I don't typically write reviews; however, felt it necessary after my personal experience. I hesitated making an appointment based on so many negative reviews. Dr. Ward was highly recommended by another veterinary specialist my dog and I have been seeing- we made an appointment. We had our visit with Dr. Ward today and the negative reviews posted seem unjustified from my experience. I'm sure one can have an off day or even feel offended by another if their expectations are not met. In my experience, Dr. Ward was very professional, direct, and open to my thoughts. She heard and documented the history I shared with my dog along with reviewing her previous records. We discussed options and I felt she was more fair and honest than most. Before she came in to see us, I also heard her speaking to another pet owner with the same interests. If you are looking for a professional and an expert in their field, I highly recommend Dr. Ward. If you prefer to make friends and be coddled, I still recommend Dr. Ward! Just know your needs may not be met BUT your pet's will! We as humans are quick to judge! Try to remember that the veterinary profession alone is stressful, let alone adding a specialty such as IM or oncology to their every day. I have visited many vets from NY, PA, TX, and Fl and have met some, in my opinion, bad vets. This is NOT one of them! Note: the staff was very friendly as well. One recommendation I'd have for the staff is to introduce yourself to the pet owner upon your first interaction. read more

Dr Ward is the sharpest tool in the tool shed. So impressed with her brain, her care, and the time she took with me and not just my fur baby! Great news! My cat is not terminal as was suggested by prior vet! Affordable meds too! Sweet staff as well. So glad I canceled an ultrasound elsewhere and came here. She came highly recommended from friends who brought their German Shepherd and the story they told me of how this woman deeply care for their animal was all I needed. read more

Ward's manner is ice-cold bordering on plain mean. Her physical handling of our precious Dianexis was brutish and harsh, with absolutely no empathy or sensitivity for her advanced illness. The best part of dealing with Ward was paying the bill and getting out the door! Ward is highly overrated. If you love your dog, I highly recommend choosing a more competent, patient and animal-friendly oncologist. She is the absolute worst choice in the area. read more

Dr. Ward cared for our Yorkie, Bailey, for several years. He was diagnosed with protein losing enteropathy (leaky gut). Most dogs don't live very long after diagnosis but Dr. Ward worked with us to manage his condition for several years. She is amazing and available, read more

Ult the best oncology Vet practice ! Thank you for everything ! Kindness and compassion exuberance each n every time!

She is the absolute best. She treated my cat with lymphoma and was so caring. The cat lived a year prior to going to Dr Ward with lymphoma but was getting worse so I took him in to her. He got better on chemo for a little while but it finally stopped working. We were lucky to have Dr Ward. read more

Dr Ward and her staff are amazing. Our big boy was diagnosed with lymphoma last November. Went into remission. I check his lymph gland all the time and noticed a change. Brought him back and after a couple of visits they shrunk back. Now he has pneumonia and once again after one treatment he has improved dramatically. Dr and staff including reception are friendly and caring. Also the office is kept clean with no smells. I don't understand any of the bad comments on here. She has saved my dog twice and the cost has been reasonable. We are so lucky to have her nearby. Thanks Dr Ward and everyone on the staff. read more

Dr Ward is extremely loving and caring toward EVERY animal (and human)that walks thru these doors. The pets that come here are in a serious health crisis of one kind or another. We came because my service dog has anal gland cancer. There's nothing they can do for the cancer itself, but the tumors are causing his calcium to increase, thus he's having urinary problems. The kindness of Dr Ward and the staff is outstanding. The humans are desperate for their pets and these people are exactly the love we need to receive for the reason we are here. I'd give them 10 stars if I could. They treat my baby as I would treat him if I had to give him chemo, with gentle hands and loving words. The first visit was easy. Walk in, fill out one page of quick paperwork, weigh on the scale in the waiting room and within 15 minutes, you're in the back with the Dr. She even comes out to the waiting room and talks with people waiting in between her appointments, as she waits for a test or scan for someone in the back rooms. Even on every other visit, they've made it easy and as relaxing as they could. If you come in stressed, they calm you; "It's ok. Relax. No worries. We've got you. You're in good hands now." And I've always felt the Truth to those words. My second dog got very clingy lately and I had to start bringing him with us. "Who's this little guy?" ("It's ok. Relax. No worries. We've got you.") My sick one got bad diarrhea from his chemo. ("It's ok. Relax. No worries. We've got you.) They switched his medicine from a pill to an IV and it took care of it. The tech tells me what's happening, and Dr Ward comes out and talks to me and makes sure I know what's happening and whether I have questions. So I get told twice in two different ways, because it's said that difficult information needs to be repeated in different ways (preferably 3 different ways, but 2 is better than just 1), so you're brain can grasp it. When I was diagnosed, I had to be told twice... For almost everything at first. Your brain is a survivalist. It does not like bad news that is life threatening. Anyway, the staff understands this and acts accordingly. Remember, though, as you act, so shall you be treated. IDK if there are any reviews that say the staff are horrible and unkind, but if there are, keep that in mind. This vet is amazing. I love her. read more

