Animal Emergency Ctr

This morning at about 6 am the Centre receptionist and Dr. Reis greeted us with the utmost care. Our 8 yr old asthmatic chihuahua was in great distress unable to breathe. He was immediately taken from me into the Dr. on call ,Dr.Reis, and I was advised step by step what was happening to him. I was very pleasantly surprised by the level of care received.We live in Hancock park where there are NO emergency care facilities within 5 miles and have always been sent to WLA -a long drive with a sick or injured pet.
I have 3 dogs and 3 cats all who have had emergencies through the years. I am glad that Dr Reis was there for us this morning - I don't think Gizmo would have survived the long drive. I don't mind paying for Emergency care when it is of this caliber . Who else is there for you at 6 in the morning?

Posted 09/19/09 | Report Abuse

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I was referred to this place from VCA Burbank after my cat was blocked. He needed to be monitored overnight because he was still having some complications. The minute I walked into the door I had a bad feeling about the place. The front desk people were very short with me because I had several questions and concerns about the costs of keeping my cat overnight. The vet that I saw seemed to have not taken the time to read the chart that I had brought from my other vet. He seemed to be completely clueless as to my cat's history and what had been done to him that last 24 hours. I was specifically told to call after 8 pm to speak with the vet to find out what the plan was for my pet, and when I called I was told by a very rude vet tech (April) that the vet would not be available her entire shift to speak to me for 5 min about my pet. I was basically told that no vet would even look at my cat until the next morning. This was very disappointing since I was questioning whether or not another night of hospitalization was even necessary. And I was paying over $500 for my cat to be on monitored on fluids for one day. I am VERY disappointed with the customer service at this vet and I will not be bringing any of my pets here again. I would rather drive a little farther to find a vet that actually cares about the well-being of my pet and is willing to address the fact that I would like to speak directly to a doctor and not just a vet tech. I think as a paying customer, this is not too much to ask.

Posted 08/22/09 | Report Abuse

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I just took my 11 year old cat, Buster, to the Animal Emergency Ctr. I had never been there before but I lived down the street. My cat recently had a bout of fleas though he was never outside. I was concerned he was just not right and caught something from them. Dr. Cavanough attended to my cat. He was pleasant and very open to my many questions. I knew going in that an emergency care place would be slightly higher and it was but not more than expected for after hour Sunday night. The staff I had to deal with at the front desk was very friendly and really fully explained everything. There was nothing found wrong but the Dr said to have my own vet follow up with the blood tests he did to see if there was a underlying problem. I saw many emergencies come while I waited for my cat to finish and the staff quickly took care of all of them. I felt guilty that my cat was not sicker. So I recommend this place for an emergency. It is nice clean and fully capable. I liked the Dr and staff was fine too.

Posted 06/14/09 | Report Abuse

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While visiting family in Sherman Oaks my little dog got into a fight with a cat at 2:30AM. Fortunately a neighbor (who was awakened by the fight noise) drove my dog and I to Dr. Cavanaugh's Emergency Animal Hospital. Upon arrival members of his staff quickly assessed the injuries and immediately rendered first aid. AND, within seconds Dr Cavanaugh began to treat the dog's wounds. I am convinced that his swift and professional attention saved my dog's life. Everybody should know that Dr. Cavanaugh, and his staff, are very talented and highly trained. I am very grateful for the services provided by the Emergency Animal Hospital.

Posted 02/24/09 | Report Abuse

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I have taken my mischievous Jack in to the clinic on numerous occasions.The staff has always been pleasant and caring. The Dr's. and techs are thorough and explain everything to me in language I can understand. I would be lost without Animal Emergency Center and the staff. I'd wait all night if I had to before I would take Daisy any where else.

Posted 12/03/08 | Report Abuse

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I've brought two of my family pets, both dying from different illnesses (kidney failure, and liver failure) in the past year, and both were saved by the extremely competent doctors and staff!
I had financial constraints, and they were more than willing to help me prioritize so that my pets could receive the best treatment at a somewhat affordable price. I've lived in the area for 25 years and would never go anywhere else!!!

