Commonwealth Veterinary Hospital

LOVE Commonwealth Vet. We take both our dog and our cat to them and they are great. I especially love that for our older cat they have been working with us to decide what would be good to do vs. absolutely necessary as we don't want to incur huge costs given she is such an older lady. Read Less

Everybody here cares. We've been to assembly-line vets before, our fur children didn't like them, and neither did we, so we're all very happy with Commonwealth. There are several vets here, and everyone of them treated us like family; their concern in times of poor health is genuine, as is their delight in recovery. Read Less

I couldn't say enough good things about this place. I found Commonwealth via web search a few years ago when my dog got pretty sick. I was newer to the area and was looking for something close. I actually called a another place first but they weren't able to see her for a few hours. Then I called Commonwealth and they took her in right away.  I have been a HUGE fan ever since. My dog has had a few serious and some non serious issues (I'm a crazy dog mom) and I find the staff very accommodating, informative and friendly. Over the years I've seen a few doctors but as of recently it's been Dr. Lieberman. He is awesome and a life saver for my crazy dog mom antics.  Unfortunately for him, he gave me his email lol. He's so responsive, directly follows up on things and has a genuine compassion. I was reading other reviews before writing this and people complaining about pricing baffles me. I find it to be comparable to other places in my past and at the same time, who cares when you love your pet you do/pay anything for good service. I highly recommend this vet for your animal babies! Read Less

Dr. Larry Hawk and his staff at Commonwealth Veterinary Hospital are compassionate and professional. I use Dr. Hawk as my primary vet for my eight-year-old boxer. Dr. Hawks knowledge has been impressive and I can see his genuine care for my dog and her needs. An easily accessible and clean facility, along with the great staff gets this Vet a well deserved rating.   3/6/17 Read Less

From the very first time we brought in our cat, they have been wonderful to us. They are warm, caring, lovely people. They always made us feel like we and our pet are very important to them. I cannot recommend them enough! Read Less

The veterinarians at Commonwealth are very skilled and knowledgeable. I have two cats with complicated medical histories and they took on their cases well. They are current in the literature so they were able to offer other suggestive treatment therapies that just became available or that other veterinarians have written about. They will also work with you to create a treatment plan that is compatible with your budget. They are conscientious and very caring. I highly recommend. Read Less

The vets at Commonwealth are thorough, incredibly compassionate, and are engaging and personable. The staff and doctors provide quality service and go above and beyond to accommodate special needs. I highly recommend this veterinarian hospital. Read Less

We took our 7 year old cat in September for her yearly checkup after moving to Cambridge from the DC area. We saw Dr. Hawk and he was amazing. He took time to really interact with Doris (the cat) and listened to us about any concerns we had. When I asked about her teeth he didn't try to push any products or services on me- he just said her teeth look good and not to worry. Doris is also big for a female cat, and Dr. Hawk was the first vet to tell me that she looks healthy, she's just a bigger than the average female. Every other vet Doris has ever been to has insisted that she needs to lose weight. It was nice to see a vet that was really paying attention to the cat in front of him, he wasn't just trying to make Doris adhere to the 'average'. They also let me bring in a stool sample out of the litter box so that the wouldn't have to....retrieve...one from her. Overall, I would say that this staff is excellent and I think Doris got the best possible care with them.Read Less

We absolutely love Commonwealth! We bring both of our pets there to see Dr. Baron, but ALL of the dr.'s are great...we've seen them all. They also have the best front desk and tech staff of any vet we've used. Friendly, caring and knowledgable. Read Less

Dr. Kate Wissel is one of the best veterinarians I've ever had the pleasure to work with. She's extremely intelligent and always seems to go the extra mile to make sure that both the pet and the owner have the  best care.Their staff is professional and courteous and extremely knowledgeable.Awesome practice! Read Less

