A brief story about a beagle named Buster, He was adopted in New York when he was "four" (read: 10) years old. He was then to be left with his grandparents and uncle who lived nearby due to his owner's recent and unique career obligations. Never had any of these three individuals cared for a dog in their lives. So we looked for nearby vets and found this little pink mess of a building on the Saugus highway. Over the next 5 years, while we had our medical ups and downs, we were always given the best of care by each and every individual at this facility. Every vet and technician we dealt with showed genuine concern, even when we made the same follies most new animal (and human) parents fall into: overreactions, anxieties, and downright fear. Fast forward to the winter of 2020 (amid a pandemic, maybe you heard about it on the news) and Buster came down with serious breathing issues. Despite it being near closing, we were told to bring Buster immediately and our doctor and numerous techs stayed late trying to render a diagnosis. Unfortunately, this was beyond their technological capabilities and we were directed to the Woburn Animal Hospital (another fine facility). Thanks to their lack of ego and abundance of concern we were able to transfer him quickly and determine Buster had a growth in his throat, and was expected to pass that summer. We as a family made peace with this and hoped for the best and prepared for the worst. Thanks to the medical expertise, the care, the concern, and the proper medication prescription of the medical experts at this hospital, Buster lived another 3 healthy and happy years, being recently put down out of mercy (his breathing inevitably got worse, nothing could be done) at the ripe old age of 18. Buster would not have made it that long, as the happy and healthy pup he was without the people working this facility. If that story did nothing for you, allow me to address some of you negative reviewers. An animal hospital in Lynn recently closed. Guess where those tens of thousands of animals need to go? The 3 facilities in a ~10 mile radius. These people are working as hard as they can, trying to satisfy that unprecedented demand, I can assure you. If you take your pet to this facility, they will live longer, they will live better, and they will be happier. Thank you for reading. read more

Saugus Animal Hospital - Veterinarians Near Me - Saugus, Massachusetts

Great Service from MaryJo at the front desk - very prompt and efficient with my request!

I have been going to Saugus animal forever and have NEVER had a bad experience. The blonde receptionist that was referred to in a previous review has bent over backward for all of my dogs and myself. So I don't know where this came from but. If somebody is having a bad day they shouldn't take it out on the hard-working people trying to help them. I love Saugus animal and would recommend it to all my friends and family. read more

The reviews I've read here are years old. Check the dates when making your decision about coming here. I've been coming here for years and have always been met with 100% professionalism. The staff are always warm & friendly with me and my cats. They offer me options with their care, know that I am financially challenged and work with me around issues that come up in my cats life. You can always tell when people genuinely love animals and want to care for them. I wouldn't even THINK about going anywhere else. (My cats would disown me if I did!). Lol read more

Saugus Animal Hospital - My cat Kerby - Veterinarians Near Me - Saugus, Massachusetts

Receptionist with blonde hair older lady is highly unprofessional. Seems to have an attitude every time I have interacted with her. And doctors apparently back up this behavior. I have talked with other people who have interacted with this woman. And they all say they have had a bad experience. I have changed vets will never go there again! Not to mention see my other review. read more

Been taking my small anxious 9 lb terrier here for the last 5 years. He absolutely is a nervous wreck around strangers and they do a fantastic job at comforting him. We've met with most of the vet techs/doctors. They are all professional, kind and always make us feel comfortable. Also customer service is stellar at the front desk, friendly and efficient. read more

Update to my Aug 5 2022 review. Both our dogs finally had their teeth cleaned, and the doctor and staff were awesome. Once we arrived, no other tests were needed. Only suggestion I have is that they should mention the process (blood tests, poop sample, pre-procedure meds, etc) of all that's required prior to booking dental appointment. read more

I am not sure if this is the same Animal Hospital that is on 365 Essex St Saugus. I'm hoping so! I took my Gigi here for an emergency appointment; which getting an appointment was so comforting after contacting a few others. The Dr. & Assistant Kristen was absolutely amazing. Gigi has a NEW VET!!!! Plus my parents referred me. Thank you for seeing GIGI asap and thank you for explaining & caring for her. Your facility is amazing. read more

Stay away from this place. They'll pressure and badger you to get services you don't need while you're there. They'll also just run tests without your approval and expect you to pay it. I'll never take another pet to this place. I'd highly recommend you not take yours either. read more

