Plains Animal Hospital

I have been a patient of Dr. Edwards for close to 20 years, and the care she provided has been consistently fantastic. She has always been incredibly kind and compassionate in addition to being so well-learned and experienced. I have friends who have taken their pets to Dr. Ayers and they are also very pleased. I give them four out of five stars because the prices have gotten to the point where I can no longer afford to take my pets there.
I recently brought my 4 month old puppy in for a check-up and shots. Between the office visit, the shots, and 6 months of heartworm medicine, the visit racked up a $360 bill. I paid it, and went ahead and scheduled a spay. I then inquired about an estimate for the spay -- I was told between $350 and $480. This is an 8 pound dog. Thinking this must be a mistake, I called again a few weeks later. A different receptionist answered, and I received the same response. I don't make enough money to afford even the lowest end of this estimate, and I just couldn't do it. Thankfully, I just found out that the Lackawanna County SPCA has a low cost program for spaying and neutering, so I am going to look into that. In the meantime, my dog has gone into heat; this is the first time in the history of owning dogs that I have allowed this to happen. In the future, I will have to look for another clinic, as even the office visits have become more than I can afford.

Posted 11/02/09 | Report Abuse

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I LOVE Plain Animal Hospital! I have been going there since my dog was about 3 years old. He is now 11. Unfortunately, he is in poor health with heart failure and now a tumor. I have all the love and respect of Dr. Edwards. She really cares about my dog and have NEVER pushed any type of extensive treatment on him. We are managing my dog well and she has done a great job at keeping his heart stable. He is a happy dog thanks to Dr. Edwards! I also have to say that I never experience any problems with the staff. Appointments are scheduled in a timely fashion, and I never had a long wait. They have always been courteous and kind both in person and over the phone. I love the convenience of their pharmacy with the refill pickup. Health care is expensive in general, People as well as pets! An x-ray is an x-ray and medications are medications. Why would you think it would be cheaper for a pet when it is the same service that you as a person receives? I think we need to take that into consideration.

Posted 10/16/09 | Report Abuse

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I also agree that their prices are too high. I love my dog just as much as anyone else, but I can't afford to spend a fortune on vet care either.
I had taken my dog there for his teeth to be checked. A few teeth had to be extracted. When I went to pick him up I couldn't believe how bad he looked! I also was asked to go around the side of the building to pick him up-I couldn't even walk out of the front door with him.
He was bleeding quite profusely from the time I picked him up. This continued for an entire day!!! It got to the point where my dog vomited nothing but blood from the accumulation of it in his stomach. He apparently should have had more stitches in his mouth to close the spots where the teeth were pulled.
I would never take him back there for any dental work!

Posted 09/30/09 | Report Abuse

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If this is the Referral Hospital in Plains then I would turn tail and run. They were kind but told my family that our Dog had an abscess which needed a drain, along with mild anemia(22% HCT, I think thats extremely low anemia, not mild). 750.00 later, we went home for him to suffer another 4 days with no relief, and returned to them, they changed his pain meds. This procedure was not necessary, the diagnosis was wrong, all the way to stateing that the anemia was mild and no form of treatment for it. ... We have now been seeking medical care elsewhere and need to have an ultrasound performed, I tried to ask this Referral Hospital that due to their procedure not being effective(cost quite a bit) could they be more reasonable on having the test done there, the woman at the front desk couldn't believe that i would ask for help when I'm stateing they didn't help me in the first place. Makes you feel like sh*t. The ultrasound is another 300.00 procedure, when I have now spent XXXX of dollars and still no diagnosis. I was hopeing to have some fairness, honesty and teamwork as they boast on their website but again it's about the money and not the quality of care or fundamentals of their own motto. It's disappointing to have lacking medical care but really SAD when they are chargeing an arm and a leg and us lamen people don't know the difference and it's our dogs that are suffering. Tsk Tsk on them.............

Posted 09/15/09 | Report Abuse

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Please do your pet and yourself a favor and go somewhere else.My pet recently was wrongly diagnosed and a surgical procedure was preformed by the vets at this establishment.This was extremely costly and not only did the techs become ignorant about it but the vet who made this error acted like it was no big deal.It is a big deal,not only was my pet put at risk and suffered pain because of this I also was not compensated or refunded my money.PLEASE,PLEASE.FIND ANOTHER VET.

