Generally I've heard negative feedback about Banfield as a company, and the amount they charge you VS the amount you're getting - but I will say that it is very clear that this location cares about how to treat their customers. It's actually some of the best customer service I've received in just about any type of business - anybody who has taken a 101 on hospitality would be impressed by this location and how they treat you and your pet. It's clear that the owner and employees of this veterinary chain are serious about hospitality. I can't say much for their services, but they do a decent job as far as I'm concerned. Could possibly get better treatment for the money, but overall impressive business from this particular Banfield. Edit: I've had a few disheartening moments with Banfield, so I've lowered my rating by 1. Most notably, a vet attempted to push sales on me that were completely unnecessary, and attempted to sell de-wormer (saying she could see worms on the cat), when they clearly weren't there. They also did the same with shots that my cat had already received, and were on record. This is dishonest business. Overall I still have faith that this Banfield has mostly caring, attentive employees, but I would be careful of this kind of business practice that audaciously tries to sell unnecessary service. read more

If you love your pet an want to keep them healthy .DON'T GO HERE The doctors don't care about your pets needs to them he is just another pet an they treat him very rough an unfeeling .my pet passed away that night at a emergency hospital because of there incompetency In memory of my little best friend....... read more

Thank you for reading this review... If you don't believe my review then just stop in an look for yourself we have been taking our pets here for many years an over time the quality of care has went down When we use to go there the waiting room was full of customers an some standing outside waiting . If you stop now you will see ...no .. customers waiting to see a doctor .the doctors don't care about your pets..... like they use to. An every time you go you see a different doctor . To them its just another pet .....no feeling . The last time we took our pet to them .An was told they need tests ....an in the doctors words ...leave the thing here .....an Laugh ......an walked out of the room .... our pet is not a thing ...its a life an very important to us To us pets are family an you do everything you can to help... an keep them safe . Your pet deserves better care .....then here ...please look elsewhere Thank you read more

!!!!!!!!...Warning...!!!!!!!! ..Warning !!!!!! ...Warning!!!!! If you care Anything about your fur baby ...... don't take them to this pet hospital We have been taking our fur baby to them for a number of years an the quality of service has gotten much worse When we need there help because our pet was so sick it was time to maybe put him down ... but I wanted to get a second opinion . or maybe a medication for his pain till he passed on his own The business is money driven There doctors are always doing surgery an no time for office calls lets face it surgery is where the real money is If you leave a message they never call you back We tried to give them the benefit of the doubt.. our fur baby was getting worse so we tried to get an online appointment they cancelled our appointment twice an was told ......Doctor was doing surgery no time for office calls The doctors see so many different pets that to them there just another sick pet they forget that to us there family Our fur baby was only 5 years old when he passed We are just doing this review in memory of our fur baby ,..........an maybe help your fur baby . read more

My precious boy was having a time sensitive problem on Saturday. Hes a patient of theirs. I called the receptionist spoke to the doctor and I was told to bring him right over. When we got there.The place was packed. We were told we had to wait for all the appointments to be seen first. Now keep in mind... Time sensitive before tissue damage. Are you kidding me?We're told to bring him right over! Then told us to take him to an urgent care center down the street , they might take him in sooner. We pay for the insurance for him to be seen there. Not add another vet. I am so disgusted with them. He will not be going back to the Latham office!! Liars and they had no regard for our boy. I will drive the extra time to bring him to a different banfield office!!!! No apology from them or nothing , just cold and harsh!!! read more

I never do these reviews but this needs to be said due to me not wanting this to happen to another family. I brought my dog in because she was acting sick. she saw a dr.carpenter they had me drop her off and about 4 hours later come in to pick her up. they said she " seemed fine just her back legs are hurting her ", 24 hours later she is still puking and unable to breathe or move. I call again and rush her in, for them to call me 2 hours later saying " you need to put her down she has cancer all over and nothing will help this " I lost my 5 year old dog to people who simply lie and can't do the correct job. I'm in disgust with this place and highly advise to never go here !!!! read more

Completely unorganized, and unprofessional. My dog was to be a new patient, luckily I dodged that bullet just through the appointment confirmation call! Thank for the robo response! No I will not go out of my way to email you, "Lisa". Your services are exceptionally terrible! read more

