Prior to taking my beautiful 3 year old Yorkie to Oradell Animal Hospital, I read all of the reviews on this site (there were 92 at the time). We went in to this with our eyes wide open. Our Yorkie's back hind leg had become completely limp. Her regular vet believed the cause was a disc problem. So did we. After 1 week of bedrest and a steroid shot, we knew that the problem needed to be diagnosed further as the X-rays showed her discs to be within normal limits. We fully knew she needed an MRI and that the cost was going to be expensive. Dr. Kerry Bailey is one of the top veterinary neurologists in the state. I spoke with vets all around NJ and NY and they verified her credentials. Fully prepared for an MRI and back surgery, we knew this was going to cost around $7000, but our little girl is worth it. What we got, no one could have predicted. Our dog has an immune disease (that can only be diagnosed with an MRI) called Granulomatous Meningoencephalomyelitis(GME). It is so rare that up until a few years ago, the survival rate was 11 days. The prognosis is not good. She may or may not respond to the steroid treatment and chemotherapy drugs that she must now take. That being said, Dr. Bailey is up on the latest research regarding this hideous disease. If we have any hope of saving her (even short term), she is receiving the absolute best medical care in the tri-state area. I have reached out to over 15 veterinarians throughout the United States in addition to Cornell University's Veterinary Department & U.C. Davis' School of Veterinary Medicine. They confirmed that how our dog is being clinically treated is the best protocol out there right now. How Dr. Bailey is treating our little girl is absolutely the best chance she has to live. Yes, Oradell is pricey. No, I wouldn't take my dog there for a routine check-up or for shots. But, if you need cutting edge specialists, then know going in to it the cost is going to be pricey, and make your decisions accordingly. For us, we are willing to try to save our dog's life. We also know that this autoimmune disease is almost always a death sentence, but we want to give her the best chance possible to survive.
Posted 11/20/09 | Report Abuse
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I have been going to Oradell now for about ten years with multiple animals. Yes, they are expensive and I would not purchase your medications from them as they are often double the price you can get elsewhere. As to the comment about interns, they are not. But these young doctors getting experience at a "trauma" facility have the latest knowledge from their schools on new treatments; one of them made all the difference for my dog by suggesting a new pain med for his arthritis that works on the nerves. It's the only thing that made a difference. I have been able to maintain a relationship with his doctors (we see a cardiologist, opthalmologist and a GP). I think if my dogs were young and healthy I would find a "regular" vet, but if your dog has special needs or if, like me, everything seems to happen on nights and weekends, then OAH is the place to go. Yes, once or twice over the years I've had someone I didn't care for, but for the most part I have liked the doctors and felt they cared for me and my babies. When I have expressed that finances are particularly challenging they have always worked with me, particularly Dr. Schrope, the cardiologist. Just as one doctor does not define a human hospital, OAH should not be definied by any one experience or doctor. After ten years, I feel qualified to say that most of our experiences have been positive. My dog has lived to be 14 (and still going) as has my cat and my newly adopted 12 year old dog will hopefully benefit as well. I am currently buying my pet meds online at www.petnutritionproducts.com where they will call to get the prescription and they will meet most competitive prices. Great site and good service with prompt delivery.
Posted 08/28/09 | Report Abuse
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OAH is an excellent facility with brilliant DVMs. Yes it is pricey, but MRIs, X-rays, and the myriad other diagnostics are not cheap anywhere, and you do truly get hwat you pay for. Every doctor we've seen has been caring and compassionate, and has been willing to test out our hypotheses instead of shrugging them off. I do think that the naysayers believe that doctors cannot or should not be wrong, which is simply not true.
Posted 08/28/09 | Report Abuse
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Our dog was treated at OAH after other vet recommended putting her down. We managed to keep her another 2 yrs. During this period we pretty much saw same dr (Sartor,very compassionate). When we got a new dog, we retd to OAH for routine visits. I asked that whomever we saw, wud be our doctor all the time. Now we have 2nd dog & was told doctor is no longer w/practice. Bottom line, you will receive quality care for yur pets,but it won't be cheap, however if you want to establish any kind of relationship w/doctor, then probably won't happen here. I'm researching new vet now & see that many intern at OAH, then move on, this explains why so many of their doctors are all business, push for tests & incompassionate. They probably won't ever see you again, so they don't care! I will admit that i argued some chrgs when 1st dog was hospitalized & was given a credit. Example of chrgs, OAH ofc visit is $93, our cats' vet chrgs $69, others in my town chrg as low as $45. I wud use OAH for serious illness and/or if regular vet can't offer any more, but be prepared to pay alot of $$$$ for this care & have a vet who doesn't know you or yur pet & probably won't be around long enough to get to know you!
