Lort Smith Animal Hospital

Negative experience: It would be helpful if the reception were able to answer a simple question without basically saying hmm sorry dunno. I imagine you have access to information about the processes and analyses available yet just tell clients you don't know and to call back rather than take the time to perhaps use the systems in place to search for potential answers to a clients query? Didn't make us feel like they would take care of my animals with the lack of care and knowledge received via the phone. I'll go elsewhere where my questions and concerns are addressed with empathy and understanding.

Fantastic experience: Excellent emergency clinic. They saved my dog’s life after another emergency vet (in Kensington) dismissed his symptoms. At Lort Smith they took the time to listen to me, give my dog a thorough examination, then explain the diagnosis, care plan and pricing. They asked questions and showed a lot of care and compassion for my dog. In the end he spent five days in hospital, and each morning they would call us with an update, letting us know next steps and when we would hear back from them again. Also, the male receptionist who spoke to us on the phone before we arrived and then remembered us when we arrived to check in was extremely professional, warm and helpful, even going so far as to call the vet we’ve been to earlier that day to have our file sent across. In an emergency situation this sort of kindness and care goes a long way to making an extremely difficult situation bearable. I will say a follow-up appointment with a very young vet left a lot to be desired, she didn’t seem to be listening and just kept repeating the same response over and over so we’ve opted to go back to our regular Vet for future follow-ups. But the emergency vets were fantastic.

Negative experience: Unfortunately it seems that no matter how much money I give Lort Smith, there is no getting any closer to resolving my pets issues. I've been 3 times in the space of a week and my pet seems to just be getting worse. My stress is heightened but my wallet is now empty. It doesn't feel worth it as they aren't much cheaper than a regular vet

Fantastic experience: I have never received such exceptional care, a 5 star review does not do it justice and I hope to one day repay this whole clinic for how they looked after me. I came in on Thursday as my cat whom I thought was pregnant was bleeding. They triaged me and within 30 minutes I was seeing the doctor, the checked her belly and allowed me to be with her as she gets quite anxious and swabbed the blood. They discovered quickly that there was no babies and her uterus was full of pus from a severe infection of pyometra. They explained to me my options, antibiotics (still puts her at risk from a rupture and can be life threatening quickly) or to have her reproductive system removed in emergency surgery asap (different to a desexing due to the inflammation, infection and takes a bit longer) the lovely doctor explained the cost would be around $1600, I broke down. I have just recently been extremely sick and broke my ankle and have had to have extensive time off from work. But it was my cat and I couldn’t go home with such a high risk. She left the room and came back and explained they have a charity through their not for profit hospital and that charity agreed to cover the full cost of surgery plus any pre and post operative care. I owe them everything, they saved my cats life, they made a traumatic experience for me, go easier and saved me from an immense amount of debt. Thank you guys for looking after me, the compassion and care is like no other and I hope to be able to volunteer or donate in the future. My cat is now home, hating her life in a recovery suit but she is well and alive. Thank you ❤️

Negative experience: I initially trusted Lort Smith because I genuinely believed my dog’s health and wellbeing were their top priority. Unfortunately, my most recent experience felt very different — it felt like money was the priority instead. I was fully aware that my dog was going to recover fine from a bee sting, yet Lort Smith insisted that I bring her in. She was then admitted overnight, resulting in a bill of $1,100. As expected, my dog was absolutely fine and recovered without issue. Once the charges had already escalated, I was told I could pick her up — but discharge was dictated at 11:30am, conveniently resulting in an additional $150 charge. The entire experience left me feeling taken advantage of rather than supported. What was particularly disappointing was the lack of empathy and transparency. A staff member at the desk even remarked to a colleague, “that seems like a lot in price,” yet my concerns were dismissed when I questioned the cost. Communication was also extremely poor — emails went unanswered and follow-up felt like a struggle. I didn’t feel seen, supported, or treated with kindness during a very stressful situation. Sadly, this vet has gone downhill. I would strongly encourage others to consider alternative veterinary clinics. I’m incredibly disappointed. Furthermore - they ask us to email to follow up on your complaint and then don’t reply… I’ve emailed 3 times now with no reply, might have to contact the ombudsman. I expect a full refund now; don’t trust this vet, go somewhere else! HONESTLY!!

Fantastic experience: My cat Harley was admitted through emergency for over five days, and the care she received was truly exceptional. Despite being a very spicy and distressed patient, the team went above and beyond to ensure she was as comfortable as possible. She was placed in an enclosure away from other cats, with minimal staff coming in and out to reduce stress, which I really appreciated. The nursing and reception staff are incredibly kind, patient, and compassionate. The vets took the time to explain everything in great detail and presented all of the options clearly and understandably, which made a very stressful situation so much easier. I would highly recommend Lort Smith for any animal emergency. You can genuinely tell how deeply they care about providing the best possible care for your pets. A special shout out to Dr Paula you’re amazing!

Negative experience: Both receptionist and vet service went drastically down this time I visit in 2026. I am a customer over 2 years but I feel like I'm switchimg to a different vet now unfortunately

Fantastic experience: Thank you guys for saving Moe's life you are amazing we brought him from another hospital that they told as he is not going to make it and it would of cost us a lots of $$$$$,but you guys done everything possible to keep him alive and happy ! He is home now running a muck as usual cat living his best life ❤️

Fantastic experience: Thank you so much guys thank you!! I wouldn't go anywhere else ever❤️

Fantastic experience: I love everything about this animal hospital, and my cat, Oliver,feels safe with any one of the gorgeous Dr's supporting his best health.Dr Sarah,Dr Hannah, and Dr Paula are 3 among many others at Lort Smith who devote themselves with compassion towards animal health.

Negative experience: It's quite obvious that they put no effort or importance into being caring and compassionate. When your pet is important to you, you should avoid this place. They will talk over the top of you and if you ask them enough questions they will admit they don't know, they're just experimenting. "We're sort of like GPS, if that doesn't work we will try something else". My dog was suffering after her medication stopped and she had new symptoms and new pain. They were extremely blazee about it and I don't want to go to a vet that refuses to acknowledge that they may have some accountability in misdiagnosis, wrong medication, and poor care. I need a vet that I can trust and have some solid patient care for the pet and also some consideration for owners.

Negative experience: Absolutely hopeless this place. Once upon a time they were helpful and loving. Now it's clearly all about the $$$. It's apparently known not to give older dogs kennel cough injection and yet such a small detail left out which has now cost us a ton of money and suffering for our poor dog. Go elsewhere.

Positive experience: Bc of their name Iv always just assumed this place was the cheaper option but they surprisingly is not. Quit deer actually. Wait time always waaay too long. Not my preferred place tbh but ok…just another ordinary veterinary I guess

Negative experience: My dog had to stay overnight after his first pancreatitus attack. On the way home with him next morning, I realised he was covered in faeces. Obviously he had soiled himself & left for a long time in this state as his bottom & base of his tail were red raw. I sobbed in distress that I had subjected my dear little dog to such negligent, disgraceful lack of care. Never, ever again will I attend Lort Smith.

Fantastic experience: The staff are always thoughtful and caring, Jane is amazing and I am sure Spinner can't wait to see her again one day!

