Porter Square Veterinarian

I am very frustrated with Porter Square Vet. One of our cats developed a urinary problem 6 months ago and pees on our carpeted stairs several times a day. We have taken her in for repeated expensive tests, switched her to an expensive prescription food, bought a Feliway diffuser device, all on the recommendation of the vet here. They insist that our cat is perfectly healthy and that there is nothing wrong with her, and that there is nothing that we can do about this problem. Our house stinks horribly, and we can no longer have guests over. We are all miserable living with this stench, and hate spending so much time scrubbing cat piss. The folks at PSV were happy to take our money, but are uninterested in actually helping us with our problem. We are looking for a new vet.

Posted 10/15/09 | Report Abuse

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I have been going to PSV for almost 20 years and have never once considered moving to another practice. The office, examining rooms, and clinical areas are spotless. The support staff are kind, efficient, and obviously love working there. And the doctors themselves are top notch. My sister is a cat veterinarian in San Francisco and when two of my cats fell seriously ill over the years (separate episodes), I called her to consult about their condition. Without exception, she has been impressed with the diagnosis and treatment they received. But I think my strongest recommendation comes from a when a beloved cat needed to be put to sleep. When the last heartbeat faded away and I broke down into tears, the doctor turned and I saw that she was crying as well. She hugged me until I could calm down and catch my breath. Her compassion touched me deeply, and is typical of the caring shown by everyone at this practice.

Posted 09/23/09 | Report Abuse

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I have also been going to PSV since it was actually in Porter, with my dog, cats and various other critters (including hedgehogs) and have nothing but nice things to say about them- the vets, techs and desk staff. I would continue to go to them even if I moved out of state I love them that much! One complaint I see time and time again that I have to address is those who complain about getting a different get each time, when you go to the doctor you call and request an appt. with a particular doctor right? So why is it so hard for people to understand that you CAN do that with your vet too! It just doesn't seem like a valid reason to give a negative review since it is an issue you can control. All of my critters have always gone to the same exact vet for the last 11 years. Sorry had to say my piece on that.

Posted 09/10/09 | Report Abuse

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We've been going to Porter Square Vet for 15 years and I couldn't recommend it more highly. Our cat was like our child and he was always given the best level of care, from the time of his neuter and young antics (hit by car, cat fights etc) to the end when things got very hard for him and he was battling multiple problems, including a stroke, kidney failure, and diabetes. Over that time we had a variety of docs, but they were all very good. Now we have a newly adopted rescue cat with multiple problems and we have every confidence that Porter Square Vet will do right by him. We see Dr. Grosser who is excellent. The front desk people are excellent too. I mean that. There were many times that I was weepy when it looked like we had to put our first cat down (and especially the day we put him down) and they were attentive and caring.

One thing I notice with these reviews is that people either give PSV four-to-five stars (usually those with over a decade of experience) or they give them one star. While I take everyone at their word, I think that some of the detractors may be overreacting or perhaps asking too much from the experience.

Posted 03/16/09 | Report Abuse

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Dr. Parker has been wonderful to work with and I would highly recommend him to anyone with a dog of any age! The staff is very nice as well! The facility is extremely clean and parking was easy to locate as well!

Posted 03/03/09 | Report Abuse

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I have been going to Porter Square Veterinary Practice since it was actually located in Porter Square! At the time, the office was run by Dr. Timothy Snyder. He was wonderful! Dr. Bujalski joined him, and the practice grew. I took my first dog there, and have been taking my dogs there ever since...almost 30+ years.

I have always found the practice able to meet the needs of my animals. They support me as a pet owner, and always schedule me in a timely manner. While the cost of veterinary medicine has increased, if I ask, I always get answers regarding questions of cost and necessity of treatment. For each owner, expense becomes a personal choice, and I feel that this is recognized by the practice, and respected!

Vets who have seen my dogs have been sensitive and gentle, gauging the personality of my dog and his/her comfort level before beginning exams and administering treatment. The support staff are attentive and helpful!

I would not hesitate to recommend this practice to any pet owner. However, I would also remind anyone who owns a pet that it is up to you to question and state your preferences clearly. Vets are not mind readers, and can better address the needs of your animal if you are forthright about your wants and needs regarding the care of your pet.

Currently, Dr. Bujalski treats my aging standard poodle. He is warm, caring and interested in her well being. As he put it, she is aging "gracefully". I can thank the care she has received from Porter SquareVeterinary Practice for seeing her successfully through her life!
Thank-you!