Posted 08/14/09 | Report Abuse
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As long as I live in Northern NJ I will only take my puppies to OAH!! They have always given my animals the best care. Treated me well & have always been there whether during the day or in the middle of the night. Even though they might be what others have said pricey; definitely worth the expense. I have known others that have gone to small private vets who have poorly misdiagnosed their animals and they have wind up taking them to OAH anyway. Frankly if you can't afford the care for a pet don't get one! When I had to put my one dog to sleep after a battle with cancer; they were professional, caring, and very supportive. When I got another dog I didn't hesitate on bringing her to OAH!! I always leave feeling reassured and satisfied. I'm a very picky person when it comes to health care. It must be the nurse in me. Nurses know good care and OAH knows how to provide it!! :-D
Posted 08/01/09 | Report Abuse
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First, their facility is world-class. Since they moved from their old location in Oradell on Kinderkamack, it rivals a very technology forward human hospital. Enormous staff, and they have every animal medical technology possible, as well as specialists for everything. But of course, this comes at a price. Even though the doctors I saw were all very nice and caring, they work for this institution and can only be available to you at certain times. It was near impossible to get a call back, and the bills were always pretty outrageous. After finding another vet that i am extremely happy with, i will only go back to Oradell for extreme, middle-of-the-night emergencies. Also, they completely overcharge for their heartworm and flea medication, I get the same exact products from my current vet for MUCH less than what Oradell used to charge me. Overall, their facility and technology is unparalleled, and probably one of the best in the state. But for routine checkups and minor visits, it's not worth your money. If you
Posted 04/14/09 | Report Abuse
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We have been clients of Oradell for many years. You get what you pay for. Could I pay less at a smaller practice , i'm sure I could , but what I want and need is to have medical help available at any hour of the day or night.My dog also has seizures and I have no problem getting refills for meds or a call back from any of the doctors that we see. We go for blood levels twice a year and a yearly exam, that is it . No problems , no hassles . The staff could not be nicer to us each and every time. We also have an older dog receiving chemotherapy for cancer. Once again every one is so nice to us and to our dog. We had an emergency a few weeks ago in the middle of the night . We got home at about 4:00am and by eight am we had received a call from the oncologist and then from one of the technicians checking to see how Bowser was doing. I have no complaints. For me and my family ( humans and pets ) Oradell Animal Hospital is the best there is .
Posted 03/10/09 | Report Abuse
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The staff at Oradell Hospital could not have been more wonderful to our dog Kadie. We made an appointment with Dr. Schrope at the recommendation of our vet since we needed a specialist. We were informed up front about the fee schedule and expected to pay more since Dr. Schrope is a specialist. We could not have asked for a more caring, kind and wonderful doctor. He was very compassionate and did all that he could for out beloved pet. I realize that some people had a negative experience with the emergency part of the hospital but please do not let that influence you from seeing Dr. Schrope if you need a good specialist. He was wonderful.
Posted 03/03/09 | Report Abuse
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Some of the doctors there are very compassionate and competent, but overall the experience I had here was not good. They were able to diagnose my dog fairly quickly, and Dr. Sartor was a really nice, caring doctor. She called me multiple times a day with updates, and was really great to work with. However, I felt that the other doctors that I dealt with were far less compassionate, and way more driven by money that by helping my pet. I think they knew from day one that ultimately my dog would have to be euthanized, but they took all the money they could get from me before I made the decision to put her to sleep. The doctor (I don't remember his name), even after telling me that my dog would not get better (she wouldn't eat, was throwing up everything we could manage to force feed her and could barely walk) and that with continued therapy and medication she would live at most another month, STILL insisted that we get more tests done and continue therapy. He gave me another estimate of over $3,000, after tel
Posted 01/14/09 | Report Abuse
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Our cat, L, started to throw up a lot last week, she was struggling to use the litter box, was acting a bit off and wasn't eating or drinking. We tried to feed her again and she threw it right up. Our regular vet is 45 minutes away and it was a Sunday in Bergen County. We found Oradell Animal Hospital (in Paramus) and took her there.
