Staff wear masks
Yes
VCA Colonial Animal Hospital in Ithaca
Categories
Location on the map
Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York, US
Health and safety
Staff required to disinfect surfaces between visits
Yes
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Yes
Amenities
Toilets
Yes
Planning
Appointments recommended
Yes
Phone: +1 607-257-3650
Site: https://vcahospitals.com/colonial
Site: https://vcahospitals.com/colonial
Opening hours
- Monday:Open 24 hours
- Tuesday:Open 24 hours
- Wednesday:Open 24 hours
- Thursday:Open 24 hours
- Friday:Open 24 hours
- Saturday:Open 24 hours
- Sunday:Open 24 hours
Comments (72)
My Great Dane had to have elbow surgery,Dr. Sojo ( i think thats the spelling) and his team really rocked it out! Turbo is all recovered back to his amazing self due to this team and their amazing talents!!
Our dog is a patient in oncology and has been treated wonderfully since she became a patient in January. As scary as her cancer diagnosis is, VCA Colonial and Dr Rassnick treat her with the upmost of care and compassion. She recently had an emergency situation, and was admitted for a little over a day. During that time, she received the best treatment and Dr Eule was in communication about her progress. She’s now recovering at home until her next chemotherapy treatment.Some lower reviews mention the cost, but you’re paying for the paramount of care for your four legged family member. It’s something we’re willing to do so our dog can have the best outcome possible. We have pet insurance (totally recommend for any pet), but I did see they offer care credit for assistance.
I cant say enough good things about Dr Rassnick and his staff. My beloved Squish got two kinds of cancer in the same year. Dr Rassnick gave him the best that veterinary medicine had to offer. We thought we had it conquered at one point but it was just too much for him to overcome. But the care, the follow up and follow through from this group was amazing. Calls were returned, appts were on time, Rxs delivered, everything was amazing. I miss my buddy more than I can say but it helps to know Dr Rassnick and I tried everything possible.
I am absolutely appalled! Since when did money become more important than helping an injured animal! Is this an Oath they teach you in Veterinary School? What if someone hit a family member and needed immediate medical attention and the Hospital said, well if you dont have $20,000 to pay for expenses, we cant help you! Oh and No, you cant make payments!!!! YOU AUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES! How can you sleep at night?
My rescue pup had multiple seizures and his primary couldnt fit him in that day but I felt it was an emergency since I have never seen a dog convulse. We went to colonial for treatment and the doctors took care of him right away. Since our initial visit weve made colonial our primary vet. They genuinely care about their patients. If I have even the smallest question I can call or text them for an answer. I am by no means rich, and this place can be expensive but for the level of care they provide its worth every penny.
Blatant push for unneeded costly services at the expense of our pet. My wife was called a monster for refusing to put our beloved pet to sleep right there and there They like to repeat cancer to extort $$$$$, laugh at your face for suggestions, and put you through hell.Another vet was horrified by their prognosis.This place was awesome before it was bought out.
I called on Monday 12/21 about my dog who was throwing up and couldn’t get her to stop. I called VCA to see if they could get her in to figure out what was wrong. The receptionist over the phone told me that I could not bring her in because (even though shes fully vaccinated against it) she was a parvo risk and they didn’t have the staff to take care of her. Well, I did get her to another vet, and she had an intestinal blockage that would have killed her in 24 more hours. You will never get my service, and I will be warning all my fellow pet parents to not consider you.
RUN AWAY!!!!! Dont be fooled, VCA Colonial Animal Hospital cares only about getting PAID.These vultures recommended amputation, chemotherapy, and carving up a sick animal whos cancer had already moved past the point of responding positively to interventions, and did so knowing her prognosis was terminal.An honest and caring Vet who was concerned with dogs pain and quality of life, would have never suggested such treatments, but that kind of honesty doesnt ring the register.Putting our sick dog down was the only thing to truly consider, and never once was it mentioned by the caring folks at VCA.Youve been warned.
Dr Tripp and Dr Socha, the dynamic duo, have done it again. Our boxer, Ella May, needed some dental work done on Wednesday. She needed a good cleaning and an extraction done. Being the graceful character she is, she tweaked her bad knee while prepping for the dental surgery. Dr. Socha took excellent care of her to make sure she hadnt torn the acl. Dr. Tripp was extremely thorough with the dental care. She found a couple issues we were unaware of and corrected them. Our little jack-o-lantern is home and resting comfortably. A special shout out to Dr. Pollock for taking care of Junior a few weeks ago with his embarrassing and undignified issue. We appreciate the kindness and compassion everyone gave our pets over the years. Thank you.
Do not bring your animals here. I was quoted over 6k for my suffering cat. The vet didnt even touch my cat and it is extremely clear all they care about is money. I had my cats leg completely fixed for 3k. Where as they wanted to amputate it because I couldnt afford 6k. Disgusting and a disgrace to animal medicine.
Dr. Tripp is an amazing veterinarian! She is personable, knowledgeable, and demonstrates her love of animals by thinking outside the box to solve complicated medical problems. Our springer spaniel had a serious split in his nose that previous vets didn’t spend time looking for the cause - they just wrote out prescriptions that just didn’t work. Many years and countless dollars wasted and our dog’s nose was still a mess. So, we traveled to Ithaca to see Dr Tripp and she took the time to really research the problem. Through her hard work and diligence she developed a course of action we followed that led to a healthy, happy nose on a very happy dog! We travel an hour just so our dogs can have her take care of their medical needs. She’s truly one-in-a-million!