Posted 01/11/09 | Report Abuse

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My dog currently sees Dr. Parker and I trust my 9 month
old with him. For those people who are writing bad reviews,
need to understand that every animal is different and yes some
vets make mistakes. It's unfortunate that it happened, but that's
the way of life. You can go to the best hospitals in the state and
they too make mistakes. Anyway, besides the bad reviews I would
recommend Porter Square Veterinarian. Don't be afraid to ask questionsand if you don't feel comfortable, there is no shame in going somewhere else.

Posted 01/05/09 | Report Abuse

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Bujalski clearly loves cats. He is warm and friendly, and appears -- from what I can tell -- to be up-to-date on the medical research. He is also a great resource for information on cat behavior, which has been a big help for us new cat owners.

Posted 12/14/08 | Report Abuse

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I've been taking both of my cats to Porter Square Vet for over three years, and they've been given great care and attention by Dr. Parker, who is very nice and gentle with them. It's obvious that he's a real animal person! He even knows how to handle my male cat, who hisses and growls his way through every exam. I did have a terrible experience with a female vet here when I brought in a stray to be checked out before trying to find him a home. Maybe because he was older and FIV positive, she treated me as if I were wasting her time with a cat who'd obviously been on the streets for a long time and didn't have many years ahead of him. When I wanted to do additional blood tests to confirm his FIV diagnosis, she told me how much it was going to cost as if she thought I couldn't afford it. She also misquoted the cost of the blood test, and argued with me when I said that the receptionist had quoted a different price. I followed through with the test, and found the cat a wonderful home though he only lived another eight months. I don't know if this vet still works there, but I certainly hope not. The other vets are wonderful and truly care about animals. This vet doesn't.

Posted 12/08/08 | Report Abuse

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I will not be returning to this vet. I have been taking my small dog here for about a year now and never really got a good feeling about it. She has never been really warm towards my dog and never really acts like she cares. I had to bring my dog in for her yearly check up and she was obviously very nervous. Instead of giving my dog a minute to sniff her she immediately grabbed her by the harness and started feeling all around. She insisted that she be muzzled because she was going to bite her, which she has never bitten anyone. I do really like the Vet Techs here however but they can not make up for the Vet. As soon as the Vet tech came into the room my dog calmed down because she was talking to her and calling her by her name. If the vet had only down this it would have made me feel a lot better. The Vet also had no care to how much it was going to cost. When I got to the counter and they told me how much it cost I think my face must have dropped because the girl at the desk immediately asked me if I wanted to get rid of some unnecessary tests. They also just assumed that I still wanted to get some optional shots and never confirmed which shots she was getting. I think I will be finding a new Vet that actually likes animals and is a little more personable.

Posted 10/23/08 | Report Abuse

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This is a great place to bring your pet! The staff is very smart and the Drs are great. I recently was there with my cat and although she is terrible at the vet, one of the staff there - Paul was great. He was able to handle her without any problem even though the vet seemed a little afraid of my cat. I will always go to Porter Sq!

Posted 07/21/08 | Report Abuse

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my rabbit got a skin infection- we live in brooklyn, but had to travel for a wedding. porter square vet fit us in on a tight schedule, and took good care of our bunny. they were professional and great with rabbits. the whole staff was friendly, and seemed to really care about my bunny. they even have people treats on the counter, for when people stress is high. they quoted prices for what the bunny needed, and helped us get the medicine before we left so we would have it while we traveled. they have been great about helping me get info to my vet here for follow up. we went here originally on the recommendation of my boyfriend's parents- this office helped them when their cat was dying, and took great care of them in such a difficult time. they take their new, happy, healthy kittens here also. thanks porter square vet!

Posted 06/27/08 | Report Abuse

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Wow! Are we talking about the same vet? I chose Porter Square Vet years ago after asking for scads of recommendations (my previous vet sold her practice to a vet mill and moved to Vermont). Dr. Bujowlski came highly recommended and my experience with him has been terrific.

I have two cats with a serious kidney disease (one of which was handed a "death sentence" over a decade ago). Not only has he kept them happy & healthy, but he has done so without the invasive (and expensive) treatments recommended by the vet mill. As a result, I have two 14-year-old cats who are the most active of the many "octogenerian felines" I've had over the years.

Dr. Bujowlski & the staff have always treated me with kindness & patience and have respected my intelligence when I asked questions.

Yeah, the front desk is busy - because it is a *highly successful practice* with many, many demands for their time & attention. But I have never had my kindness toward them repaid with anything except the same...even when it was clear that they were having a bad, busy day.

