Conference misery::feline

    THe Boston Cat Hospital is in Brookline and ther is always Angel
    Memorial.

	I'm going to be adopting a couple of kittens in the near future,
	so I am looking for vet recommendations in the Marlboro area.
	(Un-recommended vets would also be helpful)


	Thanks,

	-Andy

    
    Andy,
    
    I go to the Marlboro Animal Hospital. Both Dr. Levan and Dr. Nelson
    are wonderful, and though expensive, the place is immaculate, and
    they treat your pets like family members (not like animals).  Also,
    an added plus is that they have a "cat" side and a "dog" side, so
    the two aren't mixed in the same waiting room.  I have six cats now
    (hopefully five soon) and they are quick to handle emergencys, they
    are quite thorough in their testing, and if it is something they feel
    is in the realm of specialists, they quickly bring these specialists
    in from Tufts.  I like them a lot, and I trust them implicitly.  
    
    Nancy
    
    P.S.  Their number is 508-485-1664 and they are located on Route 20
          near the Route 495 on/off ramps.
    

    I have moved intothe Harvard Mass area recently and need a good vet
    recommendation for my cat. Can anyone offer a recommendation?
    
    	It has been too long since I had my cat checked out an she needs
    shots as she can now be an outdoor cat (again)!
    
    
    						thanks,
    						Mark

A friend of ours has just opened a new veterinary practice in
Franklin.  This has been a life long dream for them to open their own
practice, so we are really excited for them.  


Franklin Veterinary Clinic
430 East Central (Rt. 140)
Franklin, MA
(508) 520-9239

Dr. Dick Crowell

Will make house calls.
Carries pet products (food, flea spray, etc.)
His wife Diedre will probably answer the phone.

    Has anyone used the Ashland Animal Hospital (in the center
    of town)? I'm taking Snoopy (my boy) in to get The Operation
    tomorrow morning, and was just curious re: anyone else's experience.
    
    Thanks for any info,
    
    helen, snoopy & scooter

    Probably not a lot of help, but when Dr. Cruise was the vet, I always
    used Ashland. I moved away from town, before it changed hands, but I
    haven't heard anything bad about them, so maybe that's good news?
    
    Yonee

    Hmmmm....Okay, thanks, Yonee.
    
    I"m slowly working my way through vet recommendations in Feline_v1,
    so maybe I'll run across something else. 
    
    I'm not sure who the vet is. I feel kind of stupid taking my
    cat in for a first visit as a neutering. I feel like I should
    have had a check-up first, but I'm really afraid he's going to start
    spraying soon and wanted to get this over with while I can spend
    some time at home with him.
    
    helen

    It is common practice for a vet to first give the cat a complete
    physical exam and vaccines (if none have been administered) before
    performing surgery.  I have brought plenty of strays in for first time
    checkups, vaccines and neuter surgery all in the same day, with no
    adverse affects.
    
    Once you choose a vet you're comfortable with the rest will be easy.  I
    used to live in Ashland and was quite happy taking my cats there for
    care.  This was back in 1987.
    
    -Roberta
    

    re: -1
    
    Thanks a bunch for the help. I left Snoopy there this morning.
    He was a little upset, but basically pretty okay. I think
    the sound of a cat yelling was a little weird, since both
    our cats are the silent type, but he was a good boy.
    The vet was very nice - his name slips my mind right now -
    and talked to Snoopy to calm him down all through the short
    exam.
    
    I feel pretty okay leaving him there.
    
	helen

    Any one have information on vets in the easton-norton,MA area?  We just
    moved this week. Fortunately, Prophet has adjusted real well to the new
    place.  It has a staircase and big windows!  
    
    Thanks for any info.!
    
    Ginger 

    Does anyone know a good vet in the Clinton/Stow/Lancaster area?
    I've driven by Lancaster animal hospital but know nothing about it.
    I have heard both positive and negative comments about the Marlboro 
    animal hospital.  Same with a clinic in Stow.  Little Jasmine
    needs her shots and stuff!
    
    Thanks in advance!
    
       Jim

    
    Jim,
    
    If you're willing to travel to Leominster, one of the best vets in the
    area is right on Route 12 in Leominster.  It's Central Animal Hospital
    and the vets are Dr. Mulcahey and Dr. Moss.  Both are wonderful people
    and fantastic vets!  Also have VERY reasonable prices!
    