L was first seen by a triage nurse who must have been a trainee or something because she really had no clue what was going on or how to speak to us. She took L to the "back" and told us we couldn't go and had to stay in the lobby. This really bothered us but a receptionist actually took us into an exam room adjoining their main exam area. We figured L was constipated and after checking manually the vet was mostly in agreement with us. We were cautioned that it could be a sign of bigger things and L could be really clogged up and an xray, maybe bloodtests could help determine the underlying cause. We knew the initial visit was $160 and now xrays and bloodwork! After much deba
Posted 01/08/09 | Report Abuse
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I was visiting relatives in NJ and had brought my Boston Terrier with me. While I was up there, I noticed a round scab on my dog. My Aunt recommended Oradell, so we took her there. The staff was very friendly and a quick to diagnose my dog. Unfortunately, she had gotten ringworm, but they gave us oral medicine and and ointment. With their quick diagnosis, no one at the house caught it and it did not spread.
Thanks for everything!
Posted 12/30/08 | Report Abuse
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Oradell and its doctors and many helpers have always done good by me and my baby Rufus, and my late kitty Socks (RIP). When Socks got sick at 15 years old most vets would have told me to put him to sleep, that it was his time but not Oradell. I was given a realistic picture, that he was sick and might succumb to his illness. But he was still so full of life and I didn't think it was his time so we fought for him, and to my surprise (and the doctor's i think) his treatment with medications and a special diet didn't just make him "more comfortable", he ended up downright peppy! The Dr. was very kind to condense some of the costs on my initial bill, not charging me for a couple of the tests, and was always there along the way to listen to my concerns, and yes also to my proud gushing over my "furry children"! *laugh* I was always treated with respect, which I think is important especially with a situation like a vet's office because those of us who don't know anything about med
icine need someone to take the
Posted 10/15/08 | Report Abuse
1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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I'm proud to stand up and give my 5 star rating for O.A.H.! My friends, family and I have all taken our pets to them for years (combined, over hundreds of visits and dozens of hospital stays!) and have NEVER had a negative experience. The staff is helpful, SO compassionate, and really is looking out for our little critters above all else.
First off, I read on the website one naysayer posted that Oradell "teaches students on your pets". The person who wrote this is simply misinformed. There are many interns at the hospital each year, yes... but they are DVM's who have graduated from the top shools (Cornell, UPenn, etc) and who legally have entered into practice. In fact, in a couple of my trips to OAH, I found that having an intern can be a wonderful thing... they are 'young', yes, but they are CONSTANTLY working with the more seasoned staff doctors and the many specialists at their disposal, to discuss your case with them and get the best diagnosis/treatment for your pet. So if you are afraid of seeing an
Posted 10/10/08 | Report Abuse
2 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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i have read many of the reviews for oradell. If i only knew now what i didn't know when my wife and i rushed our beloved 11 year old peekapoo to oradell on the recommendation on our local vet. he was having trouble breathing that morning never sick and full of life. our vet did not know if it was a heart problem or respratory. we arrived at oradell and they looked at him and told us the same line they tell everyone else, he will need to stay a few days. on the way home they called us we live an hour away to tell us what they thought and that he was being treated. three hours latter they called again and told us he would not make it. never before even mentioning that he would die. they did take our money when we left and we paid cash about 1500. well we rushed back and agonized over putting him to sleep. we did hold him while he left us. oradell soon after we lost him let us know how they have connections with 2 or 3 pet cemetaries how about that i wonder how much they get in kickbacks. we took our dog to a lo
Posted 09/02/08 | Report Abuse
4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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My dog Fletcher started urinating blood last Saturday and quickly became lethargic, I brought him to our regular vet, Dr. Zgoda at Otterkill Animal Hospital. To make a long story short, by Sunday afternoon, Dr. Zgoda recommded I bring him to Oradell (an hour away) because he was not technically equipped to deal with his suspected diagnosis. From the moment we walked in the door, the staff was wonderful. I was a little taken aback by the way they made us sign an estimate for $3-$6k before treating Fletcher, but we just wanted our dog to be okay. He was diagnosed that evening with Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA.) This is a horrible disease with a 50% mortality rate, even with treatment. Dr. Kepping was assigned our case and really cared for him so well. She was compassionate and communicated with us every step of the way, making sure we always knew what was going on with his treatment and recovery. We were able to visit him daily and got to meet with her most days. Fletcher needed 3 blood transfusions
Posted 07/22/08 | Report Abuse
2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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I bought my 5 year old Yorkie to Oradell, with what I was told was a pretty normal condition that she had, but they wanted to keep her there for x-rays, observation and IV. After one day, I picked her up and a bill for $2,000.00. I don't mind the money, but I don't think their care is any better than a good vet. The following week she developed the same symptoms, and I brought her to our regular vet. He treated her, different meds, great exam, and everything came to a grand total of $92.00. So, I would say Oradell is a great hospital if it's a true emergency, but make sure you have pet insurance because your bill will be more than if a human went to an ER! I am a firm believer in pet insurance, it's worth the money..a small fee each month, and definitely comes in handy if you have to bring your friend to Oradell. Great hospital, very high priced.
