Clinton Veterinary Center

Dr. Fisch and the entire staff at Clinton Veterinary Center are so fantastic. My husband and I have been taking our cats there for over 12 years now. They are very caring and kind. He has helped my cats stay healthy for years!

I almost never review places but this place deserves this. My cat had a traumatic experience here and it was entirely their fault.
They have office cats, wandering about in their office. Cats are solitary and territorial, and it takes a long long time to acclimate cats to one another. Why on earth would a veterinarian have cats in their office? I brought my cat in, already agitated because she’s in a carrier and just got walked through several blocks of outdoor NYC, and of course the smell and presence of his cats agitated her further. Then the exam starts, his ham-​handed assistant grabs my cat BY THE TAIL, and she starts going bananas.
The vet guy then shoves her (like, actually shoves, forcefully) into her carrier and declares that he needs to sedate her. I protest, but at that point my cat has gone through all the trauma and is meekly growling in her carrier. I picked her up later and paid a THREE HUNDRED DOLLAR bill for sedative and a new microchip.
This place might be fine for dogs, but DO NOT bring your cat here. This was a horrendous experience.

Dr. Fisch cared for our Boston Terrier all of our dog’s 12 happy years. He is sometimes impatient with people, but is great with the animals. He’s one of the best diagnosticians around — according not just to me and friends who have reported their own experiences, but also to other vets that I’ve gone to for second opinions. If you read through the negative reviews, you’ll see that most refer to his interaction with people, rather than the pet. If you personally want to be coddled, he might not be the best to go to, but time after time he proved his worth to us, and we learned to positively appreciate his no-​nonsense attitude.

BEST VET in town. The only vet both our pets have had. Dr. Fisch will not kiss your butt, he loves the animals and they are his concern. He does not coddle you, he coddles them. He is not rude, he just wants the best for your pet. We had an older cat that had to be put to sleep and my 8 year old (whom Dr. Fisch has known since she was 3) was talked to very honestly and gently by this lovely man. He is the reason to this day she wants to be a vet.

Dr. Fisch is wonderful to my 3 chihuahuas. My dogs completely trust him and my boyfriend and I completely trust him. He’s no nonsense and straight to the point. Millie at the front desk is so sweet and helpful and Wolfgang, the vet assistant is a doll and great with the pups. Lucky to live next door, but even if I didn’t we’d travel to see them.

Awful service and very rude disposition.
There are so many vet clinic around with much better service, this place is not worth it.

Dr Fisch is probably the only vet that I truly trust to do the right thing. He is experienced, not condescending, a no nonsense vet who tries to do the best job possible. Having gone to the really bad places like City Vet and the really expensive places like Blu, I cannot think of a better place. Good service, not pretentious and quality service at a more than fair cost. Try him.

I have to say I have had mixed times here. And as I research vets on Unilocal,why does it seem so hard to find a vet with above average review? I do realize that we are all emotional dealing with our loved one when at a vet.
I have been to Fisch over 10 times and I have concluded that it is a below average experience hence the 2 stars.

This Doctor has an ego so huge that it blocks out his common sense and ability to be objective. He is down right arrogant and offensive. I took my dog to him for almost two years and I kept suggesting that my dog had an under active thyroid. I gave fastidious reports about food intake and exercise. Dr. Fisch didn’t want to hear it. He basically kept yelling at me for over feeding and under exercising her. Unbelievable. Finally, while he was away on vacation, a doctor filling in for him said simply, «It seems like a thyroid issue; why don’t we do a simple blood test.»
When Dr. Fisch was confronted with this (positive) test for thyroid disease, he was defensive and arrogant and made all sorts of excuses. By this time my dog had advanced issues and it has been a nightmare ever since.
Shame, shame on this arrogant doctor for attempting to, «practice» medicine.
You might read the other reviews that state words such as, «indifference, doesn’t care, major risks not examined, clear disinterest, shoddy, etc. etc…» The positive reviews are from relatives of his, or for those masochists who like people like the foodnazi…

I didn’t know what to expect when I walked into this vet’s office. I saw a worm in my cat’s stool last night and wanted a vet nearby. I read the reviews first, but also thought I’d decide for myself. Great decision! Some reviewers say Dr. Fisch is cold and «all business.» Nothing could be further from the truth! He is warm, welcoming and professional, as is the woman at the front desk. I brought in my cat; Dr. Fisch treated her with a single pill (I had thought I’d have to be giving daily meds) and told me how to proceed if the tapeworm didn’t clear up within the week. Great to have someone nearby whom I trust, and whose fees seem reasonable.

The whole staff here is great. A lot of vets try to get extra $ from surgery your pets probably don’t need, but not here Dr. Fisch seems honest and has helped with anything that has been wrong with my dog. He may not coddle you which is what seems to be the complaints here but he does his job and does it well.

