VCA Bakersfield Animal Hospital

Fantastic experience: (2/7/26) We had a very stress free experience with this animal hospital. From our initial phone call to inquire on emergency care, to the ease of getting on schedule within 20 minutes. Once we arrived, check in from the reception was very quick, the vet technicians that brought us back for vitals & saw our pup provided quality care, and Dr. Landry was able to treat our puppy and answer any questions we had. It is emergency care, and there were others that needed tending to, so be patient if you have to wait a bit. We had a wait, but we’re reminded we were being taken care of. Thanks to those that saw our puppy, Storm last night. She is doing much better already. Update: (3/6-3/7)- unfortunately we had to revisit for our 12 week old puppy for a different illness but the care was very consistent with our first visit. Both Dr. Landry and Dr. Pendley along with the Vet Techs and Adm. staff were all great! Everything was explained regarding X-rays, medication, and bloodwork. Again, Storm is already doing better! Thank you team!

Fantastic experience: We had to put our 16 year old dog to sleep. VCA was so caring and accommodating. When our own vet (San Joaquin Vet) wouldn't squeeze us in same day to take care of our dog humanely, VCA not only made us a same day appointment but also said we could bring her in sooner if needed. We truly appreciate their compassion.

Negative experience: I called for an appointment for a cat. I was passed around to 4 different people and I let 3 of them know that I was making an appointment for a cat. I was placed on hold 3 times after answering questions. The fourth person said that she would make my appointment and started to question me about my dog. I said loudly that it was a cat. So, she asked me not to yell at her. Well, I was placed on hold 3 times and she was the fourth person that I spoke to. And, so yes, I was frustrated. Why did they not just leave me on hold until one person could do the job of making an appointment. I am used to being on hold for an extended period of time in order for one person to make an appointment. I didn't need to speak to 4 different people, telling them that it was a cat and answering questions to 3 of them only to be placed on hold 3 different times to then get a 4th person to speak to about a dog. COME ON. Get it together. You charge way too much to operate this way and if I am going to pay that much to go there, I expect a little more professionalism. It's fine. I made an appointment somewhere else.

Fantastic experience: Went in because my dog threw up blood!!! My Yorkie had been throwing up for a couple of days and I went in once I saw she had blood in the throw up. Dr. Adrian Santoyo was very clam and helpful in explaining the possible conditions our dog was facing. We got X-rays done and he showed us that there was nothing to worry about based off the X-rays. Medicine he prescribed stopped the vomiting and now my baby girl is back to being herself. Only suggestion I make is get pet insurance if you don't want to pay the fees associated with X-rays and medicine which totaled around $950 but worth every penny to make sure my dog was back to feeling healthy.

Fantastic experience: We took our cat for an emergency service (which happened to have happened in the night time) and the team was quick to answer our concerns and prioritized not only the wellbeing of our cat, but for his specific accommodations. Thank you guys for making our fur baby feel safe and comfortable!!

Negative experience: I’ve brought my French Bulldog to this emergency hospital three times for spinal pain/possible IVDD. The medical treatment has been consistent and appropriate. However, I want other pet owners to be aware that bedside manner varies significantly between doctors. During my visit with Dr. Juan Pablo Alvarado, he took time to sit with my dog, explain everything thoroughly, and answer questions. It made a frightening situation feel manageable. In contrast, my experiences with Dr. Adam Landry felt very brief and impersonal. Communication was minimal, and I did not feel reassured or fully informed during a neurological emergency. When you are facing potential paralysis with your pet and spending nearly $500 for emergency care, clear communication and compassion matter. I hope the hospital works toward a more consistent client experience, especially in high-stress situations.

Fantastic experience: I literally never write reviews but I had to because everyone at this emergency vet was so absolutely wonderful, kind, and compassionate. The vet doctor thatcher was patient and so intelligent. from when i first checked in (I believe her name is bobbi- I'm not completely sure I was such a mess and crying and didn't 100 percent register her name- im sorry!!!) she was so unbelievably kind and such a natural at her job. Everyone who walked in the room was so understanding and did not care that I was being so dramatic. Thank you guys again from me and my Leia I could not be more grateful for your efficiency and care for my best friend!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Negative experience: The workers were really nice but it is a horrible place to take your pet. I dont know how they pick who they let in but be prepared to wait 2-5 hours and still they may not see your pet. This place is very expensive and needs either more workers or to have a better system to how they get pets in.

Fantastic experience: I had a great experience with this facility when my cat required emergency services last week. Our regular vet was booked at least a week out and he needed to be seen quickly so we ended up here. I called ahead to make sure they could take us and the person who answered the phone was very kind and helpful. She took my information so they were already prepared for our arrival. This really set the tone for the rest of the experience as every employee I encountered was very sweet, informative, and willing to answer any and all questions that I had. Dr. Landry was able to figure out what was wrong with my boy quickly and gave me several options for a treatment plan. Yes, emergency visits are costly, but they kept me informed of pricing every step of the way and this is just part of being a pet owner sometimes. (I highly recommend pet insurance to everyone for this exact reason!) The visit lasted a few hours total, but again this is an emergency facility so I was prepared to wait. My cat is feeling much better now and I'm glad I decided to bring him in. Hopefully, we will not need emergency services again any time soon but if we do I wouldn’t hesitate to return to this facility!

Fantastic experience: I want to start off by saying thank you to each and every staff member here. We came in with an appointment with the heavy decision to put our dog down and they treated us with us so much respect and they were so kind. The appointment went smoothly and they talked us through everything. They never rushed us when we wanted to spend a little more time with our boy Mav. I really appreciate everything they did for us

Fantastic experience: We were traveling and our dog needed surgery. The Team went above and beyond to care for her and were exceptionally thorough pre and post op. I can’t say enough about how much we respect the staff at VCA Animal Hospital in Bakersfield CA.

Fantastic experience: The team at VCA are so kind, knowledgeable, and helpful, especially in an emergency. I had to take my cat to them in the middle of the night, and the care and attentiveness they show toward both the animals and the people is top-notch. I especially want to thank Ravyn and Karla, who were both monumentally supportive during a tough visit. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Fantastic experience: I came in a desperate attempt to help my cat's health get better and I couldn't have asked for a better place to euthanize my baby. Everyone was so sweet and offered their condolences, even comforting us and giving us so much time to spend our last moments with him.

Fantastic experience: Dr Betts has been our trusted, longtime Vet for our dogs, from Golden Retrievers to Long Haired Dachshunds and she's the primary reason we've been a client of VCA for many years. Office Manager Shelby along with Brook always help with any special issues we may be having and that's really appreciated. But, what I'd like to mention is that our dogs really like a Vet Assistant, Raschel Antunez. When she comes into the room she reduces the stress level, takes them back for their shots, weight, and whatever else is needed before seeing Dr. Betts and they happily go with her tails a wagging. Raschel is professional and really good with our dogs and makes the whole visit enjoyable. Thanks very much, we'll be back! Karen and Jim Wood

Negative experience: All they care about is money, they will push surgeries that are not needed rather then other solutions so they can make the most amount of money. They don’t care about the animals they care about the money. Please take your pets elsewhere.

