Just a really wonderful group of people. They were really fast, treated my poor sick kitty with compassion and gentleness, and really went out of their way. My cat needed a biopsy asap, but because of my work schedule it was difficult for me to bring him in during the week and waiting until the weekend would have been unwise. The front desk people extended several options to me, which was incredibly helpful. All around marvelous! read more

This is my very first Yelp review. I had to write one because my experience at Bluepearl was beyond fantastic. I accidentally stepped on my 5 month old Himalayan kitten in the bathroom. The lights were off and everything happened so quickly, I didn't even know where he was hurt! All I remembered was him SHRIEKING and then clawing at my leg and running away, and then I might have tripped over him again slightly. Things happened so fast I had no idea what had happened, but I was obviously distraught I might've killed my kitten. There wasn't any blood and he appeared to be moving okay--albeit he was visibly shaken. My husband and I were beside ourselves and immediately looked up pet emergency room in the city on Google and Bluepearl came up. From the moment we stepped into the lobby we felt cared for. The receptionist immediately led us to the triage room where we shortly met with a technician. Her bed side manner wasn't great, I'll admit (she was very serious-faced and didn't even immediately reassure us the cat's vitals were normal), but I appreciated her diligence. The vet herself, a young brunette woman, was absolutely fantastic and truly an angel. She was soooo sympathetic and attentive and explained everything in detail and reassured us in many ways that our kitten would most likely be fine and that nothing appeared to be wrong. She was so gentle and understanding and even showed us how to check the kitty's gums at home for change in color (which might indicate a delayed problem). On top of it all, she ran an ultrasound on our kitty free of charge and even waived the consultation fee! We walked out feeling like our kitty was taken care of, our concerns were genuinely heard and addressed, and the entire visit was absolutely free! I cannot say enough good things about this place. Even if in the future they charge us a high amount, I am a committed client (God forbid another emergency!) based on the exceptionally high level of service I received during this first visit. I can't recommend this place highly enough! read more

Thanks and appreciation to Dr. Raske who performed a hip replacement on my dog Roxy. Dr. Raske provided excellent medical care and follow-up. He was very clear regarding what to expect after surgery. Roxy and I are grateful for her new hip and his comprehensive care. Thank you! read more

I brought my Cocker Spaniel, Buddy, in to see dermatologist Kathryn Rook at the Downtown location to treat ongoing allergy issues. After performing bacterial cultures and a skin allergy test which in total cost me about $1400 they formulated an allergy vaccination. Dr Rook informed me that it can take up to 6-12 months to become effective, and if helping, pets need to stay on allergy vaccines life-long. Otherwise they would have to reformulate the vaccination. These vaccines cost about $374 every 4-5 months. It's been a year and I haven't seen any improvement. I emailed Dr Rook after the 12 month period to see if she can see Buddy again to reformulate the vaccination at which point I was informed by Blue Pearl that Dr Rook was no longer there and I can make an appointment with one of their other dermatologists but I would have to pay $166 for a recheck appointment. I asked why since I was going back to hopefully reformulate the vaccine (which they initially got wrong) and I was told because it was over a year and Dr. Rook who was familiar with Buddy's case was no longer there the new dermatologist would have to reexamine him. I also requested to have one of their dermatologists give me a call so I could understand what the process would be to try and reformulate the vaccine as I do not want to find myself paying tons of more money because they didn't initially get it right. I have yet to hear from the dermatologist. As Dr Rook explained this is a life long issue.... why should I have to keep paying office visit fees so they can get Buddy's vaccination right?? If I was calling about a new issue then of course I would understand the charge but this isn't. How many times should I have to keep paying for them to potentially get this vaccination right?? This puts me in a position where I may have to stop the treatment all together because it has already been a major expense. This just wasn't how I expected to be treated when Buddy was put on this treatment plan. read more

Hello, I am writing a review based on my experience at this office in regards with a Dr I saw there with my husband about his cat Kitty. I use the word Dr. very loosely because in my experience Dr's are dedicated professionals who care about the welfare of their patients and value communication. Dr Manning , not sure if she is qualified and/or competent in the diagnosis of pets , but she doesn't believe that she is obligated to answer client questions and concerns. She does not believe that she has any obligation to patients once they walk out the door, after paying a high bill. My family has spent about 10k dollars in their business over the last 2 years on multiple felines with multiple vets and ALL have been reponsive. I even recommended 2 clients to specialists that are members of my feline society. But that doesn't equate in good client services. My poor kitten went in there unhurt and came out of the office with a bloody rectum and no one there thought they should answer the "what happened?" question. My cat has medical issues(some the vet ignored I think) and Dr. Manning doesn't think it is her duty to answer questions about the exam and conditions I took my cat to her in the 1st place to be seen for. The manager Tony, seems like he might care but for some reason he is too soft on his employees because he was never able to get the Dr to professionally follow up with my family. What doesn't make any sense is that she couldn't spare 5 minutes to talk to us, as is her duty ,but she will end up spending much more time explaining herself to their corporate office perhaps ,and the NYS licensing division, as well as other regulating authorities.I am a witness to everything he stated in his review and unfortunately I can't believe my eyes. read more

Blue Pearl almost makes me not want to have pets! They are ridiculously expensive and completely disorganized. I've been very disappointed with their service, especially considering the astronomical prices they charge, since they've been buying up vet practices around the city. $185 for an office visit, $197 for another consultation (in the same visit), miscellaneous $100 charge...almost $500 in charges to walk in the door and this doesn't even include any diagnostic tests. Never mind the long wait times, misleading information, and utter confusion in communications between staff and doctors. This corporation has made a practice of pretty office spaces with vets and staff who rely on expensive tests and fees more than customer and pet service. It's sad. read more