They were courteous enough to squeeze me in on New Years Eve when no one else would see my cat, who was having breathing difficulties. The vet gave him the best of everything he could have, ranging from tests to attention and care.The place is immaculate looking. They have top notch equipment. They actually have a triage like a hospital. This doesnt come cheap obviously and it doesnt take long before the bill is approaching several hundreds of dollars, if not a thousand.The staff was friendly, helpful and polite. Although I was frustrated at the wait (it was several hours), they were the ones who fit ME in during my cats time of need. They didnt have to. Theyre very busy and it seems for good reason.Unfortunately, I had to say goodbye to my cat. They did their best, but being 15 and diabetic is a difficult combination to overcome. He was treated with dignity and respect all the way to the end.Thank you very much for seeing us. The outcome was not what anyone wanted, but knowing everyone did the best they could brings some relief.
Nicest people here. We had an emergency with our 2 yr old pit/rott and they got him right in and he felt 100% better in a few hours after being seen. They also take the time to know the pet coming in, they send informational emails that are very helpful, and have no issue answering all one million questions that I had. Very kind staff and Ruger loved all of them. Will be taking our puppy here. We live an hour away but it’s worth it.
Updated * ** We absolutely love Dr . Cartwright !She has been so kind , understanding and informative while carrying for our dogs kidney issues . We wish we lived closer so could use this veterinarians office fulltime ! Also theyve been great dealing with Covid-19 guidelines. ***I was worried to go here for the first time because of the mix reviews. We did not have any rude people or unnecessary testing. We didnt have to wait a long time to see the tech or the vet. The in house testing didnt even take that long. The place it clean too.The Vet even saved us some money at least for now by doing some less expensive testing that will give more information before more extensive and expensive test which may not be needed.I thought the vet was very kind and compassionate. She was considerate of our concerns. I appreciate that she gave us an itemized list of potential costs moving forward, before starting. She took her time explaining our dogs current state and what could come next. She was patient with our questions and concerns as well.We did have a minor scheduling issue which was their mistake it made our morning a bit more chaotic but things turned out alright. For people more local it probably would not have been an issue.I would recommend them .
I just took my very shy rescue dog for an Ultrasound exam because my regular Vet that we adore wasn’t able to do the test. My dog may have had an intestinal blockage which would be considered critical and could require emergency surgery. I arrived on time for our appointment and was sitting in a room for2 hours before we ever saw a Vet. During that time we were waiting nobody came back to tell us what the wait was about and at one point they Turned the Lights Off in our room ! When I finally walked up front to see what was taking so long, I noticed that ALL of the other dogs who had been in the waiting area were gone. The receptionist said, they must have “ forgotten us”! A Vet finally came in after about another15 -20minutes but only to say they had NO Ultrasound Technician on duty. They had to call someone to come in “ After hours now( extra charge)” keep in mind , I originally arrived at 1:30.I was given the option of either leaving my dog there until they got in touch with the Ultrasound Tech an could do the test and determine what was necessary OR take my dog home an maybe go to CORNELL.I said I’d go to do a couple of errands nearby rather than leaving and wait to see IF they heard back from the Ultrasound Tech. About 45 min later I tuned and was told, the Tech was there BUT their ULTRASOUND machine was Broken, but they were “ trying to fix it”.Long story short: I left again and approximately 90 min later they called to tell me they saw “ some material” in my dog’s stomach but no intestinal blockage. I cold come and get her.My bill was $753 . OUTRAGEOUS . I think why I’m so offended is because of all the time I wasted sitting there, being ignored, then being told your machine was broken and I’d be charged extra now for an“ after hours service”. And then told I had an option to go to Cornell. Certainly I would have gone there if I’d known this.I will not go to Colonial again. I used to go there when Dr Collins owned the Practice some years ago.
We have been taking our Max here for the last 13 months. The treatment by the entire staff and their communication has been fantastic. I have texted them at all hours of the day, and have received replies and guidance within a reasonable amount of time. Dr. Cortright, Dr. Licitra, Retta, they are absolute assets to the organization. With the help of Drs Licitra and Cortright, they have allowed us another year with Max who just turned 15. The care that Max has received has been superb. Our interactions with the entire team at VCA Colonial has been 100% solid. Just today, I texted about a prescription that needed to be renewed, and within minutes they responded, and shortly thereafter, an email from the pharmacy indicating receipt. Thank you!
The staff seems like they genuinely care, and Im sure the vets are excellent, however communication is nearly impossible and every single piece of information that Ive attempted to convey to them or that they have conveyed to me has turned out to be garbled and inaccurate with cricial details being lost along some unbelievable version of a game of telephone among dozens of staff members via a myriad of communication methods. Between phone calls, emails from their no reply email address, text messages from their office, and in person conversations... I cant say Im surprised at how this has turned out. Im sure somebody thought their system was a brilliantly efficient time saving and cost-cutting idea... But practically everything I asked for was misinterpreted or outright forgotten... For example I requested a urinalysis when I dropped her off with a vet tech for an anaesthesia procedure, then askied about it after she was coming out of sedation, and the doctor was surprised that I wanted it and basically lectured me that it was preferable to do it while the dog was sedated (seriously! Thats exactly why i explicitly asked for it BEFORE!). Also, their clearly written communications to me turned out to be wrong, such as to fast my dog before the appointment, which turned out to be a mistake, or a treatment plan I signed off on that included full dental radiographs, which they didnt follow and instead only did one tooth... I could go on with additional examples, but its been an incredibly frustrating experience where I basically end up feeling gaslighted and extorted.Again - it seems like the people there do care, and the vets seem great, but the way things are handled procedurally and communicated between clients and staff is a horrible mess.
