Veterinary Specialty Hospital of San Diego

My pup Boomer was dealing what we thought was a UTI of some sort but was not getting better. He would go outside for hours at a time attempting to pee with very little success. After draining over 1 litter of fluid from his bladder, my primary vet suggested I take him to VEG in Encinitas. I was there for a few hours and after an ultra sound they could not figure out if his inability to pee involved his prostate. They recommended I take him to see a specialist at the Veterinary Specialty Hospital in Sorrento Valley. I took him to the Veterinary Specialty Hospital that same day and he was transferred to their internal medicine department the next day. They had a group of knowledgeable professionals working together for a couple weeks to figure out what was wrong with him including Dr. Robb and Dr. Fryer. The communication was timely and well appreciated all throughout the process and they were finally able figure out what was wrong with Boomer (benign mass pushing up against his urethra) and fix him. He no longer has to rely on a catheter and is able to pee freely on his own. He is comfortable and happy again which makes me so happy as a pet owner. If your pet is in need of any medical attention...I'd highly recommend the Veterinary Specialty Hospital. Your pet will be in the best hands!!!!

Thanksgiving 2021 our 4 month old puppy fell and shattered his left rear leg. The team here did an outstanding job stabilizing him, keeping us informed, and scheduling orthopedic surgery. Today I’m out walking him on the beach and he is tearing up the sand like a mad man with absolutely no indication his leg was ever broken. They did a fantastic job and we couldn’t be more appreciative.

My 1-year-old cat, Aya, has always been very social, curious, playful, and full of energy. A couple of days ago, I noticed her tummy had increased in size, and I thought maybe she had just gained some weight. By yesterday morning, her belly was significantly expanded. I took her to a vet clinic, and after some exams, they referred me to this hospital. She had to spend the night at the ER. Everyone was extremely kind and attentive, and I believe she received the best possible attention and treatment. The vet who saw her explained all her symptoms, potential treatments, and expected outcomes. Everything was based on science, with success chances and potential risks detailed. I understand it's expensive and that it presents an awful burden, but I believe this is a broader health and political issue in the US. I am now taking her home to continue the treatment, and I genuinely believe she received the best possible care here. I can't recommend it enough. I hope my baby Aya will stay strong and recover soon.

On Saturday, 9/10/23, I found a large abscess on the anal gland of my four-year-old Boston Terrier. I immediately called her vet, who said to be booked for the day. The office suggested I seek care at the Sorrento Valley Veterinary Specialty Hospital because they would have longer hours to accommodate our needs. I immediately drove to the VS Hospital arriving at 2:30 pm. I was told there would be a 2-hour waiting period due to emergencies and weekend staff. I agreed with that and proceeded to find a corner in the waiting room with my dog. Around 5 pm I asked for a status on the waiting since I had seen a normal entering and leaving number of dogs while I was waiting. I was told there would be 2 dogs ahead of me. Around 6:30pm I asked again for the status of the waiting, and I was told there was 1 dog ahead of me. Unfortunately, the abscess burst while my dog was itching it, and the blood and a brown fluid got all over my dress. So now, after almost 5 hours of waiting to be seen by the doctor, I was smelling horrible and my dog was bleeding. The receptionist asked me to go to the bathroom and clean up until I got the chance to be seen by the doctor. I was infuriated with that scenario of me holding my dog in my arms while trying to clean her bloody rear and nobody... I mean N-O-B-O-D-Y came to help me or offered to take the dog inside for any assistance to do a better job. My dog started to shiver in pain, and I knew she would need to have antibiotics and painkillers anyway, so I asked again the receptionist if he could check with the doctor and how long more I would have to wait. I was in tears to see my dog suffering in the hospital after 6 hours of waiting to be seen by the doctor, and the change in scenarios with the abscess bursting on me (and leaving me with a stinky smell). At 8 pm I was told there was a room for me to wait with my dog. I stayed inside the room waiting for the doctor for an extra one hour. So, this is the service I got from this facility. After a long 7 hours of waiting in the hospital while everybody else seemed to be coming and going peacefully in the hospital, I had to leave my dog there for a procedure involving anesthesia I was finally released to eat/get proper clean clothes, and I had to return to the hospital around 1:30 am to pick her up. I asked if I could pick her up the next day and was told they would charge me a fee for overnight (a different doctor releasing my dog). I could not believe the treatment these people offer to their clients. I have a feeling that the triage assessment of my dog's situation when I arrived was placed at the lowest level of the emergencies; however, the staff failed to reassess the situation after almost 4 hours of waiting and the abscess burst on me. Then I had to wait almost another 4 hours to be seen. If I could give ZERO STARS, I would. The amount of waiting was above acceptable and the only reason I didn't leave that place earlier was that I had no other facility in mind ( or another nearby emergency business to see my pet). They need to improve the services, train the people, hire more staff, or sell this business to someone who knows how to run a business that deals with emotion, pain, and distress. This type of work is NOT for everybody. PS: Customer service contacted me to apologize for my experience and promised to investigate and train the staff to be more compassionate with the clients and make new assessments if necessary.

We had the very best experience at this emergency vet for my 12 year old chihuahua this week. The front office staff was caring and sweet and our vet tech was so helpful and kind. We were turned away at a previous vet and I will make sure we drive to north county every time one of our pets needs immediate help. Diego says Thank you!