Beware: Many of the reviews on here are old. Here is an update: Our experience has been terrible, but we kept going back, but not any longer. They are great at charging a lot of money for tests and medication that doesn't do anything. They are terrible at responding when you really need them. We brought our first dog in for an exam after he was limping. After running many tests, and lots of money, they said they found nothing. Two weeks later he was on the ground in our house, couldn't get him out of the house without hurting him. We called the clinic, they offered no help. Response was as cold as ice. He died the same day. We thought it was us and justified the actions, so we since got a puppy, and have been bringing him there. Recently, he developed a limp (unbelievable). After more exams, medication, and money, his limp is not only still there, it is significantly worse. (Oh, they have found nothing). We called the clinic about the severity of the limp, they said they can't do anything until Monday. Offered no guidance or suggestions. Said if we can't wait, we should go to another clinic. Cold as ice. I wish this clinic wasn't in Winchester. I do not recommend going. I will say, the co-founder, who has since reduced his hours, is very nice. It is clear, without his leadership, this clinic is doomed. Read Less

After searching for days, we finally found an office uses thimerosol-free (lower mercury load) vaccinations, and for the first time our little guy didn’t have a negative response to the vaccine. The office was also quaint, quiet and courteous. It’s a little bit of a drive for us (Tewksbury), but well worth it. As long as they keep using the thimerosol-free vaccination, we’ll keep coming back when his shots are due. Read Less

I hate to say it but after 25 years of going elsewhere for routine care etc., I think they are the best so far. If you like references , please call their office for my contact. We LOVE Dr. Chase and Tony, and the whole ever-changing staff. We means my doggie and her human family. Read Less

I can't say enough good things about Winchester Veterinary Group. I have two cavalier spaniels but have been coming here since the late 90s when we owned a golden. We see Dr. Beatriz Thayer, and she is SO smart clinically and amazingly kind as well. She hugs and kisses my cavaliers (and trust me, their breath isn't the best!)I've been an RN for a very long time and know a great diagnostician when I see one. Dr Thayer is absolutely incredible-I trust her judgment implicitly. We have also seen Drs Zanotti and Chase.. both so lovely and sharp clinically as well.Take your pet here, even if it's a long ride. Worth every mile. Oh, and their prices are very reasonable. Read Less

I've entrusted the care of my pets, both cats and dogs, to this group. Although some of the vets, techs and front desk staff have changed over the years the level of professionalism, expertise and compassion remain constant. Read Less

Everyone at this Vet Group from the front desk staff, the vet techs and the Vets are absolutely the best!  I don't know what would have happened to my Marley if it wasn't for their hard work and dedication to their patient.  The staff puts the pet owners at ease and you never leave there without all the information you need after any visit from an annual check up to a more complicated surgery. Read Less

I understand that I am an employee at the vet so my opinion shouldn't necessarily count because of course I'm giving the clinic a 5 star rating.. but hear me out! What attracted me to this clinic was the fact the the entire staff sincerelyyyyy cares about animals & the owners. That's what counts & that is whar matters. True & sincere. Plus, my pets also see the doctors at wvg and each of them are all amazing! Read Less

The doctors as well as the staff are all very Professional, knowledgeable, and caring. They are also very accommodating, very good at diagnosing and they all love the many animals that come through the door. Read Less

Our first visit to this  facility . OMG best doctor visit ever. My dog has anxiety issues with our other vets. Dr. Chase awesome can not thank her and staff enough for making rosco so comfortable. I will be recommending this facility to everyone. Once again thank you for making my dog so content. Read Less

I have a 9 year old lab who has diabetes, hypothyroidism, cataracts, arthritis, glaucoma, and is for the most part blind. We had previously taken him to a different vet and weren't happy with their service, so a friend recommended we go here and they were great. The staff at the front desk were very nice, especially the woman with dark curly hair. She came right over to our dog and was petting him and trying to calm down his barking. Our dog is a barker and most people get really annoyed with it, but they were very nice. We saw Dr. Vo and she was amazing. She took her time with us and made me feel so much better about our dog's condition. He has an extensive medical history and she came in the room with his file which had all post-it notes in it so she really looked into what was going on with him. She was just awesome and I hope to have her next time. As for price, it was a lot cheaper than the first vet we took our dog to and even the second vet. I was expecting a much higher price for an office visit and two medication refills, but they are affordable. I feel very comfortable having them care for my dog. I will definitely recommend Dr. Vo and this office to others! Read Less

