Kalvig and Shorter Veterinary Associates — Local services in New York

In speaking with others about the efficacy of Google, I have found that readers tend to gloss over extremely positive reviews and gravitate to the less-flattering ones. After all, if someone has lavished praise about a business and awarded it Five Stars, that's all well and fine, but our curiosity is heightened when we come across a One or Two-Star review: we want to learn what was (purportedly) so very wrong with an establishment and thusly be.... forewarned. In any case, I just read many of the Google reviews for Kalvig & Shorter Veterinary Associates, and was astonished to learn that a number of them were not completely effusive, as I myself have nothing but high praise for the entire practice. So: 5-Stars it is.

I don't want to bore anyone with tedious stories about how knowledgeable and compassionate they are. That should be a given. If you think that your vet is lacking in either of those two respects - maybe you should find another vet. Instead, I will list some of the many positives about K & S that readily come to mind:

Dr. Barbara Kalvig has been " my vet " for many years. Since 1989, I have followed her in three different locations. " Google " her!

Every veterinarian in the practice is assisted by wonderful " technicians " . They are not merely doing things by rote, but are genuinely learning daily through the tutelage of the doctor they are aiding.

The front desk staff is usually very receptive to me -- both in person and on the phone. Yes, sometimes they get busy and a little overwhelmed; but that's the nature of an Animal Hospital.

Their current location on East 39th street is immaculate and welcoming. Is it far for me....? You bet. It is a huge pain for me to have to travel two miles with a pet carrier. But I do it gladly, in the same way I would go far to see my own doctor.

Over a thirty-year period, I have had to " bring in " cats & a dog for regular check-ups, more comprehensive check-ups, a surgery and End-of-Life care. Every occasion is uniquely etched in my mind, because, after all, what is more important than our pets.

In case it was not evident, I would recommend Kalvig & Shorter without any...

I have been coming to this vet for some time now. I have a 2 year old deaf frenchie named Betty. Every time I have been here my decisions for my dogs health have been met with judgement and disdain. I made an appointment to bring Betty in because she was due for some vaccines, including an allergy shot. I was asked by multiple staff members, multiple times, if my dog was here for the flu shot. I continuously told them I was not here for the flu shot and I have never given or even heard of the flu vaccine for Betty. It seemed like they were trying to make an extra dime off of me and my dog. A few minutes later, Dr. Aranow came out telling me that she accidentally gave Betty the flu shot. They tried to pretend that it wasn’t a big deal but that they didn’t want to do all of her other vaccines and they would do it in 2 weeks. Their way of fixing this was by assuring me I would not be paying for the flu vaccine. They did not offer to pay for her entire visit until I made a stink about paying. They waived a few of the fees, but still requested me to pay for the other fees. Any other vet I have been to would have immediately owned up to their mistake and comped the entire visit without me even having to ask. When I was getting ready to pay, they “accidentally” charged me for everything, which really seemed like they were trying to get one over on me. I only agreed to pay because I felt intimidated and guilty about asking to not pay and I just wanted to get out of there. I wouldn’t recommend this vet to anyone. When looking for a vet it’s important that they listen to the requests of the owner and this vet does not do that. They seem to care much more about making an extra buck than they do about the welfare of your pet.

EDIT: Dr. Kalvig very kindly reached out to me both by email and by phone to discuss what happened. I greatly appreciated that she took the time to apologize and to understand and better her practice. They also refunded me the entire cost of the visit, which was very much...

I've known Dr. James Shorter for approximately 20 years. He was the treated all my dogs with the finest, most compassionate and thoughtful care. He is meticulous in his work, always thorough in his exams, explains in detail why and what he is doing and has years of experience with which to rely on. His love of animals is clearly on display and he treats each client that comes in as if they were his own. He genuinely loves his job and thinks of it as a privilege to get to work with such magnificent creatures. Personally, he is also one of the kindest human beings I've ever met. He understands how much our pets meant to us and the human-animal connection. KSV might be a bit more expensive than other vets in NYC but it is well-worth the money. You will get excellent care from any of the vets you see there but I personally recommend Dr. Shorter or the very wonderful and highly respected Dr. Kalvig. She is a terrific person and a highly skilled veterinarian, also with years of experience under her belt. I would entrust any of the four vets at KSV with my sweet cocker spaniel. I also know she's in good hands. The vet techs are all very professional, skilled and very caring as well. They know each dog personally so when you call or need to check in on your dog you don't feel that you are getting just a stock answer. They truly know the little details about your animal that make you feel your pet is being treated well. Jose is fantastic and always gives us a follow-up phone call when Bey has been in for a procedure to make sure she is healing well. I can't imagine going anywhere else with my dog. She means the world to me and to know that she is getting the best care possible means I can rest a...