I buy in stock

Trena Laine

Knowledgeable and accomodating! We've always had great experience with our cats, no matter their ages. Transparency is key for us and have been in weird situations where other vets have just expected us to pay for a non mentioned blood work assessment, VCA has always been gracious in providing options, suggestions, approx quotes/costs to make an educated decision on whats best for our cats. Highly suggest this place.

Carl Ross

Great place!

Genevieve Kavanagh

Expensive food. I know nothing further.

Lee de Souza

Everyone here is awesome, very helpful and respectful. Very happy to take my pets here!

Sarah Sunico-Martens

They are always so good to our kitty! and the staff are all wonderful. So impressed too by the initiatives taken during this time to keep everyone safe.

paola Little

They are very nice, kind and helpful

a p

I started bringing my elderly cat for tech appt. a few months ago. I come weekly for his fluids. Usually I've had pleasant experiences. They love my cat. It's a bit hard on the kitty because he goes through alot. He hides. So I have been late. i always call and let them know but today I didn't. They called me, I said I was sorry, I could rebook. She said no, it was OK as long as I was there before the hour which we were , 15 min before the hour. The girl at the desk decided to lecture me , when I asked to pay.it felt bad. It is my choice to have a pet, to have insurance, to pay for good care and provide good food. Since his fluids are a weekly thing we both get a bit drained. He hates it. Anyway. Don't say ok and then lecture me at your front desk about appt times. I said we could rebook. I like the clinic except for that. Thanks.

Maureen Dahlseide

Love the staff here - super caring, gentle and they take their time explaining everything. I never feel rushed and always feel like we have lots of options. Dr. Evans is our vet + we've recommended him to lots of friends. He's a great communicator + our dog always seems so comfortable there. Thank you for taking such great care of our pooch!

Ryan Sowtis

I find the services here amazing. The people are all so friendly and you can tell they like animals. The doctors are thorough and give you an opportunity to ask a lot of questions. The advice is useful but not pushy. The nurses and receptionist are also very friendly. They’re attentive and polite. I would definitely continue to go here.

DJ Sumara

Very good vets and efficient service. However when I called one Monday morning with an urgent matter with one of my dogs I was told that I had to go to an emergency facility. In my 40 years of owning and breeding dogs I have never been turned away by my regular vet during daytime business hours. This was very disappointing. That said it is a good clinic (unless you have an emergency).

kg

I always have a good experience here and they are very helpful whenever I have needed to have my dog's history or information sent to any other clinic.

sanjita sahu

The doctor was very nice to Mylo. He is knowledgeable and treats well. The rates are reasonable as well.

Alana G

I have brought my dog here multiple times and have always had a great experience. The front desk staff is friendly and professional, and Dr. Ratcliff is caring and personable. I have never felt rushed during my appointments and am confident that I am being provided with the best information possible. I will definitely continue to take my dog to 17th Ave and will recommend them to anyone who lives in the area.

Kassandra Harrison

Caring and kind. Got my cat in the next day for an appointment and were very helpful!

Michelle Desnoyers

Friendly service and great location.

Faye W

Awesome staff and veterinarians! Our dog always looks forward to visiting the vet!

Karl Van Dam

Always friendly staff, and I trust the vets there. What more could you need?

Cathy Shea

The staff at 17th Avenue Pet Hospital are friendly and conduct themselves in a very professional manner. They always make me feel valued and comfortable. Dr. Evans has an exceptional presence and treats my dog's in a very caring way.

Mitchsha Shum

Excellent! Kind, caring and wonderful staff.

Heesung Kim

Great service, caring and competent over 32 years and 4 dogs. Especially appreciated the advice on dental health, my current dog doesn’t have “dog breath” - thanks!

Aaron Beaudoin

Dr. Evan and Leanne both made a difficult experience manageable. They provided us with honest information and were willing to spend time discussing the value of various treatment options. I appreciated the focus on humane treatment and on being patient with us during our ethical grappling. They both followed up after our appointment to see how we were doing and to answer additional questions. I would not hesitate to recommend VCA 17th Ave to family and friends.