Dr. Zanotti and his colleagues have been looking after my cats for years. They are very sensitive to my cats needs. The office staff are very helpful and remember me and my cats. I drive 18 miles each way to see Dr. Zanotti. He's that good. He doesn't always require me to bring my cats in. If it's a known issue, I can call him and he'll telephone a prescription into my pharmacy. Read Less

This is an animal-centered veterinary clinic, rather than a profit driven one--and that makes a huge difference in patient/human-to-clinician interactions. The veterinarians and staff all love animals, and respect a person's beliefs about 'how far to go' when an animal isn't responding to standard care. I have had to deal with end-of-life care with them 4 times now, and have no regrets. This facility is not a hospital (so no overnight care), but they appropriately refer someone to one of the local vet hospitals if the animal requires that sort of care. Read Less

After moving to the area we noticed some fleas on our cat.  Never having to deal with fleas before we researched treatments and found that prescription meds were safer and more effective then over-the-counter treatments.  When I called and told them what we were bringing our cat in for they said to bring her to a groomer.  Um......I declined and made an appointment at another area vet that prescribed a safer medication then the flea collar we were using.  After reading other reviews it seems this place is associated with a groomer so I guess the suggestion makes a little more sense although I don't see how grooming my cat alone with successfully treat a prevent fleas. Read Less

Love this place.  My parents have been taking their cats to Dr.Z for years now so when I finally got my own sweet boy I knew there was no where else to go.  Dr. Z is wonderful and a cat person which I adore.  He also does not scold me for only feeding my cat dry food, which I have had more than one vet do.  While I do find the prices a little high (but considering the area I can't say I'm surprised) they don't push tests that don't need to be done on a healthy indoor cat.  All in all love love love this place and if you have a cat, go to Dr. Zanotti Read Less

I'm new to the area and was recommended to WVG by a vet acquaintance of mine. I called to make an appointment for my cat whose eye was looking a little icky. They were able to fit me in early the following morning. I had explained to them that my cat is a very bad patient often trying to bite and scratch whoever is near him. This is a cat who was banned from another vet (unless he was sedated) because of his antics. Anyway, when Dr. Z came in the room, he immediately started trying to ease my cat's distress by talking to him gently and giving him some treats. By the time I put kitty on the exam table, he wasn't nearly as bitey/scratchy or distressed as he normally gets. He actually allowed Dr. Z to do a fairly decent examination (Well, there was some growling and hissing and spitting involved, but a cat can't change his stripes in one day, y'all) and he even managed to sneak in one vaccine and put meds in his eye. I was amazed- this has never happened before. Usually, my cat's visits can hardly be considered visits because by the time the vet gets there, kitty is already furious about the injustices that have been committed against him (i.e. vitals), and all the vet can do is look at him through the screen of the carrier for about 2 seconds. So, the fact that Dr. Z didn't even need to bring out the leather gloves (which actually makes things worse) was evidence enough that this is the vet for us. Dr. Z is calm, cool and collected. He never seemed annoyed and was super patient with my little "angel".  All in all, this was a good experience from the moment we walked in (super friendly staff) to when we left.  It doesn't hurt that they have reasonable prices too! Read Less

A great new doctor has joined this able, team-oriented staff, Dr. Gabriele Chase.  She's an excellent diagnostician and laid out a number of options for proceeding to treat our dog, noting the pros and cons and possible consequences of each, and left it to us to decide.  She's obviously very knowledgeable and was happy to answer all our questions.  We think our goldendoodle is lucky to be in her care while we're here in MA. Read Less

Very professional and courtesy staff. My two boxer dogs Charger & Diesel have received excellent care from Dr. Zanotti. In particular, Dr. Zanotti took special interest in Charger (now eight years old)who had three surgeries on his rear knees when he was just a year old. He's always looked after Charger with TLC. Charger is living a great life with his Brother Diesel. Thank you Winchester Veterinary Group. I truly appreciate all that you do! Best, Adam C. Winchester, MARead Less

Extremely slow, they called for my cats Rx saying it was ready... I get there and it wasnt even prepared. Takes them 20 minutes to get it done. I'm in the pharmacy profession.... Human Prescriptions don't take this long. Read Less

My family started going to Winchester Vet Group years ago and have stayed with them ever since. We've had multiple cats and dogs and have always been pleased with the outstanding treatment our fur babies have received. :) Read Less

Any vet that can keep pace with our high-needs cats earns five stars in my book.  Dr. Thayer is amazing; she goes above and beyond the call of duty.  She's compassionate, patient, caring, and understanding.  The staff is amazing; always asking about our cats and remembering all of the little things.  There are few places/people my wife and I are comfortable leaving our animals with, and Winchester Vet Group is one of them.  We travel 25 minutes just to come here. Read Less