Negative experience: I had to put my cat down because of them. Two vet techs said he showed early signs of a urinary blockage but that it was okay since I caught it early. He wasn’t in pain, lethargic, or yowling—just straining—but he peed ON HIS OWN in his cage, which they said was a good sign. The doctor barely checked him and immediately recommended a $7,000 surgery, claiming he likely had crystals and other issues, without even doing an X-ray. We declined due to the cost and told his assistant MULTIPLE times we’d take him home, but she kept negotiating prices like it was an auction. She insisted he’d die if we took him home and pressured me into paying for euthanasia. I was vulnerable and trusted her advice. Since then, I’ve learned there were other, more affordable options. I regret my decision and have been hurting ever since. Please take my advice—do not go here. They are just a business and don’t care about you or your pet. Update: It’s been 7 months and i still have not gotten a reply to my review but yet they reply to every review… I wonder why ‍♀️

Fantastic experience: We would like to thank the staff at VCA Animal Hospital in Bakersfield, Ca. Dr Juan Pablo Alvarado, DVM and the wonderful staff was the best for making us very comfortable and explaining everything that was needed and for calling me and my husband after our Elsa's surgery at 3 o'clock in the morning. Great job everybody at VCM. We appreciate you all very much. Vergie Rupe ELSA is doing great. Thank you.

Fantastic experience: Just wanted to say thank you for all the help from nurses and drs. Because you guys helped out and worked with me to get the diagnosis and paperwork and the antibiotics I needed in a rush… You helped me out and because of it I was able to get the information sent into the clinic in time and the I was able to get the surgery I needed to save my dogs life. It really means a lot to me, very greatful and just wanted to say thank you all again for your help.

Negative experience: This place is a ripoff because they didn't explain to my son about the payment plan and charge him $2.000 my dog came home the same way he when in there dr.takaka didn't even show him no x-ray no blood work and got nervous to charge him that much.

Fantastic experience: They were amazing and so comforting in such a hard time for us with our older dog, Rambo. They spoke with soft voices and made sure we were ready for each step of the process. I’d give a million stars if I could.

Negative experience: Reply To Owner's Response: I wasn’t “confused.” The ads clearly said CareClub was offered here. Whether you intended it or not, that’s misleading. Framing it as “confusion” is just a way of avoiding responsibility. What it really shows is irresponsibility and mismanagement. If you can’t get something as basic as your website and advertising right, how is anyone supposed to trust you to properly diagnose and treat their pets? It’s also obvious these replies to reviews aren’t about being present or accountable to the community. They read like a PR gimmick meant to deflect criticism, not actually engage with it. And if you don’t care enough to take ownership here, why should pet owners believe you’ll care when it matters most? Do better. That is all. *** I contacted VCA Animal Hospital in Bakersfield after seeing Care Club advertised both online and in the waiting room of another local clinic. When I called, Harmony Lacopetti, the Hospital Manager / Administrator, told me they never offered Care Club at this location. She explained it was something a “sister location” did, but there is no mention of a sister hospital on their website. She also said she wasn’t in control of the advertising, even though she is listed on the website as the Hospital Manager / Administrator. What confused me most was her explanation that they don’t offer Care Club because they are “just emergency,” even though Care Club itself states it covers emergency and urgent care. That didn’t line up with what was being advertised or with the program’s stated benefits. I’ve also had a past experience here where my unstable dog was left waiting outside all day. I ended up driving to Los Angeles to get him the care he needed. Staff explained they were understaffed, but from my perspective it felt like patient care was not the priority. My experience has been that the information online doesn’t match what’s available locally, and when I asked questions, the answers weren’t clear or they minimized their responsibility.

Positive experience: Bit of a wait time when accessing the emergency room, but no different from a visit you'd be taking for yourself. Very friendly and compassionate staff from the receptionist to the DVM - answered any and all questions I had, and had me feeling reassured. Outside of the wait time, I don't have any other gripes.

Fantastic experience: Compassionate, fast, and professional care when we needed it most. After a horrible experience at another emergency clinic, this team immediately assessed our dog with genuine care and compassion. They explained everything clearly and treated both our pet and us with kindness. We’re so grateful for the excellent service.

Negative experience: This is an awful place to take ur pets they lie about prices they are all simply in it for the money they don’t care about the animals some staff give wrong information they said things over the phone but say different when in the building THIS IS ONE OF THE WORST PLACES TO TAKE PETS all they do is lie because they want your money PLEASE DO NOT GO HERE ‼️‼️

Fantastic experience: The Veterans Hospital provided exceptional assistance to me regarding my kitten’s medical condition. They promptly diagnosed and prescribed medication for the bacterial infection. I am deeply appreciative of their compassionate care and expertise in addressing my kitten’s health needs.

Negative experience: This place doesn't care about our pets .my cane Corso got bit by a rattlesnake would not help my fur babies without a $1000.00 ! I would not ever trust my fur baby with anyone that money that only money can buy ! No heart ! My Cane Corso was finally seem by a caring Vet because of the delay in getting him treatmemt he is going to lose his paw ! I could have saved it if this heartless place would have seen him ! False heartless no compassion

Fantastic experience: Yesterday was our initial visit at VCA. I loved how big and spacious it was. It was not an easy decision but it had to be done. After 19 years of life, we put our cat Tiger to sleep. I was able to get a same day appointment and I am truly grateful for the evening appointment. I also appreciate the fact we were able to be in the room with Tiger as she passed. The doctor was wonderful, beyond words, the whole staff was! For the Dr and their staff, your kindness is appreciated! The only suggestion I have is perhaps putting pictures on the walls in the room. The room we were in only had a few dogs through the wall which were cute. Also maybe some music should play in the rooms because it was pure silence and the water through the pipes and the bathroom echoed in the room we were in. I hope to have found a new vet for my dog Bella! VCA is not just an emergency vet, they see pets for vaccines and wellness checks. I look forward to bringing Bella in!

Negative experience: Today, I called ahead, explained my problem with my dog. Asked if they could see him, before I drove 1.5 hours from Lake Isabella. Was told YES, so hustled down the canyon. But when arrived they declined to see my dog, saying their procedures had changed . They were not busy in the waiting room-VERY Disappointed since we had been impressed with them at a previous day/problem with our other dog. Bad business choice on their part!!! I won’t be going back!

Fantastic experience: We brought our Chihuahua in because he hadn’t been well, and we unfortunately got some bad news about his health. We had to make the devastating decision to put him to sleep. During that time the entire staff was so attentive, and kind to us. We appreciate that, because our hearts were breaking. We then received a card in the mail from the staff saying how sorry they were that we lost our pet. That card now sits on the mantle.

Fantastic experience: By FAR and away the finest animal care facility in ALL of Kern County, these folks are the best. We have two cats who are both always happy to go to the Dr when we go here and their pet sitting department is second to none. They trimmed my cats nails when we took him back for his recheck, the girls were so kind and gentle with Oliver, he was purring the entire time they were doing his nails and he was not at all stressed or troubled by them taking care of him. The video shows their kindness and caring towards our little guy

Fantastic experience: I’ve been going to this animal hospital for over 20 years and the girls up front are fabulous and so are the vets . I had to let my 8 yr old border collie go today and they were all so sweet and caring. I appreciate all of them here at this office so much .

