Society Hill Veterinary Hospital

The support staff of SHVH is fantastic, they all work extremely hard and are dedicated, compassionate individuals.
My concerns have more to do with the mismanagement of the practice, and their treatment of me, a client who was unhappy with being charged for services NOT performed on his pets.
Originally, my dog was misdiagnosed on two separate occasions for lumps on her feet which were bleeding. She was on bedrest for 6 weeks with no resolution so we went to at another facility. They did a thorough exam, looked at her feet, and immediately knew what it was. She was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder which causes interdigital cysts. We were prescribed an anti-​inflammatory medication and within 2 weeks the lumps were gone. Essentially we kept our high energy, loveable dog on bed rest and sedatives for 6 weeks because we trusted the opinion of SHVH, a place where we had been clients for 4 years. That’s a mistake we won’t make again.
Then recently, we had to board our dog there as a last minute emergency, and were not only charged for the one night of boarding (which we expected), but $ 50 in fees for picking her up on Sunday. but had we picked her up Monday it would have cost us $ 8. How does that make sense? After this, we bring my cat in for a simple urine recheck. When we see the invoice for this, we were charged for a Technician Patient Assessment. This was NEVER PERFORMED. For this charge to be applicable, they should have gotten a temperature, checked his pulse, and listened to his heart and lungs. None of this was done, which was not the issue, but why was I being charged for a service that did not occur?
My wife brought the concerns to light via email to the operations director. She received no response for 4 days. After that I emailed Dr. Casavecchia directly, outlining our concerns, and the fact that we haven’t received a response. Then my wife was told that they would «try to set up a meeting with her» for some time that week. Again, what other client would have to wait? The operations director then emailed me attempting to explain the charges, and stating that they would refund me about ¹⁄₃ of the money. Not acceptable. The excuses used were convoluted and were an obvious attempt to pacify me and make me go away. On top of it all, I was CHASTISED by the operations director for contacting Dr. Casavecchia directly as «had I followed the appropriate lines of communication she could have handled my concerns more timely». So I guess waiting 4 days without a response isn’t adequate time? The appropriate lines of communication were followed, and we got nowhere. And who chastises a client for wanting to have their issues resolved?
I replied to the email stating this fact, and that I would be in on Friday for my refund. (Sent on Wednesday). NO response, so I sent another email Thursday asking that they confirm they received it. I was then told that they did receive it and they would schedule a meeting with my wife to discuss it on Friday. I am the one who has been dealing with this, but you want to cut me out? Not happening. So I informed them as much and that I would be in Friday for my refund.
Friday morning I arrive as planned, am made to wait 30 minutes before being seen by them both to have them say they will refund my money. (I’ve already waited a week at this point, what’s another 30 minutes?) Then Dr. Casavecchia decides to chastise me about my pets being «in her building and not following her protocols» She stated that my cat was in her building and wasn’t up to date on a vaccine. I informed her it was done elsewhere, and she glared at me and said she «expected updated medical records to reflect that.»
No worries, I won’t be back with any of my pets. And I cannot recommend anyone takes their pets here. For the manager and owner of a practice to think it is acceptable to charge a client for services not performed and make them wait a week to have their concerns resolved is deplorable, and the then to chastise me on top of that! What customer service! Add in that prices keep going up and the doctor turnover in the last few years and NO THANKS!

As always, I was not only pleased but DELIGHTED by every single person I dealt with during my cat Midnight’s care at Society Hill Vet Hospital over the past few days. Brought Midnight in for a sick visit because he was vocalizing excessively and Dr. Spicer was able to tell that his bladder was too full to be normal… Turned out he hadn’t urinated for way too long, could have turned into a blocked bladder which is life-​threatening but she so deftly handled the case, recommending cost-​effective ways of trying to relieve the problem before it became a bigger emergency hospital issue. Because of Dr. Spicer’s finding Midnight’s bladder issue on exam, he was able to get the minimum of treatment but the maximum results and came home a happy cat yesterday with an empty bladder and no continuing issue! As always, I trust Dt. Casavecchia and her amazing team more than anyone else on earth, I travel an hour to bring my cats to her practice because I know if I take them anyplace else, I’ll never know if the diagnosis is complete — so I’d always end up bringing my cats to Society Hill Vet Hospital for a second opinion anyway. After coming here with my cats since, oh, 1989, I’ve learned that it’s better to just cut out the middleman, so to speak, and just travel to get the best care for my cats on earth from the most compassionate team of individuals I’ve ever met. From Yasmeen in her Client Service role to her manager, Melanie, who makes it her business to make anything easier for clients that she can, to Tom as the ever-​patient vet tech to Diana and Ashley as oh-​so-​accommodating front line staff who treat every patient like they’re the most important of anyone — to the über-​talented doctors chosen by Dr. Casavecchia and, of course, Dr. Casavecchia herself, who’s built this practice from the beginning by somehow attracting only the very best veterinarians and client care staff — Society Hill is just the ONLY place to go (in my humble opinion) if you truly want the best for your animal companions without paying for things you don’t need that other vets will throw in either because they don’t know enough to diagnose specific cost-​saving treatment options or because they do and want to make money. Sorry, but it’s a reality out there. I trust this team and I’m never going anyplace else, thank you all at SHVH for once again helping me give the best care to my beloved animal companions!