Let me start by saying that I am an overprotective dog parent.  My husband and I don't have any children, so our "girls" are our world.  I've spent a lot of money and time in the past at Angell Memorial when we lived in the city, and even took one of my dogs to a homeopathic vet at one point when she was dying of liver cancer.  Suffice it to say, I've read a lot and spent a lot and questioned a lot - that I'm probably an over knowledgable pet owner/consumer that can be pretty darn particular about my pet's veterinary care...During the 6 years we lived in Winchester (up until May 2012), we took our yorkies to WVG.  I found the staff to be friendly and responsive.  When we first moved to Winchester from Boston, we originally took our two yorkies to Dr. Diehl but then switched to Dr. Zanotti because 1) I got the sense (right or wrong) that Dr. Diehl preferred and had more patience for larger, less nervous dogs and 2) our vet at Angell highly recommended Dr. Zanotti, voluntarily telling me how smart he is and how good he is with animals.  (This senior level vet worked with Dr. Z when he was with Angell).  So, after our first yorkie passed away we adopted another yorkie, and that is when we switched to Dr. Zanotti.  Probably about 4 years agoAnyway, Dr. Zanotti is a DREAM veterinarian!  He is very smart, gentle, kind, and you can tell that the man most honestly and truly loves animals.  He would look our little dogs in the eye and smile at them as though they were his own little dogs.  If our dog happened to be walking around the floor of the examination room when he came in, he would put down the file, and get down to the floor to greet her.  On one of those occasions, our older dog was so nervous about being at the vet, she sneezed, and - well...passed gas with a little "extra" and it hit Dr. Zanotti - SPLAT - on his shirt!  He didn't blink - jump - or anything.  His focus was on Penny and helping her feel less stressed.  He simply has an amazing, special way with animals.   During one of the last visits with Dr. Z, our other yorkie, Bridget, greeted him by dancing/prancing around, circling happily while looking back at him like he was absolutely wonderful, and kept trying to give him kisses!  I had NEVER imagined any dog to be so HAPPY to see their Vet - let alone like this with such enthusiasm!    Last year my Bridget snatched a chunk of cantaloupe that had fallen on the floor.  She was having difficulty getting it down (it wasn't in her windpipe, but I was convinced it was!).  In a panic we called Dr. Zanotti's office, and they told me to bring her in right away and they would clear an examination room for when we arrived and Dr. Z would be waiting for her.  When we got there Dr. Z whisked her away to the back.  Fortunately, it all turned out well - Dr. Z is great.I want to also add that I've never felt that they pushed me to run additional tests.  If they make a suggestion they will tell you why and let you decide how far to pursue testing.I also like that Dr. Z never pushed medication on us like some vets.  He would provide options and understood when I would opt to wait and see or try a less aggressive option (I hate medication - generally).  He was understanding and never pushed me to make my dogs get annual distemper shots when I told him that I prefer to test their immune system for antibodies first with a titer test.  He would also question how often they would be around other dogs, be outside - and didn't encourage me to have them inoculated against more outdoor water borne diseases, etc. that, say, a Lab living in Carlisle might need.   (Many other vets would push to give shots - namely because - as I understand it - they make more $ per shot than what they make drawing blood and sending it to a lab).  Dr. Z would also - if an absolute emergency specific to your chronically sick pet, return a call on his DAY off (that is, when the other vets were in the office at the time and could answer a question) - and would even take a call on his day off if he happened to be in the office at the time I called.   With all of these skills and abilities, Dr. Z has ZERO "primo uomo" attitude (the female equivalent to "prima donna")  - he's just a smart, caring, kindhearted soul who loves animals and who just happens to be a terrific Vet!  My only negative feedback about the practice is the way medications are tracked in the patient file.  For quick reference - esp. in an emergency - they really need to keep a separate LIST of  *ALL* medications, dates and dosages, etc.  that THEY prescribed.  Currently they keep notes  WITHIN the treatment notes - not listed separately - EXCEPT the one list of the meds you PURCHASE AT THE OFFICE (purchase history/billing)  - vs. keeping ALL of them - including meds they call out to RiteAid/CVS, 1-800-PETMEDS, etc. in one place. Consequently, I had to keep a running list myself so that I could give this info TO the nurses rather than the other way around. Read Less

I have been taking our dog to Dr. Thayer for about 3 plus years now and could not be any happier.  Our dog is rescue, and she is VERY nervous.  Dr. Thayer and the staff really understand this and are amazing to her.  I also appreciate their reasonable pricing.  Over all a fabulous place to take your pet! Read Less

