PETS Referral Center

Sandra Wintmiller

2024-04

It was our third emergency visit to the PETS Referral Center, and we felt cared for every time! However, this time, we had a VERY serious emergency with our cat!We arrived during the late evening hours, and they took care of my kitty with a blocked bladder immediately and saved his life. Couldn’t be more grateful! It might be pricey, but when your cat has a severe emergency after all the places are already closed, nothing matters! I HIGHLY recommend this place for your kitty. We got an invoice for 4800 dollars for hospitalization for 48 hours, but then our kitty was okay after 36 hours, and they let us know immediately that he was ready to go home, and then we got over 1000 dollars refund. Loved it! Oh - during our pet’s hospitalization, we were able to visit him - posting a pic of my kitty from our visit with him. So glad to have my kitty back home. Thank you, PETS Referral Center. 😻

renee boicourt

2024-05

Great experience at PETS Referral Center. On a visit to Berkeley from NYC, Sam, our Golden, started limping after no apparent injury. PETS Referral Center saw him right away, the wait was short, and all the staff top notch. Blood work turned up something potentially serious (including possibly Cancer, which kills a lot of Golden Retrievers young), but instead of advising more tests then and there, the vet recommended we wait until we returned home for a further workup, since it could also be something that Sam could fight off with a little time, rest, and some anti-inflammatory meds.Some vets would have seized the opportunity to push (and charge for) more tests at the outset, but this Berkeley vet was very balanced as to how it could be serious but might very well not be, while not sugar-coating things and making it clear that follow-up at home was essential. He explained that there was no risk in waiting a couple of weeks for our vet at home to follow up, especially since that vet would be advising us as to any further treatment. At the same time, he was very direct, while kind and measured in delivering inconclusive but scary news. By the time we got home, Sam was on the mend and blood work by our regular vet showed that the earlier problem had resolved itself. A happy ending. I can't imagine better interim care while traveling. Recommend highly.

Isabela Beato

2024-04

We took our dog there two weeks ago because she was short of breath. She was promptly diagnosed with an aspiration pneumonia and needed to be hospitalized. I can’t stress enough how much I'm thankful for the care the whole team provided to my little one. From reception to nurses and doctors, everyone was very caring and compassionate. They made us feel comfortable by providing reports frequently and being very transparent about everything they were doing. Thank you so much to the whole team for everything you did for our beloved Antonella.

Sally Hindman

2024-03

Our family was deeply grateful to Dr. Nate Kane and the team at PETS this week when our beloved 15 1/2 year old, already not well, dog had a crisis and needed to be seen in an acute emergency. We found the staff super kind and caring, and Dr. Kane extremely sensitive, knowledgeable, and able to deal with the complexity of the hard decisions we needed to make in a way that truly lessened the trauma for us. The wait time was short and simply everything about this clinic was stellar in our opinion. We recommend PETS and look forward to coming back for future care of our animals.

David Austin

2023-10

Barely any wait time to be seen and the nurses and Vet were very kind and treated my dogs face wound when she was attacked by another dog. The initial price they gave us was more then we could afford so thankfully they worked with us on that and we had her (my puppy) back first thing in the morning. Would very much recommend.

D P

2024-03

My dog had an emergency last night and PETS Referral Center took fantastic care of him. The staff was kind and did a great job explaining the treatments. They were transparent about the cost of treatments and helped us figure out the best course of action. My dog is recovering and I’m so thankful for the care he received here.

Jill Fisher

2023-05

I never thought I’d be writing a review of an emergency vet center but here I am.My poor 6 month old baby accidentally ate some grapes (which I didn’t know were toxic) and after some impossibly helpful advice from the ASPCA and this center we decided to proactively give her an IV and keep her here for 48 hours to monitor her kidneys and help flush her out. During this time every single vet and vet tech/nurse was so impossibly kind, supportive, patient, educated, and compassionate.I felt safe keeping my baby there and knew she was in great hands. It’s not cheap, for sure, but pet insurance was crucial and I was so grateful for their care of my pup. I was also so happy they let me visit her and all of the staff throughout 24 hours a day were so so kind.I hope to never come back, but if I do I’ll be grateful they’re here!