Just took my baby girl there. She is very sick and prognosis does not look good. Society Hill doctor was very honest and told me what they do but did not recommend any further treatment other than palliative care.
The staff was very empathetic, gentle, and caring. They explained what might happen over the next couple of days.
The visit was expensive, at least for someone on a tight budget.

I would not recommend taking your pet to this facility. After charging hundreds $$ of dollars for a visit and diagnostics, the vet advised that our dog needed surgery to remove a tumor. The surgery was scheduled and while my dog was under anesthesia the office staff called my cell phone and advised that they misdiagnosed and it was not a tumor, but was in fact a hernia. They also advised it would cost hundreds of dollars more to correct. It cost us $$$$$ for their misdiagnosis. Needless to say, we were very distraught about the care our dog was receiving. Since then, we have a new vet. On our first visit without ever bringing it to the new vets attention had asked us «do you know that she has a hernia? It could easily be fixed.» No lab tests etc., the doctor immediately knew what was wrong with our dog and was able to correct the problem. Needless to say, we have not returned to SHVH and would never take any of our pets to their facility.

Today as always society hill demonstrated care for my pet and great customer service for me. I had run out of pain meds and was awaiting an overnight delivery from 1800petmeds. I asked if I could come pick up 1 pill. They said no problem and that I could come by ASAP. When I arrived they gave me a FREE sample of 7 pills. This really helped my dog to feel better and made my trip worth it. Not to mention that they always remember me and my dog by site and this is a big city high traffic vet. They rocked it today!

Lovely staff! I couldn’t get an appointment at my regular Vet when my doggie had a severe ear infection and allergy attack. They got me an appoint the sabe day I called. The staff was extremely friendly and welcoming. The doctor was incredible! My dog is a bit scared/​anxious and the doctor was gentle ant patient. I ended up calling back with another issues two weeks after my appointment and they helped me over the phone and even had a nurse call me in the evening. I decided to make this my regular Vet!

Took my dog there for a check up, was finished in 15 min in the back room with almost a $ 500 bill. Reluctantly spoke to them about surgery a month later and I’ve never dealt with such futile charges trying to make any penny they can. I dealt with Penn for months of chemo and they were amazing. Don’t go to society hill vets!

I’ve been taking my dog here for at least 10+ years, probably longer. The care is excellent and now that he is 17 years old, even better. The doctor actually offered to come to the house when my dog’s arthritis and back pain made it almost impossible to get him out of the house and into the car. They have been managing his pain carefully and successfully over the past couple of years. This situation started with him waking up at night screaming and since the pain management this has all stopped. The vet was here 2 weeks ago with an assistant to examine him and draw blood. Today, two vet assistants were here to bathe/​groom him. Again, it’s not possible for me to get him out of the house to bathe him. He now looks and smells great. As far as some concerns about fees by writers, patients need to consider all that goes into maintaining any type of health care practice. The office is in a very expensive area of the city and rents are extremely high. Considering that a vet goes to school at least 8+ years and is a highly trained medical professional, the fees are well within reason. I am very comfortable in recommending these doctors to anyone who wants quality care and a pleasant office environment and staff.
PS My miniature long hair dachshund who has been sick for over a year or more, just passed away. Thanks to the care he received from everyone at this office, he lived a long and healthy life and was 17 and a half years old. The last months were made so much easier and pain free due to the care by the doctors and staff at Society Hill Veterinary Hospital and I want to publicly thank them for that.

They are the best. I have been taking my 1^st dog to SHVH for 11 years (since she was a pup). The other 4 dogs have followed. They are truly concerned and take care of, not only their patients, but the owners as well. I saw another review that said they were expensive. Not true. When my dog had a procedure done I called, out of curiosity, a few other hospitals. Not only were their prices better than all the others by a substantial amount, they were half the price of one of them. Love the vets and all the staff!
Barbara B.