I took my cat here. they decided to go with the diagnosis that she had asthma. she was 11 years old and never had asthma, and another vet exhausted asthma treatments for 3 weeks prior. it didn't work. but NYC Vet Spec, now called Blue Pearl, insisted that asthma was the thing, and let us know it would be 100 dollars per hour for at least 24 hours. they slammed her with all kinds of steroids and what ever. but it didn't work. i asked the vet if he looked down my cats throat. he hesitantly said no. i commented that when breathing is the issue, don't dr.s always look down the throat? he said he couldn't explain why no one did. he called me back after looking down her throat and said it was a tumor that was blocking the breathing passage. after all of the insane efforts to curb asthma, she was too weak to operate, and we had to put her down. they quickly cremated her while my wife and i were in a confused state in a bit of shock really. we already committed to the $ before the treatment, and it was totaled at 2800.00 - for the wrong diagnosis and the wrong treatment. i contacted the vet licensing agency, tried to get some kind of justice for my animal. i couldn't because there was no body left. i spoke to chase bank and told them that my cat was misdiagnosed, that it had a tumor and did not have asthma. but chase acted like chase and would not reverse the funds. i wrote letters to agencies, papers etc etc, and the vet in question called and offered me 20% of the fee as a refund. i thought it was funny that they would admit to being only 20% incompetent. i said fine - but they never sent the 20%. never ever. this place is evil. another thing they use to do is they set up deals with credit companies of which they take a cut after showing you how "sick" your animal is, and getting you to take out a loan for 3 grand to save your animal. they play on your animal loving sympathy. NEVER EVER EVER GO TO THIS PLACE. read more

INCOMPETENT is the only word that comes to mind regarding Dr. Lauren Easterwood an ER vet at Blue Pearl in Midtown.

This Yelp review will be my first ever. My cat died in the worst circumstances possible, because I made the mistake of trusting the "professionals" here. So I feel utterly compelled to share my personal experience with the public. It took me 3 months to be able to even sit and write this, because I wanted to recount the story as coherently and articulately as possible, as it deserves to be told. My 3-year-old cat was dying. I did not know that she was anywhere close to such dire straits, so I was vulnerable and hopeful. The day I brought her in because she had stopped eating, Dr. Cassandra Williams ran blood tests which told us that her kidney levels were dangerous and needed to be stabilized. Dr. Williams strongly recommended keeping her overnight to administer IV fluids and perform an ultrasound, so I did that - despite my gut saying a diagnostic ultrasound sounded highly unnecessary at this time. Dr. Williams only communicated with me one more time, when she called the next day to tell me that the ultrasound revealed no new or additional information, and that the overnight care had done nothing to improve kidney levels. She then suggested that I start thinking about euthanasia. This shocking suggestion was the only hint that my cat's condition was much worse than the doctor had disclosed up to now. I asked Dr. Williams to please be direct and tell me exactly what the situation was - was my cat dying?? I had to pull teeth to get a straight answer out of her, but she finally cut the crap and revealed that my cat only had 3 or 4 days left to live, at best. I hightailed it to the hospital as soon as we got off the phone. When I got there, Dr. Williams was busy, but they let me into the care unit to see my cat, who was lying on a wee-wee pad soaked in her urine, with her feeble head resting over a tray of nasty canned food and litter. Abrasive rock music was blaring on the speakers the entire time. The scene spoke volumes of the true level of insensitivity and ignorance of the "professionals" that work at this hospital. I was so overcome with sadness that I didn't even have it in me at the time to express my anger towards the staff there. Maintaining a calm, soothing presence for the sake of my cat was my only priority. After I'd been standing there for some time, maybe 15 minutes, one of the nurses/techs in the room approached me and asked if I wanted the wee-wee pad changed for my cat, as if she was doing me a huge favor. She should have apologized for letting my cat lay in urine and subjecting her to blaring rock music - all for who knows how long after a stressful night in critical care. I don't think anyone would want to see their beloved pet in such conditions. It was traumatic. When it was time to go, a nurse/tech sat in a room with us and went over the options: 1) keep my cat at the hospital to continue treatment, or 2) euthanize. Even though I knew by this point that my cat only had days left to live, a part of me wasn't ready to give up yet, so I decided to take all the last resort measures home with me to have on hand. There was no way I was leaving my cat at Blue Pearl again and no way I would let them administer her death. The tech apologized profusely for Dr. Williams being too busy to come herself and give any last words of guidance or to go over the $2,960 bill covering the tests, overnight care, and ultrasound. The tech also apologized that she couldn't answer most questions about the meds they were sending us home with. The doctor would know better, she kept saying, but 30, 40 minutes later - doctor is still busy, so sorry. My cat died three days later. I would say Dr. Williams didn't have the gall to face us again because she knew my cat only had days left to live, and still strongly recommended, URGED, that my cat stay overnight in the hospital and do an ultrasound, which she was inevitably unable and unwilling to justify. Dr. Williams was purposefully vague in managing my expectations as I deliberated the scant range of given options. And all this time, my cat's life was ending minute by minute. I only wish I had been given all the available information and advised that going home and giving my cat as much love and peace as I could in her last few days was an option I should strongly consider. Instead, Dr. Williams manipulated the situation by withholding information regarding my cat's actual medical state -- only to gain financially from my vulnerable position -- and this absolutely constitutes FRAUD. I've considered walking into Blue Pearl to demand a refund for the ultrasound or to just confront Dr. Williams in person so she can look me in the eyes and try to deny that her actions went against my own and my cat's best interests, but the thought of walking back into this place still makes my stomach turn. At the very least, I wanted to share my experience so that others facing similar critical decisions can make more educated choices. read more