Fantastic experience: I want to give heartfelt recognition to Dr. Adrian Santoyo for the incredible care he provided to our baby, Cosmo. From the start, Dr. Santoyo took the time to explain every step of Cosmo’s treatment plan and all the available options. I was so worried about Cosmo’s outcome, but Dr. Santoyo was not only thorough he was also patient, kind, and incredibly sympathetic. When Cosmo wasn’t improving, Dr. Santoyo went above and beyond to comfort both my daughter and I during such a stressful time. During Cosmo's stay Dr. Santoyo called me with updates on how Cosmo was doing. Dr. Santoyo also stayed and played with Cosmo & his little blue mouse (comfort companion). Thanks to Dr. Santoyo and the amazing staff at VCA, Cosmo came home. We are beyond grateful for the outstanding care and compassion you showed our family. Thank you, Dr. Adrian Santoyo and the entire VCA team!

Fantastic experience: VCA helped my dog (I am already a client with a previous dog) after another pet hospital quoted me $1000 to remove a foxtail from my 12 pound dog. 4 paws wanted to fully sedate her (iv, tube down her throat, whole nine yards) and this didn’t feel right to me. She wasn’t super wiggly or anything. And I had been to VCA with my mom’s dog, and they took a foxtail out of his ear under light sedation, for much less than 1k! I called VCA and they suggested I come in as a walk-in, if they could help us they would, and this did take a while to get seen (nothing against the staff I know they’re doing the best they can, just an fyi). Once we were seen, they listened to our concerns and went with light sedation to remove the foxtails. They didn’t try to trick us or up sell us on a procedure, they just handled the problem we were there for. (For $300) In the stressful times of trying to get your dog seen urgently, they made us feel like we were in great hands and that we could trust them. The entire staff was amazing, kind and helpful. VCA needs to open another facility in Bakersfield, or employ more vets. The money and clientele is there! You guys are amazing.

Negative experience: After going 7 times for the same issue there is still no resolve. I took my dog in because she was acting lethargic and had runny eyes. The Vet that seen us was Irene Takata or that’s what the paperwork says. After running up the bill she still had an idiot look on her face with an idiot of a smirk smile saying she didn’t know what was going on and directed me to buy omrepazole. Later that night I get home from work and my pup is bleeding from her nose and very weak. So I take her back at 2AM where they again charge me up the toot. This Dr however was better. It still irritating after the 7 visits countless X-rays and blood work they couldn’t figure out what was wrong with her. They also sent off an X-ray to a specialist, that apparently specializes in Dinosaur bones because after wasting about 180 to send off those images they came back with crap. In the end they referred me to a specialist. After wasting 3059.03. I could have used that money for the specialist. The staff had been very sweet to us, but lately it’s began to feel like all they want is every penny in your pocket. I’ve been going to VCA Bakersfield Veterinary Hospital since 2008, but now I have to find a new home. Try to go somewhere else and if all else fails or you have a true emergency I hope you get better answers than we did. Good luck.

Fantastic experience: This place was awesome to us. I’m forever thankful for their help in giving my baby Pretty peace. They made a hard situation easier with their compassion and generosity.

Fantastic experience: I have brought both my dogs here Stella and Phoenix and everytime the staff are friendly, welcoming, and accommodating. Stella was hit by a car and managed and taken care of so well. She’s 10 years old now and thriving. My Phoenix was there yesterday and staff were beyond complimentary with my puppy and very friendly. Her first scary vet visit went off without a hitch and while still experiencing her symptoms id say by the looks of her photo she’s managing pretty well considering her discomfort. Thank you to the staff and amazing vet for taking care of and managing our pets like their own. 10/10 would recommend

Negative experience: Took my female cat here because she had a Urinary tract infection. She’s not been spayed yet, they tried to tell me that if I didn’t get the money to get her the medicine and the surgery to take her uterus out she would die. But they wouldn’t just let me pay for the medicine I HAD TO GET HER THE SURGERY AND HAVE HER STAY OVER NIGHT. $3,500 IF NOT I SHOULD THINK ABOUT PUTTING HER DOWN!!! After the constant back and forth of trying to qualify for credit cards and calling family members to help us out she realized we really didn’t have the money and tried giving us this HUGE total for just the antibiotics then she finally asked us our budget which was $100 came back and all of a sudden the same antibiotics she wanted to give us was $100 they wanted to get as much money out of us as possible! My cat is now perfectly healthy and not DEAD like the Dr. told me she would be. There was no need to be so rude and try to push other procedures on us that we didn’t need. She could’ve just gave us the medication instead of scaring us half to death.

Fantastic experience: Dr. Takata was amazing and a true blessing . Helped us out with our French bullldog , safely delivering baby’s via emergency C-section . Over all compassionate and caring

Negative experience: Appointment times here mean nothing! We had a 10a appointment. We arrived 10 minutes early checked in and took a seat. After about 30 minutes of waiting and everyone else being helped and leaving I went to the desk and asked if we had been checked in or missed. She saiid we were good and just waiting on a tech to help us. Almost an hour after checking in and 45 minutes past our appointment time I asked if we were going to have our appointment or not. Then the 3rd different employe told me she would check. She asked if we had been told they were short staffed. At this point we were an hour past our appointment time and they could not give me a straight answer of how much longer it would be. Literally just giving me lip service and wasting my time.

Negative experience: My Granddaughter and her Boyfriend took there sick cat to this place all she had was a UTI so all she needed was antibiotics but this place told them that she will die if she didn't have surgery which was 4000 dollars plus other bullshit tests that they recommend they are all about the money they take advantage of people who love there pets but don't have a outrageous budget trying hard to get them to get the credit card to charge it no compassion so my granddaughter begged them to just give her antibiotics after several times telling them she's gonna die asked them what's in your account how much money.do u have after that gave her fluids and meds and sent her home with a week worth antibiotics and it's a miracle she's doing very well without surgery like I said it was just a UTI I don't recommend this place at all I had my own experience with this overpriced establishment take your and business somewhere where they have compassion

Negative experience: Multiple mistakes at both my visits. During my long wait I witnessed the staff being extremely polite on the phone only to hang up and immediately gossip about the phone call. … The vets themselves were great, however the pricing was terrible, they even forgot to charge me for part of the services only to take on another $300 bill a few days later. I will never return here unless I absolutely have to.

Negative experience: Go somewhere else if you can but if you can’t then make sure you check your receipt before leaving because they tried to overcharge me for hours my pet wasn’t there and then they were rude about it when I asked them to fix it. Also question everything on your bill because I agreed to what they quoted me at first because I was in a panicked state when my pet had an emergency, but I went back with a friend the next day and she questioned them about why my bill was so high and all of a sudden it was cut in half. Also if you can’t afford what they’re telling you you need, make sure you say that and ask what can still be done because the first vet made it seem like I needed to pay for everything they told me to otherwise my cat was going to die and she was trying to tell me I had to go see a cat cardiologist 3 hours away and all this stuff and she just acted like it was reasonable to expect someone to have thousands of dollars on hand for stuff like that but then I talked to the next vet on duty and she told me that all the stuff the first vet said wasn’t necessary and that my cat would still likely live a healthy life with just some medication. Overall it’s just clear the establishment is only after money. Some staff were nice but mostly I had a horrible experience here. Most of the conversations I had were about additions to my bill and very little about if my cat was actually okay. I think if they’re going to gouge you out of your savings while you are desperate then they could at least pretend to care that you’re going through a traumatic experience.

