I have been going to Newington Veterninary Clinic for 5 years and I was happy with them. Until now. This is the 2nd time that Dr. Fortin has left me with a very bad taste in my mouth, feeling very underwhelmed by the "care" provided and way over charged for anything and everything. I have rarely seen the same vet twice (I don't think I'd know Dr. Fortin if I fell on her). I will be switching to a new vet and, on my way, I'm telling everyone I can about my recent experience with them because it was completely avoidable. Sorry, but this is lengthy... On 6/11/21, my dog had an acute event that, in my eyes, was an emergency since it's happened before and I wasn't going to sit on it. I called the vet at 8:18 A.M. for an appt. I conveyed my anxiety to the receptionist, Hallie (?), that answered the phone. I was told that she didn't know if she could get my dog in for a visit since she might have just given away the last appt, could she put me on hold. I asked, "So, are you telling me I should go to the emergency vet?" because I would have gone. She very testily responded "No, I'm asking to put you on hold right now". She came back on to tell me the doctor wasn't in yet, she would give my info to the doctor and they would call me back when the doctor got in in about 30 minutes. Seriously? I'm freaking out and you tell me you'll call me back in 30 minutes? I thought she might've said something like "If you feel you can't wait, then yes, I'd go to the emergency vet" or some disclaimer like that. Nope. So, I justified the wait by saying to myself that it'd take me much longer than that to get to the emergency vet. However, I was less than happy about this. Oh. And they're still doing "curbside" so no one is allowed in because 1 employee wasn't fully vaccinated. So, I was told that I couldn't go in with my dog if they did have an appt. And Hallie who answered the phone? She became even more testy when I balked at not being able to come in to the office. I even offered to show them my vaccination card. I have followed COVID guidelines to a T since March 2020 and still do. Now, the entire country is opening up, you don't have to wear a mask in Starbuck's if you're vaccinated, but this place isn't allowing people inside still? Even though other vets have opened back up (yes, I checked)?? More on why that's an issue coming up... I received a return call at 9:07 A.M., almost 50 minutes after I called the first time. I was given an appt for 11:30 so I let the 50 minute wait time slide. I show up at 11:30, I call upon arrival as instructed to and then have to wait for another call to again explain what happened to yet another person. I repeated that he vomited only once before 8:00, he hadn't vomited since and this wasn't a current symptom. First, the vet didn't get the entire story straight with my dog. Why? BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T HEAR IT FROM ME. I was told that my dog was given an injection to help control vomiting. I just listened to the vet as she spoke, taking everything in and I would process it later since I was still pretty revved up, concerned about my dog. The total bill? $166. I thought, ok, not bad since it's cheaper than the emergency vet. Then I saw the invoice AFTER I paid (even if I asked them to review the bill with me before I paid, the injection was already given and I'd have to pay anyway. Nice, huh?). MY DOG WAS GIVEN A $91 INJECTION OF CERENIA TO STOP ANY FURTHER VOMITING!!! This was about 4 hours after he had vomited the 1 and only time. Ninety-one flipping dollars to fix one of the symptoms my dog DIDN'T have. And not a single answer as to why. Would this be as much of an issue for anyone else? Maybe not. While I did get over the receptionist's lack of social skills and professionalism and the 50 minute wait time for a return call, I can't get over the vet. When you are emotionally charged and feeling vulnerable because your dog is sick - you need to get to the vet, you want answers, you want your dog to be ok - it's very easy to feel taken advantage of. Especially by someone you're supposed to just trust with your pet since you can't see what's happening when they take them inside. All of that anxiety leads to a very poor experience from beginning to end if not handled correctly. That all leads to a really long, negative review on Yelp. Sure, curbside is ok for routine exams since you usually already know what's going to happen with meds, vaccines, boosters, etc. But for acute episodes? It's an epic fail. During my f/u call the day after my appt, I let the girl who called know about how upset I was. No return call which shows indifference to my experience. For routine care, Newington Vet is fine, but expensive. Stay away for anything other than routine visits. Why? Because the past 4 people I've mentioned these issues to immediately echoed the same sentiment in regard to Dr. Fortin. read more

Newington Veterinary Clinic - Veterinarians Near Me - Newington, Connecticut

deplorable service and care, I call Newinton vet. clinic last wk. for my dog not feeling well. waited four days for them to tell me, they could not take care or see my dog. which it could have been done on the first day. Instead of letting my dog suffer for such a long time. I'll tell MATEO to go to hell, he did shit to help or comfort in serious and Unpredictable situation. Very poor Assessment and judgment for someone in distress. read more

Doctors DeRosa and Fortin have been caring for my two senior dogs for over 10 years. Dr. DeRosa is so patient & thorough with my fussy girls & me, too. The care is comprehensive and they know when to refer out. They also managed my 10 yr. old's cancer diagnosis with great skill & compassion. The care is excellent and the wonderful, caring support staff is a huge plus! I highly recommend this veterinary clinic. With gratitude... read more

Best vet experience I have had yet. I was a new customer to Newington Veterinary Clinic and was immediately impressed by their professionalism, thoroughness, and level of service. I was planning an international move with my cat and needed their assistance completing the incredibly complicated pet exporting process. They went above and beyond to help me navigate the requirements, squeeze in appointments to meet the rigid deadlines, and even reached out to the USDA themselves to get answers to our questions. Dr. DeRosa was gentle with my cat and didn't mind answering my slew of questions. I also appreciated their COVID procedures and always felt safe visiting. Highly recommend. read more

I cannot saw enough paw-sitive (get it?) things about this vet's office! The staff are all so friendly and helpful, even when my pets can be a bit of a pain. We have four pets that are patients at the vet and each one has received excellent care. We recently moved two towns away from Newington and we still go to this vet because we love them so much! Especially now during the pandemic they have gone out of their way to make us feel very safe when we have had to bring our pets to the vet. I would highly recommend this office to anyone who loves their pets! read more