Posted 11/01/08 | Report Abuse

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Who are you Paula G to tell someone who lost their pet and is understandably upset to "have a different perspective"? Wait until your pet goes and I wonder what perspective you'll have? Vets are great when they deliver your pet back to you in one piece, but when you lose a loved one, it's an entirely different perspective, obviously. You don't know that person's experience there, do you? Of course not. I,too, have had good and bad experiences at this facility. It depends upon many things including your pet's condition, the vet's attitude, your level of grief, etc. Her pet died. Let the person vent without your judgment if that's what they need to do to grieve.

Posted 10/28/08 | Report Abuse

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I have taken both my dogs here numerous times (every holiday for awhile, my boy, in particular, would find a reason to spend the evening there). Sometimes the wait is long, but generally that's because my animal is not as sick as the animal being treated, which is actually quite comforting. They (and this emphatically includes Dr. Chapman) carefully explain what is going on with my dog, and answer all my questions, no matter how complicated or simplistic. I adore them and every time I've been there and another person was in the waiting room at the same time, either we talked about how great they are, or comfort the newbie who is worried about his/her baby, and doesn't realize they've stumbled into the best place in Los Angeles. If someone has truly given me terrible service, I would not be afraid to give my name. I am very, very sorry for anonymous' loss, and I'm sure she (I don't know why, but it sounds like a "she" to me) believes what she is saying, but perhaps if she tried for more self-awareness, she might find that her perception of what happened at the hospital was colored by her terrible loss.

Posted 10/12/08 | Report Abuse

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OK first of all I want to say that this place is a godsend. If you live in Los Angeles and have pets, then you know how very difficult it is to find a genuinely pet loving vet center. You'd think that these people go into the field because they um love animals right? Most places just give you an attitude right off the bat when you are feeling your most vulnerable, then you wait forever to see a Dr and get pushed into all these expensive tests and bs just to be told your pet is OK or even funnier that they don't know what is wrong etc. None of that will happen at Animal Emergency center.

My story goes back a few months when the most idiotic Dr on the planet almost KILLED my cat due to his incompetence somewhere else in Weho. I ended up going on my gut instinct that something was terribly wrong with my pet and got a second opinion from Dr. Morgan. Some co workers told me about the place and I was desperate to find help. I brought my cat in who was literally bordering death. He was emaciated, severely dehydrated and heartbreakingly broken in spirit when I brought him in. He had not ate in days and was vomiting like crazy. The first thing the Dr did was look under my cat's tongue and there it was... a friken string that the FIRST Dr at the "Other" place managed to somehow "miss" during my cat's initial examination. Since it had been 3 days already of this slow torture, Dr Morgan was very honest and frank with me that my cat only had 50 percent chance to live. I was in tears and he did EVERYTHING he could to help me and he really really cared. He even came out and told me he was sorry and would help me if I had to put my cat to sleep. He did everything he could to try and get me financed for a surgery but I was not approved. To make a long story short, my cat ended up living! The medicine he gave me helped so much and it wasn't just that. I know he was genuine and compassionate and that really made a difference. I ended up bringing my pet back recently and once again he didn't try to push tests on me, he was honest and upfront about what was gonna be expensive and what wasn't. He's always offering help. He doesn't like to rip people off but overall he is a very kind professional person.

The staff is amazing too. They kissed and pet my cat and have always been way more friendly than your average so cal vet office.

If you care about the potential life and death difference in choosing the right place to take your pet than go here.. the Dr's, staff all of them really care and it shows in the results you get after your visit as well.