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Dr. Ward examined my cat Sapphire by ultrasound and was very professional, explained everything in layman's terms to me and was very caring. I highly recommend her! read more

Thank you so much for your help with Big Guy - he is a totally different cat today! I'm going to be going over every day and will get back with you on Monday. read more

Heidi Ward, DVM - Big Guy! - Veterinarians Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

We have been seeing Dr. Ward for about a year and a half now. We were referred to her by our vet after tests showed our cat had mast cell cancer. We had been to our vet and another local vet who thought that our cat had allergies or other issues. Once tests confirmed cancer, we went to Dr. Ward for treatment. Almost immediately we saw improvements in our cat's physical appearance. It's also obvious that she feels so much better too. I love the staff at this office. The techs that I have had experiences with are very knowledgeable. They have spent extensive time with me and will answer all of my questions. One of the most impressive memories I have is of my first visit. Despite the fact that Dr. Ward was not feeling well that day and needed to go home, she took extra time with me to explain my pet's medical condition- it is more common. In dogs than cats. So, she found some articles for me to read and provided some explanations for me so I could better understand what we would be undergoing. I was very impressed with her extra effort, especially since she wasn't feeling well that day. We live more than 1.5 hours from Dr. Ward's office, but I continue to go back and seek her services because we have been so pleased with the outcome. Her fees are reasonable too- if we ever have extra medication, they take that into account and adjust the amount we are given so we don't have to pay for unneeded medications. The staff listen to and document all of our concerns. We also get a copy of every update in our pets medical file- that is also sent to our primary vet's office, so they are also aware of all treatment issues. I would definitely recommend Dr. Ward's office. It has been life changing for our pet. read more

Heidi Ward, DVM - Garfield - Veterinarians Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

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If I could, I would leave NO STARS-This vet is unstable! She's loud, rude, and obviously very unhappy and takes it out on her clients. I have a rescue, and I was seeking help for one of our pups. She walked into the room, and in about 2 seconds recommended surgery and wouldn't allow any questions from me, the owner. "I just told you what to do! Goodbye!" was her response and she promptly walked out of the room. She was in the exam room a total of 30 seconds. You are not allowed to ask questions, or try to understand what she just told you, or she will throw you out! I drove an hour to see this crackhead because she is the only animal oncologist in the area. Never again will I allow myself to be treated so poorly by anyone. She is verbally abusive at best and should retire. Nasty-doesn't come close. She has no business being in the work force, she needs to retire. The ONLY reason people go to her is because she is the only game in town. If there was another option, she would be out of business. I am happy to drive and extra hour and go to someone else who I can have a conversation with about my dogs care and understand the reasons for surgery. Run! Don't walk AWAY FROM THIS PLACE! read more

Dr Ward gave us almost 2 more years with our boy. He was tough to diagnose, and our family vet got us into see her in less that 24 hours. Without her and her team I know we would have lost our boy 2 years ago. Dr. Ward always found a way to work him into her busy schedule and partnered with us on his care. She also educated us on his chronic disease and what we should expect and what to look for in symptoms. Thank you Dr. Ward for your commitment to strong diagnosing and compassionate care. We are so grateful to you. read more

Dr Ward is amazing and truly cares for your pet. She explains her findings and treatment plan in great detail and is always empathetic and caring. Highly recommend. read more