F M

2024-04

Great staff. Prices are not that bad considering they will most likely attend to your needs pretty quickly without an appointment. I have brought my cat and 2 bunnies here. Highly recommend.

Linnéa Landgren

2024-01

We had the best experience taking our dog here when he was having respiratory issues. A very nice nurse named Bunny was thorough in explaining what steps would happen, and how billing would work, then she took our little dog back to get his vitals done. When they returned she had good news for us: that he was healthy overall and that the breathing issue was due to an allergic reaction would clear up with regular Benadryl. She ended up not charging anything at all, which was far beyond our expectation of kindness. We will definitely be coming back here for any future emergencies.

Morgan Webb

2024-01

Brought our dog up last Sunday to find out after an ultrasound that she has a large tumor on her spleen. We spent several hours throughout the day getting different tests and exams done which included a little over an hour in the waiting room while she got an X-ray and labs. While it wasn’t immediately apparent how busy they were if you just saw the waiting room, I kept getting flashes of how busy they were in the back as different workers came in and out of their back room. I couldn’t believe how much our vet was juggling bc it never felt like she had any other patients but our dog. It really felt like she took a lot of time talking to us and listening to us. Her exam felt thorough and we left feeling well taken care of. I’m really grateful for the team that took care of us.

Clair Byrd

2024-03

We have had to come to PETS several times with different animals over the years and what was once my go-to, “they will fix it” place has declined into a terrible, “can’t be bothered” hospital. Maybe if your pet has physical, visible trauma they are still okay to treat them. But stay away for anything internal—they will not listen, let your pet suffer for hours before doing anything, and hardline on the most obvious/standard diagnosis even when the symptoms don’t match what they are communicating is the issue, and telegraph blame to the pet parent. They are not staffed appropriately or with the right expertise to be handling urgent cases with complexity.

Mike Burton

2023-05

I can't recommend PETS highly enough, both their ER and oncology department. A little over a year ago, my 15-year-old Yorkie was diagnosed with highly aggressive melanoma and Dr. Kimberly Shaffer became his oncologist in the PETS Annex Center. Dr. Shaffer was great at explaining all our treatment options and how they worked. She was super patient with us as we asked a thousand questions, even when we doubted her conclusions because we didn't want to believe our dog was really dying. Franklin hated going to his regular vet, but the staff at PETS treated him so lovingly that he didn't really mind going there.Last week, to our utter devastation, Franklin finally reached a point where we had to end his suffering. We knew we wanted to go to PETS because it was the one veterinary hospital that didn't make him anxious. It was also really nice that we only have to give them a half-hour notice. We actually chickened out on our first attempt to take him in and called to say we needed another day, and the staff was nothing but sweet and understanding of our decision. In fact, that's how that they were every time we called. We did have to go back the next night and they set up a room that was peaceful and private for us to say our final goodbyes. As awful as it felt to lose a member of our family this way, the experience was so much more bearable because of the empathy and love of the people at PETS.Franklin was actually the second pet I've had to say goodbye to at PETS. Three years ago, our cat suddenly became ill, so we went to the ER because we couldn't get an instant appointment at our regular vet. Unfortunately, they were not able to save her that day, but we were impressed with how kind everybody was even then.If I could make them my primary care vet, I would, but that's not what they do. Losing a pet is one of the worst things in the world, and hopefully, you won't have to do the same as us on your visit to PETS, but you can trust that any visit there will be handled with care, competence, and compassion. I honestly, don't know how they are able to maintain this level of care 24/7.

