Reviews of Oak Bay Pet Clinic (Hospital)

Adam Zhang

I used to take my pets to this clinic because I trusted the vet and it was close to my place. However, years after I ended my service here, I still feel the need to share my experience with others on here. I worried about exposing something like this openly but it is the right thing to do. This clinic tries to sell you everything and they always add unnecessary procedures, medication and other products to the bill. Out of many instances here at the clinic, I was sold overpriced products multiple times because I was convinced either by the doctor or the reception that I was providing the best for my pets. HOWEVER, I learned later on as I became a more experienced pet mom. I DID NOT NEED TO BUY MOST OF THE MEDICATION OR FOODS THEY OFFERED. MY PREGNANT CAT DID NOT NEED AN X-RAY. TRYING TO CONVINCE ME THAT AN ENTIRE CASE OF NEW FOOD TO "TRY" AT HOME IS NOT NECESSARY. I finally realized something was off and I changed to a different clinic when a simple neuter procedure for my healthy male cat ended up at over $700. This procedure should not have exceeded the prior estimate provided by the clinic $200-300. The clinic did not call or inform me of any extra charges. My cat was young and healthy and there was no complication in the process. Well with that being said and my name out here, hope there's no backlash. Customers come in for the safety and love of their pet children. Our trust in vets should not be used in making a profit. Please don't tell me that you didn't know better before, this is so apparent now among the community. Please do better morally.

TDoeh

They provide good service, are intelligent, easy to talk to, and they seem to actually care.

Christina

Very nice staff, they always provide the food my cat eats, also very knowledgeable and giving me great tips. Oreo will be new client there, I am thinking...

Randy Greencorn

Staff were friendly but I question the ethics of the vet. My daughter took our cat in for an exam and was upsold items that, after doing research, I felt we really didn't need. They did take the non-prescriptions items back and gave refund. I won't be back.

Kira

The veterinarian at this clinic allowed her own dogs to ATTACK two pedestrians, one of whom got bit and then FLED the scene of the incident. Would suggest you don't take your pets or yourselves anywhere near this place - anyone that unprofessional and irresponsible should not be practicing medicine.

Zac Thompson

Only good experiences here. We have taken 4 different cats for visits over at least 8 years; our current oldest (19 years now) has always been well looked after and is remembered by the staff. I have had several good conversations with Dr. Dudzic over the years about treatment options for our cats. I don't think she was trying to "upsell", which seems to be a complaint that many people have. She just has well-informed opinions on the value of certain treatments and so she recommends them strongly. What else can you ask of a vet? But if you don't want or can't afford to pursue various treatments, she adjusts her recommendations accordingly. (My dentist does the same thing; I would never change to a lesser dentist! Good health is the first priority!) My only issue is that the hours of service mean I always have to take time off work to bring in the cats. If business hours are a critical issue for you, then yes, another vet might be necessary. But if you can swing the time, I recommend this place.

Shauna Mae

I left a 5-star review for Oak Bay Vet Clinic after our first visit because our very sick cat was miraculously cured after a week of discomfort. While I still think that the care he has recieved at this clinic has been 10/10 we have since tried another clinic that provided the same degree of care, but after reviewing invoices side by side certain treatments at Oak Bay Vet Clinic were nearly double the price. I also appreciated that the new clinic suggested treatment plans in a much softer and accessible way, whereas at Oak Bay Vet Clinic we sometimes feel pressured or shamed when we can't afford a suggested course of action. As students it's just not feasible for us to spend an unexpected sum everytime our cat gets a check up and I didn't like being made to feel like we were failing pet owners for not having the money to explore new treatment options for his chronic illness when his current treatment plan is working well.