I'm not sure what the negative responders on this forum were looking for or taking in during their time there, but myself, Sophie & Asha say "We love Porter Square Vet!"

Posted 06/26/08 | Report Abuse

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I've taken my cats there several times. I think it basically depends which vet you get. my usual one is Dr. Parker, and I find him professional, patient, methodical, and overall excellent.

On three separate emergency visits , I had Dr. Jabolinsky, Dr. Bujalski (sp?), and Dr. Grosser. Dr. Jabolinsky, I am sorry to say, was terrible. She was TERRIFIED of my cat, and behaved very unprofessionally (almost jumping into the sink behind her when he was hissing). The tech that was with her, Paul, was fabulous and handled the cat beautifully, luckily. I don't think I agreed with her approach at the time (which felt too "guessy"), but there were no serious after effects either way, so who knows. Dr. Bujalski was very professional and while not very patient, seemed to know his stuff very well. Dr. Grosser seemed very young, but extremely professional, and struck me as very thorough and careful, as well as very nice and caring. I would absolutely and gladly go to see her again. The techs are generally very good for the most part. If you go, insist on Drs. Parker or Grosser.

Re the staff at the desk, it varies according to how busy they are, and some are nicer than others, but that's really not very important to me in a vet clinic, as long as they're decent, get the job done, and not rude.

Posted 06/18/08 | Report Abuse

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I would NOT recommend Porter Square Vet. Please take a moment to read my reasoning so your pet does not suffer like mine has.

I took my 1 year old cat in to be spayed at Porter Square vet shortly after adopting her, thinking I was being a responsible pet owner. The vet sent her home with a pain medication called metacam oral for me to administer, which I did without question. Only later, from my own research, did I find out that metacam oral is not approved for cats because it can cause kidney failure. Additionally, even though it is approved for dogs, it carries a warning for dogs under 10 pounds (my cat was 7.5 pounds). This information is right on the medication insert which was not provided to me by my vet at Porter Square. Nor did she warn me of any possible risks. I was not informed enough at the time to ask any questions, I just assumed the vet would not prescribe medication that would harm my kitty.

Well, my young cat did end up going into kidney failure. When I took her back to Porter Square vet they first diagnosed her with a hairball and sent me home. When she continued to suffer for the next two days I took her back again where finally they diagnosed kidney failure, (but did not suggest it might have been caused by the metacam). I have now paid thousands of dollars at other vet's offices to treat my cat's kidney failure and she is not even three years old. She has a very shortened life expectancy and will likely die before she reaches 5 years, despite the agressive treatment with which I have provided her.

Posted 06/05/08 | Report Abuse

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The front desk girls were nothing but obnoxious and impatient. Maybe they were tired and sick of working when I got there but I felt completely unwelcome and they just screamed out questions at me - one in particular (heavy set with dark hair). When I got inside the private vet room I thought to myself, ok, hopefully now it will get better, but it only got worse. The veterinarian looked like a hobo they found off the street and she talked like one too. She had no answers for me and my dog and even when I asked her the price of something she said "uhhh, I don't know". My dog was scared and she didn't know how to handle him at all. When she went to take him in the back to get bandaged up he got loose and ran back to me. She had the decency to yell at me and tell me that with a big dog like that I had to tie his collar tighter! How bout you, being a veterinarian, learn how to handle a big dog, and understand that he is going to try to run and get a lead you numb skull. Just felt like the Veterinarian I had was soooooo beyond clueless and didn't know how to explain anything and really didn't know what was going on. I could have done everything she did and not paid $150!! ugh

Posted 05/16/08 | Report Abuse

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This is the best veterinary clinic I have ever been to in 33 years of dog ownership. We have been going there for about 5 years. Excellent vets, and the assistants at the front desk are extremely helpful. Communication is easy, prices fair and always quoted. Expensive tests are not pushed. The vets there are outstanding. We have used the same vet for 3 years and several vets there have been around longer. They also were really great when we have had old sick animals. Our vet there was ready to talk things over a lot, provide phone advice not only about treatments and care, but about when to know when to let go. We've been through a lot there and it has always been good.

Posted 04/12/08 | Report Abuse

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I have been taking my cat and dog to the Porter Square Veterinarian for many years, mainly because of the location. I don't feel there is any real support for the animals as each time I go I see a different vet and all they do is recommend one treatment after another. My recommendation to anyone with a pet is to find a vet whom stays with a location, someone you can start a relationship with, it will be better for you and your dog.

