Garden State Veterinary Specialists Reviews

Very sweet doctors and staff did a great job caring for my best friends dog

Remarkable ...

It's hard to capture the deep appreciation my husband and I have for the entire staff of garden state veterinary specialist. Our exquisite 4 month old briard puppy was hit very badly by a car just 7 weeks ago. By the grace of God and the remarkable team at GSVS our puppy is happy, healthy and home. As I read through the reviews on GSVS there are some unfavorable themes around service and cost. I wanted to share our experience with service and cost. As for the service...when we first brought our puppy to GSVS they met us at our car with a gurney, they had him under 24hr care (ICU for 6 days), we were able to visit him while he was hooked up by all tubes, we called each morning to check on his status, they explained the risks, they shared concerns, and they welcomed us with a smile every day. As for cost, it was a lot, but it's all relative. We were able to bring our puppy to a top notch hospital with state of the art equipment and technology with docs who went to top vet schools. We are blessed and able to afford such quality care. What we appreciated is that they were very upfront about costs. As soon as they stablized our puppy they gave us an estimate. At the end of 6 days of ICU, surgery for a badly broken femur, contusion of the lungs, breathing tubes, morphine, and various follow up visits our cost was within $20 of the estimate. After 7 weeks of rehab, my boy and I went to the beach today for the first time since his accident. He's as beautiful as ever, and we're grateful beyond words.

Sent dog home too early after amputation. Had to take back to recover after bleeding. No option for home visit.

I never leave reviews for anything but I don t want anyone else to have to experience what I experienced yesterday. I m honestly so upset about how I was treated when coming to pick up my dog from his surgery to remove a mast cell tumor. I witnessed a huge discrepancy in the level respect shown towards others and myself, which I can t wrap my head around because I ve always made a point to be respectful to people I encounter, especially people working through a pandemic, and especially people who I was trusting with the care of my dog. I dropped my dog off for surgery at 9am and was told I d get a call when he was waking up. I received a call around 3pm and the surgeon said he d be ready by 4, but rushed me off the phone leaving me no time to ask questions about how his surgery went. I arrived a little after 4pm and checked in, there were a few people ahead of me but I was told my dog was ready to go he just needed to have his catheter removed. For the next 3 hours I watched the staff be friendly and helpful towards multiple people who were either there before me or had arrived after. They seemed interested in their pets, engaged with them and updated them on the status of their visit, communicated with them about their issues and how to administer care at home. Around 7pm (I m now the only person left waiting) I ask if they had forgotten about me. They said no and gave me no further information, seemed annoyed that I had even asked. About 15 minutes after that I was called to the desk to receive his discharge paperwork and had to remind the receptionist myself that I had already paid the full $2200 which was the high estimate for his surgery which is already about a thousand dollars more than the price I expected from reading about his procedure online, but I was desperate for my dog to be treated quickly and I wrongfully judged this place to actually care based on how they were to me on the phone the day before during his consultation and other reviews I read on here and only after I reminded them did they tell me that it was actually $52 less than what I had paid and asked if I had my card to be refunded the balance. After that I was told my dog would be out in about 5 minutes. 45 minutes later he finally comes out and they just hand me a leash (had to remind them to go back and give me his leash and collar because when he was taken in someone just grabbed him from me and walked away) without any further instruction, no information about why it took so long or how the surgery went, no instructions for further care (one of the techs said well just read the paper ...OK I read the paper already and I still have questions..) This was pretty infuriating to me. I watched other people stand around for 20 minutes talking with the vet and staff about how their visit went and what to do at home so why was I not allowed that same decency? The staff member who brought him out went back and asked a vet (not the same one who did his surgery apparently) part of my question and she wrote down the times I should give him his pills on his discharge papers. He told me if I had more questions I could call back tomorrow. All in all I m just happy that my dog is in good spirits and seemingly not in much pain but I m just HOPING they weren t as negligent to him during surgery as they were to me during this already distressful situation. I m honestly somewhat shocked by this neglectfulness, and what s worse is that I know that they were fully willing and capable to give proper care just not to me. They said I should be getting his biopsy results in 3-5 days.. let s see if that actually happens or if I have to pry that out of them too.. If he needs further care I will obviously be taking him somewhere else. Now I understand why the reviews for this place are either super positive or super negative. So unless you want to take that chance, DO NOT BRING YOUR PET HERE.

Bad service , didn t know my dog every time we called (although they were charging similar prices to try ritz Carlton), and the pm shift doctor was nasty and not knowledgeable at all.
-but don t you worry, they are quick to ask for your cc info even before telling you how your furry friend is doing.
Dog may have ingested a fruit that may have been toxic, but she did not know , and we had to sit in parking lot to call aspca Poison control and pay $75 for them to basically google the information for 1 1/2 minutes.
-1 redeeming star for daytime doctor who was average .
Total charge- $1300 one overnight stay , 1 iv bag, and a whole lot of Attitude .

OMG this place is all about money.
Our vet who was taking care of my dying dog started to open the door to leave as we were still talking.
$2500 later should at least buy me 5 mins for questions.
Go to Northstar they will be opening one in Brick.
Learn bedside manners.

Friendly, and competent. I recommend this place highly.

I brought my dog in on an emergency basis. I was sad to learn because of the virus, I could not go in the room with her. The doctor communicated with me via phone. I guess he sensed that I was distressed with the news. He came up to deliver my dog.
Himestly, the price for the tests he did was , really good. I was charged much less for this emergency visit. Then a normal visit with my original vet.

Good doctors but very expensive. Am MRI for a cat head I was quoted $4000. A person on a fixed income can't afford that.