Claudia H

I bring my cat here for her lion cut and occassionally purchase cat food. The technicians at the front desk are always very helpful in addressing my immediate concerns.

Jessie Wock

We feel so luck to have Dr. Evan Vandervalk and his team just blocks away from our home as our neighbourhood vet for our little fur-family member. Dr. Vandervalk is always extremely thorough, compassionate and timely. He listens to concerns and provides comprehensive treatments when necessary. His staff is always so kind and helpful, both on the phone and in clinic. We know our pup is in the best hands and would recommend this animal hospital to anyone looking for the best!

Mira Reuben-Spear

Completely went downhill. We went in and they charged us for something we didn’t even get done. I like how at the end we mentioned it to them and they said oh well…. Guess he forgot to do it and just felt like charging us for it anyways.

Krys Klinge

I haven't had a single problem with this location. The front-end ladies were always kind and took care to ensure my needs were met before I left. My vet is amazing and she has been great at keeping me informed and ensuring that I am making the right choices for my kitties.

Marcelo Guarido

They always treat my dogs well. They explain all the procedures and observations.

Nicole

Always friendly, great with my dog, very professional. Been going here for years.

Helio Gomes

My dog loved it, and he was treated like a king. That's all I have to say.

Nicholas R

These people will try to find ever way to charge you. They try to charge you again for the same advice a year later. Watch out for their vets who will upsell you on everything rather than care for your animal.

Melissa D

Brought in a stray dog we found wondering around nearby. The dog was stressed out and a bit aggressive with us, biting and jumping, and the city number on his tag wouldn’t answer. The techs and the vet here refused to help us in any way and seemed nothing but annoyed that we brought an animal there. Wouldn’t even come out from behind the counter. They did not offer any help and basically told us to deal with the huge dog ourselves and suggested taking it to Western which is a 40min walk away. I asked if one of them, who are experienced with animals and supposed to care about them, could take the dog there in one of their kennels or phone someone to pick the dog up but they refused and one of the girls at the desk rolled her eyes when asked if they could give us a handful of treats to try and keep the dog occupied. They were closing in 15 minutes and clearly more interested in going home and leaving this random dog with clear behavior problems with us, who were completely unequipped to deal with it. We ended up phoning the police and a nice officer picked up the dog for us. (As we waited in the parking lot, the vet left the premise without even acknowledging us) He also found it crazy that the vets office didn’t offer any help or even suggest calling the police themselves or anything like that. Anybody who brings their own animals here should be weary of this place as they clearly don’t care for animals beyond the minimum required for their paycheck.

Cassidy de Winter

Great vet! Handled all my needs very efficiently and took great care of my cat

Kelvin Faas

They are not accepting cash. I couldn't get my dog his special diet food.

Reid Munro

They fixed our dogs teeth. Friendly staff. Would come again. Explained everything clearly and provided support for questions after the operation. Our dog is much happier now.

Pen . .

Claim to be participants in local Humane Society, but are very quick to turn away those coming in for the first visit (free as part of that participation/recognition). No questions, no quarters, the staff treat you like hot garbage on the phone and have no problems telling you off despite being polite and suggesting you would only like to wait your turn. RUN AWAY! (the reply doesn't excuse the openly hostile rudeness)

Frank Moffatt

SCAM SCAM SCAM - My pup had a full check up 3 weeks ago and they told me I needed to come back for 3 shots. When I go to pay the bill they charge me for another check-up - $112.50 - complete scam - if you want to protect your pocket book as well as your pup I'd recommend any other vet clinic other than VCA on 17th Ave.

Angela Rushton

Not helpful and very expensive. They don't care about animals they just want your money. Front end staff need to trained properly and know how to treat customers. Very unimprrssed

Mark Ross

Literally the best vet we've ever had for our cat and our dog. You can tell they really care about your pets!

