St. Marks Veterinary Hospital

01/10/08

Most stressful vet visit ever

by lesgirlnyc at Citysearch

I used to love the vet that was once there, but this time I had a totally different experience which made my life hell. I took my cat for a regular check up. She is a very scared and nervous cat but usually does well with an experienced vet who knows how to handle her. This new vet lost her grip on my cat in the middle of examining her and my cat ended up falling off the exam table. Then, after getting some vaccinations, she apparently escaped the 3 techs working in the back room. I sat in the waiting room in tears for half an hour as they would not bring me my cat or allow me to get her even though they were done. They told me they were going to let her have a "moment to herself" hiding on a metal shelf before they tried to get her down, she was terrified. Then they added a ton of over priced junk to my bag and I was so anxious to get out of there I just paid and left. I will never put my cat or myself through that again. Do not go here.

• Cons: Terrible vet, techs, over-priced

05/24/09

Scarey

by notmike at Citysearch

I was nothing but dollar signs to Dr Newmans eyes when my cat and i walked in the door. She falsely diagnosed my cat as hyperthyroid - an endocrinologist @ AMC told me to stop paying for all these lab tests and that he was not hyperthyroid and take him off tapizol. Newman ran lab work over and over and turns out had him as a canine - not feline - which i caught, prescribed meds and prescription food that contradicted one another - which i caught, ROLLED her eyes at me when I brought in my cat as an emergency because of a urinary block, he stayed there for 4 days and I had to take him elsewhere because when I got him out he was still not unblocked. At that point I finally learned this place was bad news - yes it took me a while. I later met a vet who worked there who left because he felt it was morally wrong the way customers are taken advantage of @ St Marks....Newman saw the same # of patients as he and billed 2-3x the amount. Bad news...stay away. I now go to Dr Sullivan at the cat practice - he is honest and a great vet.

• Pros: None I can think of beyond being in the EV
• Cons: Too many to list

09/17/08

Do not recommend

by acephoto at Citysearch

When I got my first dog a friend recommended St Mark's so maybe at one time they were good, but not in my experience. In retrospect (and after having found a great vet since), I actually feel preyed upon by them. Constantly ordering tests that weren?t needed (and even the good reviews admit St Marks is very expensive) - I literally could not get out of this place without a ballooning bill. Some of it was my inexperience being a novice dog owner and thinking everything they suggested was necessary, but that almost makes it worse in my opinion. Examples include a biopsy on a bump (on the suture from his neuter) my current vet said he never would have looked twice at, a heartworm test as part of a "routine" checkup when my dog was on medication and had tested negative on his initial visit eight months earlier(!), and his neuter. The neuter estimate was jawdropping. When I balked, they then admitted some of the services included were optional ? two different painkillers for example. I asked if one of those could possibly go the response was a guilt-inducing - "but you wouldn't want to put your dog through pain would you?" The catheter? What if my dog is a hemophiliac and bleeds to death before they can put one in? I finally pushed back and pared the services down (cruel dog owner that I am) but still paid over $500. Left there ever time with an uneasy feeling I'd just been swindled.

08/24/08

overcharged

by spinitch at Citysearch

although the satff was really nice, they over charge for everything. i looked at all the medicine they prescribed my dog online and it was a fraction of the cost.

• Pros: friendly staff
• Cons: expensive

03/22/08

St Marks Vet Is Great

by eastvillage88 at Citysearch

I really don't believe some of these reviews. I have been going to The ST Marks Vet for 15 Years. None of the things mentioned here have ever happened to me. Dr. Haddock has never suggested any un necessary tests and is a great vet. For years my pet got her vaccinations every year and a check up. As the pet got older and some problems arised and the doctor did run some tests. Without these tests I am not sure how she could diagnose the problem. How could someone say you are not allowed into the exam room with your pet ? That is just crazy and not true

I have also gone to Dr.Kurowski . She was extremely nice,caring and knowledgeable

Going to a vet is expensive. I think the prices charged here are about the same as other area vets. You need to be in control. You need to ask questions. If you do not want the tests just tell them no.

• Pros: Great Vet, Office is clean and modern
• Cons: Vet Care is expensive

02/27/08

Worst possible experience

by racebikes at Citysearch

We had been taking our dog to St Marks since he was a puppy. We loved the vet that was there previously and then one day about a year ago I had to take the dog there for an emergency. When we got there his vet was no longer there and we were assigned to a new doctor. I won't go into the long of it, but suffice it to say they had us pay for multiples of the same test. I was treated very rudely by the young reception guy who refused to let me take my dog if I did not pay up. I left my wallet in my car, and he simply refused to let me out. We had been going there for 8 years! So we switched to a different vet. And just last week we had a new emergency. I went back with St Marks thinking perhaps the last time was a fluke. I was left in a waiting room for almost an HOUR. WITH My infant baby. WHen I asked the receptionist about it she shot me a look and said in her most sarcastic voice - "your appointment was at 7:30!" It was 8:25.