They falsify information. Stated they would do certain tests with the budget given to aid in their diagnosis. This was all in the contract and consulted by a doctor at the time of visit. None of the tests stated we re ever run, (mri, spinal tap) resulting in having to put my dog down. I can t believe they think they can get away with this.

Fantastic staff, 24 hour emergency service, and a large number of specialists on staff. Do be sure to bring your wallet...

Arrived approximately 5:00, pet taken in approximately 5:10. After speaking with veterinarian about treatment and medications @ 6:00, I was not given medication nor was pet released until 6:50. When my pet was released I had to ask for medications. Yes I understand there are emergencies, however when I arrived it was not a packed parking lot nor was the office. Doctor very thorough in explaining condition/Tx. Certainly wish every visit wasn t 2+ hours.

The Best!
We brought our dog with one paralyzed hind leg. Dr Scavelli and Murphy are AWESOME!!!

Person who answered the phone was extremely unprofessional. Our dog 7 lb Maltese was dehydrated, lethargic And needed urgent care. He was vomiting for 9 hours and The receptionist couldn t care less.
We would have to wait several hours to see the vet.
We decided to call Red Bank Animal Hospital who was very receptive to our needs and assured us our dog would be seen asap. A very caring place. Would never go back to GSV again.

I was referred to a cardiologist for my 10 yr old Yorkie, Chloe. I was lucky enough to get her an appointment with Dr. Goodwin. Her heart problem is caused by a heart murmur she has had since she was very young. Her heart is enormous now and I thought she would die relatively soon. Dr. Goodwin put me at ease immediately. He has a great sense of humor and is extremely patient and knowledgeable. I was able to stay with Chloe while she had her testing done and Dr. Goodwin explained everything I was looking at. He is always available by phone and as I report on her progress, he adjusts her medication accordingly. I have put her life in his hands and I am confident he will keep her alive as long as possible. As for the staff at the front desk, they have always been kind and friendly to me. As for cost, nothing is cheap and reasonable anymore. I believe you truly get what you pay for and they are no more expensive than other veterinary hospitals.

Brought my dog in recently to be examined because of her unusually lethargic mood. Assumed it to be dehydration, but thought better safe than sorry. With fluids her mood returned to normal and I went to pick her up after a nights stay. Upon my arrival, and after a hefty bill, the techs claimed my dog bit one of the employees and expressed that we would be liable for incident. They were unable to diagnose the problem, saying it was some sort of kidney related issue; and went on to suggest that my dog could have ingested marijuana. Extremely disappointed that a group of "professionals" could make such an assumption with absolutely no basis to back it. AVOID this place.

The loss of a pet is always a difficult time for any family. Billie DiSalvio unfortunately had a medical condition diagnosed after ultrasound that did not offer a good prognosis. The DiSalvios' choice to end Billie's suffering and individually cremate her did add to the cost of the visit to GSVS. We extend our deepest sympathies to the DiSalvio family.

Doctors were good but its all about the money. They wanted 8,000 for a splenectomy. Do yourself a favor if you have some time and go to helping hands in Virginia. We just saved 6,000. Helping hands charged us 855 for the surgery 125 for the mass to be biopsied and the other emergency vet wanted 1400 for 48 hour observation and ivs and lots of other things. We spent 2400 instead of 8000.

Very long wait with sick dog. Got there at 11:45pm. We weren't seen until 2:30am. Vet and techs were very nice. vet took her time explaining and answering our questions. Very expensive, but that was expected.

I usually go there when i don't have to drive to RBVH it always been very good at caring for my dogs very pleased with the services and great plsce

Saved my dog !! Would be lost without them, they solved my dogs issue in the least invasive way possible and gave exceptional care. Thank you Doctor Boszko and the whole team! Our dog feels so much better and is back to her normal self thanks to you !

During this time it's as efficient as they can be. Having all pick ups and paperwork done outside. The vet techs come and pick up your pet and have them checked out while you're outside waiting in the car. It seemed a lil chaotic and a tad unorganized, but again considering how they have to handle things right now, no one should complain. It's just a bit upsetting not being able to come inside with your pet. Especially if he/or she is upset and scared.

Vets and dog handlers are great, very helpful and take the time to explain the procedures and costs involved in their services.

Great place excellent doctors excellent service very expensive- get separate pet insurance before your pet gets sick highly recommended.

My puppy has had surgery here twice (one to put a pin in her broken knee and a second one to take the same pin out). Both times she has been cared for exceptionally! They are always available for questions over the phone 24/7 and genuinely care.

With the second surgery, they allowed me to see my pup and say goodbye before taking her for the night which was really nice.

They were first recommended to me for emergency surgery after I took her to the Banfield Hospital in Woodbridge.

