We have visited several vets across the country but never have we found an entire staff as supportive, friendly and loving of the animals they care for as here. Boarding service: High quality private areas for the cats, convenient and affordable. The vets: Outstanding! No matter who is available, they seem to communicate well enough that any of the vets can follow up with you. Did you know: They also do adoptions? Bottom line: Great service, nice facilities, knowledgeable staff that does not try to take you for every penny you have. read more

I found this place to be very racist. I arrived at 8:30 and still wasn't seen by noon. I 1020s maybe even more people come and go and I just sat there. I asked multiple times when will my dog simply be crowned back? They told me one hour and then after an hour told me another hour and after an hour told me another hour then told me 10 minutes just for it to be another hour. I don't understand. The only thing I could say is I was the only black person in there? read more

The place was very clean, we were greeted everyone fell in love with my pup , however seeing Dr. Goldner and a tech they went over what was to be done 4 month shots , my pup was weighed given 2 treats and then a packet of expired flea/tick meds , was told they'd step out to get the vaccinations, the Dr. never came back in just the tech whom handed me a package where the expired meds were , no vaccinations were given , I was told the pup would go through a series of shots for the next 6 weeks , i paid for the vaccinations, I was with my pup the entire time not one needle nor syringe full of deworming meds was ever given this place will never see us again, speaking the the manager was a joke , she says " we feel like we don't have your trust " please explain how can I trust you when I sat with my pup the entire time and nothing was administered to my pup !! NEVER AGAIN !!! read more

Hello, I'm not sure who to complain to but I came in today for a re check and spent $88 and had my dogs wounds bandaged. However about an hour after we got home the bandages were more like a diaper. I was asked to come in Thursday for a follow up and to freshen up the bandages however I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that. If it's too late to get my money back please note that I am incredibly unsatisfied with today's service.  I have attached photos for your review. Show quoted text read more

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I have been bringing my cats here since 1996. Dr. Hardaker and crew are the best - caring, knowledge professionals who have provided my cats with first-rate care. The costs are completely reasonable and an estimate is available before services are provided. Dr. Hardaker gives the information to make informed decisions and is always honest about expected outcomes. Have NEVER felt the staff was uncaring or all about the money. Would not consider taking my pets elsewhere. read more

I recently started bringing my dogs to Central Veterinary and I highly recommend them for multiple reasons. First of all the staff is very nice and supportive and not judgemental. Second of all they have the best prices of any vet I have ever been to in the capital region. Thirdly they don't try to sell you all kinds of unnecessary products and services like other vets I have been to. Last of all they are pretty easy to get an appointment with. read more

About a year or so ago, I had to bring my cat here in an emergency. He was acting strangely and I thought he needed to see a vet right away. Our normal vet didn't have any openings that day, so I figured I'd bring him to Central Veterinary Hospital instead since they were open late. That was a mistake. I can't remember the name of the vet that we saw, but she told me that my 3-year-old cat was actually 13-years-old and that he had a bone problem that was only associated with older cats. Now, I'm nowhere near a veterinarian myself and never claim to know much of anything scientific or medical about animals, but even I could tell just by looking at my cat that there was no way he was well into his senior-living days. The vet continued on to explain that he was showing signs of said bone problem and needed blood testing to determine if that was indeed his problem. I paid over $300 for the blood tests, which ended up being completely unnecesary. I took my cat to our regular vet the next day, and almost immediately, without having to do ANY blood tests, he knew that it was a urinary tract infection and started treatment. Unfortunately, my cat ended up passing away because of the infection. I certainly can't put all the blame for my cat's death on Central Vet, but i think that if the vet at Central had discovered such an easily detected problem with my cat instead of trying to charge me an outrageous amount of money for extraneous tests, I think he would have possibly been around a little while longer. read more

Year after Covid and you literally cannot go into the building. They lock the doors you have no idea what's going on to your animal and have to communicate via phone call for every single thing that you want to say to the doctors, you can't even look over the receipt or a transaction for what you're paying for because that's all done over the phone when your credit card is used to pay the bill it's actually insane that human beings are not allowed into the building when animals do not transmit Covid while doctors offices, along with every other office, allow people in the buildings. Impersonal and insane but they can get away with it because they are an emergency veterinary office. read more

