Kingston Road Animal Hospital, Toronto, ON

I need to say from the onset I had been a client of this clinic over 5 years ago and for 13 years. It was for the care of my previous female schnauzer who lived to be 13. After her death I did not intend to go back to this clinic as her “end of life” was not dealt with as previously discussed and agreed with by a senior veterinarian there. The only reason I did return is they had now become an emergency clinic and the closest clinic for my new dog that had become severely sick. It was this August when my 4 year old large standard poodle became quite ill his main symptoms were lethargy and overall weakness...it was 1am on a Monday morning and I went to Kingston Road clinic in hopes that after 5 years of being away they may have become a better state of the art facility (there huge neon sign would suggest that)....I was mis-lead and wrong. The vet on call (who I notice is no longer listed on the clinics website!) quickly diagnosed dehydration and produced a $2000.00 bill for various blood work which I gasped and paid half of this bill as he would not hook my dog up to the IV until I done sol!...(nice sensitive touch) I took my dog back to the exam room to assist the vet in getting the IV into my dogs front leg... (my dog has NEVER been overnight anywhere and never been away from me; I even groom him exclusively by myself!)...The vet then wanted to put him into a crate...the crate(s) and the entire exam room had NOT changed one bit. I was disgusted in what I saw and the crate that he had me place my best friend into was wide enough for him to lie down but he was NOT able to stand up in it! (I regret at that point that I did not leave immediately...when you’re emotionally vulnerable and worried you can make some bad decisions). When I went to see him the next day the clinic had no exam room available even though I had booked an appointment. I was put upstairs in the office and the staff there brought me a wool blanket. My dog could hardly make it upstairs and when he did he sat beside me with his head down and looked WORSE within minutes of our visit he put his head back and began to have head tremors... HORRIFYING!! The next day I was called at my workplace by a veterinarian from Kingston Road who basically told me that I needed to get my dog to Oakville ASAP as they felt a spinal tap and possible MRI/Cat scan was required...after trying to get my head around this shocking news he then asked “where would you like me to leave the bill?!....I gasped and could not believe the level of such insensitivity displayed at such a shocking time for me (after all I had been a bill paying client for 13 years!!! And already paid half the bill)....I hung up on him! Thank God my very wise dog walker friend was in town for the week visiting and told me of another Emergency clinic in downtown Toronto where a team of world renowned neurologist’s work (when I called the Kingston Road vet back to inform him that I wanted to have my friend pick my dog up and take him to this Emergency clinic he had no idea about the team of world renowned neurologist’s that work their ....huh?!)... My friend then called me from Kingston Rd. hospital and told me that they would not release my dog to her until I had paid out my bill!!! (Now there’s some real pet priority care!)... My best friend has an “undiagnosed brain disease”....he is still on some prednisone but has come back fully as the friend I met and adopted 4 years ago!!....My dog’s primary neurologist on his case never asked me for any money until 2 days after arriving!! She more then I believed in a positive even a full recovery for my dog! This neurologist also assisted me with finances too when it came time to pay out my bill...WOW what a difference in care and sensitivity...I will NEVER return to Kingston Road Animal hospital and needed to make other pet owners aware to not be fooled by that BIG NEON sign!!!...it’s what’s inside that matters.