Fantastic experience: Thank you SO much Travis for your kindness and compassion towards us and my late dog Mispo who we had put down on Monday April 28th...your kindness will never be forgotten as we remember our precious, beautiful dog Mispo, and your kind words will always be in our hearts...Jon Heikkila-Julie Cooley.

Fantastic experience: Great staff and Dr's. They made my first time experience a nice one helping my Lily and making her better again. Facility is clean and plenty of parking. Will be using them in the future if I ever need emergency services for my fur babies.

Negative experience: I would like to start off with saying how disappointed I am with this clinic. My dog broke his foot and I live many hours away from the hospital it was a Sunday. I called to let them know I was coming and the distance I was traveling. When I arrived they took my dog in brought him out 10 minutes later and said he appears to have a broken foot but they could not help me. They suggested that I take him to my vet or come back on another day. I explained to them that I had phoned and was in transit for hours and to expect me they did not give me any options they did not ask me if the dog could stay all they said was that they were busy dealing with another animal. Not something you want to hear when you see something that you love and such pain. They have absolutely no empathy. They call themselves an emergency vet clinic but the only thing that seems to be a emergency related is the fees that they charge. I would not recommend anybody take something that they love to this veterinarian clinic........ I'm now following up from my original review. The only thing worse than their horrible service is there AI generated apology and saying they are going to follow up ,then you hear nothing from them.. this is what happens when a corporation buys a veterinarian hospital that was run perfectly by the doctor that started it and then it falls apart due to corporate greed. They should be shut down. Or sold to somebody who actually cares.

Negative experience: FALSELY ADVERTISED HOURS They are NOT a 24 hour vet and should not be advertised as such. They didn't even answer the phone when I called. I showed up, the place was empty with a single tech working. They have a vet on call who will come in, in 30 minutes if your pet is about to die. That's it. Otherwise you have to wait in the parking lot until after 8 am only to be seen after people with appointments. They offered questionable diet advice for my cat that another vet refuted. They misdiagnosed a surgery stitch as a bladder stone on an x-ray.

Fantastic experience: I can’t recommend this place enough. My Dad and Bonus Mom would drive all the way across town to board their dog, Hunter, at this facility. The staff loved Hunter and took great care of him throughout his life and in death. The patience, care, and consideration that was extended to our boy and to my family when it was time for us to say goodbye will never be forgotten. Sending a big thank you to the entire staff for getting us through such a hard time; the flowers were so thoughtful.

Fantastic experience: I just want to thank Dr. Aguirre for taking well care of my fur baby!! I felt so comfortable with her taking care of some procedures my baby needed! You can tell right away that she’s there for the CARE of your fur babies and just not interested in making money. One thing I will say though, when I first went in Dr. Adam Landry is just there for the MONEY! Him knowing that my fur baby needed help and still sent me home! So if you ever go to VCA and take you to the room and he comes into the room please ask for Dr. Aguirre or someone else, but please not HIM! At least from my experience.

Negative experience: I had a really disappointing experience at VCA Vet. I took my cat there because he was acting off, and they charged me $800, saying he had a fever. They completely missed a large cyst on him, which was shocking since it was as big as a golf ball! They informed me that they felt his stomach, very suspicious. It felt like they were just trying to grab my cash. After that, I took him to another vet who found the cyst right away. I wouldn’t recommend VCA Vet; it seems like they're just out for money and not really focused on proper care. The photo shows the cyst after it has been drained by the reliable vet.

Fantastic experience: I just love this vet hospital. They went out of their way to send me a heart felt card after the loss of my beloved Rubakhan. Their service was great, but their compassion for my boy when he passed really showed me how much they care for everyone’s pets and for their owners.

Negative experience: Worst vet ever, they are very thoughtless about you & you're own dog. I had the worst experience with the January 12th 2025, this year, my dog only had digestive issues going on, I tried as much as I can to help her, to the point I worn out, when I got there, I had her checked but they only "checked her heart", they said tried everything else but they never did & nothing else, & just instantly assumed that she was dead, she really wasn't dead, my gut feeling I felt so strong was telling me that she was alive the whole time, I was very emotional, just paralyzed & couldn't move, they were rushing me to put her down, they never asked me any questions, didn't even have me go back there with her. Always make sure that you follow your gut feeling, if it's bad, follow it & don't take your animals there, I had a bad strong gut feeling when I first arrived there with my mom. No matter what always follow your gut feeling. You only know your own pet not any of the Pet Vets know your own dog/cats. Only you do. Don't let anyone convince you. ✌ I really "wouldn't recommend" taking your pet there at all. I learned my lesson of not ever going there. I really would do anything to go back in the time January 1st, to do everything right.

Negative experience: HORRIBLE! CAUSED OUR DOG TO PASS AWAY! Came in with a dog that had parvo, the dog died overnight because their was nobody their to notice the dog pulled out its critical iv. We learned the hard way that they don't have people there from 5pm-8am so any animals needing 24hr observation should never be allowed to be taken in. This is 100% their responsibility. As the vet they are the ones who should know that any dog with severe parvo will need to be observed 24hrs a day. They should have redirected us to a 24hr facility and our beloved animal may still be with us. This vets office is just greedy and out for money, they don't care at all for the animals. This is also a large chain with big attorneys and they just push for numbers, it's a cash cow for them. You are nothing but a paycheck to them. YOU HAVE OPTIONS, TRY THEM FIRST

Fantastic experience: Last year in August my dog Luna had a heat stroke out in a field in Taft. I was unaware of what to do in the situation and immediately thought to cook my dogs body down with water and that didn’t go well. She was stiff, couldn’t move, nodding her head. We rushed her to this vet within the next hour and by that next day they had perfectly taken care of her. She is now better and doing amazing.

Negative experience: I brought in a cat that was found injured in front of my house. I knew it was terminal. VCA wouldn't let me stay w the cat while they euthanized him because I wasn't the owner. I asked to see his deceased body though, because ive heard stories about VCA using half dead animals as experiments. They did allow me to see the poor cat. Overall a very disappointing experience.

Negative experience: Refused to humanely euthanize a stray cat hit by a car, poor cat had to wait hours in agony to die. Disgusting, money hungry. Delano vet is 1000% better.

Negative experience: I took my puppy to get the help he needed. I managed to diagnose his symptoms of parvo early on. I paid the $161.92 consultation fee. The vet also assumed my pup was experiencing parvo. We ran a parvo test that costed me an extra $83.62 only so that the test came back negative.. The vet presented me 2 payment plans. $1k-$2k for in-care or $900-$1k out-care. I didnt have the funds for neither as my payday was the following day so she "tried" to help me out by at least giving a payment plan of $400-$500 with IV fluids.. Again... I didnt have the funds until the following day. My puppy died in my arms. All because of the lack of funds. And now this place wants that $83.62 for the parvo test that came back negative.. We've all been here before. The clear divide of morals & ethics... but more about compassion and money.. To run a business or to save a life... She sentenced my pup to death all because she couldnt wait for me to get paid the following day. Now is it morally correct to pay a test that said it was "negative"?? is it ethically right to have turned a puppy in need pleading for anyone to help yet failed to do so all because of money? Greed has taken afoot. Paying to live... or not paying so we can die...I paid alright... paid with my puppy's life... paid $162 just to tell me what might be wrong... paid a debt with a life that said it was misdiagnosed by their very own "state of the art" equipment. How can anyone be ao up tight about money or greed and choose to look the other way when a life depends on it? I wouldnt have minded to work as a slave to pay off a debt where a life was saved. Instead i now carry this burden with a hole in my heart. Wondering every silent step i take asking myself "Is this what humanity has come down to? For the love of money outweighs a life?" ::::UPDATE:::: The "Owner" replied and I reached out via Email and NEVER responded back... They truly don't care about your pets here. :::UPDATE UPDATE:::: Spoke to the manager of the hospital and she demanded I pay. I told her i paid with my puppie's life. Looks like I will be sent to collections. I could care less. Morals over Greed any day.