Just as everyone else states. Not very professional, crowded the room with unnecessary people while they looked at my dogs eyes making her very uncomfortable. Wont be returning. (Yes I have been there. There located right across from the mall pretty much)Update: no you did not alert me of extra people coming in. There was atleast 3 other people in the room. My pup is very friendly. Felt so uncomfortable that she had to be muzzled. Cornell is also cheaper than colonial and they have specialists. They treat your pet with more compassion. Skip colonial, go straight to Cornell.
So far colonial has been wonderful. From the moment we walked in until the moment we left our princess with them everyone was exceptional. Professional and thorough. They seemed to care about her as much as we did and due to her levels being crazy she has been hospitalized. I’m a wreck but I have faith these wonderful bunch of people will get her righted around soon! Yes it’s expensive, as any vet. But you pay for quality folksupdate: they figured out what was wrong with her and gave us multiple options on how to go about getting her righted around. They have dealt with our ridiculous calling all day because we are worried, and have remained patient with us. I highly suggest this vets office just for the sheer fact that not once has anyone gotten any sort of attitude with us even though we have called at least 5 times in one day to check on her. Wonderful customer service, and more patience than I could ever dream of!
We took our very sick, ~6 month old, rescue puppy, Remus, there for an ultrasound, and a couple days later for an x ray and subsequent hospitalization for pneumonia. After many tests and panels we discovered he had a systemic fungal infection, presumably from Alabama where he came from, that he ultimately was unfortunately not able to recover from. Everyone at Colonial Veterinary Hospital was SO wonderful throughout the whole process. From the receptionists dealing with me calling for updates multiple times a day, to the technicians allowing me to go back and visit him, to the doctors who did everything they could to help diagnose and help him - I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this place. The waiting room, exam rooms, and backroom are all so neat and clean, all of the people are so kind and welcoming, and we hardly ever had any time spent waiting around. When it came time to make the decision to end our babys suffering, the comfort and assurance continued - we did not feel judged, we did not feel unwelcome, we did not feel rushed. We were given as much time with him as we needed, and after we said our goodbyes the staff cleaned him up, removed all of the wires, and brought him out to our car for us. We were even further surprised/impressed/grateful that they offered to do a clay pawprint with his name on it for us (we, of course, said yes). We cannot say enough good things about our experience with them, and will never be able to fully express how grateful we are to them for everything they did for our Remus.If you have a pet, healthy or sick, I would highly recommend this office - your pet will NEVER be treated like just a number.
We took our dog to Colonial after being referred to them by our regular bet to have an ultra sound done. They got us in on a Saturday. During the appointment they informed us that the ultrasound tech was not available to come in that day, but that they would need to examine the dog first anyway. They muzzled our dog when he showed no signs of aggression (he is a big baby and has never hurt or even growled at anyone, he is a great dane). After the exam they told us they wanted to do an xray because they suspected it was an autoimmune diesease he had. They also wanted to hospitalize him and give him anti naseau meds (which he was already one, prescribed from our regular vet). My dad said yes to the xray (hoping it may give us an answer) but no to hospitalization. They did the Xray and the vet told us that it appeared he had a foreign object or cancer in his esophagus or lungs but that he would need a CT to confirm. She wanted us to go to Syracuse, telling us Cornell wouldnt be interested in the case. She also wanted to keep him overnight since he was sedated for the xray (after my dad was clear that he was not letting the dog stay overnight), and that the radiologist would read the xray the next day and get back to us. A phone call was made to them sunday asking about the radiologist report. They said we would get a call back, we didnt receive one. After calling twice in Monday, they finally emailed the report, they didnt have the decency to give the results to us over the phone. They also forwarded the report to our regular vet. According to our vet, nowhere in the report does it mention anything about finding a spot in the lungs or esophagus. Colonial had considered our dog to be an emergency. If he was truly an emergency why would they wait over 48 hours before a radiologist would get back to us????? We see our regular vet tomorrow, but he is already saying the CT they recommended is unnecessary based on their report. We will NEVER use Colonial again. Very expensive, all they cared about was a way to get more money, and they were unresponsive after tests were done and paid for. Also, why on earth would they need to do an exam when our dog was there on a referral from his regular vet who knows him, knows the history ans has been treating and seeing him regularly, again, a huge waste of money! If we could give a negetive star, we would!
