Pender Veterinary Centre - Fairfax (24/7 Emergency)

Excellent vet care for your fur babies! There aren’t a lot of places that are capable and prepared to treat exotics. Pender is a hike for me and my fur babies, but I know they’ll get kind, compassionate care with appropriate tools and treatments. I also like that there are a lot of exotic vets, so it’s possible to get in quickly with a pet. Little guys can’t wait a week for a vet to see them.

My cat had an injury possibly from an encounter with another cat and a wound that looked like it was getting infected so I decided to drive to the facility at 8.30pm on Sunday rather than wait till Monday. We were able to be seen, very quickly, even though the ER was at capacity, the lady at the front was very kind. I would recommend in case of an emergency. My cat is now healthy again and a happy cat again.

This place was wonderful. I took my hamster here emergency at 9:30 at night. As soon as entered the emergency floor, a tech grabbed my boy and immediately took him back. The staff was compassionate and empathetic to my situation. Dr. Spear was thorough and transparent with me in regard to my boy and his condition. She offered me all my options and reassured me either wouldn't be inherently bad. They did the best of their ability on their end as for treatment and diagnosis. I would absolutely bring any pet back to this facility and suggest anyone to do the same.

Last night I unfortunately had to put my 11 year Doberman Riley down after 7 great years together. We brought her to Pender after she refused to eat and felt there was something serious going on with her. The staff, despite the number of patients, got us situated immediately. Dr. Mikhael was an absolute professional - sympathetic, kind, and informative as he gave us some initial thoughts on Riley’s deteriorating condition. He jotted down his immediate thoughts on possible causes prior to running blood work/tests and patiently answered all the questions my wife and I had as we were trying to process what had seemed to abruptly happen over the course of a couple hours. He gave us the appropriate space to process and didn’t force us to make a rash decision providing full transparency on costs/expectations. After running various tests, Dr. Mikhael laid out the results and briefly stood by as we thought aloud what we felt would be the best course of action for Riley. And after making the difficult decision, Dr. Mikhael stayed past his shift to administer the euthanasia when he could have easily passed Riley over to the overnight veterinarian(s). Despite how heavy my heart feels writing this with painful memories fresh in my mind, I felt it absolutely appropriate to acknowledge and thank Dr. Mikhael and the rest of Pender’s staff for their support last night. I hope whoever from Pender’s staff reads this review can forward my deepest gratitude to Dr. Mikhael and the rest of the team. Thank you.

Dr. Cranston saved my dog's life! She's been caring for our pets for a decade. Upon entering the room, Dr. Cranston gets down to the dog's level and bonds with the dog. This helps relax your dog (and you) and builds the dog's trust so that Dr. Cranston do a more thorough examination. Dr. Cranston is very patient and does not rush you at all. She gives you helpful options, with the pros and cons, so you feel comfortable with your dog's treatment. She helps you make the best decision for your pet and for your financials. The vet technicians at Pender are wonderful! They clip my dog's nails as he's too much of a handful for me to do it. They work diligently to get them as short as necessary, without hitting the quick. He comes out wagging his tail every time. Thank you to everyone at Pender. You detected my dog's cancer early and helped him be here with me today.