Our vet referred me to VSCD after my dog’s blood tests indicated a liver problem. I was able to get an appointment the same day I made the initial contact. The receptionist was very helpful and told me Dr. Walsh was the internal medicine specialist who would examine my dog. He conducted a very thorough interview, and said there was a growth that might be malignant. He seemed as shaken and sad as I was. It was the little things Dr. Walsh did that meant so much to me. Mae was wearing a Disney leash with images of Goofy; he immediately noticed it and had a good laugh! Whenever he had to grasp her to check on the size of the growth it seemed that he was hugging her. Dr. Walsh’s glass is truly half-full. He referred us to Dr. Gaetta, the oncologist. She too was very caring, but honest and could only offer palliative care for Mae. The chemo drugs greatly reduced the size of the tumors, but unfortunately serious side effects necessitated cessation of the Rx. Dr. Walsh resumed responsibility for Mae’s care. Complications resulted in her being admitted to the ER where she remained for several days. He phoned each morning with updates. I visited her twice a day, and Dr. Walsh would speak with me personally. The evening visits were after 6:00, and we would joke that he lived at the hospital! I will always be grateful to Dr. Walsh for the loving care he gave Mae and especially for letting her come home to die. He called after he learned of her death to offer his condolences. He, along with all the members of the VSCD staff are my heroes. Finally, it was expensive but I would insist on the best care for my pets, which Mae received.

Our veterinarian sent us there after our 8 year old dog "crashed" from what turned out to be severe internal bleeding from a cancerous tumor. We found the staff and doctors there to be truly amazing in every sense. Molly received multiple blood transfusions to keep her alive and a miraculous surgery in which they were able to remove the tumor along with a kidney and adrenal glands. We believe Dr Groman when he told us it was one of the top 4 saves he's seen in his 22 years in practice. Molly was then in ICU for 4 days where they allowed us to visit and stay awhile. The variety of veterinary specialists there and their extraordinary capabilities make VCS unique in this area. What's most amazing to us is that Molly is 110%, runs around like a puppy. Yes, it was a large bill and several pages long but you get what you pay for in life and we like what we got. She still has cancer and no one knows what the future holds but we're hopeful and thankful!

Avoid this place at all costs. We took our dog in to have a tumor removed, and they gave us an estimate with the HIGH end of ~$5,000. That was supposed to cover the surgery PLUS 2 days of recovery. When we got there to pick the dog up the day after the surgery like we were supposed to, the doctor told us that it took "a little longer than expected" and that our bill was already over the HIGH estimate. Then he told us that he couldn't release her until she was eating so that she could take pain meds orally. We explained how she does much better at home, and that we would like to bring her home to see if she would eat for us there. He stated that sometimes he allows people to take their pets home for a trial and then if it doesn't work, they can bring them back. We stated we'd like to do that but he pretty much ignored us. My wife went down the next day, and he gave her the same line... that she _couldn't_ take the dog home because she wasn't eating. I should also point out that every time we tried getting the dog to eat while we were there, they had just given her oxy, so her appetite would have been lower anyway. My wife tried going back down on the THIRD day, and he still said she couldn't bring the dog home, and that, oh.. by the way.. your bill is now ~$7800. It wasn't until I called and stated that I was coming down the next day, and I was leaving with my dog that he agreed. He had stated that he didn't want to release the dog, but that he would. We also found out that he was going on vacation that day, so who knows if someone else would have released the dog to us without his approval while he was gone for the next week. Also.. and this is a real kick in the pants. During one of the trips when my wife went down to try getting the dog, they needed meds for her... AND THEY SENT MY WIFE TO GET THEM! Serioiusly? They wanted us to bring our dog back to them so they could see her after surgery. I'll never step foot in this place again.

The VSCD has been great. I'm so glad they opened a location in New Castle a few years ago, we hated going to VCA for emergencies. I've been to VSCD many of times with emergencies. As well as some of my cats have been/ are regular patients there as well. I love everyone there. The ladies at the front desk are so pleasant and nice and know my face, which I'm sure is a bad thing lol. Dr. Diroff has been a god send and Alanna is awesome. Everyone there (techs, nurses etc..) are so nice. We love (including my pets) VSCD!!! Will not go anywhere else!!!

I can’t say enough good things about the oncology service and the staff at VSCD. My cat Punky sadly just lost her battle with lymphoma, but thanks to great care by Dr. Gaeta, Margie and Deanna she lived a year and a half after diagnosis instead of the predicted 2-3 weeks. She might have survived longer had we not had to stop her medication briefly for an unrelated problem. I wasn’t sure what to expect but they gave me numerous options - different treatments that fit my budget and schedule. For most of her time as a patient there, my cat didn’t receive any injections, just pills at home. Her quality of life was also quite stable, she was still able to enjoy her favorite activities until the very end (although she did tire quicker) so we both enjoyed the extra time together. I never felt rushed and the staff were very caring towards Punky, who was not the best patient, and her nervous cat mom. They also treated her and I with great caring and respect at the end, something that was very comforting to me. Hopefully, you never have to see them, but if your cat is diagnosed with cancer, I definitely recommend Dr. Gaeta and the care at VSCD.