While the doctors here are very good, the people they have working at the desk are HORRIBLE. They are rude, incompetent, and generally do not care about anything other than talking to their coworkers. Our dog sees their neuro department and it took 3 calls over FOUR DAYS to get a Keppra prescription refilled.One of the times we called and the person who answered the phone said "I don't know what you want me to do about it, I am only a receptionist." Keppra has to be given every 8 hours to be effective so I would imagine that it should not take 4 days to get any medicine refilled, but especially not one that is so time sensitive. After this extravaganza, we will be finding a different ER to use and just having our vet take care of filling the prescription. read more

This is based on the fact that I couldn't even make it in for an appointment. Dr. Rocha was recommended to me for my cat who has terminal cancer. I made an appointment, but being a normal New Yorker it was difficult to keep the appointment due to work. I rescheduled, and had to reschedule that. So in the first two appointments it was my fault for not being able to make it. But I rescheduled THREE more times and I received assurances I was in the schedule, I showed up TWICE for them to say "we don't have you in here". They did not offer any explanation as to how this could be, and for the 3rd rescheduling I demanded a print out of the schedule. Sure enough I showed up and I was STILL NOT in there, despite the print out schedule. The first time, ok. Oversights happen all the time. But three times is not acceptable, especially when they give you attitude about it. Blue Pearl is a huge practice, it will not suffer if I do not take my pet there, but every chance I get I will let pet owners know that this is not the place for them if they cannot even make a proper appointment. read more

My beloved chocolate lab was fine all morning, began whimpering a bit in the afternoon, and at midnight, i discovered that she couldn't stand up or walk. We were visiting from San Francisco, and a quick google/yelp search found Blue Pearl. They were totally awesome in every way. I felt that they care for my dog incredibly well, and that they were very sensitive to my needs as a pet owner/parent, like allowing me to stay with her as long as I wanted, pretty much whenever I wanted except during rounds. In 12 hours she was much better -- it was basically an invasive infection from a tic bite -- and in 16 she was released. I have read the reviews that this place is NOT cheap and that's probably true. My feeling is that there's a disconnect between the doctors treating the animals and the billing process, so when I asked how much their suggestions would cost they would have to have a nurse get back to me. I did not feel that they were trying to overcharge me, but for example, they wanted to do a very costly test for another possibility, but when I probed a bit, they agreed it might not be necessary and we could wait for the results from test #1 first. [And this testing was VERY expensive since it involved general anesthesia (like $2500.)] I would absolutely and definitely bring my dog back here, but I would also ask a lot of questions about procedure unless money is no object for you. Also, it's really a hospital, not a general vet so it does make sense that charges were more. Most importantly, my little dog received the care she needed and is recovering fully. read more

I haven't left many reviews, but this one warrants it. I took my tonkinese cat there yesterday at 2AM because he was limping and crying (A cat owner can tell apart their cries, and this one was definitely because he was in pain). I looked around for 24 hour practices, and took him immediately to bluepearl. 1) Initially a nurse came in , and took the basic vitals. My cat was really nervous, and at this point he wasn't limping (again, because he was nervous) 2) A few minutes later, Dr. Vionna Kwan came in, and spent a good amount of time listening to my concerns. She is a great vet. She explained that we could do xrays, to see if there is a fracture, and otherwise we could put him on pain medication and anti-inflammatory drugs. 3) Then the nurse came back in, and went over the estimate with me. The estimate was around 500. This was inclusive of the consultation, radiology, drugs etc. Many people on yelp say that this place is super-expensive. Perhaps it is for a surgery or something. But for a routine visit like this, in the middle of the night, I think this is a very reasonable charge. 4) Then they took my cat downstairs, where they do the real examination. I was a little nervous, because he was gone for almost an hour, and because the only person he is comfortable being around is me. Anyway, Dr.Kwan came back upstairs to assure me that my cat was fine, and X-rays were being taken. She showed me the xrays and went over them - No signs of fracture (What a relief ! ) Also , I've been to quite a few clinics.. And many of them take a couple of hours examining your cat, while you are nervously waiting, not knowing whats going on. This place was different. The fact that the doctor came back upstairs to let me know that everything was fine, was commendable. 5) Finally, a few minutes later, the nurse brought my cat back upstairs. I examined him (I usually do, after anyone else handles him, just to make sure he is okay). There was a lot of saliva on his face, perhaps from the dental examination. Otherwise, he was fine , but a bit nervous. The nurse went over the medications, and how to administer them. And the total bill came to less than the estimate. Overall, if you have a pet emergency, I highly recommend going here. Sure, you have to pay what I call the median-price in manhattan. But you can trust them and leave your pet in their care. The minute I brought him back home, he started limping again.. but now he is on the pain medication, and seems to be doing better. read more