I've had a cat with several chronic health conditions for the past five years. I had a good vet in dc, but I was always dissatisfied with the high prices and what I believed were unnecessary tests for conditions that hadn't changed in years. I brought all my previous medical records and explained to the dr their static nature. I was prepared for a fight about the cat needing further testing, but there was none. The dr I met with was so incredibly nice. The prices were extremely reasonable (read low) compared to what I'm used to. I've never had such a positive experience with a vet in all the years I've owned pets. read more

My dearest cat, 16 year old Rainyday is struggling with a bladder tumor with no real treatments available to stop the disease. Dr. H and her staff have been very kind, available to talk and try new meds to make him comfortable. He is home right now but I know it won't be long. I am so happy to be able to take advantage of their medical services. I have had cats for over 25 years and have been at Central Vet since the beginning. read more

Central Vets is a very professional operation. I've had nothing but good experiences with them. Their customer base is very large, so it takes a while to get appointments for regular treatment, but if you have an emergency, they are on it. I took in a stray with a missing rear paw. One day she scratched her 'stump' on something and the wound wouldn't heal. I brought her in and she received excellent care and gave me lots of information on why it takes so long for that to heal, how to care for it, and followed up with me repeatedly to assure a good outcome. Central Vets is not the cheapest vet, but the courtesy, professionalism, level of care and honest concern for my pets are all way more important (to me). read more

We've been with Central Vet for 11 years and have had really great experiences there. Our first dog was fear aggressive, and the Central Vet staff - from the receptionists to the vet techs to the vets - were all so calm and patient, kind and professional - they made vet visits, which at other vets were horrible and stressful - calm and incident free. When we had to let that dog go, the vet tech and Dr. Lukowski were so amazingly kind and understanding, and they really helped us through the process, even sending a follow up condolence card. A few years ago they did a huge, beautiful addition, and prices seemed to jump a bit. They also seem a bit more eager to suggest procedures - but they're also totally willing to answer any questions and help you work through whether or not it makes sense to go through with said procedure. I totally recommend this practice without reservation. read more

they sure do light up when they see dollar signs first thing they ask for not how your pet is just how much wish only the worst for you all

Get a different vet. I had 3 cats treated here. Making vaccination appointments was easy but as soon as my pet needed more care I could not be seen for months. My 3 year old cat was hit by a car and suffered a sinus and jaw fracture. He was in an emergency room for 3 days getting IV fluid, pain meds and antibiotics. I was told to take him for regular checks to my vet because he would need to be on those medications for a while as he healed. What a surprise that I had to beg over and over for an appointment and request the receptionist, who absolutely would not budge, speak to the vet. Dr. Hardecker. I thought I could be fit in somewhere, but she told the receptionist my cat could be dropped off in the morning and picked up at 5:30 p.m. Do you really expect me to leave my ailing pet in a cage all day? He can't eat without my assistance and the stress from his injuries is a lot on him. I can't leave him all day long waiting for someone to "look" at him and I don't get to be there for his visit?? I live 5 minutes away and no one could just give me a call when there was an opening? Dr. H was also "managing" my elderly cat with diabetes. Basically gave me the insulin and told me when it's time for him to come out of it he will have a seizure. Well he certainly did. It cost me $500 in ER bill and was terrifying. The vet who treated him stated he was mismanaged. Probably so since I was expected to just figure it out on my own. I noticed one of the reviews about the front desk staff was removed. I will tell you the woman who sits near the kitten adoption cage is always frowning and angry. Always gave me a sick feeling approaching the desk. The staff makes no eye contact with you and waits a long time to acknowledge you when you walk through the door. They clearly don't enjoy what they are doing and I don't enjoy having to deal with them. I thought having a regular vet would help my pets if they actually needed acute care, but obviously they don't make any exceptions. I had to call the ER vet who refilled my cats meds and recommended another cat hospital. The other animal hospital vets felt comfortable managing my cat's facial injuries and also assisted in obtaining my pet's records. Also, I had records for another cat forwarded to this facility and they threw the records out because I didn't make an appointment for him. I don't see why it was too much work to store his records with my 3 other pets who were already being treated there. But this just gives you an idea of how the front desk staff thinks and operates. During one of my visits there while I was in the waiting room someone brought a dog in that was clearly in pain. The staff (same frowning woman) told the owner he could be seen a week later. They didn't care about the animal's pain enough to ask a vet if he could be seen or squeezed in for an appointment. When I asked Dr. Hardaker during my appointment if this was a mistake. She stated that don't take walk-in appointments if the animal hasn't been seen there before. I felt so sad for this dog's pain. And now you see my cat has been injured and I can't bring him in to be checked either. Do you think I know how to take a cat's temperature?? So frustrating. But now I know this clinic is completely unreliable and not sympathetic to your animals plight. Don't waste your time or hard earned money here. read more

