Veterinary Emergency Services

Melanie Higginbotham

2024-04

I cannot begin to express the fantastic level of care our sweet boy Tucker received. EVERY TIME! And there were a bunch! Our boy was always up for an adventure of his own making and every time they were able to fix him- until no one could. Dr. Robertson and his team did all that they could for the loving, energetic, happy genetic mess that was our Tuck. We knew going in it wouldn’t be long but are grateful for the 3 years we did have. One never knows what is brewing internally but Dr. Robertson was honest and realistic and Tucker had a good life. Thank you.

Gloria Clark

2024-04

I'm truly amazed by this veterinary Emergency clinic. If I could, I'd give them 10 stars without hesitation. We're new to the area, and when my beloved pet got injured I was beside myself with worry. Thankfully, my pet's vet recommended this place to me, and I couldn't be happier with the care and professionalism they provided.From the moment we arrived, they recognized the distress my dog was in and acted swiftly to triage her and administer pain relief. Their genuine concern for animals shines through in everything they do. I wholeheartedly recommend them and would recommend them to anyone without hesitation✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

Brook Vazquez

2024-04

My 16 year old dog was ready to be put to sleep and the experience was as easy as it could be thanks to you all. I was met with compassion and sympathy throughout the entire process. I was able to hold my dog and be with her in her final moments. And at every instance the staff was sincerely comforting and thoughtful. Thank you for your services!

Jen Almjeld

2024-04

I took my cat in for wound care and the staff was awesome! The appointment was fairly quick and totally thorough. The vet tech, Rachel, was especially kind and understanding with all of my questions and nervousness. I thought the price was pretty reasonable too. The only emergency vet I'll ever go to!

Cynthia De la cruz

2024-04

Always there when you need them!! Friendly staff that genuinely care about your pets!! Thank you for listening to my concerns and stitching up my baby!! Apollo and I appreciate it!!

Matthew Ladd

2024-02

$291 for just looking at my dog for 5 minutes which included giving him a pain killer when he showed no signs of pain. The $291 also included $22 worth of antibiotics. What a ripoff. We had one of our Dogs put down several years ago now at the clinic late one night and we were treated very fairly back then. No clue what happened to the clinic but I will not be back.

Ben McManus

2023-08

This clinic saved our dog Nates life, full stop. Last Sunday Nate started acting very strange, trying to throw up, drooling excessively, moving strangely. Turns out he had GDV, also known as "bloat". His stomach had turned 180 degrees in his abdomen and he was going into shock. He was dying. We rushed to the clinic and the staff here wasted no time in getting him checked in and examined because they knew time was limited. He was rushed into emergency surgery, cut from stem to stern they untwisted everything, tacked the stomach in place so it couldn't happen again and saved our pup. They were great about keeping us informed about his progress and the next day we got to take him home. Nate has been improving every single day and is starting to feel like himself again. He still has some recovery to go but we are so thankful for the expertise, the quick action and the thoughtfulness of all the staff and doctors we interacted with. Nate still thinks this was the worst bed & breakfast ever, lol, but we are so pleased with the outcome of this ordeal. Thank you all.

J

2024-03

Jess was so lovely and helpful. This is exactly who you want to talk to in the middle of the night when you are freaking out with some problem with your dog. The negative reviews here are so unfair- obviously emergency services are going to be expensive, like, welcome to life.

Sheila Mcdonaldson

2024-03

I want to thank everyone that helped and checked out my Mia on sat 2/24 everyone was so great and took such careful care of her . Very professional and friendly people . I also loved the stories we were telling while waiting . Thank you again and thank you to Dr Robertson for checking her out and giving me good news .which I was expecting worse

Ginger Price

2024-04

My 17 week old puppy Littles contacted parvo and we all know that's a death sentence for a puppy. I took him to VES and they worked hard to keep him alive and stay ahead of the virus. I couldn't afford the overnight stays so we did outpatient and they sent me home with everything he needed IV fluids, pills, and supplements to add to his food. Well it worked he survived and is doing very well! It was a little pricey but it worked that's all that matters! So thank u everyone that helped with my best friend " littles" I appreciate every one of u guys!