Posted 07/02/08 | Report Abuse
2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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No other way to describe it, it's the best around. They can handle any emergency, 24/7 as they're staffed with some brilliant Boarded surgeons. They have been able to take care of my dogs, as well as my goats and Peacocks. I ended up there at 2am with a gastric torsion and they took care of it that night, as poor Tor wouldn't have lasted till the morning. We're lucky to have this fine facility in the area. Please make sure you put leashes on your pets and keep them safe, because it's your responsibility as a pet owner. Also, know when it's time to say goodbye, because it's the kindest thing we can do for our pets.
Posted 06/26/08 | Report Abuse
1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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What a relief?
by Anonymous
I was visiting my family and decided to bring my new dog on the trip. When I let him out of the car, he was so hyper that he tripped on my parents stairs and hurt is leg. I rushed him to nearest clinic. I was so lucky to have Oradell in the area. They patched him up really quickly before he worsen his condition. I wish hospitals took this much care and dedication to their "human" patients as Oradell does for pets. Thank you Dr. Palazzini, you're the best!!!
Posted 06/20/08 | Report Abuse
5 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
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Great Facilities
by Anonymous
The doctors I have worked with have always been extremely nice. I only have great things to say about this establishment. I have taken my Lab there for everything from being spayed to just a regular check up. I highly recommend this vet!
Posted 06/20/08 | Report Abuse
5 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
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Once again, another successful visit to the vet. I dont see how anyone could have a bad experience at this vet. Everyone is so friendly and the service is excellent. Thank goodness our dog only has kennel cough! Even though, it is such a common illness, they were great with our dog. Thanks again for everything!!!
Posted 06/19/08 | Report Abuse
5 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
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Hey, where else can you find such great Doctors at 2am? Our dog became violently ill, and off we went in the middle of the night. Thank God for Oradell!!! Her stomach torsion would have killed her, but the Surgeon's there saved her life. What an amazing place, and such a great staff. Can't say enough great things about this place. Our Great Dane wouldn't be here, if it wasn't for Dr. Carbury!! Thank you!!!
Posted 06/18/08 | Report Abuse
8 out of 13 people found this review helpful.
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Very unhappy with the level of service. No answers as to why my dog isn't better after 3000+. I wish I knew about this site. I'm glad it's here now. Thank you, insiderpages.
Posted 06/12/08 | Report Abuse
12 out of 17 people found this review helpful.
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We're lucky that we live near this place, what a superb medical facility. The Staff is so professional and caring, and they have an amazing diagnostic team. Never been to such a fine facility, and my animals are the better for going there!!! Bravo, Oradell!!!
Posted 06/09/08 | Report Abuse
11 out of 24 people found this review helpful.
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My dogs don't go anywhere else. I've tried local Veterinarians, but they just don't come near the expertise that's available at Oradell. I've always been treated in such a kind and caring manner, as have my dogs. They are an amazing staff, the waiting room can be full on a Sunday with Emergencies, but they prioritize the cases and really take such wonderful care of all of us. My animals are living a better life because of Oradell!!! Can't say enough about this fine facility!!!