Posted 09/14/09 | Report Abuse

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I took my dog to the Plains Animal Hospital for blood work and called the next day for the results. Well I was told the results were lost and I had to bring my dog back. The office staff are very unprofessional and rude there. I went to another vet, who is great.

Posted 09/09/09 | Report Abuse

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I've used this Vet for over 10 yrs.
After reading the comments I feel they ARE correct in general.The care is some of the kindest and thorough in the Valley,the front staff CAN be standoffish and doesn't ALWAYS keep on top of of your VET'S orders like they SHOULD! and prices are moderate/high.

If you use them make sure you ask-ask-ask about treatments and prices!

Posted 05/25/09 | Report Abuse

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I have been taking my dog to Plains Animal Hospital since she is a puppy, and I have never been given poor service. The staff has been wonderful to my dog, and are always very helpful whenever I have called. The vets there are very thorough, and when you take the animal for an exam, they give them an excellent one. To me, it is worth every penny for the best care! We have seen Dr. Ambrose and Dr. Williamson, both excellent! I would recommend them to anyone.

Posted 05/11/09 | Report Abuse

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I began taking our dogs to Plains Animal Hospital a bit over a year ago. I have never been treated rudely, or felt that I was being rushed out the door or off the phone. My most recent experience was over the past few days, when one of my dogs bit another one of our dogs. I was concerned about the condition of the wounds. I called at 9:00 AM and got an appointment for 10:30 AM. Dr. Ayers was his usual wonderful, gentle, self and took care of my Sparky with tenderness and efficiency. He also took care of the situation in the most cost effective manner, which of course is always appreciated. Are they a little pricey? Maybe... but when we're talking about our best friends, let me say this...If one of your family members needed emergency care, would the first thing you'd worry about would be the cost? Imagine taking your child to a hospital and saying to a doctor, "Well, I'd like my child to be treated, doc, but I'm a little short on cash so I'll have to pass on the treatment". Listen, when you have a pet, you have responsibility and some of that responsibility involves money. If you can't afford a pet, don't get one to begin with. But don't blame the vet for charging you too much for their care. Dr Ayers and his staff are among the best in their field!

Posted 03/31/09 | Report Abuse

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I have been going to this animal hospital for years now and I am just a little disappointed that the doctors don't talk to me more. My dog was recently diagnosed with a serios condition and since the diagnosis a few months ago the doctor has not approached us with any kind of information. I have asked to speak to them but was told they were in with other clients and if I wanted to wait they might be able to fit me in. If you have ever been to this hospital you know how busy they are and that wait could be a very long one. I'm not saying my dog isn't worth the wait I just feel that I should be kept up to date on his progress and should be able to see the doctor when I pick him up.

Posted 01/01/09 | Report Abuse

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I stumbled from vet to vet since moving to the area several years ago. One operation was little more than an annual vaccination clinic, that did some spaying and neutering on the side. If you had a sick animal child, forget it...your baby saw a stranger, who didn't know them at the local Animal Emergency Room. Thankfully, we heard about Dr. Edwards and Plains Animal Hospital. Can the care get costly...sure...but if you want quality care for your dear companion, you want a facility that can handle lab, x-rays, ultrasound, etc. At Plains, even if you don't get to see your regular vet, your pet's complete medical history is recorded in their computerized system and can be viewed in the examination room. Even if that particular vet never saw your baby, a complete medical history is right there on the monitor...instant familiarity that prevents unnecessary testing and speedier diagnosis when a problem arises. I have had occasion to see all the vets who practice there and they are a fine, caring, super professional group who deserve every dollar and kudo that comes their way.