I noticed something wrong with my 2.5 year old dog, so I brought her to my primary vet. He thought something was neurologically wrong with her, so he scheduled an emergency appointment with the neurologist, Dr. Gibson, on staff at Garden State Veterinary in Tinton Falls. I saw the neurologist and she was totally not interested in helping my dog. She acted like there was nothing wrong, except that my dog was blind, and didn t look like she even wanted to exam her. She made me get expensive blood work, which my vet later said was probably not necessary and took urine from my dog, but never performed a urinalysis. She said there was nothing wrong neurologically and that I shouldn t be concerned unless my dog looked demented. She said, When I m looking at her, all I see is a blind dog trying to navigate. She told me to go to the ophthalmologist, but she still wanted to give my dog an MRI, spinal tap, and possibly brain surgery, if needed. My dog was just over 2 pounds. They had trouble just drawing blood from her (and complained that she squirmed too much), so it would have been nearly impossible to have even the MRI. Two days later, I saw the ophthalmologist and he was certain it was neurological and even diagnosed her. He said the neurologist wrote in her report that it was likely neurological, so why did she send me to the ophthalmologist? To get more money? I didn t misunderstand because my mother was with me and heard the same thing. After my dog got progressively and rapidly worse and after discussing with my primary vet, I had to put my dog down. All I wanted was the blood work before I put her to sleep. The results were supposed to come the latest by Monday. Tuesday I had an 11 am appt to put her to sleep. I called numerous times to get the results, which did come in but they wouldn t read them to me. I told them I was going to have to put her down in a couple hours and please, could they give me the results. Finally, I asked them to fax a copy to my vet asap and she said well then I ll have to get off the phone with you to do that with attitude. At 11 am, I went to my vet, he gave me the results, and I put her to sleep. He comforted me and told me it was the right decision and after having so much trouble putting a needle in her vein, said that any MRI or brain surgery would be extremely high risk, something Dr. Gibson never said. At 6 pm, after she was put down 7 hours prior, the ophthalmologist (not the neurologist) called with her blood work. This all happened within a 3 day span. I m very disappointed and would never recommend the neurologist, Dr. Gibson. She had no sympathy, no compassion, and still has not called to follow up. Please find somewhere else to bring your precious animal.

I called to ask a fast question and the staff member who answered the phone was NASTY, cold, and rude !!!

I felt compelled to write this review after visiting GSVS myself. I had gone back and forth for days trying to decide if I should take my kitten there to see an ophthalmologist after reading some less than perfect reviews. After a few days, this was the only place I could make an appointment to be seen the next day. When I walked in, the facility was clean and organized. The front desk staff was very courteous and attentive. They checked me in and created a file for my kitten. It took about 40 minutes after our appointment to get called in, but for such a busy place I could understand that and be reasonable. There were quite a few emergencies that came in during that time. When we were called in, Dr. Pierce was waiting for us in the room. He listened to every word about my kitten's history and was very thorough and gentle with my baby. After, he explained the course of treatment and made sure to reassure me. He prescribed a new medication and we were on our way.

Overall, I am very satisfied with my experience at GSVS. I would definitely go back there if I needed to, although I hope I don't! The only thing that would have made me like it even more is if they had separate areas for different types of pets in the waiting room. My eight month old kittens were terrified by some of the bigger dogs, despite my efforts to try to sit off to the side. I do not feel it was ridiculously expensive charge for a specialist when compared to a visit to a regular vet.

Dr. Scavelli guided us through a very difficult time with our beloved beagle, Bridget. His clarity and compassion made us very hopeful for better things to come.

I love this hospital and cannot say enough good about it. I always have cats with complicated problems. I want the best care for them, so I have a lot of experience at this hospital. The doctors are very competent and compassionate. They are patient, calm, and explain issues well. They understand the deep bond and strong feelings that people (like me) have about their pets. I like the fact that my cats are not alone overnight when they have to stay for a procedure, but that care is always available for them. The compassion actually starts with the people at the front desk and who answer the phone. It s a constant at this hospital and it just never varies. I am perplexed by the comments criticizing their billing. The quality of care that is offered at this hospital is worth their fees, which I don t even find unreasonable given what they cover. It would be great if care could be free, but it isn t that way. I would never consider going anywhere else and I am grateful to each and every one of the people at GSVS. Thank you so much on the behalf of me and my cats.

The absolute most traumatic experience ever. If you want to get proper treatment or save your pets life do not go here. My 8 month old kitten had sudeen rapid breathing so I took him to the emergency room. Dr. Sara Root, who isnt a cardiologist gave her guess as to what's wrong with him and also suggested me to put him to sleep. And after I had a breakdown mixed with confusion and hurt and emotional pain she gave me another 10 minutes to make that decision. She is heartless, lacks compassion and sound judgement. She wanted to kill my kitten. I took my kitten to red bank vet hospital the following day and although he was diagnosed properly by a cardiologist with heart disease, euthanizing him wasn't a suggestion or option. He is on medication now and I pray he gets better and stable. Oh I forgot to mention Dr Root wanted to keep him 2 to 3 days and when i refused to leave him there under her care, in distress,she said she would give him meds for me to give him at home. Upon checkout her story changed and she decided against treating his condition at all because I went against her medical advice . So again, if you dont want this experience do not go here. If I could give less than 1 star I would.

Throughout the battle with cancer of our dear Roxy, Dr. Scavelli was compassionate and honest with our options. Even though her future looked brighter, on her very last treatment day, he had to tell us the bad news. Treatment couldn't save her, but before the suffering started he helped us make the ultimate decision to spare he a surprising pending painful ending. Yes very expensive, but state of the art place.

If your pet needs surgery this is the place to go!

Our dog had punctured one of our inhalers so we took her to the vet where she stayed two nights in the ICU so she could be monitored. During this time, Dr. Linda kept our family incredibly well informed and up to date as well as caring for our dog. All of the staff are nice and helpful. Dr. Linda was amazing and was really caring towards our dog and got her back to great health.

Amazing veterinarians and the staff is very helpful. There's never really any wait whether it's for a check up or to pick up meds.

Very helpful over the phone assistance!! Extremely knowledgable, they talked me from a state of panic while maintaining the air of importance of the issue.

Expensive place but the place to go when your pet has a true emergency.

Emergency visit, great doctors, staff was very helpful & professional. Only disappointed with final instructions; was told different instructions from various people; report was sent to incorrect vet, wrong location, phone person was rude & never resent to correct veterinarian. Iwas never contacted for follow up; was slightly dissapointed. Will go elsewhere if emergency treatment needed in future, unless no choice.