If you go to this Banfield, don't choose Dr. Carpenter. My cat had been seeing her since April, and she was euthanized today. When my cat's ultrasound came back in June, Dr. Carpenter suggested two options, one that involved diagnosing the main issue, and one that involved diagnosing and treating an issue that ended up being just a symptom of the main issue. I did not realize this, but Dr. Carpenter should have. I took the second option, but a few months in, when I told her that my cat was continuing to lose weight, she showed no assertiveness or decisiveness in telling me what I should do. At that point, the cat should have had a biopsy. So, we lost valuable time because this vet wasn't treating my pet as if she was her own. I mean, what would you do, doc? You have a bevy of veterinary knowledge and judgment to offer. So, Dr. Carpenter, offer it next time. We shouldn't have had to pull answers out of you, or waste time with interventions that were going nowhere. No compassion. At times, she barely said anything. Don't let what happened to Pookie (RIP) happen to another pet. read more

I never write bad reviews but I need to let you know what you are getting into. This place is an absolute joke. They sign everyone up for wellness plans-take your payment every month but when you need an appointment they never have anything available. Completely overbooked-understaffed and disorganized. When they do get you in they try to sell you on medications that are marked up at least 3x what the actual price is.Had an emergency and was told the doctors were going home even though they were still open for several hours. DO NOT TAKE YOUR PET HERE. Only in it for $$$ read more

Banfield, especially in Latham NY, your staff is wonderfu, kind and patient. They care about the pets and lets face it everything has a cost, but they care about working with you to give your pet the best care you. an and have options. I highly recommend you guys to everyone!! read more

This was my first time at Banfield in Latham. I arrived a half hour early, and was brought right into a room, about 5 minutes later a Vet tech came in and did the initial look over of my kitten. Answered all my questions, and took some stress off my concerns, The Vet came in did her thing, again very nice and polite, answered more of my questions. I really recommend getting your pet on the wellness program. Its better then pet insurance, and its all done at Banfield. NO claim forms to fill out and your getting the discounts right there. My total time for a first appointment was about 45 minutes, but that may not happen for everyone. Get discounted flea stuff and discounted services like the groomer if you use that. read more

I'm pretty shocked to see bad reviews here. I've only experienced sweet, genuine, accommodating staff and doctors here. I haven't had one bad thing to say yet (or hopefully ever!). They have treated myself and my puppy with such kindness and compassion. They always follow up after your appointment. I love that they provide a vet to chat with on the app 24/7. This has been extremely helpful for us. We love Banfield in Latham!!! read more

I'm surprised to see so many poor reviews on the Latham Banfield. I have been to several Vets over the years and so far have had a pretty good experience with Banfield. I would like to see a little less turnover in the staff but other than that they have always been great to my Dogs and myself. I cant speak to any emergency situations though. The plan my rottweiler is on is $33 /Month =$396/year. So with that being said anyone who has ever been to any vet for normal exams or more serious visits know it can be very expensive in just one visit . As of now I have had good experiences with my dogs and have no reason not to recommend Banfield in Latham. It's easier to pay $33 a month than to pay large amounts without the plan at each vet visit. Just my humble opinion read more

TERRIBLE!! signed my dog bella up for their puppy wellness plan when we first got her. The first year it seemed like a great deal she was spayed and had all her 1st year shots. Upon renewal of the wellness plan I realized they had applied the last set of shots available on the puppy plan to my new plan, leaving me forced to sign up for another year or pay out of pocket for her next round of shots. I called the office to get it straightened out and they insist "corporate handles wellness plans" so I call corporate who basically told me that the latham store should have fixed it but "they don't know what they are doing". (Well, thats reassuring) so corporate tells me they will call the latham location and help guide them..... yeah! But it gets worse, 2 weeks later I call to find out if any progress has been made. I called the latham location and spoke to a woman (kris, kristy, christina) something like that. She tells me corporate had called her and told her I had used all my available benifits from the puppy plan. WTF? So I explain the run around and also that I would be willing to come show her ALL of my records (since she claims she does not have access to last year's plan, only the current plan)?? She swears she will return my call promptly and we will get this figured out. Here we are 2 months later.. not so much as a phone call from anyone. My dog also has had an ear infection 3 times the past year they continue to prescribe her the same two meds (a wash and an ointment) I paid 32 the 1st time, 45 the second and 52 this last time. Same meds higher prices. I don't get it. I recommend shaker vet or bayberry for regular care. They don't have the plan but it ends up costing less annually for a much higher quality service from people who care. read more

