VCA Miller-Robertson Animal Hospital

Dr Peckham was not the friendliest or most accommodating vet I’ve been to. We have a rescued puppy who likes to play and I didn’t need my apartment reference letter to say «mouthy.» She knows he’s a good dog and would do no harm but wouldn’t exclude that part… even after we expressed that we don’t want him to go back to the pound because our complex won’t let us keep him. My girlfriend wants to just use the other Dr since the office staff is friendly and it’s clean but I’m insisting on finding a new office. I agree everyone else seemed nice and it didn’t smell bad. For how expensive it is and the fact that it’s not super close to us, it’s not worth it now that he’s going to have a different vet. I wanted to give it a 1 but I added an extra for everyone else who was actually nice.

The friendly, professional staff at this place is made up of dedicated people who have made it their mission to help pets live longer, healthier lives. So far so good, my lab Jack is 12 years old and still going strong.

Here is an update… as you can see it’s almost a year later, and they are still sending me bills for this visit. They have sent it to collections, but I am not paying it. I already told them that. I live out of the country now, and have a vet in Denmark, that treats her very well. I also told them I was moving out of the country. She has never had a cough or retching like that before or since. So I’m sure she got ill from their vaccination, which wasn’t necessary, but the wording on the postcard made it sound like it was a required shot for all dogs.
I wish I proof-​read my previous post… I can see a lot of typos. Sorry about that!

Wow… Do you enjoy completely indifferent pet care delivered in a surly and inefficient manner? Then VCA Miller is the vet for you! I took my dog here for a urinary tract infection (UTI) within the past 11 months. They gave her a scrip for antibiotics and the infection resolved.
We decided to travel with our dog for Thanksgiving and we were away when our pet exhibited all the classic symtoms (up all night with her, repeated incomplete urination and more water drinking than usual). She was clearly uncomfortable and in need of an atibiotic dose.
I called the VCA clinic and told them that they had seen my pet and she now again had a UTI and requested that they call in a scrip for the antibiotic they scripted last time. I advised that we were away from home for the Thanksgiving holiday. After waiting more than 4 hours for a call back, they said «sorry we won’t give you a scrip unless you bring the dog in for another exam.» Clearly, this is not about pet care but about the almighty $$$$$.
Took my pet to a local clinic where they gave her the scrip for a UTI. Glad I did’nt wait for the VCA Miller people. Perhaps this review will disuade a few clients from visiting… I hope so! Any vet knows how uncomfortable a UTI can be for a dog. VCA Miller knows full well that the vet will prescribe an atibiotic based on the symtopms which are related by the owner. So the ONLY reason they wouldn’t give the scrip was beacause they wanted to make the $$$$ from the appointment. Beware of a pet business run with only $$$ in mind!

Dear Dr. Lomond, VCA veterinarians, and VCA staff —
You added years to Kori’s life through her cancer surgery, tumor removals, emergency visits, and general care and today, November 12 2015, you were just as loving and professional, as you helped Kori ease into peace. Kori was nineteen years old and was loved, but it was timely and humane for her to ease past this life today… Thank you all for your kindness, respect, and care.
Much love,
Todd & Lee

Very friend staff from the front desk to the doctor. Dr Allison Peckham was very kind and honest. Brought my cat in for a check up because I noticed my cat shedding more than usual, and had some sort of cat dandruff. She told me all the steps needed (no nickel and dime here). If come back here, I will definitely ask for Dr. Allison Peckham.

Their prices are exorbitant. Imagine $ 18.00 to trim a cat’s nails, or $ 42.00 to clean a cat’s ears! I perform these «procedures» at home on my cat in a matter of minutes.
I have NEVER gone to this place without receiving /​paying a bill in the triple digits. I shudder and cringe because I know how deep I will have to dig into my pocket for routine visits, vaccinations, minor infections, etc. Do they think money grows on trees? I don’t have a money printing press in my basement.
Often times, they don’t bother tell you all of the costs involved until you get the bill. The vet comes in and starts making a series of «recommendations» and expecting you to nod approvingly. Only if you ask will they present you with an estimate of the costs before performing their «recommendations.» Their recommendations are always 5x as long as the reason I went there in the first place — not unlike going in for an oil change and the mechanic tell you you’ve got 10 car problems to repair.
All «recommendations» and procedures are performed behind closed doors while we wait in the lobby. Never understood why we can’t observe the vet techs in action, especially to see where my $ 18.00 and $ 42.00 go.
Look elsewhere if you value your money and work hard for it.

I have boarded my dog here on several occasions, and I have been extremely impressed each time. They send me photos and updates of my dog, which is very comforting. The staff is nice and seem to really love the animals, especially the manager Christopher… he’s great! The prices are also competitive compared to other boarding places. I will definitely be coming back here for their services.