Billing people nasty. Only care about money. Dr. Scavelli, owner, also, only cares about money. Gave me a hard time about a $400 discount we should have gotten after we paid them over $5,500. Sickening. I thought it was about the love of animals. Hope never to have to go there again!!

While the reasons behind our visits to GSVS were never good we had nothing but positive experiences each time. Our visits involved a cat that needed radioiodine therapy and 2 dogs each with a ruptured Cruciate ligament. All involved multiple trips and with the dogs, long recovery times. And each time was with a different doctor. Everyone was professional and gave me the straight facts - about possible side effects, chance of failure, time frame for recovery and, of course, costs. Animals are expensive. Anyone that complains about the cost of this highly specialized care should get a reality check.
My only real complaint ever has been that sometimes the human clients need an attitude adjustment!

If I could give no stars I would. I was there yesterday on a referral from a doctor at Jersey shore animal hospital. I was sent there to do an ultra sound on my dog since he saw something alarming on an x-Ray. I get there saying I need an ultra sound, so they go through their routine asking me what happened and what's wrong with the dog... I kindly tell them... They put me in a room where I have to explain again to their doctor and she takes my dog to do an "exam" herself. She comes back and tells me their ultra sound tech isn't in and they want to keep him over night! WHY COULDNT THEY TELL ME AT THE DESK THERE WAS NO ULTRA SOUND TECH! There was no reason for him to stay overnight when they can just give him fluids and send him home. I denied that and the dr said at that point oh ok yea u can make an appointment for the morning! they give me my dog back and charge me $200.00! FOR NOTHING!!! THEY LITERALLY DID NOTHING! I will never in my life go back to this hospital! I think their procedures are a total SCAM!

I've been using them for as long as I can remember ALL OF THEM ARE GREAT And
Professional and pleasant. You will never
Deal with a better bunch of ppl or find a better place for your animal's.
I want to thank everyone for helping us with PETUNIAS she is doing fine just a lot of med problems but she keeps going and going And I am speaking for
Islen and Titonfalls Both. I have probably delt with all of the specialist since I used to have 6 dog's and all sorts of medical problems. BUT never would any of my animals suffer or go untreated

To Our Friends at Garden State Veterinary Specialists-

I m not even sure where to begin with this letter, so I guess I ll start with the obvious thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! Thank you for putting Chico back together again. Thank you for the care he was given. Thank you, also, for CARING, which is a word I now consider to be synonymous with the staff at GSVS.
Thank you, Priscilla, for handling our initial distraught phone call with such warmth and for greeting us in the same manner when we arrived at GSVS with Chico.
Thank you, Dr. Mrzyglocki, for getting on the line to advise us, for immediately seeing Chico, and for your calming, kind demeanor.
Thank you, Dr. Gibson, for not only fixing our child , but for speaking with such patience to two frantic parents. Thank you for guiding us with thoroughness and honesty in the tough decisions regarding Chico s path of care.
Thank you, Dr. Mattucks, for constantly reassuring us, for taking our middle of the night calls, and for your unwavering, contagious positivity.
Thank you ALL for being so accessible, for your compassion, and for being so good at what you do. You have each, in your own special way, made an amazing difference to not only Chico, but to our family.

Thank You, GSVS!
-Melissa, James, Chico, and Kaya Johnson

If I could I would rate it zero stars. I can t explain how angry and sad I am, we took my dog here because he wasn t eating and throwing up a bunch, they gave him a feeding tube, they said everything was fine and it could be removed in a couple of days. Fast forward a week later my dog kept throwing up so we took him here again and they wouldn t even look at him and they told us just to feed him more food and that he ll get better. We then took him to another vet that same night and with a small examination from a doctor there they told us that our dog had way too many medical problems and that there is a very big possibility that he won t make it. This vet hospital KNEW my dog was dying and continued to let my dog suffer just for money, their nothing but greedy do not come here.

All of the staff was very personal and professional.

Went there the other day with the dog. Was told to go there from my local vet in Woodbridge Area which I was not happy with. They told us after waiting for almost 1.5 hours for exam in an emergency that she may or may not have cancer. They said they would do IV run some tests and it would be 2500 dollars. Then called us and said that it is "most likely" cancer in the lungs but they are not 100 percent sure. They said to know for sure if it is that or just from her ecoli poisioning that more tests would need to be run. The bill with the test would be over 5000 dollars. They recommended that if we could not afford it to put the pet to sleep. Sadly this is what we had to do. Yet after all the money spent they did not even call us with any details as to when she was put to sleep or anything else for that matter. Medical costs! The facility is WAY TOO SMALL to handle the volume of pets. We live in Northern NJ. I want to start a facility up here in Essex Co, or Union County to deal with pets something 10 times the size of that with the latest treatments available with physicians from all over the world. We live in New Jersey the richest state in the union yet with AFFORDABLE care. It does not cost 3000 to run an MRI. Are people in this to save pets or living in places where as the money makes them work there? I would be in it as a convocation in which you are there to help pets and give of yourself above and beyond. There is no reason someone cannot give quality care in a facility state of the art that shows off to the rest of the world. Where is the experimental lab? Stem cell facility? Robotic Surgery? Etc? Our pets are our life, why not give them the same quality. I know people that have the money would give donations to build a facility like no other to meet the needs. Care for their pets and have a place that is not only warm and welcoming but NOT rude. Why should money be the first thing out of their mouth going to this place? It should be "Mr or Ms. Can i Help you first for your pet.?" Not what we got " Well it will be 2500 to start and we need 75 percent up front now? To just look at a pet and do one test? Please! Plus they were all just done at my local vet without any reason my vet said for them to retake the test? What is really going on here? I think there is a lot of more than meets the eye and someone needs to do a complete investigation as to what is going on in our pet world.