Katelyn Fryer

I have started taking my large dog to Oak Bay Pet Clinic this past month and my experience has been excellent. The support staff are friendly, efficient, and caring. Any questions I had they were happy to answer. I am currently in the process of transporting my dog to New Zealand and they have been exceptionally helpful. The clinic itself is beautiful, and thoughtfully set up; I was told they have calming cat pheromones in a diffuser to help with any stressed out kitty cats. I have seen both Dr. Dudzic and Dr. Funk and I can recommend both. Dr. Dudzic was great with my dog-- friendly, welcoming, and intelligent, she was direct with her instructions (Which was great!) and I didn't find her pushy at all. Dr. Funk spent heaps of time answering any questions I had regarding my dogs health, and was calm and caring while treating him. In short, I would highly recommend this clinic!

Cheryl Lewis

Overcharges. Not compassionate and treats her staff very poorly. She will prescribe unnecessary meds and shows up at least 45 mins late for her appointment's. Avoid this place! She is in it for the money and nothing else.

Krista Ryn

Knowledgeable veterinarian and staff, they care about your pet and it's well-being.

Adam Noble - SALISH Paddleboards

I would give zero stars if I could. Absolutely the worst vet in Victoria. Total money grab and very unprofessional. Avoid this place, anywhere else would be better

Neil Bettger

Very good veterinarian.

John de Jong

Makes my puppy happy!

Laurel Bowman

I took my various cats here for twenty years, until recent years. Dr. Dudzic is very caring and compassionate to her patients, and clearly really cares for them. She is an excellent vet. However in recent years I have been prescribed unnecessary tests, and I felt that it was implied that if I didn't pay for them, I am a bad pet owner. Dr. Dudzic several times tried to press me into removing several teeth from one young cat, at $1000+ per tooth, when other vets have told me her teeth need cleaning but not extraction. I objected to spending over $1000 for tests for my two healthy young cats a couple of years ago, but caved in the end. The tests turned out to be completely unnecessary. Dr. Dudzic didn't used to behave this way. However Oak Bay is the closest clinic to a high-income area full of rich old people who will do anything for their pets. I heard one client berating the attendant at the desk at length, many years ago, because she had missed a potential diagnosis because she had not scheduled a (probably expensive) test. If she misses a possible problem, the clients at this clinic are more likely to sue her for everything she owns, and to have the financial resources to do so. So I can understand why, over the years, she has learned to prioritize certainty of diagnosis over money; that's what her clients want. Furthermore, Dr. Dudzic really cares about animals, in my observation, and would feel awful if she missed something that could have been cured, until it is too late. After the expensive and unnecessary tests debacle, I stopped going to Oak Bay Pet Clinic for a couple of years, and instead relied on an excellent house call veterinary service to get the cats their shots. In the pandemic this service is no longer running, so I had to go back to Oak Bay. Another excellent vet took care of the cats and did not press me to spend money on anything unusual. Your pets will receive excellent care at this clinic, but the lead vet, Dr. Dudzic, is possibly over-zealous for some pet owners. If you take your pets there and do not want that kind of care, I recommend that you ask the attendant to put at the top of the chart "routine care only; I don't have a lot of money", or ask for an appointment with the assistant vet, or both. Many of Dr. Dudzic's clients, I'm sure, really appreciate her level of intervention. I just want to get my cats their shots.

Whitney Reynolds

I left this clinic shaking. I've never felt so attacked by a vet in my life. She makes you feel like you are not a good pet owner and uses fear-mongering to guilt you into expensive treatments. If my dog really needs to "stick a needle" in her wart, I will do it elsewhere. Also, she is a very healthy weight for a dog her size and she kept insisting that I don't feed her a proper diet. This vet should go into sales instead of pet care. I have switched to another vet since and the first thing they said was, "Her weight is perfect and it is clear that she is well taken care of." Those simple words mean a lot to someone who is coming to your clinic for pet care, but I never heard that from Oak Bay. I thought maybe she was having a rough day, but the second time I had to go in, she was just as mean. I will never be back.

raina newman

I take my cat here, Erin is very nice and super helpful and has been great with my baby, Dr Dudzic is knowledgeable and helpful. My only complaint is I took my cat in for surgery and they asked if I wanted nail cut done to which I accepted, but when we got my cat home I was scratched horrendously as my cat was out of it. I saw they didn't even cut the nails. Would have been nice if you had just mentioned you forgot or didn't get to that part. If I had known I would have been more cautious. Thanks :)