Stefan Martensson

With CoViD-19, they come out and grab your pet and bring it inside should you wait in your vehicle. After a few minutes the veterinarian calls you and you can have your discussion. Our visit was quick and effortless. Great service.

Stassia K.

Such incredible staff. I bring my cat, coco, there and soon bringing a puppy, the amazing front desk staff always answer my stupid questions, and the vets truly care about my kitty. Cost doesn't matter to me when it comes to my pets so I can't compare them to anything, but the costs seem fair to me :)

Eden Tremayne

Dr. Evan Vandervalk is an excellent veterinarian. He is kind, thoughtful, and has a wealth of knowledge. He was able to answer all of my questions in a friendly and professional manner, and provided valuable information about my puppy. It is my first puppy and I walked out of there armed with a greater understanding of what I need to do, and feeling confident about this journey. The staff was kind, patient, and took excellent care of my dog. I would absolutely recommend Dr. Vandervalk and the team at VCA Canada 17th Avenue Animal Hospital.

Mark Harlow

17th Ave Animal Hospital has always taken impeccable care of our pets, they remember the names of our little fur balls and get excited to see them both when they know they're coming in

Mark R

Very friendly staff, and a friendly environment. Our pet cat, who they acknowledge by her name, is always treated with care and respect. We have a confidence that she will receive the best care at VCA. Thank you for making a trip to the vet easy for both our pet and us.

Andy O'Gorman

The best Vet we've ever had.

Anne-Lise Guilleux

More expensive than other places, but very nice staff!

Jiayun Z

very expensive. I spent almost $200 on one shot. The entire exam takes less than five minutes, and for that price you can get a better vet. bad experience

Mandy Slade

This clinic always takes the best care of our fur babies. The staff is beyond friendly and helpful. They really love all animals. Our Vetrinarian is excellent with our pups even when they really don't want to be there! It's a bonus that you can special order pet food and it arrives the next day.

Deidre Lake

Dr. Sean Evans and the staff are wonderful. They were always very welcoming and friendly. My dog was diagnosed with bone cancer and Dr. Evans called to check up at different times to see how we were both doing and to answer the questions I had during this time. I highly recommend the clinic. The veterinarians are knowledgeable, provide various options, are caring and professional. The clinic itself is clean and the support staff very friendly. Thank you for everything and being so great with Hugo.

A Paterson

Great staff

Patrick MacDonald

My vet

Ana Marques

We’ve been going to this vet since we got our puppy Chai. We have mostly dealt with Dr. Vandervalk who was wonderful in answering the myriad of questions and more notably helping us figure out how to find the best food for our picky eater (WSAVA Guidelines). More recently we went in for a rash on Chai’s belly. There we were greeted by Dr. Reza who thoroughly examined Chai and was very helpful in diagnosing her rash. But the star of the show was our vet tech Stella! Stella understood we were travelling and was still able to answer all our questions and provide us a systematic approach in managing Chai’s concerns. She was always happy to answer our questions/calls and even provided a follow-up note to recap our conversation. Stella truly wants to do what is best for the animal and the owner and that was noted by us time and time again. The 17th Avenue VCA is lucky to have Stella, and if your pet gets to see her while they are there - just know they are in the best hands. Thank you Stella!

Gregory Eccles

Advertised as an animal hospital, but you can't walk in with your pet for urgent care. The last thing you want to hear turning up at an animal hospital with a distressed animal is "we don't have a vet available for walk ins" The woman that opened the door (it was locked, despite arriving during their advertised opening hours) was very kind and professional, but that doesn't help my pet.

Marc Sidhom

Great service

Amanda Orr

Staff are awesome

Maureen Maki

Everyone here was so kind and compassionate. Highly recommend!

Ly C.

Vets here really care about your pet!!! :)

CDY

We've been going to the 17th Ave Animal Hospital for over 10 years and have seen Dr Evans for the majority of that time. He is a lovely, friendly and caring man that is transparent and presents all available options. We have no need to see any other vet.