Fantastic experience: My poor cat ended up with a fishing hook in his mouth while I was out of town. My traumatised house mate and my friend took him in and he was seen quickly and the vet spoke to me over the phone and they were very fast at getting the hook out of my senior cat with little harm at all. Very very thankful while on holiday that he was looked after xx

Fantastic experience: Firstly, I would like to thank everyone at Lort Smith who has helped us.❤️ Our cat Mochi went through a complicated and emotional medical journey after suffering a serious jaw injury that required surgery and a feeding tube. It was an incredibly stressful time for us — full of worry, uncertainty, and difficult decisions. Throughout all of this, Justine Munno was the person who truly helped us stay grounded. Her kindness, patience, and genuine care meant more to us than we can express. She guided us through every step, explained things clearly, and supported us during moments when we felt completely overwhelmed. We honestly cannot imagine how we would have handled this situation without her. Her compassion and communication made such a difference during a time when everything felt confusing and frightening. I truly hope her approach and skills spread to all employees at Lort Smith, because she represents the very best of what compassionate veterinary care should look like. Lort Smith is incredibly lucky to have her. Thank you Justine — your support changed everything for us, and we are deeply grateful. And thank you as well for continuing to follow up on Mochi and checking in on how he’s going — it truly means a lot to us. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Fantastic experience: Picked up our Little Rock Star today Gerti todo, she has become a partner of Lilly our 12 year old Golden Retriever, who lost her partner to cancer not long ago, Gerti who is now Molly has fit in to our family like a glove, I would have no hesitation in recommending these guys to help you move forward in your search for a life time family member.

Positive experience: Were the number 1 place to go for years, welcoming, attentive, engaged. Aside from taking many a furry friend there, I also volunteered at the Villiers st location for 5 years. It's certainly changed and not for the better. Long wait times, snarky admin staff, appointment times changed without communication or concent. What a real shame, seems pumping through the numbers has taken president over service and unfortunately it shows.

Fantastic experience: A good place where they are doing their best they looked after my dog after he ate some chocolate and saw him very quickly. Reasonable pricing and discount if you have a health care card

Fantastic experience: Pretty sure my cat likes the vet more than me. They most be doing something right.

Fantastic experience: Been a great experience for my pet with the Lort Smith. Thank you to team.

Fantastic experience: I visited last weekend with my dog who was showing symptoms of anemia. The service was great, my dog was triaged professionally and was offered to be taken into the ER from my boot via a trolley, allowing my dog to be very comfortable. Unfortunately the investigations were found to be undesirable and the tough decision was made. Dr Cecilia was gracious, compassionate and kind through the process of breaking the diagnosis to me and letting me know what my options are. After the decision, I was allowed the whole evening to spend time with my sweet boy in a peaceful room. I got to hug and cry with him for hours. I miss my angel and I am grateful we decided to make the way to Lort Smith that afternoon, as I felt the experience would have been VERY different at our local vet and I would have been stressed & sad, instead of just sad. It is odd to leave such a positive review from an experience that changed my life (for the worse) but great work and compassion needs to be recognised. Thank you Dr Cecilia for your care, expertise and fur clippings.. and to the team member at the front who offered me the option of calling the day after to pay. Even though I did not take the offer up, it left a very great impression for any future references there. I am very grateful you allowed my tough time to be cruisy in every other aspect that surrounded it.

Negative experience: Please take your pets to another vet even if they need an emergency. Took my 2 years old cat that had been vomiting and refusing to eat over the past 12 hours, they gave my partner a 2600 quote, which we didn’t mind, they realised blood test and X-rays, had two vets examining him and both gave us different opinions on what could be the issue, the first one told my partner he could have dried still as she could feel something hard on his belly, the second vet called me saying he might have a heart disease cause she heard a murmur on his heart, never mentioned by the first vet that said his heart rate was normal, and he could not wake up from the sedation for the X-ray that was necessary, that got me crying on the way back from work, only to later be told he came around fine from his X-ray and that couldn’t find anything concerning and he was stable, they wanted to keep him overnight and I decided after getting mixed information and different opinion and no outcome for is issue, and being told he would need surgery, that I would like to bring him home, cause they would further charge us for the overnight stay and I was having a bad feeling after all. He kept refusing food and wasn’t acting normal, took him to another vet that said the X-ray clearly showed his stomach was very big witch indicated an abnormal amount of fluids, and she could feel it on the physical examination he would need to have this fluids drained and have a further X-ray done to try to identify anything else, he was kept overnight and will likely need surgery. They could’ve clearly see he had an issue and decided to tell us he had a different issue, that didn’t needed to be addressed at the moment, not mentioned the excess of fluids on his stomach at all attesting all his exams showed no concern, and getting me booking a heart ultrasound, only available in two weeks, with an extra 600 cost. I ended up paying 1300 to not have any resolution on his actual problem. I’m glad I decided not to leave him overnight and have another vet telling me a complete different diagnosis and charging extra to not have his immediate problem addressed, I tried to call various times just to stay ages on hold, and they didn’t even try to reach my partner when I couldn’t pick up the calls, as I was at work and my partner dropped him earlier and left his number if they needed to contact us. If you want your pets health to be looked over please don’t go to lorth smith hospital, they got me confused, and uneasy , gave us mixed informations and didn’t address his issue and charged us a huge amount just for us to take him to another vet the next day cause he was still unwell. I took him to Care vet and they managed to quickly find the problem, that turned out to be a lymph node on his intestines, nothing related to his heart, they drained fluids and realised a biopsy to further understand what caused him to be sick, and I was able to take him home the next day, he was active and feeding. So if you need an emergency don’t go to Lorth smith is a waste of of time, money and can possibly cost your pets life.

Negative experience: It used to be our go to vet hospital, but in the past few years it has decreased so much in quality. The staff (be it vets or receptionists) don't really seem to care about the animals. And they are crazy expensive now. The price chart they have online doesn't seem to match with real life prices. I thought this was a not for profit hospital so prices and service level should be more ethical, but it has changed. Don't know why they have so many good reviews. I guess it's a hit or miss type of place. But with this price, there are better places.

Negative experience: I am giving one star as I have deep concerns over the direction of this hospital. The Lort smith was founded to help under privileged people care for their families pets cheaply with payment plans offered. Prices are more often more expensive than the vet in middle park and st kilda. Lort smith also no longer offers payment plans and refers to afterpay. My mother racked up a 5k bill amd Lort smith wouldn’t allow her to pay it off on her pension so she could help her poodle with broken leg. Instead she has to find 4 x $1,250 to cover her helpless dogs expenses. I see a place driven by making money. The vet also lied and said the government doesn’t allow payment plans for Lort smith. She contacted ACCC and they said what rubbish. It’s a sad shadow of its former self, driven by maximising profit these days. Disgraceful really

Negative experience: Absolute shitshow. I made an appointment for my diabetic cat to come in. My friend took him in for me, but instead of being seen at or anywhere near his appointment time, he was triaged and they then wait AN HOUR AND 55 MINUTES to see the vet. The vet put a glucose monitor on him, and for whatever reason, it doesn’t work. My friend took my cat back the following day, wasting another couple of hours, being told by a different vet, yes, monitor does not work. After spending a total of well over an hour on the phone, including to an absolutely useless young sounding female staff member, who made sure she told me she’s a nurse (?!), who said, and I quote, “I’m not quite sure how to help you” and “it’s sort of out of our hands now”, I was told today by Amelia today, to bring my cat back in today/tonight, and they would reset his monitor for him. Well, there goes another 2 plus hours, and yup, you guessed it. Still no working monitor. So, I paid $216.80 for this monitor that would have cost me $106 from a pharmacy, have wasted around 7 hours of mine and my friends time, with my poor cat who gets really stressed and cries when he’s out of the house, and, I still have no freaking monitor that works!!!!!! IMMENSELY frustrating.