Laura Peterson

I don't know what all the negative reviews are about... I love this place. We've been bringing our cats here since we moved to Oak Bay (3+ years) and have not had a bad experience. The vet is always so kind and gentle with the cats, you can tell she truly cares for all of her patients, and she is a very pleasant person in general. All of the other staff are also very kind, professional, and knowledgeable. It is clear they love what they do. Especially Erin, she is always a joy and so very helpful! The price is what it is, any vet I've ever been to I haven't had anything less so I'm not sure what people expect. I feel it is fair. Sometimes I do feel a bit pressured to buy treatments that are not completely mandatory, but I feel like it is just the vet wanting the absolute best for the cats. And believe me if I could afford it I would! Great vet, I would recommend for sure.

Jenifer Sheppard

Unfortunately I do not remember her name, but the veterinarian we saw for my cat was wonderful. Very kind and informative, gave us lots of good information. The staff were also very helpful and friendly. We've been back a few times and never had any kind of problem. Great place!

Tyson Douglas

Courteous staff who looked after my pet's needs. Would definitely recommend.

Olivia Beatty

Business first, pet second. Our family does not recommend this clinic.

A Wiebe

This vet is on the pricy side for sure, but for rats, they're the best once I've found. They validate my concerns, listen to me, and generally make me feel like a good owner. They're patient with me and my many questions, and although I know I'm a bit of an overly cautious pet owner, they don't make me feel like I'm asking stupid questions or anything like that. Both vets are compassionate and gentle with my babies, and are also open to discussion. They seem to especially enjoy when you are knowledgeable about the care and health of the animal you own. They are always frank with me and present my options, then help me navigate to a decision.

natasha hodgkinson

Very knowledgeable vet and the entire staff are compassionate and caring.

Justin Robertson

The Doctor in residence here is incredibly cold hearted, and lacks empathy and compassion. When informed of my financial position (for the third time) I was told in a monotone voice that I "may as well book a euthanasia for next week". When deciding to simply pay for the days expense and leave she then back peddled and claimed that the various tests she had just told me were pointless were in fact extremely helpful. 3 of her 4 diagnoses were wrong based on said tests (to be fair she only spent 2 minutes looking at my cat). Will avoid this place like the plague.

Marlon Johnson

????????Recommend elsewhere ???????? Partner had a TERRIBLE experience. Had a ‘check up’ and didn’t look at cat out of the crate. Tried to charge for an extended visit. Being up sold and pressured at every touch point without validation. There’s one thing to sell based on necessity and another based on prying on your empathy for your animal. Poor form.

Brookyn Jhonson

$$$$ One of the most expensive clinics with the longest wait times. Not a nice clinic. Disfunction, lawsuits, untrained staff. Loss of employees due to mistreatment by management. Very unfortunate. Would not take my animal here.

Gera Scott Chandler

Our beloved cat was a regular patient at OB Pet Clinic for over 15 years.. He was never a happy patient but every effort was always made to keep him comfortable in spite of his objections. When the terrible day came that he suffered an inoperable broken leg and there was no option but to put him down, he and the family were treated with exceptional tenderness and care. Now we have a new kitten and we will be taking him to Eva and her excellent staff for care.

