My cat needs medication twice a day for a chronic condition. I called Hickory about medical lodging, which is advertised on their website. The woman answering the phone could not have been more unpleasant and rude to me. I was simply asking basic questions to find out how it works and she was speaking to me so rudely. If you want to put yourself out of business, Hickory, keep these type of people answering your phones. I hung up the phone; they won't be getting my business. Read Less

This is a difficult review for me because my opinion goes in so many directions. I have dealt with this hospital before, in fact this is the 3rd time. Unfortunately it was always in a emergency situation on a Saturday night :( when most Veterinary Clinics are closed!My review would be too long so I'll concentrate on this last one. My cat suddenly had problems walking and kind of stumbled down the steps. Looking really sick and weak. We rushed to Hickory Veterinary Hospital.  When you walk in you can tell it's going to be expensive, because  it looks like a hospital for people! We got registered (receptionist was very nice), and waited on right away. They were very attentive and caring for my 7 year old tabby.  Unfortunately he had to be hospitalized . Hickory called me the next morning with updates and will let you know what needed to be done and the cost.  This is where I have a problem.  When I say what needs to be done I mean everything! Their prices are exorbitant,  charging for every little thing.  Example: with another cat of mine they had to put a catheter in, the next day somehow it came out. The doctor called and wanted to charge me to replace it! "Are you kidding me, this is a animals, is anyone watching him or restraining him so it doesn't come out!!" They wanted to charge me a couple of hundred dollars just to replace it. When I got done yelling they didn't charge me.Anyway, if your animal is really sick you're in trouble. By time they get through with bloodwork, ultrasounds etc. You will have a few thousand to pay.Long story short my cat had acute and under lying chronic kidney failure :( and had to be put to sleep. I feel the doctor's were excellent,  taking time to answer all of my questions so I could make the right decision. They would get 5 stars. The hospital is very nice, clean and airy, sitting in a wooded area in Plymouth Meeting. But be very, very aware that they are very expensive!! That's why they get 3 stars! Read Less

I had a wonderful experience at this vet tonight. I took my dog in for an emergency service and found the staff to be great, especially the doctor. He was very kind, patient and helpful. He was sensitive to the dog's needs as well as mine during a very stressful time. I am lucky that my dog wasn't badly injured and the care she needed was minimal, but I thought the price was fair and care was excellent. Read Less

Our Jack Russell was given 2 Cytopoint injections for his allergies. The reaction he had after the second one was so bad that we had him put down. He couldn't walk or sit up by himself. I had always trusted Hickory Hill and the vet didn't think Cytopoint was a problem even though I said that our dog had a reaction to the first shot and I had brought him into their ER the next day. Now that I'm reading about this drug it turns out it's very new and many dogs have suffered and died from it. It wasn't even tested very extensively. We are beyond heartbroken. I'm just posting this to warn other pet parents not to get this dangerous injection for their beloved pets. It is not safe. Read Less

I switched to Hickory based on a recommendation of a coworker. My dog is very healthy, however he has OCD and was a rescue dog who was abused. I do not have a specific doctor … Everyone is wonderful! I do come once a month for a pedicure ( for my dog – not me! ) and the vet techs do a great job. In particular I would like to mention Danonyie, who is not only lovely but handles my boy well. We were there this morning and she did a fantastic job with his nails! Not an easy job! Just wanted to mention and say thank you. Read Less

I was happy bringing my dog here but they are extremely expensive. Quoted me $1000 for neutering and micro chip, getting it done another place for $200. There are probably some differences in that number but $800 worth? Doubtful Read Less

I've been trusting my 3 much-loved huskies to the wonderful vets and staff at Hickory Animal Hospital for over 5 years now - surgeries, wellness visits, life cycle changes, etc. - and have always felt that my pups were getting the best care and that I was getting a tremendous amount of support. Read Less

I love hickory vet. I've never really had a bad experience. My cats primary vet is dr. Clemens and she is great. She is very knowledgeable and my cat seems to like her. The vet techs are nice too. Pricing maybe expensive for anything that is not a routine wellness exam. But if your pet is sick, you have pet insurance and the condition is coverable with that insurance then it's really nothing to worry about. 5 stars all the way for me! Read Less

Don’t waste your time here! They are money hungry and do not have the best interest for your pet. Thank goodness we got a second opinion elsewhere and saved our puppy from having surgery! My puppy fully healed on his own in 2-weeks, and this place wanted to do surgery on him right away! Dr. Brown suggested operating on the fracture immediately without taking a look at the dog and without talking to the dog owner and made a decision based on purely radiographic image. No explanation with the risk and benefits were given for surgery and no personal evaluation/assessment was given by Dr. Brown therefore we wanted a second opinion and got a recommendation for our primary vet to go to another facility. Do yourself a favor, save the money the time and go somewhere else!!! Its purely business here. P.S. Surgery would have cost 2k, plus the $600+ fees we had to pay for just observing him... Read Less

Extremely rude and not helpful. The doctor had a horrible attitude and was insulting to me. Scared of large dogs aswell and unable to perform simple procedures. Do yourself a favor and Take your pet somewhere else. Read Less

