VCA Raleigh Hills Animal Hospital

A friend recommended this clinic after my old vet (Burlingame Vet) changed ownership and operation. On the first visit, I made it clear that I had become wary of Portland vets in general because so many times, I had been recommend to purchase procedure that are good for padding the bill, but not necessarily in the best interest of my pet. VHC assured me that they do not operate this way. So I scheduled the needed surgery (molar extraction) after visiting both resident vets and having them convince me the anesthesia would be safe for my 11-​yr old dog.
To Dr. Blakemore’s credit, she called me the day of the surgery to advise she had discovered a heart murmur and recommended further investigation — just to be safe. She referred me to a Clackamas «heart specialist.» A friend took my dog in because I was out of town. He performed the requested EKG, but then wrapped my dog in a heavy jacket on the hottest day of the year to «monitor her heart further» for 24 hours. My friend, not wanting to take chances, accepted this. He also delivered a scary-​sounding report on the condition of my dog’s heart. I read it over and contacted him and I listened to his spiel — which seemed designed to frighten me. Then I said: «From what I can see in this report, language aside, my dog has the heart condition that might be expected in almost any 11-​year old dog — is that correct?» «Yes,» he said.
OK. So the heavy coat was already on, so I bought that one (total cost: $ 500 for EKG + $ 200 more for the coat and downloading of data from the scanner). But when he further wanted to sell me an ultra sound scan on her abdomen) $ 500 more, I called BS. He said it was «to determine if there were tumors on her liver and kidneys!» My dog was sent to him to verify heart condition — nothing was mentioned about liver and kidneys. Recent bloodwork and x-​rays had indicated nothing abnormal about liver and kidney function anyway. «Besides,» I asked, «WTF are you going to do if you find a tumor on an 11-​yr old dog’s liver?. Remove it???»
So — nothing on VHC or Dr. Blakemore personally, but I was referred to this guy by her. I felt the two vets I encountered at VHC were very caring about my pet. But after I voiced my concerns about charlatans, the first thing they did was refer me to one. Sorry VHC, but I specifically asked NOT to be treated this way so you have to take a ding for referring me to someone I felt was trying to frighten me into buying unnecessary services.
Portland Vets — get your act together. We love our pets, but your business depends on our trust. We would do anything for our beloved buddies, but that does not mean you can try and manipulate us into ridiculously unnecessary and costly treatments so you can send your kids to school. And if we cannot trust you to treat us with respect and show us that you are concerned about our pet’s health — do you really think we will let you take a scalpel to them? HELL NO!
So — overall, I would say this is so far a reasonable business and I am trusting Dr. Blakemore to perform my dog’s needed surgery. But I will be skeptical about referrals from now on.

I took my beloved pug here urgently on Friday morning for an injured leg after my regular vet did not have the capabilities to treat him. The appointment was exactly on time and the vet tech was very kind. Dr. Grubb treated my dog very well. We agreed on the treatment plan and I was aware of the costs up front. This vets office is not cheap but the care was excellent. My pug was there for a few hours to get sedation, labs and xrays. They called me in a reasonable time and I came to pick him up. We agreed to watch his behavior at home overnight for improvement. Dr. Grubb called me 3 times over the next 24 – 36 hours with genuine concern for my dog. I appreciate her thoroughness and especially her kindness.

I am so appreciative of the compassion and care I received when I had to take my dog here in an emergency. They were able to fit me in right away, did not charge me an office visit and had some left over donated pain meds and antibiotics to give me for free since they knew we did not have the money at the time. They did what they could and showed compassion in a stressful time. I cannot thank them enough !!!

My boyfriend and I came to VCA Raleigh Hills during an unexpected out of town crisis with our dog. We were recommended by an emergency veterinary clinic to come to this clinic, and we are so glad we did. This time was incredibly stressful, and not only did the amazing vets and staff at Raleigh help save our dog’s life, we were blown away by their compassion and professionalism. They went out of our way to allow us to be a part of the decision making processes, which gave us a sense control over the situation. They provided excellent education to us so that we could make good decisions that would provide a good outcome for our dog, but were also sensitive to our pocketbooks. Dr. Grubb went out of her way to make multiple calls to her colleagues to ask for additional advice and consultation to ensure excellent care. She also helped us transition our pet’s care plan for when we returned home to WA. Dr. Grubb is still available to us if we ever need to call and ask a question about our dog’s ongoing health problems and is in contact with our local vets on updates and help with care plans. Thank you VCA Raleigh!!!

This place performed things I had not authorized, and which I had on record that were NOT to be done. The vet assistants and the office staff were rude. Needless to say I found a really great vet elsewhere, and never looked back. Be forewarned!