When I first read these reviews, I was terrified to take my cat here. However, I needed a second opinion after going to Cornell because I questioned the competency of the residents treating my cat.To make a long story short, I am so glad I took my cat to Colonial. In fact, I have decided to transfer my cats treatments from Cornell to Colonial because there is no doubt in my mind that Colonial has the best practice in the area. First, you can tell everyone there - from the front desk to the practitioners - is extremely competent. They take their jobs very seriously and it shows. Second, I was provided updates several times while waiting there for my cats diagnostic testing to complete, even though I was fine reading magazines. In my opinion, this demonstrates an initiative to exceed customer expectation and typical customer service. Third, the doctor I saw there was without a doubt extremely objective, caring, and absolutely brilliant at the same time -- no stone was left unturned and I was confident with my cats diagnosis. (I know this because I perform tremendous research on my cats health and illness and the doctor was more than up to date on every single study and treatment). Fourth, and most importantly, my cat is improving tremendously when at least two other vets doubted she would. Fifth, since the appointment the staff and doctor have contacted me twice to relay information as well as discuss anything I needed to talk about. I appreciated this promptness because I knew my cats health was being taken seriously and thus I did not have worry (and start visiting petmd or other google sites out of angst).Regarding the other reviews on here: honestly, I dont know whether the other reviewers on here are stating objective fact or emotional opinion. But I can tell you this for sure: Colonial is no factory, nor did anything they do raise a red flag. I am suspicious of the posters who complained about the costs of treatment when they are free to go to the 24/7 Cornell Emergency Dept. where there are payment plans and federal funding. In fact, I suspect many of these individuals brought their pets to Colonial because they wanted the best care for their animals, yet are simply unwilling to accept the increased costs associated with superior care. While no horror is more painful than a sick pet, this does not entitle owners to make demands on private practitioners. Nonetheless, these reviewers still stated Colonial accommodated their financial situations, so I just dont understand why theyre on here complaining in the first place.I also question the reviewers who complained about their changing estimates. Consider the word estimate for a moment and youll quickly appreciate the absurdity of their complaint. Please remember the scientific rule that deeper investigation may lead to more conclusive findings -- which is why the estimate can increase or decrease -- and which is why these suggestive costs are called estimates and not prices. Ultimately, I take these reviewers complaints with a grain of salt because they experienced buyers remorse for continuing with treatment in spite of the high costs, when they could have sought a second opinion at one of the many other emergency departments such as Cornell. And they were free to leave and make the quick drive to Cornell at any point during their time at Colonial.Bottom line is this: in my experience Colonial is superior to other Ithaca vets I have used in every single way. Knock on wood, they saved my cats life. But its your decision to do what you want with your pet and I wish you and your furry friend the best.
I love this place! From the check in staff, to the techs, to the doctors, everyone whom I have dealt with have been fantastic. Even in difficult times the staff has been willing to take the time to talk with me and make sure I am making the right decisions. I dont mind paying a little higher price if I know my animals care is going to be top notch, and it is every single time. I always refer my friends and family to them, and will continue to do so in the future.
Absolutely fantastic vet practice. Colonial has been a wonderful resource for my pets since I moved here. Whenever I have a concern, they make time to see the pets the same day. Last night, they saved my puppys life after detecting an Intussusception (telescoping intestine) and performing surgery at 11pm. As long as Im in Ithaca, my pets will go here. Highly highly recommended.
Dr Ross and his team are amazing. My Ellie Mae had 2 surgeries within 3 months. They took very good care of her. I would recommend them any time
We had been referred to Colonial for testing twice before with each of our dogs (2012 and 2013). Both times we were treated with the utmost compassion and were grateful for the expertise they were able to offer when helping us make decisions about quality of life for our senior dogs.Losing a pet is so traumatic, and I felt our last vet pressured us to have invasive diagnostics and surgeries and then was dismissive and judgmental when we opted to use palliative care instead. So we knew we wanted something different in the future.Last week, we decided to go straight to Colonial with our 15-year-old cat who had been declining rapidly. The staff and doctors were so compassionate and understanding about our concerns. They helped us come to the best decision for our family once a mass was discovered in her liver and possibly elsewhere. I am grateful to them for their care of Persephone in her last days, and will be transferring care of our other 15-year-old cat, Porter, and all future pets to them.
Not very impressed with Colonial Veterinary Hospital. We had an issue with our cat that couldnt be handled by our normal vet and were referred to either Cornell or Colonial. We chose Colonial, simply because we assumed it would be cheaper than Cornell. We went there with specific treatment orders from our vet for a basic imaging service, but once there, the vet/staff at colonial took it upon themselves to run extra tests on top of the imaging we were there for. The extra tests they demanded yielded no further information than we already had paid for at our normal vet. So, they cost us a bunch of extra money for nothing. Even our vet was pretty disappointed when they heard that Colonial took it upon themselves to run extra tests that were unwarranted. And, the vet/staff at Colonial were not friendly or compassionate at all as we were dealing with an end of life situation. I would never go back there again, and would not recommend this place to anyone else. If you are looking for a great vet, go to Veterinary Care of Ithaca, and Cornell Vet Hospital for any necessary referrals.Furthermore, upon reading many of the other reviews here, it seems that whoever they have in charge of responding to negative feedback really should be replaced. They seem to completely lack compassion and are overly defensive. All responses to customer complaints should start with an APOLOGY, not a rude attack on the customer about how wrong they are. They ought to be ashamed of themselves.
