Union St Veterinary Hospital in Schenectady
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Schenectady, Schenectady County, New York, US
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Site: http://unionstreetvet.com/
- Monday:8:30AM–5PM
- Tuesday:8:30AM–6PM
- Wednesday:9–11AM
- Thursday:9AM–6PM
- Friday:8:30AM–5PM
- Saturday:9–11AM
- Sunday:Closed
Absolutely horrible experience what vet office does not have techs help a client get a dog in pre op cage. Then refused to do my pets surgery the dog growled once. Now I have a friends of animals certificate I cant use because Dr and staff already signed. Iam mortified I also advised prior to booking surgery my dog suffers from anxiety you should advise clients you dont want to deal with certain breeds. 2 months to get appointment then its canceled I called another vet they said they would never have a client put dog in pre op and if dog was anxious it would have taken one moment to give a small sedative. Im 50 years old with arthritis in pain now from trying to get dog in cage. Very unprofessional. I understand a vet can refuse to treat but this was ridiculous my pup is not a mean dog is it a liability now that my back and hips are now inflamed from doing a job the tech is paid for. Also office was very dirty glad my dog is going to a regular vet
This place is a nightmare. The parking is the least of the problem. I brought my cat who was very sick in an emergency and the vet did nothing to acknowledge my fears and questions. He handled my cat without care and was scratched because of it. After the scratch he showed me his arm that was bleeding..I was like I’m maybe you should go handle that. He kept asking me the same question about whether my cat was an indoor or outdoor cat and all it did was worry me more. He took my cats temp and told me he had a high fever and then I really started freaking out. I felt like I was pulling teeth asking him about what could be wrong. His answers were “I don’t know” most of the time. He brought my cat back to do bloodwork and upon returning had very little to say. He had a part of the tubing used to collect the blood stuck to his shoe and reached down and threw it out. I was ready to scream! After more of my questions he proposed that it could be FIV or Fivp.. which he had been tested fir and negative. He asked if I wanted to purchase antibiotics and I was like is it a choice or a recommendation?! They told me I would be called in the morning with the results. I never received a call the next morning and had to call twice during the day to ask if I would be able to speak with the vet. They said that he would make calls when he was done with appointments..he never called me and I am here with a sick cat scared to death..I plan on going in person got my results before I find a new vet. The bloodwork was around $200 on top of the visit fee..and I am no better than I started. If you have an emergency or care about your animal DO NOT GO HERE!!!
Dr. Hartman and staff are exceptional. Their office prices are fair and proportionate to whats realistic in this area. A big decision in choosing him is that he is an avian vet which is hard to find, and when Im ready for another bird again I will be taking this baby to him. He cares for my cat Ive had for 17 years cat and a 6-year dog I got not long after moving here.Dr. Hartman showed great integrity when I first brought my rescue from Homeward Bound. I know he can treat most anything but I had no idea how serious the condition I needed him to treat, and his opinion was that there was a long road to recovery and that there was probably more treatment needed before he should have been available. Not only does he care deeply about treating animals and making them healthy, but he really cares about his clients too and that day I really felt he was advocating for me as well. He really wanted me to think hard about this decision and I appreciated that. I thought long and hard about this decision and Im glad I did because hes a wonderful dog, but Dr. Hartman was right, it was a really long road to recovery and at great expense to me with the medication but I really appreciated having re-check fees. That was unexpected and of all the vets I have been to over my years owning my cat, Ive never had a vet that considered what is practical. I cant even truly say how grateful I am to know that I had an excellent vet I could trust to keep checking on him for his progress and also not feel ushered out of the room if I had questions. He is also adverse to over-prescribing which is also unusual since I feel most vets are quick to take out their scripts.I moved to the area over a year ago and knew this would be one of the most important things I needed to do right in picking my vet. I read up, I talked to many people about many vets and theres a reason hes rated so highly. Erica and Carla are wonderful and you just know they both love animals. There have been too many times Ive needed more urgent appointments and Im so grateful when I can get squeezed in. Of all the decisions I made about moving to this area, this is simply the best one I made.