Posted 06/09/08 | Report Abuse
11 out of 22 people found this review helpful.
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I drove 4 hours in the middle of the night, to get my dog down there. What an amazing hospital!!! We called, they knew we were on our way and met us outside with a guerney. I should get such great care at the local Emergency Room, myself!! Anyway, after much angst, the Surgeons did some impressive repair on my dog's heart!!! I can't thank them enough, for saving his life. Thank you, Oradell!!!
Posted 06/09/08 | Report Abuse
14 out of 22 people found this review helpful.
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Excellent Staff, from the front desk back to the Surgical area. They have always taken great care of my animals, and have done some pretty amazing procedures, with successful results. No matter what time of day, or whether or not its a holiday, they are ready to take care of us. I am only too happy to support this great facility, and their marvelous staff!! You go Oradell!!!
Posted 06/09/08 | Report Abuse
12 out of 22 people found this review helpful.
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I wish I could find such great Veterinary care down in the DC area. We were referred up to this fabulous facility, and their expert team diagnosed and cured the problem with some pretty complicated surgery. Can't say enough about them, they're fantastic. Everyone there is highly qualified and compassionate, they took excellent care of us. Thank you, Oradell!!
Posted 06/04/08 | Report Abuse
14 out of 25 people found this review helpful.
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They are an amazing group of Professionals at that hospital. I have never been treated so well, nor have my animals. They saved my cat, after they did an Iodine 131 treatment, and Dr. Schrope did open heart surgery on my dog. Both are doing great. They will never go anywhere but Oradell!! Wish I could find such great medical care!!!
Posted 06/04/08 | Report Abuse
16 out of 26 people found this review helpful.
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What could be better than Oradell? Not much!! I'm greeted by caring people as soon as I walk through the door. They have the staff and competence level, being a world reknown teaching facility. The MRI is there, as is anything one could possibly need. They did two cementless hip replacements on my Labrador, and the dog walks fine and enjoys life again. I can't thank them enough. They have even taken care of my goats, which no one else will touch. Can't say enough about them, everyone should be greatful that they are in this area. Their prices are not egregious, they're in line for the quality of the facility and care that is administered. Exceptional hosital. Definitely worth the trip!!!
Posted 06/04/08 | Report Abuse
16 out of 26 people found this review helpful.
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I have brought my animals to OAH for decades and have always been deeply grateful for the compassionate, professional, cutting edge care they receive there. Without question they have saved the lives of several of my dogs and cats that other veterinarians were unable to diagnose and treat. The depth of talent represented by Oradell's doctors is not found in many other facilities - particularly in northern NJ. I believe you "get what you pay for" and I have NEVER felt that I was overcharged at Oradell. It is comforting to know Oradell is there when I need them!
Posted 06/03/08 | Report Abuse
15 out of 24 people found this review helpful.
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saved my chinchilla and my puppy
by Anonymous
i am writing this in response to all the negative comments i hear everytime i tell someone that, "my vet is at oradell animal hospital".
1st of all before we got our dog, we had a chinchilla who is like our dog. last year while we were on vacation he became very sick. the exotic animals vet dr. boren brought him back.
we recently bought a puppy at a mall pet store. we didn't know that many of these dogs are ill and with our luck we purchased a dog with pneumonia. once again, by the time we realized what was what, chuey was also in critical condition.
we had to admit him and while we were concerned.. at no time did we question the treatment, the price or their course of action. while chuey is still sick we are expecting him to make a complete recovery.
most people who compain about this facility aren't even patients they know someone or heard a story about someone who had a bad experience. oradell animal hospital is a state of the art facility with a team of highly skilled doctors who genuinely love thei
Posted 05/28/08 | Report Abuse
17 out of 27 people found this review helpful.
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Wow, what a great facility. I had to bring my beloved Labradoodle there, while we were visiting the East Coast. I have never been treated with such care and kindness. I was amazed it was open at 2am, with such qualified Doctors!! I only wish they were closer to my home in Ohio. What a professional hospital and staff!!
Posted 05/20/08 | Report Abuse
18 out of 32 people found this review helpful.