    Holly
    

    
    	Apple Country A.H.  - Dr Cindy Schaeffer on rt 117 in 
    	Stow. I used to work with her and she is truly wonderful.
    	I used to truck my kids up to her - 45 minutes, but I 
    	decided it would be wise to find a vet closer to home in
    	case of emergencies... Their number is 897-9271
    
    	Sherry
     

    I'm going to be moving to Sudbury soon and will need to find a vet for
    my two kitties.  Can anyone make any recommendations of good vets in
    the area (or vets to avoid)?
    
    Thanks for the info,
    
    Lauri, Ebony & Boo Boo
    

    My parents use the Sudbury Animal Hospital and have always been pleased
    with their services.  I have met one of the vets personally and she is
    very nice.  She and her husband own the practice (their house is right
    next door to the office) together, and both are young and up to date
    with the latest and greatest in technology.
    
    Their prices are a bit high, but that is commensurate with the entire
    Sudbury area.  It is considered a pretty exclusive town to live in!
    
    -Roberta
    

    Oh, the SAH is located on Route 20 a bit of a ways up from the Star
    Market shopping plaza.  It is set back from the road on the right hand
    side (if you are approaching it heading west on 20).
    

    Great!  That's just the news I was looking for.  SAH is near my new
    place.  Thanks for the info.  
    
    Should I get the cats records from my vet in Belmont and give them to the 
    new vet?  Or is this unnecessary?
    
    Thanks,
    
    - Lauri
    

    I'd get the records.  A medical history is always useful.
    

    Yes, do acquire the records.  Not only is a medical history helpful, it
    is also necessary in order to avoid redundancy.  For instance, if the
    vet has no written proof that your cat has been vaccinated during the
    calendar year, and you have to bring the cat in for another reason, he
    or she might insist the cat be revaccinated to protect their business
    should something happen during it's stay.
    
    -Roberta
    

    Dr. Smith on Great Road, Great Road Veterinary Clinic.  A member of one
    of my cat clubs recommends him highly.
    Karen

    I have been taking my creatures to Leo Bishop in Nashua.  He is so
    nice. He has a gentle way and my guys like him.  He's convenient -
    right off the Everett Turnpike (exit 5E after HoJo's).
    
    This guy even made a euthanasia house call which was terrific and so
    much less stressful for all of us.
    
    
    
    Mary Anne.
    (owned by Mink and Amiable)
    

    Has anyone ever taken their cat to the Worcester Cat Hospital on Park
    Ave?  I'm changing vets and I'm considering going there...
    
    Chris Boisvert
    MCIS2::BOISVERT

    I bring my rabbits to Dr. Belmonte at the Worcester Cat Hospital.  I
    like her a lot.  You can tell by the way she talks to them, handles
    them, and treats them that she really likes them and cares.  I'm sure
    she is just as caring with cats as she is with rabbits.
    
    Diane 

    Having lived in the Leominster area all my life - and having had many
    pets - I have experienced the expertise of many veterinarians.
    
    My youngest cat, Abigail (a year) has been in the hospital for two
    weeks.  I can honestly say that if it weren't for Dr(s) Mulcahy, Moss
    and Butler - Abigail would not still be alive.  Not necessarily because
    her disease is life threatening ... so much as they will not give up in
    her.  Some other vet might have put her down days ago!  There competency 
    is matched only by their extreme kindness and compassion ... not only to
    the pets whose owners have entrusted them in their care but to the 
    owners themselves.
    
    They are pet owners themselves and know, firsthand, the bond that
    develops and how animals are members of our families.
    
    In the past two weeks they have given me their undivided attention,
    answering all my questions, they allow me to cry and be emotional ... 
    all the while having the wonderful ability to know my cat's behavior 
    and can determine if she is happy, contented, hungry or in pain.
    
    I highly recommend them all - the doctors (as well as their staff) in
    trusting your pet with their expertise, care and sincere love of all
    animals.
    
    

    I am not sure where to place this note.  Moderator's if this is
    the wrong note (and I am sure it is) ... please feel free to move
    it.
    