It wasnt hurtful enough for you to lead me to believe my dog would be okay just to basically push me into euthanasia just a few hours later. Its not bad enough that your doctor seemed to lack any feelings whatsoever and you forgot to tell me my total when I went to pick up the ashes. Its not bad enough that I couldnt be with her in the room when I brought her in even though in reality she only had a few hours left to her life. You had to go and charge me an extra 500 $, never tell me about it, send the bill to my burned down house, threaten me with collections, and then disrespect me over the phone. I actually heard the woman lightly chuckle while I explained this to her.

Not only is the staff extremely rude and lacking bedside manner, but they are all about money over the pets care. This establishment has left such a bad taste in my mouth. I wouldn t bring my worst enemy there! Horrible horrible place! Shame on the staff I had to deal with for not having even the littlest bit of compassion for our situation.

If a vet asks you "what do you think I should do?" as your dog is suffocating to death, the answer is, go to another vet.
At one point, I had to ask the person (Vetrinarian) looking at my dying dog, "This is YOUR job, what do I need to do?"
My dog died, in utter agony, 2 days later.
I had a chi with a collapsed trachea. The vet on duty told me he just needed a bit of oxygen and some meds, and to call her (the veterinarian on duty) "if he gets worse."
When my actual vet saw him the next day, my pup's heart had all but failed. All the while, I watched my beloved boy of 14 years just suffer. My actual vet said he should've been euthanized at Garden State Vet. Instead, I spent $400 there, watched him suffer in hopes he would get better, and then collapse in defeat. It cost a fortune after all was said and done, but the heartbreak of watching him with hope while he died in pain is unforgivable.
This place kept insisting that "If anything ELSE happens, we are here" (to charge you a fortune because, why not another vet bill and perhaps a euthanasia bill).
The vets there are obviously residents. They are going to charge you a fortune for the services of actual veterinarians, but without the experience. They have no idea what they're doing, and may kill (prolong the suffering of) your dog.

Kind and caring staff... Dr. PINTAR is extremely knowledgeable and has been wonderful with my sick puppy. I was sent there by my Vet to have an ultrasound done on my pup because he is in Renal Failure. Dr. PINTAR told me ....
There is no reason for you to spend $400 for an ultrasound to tell me what I already know ... your puppy is in kidney failure. How decent and kind and honorable.
I am very happy to have such a hospital nearby.

Wish i could give 0 stars, brought our dachshund here at the recommendation of our vet for spinal surgery after she became paralyzed in her back legs. We knew the surgery would be expensive, our vet said possibly 3k. The estimate we were given was 7k and they needed 5k to even start the surgery, we emptied all of our accounts and borrowed money to pay for this surgery. Thankfully it was successful. However we still owed over 2,000 dollars and we setup a payment plan. Due to some unexpected events paying this had to be put on the back burner as more important bills needed to be payed, like the mortgage, water, gas ect. We never once received a letter requesting payment or a payment reminder of any sort. They went straight to a lawsuit, and now requested that we pay the balance due, plus interest and legal fees totaling over 800 dollars. Basically they care more about money than they do about the pets, and they take advantage of a family's love for their pet and will charge you anything they feel like. They make you feel guilty and leave you with no other option than to empty your bank accounts for them. They will do anything to collect their checks.

I just wanted to say thank you to Dr Michelle Huey and all the staff at GSVS. So comforting to know they are open 24/7 and my babies will receive the best care no matter what time of day.

been here numerous times for my cocker spaniel. All they view you as is a bank account,they charge the highest prices in the state! No compassion, told me they could keep her alive a few more days for an additional 4000!! place is totally deplorable!
RED BANK VETERINARY IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Dr. Peshi or whatever prescribed a heart medication known for causing severe kidney injury. It lead to the death of my dog. Apparently he didn't even really need it either. Don't go here. For those who wanna know the medication was hydralazine.

Bring your pet here if you want to shell out thousands of dollars to receive unneeded tests and treatment, given false hope and false information, uncompassionate, antagonistic staff and a dead pet.

What an awful place. Not a animal or people friendly. When I was in a bind with money told me they would have to euthanize my cat who had a treatable condition. I would never recommend to anyone.

I would rather drive to another state than to take my pets here. My whole experience with my poor bulldog who passed away here was so traumatizing for both my husband and I. Horrible front desk service, afterwards still, horrible. No compassion.
The only good thing was the doctor who did the euthanasia. Rest of their staff needs to be called out for their lack of compassion.

Thank God for this Hospital and for Dr. Goodwin. My dog was in advanced stages of heart failure and they saved her. These are good-hearted caring people. And there is every type of animal specialists you can think of at this Hospital.

Doctors are Very good..it's quite expensive of course...but it's the staff I found most upsetting...very rude and unhelpful. .seems they are not happy...and it shows . The checkout process is a very long wait time. I should thnk for what one pays... service should be better! But grateful they helped my dog

I'm glad I did not read the reviews before going to GSVS because I would have had hesitation. My dog had excellent diagnostic work done by my local vet (whom I trust implicitly) and when tests returned positive for a mass on her liver, he referred me to GSVS. I had nothing but attentive and caring treatment the moment I walked through the door; from the receptionist to the surgeon, to the checkout, to the vet on duty the evening I picked up my dog. All wonderful. Yes, the costs were high, but when you're dealing with specialized consultation and possible surgery, that should be understood before you even make the appointment. It's a given; it's a fact. Deal with it. I was very impressed with the consultation I had with Dr. Hoelzler; he's a very bright and intelligent vet, and highly skilled surgeon. He explained everything in as much detail as he could. I was lucky... or should I say my dog was lucky. She had the best surgical scenario and prognosis and we are immensly grateful for the superb care we received from GSVS. Hey, it's a business, too, so don't lose sight of that or that veterinary services should be less expensive because we love our pets and expect others (the vets) to give their services away. I hope I don't (or rather my dog doesn't) have to face another medical crisis like this again, but if she does, I know where I will go--in a heart beat. Thank you so much GSVS; we are so very grateful.