The staff at Colonial have made two mistakes with my dog that lead me to believe that they are negligent. While the two mistakes described in detail below are harmless, what if their next silly mistake is not? I would not risk it.Beyond the experiences I describe below, this vet hospital is very clean and has convenient hours. They seem to like animals. They have their own on-site pharmacy and emergency care. They are easy to get appointments with as they have a large staff, but you wont have the same vet every time unless you request it. They are a little impersonal. They have always relatively promptly responded to my inquiries about my pets and requests for paperwork.1) I brought both my dog and cat in for an annual appointment to get a couple of their vaccinations updated. The vet tech gave my dog the rabies vaccine meant for my cat (my dog had already had his rabies vaccine updated a couple months before). The tech assured me that this was harmless though I know there is a debate among pet owners whether vaccines in general are harmless so I do not like giving a vaccine to my dog that he unequivocally did not need. And what if the vet tech had given him something mistakenly that wasnt harmless?2) They gave my dog a second microchip while he was being neutered when he already had a functioning one. Now he has two microchips that I have to make sure are updated on all his records for the rest of his hopefully long life. A annoying hassle for me. They never once asked me in all the times I brought him there over the past year or so whether he had a microchip. They never discussed microchipping him during the neuter procedure in all the conversations I had with them prior to the procedure (but did talk about clipping his nails, so unsure why this was not included in the conversation). He is a purebred dog that we waited to neuter as his breeder was considering using him in her program. We are responsible dog owners and microchipped him during his first check-up as a 9-week puppy that was at another vets office. I do not know why they would assume that a nearly 2-year old dog that has been coming to them for months and months did not have a microchip just because they never bothered to ask or enter it in his record. When I politely asked to not have to pay the $58 fee for something that causes me extra unnecessary work and that he definitely did not need, they refused to remove the cost because it was included as a single line item on the two-page long estimate with 38 different line items that my boyfriend had signed when he dropped him off. My boyfriend signed this estimate because he knew I had had multiple conversations with them about the procedure and assumed (unfortunately incorrectly) that this was something I had discussed with them and there was a legitimate reason they were doing everything they were doing. It even says on his collar that hes microchipped. And could they not just do a quick scan to check? $58 is not much considering the amount of money we spend on this dog, but I am very unhappy that they refused to take responsibility for THEIR error and negligent assumptions. I guess they care more about making a few extra bucks than having a good relationship with their clients.I expressed politely that I thought they were negligent and that I could not force them not to charge me for their mistake but I thought it was very unfair and I was unhappy. They politely in return said they would communicate that I was unhappy to their staff and apologized. A better apology would have been not charging me, but what can you do?I am moving soon so hopefully will not have a reason to return to this vet hospital. If I was staying in Ithaca longer I would find a new vet. I suggest that pet owners steer clear and existing clients be wary.Perhaps I will get another defensive response to this review as other reviewers have, but I just wanted to share the reasons I think pet owners should consider taking their pet and business somewhere else as there are many good vet options in the Ithaca area.
Thank you for providing compassionate, professional, service at a reasonable price.I was greeted warmly by the front staff, the waiting room was comfortable, Dr Ross treated me, and my sick puppywith the upmost kindness. He took a great deal of time with me, explaining all options. I never felt rushed, pressured, or unimportant.I will return anytime my pets needs exceed the veterinary ability in my community. Many Thanks!!!!Michael & Linda CollinsBinghamton NY
We first found colonial a little over a year ago when my puppy had a serious accident. We were terrified about his breathing and no other vet would see him and colonial said bring him in. (We were new to the area and had other circumstances) they helped us and our fur baby, and were compassionate and understanding. Then again during this winter we had another health crisis withen our family, our mother in laws fur baby was very sick and could hardly walk. They were not her regular vet however they got her in for a same day appointment and we unfortunately had to euthanize her. It was her time and she was in serious amounts of pain. They were compassionate and understanding yet again. We were reassured, comforted and given time to compose ourselves by the staff members who were gentle and respectful of her even after she had passed. Most recently we acquired a mix breed puppy who had health issues and were seen and treated yet again by a curtious doctor and respectful staff. Our experiences were all positive and I felt like the staff were understanding considering I have a VERY energetic and unruly black lab who had a hard time controlling his urges to jump on everyone and give them large amounts of kisses and a tiny scared little mini dachshund mix who is terrified of cats and birds. We feel like colonial is the best veterinary hospital be have experienced.
We visited VCA during the pandemic, with the contactless drive-in visit protocol. Everything went incredibly smoothly. We were out-of-towners with a pet emergency, and they treated us like family. The veterinarian was very professional on the phone, the treatment was just what Alfie needed, and the take-home instructions were clear. Thank you all!
Place was ok, they love animals. Mostly everyone was friendly and nice to my cat. My biggest complaint is with a staff member named Nora.. She was very rude and unprofessional. Acted a bit ditzy, and pretended like she knew everything but was wrong about a lot. I really think she needs to be in a different field because this one is not for her.
Being very new to the area of Ithaca, I didnt yet have an established vet in the area. My young cat was acting very sick suddenly and barely moving and I needed to get him seen as soon as possible. After calling around to a few vets in the area, most of them were not accepting new patients but told me to try Colonial. When we walked in, the front staff kind of looked at us like a deer in headlights and asked what we are in for (maybe because we didnt call ahead, it was an emergency visit). They took him right away and brought him into a room, and brought us into a private room where a vet will come see us. They immediately came in and told us what was wrong, apparently a relatively common problem involving a blockage in his urethra. They asked for my permission to put the IV in with pain medicine for him, and even gave me the price and asked if that was ok. Family and friends had warned me about this possibility, and told me how it costs around $300 to get the blockage out, which seems reasonable. The vet came in and gave us a very detailed description as to what is going on, which I loved. She then went into pricing, where she said the procedure would be at the low end $1500 and include hospitalization for 2 days. Being totally not what I was expecting as far as price, I asked if we could do what is only completely necessary. She was able to get it down to $1000 with only 1 day and warned that he might still not be ok with doing that, and later came in and there was a special fund they had that they could contribute $500 towards our bill. We paid it and they did the procedure, and answered our calls when we called asking how he was doing. I felt like he was in safe hands, and he was. The next day when we picked him up, he was himself again! The vet that came in, a different one from the day prior but was so wonderful. She answered all my dumb questions with ease and even showed me how to give him his medication. She even gave us free samples of a special diet he should be going on. We left very happy, mostly because our little guy was back to himself because of them. Although the financial part was a little stressful at first, they were able to figure something out to help us and I am so grateful for that. If every experience is like ours was at Colonial, I would definitely recommend it.