We've been going to Commonwealth Vet for over 6 years and every experience has been as excellent as the last. We've been here with a dog who was dying and euthanized to adopting new animals and we always get the information and support we need.Each person, from front desk to Vet Assistant to our wonderful Veterinarian treats us like we're the most important animals in their day. All questions and concerns are treated with respect and compassion and I feel confident in the quality of care. Read Less

I really love the new vet that has joined this practice Dr. Went.  She is terrific! My kitty Henry has had lots of issues over the years and only now  - with Dr. Went's help - have we figured out the very likely cause and have a treatment plan in place to address the problem. Dr. Went is really empathetic and speaks from her own personal experiences with her pets.  For the first time in a long time, I am feeling hopeful.  Going forward I will be requesting Dr. Went for every visit. Read Less

Having a senior cat I am always nervous about his overall health. I leave my appt. with a complete understanding of his health and my options. I never feel pressured to have test etc. Janet Kivlehan (Shamrocks) Read Less

Everyone at the clinic is SO NICE and accommodating with our recent visits due to some complications with Pinky and Finster. A BIG THANK YOU to everyone on the team at Commonwealth Vet. We hope to see you only for routine visits! Terri and Chris (Pinky and Finster's Mom and Dad) Read Less

This is repost of my (erroneously removed) review from 6/2014Thank God this isn't my regular Vet. My experience with Commonwealth Vet came as a result of a small scuffle at an off leash dog park for which my dog drew a small amount of blood on another dog's ear (so small that the owner told me "her dog was fine and teeth didn't actually touch" when I asked if her dog was ok). My smaller size Vizsla is not typically an aggressive dog but in this case the other owner took out treats while on a narrow trail for which 3 male dogs were present (after I asked her not to). No blood was initially visible but the owner ,who happened to work as Support Staff at Commonwealth Vet, later claimed it was bleeding and decided to call animal control (as opposed to reaching out to me directly inside the park or perhaps thinking I had left?). Upon examination the dog was fine with a tiny mark on the left ear which didn't appear to be significant or puncture wound. Typical care in this case is Bentadine with Neosporin application. On site we agreed this was the best plan though the owner made a side mention that she works at Commonwealth Vet and might swing by (not really necessary but entirely up to her). I also provided the name of my vet in case she wanted to confirm vaccinations were up to date.The next day she called me claiming the wounds for far more significant that we thought and asked if I would consider paying all or part of her Vet bill. I said "sure" thinking how much could the cost of an office visit be"?She prompted txted me an invoice for $354 dollars for treatment the dog clearly didn't need (*think Laser wound care, biohazardous waste removal, 2 weeks of high dose antibiotics at a very high mark up, a pain injection usually given to dogs with severe arthritis or before surgery).Upon closer examination of the invoice I realized that there was NO invoice number or balance due. In other words a FAKE invoice --something she later admitted to entering herself in draft form hoping to receive my payment prior to officially entering into the system ( IF entering in the system or perhaps receiving care for free). My response to this was that I would need to speak to the Vet for 2 minutes in person before covering any of the costs. At this point the story had changed a few times adding the claim that my very friendly dog bit her arm which did Not happen.The owner who worked at the Vet would not do anything to help facilitate my meeting with the Vet in person. Finally I told her when I was coming and that if the Vet wasn't available she would be on her own. When I arrived the Vet was, of course, "not available" and instead left a note claiming treatment to this dog was very conservative and that they were trying to avoid surgery etc. It did not reflect the injury I saw on the dog and was OUTRAGEOUS. I kindly stated to the receptionist that I didn't agree with the letter as I saw the dog who was fine ( as did the animal control officer) and mentioned that I wanted to do the right thing but without speaking to the Vet in person it wasn't going to be possible. With this the Vet Dr. Wissel suddenly appears. While I was polite and looking for solutions she was defensive and clearly irritated to be involved. Rather than explain treatment she became venomous demanding if I was questioning her veterinary integrity. At this point I was and said "actually yes". "I saw the dog and your treatment doesn't at all reflect the injury". I mentioned the FAKE invoice and changing stories but let her know that I was willing to pay for the office visit and preventative antibiotics if presented with a real invoice and as long as the dog owner was actually being charged. Dr Wissel remained sour for the remainder of the conversation claiming the dog owner would sue and had photos. I knew this was questionable as the dog owner could have easily have sent them to me when I expressed concern and had questions.After I paid $150 (which was generous all things considered) I received a series of angry text messages full of personal attacks from the dog owner/support staff member because I refused to be exploited and pay the entire thing. I finally had to tell her to stop texting me.Later I followed up with animal control to confirm I took the best action. Despite the owner/support staff member I really care about dogs. the officer was shocked, wanted to know the name of the clinic, confirmed he also did not see any injuries beside a tiny mark on ear which did not appear to be a puncture wound. His advice was not to give this woman or vet practice another cent. So I sleep easy knowing I did the best I could but didn't allow myself to be manipulated or taken advantage of.I honestly can't imagine my own Veterinary office ever behaving this way. It made me love Arlington Animal Clinic even more. Thanks also to the other reviewers on YELP that shared their experience at commonwealth Vet, many of which were similar to mine. Read Less

