VCA Northeast Cat & Dog Hospital

Reviews 4

A

A Private User

My dog suffered for a year under Dr. Ropkos care with symptoms that were cured in one visit to another vet. Best case scenario - Dr. Ropko diagnosed and treated my pets allergies incorrectly, for a whole year, because she really didnt know any better. Worst case scenario, she allowed his suffering to carry on because she was making a lot more money that way. :( Either way, she failed us. For anything beyond routine vaccinations, Id recommend you take your business elsewhere! The Long Story: I brought my dog in to Dr. Ropko at least 10 times with the exact same symptoms. She kept giving him the same pills and spray, again and again and again. As soon as the meds stopped, the symptoms would be back in full force. I told her that, and her reply was "if hes good when hes on them, then just keep him on them." The spray alone was $30 a bottle and only lasted about a week. She would not discuss changing his food or recommend a diet that could help. She was always in a huge rush, didnt listen, and talked down to me. Shed interrupt whatever I was saying with the same robotic/patronizing reply, and send me on my way with the same prescriptions. I only went there as long as I did because the assistants were friendly & the office was beautiful. I thought that had to count for something, and I guess I hoped that maybe her lacking social skills meant she was some kind of veterinary genius. She always implied that I was overreacting and I guess I believed it a little. After a full year I got a lot more assertive - I told her that her treatment definitely wasnt working to our satisfaction and that I needed a long-term solution. She scheduled me for another appointment to come in and talk about allergy testing. Yes, she charged me for an office visit to receive a pamphlet and a 15 minute explanation about a blood test that costs about $600. I was 90% sold on the idea, but decided on a second opionion. The Best Decision I Ever Made. New Vet listened to my description of my dogs symptoms, asked questions, and thoroughly examined him - all for the same price as the "in & out" appointments at Northeast Cat & Dog Hospital. The new vet recommended *one* round of meds (she tried a different antibiotic and spray, "since the one hes been on isnt working"... imagine that!) and suggested a simple change in his diet (higher-quality over-the-counter food, no treats). That was all we needed. In ONE appointment (w/ a follow up) my dog was cured 100% by the New Vet. Overnight, the rash/sores/bald spots hed been suffering with for a year under Dr. Ropkos care are gone, and hes in perfect health. The icing on the cake: New Vet says that theres no way to determine a food allergy via a blood draw, and "anyone who tells you differently is just trying to take your money."

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Kevin Novosad

Both my cat and dog have gone to Northeast for as long as Ive had them and I never questioned the quality of their care. About a year ago, I noticed that my cat was missing some teeth and had what appeared to be a growth on his lip. I took him to Northeast Cat and Dog hospital to get checked out. After a quick examination, I was told only that they could remove the growth and have it tested to see if it was cancer for $350. She told me he seemed healthy otherwise and that there was no way to determine if the growth was benign or something serious without having the tests done. I knew I couldnt afford $350 then to have it tested so I decided to take him home and save up for it. After a few months, the growth disappeared completely and my cat seemed healthy and happy. A year later, my cat became deathly ill very suddenly. I called Northeast Cat and Dog hospital and told them he needed urgent care, and they recommended taking him to the 24 hour emergency place up the street from them. At the emergency care center, my cat was examined and the vet there told me right away that he had all the signs of kidney failure. This is a progressive condition that my cat had for a long time. Unfortunately, he was too ill by then and had to be put down. After researching kidney failure in cats, it is now clear to me that my cat did have this condition for a long time. Kidney failure causes tooth loss, mouth ulcers and yellow gums, all of which my cat had, and its also very common in older cats. Now, I am wondering why the vet at Northeast Cat and Dog hospital did not mention to me that my cat probably had kidney failure. As they are the experts on this and I rely on them to tell me when my animals are sick, I find myself now really disappointed in them. I paid $80 for them to tell me that they could remove a growth for $350, when all they needed to say was that his kidneys were failing. I am sad that my cat is dead and I didnt know until it was too late that he was sick.

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Matthew Levin

Ive been puzzled by this place. Ive been taking my dogs here for two years with mixed results. Four of my dogs, very large dogs, lived an amazing 15 years. The last of my original four is 15 now, and Im facing some end-of-life decisions. Im very careful and protective of my dogs, but Im also fairly understanding that vets are people, too, and nobody is perfect. Mistakes happen. Judgment decisions are tough. Yet, there is no excuse for disorganization and lack of diligence. Poor communication between the front desk, the vet techs, and the vet who administered care to my dog is a cause for alarm. They told me he was in surgery. Later, they told me he didnt have surgery. They told me he had full anesthesia. Later, they told me he didnt have full anesthesia. "It was only a minor sedation for x-rays." When I picked him up, there were no discharge instructions. The vet was too busy. My dog was so doped up, it was unbelievable. He could not stand-up. As the vet tech walked him out of the back area, he fell over. "Is he normally like this?" the vet tech asked me. Really? He couldnt walk for a day. And hes still sick from whatever he picked up while there. Five days later and I have no answers. When I called today for his test results, I was told 10-15 days. Last week, it was 2-3 days. Maybe they just make up whatever comes to mind, rather than communicate with each other to get it right. Chaos seems like the current modes operandi at Northeast. I honestly feel that the lack of attention to important details is going to cost some poor animal their life. Its not going to be one of mine . . . Im going somewhere else from now on.

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mamahu11

We where clients for almost 16 years with 6 dogs in this time and one cat , we will be happy customer for all this years, we had a hard time when we need euthanized our senior one ... but every time we have a compassionate professional people around us. And we trust all diagnostics 100% Almost one year ago everything changed.... we didnt see the same vet ...and every time we were pushing for more examens... more procedure .... the price increase so much .;; and today we understand the cabinet was selling to the big vet chain ... and i dont feeling in trust with this company, I am feeling I am just a big wallet Its sad because all the ladys working are the same nice person ... but the trust with the medical vet team is broken and its the most important for my animals health.

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