I cannot say enough about this team! Dr. Licitra and Dr. Socha were amazing-- very knowledgeable, and explained everything to the finest detail. My dog had to have cruciate ligament surgery. They were very honest with me, and I never felt like they were pushing surgery just to make money. I will say-- they are pricey, however Im a firm believer in you get what you pay for, and they are top notch. In terms of office visits and consultations, they are inexpensive compared to others in the FLX. And of course shout out to the front desk-- Thank you for being so professional, and doing a stressful, thankless job.
Our pet was in distress and need a radiology consult. The rad on call doctor just never responded for hours with even an ETA of arrival (over 4.5 hours before we were charged for our waste of time and brought her to another emergency vet) I will never never bring my pet here again. As pet parents you want to be assured people will take care of your loved ones. Dont bring your pet here if you expect prompt loving care. If I could have left zero stars I would.
This veterinary hospital is beyond amazing! Dr.Mcarty and her staff go above and beyond for their patients. Our 10 week old puppy was diagnosed with Parvo on Sunday and they got him in at the 1st available appointment and then provided him with the life saving treatment and care we needed. I called multiple times a day for updates and the techs even talked to my 8 year old daughter and answered all of her questions.They dealt with our billing nightmares and were always so helpful.
I want to start off by saying that I am not upset that they could not diagnose my dog, I understand the staff did everything they could to heal my dog.My husband brought our very sick dog, Oliver, to the Colonial Vet on a Tuesday night after our regular vet didn’t know what else to do for him. When he was brought in my husband brought all the medicine our regular vet had him on and the worker who was there wrote all this down. Oliver then remained at the vet until Friday evening when we picked him up at 5pm. My opinion is that this vet has very poor customer service. I can’t really comment on Oliver’s care because I wasn’t really kept in the loop by the staff. Dr. Murch would call with updates when she worked with him and was by far the most helpful person there. Oliver was tested for Addison’s Disease and Dr. Murch was fairly certain that is what was causing his illness and sent us information on how to care for it. He was tested and his results weren’t exactly the same as a typical dog with Addison’s Disease and Dr. Murch asked if we would pay for her to call someone to get their advice on Oliver’s test results; we agreed and that was the last we ever heard about him possibly having Addison’s. When we went to pick him up a vet technician brought him to us and she wasn’t really up to date on all of his medical going ons (which I don’t blame her for) and couldn’t answer our questions well. Our very sick dog was there for 3 nights going through multiple procedures (not to mention we spent just under $2500) and a vet couldn’t even come talk to us about his results and the tests they did on him? Oliver is currently acting for the most part like his normal self but we are still very concerned about him having Addison’s and are looking into taking him to a different vet to get a second opinion. The thing that really put it over the top for us is that Colonial then charged us (for more money might I add) for the same medicine my vet already had Oliver on and like I said in the beginning the staff wrote this down upon his arrival. I will not be going back to Colonial and would not recommend them.
Our dog had a stroke while we were on vacation and Colonial vet saw us right away and did an amazing, fabulous job of caring for him. In particular, Dr. Ellen Tremante was so wonderful. She was thorough and calm. I cant say enough good things about this vet hospital.
Skilled caring doctors and assistants. Dr. Ross is also an amazing surgeon. Caring staff. They pay attention to what you say and need. Our Boots needed major surgery and all went well because of their very timely care. Ive seen comments about expensive so must say Colonial is no more expensive than other practices that offer all of the resources they do. We recommend Colonial to everyone.
As a new transplant to Ithaca with a cat who has a chronic upper respiratory infection, it was imperative to me that I find a vet who would care for him as well as our previous vet in Rochester, who had been treating my cat since he was a baby and first presented with his respiratory issues.Ive had him in for an overall checkup and had him boarded for a weekend, and am so confident in their abilities that I am about to board him in their stellar boarding facilities for two weeks while I am out of the country. Their facility is clean, their boarding facilities for cats are so far away from the hustle and bustle of the office, and from dogs, that it almost feels like its in another building. Each little pod is spacious and, when they have the space, theyll even open up the adjacent pod so cats can have even more room. I was told that staff sometimes take their lunches up and eat them in the room and talk to the cats and play with them.As someone who has perhaps a little too much emotional investment in my cat, it thrills me to know Im boarding him somewhere safe and quiet, where if he has any medical issues they can be treated. I feel badly for people who feel like theyve had bad experiences here, but like any business, usually the complaints get posted far more than the compliments. In this case, I wanted to be a voice for the positive about Colonial Veterinary Hospital.
I had to say goodbye to my cat of 15 years.. and the staff was so patient and kind with me while I could hardly even form a sentence from sobbing. They answered all my questions and gave me time to think. They explained my options and I felt no pressure to go in any specific direction other than what I wanted for my cat. The vet gave her honest opinion only when I asked about my cats potential survival or suffering which I felt was very genuine and ultimately helped me pick the best thing for my cat.. which meant saying goodbye. All this while closing time came and went- their care never faltered. Biggest thank you
Sadly on July 4th i had to take our cat there for a blockage in his urethra. The kind people at the desk told me that before the vet even talked to me I could run up a bill between 4-6 hundred dollars.... The vet came and told us Ang would need to go under general anesthesia to remove the blockage and she would come back with an estimate. The estimate was low end 1200.00 dollars to the high end 2200.00. Well i couldnt let my cat die so we went ahead with it. Mind you we could have got him out after a day but would have had to pay almost that much as the most expensive things were done in the first 24 hours.When I went to pick up Ang the bill was a whopping 100.00 bucks under the high estimate. they brought my 2200.00 cat to me covered in urine and smelling horrible. SO MUCH FOR ROUND THE CLOCK CARE. What a disgrace this place is. They had me over a barrel which is where I am sure they have a lot of there clients. MONEY HUNGRY.I hope you never have to subject your beloved pet or wallet to this place.