I just moved to the area and had scheduled my dog's first vet visit to this hospital. The first appointment was 2 days away when my dog suddenly had an allergic reaction and needed immediate medical attention. This vet is the closest one to my home and I knew we were scheduled to start coming as a regular patient. We arrived at this vet with my dog (currently covered in hives and having difficulty breathing) during our emergency. The woman at the front desk was blunt that "sorry we won't see her because you're not a patient here." I tried to explain that our first appointment was 2 days away, and this was an emergency. Her response? "Well you can wait but I doubt anyone has time to see you." I couldn't believe the callousness, my dog was struggling to breathe and needed anyone to administer some sort of help. I would have happily waited if they could have stabilized her, if they were truly that busy. It seemed like they turned my dog away because I hadn't officially seen them yet as a patient (even though, like I said, we had tried to make that happen and were scheduled for a check up 2 days later). We ended up needing to drive 45 minutes away to the Woburn emergency vet. At this point, the wasted time at the Saugus hospital and needing to drive extra caused my dog considerable stress and unnecessary pain. I cancelled the appointment we originally made because if animal welfare is not the top concern of my vet, why the hell would I trust their services? read more

I just wanted to take the time to let everyone know how wonderful the staff is at Saugus Animal Hospital. From the Front Desk Staff, Technicians, and the Doctors there, is is just always a wonderful experience. The Doctors are extremely knowledgeable and often spend so much time, explaining in detail when and if our Dog has an issue. I would highly recommend this practice to any and all looking for healthcare for their pets. While I recommend all of the Doctors there, I have to give a special shout out to Dr. Tedder who has helped navigate us through some stressful times with our precious dog and thankfully he has come through with flying colors. She was extremely patient with us and spent so much time explaining everything to us. Again, cannot recommend them highly enough. Cooper says thanks also. read more

My cat was having seizures, so I brought him here because it was the quickest place to get to. They checked him in, took him in back, gave me all kinds of paperwork to fill out, the usual. Then they led us into an exam room. The vet said "We're closed right now, so there's nothing we can do. You're going to have to take him to an emergency vet." They give me a bill and my cat. A bill? For telling me they're closed? They could have said that when I walked in the door and saved a lot of time when my cat was having an emergency. We took him to an emergency vet, and it turned out he had to be put down. Rather than pay the bill for Saugus, I payed the one for the emergency vet who at least helped us out. Thanks for nothing on the worst day of my life. Karma will get you. read more

This animal hospital is the best I've found. Unfortunately, my dog needed to be put down in August. The staff could not have been more helpful in such a hard time. Even from just walking in, they were very sincere and considerate and brought us to a room so we could sit with him one last time. They wait for you to say goodbye and really gave us the space to love on our puppy one last time. They were comforting and did everything while explaining what they were doing so there were no surprises. After I got a beautiful card with my dogs paw print to remember him by. I couldn't have asked for a better way to say goodbye to my puppy. Thank you to all the staff there. read more

Dr Flynn and Dr Bloom are the very best and provide the absolute best service and advice. The whole Saugus Animal Hospital staff is topnotch. All questions were always answered time a timely manner, and if an issue required an appointment I was always able to get in, in a timely manner. Even throughout Covid, and curbside appointments, I was always so well informed of what happened in appointments, treatment plans and next steps. If you're in the area, Saugus Animal Hospital is the place to bring your pet. read more

Worst vet experience I have ever had. Rude to me and not good with my senior dog who is already nervous to be there. Terrible.

I have been bringing my cats and dogs to Saugus for over 7 years now, and the staff couldn't be friendlier. For the people who are disappointed with how they are treated - Saugus tries to educate pet owners on what is best for their pets. They expect you to be responsible enough to take good care of them, and that requires getting the proper treatment. If you aren't happy with their opinions, and can't afford to provide for your pets, perhaps don't have them. I have never had an issue with compassion, especially when I had to put my cat to sleep in February - they couldn't have been more supportive. Dr. Binder and Dr. Andersen are amazing. read more

Dr Karin Anderson is amazing. I was here years ago with one of my dogs years ago while visiting family. They treated my Bailey with love and affection. 13 years later I've moved back to Massachusetts and brought both my little girls. Even through the Covid restrictions, I felt like my animals were given the proper love and attention. Not to mention how thorough Dr Anderson was. She was the one who came to retrieve my dogs in the parking lot and brought them back to me. She was extremely professional had an abundance of knowledge. I can't forget all the receptionists as well. So kind and friendly. Class act Saugus. A+++ read more