Annabeth Sings

2024-01

I called them tonight because my cat looked in pain. They were very helpful, informative, and welcoming. I really appreciate the free advice and peace of mind knowing I have somewhere to go if my cat gets worse tonight.We did have a premature kitten a couple years ago we brought in and something we learned too late is that they are very vulnerable and get sick with too much human handling, and by the time they seem sick they’re probably a goner. Anyways this vet didn’t charge us which we appreciated, but it was sad because they took the kitten into the back room and by the time the looked at him he had passed. My boyfriend was sad it died all alone. Nobody’s fault, but maybe we could have stayed with the kitten somehow. Just a thought.

R

2023-12

Brought in my rabbit who was showing signs of distress. They looked her over, and suggested that perhaps her leg just fell asleep. They did a general exam and said she looked fine.& we were sent home.A few hours go by and I knew something was still wrong, and drove over 2 hours to another ER that works with exotics where they admitted her immediately. They discovered her bladder was extended and full of sludge and did blood work for E Cuniculi (which came back positive). They said she was extremely dehydrated and her GI Tract was shutting down. They kept her 3 nights and we just got her back. She is on multiple medications but should make a full recovery.Long story short, my rabbit would have died had I listened to these people. Trust your gut and take your pet somewhere else.

Jennifer Z

2023-12

We had to put our sweet senior kitty to sleep unexpectedly in the late evening. He was very near to passing and we needed to act quickly. The clinic near our home was unacceptable as they treated us very unkindly. We drove from Charlottesville to VES. Not only were they so very kind on the phone, but were amazingly kind to us at the clinic. The clinic is small and not fancy, but the staff is outstanding. They were so wonderful with us and our sweet old guy. We cannot thank VES enough for the experience as it was as positive as it could be. Thanks again.

Kaitlyn Hijjeh

2023-10

I’ve had to go here twice with my mini schnauzer, Beatrice, and both times they provided prompt (within reason as they are an emergency room), accurate and excellent care. I really appreciate their attention to detail with providing copies of records to me and sending x-ray images and other records to both me and my regular vet office as well. This makes the transition of care and continuation of the treatment plan seamless and low-stress. Thank you guys so much!

Terri Kendrick

2024-04

They were awesome my baby Lexi was dying and they were so sympathetic and even gave us the bag to bury her and didn't charge us anything. I was a wreck and they walked us through it.

Angel Vess

2024-01

Only 1 star because Anicira in Harrisonburg was closed. To be honest and in my opinion, while yes this place was/is open during holiday week, the amount of time I had to wait was insane. There was no sense of rush or urgency to help my baby. 4 and half hours of waiting, charged ridiculously. High way robbery is what this is. After getting 1 test done, I waited almost 2+ hours for results, just to be told nothing came up. 2nd test. The same thing, 2+ hours. Nothing pinpointed what it could be. An overnite stay would have been 2k+ $$$ RIDICULOUS. OUTRAGEOUS. but an outpatient was a smidge less than that. We will NEVER come back. (The responded review, all I read was “blah blah, we like money. No payment plans here. Your pet wasn’t sick enough to be seen with haste.”) Heres hoping my baby pulls through. 12/22/23

Ashley Harlow

2023-11

Dr. Addison and her team saved our sweet Golden Retriever’s life. Our dog had to undergo emergency surgery due to GDV. I am in healthcare and was extremely pleased with the entire team’s timeliness, communication, caring demeanor, and clear plan of care for our dog. I am grateful for their care and that our sweet golden boy is still with us.

Ashley Koehn

2023-10

We took our sick pup chicco in because he was very sick throwing up and not being able to walk really. The vet did amazing with him and so did the staff. Thanks to them and their treatment, our boy is almost back to normal. Forever grateful for them!

