Wow, with the reviews I read, I was terrified to take my Loki here. However, our experience was AMAZING. Our 12 week old pug was found to have a minor heart murmur. Our regular vet referred us immediately to Veterinary Specialty Clinic, just to be sure it was not more serious. We saw Dr. Ashley Jones in Cardiology. So lucky to have ever met her. I hope we don't have to go back, but if we do I know Loki will be in good hands! Dr. Jones was very caring and I really am happy we met her! Thank you!!!! read more

Er care is terrible. Wonder if ER vet knows anything. Out to make money by volume patients. Never going back.

In general I leave reviews on business only if I LOVED or hated my experience with them. Let me tell you that my experience with VSC was way above the 5 stars, it was a 10 stars experience. Veterinary specialist center was recommend to me by my behaviorist vet as my dog Floyd was still limping after a ACL surgery in sept 2016 (we are in April) my dog had at another clinic (Medvets). My dog is a 115lbs mastiff/pit mix who has fear agression issues that we are managing with training, medication and lowering as much as possible any possible stress or triggers. One of the triggers is to be touched by strangers. He lunge and bark and due to his size he is very impressive. Medvets simply screw up and were very arrogant (Dr Prink) and made some stupid comments about Floyd's behaviors (we have a very strict protocole with him and they were aware about it as it was his 3rd visit and the 2 first one went well- on the 3rd occasion they didn't follow the protocol and blame it on me and Floyd (He has oral sedation that I give him, and he is muzzled at all time) and after a very annoying messed up visits, my behaviorist recommended me to go to VSC. I was welcomed by the most awesome team of vets. The staff was very companionate about Floyd's behaviors and respectful. The Dr West was really knowledgeable and approach on my dog issue was more to really find what was the issue instead of planning an unnecessary surgery. We left the clinic relaxed and with a plan to make sure Floyd recovers fast. Thank you VSC you won our business. read more

I really appreciated how quickly they were able to get me in for an appointment for my puppy. they had a cancellation and got me in the next day. So their service to that point is good. I saw Dr. Cirabassi for behavioral consultation. Personally I am not a fan. I paid through the nose. He didn't come off very pet friendly nor like-able (especially by my puppy who instantly hid from his view when he entered the room, as opposed to the assistant who she did not hide from immediately). How are you a behavioral specialist and not pet friendly? He didn't interact with her at all. I was told information I already knew. Certainly felt like a waist of my time and my money. When I brought up alternative medicines I was shot down really fast for it all being "hearsay" but then when I asked about the meds for my puppy later he admitted it was all just 'hearsay" based on adult dogs and there was nothing about puppies. Personally a good specialist would be knowledgeable in all options for your pet, be upfront and honest with you, go over all the side-effects, and go with the best safest approach, especially for puppies! I shouldn't have to go home and do all the research myself. SSRI meds are not FDA approved for animals. So I guess big pharma profits more in the end. There are a lot of side effects as well that I wasn't made fully aware of. I wouldn't go to him as a behavioral specialist for your pet. I went to him cause I was referred by my vet since he was board certified. For someone who is board certified he certainly didn't seem to be up to date and well rounded in the field. Told me to find someone else with "alternative" knowledge if that is what I am looking for.... read more

Exceptional. My dog had the TPLO surgery for a torn CCL. Dr. West and all of the staff were amazing. It was such a great experience every step of the way. The facility is sparkling clean and managed efficiently. Well worth the money. There are cheaper procedures out there with a longer, more painful recovery and higher percentage of arthritis developing in the joint. We chose the TPLO for this reason and went with VSC because of their outstanding reputation. read more

I've been staying in Lake County taking care of my elderly parents. My cat woke me up in the middle of the night crying and trying to use her litter box. She is old and has multiple issues. I looked for an emergency vet and the one nearby had terrible Yelp reviews so I decided to drive an extra 15 minutes down to Veterinary Specialty Center. From the time I called them on the phone to the time they brought her back to my car they were all so kind and friendly. Doctor Noto explained everything he was doing and everything he thought and ask for my agreement before proceeding. He performed an ultrasound and a very thorough exam, plus tried to get a urine sample using needle aspiration. I figured an emergency visit in the middle of the night on a weekend with all of that would cost hundreds. I was so grateful when I heard they were only going to charge me for the emergency visit. (I have been laid off for over a year.) It only cost me $160 to make sure my 20 year old cat was going to be okay! I can't recommend them enough. read more

My dog couldn't walk when i brought in him. It was the scariest thing i have ever had to experience. He was diagnosed correctly, given the proper medication and treatment and he we are today, 3 weeks later and my pup in well on his way to recovery without surgery. I would not take my dog any place else. I trust this hospital and know that when my dog is here he is being treated the best way possible. Thank you for all your hard work. read more

Our 5 year old dachshund presented with a severe back problem almost overnight. Dr. Comito and her team provided us with a variety of options and possible outcomes for each. The center went over pricing and payment options before any procedures were done. On the day of surgery I got multiple updates from the nurses and doctors updating me of the progress and keeping the family informed. They have visiting hours post op and we could call at any time to check in on our dog. The price ended up being less than estimated and the care was second to none. Our dachshund has made a full recovery and we are very grateful for this hospital. I would highly recommend their service, care, and professionalism. read more