Blue Pearl is amazing. They saved my dog TWICE. The first time my dog almost died when she passed out in my house and I didn't know why. I gave cpr and she woke back up then she had sudden diarrhea and vomiting dark liquids. I rushed to blue pearl with a friend and they saved her. I thought she was going to die. Her mouth was clenched, she was out of it. It was as she ate poison. They even asked me if she ate anything bad-nothing I can think of. The only thing she ate the day before was pineapple, maybe too much. I think maybe the acid made her react that way. She is tiny so be careful with pineapple. She doesn't have any more of that. The second time we found out she had a genetic condition of the spine. She was paralyzed and still is. She was given a cast at blue pearl and we were told of the options. She did start to walk again but not normally. Sadly she is handicapped now but she is almost 9 now and besides that she acts normal. I couldn't thank blue pearl enough. Also yes the cost was high(maybe around $1,000 each time) and thankfully I had my mom that paid for the bills. If I didn't I don't know what I'd do. I think care credit is an option and a helpful one for people that may need it. I will probably apply for it in case. I also wish I had brought my yorkie here that passed away suddenly in 2009 instead of to the vet by my house. They did nothing. She maybe would have had a chance if I knew of blue pearl at that time. But one important tip I can give to any dog owner is cpr is real and really makes a difference! I saved my dogs life doing that. I didn't know about it with my first dog, that could have raised her chance of living. read more

I am too despondent to go through all the ways this place is a train wreck. I have sought treatment for my dog for one serious injury (actually caused by Blue Pearl's Dr. Kyles' surgery mishap) and now for my dog's cancer. Although everyone appears very nice, they are either incompetent or indifferent. Seriously, if you love your pet, go to AMC on the eastside, They have made a very difficult time even more difficult. read more

Blue Pearl should read this and learn. I brought my 2 1/2 year old cockapoo in as she seemed a bit off - I wasn't sure if it was neurological or she was in pain as she was not responding when called and walking in circles. She was favoring her front left paw. I took her to Blue Pearl as they are affiliated with my vet. I've been there once before and had a great experience so this one surprised me. The clinician took my dog downstairs for a "full orthopedic exam". Once returned I was told she had a "soft tissue injury." I was told it would get better in a day or so. This was Sunday morning. By Wednesday, my poor baby wouldn't go near her toys and just laid in the corner. I immediately brought her to her vet where we found out her dew claw was broken. Wow, what was first diagnosed as a "soft tissue injury" became a broken nail which broke below the skin line and was causing her extreme pain. During their "full" orthopedic exam, how come that was missed? The vet immediately touched her left leg and she almost jumped off the table. So it was removed followed by a week long foot bath and a 5 day antibiotic. So not only did I have to pay Blue Pearl for a misdiagnosis, I also had to pay my vet. As I am a smother mother I didn't want to wait the day until my vet opened but in hindsight, I will going forward. Blue Pearl, our relationship is over. I hope others learn from this experience. If you take your pet to Blue Pearl, you enter at your own risk...and a huge expense. read more

I'll never return !! The surgeon made me feel as if I was buying a used car ..like I was being taken advantage of.... He pads the bill with unnecessary tests and sends the sweet vet tech in to explain the importance of these tests. I carried my pup out the door and to a local vets office. Amazing the generalist, did an exam In front of me and diagnosed a torn ACL. Took my dog in the back did an X-ray without anesthesia to confirm findings. $90 X-ray this is a far cry from the $1600 bill " the surgeon " tried to take me for. In the end when the doctor gives you an bad vibe how could you possibly trust them with your dogs life. In the end I payed the $185.00 to get out of this place!!! I paid for an "exam"which was done in a back room without me present... I consider this money well spent for an orthopedic surgeon that cannot diagnose an issue with ACL without the help of imaging probably would have a very difficult time repairing one. The vet tech was super sweet & kind but if you love your animal & don't feel like being raked over the coals .Stay far away from here... read more

Unfortunately, I can't even review Blue Pearl's actual treatment practices seeing as when my husband called last night because our dog started having pink-tinged urine, they told him they couldn't offer him any advice because our dog wasn't already patients of theirs. UM.... if you offer to be a 24 hour vet affiliated with many other non-24 hour vets, how about you actually take the time to help someone decide whether or not they need to bring their pet in ASAP or if they can wait till morning to be brought to their regular vet?!?!?! Of course they offered for us to come in and have her examined but then also wouldn't tell us what the price of the exam would be. Was very disappointed and shocked when my husband hung up the phone seething and upset. Shouldn't it be about the pets and not the money? Shame on you Blue Pearl. You won't be getting our patronage nor of anyone we know, and my husband is the president of the non-profit that runs our local dog park, so believe me, we know PLENTY of pet owners. read more

DO NOT GO THERE. AND IF YOU GO WATCH THE BILL LIKE A HAWK! The health care ok but they basically rip you off. They make you sign an estimate where a medication costs x and then they actually charge you many times more in the final bill (and I actually can post the images to prove it in case BVP answers this review). When you call to complain they tell you: "you don't understand numbers." They also want to do chest X-rays when your dog is suffering from the kidneys. Or they tell you the lepto test your doctor ordered is not comprehensive and then charge you 6 times the amount... for the same test... with the same results. If you have to go--as they have services regular vets may not offer--do not sign the final bill until you triple check it against the estimate and make sure they're charging you the right amounts and be tough with the dreadful customer/financial person--ours was actually not very bright and very disrespectful. read more

Dr. Pacifico here is pretty smart, and seems to know what she is doing. The reception staff, however, should be replaced with people who know how to read situations and understand people and what they are going through. There were half a dozen of them behind the desk looking bored. my dog had an ultrasound today and they literally did not clean the ultrasound gel from her belly. They offered no consultation and followup or anything after i saw her, and they just gave her to me. I had to ask for a towel to and they sullenly handed me a towel and said "you can keep it". with no sense caring or understanding. When I asked for the doctor she'd seen before to do the ultrasound or even to glance at the chart, the receptionist reacted defensively and irritably. This place charges a lot of money, and part of that is paying for service. It's the little things that matter. I would not have gone here if my vet had not recommended it. read more