The veterinary care is outstanding. The vets here really take time to address whatever is going on - I've brought both of my dogs here and they do try to understand the issue at hand and the whole backround of the animal. The vet we saw even offered other advice that wasn't medication for our dogs hot spots. I liked that they were involved and talked to both dogs throughout the visit. HOWEVER... The receptionists are awful and miserable. It's like pulling teeth just to ask them a few questions that aren't directly related to making your appointment. They huff and puff and act like they have the most awful job on the planet. You can almost hear them eye rolling through the phone. The techs and support staff are okay, no complaints but not wonderful either. read more

Ideally I would give Central Vet 2.5 stars. Whenever we make an appointment or pick our dog up from boarding, they often keep us waiting at least 10 minutes. At my dog's most recent appointment for a vaccine, we waited 40 minutes and none of the staff apologized or acknowledged they were late. Daycare and boarding are cheap but our dog always comes home from it acting anxious. We would rather pay more and take her to Camp Bow Wow so that she actually receives exercise and TLC. read more

I've used Central Vet for my cats since I've lived in Albany. They have always taken care of my cats. They have been sympathetic when I've had to put my babies down. read more

This place and its staff are amazing! On 11/28/16, I had to have my beloved Izzy put down. The Doctor and techs handled Izzy with such gentleness during her final moments. Even after, when carrying her lifeless body out of the room, the Dr. cradled her body as though she were still alive! I've since received two cards from the staff, one with Izzy's paw print imprinted on it in ink, and another signed by each individual staff member at CVH offering me their condolences! If I ever decide to get another pet, CVH will be the only hospital I'll trust with his/her care! YG read more

Excellent and extremely professional staff. I have had nothing but good experiences when going here. Dr H is both compassionate and professional and answered all my questions when I brought my cat there. Her staff is friendly and welcoming when you arrive even if it's busy. One thing I will say that happened and they could work on is familiarity with the animals, please be mindful that if you aren't sure about the sex of an animal, check the chart. My family received a card after our pup was put to sleep and it was the WRONG sex. While the card was appreciated it hurt that this particular dog was going there for more than a decade and they didn't bother to know the correct sex of the dog. That said, I would still bring my animals there as the boarding and veterinarian care are exceptional. read more

Moving to Albany was hard for Michael, but having CVH as her care provider made me baby happier and healthier than any vet. We had questions, things we did not know or understand and they gave us answers we could understand. I will be forever grateful for CVH because my babay is on her way to having a better life, quality of life and a long life. Me and Michael thank you from the bottom of our human and cat heart:) read more

This particular veterinary practice has always done reasonably good work, but at a significantly inflated price - especially as of recently. While my wife and I have decided to take our cats elsewhere, I cannot honestly state that we ever had anything less than a successful healthcare outcome. Again, the pricing structure is inflated, and the veterinarians' insistent efforts at up-selling treatments do not assist in curbing the already questionable price-point. For an annual check-up for two [2] cats, each ten [10] years-old and without health problems, the total cost was well over $400.00! Add to this the vet's concern that one of the cats had allegedly developed a heart murmur, we were sold on an additional series of blood tests that totaled almost $250.00. My wife, who works in the healthcare field, later listened to the cat's heartbeat with a stethoscope and discovered that the murmur is stress-induced - a possibility that the vet might have alerted us to before sticking us with an extra $250.00 in our bill... As a small business owner myself, I certainly do not expect Central Veterinary Hospital to forego profit in the interest of customer satisfaction. I also do not expect them to forego the opportunity to sell me services that might not be wholly necessary. With this being said, however, I do expect that a treating physician of any kind (be they focused upon human or animal) alert consumers to the necessity of purchasing medical procedures. Again, while I cannot speak badly of Central Veterinary Hospital's qualitative outcomes, I can definitely confirm that there are other businesses who do the same services for significantly less money. If we decide to patronize this business in the future, you'd better believe that I'll be requesting an itemized estimate before the visit takes place. read more