Jennifer Caton

2023-09

I was impressed by the kindness of the staff. Our sweet 13-year-old girl was very sick and, unfortunately, needed to be put to sleep. I called ahead; I was very distraught, and we didn't know what to expect. The lady I spoke with was very kind and talked me through the process. We traveled a little over an hour to get to their office, but as soon as we got out of the car, she opened the door and took us straight back to a room. They gave us all the time we needed before and after with her. The vet was very kind to both us and our very sick girl and explained the process as she went along. We are waiting for her cremains to return and her paw print keepsake. We also received the sweetest sympathy card from the staff. I would recommend Veterinary Emergency Services to anyone with urgent needs.

Lauren Mundy

2023-08

I was thoroughly impressed with Dr. Robertson and staff when I took my 14 year old dog, Lilly, there at 4 a.m. recently. I woke up to her shaking and panting nonstop, completely out of nowhere, and began to panic. I called the clinic and was told to bring her in. Immediately upon arriving, I felt at ease. The staff was friendly, professional, and empathetic. The entire time I spoke with Dr. Robertson, I could see the wheels spinning in his head as to what could be wrong- he was very detail-oriented, and knowledgeable. I highly recommend visiting this clinic if you are ever experiencing an emergency with your furbaby. 10/10 experience.

Leah Campbell

2023-06

We had to put our girl to rest this week and of course that was extremely painful for our family. They fit us in very quickly and we’re so considerate of our feelings. The assistants were very empathetic and comforting and the vet who completed the euthanasia was very kind and patient with us. Thank you for everything and I will highly recommend for anyone to use them.

Megan Weaver

2023-05

I cannot say enough wonderful things about my experience at Veterinary Emergency Services. Everyone from the front desk receptionist to the vet techs were phenomenal. I knew my pet was in good, caring hands. I appreciated the follow up text to check in on my pet. Dr. Stauffer was incredibly kind and knowledgeable. Everyone explained the treatment plan thoroughly and I was kept updated on my pet’s condition. I highly recommend this office if you are ever in need!

Amanda Burkholder

2023-07

When my dog was having breathing difficulties I brought her here. They immediately put her on oxygen. They were very gentle with her. The staff were all very kind and professional. And the vets went over everything that was going on with her and what everything would cost very well. They made her comfortable when I couldn't and I'm so grateful

Denise Gershen

2023-05

I cannot get over how lovely the staff here was to us during an emergency with our lab. I am so grateful for the effective and collaborative care we received from Dr. Stauffer, Dr. Robertson, Susan, Morgan, and everyone else who worked 1/14-1/15. I was an absolute wreck and was met with nothing but kindness and compassion from every staff member we interacted with. I also really appreciated that the staff provided us with frequent updates throughout the night—I was anxious about leaving our dog overnight because I just wanted to be with him, but their transparency and open communication helped us feel confident that our sweet boy was in great hands. Thank y’all so much for everything!

Miles “Khada” Paskel

2024-02

Called about a panicked issue with my Cat, a Miss Susan at the front desk answered instantly and had an answer for me in no time at all. Kindly trust these kind people with your pets!

Emma

2023-05

I took my kitty here when she was in renal failure. Dr. Robertson was extremely knowledgable and took the time to explain all of our options. The entire staff was very compassionate as we said goodbye to our sweet cat. Don't hesitate to take your pet to this facility.