I have been bringing my animals here for 12 years - the doctors are excellent and the support staff and vet techs are great - my pets have always been treated very well here and the whole team is always very kind and supportive to the humans in the family! Read Less

I've been taking my second dog, Sandy to Commonwealth Veterinary Hospital since he was a young pup ( rescued from a shelter ). He will be eleven (11) at the end of November, but you wouldn't know it by the way he acts. Loves to run and occasionally, will pull me by the leash. He still thinks he's a PUP! The staff is very attentive to his ( and my ) needs. The care he receives is excellent. And no, I'm not getting paid to say this. My first dog, Casey was also cared for by C.V. M. and lived to the age of thirteen ( 13 ), sadly passing away with cancer. Simply stated, if you want a knowledgeable, friendly and reliable place to have your dog/cat medical care, then Commonwealth Veterinary Hospital is the place to be! Read Less

I went here when my cat's leg got hurt.  We never really went to a vet in the past so didn't know what to expect but the horror stories posted on yelp had me a little intimidated. I called Saturday morning and got a appointment a few hours later.  We got there early and they took us right in and took my cats vitals.  The vet herself, Dr Joseph was fantastic and spent 40 minutes with us going over injury and answering all our questions.  I never felt blown off by the Dr and she showed great care and compassion for my cat.Her examine was enough and no x-ray was needed.  I felt they were very honest and strait forward with us.  Gave us meds and instructions for the care of our cat and the price, IMO, was very fair.2 days later a different doctor called and followed up with us to make sure everything was going well.  She gave follow up instructions and answered my questions.  She even offered us to come in 2Months to weigh our cat (overweight) to see how the diet is going, free of charge. Overall I am very happy I came here and would recommend this practice to all those looking for patient and caring vets.Update:  Been here a few more times and again was impressed with their professionalism and bed-side manner. Read Less

Like Mike M my experience is with Dr Hawk and he has been wonderful. If all of the covering vets were like him I would have given  5 starsI too have found Dr Hawk to be empathic, caring and patient and not interested in pursuing tertiary care or more treatment than necessary. I have had the sad experience where one of my dogs aged gracefully until he needed to be euthanized.  I appreciated the concern that was shown for both of us by the office.  We were seen early am before the office opened and while it is never a good experience it truly was quite peaceful.With my next dog who was a rescue he was incredibly reassuring and could see the dog underneath the adjustment reaction he was having. I am very thankful he has been out vet Read Less