Love these people!! They are open 24 hours and have saved my dogs lives ( the one that gets into trouble maybe three times... She knows how to open zippers) They do everything right here so why go to another vet. Read Less

BEWARE....THEY ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF ROBBING YOU! Professional and friendly, HOWEVER, like many of us who don't have insurance for our pets and if you walk in that door with an emergency, Hickory will try to suck every dime out of your wallet. We got charged for unnecessary vaccinations, recommended to keep our dog overnight to perform surgery ASAP, but after numerous calls to Hickory, we find out that afternoon the procedure was never done. They wanted to keep her overnight again with no assurance that anything will be done. AND wanted to continue to charge us THOUSANDS of dollars to keep her overnight. The up charge is ridiculous, items like a "pan bed" was in the 100s, Medications that I can buy for 10-15 dollars, they up charged @ $150!! JUST BEWARE, we ended up bringing her to Steinbach. Whom did everything in one day without an over night stay. And her procedure cost less than the over night stay at Hickory. Oh, they strongly advised to euthanize our baby girl after Hickory said she had 3-6 months to live. ITS BEEN 18 MONTHS and we still have her. Money NOT WELL SPENT. I hate this place. disgusted Read Less

BEWARE....THEY ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF ROBBING YOU!Professional and friendly, HOWEVER, like many of us who don't have insurance for our pets and if you walk in that door with an emergency,   Hickory will try to suck every dime out of your wallet. We got charged for unnecessary vaccinations, recommended to keep our dog overnight to perform surgery ASAP, but after numerous calls to Hickory, we find out that afternoon the procedure was never done. They wanted to keep her overnight again with no assurance that anything will be done. AND wanted to continue to charge us THOUSANDS of dollars to keep her overnight. The up charge is ridiculous, items like a "pan bed" was in the 100s, Medications that I can buy for 10-15 dollars, they up charged @ $150!!JUST BEWARE, we ended up bringing her to Steinbach. Whom did everything in one day without an over night stay. And her procedure cost less than the over night stay at Hickory.Oh, they strongly advised to euthanize our baby girl after Hickory said she had 3-6 months to live. ITS BEEN 18 MONTHS and we still have her. Money NOT WELL SPENT. I hate this place. disgusted Read Less

We love bringing our new puppy here! We really trust their opinions and what they feel is best for our puppy. Hardly any wait time to get in and very easy to schedule. Other vets never called me back to schedule an appointment Read Less

Hickory has been amazing for our cats. I trust them for every emergency. Having a doctor's office that is also a hospital means a seamless transition if there is an emergency. The staff is friendly and always willing to discuss the best options with us before moving forward. We have had four of our pets be in there cat. As sad as it is to mention there end of life care is also sincere, caring and they are willing to give you the answer your pet needs. I recommend Hickory to all of my friends who have pets. They also accept care credit and pet insurance. Read Less

After being a client for over ten years, I agree with the opinion below that quality of care at Hickory has gone way down. One of my cats was treated for a urinary blockage in November. He was a two time cancer survivor and I was used to how he reacts to medications. I specifically told the brand new ER veterinarian to be mindful of how much pain medication he was given because he has a strong reaction. When I went to visit him the next night he was so medicated that he couldn't stand up without falling over. I asked again about his medication and for his primary to call me. They admitted that he was given too much medication and I never did get a phone call. I also noticed that a cyst on his back that we had monitored for years was crusted over with blood and the surrounding area had been shaved. It took 3 days after constant questioning for a vet to admit to me that a vet tech had tried to remove it without permission. The next night his paw was twice the size of the other because of an issue with the IV line and I had to point out the problem. They recognized that there was an issue and had to change the line. He was also clearly suffering from an upper respiratory infection and I had to ask for antibiotics because no one had noticed and he was not being treated. After bringing him home from the hospital he stopped eating and was vomiting. I sought help from Hickory twice and they refused to give me syringes to hand feed him, despite having done so during his cancer treatment. They only offered to sell me more medication. I brought him to another vet who helped me hand feed him. He died a week later from congestive heart failure which was apparently the undiagnosed issue the whole time. My encounters during that time were mostly with fresh out of school, "know it all" vets who worked the ER hours. I stupidly decided to give Hickory another chance because before these issues my history with them had been positive. However, we brought a newly adopted cat in for an initial visit and the vet (again a new doctor) failed to notice that he had a tooth infection. I brought him back around a week later after noticing myself and they told me the tooth was definitely infected and would have to be removed. We paid over $1000 for the cleaning and tooth extraction. When we came home I saw that they had charged us for medication we were not given. Instead of reimbursing us they gave us a "credit" on our account despite their error. 14 days post surgery we received a letter in the mail from the County Health Department informing us that we owned a cat that had bitten someone. It was mentioned at pickup that he had bitten someone while waking up from anesthesia, but there was no indication at that time that any follow-up was necessary. However, this letter informed us that we actually should have had our cat in rabies quarantine for 10 days post injury, and that after those 10 days we had 4 days to have him re-evaluated by a veterinarian for rabies. We do not understand why Hickory never informed us that this was would be necessary or that we should expect to hear from the Health Dept. Hickory reported us to the Health Dept for something that supposedly happened while he was under their care, never thought we should be made aware of the law or steps, and then Hickory told us that we would have to pay for them to sign the form indicating that he clearly does not have rabies. We had to call twice and then show-up in person to get answers. I cannot believe after so many years of being their client that this is how we are treated. This is not how you treat loyal clients, or any client for that matter. The responsible thing for them to have done would be to explain all this when he was picked up from surgery. At a minimum, they should have called us after the surgery, gone over the law and why a bite in a vet office is reportable, and then offered to fill out the form free of charge upon receipt. Do yourself a favor and do not trust your beloved pet with this practice. Read Less