Dr. Rebecca Martin at VCA Raleigh Hills goes above and beyond for the care of my beloved animals. I trust her with both my Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs and my cat — she has excellent bedside manner with my pets and does a thorough job of explaining things to me to make sure diagnosis and post care management are clear. We’ve been there for a wide variety of treatments (dental, neuter, back pain, UTI and many more) and I have felt confident in her knowledge each time. I also love the hours this clinic offers and the office manager Tracy also sets the bar high for vet clinic staff — always has a cheery face and «how can I help you» attitude.

I couldn’t have been more impressed with the AMAZING staff at the Raleigh Hills Animal Hospital! I am a new cat owner and was more than anxious taking my already anxious kitty to the vet for the first time. From making an appointment over the phone to meeting with the vet tech and then the vet herself, EVERYONE put my fears at ease and made my cat feel safe and loved. I couldn’t have anticipated a better experience. Everyone took their time and didn’t make the appointment feel rushed. I truly appreciate the vet going the extra mile in clearing up some issues with previous medical records on my cat to not only assure he was healthy, but that I wouldn’t be troubled with costly medical care. If you are looking for a vet hospital to take your animal in which they treat each four legged fur child as their very own, this would be the place!

I took my wounded kitty here Saturday night. These people are only about the money. Never felt any compassion for my kitty. Dr. Grubb (seriously) and staff tried every trick to upsell unnecessary services to the tune of $ 800+. Got kitty taken care of for about $ 200, but only after turning down all but essential services. Also, their markup is insane. Antibiotic that I pay $ 4 at Walgreens for CHILDREN (amoxicillin) they up-​charge $ 23. And that’s only after I had to question an $ 87 antibiotic.
I would never go back. This was a bad experience.
Terrible place for your precious pet. And they are unscrupulous about taking advantage of a pet owner who doesn’t know better.
«Grubb-​for-​money»

p. s. — how does this place still have an overall 4 star rating despite the numerous bad reviews? please don’t be fooled by this and save yourself the nightmare of going to VCA Raleigh.
Very tardy, and not true to their word. Had an appointment but yet they made me wait a total of 4 hours. Took my cat to the back room and held her there for an inordinate amount of time just to draw some blood. They promised blood test results in 2 days max, but it’s been much longer than that and still nothing. I keep calling to find out the results and to find out what’s wrong with my cat and the receptionists keep promising that the vet tech will call me back to discuss, but i’ve now called 5 times, and not once received a call back. I asked that at the very least they email me the test results so i can take a look by myself, and they keep saying they will but nope, nothing!
All this after i paid $ 600. Oh yeah, they rip you off too. Found out these tests are 4 times cheaper at most other vets. Still don’t know what’s wrong with my cat.
Update: The horrible service continues to date. It’s now 10 days later, and i still do not have my cat’s blood test results. I’ve paid $ 600 and am really worried about my cat. I call them at least once a day (and also email them) to find out what’s happening with repeated promises that someone will get back to me, but nada.

Dr. Yuko has been a blessing for us. Our Boston has an image that she is the largest dog in the world. She has a bad history of getting involved with larger dogs and getting the brunt end of the deal. Dr Yuko has been there for each and every time. We can only say thanks to the awesome work she has done for us an our pets. She has care she has provided for them and us both.
We highly recommend this clinic.

Our 5 year old German Shepherd was involved in an altercation with another dog, which resulted in lacerations and puncture wounds to her front paw. As it happened on a Saturday afternoon (at about 1pm) our usual veterinarian office was closed. VCA Raleigh Hills had extended hours (until 10pm) on this evening, and when I called I was able to obtain an appointment that evening at 8pm for evaluation.
The staff in general were very friendly and prompt, and got us back to a room fairly quickly. My biggest grievance comes from the VCA organization in general. It was recommended that a blood test (~ $ 190) be ordered before sedation ($ 105), and that we treat her with IV amoxicillin ($ 92) after cleaning and suturing her wounds. Trying to save some money, we asked for a written prescription instead, which we filled at Walgreens for $ 22.
Upon discharge, we were encouraged to return in 3 days for a wound check, for which we would not be charged. When we returned 3 days later, they took her in the back room, and then returned shortly after with her paw re-​wrapped, saying that overall it looked pretty good. On our way out, the front desk staff said that the total would be $ 34. When we tried to rebut, saying that the cost should have already been included in the first visit, she replied that the visit was covered but the $ 34 was for the veterinarian’s time, as well as supplies.
Overall, I feel that the people are friendly and prompt. However, it seems as though the organization is trying to squeeze as much money as possible out of each visit and not thinking about options to try to save customer’s money. We felt the only option presented was either to have a lab test performed or not. Being charged for bandaging after being informed the visit charge was covered during the initial visit also seemed unethical. Though we liked the late hours, we will probably not be bringing our pets back here because of the business practices.