Posted 07/18/08 | Report Abuse

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I have gone to the clinic on Ventura Blvd. for a couple of years but will no longer. I have always thought they were over priced ($70.00 just to walk in the door) but I also have always liked the kindness of Dr. Cavanaugh (the owner). His front staff however is touch and go, sometimes they are friendly sometimes they are cold. Well, I took my dog there a few nights ago because she had a tear on her ear from another dog biting it on accident (Dr. White was the vet and very friendly), my vet was closed already so I had to take her to the Animal Emergency Center. Well after $740 of different stuff they supposedly had to do, I was told to bring my dog back in 2-3 days to have the bandage unwrapped at no cost. I was also told that the best time was to come between 6pm and 7pm any night. Well, it was time to get the bandage taken off yesterday (Sunday) so I drove 45 minutes in traffic to be there at 5:50pm so I would hopefully be first in line at the door. To my surprise the clinic had been open all day and there were about 4 people in front of me. No one had bothered to mention that Sunday's they were open all day long. I waited about 50 minutes before I was told it would be awhile longer up to maybe even hour more. I said I would come back the following day (Monday). Again tonight I drove another 45 minutes to finally arrive just minutes after 6:00pm myself being the only one in the lobby. I waited almost an hour listening to the two receptionists bicker about an employee that called in sick over the weekend and was complaining about having no money to go to the Emergency Care to get a Doctor's note for her boss who had requested one. One receptionist whom also is the office manager spent the entire time I was there also online looking up discount tickets for Disneyland for her daughter to go over the summer. How I know this you ask, because her and the other receptionist couldn't stop talking about that either along with what they were going to have for dinner but never paying any attention to me or letting me know any type of time frame (knowing all along I had been there waiting for awhile). Finally a very nice vet came out Dr. Reis I believe her name was came out and took my dog back to remove the bandage. I waited a few minutes and the Doctor came back with my dog and a new head dressing? She said the ear started bleeding a tad bit so they put a new dressing on it, told me to come back in 2-3 more days and walked back into the back area. I got up and the receptionist said that will be $35.00, I said I was told this was free when I first brought her in a few days ago. The receptionist in a snippy tone of voice said that is if they just take the bandage off, they changed it so it will be $35.00. By this time there were about 3 more people in the lobby listening. I said I had just spent $740.00 a few nights before and no one had told me I was going to be charged for this she replied back with if you leave and don't pay you will be sent to collections. I asked to please see the vet, again her response was you can't leave without paying or you will be sent to collections. I then asked to speak to the manager. She heads to the back and her and the other receptionist came out sat down and started helping other people without acknowledging me. I said is someone going to come out, the one receptionist said I am right here I am the office manager. Not realizing until then that the same lady that was talking about other coworkers and looking up Disneyland tickets for almost an hour was the office manager I asked to please speak to the vet. The office manager replies in a snide way "If your not going to pay your bill she is not going to waste her time coming and talking to you!" I quickly replied with I spent $740.00 the other night and have spent thousands of other dollars, referred people to this establishment and she is not going to waste her time on me. I was furious and the office manager had such a smug screw you look on her face. The other receptionist said if you don't pay your bill you will not be able to come back, so I flipped her off and left! She is right about one thing, I WILL NEVER COME BACK! There are plenty of other vets that will respect their customer and their customers money more than this place!!!.

Posted 03/31/08 | Report Abuse

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I took my cat Olive there when she got her hind leg caught in a barbecue handle.I thought my poor cat broke her leg. The staff greeted me with warm smiles and concern. The staff took my dear cat right in and gave me a brief summary of the cost office visit and maybe xray...I waited maybe 1/2 hour before I was told of my kitty's diagnose.The doctor explained that in his opinion after an exam that Olive's leg was not broken he did give me the chose to have her leg xrayed or take her home with some pain medicine.He was very clear on my options .I felt Olive's treatment was excellent I am glad I took her there. I walked out only paying a little under $200.00 which was cheap in my opinion and that was for everything even on a Saturday night I don't even walk out of my own vets office for under $200.00 most times.Thanks for the great Service my money was well spent..I love my cat