Negative experience: Brought my cat in my cat late at night and paid their $170 exam fee along with medication for $150. Declined the surgery because it was expensive, and I had just gotten laid off. Reached out to a family member, and I was able to get some help financially. Called them back in the morning to request moving forward with the surgery, and they told me I’d have to pay an exam fee again and get another estimate. This place is always a rip off.

Negative experience: We had an emergency at 2am about 10 days ago. Our dog who has heart issues was having coughing and wheezing and her heart was POUNDING out of her chest, so my mother in law came and showed me so i contacted here and rushed over. They took her back and placed her on oxygen right away and also administered an IV diuretic to help with the fluid in the lungs. This is when the doctor came in and told us we needed to put the dog down. They stated it was my mother-in-laws fault for not following the prescription instructions (which i agreed with, she for some insane reason thought we could only get the medication in san diego so to ration the pills, she was giving her half the dose) and that was most likely the reason for tonight, a build up of all her problems on top is why were here. Now, we were not expecting this so i asked how much to stabilize so we can figure out our next move, the technician came back with a bill of around $4,000. The doctor said even with this, she'll probably die in agony. My mother in law is crying and panicking and im just trying to get the dog, who has extreme seperation anxiety when away from my in law, back with mom. The doctor then proceeded to tell us how selfish we are for not putting the dog out of her misery and killing her right then and there. Her tone was very stern, borderline annoyed and prude. I get it, if the dogs dying and in pain, sure i get it. But this just didnt seem the case. So i told them that we would take the dog and schedule an in-home euthanasia this week and to just give her back to us. They gave us a potent heart pedicine and a diuretic along with a sedative to calm her down and a bill for $400 as well as reminding us to schedule that euthanasia ASAP. We got home, gave the dog the medicine and like magic, she completely stabilized. Fluid from the lungs, gone. Heart, calm and back to normal. She went right back to her happy self and my mother in law was relieved that her dog is normal, for now. We followed up by taking her to a different vet the next day and had blood work and a PROPER diagnosis by a vet who wasnt eager to kill. This experience left a very bad taste in our mouths. My mother in law is old and not a native english speaker, and definitely learned her lesson but this doctor and the way she treated us at 2am was absolutely intolerable. For someone who supposedly wants to save animals and help animals, she was so eager to kill her dog. Not to mention the part that really annoyed me, everytime the technician went back to get the doctor or check on nala, we could hear laughter and joking going on in the back and i KNOW it was the employees because it was 2am and we were the only ones there. So they go from our room after telling us to kill our dog to the back area, completely unphased by whats happening and just having a laugh and telling jokes. I feel this needs to be said and people should ALWAYS get a second opinion, especially if you really know your animals. This goes for us humans too, ALWAYS get a second opinion. Especially for the outrageous charges and prices we pay to keep our pets alive and well.

Fantastic experience: Very caring staff. Vet was wonderful and understanding with our families budget. Thank you ALL for the wonderful care.

Fantastic experience: Had to take an extremely sick feral kitten here to be put down. We wanted to keep her, but she was just too sick. The vet and staff were very honest with us and compassionate and helped us make the right decision. Sorry I cried a bunch in your lobby lol

Fantastic experience: We were traveling home for the holidays when we realized something was wrong with our senior dog Woody. We called VCA and took him in right away. The staff was so kind and understanding and saw him right away. Juan Pablo was our Vet that night and he was excellent. He walked us through the scans and our options. We decided to hospitalize Woody that night to try to alleviate his symptoms. Juan Pablo called me the following morning like he said he would and gave me an update. Later that evening we got another call to come in. Unfortunately, our attempts were not successful and we had to make the call to put our sweet Woody down. Dr Juan Pablo was so great throughout and the whole staff was very empathetic. We even got a handwritten card in the mail from VCA sharing their sympathies in our loss, I was touched and impressed. I would highly recommend them for any pet emergency you have.

Fantastic experience: My wife took our little dog there who had a heart attack. Really lovely people who actually care about the owners and the animals. Our dog stayed overnight and they said she could call them at anytime to find out how he was doing. Highly recommended!

Positive experience: From our experience VCA Animal Hospital is an emergency clinic. If its the weekend, late at night OR your pet is having a life altering emergency they will do what is needed to stabilize your pet. It only becomes clear after a few days and after intake that they are NOT your vet, and most of all NOT a reliable family clinic. If you are having an emergency go here to get the care you need and then partner with your normal vet or seek assistance from a specialist. They will not treat you like you are going to be there for a long time. They will not follow up or follow through on basic communication. They are there to save your pets life in an emergency and will do what they can to do that. After your pet is alive and breathing, you need to partner with a better clinic. They are a business. They will treat you like its a business. They will charge you whatever they feel is needed and will do the minimum to give you the care to save your pet. They will not follow through on long term care. You will not be able to communicate with them over long term care. They will play a game with you that no one is around to answer your questions or that staff is busy if your pet is in the ER. My best advice is if your in an emergency, get your pet stabilized. Pay their fees. Pick up your pet when you feel they are okay and take them to a vet clinic that will really care and give attention to your pet. I hope this review helps people. They saved my pet when it was dying. They make it very clear after that, you're on your own. Im not happy with them long term, but I am short term for saving my animals life. I do not expect to use VCA as a solution again.

Negative experience: I considered not writing this review but I had to. My dog stayed 24hrs for observation, When I picked her up the following day she was brought out with feces dripping off of her right into the waiting room (Which was full of dogs and people, I was told was normal due to pancreatitis and I get that) that’s not even the part that upset me. The bandage on her legs was not put on right, there were drops of blood on her paws. I was told she wouldn’t allow the staff to touch her, again I was understanding I get my dog is anxious but after $2300 you couldn’t give her a sedative to calm her so she didn’t get hurt?. What’s a few more $$ to not traumatize my dog. Then I notice she has a busted blood vessel in her eye, had I not noticed it they wouldn’t have even informed me of that. I had to carry her out with a pee pad around her to cover the crap on her that they didn’t even try to clean. It was just a traumatizing experience for my pup and myself. I can’t complain about the care because I don’t know how she was treated while she was there but I also can’t say I left that place feeling like my dog was safe in their hands.

Fantastic experience: My dog (labrador) was not feeling well for 3 days and took her to VCA to get a check up. Little did I know she was experiencing parvo symptoms. Dr. Aguirre and her staff were attentive and beyond helpful when it came to caring for my dog’s health.