What can we say, they've saved the life of our four legged cat boy twice. The care here by everyone is exceptional, caring and immediate when required. Dr Jones, the only cardiologist in our area, is truly an exceptional doctor; direct when required but caring and more than competent. We are really fortunate to have her and VSC in our area. read more

We saw Dr.Camito and she was very professional and knowledgeable. She diagnosed our dog pretty accurate no problems with her .Even though when you call with question you always get technician that try's to help . But after you insist you can get Dr.Camito But what I am More disappointed about we brought our English Bulldog who had brain tumor and was declining in deep sleep . His brain and nervous system gave up before his heart . I don't remember the name of the Vet but to be honest I never met such unkind , unprofessional person . She was offering us to opearate on our dog that was half dead . When I asked if she read his chart and was she aware of his diagnosis. Her answer we can still try . Try what ??? My disappointment is that in this kind of cituatuon Vet was trying to rip us off and performe surgery on dog that was barely here .Never again my foot would step into this facility . Big time rip off . read more

Great care, poor communication when pet is being evaluated and treated. They should work on improving the status updates. My example--our dog was in for an emergency and they admitted him. I left and called back late afternoon, was told they'd get back to me when they could which is understandable however, when I asked about a time frame, they told me that they couldn't give one and would have to wait. 4 hours later, no call so called again and got an update. Called the next morning and couldn't get basic information on his condition so while the care is great, the communication during the evaluation and process isn't and should be improved, especially for the prices they charge. read more

My experience with VSC has been overwhelmingly positive and I would highly recommend it for anyone requiring emergency services for their pets. Unfortunately, my dog suffered a ruptured disc causing his hind legs to become paralyzed a few weeks ago. I bought him over to VSC based on the recommendation of my dog's vetinerarian office for their 24 hour emergency services. He was seen by an ER doctor in 20 minutes and was given an MRI and surgery in the same day. Can't really tell you whether I was robbed blind by the prices coz I have nothing to compare it to but all I can say is that everybody from the front desk, to the nurses, to the techs, to the doctors, to the surgeons were extremely professional, knowlegeable, competent and compassionate and I couldn't be more thankful. I was given updates before and after every procedure, everybody took the time to patiently answer all of my questions. Also, my dog had to stay overnight for 2 nights and they allowed me to call any time of the day or night to check up on how he was doing. It was extremely stressful but I always felt reassured because of the excellent care and communication of the amazing staff at VSC (my husband now wants to know whether they'll accept human patients because it's better than the care that we've seen at any human hospital). Anyway, my dog is back home and is no longer in pain and is able to walk. During his 5 weeks home, I've had to take him back to VSC because of problems with his catheter, suture removal, catheter removal and a follow up from the surgeon. Again, everyone was very kind and professional and I am so grateful and thankful to everyone at VSC for bringing my dog back to health. read more

I am shocked anyone would give this place a good review...the staff were good, everything else was a disaster. The place is a gross money gouge, preying on folks in desperate situations. 2k surgery at near every other vet, can cost 8-10k at this place. It's all about the money. We spent 2k just for IV, and xrays then got a bill for 8 k for surgery....that would cost 1-2k at every other vet. We lost our family pet due to corporate greed. We had no choice as no other vet was available at the time due to a weather emergency that closed the city for days. Will never go back here, unless things are dire and I am stuck. This place personifies corporate greed, the pets suffer in the end. read more

I brought my dog here after taking him to an ER visit at Bluepearl. The staff here is extremely friendly. I had scheduled my pup for a MRI with Dr. Comito, which was what the doctor at Bluepearl recommended since he was having some spinal issues. Dr. Comito gave him a pretty thorough checkup and she came to the conclusion that he was doing pretty well recovering on his own. She said that she didn't want to waste our time or money on a MRI when he clearly didn't need one. She sent him home a happy camper and right away sent me a personal email with a summary of our visit. Great hospital and great doctor! read more

They don't care about your pet, they only care about their "compensation" per Dr. Noonan's words. After I spent thousands on my dog and had follow up blood work done at my local vet, per their instructions, I was told it was unfair for her to review the results without compensation. That is terrible practice in my opinion and very disheartening. I would choose otherwise to make sure that your pet is cared for as a loved one, and simply doesn't have a price tag on their head. read more

The purpose of Yelp to post your opinion to try & help others make decisions. 5 of my posts are actually POSITIVE reviews, & 2 are negative. I would feel dishonest if I did not post EXACTLY what happened to the best of my ability. VSC is so UNPROFESSIONAL that they contacted my vet after my review to have him call me & ask to take my review off of YELP. That doesn't seem like a very honest thing to do. Apparenly they told my vet they were going to call me to ask me to remove my review, (again very unprofessional). So, who knows how many other people posted negative reviews about VSC & were pressured to remove them? Again, the PURPOSE of Yelp is for people to share their experiences, positive or negative, with other people. read more