I met Dr. Ward pretty abruptly after a routine lab at our vet showed elevations in his calcium levels. She worked me in same day as the parathyroid labs came back. She was very informative, answered the few questions I had, and made herself available in the near future for the further work up we needed for our dog Igor. She has since seen him two more times, once again same day when a new finding came up shortly before surgery and needed to be evaluated quickly. She never made us feel rushed, or that we were an inconvenience to her having to be worked in. She's has coordinated care for us with an amazing surgeon who I feel incredibly confident about and has been in continued communication with him as part of Igor's care team. While I didn't have any issues with Dr. Wards bedside manner, and found her quite pleasant and funny, I find the need to say this here. WE ARE NOT PAYING DOCTORS, VETERINARIANS, ANY HEALTH CARE PROVIDER for their bed side manner. Yes, as a sensitive person, I greatly appreciate and cherish a wonderful bedside manner from my health care providers. But I came to Dr. Ward for one reason, to get quick, appropriate, diagnosis for my dog as well as coordination of care to get his problem fixed. She has delivered on this and then some. I came to her for her expertise, and years of training in a field I know nothing about. I am very thankful for her, and her practice. Igor thanks her as well, but hopes he doesn't see her much in the future ( no offense) ;) read more

Heidi Ward, DVM - Veterinarians Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Dr Ward is just fabulous. She will do everything possible to help your pet. We've been to see her with several pets, all with lymphoma. She helped all of them as much as they could be helped, and we are extremely grateful for the additional time we had with them. read more

The negative comments on here are 100% accurate. The doctor and staff did some good work initially but later after 5 plus visits the recommendations and visits were not helpful to our dog or ourselves with more and more made up recollections of reality from the doctor. I would not recommend. read more

Dr Ward diagnosed my beautiful Hunters Cancer - She was professional, patient and kind. I cannot believe these negative reviews - Doesn't seem like the person I met. read more

My dog became very sick very fast and needed an ultrasound immediately. I contacted Dr Ward and she got me in first thing in The morning. She saved my dog even though she was dealing with a massive migraine that day and her business was very busy. I cannot say enough good things about her and her staff. She also saved another dog of mine with lymphoma. He is in remission and still going strong three years later!!!! It's sad to see these negative comments about Dr Ward being rude. There are only 33 reviews here and she treats thousands of animals. In my experience, people tend to only write reviews when they either don't hear what they want to hear or just can't handle a doctor who is very straightforward and blunt. This is sad for her to because she can't save them all!! She is very much an animal lover, but she has to keep some distance because she just can't get attached. I wish the animals that she saved (the owners) would write a review instead of just the people who want to complain. I can bet there are more great reviews about Dr Ward then there are negative. If you want someone who is knowledgeable and want the best for your animal's then Dr Ward is the vet to go to. Mind you she will be blunt and straightforward for don't confuse that with being rude. I would rather have that then a dr who is all sweet, knowing they can't help your animal but give you false hope and take your money. read more

I'd take the bad reviews with a grain of salt... Dr Ward is a referral only physician. Animals are there because their primary care doctor suspects cancer or something beyond their scope of practice. She spends most of her time giving folk news that is not the best for their pet. Our primary care vet said she may not be warm and fuzzy - but she is kind, knowledgable and extremely good at what she does - and that was very accurate. We found her to be VERY kind and extremely patient. She took the time to answer all questions, some more than once, as we struggled to accept the inoperable cancer news. Calmly explained our options for treatment and said to let her know if we'd like to schedule - no pressure to spend. Comet, our 13 year old 80lb dog is our second pet to be referred for a sad diagnosis. Comet required an ultrasound of his underside - which I did not expect would happen with out sedation. Her and her staff were extremely quick while my husband and I were at his head calming him. Working with her team made the task more tolerable for him. Valentine our blind cat with cardio myopathy calmly allowed fluid drained form her side with out stress or issues. Our pets have been treated with incredible skill, surprisingly calm during treatment and we found her kind as well. read more

Dr Ward is amazing. She is a brilliant caring oncology Veterinarian. We feel blessed and lucky to have her taking care of our dog Taffy.