Douglas Berryman

2024-02

Nothing but bunch of crooks!!! Money money money is all they are about! We brought our sick dog. Initially got a bill for nearly $6000 ( deposit). They painted doom and gloom. They gave us a list of potential problems but no concrete answers . They wanted out dog to spend the night at $6000 . We took our dog home and he is doing as well as can be suspected. Never will if I need medical care for my pets will I return. Update (2/3/24) my dog is extremely well. What pet referral did was an absolute nightmare. They terrorized my wife with a “ possible “ fatal diagnosis along with potential other problems but no concrete diagnosis: Lung Lobe Torsion ( extreme rare, fluid in the lung, infection in the lung…. They presented us with a bill for $6000 for basically doing nothing except an x- ray!!!! They wanted our dog to stay the night for observation for $4000 telling my sobbing wife ‘ He could possibly die if we take him home. We recommend leaving him with us tonight.” Then they said we need to do more diagnostics in the morning with an ultra sound and possibly a CT scan for another $4000 on top of the $6000 for a total of $10,000+!!!! $10,000 for just a diagnosis????? They continue saying he could have this very rare diagnosis. They didn’t care about the other possible problems ( fluid in one lung ( maybe) and lung infection). They picked the most expensive possible diagnosis that would cost possibly $10,000 to diagnosis and surgery would be another $10,000 for a grand total of $20,000!!!!! My wife was being terrorized and it seemed they took advantage of my wife’s trauma. We asked can we take our dog home and they recommended against it saying “ your dog could die tonight in your home.” Even the thought of putting our dog came up. I am glad to say two weeks later our dog is as healthy as can be…. Running, jumping all over the place. He was never ill and the vet prognosis was your dog may die. Unbelievable experience and it cost us $2,000 and they absolutely did nothing for our dog… no prescription for a lung infection— NOT ONE DAMN THING!!!!! Again our baby is perfectly healthy and very much alive. Bad vet experience!!!!

Leyla Ismaili Krstic

2023-08

I would give them a million stars if I could. Our 9 y.o. Alaskan Malamute, Murray, was diagnosed with anaplastic sarcoma and we were referred to them by our amazing primary care vet (Leah Isaacson @ Walnut Creek Vet Hospital) after we were rejected by UC Davis Oncology for an appointment. I'm so glad it worked out that way because our whole experience from reception, appointment scheduling, Oncology, Surgery and post-op has been amazing and they really moved quickly to help get us in for an oncology & surgical consult to help save Murray. The doctors were very up front and realistic about treatment and costs, really taking into account Murray's quality of life and not trying to sell anything. Leg amputation was the best chance at saving his life and giving him hopefully another couple of years. They moved quickly to accommodate us and scheduled his surgery as soon as we got all the reports back showing no metastasis. They got the last report in the evening, called me after-hours because they knew we were already on borrowed time, and they got us in for surgery first thing in the morning. This is a phenomenal hospital and team. They are professional, kind, caring and even though they are a busy hospital, whenever I've called with questions they are always so nice and helpful. They all love what they do and took the best care of our Murray and saved his life! Thank you Pets Referral Center!

Johnna Arnold

2024-01

I have lived in Oakland for over twenty years with three different dogs, and I have always struggled to find a vet that felt "just right". My dog came down with a high fever, no appetite, and lethargy, and needed to be hospitalized over night while tests were run. After being told there was a 6-8 hour wait at a/the oakland pet hospital, during which i would have to sit in the car in the parking lot with my my sick dog, I walked directly into PETS referral and was given EXCELLENT Care from stem to stern. The vets were knowledgable and kind and very willing to discuss options to help me understand what they wanted to do and why. the assistants fell in love with my sweet girl, and everyone took time to communicate with kindness. My dog is back home and the cost was under what they had originally estimated. THANK YOU PETS REFERRAL!!!

Alyssa K

2022-05

We’ve unfortunately have had to bring our pup here multiple times. However, we cannot thank the staff here enough for taking such fantastic care of our fur baby. He is a reactive pup and the staff are always so patient with him. Having to take him in during pandemic times, we appreciate how communicative the staff are during the whole experience. D says his thanks as well!

phyncke

2023-11

I have had to take my cat (Bear) here for a few visits recently for recurring issues at times when my regular vet has not been open. They are my preferred emergency vet. They are very kind and compassionate and do a wonderful job and are really responsive. They are in a temp spot as their regular offices get renovated so be aware of that. Everyone here is nice and for emergency care - their prices are fair - it is more than your regular vet but not outrageous. They have come through for me and I will always go here for ER stuff for my cat.