I love this Animal Hospital! I think the staff is very caring and comforting. They are always willing to assist and happy to help. I see other people commenting on pricing being to high?! To be honest I'm completely shocked. I think they are very reasonably priced within the area. I've actually switched to them from another local vet and I couldn't be happier! I think its important to remember that yelp also "Filters" review. Be sure to read the filtered ones as well. They have lots of positive reviews not being displayed. read more

They suck, none of them know what they're doing. so expensive!!! They almost killed our dog.

I just brought my cat ,for first time to this hospital and was very happy with the service.The entire staff that was involved in my appointment were great!!I read more

Saugus Animal Hospital - My cat Ollie - Veterinarians Near Me - Saugus, Massachusetts

I've been going here for years with many a pet and they are the absolute BEST! Everyone there is caring, loving and compassionate and you feel as though they love your cat, dog etc.. as much as you do. read more

We brought our dog here multiple times. Our dogs health was declining and they squeezed us in this morning short notice. They were so kind! The vet tech asked if she could hug me and it was much needed and so appreciated. Dr. Binder was very honest with us and it really helped us make the best decision for our dog and we were very thankful for that. Highly recommend. read more

These people have neither compassion for animals nor for their owners. Had my cat misdiagnosed there with ineffective medication prescribed. Still same illness, and sure another exam and lab and same meds (what $350 again!?) Just another ripoff! read more

Love this place they help my pets with there problems also very caring n understanding when u don't know what to do

I have to take my parents dog here from time to time and have to say he gets great care here. Dr. Binder does a great job and staff are also amazing. If you have an emergency they can get you in very quickly as well. read more

Sorry DMV Binder, you are mistaken. Check your records again. I NEVER asked for the cream. The cream was discontinued a long time ago. My dogs have been using the OINTMENT. That is what I asked for. The instructions listed are USE AS NEEDED ------ NOT twice a day for 10 days. And if you think I would believe you would not have charged me twice in a week for a visit you are sadly mistaken. No one asked me if I cared to wait until you finished with what you were doing. No one called me as a follow-up to my request. All I got was an attitued. Sorry you can blame Yelp and anyone else you want to but like I said I HAD ENOUGH! Already found another Vet -- Phyllis G. read more

We have been going to Saugus Animal Hospital since 1997 when we got our first dog, Blackie. Dr. Anderson and the other doctors at the hospital took excellent care of our boy until we had to have him put down at the ripe old age of 15. Even then, they were so compassionate and loving and we will never forget how well they treated our boy! Two weeks later we decided we could not live in a house without a dog and we adopted our dog "Hunter" and immediately made an appointment for him at Saugus Animal Hospital. It was so good to be there under such happy circumstances. The building is new and modernized, spacious and comfortable. The desk staff, Vet Techs, and Doctors are all top notch. I would recommend this animal hospital to anyone and by seeing the packed waiting room of mostly happy pets as well as the hundreds of pictures on the wall of their happy patients, I would say many people agree with me! All the Best! We will see you tomorrow for Hunter's yearly appointment! read more

I just want to say I think this Hospital is great. I 've been brining my cats there and with good results. Yes it's expensive but check around you'll find that all vets are expensive. I think for the most part the Staff and Dr's are very good and pleasant. In a business like this - we aniamal lovers tend to be senstive and over protectedand we look foe the impossible answer right away. Give them a break. Animals don't talk to tell us what's wrong. So these Dr.s with theire education do the best they can. Most vets work with the imformation we and the animal gives them. I like the Saugus Animal Hospital. I just brought my cat in the other day, he had unusal signs I had never seem before (have had lots of cats in my day) Dr didn't know what was wrong either. She did her research and cured the cat. Ease does it people we are all human. read more