Terrible place, I would not trust them with my pet. It's too late now that he had to be put to sleep. Don't take your pets here!

i am a veteran cat owner. & when i found a kitten online i knew i was taking a risk, but i fell in love w/this cat on sight. so i picked him up, stars in my eyes & flinched when the woman said that he had a cold. i knew this was very serious in kittens. i did not expect him to not eat @ all for the next day. when he passed out that night, & i started making calls. he was very young - 7 weeks, & i explained all of this to the operator @ Blue Pearl. i inquired about cost & was told $177. i said i really didn't have any real $$$ on me until basically the next day. i was told to "just bring the cat in. a payment arrangement can be made". so i did. they took my kitty in quickly & attempted to get him stabilized, while the vet took me into her office to propose a $2100.00 treatment plan that included an overnight stay. i explained that i had minimum cash on me & would not get paid till the next day, they were quick to hit me up to do A CREDIT CHECK to establish the payment agreement. big surprise. i do EVERYTHING in cash & have what is called a 'thin file'. not eligible. i was happy to give up my banking information, & since they already had bullied me into giving them my SS#, was there any way to arrange for direct deposit? anything? no. NOW, the medical "advice" was that it wasn't worth keeping him alive. & this smarmy broad tried to actually infer that since i didn't have the $800.00 on me @ that moment, that we should just put him to sleep. when i said to her, "so if i don't have $800.00 on me right now, your recommendation is that we put him down? that is not acceptable to me Dr." she became visibly furious then printed up ANOTHER bill, to shame me, apparently around all she had done for my animal & what she COULD have charged me. i am disgusted w/these people. they are in the business of extorting cat owners & shaming those owners who are not in the 1 percent. when i became visibly agitated - b/c @ this point i knew they were going to let my cat die, the orangutan @ the front desk decided to assert her dumb authority ordering me to sign a form that said i had REFUSED DOCTOR'S ORDERS & was taking the cat home against Dr.'s recommendation. when i refused to sign, saying that i was happy to establish a payment agreement directly w/the office, & that i would rather they treat my animal, she began yelling @ me that i didn't know my place & to sit down. these people DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOUR ANIMAL. THEY WILL PUT YOUR ANIMAL DOWN WITHOUT HESITATION IF YOU DO NOT PAY THEIR EXORBITANT FEES. the thing that galls me the most is that i told them about my lack of cash BEFORE I WENT TO THESE ANIMAL KILLERS. ultimately, the self righteous greedy "vet" told me to take my kitten home, b/c i did not have $800.00 I have never experienced such hypocrisy in my entire life, i gave them the cash i had on me - $115.00 - & they released him to my care. needless to say, my kitten did die the next day. read more

BEWARE: They can do any procedure to your pet, but that does not mean they should. They performed surgery on my Friend's 17 year old cat. The owner spent 18,000.00. The cat was hospitalized for 10 days, and then had to be put to sleep. How does a caring vet suggest surgery for an animal of that age. The cat would have died without the surgery. But the owner was not advised of all the possible risks on an animal of that age. Shameful. read more

Run out the door. You have got to see my astronomical bill from the 55th street hospital. I did not have the cash so, they give me this credit card with a $5,000 credit. I have to say I feel like I am the victim of PREDITOR LENDING bcuz after 6 mos. It jumps to 26% APR. At first I was quoted $2,000, then I was approved for this credit card for 5,000 and at that point I knew, they were going to charge me around $5,000. Sure nuff.. They stress the emergency and surgery must be done immediately. You can tell everyone is fully trained on what to say, like super friendly robots. So.. My 3 yr. old cat had a piece of rubber from a toy stuck in her stomach/intestines and had to have it removed. It took 1 hour to 1hr. 30 minutes from the time I left my cat at the hospital for surgery until the surgery was completed. Not long after I left the ultrasound was done, they informed me of the blockage. I felt pressured so I told them to proceed with the surgery. I received a call that my cat was waking up from the surgery and doing fine approximately 45 minutes later after I told them to proceed with surgery. Note, the actually surgery cost $888.50; the ultrasound cost $521.50. Why is my bill $4,770 ? I've had cats all my life and am only experienced with feline cancer surgeries. This was a simple easy procedure. Judge for yourselves, I'm posting my actual invoice. My advice, got to a regular neighborhood animal hospital where you'll pay $1,500 at the most. Description Quantity Total Consultation, Courtesy 1.00 $0.00 Idexx Chemistry Panel + Lytes In Clinic 1.00 $223.75 Radiograph Two Views 1.00 $0.00 Radiograph Two Views 1.00 $249.25 Radiograph - Radiologist Review 1.00 $70.00 Ultrasound Abdomen 1.00 $521.50 Catheter, I.V. 1.00 $105.75 ALT (SGPT) 1.00 $39.75 Buprenorphine 0.3 mg/ml Inj. (per ml) BV 3.50 $147.70 Consultation, Specialty Emergency 1.00 $227.00 SX-Enterotomy Single/Resection & Anast 1.00 $0.00 PCV/TS, AZO, GLUCOSE 1.00 $116.00 Midazolam 5 mg/ml Inj (ml) 0.20 $51.00 Propofol 10 mg/ml Inj. 20 ml Vial BV 0.50 $71.20 Anesthesia Induction 1.00 149.75 Anesthesia Isoflurane Initial 30 minutes 1.00 $233.25 Anesthesia Isoflurane ea add 15minutes 2.00 $116.00 Surgery, Enterotomy Single 1.00 $888.50 Surgery, Sterile Supplies 1.00 $209.75 SX, OR & Pack, Level I 1.00 $146.25 Bair Hugger Warmer 1.00 $47.00 Blood Pressure, Pulse Ox Anesth. Monitor 1.00 $0.00 ECG, Anesthetic Heart]ECG Monitor 1.00 $0.00 Suture Package 4.00 $158.00 Hospitalization/Nursing Care ICU 2 1.00 $0.00 Hospitalization - ICU 2 1.00 $213.75 Nursing Care - ICU 2 1.00 $306.75 Fluid Therapy,IV Daily(SetupPumpBaseFlt 1.00 $171.00 Fentanyl 0.05 mg/ml Inj. (per ml) 10.00 $69.60 Cefazolin 100mg/ml Inj (per ml) 1.14 $51.02 CRI Setup per Bag 1.00 $34.50 Anesthesiologist Level 1 1.00 $75.00 Maropitant(Cerenia)10mg/ml Inj(perml) B\ 0.50 $61.18 Butorphanol 2 mg/ml Inj. (per ml) 1.00 $59.99 Ketamine 100 mg/ml Inj. (per ml) 1.00 $55.62 ICU - PCV/TS/AZO/GLUCOSE/KETONE 1.00 0.00 ICU - Blood Pressure 1.00 0.00 Invoice Total: $4,769.81 read more