Posted 08/09/08 | Report Abuse

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I have been going to Plains Animal Hospital for about 6 years now and regularly see Dr. Ayers and Dr. Edwards and have seen Dr. Ambrose on a few occasions. I have NEVER had any experiences like the last two posters. If I had an issues or concerns I would express them directly to Dr. Ayers. I have had multiple "emergencies" over the years and the staff has been very accommodating at getting me in. When Dr. Edwards had to euthanize one of my dogs they allowed us a private exit and also were very caring through the whole process. Dr Ayers even had a technician meet us after hours to administer medication to our dog that was in the end stages of her life. I have tried a few other vets in the area and there are NONE that have the knowledge and the experience that I have found here. Speaking about expense, I think that one needs to be realistic on what you expect to pay for a visit. In other words you get what you pay for. I have asked on many occasions what the cost of something was and was immediately told. With regard to pharmaceuticals, I don't buy my own medications over the Internet and would certainly not buy my dogs there either. I am always guaranteed the right dose and quality.If you have an issue with a staff person, you can bring it to Dr. Ayers attention. I have never met someone more caring about animals in my life and I would bet the rent that he would not stand for for someone not representing his practice in a professional manner.I would NEVER use another vet in the Wyoming Valley. For the last person, I would call the hospital and speak to the vet that you are seeing and explain the situation and be specific about which person you had an issue with.

Posted 07/08/08 | Report Abuse

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I have been going to the Plains Animal Hospital for a few years now. I am in the process of looking for a new vet. I am very happy with the vet that I see at the Plains Animal Hospital, but I the staff at the front desk are always very snippy with answering any questions and are at times very rude. I have heard the same from other people that I know. There are quite a few people looking to go to another vet due to the staff at the front desk. They act as though everyone there for an appt is a bother to them. It also seems as though their prices are extremely high as compared to other vets in the area. I feel that this is due to the large new clinic that was recently built. They never go over what procedures they are going to be doing that day at your visit or give you any pricing. Don't be surprised if you go to the desk at the end of your appointment and your bill is $400 +. And if you question the pricing you will be treated very poorly. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect.

Posted 06/07/08 | Report Abuse

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I was looking for a holistic vet. I found Dr. Edwards who works out of plains animal hospital. I made an appointment and asked for her, explaining why I wanted her. I had to wait 2 or 3 weeks. No problem as I understood that when you want a certain vet you may have to wait. I went to my appointment and they took me in. I got a different doctor! I asked and was told the doctor I wanted was out sick. (They should have told me this when I checked in) OK so I went ahead with appointment figuring I was there already. They asked all the why and what questions. I told them I did not want any vaccines that day as my dog was still in recovery from knee surgery. I was asked if I wanted heart worm check. I agreed to that. Doctor came in and said "I see you are here for yearly vaccines. I again said no I am here looking for a new vet. I don't know what the tech put in records but I had to tell the doctor what I was there for. Which is fine as I would rather the doctor hear from me what I want anyway. She gets done with the other stuff and gets out nail clippers. I stopped her and said I do not want his names clipped. (I do them myself). Her response was OH you don't want me to clip them?Doctor is done. I had to ask what the outcome of heart worm test was, they told me you have to wait in waiting room it takes 10 min. OK I understand tests take time. I go out in waiting room, a little while later tech comes half way across waiting room and says it was negative. Then walked away. I follow her up to desk and ask if I could get a prescription for heart worm preventive. Her response was "for your size dog its going to be expensive." I said just give me a script. She said it is against policy to give one, I would have to buy it there. She told me she could give me my dogs records and a letter from Dr. Ayers as to why they have that policy. I feel they should have told me up front that they don't give out prescriptions and the doctor I wanted was out sick. I don't feel they listened to anything I said. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THEM!

Posted 06/03/08 | Report Abuse

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I recently changed vets..after researching I decided on Plains Animal Hospital. I can not say enough about the Dr.'s and staff. If you are in need of competent vets, helpful and congenial staff, you need Plains Animal Hospital. 5 stars from me!!!
Debbie

Posted 08/15/07 | Report Abuse

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A great place to take you pets to when they are in need of emergency care, or maybe they just need to be checked out, is the Plains Animal Hospital. They have a great staff here. The Vets are great with animals and they are very gentle and caring. The prices will vary of course. But I do highly recommend it!

Posted 11/09/05 | Report Abuse

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