This review reflects the treatment Chato, who had since passed, received yrs ago. I would have written then but was unfamiliar with Unilocal at the time. They’ve motivated me to write this negative review NOW because they’re unable to stop sending me junk mail/​spam.
They misdiagnosed my 30lb dog, prescribed medication to deworm a horse, then overcharged me.
There are much better animal hospitals you should bring your pet to.

I am so happy with this Vet. a few weeks ago my much loved male cat Max started peeing blood. Through trial and error I found SHV. So happy I did. Everyone was so caring especially Dr. rose and Robert. Max is now fine and they will be my vet for Max and his sister Shana

I just adopted a foster dog and she soon presented with a lot of coughing, sneezing, lethargy, and problems eating. Being a new pet owner, I was anxious and frazzled. I really appreciated Sraboni, a vet tech, for her care and patience. You can tell she really likes dogs and I needed the kindness. She even sent me home with some doggie food to tempt my pup to eat (it worked!).
Yes, it was a bit expensive and the vet did suggest a rather expensive x-​ray. However, I find this kind of move towards pricey procedures quite common, especially in the city. The only vet I’ve seen that does not do this was a rural vet way out in the country. I don’t think they were too pushy, and I know they want to cover all bases so that they aren’t liable. Plus, I do think it came from a place of caring. They were up front about the cost and respected my decision to see how the dog reacted to antibiotics before we moved to more serious diagnostics. I think it is often the job of the pet owner to be their own advocate and make decisions about these matters.
Sraboni worked very hard to get my pet’s medicine called in on time to the CVS next door. I was not a fan of this CVS, which Sraboni warned me about. I think they mostly send people there because it is so close. Plus, the meds CVS provided were quite expensive. Next time, I will head to Target because they seem to have a broader variety of $ 4 generics. You live, you learn.
We will see how my pup fares, but she does seem to be improving. Fingers crossed. I would suggest this vet because I liked the care and consideration I received. I will, of course, continue to balance more costly procedures except in a critical situation.

Many ppl I speak with agree that they charge too much, and use salesman tactics to urge clients to get unnecessary check ups and procedures. I find the staff off putting and uncomfortable. I’m sure the care is top notch, but I don’t like the way they do business.

I am new to the Philadelphia area and was looking for a reputable vet. Long story short, I paid a lot of money for a Pet Assure discount card… this card gives you 25% off every visit for participating veterinary offices. Being I did not have a vet in the area, I based my decision off of «participating vets» listed on the Pet Assure website. When I called to schedule my appointment at Society Hill, I asked if they could please confirm whether or not they accepted this discount card. The person on the other end put me on hold to find out, and when they came back on the line, they said I «could definitely use that.»
My experience at the hospital was great until it became time to pay. We saw doctor Meister and I was so grateful to have found him. He patiently answered all of my questions and was very sweet with both of my dogs. When I explained that my puppy was itching a lot, he offered to give her a shampoo (I assumed this was a nice, complimentary gesture). I was extremely happy with everything at this point… They even agreed to give my dog her vaccines in front of me because I didn’t want them to take her into the next room.
Upon check out however, everything changed. I handed them my discount card and they acted like they had never heard of it before. The girl that was ringing me out actually ended up getting up and going home because she wasn’t sure how to apply the discount. I was passed over to Lee who proceeded to tell me that Society Hill does not participate. He remembered talking to me on the phone, but swears he didn’t remember anything about me asking about the card. I asked him to go to the Pet Assure website so I could show him, but when he did, the vet was all of a sudden «not participating.»
I could not believe what I was seeing! I never would have chosen a vet that didn’t accept my card since I didn’t know any of the vets in the state and it was strictly how I was basing my decision. I was visibly upset, and he agreed there must have been a miscommunication over the phone (thinking I said pet INSURANCE). I asked to please speak with a manager after all of this.
Lee went into the back and came out offering me a free FUTURE stool sample-​no manager in site. This made no sense to me because I explained to Lee that I would not come back if they did not participate in the discount program. Why would I pay a bunch of money to receive discounts but then go to a vet that won’t accept the card? He wasn’t doing anything for this visit and I was becoming more and more upset.
Once again I asked for the manager, but he told me that «everyone was getting ready to go home so he was back there cleaning up and was too busy to come out and talk to me.» I could not believe this! I really wanted to love this place because the doctor was so great, but I could not believe their lack of customer service with an upset customer. The fact that he could admit to the miscommunication on the phone but then offer me nothing but a free stool sample when I hadn’t even given him any stool to sample is absolutely ridiculous to me.
At this point, I was fed up and asked him what my total was… wouldn’t you believe he rang me up for the shampoo! I don’t even know how much they were going to charge me for that; I told them I didn’t want it. I won’t be back to this hospital again and it’s unfortunate because I did like the place.
P.S– I remember I was frustrated setting the appointment because they put me on hold for 26 minutes!!! When I hung up and called back several hours later, they blamed it on the phones