Dr. Fisch is a great vet.
He puts the well being and the medical needs of my dog ahead of my need for self validation, or the constant need for a warm and fuzzy feeling. In my experience with him, he did not try to push or pump or attempt to sell my dog unnecessary medication or treatments.
On another note, Dr. Fisch is actually a very funny guy, and if you give him a chance, he will quickly put you and your animal at ease.
If you want mud baths or scented candles and a vet who doesn’t seem to care about animals go to a chain spa.

bottom line: Disinterest, Expensive, choose another vet.
This vet is expensive and doesn’t seems to care that much.
Came to his clinic with my dog who seemed to be at risk and could hardly walk on the street on our way to the clinic. I actually had to remind his secretary that my dog was breathing heavily and we need help!
Dr Fisch didn’t have much to say, gave us an I-​dont-​know look and took some expensive tests and measures that weren’t necessary. Later on he tried to stuff us with more drugs than we needed. I had to call him myself for a follow up for the result (when I pay to dollars I think they should call with the results…) and just to ask a simple question. From his answer I noticed that one major risk was not examined! He said that he’ll call the lab and I should call back on the next business day. When I called back I realised that this additional test (that he should have make on the first place!) costed even more and that now I have a new balance to pay.
I asked him about all of this, and he didn’t even give a definite answer to why he checked this and not that.
I’m done with this guy. Way too expensive for unpleasant, nonprofessional service.
My dog is well, so I gave him 2 stars instead of 1.

I am a truly neurotic dog owner. My dog (age 9) is my baby and I treat him such. I would not trust him to anyone other than Dr Fisch. I tried other vets when I moved cross town, vets in fancy offices with large practices and both times ended up bringing my baby back to Dr Fisch as the other vets didn’t cure what was ailing him. Even simple things like a cough he picked up at day care once –those other places charged me $$$$ and didn’t cure him. One trip to Dr Fisch and he was better within 24 hours. He does have great passion for animals and I see evidence of that every time I see him.
Short of knitting your pet a sweater, I can’t understand what these people think they’re not getting?!

If you are looking for a true professional who actually cares, please see Dr. Fisch. He is a true Alpha, putting my pets at ease immediately. They have squealed and barked with other vets, but not with Dr. Fisch. Add to that, his incredible passion for his work. I left a non-​emergency call at 9pm and had a return call by 10.30pm. I truly believe that Dr. Fisch is in this business to give the best care possible. He and his staff always go extra lengths for my pets health. I cannot recommend him highly enough.

Probably one of my best vet experiences. Dr. Fisch was so good with my cat, who is so anxious with strangers and new surroundings. We were seen immediately and the cost of the visit was so reasonable. Plus, the staff was so friendly.

My dog’s been in his care for five years. He has provided competent, reliable service. His office staff is cheerful and helpful. The office wall is covered with pictures and letters from patients singing his praises.
Dr. Fisch won my loyalty when my dog was ill as a pup. I called on a dark winter weeknight about 6 pm, he answered the phone, (he was the only person left in the office) and told me he would wait for me to bring my dog in, even though I was coming from the upper east side. I think most vets would make a referral to an after-​hours facility, but not Dr. Fisch.
Dr. Fisch isn’t the life of the party, but I have never had reason to doubt his care. He’s also not the cheapest vet in the world, but its Manhattan and nothing is cheap here. I have never felt pressured to okay treatment that I didnt feel was necessary.

Small practice with efficient, convenient, effective care. My cat needed to be expressed, and they got the job done. It was so quick, my baby boy was bewildered, but not upset. I also appreciate the bluntness with which he informed us that our cat had to go on a diet.
At one point, I suggested additional treatments «while we were there» and he said no, let’s wait till we see if the expression and diet work out. They did. I saved money and more importantly, I saved him the stress and indignity of additional procedures while he was still under-​the-​weather.

We have been taking our small dog to Dr. Fisch for the past 4 years and have been very satisfied with his services. We love our dog to no end and strive to keep him healthy and happy, but we do not go to any ridiculous lengths.
Dr. Fisch has always been kind to our dog. He answers our questions professionally and has never pushed us into any unnecessary treatment. In fact, during those times we got nervous about our dog’s condition and were eager to agree to any suggested treatment, Dr. Fisch talked us through it in a very reasonable, compassionate manner.
If you’re looking for someone to coddle you or your pet, you’re going to have a bad time with Dr. Fisch.
If you require a sweet and cheery attitude from your vet, you’re going to have a bad time with Dr. Fisch.
If you’re looking for a professional to care for your pet and are cost conscious, then Dr. Fisch may be exactly who you need.
I am not sure where many of the complaints about Dr. Fisch come from, but I do understand from first hand experience how much owners can love their animal companions. This can make them particularly sensitive to those that they entrust to care for their animals. I suspect that this may be the reason why some of the negative reviewers felt that Dr. Fisch was not providing the necessary care.

I’ve been here a few times over the years. This might be a harsh review, but I’m fed up with shoddy service. The gloominess of the place really gets to me (and the cats, too). Every time I’ve seen the doctor, he’s had this I-have-access-to-special-drugs-and-I’m-considering-suicide look. He doesn’t have any sense of humor whatsoever. No attempt to make light of the situation. On top of that, he treats the pets with clear disinterest. I suppose what matters to him is the bottom line. When he tells you, with the glazed look of indifference in his eyes, something similar to «I’ve checked your pet for 30 seconds, I’m going to rip you off before you walk out the door, but please do call in the morning for a follow up…» — you’re going to feel like punching someone, too.
It’s time to exchange convenience for quality of service. (2 stars because Dr. Fisch does perform his job, but he gives only the bare minimum.)