She then told me that there was an emergency and that was why I was stuck waiting. Well, I saw the old doctor that we had the last time just standing there when she said that.

So finally my baby starts wailing - and the doctor came running and treated my dog.

On my way out the receptionist gave me a sarcastic smile and said in her sweetest oversweet voice that my bill wasn't ready.

I will never, ever set foot in that place ever again. I would highly, highly recommend you find a different vet.

• Pros: Conveniently located in the village
• Cons: Terrible experience. Even worse customer service.

02/02/08

Do Not Go There! Ever!!!!!!!!!

by zapisy at Citysearch

They have no knowledge, no experience, and care only about their $$$.

I know that and I am writing that, because I know very experienced doctor not from USA, and whenever he heard what they were saying, he could not believe it!

First, they treat the pet not as it should be done - too little or too much of the medicine according to the pet's illness stage.

Second, they do not know how to diagnose, when the pet should be put to sleep because of suffering and pain.

Third, this is first vet hospital I have ever been, where they do not let you go with your pet when they make the diagnose (even very sick in a bad condition - stress!!!)

My pet died, suffering.

But this is not the reason why I wrote that bad opinion. The reason for me, was to prevent other PETS from going there, to hell not a hospital.

Even when you try other hospital, you will not regret it........

Thanks

• Pros: 00000000000000
• Cons: Young - No experience Vets. Only Money Counts. Can not go with pet inside for diagnose.

10/16/07

The doctors questioned EACH OTHER'S diagnoses

by sarahlisa at Citysearch

I had been a loyal user of St Mark's Vet - even traveling all the way from 9th Avenue & 16th Street because one of the vets there had been so good with my mini schnauzer. However, after that particular doctor left, I brought my dog in with the same symptoms the prior doctor had tried to diagnose. I won't get into the specifics (well, why not... she'd said it could be a calcium deficiency, so crush hard boiled egg shells and feed it to my dog for direct calcium). When I'd explained this to the "new" doctor at St Marks, she ridiculed me, all the while wasting time trying to diagnose my dog. It was embarrassing, unnerving, expensive and ultimately they couldn't even diagnose. Finally a different vet, Heart of Chelsea, dianosed my dog.

My pet means the world to me. I felt uncomfortable at St Mark's - and there finally were so many different doctors running around there, it seemed like utter chaos. In NYC, there are far better Vets. Please, choose better for your pet than St. Mark's Vet.

• Pros: I initially liked Dr. Iglesias
• Cons: Ultimately, utter chaos among the doctors

05/20/07

never go back to Newman Sara DVM

by beholistic at Citysearch

my dog died about a month after receiving Rabies shot and regular check up from Dr. Newman.

According to her check up, my dog did not have any probrem (other than her addisons disease which had been treated since 5 years ago and stable condition). but we found out that she was bleeding internally badly after 30 days from the check up and she died at emargency Vet. office next day. I was told by other vet. that dog who has addisons disease also 10 years old has huge risk getting Rabies shot which Dr. Newman should know. I understand that all dog must receive Rabies shot every 3 years in NY. but Dr. Newman should have told me about the risk. so I could have pay closer attention to my dog. she seems so busy and not able to take time to see my dog's condition all together. how rabies shot effect to dog who is 10 years old & has addisons disese.

also I needed to have priscription for addisons disese from Dr. Newman. she forgot about it. and when I asked her next day, she asked me the name of medichine and quantity. she wrote prescription according to what I said without checking any records. It was 1st time for Dr. Newman wrote prescriptin for my dog. So at that moment, I knew that I would not come back to her. Very sadly I do not have my dog to go anywhere anymore.

*P.S. I decided not to do autopsy on my dog. so Nobody know if Rabies shot was the cause of her death. but my suggestion is not to see a vet. who treat your precious pet like fixing hole on your pants. body is all connected, one can not be treated without thinking about others.

03/03/07

They're pretty much just after your money

by hippie346 at Citysearch

The worst vet I've ever been to - they are just after money, pushing you to do unnecessary procedures, playing on a pet owner's desire to do the best thing for their animal. I wound up paying $700 for a dental on my cat. In addition, they tried to get me to do annual vaccinations after just 8 months for a few hundred dollars more. You WILL waste your money here and put your pet through treatments it likely does not need.