We had the most amazing experience at VSC. The doctors, nurses and entire staff are miracle workers with huge hearts and expertise beyond belief. We noticed a rash on our dog and initially took our dog to BluePearl. We had used BP in the past and thought we were getting a good level of care. They completely misdiagnosed her - they found zero platelets in her blood but said it wasn't a huge concern. Luckily our family vet saw us the next day and told us this was a dire emergency and to take her to VSC immediately. When we got to VSC we realized how wrong we were about BluePearl. We were kept updated several times a day and when we called anytime (and yes, there were several calls we made after midnight) we got to speak with the nurse that was handling the case. Most importantly, our dog was given the best care. After 3 days of not responding to treatments, the VSC team kept aggressively trying to keep our dog alive...and it finally worked. A week later she is back home and is well on the path to a full recovery. The scary thing is that if we got to VSC a few hours later or followed the suggestion of BluePearl, our dog would have died. The stressful days our dog was at VSC we were able to visit her, heard honest assessments of her condition and her demeanor. Every time we visited, it's obvious that the entire team treated her as if she was their pet. They knew her funny quirks and personality and her background and treatments. We felt entirely at ease that she was receiving the best care possible. And for the first time, our dog didn't seem to mind being at the doctor's office. We can't thank the team at VSC, including Doctor Noonan, Doctor Ghantous, Francesca, Ashley and all the incredible folks that brought our dog back to us. THANK YOU!!! read more

I was given a quote for my cat's salivary gland surgery over the phone of $2600 - $3200. That sounded a little high to me, but I scheduled the surgery. When I got there, the quote went up by $1000 for a bunch of other services (which I later found out from the other hospital that ultimately did the surgery were completely unnecessary). After becoming *very* angry by the sudden $1000 change in price (she told us that the quote over the phone was only for the surgery, and didn't include all of the other "needed" services), I went to breakfast and started calling other hospitals while I was waiting for my food. I received a quote of $1300 from Care Animal Hospital in Arlington Heights (I had used them before), and I scheduled the surgery with them instead. I picked up my cat and paid the bill for the services that had already been provided. When I got the surgery done at Care, the final bill was less than $100 over that (taxes and a 2-week antibiotic accounted for the very small increase). Overall, a very frustrating and unpleasant experience. If they thought that I would be "stuck" paying whatever they decided to tack onto the bill when I arrived just because I had gone to the trouble of bringing my cat, they were *very* wrong. Needless to say, I won't be a future customer. read more

My dog was diagnosed with possible colon cancer a large mass in her colon. This clinic wanted 5 grand before doing the surgery i found fox like hospital. They did it for less than $200. My dog is healing well and surgery went great thanks to fox lake animal hospital.i feel that i was greatly over quoted and feel that they dont care about your pets only the money at this clinic on bushparkway read more

I have mixed feelings about this place. They saved my dog's life, really. So I am forever grateful to them for this. I am for the next seven years of my life, still going to be paying for that. My dog is worth it, she is. I just think this place needs to be a little better at their delivery methods. Contessa's abdomen was filled with blood and her kidneys were failing and, at first, nobody could tell for sure what was wrong with her. Our regular vet told us she had run out of options and said we needed a specialist so she sent us here. After three days of tests we learned that she had contracted Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever from a tick. We were told that at the high end the cost to save her would be near 10,000.00. My father was with me when I was given this number and I think he still doesn't get why I signed the ok to go ahead with treatment. We almost lost her, we did. I watched as she gained over 30 pounds in fluid weight, stopped eating altogether, could no longer stand on her own and at one point seemed to lose will to live. Somehow she pulled through. On the day I went to pick her up and take her home I was first given instruction on how to administer fluids subcutaneously and how to give her 35 different meds at five different intervals a day. The assistants here are amazing; especially Jamie and Shane. I went to settle up the bill and was give two large packets. I saw two totals; one for $5,000.00 and one for $7,000.00. "What's my total?" I asked the girl behind the desk. "Oh, you have to add them up, it's around $12,000.00." "What? $12,000.00? Where's the 5,000.00 I gave you last week?" "That's been accounted for" My knees went weak and I thought I was going to need medical assistance. I'm not just saying that to be funny, my knees literally went weak. "But...I....I don't have that kind of money" "We accept credit cards." I was paying this girl's salary, I suddenly realized. "I charged the last payment. Do you know what kind of interest I'm going to have to pay on $17,000.00? Who can afford to charge that kind of bill to a credit card?" I heard whispering among those in the rather large, very slickly decorated waiting room. "They need to get counselors out here for this sort of thing." They do. They really do. She offered me a new credit card application, bless her heart, so that I could pay my bill and be off to force feed my dog meds. My dog is worth it, my dog is worth it, my dog is worth it... I have found out since then that it is illegal to hold a pet until the owner pays a bill in full. I never had to fill out that stupid credit card application and later take out a home equity loan to lower the interest. I could have just paid them in payments monthly and there was nothing they could do about it. Now I know how they afford that beautifull aquarium and the slick waiting room. read more