Negative experience: Front staff was friendly and helpful. The Dr. Was fine as well. There was one pregnant staff member that works in the back. Very rude should not work with animals. She brought my dog back to us after needed medications for anti nausea and allergy meds calling him names like bad dog. My dog was clearly scared of her and was stressed out that he had diarrhea. She didn’t explain the meds, but fortunately I knew about the meds because Dr. who explained it earlier.

Fantastic experience: The staff helped me with an emergency situation regarding my mom’s dog. They were very helpful and informative and compassionate. Thank you to the front techs for being so calm, collected and friendly! Thank you to the tech who helped me hold him properly. And thank you so much to the vet who took her time to make sure I understood what was going on and gave me all of my options. I hope I’m never in this situation again soon but if I am, I know exactly where to go

Negative experience: If you can avoid coming here please do, they say they're busy all the time when it looks dead, some guys dog died right next to me and until the dog stop breathing the guy got the help. According to him he was waiting 2 hours when he's dog was doing bad. Please go somewhere else and if you come please come when your dog is a bit healthy not so major.

Fantastic experience: Dr. Santiago was great and so were all of the techs! I am on a work trip and travel with my dog who had a medical emergency this morning. I appreciate the time and attention he gave my little fur baby. Thank you VCA

Fantastic experience: I have been taking my dogs to VCA Bakersfield Animal Hospital for over 20 years; back when it was Bakersfield Veterinary Hospital on Wible Rd. My pets have received caring, compassionate and professional care from many of the veterinarians at VCA BAH Some of the Vets have been with me through the hardest parts of pet ownership, severe illness and euthanasia. I have nothing but respect for them! Pet ownership is fun until the bad stuff happens.......and it can be really expensive.... There are times when I get frustrated with wait times and appointments, especially when it's an illness with sudden onset; however, I'm thankful for having emergency Veterinary Hospitals available. During Covid, it was a huge challenge to get Veterinary care! VCA BAH did their best to try to accommodate as many ill pets as they could handle and still try to accommodate their loyal and regular clientele. I have great respect and admiration for the Vets at VCA BAH! Also, thank you for your wonderful support staff! They are all compassionate and fantastic people!! I 100% recommend VCA BAH to anyone and everyone!

Fantastic experience: I had such a great experience. I brought in my frenchie who had suddenly passed and they made the process of having her cremated very smooth. They also sent me a card sending their condolences.

Fantastic experience: Thank you VCA & your amazing staff. This hospital is pretty pricy but they help your pets with their needs. Thank you for the staff for being so kind & understanding. Unfortunately my dog Sog suffered from a life threatening disease called Pyometra. We did have to sedate her and say our last goodbyes. I can’t thank the staff for being so kind & understanding. I’m sorry I didn’t get the time to thank you all during my difficult time of losing my dog. The staff overall was amazing I would highly recommend this amazing hospital!

Negative experience: It was my first time. I called and asked to to my dog in she had a lump on her that burst and she was in pain and eating alot of grass. Was told to bring her in that there was only one person there at the time. I drove 20 minutes away from my home with my dog who get bad anxiety in the car. Got there the front desk looked at the spot and told me they could not see her at that time. Took my name and number and said they would call me later to see if the next doctor could see her went back home was called two hours later and told to bring her back.. Got There and stood at the front desk and no one addressed me. There were two girls on the other side of the counter. They completely ignored me. I had to ask if someone was going to come And then the girl told me to come on that side. We paid for the office visit upfront and was put in a room to be seen. The staff came in and barely looked at her and quoted me what they wanted to do.. They took her to the back, treated her her back to me. The tech didn’t really know what was going on. I was not told that the medicine they gave my dog would make her drowsy. When leaving the bill and got in the car checked my bill and they charged me for sedation which they did not do, I did call to get a refund. Overall, for my first time going there, I will not take my dog back there. The staff was not very professional. I felt like they were just there for the paycheck. How we were treated made me feel like they were doing me a favor , even though I was paying cash for the visit

Negative experience: My family has had to 2 of our dogs into this "vet" only to see the display of negligence on behalf of the safe members. First visit our dog had become ill overnight for unknown causes and we quickly rushed him to the VCA where upon arrival we discovered he became unresponsive. A staff member came out and did not check his pulse properly and told us "I think hes dead" YOU THINK?? The level of unprofessionalism this had displayed and to tell a family this as their dog lay unresponsive and we were told they wouldn't even bother doing life saving measures on him... A few months later we brought another dog in who was ill and too elderly to be operated on so our best option was to put her to sleep. We had brought her in and all went well until we had received her ashes with no nose print that we paid for and was very sentimental to us. Outraged we called and all they had to offer was a refund and we were then told that they could get a print for us..how can you get a print if she is already cremated?? We were told that the exact same girl from last time did the order but was negligent and "forgot" to give the cremation place the print order.... This place needs to do some serious rethinking and retrain all of their employees.

Fantastic experience: My parents received amazing service from vca. My dog sushi had gotten sick super suddenly so they drove him to vca unfortunately he passed as soon as they pulled into the parking lot. They took him in and let my parents sit with him for as long as they wanted. later in the week they sent a card giving their condolences.i’m saddened that i wasn’t there, but i am forever grateful to the staff for the amount of support they gave me and my family.

Fantastic experience: Have only lived in bakersfield for a few months and had to make an emergency visit to put my dog down. The staff were so kind and patient and she went peacefully. The vet sat with me and explained how everything worked so I’d be less nervous. an urn was unfortunately out of my price range but I got a paw print and her ashes will be spread in the ocean which I think is a very nice option for people who can’t afford to keep them. Rest in piece meg, you’ll always be my baby girl♥️

Fantastic experience: We had the heartbreaking task of saying goodbye to our beloved dog, Coco, who was almost 11 years old. She had been struggling to walk and had collapsed at home, breathing heavily. We knew it was time to let her go, despite how difficult it was for us, as it wasn't fair for her to continue suffering. We took her to VCA Bakersfield, where the staff was incredibly supportive throughout the entire process. They were apologetic and sympathetic, making the experience as easy as possible for all of us. Their prices were very fair, even including the cremation of our dear Coco. Thank you to the entire team who helped us and showed such care and sympathy for us and Coco. You made the grieving process a bit more bearable.

Fantastic experience: My furr baby got very sick about a week ago. We didn't know what was wrong with her. I was told to bring her to the VCA bks animal hospital. After blood tests, I had 2 options, and unfortunately, I had to put my baby to sleep. The first time I experienced that with my animals. The ladies were so helpful and compassionate. I am beyond grateful they helped me with her. A week has passed, and i miss her immensely. Thank you to the staff for everything.

Negative experience: Refused to speak with me or discuss if they even do umbilical hernia repair without paying first. Said it wasn't an emergency but this hernia is huge and it is an emergency. Gaslighting me and refusing to let me speak to a doctor. Might as well have this poor young kitten put down. Grizelda (sp?) is a careless monster. My husband told her we've brought several pets here and that we will no longer be doing so and she snapped back with "we turn business away, we don't need you."

Fantastic experience: I am immensely grateful to VCA Animal Hospital. The entire staff, especially Dr. Alvarado, provided outstanding care. When I brought in my 7-month-old German Shepherd with worrying symptoms, they treated him like their own. As a first-time puppy owner facing my first health scare, I deeply appreciated their kindness, understanding, and thoroughness. I also valued their transparency, providing an estimate of recommended services so I could choose what to proceed with. P.S. If you don't have pet insurance, get it. I've learned the hard way—tests can be expensive, but necessary.