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I've been to them all, and finally ended up at the best. What a superb facility. The staff is excellent, very intelligent and compassionate people. I wasn't a regular client and was treated as though they knew me and my pet immediately. By the way, they did such amazing surgery on my dog, after he was hit by a car and had multiple kidney damage. He walked out of there two weeks later and he is still doing great. Of course if one's dog gets hit by a car, only it's owner can be blamed for letting him out. These folks were able to repair my heinous mistake!!! Love em!!!
Posted 05/20/08 | Report Abuse
19 out of 33 people found this review helpful.
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I am a Surgeon, and travel quite a distance to take my animals to this outstanding Veterinary Hospital. No one would touch my Kangaroo, after he slipped on the ice and ripped his knee apart. However, the Veterinary Surgeons repaired the leg and he is doing just fine. The Staff was very professional, and the drive is definitely worth it.
Posted 05/20/08 | Report Abuse
17 out of 31 people found this review helpful.
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What a gem, to have such a facility in the tri state area. The people are Oradell are so professional and outstanding. I've never been treated by such a fine group of Doctors, and my pets can prove it. They've replaced both arthritic hips in my 17 year old Doberman! He doesn't even limp...runs like a champ!!! The care is superb.
Posted 05/19/08 | Report Abuse
18 out of 32 people found this review helpful.
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I have three dogs, and all have received truly outstanding medical care at Oradell. One of my dogs in particular had surgery that was well-beyond what would ever be considered "routine" for a dog or for a dog her age ... and she is THRIVING. I have one "primary" physician at Oradell, but have had to take my dogs there at times when my primary was not available. I have probably seen 6 different vets there, and I can say that they were ALL excellent physicians. I highly recommend Oradell Animal Hospital. Yes, they are expensive, but that is the price you pay for a state-of-the-art MEDICAL facility. I was in the OR and Recover Room of that hospital and I can say that it rivals a HUMAN hospital.
Posted 05/17/08 | Report Abuse
14 out of 28 people found this review helpful.
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From a Very Happy Customer
by Anonymous
I have been going to Oradell Animal Hospital for over 28 years and so you can imagine how many pets I have had thru those years. I have always been treated with kindness and respect and the veterinarians and staff at Oradell Animal Hospital are caring individuals who genuinely love animals. The people at the Fort Lee office are also wonderful. I recently have been seeing June Hacker with my girls, Doo and Delia.
Posted 05/10/08 | Report Abuse
14 out of 31 people found this review helpful.
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Best Care in the World
by Anonymous
I don't know what animal hospital those people are talking about but enough is enough. Oradell Animal Hospital has helped me in so many situations, so many times. You people have no idea what great care is!!!! I have several german shepherds and many cats and would go nowhere else. Drs. Angelo and Gannon are the most caring, compassionate people in the universe. You get what you pay for. I want the best for my animals and am fortunate enough that I can afford to take care of my "kids" by taking them to the best! The caring starts at home. I feel bad your dog was hit by a car and I am sure they did the very best and he could not be saved.
Posted 05/10/08 | Report Abuse
12 out of 29 people found this review helpful.
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I love the staff at Oradell. I hate to put my beloved Cinder to sleep she was 11 years old had a liver problem and cancer. If not for their compassion I probably would not have had the strength to let her go. I owed them money and I am still making payments but I don't care. We just brought home a new rescue dog and we take her Oradell in Fort Lee. Trust me I went to the inexpensive vets and the phrase you get what you pay for is true. I recommend this animal hospital to everyone. Thank you again Oradell.
Posted 04/23/08 | Report Abuse
13 out of 34 people found this review helpful.
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Ora-well i wish there WAS something lower than one star.
by Anonymous
I took my brother's dog to Oradell in October when i was dog sitting, because my local animal hospital was closed. Oradell seemed to be extremely clean and fairly similar to a human hospital. However, the prices.. one visit, in which the doctor 'supposedly' took x-rays (which I never saw), gave the dog all these expensive shots and medicines (without my permission), and charged a nice fee of $503.00 with a smile. Not being in the financial condition to pay off a $500 debt, I set up a payment plan with the hospital, and awaited my next bill... that never came. However, last week or so, I received a letter in the mail stating that i was going to get sued! So not only am I expected to pay off a $520 (1.6% interest each month you don't pay it off in full), but I am also awaited in court. They were helpful, I guess, but once you leave the hospital, you're just another collection fee.