I was given a list of referrals from my dog's eye specialist VSC was one of the names on the list after reading all the Facebook, Yelp, and google reviews the consensus is the staff is rude and unhelpful. Well boy did I learn that today. I wrote a very detailed email going over all the steps we've taken thus far in his treatment and all the medications he's received. I asked a list of detailed questions...I will insert that part of my email and the response from the staff. Have any of the Internal Medicine Doctors treated a case that is this resistant to medication? When coming in for an assessment/appointment what test would they require to treat him? What should I expect to happen during his exam? Because of covid, I am aware that I will not be able to take him inside does the vet call me during the appointment, after the appointment, or will they assess what's going on call me to talk over my options and then go from there? Will the Doctor contacts the eye specialist before our appointment to go over the care he's received until now? Lastly, what are the expected cost of a visit with an Internal Medicine doctor? I chose to email because I know that these questions will take up a lot of time from the front desk and it's important to me to get all of the information up-front and I want nothing to be a surprise. If it is easier to talk over the phone I am available tomorrow all day and all weekend. I have attached a photo of Marley with his eyes at their absolute worse and how they are currently. Now here is the response from a nurse named Desiree....The consult fee to see an Internal Medicine doctor is $141. How our appointments work is that the technician speaks with you and then comes out and gets your pet from the car. The doctor will do an exam and then speak with you on the phone. After the discussion with the doctor, you will be resented with an estimate for the cost of procedures. So if you would like to make an appointment please call 847-459-7535 and speak with one of our coordinators to set up an appointment...So after reading the email response I was completely annoyed because one and a half questions got answered. I called the VSC this morning and got the "pleasure"( and I will use the term very loosely), to speak with Jorden. I told her how I spent a long time writing this email and I felt like none of my questions got answered. She then said I must be seeking medical advice and they won't answer questions without him being seen. I let her know I was not looking for medical advice I already know what's going on with his condition. I asked to speak with someone to help she said she could help me if I could give her the name of his condition. I said are you able to pull up my email because it's a lot to go over. She said no and at this point, the tone in her voice had changed from cheerful to short and rude. She said give me the name and I tell you if they can treat it. I then asked to speak with a manager, she informed me the manager Heather wasn't there and I could leave a voice mail. I then told her I would just rather not deal with them all together based on this small interaction. I did call back to tell Jorden that based on the events and how it was handled I would be leaving reviews. I'd like to also add to the staff and management that is reading this.. The other specialty office I was considering and had also emailed me back answering every question I had. They even offered to go over everything over the phone with me if I had any additional questions. If you are looking for a specialty vets office with a helpful staff my recommendation would be Lakeshore Veterinary Specialists! It's safe to say based on all the reviews I read about your staff being rude and unhelpful it's true. What a shame I was willing to look past that and have him be seen by the actual medical professionals. I'm sure the doctors that practice medicine want to help these animals, which would have been great. read more

You know, I wasn't going to review this place until I looked at the other reviewers and what they had to say. It seems like a lot of people had a similar experience to mine here. George Carlin once said that buying a pet is like buying a small tragedy. If you've been here, you've most likely been at or near the "tragic" part of pet ownership. Pets can tell you a lot of things like when they're happy or frightened or hungry or want to go outside. When they're sick and what's wrong with them is another story. You have to go to another human to figure out what's wrong, and you have to be able to trust that they will not take advantage of you in the process. There are so many things I wish people told you about owning a pet. Number one on the list is that the highest price of care does not necessarily equal highest quality of care. The doctors here are good at what they do, but they are too good if you know what I mean. If you don't know what I mean, let me explain. Some doctors know when to quit, when the pet's life is just too far gone by disease or age and should be put down. Others (perhaps with noble intentions, perhaps not) will try to extend the life of said pet through whatever means necessary. The doctors here, although good at what they do (hence 2 stars instead of one because despite everything they are still competent which counts) do not know when to say "when." This is something every pet owner needs, because a pet owner is not going to be able to objectively say, "Okay, my best friend can die now." Medical professionals should be able to do what they are licensed and paid to do and tell pet owners when pets have lost their quality of life. In so many reviews here I've seen the phrase "I'm torn..." followed by a discussion of how expensive the care is but how good of care they got. I don't disagree with these reviewers. Going in here, you need to expect to spend AT LEAST $1500 on your pet if it is a true life-threatening emergency. I didn't use caps lock on that out of anger, just as a forewarning. Another recurring phrase in other reviews here is "I was in tears" or something to that nature. I'm not going to lie, if you're here, your life and your pet's life has officially become agonizing. You might find yourself saying things like "Price is no object with my pet" or "I'll do anything to have my pet healthy again." That might be well and true for how you feel, but please do yourself a favor and read the other reviews here and think if taking out loans and dalliances with the Buffalo Grove Police Department (I am so sorry that happened to you, Patti S.!) is really worth a pet's life. Also be aware that there are NO PAYMENT PLANS offered here, even though many other vets know not everyone has thousands of dollars just kicking around waiting to be spent. Get real, VSC. In response to reviews you say you don't "take on the debt" of patients but there's quite a difference between paying for everyone and letting people pay in a much more reasonable fashion. As another tip, VSC, you might want to stop coming off as a robot when you respond to these reviews and stop referring to your business in the third person. "VSC believes...", "VSC maintains..." I don't care! If I wanted to read your mission statement I would seek it out. Tell me about what your staff members believe, what your doctors maintain. Your job on Yelp is to make yourselves more sympathetic to potential patients and you need to do a better job of that. Although you said in response to a review that all charges are fully explained before treatment is begun, you know that isn't the case. Every single charge on my $2800 bill was a complete surprise. Please do what you say you do and actually sit down and explain the charges before treatment is begun. Do not take advantage of frantic, heartbroken pet owners and bypass explanation. VSC, please retrain your reception staff. Pet owners are not bad people if they have questions about costs or want to speak to doctors about their pets. Reception staff should not make pet owners feel this way. Finally, VSC, you said that your costs are so high because the quality of care you provide is also just as high. Then riddle me this: why are there so many other veterinary offices that offer the same level of quality care for far less than your exorbitant costs? read more

