I have brought my dog here for years and was content with the service here, until this past week. I brought my dog in recently to have his warts checked out and figure out his butt-scootin' issue. Dr. Murtha says that he had anal sac issue probably and should just be expressed. Then the doctor and her tech left to another room with my dog to get his butt shaved and nails cut as per the doctor. She didn't give any explanation as to why the hair is to be shaved besides the fact that she thinks it's a little long...that should've been a warning for me because he didn't have long hair... That following evening he starts having irritation and I check his butt to see that it looks infected. We waited a day to make sure before bringing him back to the doctor. We went back on Thursday but they were not available at 3pm; we ended up at another vet. That doctor told us that his irritation and infection is more than likely caused by a bad shave (he was basically bare skin.) I am so upset with the fact that I've been to this vet with him for so many years and such a small visit became a huge one that affected my dog's health AND my parent's wallet. Their staff is friendly but I'm never going back there. I don't want my dog to go through anymore traumatic experiences like that. Read Less

Dr. Murtha and I had a disagreement about the end-of-life diagnosis and treatment for my ailing 12 ½ year old dog. I opted for comfort over diagnosis/treatment. My dog had to be euthanized 1 month later. Due to this disagreement, Dr. Murtha giving me a bad reference on a subsequent pet adoption application. And as a result, my application was rejected. My dog had been her patient for 12 years and was always up-to-date on all vaccinations and heartworm testing and treatment. So if you go to Dr. Murtha, be prepared to lose your right to choose the treatment that you want for your pet. Otherwise, you will not be able to use her as a reference. I learned the hard way. Now I am buying a dog from a breeder. Needless to say, Dr. Murtha will no longer be our vet. Read Less

I don't like it here. The receptionist is rude and seems like she just doesn't care about anything. Same with the vet. They don't explain anything to you. Always feel like I wait and then they rush you when you're done. Feels like she only does this for a living for the money. They snuck in cat vitamins and didn't even tell me what for. If I didn't ask questions I would get no where with explanations of anything or making an appointments. It's like you walk in and not even a hello.  They do what they do and take your money and see ya till next time which you have to ask them when to come back.  Only reason I go is because it's close and they support people for animals spay and neuter.  Which is a nice discount but they try to throw in other expenses that aren't necessary too.  So over this place. Read Less

I don't know where the bad reviews are coming from... The doctor is amazing. She wouldn't let my cat get fixed because she had a cold. To me that proves that this place is not all about the money. My dog and cat get great care here and I have never felt pressured into paying for any extra services. The area is expensive in general so yes this place is a little up there in price, but in my opinion it is worth it for the quality of care.Read Less

We first used this vet for our cat who was really sick. The vet indicated that she did not think the cat is likely to recover (she was super sensitive and respectful in delivering the news). The cat was very young so we opted to try and treat her anyway and ended up taking the cat to a full service animal hospital (over the weekend as this vet was closed) and spending a very large amount of money. The cat unfortunately died about 10 days after the initial diagnosis. We should have listened to the vet here (would have saved a lot of heart ache and funds). We now have this vet see our two dogs as well and our new cat. They are super nice, have never been rude, and are extremely flexible. We have never had a problem getting a quick appointment (which was not the case with our former vet at a much larger facility). Our cat and dogs love them. Read Less

This was an horrible experience for me. People who pick up the phone and entire office staff was so rude. They dont greet or answer your questions like human being, they dont look at your face and they treat customers like dirt. I have 2 dogs and they are big part of our family. I went there to get my puppy spayed but in the day of surgery i had to walk out because i couldnt leave my baby in their hands. Doctor Murtha doesnt know what she is doing, she is incompetent and very disrespectful. I m not even sure if she is certified vet. I m assuming people who answers the phone are all junkies, this woman with blue hair was absolutely unprofessional and she was abusive to me and my husband. THIS IS A NOTE FOR ALL THE ANIMAL LOVERS: I DONT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE WHAT SO EVER, PLEASE DONT GO THERE, DONT LEAVE YOUR FUR BABIES ON THEIR HANDS. Read Less

I appreciate the staff for fitting me in for 2 emergency visits within 2 weeks though I had not used this facility in the past for veterinary care for my cat. I prefer the minimal use of medication and testing. I was able to negotiate with them regarding treatments provided. I found the vet tech Mary to be particularly helpful. Read Less

I have used many veterinarians over my 20 years of being a pet owner and working in the industry and Dr. Murtha is one of the  least capable vets that i have encountered as far as being diagnostically capable and correct. Read Less

