PETS Referral Center

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.

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.

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!

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!

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!!!

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.

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!