Fantastic experience: Staff are friendly and professional, the premises are spotlessly clean and the animals are happy - no wonder! I picked up my little Mishka, a pussy-cat, and because she was in such happy surrounds, she is already extremely affectionate and settled in very quickly to her new home. Having only moved into my house a few months ago, it never felt like a real ‘home’ until Mishka came along, so I am very grateful to Lort Smith for allowing me to adopt her. My divine feline! Thank you Lort Smith!

Fantastic experience: We had our beautiful Barnsey there at the weekend .the staff was so nice and thoughtful up till we had to put him to sleep .when it was time the care they showed us and our boy was great . A special person dr Kassandra you are most gentle soul . If u want care go to this hospital with your animals thanks from Maureen and ian

Positive experience: We had an amazing experience with Dr Sam with my cat having lost weight and being diagnosed with lymphoma. Kidney issues and a bladder stone. However, we had to bring him back the next day as he had really taken a bad turn after the biopsy the vet that we saw came in and said that he would be fine and that these conditions were difficult and that we would know that what the right time was. She hadn’t read the notes. She hadn’t looked at what had been agreed with Dr Sam in terms of bringing him a week later to be euthanised….. I was left frustrated and furious to be honest. The vet that I saw didn’t have English as a first language and obviously was out of her depth or just busy but the fact that I was given incorrect advice in terms of years after-care was shocking. I had to go to AI to get a specific set of instructions of what to do next and guess what they worked he rebounded after a day and a half. If I’d listen to the vet and giving him medication that would’ve effectively blocked his stomach it would’ve dehydrated him and given him a couple of days at best so I understand why some of these reviews are so scathing however i took my cat in today to be euthanised and had a wonderful experience from start to finish. I can’t thank you rnough but it does look like there needs to be more consistency across the board here.

Negative experience: They get 2 stars from me: 1 for being open on Saturday, 1 for having an available appointment. Unfortunately my usual vet (Heritage in Coburg who are incredibly caring, experienced, knowledgeable and moderately priced were closed and as I wasn’t sure if this stray cat would be as easily handled another day, I decided I should take the chance to get him checked out today). Beware the pricing which is not transparent and be ready with a list of questions so you actually get the service you are being charged for. In my case I took in a stray cat who looked poorly and had been hanging around our house for a month or so to get a health check (it took that long for the cat to not run away when approached btw). I was charged $188 consultation which if I hadn’t asked any questions would have been a quick once over and out the door in less than 5 minutes; $104 for 2 tablets & a tube of antibiotics. I was told the cat would also need a series of other appointments plus a $2000 approx dental procedure, desexing would cost nearly $300 and the list went on. This was very upsetting as instead of being able to care for an animal we would have to surrender him because we couldn’t afford the bills or leave him to suffer which is completely inhumane. The irony being that any healthcare would upon surrender have to be provided and paid for by the RSPCA. Lort Smith is not a charity by any stretch of the imagination with further proof being the conversation I overheard where a pet owner was advised that emergency treatment would only be given if they could pay and if not they could apply for a Good Shepherd (low income) loan. Pet ownership and care for animals seems to be the privilege of the wealthy at Lort Smith these days. Avoid and hope your pets don’t get sick on a Saturday. And don’t even think about trying to do the right thing for animal welfare (or the environment) by rescuing a stray animal who hangs around your yard unless you have deep pockets and plenty of $$. Awful.

Fantastic experience: Jess doc Sean tif and Tom were fantastic they kept us in loop and showed great compassion at all times, yes it's exp, not everyone can make this decision to take emergency vet, when you do know they care and there NOT God, if you believe in that. Special shout out to Jess who was beautifully empathetic and informative hard tight rope to tread but was done with grace. Vale poppit, poopalacka, popsicle, the hoover little stressed bunny, you were always loved

Negative experience: Recently had my cat euthanised at this clinic. Was asked if I’d like clippings of her fur and paw print and I agreed to this request. Picked up her ashes yesterday and no paw print and hair clippings. Same thing when I had my dog euthanised two years ago. Twice they have failed to follow this instruction. Don’t offer if you’re not going to commit to it especially when someone has to say their final goodbyes to their beloved pet. Shame on you.

Fantastic experience: The team have taken great care of our little Nimbus thus far. The vet was very gentle with him and gave him plenty of positive reinforcement he remained calm and compliant.

Negative experience: the most horrible experience. these people do not care about your pets. only the monetary value you can provide them. being labeled as charity and not for profit is as delusional and deceiving as the service and transparency here at Lort Smith. We went in for an xray and was quoted over $1500. when asked about the quote, specifically certain charges that didn’t make sense (such as “weekend inpatient care” when we booked for a weekday, and a level 3 hospitalisation level). they gave the most lack lustred and vague explanation, seemed like they knew how outrageous the pricing is. we obviously didn’t go through with it and decided to proceed with an alternate nearby vet (LDH) and were astonished at the difference. LDH Vet quoted $670 but upon further assessment of our sweet boy, they decided that general anaesthetic wasn’t required since he’s the most chill car . everything cost $490!!! and the care and service felt genuine and compassionate. please save your time, money, and mental sanity and avoid this money hungry establishment at all cost.

Fantastic experience: Caring and supportive vet and staff made a heart wrenching decision to euthanise my cat achievable. The vet took her time to discuss in detail the current and future prognosis of my 8 year old cat Bobby with severe heart disease. Many thanks for your sensitivity and care.

Fantastic experience: After a traumatic car accident, I was admitted to The Alfred for recovery. One of the most uplifting moments during my stay was when a volunteer from Lort Smith Animal Hospital visited my room with a therapy dog. I can’t remember the names (I was still on medication at the time), but I will never forget the feeling of comfort, relief, and joy they brought in that difficult moment. Just being able to pat the dog, smile, and share a little warmth made an enormous difference to my state of mind and healing process. I want to sincerely thank the volunteer, the therapy dog, and the entire team at Lort Smith for the incredible work they do. Their kindness, care, and dedication make a real impact on patients’ lives. What may feel like a small act—bringing a therapy dog into a hospital room—truly means the world when you are in recovery. Thank you again for being part of my journey back to health. Your contribution is unforgettable. Best Alex Afshar

Fantastic experience: Lisa was fantastic and made the process of taking my girl in so easy! Couldn’t recommend enough

Fantastic experience: Patrick took great care of our corgis itchiness. was thorough, reassuring and proactive. gave us a long term plan and we really appreciate it :)

Fantastic experience: Today I had my 17 year old cat, Izzy put to rest at Lort Smith Animal Hospital. The veterinary team (I cannot remember their names) that handled her care were amazing and very hospitable to us and most importantly our little Izzy. Each step of the process was explained to us, we did not feel rushed at all to say goodbye or expedite the process. The team was very caring, understanding and ultimately professional. Thank you for making a hard day just a little more pleasant.

Fantastic experience: Came here for a second opinion after my local vet was not able to help my cat who had been vomiting for 6 weeks, after 3 appointments they recommended a $1,500 test with no relief in sight. After one appointment here she was cured, the advice was better, they were very transparent and it felt like the staff really cared. I couldn't recommend this place more.