The best VCA in SoCal! Been bringing my cat here for baths and grooming… Gina is the greatest! I highly recommend her. Friendly, kind pet care.

Super friendly staff. Dr Peckham is great with our pups.
I’m only writing a review so that hopefully Unilocal filter will believe I’m a real persona and actually post my review of the HORRIBLE pet insurance we got.
The staff at VCA gave us 3 brochures and we called all three and they seemed all the same price/​deductible/​co-​pay, so we chose PETPLAN. It’s useless. When you sign up on the phone they don’t tell you that your $ 200 deductible is PER CONDITION. It’s hidden on their website but on the phone they don’t tell you.
Don’t waste your money on it. I’ve spoken with most of the staff at VCA and asked them to warn other patients about this company when they ask for insurance recommendations.

Anyone who takes their pet there should know that some of these reviews just are not accurate in their normal service. They are all truly careful to care for all pets. I have been taking my dogs there for the past 10 years and wouldnt take them anywhere else!

I don’t know what people are talking about. I brought my girlfriend’s dogs in and they were super nice and caring.
The front office staff were really fast and professional. Margareta took great care of us out front. Dr. Lomond was great!
It was a good visit all around. They told me what we need and what our options are. No pressure.
Love these guys.

On Saturday, April 18, 2015, Lisa Lomond of VCA Miller Robertson performed a Senior Wellness Exam including x-​rays and administered two routine (or so we thought) annual vaccinations on our beloved and perfectly healthy best friend and companion — a 10−½ year old Yellow Lab named Balan («Baylin»). During a second visit Lisa Lomond three days later Lisa Lomond completely and utterly failed to recognize the symptoms of and diagnose an acute, life-​threatening immune reaction to those two vaccines. The next morning, our boy was on deaths doorstep at a VCA Specialty Hospital in Fountain Valley not because Lisa Lomond recognized her inability to diagnose an acute, life-​threatening condition (even though the vaccinations she administered were the cause of that condition) and sent us to seek out a more qualified medical evaluation, but only because we knew in our bones that there was something very wrong with our boy and Lisa Lomond apparently didn’t have the slightest clue as to what she was doing.
On VCA Miller Robertson’s website, Lisa Lomond holds herself out as «offering alternative holistic medicine» as a «certified veterinary acupuncturist» believing that «Eastern and Western medicine complement each other». However, not once during our initial visit did Lisa Lomond mention the «alternative idea» that repetitive annual vaccinations in older dogs may have serious negative (much less life threatening) side effects. However, it only took me five minutes of internet research, to read and understand a deep and wide body of evidence that while not conclusive, certainly shows a very strong correlation between continued repetitive vaccinations in older dogs and the particular auto-​immune response our boy suffered. In fact, many veterinary advisory bodies now recommend against repetitive, annual vaccinations. I will never forgive myself for not knowing this myself. But I find it even more unforgivable that a licensed Veterinarian whom I assumed I could trust did not know this information.
The heartbreaking ending of the story for us is that after a week of intensive inpatient care at VCA All Care, four weeks of intense home treatment and a total expense in excess of $ 10,000 our boy suffered a total relapse of his condition. At this point we were faced with having to begin an even more aggressive course of treatment with little hope of a meaningful recovery and the only merciful thing we could do was to hold him as closely and lovingly as possible for one last time before we let him drift off into his final deep and permanent sleep.
I can’t even begin to describe how losing such an integral and beloved family member has broken our hearts not to mention the fact that it just never should have happened this way and I cannot help but wonder if things would have gone better for our boy had Lisa Lomond made a timely diagnosis of his situation. I do know that we would have made a much different decision about those vaccinations had she warned us of the possible side effects and recommended a blood titer test as an alternative and she would have made the same lousy $ 100 on the titer test that she made on the two vaccinations.
I can only hope that sharing our story prevents even one other family from risking the loss of such a wonderful and loving companion by using this incompetent and wholly negligent excuse for a Veterinarian.

I recently brought my elderly dog for dental care. Everyone from the reception desk to the doctors were very caring, They understood my worries and reassured me that my dog was in excellent hands. Thank you Dr. Peckham for all you’ve done. Your love for animals shows
Francine L.

A few weeks ago my puppy was sick, and I decided to try this place out. I went in with a «free first visit» voucher and they told me that my puppy was healthy. He was vomiting and they didn’t know what was wrong with him. They wanted to take x-​Rays of him– which obviously seemed reasonable because something was wrong with him internally– but then they wanted to do extra things and the estimate came up to $ 1,000 dollars so I decided to rethink it and just get a second opinion from another vet. I took him to another vet and they did a few x-​Rays and we found out what was wrong with him. My vet bill was around $ 200 dollars. I saved $ 800 dollars. I just feel like VCA takes advantage of the unconditional love one has for their pet and just tries to make and take as much money as they can from you, instead of being reasonable and helping you.

