VCA Milwaukee Emergency Center for Animals

My wife and I recently had to euthanize our dog, Spike. It was one of the hardest things we had to do. The whole VCA team, receptionist, tech, doctor and even the euthanasia company were all helpful and very compassionate making the process easier for us. We were happy we chose VCA to help with our boy. Thank you to everyone who assisted us during that hard time.

Make sure to get exact prices for all services they propose before the treatment is performed. Ask for exact costs. The vet was not clear about costs of shots she proposed. Cat got seen right away. I declined the $450 x-rays. Exam fee was $175. Staff was helpful, and did seem genuinely concerned about my animal. Gave a frank assessment of the euthanasia option.

I brought my cat in because I had concern for a urinary blockage and the urgent care I took him to for his first blockage wasn’t able to see him that evening. The staff immediately took him back to be examined, and put me in a room. It took 40 minutes for the vet to come in which was fine, but it is disconcerting when you bring your pet in for an emergency and no one updates you for that long and your pet is not with you. It would be helpful if you were told you might have to wait about an hour without your pet or an update. The vet was absolutely fantastic. I believe her name was Dr. Crooks. She gave me all my options and the cost associated with them. I understand with it being emergency care the prices will be higher. Everything done there was about twice as expensive as a regular vet. When we agreed on a plan, I waited about another hour for results. There is a lot of waiting here just like at a human ER. The seats are extremely uncomfortable except for 4 chairs with cushions. Once the tests were done, the vet updated me on her recommendations which involves another surgery but she was very open about the cost of getting it done there vs his regular vet. She was able to give him medications to keep him comfortable till he was able to get the surgery done elsewhere. All in all I am very thankful he was able to be seen that night by a fantastic vet and I am appreciative that this type of care exists. However unless it’s a true emergency, I would try an urgent care due to cost and wait time. Hopefully we will not have to come back, but it’s nice to know you can get quality emergency veterinary care.

My dog was hospitalized for pancreatitis at VCA for several days. I really felt like their vets and techs were practical and sensitive. They collaborated with my primary veterinary to avoid costly diagnostics that were already performed and I appreciate that their staff text cost updates daily and the veterinarian on shift called twice a day with updates about my Ravioli. Unfortunately, the disease was too much for my little senior dog and I had to make the hard decision. Dr. Richter was very kind and compassionate and honest with me about Ravioli’s prognosis, and gave me all the time I needed to say good bye. We moved to a comfortable room with soft ocean waves playing and a big comfy couch, and each room has a call button system so I didn’t have to leave my little guy to call for assistance. They trimmed a lock of hair from my pup at my request, and I ordered a paw print with his cremation. I was able to pick up his ashes about a week and a half later, notified by text (which i appreciated greatly). The cremains were in a wooden box of my choosing, then placed inside a nice velvet bag within a paper “gift” bag. Everything was labeled with his name and a bar code to make sure I got my pet back. Obviously no one wants to say good bye to their best friend, but I am incredibly grateful to the VCA MECA team for being there when we needed it. I feel like both my dog and I were treated with the utmost respect and I would recommend their services to anyone who may need them.

We took our dog in around midnight and due to his condition we were able to be seen right away. Doctor Shimon was very empathetic and attentive to our dog’s needs and provided him adequate care. He shared helpful information and very kind words to give us peace of mind and support. He even followed up by calling a week later to check in on how things were going and expressed that they are always here for us if we need anything else. Thank you for your attentiveness and compassion during such a stressful and scary time.