My bad experience continues. Today I called again to see if they'd submitted paperwork to insurance company for my terrier Molly's 4/18 visit . In the past they'd said 'not yet.' Today they said they submitted it 4/19. I called PetPlan. They said no paperwork from Blue Pearl. read more

I want to preface that I filled out a survey for the hospital a few weeks ago and never heard back which is frustrating because I wanted to give Blue Pearl a chance to resolve some of the problems I had. But since I did not receive a response, I am going to go ahead and share my experience with others. I hope that this will allow people to be informed and make sure your pet has a better experience. The doctors that worked with my dog were incredibly nice and very professional. They seemed to really care about my dog's wellness. However, they made a huge error by not completing x-rays/MRI of his shoulder when he was put under anesthesia for nine hours. When we originally arrived at the emergency room with our dog who was crying in pain, a nurse came in to create a report on our dog's condition. We made it clear to her that our dog's neck and shoulder area seemed to be causing him pain and he was limping and not putting pressure on one of his front legs. After waiting three hours in a small office to be seen, our dog was sedated, given x-rays, a cardiogram and then an MRI. The whole experience was long and agonizing. When the procedures were over, the doctors seemed puzzled because they couldn't figure out what was wrong and cause our dog to be in so much pain. They said they should have done an MRI and xray on his shoulder, and when they said that, I was shocked and very irritated. How could my dog have been put under for so long, have undergone so many tests knowing he had neck and shoulder issues only to find out that his shoulder was not screened? In addition, I was charged $5,200 for this visit and no clear diagnosis was made. I am so disappointed by Blue Pearl for not completing all the tests that should have been done while my dog was under anesthesia and for charging an arm and a leg without figuring out a diagnosis. Boom--one month of my salary was gone in a 12 hour visit. Doesn't seem right to me. read more

I took my cat here after he swallowed a piece of string that he could not pass. It was a Sunday evening and my regular vet was not in, so it was forced to use their emergency services. I was charged 500.00 for x-rays that no one at the facility seemed to be able to read properly. They said they should be sent to a surgeon for review and that my cat should be kept over night for observation at the cost of an additional 1,000.00. If the surgeon deemed surgery was in order, it would be 6,000.00 and must be paid in full, up front. I felt scammed and decided to to wait till the following day to take my cat to the Humane Society of NY which I did. Not only did they un-lodge the string from my cat's anus with patience and encouragement, but my visit (including the precautionary medications) was a total of 90.00. They were kind, attentive and answered all questions and concerns I had in a professional manner. You are instantly aware how much they care for animals, rather than merely racking up a huge bill for the pet owners. It is unfortunate that 24 hour emergency vets play upon pet owners vulnerability and distress to make their money. Shame on them! read more

actually a zero. my shih tzu was diagnosed with extra eyelashes when she was three. the bill for surgery came out in exactly 2 minutes. i took my baby to westchester for a second opinion and she was fine and still is at 9. no surgery do not go here. get a second opinion. best vets are in westchester. nyc is only out for the money, not for your pets health. read more

This place is terrible, I had an emergency and brought my retriever in, the rude doctor spent more time hitting on my girlfriend than caring for my pet. Dr Levin some young rude young want to be doctor estimated an outrageous price for basically nothing. My gf was so uncomfortbale she left. Will never be back to Levin or this place. read more

I'm still traumatized by the mistakes and poor care my dog received on a busy understaffed emergency overnight. I took my dog out of there for more personalized and compassionate care from her family veterinarian. read more