For the last 3 years, I've tried visiting countless vets, but none of them compare to Hickory Vet Hospital. Dr. Pete Lands, in particular, is excellent and my german shepherd puppy loves spending time with him. He truly cares for my dog's well-being and it shows in the care that he and the rest of Hickory Vet provides. No gimmicks. I highly recommend! Read Less

Well my dog Rocky passed from stomach turning they believed. Hot day drank too much water from the ground. Rushed him there they tried to revive him came out 2 minutes later and said he died. Unfortunately I got him cremated at this time don't know about now. They charged me for an individual cremation. It's what I wanted and I got a box with no name on the box. I felt ripped off it would of at least made me feel a little better if they actually put my 2.5 year old cane corsos name on the damn box of ashes. Engraved it or plaque-red it! So they get two for trying to revive the dog and 2 stars for two minutes they spent trying to save him. Claimed he had a heart beat still. I didn't think he did. However they only charged me 75$ for the electric paddle job. They said they would try more but would have to charge. At the same time his heart stopped but had a beat just a couple minutes prior. Over priced for vet visits bc of the hospital over head and I get that. Read Less

Just took my dog Quinton through emergency for breathing issues. Great communication between vet tech, front desk and veterinarian. They took such good care of him we are back home and Quinton is sleeping soundly in his bed. Thanks to the entire staff. Read Less

I visited here many times with my dog who has cancer. Dr Koterbay, the oncologist, is the only one who is very good. She is thorough, has great bedside manner and gives you all ends of the spectrum, as far as treatment options. It's unfortunate that her supporting staff gives contradictory information. One of the biggest issues is the lack of communication between the front desk staff, vet techs and the veterinarians. The right-hand never knows what the left hand is doing. In addition, after I had several very bad experiences, which cost a fortune, I got a call from the practice manager apologizing and promising me an additional call back on results that had been sent off (which I paid $250 for). I still haven't received a phone call. I've moved on from this clinic. Don't waste your time or money unless you're in a desperate situation or absolutely only need to see an oncologist.Read Less

Honestly, I am appalled by the customer service and lack of communication from this hospital. I was referred by someone who used Hickory in the past and unfortunately it seems that the quality has decreased significantly. In addition to being outrageously overpriced, you get sub-par guidance and feedback. * I was told by one of the vets to try to accomplish as much as possible at each visit as my dog is 12, has had cancer, has arthritis and is anxious. When I called to inquire and schedule an appointment for a bath and therapy, I specifically asked if I could do both of those in one day. I was told yes. When we arrived they took him back to therapy. 25 minutes later I received a call saying they could not do both at the same time and to come back and get him. When I was frustrated, because I specifically asked that questions, I was told "sorry", but that is it. * I ordered flea, heartworm and glucosamine for my dog, when I went to get it they had the bag ready, charged me the $500+ dollars. After I got home I realized they forgot an entire bag. Again, I was told "sorry, but you can come back if you want". *I went in because I thought my dog had an ear infection. They concurred, gave me medication and sent me home. I just realized they only gave me two syringes that say to discard after 1 use. I called back to ask why they only gave me two as I need to give him the medicine every day, and they, again, said "sorry, you should have been told that even though it says to discard, that you need to wash them and reuse." She then went on to throw the vet under the bus for not informing me. I would not recommend this place. They aren't professional, they don't communicate internally or to customers. Major let down. Read Less

I brought our cat in emergency style right before Christmas and he had to stay and have emergency surgery. The staff was amazing! Super friendly, informative, and great with Abe. They made me feel comfortable leaving him there for three days and even said we could come visit him if we wanted to. From start to finish they were amazing and we will definitely keep coming back! Read Less

100% unsatisfied. brought my dog there because she was bit by another dog and her face started to swell the charged me over $300 and said it wasnt from the bite. her face the next morning was 2x the size of the day before and her eye was swollen shut. immediately brought her back.. they charged me another $300+ and told me they wanted to hospitalize her which could be over $3k. they dont care about our pets the only care about making a dollar. they also made it seem like they didnt even want us to bring her back there. very unfriendly staff who make no attempt at making your pet feel safe. took her to metropolitan and they took great care of her there!!!! i will NEVER return to this place with any of my babies. Read Less