Been going there for years for my dog and two cats, now it is time to switch. Too many things have made me uncomfortable over the years. The Doctors give opposite advice. They over charge and nickel and dime. It's time for a change. read more

We have been bringing our dog and cats to Newington Vet for many years. Drs Fortin and DeRosa and their staff do a consistently great job. Skilled and compassionate, you won't find a better veterinary practice in the Greater Hartford area. read more

I signed up for yelp just to write this review. I just finished driving home (in tears) from the Newington Veterinary Clinic. I recently moved to Newington from West Hartford and figured I should find a closer vet for my two cats. A friend recommended this clinic and even though I had read mixed reviews, I trusted her judgment and scheduled an annual check up for my pets. The place was clean and the staff was friendly and knowledgeable. But right away, it was awkward because I was the only client there and they still made me wait for 30 minutes before taking my pets to be examined. The doctor and tech both seemed pleasant enough and I didn't doubt their ability to take care of my pets. The real problem came when I went to pay. The bill was $350.00!!!! I almost passed out on the spot. Remember, my pets have been to a vet in West Hartford for all of their check ups over the past three years. And even once when one of my cats had to be sedated, the bill wasn't even half of this. Shame on me for not asking about prices before hand, but I never even thought that a tiny vet clinic in Newington would be that outrageous, especially compared to West Hartford. And the worst thing is, Veterinary Specialists of CT in West Hartford is fantastic and has many more doctors and open hours to accommodate their patients. I should have just sucked it up and driven the extra 15 minutes instead of going local. I looked online and couldn't find a price listing for either vet clinic so I'm listing some cost differences below just to show you why I'm an idiot for going to this vet and why you should find another place for your pets. Exam: WH - $55.00 / Newington - $68.00 Feline Leukemia Annual Shot: WH - $22.00 / Newington - $42.00 Fecal Sample Testing: WH - $34.00 / Newington - $52.00 Nail Trim: WH - $18.00 / Newington - $23.00 With two cats, the basic check up was $112.00 more expensive this year than ever before. And don't even get me started on the ear drops and ointment... If you're looking for a vet, check out Veterinary Specialists of CT in West Hartford, or any clinic other than the Newington Veterinary Clinic. read more

I had the best experience with everyone here. the staff was so helpful and polite they took the most care of my pup Levi after his Teeth removal. they were also good with pricing even tried giving discounts for the surgery for my dog they just went above and beyond to make this process smooth. During this pandemic was a little worry some just leaving my pup but they made things so worry free, I watched how they cared for Levi and how he usually doesn't like anyone but he liked them very happy with this place. read more

Super Expensive and not great experiences with our first dog... their staff give different answers on what your dog should eat and not eat. Our dog had an allergy to chicken and their staff didn't help whatsoever. read more

I don't know who this Mindy person is but she is WAY OFF BASE in critizing the the Newington Veterinary Clinic!!! This place gives top quality service to everyone who goes there. I have been bringing my pet there for many years and have always been more than satisfied with the services they provide. The doctors and staff are very caring people. Perhaps this Mindy person doesn't recognize good quality service and it is good that she has "moved on". read more

We bring our cat here. We had just moved to the area and the What's Happening in Newington page on Facebook recommended them. We see Dr. Fortin usually and have loved her. They don't try and scruff him or be rough. Appointments are easy to get especially during emergencies. They got our old records sent over and we didn't have to do a thing. We love it here! read more

I love Newington Veterinary Clinic for both my dog and my cat. We relocated east of the river over a year ago and still continue to come here. The desk staff is helpful and always responsive, the doctors are kind and thorough. read more

My family has been breeding GSDs for over 30 years. We've used 5 over veterinaries over the years and these are the nicest most caring vets anywhere. To put it simply, MY DOGS ACTUALLY LIKE GOING HERE! Most of the time they don't even notice getting a shot. I'm so glad I found this place. Great job Marcy, Lynn, Marianne and all the rest of the staff! I am eternally grateful for all you've done for my family- my canine children read more

Newington Veterinary Clinic is the best in the world. I would never go anywhere else to have my pets treated. I was in there today with my 12 year old cat and Dr.Fortin and her staff could not do enough to help me and my pet. I cannot give my cat medication so they offered to let me come in every day so that they could give her her medication. What other vet would do this for you. I rate this immaculate clinic 200% plus. All the staff is so caring even for the human beings. Trust me, I have been to a lot of vets in my life, but this will be the only clinic I will go to from now on. Donna Barrows, New Britain, Conn. 0216/2011 read more

When my nearby vet's office closed, I had to find a new place. I am SO happy I found this clinic. Even though my older cat has become a difficult patient, the staff (vet and helpers) instead of complaining and charging extra, just smile and say that's part of the job. They cut her nails without anesthetizing her. I'm driving further than closer vets just because I'm so happy with their care. read more

Our experience was similar to Mindy's. We went here for years before we switched vets. They missed a major diagnosis on one of our animals (that a different vet caught after I was convinced there was an issue they weren't seeing) and offered the wrong course of treatment for another pet that cost us lots of money. They also charge a lot more money than our current vet for everything - standard check-ups, medicines, preventative meds, etc. We also had a situation with one of the staff members (not one of the two vets). She didn't completely read our file when we called in one day about meds and accused us of not following the vet's advice and started yelling at us, saying we are neglectful. The situation was eventually resolved and she learned that we actually WERE following the vet's advice...just that the vet had changed what she had originally told us to do (and because the receptionist didn't fully read our file or there was a communication break down in the office, she didn't know that). The vets and most of the staff seem like nice people, but we are receiving better care elsewhere and the better care is more cost effective. read more