Posted 01/07/08 | Report Abuse

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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Its not like I have anything to compare it to but I thought our experience with the Porter Sq. Vet was great. Appt was on time, very pleasant and clean waiting area & exam room, nice, patient and informative vet. $50 for the visit + extra for stool exam and a shot but I think thats pretty reasonable. I would recommend this vet.

Posted 11/28/07 | Report Abuse

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I've been taking my dogs to Porter Square Vet for over 20 years. They have an excellent staff, are extremely professional, and the care is superb. They always listen to my imput and are totally supportive. When I had to put my 14 year old dog down last year, a very difficult time was turned into a quallity experience. The offices are extremely clean and almost always, appointments run on time. All city vets are expensive these days as they can do for pets essentially what they do for people these days. If you think how much people care costs, pet care is a bargain. This is a wonderful place to do right by your pet.

Posted 11/25/07 | Report Abuse

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This place is defenitely expensive. My cat was seen initially by one of their finest vet. But she left. The second vet, wanted to reorder a new round of lab work although the records were complete and my cat was suffering from renal failure. Since you can not cure the disease all I wanted was to keep my pet confortable. When I asked her if I could buy some sub Q for to treat her. She refused to do it without the lab work, which would have cost over one hundred dollars on top of the cost of the visit plus the medication. The impression I got was that they were more interested in money than in the care of pet. One of the office assistant took my name and phone number and said the owner would call. He never did. I have decided to take my pet to the Alliance for Animal Clinic in South Boston where the treatment and health of pets come first.

Posted 09/13/07 | Report Abuse

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This is a nice place to take my dog to, it is kind of far, but I like quality care for my animals. The facility is clean and the staff is friendly. They provide care like they were treating human beings, which I really appreciate. The prices are reasonable and all the staff is friendly. Appointments are held on time.

Posted 11/10/05 | Report Abuse

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Ive been going to Porter Square Veterinarian for six years and I highly recommend this Veterinarian office. The staff, including the Veterinarians, assistants and front desk, are extremely nice and it is apparent that each and every one of them truly love animals. It shows in their interactions with the animals as well as their owners. I had a kitty for 11 years. He became ill one night and they opened the appointments to squeeze him in immediately that morning. I adored this animal as my own child and I was an emotional mess seeing him so lethargic. Everyone was so caring and gentle with him which made the world of difference to me. I made it very clear that I would pay for anything to help him get better this would have been an opportune time to charge me for everything under the sun but they were extremely honest. This office is extremely reasonably priced especially given that they are located conveniently in Davis Square. The waiting area is exceptionally clean and they even have treats for the visiting pets. They also are on top of new technology and medication methods. I research quite a bit regarding side effects, new medicines, new administering methods and to my surprise I find them up to speed each time that we visit. Additionally, Ive been in the back area where they perform surgeries and house the recuperating animals and I was extremely impressed with the pleasant atmosphere and the cleanliness for the animals. Five Star!!!

PROS: Very clean, great staff, very reasonable prices, convenient location
CONS: None

Posted 10/05/05 | Report Abuse

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Very friendly and professional. Affordable rate. Your animal would love it. They are taking care your animal like they are taking care of babies. Very gentle and very special treatment.

Bring your pets there and you will see the differences

Posted 07/15/05 | Report Abuse

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My girl friend and I always take our cat to the Porter Square Veterinarian. The doctors are very nice and good with the cat. The location of the vet is near Davis even though it's call the Porter Square vet. It can be expensive but it seems totally worth it.

Posted 07/12/05 | Report Abuse

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Porter Square Veterinarian is a long standing veterninarian in Somerville, MA. The veterinarians here have a real love for animals and provide quality care at an affordable rate. The offices are clean and very proffessional. A great place for all animal owners who want to be sure that their pet recieves the best healthcare.

Posted 07/11/05 | Report Abuse

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This is the place where I take my cat and they have always done an excellent job taking care of her. My only complaint is that there is always at least a 30 minute wait after the time of your appoinment before you see anyone (if not more).

The doctors are very good though. A good friend of mine has a kitten who fell off her five storey apartment building into a bush and survived. However her leg was badly broken. With the help of the Porter Square Vet the cat recovered full use of its leg and is now a perfectly healthy cat!

So I think it is worth the money and the wait.

PROS: good service
CONS: always a long wait, expensive

Posted 07/06/05 | Report Abuse

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