On my way to work, I came across a dying fawn in the middle a busy intersection of Butler Ave. Traffic was going around it but it was clearly alive and terrified. I carried the fawn out of the street and could see it had been eviscerated and suffering. As a fellow veterinary professional, we see terminal, hopeless cases so I only needed assistance to humanely euthanize it. As I was an hour from my veterinary workplace, it was futile to try to take him there. The closest 24hr emergency vet was Hickory Vet. I went in with the natural expectation of getting some help and I was willing to pay for the euthanasia. When I walked in, all the staff & doctors could be clearly seen sitting around an exam table in a room in the back with no one at the front desk. I anxiously waited 5 minutes thinking someone might come out as each of them took turns looking out the window at me. After that knocked on their door and apologized for interrupting their morning but I needed help. I mentioned that I was also veterinary professional and needed assistance... advice... something... anything. None of the doctors came out. Not one. It could have easily been a dying dog or cat and there was absolutely no urgency for anyone to come out to triage the situation. What they did do is sent out a receptionist so I proceeded to explain why I was there. She walked in to the back for one minute, came back out, & basically said they couldn't help me. She mentioned a wildlife refuge but had no information to offer me to get there... no address... nothing. At this point I'm sobbing from frustration & helplessness. What I ended up doing is driving down the street to a local farm, climbed in the back of my truck, and sat with this fawn until he finally passed away. As a double-boarded veterinary professional, I understand the legal limitations surrounding wildlife intervention. It is a slippery slope. But I am also very aware of legal, documented exceptions when veterinary intervention/euthanasia is allowed when wildlife is suffering, which is why I went to there with hope. In the span of my 20 year career, I have not experienced this level of negligence from members of a common profession which has me feeling, quite frankly, embarrassed for them. I am so deeply disappointed at the lack of urgency, compassion, professionalism, & camaraderie. I can not give a opinion of the type of medicine this hospital practices but if what I experienced first hand is even a glimpse of their bedside manner and their idea of "helping and healing", then they actually did the fawn a favor. In the event of an emergency they might deem worthy of addressing, it might be best to avoid them altogether. Read Less

Our dachshund had a herniated disc, and Hickory was one of the places in the region that did this type of surgery. They were the ONLY vet willing and able to see our dog on a Saturday. We worked with them over the next week to figure out how serious the situation was and what to do. After much thought, my husband and I decided to do the surgery. The morning of the surgery, Dr. Dobbins called us and said "I don't think we should do the surgery." As it turns out, my little girl recovered fully after 6 weeks of strict crate rest. This is the most honest and caring vet I've come across. They easily could have made an addition $6K from us, but they opted to put forth their opinion on what was right for our dog. I don't think you can ask for anything else. We went there for this emergency, but we'll continue to go there from now on. Read Less

I have only been to Hickory three times: twice for emergencies and once for a well visit. I have officially switched to hickory as my permanent vet! All employees are wonderful! service is exceptional. The tech and vet both gave me so much useful information along with multiple options. I personally visited with Dr. Clemens and Judy. Two amazing women! And the prices are competitive so I believe you get more for your money at Hickory. And the 24/7 availability is a rarity in this biz so it's nice to know that I can always count on them to be available to help my furry family members. 5 stars! highly recommend! Read Less

The staff at Hickory are the best in the business. My pug has been coming since she was a pup in 2006, and I've had both regular care as well as life-saving emergency care and place my full faith and trust in them. Dr. Stephanie Dobbins has provided and continues her excellent care for my Pug. I now live two hours away and still travel to Hickory as needed because they truely are the best with access to the best medical equipment. It is expensive, however the peace of mind they provide is beyond worrying about anything financial. I always know that Dr. Dobbins and the staff provide thorough examinations and take every avenue necessary in the best interest of my kiddo! So thank you for all you do! Read Less

Dr. Brown (Owner) is an AWEFUL person. If you love your animal DO NOT bring them to this place. They wanted to do surgery on our dog. Put our dog under anesthesia for NO reason. We had a secondary antibiotic prescribed which 100 percent solved our dogs abscess in days. They charged us over 2,500 for NOTHING. They were convinced a stick was the problem. They are inexperienced young vets straight out of school. THESE PEOPLE ARE DISGUSTING!!!! AWEFUL People. RUDE, DISRESPECTFUL, Inexperienced. One of the vets was so wired up on ADDERAL or something similar she couldn't even look us in the face. STAY FAR AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!!!!!!! DO NOT ALLOW YOUR ANIMAL TO BE KILLED in the name of exploratory surgery for PRACTICE PURPOSES with there staff. I would give a 0 if I could. That's what they gave us. Read Less

Hello there folks. I was there along with my lady friend Friday night for her cat Maggie around 11 pm. We were very grateful that the hospital was open at this time in the evening. Everyone who helped us was extremely kind and gentle. It was a tough evening with difficult decisions. Everyone was so comforting and attentive to Maggie's last few hours. I really appreciate the care and love you shared with Maggie. Thanks so much from the bottom of my heart. Keep up the spectacular work on all that you wonderful folks do on a daily basis. Peace, cheers and plenty of new adventures Read Less