I came here off a recommendation from my veterinarian. My dog has a staph infection on her ears which is a common diagnosis I have been told by several vets and dog owners. I am a new dog owner so I had no idea if it was common or not. My vet took her in the back and came back out and said "Yeah, it's not healing properly. You should set up an appointment with the Veterinary Specialty Center." Not knowing any better and obviously wanting the best for my dog I made an appointment. The staff is nice enough, but they were not so appreciative of my dog. Yes she is not fond of other dogs and gets bothered by them. Knowing this, I checked in with her on a very short leash right by my leg, and brought her to an area where there were no dogs! It is an open area so it's near impossible to find a space where my dog won't hear another dog. There were a couple kids running around which was making my dog uneasy, therefore she started barking. The staff at the front desk were looking at me and my dog like we were a bother and they wanted us gone. I'm sorry but if my dog were really annoying you that much, and you saw her surroundings were making her uncomfortable, maybe you should have placed us in a room where she would be calmer. Next, the technician that was helping us, was super nice. That's where the 1 star goes to! She was very kind to my dog and myself. My dog is also nervous with meeting strangers so she does bark until she warms up. I felt the technician and the doctor both handled her barking well by ignoring her until she calmed down. They put a mesh muzzle on her during examination which was fine because I would rather have that then my dog hurt someone for protecting herself. The exam was fine, as normal as it could be. What came next I didn't like so much. I felt as if the doctor was looking at me and playing on my emotions. I am a young dog owner, so he probably thought it was safe to assume I didn't know a lot about owning a dog. He, without asking (just said this is what we will do), said we will be running a culture today. I knew she was going to have to have that, but it would have been nice if it seemed a little less aggressive on his end (Dr. Ness?). I felt that he was after my money and not to make my dog better. He prescribed a gel and an antibiotic (once the culture results came in). I felt like they knew they were one of the only dermatology specialists in the suburb area so they could really dig into my pocketbook. It was safe to say, when I walked out of there I knew I would not be back. A-because of the service and pressures, and B-because of the price. The pricing of this place is through the roof. It is safe to say, more than half of that money you're paying is going right to making the building look better. It is $172 just to see a doctor which is absolutely ridiculous! Half the money I spent at that place was to see a doctor for less than 30 minutes. The other half was spent on tests, but overpriced tests! I walked out paying around $450.00 for about 30 minutes of consultation. Extremely disappointed in the prices that they make you pay because you want what's best for you dog. To top it all off, the doctor said that they most likely think a biopsy would be the next step when she comes back for her follow up (what a joke right? A follow up with these money hungry people?!). Not only would it be a biopsy, but it would be a pretty extensive one too. The lesions she has are on her ears, and they gave me a price of what that would cost. It would cost nearly $1000.00 (ummm, yeah right). I nearly laughed out loud and said 'You think I'm coming back to pay you guys more for that?!' Anyway, don't go here. They will recommend every test you will not need just to get your money. I am sure most people fall for it too because we just want our babies feeling better! Needless to say, I never went back. I found a vet who could do all tests needed for a dog at their own facility. The best part is, it is a fraction of the price. My new vet said she would have run the same kind of culture for my dog, and then she followed it up with 'I wish I could have done it. Would have saved you tons of time and money.' That's exactly when I was reassured the Veterinary Specialty Center was a scam and out for your money. DO NOT GO HERE!! I wish I could give it 0 stars! Keep your money and spoil your pets with other love and affection! read more

My dog had surgery and Dr. West was wonderful. She was very personable and down to earth. She made me feel very comfortable and took the time to answer all my questions. I would highly recommend her if your pet needs surgery. The nurses and staff were wonderful. The gentleman taking care of keeping the waiting area clean did a great job. read more