Fantastic experience: I cannot thank the team enough for saving my girl Charlie and continuing to look after her with such care. We’ve been through such a difficult time, and it means so much to know she is in such capable and compassionate hands. A special thank you to Dr Lily and Dr Sarah your kindness, patience, and dedication mean the world to us. You’ve not only treated Charlie with the highest level of professionalism, but also supported me every step of the way with so much care and understanding. And to the wonderful reception girls, thank you for always being so warm, welcoming, and supportive. You make every visit easier and brighter. I’m forever grateful to the whole team for everything you do for us. Now we trust only you.

Negative experience: Apsolutely disgusting and horrible place. They care more about money than saving a dog! My dog was left laying on the floor for over an HOUR in a critical condition because a payment hadn’t been made!!!!! We had to pay before a vet would even enter the room just to look at my dog, I paid then there was no communication from anyone, once a vet finally came in they told us she would need emergency surgery but yet again they wouldn’t take her until a 50% payment was made. ($2300) I said “what if you don’t have money right now to pay” and they told me they would “surrender my dog”!! A 1 star rating isn’t even justice for how bad my family and dog was treated. couldn’t not recommend this place more, apsolutely shame on them.

Fantastic experience: Once again back at the lort Smith with my little pug, I have to say that once again first class treatment, the staff on the desk are very welcoming, the emergency service is the best and for the veterans absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for everything you have done for my 2 boys. Keep up the fantastic job, so much dedication for your animals in one place. ❤️

Fantastic experience: Update: Everyone here is amazinggggg!!! I had my mini dachshund in surgery for two nights & not only were they very professional, informative, and prompt at their jobs, our beautiful surgeon made myself & my daughter feel very comfortable Would never go anywhere else! Old review: We took a little unusual pet, and everyone was amazing, helpful & friendly. I think it’s important to be very informative in this field, and that they were. Thank you guys!

Negative experience: Literally the most unhelpful staff and overpriced for the quality of care. I’ve since been to Epsom Road Vet and they are much better if you are in the area.

Negative experience: It's all about the money not the animals if you cannot afford to pay the full amount they won't help your animal and say try else where after 166.75 conceltation fee rather than helping the animals which I class as animal cruelty I'm suffering my dog is suffering what do we do go local doctors and get medication to put us both down as we have so much love for each other yet they won't help so I hold them responsible for what a path that is chosen and destiny that all must except in so called life

Negative experience: Edit: my cat had acute kidney failure and died last night. This place had our cat’s blood results for days, continually lied to us to convince us to repeatedly come back (and spend more). They were amateurs, we were seen by multiple vets and nurses, none of which could tell me even the possibilities of what could be wrong and almost turned him away as he was actively deteriorating. This horrible place wasted valuable time that I could have spent with my boy while he was dying and we had no idea. Shame on all of you. I hope you carry the weight of his death like I will every day going forward. I presented my cat to this emergency clinic with a serious health issue (anisocoria, dangerously high blood pressure, heart murmur). If untreated these issues could have resulted in seizures, blindness or worse and when we were first brought in to the consulting rooms, the nurse downplayed his condition because his behaviour seemed ‘fine’. They very quickly changed their tune once they took his blood pressure and it was 190. It seemed as though they would have turned him away otherwise which doesn’t bear thinking about. He was nervous and squirming during this, and they claimed they tried to do a blood test and couldn’t so we were to come back the next day. I understand the place was closing when we left, but they gave us absolutely no post-appointment care or advice. The next day, we came back as they advised and finally took his blood work and blood pressure again. This time it was 220. Although, we were growing confused as the day before, a different nurse had told us high blood pressure within a certain range was expected, but today this vet was telling us an entirely different range and that his current blood pressure was extremely concerning. She said she was worried he was losing his vision. I should also mention, on our second visit I called them to say we would be 5-10 minutes late. The receptionist was rude and suggested we would miss our appointment if we were 5 minutes late and to rebook for a week’s time when my cat’s condition was deteriorating. When we got there (7 minutes late), they backtracked and told us to sit down only to wait another 30+ minutes before being seen (no other animal in a worse condition had arrived after us, the place was also almost empty). This felt misleading and caused further unnecessary stress. The second vet was very nice but again did not give us any after-care advice on how to monitor his condition or symptoms when there was a lot at stake, and this is our family member. Once again, we were not contacted by the clinic for a welfare check after we left, even though this is standard practice. We were however contacted for payment, which I found to be extremely poor form. I had to call back two days later when my cat was still having adverse reactions to sedatives they had administered, and the nurse I spoke to hadn’t even read his file when she called me back. As you can imagine, we were also given absolutely no information about the potential side effects of the sedatives or any other vital advice that is literally the bare minimum required to perform their job. My cat is now on blood pressure medication FOR LIFE and these people would not even tell me the basic side effects or risks. This whole ordeal cost us $700 dollars which apparently bought us poor service, neglectful staff and a lack of meaningful care. I was really disappointed with my experience which made an extremely stressful 72 hours even worse for myself, my partner and our cat.

Fantastic experience: Great care & service but definitely recommend an appointment during the week if you can! Costs more on weekends & of course in emergencies but they do offer discounts to healthcare/pensioner card holders.

Positive experience: $3300-$4500 we were quoted because our cat had a blockage in his urinary tract that required surgery. Nice people, high level of care. Vets bills are expensive.

Fantastic experience: Our 7-year-old dachshund, Bruno, was admitted to Lort Smith with a suspected intestinal obstruction. From the very beginning, the nurses and doctors provided exceptional care and attention. We’re especially grateful to Dr. Elizabeth, who cared for Bruno over two days and kept us updated with regular phone calls, clearly explaining his condition and the available treatment options. Thankfully, it turned out to be a severe case of gastro, which did not require surgical intervention. When it was time for Bruno to go home, several staff members came to say goodbye, which was a heartfelt gesture. We’re incredibly appreciative of the compassionate and professional team at Lort Smith—they truly go above and beyond.

Fantastic experience: Despite attending for an emergency, the experience was wonderful. In & out in 1.5hrs on a Sunday night. A creative mind designed the seating in emergency. Individual booth type seating plus benches to place a carrier on gives you & your pet space to yourselves. All seats were full but it didn't feel crowded. Staff were lovely, explained everything in detail, but they kept apologising for the wait. What wait? 90 mins is so quick. I once sat at the ARH for 5hrs. You are all doing a Fantastic job

Negative experience: Absolutely Disgusted and Deeply Disappointed My experience with Lort Smith Animal Hospital was profoundly upsetting during an incredibly difficult time. When my beloved dog, Aishia, was gravely ill, I found their approach to be completely devoid of compassion and instead, heavily focused on finances. I was quoted an exorbitant $500 for basic blood tests, and then pressured to admit Aishia overnight for an additional $2,500, even though it was clear she was dying. I chose to take her home, a decision that proved to be correct given her rapid decline the next day. When I desperately called Lort Smith for Aishia's test results, needing to speak with the vet, the receptionist was incredibly unhelpful and rude. Despite my distress, she claimed the vet was "too busy" and then hung up on me, not once, but three times, when I tried to call back. In stark contrast, when I immediately took Aishia to another vet, they promptly provided the test results, confirming her critically elevated kidney and liver levels. That vet was kind, compassionate, and understanding – everything Lort Smith was not. I am utterly disgusted by the lack of empathy and professionalism shown by Lort Smith. In my darkest hour, they prioritized profit over care and treated a grieving pet owner with appalling disregard. Avoid at all costs .