Don't bring your pet here. Unfortunately, it was an emergency and on a Sunday, and our vet was closed. Hickory has young and inexperienced vets, they are very expensive and unresponsive. My wife saw Dr. Amanda Steinagel, on 1/3/16, the day our 16 year old Jack Russel had been attacked by a Pit Bull. She prescribed an antibiotic and a sedative orally. Knowing our dog, my wife felt it would be difficult to administer the medications orally, and asked Dr Steinagel to prescribe in pill form. Amanda said she already mixed the oral solution and couldn't prescribe it in pill form, and said the pill dosage wouldn't be right. As suspected, we were unable to administer it to our dog. She clenched her jaws was traumatized, and spit it out each time we attempted to administer it to her. The medicine continued to run out of the side of her mouth and we had no idea of how much of the medicine she was actually receiving. A few days later, after many unsuccessful attempts to administer the oral medication, we went to our regular vet who has much more experience. He prescribed the same medication, but in pill form, exactly what my wife initially asked for. The pill needed to be split, but at least we knew our Jack was getting the medicine she needed. We wound up paying for both medications and an unnecessary rabies shot from Hickory as Dr. Steinagel also decided to give our Jack a rabies shot, without asking when she had received her last shot. Since much less than a year had passed since her last rabies vaccination, she did not need to get another rabies shot. My wife called and left various messages a number of times requesting a call back from the office manager, and explained that we wanted a refund for the rabies shot and the oral medication, since we paid for it at our vet. We are still waiting for a call back, now over 7 weeks later. We disputed the charge on our credit card. Hickory is unresponsive and inexperienced, and expensive. Oh well, a $500+ lesson, you live and you learn. Avoid at all costs if you can. Read Less

I took my dog Myles here today as an emergency visit after he took his first seizure. The staff was wonderful. We saw Dr DelGiudice. He was excellent with our very frightened pup and gaining Myles trust. He was careful and kind with him. His medical opinion on Myles was honest and comforting. The cost of testing was clear on our end before it was done. Great experience for a very scary situation. Worth the cost of an emergency visit. Read Less

My husband and I have taken our dog here for almost three years . Yes , they are expensive , but considering the good care we received during our dogs first few seizures and throughout the course of his epilepsy treatment , we've always felt they were worth the price. (We also appreciate the 24 hr emergency care , and have unfortunately needed to use it a few times for our little guy). Needless to say, we've shelled out quite a lot of dough to Hickory, but we very much value quality in care and service and have always been able to justify the cost.Feeling thankful that they are located near us, as they have helped our dog emergently on many occasions. Read Less

I recently brought my cat to Hickory for a mastectomy, under the care of Dr. Brown. The level of care my cat received was exceptional. The staff and vets were all very friendly, kind and professional. Hickory allowed me come in and visit my cat to comfort her, and bring her in her favorite treats to make her stay more comfortable. Dr. Brown kept me updated on my cat's condition throughout her surgery and recovery. She was upfront with pricing and provided me with accurate estimates of costs throughout the process. Hickory's facilities were very clean and welcoming. I highly recommend Hickory, and DEFINITELY recommend Dr. Brown for your pet's oncological needs. She is great! Read Less

I recently brought my cat to Hickory for a mastectomy, under the care of Dr. Brown.  The level of care my cat received was exceptional.  The staff and vets were all very friendly, kind and professional. Hickory allowed me come in and visit my cat to comfort her, and bring her in her favorite treats to make her stay more comfortable.  Dr. Brown kept me updated on my cat's condition throughout her surgery and recovery.  She was upfront with pricing and provided me with accurate estimates of costs throughout the process.  Hickory's facilities were very clean and welcoming.  I highly recommend Hickory, and DEFINITELY recommend Dr. Brown for your pet's oncological needs.  She is great! Read Less

I have been taking my pets (both cats and dogs) to Hickory since 2003 when I moved to a nearby neighborhood. Their expertise and compassion are beyond compare. They have every kind of specialist imaginable, and while my pets (thankfully) don't often *need* a specialist, I certainly appreciate having access to them. I go to Hickory mostly for annual wellness visits and vaccinations, but once in awhile, one of the critters gets sick or injured. If the primary vet is stumped by an odd ailment, there is always a specialist who can figure it out. There is a wealth of knowledge under one roof. They have emergency services 24/7, and because the emergency vets are at the same facility, they have ready access to my pets' records. My animals have always received excellent care at Hickory. In addition to the veterinarians, the vet techs and the front desk staff are all a pleasure to deal with. They demonstrate compassion, patience, professionalism, and skill. Hickory is not cheap, but the care you receive is worth the expense. I have great confidence in the team at Hickory, and I highly recommend them. Read Less