My dog has had several hospitalizations/surgeries on an emergent basis as she has a chronic gastrointestinal condition. I was referred to Blue Pearl by Wendy McCulloch, DVM who for my money is one of the best vets in NYC and who I trust implicitly. My dog has had multiple life threatening conditions over the years. Fortunately I have Healthy Paws pet insurance which was one of the best investments I have ever made. Healthy Paws is unbelievably efficient in processing claims and reimbursement. If not for them I would have had to put my dog down. I have taken my dog to Cornell in Stamford and the Animal Medical Center (AMC) in NYC. While those facilities are good and can handle about any emergency, based upon my experience Blue Pearl stands by itself as an outstanding veterinary medical facility. My first comment would be that on every occasion my dog has been admitted I have found the facilities to be spotlessly clean. While I am not a doctor I have an extensive background in medicine having handled hundreds of medical malpractice cases as an attorney and therefore I am in an unusual position to give my opinion. I wish the hospitals I have been to during my lifetime provided the level of service given to my dog that Blue Pearl gives. Their ability to get your pet into the facility, triage the patient quickly, assess the seriousness of its medical condition and give fair and reasoned medical advice is excellent. My dog has been in their state of the art ICU multiple times. On her last visit which lasted several days I visited her in an exam room. Whenever we were done my dog would calmly walk back to the ICU on her own and get into her crate. That speaks for itself and the compassionate care that is given. The Blue Pear doctors are always ahead of the curve in terms of keeping me posted as to what is going on during her /surgery/hospitalizations. Dr. Greenberg, my dog's surgeon, came in at 1am on Christmas Day to perform an emergency surgery on my dog. Who does that? He is a great person as well as a terrific doctor. Dr. Ortolani is also amazing as well asthe other doctors at Blue Pearl. After discharge they call and follow up to make sure that your dog is ok. The administrative staff is both friendly and efficient. They have helped tremendously in my getting claims on my pet insurance payed. Finally, I truly feels that the level of compassion is beyond anything I have experienced at any other facility. This was a tough Xmas and New Years with my dog being so sick but I am so thankful for Blue Pearl. A final note is that they are expensive but no more so than Cornell or AMC. You get what you pay for and I have never felt that they were trying to run the bill up. Their estimates were fair and always on the money. read more

they deserve negative stars... do NOT take your pet here... they almost killed our dog with their lack of urgency , or knowledge. the ONE neurologist on staff Dr. Levetin... came recommended by our primary vet.. and after waiting 2 hours for him during our appointment... he was so nonchalant and cocky that we mistook it as confidence and listened to his recommendations against our intincts. he seemed SO sure our dog was fine and did not need an MRI... we were actually relieved thinking our dog was fine... Long story short our dog was not fine and kept declining so we went BACK to Dr. Levetin and he STILL did not act with urgency and do an MRI which in hind sight seemed OBVIOUS our dog was suffering from Brain disfunction. But he insisted NOOOOO its just an ear infection continue on antibiotics.... we left there again with just some antibiotics and a " diagnosis" based on Dr. Levetins supposed expertise... and nothing else. a few weeks later our dog had a life threatening seizure and if not for Animal Medical Center performing a dangerous and difficult brain surgery... our dog would've died that day. AMC did save his life HOWEVER .... it was a painful surgery and recovery and he continues to suffer irreversible consequences and dr. Levetin CAUSED this and it could have all been prevented if Dr levetin would've just done his job... LISTENED To us... done an MRI... and done what you would expect an emergency care service to do.. .consider it an emergency...... and act accordingly..... we wouldn't BE there if our dog was okay and didnt need expert attention and car. on the other hand the Animal Medical Center... is the exact opposite... there is a TEAM of knowledgeable people surrounding you when you walk in the door. i wish that all the primary vets would realized the world of difference and never recommend Blue Pearl again. AMC is the ONLY qualified animal medical in the city and the country for that matter. i wish all pet owners knew this too... please please do NOT go to blue pearl even if you live across the street and your pet has an emercgeny in the middle of the night... we urge you.. do not go there .. our beloved bulldog would NOT be with us if we left him at blue pear and if we did not rush him to AMC. read more

Terrible experience. Upfront they appear to be kind and caring. However this couldn't be further from the truth. My cat, Junior, was 12 years old when I brought her there because she was losing weight and her vet thought it might be kidney disease. She was tested and then diagnosed with lymphoma, a non treatable cancer. Initially, they gave her 6 months to 2 years to live if she was given chemotheraphy and steroids. She had one chemo treatment and was extremely sick from it. They tried to convince she would benefit from another. However, she was so weak she could barely move and they even admitted she was dying. We took her home and she died in our arms. This is a money mill and nothing less -- I would rather send my pet to a slaughterhouse than to a place like Blue Pearl! read more

I would only go back here if there were absolutely no alternatives. I brought my cat here for a UTI -- one night was $1k. I would have been fine with that had I not picked him up the next day completely drugged and covered with feces. The poor little guy was traumatized and STILL SICK! He spent 8 hours at home before he needed to be rushed to another vet that was shocked by the scaring on his urethra and his heavily sedated state. read more

I had a very negative experience with Dr. Al-Ghazlat, who I was referred to by my vet because my dog needed a high tech diagnostic procedure. He was completely cold and clinical when dealing with me and my dog, (who he diagnosed with untreatable cancer), and after the procedure prescribed too low of a dose of antibiotics, which was corrected by my vet. By far, the worst experience I have ever had with a vet. read more

For my first three visits to this place over the years, I would have given it 4 or 5 stars. However, after my visit yesterday, I have vowed never to go back there. Something has changed here and it just isn't the same place where you left not caring about the thousands of dollars you just spent there. I truly feel like it is now all about the money for them. For the outrageous prices they charge, I couldn't even get a doctor to explain an ultrasound because I am told their policy for outpatient ultrasounds is for your own vet to discuss it with you. Okay, I understand that is your policy, but they even admitted they have received complaints about it, so maybe it might be time to re-evaluate the policy. I just spent nearly $500 for an ultrasound on an 8 lb dog, I would think that one of their overpaid doctors could spend five minutes talking to me. They said it wouldn't be ethical of them to have someone try to explain the reading of it with me since they haven't been part of his treatment. Yet, charging $500 for an ultrasound that costs far less everywhere else is ethical. I live a block from here and while it is incredibly convenient, I just can't go back to a place where client complaints mean nothing to them. The supervisor that I spoke with was just giving me a rehearsed answer rather than admit that maybe their policy is flawed. I don't know if there is a change in management at this place or just that they have grown so much that they have lost sight of things, but I wish it would go back to the old NYC Veterinary Specialists where I would get calls twice a day from the doctors while my dog was in the ICU and that I truly felt that every single person I encountered there cared about my dog, and valued their owners. read more