THANK YOU BANFIELD LATHAM!! I have been impressed with the care we have been recieving for our pup since he was 8weeks old. He is now 16 months old and still getting excellent care. I was EXTREMELY IMPRESSED with the care we were given when our cat was passing. Their attention to details is amazing. They had a candle with a note at front desk making other clients aware of situation we were going through. The exam room was dim lit and cozy. The Vet was caring, very comforting and professional. I highly recommend them for all your fur babies needs from birth to end of life care. read more

The worst people to call in case of a pet emergency unless you have the money up front your pet doesn't matter to the it doesn't matter breed calmness or anything else an emergency is an emergency read more

I honestly wish there was a zero star option... This location is, sorry was, my pets home office. I pay into a wellness plan and have been up on everything preventative they recommend. Typically we were happy with the level of care my dog was receiving. That was until his past visit when my 6.5 lb Yorkie received 4 shots in one sitting and could not lay comfortable without yelping for 24 hours, took him 2 days to return to eating or be back to his normal self. This past weekend my dog had a need for an urgent visit. I was told they did not know what was wrong but that it could wait until Wednesday when they could fit him into their busy schedule. I was told several times how busy the doctor was. After threatening to cancel my plan with Banfield and Yelp my experience I was told I could come in but for a significant wait time and an "emergency fee" at the doctors discretion. I was able to get into another Banfield location same day and turns out my dog needed surgery, which again was done same day! The most comical part would probably be the phone call we received to update demographic info on my pets account while we were on our way to the other location. Apparently I was not an authorized member on my pets account yet (only my husband was) and that was clearly more important than caring for my dog. read more

Horrible, horrible, horrible. The Banfield Hospital has gone tremendously I'm the quality of care and services to our beloved pets. They require you to drop off your pet for hours for routine shots, never get to speak to a Vet. The price has gone up and the quality has gone down. Today I called the Latham office and was told about an appointment for tomorrow. I called back 5 minutes later and kept getting a message that the office was closed. This was at 9:45AM. Someone finally answered and in was put on hold for 18 minutes and was told there is no appointment for tomorrow or any next week. I was told to call another office and see if they have any appointments. Thanks for your care and concern regarding my puppy. Makes me feel like he is valued there. read more

I'm amazed at the low reviews of the Banfield system. I travel extensively for work and have used 10-15 Banfield locations at ten locations nationwide. The vets are always caring and professional and explain what is going on with my pet. If I drop off the pet in the morning, the staff at my home location calls me after the exam to explain the findings and I generally have a chance to see him or her when I pick up the animal. I also usually receive a call the day after the visit to see how the pet is doing. This location has been short-staffed vet-wise and it's sometimes hard to secure an appointment. But the vet on staff is great. One or two personnel need a little coaching but the tech team is helpful. There is a new manager and I'm confident that concerns will be addressed if they are raised in a helpful manner. The Banfield Wellness Plan is worth the money. I pay $94/month for three animals, but that includes two physicals a year, a dental cleaning, annual shots, a set of x-rays, and some lab tests. Medicine is extra. Anyone with a pet knows that one visit can set you back several hundred dollars. read more

My dogs have been on the wellness plan for years at Nisky. I'd highly recommend the staff at Niskayuna and using a wellness plan. But today I want to really give a big shout out and kudos to Dr. S in Latham. She is amazing! My border had seizures and Dr. S put me at ease (Nisky's doctors were arriving later so I ran over to Latham). I've had animals all my life but have never met a vet that can put you at ease in time of crisis like she did. Dr. S's bedside manner is excellent. She went so far as to sit on the floor to discuss Tessie's condition and recommended treatment. Thank you! read more