Chris Allen

Nani and Dudzik and Reception staff are great! Highly recommended

Kristen Funk

Got a small animal neuter, needed an exam before they would agree to the surgery (fair - cost 84$), the doctor who examined him said he had performed hundreds of small animal neuters and we felt good about it. Tried to book the appointment for the surgery for as soon as possible and the receptionist said that it wasn't that important, recommended a date that was 3 weeks later. The day before the procedure, the receptionist at Oak Bay Pet Clinic called and said that we had to bring him in for another exam (another 84$) before they would agree to do the surgery. We thought that was why we brought him in the first time. She said it was because 3 weeks was too far between appointments and that anything could have happened. None of this was mentioned when we booked it or obviously we would have booked it closer. For the procedure itself, we were told that we didn't have to restrict food or water, and that we could feed him all the way up to the surgery. When we got to the clinic, a different doctor than the one who examined him (the one we were led to believe was doing the surgery) took him and was doing the procedure. Because he had been fed overnight and before being anesthetized, he regurgitated and had to be woken up - so the surgery had to be rescheduled. Unprofessional, uncompassionate, they seem to assume that money is not an issue. We are both young students, not on a doctor or lawyer salery, which they seem to assume of everyone. The fact that they got 2 exams out of us when only one was necessary left us feeling taken advantage of, and the mishap with the surgery left us worried about our pet (before they told us otherwise, I had assumed you always restricted food before putting an animal under - it seems if regurgitation is even a possibility that should be the case, even if unlikely. My pet could have died.) We were quoted 150-170$ total for the surgery and exam before we began. What we ended up spending was over 300$.

eliza dechayres

Both Dr Dudzic and Dr Nanny have been outstanding in understanding the health and behavioural issues surrounding our two ageing cats. They truly care about the cats' needs. When one has a difficulty taking pills, the vets have come up with liquid solutions that are much easier to administer! And they've solved the problem of one cat's seasonal skin disorders, and the tensions that occur between two mature cats. Outstanding care.

Sheila Redpath

Please reconsider. I have been a client of Oak Bay Pet Clinic for awhile now. I've created a false profile to conceal my identity. I dont post google reviews or share negative opinions, but in this particular instance I feel this is more of a safety hazard then a frivolous surface issue. I strongly recommend doing thorough research before consulting Eva Dudzic. Unfortunately I didn't do so, but after skimming through dozens of other similar experiences I felt compelled to share mine. I presented my animal to her with an over grooming issue. In the medical world it is widely understood that itching, biting, over grooming or anxiety can be sourced as an underlying symptom of a greater issue at hand. A T4 blood test, a urinalysis, a stool sample, a blood pressure reading and an xray are all tests that will evaluate a cats health, and detect an underlying issues. Why Eva did not bother with these tests is beyond me, but it could have costed my cats life. The first red flag that helped me realize something was terribly wrong, was Eva trying to convince me my healthy one year old kitten should start steroids to prevent flea allergies. This post is regarding my other cat. The visit I had with Eva was concerning my older animal. I presented my cat to Eva and she concluded that fleas were the problem, and that my animal had a heart murmur, with no secondary testing. She recommended steroids, antibiotics, a sebum inducing wound treatment, shampoo, and new food. Eva and I had a very long and serious talk about the steroids she was pressing to subscribe. She promised it would immediately halt my animals discomfort. I told her administering steroids with out any secondary testing seemed like a rash decision, as she just detected a heart murmur in my animal and a previous cat in the family was lost due to kidney issues. It was confirmed that the steroids directly contributed to the decline of our beloved cat previously. After guilting me and telling me my animal would suffer without it, I gave my consent to administer the steroid. About an hour later, my cat was home and still chewing herself up to no avail. It was clear the steroids took no effect on her condition. I called the clinic and asked for an alternative, and the receptionist answered. She explained to me there is an alternative medication I can try. I asked her to verify the kind of medication it was, knowing I will not accept steroids, and she told me it was an "anti allergy medication". The next week I go in for a follow up and Eva asked me how were the steroids. I gave consent to administer steroids once, at the initial visit, and I made myself quite clear Prednisolone steroids were not an option. I was quite taken aback there was such a miscommunication. Eva went on to tell me because I phoned asking for an alternative, I verbally consented to prescribing my animal more steroids. After refusing MORE steroids, she told me I am running out of options, and that steroids and antidepressants were the only answer. I was guilted and backed into a corner by her, either buy this or your cat suffers. I opted to seek an alternate opinion. The next week I visited a different clinic, and the doctor gave her a thorough physical exam. Doctor made it clear that antidepressants are a last ditch effort and after altering the brain, it can not be reversed. They are not to be used on animals as a simple mood fix when there may be underlying disease or condition, especially when such tests have not been administered and proper investigation has not been done. Doctor concluded it was my cats anal glands that were full, as well as urine crystals.

