Veterinary Urgent Care of the Desert - Palm Desert, California

Sugey Soria

Recomiendo esta veterinaria ,, atendieron muy bien a mi mascota (Nini?). Se compuso de maravilla . Y el personal es exelente.

Julie LaLima

I had to put my auditory service animal down today. She was suffering from severe hip issues and suddenly her back leg became basically paralyzed. She’s been my best friend for almost a decade and took her job seriously. I’m devastated. From the moment we went in, the staff was incredibly compassionate. The vet, Dr Elana Goldstein, was very sweet, supportive, and understanding of my situation. They set up a room with Hershey kisses that I could give to her, though she wouldn’t accept it because she knew she wasn’t allowed to have it. We tried though. I’m super grateful to the staff, and the vet, who allowed me time with my sweet girl and helped me through one of the most traumatic times of my life. I can NOT thank them enough for working with me on things. I will forever miss my perfect Husky/GSD mix, Brandie, and be forever grateful for her constant help navigating the world around us in a hearing world.

Vanessa Aranda

Most amazing and caring staff!!

My baby girl (cat) was having some nausea and coughing like never before. I was so worried I just took her to the clinic without calling ahead to check if they would be able to see her.

I left my cat in the car with my mom and walked into the clinic to explain the situation and without hesitation they told me to bring her in. They took her to the back while I filled out paperwork.

They made us feel so comfortable in such a stressful time for us.

Everyone here is so kind and you can tell they care for our fur babies.

Thank you to all the ladies that helped us out today. My baby girl is home and feeling better ?

molli lang

They saved my Dog Margaret’s life. She needed emergency surgery and they arranged it all to happen in Ontario because nothing was open in the Palm Springs area on a Holiday weekend. I am so grateful for their help.

Diane Warren

Took my sick cat here on the advice of my regular vet, who couldn't see him same day. Veterinary Urgent Care was great!! The kind and knowledgeable veterinarian and staff explained my cat's diagnosis and treatment clearly and answered all of my questions. The facility was clean and had convenient parking. I was initially hesitant about the virtual line but it actually worked out really well. The treatment and exam fees were very reasonable. I highly recommend this place. My cat was in good hands here.

Kristine Hernandez

This is a hidden gem of the desert! The staff is responsive, they care and are trustworthy I am so glad they are there . I’m so glad I didn’t have to resort to going to VCA in Indio again I would be so sad! If you have an emergency call here before VCA the people here really care thank you so much Billy thanks you !

Mike Rockland

My dog's regular Vet is the SPCA, but they are not open on the weekends.

I chose this Veterinarian because of the high reviews. I was about to get in link for an appointment the same day, and received a text when to head over.

A lot of waiting avoided. They seemed to really care for my dog and provided good service at a surprisingly reasonable price.

Debbi Collier

I had the worst experience of my life at Veterinary Urgent Care of the Desert. My 18 year old cat was suffering from kidney failure and unfortunately she couldn't hang on until her regular vet returned from vacation later in the week. Overnight, she developed sudden blindness, had a seizure, and struggled to walk. I messaged VUCD and they said I could bring her in first thing in the morning. When I brought her in they told me they would be taking her to the back to put in a catheter. I warned the tech that my cat was scared, in pain, couldn't see or hear well, and that she was being really feisty. I offered to put her into her cat carrier in case she got too feisty, but the tech said it was no big deal and took her off to the back. It took quite some time for them to bring her back, but when they did, she was very subdued and calm. The vet came in the room and did the euthanasia procedure. After I spent a little time with my kitty, they came and took her again. It was then that another tech came in and told me that my cat had bitten the first tech when they put in the catheter. I immediately asked the tech if the person was okay. He stated that she was fine and that it was a very minor and very small bite. She had simply nipped at her when the tech was putting in the catheter. However, he then went on to say that they were going to report this incident to the county and that I would be hearing from animal control to "make some decisions." I asked what kind of decisions and he said that depending on how I answered their questions, they may do some testing on my cat which would involve removing her head. I couldn't believe this and I asked again if the tech was okay. Once again, he repeated that the tech was fine but they were concerned about rabies. My 18 year old cat had never been outside in her entire life AND VUCD had all of her medical records to prove she was not a danger. The tech said not to worry and that nothing would be done until I heard from animal control and they would just be keeping my cat until animal control made a decision. I asked if I could just take her home with me and he said that wasn't allowed. I then asked if they did end up doing the testing if I would get all of her remains back, including her head, when she is cremated. He assured me that all of her remains, including her head, would be returned to me. The next day, I called and spoke with the medical director at VUCD because the whole process just seemed too crazy to believe and I wanted some clarification. The medical director told me that my cat's brain and skull had already been shipped off to animal control and when I asked about getting it back she told me that it's now medical waste and would not be returned. I never received any calls from animal control (even 3 weeks later). Every vet I've spoken to says this is not a normal thing to do for a minor bite and there is no way my 18 year old cat was in any danger of transmitting rabies. Cats do bite sometimes when they are scared and this is to be expected. Most will take precautions so they don't get injured, but they also understand that getting minor bites is a part of the job.
Had VUCD been upfront with me and let me know that if my cat bit them in her moments of fear, confusion, and pain that they would be removing her brain and mutilating her, I would have taken my cat somewhere else and never let them touch her. I have had cats my whole life and I have never been told or experienced anything like this. They lied about the whole situation and waited until after she was already gone and out of my possession before they told me what had happened. Even then, the tech did not tell the truth about what the process would be. My poor cat's death was everything I did not want it to be - filled with fear and not peaceful in any way. I truly would not wish this experience on my worst enemy. Please, please, please beware of this place if your pet has any inclination toward being feisty when they are scared or in pain. I cannot stress this enough. Stay far far away from here.