    Medical doctors have the American Medical Association and lawyers
    have the Board of Bar Overseer's - is there such a thing as
    the American Veterinary Association or some other group that DVM's
    join in membership (i.e., subscribe to journals, attend conferences,
    etc.)?
    
    If so - could you please give me the actual name of it and an
    address ... if possible?
    
    Thanks in advance!
    
    Marilyn
    

  An example of the latter is the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).
They have a 60-or-so page list of requirements to be accredited. Some items in
there are "shoulds" (eg gas scavenging units on the anesthesia machines) and
others are "musts" (eg no asceptic (non-sterile) procedures can be performed in
the surgical area and a log of all surgeries is kept). They come and inspect the
hospital for a couple of days and if you pass you get accredited for a period of
time. I believe it used to be 1 to 3 years, but now it's always just a year if
it's the hospital's first accreditation. While it's no guarantee that your pet
is getting good care at a practice, it's a positive indication. It also appears
to be a good advertising point when looking for additional doctors to join the
practice. AAHA sponsors a variety of conferences, has journals, etc.
  The vet's is a business, so the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) also likes to get their fingers in the pie. Turns out they
don't have any rules specific for animal hospitals, however they'll check things
like levels of anesthesia present during surgery, that X-ray equipment is
working correctly and that Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are present for
all "dangerous" substances used in the workplace.
   There's also the American Veterinary Medical Association, which sounds more
like what you're talking about. I don't know the address but I'm sure another
noter will.

						Trace

    Thanks for the information.
    
    I am going to write to them (1 or all) ... I am not considering
    joining and/or requesting literature.  Like you said, hopefully
    another noter will know and post the addresses.
    
    Thanks
    
    

        I take my 2 furry friends to 
    
    
          North Brookfield Vet Services
          43 Smith-Hansen Rd.
          NorthBrookfield, Mass 01535
          Telephone (508) 867-6898
    
         It's pretty much run out of Dr Hodder's residence and thus far I'm
    very impressed. He's the first Vet I've ever visited that's hugged and
    kissed my Binky and Dusty. He's very reasonable costwise. I had both of
    my boys neutered recently and it cost $40 each. It's a full service
    clinic and his 2 girls (very young girls) help out with the feeding
    etc. I did ask about declawing and it's a service they no longer offer.
    
    
               Bob

I just moved to Westford, MA and was wondering if anyone knew anything
about the Nashoba Vet Clinic on the Westford/Littleton line.  Or
any good vet within a 15 minute drive of northeast Westford.  My cat
hate to be in the car so I like to minimize their (and my) travel time.

It's a little late but I agree with the recommendation of Sudbury Animal
Hospital.  I used to take our cat there when we lived in Sudbury a couple of
years ago and the wife doctor (I forget her name) was always very good 
with us.  I was a first time cat owner at the time and she was very 
patient and really listened to me.

-- Nisha

	There is a new Vet in the Fitchburg/Leominster/Lancaster
	area. His name is Bernard Meunier.

	The wonderful thing about him, is that he specializes
	in Home Veterinary Care. His is a House Call Practice.
	He has 24 hour Emergency Service.

	I have three fur-faces, and always dreaded lugging them
	off to the Vet's for their annual shots.

	I had Bernard over last night to give them their shots
	and physical. I was quite impressed. His prices are
	competitive, if not lower than Vets with offices. He graduated
	from Tufts about a year ago. He is wonderful with the
	animals.

	He is affiliated with the Lancaster Animal Hospital for
	health care that requires specialization (ie...surgery, etc.)

	I highly recommend him.

	kits

	 

	

    Looking for a good vet in the Southborough, MA area.  Any
    recommendations or un-recommendations?
    
    - Lauri
      

    
    I always heard very good things about Dr.Fraser in Southboro.  That was
    in the late 80s tho; is he still in practice?  I don't have a Southboro
    telephone book to check.

    
    Next town over in Westborough is Westborough Animal Hospital, on Route
    9 westbound right next to the Cheng Du restaurant.  I've been taking my
    family there for the past twenty years.  Dr. Neil Mackenzie.  Also
    a practice in Grafton, and interns from Tufts Veterinary School. 
    American Association of Animal Hospitals (or is it American Animal
    Hospital Association?) certified.  Not cheap, but consistently
    excellent care.
    
    len.