I will do my best to keep my emotional response out of this. I took my cat in for issues with his teeth. I asked for a round-about estimate when setting up the visit and blood work. When I got there, it went from $250 to $600. I do appreciate they give you a quote on paper, beforehand, which listed the $400 I did wind up paying when all said and done. Had I not questioned the price repeatedly, I would have been charged for extra/duplicate blood work that hadn't been performed. (Same bloodwork and a visit to the other vet cost me $250.) The doctor made me feel like crap over multiple things I was tsk-tsked at. If I didn't care about my cat, I wouldn't have been there. My cat has always been over weight in spite of eating very good food, and I was glad to talk about an action plan. However, the conversation was a bit condescending and assumptive. I still went through with what the vet had suggested, though I wasn't all that comfortable with switching things around so much on an elderly cat. I really should have listened to my gut. The vet, of course, would probably not have foreseen what issues it would cause, with the exception of abnormal labs that still cleared him for surgery. The vet still doesn't know, as there was never a follow up call to see how my cat was doing. Because of the changes, he stopped eating and started losing way too much weight. It took two weeks and daily calls with another vet to keep him from going into liver failure. Overall, that was very disappointing and horribly stressful. The dental work was quoted out to be around $800-$1300, depending on the number of extractions. It was made to seem like his teeth were in awful shape. He had surgery elsewhere, today, that cost me $350 for one extraction that I'm told was caused probably by him face planting into something, as the rest of his teeth are in great shape. Between the financial implications and general tone, this was a horrible experience. I'm certain others have had great experiences, but the money alone would turn me off going forward. Because of the additional health issues, I still wound up paying well over $1k, so it isn't that I'm too cheap to care for my cat. Luckily, he's happily recovering. read more

She is the one who told me to find a new vet - Donna Strovi - Central Vet Hosp I brought my cat to Central Vetenarian Hospital on Monday for an emergency visit and saw Dr. Krause. They gave Carmine an exam and x-rays and I was told he needed to come in for blood work and fecal exams. I brought him the next day - but a different doctor, Dr. Tobin, saw him. He had his tests done. This doctor gave me completely different directions than the other doctor. The following evening Dr. Tobin called with the results of the blood work - extremely high liver enzymes - not good. She told me to bring him in first thing in the morning to get two shots and to purchase special food - this was the first step in her treatment - I also made appointments for Saturday and Monday for more of the same shots. This morning I brought my cat in and asked if there was anyone there I could ask questions about what exactly I should be feeding my cat - and get more information on what he has. Neither doctors were there. A technician, Donna Strovi, (who I was told later on the phone that she was also the supervisor or manager), called us in the examining room - she handed me a copy of my cat's file and told me to find another vet!!! I was shocked - I asked if it was because he needed a specialist - she said, "No, we just don't think this client/patient relationship is working out..." I asked her what she was talking about. She simply repeated herself. I asked what the problem was- did she have a problem with me asking questions about my cat's condition and treatment? She wouldn't even answer me. She, and her front desk people, were so rude and cold. They abandoned my cat!!! The night before I was told he needed these shots immediately - and here I am, with yet another different person, telling me pretty much to get out!!! Aren't these people supposed to care about animals??? I didn't do anything but ask if I could get some more information on liver problems with cats - and which doctor's directions I should be following (Krause's or Tobin's). I love all animals - I would never treat any animal or person the way the staff at Central Vet treated me. Where is their integrity and ethical morals? I've never been so shocked over such heartless feeling of a animal under a vet's care. I would like to file a formal complaint against: Central Vetenarian Hospital, 388 Central Avenue, Albany (518)434-2115 - They abandoned my cat without any care that he supposedly needed those shots immediately - this is wrong on so many different levels. read more

My little 3 lb Yorkie just got spayed at the central hospital. I absolutely love the staff at that place. Thank you for taking care of my little dog, and thank you for your affordable prices. Also I must mention that the groomer ( can't remember her name but she is the only groomer there) is the best in town, I have tried many many other places, but non did as good of a job as her. read more

I've read all the reviews here and have some comments of my own. I do have two less than great experiences with this hospital. A few years back they were much smaller, they since expanded the building and have a parking lot (remember the old bath house) across the street. This might coincide with the prices they charge. When you enter, the staffs eyes seem to light up with $$$. Me and my wife have brought in several strays we were trying to save. They ALWAYS pushed for a barrage of tests. I can't say they're not effective as they have helped us on several occasions. Like the old song, mama said you'd better shop around. read more

I have been using Central Vet for various pets for 20 years (since they opened). The staff and vets are caring, professional, compassionate and accurate. They discuss all options available and do not push you to an expensive solution. They have great boarding available which I have used when needed. We will continue to use them, thanks! read more