Posted 04/21/08 | Report Abuse
23 out of 41 people found this review helpful.
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I have been a client of Oradell Animal Hospital for over 4 years now and am horrified at the reviews I have just read. Never in any of my experiences at this hospital have I seen or heard of such allegations! Every doctor and intern I have dealt with during the care of my 3 dogs, 5 cats, 2 parrots and several exotic reptiles, has been wonderful! The staff is caring and warm. Yes, they are expensive, but you get what you pay for! When my ex-local vet performed routine Urinary Blockage surgery on my 3 year old cat and botched the entire procedure almost costing him his life, Oradell's top-knotch surgeon, Dr. Carol Carberry was there within minutes on a Saturday night to save his life! The $1000 I spent at Oradell was nothing in comparison to the $2000 for a horrible, almost fatal, surgery I spent at my local vet! I will never go anywhere else now that I have been to Oradell Animal Hospital! Both my of my labs were also worked on at Oradell for Foreign Body surgeries after eating pieces of their toys and both we
Posted 03/16/08 | Report Abuse
11 out of 34 people found this review helpful.
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Oradell came through for my pets!
by Anonymous
I have nothing but the greatest respect for Oradell Animal Hospital and its excellent doctors and staff. Oradell is not where I usually take my pets as it is quite a distance from where I live. It is the place I go when one of my ten cats contracts an illness that cannot be diagnosed or treated by my family vet.
Such was the case with "Sterling," a 12-year-old neutered male, who lost almost a third of his body weight, inexplicably and in a very short time. The doctors at Oradell examined him, ran the appropriate tests, and diagnosed that he had a serious heart condition. Now, a year later and on prescription medication, he has regained his weight (and then some) and appears to be quite healthy and happy.
A more recent case was with "Lucy," my old-lady calico. Lucy also had lost a lot of weight and over time, was becoming increasingly inactive. Since she is 17 years old, I expected that her decline was unstoppable. My vet ran every test of which she was capable in terms of equipment and expertise and the
Posted 02/25/08 | Report Abuse
15 out of 39 people found this review helpful.
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Impressed!!!
by Anonymous
As a foreigner and animal friend, I was truly amazed when I visited Oradell and its ER with my dog. The professionalism of the doctors and staff as they met me and described the treatment for my dog was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. The methods used to diagnose my dog were as sophisticated as those used in human hospitals and I was very pleased to get my dog back knowing what troubled him. They really stayed on top of the situation! Sure, it was not for free, but in this case it was well worth it without an instant of hesitation.
I did read some of the former reviews and got a little sad. I refuse to believe a hospital can have such different faces, as some of the other bitter reviewers claim. I assume that animal hospitals could possibly be victims of bad rhetoric, just as a human hospital might be blamed if the process of convalescence does not work out for the patient. Just look at the horrible medical malpractice industry that has been created in this country...
I have so far lived at a few
Posted 02/24/08 | Report Abuse
14 out of 35 people found this review helpful.
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I have read some of the other reviews and it is scary how many sound similar.
I brought my dog to Oradell to be treated for what we were told by our vet and Oradell, was Pancreatitis & possibly diabetes. They said she would need to be there a day or two, although some pets occasionally take a little longer to respond. All the tests were done.
There was no discussion about our dog being very ill. This seemed to be routine treatment for these ailments. I left our dog around 1pm.
My wife visited her about 5pm. At both times she was able to stand and wagged her tail. She was tired and listless from not eating solid food for over a day. The night before she was on intravenous at our vet. We brought her to Oradell because our vet felt she needed to be treated at a larger facility over the Christmas holiday weekend where staffing would not be an issue. At approximatedly 7:30pm we received a call that our dog had "gone into cardiac arrest" and "what would we like to do?" We immediately rushed down to Oradell to
Posted 02/21/08 | Report Abuse
22 out of 36 people found this review helpful.