Where to begin with my review of BluePearl...They did run lots of tests, which might be very helpful at the second animal hospital that I had to take my pet to, but that is about where anything positive ends with this clinic. Oh, and the doctors did call morning and evening with updates, though they had no answers as to what was actually wrong with the animal. I was chastised for sending the results to other specialists for their opinions when it become clear that this place wasn't helpful. All in all this was just a horrible experience, and I wouldn't ever take a pet or allow anyone I know to take an animal here for treatment. read more

I was very impressed with Blue Pearl - my dog only needed a consult with an oncologist and Dr. Rocha was wonderfully thorough in reviewing her chart and in speaking with us about her condition and options. He was not quick to recommend anything drastic or expensive, we were lucky our regular vet caught her cancer early, but if we ever needed an oncologist again I would go straight back to Dr. Rocha. The facility is not close to our home but worth the trip. read more

This is my first yelp review and this is why: I hate this place with every fiber of my being! I used to work at the font desk at the ASPCA animal hospital, so I'm familiar with animal hospitals, how much things should cost, and am aware that I have to pay for everything. I have care credit. But I didn't even take my pet here for care, it was a cremation and all I wanted were the ashes back! My fiance and I took my sick cat to his regular vet (Banfield) when he became lethargic after surgery. Banfield said that he needs emergency care and they can't do anything, and sent us here. I hate Banfield for this even more. I actually spoke to the vet over the phone giving my cat's symptoms and asking if this is an emergency. She said that it wasn't and I can just wait for the appointment. I should have just gone to the ASPCA!!! My cat died in my arms in the cab on my way to Blue Pearl from Banfield. We were both obviously extremely upset, flipping out and crying. I apologize to the cab driver, and bless his heart for driving us here as quickly as he could! Once we got to Blue Pearl they took my cat away and put us in a room to fill out paperwork and calm down. Someone came in to help us fill out the paperwork, and the entire time, we said we want to keep the ashes and we would like the clay paw. After the lady left, they kept us there at least a half an hour. All we wanted was to see the body and say goodbye. We inquired about what was going on. They put us in another room. We waited at least another hour. My fiance left the room twice to ask what was going on. We didn't need to see the doctor or talk to a vet tech. We just wanted a few minutes to say goodbye to the body. After more than an hour someone finally brings our cat. In the 15 minutes that we wanted peace, THREE people, including the vet walked into the room to bother us, asking if we had any questions. All we said was that we wanted the ashes back to each of these people. All we wanted was peace. After we were ready to just leave this horrid place, we checked out without looking at the invoice, just paid what they told us to pay, we were just too upset to care at that point. All of the people that we spoke to said we'll hear from them in 10-14 days about picking up the ashes. WELL, 14 days goes by and nothing. I call them and the NASTY lady on the phone said that we paid for communal cremation and we won't be getting the ashes back! She nastily asked my if I had changed my mind, there was no record of me calling them about changing my mind, and there was nothing they could do now! I got a panic attack! My fiance took the phone so he can speak with them because even the lady can hear me flipping out in the background. They put him on hold for a few minutes to contact the crematory. After a few minutes they apologize and say that actually the ashes are there and ready to pick up, we filled out all of the paperwork correctly, just someone at the front desk checked us out wrong. That's why we didn't get a call and it's going to be an addition $200+ to get the ashes back. So, they just have ashes lying around without contacting owners regardless of what the invoice says?!?! This is when my fiance started SCREAMING! After all that we went through at Banfield, my cat dying in my arms, waiting for over an hour and a half just to see my cat's body, the attitude on the phone when we called inquiring about the ashes, having the ashes for almost two weeks and not notifying us, telling us with an attitude that it was a communal cremation, then telling us that actually they have the ashes that they already had in their possession and were keeping hostage but we can't get them unless we pay the ransom! I worked at the front desk in a vet's office, and this is just not what you do, they have a nerve to tell us that we can't pick up the ashes unless we pay! My fiance told them that with all of the distress and panic attack that they caused us and because it was their fault for mischarging us, that we're not paying, we just want the ashes. They put us in hold again to speak with a manager, and they said that it was ok. we picked up the ashes and I thought this ordeal was over. And guess what! Today in the mail, I get an invoice for the cremation! I am not paying this shit! If they charged us in the first place, I would have,but I just got another panic attack after opening the envelope because it reminded me of this day! I understand having to pay vet bills, I have care credit, my fiance has care credit. That's not the problem. We would have paid the cost if we were charged correctly in the first place or if this was handled better. We knew we wanted the ashes back and knew it would cost extra. But, as a business, have a brain an know how to handle a situation! Admit when it's your fault and don't make the customer more upset after an awful situation. And all this after my cat literally died in my arms! This is a heartless, horrible place! read more

Brought my dog in when she got attacked by another dog. I am very satisfied with our visit. Dr Weatherson and Erica were wonderful. My dog is doing great at home. Definitely recommend all pet owners to come here for ER. Thank you Blue Pearl. read more