Great vets and techs. Always helpful. Lil pricey but arnt you're loved ones worth it?

My fur-baby was in need of urgent care and her vet suggested Garden State Veterinary. They were great with my fur-baby and informative and caring.

Our vet at Petsmart requested my dog to get an ultra sound and GS vet by Iselin was the closest since they have the ultra sound machine at the site so I took her in right away. We didnt wait long, after initial visit with the vet, they ask to take my dog to the room to shave her for ultra sound. it was quick, in and out 15 min. When we got home, I realized my dog stomach has alot of red line there and I then realized is all razor burn. my dog got shoved before at Pet Smart and she never gotten a razor burn before. This is terrible.

Over the past week, both my dogs needed emergency medical treatments and I can t thank GSVS enough.

My first dog Gucci had an accident and his face needed stitches under his eye. His injury looked horrifying to me but GSVS took amazing care of my very skidish boy. They stitched him up beautifully and took excellent care of him. He needed to be put under for the procedure and they took the time to carefully explain all the details.

The following week my younger dog Maximus had what I thought was an eye infection, his eye was very swollen all around it and he seemed to be in pain. We rushed him GSVS where he was taken care of by Dr. Linda Dziedzic who was wonderful, she was patient, thorough and extremely compassionate. She explained that Maxi actually had a tooth abscess that ruptured and was actually causing the swelling, his eye was fine. Since GSVS doesn t do dental, she gave me very clear instructions on next steps for Maxi and even let me know that she recommended my current vet highly for the dental work as well.

Thank you GSVS and Dr. Linda for taking such amazing care of my babies!

Terrible experience with my cat. Nasty staff that get away with talking to people however they want. Doctors are harder to reach then the President. No discharge instructions. Your left with a hundred questions and have to keep calling and just get any doctor on call to return your call and not the doctor who actually attened. Wrote letter of complaint and it was never answered by the top doctor of the hospital. Terrible.

Expensive but with great surgery results. Our Frenchie had to stay two nights post surgery to be well enough to go home and is now well on the way to full recovery beyond expectations. Cost was on the high side but he's worth it.

It has been 2 years and we have finally given up all hope that our tiny little pug, Skidget, will ever walk again. 2 years ago she walked into Garden State Veterinary Specialists (GSVS) in Tinton Falls, NJ, for an operation that Dr. Noemie Bernier, the neurosurgeon, said she need to have. We later learned that Skidget had nothing more than a simple case of constipation and never needed surgery to begin with. GSVS misdiagnosed her and pushed for an expensive surgery which paralyzed Skidget for the rest of her life.
It started several days before when Skidget suddenly collapsed on her behind and started turning constantly in circles, her head jerking repeatedly behind her. I took her to Happy Tails vet in Shrewsbury, NJ, who referred me to GSVS.
We paid $3,000 for an MRI, after which Dr. Bernier told us that Skidget had 2 herniated discs which were responsible for the way she as acting. We asked if alternative remedies such as physiotherapy and acupuncture would work. Dr. Bernier told us they would not work, and that the only cure was spinal surgery. She also assured us that this was a routine surgery and, while any surgery was risky, in this case the risk was minimal.
When I came to collect Skidget after the operation, a terrible feeling of dread came over me as I saw that she could not stand or walk. Clinic attendants assured me that she would be up and running in a few days, but I knew she would not. I took her and immediately booked her into another veterinary hospital where they did another MRI. It showed the severity of the damage that had been done to her spine from the surgery performed by Dr. Bernier.
We started her on a healing program and extensive physiotherapy, but nothing was going to heal her from the brutalization done to her tiny, fragile spine.
Skidget is less than 4 pounds in weight and was 9 years old at the time of the surgery. Later I understood that she was technically in a very high risk category, and no respectable veterinary professional would have performed that surgery on her.
The best part was how aggressively GSVS tried to get me to pay $5,000 for the privilege of paralyzing my dog, even after they had already secured an initial $3,000.
I wrote to Dr. Scavelli, the head of GSVS, asking for an explanation, but both he and Dr. Bernier went silent.
Unfortunately dogs are considered property, so suing wasn t an option. Besides, no amount of money will restore Skidget s ability to walk again. It is amazing to me that GSVS is allowed to continue to practice, given the many reports of cruelty and irresponsibility towards animals.

We have used this facility twice during the past year and we were extremely pleased with the care that our dog received. In both cases she was seen on an emergency basis and admitted. The rationale for admission was carefully explained and we appreciated the up front discussion of cost as part of the decision making process. Yes, specialized veterinary/emergency care is expensive and we do not carry pet insurance, so there can be some degree of sticker shock. Obviously what s affordable to address a pet s needs is an individual decision but for us, in both cases, our otherwise healthy dog was suffering from acute, severe symptoms that we could not have managed on our own or with our regular veterinarian. Our dog was assessed and treated skillfully and we were able to get her back home quickly. Dr. Linda Dziedzic took wonderful, personalized care of our dog and we very much appreciate her efforts to keep us informed on a busy weekend.

Not our reg vet but the Doc did a great emergency eval of my little Keaton!