I can't stand bringing my dog, Rufus, here. He's been coming here since my family first adopted him. Something must have happened that made Rufus very apprehensive to coming here. Last time I brought him (I usually can't because I don't like seeing him get shots) the Vet told his assistant (who was very considerate and caring towards my dog) that Rufus is a "very bad dog" and proceeded to put a muzzle on him. My dog wouldn't hurt a fly. He's a teeny Cairn Terrier. I just found out that my mother brought Rufus back this past week to get tested for Lyme disease and his front left leg got caught in the muzzle and now he cannot even walk on it. He is clearly very depressed now, and I completely blame the Doctor. He is NOT considerate at all to my dog and doesn't seem very interested in anything that relates to my dog. Every time I ask a question, he seems answer in a sarcastic/annoyed tone. I won't be bringing Rufus back here. I've heard that Malden Animal Hospital is a lot better and it's now time for a change. read more

The doctors here have never been anything but kind, knowledgeable, and supportive. I've been bringing my cat and dog here for a few years now. They work with my budget to help me with what's absolutely necessary vs. what can wait. I've been to other places where the doctors talk down or guilt you for this and that...I've never had that issue here. Dr. McGinley has been especially wonderful recently working with my dog who just had surgery. read more

Came the better part of 17 years ago and they wanted to pull every tooth out of my 3yo kittens mouth.. I was like WTF??? Took her for a. Second and third opinion elsewhere and those vets shook their head.. She lead a long life until almost 20, and yes with all of her teeth.. I never went back to these quacks again read more

We moved back to MA from Northern Virginia last year and needed a good vet to take our "medically challenged" dog to. Our old vet in VA highly suggested avoiding the "corporate" vets popping up such as VCA and stick with an independent vet that is a AAHA member. AAHA vets have strict quality measures they take in running their practice. I'm not knocking all VCA vets, it is just that they have certain quotas to fill shall we say. We have been receiving great care for our dog over the last year and highly recommend Saugus Animal Hospital. All the vets at the practice are great and the staff very professional. They do not overcharge. There are many negative posts on yelp and it surprises me. I've seen much higher office visit costs elsewhere. read more

Our family has been bringing our dogs here for care for the past 20 years - both routine and emergency - including after one of our dogs was hit by a garbage truck (and continued to live a wonderful life for years!). We have nothing but praise for Dr. Binder as well as the other Vets who have always diagnosed and treated our dogs with super care - from exams to prescriptions to hospitalisation to referrals to specialists. these people are AWESOME and we can't think of bringing our dog anywhere else. read more

I've been bringing my pets here for a few years and never really warmed up to them. The assistants are nice, but the doctors have an attitude. Not particularly compassionate. the facility is not the cleanest either. I've had wonderful vets who give great common sense advice - these doctors tend to run up the bill as much as possible. I know tests are expensive, but they don't seem to have the diagnostic abilities that other veterinarians have so it's easier to order a test. There are many better places to go to. Not the worst place but I love my pets and will find a better place. Don't go here. Not recommended. read more

This re-review is a couple of weeks overdue I am revising my previous review and am happy to say that my puppy is better and this problem appears to be resolved. As Robert B. stated below he called me and we spoke at length coming to the agreement that there was some miscommunication involved. Robert B. did provide a courtesy follow up exam on the pup which I took as a sign of good faith and decided to continue bringing my puppy to this clinic. Dr B obviously cares about his patients wellbeing and follows recommended vaccination protocols. I would only suggest to other owners that if you chose to minimally vaccinate that you make certain that you are clear in expressing which vaccinations you would like provided and which you specifically want exlcluded. While I don't buy into holistic medicine I do lend some credence to the minimal vaccination movement. There seem to be a lot of links between excessive vaccination and a host of complications. Jean Dodds a leading veterinary immunologist recommends a protocol including only rabies, parvo and distemper, a protocol I wished to follow for my pup. I wasn't aware that the distemper/parvo shot also contained adenovirus and parainfluenza. Perhaps I failed to make that as clear as I could have. I did knowingly authorize the kennel cough vaccine as I was considering enrolling the pup in a class where kennel cough immunization was required. As I stated in my previous post it's impossible to determine what exactly the cause was for my dogs lameness but given the timing of the onset of the symptoms with the administration of the last shot, the most plausible explanation for the illness appears to be a reaction to the vaccines. This is something that I do not believe to be the fault of Dr B and I certainly don't think SAH was action in bad faith. I'm revising this review to 4 stars because Dr B took the time to make make a phone call explaining at length his understanding of the situaton. He also provided a free follow up exam, and most importantly my pup is back to full health. read more