During my initial visit, I was impressed with Dr. Ward. Hindsight, I wish I had gone elsewhere and read the reviews first. My pup is still in dire need of a diagnosis and while I appreciate Dr. Ward's inability to diagnose my pup, I do NOT appreciate the curt tone given in a Dear Jane email from her employee, Amanda. She either needs etiquette training or she needs to put herself in our shoes. There's nothing wrong with suggesting a second opinion, but to do so without answering ANY questions, well that's just absurd. Once the cash register closes, you can pretty much count on the communications or assistance closing too. These helpless babies count on their humans and can't tell us what's wrong; and if you're unwilling or unable to assist, then do it with a caring disposition. Many of these reviews are SPOT ON!! Dr. Ward, you and your facility can do better. read more

I read with keen interest the reviews on this supposed veterinarian waaay too late. I took my precious Picco to this woman following a lab reported diagnoses of mast cell cancer. I was stunned at her "bedside manner". She was, at best, mentally preoccupied elsewhere & certainly detached. - I perceived her as a person who appeared unbalanced. I was so devastated by my little fella's diagnosis & gave this Heide the benefit of the doubt (as she had been recommended to me) thinking I must have caught her on a really bad day. That was the absolute worst decision I made concerning Picco's health. I honestly can't believe she is still allowed to practice any type of veterinary medicine. Heide Ward is simply incompetent. read more

Left this in the Gulf Coast Veterinary Page but thought it needed to be here as well. Face to face Dr Ward seemed caring and professional, as did her staff. Talking to her on the phone, not soo much. I expressed my concern on how hard it is to get through to the office because for a couple weeks I've called, left voicemails and I never hear back. She took my firsthand experience to heart and proceeded to tell me I was rude for saying such things about her employees and accused me of lying. Yes, Dr Ward I enjoy my dogs having cancer very much so and would rather leave countless voicemails and delay his treatment. Please. But honestly, don't take my word for it. Call them and I can assure you that nobody will ever pick up. Upon asking why I would lie about such a thing she then told me I needed to go somewhere else and proceeded to rattle of a number and how their charts would be sent off. Truly unbelievable and unprofessional, really bummed to write this one. read more

Dr. Ward truly cares about what is best for your fur baby. She is a critical thinker and tries to rule out other possibilities first - saving you money and unnecessary procedures for your pet. Don't listen to the bad reviews about her bedside manner. Dr. Ward is incredibly accomplished and knowledgeable in her field. She is a fast thinker - getting straight down to business. I guess some people take that as rude, but she is the BEST in what she does and treats your pet like gold. It's impressive to watch her work and figure out the problem. read more

Heidi Ward, DVM - Resting after surgery - Veterinarians Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Thank you Heidi for your honest and sincere diagnosis of my Chocolate Labrador 'Darla' . She crossed the rainbow bridge thru your tender and loving advice . It's never easy for a vet to do this and I appreciate everything you did for her . My neighbor also praises you highly . We are grateful that you are here in Sarasota . ET read more

Extremely unprofessional and just weird. I took time off of work and traveled 1 hour to take my cat to an appointment with Dr. Ward. I arrived with my son and cat around 2pm. Dr. Ward was in the lobby, along with a vet tech., talking to a gentleman about his dog. I walked by Dr. Ward, checked in at the front desk, and then passed Dr. Ward again on the way to a seat. A few minutes later, we were called into a room which had a pungent dog smell. I understand it is a vets office so I tried not to be too critical and dealt with the odor. The vet tech who assisted us in the room was very kind and talked to us about the cat prior to seeing Dr. Ward. Dr. Ward entered the room, greeted me and my son and then asked if we were wearing perfume. I wear baccarat rouge and put a small amount on at 6:30am and didn't think anyone could smell it since it was 2pm. I said yes. She then proceeded to freak out and yell saying we had to leave because she was allergic to perfume. She was yelling at the vet tech and telling her we had to leave the building. My son, who has autism, was so confused. His heart was set on getting an ultrasound for our cat who has an extremely large kidney stone. He didn't understand what was happening and her behavior was appalling and made him feel very uncomfortable. If you are a doctor with allergies, shouldn't you inform the patients before they come in? Why is it that no one said anything when I was in the lobby? I walked by her 2 times and she didn't say anything. The vet tech at the counter and the vet tech who checked us into the room never said anything about the perfume or that it was noticeable. I began to think, maybe any scent other than the scent of dog is a trigger and sets her off. It was just weird and she seems unstable, as stated by Deborah G. I have never been made to feel so uncomfortable or have been treated so poorly in my life. One of the vet techs came outside to reschedule my appointment. No thank you. I will never subject myself to that type of unprofessional behavior again. I will be taking my cat elsewhere. read more