Unbelievable. Cannot praise Dr. Scavelli and staff enough. Thorough, knowledgeable, informative, and with a gentle and calm disposition. He anticipates/considers potential manifestations of problem and provides several solutions and options to choose from. Everything you could want in a vet and specialist. I am a nurse who s had her share of Ortho. issues and I want to see Dr Scavelli myself He is by far the best of the best Veterinarians my Bouvier and I have ever had the pleasure of working with. I trust his expertise and judgement, period. 5 wows!!! Thank you Dr. S and staff

Super professionals! Great staff! My own vet sent me there.

Our dog was sick and uncomfortable, but she was also 16 so we decided to take her to the vet. Upon arrival and meeting the vet she was so cold to us, and seemed to be all business. She had 0 compassion. (short blonde hair) We cried and she seemed to feed on our sadness pushing for even more money to be spent, upwards of $4000, not even giving us hope and telling us she may need to be put down in the end.

We decided to keep her over night, the same vet kept suggesting keeping her 3 more days and performing surgery (who knows how much that would've cost). We knew our little pup would never make it, so we made the decision to come and get her in the morning, getting no sleep that night for fear she would pass in their care.

The morning vet, Dr. Palmer was so sweet and caring, wrapped our pup up in a blanket, letting us keep it and told us she would never put her through surgery, that we should take her home and let her go peacefully. We did, and she passed in our arms with her whole family around, not in a cold vets office with strangers which we feared. We as a family are so grateful to Dr. Palmer, we called after and said thank you for her kindness and that our dog passed.

A few days later we received a card from Dr. Palmer, (her personally) it was so nice and sweet telling us they all loved our dog. She really showed that there are vets out there who aren't all business. HIGHLY RECOMMEND DR. PALMER. We were so heartbroken after the first vet, young girl that was agitated with us asking questions. Dr. Palmer turned that around for us, and I'm so glad our dog was in HER care before she passed. You could tell Dr. Palmer was really upset for us and felt for our pain. Great end experience, terrible when we first brought her in.

To be honest, I was really nervous about going here because of the bad reviews. However, I m so relieved I did! My dog had non healing corneal ulcers which were not getting better after months and months of eye drops, ointments, etc. Eventually our vet recommended taking him to an ophthalmologist, and I settled on Garden State after our vet recommended them. For our first visit we waited around 10-15 minutes, which I spent walking my dog around their huge grassy property. Dr. Edelmann and the technicians were kind, didn t pressure us into getting anything unnecessary done, and explained the procedure our dog needed (diamond burr keratotomy) which they did that day. I was charged the initial amount I was quoted over the phone, about $500, which I was relieved about after others said they were charged absurd amounts that didn t make sense. I just took my dog back for his 3 week check up (which we waited less than 5 minutes for) and he s all healed! After being told during our first visit that he might need the procedure done again if it didn t heal properly, I was relieved that my pup finally had relief. Overall I had a great experience. All the charges were fair and broken down on the receipt (which also included a detailed breakdown of his issues, treatments, etc.) and quoted beforehand. I would recommend Dr. Edelmann to anyone who s dog is having eye issues!

Dr Alicia Henderson was key in saving my dog's life. IMHA and ITP are complicated disorders, but she and the rest of the staff have been a tremendous help. We've seen her for follow ups for 5 years now, and we are so grateful to have been met by her expertise on that initial day. Even during our dog's 6 night hospital stay- staff would take our anxious phone calls at 2am checking on her. I've also taken rabbits in on emergency visits and gotten them meds and care for stasis outside of their exotic vet's business hours. The 24 hour service is wonderful. I can't say enough.

We have used GSVS for many years due to extreme illness that have befallen some of our pets. They have been nothing short of amazing in every respect. From the front desk staff to the techs and the doctor's themselves. We have even established some personal relationships with some who have further inquired about our pets after care is completed. They should be given a medal for the work they do. It is somewhat thankless (from the patients themselves) but are lifesaving to their families. We are so grateful to have found them in our times of need. I would and have highly recommended them.

From start to finish, our experience with Garden State Vet Hospital was an absolute nightmare.
We brought our dog into the Hospital as an Emergency visit, for a damaged leg/foot, from an accident after jumping off of furniture.
We were desperate to find answers and relief for our baby. An hour after our check in, Dr Linda examined our dog, advising the leg looked broken and she stated she would need to sedate our dog in order to take an X-ray.
Our dog is extremely compliant and does not give issues when taking X-rays or exams.
She stated the pain medicine would be necessary, so that she did not incur pain during X-ray.
Against our instincts, we agreed, from desperation.

After another hour and a half of waiting (while believing an X-ray was being completed) - the Dr came out into the waiting room, advising the X-ray was not completed yet because they have been too busy, taking care of other dogs. She then told us it would be another 4 hours before she would be able to have the chance to taking an X-ray of our dog. We were shocked and disgusted that our dog was being put through this extra unecesssry stress, when we could have just taken her home, to bring her back when they had the time to do it. She sedated our dog so much where she claimed our dog was drunk from her 2 cocktails and feels good conked our Sleeping. I was mortified and knew I couldn t just take my baby somewhere else now, since she medicated her so heavily- just so that she can basically hold my dog there captive, so that I wouldn t take my $ $ $ somewhere else.

Over 4 hours later, X-ray was finally taken and a diagnosis was given- that wasn t precise and turns out to be incorrect, from our new findings from an orthopedic specialist we have since seen. She didn t explain the procedure at all, didn t explain how the tendons would be fused together...didn t explain the process, but knew exactly how much the surgery would cost- $6,000 plus the $1,200 it cost for X-rays, blood work, & consultation.
Then advised surgery wouldn t take place until 2 days later because they were understaffed.