Eliza

2024-04

This place is the best!! Helped us so much with our pup! Very fast and affordable!

Ruby Ro

2023-10

i love this place. i brought my old lady dog in for an emergency and they were so caring and sweet. they were so generous with accommodating our financial situation as well. i didn't get a chance to thank them properly. . . but THANK YOU! for taking such good care of penny and making sure she had what she needed to start feeling better.

William Laves

2023-08

The ER is completely unprofessional, I arrived at 11pm last night, with my dog coughing and choking. After waiting for half an hour in the lobby, when I pushed to have his vitals taken, I was quickly ushered outside and told he might be infectious and that we would need to wait in our car. The triage nurse did not take his vitals, and tightened his collar to the point that it exacerbated the choking.The triage nurse informed us the wait would be 1-2 hours (it is worth noting that the last time I came to PETS referral I was told it would be 1-2 hours and it was instead 6 hours). After waiting 2 hours I attempted to call in, respecting that the staff did not want my dog in the lobby. The phone rang for 30 minutes before I gave up and went to Pacific Veterinary in Lafayette where my dog had his vitals taken immediately and where the wait time estimates were accurate.To add insult to injury, at 9:30am I received a call saying they weren't quite ready to see my dog. It is appalling that anybody would find it acceptable at an ER to leave a patient waiting without even taking vitals to assess the urgency of the case. While I understand triaging patients, there was no assessment taken to even determine the urgency of a dog who was stopping breathing intermittently (which we informed the nurse of).I would not recommend anyone take their dog to the ER here for care.

Jon Catalona

2024-03

I took my cat there because he hadn't eaten in 2 days. They have me waiting for over three and a half hours. My cat was stuck in his carrier all that time. He may have had to go to the bathroom he may have been thirsty he may have been hungry and I could not wait any longer I left. That is just not right.

Jacek Lechowicz

2023-10

Fantastic, caring, professional, and helpful.My dog was attacked at a park and as I was rushing him to another emergency hospital in Berkeley, the same dog attacked a friend’s dog in the same manner. The dogs are the same size and the wounds were almost identical. He took his dog here while I took mine to the other emergency hospital in Berkeley, where my dog is also a regular patient.I ended up paying more than $1000 more at the other hospital than my friend who came here. (They also charged me for blood work despite the tech noting that he has just had blood work done there 1.5 months ago which looked perfect, and the veterinarian also tried to push an unnecessary ultra sound exams that would cost thousands, and said X-Rays would also be good to have. My friend who brought his dog here did not deal with any of this.)Well two days later my dog had popped his stitches and I decided to bring him here. I braced for the worse, but right away I was treated far better than at the other hospital. The veterinary technician brought my dog back almost immediately, unlike at the other place, and they were out within a minute. I was told that the veterinarian had taken a look at the wound and feels that it’s healing well and would not recommend stitching him up again!I was not charged for this and sent on my way. It is incredible seeing such honesty and kindness from this practice! At the other hospital, where my dog is a regular patient, it was necessary to pay an emergency exam fee before they even took the dog’s weight. I feel the other practice is a straight up money grab and exploits and preys on people who are distressed about the health of their beloved pet.I whole heartedly recommend this practice to anyone whose pet is experiencing an emergency or any other condition which they treat. I will be bringing my pet here and have already recommended it to all my friends with pets.Thank you Pets Referral Center!

Tanya Cope

2024-04

We have been with this group over years and most recently had to bring our dog in last night. As others mentioned it may not be inexpensive but they provide smooth, prompt and professional care.