Negative experience: DO NOT TAKE YOUR ANIMAL TO THIS VET HOSPITAL. Brought my cat in with a bursted absence waiting around for two hours to just be seen and for our cat to be just given drugs and have an opened wound without bandage. $250 later that night with no caring involved disappointed in my experience seems like they are just grabbing money scammers. Ridiculous how I had to take my cat to another vet and them to bandaged the wound properly AND SAY THAT IT ISN’T OKAY FOR IT TO BE LEFT with a opened wound ridiculous will never come back again

Negative experience: Please DO NOT BRING YOUR ANIMAL HERE! I was judged from the start I brought my Guinea pig in after it was hanged up on by the heard of Guinea’s I have at home (only own males) they made me feel like I was the worst pet owner and sent me home without even checking him! Told me I was over reacting and needing help with my animal load!! No I wanted help for my daughters Guinea pig and this morning we have woken up to him gone now!! You did this to him and made him suffer I will be taking this further please avoid here with your pets.

Fantastic experience: From the moment we walked in with sandy martin we knew we were in caring hands! I don't think I could express enough here on how beautiful these people are! Front of house exceptional Nurses exceptional. Thankyou Doc too for being exceptional!

Negative experience: It’s taken me over two months to find the strength to write this. I’ve been in deep, overwhelming grief after the tragic—and entirely preventable—loss of my beloved cat, Coco. Even now, it’s difficult to fully process what happened. To every pet owner reading this: please, I urge you—do not take your pet to Lort Smith Animal Hospital. Coco was 17 years old—tiny, fragile, but still full of life, joy, and love. She passed away just three weeks after being seen by a vet at Lort Smith. Her death was not the result of old age. It was the result of negligence: a dangerously high dose of medication, a complete lack of communication about her actual condition, and the absence of any proper treatment plan or follow-up care. I initially brought Coco in because she was showing signs of a UTI—blood in her urine and frequent urination—but she was otherwise her usual happy self. I specifically requested a full blood test. That test revealed early-stage kidney disease and non-regenerative anaemia. But I was never told. The only diagnosis shared with me was hypothyroidism. Based on that alone, we were sent home with 5mg of Methimazole daily—a dangerously high dose for a 1.4kg senior cat with multiple underlying health issues. There was no discussion. No explanation of what the medication was, no warnings about potential side effects, no consideration of her fragile condition. We weren’t offered any alternatives or even told what her bloodwork truly showed. Had someone taken just a few minutes to explain her results—to help us understand what treatment options were safe or appropriate—this nightmare could have been avoided. What’s even more devastating is that due to her age, weight, and other conditions, Coco should never have been prescribed Methimazole at all. It was far too aggressive for her tiny body. But there was no conversation. No choice. We were rushed in and rushed out. And the cost wasn’t just financial—it was Coco’s life. When she began vomiting, had diarrhoea, and became lethargic, we rushed her back. Repeat bloodwork showed worsening kidney failure and severely deteriorated anaemia. But again, we were sent home. No change in treatment. No warning. Just told to continue the same medication that was clearly making her sicker. Coco died 24 hours later. Her final hours were painful and distressing. I will carry that trauma with me for the rest of my life. Her passing wasn’t peaceful. And it wasn’t inevitable. It was avoidable. What adds even more heartbreak is the silence that followed. I filed a formal complaint with Lort Smith over two months ago. They claim to take complaints seriously, but I’ve received no written response, no apology, no accountability—just a vague claim that someone “called,” with no voicemail, no email, and no follow-up. Coco was my best friend. She trusted me to protect her. And I trusted this clinic to help me do that. They failed her in every possible way. And I will never forgive myself for placing that trust in them. If we’d had a vet who reviewed her bloodwork with us, who offered treatment options, or even recognized that no treatment might have been safer—Coco might still be here. Instead, we were kept in the dark, misled, and left to watch her suffer. Please—for the sake of your pets—do not take them to Lort Smith Animal Hospital. Coco deserved better. Your pet does too. What began as a simple UTI became a fatal misdiagnosis, with the wrong medication given at the wrong dose. That medication caused toxicity and ultimately took her life. Please, I beg you—don’t let this happen to your pet.

Negative experience: Misdiagnosed my best friend Twice The day we came in to end his suffering, whilst in the middle of saying our very sad goodbyes, we had some inconsiderate, extremely insensitive maggot barge in waving an eftpos machine in our faces.... An absolutely disgraceful experience Get your act together!

Fantastic experience: On our toughest day, the staff here were so kind and compassionate. Thank you to nurse Miles and the vet who looked after us (apologies that i forgot her name). Highly recommended.

Negative experience: The standard of care at Lort Smith has clearly declined. What should have been a simple visit for our cat was mishandled from start to finish. Despite a quiet clinic, we walked into a puddle of urine in front of the reception desk that no one moved to clean or signpost. I stood waiting for several minutes without acknowledgment before someone slowly emerged with a mop and sign—not a reassuring start. The vet advised a urinalysis but failed to mention the sample needed refrigeration—crucial information that was neither said nor written down. We followed instructions, only to be told the sample might be unusable. Two separate staff members then contacted different family members with contradictory updates: one to request payment (which we made), the other saying the sample couldn’t be used. We had to call back, sit on hold, and re-explain the situation—only to be met with defensiveness. When we returned with a new sample, it seemed like reception couldn't even definitively say that they had received payment on file. The level of miscommunication and carelessness here is unacceptable. You’re in animal healthcare—your mistakes have real consequences. We will not be back, so you can save your copy/paste responses, but if you had any integrity you would take a serious look at how you're currently operating, and make meaningful changes based on the feedback pet owners are already spoon-feeding to you here.

Negative experience: Pay close attention to their negative reviews. Those are the ones that matter. This company shouldn't have charity status anymore. They're far more costly and money focused than any private vet, and will hold you over a barrel to pay up front while not giving you a clear enough estimate of the costs. They leave a wide margin to fleece more money out of you. I took my dog in to have 2 teeth extracted and a cleaning, and they over-charged me for an extended consultation right from the beginning. If I hadn't noticed, I'd have paid almost $50 more than I should have. Then they charge you a $150 booking fee, which no other vet does. They also charged me $26 for 5 single doses of an antibiotic that you can buy for $44 in a 250ml bottle. I requested the antibiotic, but even still, the price gouge on it is incredible. When I got the estimate, there was $800 difference between the lower end and the higher end, with the difference made up solely by time spent in the procedure. And when I traveled on public transport for an hour and a half to get to the appointment for the procedure, they demanded I pay the higher end estimate up front. And they wouldn't do the procedure until I paid up. I had a $2000 loan for the purpose and they wanted another chunk in addition to that, but didn't even inform me that I'd have to pay their highest estimate up front. Total waste of time and money. Their low estimate was a little more than $1400 and the upper estimate was more than $2200. All I wanted was the two teeth extracted and the cleaning. Maybe a couple more if they were really necessary. So they were very likely going to add on whatever they wanted to do, probably pulling out more teeth than even needed, and charging me the whole estimated cost, if not more. I got a second opinion. Free dental check to do an estimate, no booking fee. $1100 which covered everything Lort Smith put in their estimate.. PLUS an included follow up a week after the procedure and included dental products worth around $50. And their assessment was that my dog would likely only need the two extractions because his dental health was overall very good. This is a private vet in an affluent Bayside suburb too. Still much less expensive than Lort Smith. While the staff are pleasant enough at Lort Smith, it doesn't make up for how money focused they are. It's meant to be a charity hospital for people who can't afford massive vet bills, but that's not what they are at all. Go elsewhere and save yourself the time, money and potential drama, as it seems other people have been threatened with losing their pet if they didn't pay up more money when Lort Smith were in possession of them. My experience with Lort Smith was a waste of a lot of time and around $100 for absolutely nothing.