BEWARE!!! PLEASE read all the other reviews and then you decide. Anyone can have a bad day, but it seems to be a pattern with Dr. Ward. Several reviews say she should be on medication, and she's all about the money. On my first, and it will be my only, visit, Dr. Ward didn't even bother to introduce herself. She was curt and rude. My referring vet had found a small mass, and she said snottingly that maybe he mistook the gall bladder for a mass...and told me my dog wasn't in any pain. I was horrified and stunned about how nasty she was. Do yourself and your pet a favor - pause for a minute and see if there is anywhere else you can take your baby. Drive up to Tampa if you can. At least go in forewarned - and stick up for your rights as a customer and say you and your pet would like to be treated professionally and courteously. Then take the time to leave an honest review if it might help others. read more

Dr Ward is terrific. She diagnosed our 5 year old Pomeranian over the phone years ago when I called her clinic to state i was bringing our dog to her. She confirmed her suspicions with tests after I arrived and that wonderful little dig is still enjoying health 8 years later. You would never know she was close to death before Dr Ward saw her. More recently Dr Ward has been treating our 14 year old male Pomeranian for an acute liver problem. It has taken some time to get the toxins out of his system but he is now back to his old self (acting like a puppy) both physically and chemically. I trust Dr Ward whole-heartedly! She is truly wonderful! read more

Dr. Ward was not wearing a mask in close quarters. When asked to please do so, her response was to scream at the customer with a sick pet and tell them to leave. Do not use this doctor. She is volatile, aggressive, and does not care about your pet or follow basic COVID safety guidelines. I urge you to go elsewhere. read more

She was extremely abrasive and flat out mean handling my dog. She didn't listen to anything I had to say. She simply implied my dog was very sick and needed to be put to sleep before even trying to help us. It's been 3 months and my dog is in better health then he has been in 18 months due to our new doctor and 3rd opinion. I warn everyone I know of my horrible experience with Heidi Ward and her working partner Laurie Walmsley read more

We took our 11 year old lab to Dr Ward after her tumor came back. We had read the reviews and were very skeptical. Dr. Ward turned out to be kind, earnest and helped prolong our sweet dog's life just a little bit longer. For which, I am eternally grateful. I'm so sorry some people have bad experiences with her, but with us, she went the whole nine yards. I was prepared for a calloused vet, but that wasn't the case at all. We took Josie's death very hard, but Dr Ward didn't give up until there was absolutely nothing left to do. read more

This is our second time to see Dr. Ward. The first time was with my male Scottie that had an aggressive cancer, she set my mind at ease with choosing a treatment option. Now my female girl has cancer, she was kind and gave me a lot of information to help me decide my best options. We will always appreciate her insights and kindness with helping us to make the best decision for our pets. read more

My dog was in Blue Pearl Hospital in Clearwater from Feb 20 2017 until Feb 26 2017. He was taken to this facility for evaluation and diagnosis on abnormal lab values. It was determined that he had lymphoma and chemo therapy was started at the Blue Pearl in Clearwater. Since we live in Sarasota he was transferred to the care of Dr Heidi Ward in March 2017. I can't say enough good things about the quality of care my dog received from Dr Ward and her entire staff. Dr Ward took the time to review all of the records from Clearwater on the first appointment and a plan was developed that day. Fenway did not respond to the original protocol so another treatment plan was initiated and he was a partial responder. Dr Ward monitored Fenway's lab values several times a week and was very conscientious . Unfortunately Fenway was not able to continue with chemo treatment since his lab values dropped below the acceptable levels. Fenway passed on May 7 2017 at home. He never stopped eating and enjoyed walks up to the day he died. He had no vomiting or diarrhea and no evidence of bleeding. Fenway did not look like a sick dog until you looked at his lab values. I am so grateful to Dr Ward and the staff in her office. He loved going there. Dr Ward was genuinely disappointed when he couldn't continue the chemo. When your dog or cat is ill , the owner needs a partner as you fight to restore your dog's health and that partner should be your veterinarian. No one in the world fought harder than Dr Ward to save Fenway. I will always be grateful that I had this sweet boy for 8 years and that he had Dr Ward for his final weeks. Paige Reder read more