Jacob Bell

2023-05

I had an absolutely terrible experience at this facility.My dog had eaten a tough chewer toy and the fibers became lodged in his intestine. His situation progressively worsened over a couple of hours on a late Friday evening and he could no longer drink or eat anything without vomiting just minutes after. Needless to say, this prompted us to take action.This was the nearest emergency facility and so we called and they told us to bring him in. They performed a set of X-rays which came back inconclusive regarding the intestinal blockage. We knew some fibers were lodged in the intestines, but we couldn’t discern the severity of the situation. They suggested admitting him to the hospital so they could rehydrate him and perform another set of X-rays the next morning in an attempt to see if the blockage was moving through his system or if it was stuck/required surgery. We agreed.A few hours later, around 1AM, I received a phone call imploring me to sign off on a surgical procedure to investigate the intestines. I was told the second set of X-rays had already been performed and were still inconclusive but they remained concerned and wanted to start surgery immediately.I denied the request to begin surgery based on the cost ($5k), inconclusive X-rays, and the fact that the vet had told us earlier that night that we have a few days before surgery is necessary because a blockage takes 72+ hours before it begins to damage the intestinal tissue (we were maybe 10 hours into the whole ordeal).When I rejected her request to begin surgery immediately, she began to try and convince me. I said, “the vet we talked to earlier told us that intestinal damage won’t occur for the first few days, is that true?” She said, “yes.” I replied, “okay, so with that in mind, can we just observe him until surgery becomes necessary?” She basically ignored this and continued to try to persuade me to do the surgery. I politely declined, again.The next morning I called upon waking and was confronted with requests for surgery again (even though they said he did well overnight with no vomiting or diarrhea). I rejected again and told them I was coming to pick him up.Upon arrival, I said I was there to pick up my dog. Apparently no one communicated to the staff that I was coming to get him and they became irritated by the fact that I was taking my dog home. The vet tech asked to speak to us and essentially treated my fiancé and I like we were bad dog parents for doing this. They reluctantly retrieved my dog, we paid the bill, and then we left.Later that day I learned that doing X-rays two hours apart is a textbook mistake. It can take several hours for things to move through the digestive system and so if someone is performing an X-Ray to check if things are “moving,” the standard practice is waiting 7-9 hours between X-rays. No wonder both X-rays looked the same and didn’t show any improvement! I called and asked for copies of the X-rays. I had to call five times over the course of a week before they actually sent them. And, when they did send them to me, they only sent me the first set that they took!In any case, my dog was fine. He started eating and drinking. No vomit. No diarrhea. Within 48 hours he was back to normal.Overall disappointed in the quality of care, lack of basic knowledge (such as performing X-rays according to standard practice), and terrible customer service. Seems like their primary motivation is money and not the wellbeing of the animals they treat.Over the next week or so, I had conversations with many different people who each had their own horror story about this facility.Avoid this place. Go somewhere else even if it requires more travel.

SDE

2023-05

We were traveling through the area and needed an emergency vet. We are so thankful to have found this vet. Every staff member was so kind and caring. They set the time expectations and kept us well informed of any delays due to more emergent cases. We would definitely recommend them!

Jasmine Monger

2023-05

My dog was bit by a rattlesnake and the care and support we received was phenomenal. They gave us many different treatment options and connected with us on a personal level when going over everything. They were very patient with all the questions and concerns that we had and my dog is already feeling great and on the road to recovery. I couldn’t be anymore thankful for the care they gave to my best friend!

Tamela Williams

2023-05

My allergy ridden dog decided to scratch her eye on Memorial Day. I called to ask if/when I should come in and was advised by the very nice woman on the phone to bring in my baby for an exam. When we arrived, we were greeted once again by two very kind women at the front desk and were promptly taken back to an examine room in a timely fashion. The vet tech who took down our records and took our baby back to be examined was very understanding and caring. Shortly after our dog being taken back, Dr. Addison came in to tell us that she had an ulcer in her eye and was very thorough in giving us instructions on how to treat it with the medications that we already had on hand as well as giving us new medications to add to the regimen. While the first night was rough (I hate seeing my baby in pain or discomfort), today has been much better, and we have a check up scheduled with our regular vet this week. I am so thankful for the wonderful staff for being open and available during nights, weekends, and holidays so that our fur babies do not have to suffer hours or days until they can be seen by our regular vets. I cannot imagine not having their services available in our area, and I sincerely want to thank everyone at the facility for their dedication and compassion the animals in the Shenandoah Valley.