Throughout my two years at cornell I left Carlotta, my dog, about 10 times for boarding and also for a couple of medical inspections and was always very pleased with the service provided. The staff is amazing, always in a good mood and my dog loved to arrive there every time. 100% recommended.
The staff was kind and completely calm with my very excited dog. From the check in, vet tech, procedure and check out it was smiling professional faces who explained everything that would happen and made the visit less stressful then it could have been. I appreciated all of their work and the service I received.
My 8 month old pup was hit by a car. We took him to Colonial Vet Hospital. This establishment is top notch! I ended up with a $3000 bill. But I believe the care they gave my best friend was excellent! I came in twice a day for visits. They always had time for me.
When I moved to the bay area, I came to realize that VCA Colonial was perfect compared to what I get in California.
On Christmas Eve afternoon, our elderly cattle dog was experiencing severe diarrhea and stomach upset and needed emergency services. My husband took him to Colonial because all of the vets in our area were closed that day. I cannot praise Colonial enough. They got him right in and even called to talk with me about his medications and health issues. In addition to treating his gastrointestinal problems, they switched his arthritis medicine to gabapentin because they thought the carprofen he has been on for over two years could be contributing to his stomach upset. They even called Christmas morning to see how he was doing. By today, his stomach issues have nearly resolved and the new arthritis medicine seems to be working wonders for his stiff legs and hips. Thank you, Colonial, for the excellent care and caring attitude!
The Dr was very nice but the man collecting money is a uncompassionate waste of space and will never go back there...I was trying to get my dog to my primary vet for emergency sergery and I couldnt get ahold of my friend who was paying for it and I told him I had to go and he said you cant leave without paying. The bill was very high and I had paid 1300 and was short 300 and finally they let me have my dog.... Stay away from here if you value your animals life . I would have gave 0 stars if I could ...kharma will come back on you Mr Man in the front ..I paid them like I said I would only a few hours later....I had to watch my best friend die on the operation table .. Not saying it could have been prevented but 3 hours might have made a difference
My cat, Billfred, had surgery there yesterday to remove ceruminous adenomas from his ears. Dr. Socha was wonderful in explaining everything, as was the rest of the staff. They were also willing to work on payment with credit care. I will definitely be returning there for further treatment if necessary.
As a longtime animal lover in a multi-animal household, but newly relocated to Ithaca, I had to cross my fingers when my young cat, Alice, became ill. The Colonial vet staff were ambiguous and uncompassionate about what both I and Alice were going through. Their ultimate incompetence and professional irresponsibility cost me $4,500 and Alice her life.
A little embarrassing. Me: Hey I can’t afford all this bill can I pay part of it tomorrow reception desk says no multiple times then after 20 minutes they pull out a form a promissory note doing the exact thing I asked them to do in the first place. I have to fill out the form at the desk after I asked to speak with them privately about it not wanting everyone to hear my financial problems. Embarrassing, unprofessional, Colonial we want your money now!!
Excellent veterinarians they are so kind and thoughtful. Such a saving grace on memorial weekend. I would recommend for anyone.
I absolutely love this vet hospital. I feel like my animals are in good hands and loved. I am a very worry some animal owner and they have answered all my questions promptly and with professionalism. Thank your for all you do.
This place is absolute disgrace to humanity.. I paid 110 for the vet to not even touch my dog.. the receptionist Steve baled head guy be careful for him.. he seems to hate him self more than his job he was nothing but rude and arrogant they let my dog leave with a hanging leg and did nothing for her... scum bag of a company.
Our dog recently had knee surgery there and they were courteous, professional, and patient with our questions. The recovery is going well, too -- fingers crossed!
Crazy expensive, definitely preying on those who can least afford it. $690 to remove porcupine quills from a little dog.
They went above and beyond for my dog who wasn’t even a patient of theirs. Excellent service, went out of their way to help me. WONDERFUL PLACE!!!
This place was absolutely great was able to get right in took very good care of our dog. I will go back there from now on very very affordable too!
Horrible people no passion all the want is money they need to shut this place down . They rather your pet die then help you..
Very arrogant and doesnt actually provide the services they advertise.
Great
We found the kindest treatment of pets and their people. My cat took an unauthorized excursion outdoors and got into a life-threatening fight with something wild out there. Thanks to their skilled, sympathetic and attentive treatment, I still have a (recovering) cat. Im very grateful for the gentle, healing care she received.
Total reviews rating 3.8
72 Reviews for VCA Colonial Animal Hospital 2023:
Review №1
2022-06-28Been here both times on a emergency basis when I live about an hour away. First time was when my beagle had kidney failure and was declining despite all efforts to make her better. Dr. Licitra was very compassionate and let us consider all possible options and when we chose euthanasia because my beagle was suffering, she agreed and took care of her and us the entire way. Next time was a couple of weeks ago when my kitten had opened her spay incision up and my regular vet was closed. Again, Dr. Licitra was the best. Both times have been exceptional and I wished I lived closer as I would take all my pets there for care. Will continue to use them in the future for emergency care.