I was a Banfield client for approximately 6 years, but after my most recent experience, will not return for services at the Latham practice. I brought in my cat for her exam this past Sep. The vet tech told us that she was due for blood work, and took her to the back room to draw her blood. A few minutes later, we heard her become increasingly agitated. She was growling/screaming and hissing, and then became relatively quiet. She started again after a few seconds, but became much louder and frantic at this point, and I became concerned, so I walked into the hallway to look toward the back doorway. At this point, one of the guests in the waiting room commented to another customer, "What is going on back there?! Is there a feral cat?!". She de-escalated a second time, but within a few seconds, started screaming and crying yet again, still incredibly loudly. I began to walk toward the back room to ask the staff members to stop, at which point one of the techs came out and requested her crate. I sternly requested that they stop, and they dismissed the comment, noting that she was just having "a bad day." They took the crate back, and she escalated a final time, I'm assuming as they put her back in. The vet tech then took our cat (inside of the crate) back into the treatment room. I expressed my concern and frustration, and the tech noted that she was fine for the blood draw but became upset afterward, which didn't make sense to me (why would she be "fine" for a needle and escalate afterward?). The vet tech again dismissed what happened, saying my cat "just needed to learn how to relax" and "settle down." I was so upset at this point, I said nothing. When the vet came into the room, he mentioned nothing aside from, "oh, it looks like someone's having a bad day today." There were no apologies, which we would have appreciated. He then noted that they did not get enough blood for her blood work. This statement contradicted the vet tech's statement that our cat didn't escalate until after the blood draw, which again raised our concern. For the remainder of the visit, the staff members failed to apologize for anything that had happened, dismissed my concerns by joking ("feral cat?! oh, that's silly!"), and blamed my own cat for her agitation ("she just needs to learn how to relax"). Never, in 6 years have I had such a distressing experience. From what I know about animals, a person should not continue to try to get his/her needs met if the animal expresses anger, fright, or frustration. What I heard that day was terrifying, and I have never heard or seen my cat so upset. I can only imagine what happened behind the scenes when trying to draw blood from her. My husband and I have stopped services with Banfield for our 3 pets, and plan to go to a privately-owned veterinary practice in the area instead. Such a disappointment. **Update: I posted this review after struggling to contact corporate (e.g., 20-30 min holds on the phone). This review prompted quick action on their part, which I genuinely appreciate. Within 24 hrs, the practice manager called to follow up. She apologized, and said the vet confirmed that this was a "stressful" visit for our cat. She explained that cats become very vocal when they're restrained and that the staff members did everything they could, noting that it is a relatively common occurrence for cats to escalate during blood draws. I suggested they turn some energy toward communicating with and helping the pet owners in a more supportive manner, being that it is not a normal occurrence for owners to see their pets in distress** read more

My son and I adopted our dog at 11 months. He was "that' dog who was adopted and returned twice before we found him due to major anxiety issues. We have worked with him daily for 4 months and he is now mostly calm and happy and well behaved and has become a sweet, loving member of our family. Of course a bunch of his anxiety would return with his first vet visit since he's been with us. I explained on the phone when making the appointment that we are bringing our dog to a vet for a nail trimming opposed to doing it ourselves or going to a groomer because he became crazy anxious and upset every time we tried, no matter the techniques we used. I assumed a vet would know how to handle that. We arrived to the office 10 minutes early for our 4:15 appointment. We were kept waiting until 4:50, the entire time trying to keep our 100 pound puppy calm through his growing anxiety at being in a strange, new place. We were finally told he needed to be taken in the back for his nail trimming and I warned the woman that separating him from us would only make his anxiety worse, but she insisted. She returned with our dog 5 minutes later and our once all white dog was a sickly shade of purple all over. I can't imagine how much choking restraint was used to cause that. I warned her, asked her not to take him away alone! We were then smugly told he needed sedation for a nail trimming and I explained that was the entire reason he was there and not at a groomer. She said it was not my decision to make, only a medical professional could make that determination. I wish someone told me that earlier and honestly I was surprised she actually let us take him home as her smugness indicated we had no idea how to care for a difficult dog. She then said there was no one available after 5PM to do it and I reminded her our appointment was for 4:15. On our way out, I was told that the woman who took our appointment thought I was joking when I told her our dog was too crazy anxious to have his nails trimmed at a groomer. She said she thought I was joking!! I was shocked. Bottom line ... my all white dog was purple after being alone with them for 5 minutes. I warned and explained on the phone, I warned and explained in person. I should have been told that they were not equipped or trained to deal with an animal that is any less than perfectly behaved in a vet visit situation. It will take weeks to undo this major traumatic setback in his training in relieving his anxiety. Who chokes a dog until they turn purple? read more