Eva Dudzic

I am saddened to see once again one angry person posting multiple reviews under different names out of rage, resentment with an intent to harm, despite multiple attempts to address this person's concerns at great lengths. There are so many false statements made in the larger verbal description it is difficult to go over every single point publicly. They have been gone over with this individual. However, this person wants to follow in the footsteps of a small handful of others who see this as a forum for hatred, especially against veterinarians that they target. I am truly sorry this individual did not understand that prednisolone was a steroid with my receptionist. It was discussed for an hour in the preceding appointment with me, the name of the drug written on an estimate and referred to a steroid at that time. My receptionist filled the 'anti-itch' medication that was requested, called it by its name, after verification from myself that indeed it was what the client had wanted. The apologies for the reception misunderstanding never were enough. This patient resolved with the treatments that were administered whether that was seen or believed. There were no side effects. Antidepressants were only a suggestion when ongoing steroid use was declined and an alternative asked for. It was never a first choice medication or even one I wanted to use. Blood work was not suggested as to tailor costs to treatments and target the causes, which were on the surface, not inside the body. This kitty was self-mutilating for over a month and all efforts, concerns were directed at alleviating the discomfort. Extra time was taken to explain the rationale behind the treatments. This is still enough and the one star reviews keep coming. Maybe one day people will realize that the falsehoods and hatred that gets placed on social media intended to harm only results in veterinarians, in this case, feeling all the time, energy and caring is truly not worth it. It won't result in a better profession. With the suicide rate and burnout rate only increasing at record highs in this profession, we will see more and more veterinarians close their doors to people that insist on demonizing them. I will never understand why that is. Why a group of individuals that work so hard to try to alleviate animal suffering becomes one of the most targeted groups around. I graduated decades ago so excited, proud and absolutely ecstatic to become a vet. It seems my passion for animals has resulted in extreme anger at times, directed at me personally and professionally. My passion will not stop but the new 'era' of veterinarians will definitely have to self-protect in different ways. I hope it does not result in less contact, communication and veterinary care for patients. Sincerely, Dr. Eva Dudzic

Sarah Ellard

Shut this business down!!!!!!!!!!! Horrible Vet and staff! Report them! Highly unqualified, sick minded people.

Karen Horton

I love the actual vet she is lovely and my cats love her and she’s very understanding. But frequently when I talk to the staff I end up in tears. We don’t have a lot of money and we’ve already spent hundreds of dollars on our cat and kitten but when we try to get the kitten neutered they give us a different price every single time. The first time was a high amount then we talked right to the vet and she said a lower number and then when I saved money and called to book they said a different amount then talked to the vet again she said the lower amount again and then we booked an appointment for a month away and I called a couple weeks away and asked how much it would be to chip him as well and they said a lower price. The day before I called to see if he needed to not eat etc and then they couldn’t find any of his information and when they finally did they tell me it’s going to be the higher amount again! Eventually they said the minimum would be not that high but higher than the amount we had saved for which was a massive stretch for us so now we can no longer get our cat neutered.

Chelsey Ferguson

Although the clinic is close by, I've gone less and less. I've taken my cat in for check ups and for specific issues. All times I have felt pressured to buy new and pricy products I don't understand or need for that matter. By the end of my last visit I was told my cat had a plethora of "problems" I needed to attend to immediately. I love my cat so much and would do anything for him and I think the vet realized this. She racked up a statement of $400 for me to pay. I refused and everytime I asked kindly to take something else off the statement to make it cheaper, I was given more and more judgement. I left with paying $130 and tears in my eyes from the guilt they put on me. Half the products I didn't understand their use and the vet explained them poorly to me. There was only pressure to pay for it!!

ma mulin

Not recommended. Period.