Posted 10/20/07 | Report Abuse

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Anonymous 1: Try not to take Dr. Chapman's behavior personally. Both myself and my girlfriend also had to put up with him, and you are right, he isn't very pleasant. He has a very sour and defensive attitude and was probably incapable of offering you any comfort. I do think that the center is a pretty decent place and the other vets are good, but Chapman has a chip on his shoulder and seems disconnected from people. When our dog was ill, he also displayed that "whatever, get over it" type of attitude, which was very off-putting. Unfortunately, you can't always choose your vet in an emergency. I would go back to the center because I've dealt with all the other vets over the years and they were excellent. I would just hope not to end up with Chapman as you did. If it's any comfort to you: I don't think he's medically any better or worse than the others. He's just not a very empathetic person.

Posted 08/08/07 | Report Abuse

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So I have been going to this ER for the last six years. It has changed quite a lot from the place it use to be down the street, but the one thing that has stayed the same is the great staff and doctors. Have you ever noticed that every trip you make to your daytime doctor you come into a new staff and doctors that you have never seen before and probably will never see again? Since I have been going to the AEC there has been staff added, but the same faces of doctors and staff are still there. That has to say a lot about a place that can be hard to work at to have the same staff members year after year. Yes you wait sometime many hours to be seen, but I have been there when there are people in the lobby waiting to be seen who will tell you they would wait because they don't trust anybody but the AEC staff to take care of their pets and will never return to their daytime hospitals for care. The prices can be high, but you are dealing with ICU care for your pet where someone is monitoring them the whole time, not just put in a run and checked on maybe while they are at the hospital for the day. This is a great group of people who I have seen laugh and cry with clients. They are caring and talented and we should all be lucky that there is a place like this to take our loved ones in their time of need.

Posted 07/31/07 | Report Abuse

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I have never posted anything on the Internet before, but after reading some of the reviews here I felt compelled to defend the AEC. It has been my good fortune to know Dr. Morgan Cavanaugh and the staff at the Animal Emergency Centre. Over the past nine years and 17 pets, he and his excellent staff of vets and nurses have helped my dogs and cats on many occasions. Most of my pets are senior citizens like myself, and have a multitude of problems that require alot of attention. Medically, AEC is top notch and their kindness and compassion are irreplaceable when dealing with a beloved pet. For me, as with many of us owners, it is an emotional time when our pets are ill or injured. The AEC is an exceptional refuge where I know my pet will have the best treatment and loving care, whatever the problem. My many thanks to Dr. Cavanaugh and his staff.

Posted 07/03/07 | Report Abuse

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As a pet owner of multiple pets, I have spent time in emergency hospitals across the country for various unfortunate incidents with my pets. Animal Emergency Centre is by far one of the best experiences I have had when dealing with an emergency. The doctors were top notch, the staff was courteous and efficient, and the care was unparalleled. I was allowed to visit my pet while hospitalized and see where she was going to be staying. The equipment is impressive and rivals that of most human emergency facilities. In many cases in life, you get what you pay for, and considering the level of care, diagnostic ability, and after hours availability, I felt that the medical care my girl received was well worth the money spent. I would highly recommend this hospital for any after hours emergency with a pet.

Posted 06/09/07 | Report Abuse

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I have been to this hospital more times than I could count. Yes, sometimes the wait seems interminable... But that's because the really sick or injured animals are getting total attention and care they need. If it's your dog or cat who's in critical condition, you're glad to have all hands on deck tending to your animal. That means the people in the waiting room may not be so happy, but if the tables were turned no one would say "oh don't pay much attention to my pet, just get through the line." The doctors are world-class here, the level of care unparalleled. Yes it's expensive. It's emergency. It's not meant to replace your regular vet. But when you need them, you're glad they're there.