I’m writing this review to show my gratitude to Dr. Hartman and his wonderful team for saving my dogs life. My dog become very ill over night. I went to the emergency vet on Tuesday evening and they misdiagnosed my dog. I ended up at my vet, Sand Creek Animal Hospital the next day. They diagnosed my dog with Pyometra but said they couldn’t help with surgery and she could pass away if surgery wasn’t done right away. Shockingly I’ve been going to Sand Creek for over 15 years. I understand the pandemic has impacted everyone but they pushed my baby and I aside as if my poor baby was not important. I panicked over thinking I might lose my little angel. I decided to call Dr. Hartman because he was my vet before I moved out of the area. He listened to what was wrong with Tess (my baby) and said I am booked but this can’t wait! He chose to take my dog in immediately and did surgery the same day. He did all of this because I believe he truly has a love and passion for all animals!!!!! Dr. Hartman and his team went above and beyond to save my dogs life and asked for nothing in return. I want everyone to know what loving and caring this vet clinic is and that they truly are there for your loved family members ( your pets) and not for the money. After all this I decided to transfer my dogs records to a vet that is there for my pet, my family! Thank you so much Dr. Hartman and the wonderful team that saved my little Tess’s life. I am forever grateful! ♥️Sincerely,Ada Spadaro
I’ve had the privilege of taking my little min pin to Dr. Hartman for 7 years. He’s always been excellent with my little guy. Sometimes, the wait times are a bit longer, but that’s because Dr. Hartman and his staff give every patient the time they need. I recently moved to Albany country but I still drive Monroe back to Schenectady because we’ve been so happy with the care and professionalism.
I hate to do this but my mother and father have been in tears all day due to the loss of our dog and due to the treatment they received over the phone in regard to this situation by our vet’s office and the office needs to know. We’ve been customers with Dr. Hartman since he came to the area before he even started his practice on Union St, starting with my grandmother and her dogs. We love him and he’s taken care of so many of our dogs generation after generation.The reason for this review is because we lost our dog today and the vet could not see this dog he’s been caring for for 16 years of his beautiful little life to put him down. They were aware of his brain tumor, have been helping us as it’s been going on, and we were told by the doctor prior to our dog’s very sudden decline that we would be accepted in the case of having to lay him to rest. Yesterday morning we called ahead to be completely rejected despite relaying the urgency that our dog was suffering. When we asked for recommendations, we were met with “any animal hospital” ...as if we are idiots who don’t know the magic of google. We were asked if we would like to be scheduled for Friday or “ASAP” my mother said ASAP to be met with “the earliest we have is Friday.” Let me stress, this was Wednesday morning and our dog was in clear distress and was suffering. It does not take long to put down a dog and to be treated condescendingly in a time where our hearts are breaking over the decision to put our dog down by an office we’ve trusted our beloved dogs for 40+ years, where we’ve easily spent many thousands of dollars, was at minimum, an awful experience. After my mom cried she called again, spoke with Erica, the vet tech, this time and once again was met with a very uncompassionate attitude though at least this time we were given the number of someone who does house calls.We ended up going to an emergency hospital after both my parents and I sobbed over the fact we were essentially calling around begging people to kill our dog for us. When we got there, they checked our dog and told us he was experiencing heart failure and his lungs were filling with liquid due to the stress of the previous night’s awful seizure... he would have never made it to Friday and would have suffered a painful, terrifying, and lonely death if we had waited for the “ASAP” appointment. Our dog was finally laid to rest that morning and it was a beautiful, peaceful, and emotionally torrential experience.Honestly, this is not even the first time we’ve been coldly rejected by this office during an emergency in regard to our dogs (years pre-Covid) but we’ve tried to stick through it because we loved this place so much. My parents are saying we will never use Dr. Hartman’s office after this experience and I don’t blame them.Also, please do not interact with this review. Nothing you all can say at this office can make up for this treatment. As said, this isn’t the first time we’ve been rejected in a time of need but we’ve given the benefit of the doubt. We’ve lost a loved one and almost had him suffer an awful death in hopes to keep in business with you. You do not deserve a come back and any words of compassion now are far too little too late.
Dr. Hartman is one of those good, no nonsense vets. He seems to want what is best for the animals but doesnt push frivolous procedures or medication. If he thinks a problem requires attention beyond what his practice offers, hell refer to a specialist. Prices are very reasonable, the staff is friendly, and appointments are timed so there is rarely a wait or chaos.