Absolutely love this vet. We just moved to town in March and switched over. They were so accommodating and helpful in getting medical records transferred from our previous vets. After only a few weeks in our new home one of our dogs became ill. We brought him to the vet and he was diagnosed with cancer. The doctor sat in there and answered every question my wife had. We were told that it could be anywhere from two weeks to several months. Fortunately, he lived with us until two weeks ago, and again the vet and staff were amazing. When we brought him in they immediately put us in a room so my wife could sit with her baby (she had him for 13 years). They allowed us to stay as long as we needed, and when the time had come they made it very simple and painless. For my wife this was the hardest thing she may ever had to go through, but I firmly believe that Hickory Veterinary Hospital made it a bit easier. When I went to pick up our dogs ashes, I had scheduled an appointment for our other dog to have a check-up. The check up resulted in him being diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. Again the doctor stayed in the room answering every one of my questions. She then had me set up a follow up for the next day to be shown how to do the insulin that our lil buddy will be on for the rest of his life. At no point did I get the impression she felt I was wasting her time or rushed. She even went so far as to call my pet insurance (Pet Plan) with my to help figure out how this will be covered, and the cost to me. I have had nothing but great experiences here, and I feel much better knowing that our dogs care will continue there for many years to come. Thank you Louis DelGiudice, DVM (diagnosed Oliver with cancer on April 13, 2015) Thank you Debra Eisenstein, VMD, PhD (treated Oliver and Archie several times since we moved in March) Thank you Ann Mitchell, VMD (diagnosed Archie with diabetes on December 2, 2015) Thank you to the entire front desk staff and all the vet techs (especially those who assist with Archie's medical boarding) Read Less

In an emergency thay are the place to go, but they dropped the ball for me several times. When I tried to follow-up with them I got no response. Also, they appearently do not mind a bad review or they would have contacted me. You need to be aggressive when working with then and check you documents and records. In my case they put information on my records that they had no evidence to support. This could have been a mistake or on purpose but they never retuned my call and emails to explain. Read Less

I chose Hickory Vet Hospital to come to my home for a euthanasia house call.  I want to commend the team from Hickory Vet on their superior display of compassion, love, and professionalism today. Dr Slavick and Marsella came out for an in home euthanasia visit with my almost sixteen year old boy Dozer.  The compassion displayed was more than I could've hoped for, their knowledge and bedside manner were excellent, and their respect for Dozer before, during, and after were heartwarming.  I would recommend Dr Slavick and Marsella to anyone.  I feel fortunate to have met them today and was lucky to share the journey of helping Dozer ease out of this world with them by my side. Read Less

Only 1 good experience with Xray & kind consult about a sprained leg on older CAT. Same CAT had horrific experiences 2 years ago with  regular vet, when early kidney failure was diagnosed. The Clinic cares only about money. They ignored feedback that cat was dying on commercial vet food due 2 low tolerance to high fat content.CAT regained health and regressed 2 early Stage 1 for 2 years from home recipes by a Vet Nutritionist on Internet. Took 40 minutes to do BP, with DOG cuff, admitted inaccurate but charged high. Saw through window: 3 loud chatty techs scaring cat as a DOG barked barely 6' away. DON'T have a lot of specialists & only do ultrasounds with 1 radiologist on Tuesdays. Hickory did bait and switch regarding an emergency ultrasound, my only reason 4 Sat visit. Did unneeded blood work without permission &refused 140 partial refund for false representation. Advertise Senior Discount on website but NOT at counter. Read Less

My dog had eye surgery at another vet and a few days later on Sunday when my regular vet is closed I noticed a small patch of hair tangled around the eye. I was afraid to touch it so I took him to hickory. I was very clear when the tech took him in the back that I only wanted that patch cut.20 min later and my dog was still in the back. After raising my voice Melissa McGrath, DVM comes out and tells me she felt it was best to shave the hair around his entire eye. Never did this incompetent doctor come out to ask my permission. My dogs eye looks worse and he was in extreme pain when we left there. I'm not sure about the other doctors there but stay away from Doctor McGrath. I could not believe she was even a doctor and after reading her bio it made more sense. Read Less

Debra Eisenstein, VMD, PhD, is the type of vet you hope treats your pets. She is smart, insightful, and caring. We've visited with her for regular check ups and for more serious issues. She cuts right to the chase, offers comprehensive descriptions of the issues, and plans out an thorough course of action. She is the best.The rest of Hckory's crew is pleasant, cheerful and courteous. They are eager to ensure the experience is as pleasant as can be when your pets would rather be outside rolling around in squirrel poop...Hickory Vet -- and Dr. Eisenstein -- ROCK Read Less