Rhiannon Bogart-Mandrik

2022-05

My 2 year old cat Bogey jumped two stories off of our balcony and fell on a cement bird bath last January. He was screaming and covered in blood. I immediately called PETS referral center and brought him in. I was so worried and they did an amazing job. They monitored him for around 8 hours to make sure he didn’t have a concussion, took scans, and ran a full panel. The vet called me after about three hours to tell me how Bogey was doing and how exactly his medicine should be administered. It was around $700 and worth every penny. I also had to bring my cat Bella in because she had a terrible allergic reaction to flea meds. Once again it was amazing service and I highly recommend taking your pets here when there is an emergency! I meant to write this review a while ago but Bogey had his yearly check up since this accident and it reminded me.

Leah Goldberg

2023-08

Avoid at all costs. They lie about wait times, eventually everyone peels off and goes to PESCM. My dog has been waiting with no other animals here, in respiratory distress for two hours and they haven't had anyone at reception for the last hour. No new patients in the interim. Won't answer the phone. Rude and don't care about your pets whatsoever. Driving hours away to another clinic would still save you time and frustration.

Moon 12

2023-06

This was the only place in a 30 miles radius who was able to see us same day (or night in this case) I called several emergency clinics and the wait time was between 6-10 hours, while I understand they may be understaffed I wanted my pup to be seen sooner than later.Check in was fast and easy, staff was friendly, the doctor explained to us what needed to be done and why.Total wait time and treatment 2.5 hours and prices were reasonable.

nik safe

2023-06

I recently visited Pet's Referral Center with my dog who was suffering from blood diarrhea. I was desperate to see a doctor as my dog had lost a lot of blood and fluid. The staff at Pet's Referral Center were amazing and helped us with our dog, providing top-notch care and treatment.One thing that really stood out to me was their approach to treatment. Rather than immediately prescribing antibiotics, they provided probiotics, which shows that they prioritize finding the most effective and least invasive treatment for their patients. This was a refreshing approach to pet care, and it's great to see that they are keeping up with the latest research and trends in the field.The wait time was about 5 hours, which was still significant and that's why I gave it 4 star, but it was much better than the 9 hours I had to wait at another hospital previously. The only downside was not being informed about how long the wait would be, but the staff were friendly and helpful throughout the entire process.that's why I gave it 4 starOverall, I would highly recommend Pet's Referral Center to anyone in need of veterinary services. They provided excellent care and service, and I'm grateful for all they did for my little dog. If you're looking for a veterinary center that prioritizes effective and compassionate care, look no further than Pet's Referral Center.

Ezra Layson

2024-04

My first visit here and it was awesome! All staff were very friendly and they showed love and kindness to all pets.

Jenne King

2023-08

No one wants to visit an emergency vet, but when an emergency requires your pet to be seen, this is the place to go.Dr. Haughton saved our cats life this weekend. She helped us make appropriate and most affordable choices when our female cat had a serious urinary blockage. Yes it was expensive, yes we had to come back over two days as there were many animals that were triaged ahead of us(!), but they kept an eye on her vitals and she is alive and well today because of the care she received.I saw many bereft pet parents come with pets and leave devastated after putting their beloved animal down - several treatment rooms were filled with crying families saying a final goodbye.We were fortunate to leave with our girl after receiving amazing care. But, in my 8 hours at the clinic, I watched many pet parents attempt to get shots or other non emergency care and yell at staff because they had waited hours. And then the foxtails. So many animals with embedded foxtails in their sinuses and eyes is a good reminder to keep our houses and parking strips clear.

Marisa Levinson

2023-09

Unfortunately we’ve had to bring Mac to PETS a few times for various issues. The staff has been consistently wonderful, from the front desk to the vet nurses to the doctors. Like any emergency department/urgent care, animals are triaged based on severity. Waiting sucks but it’s par for the course and means your pet is stable- something to be grateful for! We spent the afternoon/evening yesterday dealing with what turned out to be a foxtail lodged in his neck. Dr. Mamo and her team took excellent care of Mac. We were provided with a very fair, itemized estimate before anything was done. Hopefully we won’t need to come back any time soon, but we’re comforted knowing PETS is always open and available!