Dr. Feinmehl and her team are world-class professionals who always go above and beyond since the day began Mocha's treatment approximately one year ago. I cannot thank the veterinary team enough (in particular- Jennifer), for their willingness to help answer difficult questions/obstacles, and most importantly, providing the best compassionate care for Mocha during her chemotherapy & various treatments. Every day I get to spend with Mocha is a blessing. read more

I find myself being torn. At one end, I want to say that they do everything they can to save your pet. On the other end, they do everything and then some to hike up their profit and not for the benefit of your pet. 2 dog with serious diseases over 5 years. Over $25K between the two of them. The result..... 2 dead dogs who suffered longer than they should of due to the guidance and suggestion of VSC, and a lot of credit debt. My Setter was brought in about 5 years ago. He had a rash. Over the course of a month it would turn into what we only viewed as a skin eating disorder. Flesh falling off him in clumps. VSC says... "we can fix this." He had long term stay at the center and then home care in which we were to give him multiple medicated baths, medications, creams, and rest. He was suffering but VSC said he could come out of it. In the end, we put him to sleep at home. We just could not put him through that any more. He was 5 years old and the last months of his life went longer than they should of because we trusted their advice. Fast forward to recently. Our dog needed surgery for a tumor removal. She has the surgery done at VSC. Goes well according to the staff. We bring her home the next day, and her condition declines. Bring her back and find out she has a deadly disease that supposedly just randomly happens. How coincidental that it happens right after they performed surgery. A week stay at the center, treatment, meds... we are at 10k. We bring her home with so many meds that we had to keep a log. Watching her get worse and worse. Brought her back days later where we were told well you can admit her again and they could get her back to health or wait til we had a follow-up appointment the next day with HER doctor at VSC. We brought her home and back the next day where the Dr. claims she is shocked at her declined state. Offers to admit her again. Tech comes in with the lovely estimate that any VSC patient knows all to well. Another $8000 estimate to keep her there a few days. In the end, we brought her home where we put her to sleep with her family surrounding her. In the end, money is not an issue. I do not believe that an animal should suffer if it's chances of survival are slim. 2 dogs went through more pain than they should have. 2 dogs were in my opinion, robbed of their lives due to VSC making poor decisions on their care. I would have no problem spending thousands if it meant my dogs would get better. Now all I have is debt.... and a broken heart. Like any place, I'm sure there are pro's and con's of every vet. I have had nothing but bad experiences with VSC and that is why I have rated them with 1 star. I like to look for the good in people. In the end, a business is a business and they are there to make money. Even if it is at the expense of a pet's life, and your financial state. Closing thought, if they were in it for the animals, and thought my most recent dog could of lived if admitted, then why didn't they just offer to save her for free? Oh I know... cause the next chump is walking into the door and they need the bed space. read more

My dog was referred to cardiology care at this vet hospital because it was discovered his heart had a couple suspicious lesions as he was recovering from abdominal surgery at Blue Pearl Emergency care. He needed endiocardiagrams and a more specialty evaluation . Dr. Jones was extremely kind, considerate of my feelings, and was very sweet to my dog. We have had to return a few times to monitor the condition, and also were put on a drug regimen to improve his heart function. Dog seems to have more sound than he has had in several years, which I attribute to the drug helping his heart. The staff is very efficient, are careful to discuss costs every time I walk in the door so the bill is not a shock. Although taking your pet there is stressful because your pet is not well, the experience of being there is a good as anyone could make it. read more