Negative experience: Some of the worst service I’ve ever received from the emergency vet. Had to probe him repeatedly for clarity on what was going on, there was less than zero sensitivity to what is obviously a delicate situation… I can’t think of one positive moment and wouldn’t recommend anyone return. Name is Hannah mclaughlin.

Fantastic experience: Staff are lovelly, even at challenging times. Wish people were nicer to them and would remember that these individuals have to experience a hospital level of emotional trauma, daily. Everyone we interacted with was so kind and clearly going above and beyond with each interaction. Thank you to the staff present on Sunday (27/4) who helped our cat.

Negative experience: Extremely unorganised, no one knows anything in regards to scheduling. Dropped my pet off at 8:30am and was told to expect 3pm pick up, never heard from them. called them around 3 they said they’d get back to me. Called them again at 6:30 and they had told me to come in. They close at 7 and I’ve was waiting almost an hour after close just to pick up my pet. ***edit*** Since this incident my pet was discharged to me and I was told (not by the vet as they had gone home) that his ultrasound results were fine and nothing to worry about and that the vet that went home would still give me a call the next day to clarify. The vet called 2 days later and told us that he has potential CANCER and that we could send his results off. We agreed. We then received a call saying they have now lost his results. Extremely poor experience with this clinic. And good luck getting through to call them about anything. Useless. Don’t go here.

Negative experience: Staff here were completely useless 8 years ago, and are still completely useless now. Vets here permanently damaged my rabbit’s foot into an outward position after incorrectly bandaging her fractured foot up and then told us we would most likely need to put her down as the bone could pop through the skin any minute, and then tried to blame that outcome on us and refused to admit fault when it was quite obvious the triangle shape they had her wrapped in was completely different to how it was wrapped for weeks before that. My family tried this vet out again years later and nothing has changed. Their lack of communication and very clear lack of understanding of proper animal care AND care for the owners who are already going through something traumatic is insane. This vet is NOT cheap, and you could get a better experience asking a random neighbour in your street to try to fix your animal. Do NOT waste your money here, they do nothing but make things worse and more stressful.

Fantastic experience: It is interesting to see the different experiences that each owner has. I can only say that I am lucky to have had a positive experience there. A few years ago, my partner's dog was transferred to Lort Smith for a month due to an incident (he had a big fight with another dog). While we were very concerned that we might lose him, we made an effort to visit him once a week. Fortunately, we were allowed to bring him home after investigation, and I still remember that day well. He was just finishing a walk with the staff and was excited to see us. When we tried to take him out of the facility, he was confused and followed the staff instead. I believe he wouldn't have behaved that way if he hadn't been treated well. Although we have not taken him back for any further treatment, I appreciate the care he received from their staff during that time.

Fantastic experience: Cannot speak highly enough of the staff or the care my dog got after needing surgery for urinary stones and a perforated bladder. They were in constant contact and giving me detailed updates during the 4 days he was in there- which helped so much in alleviating our stress. They were also very upfront with costs and options for what they would need to do before they did it. Cannot recommend them more if you need emergency care.

Fantastic experience: This place is the Royal Melbourne for pets in our eyes. We became regulars for nearly a month due to a health issue for our boy. He's known for not liking going to the vet (spicy as they describe him), and all of the staff were professional, compassionate and willing to listen to us when it comes to his personality and how best to approach him. At all levels we received nothing but the best help, support and assistance in all aspects. We wouldn't go anywhere else. These two photos show the difference between how he is with strangers (playing nicely with others) and how he is with us (Mum and Dad) at home. He's always cuddling up on my lap.

Fantastic experience: Dr Sarah and Dr Phoebe at Lort Smith saved by cats life. He was admitted because he was vomiting and not eating. After a scan it was determined that a large furball lodged in his intestines. They operated the same day and he is recovering. Support staff, reception, vet nurses were great and supportive. I'm thankful for their dedication and professionalism.

Fantastic experience: To Dr Kassandra, I would like to express my gratitude and thank you sincerely from the bottom of my heart. Your expertise and compassion towards Simba is amazing. I am forever grateful for your service today. You did amazing job on Simba’s dental extraction. Your gentle touch and soothing words made my nervous pup feel at ease. I couldn’t ask for a better vet! Thank you to the Admin staff and the discharge nurse as well:) Price was reasonable -they did not charge me anything extra -very good service

Fantastic experience: I had to take me best friend, my cat of nearly Ten years to The Lost Smith emergency, on a late Friday afternoon, without a booking they saw him straight away, unfortunately my cat did not make it, however they way my situation and more importantly my cats’ issue was dealt with was a combination of empathy, understanding, listening and as if they had been part of my cat’s life for quite a while The vet that spoke with me on the phone to let me know they could not revive my cat, took her time and is a beautiful human, she asked me if I wanted them to create paw prints and take some hair and keep it for me, which they did, The various team that dealt with my cat all cared and treated me and my cat well They treat the animals as humans

Negative experience: wouldn’t recommend this vet to anyone. I took my cat to get checked as she was vomiting and they explained that she had an obstruction in her intestines just based on feeling her. They then gave me 3 options which included a X-ray ($1.2k) and 2 Surgery options ( between $2.2k - $3.5k ). The male vet explaining this was so blunt and showed no empathy about the situation. The next day I opted to get the surgery and they advised me that they were unable to do it because they were busy and for me to go elsewhere. I got a second opinion from Tullamarine animal hospital (would highly highly recommend) who charged me $300 for an X-ray and advised me my cat was simply just CONSTIPATED! Lort Smith fees are outrageous and I cannot believe I was about to pay $2000 for surgery that my cat did not need.

Fantastic experience: I recently (yesterday) had to do the unfortunate thing of having to surrender my lovely dog who I'm very attached to. It wasn't an easy thing to do, but the staff at Lort Smith did so in such a caring way. An was very helpful in getting me the right paperwork and getting the information they needed. Kate, whom I saw with my boy was an absolute angel through the process. She allowed me 10 minutes alone with my boy, and let me keep his collar. I really appreciated and valued that. I have no doubt that he will be looked after. Kate, thank you so much!

Negative experience: If I could give this place a star rating, I wouldn't give them stars at all. When I first called, I let them know over the phone that I didn't have money and that I had financial issues. They said to bring my dog in immediately. So I brought her in. When I first took my dog out, the nurse came out, and the first thing she said, "Are you here to surrender your dog.. um, no way in hell no. But I politely responded no here to get her checked as she's in pain. The vet saw her no compassion at all. They had a discussion with the pet medical crisis, which sounded a bit cold, the lord Smith to pet medical crisis, and I found out why later on. The lord Smith should he ashamed of themselves to say they are a charity when in fact your not, instead you offer buy now pay later options that's far from charity. So I'm sorry to say but you should be seen as a normal vet clinic now not a charity organisation. You want help whoever reads this go-to pet medical crisis or pets of the Homeless-you don't necessarily have to be homeless to get medical help for your pet. Explain your situation, and they'll be sure to help as they did for me and my pet. The vet quoted 2,700 when another vet picked my dog up thanks to the pet medical crisis for finding them and was fast and prompt in getting my dog surgery she needs. Although sadly she didn't make it post surgery they still helped give her a chance at saving her as it was a if I do nothing she passes away and I knew there would be a chance after surgery too but instantly the options lord Smith gave surrender my pet or euthanise her. Not to mention you failed to send through medical history and diagnosis of minnie delaying the help I needed. The pet medical crisis and pets of the homeless helped get her surgery. You should be cancelled as a charity organisation and I will be taking action. Cold place for pets.