Love love this place! Take great care of my dog n cat, pleasant and polite always. Great follow up always. This office renewed my faith after a HORRIBLE experience at Center City Vet last year, highly recommend this place. Sean Ogden

Location is convenient and office is clean.
Staff is nice, but nothing out of the world. Almost comes off as fake.
Biggest drawback: Will nickel and dime you for everything.
As a healthcare professional, I am baffled when a vet charges for a follow-​up visit. Shouldn’t this be included in the original (astronomical) fee for an examination? I thought this was a given, but I guess not in this office.
UPDATE 3÷20÷2014: So my dog has a yeast infection on her skin, and the vet failed to diagnose this. I explained the history of allergies, and he dismissed her rash as part of the allergies. No blood test. No skin swab. No further tests were recommended. Especially since (I just found out that) she has the textbook definition signs of a yeast infection.
Overcharging for services is one thing, but failing to complete basic diagnostic tasks is actually a shame.
Will be looking for another vet in town.

According to my Unilocal activity, I am obsessed with food and my dog. Accurate.
Anyway, moving on… I’ve been going to SHVH for the almost-​two years that I have had my three year old rescue pitbull, and when it comes to taking care of him, they are fabulous. I always feel like he’s getting the treatment he needs, the staff is friendly, the doctors are knowledgeable, and my pooch is obsessed with the treats they give out. Holy Lord he loves them. I’ve been able to get appointments on short notice, they have a great weekend doctor on-​call so you can get help over the phone, and everyone at the practice has just made being a first time dog owner easy.
Easy on my mind. Not easy on my wallet.
This place costs an arm and a leg. Seriously. I love my dog to the moon and back and am basically willing to pay whatever it takes to keep him happy and healthy, but SHVH might have a different definition of «whatever it takes.» In all of my appointments, the doctors have never given me a price before performing a service or prescribing a med and they tend to make everything seem «necessary,» so you just kind of go along with what they want to do. My most recent visit was for a routine check-​up with some preventative tests and one medication and I’m pretty sure I audibly gasped at the final bill. (Then, to make things better, they called me later in the afternoon to tell me that they actually forgot to add on another test and needed to charge me an additional chunk of change. I almost drove my car off the road when I got that piece of info.) I ended up calling another vet practice for an estimate of what they would charge for a comparable visit and it was so much less I almost died. Again.
I was also a little caught off-​guard when I realized the specific doctor I had been seeing (and my dog had totally been loving) left the practice. I was never informed or given a heads-​up by anyone, which just seem strange since I had been a pretty loyal patient of his.
All in all, if you are one of those people for whom money is no object, then please, take your four-​legged baby here and enjoy the service and peace of mind that comes from going to SHVH. But if you’re looking for a vet that won’t make you want to freeze your credit cards in blocks of ice, I suggest checking out some other options.

I am recently a new customer of this vet and I am definitely happy with me choice! I have a 2 year old fur baby, a cat named Mackers, who suddenly developed flu like symptoms. After monitoring him for a day, I received a phone call from my roommate that he took a turn for the worse. I work right in the area and instantly called them to try and fit me in as my vet couldn’t (being 24 I wanted to avoid having to do PetER if possible). The receptionist was great & fit me in within an hour. After I arrived with my cat, they all doted over him and were super caring and welcoming. The place is very clean and we even had a view of the sidewalk from the window in the room that Mackers loved to sit in while waiting.
After a quick and thorough visit with the vet (I am at a loss for her name right now) Mackers and I were on our way home with some medicine. They even sent me a follow up email checking on him!
Needless to say I am very happy with our visit and will be back for the remainder of the time I’m in Philly!

I’m responding to the last post from Kimberly D…
Dr. Matkowski has been my vet for many years now and I didn’t even get a notice that he is no longer with Society Hill. Was just going to make an appointment for next week. Thank you for posting this!
P. S. — I am not giving Dr. Matkowski a 3-​star rating — he’s always been a 5 — but over the years I’ve had some disappointments when going to other vets there when Dr. Matkowski was unavailable. The price for services there has also skyrocketed.

Dr. Matkowski is the greatest Vet in Philadelphia. Extremely caring, gave his personal email address to me so that I could email him with any questions I had regarding my puppy’s health. What incredible service! I’ve never met such a wonderful and loving Veterinarian. The gals in the office are cheery and just as caring, too.
A great clinic with an uplifting attitude. I definitely recommend that all pet owners take their animals to Dr.Matkowski. He will love them like pets of his very own. Truly a fabulous place.