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Just want your money
by Anonymous
Our cat was sent to Oradell by another hospital because he required microscopic surgery on his ureters from crystal build up. Oradell kept the cat there until he was ready for some test. We were told that the surgery was going to be around $8,000. It turned out that it was worse than we thought and one of his kidneys was showing signs of failure. At that point in time, my husband and I wanted to weigh out our decision on what type of quality of life he could have if he needed a kidney removed. We were talking to the vet and we said that if he needed that type of surgery, we might consider putting him down. We talked it over with the vet (really several vets because we never got the same one) and they understood our position. They explained to us what we could expect years down the road if we did remove his kidney. Low and behold, the run some tests and his kidney showed signs function and didn't need to be removed afterall. So we decide to go ahead with the surgery. The surgery ended up costing $11,000 and no
Posted 01/21/08 | Report Abuse
26 out of 40 people found this review helpful.
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Oradell Animal Hospital has one thing going for it. It is open 24 hours a day. So if you have an emergency after hours or on weekends it is a god send. I recently had to bring my dog there for an emergency surgery and yes, they did save her life, but it cost me $4500 and she only stayed there two days. But what really bothers me is that about three months later I discovered that they had not removed all the staples from her incision and two of them were infected and oozing. I think fir that price I should be able expect proper care and competency.
Posted 01/20/08 | Report Abuse
21 out of 31 people found this review helpful.
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I brought my baby aka puppy in on an emergency, he needed all the care he can get as fast as possible. They were giving him all kinds of tests hooked him up to machines. I was so upset that i didnt care about anything around me only about my baby. Well i had to leave the the emergency room and go to another room so they can do what they had to do. Well like 30 mins later the nurse came in and was like well how are you going to pay for this like thats all she cared about, I was like can i set up a payment plan or something she said well what we can do is, you can apply for care credit. I said ok but what if I dont get approved she looked confused. So the impression that I felt got from the nurse was that if i didnt have the money they wouldnt care as much for my baby as someone with money. It really got me upset. All she kept saying was ohhh its already up to 1,000 dollars it could get up to 5,000 dollars. It was really putting pressure on me. I was thinking ok why are you worrying about the money s
Posted 01/16/08 | Report Abuse
4 out of 17 people found this review helpful.
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My experiences with Oradell Animal Hospital have been a very mixed bag. I had an elderly cat with diabetes. This means she required regular monitoring for the remaining years of her life. I did not have an exorbitant amount of extra cash. To care for her required regular checkups ($), special food ($), insulin and hypodermic needles ($) and testing strips ($). The doctors who cared for her over the years were very sympathetic to the ongoing financial burden and only did essential screenings. While it was a stretch, I never felt the costs were unreasonable.
When it finally came time to let her go to sleep, Oradell Animal Hospital staff were incredibly compassionate. The process was totally humane and sensitive to my emotional state as we took this difficult step. I have nothing but praise for Dr. Pigg and the staff who handled this final passage.
However, I do recognize that not everything is perfect. I was horrified on one occasion to witness an interaction between a front desk receptionist and
Posted 12/29/07 | Report Abuse
5 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
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We recently brought our PBGV in for what turned out to be a very serious case of pancreatitis. He was touch and go for three days, but got wonderful care from the moment we walked in. Our main vet was Dr. Sartor who could not have been more caring. She was sensitive to recognize that the stress of being in the hospital was adding to our dogs recovery and suggested that being at home may help in healing. He was released after 4 days. She could have easily said he should stay in the hospital for the full six days which as we all know costs a bundle. We would have done whatever it took to make him better.
She also suggested we come as much as possible to the hospital and be with him which is not normal protocol there. They usually recommend staying 20 minutes. Our dog had never been in a kennel or overnight in a hospital in his 8.6 years and was so stressed he cried the entire time. The only time he slept was when we sat with him. The fact that Dr. Sartor paid attention to this and acted accordingly was excel
Posted 12/22/07 | Report Abuse
8 out of 26 people found this review helpful.
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Wonderful facility
by donna maher
I was sent to another hospital by my vet and after reading the reviews for this hospital I decided not to go there. I found OAH and am very happy that I did. I knew the type of surgery that my cat needed and I understood the operation would be costly. They quoted me a price of $180 for the consult and $2500 for the surgery. I found the money and was prepared to pay. After the surgery I found out the consult only came to $90 and the surgery was only $1300. Any other tests that had to be done I was told the price first. Overall the staff was wonderful and very helpful. They all seem to really love thier job and it shows. I was very pleased with the service that I have received and would recommend this hospital!
Pros: Very warm and friendly staff
Cons: none
Posted 09/14/09