I adopted a gorgeous 12-​year old Tuxedo cat from the OHS a couple years ago. My other VCA vet (Clackamas VCA) astutely diagnosed hyperthyroidism from the state of his fur, and recommended radiation treatment. Not cheap, but effective and a «cure» for the condition. She referred me to Raleigh Hills, and the doc there, Dr. Yuko Eguchi-​Coe, along with her assistant, Melissa, was really fantastic. I worried about radiation in general, and she assured me by describing in great detail the procedure and the precautions. They were both friendly, professional, thorough and obviously animal-​lovers!
I left my sweet cat in the care of Melissa, who sent me DAILY updates, often hilarious, about his condition, mental state, eating habits, etc. I highly recommend this team for anyone needing this procedure for their cat.
Also, by the way, you might want to get rid of non-​organic carpet and bedding: the anti-​stain and «flame retardant» materials are strongly implicated in the growth of animal tumors as well as the rise of human obesity over the last 40 years. They are hormone disrupters and are very toxic. Cats and dogs lie on these chemicals and then lick their fur. Do them, your family and yourself a favor: research this and act. The Oregonian had a fine 5-​page investigative journalism spread on this a few years ago, google «flame retardants» and check it out.

7:00 on a Wednesday night and my dog is howling in pain for no apparent reason. This hospital is fortunately close to me, and they said they would do their best on a short staffed night to see him as quickly as possible when I called them en route. They did see him, and took excellent care of both of us. It turned out that he would need surgery to set the break, and that was most quickly accomplished at another hospital, 20 miles away. So at 11:30 at night, at the end of their shifts, a vet and a vet tech are driving with me so that they can keep my Rover comfortable in the car with his enormous splint and his pain meds. If that is not loving, heartfelt, five-​star service, I don’t know what is.

I took my 10-​year-​old dog to this clinic. The first visit was $ 430. I did not receive any information related to the labs or x-​rays for 10 days despite five phone calls. My dog was ill and required treatment. Despite the illness of my dog and the lack of return information, it took five days to see the doctor. I live, on a fixed income. The second visit was going to be $ 450. I could not afford that. The reason for giving clinic a 3 stars is at least they are friendly and they did care about my dog’s illness so that she did receive antibiotics that I could not afford. She needs surgery. Portland has insanely costly vet care. I may have to go out of the city to get care. In TX the most I paid 4 a sick pet was $ 175. Annuals were $ 150.
The surgery estimate is $ 1622 it. The procedure includes a laparoscopy. I am in MD and I think this is an unnecessary expense. They’re going to open the bladder anyway so doesn’t make sense to do a laparoscopy on top of it. Just my opinion.

The okay stuff: Front desk staff were courteous, it’s relatively easy to get an appointment, rooms were clean and bright. I took my cat here because of a flea allergy. He is an older cat, but is healthy, spunky, and sweet. The doctor successfully helped my cat and handled him well, and he improved almost immediately.
The not good: The doc here was not friendly to me and did not really listen to my cat’s symptoms and behaviors I was describing. She seemed rushed throughout the whole appointment and towards the end, reprimanded me for not getting his teeth cleaned regularly and for not electing to do mature cat bloodwork that day (which was not related to the immediate concerns, and which we would rather discuss with our regular vet, which I explained to her). Not only is that rude, but it guarantees that I will not seek such services from this vet in the future! I felt that the bill was large for the service (nearly $ 150) and especially so since the doctor was rude.
Maybe she was having a bad day, but I think questioning a client’s care and devotion to their pet (especially when it’s obvious that my 2 cats are like my furry children, and obvious that I am concerned about their well-​being) is neither appropriate, nor a sound business practice.

I accidently posted this review under the Rock Creek VCA… This happened September 2012…
Last night, my two year old Boston Terrier decided to play with a bee. I noticed something was wrong with her and immediately start searching for a vet that was open late. I called VCA and even though they were booked with appointments, the receptionist told me to come down.
Right when I walked in the door they took my pup back and told me they would give me an update ASAP. They had to give her Benadryl and a steroid shot to stop the swelling and the hives. They brought her back out as soon as they felt comfortable with her progress. The vet tech was very informative and explained everything to me. I was able to chat with the vet for a few minutes to discuss the steps I needed to take over the next 24hours.
When I was getting ready to leave I expected a large bill since it was an emergency type situation, but I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t too bad. Today Debbie called me to check on her progress and see how she was doing. I was extremely pleased with the service we received and will definitely be going back (hopefully not soon!!!)
Update…
Yesterday my pup got a vaccine from another vets office. She ended up having a bad reaction to it. We called the other vets office around 5pm to which they said it wasnt due to the vaccine and she should be ok.
By the time she was showing major symptons (her face was completely swollen) it was already close to 8pm. I immediately called VCA and they told us to come in. They knew exactly what was wrong with her and knew it was because of the lepto vaccine. Dr. Yuko is amazing. My puppy hates going to the vet and always struggles to get back to us when they take her away, but when Dr. Yuko holds her, she is calm.
They give amazing and informative care there, making sure we feel comfortable with everything. When I went to pick her up this morning the vet tech said, «please call us with any concerns and I mean anything, do not feel silly about asking questions». That is great customer service and I can tell they really care about their patients.
This is officially our new vet.