My family of animal lovers relied on this group for 20 years. Reasons for my low rating: 1) The tech told me to spay a puppy the following week with no bloodwork. Turned out I took the puppy to different hospital who insisted on pre-spay blood work and she was Lyme positive. The spay was delayed because she needed to be treated. The dog is now two years old and tests Lyme negative. No thanks to Winchester Vet Group. 2) It is not a state-of-the-art hospital, which is available for pets today. They cannot perform non-invasive surgery, for instance. I go to a hospital with digital x-rays, ultrasounds, and more. 3) A vet tech there actually performed an examination in the reception area standing. 4) If you bring your pet in for a vaccine, they simply take it out back and pass the poor dog back to you, like an object. They ask no questions about the animal's health, so the primary method of preventative medicine is administering vaccines. 5) Regarding Anonymous' post: Two young women, a receptionist and a vet tech (?) said they did not know what kind of owner I was before checking their database, were angered that I would not bring a puppy in the office until an examination room was available and acted out. To this day, I can not believe how crazy there were and stunned that no one corrected them. They also accused, me of all people, of animal abuse for leaving my puppy in an air conditioned car with my mother while waiting for a room to become available. I will not put up with such negativity or have it around my dog. My expectations of a vet: I expect to have the same level of medical treatment I would expect for myself. I The vet I have been going to now is a state-of -the-art hospital. Prior to administering a vaccine, the vet techs ask you questions about your pet's health, take notes that go into a permanent record. The vet I go to now is very big on preventative medicine, hence the questions. The offer alternative holistic therapies. Vets do not perform miracles. They are highly skilled and had the equipment to perform a non-invasive spay which was 65% less painful and had no stitches. It was difficult to keep my dog still from her canine playmates for a week and leaping about as she required no pain medication. She will never have known the pain of a old school spay and it's physical trauma early in life. The staff is professional and kind to all living creatures and serious about providing the very best of care available today. I associate a living creature's well being with the level of care they are provided. My dog wiggles and wags her way in and out of the hospital. They call her a social butterly. You would swear their patients are people. They are inspiring. I gave one extra star for WVG taking care of putting my dog's beloved grand mother to sleep when she was very ill. They were very good to her. As well as for all the years before state-of-the-art medicine was available at a vet that Dr. Zanotti took care of all our pets. He is a compassionate person. His current staff, however does him a disservice. Read Less

I happen to be there the day Chloe came to Winchester Veterinary Group, I was picking up food for my dog, I have to say, that you Chloe, were very rude, almost scary to be honest, I was actually a little scared for your little puppy... I can honestly say that the staff asked you in a very nice manner if you had left the air conditioning on in your car , it was out of concern, but due to the fact that you seemed to be looking for trouble you took this opportunity to attack the staff, who I must say was very calm considering your nasty verbal assault on the 2 receptionist who seemed to be in shock by your terrible behavior, the nurse who took charge did what any sane person would do, and that was to tell you to shut up in a nice way, you are one of those people we all hope to avoid in this world, you are mean, rude, arrogant, and behaved like a child, instead of writing this complaint, you should be taking a good hard look at yourself as a person, take some time to realize that when you act like that, people feel bad for you, they are embarrassed for you, I apologize if you do indeed have a medical problem that causes you to act this way, it seemed that way... I have been a client of Winchester Vet Group, for many years as are many people I know, and I am talking about most of my town and this Veterinary office goes above and beyond for there clients, they love animals more then you can ever claim to, I always know that when I go there my pet will be treated as their own, I have never heard a bad word about this wonderful hospital until now,and I felt I had to defend them since I was there and these reviews seem to be one sided, Winchester Veterinary Group is truly a Gem of a place, I would never want to go anywhere else, and I can assure everyone that this was an incident to be witnessed I have to commend the staff on acting and handling the situation in a very mature manner, I am not sure I would have remained so calm, it is not acceptable to act the way you did Chloe, but it was acceptable for the staff to talk to you they way they did, as you were out of control, maybe from now on your husband should do your errands since you seem to not be able to adapt in normal society without acting like a raving lunatic... I also wanted to say that you were bragging in the waiting room about how much you purchased your dog for from a breeder, not a shelter I might add, and then you have the nerve to complain about the price you spent on your puppy's check-up you are one of those pet owners who thinks they know it all, but you Chloe know nothing, if you are so smart and above everyone, why must I ask did you not adopt a poor homeless animal from the shelter, well because then you could not go around spouting off at the mouth that you spent a fortune on your fancy breed, but then fail to mention that you hate to spend money on the poor pup to take it to the vet.. you are a sad excuse for an animal lover, pet owner and person.... I hope that none of you have to experience Chloe's presence in your place of business.. and if you do, I feel bad for you....... Read Less