I was very concerned about my rabbit after it was attacked by a local dog. My kids love the rabbit so we wanted to do everything we could to save the rabbits life without spending a bunch of money. The staff at miller robertson worked quickly on a solution that saved the bunny and was reasonable. They were empathetic and curteous. Would definitely recommend them to a friend.

Best hospital I’ve ever been to. The staff and Dr.‘s (every one I’ve seen) are always so attentive to my dog and cat. There are a lot of vets around but I choose to go here for 2 reasons:
The quality of care for my pets is uncompromised. They educate me with everything they do and I always leave knowing they did everything my pet really needed.
The customer service is out of this world. The manager Chris is always excited to see my pets and is even there to say goodbye with enthusiasm. Everyone is very warm and inviting, a culture that is very unique in a place I need to trust for my pets well being.
There’s a reason why this place is so famous and busy! Because they’re awesome! Worth my time and the 30 minute drive I take each time I come. *****

I am absolutely horrified. I brought my poor puppy to see the vet about a stomach bug and he was ATTACKED by another dog in the waiting room. There were no attendants at the front desk and the other dog’s owner was incompetent and rude. I had to beg her to control her animal and get him off of mine. My dog is incredibly sweet and gentle and around other dogs all the time. Nothing like this has ever happened to him.
The manager apologized and told me (in a very patronizing manner) they would cover the costs of repairing my dog’s bleeding ear wound as a «courtesy.» A «courtesy»? How about having this never happen in what should be a safe place.
I had been a loyal customer for years but will never return. Shame.

READ ON, THESE PEOPLE ARE EVIL!!! DONT GO THERE EVER!!! GO TO ASEC SAVE UR PETS LIFE DO NOT COME HERE!!! 1200 $ to save my little pocket doggy of an allergic reaction (bee sting) and 24hrs later they asked for 2000 $ more to perform further exams because Dr Chapman was «getting more and more concerned» thats despite that fact I called them 12 times last night and was told my dog was doing better n better every single time. When i finally was «allowed» to go visit him this afternoon i found him to be way worst, with blood all over the nose and nobody could tell me what had happened to him???
When i complained that he wasnt being supervised and asked how he possibly could in this lethargic state find a way to be so anxious and desperate to get out of that cage he d actually make his nose bleed the nurse assured me she had spent «the entire morning with him». So i asked again: why the fuck is my dog injured?! And she again told me she had no explanation. He was covered in shit, filthy and looked so miserable i couldnt possibly leave him there another second! I restrained myself very VERY hard to punch that nonchalant lying maleficient nurse in the nose and asked for a transfer. I had to insist like crazy while these beyond unhumain people were putting on the «but we wana make sure he can see the right specialist, we only want whats best for him“show. Theres a sepcial place in HELL for people like this!!!
When i dropped him off all freaked as i thought he was dying in my arms convulsing out they didnt even THINK to ask me if he usually took meds! The next clinic i took him to told me the fluids could had killed him since he has a heart condition!!! Wtf u serious people!!!
So i went to ASEC asap (yes i had the time to check Unilocal while they had me waiting for hrs as i refused to leave until dr chapman gave me some expalnations– she NEVER CAME BY– and realize how shitty THIS place actually is at that point also).IT IS A SLAUGHTER HOUSE! They just want ur money and to keep ur dog as sick as possible.
The ASEC drs are totally on point. The 1^st thing they asked me was «is he on any medication?». They cleaned him up immediately and even put lotion on him. Professional and sweet. They reassured me and made sure i could see him again before leaving him overnight — vs VCA «um no sorry he s in the back thats restricted», yes i do NOT WONDER WHY, that s because «the back» is probably too disgusting to show pet owners!!!
They called me as and when they said tomight to give me news whereas Dr Chapman was waaaay too busy panicking other people to be able to get on the fucking phone with me while she had me thinking my dog was going to die. They even pretextes they coulndt forward emails to that other clinic. Finally ASEC s estimate was 700 $ vs 2000 $. DO NOT GO THERE NO MATTER WHAT!!! I hope they all go to hell n burn there forever. Also, i dont get the 5stars reviews, clearly these people are getting paid to say those things they COULD NOT BE FURTHER FROM TRUTH AND MORE INACURATE!!! Disgusting business

Beware!
I brought my sick dog in for help & Dr. Lomond was the vet that he saw. The vet said that he needed an X-​ray, and that it would cost $ 260.00 which I approved. That was the last time I got a cost update, so in my head I added in the vet’s cost, imagining around $ 420. When my dog was released to me a half an hour later, my bill was almost $ 1,100. Get your cost up front & before any lab work/​treatment is done because this corporate chain will run up your charges without keeping you informed.