I have a dog that has diarrhea, isn't eating and has visible worms in his stool and the soonest appointment they would give was 6 days. The receptionist was so unprofessional and didn't even ask what was wrong with the dog even after I asked if they could do something sooner as he was sick. The doctor is usually good but they need to get better people scheduling appointments. read more

I did receive a call from the local Banfield after corporate passed on my complaint. I will be giving the location another chance to see how the customer service is upon my return. I appreciate corporate Banfield responding with sincere concern from Yelp and Banfield site complaints. read more

This place is a total rip off, the over charge and when you need an appointment for your dog they put her off for a week and only as a fill in appointment as they need my dog for the entire day. So when I called to cancel the appointment I also canceled the wellness plan and the put me through the wringer to cancel and then charged me another $90 on top for the plan. I never signed up for only the first year and they told me I was on a monthly plan. They now only have 1 vet apposed to 3 they had just a few weeks ago. Never again I will take my dog to a different vet and pay the actual cost and not be surprised later on. This place sucks. A VERY UNHAPPY CUSTOMER read more

We just had to have our beloved dog put to sleep. The process was handled with dignity and compassion--all right in front of us. No going to the back, nothing but care and concern. We have gone to this branch of Banfield for years and were worried when our favorite vet left the practice. I called in advance to say we were coming and we were met at curbside with the new vet, 2 techs and a stretcher. We were immediately taken to an exam room where Shadow, our Keeshond, was examined and we were told that they could investigate the cause of his decline but that his likely outcome would not be good. My husband is having chemo now and the vet went so far as to say that Shadow's sickness might compromise an immunosuppressed human. At no point were we rushed or asked for anything that would add to their fee. The staff personified gracious authority. This must be the roughest thing that can happen at an animal hospital but they were more than up to the task. read more

Worst customer service ever. I use Banfield only to buy my pug's "prescription" dry dog food, RC Gastrointestinal. My prescription had run out so first I called my vet for them to fax it over, then called Banfield. This went back and forth for hours, Banfield claiming they never got it, my vet claiming they had faxed it. On the 6th call I started asking them for help in getting this resolved. Could the vet e-mail it to them? No. Could they call the vet and get a verbal- after all I already had the script on file, it had just expired. No. Could I speak to their manager? In training. No one else? The other manager was off. So what could I do then? Call the 866 Corporate number. I asked if there was ANYONE with any authority there who could help me? No one. I told the girl it was ridiculous, it's only dry dog food, not even medication! I didn't swear, I didn't yell, as a matter of fact I've been pretty sick all weekend and can barely talk! So finally my vet resolved it and my BF goes in to pick it up and Dr. Hoffman brings him into an exam room and chastised him for my "treatment" of his girl and says he's within his rights to refuse us the food!! He further just left a message on my phone saying that I owe them an apology, that the "ball is in my court", the call is taped and he spoke to his Medical Director and they won't serve me anymore until I apologize? So I should apologize for their crappy customer service and lack of effort on their part to try and get the issue resolved? And...where was Dr Hoffman when I asked to speak to someone in authority? I see he got involved fast enough when he wanted to scold my 62 year old BF like a child, but he wasn't around to help out with a customer's problem. He had all the time in the world this morning to leave me a voicemail, but yesterday when I needed help, he was nowhere to be found! All of this over a bag of dry dog food. Unbelievable. read more

I am writing because I recently had an experience at a Banfield that has made me never want to return to one of these practices again. Our family has taken our pets to Banfield for years. Recently, at the Latham, NY Banfield I was appalled at the behavior of your staff. The technician Alexis was very rude to us in the room and as soon as she exited the exam room, she was heard making vulgar comments and referring to our family dog as an inappropriate, offensive name. I was in the room with my daughter who also heard these comments. My husband is a dentist and our family understands the stresses of medical work but we also believe in maintaining a professional attitude. I was shocked by this experience and it made me lose a lot of faith in the care we have entrusted our pets to for years. I thought it best to explain myself so that hopefully you can work to avoid these types of experiences in the future. That being said, the care has always been go although this is a basic care vet. We have never had any major complaints until this incident. read more