Elizabeth Sawyer

We have been clients for about 10 years (2 dogs). We have had experiences with most of their staff and have found them to be consistently knowledgeable and friendly. They found a new way to treat my dogs allergies (after other vets couldn't help us) and it was topical (externally applied) and didn't involve endless antibiotics. They really care about the animals they treat.

Kayley

After giving this clinic multiple chances I gave up. I order food and medication frequently and items were given away to other people more than once and I was informed when I arrived to pickup the item, the wrong order was placed many times, and I felt rushed when ordering. I called ahead of time about shaving a mat or two off my cat. My cat was 17 at the time and there are limited cat groomers. I was told they could do it and she would have a good experience. I was brought to the back and shown how she had been cut because the tool they used wasn't sharp enough and told that I should have gone to a groomer. I felt so bad for my kitty and was in tears. We saw two seperate vets and both were helpful and friendly. Unfortunately dealing with everyone else was such a bad experience I have now switched over to another clinic who provides better service.

Amanda Adams

Staff was very helpful

Norma Schnapp

The front staff were warm and friendly. The Doctor was able to diagnose the problem, and send us home with the necessary information and medication. We will definitely be returning to this clinic.

Erika L

Very caring staff

Molly Tonken

I selected 17th Ave to be my primary vet based on recommendations and proximity to my house. My interactions with the nurses and vet were positive, but the communication/booking practices are extremely inefficient and frustrating. Getting a simple prescription requires multiple follow-up phone calls. I decided to switch to a different clinic.

Alycia Herlein

Always helpful and nice. I really like the staff here and they are very knowledgeable.

Andrea Ruth

I did have a positive review on here but because of recent events I’m changing this to a one star review. I paid well over 300 dollars for an ear culture for my dog and I was never told the results and basically had to continually call for at least a week to finally get the results released after I had waited at least a week prior to that. My dogs ear infection still persists and the vet refuses to give us a new prescription without a recheck of her ear which I’m sure will cost a lot more on top of what was already paid. Honestly don’t waste your time here and find a more competent veterinary team.

Douglas Robertson

This has been my vet if choice since I got my dog Maggie May 11 years ago. They are friendly, helpful and you can tell they love animals.

Lara Murched

I have been taking my dog there for a few years now and the staff is very friendly, welcoming and professional. My dog is not stressed about going there as has been the case with other clinics. She is always greeted by the wonderful staff with hugs and treats. Dr Hughton was amazing in diagnosing my dog and providing affordable treatment options. I have been there almost once a month over the past year and a half due to my dog's diabetes and other issues and never had any problems. Would highly recommend.

Melissa Marshall

We have been going to this vet for 5 years. Dr. Evans has always been great and has always taken the time to discuss our care options for health concerns, food options and to discuss behaviour issues. All the staff are friendly and you can tell that they care for animals and want the best for them. I also love their online portal where you can track when your pet is due for a visit.

Chelsea Webster

Dr Cyr recently moved to this clinic and she is a wonderful addition. She's very kind, great with animals, and provides several options as well as her opinion and recommendations. The clinic has extended and weekend hours and free parking. If you live downtown it's really convenient.

Cassandra Law

My friend and I had an incredibly uncomfortable experience with the front desk last night. We were very taken aback by her confrontational attitude towards us, but fortunately, had to go to another location instead for our matter. The staff at the 24-hour 10th Avenue location were very welcoming, understanding, and made us feel much more comfortable.

Concerned Citizen

I have been taking my pet Chi Chi there since she was a baby...and in her time of need of end of life care..they were uncaring...made zero effort to accommodate Chi Chi...I guess that's what happens when VCA buys out every vet clinic in the city..so disappointed.