Review №2
2022-05-10When my German Shepherd hurt her leg on New Years, I called Cornell University as my local vet was not opened. My husband and I drove to Cornell, ( about a 50 min ride) only to be told we would have to wait 2 to 4 hours to be seen and we would have to wait in the car! Mind you , it was January 1st and it was about 10 degrees!! I then called Colonial and they did not hesitate for one second!!! Advised us to bring her right over. They got her right in and found she had torn her meniscus. She had surgery and is doing great!! The staff and doctors here are great, in fact I have to take her back tomorrow to have her other meniscus done (yep! she tore her other one!) I am confident that she will once again be well taken care of by all. God Bless you all!! WE LOVE YOU!! Bob, Annie and Scout Ryan
Review №3
2021-12-09Thank you Dr Shaffer and staff for your knowledge, efficiency and compassion. You treated Molly like she was part of your family. Were forever grateful. As far as the reviews regarding finance. They gave me a quote when I called to schedule our emergency visit and quotes for each plan after. There were no hidden charges. From the ladies that answered the phone, to the visit and the ladies checking us out I give you 5+ stars.THANK YOU!!
Review №4
2022-05-10Compassionate service. We took our 15-yo cat there because our regular vet was out of town. They got us in within an hour of calling on a Monday. Our cat had developed a bloated abdomen, after steadily losing weight the last several months. We suspected he had a serious illness, and after discussing the situation and symptoms with the vet, we agreed it was the right time to put him down, before he started suffering. They discounted the office visit and charged a fair price for euthanization. All office staff were friendly and compassionate, despite it being a super busy Monday. I would recommend them.
Review №5
2022-01-02We took our cat here on New Years Day because our veterinary office was closed. He had an abscess on his tail and they got him right in. Dr. Tripp and the vet tech Nicole were amazing. They were so friendly and took there time with us. We were so impressed and will be going back here for any emergency care that comes up in the future. Thank you!!!!
Review №6
2022-06-09I had a wonderful experience with this animal hospital. They were able to get us in when all hospitals near us were too booked. Our Luna stayed the night & the vet called us with updates, and diagnosed her quickly and properly.While we did end up having to say goodbye to our sweet girl, we were comforted by the care and empathy we received here. The vet kept us informed every step of the way, and gave us time to weigh out our options without judgement.While I hope my other furbabies don’t have any emergencies, if they ever do, we will be bringing them here!
Review №7
2022-04-09I was a little skeptical when a VCA employee recommended that I bring my very temperamental cat here for preventative care - other veterinary practices have had difficulty even getting her out of a carrier without trauma, blood and screaming. Id avoided vet visits altogether for years since shes indoor only at this point and generally healthy, but I decided to give it a try. The VCA staff at every level was incredibly friendly and helpful - my concerns were heard and taken seriously, and everyone took highly effective steps to make sure my cats visit was fear- and pain-free. I wont say she enjoyed the experience, but she did not seem at all afraid, came easily out of her carrier, at no point needed to be restrained, and even comfortably walked around the exam room so the vet could observe her gait. Her vaccinations are all up-to-date for the first time in years and minor health concerns I had were were assessed and addressed. The charges were reasonable and competitive with other practices of the same level in the area. Im very pleased to say well be back, and will happily add my own recommendations to any other pet owners looking for a local vet.
Review №8
2022-04-27We have three animals currently and have been with Colonial for several years now. Weve come in for more emergencies and issues than I like to think about however, we feel extremely grateful that they have been there day or night to help take care of our babies.Weve seen several doctors over the course of time, but have built the strongest relationship with Dr. Merch. She has been excellent. Even when it is busy, Dr. Merch has always taken the time to sit with us and discuss all of our concerns and treats each of our animals with the utmost kindness. Our one dog gets excited when we tell her we are going to see her. When we had behavioral issues with a past dog, Dr. Merch was with us every step of the way and spent so much time with us discussing our options. At one point I heard her voice crack over the phone as she gave us some not so great news. You can tell she is someone who truly cares and has a big heart.We also saw Dr. Hegarty Ross recently for some issues with our kitty. You can tell she is a huge cat lover; she was so genuine and easy to talk to. She took great care of our girl for a dental surgery.I removed one star due to the fact that weve often gotten sticker shocked here. I understand paying a little more for specialty or emergency care, but we were recently quoted nearly $2,000 to fix our male dog. I know several people who went to other vets in the area and havent paid anywhere near that for a spay or neuter. It feels unjustifiable.Again though, other than the pricing, we are so glad to put our trust in the doctors at Colonial.
Review №9
2022-01-12I was called a monster for not putting my pet to sleep right then and there. I went elsewhere and I was treated with dignity and respect, no name calling. My pet did not need to be killed.They like to use the C word ( cancer) to scare pet owners into agreeing to their service, mention life threatening situations, will laugh at your suggestions (in your face) , not give you all of the info once they get the lab work.Another vet was shocked at their prognosis. Look around elsewhere, anywhere because they do NOT CARE about you or your pet. Your $$$$$ is what they seek. After the place was bought out, it lost its care.
Review №10
2022-05-10I live over an hour away, but I would gladly take the time to drive the distance so that my cat can be seen there by all of the caring and awesome veterinarians & staff at VCA Colonial Animal Hospital. Because my cat has had both emergency and regular care, we have had the chance to meet some really wonderful veterinarians there, including Drs. Lawrence, Eule, Tripp, and Pollock. I am so grateful to them and to everyone who has been helping along the way (including Samantha, Kalee, Sierra, Nicole, Courtney, Hannah… I hope I haven’t forgotten anyone…). Everyone there has been so very good to my cat and give him so much loving attention that I never worry about him while he is in their care. They really go above and beyond and continually surprise me with how responsive and attentive they are about all aspects of a pet’s care. Such an outstanding practice group at this animal hospital! Thank you all so much for the great care that my cat is receiving there!