I wanted to write a review of the clinic for a long time but always got sidetracked.  However, a recent health incident with my pug and how he is coming out of it really forces me do that.Our two pugs almost died after their first year general vaccinations by another veterinarian in the area, and Dr. Zanotti of Winchester Vet Group was highly recommended by a neighbor.  In fact, walking our dogs  in Winchester Common, we met a number of fellow dog owners unanimously recommending him.  So we took our puppies there to clean up the allergies mess that was created by the first vet - and we stayed with Dr. Zanotti for over 6 years now.  And let me tell you - we do NOT regret it for a moment.In general, whether it is an emergency (our pug had a weird and severe cough spell a few months ago, and my husband and I panicked as these two pugs are everything to us) or a routine matter.  The staff are friendly, you immediately feel like you are in a great animal-loving universe the moment you walk in.   The clinic is very clean and  professionally set up, you immediately sense the level of care they are capable to provide you with.Our pugs are super-spoiled primadonnas, they feel that they are "canine Americans", not just dogs.  They truly feel that they are far above dogs in general.  .  I know it sounds very strange at best, but neither Dr. Zanotti nor any of the staff questioned this attitude of ours  (as opposed to our first vet who kept saying "dogs are dogs, don't treat them as children").  Well, we happen to treat them like kids - and our vet is playing along with us.  He is very gentle, kind and even affectionate with our a-social pugs and they let him do their examination with no problem.Earlier this week, one of our pugs developed a very weird neck / breathing problem.   I spoke to Dr. Zanotti on the phone first (he ALWAYS takes  phone calls) who explained to me what the next step in monitoring this situation should be.  We had to do an emergency appointment with him the next day, and - despite the fact that he is in surgeries one day of the week - they were able to squeeze us in to make sure the situation is under control.  What we admire the most in this particular doctor is that when he speaks to you assessing an issue and going over different options, you can see how experienced and well-advanced he is with the  science of vet medicine.  He comes across as a professional who is not slugging on his continued professional development - and that is very comforting to know as you want to work with someone who is fully aware of the newest developments in veterinary medicine.  Next, he speaks to you as a professional and not as a salesman.   I am sure many will agree with me that it is a major turn-off when professionals appear as used cars salesmen.  As the co-owner of my own professional business, I can easily see when the service is offered in a classy way vs. being pushed on you, frequently, unnecessarily.   When Dr. Zanotti talks about  treatment options, you first see the professional who puts the health of your pet above all, with a "sale" static absent  - and  he always gives you different options to pursue.  We NEVER felt like we have been sold a service we did not need, and we always had a choice in different - conservative or very advanced (and, frequently, costly) - options.  In situation we had this week, Dr. Zanotti promptly (at 8 am!) called the day he said he would with the blood test results and wanted to hear about the developments for the past two days.  He really listens, too!  After hearing what I had to say, he  went over both conservative and an aggressive approach.  We decided to try a conservative approach, and he prescribed a medication for it.  When I picked it up later in the day, the staff even included additional syringes with a red marks for the correct dosage for medication!    Suffice it to say, the medication worked so well, the next day the dog was as good as new!    I spoke to Dr. Zanotti who called to follow up (!), and he instructed me how to monitor the situation and to assure complete recovery.This is just one example - I could go on and on.  Our pugs are generally healthy but when something happens and we don't know how to deal with it,  we freak out.   So I feel very lucky to have landed at the clinic's doorsteps as clients, and we are here to stay.  After hearing horrific stories from many about their vet experiences, we feel blessed to have Dr. Zanotti to be our vet and that clinic as his base.  Cheers - and thank you, Dr. Zanotti and Winchester Vet Group,  from the bottom of our hearts for our precious snobs' being under  your terrific care! Read Less

Wow. New to the area so I was nervous about taking my pup in for an appointment to a new vet. This group was highly recommended so we gave it a whirl. Saw Dr. Diehl - who spent over an hour with us - after xrays, arthritis meds, heartworm supply, and blood tests - the bill was less than $300 (unheard of to get this kind of DVM attention for such a reasonable price). Everyone in the office loved the animals (there were birds, and several office dogs), and I was very pleased. My pup has a decent bill of health for a senior and she was not scared at all of the vets or the technicians because of their great "bedside" manner. Kudos. We will return without paws, er, pause. Read Less