Fantastic experience: The vet that saw me was excellent. I forget her name as I was experiencing a very emotional time, but she was very tall. Not only did the little blue pills she gave us work but my dog liked to eat them too. Who knew that my sildenafil could save my coco's heart. The tall vet that I saw deserves a raise but maybe she would hit her head on the ceiling. 5stars

Negative experience: Our family dog unfortunately had to be put down. We opted for Cremation - Lort Smith released our pug's body to the wrong cremation company and it was not immediately returned or even returned on the companies next visit (we are still waiting for return almost a week later). Lort Smith have done nothing to assist with the matter. Update: we found out after being giving the run around for a few days by Lort Smith that our dog was cremated by the WRONG COMPANY and obviously now can't provide the hair or paw print we asked for. This company claims to care about animals but treated our dog with absolute disrespect.

Negative experience: I was told LS was world class. But it is not. My cat was very unwell & the vets kept her 2 days & just ordered more & more expensive tests. In the end they still didn’t know what was wrong & wanted to order more expensive tests. Only one vet was kind & understanding & took her time to explain. The rest are rude & incompetent & really should not be working as vets as they lack the compassion & empathy, & veterinary knowledge to diagnose & treat a sick animal! Dr Phoebe was the worst of them all - she had no idea what she was doing & had the bed side manner of a wet rag. I would not bring my pets here ever again. My bill was in the thousands of dollars with still no answer as to why my cat was sick. Stop misrepresenting yourself as a top class vet facility. Stop asking for donations - you’re again misrepresenting your facility as you already charge pet owners an arm & a leg to repeatedly do multiple expensive tests & to admit animals to your facility. Disappointing. There’s no minus stars on google, but based on my experience, they’re not worth even one star. Edit. - Definitely attended using my real name which I’m not going to bother to disclose because it’s not going to make a difference. The attitude of your staff was appalling. I have taken my cat to another vet whose fees are HALF the cost of yours with more compassionate & empathetic care. Say what you want - your misrepresentation is a disgrace.

Positive experience: This is only an emergency. Do not try to book an appointment here. First, the website give you some "available" dates, but they either do not confirm your appointment or it's rejected. " If you try calling, they never answer. I ended up going directly there. You're better off going to a serious vet.

Negative experience: Was 15mins late for a simple vaccination appointment but was turned away due to us being late and the vet can’t squeeze us in. We’ve been coming to this clinic quite regularly. They’ve given us satisfactory treatments but today was not it. But the stats is that, there has never been a punctual appointment before. Whether if we are early or on time, the appointment has never been on time. We’ve even waited for them past 30mins before. So why is it that on this off-chance they still cant serve us. With 4 nurse/tech/receptionist at the desk, there was no call prior to warn us of the very tight schedule they have today. Otherwise I wouldnt have spent $60 on a useless two-way uber trip.

Fantastic experience: My little cat was not eating and vomiting for some days and another vet suggested to do surgery on her. This hospital did excellent work and diagnosed my cat precisely without surgery. Appropriate medication was provided and my cat started eating and behave more like her. I’m very grateful for such a caring and client centered team. Definitely will recommend to everyone who needs it.

Fantastic experience: Lort Smith provided the best quality service and care to my old sweet girl. A special thanks to Ebony who recommend I bring her into emergency, after what I naively assumed to be a non-urgent issue. After many tests and a night in ICU, I realised that if it weren’t for the team at Lort Smith, she might not have bounced back. Thank you for your dedication, compassion and kindness. Service is remarkably priced given the high level of care and standards. Back to enjoying her well deserved retirement.

Negative experience: A friend told me to go, and took me as my girl had a fast growing lump. It had returned for the second time. I have to see it is horrible to try to get through on the phone. Nobody knows what is going on. She had to stay overnight because they were not able to get her ultrasound done within the allotted time at their cost of course. Problem being it took five weeks a hundred calls to get results finally when I went back they said they’d have to do surgery. She was weak and constantly vomiting not listening to anything I said. They are money hungry and have too many chiefs and not enough Indians. I would never recommend them to anyone. Have had better experience with my old boy elsewhere. Never again!

Fantastic experience: Amazing service from really lovely people! Roxy “The Angry Dog” doesn’t usually like her Vets, however, she had a lovely visit and enjoyed the pats! Thanks for your good care and come visit Roxy at her “pet friendly” bar in West Melbs

Fantastic experience: First time I’d been to Lort Smith. My vet in Frankston sent us there with a very unwell German shepherd. The care Hugo got and the updates I received twice a day for the time he was there I appreciated greatly. Just a wonderful experience and would highly recommended Lort Smith.

Negative experience: If your pet needs emergency attention, suggest can go to other vet emergency hospital / clinic where nurses and veterinarian can respond to your call / visit overnight. One or two people here are caring for your pet but mixed with some intimidating reception staff and non-responsive finance team made the whole stressful experience hell. They are too big to care about patient / pet owner experience so any negative reviews won’t matter to them. I wished other vet clinics would stop referring people to Lort Smith in the city. First time leaving bad review for a veterinary establishment :( my dog absolutely hated the building from the get go, should have trusted his very perceptive instinct and walked away.

Fantastic experience: Victoria gave outstanding customer service today, she is very intuitive, even on the phone. She was able to calm my anxiety by giving me a quick and basic explanation I could easily understand the next steps. She should be recognised for her skills, empathy and willingness to be as helpful and make the process as seamless as possible. Thanks Victoria

Fantastic experience: I have visited The Lort Smith Animal Hospital many times over the years. I would highly recommend them. They are empathetic, kind and always do a wonderful fix. The prices are the best in Victoria. I am so grateful that this practice exists.

Fantastic experience: Thank you very much to the wonderful and caring staff at Lort Smith Hospital. If it wasn’t for you, my cat wouldn’t be here right now. I have recommended this hospital to everyone I know that has a pet over the last year since my experience. Very grateful! X

Fantastic experience: Had a great experience taking my dog in for an urgent walk in appointment. The staff were so helpful and a lovely vet nurse was able to sort out my dog's broken dew nail quickly. My dog was so comfortable here. Bonus was that it only cost a $25 vet nurse fee instead of emergency vet fees. Will be happy to use this vet hospital for any urgent care in the future.

Fantastic experience: Amazing place, amazing staff. We had to discharge our pet from another veterinary hospital to take him to the Lort Smith. From the moment we walked in the door, we could see the difference in professionalism and care that our boy would be receiving. Well and truly worth the hour drive to get there. Veterinary care is expensive. Those people complaining about price clearly haven't been to other emergency veterinary hospitals. Our dollar went so much further than any other place we have been. As our issue was very complex we became regulars with staff members recognising and checking in while we waited for our appointment. Unfortunately the disease was much stronger than he was and we had a sad decision to make. I know that they did everything possible. To all the staff at the Lort Smith we thank you from the bottom of my heart in trying to save our pet Soda. The dignity and compassion that you show is inspiring.

Fantastic experience: My puppy was severely unwell and needed emergency vet care. While I couldn’t get through on the phone, I took her straight to emergency and she was triaged without any delay. The vets and nurses here really care about animals and were able to put her and myself at ease very quickly. Puppy came home after an overnight stay and she was happy and healthy - thank you Lort Smith for being the best at what you do and taking such wonderful care of my puppy (and me!). We love you!