I cant Thank Dr. Hartman & His Staff enough for the Emergency Care that they gave to Me @ My time of need. I had to put down My 20 year old Cat January 19 th 2021 & the compassion that they showed to Him. Then February 7th 2021 I had another Emergency & The Heartfelt Compassion for My 18 year Kitty I cant say Enough For Them! I Dont know what I would have done~ALL OTHER VETS IN THE TRI-CITY AREA wanted at least double to triple the price.. Unreal!! From Now On Dr. Hartman and His Staff are My Pets Doctor💕🐾💕🐾. Melissa Giesin
We had our 10 month old Beagle fixed here and our experience was quite nice. The staff was not overly friendly but they were professional and seemed to be caring, Dr. Hartman seemed nice and we were very pleased with his work. I am sorry for those people had such a negative experience however, when younger and living in New York City I worked as a vet tech (vets assistant) for several years! The vet I worked for eccentric to say the least but he truly loved animals and so did everyone on staff. The animals were always great but I have to say that some of the owners stretched our patience to the limit. Not just because they were worried about their pets (which is completely understandable) but a few were very unreasonable. An example: a woman brought in her sick dog. It was a large breed and know for their aggressive nature. The policy was that large dogs would be muzzled during examinations to protect the vet and staff. She refused and left quite angry. We learned that the dog later died. We were all horrified (trust me when a beloved pet died or had to be euthanized the staff would go in the back and cry) but there was nothing we did wrong! Some people were just unreasonable. Im not accusing anyone here of that but I think people should know that sometimes the problem is the owner.
I dread the day Dr. Hartman retires. All of our cats and dogs, and our parrot see him in our 3 generations of family members needing a vet in our area. He has never lost an animal. He is not our friend. He is our vet. Regarding compassion, I observed him and his entire staff showing sincere support for a sick rat that a young sobbing woman pulled out of her purse. Hes been on vacation once in the 16 years I have needed him. His generous dedication to neutering animals at a reduced price for many has gone on for decades. Please, dont go to a vet once and then write a bad review because his staff is rude. Pet -friendly and Owner-schmoozing are two different things. If you dont need someone to fawn over your new special puppy, (because you are special) while he is giving you years of experienced vet care, hes your vet.
I cant say enough good things about Dr. Hartman. After having terrible experiences with other veterinary hospitals, my husband and I were so thankful to stumble upon Dr. Hartmans practice. We have a 9 year old pug with some specific health issues that Dr. Hartman has been able to offer relief for, and offer some tips for us to follow at home. Not only is Dr. Hartman great, his staff is hands-on and happy to help - specifically his vet tech, Jessie. I would recommend Dr. Hartman whole heartedly, and again, am so thankful for his attentiveness and knowledge.
My cat wasnt eating so I brought her in to be checked out. All of the staff were very sweet to me and affectionate to my cat. She was diagnosed with liver failure, but the medication they put her on worked. The monitored her blood work closely and she is perfectly fine today. This is the vet for my family.
I am the daughter of a former veterinarian- my dad passed away in 2008. Since that time I have taken all my pets to Dr Hartman @ Union St Vet- for good reason. His knowledge, kindness and professionalism have consistently given me security & confidence that my pets will always receive expert care. Dr Hartman always goes the extra mile for my beloved pets & doesnt falsely claim to have expertise in areas that many vets specialize-in these days (@ an exorbitant cost!) I trust him completely w/ my pets & am grateful for his unwavering compassion & concern. Especially during the last few months( while my 14yr old toy poodle is experiencing end of life issues due to CHF). The people w/ the guinea pig must have been having a bad day! Pet owners need to appreciate the fact that although human doctors are able to diagnose from their patients input- vets like Dr Hartman needs to diagnose patients that cant verbalize their symptoms! Think about it-thats an awesome task and Dr Hartman consistently and successfully embraces the challenge.
I worked with Doctor Hartman for over 13 years. I know what goes on behind the scenes. In my 30 years of being a veterinary technician I have never met a more knowledgeable and caring veterinarian. Small, privately owned veterinary clinics are a dying breed. He needs to be supported.Try having a big corporate hospital work with you when your pet needs treatment and you dont have thousands of dollars to spend. Over the years Doctor Hartman has treated animals for the elderly and disabled keeping their pets healthy and their owners educated on how to care for them properly. Sure he doesnt dazzle you in the exam room with all sorts of small talk. He cares about the animals not putting on a show. He always does the most obvious treatments first rather than present you with an enormous estimate that covers every test known to veterinary medicine. The big corporations do that not for the best interest of your pet, but to cover themselves in case of a lawsuit. Once again, Doctor Hartman puts your animal first, not his pocketbook.I live in California now and work for another clinic. I have nothing to gain by this review. I just wanted to counter a negative review I saw someone wrote about a visit they made to see Doc with their guinea pig. Obviously the guy had a big chip on his shoulder and was fighting demons that have nothing to do with Doctor Hartman. Trust me. Your in good hands once you step through that door. Ive worked for many, many veterinarians. Hes one of the best.