Negative experience: my dog was sick because he ate a bag of the large m&m packets that he and his brother brought from our neighbors trash. they have a habit of escaping our yard and bringing trash from the outside. so he ate it with his brother! i didn’t know that because i only saw and empty wrapper, but then i found throw up with chocolate outside and i was worried since i didn’t know who it was from between the two. after a while, i noticed the smallest one of the two was strangely unactive, he looked sad, sick, and didn’t want to eat the treats we were giving them which was unusual. the next day, he seemed worse so we gave him homeade remedies for chocolate poisoning. he looked a bit better for a while, but then he got worse. we concluded that he wasn’t able to go bathroom and that he feels sick because he’s constipated from the chocolate. his stomach was weirdly hard and inflammated, too, and he was hunched over most of the time. we massaged his belly, put laxatives in his butt, and he still wouldn’t go bathroom. we were desparate at this point so we gave him some dietary tea we had, but it has a lot of fibers and its basically a laxative, so we risked it. we gave him the tiniest bit because we didn’t want to overdo it and make him worse, just enough for him to get him to poop. that was in the morning and by the middle of the day, he still looked sick and hasnt pooped. well our last measure was to take him to the vet. we went and got checked in without appointment because it was an emergency. we payed over $200 for everything they did and all they said was that he might have PARVO. we knew that wasn’t it because of that, we had dogs that unfortunately passed because of PARVO and his symptoms didn’t match theirs. in the end, they didn’t do much for him. once we were outside, he finally pooped!! it was probably the tea that helped even though i had my doubts. its been days since then and my dog is finally eating and he is still a bit weak for not eating for days, but he’s still a bit energetic, so much more lively than when we took him to the vet. this is just my personal experience. it’s not my first time bringing a constipated pet (a cat last time) here. they didn’t do anything last time either, but being desperate again, i decided to bring my dog, but i kind of knew that i would be paying more for the visit than anything to actually help my dog. personally, i would have expected the doctors be able to do something to help with something as simple as constipation after we couldn’t. that’s just my opinion. if this vet works for you, that’s great, but in my experience, i wouldn’t come back unless i am truly desperate again.

Negative experience: This hospital is just like the hospital for humans where you wait in line for hours and are at the bottom of the list if your pet doesn't seem that sick it's disgusting how all they truly care about is money. the staff is incompetent, apathetic & could care less when you can't afford their pricing.. The fees they charge here are unreasonable.. they make sure you spend over $500 for test to diagnose your pet and that's not including other things your pet might need . Soon as I arrived I was told the wait was from 2-5 hours and as I waited I realized other pets were getting prioritized because they had a bigger issues which is understandable ( didn't realize this would happen when it was my turn to be seen as well ) so I told them that I'd rather just get a txt message.. I didn't get a text message until I called 2-3x! They put me on hold 2x until I finally spoke up and that's when I was suddenly next in line.. as soon as I arrived I had to wait about 40min to an hour the wait was longer than the actual visit & once the dr seen my dog it was very brief and his assistants were in and out of the room which was very annoying because I didn't feel like my dog was getting the proper attention and care. I was told about the fees so as soon as I told them I wasn't able to afford this I was kicked to the curb they weren't even trying to accommodate with my budget they just wanted me to apply for a credit card like really? I was then told by someone that I had to exit the room because someone was about to put their dog to sleep when in reality it was just another pt who was waiting in line at this point I was livid and overwhelmed because I had to deny my dogs treatment and go else where all I felt was guilt and Regret not finding another place sooner for my dog .. I would also like to mention my dog was NOT COMFORTABLE HERE AT ALL ! anyways the clinic on MT VERNON IS AMAZING the experience was actually so much better than here... NEVER AGAIN

Fantastic experience: I cannot express enough gratitude for the exceptional care provided by VCA Bakersfield Animal Hospital. They saved my French Bulldog, Ashes, when she was in critical condition due to a severe blockage that had gone undetected for over a month. After a frustrating and terrifying experience with Beverly Billingsley in Tehachapi (see photos and videos and my review on their Google profile for more info), where my concerns were dismissed, VCA Bakersfield Animal Hospital acted swiftly and decisively. They immediately recognized the severity of Ashes' condition and performed emergency surgery to remove the blockage. The veterinarian was upfront and compassionate, explaining every step of the process and keeping me informed. Thanks to their expertise and dedication, Ashes made it through the surgery and is now recovering well. Their professionalism and genuine care for animals are truly commendable. I am forever grateful to the entire team at VCA Bakersfield Animal Hospital for saving Ashes' life. I would highly recommend VCA Bakersfield Animal Hospital to anyone seeking compassionate and skilled veterinary care for their beloved pets.

Negative experience: We trusted this hospital to cremate our dog & we got our ashes back but we also wanted a paw print of our dog as well as fur clippings. Just for the cremation company to tell us they never put in the paperwork to receive his fur clippings & paw print. Now we’ll never have our dogs paw print or fur with us ever again. It such a different type of pain to explain knowing we’ll never get to have that.

Fantastic experience: Dr. Betts saved my dogs life! Seriously, she was amazing. Very communicative, sent texts daily updating us. We visited twice a day, to help to try to get him to start eating again. The staff was always very kind and welcoming. Thanks Dr. Betts, we appreciate you, and so does Hondo !

Fantastic experience: We took our cat Oscar, really ill. We weren’t sure what was wrong with him. He was very lethargic. When they took him in he had a 104 fever. The wait was very very long before we were seen. Over 7 hours, there were so many emergencies and they only had one doctor. Dr Landry. But we eventually were seen. We made the decision to leave him overnight for meds and hydration. When we were called the next day to pick him up - he was a little better. They had meds for him and now he is back to his normal self. He’s lost weight but we’re working on fattening him up again. Ismael, Amber & Dr Adam Landry were great - they saved Oscar.

Fantastic experience: Brought our 7yr old cat Pippy for boarding and I was concerned with her anxieties in a new environment( she ends up scratching at her face until she bleeds) but right away when they came to take her back, the person who took her said, not to worry, she's a cat person( sorry, I forgot her name). That made me feel better with dropping her off....a day later they let me know about an issue with her food, very upfront, which I truly appreciated, they gave me an update about how she was doing and I was SHOCKED at how well she was doing, she has never done well with boarding and I loved that they took pics of her as well. It was well worth to get the bigger, roomier cage for her, I loved that they played with her and she let them haha!!! Thank you thank you for such great service! See you next year!

Fantastic experience: On Oct 6th at 1225am..I had the make the most difficult decision ever on telling my 12 yr old Pug goodbye . Dr Landry and the techs that night, were the most kindest, warm professionals. I appreciate all of you that helped me get through those heart breaking moments that night. Im still so distraught..but I do appreciate you for helping me make the right decision to end her pain and help her cross rainbow bridge. Thank you soo much for being so kind to my puggy and her last moments. Highly recommend this vet to anyone.