lainya dee

I do not reccomend bringing your small pets to this clinic. I didn't realize how badly I had been taken for a ride until I finally decided to go to Helmcken instead. The care and attention to detail from that vet was absolutely night and day. The Oak Bay clinic vet saw all 3 of my pets rats on seperate occasions. A few red flags: -after the examination she referred to my female rat as a male. -she prescribed 3 medications at once for my one rat that were all very expensive. My new vet intentionally made sure that my rat would only take 1 medication because it was stressful for us both to administer it and mixed it with apple juice to make the taste better. - my first rat had a tumor and she clearly did not want to operate on it. I understand this because it was large, and maybe past the point of help. She said because of the size and placement it would be expensive and quoted me around $900 for tumor removal. When my 2nd rat got a tumor I took her in right away - it was much smaller, and in a much less problematic area. I waited weeks for the estimate while my poor baby's tumor grew larger and had to call them 3 times, and was finally quoted the same price as my first rat. - My new vet called for my rat's records 3 times and got nothing. I told them I was not surprised. I feel terrible that I went to this vet, and spent so much money and time, and now 1 rat has passed and my current 2 are both ill. I feel that if I had changed vets sooner I might have had longer with them. I left the Helmcken vet today spending only $150 after a full check up + medication. Similar visits at Oak Bay would have been always been over $200. I regret that I didn't look at the reviews here and I hope no one else with a sweet small pet falls into the same trap. And I can't reccomend Helmcken Vet Clinic enough!!

Thomas Durrant

If you are interested in a master class on pressure sales and fear based selling, I recommend this vet. Eva would make a great sales rep. Though she is clearly a knowledgeable veterinarian, her business practice are offensive and questionable. It is clear her intentions are less about helping animals, and more about turning a profit for the clinic. Eva will insist that your dog is at risk of disease or illness. She will focus on potential problems, instead of potential solutions, and often takes a worst case scenario approach to dealing with minor ailments. My dog had a wart which she insisted should be "stuck with a needle" and inspected further. She also insisted on blood work and extensive kidney tests, all of which had been done by our former vet only a few month prior and showed no signs of illness or issue. This vet should be avoided at all costs.

Sandra Justino Russi

(Translated) Excellent (Original) Otima

Vanessa-Mozelle Pennington

I've taken my cat to Dr Dudzic for over ten years, and have found her and the team to be professional. Erin at the front is very sweet and genuinely empathetic and Dr. Dudzic is quite knowledgeable. I had a scare about a month ago, and my cat had to get xrays and blood tests. I was provided with a written quote, and given time in private to review. I explained some financial concerns, and they were very empathetic; they worked on what could be excluded from the quote. And, again, gave me ample private time to make a decision. While she was in their care, they also clipped her nails free of charge. When reviewing her test results, Dr. Dudzic explained everything and educated me on her heart/digestive system, etc. We found the issues and are working to fix them with diet as oppose to any sort of expensive medications or surgeries. I have never felt that they were trying to pinch a penny from me. I don't know all the staff that well, but I know that Erin and Dr. Dudzic are top notch.

Kuokoa Victoria

Unfortunately this business is all about high pressure sales tactics and taking as much of your money as they can. My only reason for going in was to get some dog deworming tablets. They require a mandatory exam ($85) fair enough.. but my bill came to almost $400 for a simple exam on a young healthy dog. When I asked for a breakdown of the costs and what they were billing me for the lady replied “you will see the breakdown after your payment goes through”.. Well this made me upset because I like to know what I’m paying for before I hand over my hard earned money! After going back and forth for several minutes, I discovered they had billed me for some over priced dog food they sell in store that they thought my dog needed to help keep his teeth clean. I was never asked if I wanted to buy the food they were pressuring me into buying. I had them take this off the bill which brought it down to still over $300. I then had to start the process over again of pulling the details of my bill out of them before paying. Turned out they charged me $155 for two... that’s right just 2 flea and tick tablets.. likely stuff you can buy at any dog food store for a fraction of the cost. Once my payment went through, they refused to refund me for the severely overpriced flea and tick tabs. Take your business elsewhere.