We have taken our pets here for about 2 years now. I would like to break down into good and bad points about this hospital. First the good: 1:Somone always answers the phone promptly 24/7 and is able to help you reach the Drs/other staff if needed 2: Someone is always at the desk to greet you. 3: The facility is spotless and there is ample space in the waiting areas 4: The emergency service is very prompt, I still recommend calling ahead if possible so they expect you and the triage tech is ready to get your pet where they need to go. 5: If your pet requires more advanced testing like X-rays/Ultrasound, those options are available right in the facility.6: They are very quick about refilling meds.7: There are many specialists that are part of the group so you typically don't have to go elsewhere8: Everyone is very friendlyThere is a lot of flexibility in scheduling apptsSo here are the bad:1: They are very expensive2: The is a high turnaround with the vets.3: The emergency vets are often fresh out of school and are very eager to test. I understand testing is important but I was also used to my old school vet who provided a very in depth clinical exam and was always consistent and correct in his diagnosises. (I moved too far away from him to still go there)4: Payment is due at time of service, if you can't pay in full then you can apply for care credit, they do not do a payment plan separately. Care credit charges are zero interest for 6 months, we had about a 3,500$ bill and it would have been nice if the care credit was for a year to make the monthly installments more affordable. We are trying to pay off bill before interest hits. My old vet would allow you to pay in installments without making you sign up for care credit or a financing company. No questions asked.5:For my dog to be admitted they wanted a credit card to charge 350$ (it was close to or around this) before they would begin inpatient treatment.6: We boarded our cat for vacation and were under the impression that he was being kept in the pet inn rather than the hospital part and that they would be able to give him his daily meds. This was not the case, we found out when we picked him up that he was kept with the dogs and other patients in the hospital portiion and was not given his meds for 2 days because he was biting people and was very aggitated. (No one called to tell us that there was a problem before this). (The cat would have been better off to be kept in the inn and it was no wonder why he was streessed and scared). When we picked him up the secretary said oh we have a pet inn he should have stayed there- well why wasn't this brought to our attention? It  was frusterating.7: We never see the same vet. My husband and I decided to find a new vet for routine care because it's just too expensive here and the costs are always higher than we anticipate. Read Less

My 1.5 year old chocolate lab mix has been severely sick now twice in her short life and both times, I've taken her to Hickory for emergency treatment. I took her to Hickory when I first got her from the rescue group because they had great reviews on Yelp and because it was close to home.  The two times she has been hospitalized, they have been great.  They take her right away and have nursed her back to health both times.  They haven't been able to figure out what is causing her sickness both times, but I don't believe that is their fault.  She may have gotten into something (she likes to chew EVERYTHING) and its upset her belly so I can't fault them for that.  The only issue I have with them, is as I've read other reviews, that they demand payment right away; there are no options for a payment plan.  As a single person on a fixed income, this has made things very tight.  I obviously am not going to not treat my pet but the cost of both of these episodes has been over $2,000.  I would give them a five star rating if they did offer payment plan options and realize that when pets are sick, its usually an emergency and not something they have set aside money for. Read Less

I've taken all 3 of my dogs to Hickory over the past few years for a variety of medical issues. However, after my most recent experience at Hickory with my beloved dog, I'll never go back there. I do not have any faith in the medical care we received from the physicians (we saw 3 different doctors and an intern in a 5-day period). Furthermore, I feel that in some cases the bedside manner they showed us as owners was bordering on rude. I eventually transferred my dog to the University of Pennsylvania, where I received highly informative and compassionate care - things that I simply did not experience from some of Hickory's physicians. I will say that the vet technicians at Hickory were across-the-board very nice, friendly, and helpful - they really seemed to have passion for the animals, and they helped me spend time with my critically ill dog in the last days of his life - I will never forget the compassion they showed to us. There are many, many other well-respected veterinary facilities in the Greater Philadelphia area - I highly, highly recommend you take your furry family members to one of those. Read Less

Last week our cat had the unfortunate presence of mind to eat a polyester carpet fiber.  No, it didn't go down easy and unfortunately became roped around his tongue as well as causing a blockage.We were recommended by our normal vet to go to UPENN but decided since there was favorable reviews on yelp.com, we would use the local option, Hickory.  My wife brought him in and I spoke with the Dr who informed via phone the total cost was going to run a fairly wide range, that of 3-5 thousand if everything came out "ok" and much more if it didn't.  Thankfully the surgery was without complication and Benny is making a full recovery.Here is where the issues became apparent.  I had received a call on the Friday after the surgery and was asked by the individual when we were going to be picking the cat up as he was becoming "difficult to handle."  I'm not going to sugar coat it. This cat is aggressive, nasty and quite honestly a bane to my existence but it's the wife's cat and as they say, happy wife happy life.  I had told the person that we previously discussed with boarding him as we were out of the country(pre-arranged trip that we could NOT cancel) and we didn't want to further burden the individual watching our two dogs(this person works at an animal boarding facility so is quite competent) and the cost wasn't that big of a deal since we were told it was "just a little more than normal boarding."  That is a verbatim quote btw.  So people know the normal boarding I believe was $40 per night or something to that affect.  We had also discussed what the bill was at that moment, around $2900.We arrive home Monday night, pick the kitty up and are presented the bill.  Roughly $1000 over the amount that was last told to me via phone the previous Friday.  Not $100, not $10, $1000.  We asked why the sudden jump in price and what had happened etc etc.  They were not sure and we would have to speak to the office manager the next day.Next day comes(today) and apparently the boarding is not "just a little more than normal boarding" but $160 for an AM shift and $160 for a PM shift. So, $320 a day, 3x a day $960.. Bingo, the magic $1000.  When the wife questioned the price jump we were told he needed to be in the hospital boarding(vs the normal boarding) for X days because of the surgery.From the time the surgery ended there was no indication of anything going wrong, any complications occurring, no phone calls saying XYZ happened etc so why did he suddenly need to be in hospital boarding for several extra days to the tune of $320 a day?  This is even more confusing since we were asked on Friday when we would be by to pick him up? If I'm coming to pick him up on Friday, he clearly doesn't need to still be in hospital boarding. Maybe I'm wrong.So while I REALLY want to like this vet and give them a 5 star review, I simply can't.  The Doctors are clearly fantastic but there was to many communication errors for my liking.  From the incorrectly quoted prices for boarding to the sudden "need" for the cat to have been hospital boarded for several days even though we were asked when we were picking him on Friday, something just feels... off.  I'm not saying the office did anything malicious, or was out to get us, make a buck etc.  What I'm saying is when I'm dealing with thousands of dollars things should be crystal clear.  Is part of this my fault? Absolutely, and it will never happen again. I'm unsure if we will ever go back if needed besides the free follow-up but my advice to people would to make sure that you have every single quoted item in writing. Read Less