Our family loves Commonwealth Veterinary Hospital. We have found everyone there to be friendly and knowledgeable in caring for our cat and two dogs. We usually see Dr. Wissel, who is exceptional. She is wonderful at follow up regarding the status of our animals or answers to our questions. Even when we have needed to see a specialist elsewhere, they have been wonderful about communicating with us throughout our animals' treatment to follow up and make sure our animals were getting the best care possible. We have also seen Dr. Joseph who is very good.Read Less

All of my four-legged babies have been going to Commonwealth Vet for over 12 years. Every visit is met with the most comprehensive and thoughtful approach to care. We moved out of state for the last couple of years, but I am so pleased to be back and able to access Commonwealth Vet again. It is 100% the 1 hour drive for me. Best practice ever! Read Less

Commonwealth Vet is most certainly is in need of an up to date assessment. We just got our little French Bulldog Dockers in October 2012. He has been seen by Dr. Hawk, Dr. Mercurio (who is currently not working there anymore) and most recently by Dr. Wissel. All the visits have been amazing. They really work hard to make you feel part of the family. They are also awesome with explaining what's going on with your pet, not just giving medication for no reason, or testing for no reason. The staff has known our name since day one. They are also great with calling back for over the phone consults at no additional charge. They are also awesome with pet insurance! Even though they don't endorse one over another, they will help you accomplish any paperwork necessary for a claim. They are so patient with nervous pet owners like myself. Couldn't imagine going anywhere else. Read Less

If i could give zero stars I would. I have never had such an unpleasant, unhelpful, and rude experience at any kind of hospital -- and that was just the receptionist. It is clear to me that the employees could care less about me and my pets. Not only was I treated like a nuisance,  I was abruptly hung up on, and given sass. In addition, this hospital charges absurd fees (DNA removal for an ear swab??) and continuously suckers patients into paying ridiculous amounts for minor medical issues. I will be taking my animals elsewhere ASAP. Read Less

This is a community practice, so which veterinarian you get really can impact your experience.  We've brought our dogs to Dr. Hawk for years, and we love Dr. Hawk.  When we've had to use other vets at this practice, I've largely found them lacking.  So, the rest of the review (and the rating) are essentially for Dr. Hawk...When we got our first dog, we really wanted a vet that would take some amount of time to get to know the dog (we had one that didn't even know his name) and would have a philosophy compatible to ours (i.e., to not over-treat).  We were really impressed with Dr. Hawk from the first time we met him, owing to his direct but compassionate nature, thorough understanding of veterinary medicine, and his not overreacting to small issues.In our years of working with Dr. Hawk, we never felt he was trying to push some sort of service or procedure on us just to make a buck.  For example, when our GSD was being neutered, I asked that they x-ray his hips in order to see if there was any early sign of dysplasia.  After the procedure, Dr. Hawk showed me the x-rays and took the time to explain what a proper hip joint looks like and how one of my dog's hips was just a little loose, but that it really wasn't a problem.  A lesser vet would have tried to push a $5k-per-hip procedure to "fix" something that wasn't really a problem.Oh, and the reason Dr. Hawk could see my dog's hips so clearly is that they have state of the art equipment.  Some other local vets have x-ray capabilities that are so dated they're barely useful!I highly recommend Dr. Hawk, but I definitely do not recommend the other vets at this practice. Read Less

I wish my dog can talk, and I am sure that he can tell you a better story about Dr. Larry Hawk who saved his life from a complicated diabetic illness. My dog is 8 year old and was diagnosed with diabetes which my original vet at Angell Animal Medical Center failed to manage with insulin injections, medications and dietary modification. Right after I brought my dog to Dr. Larry Hawk, the very next day, my dog felt immediately better using Dr. Hawk's insulin injection and dietary formula. Now, my dog lives a relatively normal life. I never feel as if I am being rushed and I am part of a production line as I have often felt with other vets and veterinary hospitals. Dr. Larry Hawk and his staff are most compassionate, understanding and caring people you could wish for. My Dog also has been treated by Dr. Jessica Baron who is very thorough and compassionate with my dog. My dog loves her! Read Less