My experiences with this vet have been nothing but positive. Dr. Murtha works within my financial limitations (we've had to "triage" treatments for my cats ever since I started going to her); she gives alternatives, explains and discusses her diagnoses, and answers all my questions. Her assistants are skilled as well. The doctor and her assistants are very helpful over the phone, too.As for the person complaining of a 15-minute wait: In my decades of vet-going in various states, I've found that delays are normal. An owner ahead of you might have come to the appointment late and started a domino effect. An unexpected condition may have been found, the owner may have lots of questions, the animal might be too stressed and uncooperative to treat quickly (I had a cat who would foam at the mouth at the sight of a pill, which made pilling her quite a challenge)... Or there might have been an emergency: an injured stray or (as I know first-hand) an unexpected medical crisis requiring euthanasia. I can't imagine ever downgrading a vet because of a short delay. Read Less

The staff was very kind to my dog and to me. However, I felt pushed into doing tests and getting meds that I didn't understand and found out later from other vets, that I didn't even need. The pricing for everything was ridiculously high and I believe this Vet is in it for the money, firstly. I actually felt a little scammed. So, if you don't care about spending large amounts of money on things that are not necessary but are still good for your pet(not necessary) then fine. I am sure you can trust your pet with Dr.Murtha, I would. But, certainly not my wallet. Read Less

The staff was very kind to my dog and to me. However, I felt pushed into doing tests and getting meds that I didn't understand and found out later from other vets, that I didn't even need. The pricing for everything was ridiculously high and I believe this Vet is in it for the money, firstly. I actually felt a little scammed. So, if you don't care about spending large amounts of money on things that are not necessary but are still good for your pet(not necessary) then fine. I am sure you can trust your pet with Dr.Murtha, I would. But, certainly not my wallet. Read Less

1.0 star rating 2/14/2014 Dr. Murtha and her assistant totally bullied me into giving my cat a blood test and X-ray ($455.)to see if my cat had some underlying reason for throwing up, even though my cat had just had a rabies shot and was sick from that day forward. I read it was common after a rabies shot for sensitive cats, which my cat had a history of. I brought my 6 mo. old cat to see her, my cat was not eating for a week following a rabies shot and being neutered, but because my cat was extremely active and playful I thought she would start eating. No food for 4 days and then tried eating for two but kept throwing up. I went to see Dr. Murtha for an anti- vomiting shot which she gave and it worked immediately. She sold me additional medicine which was a waste of money $66I actually never even used it, she said it will promote eating and that he had a slight low grade fever. Soon as my cat started eating, right there in her office, he was fine. I hung out for at least a half hour after he ate and he never threw up again. Cost of Original office visit was $62. and anti-vomiting shot $44. that's the total amount I should have spent there. She is a Criminal and should be arrested for being a con artist and thief. I spent a total of $510.Read Less

It took us years to find a good vet in the area, and we are so glad we finally found Amboy Ave Vet. All of the staff are very caring and loving to the animals that come in, as is Dr. Murtha. They have never pushed something on us that we felt the dogs didn't need. Unlike the other vets that have tried to force me to leave my dog there for dental work, she simply told me "we will need to keep an eye on his teeth". They were great with our old dog that passed last year, we were especially pleased with the wonderful care he got when he got very ill right at the end. They have also been great with the new puppy, and our middle aged guy. When our Leo passed last year, we were so touched by the personal and thoughtful condolence card they sent. You could tell that the people that signed the card knew who Leo was, he wasn't just another dog in the crowd. They might not be the cheapest vet I have been too, but they are certainly not the most expensive, not by a long shot, and the quality of care is worth the few extra dollars to know my dogs are well cared for. Read Less

When our 15 year old bichon/poodle got sick these guys did everything they could to give us more time with our little friend. They were great every step of the way and we could tell they really cared. When he needed overnight care for dehydration, they let us know we could take him home rather then leave him there and take our money.They called to check in when they learned we went to the emergency hospital in Red Bank and sent us a really nice card when his time came that everyone signed. It's things like that you don't forget. I have no issues bringing my 2 guys here. Read Less

We recently got a lab puppy (our fourth retriever in 25 years) and our current vet was retiring. Looked around for a new vet and hear good things about Amboy Vet Hospital. Went in for a first visit with a list of questions. Found Dr Murtha very patient with me and my questions. I was very happy with how she related to our puppy and with the information I received. I don't know if she was the most inexpensive vet around, but she was no more expensive than our prior vet (iselin animal hospital). I also believe one gets what they pay for, and I want top care for our dog.I have been back twice more to complete the shots and continue to be happy with both the Dr and the staff, who couldn't be nicer to me or our dog. Read Less