I wont be negative just stating my Experience at this establishment. I paid for a full exam for my dog and i must say i am still pretty much upset. My dog was barely checked or even touched for that matter. He only had his nails clipped and really never given any type of care. This was my first time at a vet but when i googled what my dog was supposed to recieve for his exam he never did. Im highly upset and down right furious about it. All i wanted was for my dog my fur baby to have the proper care before we leave town this week. I will pay the remainder on my bill but seriously im upset and done . for those who had a wonderful experience i wish that i was able to have that also. But didnt.
This complaint pertains to my first, as well as what will be my only, experience as a client to Dr. Hartmans Union Street Veterinary Hospital. The nature of the complaint is two-fold:1) Customer Service: Never have I been treated in such a hostile and condescending manner during a service/business transaction from someone I have never had any previous affiliation with. Dr. Hartman was dismissive of certain issues pertaining to the pet until brought up again... At which point he became curt and condescending. At one point, while I was in the process of answering one question posed by Dr. Hartman in regard to my pet, he walked out of the room. Upon leaving the office I looked up to find him glaring at me as if I had done something wrong. My partner and I were so appalled by his conduct that neither of us really knew how to respond to the situation at the time, but talked about it at length afterward and agree that some action needs to be taken.I went back the next evening to confront him on the incident and he seemed mildly appalled yet equally dismissive going so far as to say such things as, I dont need your advice or feedback, Ive been doing this for 40 years. You cant teach an old dog new tricks and My personality is certainly keeping me out of the poor house (Insinuating that this was some dispute about economic background?).2) Lack of Knowledge of the subject: It was evident throughout the physical examination that he had no clue how to treat the animal (a Guinea Pig). There was 0% diagnosis and Dr. Hartman even admitted that he did know what could be causing the symptoms. He then prescribed an eye drop solution that I have since been told is not at all what the animal needs and instead needs a cream (something that he was originally going to prescribe but never came back with because he changed his mind)---Although a refund was offered for the prescription that I cannot use, my issue is primarily with the service and treatment of my partner and I, the lack of medical expertise pertaining to the subject, and complete lack of diagnosis, as well as general lack of professionalism.
Doctor Hartman is an absolute professional. I dont think I could offer a meaningful criticism of this office aside from the parking situation. This is the only office I have brought my pets to since moving to Schenectady and honestly will be the only one I consider while the staff remains intact.
To keep it short, this is the best vet in town (apparently unless you have a guinea pig).i was told by multiple local area vets that my dog was essentially dead because of her kidney problems, and they all advised me to put her down, because it was the humane thing to do. they all were very polite and caring people, who did nothing to help my dog.dr. hartman and his crew are unfriendly and, sometimes even impolite to rude. dr. hartman appears aloof and condescending. however, he is the best damn vet money can buy. he saved my dogs life, the dog that every other vet in town said was but a dead dog walking. its 3 years later, and my dead dog is doing better than ever thanks to Dr. Hartman.if you want polite customer service, go somewhere else; if you want a competent vet that will save the life of your animal, see dr. hartman.
We were new to Union St Vet this past fall after many struggles finding a consistently good and available vet when we needed. In December, we learned that our dog Gwen had a mucocele (ruptured salivary gland), which needed surgery. Before jumping on the diagnosis, we appreciated that Dr.Hartmann sent us to a specialist to confirm, as Gwens mucocele was different in presentation as typical. The specialist confirmed and offered to do the surgery. We called Union St Vet to see if it was a surgery they could offer and for how much. We spoke directly via phone with Dr.Hartmann. He said he was comfortable performing the surgery, explained the recovery plan, and gave us a price. Dr. Hartmann and team performed the surgery 12/22 and we just returned from getting her sutures removed. Our Gwen is back to normal and all healed, and the price and plan that was discussed is exactly what occurred. We are very pleased and look forward to working with them for years to come!
