Fresno Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center - Fresno, California

Elizabeth S.

My wife and I took our dog in at 2 am because he was deathly ill all day. The first vet we saw told us to strongly consider euthanasia because he wouldn’t walk. They were the THIRD vet we’d gone too. I wish we had started with them first!!! They really set our dog up for success with broad spec abx, fluids, and nausea/pain meds for home. They reworked the previous hospital vets plan of care and created a significantly better plan.
We left there feeling far more confident to nurse our senior dog back to good health. It’s been 4 days now and he just ate his first meal and got up on his own for the first time. I credit this phenomenal team for saving my dog’s life.
I want to qualify my observation with the fact that I am an ER nurse for humans. I know what great care looks like and it’s in the small details. From start to finish I knew they were capable. I recognized that just in how the nurses came out with a freaking gurney to get our immobile (at the time) dog out of our car. There were so many nuanced things they did in comparison to the two vets we saw earlier that told me they were solid. I also want to say that I greatly appreciate the fact that Dr. Burt actually listened to our roller coaster of a story. I genuinely felt she cared. This ER team f* rocks. I say this regardless of what my dog’s outcome would have been. They made it so if Finn hadn’t turned around, we genuinely felt we had tried our best without being cruel (have to consider his age).

Also please tell Gandalf (the Grey) cat, pspspspspspsppsp

Brianna S.

My puppy tested positive for parvo previously in the week. My primary vet is closed on weekends, and they told me if her condition worsens to take her to this hospital. Yesterday (01/25/2025), she went downhill pretty quickly, so we didn't waste any time and took her in. We were checked in promptly and the front desk staff was amazing. They had us in a room within the hour. We did have to wait about 3 hours before being seen by the doctor, but there were more urgent cases that came in so we didn't mind waiting. I'd want my pet to be first priority if there were other patients who weren't as in dire need of attention as well! Totally understandable wait time considering my pup was stable at the time. Doc finally comes in, and talked us through all of our options in great detail. He was very kind with our shy Dobie girl. Our vet tech came back in, and they had options for us ranging from $300-$4,400. There was absolutely no judgement for what we could or could not afford. They were prepared to go with any treatment plan we chose without batting an eye or casting judgement. We chose a plan that got her full treatment, without hospitalization so it was roughly $1,800-which is still MUCH less than what I was expecting to pay when we decided to bring her in. They took her back and treated her with CPMA and gave her some other things to help with immediate symptom relief.
This morning (01/26), she is already feeling so much better. She ate breakfast, and drank water on her own for the first time since Wednesday night. She has energy and is already starting to act like her normal, crazy self.
God forbid anything else happens to my pack, this will 100% be where I take them for emergencies. The staff was amazing and took incredible care of us. I'd like to give a special thanks to our vet tech, Jenny. She was our tech throughout the night and guided us through everything. And another shout out to the wonderful veterinarian Randy Castanaza who took great care of our baby!

Alexis M.

It’s hard for me to do anything right now after losing my beautiful blue eyed Lily but I have to write this review. On the night of 10/23/2024, my husband was tucking Lily (hairless Sphinx feline), and her sister into bed when he noticed that Lily was breathing really hard using accessory muscles. Alarmed, I Googled the nearest Emergency Vet and this place came up with the most number of stars on Google Review and being relatively new to Fresno, we had not established regular Vet care yet. We rushed her to the hospital around 11pm and they roomed us really fast. Next, Alex the Vet Tech came in to weigh and get vital signs from Lily. Next Dr. Tolman came in to assess Lily then it happened so fast it’s kind of a blur. All I know is that I felt very comfortable with both Alex and Dr. Tolman and felt their compassion. Lily was fine and playing several hours ago and now this. Knowing that getting all of the labs, radiology and the specialty film read will take several hours, they promised that they would call as quickly as they know something, so being exhausted and thinking all will be fine we went home while the treatment started. We said see-you later to Lily and went home. As promised, Dr. Tolman called me about an hour after getting home and she broke the bad news. It was confirmed that my Lily was in heart failure and she gave me several options. I chose to have Lily treated and kept her a full-code. Dr. Tolman explained the treatments to me and I requested that she move forward. The plan was to try and off-load the fluids, so that Lily can breathe better and treat the failing heart and stay over night and once stabilized, I could take her home the next day. Dr. Tolman promised that she will call me if Lily has any changes. About 4am my phone rang and I already knew and started to cry. Dr. Tolman explained that Lily was declining and we need to make some decisions. My first question was if Lily is suffering and Dr. Tolman said she is fighting to breathe and we need to consider letting her go. By this time I was frantic and more frantic I became the calmer Dr. Tolman became trying to soothe the situation. Next, I asked if there was any way to turn this around and she point-blank said, “no.” As a Registered Nurse with a background in Trauma Intensive Care, this is where Dr. Tolman really earned my respect. There were no umm or hesitation in her words which told me that making Lily comfortable was her priority. I really appreciated that as I too did not want my precious Lily to suffer. Alex got on the phone to confirm and she was very sorry that we were going through this and she was authentic. These people deserve more than 5-stars and those that are complaining because of wait times, have you been in a human ED lately? This is the cost of healthcare. I would absolutely recommend this Emergency Vet Hospital and matter of fact, I added their location and number on my Emergency list stuck onto my refrigerator for my cat nanny in case there is ever a need while we are traveling. I hope we won’t need them anytime soon but if you’re looking for a truly good ED for your babies I would recommend this one. They also arranged for a private cremation and I will be picking up Lily’s ashes as soon as they call me. They also kept the carrier and the blankets so that I can pick them up. When I picked up the carrier, I noticed that Lily’s blankets were washed, thank you. You made one of the most difficult day of my life endurable.
Key points: Compassion, Knowledge, Professionalism, true love for our furry or not furry friends.