Negative experience: They kept my cat in the back for two hours without any explanation, and she was so scared that she peed as soon as we left. Words cannot express how devastated and heartbroken I was. I brought my cat here after she’d been vomiting all day. The nurse suggested adding us to the emergency waitlist, which I agreed to, but no one told me where or when to pay. I assumed I’d pay right before it was our turn. During the entire two hours we waited, no one advised me that I’m not in the waitlist as I needed to pay first, even though I asked multiple times about my cat’s condition and how long the wait would be. When I finally saw my cat, she was a wreck—hissing and trying to bite me, which she’s never done even in vet visits before. I couldn’t stop crying seeing the condition my cat was in. While i believe the vet was professional, the overall experience is a disaster. The lady at the reception offered no explanation or apology - she simply said it’s a “miscommunication” and waited for me to pay the rest of the bill.

Negative experience: After an appointment which left my dog with blood on her paws for a nail trim I didn’t ask for, she developed a swollen, red eye soon after attending the appointment. There’s been no explanation or apology from Lort Smith and they kept calling my female dog “him” despite her attending this vet for over five years. So disappointed.

Negative experience: I have to say my dearest friend, Cathy said it all. Cathy has been through so much and it broke my heart to hear how she was treated. It seems to me that if you come to Lort Smith with your beloved pet in need of help and you are in financial hardship, all they think of is how much money they can make by coercing you to give your precious fur baby away to them so they can sell it!!! This isn't after some time to deal with the shock of your puppy with a broken foot. THIS is on the first visit! They also refrained from informing Cathy that Pet Medical Crisis Fund may help her which they were well aware of. Thank Goodness PMC have and are giving some wonderful support both financially and empathically for Cathy and her puppy. They've picked up Charli and taken her to a vet with compassion. I also wish I could give 0 stars to Lort Smith Hospital.

Negative experience: Absolutely devastated with the lack of care at this hospital. I admitted my puppy who had broken her foot. I was quoted $5000 for surgery and no x- rays were even done. I tried to explain that I was in financial hardship and not working. I was told if I didn't pay there and then that I would have to surrender my puppy as a rescue. This is definitely not a not for profit organisation. They are all about profit with no empathy or care for the pets that arrive or their owners. I am absolutely disgusted with the way they bullied me to surrender my pup for adoption. Why When she already has a loving home?? I begged for more time and was told I had to pay the next day or surrender her for adoption. They wouldn't even let her come home. I had to beg to see her before I left. Don't EVER bring your beloved pet here, they will either bully you to euthanize or make you feel like you have no choice but to give them up if you can't pay on the spot. I was beside myself and inconsolable, but they didn't care. This is a opportunist company that does not consider what is best for the patient. They are a money hungry organisation that should be shut down. Absolutely appalled by the staff and lack of care for my pet and me. This place is all about money and how they can profit, just disgusting...wish I could give 0 stars but it won't let me.

Negative experience: I'm actually upset that i couldn't give 0 stars, so where do i start, first of all you guys pretty much tried to force me and my girlfriend to surrender our puppy to you guys because she has a broken leg and we couldn't afford to pay for the surgery which you said will be close to 5000 if not more and said we had to come up with over 3000 on that day and the rest in the morning or we would have to surrender our puppy to you. You seen how distressing it was for my girlfriend but all you seemed to worry about was when we were going to pay the money for the surgery and also how can you say it's going to cost 5000 when you didn't even do any x-ray on our puppy, what a joke you are! you should be ashamed of yourself, how do you expect two people who don't have work and one is on a pension to come up with 5000 within 24 hours or we are going to have to surrender our puppy, what gives you the right to do such a thing. You obviously don't have any family, children or pets because how could any one as a human being do that to another human being, YOU SHOULD BE DISGUSTED WITH YOUR BEHAVIOUR, i'll be making a complaint against you and making sure everyone knows exactly what you are all about and that's a PROMISE!

Fantastic experience: Very grateful for the skilled and attentive staff at Lort Smith, without their dedication we wouldn't have been able to bring our boy Parker home. They walked us through what to expect and were on point. We had the option to visit and view the facilities he would be staying in, even while in ICU. Payment plans are easy enough to sort out too. Thank you so much!

Fantastic experience: After shocking service from another vetinary practise this place was a breath of fresh air. Quick, no muss, no fuss and reasonable (ish) price. The downside being that the wait list seems long. After care for my kitten after her spey was good and she's doing well, thankfully☺️

Negative experience: Very disappointed, distressed and appalled. We had to say goodbye to our family dog about 2 weeks (18th june) ago now at this hospital and although i am thankful that they helped as much as they could... what i cannot stand is the treatment and service my family has experienced after the fact. After being told by all staff , including the doctor, nursing staff and reception that we would receive our dogs ashes in a week we were called by one of the receptionist girls stating that it would actually take 2 WEEKS before we can take our dogs ashes home (26th june). On top of that the girl on the phone said that there was an overdue balance of $500+ despite us already paying on the day our dog passed and i even have a receipt for that. The girl on the phone then apologized and said we were actually charged TWICE by mistake and that she will rectify the issue by speaking to " management". As if losing our beloved pet wasnt enough, i get these ridiculous mistakes made over the phone to stress us even more. We THEN recieved a text message ( same day 26th june) from the hospital notifying us that our dogs ashes were infact READY for pick up TODAY???. Miscomminication and untrained staff. Not only that but when we went to pick up the ashes, they took soo long to locate the urn and when provided with an envelope promised to have our dogs paw prints and hair trimmings, the hair trimmings WERE NOT there. Went back in to ask where our dogs hair trimmings were as we wanted them to remenber her by , and the staff said they did not know... and that they couldnt find it / "misplaced" it. Yet another extremely unacceptable mistake. The engraving on the urn is also WRONG. The dates were incorrect and now my family are in despair as we cant even be sure if this urn is even our dog. The only solution provided by staff was that they would "look into it" and escalate it to ( yet again) " management" and call us when they " locate" our dogs hair trimmings. But at this point there is no way of knowing if the fur/ hair they provide us later will be of our beloved puppy. I will NEVER come back here again. Seeing my sister and family so broken was enough and this horrible experience took it over this edge. UPDATE: I personally recieved a call from a number not listed with lorth smith animal hospital ( upon google searching) from a woman named shree who said she was from the hospital and wanted to speak to me regarding my ' query/ inquiry' i had left ( I assume this review) . Quite unprofessional and strange considering usually they comment on google reviews with a contact number/ email for me to respond to on my own accord. We also finally received a call back from reception TODAY ( 1st july) and was told they have LOST the hair trimmings indefinitely. So basically we cant do anything about it. Never again.

Fantastic experience: Lort Smith helped my family and I deal with the passing of our first and only family cat who lived for 15 years. His last few months were spent in and out of hospital as the lovely vets and nurses tried all they could to help him and despite his health continuing to decline, Lort Smith helped us make it as comfortable for him as possible. A very compassionate and thoughtful team, these people know how to look after animals and how to comfort you when it’s time to say goodbye. Very grateful for all their work. Thank you for looking after Tiger. Losing a pet is hard and I feel like a lot of services in the area take advantage of that. Lort Smith was affordable, accomodating and able to explain everything and allow us to say our goodbyes in a beautiful way. I will be coming back with our new fur baby in a month or so once we are ready to open our hearts again.