I took Kukla to VSC for surgery on her hip, can't speak to the quality of the rest of the clinic. I had a consult with the surgeon (Dr. Able) on Friday and was told when I made the appt that the surgery could be done that day after the consult, but they don't schedule it as the consult might not go that way. Made sense, led me to believe there would be more info coming on that day. I was wrong. The consult was about 10 minutes long, she talked super fast and acted like I wasn't very bright when I asked questions. Perhaps I should have explained a second time that I was neither a vet nor a surgeon and this was my first time dealing with such an issue. She left to get me an estimate and never came back! A tech came in and gave me the estimate, asked me to sign a document deciding whether or not I wanted my baby resuscitated should she code on the table, then tried to take my puppy. I asked if the doctor was coming back, I had more questions about after care and what happens when I pick her up the next day. Nope, she's busy. The tech looked at me like I had three heads when I teared up handing my 8 month old puppy over to her. I brought the towel from her crate at home since my vet suggested it to soothe her after surgery (a familiar smell and feel from home), nope, they don't want to be responsible for it. The surgeon called me after the surgery to tell me that she thinks it went ok, they were waiting for xrays to be sure then would wake her up. Someone would call me back after she's awake. Nope, no second call. Time to pick her up the next day. My brother and sister in law come with, I have no idea what kind of shape Kukla will be in and don't want to be driving and paying attention to her. She had the head and neck of her femur removed, to me that sounds fairly painful and serious. We waited an hour before my third question of "how much longer?" resulted in a tech calling us in. I was poised with my questions for the vet and dying to see my baby.... no vet, just the tech. The surgeon isn't there on pick up day apparently. Great! I ask the tech my questions, he has no idea, just keeps referring back to the after care generic print out. So really, he was useless since I am capable of reading English. He tells me "She's already standing on it, she can walk out of here" and puts the pathetic thing on the floor. Kukla stands there shaking for a moment until I swoop down to grab her. She could no more walk out of there than I could have flown out of there. I ask how to hold her to not hurt her, he says "She's on painkillers, just hold her like you normally do" so I put my arm under her with the towel and she howls in pain. Pain killers huh? Luckily the pain killers make her very drowsy and she slept the whole way home. Monday morning I take her to see my vet since I cannot get a hold of the surgeon and I need a little direction...should she be walking around? Should I keep her calm and still? What do I do? My vet gets the surgeon to call me, she says calm and still is the way to go until our follow up 4 weeks later. Ever try to keep an 8 month old puppy from moving around for 4 weeks? At our 4 week check up the surgeon says "Have you been doing rehab with her??" Um, no, you said no exercise. "I would've liked to have seen her doing some rehab, at least walking better than she is" Then why didn't you tell me that when I asked repeatedly and my regular vet asked you????? At her check up Kukla was still having tummy issues since the surgery and my regular vet said to bring a stool sample with to the surgeons office as it may be surgery related. Dr Able actually asked me what I wanted her to do with it. "There are a few tests I could run? What do you want me to do? What test should I run?" How the hell do I know??? At that point I said "I'm not a vet, that's why we're here, you're the vet. What do you think should be done with it?" We stopped at our vet on the way home. I thank my lucky stars for them. I gave two stars because Kukla is healthy and using her leg all the time now (2 months later). So the actual surgery was a success. However, the aftercare, follow up, and general humanity at VSC is abysmal. I wouldn't even consider them for a consult if I ever (I hope I never) need a surgeon again. read more

My family and I have had some bad pet luck lately: three of our pets have been admitted to VSC between November and January. There was a point when my mom's mastiff, Maggie, was being treated and there were a few "miscommunications": one involving a harness, and another in regards to a specific (and EXTREMELY costly) drug. My mom has had other mastiffs treated at VSC. In the past my mom was charged for the harness and then, when her dog was discharged, he was sent home with it. VSC also needed to use a harness for Maggie to assist her with walking. My mom was charged $14 for the harness. Later, when we lost Maggie, my mom asked me to inquire about the harness she had paid for because she hadn't gotten it back. VSC had me talk to the grief coordinator, who explained to me that the harness charge was for "use" (RENTAL) - not something that my mother had purchased for keeps. VSC never explained that charges are for use, and I noted this. I could tell the woman wasn't happy with me, but ultimately offered to either reverse the charge or give my mom the harness. She chose the latter. In regards to the drug: The drug was discussed, but my mom does not recall giving VSC the OK to have it ordered. Needless to say they ordered it and THEN my mom found out about it. When they mentioned to her that the drug was expected to arrive on such-and-such day, she was flabbergasted. She then tried to have them cancel the order. VSC explained since it was a special order they could not do so. The next day we found out that Maggie really was not going to get better. After all of the stress of Maggie's sudden illness and ultimate passing, Mom now had to deal with having a medication on hand that she could do nothing with. VSC would not take the medicine back even as a donation - despite being unopened and not tampered with- citing some regulation. Not wanting it to go to waste, we donated it to another vet office who happily took it. Anyway, in both cases, I wish the communication had been more clear. Two weeks ago my dog Daisy was diagnosed with both renal (kidney) and heart failure. She ended up staying at VSC for several nights, and during that time she had one overnight nurse whom I did NOT care for (mid-late 20s, red hair). I had both MY phone number AND my mother's phone number down as contacts, and informed VSC that we would BOTH make medical decisions. I trust my mom more since she's in the medical field and therefore knows her stuff; however, both of us work during the day and cannot always get to the phone. I did call before work (morning of 1/29) to see how Daisy did overnight. The receptionist told me someone had just called to check up on Daisy; I indicated that it was likely my mom, and explained to her that I didn't want to bother anyone and have them regurgitate information. I said that I could just call my mom and get the update from her. The receptionist told me it was "No problem" and she'd put the overnight nurse through. The nurse picked up and was obviously annoyed with having to repeat the information. She schooled me on WHY they have a "primary" contact number. After I got defensive and repeated ALL of the above (including the convo w the receptionist) 2 or 3 times, she finally did back down and became a little nicer. Still, I felt she was really rude and unprofessional towards me. I'm pretty concerned about my sick dog, TOLD the receptionist that I didn't want to bother you, so you scold me?! C'mon. Daisy's doctor was Dr. Thornhill, who my mom and I both liked. He took his time with us and didn't rush us on anything. He did explain - as did Daisy's nurses - that her condition could change at any moment: she could be doing well one minute and the next go into distress. Needless to say, my hopes were not very high. After a few days at VSC, Dr. Thornhill stated that Daisy was well enough to be discharged. As soon as I saw her I KNEW she was worse. The next day we were told she could (again) be discharged, but she looked worse than the previous day. Again, I really liked Dr. Thornhill and felt he did a great job with caring for Daisy. He was thorough and patient at explaining everything. He never rushed us, and I'm pretty sure he stayed past the time he was scheduled to leave to accommodate us. However, I felt like we were given false hope. He did all he could for her, but the truth is that she was not going to get better. I'm not sure if the vets are told to be unrealistically optimistic, but I'd rather deal with reality and the facts: tell me that my pet is sick and we've exhausted all (humane and medical) options - for all of our sakes. We ultimately DID get to that point, but it's not something that was said easily. The staff is GREAT at what they do, and I appreciate their expertise and passion. But let's be real: my mom spent AT LEAST 15k on these treatments alone (and we've been clients since the mid-90s)..so the poor communication and attitude just doesn't sit well. read more