Negative experience: i am very thankful for the help i got with my kitty from VCA, but i had to go back twice. the first time i went later in the night and was deemed not enough of a problem. 2 days later on saturday i came back in the morning and after doing a more thorough and actual exam, they said his leg looks broken and they will check him in. the wait wasn’t bad given the number of patients ahead of me. they did x-rays but didn’t take his temperature after barely trying to once. $600 later they send me home with pain meds and an anti inflammatory and said there’s no break or puncture wounds etc. literally the next morning, i saw 2 big puncture wounds on his leg! at this point, he felt warm to the touch and still wasn’t using his leg so i called to ask if they could prescribe an antibiotic because i was almost positive it was infected and he had a fever. they just told me to see my regular vet (which i don’t have yet, every vet i’ve spoken to is booked 2 months out) and they couldn’t give me an antibiotic even though they missed a huge abscess. the next day i ended up calling at 3 am and thankfully the doctor answered and confirmed my suspicions and made an appointment for that same day in the afternoon. and yup turns out a huuuge abscess was somehow missed and they needed to place a drain! i feel like this was totally avoidable and just unprofessional. i still have to go back on the 1st to get the drain removed so hopefully they don’t charge me an arm and a leg for their mistake, again.

Fantastic experience: Highly recommend 10 out of 10!!! They saved my 5-month-old puppies life they worked with me on a price and made sure my girl was taking care of! I am extremely grateful thank you all so much! Love Kaitlyn and Maya

Negative experience: Terrible service!! 4 hrs wait for a parvo test and most of this was after I was in the room!! Very unorganized and they will try to nickel and dime you for everything. 185 just to be seen. Price is the price but when you gotta wait 4 hrs that should not stand. Veterinarians are supposed to have the best interest and intentions of living breathing animals and not just focused on dollar signs. Worst experience I've had during a trip to the vet. Also there are some good workers there and for those that do care and work hard there thank you, but cannot say the same for the rest of the staff. Maybe choose a different career profession. Do not recommend this spot for anything at all.

Fantastic experience: I've been boarding my dogs (I have one senior) here and every time I pick them up, they're very calm. This tells me the staff took care of them well. I booked a standard room.

Negative experience: Before you bring your pet to this place, don’t forget that this place is a business and they will treat you as one. They will have no compassion for you or your pet unless you have the money, they will give you very little options and for the most part they are not willing to work with your budget. If you could please find another place I definitely wouldn’t go here. Rest in Peace my beloved Snow “Snowie” Melgar.

Negative experience: Im really upset after I found out my dog has become blind in an eye from glaucoma. I took my dog in earlier to the vet hospital because her eye looked like it wasn’t right. They saw her a brief second and said her eyes were fine. If treated earlier maybe I could have saved her vision and saved her some pain. Owners know their pets best . You need to do a better job at listening to concerns.

Negative experience: Brought 12 year old dog with a huge cyst. The receptionist would not admit her because she was not dying. Took her home and that night she ripped the side of it with her nails scratching it. Alot of puss and blood. Very painful as she is crying constantly. Since when does a receptionist have the knowledge to know what is critical and what is not. You accepted a dog that had a ripped tonail. That was not critical. Thanks for not caring about my baby.

Negative experience: DOS: 03/05/2024 and 3/6/2024 I had been here the previous day 3/5/2024 because my beautiful girl Churro had been listless, not eating, drinking. I took her here for an exam as I could not secure a timely appt at her regular vet. Staff: The staff on the 3/5/2024 were pleasant and did a cursory triage and determines that she was "stable" and advised they were only seeing critical patients that day. As it was the 1st day of her illness, they advised monitor her for 24 hours and seek care at her regular vet. So I left without getting her seen. On 3/6/2024 I called prior to arriving asking if they would see her, because I had been advised the previous day of their current restriction of only seeing critical patients. The person on the phone confirmed that yes, they could see her. So I make the 30 minute drive across town, only to be denied service AGAIN! That snooty white receptionist with the glasses, really seemed unconcerned and cold. Hopefully, I'm never in the position of needing to come here again.

Negative experience: I recently brought my cat to this hospital since he wasn’t eating or drinking, they ran a blood test and took his temperature and said they found nothing. After already being charged $200 for a blood test, they wanted to run an additional $600 worth of tests. The only good thing this hospital did for me was recommend me to Animal Emergency & Urgent care. They ran a FULL blood test and found out he had a fever AND infection. They gave antibiotics the same day and an appetite stimulant and he’s back to normal a day later. I deeply regret coming here, don’t be like me and waste hundreds of dollars for nothing.

Negative experience: This place is terrible!!! I have brought all my dogs here for 10+ years and have loved this place up until last night. My dog fell ill and I brought her in at 9pm I was greeted nicely by a lady who came to my car and carried my dog in for me. But straight up they told my my expenses were going to be $3000+ and needed 50% down for them to do anything to her. I paid an $165 for an “exam” just for them to tell me it’s going to cost me $3000+ and that either I pay the 50% or if I couldn’t afford to treat her I should just put her down. How horrible. I sat in their room crying all night trying to figure out how to come up with that money and I spoke with a vet and a couple techs and they were all unsympathetic and looked at me with no compassion as I was crying the whole time. They were so rude to me. They gave me no options and did absolutely NOTHING for me or my very sick dog. One worker told me that blood work and X-rays would cost me $1000 but then proceeded to tell me that why would I pay that if I don’t have the money to start her treatment. How awful!! And then as I was still trying to figure it out to give them their money to help save my dog. They kicked me out and told me they could help me take my dog to my car while I “figure it out” this place use to be so great and accommodating.

Negative experience: If you’re looking for a honest boarding place, steer clear from this one. I called to inquire about boarding prices because I used to bring my dog here for boarding all the time up until when I went to pick him up and they changed the rate on me entirely. You would think that they would have told their customers up front that their rates increased before they decided to book. Well I called to ask for pricing and Gabrielle told me she was unable to tell me an actually price because it all depends on weight of the dog, if my dog needs meds, what time I pick him up etc. I asked when that changed because I have never had anyone tell me that pricing had to do with my dogs weight and what time I picked him up. I gave her the specific dates, the kennel I wanted l, the dogs weight and told her he is not on meds. Still she couldn’t give me a price. She told me to go inside and grab a price form and read through it. And I kept asking her what the point of that was. Finally I said, let’s just book the dates and then she tells me I can’t book because my dogs vaccines expire a few days before I drop him off. I told her that he received 1 vaccine today and has an appt on the 7th with his vet to get the other 2. I just think she wasn’t trying to be helpful because I kept asking about pricing. Why are they so secretive about prices? Why hide them? I guess this is so they can charge you extra when you go pick up your dog and have no choice but to pay what they ask for. Trust me, this is fact because it happened to a friend of mine and I felt horrible because I recommended her to VCA Bakersfield.

Negative experience: For starters, their website is confusing. They allegedly offer appointments for regular vet visits AND emergency visits, but then have you call in. Upon calling the office, they state that they are an emergency vet only, no appointments, just walk-ins. Got it. So I explained to them that my puppy had a laceration on her paw that did no stop bleeding since the night prior when the injury occurred. They told me they do not consider that an emergency and that they would not see her if I brought her in. I had to ask again that even though my puppy's paw bleeding was not slowing down and that she may need stitches, it was not considered an emergency? They confirmed that it was not an emergency. It was an off-putting experience where I questioned whether my pet would be treated properly if it had more serious injuries. I would look elsewhere.