Still waiting for meds and checkout papers, we waited an additional 1.5 hrs.
8 hours it took for X-ray and the diagnosis wasn t accurate, nor gave game plan of explanation for surgical procedure. We asked questions and she couldn t answer them. She was nice, but nice doesn t cut it. I need answers. I need a peace of mind. I need to know that my dog is in good hands.
Half of the problem was also the hospital not having adequate staffing.
The front desk employees were also not friendly, nor helpful.

Feeling sick to our stomachs, we brought our dog to an orthopedic specialist, that we were lucky enough to find and he gave us the peace of mind that we needed to know that our dog was in good hands.

Despite the negative reviews I read, I still took my 14 year old Yorkie here this past weekend. I couldn't be more happy with the friendly, professional staff. The hospital is clean and has a cozy waiting area. I didn't even wait an entire 20 minutes before the doctor took us in despite the full waiting area. They had enough staff to help everyone in a timely manner. My dog had an infection by his buttock area and we also talked about the tumors that returned. My dog was prescribed meds&some steroids and he's doing a lot better now. The doctor we saw was really nice and caring. Thank you Dr. Bauer!!

1 $tar. The star goes to the surgeon Dr. Edelmann. She was nice, empathetic and knowledgeable. She explained everything, she knew what she was talking about and I was happy with that. So you'll get some good doctors. But you should be prepared for what's coming next. I've read most of the reviews left by others. I even saw a friend there with his dog who agrees with the many who say that they are expensive. Believe me when I tell you. YOU. WILL. PAY. THROUGH THE NOSE. They will charge you for EVERY single little thing that they do to your pet. I'm convinced that if they pet your dog to calm them down that they'll charge you a comfort fee. Front desk - they are the faces you see when you walk in and the bill collectors when you leave. They're just doing their job. Don't take it out on them. Just don't expect anything special from them. So now having just paid a months mortgage to have my dog fixed up I can say without question I'll never go back again. It's a shame because every person who walks in has their heart in their hand, they're vulnerable and they need help. They have the emotional upper hand. And because of the nature of any business - you get taken to the bank. So in a nutshell: Nice caring professionals who know what they're doing driven by the burglar in scrubs upstairs behind the scenes who you never see.

Dr. Scavelli has taken care of my Sophie very well.

This is our 4th time going to Garden State Vet Specialist and we are more than pleased with the service they gave my dog. Rex had to have surgery and we got a called everyday he was there. They explained everything to us and if we we're doubtful in anything we called and got back a response from them it wasn't quickly because they're busy but, they did return our calls.. We did have a great experience with them as well as the staff.

I have now seen 3 vets at GSVS and have mixed feelings about this place.

(1) Dr. Scavelli: We first met w/ Dr. Scavelli earlier this year. He seemed attentive and didn't come off as arrogant, despite the fact that he's one of the most respected surgeons in the region. Also, despite being a surgeon, he actually recommended against surgery, which suggests he is also an ethical guy. We would go back to him again.

(2) Dr. Bernier: We saw Dr. Bernier for a neurological consult. She's not the most personable vet, but seeemd attentive and said that although our dog was not exhibiting the classic signs of a neurological issue, we were right to be concerned about the physical and behavioral manifestations. We would likely to return to her as well.

(3) Dr. Pintar: I'm giving this guy 2 stars and that's incredibly generous. The moment he came into the room he looked like he was already anxious to leave. He didn't have a pen, clipboard, or any other means of taking notes for what is an extremely complex case. As I tried to explain the multitude of issues that had plagued my dog for months, he interrupted and told me to "skip all that" and just tell him what was going today and only today. I didn't pay for an emergency visit for an acute problem; I paid for a consult with a specialist. He asked me if I had any blood work, etc. AFTER I had already handed it to him and told him three times about it. I told him my dog had diarrhea for 1 month and he "summarized" it as 3 months. Again, he wasn't listening. His entire examination of my dog consisted of palpating his abdomen and listening to his chest. He didn't check his eyes, which have been oozing mucous for months, despite the fact that is one of the concerns I mentioned. He didn't seem to think the dog's recent anemia, massive spike in WBCs, or plethora of infections were relevant at all; he called them "incidental." Fifteen plus infections attacking numerous organ in 6 months is merely coincidence in his opinion and unrelated to whatever the larger problem is. And he's board certified? Ultimately, I just threw away $175 as Dr. Pintar didn't listen to a word I said, even during the rare moments which he allowed me to speak. I would never go back to him and my experience was so bad that it might keep me from returning to GSVS at all.

We have been to Garden State a few times over the years with our dogs - have always had very professional & knowledgeable vets with polite and courteous staff members

The hospital is open 24/7 everyday. The staff is always nice and will help you with everything you need. The doctors are very knowledgeable and I've trusted them with my pets without any issues. My cat had surgery with them once and he recovered 100%. Everytime there's an emergency I always come here.

A really busy place, but oh what a great place to take your pet! Awesome vets, great, friendly staff!

Wonderful caring Drs and staff. My Polo was treated as if he was their own pet

Excellent service, friendly, caring. Took good care of our little PROSECCO !

The Doctors at this facility are the finest, most caring and professional that I have had the pleasure of encountering. Our family dog had to undergo delicate cervical spine surgery. I would have never of trusted anyone else but this animal hospital to perform this operation. From day one they were caring and afforded our family dog with comfort and caring. Of course, there had to be a discussion regarding the bill for this type of surgery. That has to be done because some families simply cannot afford to undergo the expenses. Fortunately we made a wise decision to purchase pet insurance which really helped. I have to thank all the Doctors and staff at this hospital for the outstanding care and treatment that was given to our dog. The surgery was a perfect success and our dog is healing. We have even received a series of followup calls from the Doctors checking in on our dog. So nice. My family and I highly recommend this hospital. THANKS Garden State Veterinary Specialists!!!