Over a year ago I was referred to Karen Kuhl by my veterinarian due to my dog's struggle with allergies. After meeting with Karen Kuhl and her staff I decided to proceed with allergen testing so VSC could create a unique medicine for my poor dog that would hopefully clear up his allergies. Well, a year and $2K-$3K later absolutely NOTHING has changed in my dog's behavioral reaction to his skin problems. I was originally told I should notice a change in my dog within 3-4 months. Then, upon ordering another vile of his medicine, I was told 4-6 months. Upon placing my next order for a new vile of his medicine (which runs close to $250) I was told it takes 6-12 months to notice any change. If it isn't bad enough that I was lied to right out of the gate, when I requested the veterinarians to please check the medicine they were giving me was correct (since there had been no change in my dog) I was assured it was. How did they know this without actually looking into things, I haven't the slightest idea. The icing on the cake comes from Karen Kuhl's profile on the VSC website stating, "refined my diagnostic skills and came to thrive on solving these kinds of "puzzles" for my patients". Really? Solving "puzzles"? I brought you a puzzle, what did you do? You said the rash on my dog's chin would go away, you said the missing hair on my dogs tail would grow back, you said my dog would stop scratching at his eyes and licking his feet all the time. Absolutely none, I repeat, NONE, of these problems were alleviated whatsoever. Not once did I receive a follow-up call from Karen Kuhl or her staff to check on how my dog was doing, NOT ONCE. Even after I told them the medicine is not working. Wow, what a "puzzle" solver! But, I am sure if I just toss you all a few more $$ the problems will go away, really this time. VSC, the auto mechanics of veterinary medicine. read more

Absolutely blown away by every one of the staff!! Such an incredible experience. Professional, compassionate, kind, fun, knowledgeable, and above par integrity! I truly believe their focus is animal wellness and not lining their pockets. Dr. Armantano and his team are an true treasure! read more

We took our 8- year- old cockapoo here at the recommendation of our vet after Carmella suddenly lost the use of her hind legs. We had an amazing experience with them from beginning to end. Carmella was quickly seen and the staff was very patient with our many questions. Dr. Comito was wonderful and called us every step of the way before surgery with updates on her prep and immediately after surgery with a report. Vet techs called every few hours to let us know how she was doing, and we were told to call anytime in the night to check in. Carmella stayed there for 3 days and the communication from VSC was incredible- everyone we spoke to was kind, efficient, and informed. You could tell they truly loved their job and developed bonds with the animals. We were very impressed with the follow-up care, as well. Carmella went back in for several planned follow-up appointments and an unexpected one when a slight complication arose. At all of these, the care was excellent. The wait times were sometimes on the long side, but you could see the staff managing urgent vs less urgent cases well. Despite the severity of our dog's condition (we knew there was a good chance the surgery wouldn't work), she made fast and steady progress and is now getting around perfectly fine and is back to her old energetic self. Dr. Comito did excellent work and was very genuine, loving, and honest. She told us that physical therapy was not necessary, which was a relief financially. We had heard that prices run high at VSC, but Carmella's surgery was similar in cost to what other vet's had suggested and ended up being less than the VSC's initial quote. This was by far the best pet care we have ever experienced and we will turn their first if any of our 3 dogs has an emergency in the future. read more

VSC has saved the lives of two of my cats. Once was through ER when I brought my older cat to them in a diabetic coma. He was hanging on to life. They saved him and were so very attentive to him, and to me. They are very busy but their communication and explanations never lacked, giving all of the time and attention that was needed to my cat and my concerns. The second health episode was this year when my other beloved 13 yr. old cat was diagnosed with lymphoma of the small intestine. The internist, Dr. Armentano, was amazing and Dr. Feinmehl, the oncologist, is also. Their vet tech staff is also wonderful. The decisions, compassion, gentle handling of my cat and dealing will all of my concerns and fears has been impeccable. My cat did very well with chemo therapy treatment and radiation. She is now in remission and behaves like a healthy, playful 6 yr old kitty. She's needed a lot of nurturing along the way with nuances that she dealt with before and after chemo, but the internist and oncology team has always been extremely responsive giving each incident full attention. I am very lucky that I live within driving distance of this level of care for my pets. I believe VSC is better than some people hospitals with their excellent level of communication, follow through, and consistent compassionate attention to patient and human family. read more