Heidi Ward, DVM - Fenway Reder Christmas 2016 - Veterinarians Near Me - Sarasota, Florida

Thank you Dr Ward for seeing our family member Teala, we appreciate your thorough exam of Teala and your help and guidance Thank you !! We also appreciate the great staff you have at the office , thank you for fitting us in and helping Teala read more

Can I get a refund? Very disappointed in the service and uneducated help I encountered at Heidi Ward's Vet office. It's been 2 weeks and I'm still waiting for a call back or my diagnosis report via email or on paper. I paid in full for an appt, and steroids. I did not get the chemo drug we needed and I felt terrible about the treatment she gave us. My dog has a small mast cell tumor on his nose. She took a lymph node smear and failed to send it to pathology, so I'm getting it done again at my primary vet tomorrow. Heidi gave us a 5 min appt., looked at our lymph smear on her own microscope, gave us steroids and suggested I do radiation. By asking more questions I got a lil more out of her, she suggested I meet with a specialist surgeon. The staff is not very great, they might be stressed without good training or guidance. I did not feel like we got all the info and healing help we needed, so I booked another Oncologist after my appt with Heidi. Lucky my primary Vet said to go to Blue Pearl Tampa after she heard my disappointment with Heidi. They have helped so much more so I am glad I went to Blue Pearl Vet in Tampa for a second opinion. Glad my primary vet is Dr. Nina too. read more

I brought my yellow lab to Dr. Ward at the recommendation of my vet, as she suspected that he had Lymphoma. I was given an immediate appointment. Dr. Ward looked at him and said that there was a chance that it was a tick bourn disease, but that we would know after the test. Unfortunately, it was Lymphoma, but it showed me that she was able to consider another diagnosis beside cancer that required costly chemo. I find her to be direct, knowledgable and caring of animals. I doubt she coddles humans a lot, but that was not why I was there. I wanted an honest opinion of my dog's condition and that is what I received. My lab is in remission now. However, she has also been direct about the prognosis. We have saved his life for possibly a year, maybe longer. He is back to himself, energetic and happy - I'll take it! Michelle C - Sarasota read more

I can't say enough about the skill of this doctor. It is the second time my primary vet referred us. She is friendly but got immediately down to why we were there. She is a gift to all pet owners in the Sarasota area. Her practice is demanding on her and she doesn't fool around. But as always she is more than friendly, caring and her love of animals shines through her business persona. We love this woman and her veterinary skills. Consider yourself lucky if you are referred to her for help. Thank you Dr. Ward! read more

I have no idea who she is paying to leave her good reviews, but they hopefully were well paid since anything positive from this woman is a joke. Her reputation for being cold, rude and unkind only scratches at the surface of what I have to say about the care my family was given. After being called out by myself and wife, Ward begged me to not leave bad reviews and that she apologized for being rigid and rude. Almost 2 years have past and I continue to hear the same thing, BAD. Anyway you look at this it is easy to see she has problems. I've engaged my own vet who recommended her as well as others in the area, as soon as her name is mentioned, everyone knows the complaint, very very poor bedside manner. For a doctor in her position, she should pride herself on the care given to both the pet and family with the upmost respect for the very personal and deep connection the clients have with their animal. Shame on her! I hope she is replaced very soon! read more

Dr. Ward is one of the most compassionate veterinarians we've ever had the pleasure of seeing. She got our cat in the day we called with problems and charged 1/2 of what the other specialty places were asking. Our cat lived another two years after his Pancreatic Cancer diagnosis thanks to her care. We love Heidi! read more