Called to make a first time appointment because I was concerned one of my two cats had a UTI. I wanted to make an appointment as soon as possible to bring both of them in and after holding for nearly 15 minutes, they were unable to book them at the same time for at least a week. I made two separate appointments for them. Trying to deter first time clients? I ended up cancelling after I found a MUCH more friendly place in Newton where they were happy to get both of my cats in at the same time. So much more polite and I wasn't left on hold forever. When I did cancel, the girl on the phone was rude about it. read more

I am, quite honestly, SHOCKED by the reviews listed here. I have been a loyal client for 20 plus years. We have had MANY pets cared for compassionately and with what appears to be the highest clinical standards. Let's face it: owning a pet is expensive. But being a pet owner means being responsible. I have always been given choices when possible here. Guidance was excellent. Hospital staff are consistent and know my pets very well. I do know that when our pets or kids are ill, we tend to hear slices of what is being said. I can not imagine the staff at Saugus saying we can't treat you because we are closed, except to say that there is not 24 hours onsite staff and that, perhaps, a pet in a dire emergency should go to a 24 hr. emergency hospital. I have seen many, many clients who have a long history and partnership with Saugus Animal Hospital. I am not alone here. Do not believe all that you read. Saugus Animal Hospital has always been a valued part of my care as a pet owner. read more

I recently brought my new puppy here to be spayed. Weeks earlier when I called for an appointment, I was quoted at $697 with lab work. On the day of the spay, I signed a contract that said I was to pay $ 730 (including the micro-chip which I wanted). A couple hours later, I get a call from Dr. Diminico stating that my dog had a hernia (which I knew about and was told by Dr. Binder that it was not harmful) and that it SHOULD be fixed with surgery. Using my normal brain process, I thought this meant that I would seek to fix this problem at a later date but that isn't what happened. They went ahead and fixed my dog's hernia and decided she needed a 'fecal exam' (cause every time they poop they have to charge you another 100 bucks) when my dog just had one a few months earlier. The total bill was now $935...charges added to my bill without my consent. I mean c'mon, this made me feel totally violated. They can't just do whatever they want to your dog and expect you to cough it up. I understand being a dog owner is expensive, and I am willing to pay but those charges were not included in the contract and them just charging me made me ill. I will never go back here again. read more

I have a hard time believing some of the reviews posted on this site! I have had every animal under the sun: Dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and they have all been patients here. First of all, let me say that the staff is extremely friendly and warm! I have a bunny who ran into all sorts of problems between the ages of 3-4. I had him there regularly with Ashley, one of the vet techs, and every time I came in with him she was wonderful! She would clean him up, she would shave his back end monthly because he did not "clean himself up as well as he should", and usually if he didn't require too much clipping or cleaning I wouldn't be overcharged for the full visit. They are very considerate price wise and if you are understanding and kind to them, they will be more than happy to try their hardest to do what they can to save you a couple extra dollars. They have never forced me to do any extra testing with my dogs that we both agree would not be necessary for a certain visit and they have been there for every pet we have unfortunately had to euthanize with them. They have always been extremely sympathetic during those times and also did not overcharge for these services as well. I have to say that I love every vet and vet tech there but Ashley and Dr. McGinley are my favorite to see!! The entire staff including the front desk are super friendly and it is always a pleasurable experience! read more

I have been a client at Saugus Animal Hospital for many years. I have always found the staff and Dr.s passionate about animals and extremely knowledgeable. Yes, testing is often recommended and some of these tests are expensive. Veterinary medicine is on par with human medicine and this only makes sense. I have never felt pressured or judged when i couldn't afford all that was recommended, in fact I have always found the Dr.s willing to try conservative measures first. Its common sense that some cases require further diagnostics. It is common sense that a Dr. wouldn't prescribe medication over the phone. its called GOOD MEDICINE! If you want second rate care for your pets there are plenty of places to find it, but why publicly criticize a place for trying to practice good medicine? It is expensive to have pets, and if more people thought about this before getting them they wouldn't need to take their frustrations out on people who have dedicated their lives to caring for animals. Look at any website comparing what people in Veterinary medicine make versus human medicine and you would see why accusing these people for being in it for the money is ludicrous. Personally, I feel that if you can't comprehend these pretty simple truths you should do the animals of the world a favor and not adopt them, or buy them or acquire them. Yes, the prices at Saugus ARE a little higher, but if you love your pets and want the best recommendations for them and want a staff that treats every animal like it was their own I highly recommend this animal hospital. read more