Veterinary Referral Associates

I have had positive experiences with Veterinary Referral Associates in the past, which makes writing this review especially disappointing. Unfortunately, our experience there when we said goodbye to our 13-year-old cat, Sparky, was very different. Sparky had been seriously ill and under the care of our regular veterinarian for months. We knew his diagnosis, had tried treatment, and watched his condition continue to worsen. Despite Cerenia, he was still having severe vomiting, and his chemotherapy medication had become extremely stressful for him. On a Sunday morning, we made the heartbreaking decision that it was time to let him go rather than make him suffer until our regular vet reopened. The receptionist was kind and compassionate. Unfortunately, what followed made an already devastating morning much harder. The veterinary technician came in twice to question us about Sparky's history, his treatment, whether we had considered hospitalization, and why we had decided on euthanasia. We explained that he had been under ongoing veterinary care for months and that this was not a sudden or casual decision. At one point we were told, "You can't change your mind. This is permanent." We knew that. We had loved Sparky for 13 years, and we were already heartbroken. The veterinarian then came in and also initially seemed judgmental about our decision. Once we were able to fully explain Sparky's history, how long we had been treating him, how poorly he was doing, and why we felt continued treatment was no longer in his best interest, the veterinarian became much more compassionate and understanding. I appreciated that shift, but by that point I already felt as though we had been repeatedly asked to defend one of the hardest decisions we had ever made. I completely understand that a hospital has a responsibility to ask appropriate questions and confirm informed consent. What I did not expect was to feel as though we had to prove we had done enough for him. I cried through most of the visit, and instead of feeling supported, I left questioning whether we had done the right thing. We waited roughly an hour and a half before the euthanasia process began, and Sparky was taken away from us for most of that time. Knowing that so much of the limited time we had left with him was spent separated from him is especially painful. Once the euthanasia process began, it was handled gently and respectfully. What stayed with me afterward was the guilt. I barely slept that night. The next day I called our regular veterinarian, who had been treating Sparky and knew his history. She reassured me that we had made the appropriate decision and explained that his continued severe vomiting despite medication was a sign that his disease was progressing and that there was very little more that could reasonably have been done. I hope VRA reviews how end-of-life cases are handled. Ask the necessary questions, but also recognize when grieving owners have already spent months trying to help the animal they love and are now making an extraordinarily painful decision. We needed compassion while saying goodbye to Sparky. For much of the visit, we felt judged instead.

We came here needing compassion at the end of our cat’s life and instead felt judged for making an extraordinarily painful decision. We arrived at Veterinary Referral Associates at 9:19 on a Sunday morning to have our 13-year-old cat, Sparky, euthanized after a prolonged illness. My wife made that clear at check-in and explained that we had been working with our regular veterinarian for weeks. The receptionist was kind and compassionate. Sparky had been under ongoing veterinary care. We knew his diagnosis, understood the treatment options, and had been trying to manage his illness. His condition was worsening. The chemotherapy medication had become extremely stressful for him, and he was still having severe, sometimes projectile, vomiting despite Cerenia. This was not a rash decision, and we are not people who avoid aggressive veterinary care. Sparky had been hospitalized twice as a kitten. If we believed hospitalization now could cure something and return him to a reasonable quality of life, we would have done it again. But this was chronic disease, treatment was not working, and he was suffering. The veterinary technician who took his history questioned us for several minutes, then returned about 20 minutes later and went through another round of questions. We were repeatedly asked whether we had considered hospitalization, even after explaining why we did not believe it was appropriate. She was not openly rude, but her manner and repeated questioning left both of us feeling judged, as though we had to prove we were not terrible pet owners for choosing euthanasia. At one point she told us, “You can’t change your mind. This is permanent.” We understood that. We were there to euthanize a cat we had loved and cared for for 13 years, after weeks of working with our veterinarian, trying treatment, and watching him deteriorate. We did not need to be spoken to as though we had failed to understand what euthanasia meant. My wife cried openly throughout the visit. Instead of feeling supported, we felt as though we were being put through a test before our decision would be accepted. From arrival until the euthanasia process began was roughly an hour and a half. Sparky had been taken away from us during part of that time, so this was also time at the end of his life that we did not get to spend with him. The veterinarian who eventually came in was much more compassionate, and once the euthanasia process began, I have no complaints. It was handled well. We paid a little over $700, including $362 for the euthanasia and the rest for private cremation. We chose to pay emergency-hospital prices on a Sunday because once we concluded Sparky was suffering and it was time, we did not believe it was humane to make him wait simply because it was the weekend. Appropriate questions and confirmation of consent are understandable. Making grieving owners repeatedly defend a carefully considered end-of-life decision is something else. The experience affected my wife badly enough that she could not sleep that night. She kept questioning whether we had done the right thing and feeling guilty. The next day she called our regular veterinarian, who had been treating Sparky and knew his history. Our vet told her, “I’m so sorry that was your experience,” and strongly affirmed that we had made the appropriate decision. She explained that continued severe vomiting despite Cerenia indicated his disease had progressed and there was very little more that could reasonably be done for him. I hope management reviews how end-of-life cases are handled. Ask the questions you need to ask. Make sure consent is informed. But please recognize when the people sitting in front of you are already grieving and treat them accordingly. We needed compassion while saying goodbye to Sparky. Instead, for much of the visit, we felt judged. That should not be the lasting memory someone carries from a beloved pet’s final hours.

I have been in contact with management for several weeks trying to come to a resolution but they have once again not called me back. Do not take your pets here. All they care about is money and pushing 10k surgeries without understanding the real health issue. When I brought my concerns up, I was met with a condescending email about “urgency” from the medical director. Go literally anywhere else.

I brought my dog here in the middle of the night and deeply regret it. My dog has severe anxiety, is afraid of people, and is agoraphobic—but after years of work, she had not been afraid of the vet since 2021. I repeatedly expressed concerns about forcing her away from us into the back. They took her back THREE times anyway, with her becoming increasingly terrified and resistant each time. The first time was just for a quick exam, and she came back wearing a cone—which she is severely afraid of—despite having no injury that required one. The second time, I specifically protested and asked them not to force her back, but the tech dismissed my concerns and did it anyway. Only the third trip, for radiology, was actually necessary. By then, she was terrified. The impact was immediate. Less than 12 hours later, we had to take her to her regular vet because she was still sick. She REFUSED to even get out of the car, despite a veterinarian she knows and trusts coming outside to her. They had to examine her in the car. Years of progress with veterinary care were undone in one night. The medical care was also disappointing. We spent about $1,500, and despite pacing, restlessness, lip-smacking and other signs of nausea, they refused anti-nausea medication because she wasn't vomiting. They focused on mild constipation seen on X-ray, despite her symptoms continuing after we left. My issue isn't that an emergency vet had to perform necessary procedures on an anxious dog. It's that we repeatedly advocated for our dog's known behavioral needs and asked them to minimize unnecessary handling, and we were dismissed. Had they listened, they could have preserved her tolerance for the radiology that actually required her to go back. We brought them a medically sick, anxious dog. We left with a dog who was still sick and is now terrified of veterinary care again. I deeply regret bringing her here.