While I was on vacation my cat began urinating and defecating in my entryway. I gave it a week upon returning to have him straighten his act up, then decided that it might not be a behavioral issue after all. I recently moved to Beaverton and wanted to find a closer vet than his old one (VCA 12-​Mile).
I was able to quickly make an appointment with Dr. Blakemore to have Cosmo seen, which was a bonus. After a series of tests it was determined that my cat does indeed have some serious medical concerns (besides being old, 14, and overweight). He has stage one kidney insufficiency and possible hyperthyroidism (still awaiting further test results on that one).
Dr. Blakemore and the vet tech, Annaliese, were very caring and sympathetic to my woes. They were both very knowledgeable, and helped my anxious and scared cat feel at ease. he even let them trim his nails (which was a super added bonus). Annaliese went out of her way to be as non-​invasive and scary as possible.
Despite receiving bad news regarding his kidneys (and possibly his thyroids), I had a very positive experience. The waiting area and exam room was clean, the coffee was good, and my cat was very well cared for. I will be returning.

My 3 year old dog has been to the vet many many times because of various illnesses and what not. Because she has been to the vet so often and has been poked and prodded and had many discomfortable things done to her she hates going. Every time I have to take her to the vet I end up dragging or carrying her into the examination room only to have her hide in the corner.
Well she was due for a physical exam and I recently moved to Portland. This clinic is in walking distance from my apartment so I decided to give it a go. When the vet came into the room I was blown away by her desire to make my dog feel comfortable. She took the time to allow my dog to become comfortable with her. She explained to me how she feels bad for dogs like mine who have had vets push them so much that they end up hating vets. She wants to correct my dogs fear of vets by taking extra time to get to know my dog and make sure she feels safe. No vet that I have ever gone to has done that before and thus I give this place a 5 star review for an excellent first impression.

I just spent a ton of dollars making my dog have bionic knees. Everyone there was awesome. Especially since my muttly has a social anxiety issue that makes him incredibly intimidating. The staff just rolled with it. And one awesome tech even gave up her lunch to make sure he would eat so he could take his meds. They also discovered that he likes to sing along to AC/​DC. Who would have know.
Anyway they take excellent care of your fur kids.

Our poor old cat has been hit with a trifecta of unfortunate medical situations recently: lymphoma, kidney failure and severe anemia. Despite the best efforts of the folks at Beaverton Pet Clinic, they recommended we take our guy to the experts at Raleigh Hills VCA. Side note to Sam W: doesn’t look like I will be threatening your dukedom at Beaverton Pet Clinic any time soon. I was getting close!
I think we’re lucky we ended up taking Bert to VCA Raleigh Hills when we did. Dr. Mcdonald suggested that perhaps he wouldn’t have lasted one more night if he hadn’t come in. I believe her 100%. All weekend long we agonized over his well being, and we needed to get something done. Dr. Mcdonald, Amanda and the rest of the staff have put us at ease with our cat. We both know that he is in the hands of the experts at this point, and that during this 72 hour stay at the hospital they should be able to improve the quality of his life. We recognize that our time with him is drawing to a close sooner vs. later, but we are able to come to terms with it as a family.
I’m rambling, let’s talk about the animal hospital. It’s clean. It’s comfortable. Even though I’ve only visited once, I *genuinely* believe that the staff cares about each of their patients. They invited me to come back and visit my cat during his stay, and I was able to witness the behavior of the other animals along with the care of the technicians. It’s evident they operate with integrity and passion. It goes a long, long way toward our comfort.
Perhaps the greatest endorsement is that my wife couldn’t be happier with Dr. Mcdonald. The decline of our cat has been especially hard on her, and Dr. Mcdonald’s sensitivity combined with her realistic assessment of Bert’s condition has been a huge help. While Bert isn’t out of the woods yet (and may prove not to ever fully emerge) we’re confident that he is receiving the best in care. So, thanks to the Raleigh Hills VCA from our family. We are grateful.