Posted 06/01/07 | Report Abuse

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Hello. Dr. Chapman here. I have been wrestling with the idea of responding to "Anonymous 1" below for a couple of weeks and finally decided that it would be best if I did. I believe that the level of care that AEC provides is exceptional. Unfortunately, it's not always possible to reach the desired outcome, despite our best efforts.

In the event that "Anonymous 1" is reading this, I would like to address her directly:

First and foremost, I'm very sorry about your cat. As we discussed, the condition from which she appeared to be suffering carries a guarded prognosis and sudden changes for the worse, while rare, do happen. I cannot tell you exactly why she did so poorly that night, but I can tell you that every effort was made to give her the best chance possible to survive.

If you truly believe that her treatment was "clearly mismanaged," I encourage you to pick up a copy of her medical record from AEC (just call in advance and we can have it ready for you within 24 hours at the most - probably much quicker) and review it with a veterinarian you feel you can trust. If at this point your feelings have not changed, the next logical step is to file a complaint with the state veterinary medical board (http://www.vmb.ca.gov/comp-inf.htm).

With regard to my alleged "defensive, vague, and cold" demeanor, I recall that multiple attempts to console you (by myself and staff members) that night were met with the sternest and most immediate of rebukes. In my experience, people react to grief of this nature in many different ways. Some prefer to be left alone, which appeared to be the case for you. I'm honestly not sure how I could have handled the situation differently.

This is not the first time that I have treated an animal under your care; we've dealt with each other before with no problems of which I am aware. As such, I'm a little disappointed that you have chosen to anonymously attack me in a public forum such as this, where attempting to defend myself is virtually pointless. If you have any further questions or problems with regard to her case, please contact me via the clinic. I'm more than happy to discuss these issues any time I am free, either on the phone or in person. All you have to do is call.

This will be my only post regarding this matter.

Posted 05/29/07 | Report Abuse

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Both the doctors and staff were very professional while treating my dog. The hospital is clean and provides an on-site lab so I got results promptly. The did get very busy and the wait to see a doctor was a bit, but there was a steady flow of severly ill animals coming through the doors, so I understand why the wait was prolonged.

Posted 05/15/07 | Report Abuse

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Be careful which doctor you get, (One of the night guys basically killed my cat). My cat had been hospitalized for several days (nights here and days at Studio City Animal Hospital). For her final 2 days I received nothing but glowing prognosis' from both the day and emergency vets and she looked better and better each time I went to visit her. When I arrived to visit her for what was to be her last night, it was a different dr. than had been there any of the other numerous times I'd visited (the weekend overnight guy Dr. Chapman)? I had spoken 2 hours before to Dr. Flannerty b/4 he went off shift and told him that I'd be by to visit again later that night; he assured me that she continued to progress well and seemed to be out of danger. When I arrived later to visit her Chapman said "She's not doing very good, I don't think she is going to make it." When I asked what had happened to her condition in the space of 2 hours (i.e., since the last update,) he was very defensive, vague, and cold. Sure enough my baby girl died a few hours later w/o explanation (And she was only 8-years old, no previous health problems). Chapman clearly mismanaged her case and really didn't seem to give a rip that she died, (The whole attitude was like, shoulder shrug-oh well). RUN FROM THIS PLACE - (And unfortunately from Studio city Animal Hospital too if they continue their affiliation w/AE Ctr)- if you care at all about your pet, RUN!. By the way for 2 days overnight stay then her sudden death w/o notice I paid $4600.00 - STAY AWAY!!!!!!!

Posted 04/28/07 | Report Abuse

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The staff was very friendly and curtious. The hospital was very clean and looked very nice. However, service was not at all that great. I waited a total of three hours for the doctor to finally see my dog. Treatment for my dog's illness was very very expensive. GO TO THE HOSPITAL IF THERE IS A TRUE EMERGENCY!! If you do decide to visit make sure you have a lot of cash and patience.

Posted 04/01/07 | Report Abuse

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Good emergency clinic.

Posted 02/27/04 | Report Abuse

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