Dr. Hartman did a nice job for my special-needs bird, Jackie. He was severely crippled as a nestling, and this resulted in a huge bag of loose skin on his right leg. In turn that led to lots of ingrown feathers, many of which developed infections which needed action. Of all Jackies doctors, Dr. Hartman was the one who removed the loose skin. That was some while back. Weve just finished the moult into fall plumage, and Jackie has not had any ingrown feathers.This very positive outcome is mitigated by an earlier experience with my bird Trini. She was clearly unwell and at the time I still had the stuff to run Grams test and some other rudimentary lab work. Trinis test showed a fairly large amount of G- bacteria, not a good thing, esp. in birds. I called in, spoke to Dr. Hartman, related my concern. Dr. Hartman listened, then rather abruptly informed me the clinic would not open that day. To be sure, it was snowing -- hey! winter in central New York! Snow is not uncommon and things generally go on. Whatever. I dosed Trini with a broad spectrum antibiotic (I have some experience that allows me make such judgments) and the immediate problem was solved. But Trini was always a bit fragile after that, and eventually keeled over. I have often wondered if she might still be with me had she had immediate professional care.So: I think well of Dr. Hartmans skill. He seems generally better with birds than other vets Ive tried around here. I have reservations about his prudence and perhaps his thoughtfulness.
The woman on the phone was extremely rude and uncompassionate for animals. I tried to get information on how to help my cat twice and she was very cold / didnt care at all. If you dont have a soft spot for innocent creatures then a veterinary hospital is not a place to work.
Total reviews rating 4.5
114 Reviews for Union St Veterinary Hospital 2023:
Review №1
2022-02-01This is a great spot to bring your pet. Staff are conscientious and kind. Dr. Hartman is excellent. We were searching for a vet to help our parakeet and got lucky in finding this practice. A live person answers the phone rather than a message system and provided quick responses addressing our needs. Thank you. Five stars.
Review №2
2022-05-09I bring my African Gray parrot here to get his nails trimmed. Well established, layed back and professional. Never heard anything bad, friends referred me yrs ago.
Review №3
2022-07-09Very fare prices! Very friendly and polite staff! Dr Hartman is Great! They take good care of your pet! Not all about the money type of people! Very great vet! Just couldnt say enough Im so grateful for them. They really go above and beyond to squeeze me in when I have emergency!
Review №4
2022-05-17Absolutely recommend this vet. Took care so well of my cats and the staff and doctor are super friendly. Cannot praise them enough!
Review №5
2021-05-19I brought my cat here for the first time. The staff is friendly and we had a short wait. Dr. Hartman and staff were wonderful. We will continue coming back. The only downside is no off-street parking.
Review №6
2022-05-29Very friendly people. They came highly recommended for vet services and I plan to return for my pets needs.
Review №7
2022-02-23We went to Union Street to have our golden retriever neutered because they accepted the Friends of Animals certificate. They were patient with us as we kept rescheduling due to new pet-parent fears and kind and patient to our excited dog when we finally brought him in. Thank you!
Review №8
2021-07-08Friendly staff-- Anna was very patient. While in lobby the puppy parents all told me they like the place. It was first time and was an emergency issue. Great first impressions.Doc knew immediately what to do and it worked. Have a happy puppy at home thanks to docs expertise. Reasonable price for care. Going back for full checkup on next appointment.
Review №9
2022-05-06Always great to go here , fairly priced and your pet is first priority over sugar coating things and everything else.
Review №10
2021-05-27I was beyond happy with my experience at Union Street Vet Hospital. I went to have a second opinion by Dr Hartman for a tumor removal on my 13 year olddog, and I know I can always rely on Dr Hartman to not push unnecessary services on me. Not only did my dog have a decent size tumor, but he was in desperate need of a dental and a small growth removal from his eye. I knew he would be honest if it was a good idea to proceed with any of them. I had been there in the past (he neutered my dog) but had left only to go to a specialist, who ended up retiring. I knew if anyone was going to do the surgery, Dr Hartman was the vet. As frightened as I was, I did proceed with the surgery. He ended up successfully removing the tumor, giving him a dental and removed a small growth on his eye. Not only did my dog heal flawlessly but he charged me a fraction of what other places would have charged. I would have paid any amount so that was just a small victory! If you are looking for an experienced vet with old school values (not pushy, straight to the point and honest) and an intimate setting, I highly recommend this place. Dr Hartman knows what he’s doing!