Michael Procinsky

What a pleasant experience! Dr. Friesen was very kind and honest, and my kitty was so comfortable he couldn't stop purring, which made the heart examination tricky! Being that I am a student, it was nice the the doctor was very realistic and I didn't feel any pressure to do what was out of my budget, within my cats best interest. There was also a welcome sign to new patients with Garfield's name, small but kind gesture. Every staff member was really kind and took the time to say hi to me (although it was the kitty they really wanted to meet hahaha)! Great place, I would highly recommend.

Miguel Angulo

They are the best. We have using their service with our dog for 7 years and always they have better services and the admosfer is the best we Love this place and our dog too.

Vivianne Brottes

Excellent staff! Thank you!

l d

my kitten had a limp and he couldnt put too much pressure on his left front arm. so i took him to the vet.. they suggest that i do an xray. which cost me $200. And the next day he wasnt limping anymore. So really they could of just suggested i waited for a day or two before paying for a $200 xray.......uuhhhhh Plus their booster shots are $80. Thats very expensive in my books. + check up fees and other expenses. Everytime i leave the vet its always costing me at least $200 They are very friendly and professional. I just think its a bit pricey. I guess im so used to the prices in Vancouver. overall very good animal hospital. They even called to check up on my kitten to see how his leg was doing. Which i appreciate a whole lot. i would review service 10/10 pricing 6/10

Alex Bell

Dr. Evan's and co have always provided our dogs with appropriate and compassionate care. They really believe in doing what is best for our pets.

Lindsay M

Our experience at this location has been nothing but great. The staff are very helpful and always try to make our schedule work with theirs— even called me back as there was a cancellation for the day I was hoping for! The vets have the animals best interest as a priority. They made sure our puppies first visit was a calm experience. We also live downtown so the location is great.

Lar Mur

Dr Hughton was amazing with my dog and figured out exactly what her medical issue was. She takes her time in explaining and answering questions and calls me back whenever I can with a question. She also tries to keep the cost at a minimum and understands the financial stress a pet owner with no insurance goes through when your dog is diagnosed with diabetes. My dog is not afraid of going into the clinic so she must feel very comfortable with Dr Hughton and the staff despite all the needles and tests she had to go through which is amazing. Staff is very friendly and efficient. I wish they had a boarding facility as I would feel extremely comfortable leaving my dog in their care while I am away.

Hanna Rusnak- Weekes

Didn't have a very good experience with one of the vets, but have heard great things from other people!

Josh Lathrop

Great service and awesome staff!

Kevin Coulombe

Felt compelled after my visit to the clinic today to write a BIG thank you to the two staff that helped administer our rowdy Shiba his paw medicine. The staff were super nice and handled him like champs - thanks again!

Chantel Tremblay

The absolute best staff members work here! Highly highly recommend.

Kyle Wilson

Great and friendly staff.

cim wee

Great doctors and staff. Dr. Jen Flaig is amazing. She is so professional and answers all your questions backed with excellent research. We always feel in good hands with Dr. Flaig.

Chris Holman

Always pleasant staff

Siobhan Gallagher

Awsome! Left my baby bluebell in to get spayed and the staff were so friendly and helpful! So informative and even called the next day to see how she was doing! Highly reccommend this place!

Barb Freeman

We have trusted Dr. Sean Evans with the care of our dogs for many years. He is knowledgable, experienced, & caring!

Lindsay W

My dog is 8.5 years old and Dr. Evans has been his vet since he was a puppy. We were always very happy with him--he cares about the animals he treats, and he offers honest opinions and affordable options. A couple of years ago, we moved away from the downtown area, and decided to try a vet close to our house, simply out of convenience. We instantly realized this was a mistake. We spent a fortune, and never really felt like she cared for our dog at all. We quickly returned to Dr. Evans and will never look back. If he can save you money (while still providing the best care for your pet), he will. He has never once tried to upsell me on any of the food or other products they carry. And I always feel like my little guy is in good hands. The entire staff is all friendly, too--can't beat this place.

Trevor Nile

Very helpful and good staff.