The  team at Hickory took great care of our beagle Honey - helping her stay with us thru 15 years. They were also compassionate enough to let us know when it was time to let her go. Whether it was routine shots and checkups, a late nite emergency visit or a stay in the hospital, they always treated us professionally and kindly. Read Less

This place is the best- but you pay more for the best. I took my cat here for a check up in January and took her back in April when she didn't seem like herself. She was very sick and they offered me lots of options to help figure out why- but honestly they were all fairly pricey options.  I went to another vet in my area and got almost the same options for a slightly lower price. If you have the money, this place is amazing. Read Less

Let me just say that after my last veterinary clinic which was super dirty and the lead male vet walked around without a shirt... this was like a dream! The facility is so clean and really big! It is full of light, spacious and all of the people working there are very nice! They greeted Durango (doggie) as soon as we walked in and one of the girls even came out to give him some love when he was being a big baby and wanting to make friends (with everyone as usual).The vet tech that saw us initially was gentle and sweet and so was Mia Bleier, DVM. They both really took the time to listen to what was going on with Durango and did alll the needed tests, gave him fluids, and preventative treatments. Mia followed up the next day with the test results and let is know that we can call at any time if we had further questions. It was a wonderful and caring experience and I am super happy we found this place for all of our animals! Read Less

The folks at Hickory have been very kind and compassionate with my animals. I go to them first when there's an emergency, even though they are a $50 cab ride away and UPenn vet school is a 5 minute walk. Triage is faster than Penn, services are much cheaper, and staff and vets are much more personable and kind.Most recently, my housemate took our foster cat in with a urinary problem. He was treated quickly, competently, and compassionately, and Hickory sent information about his visit to PAWS (the organization we foster for) and told us what kind of follow-up care we should get with the PAWS vet.Several years ago, I was there for another emergency -- I had a pet rat, and many people (including other vets) were condescending or rude to me, suggesting that she wasn't worth caring for. The folks at Hickory were extremely kind and compassionate. I came in late at night with an emergency and they saw me quickly, were clear about my options, and were very gentle with my little pet. Read Less

When our 100 lb aging lab/shepard Dusty had severe, repeating seizures we could not transport him to our vet. Hickory staff came to pick him up and gave him great care and follow-up. When I came to visit he was all cleaned up and in great spirits. The staff were knowledgeable, caring and attentive both to Dusty and my needs. I couldn't believe how much time they spent with us. Dusty was discharged with a detailed evaluation along with suggestions for follow up care.Unfortunately several weeks later Dusty's condition had declined to the point where there was little quality of life. A Hickory vet was able to come to our house and put him "to sleep" in the comfort of his favorite place. Several days later I received a lengthy, hand written card from two of the staff who had cared for Dusty when he was hospitalized, recalling what a great dog he was and expressing their condolences. If I could give a 6 star rating I would gladly do it.Eric P Read Less

I have been using Hickory as my animal hospital for many years.  I appreciate the variety of specialists and my ability to be seen quickly when it is required.  Recently, I brought my dog in because of suspicion of heart problems only to discover he had a spinal problem.  To make a long story short, Dr Brown and staff correctly diagnosed his condition, conducted his surgery, and nursed him back to health.  A dog who suddenly had no use of the back half of his body now and take log walks and enjoy life.  I cannot recommend them highly enough. Read Less

I am sorry to see so many bad experiences but I have to write a review because my experience was so positive.We are long time pet people who have tried several other vets in the area - some that in my opinion should be shut down for lack of skills and approach, others that were simply more interested in running up a bill than providing appropriate care.Our cat is only 5 yrs old with a history of vomiting, but had begun vomiting daily, and then started that bizarre liter aversion that they sometimes do. Long story short, both we and the cat were treated with respect at Hickory. We sat with a vet and actually had a discussion - the issues, possible causes, possible approaches and then agreed on a strategy. We followed the plan and six months later, we have a happy, healthy cat again.The only other thing I'll mention is that we came here after receiving many recommendations from friends and work associates. I know not all experiences are the same, but mine was very good. Read Less