jdieter06

I live in Visalia and was calling everywhere to get my elderly male pug seen for a cough that had progressively gotten so much worse yesterday morning. I was worried I would have to wait till 5pm for my dog to be seen by our local ER. It wasn’t until a local vet told me about Fresno specialty care that I called them and proceeded to rush my dog in. Little did I know it wasn’t actually a cough and my poor dog was actually struggling to breathe. The staff was so very compassionate and gentle in discussing options. Due to his age and other pain related conditions we agreed in humanely euthanizing my very sweet 14.5 yr old pug. I could not have asked for more from such amazing staff to explain and be there for me during this process. They were so kind and caring while I was grieving. I’m so grateful to everyone there and the sweet paw and nose prints of him. Thank you all so much for everything you did ❤️

Kristin M.

I cannot say enough good things about this emergency vet clinic. They took incredible care of my baby girl, who is my whole world, and made a very stressful situation so much easier. From the moment I walked in, the staff and doctor were incredibly kind, professional, and attentive to both my dog’s needs and my own concerns.

I want to give a special shoutout to the front desk staff—they were so nice, helpful, and patient, even with the added chaos of a holiday. They really went above and beyond to make sure everything went smoothly.

I’m honestly surprised by the negative reviews because my experience was nothing short of amazing. I drove an hour to get here, and it was 100% worth it. I’m so thankful for the entire team and truly appreciate how hard they were working, especially on a holiday. Thank you for taking such good care of my girl—you all are lifesavers!

Maria R.

I cannot express enough gratitude for the incredible care we received at Fresno Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center. From the moment we walked in, the staff greeted us with compassion and understanding. They ensured that my dog was comfortable throughout the entire process. Sadly, we did leave with having to put our Doberman down. When we received this letter, our hearts were so warm. I wholeheartedly recommend Fresno Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center to anyone in need of veterinary emergency services. Thank you!

Kathy F.

My dog, Joey, spent 2 nights 9/14 & 9/15, as an inpatient in the hospital under the care of Dr. Randy Castanza and Dr. Corbin Langholf. The care Joey received was exemplary and Joey has fully recovered from a very serious condition. I also want to recognize the excellent care provided by the Vet Techs, Olivia and Alexis. They treated him as if he was their own pet. To provide the care they do requires extensive triage and the public doesn’t seem to understand that the sickest dogs/cats go in first so there will be a wait just like in an ER for humans. Plan on waiting but know when your pet is seen by the technician and veterinarian, your pet is their priority. Thank you Dr. Randy and Dr. Corbin for saving my Joey.

Sarah S.

the staff here are skilled, compassionate, and so so kind. thank you to Alexis and the rest of the med staff, they held my hand through a terrible experience. when I expressed financial anxieties, they walked me through all my options clearly and educated me about different avenues like pet credit. when time came they offered my family and I so much grace and dignity as we cried our eyes out for my baby girl. I am grateful for the keepsakes as well, I wish this place all the success