I brought my five and a half year old Kuvasz to this veterinary office because he has what looks like an infected bite or scratch. This is not our normal vet's office, but since it was Mardi Gras day it was one of the few open for business. We live on a park, and our dog regularly runs into thick bushes to sniff or chase squirrels. Yesterday morning the scratch appeared after a long night walk. I cleaned it and kept an eye on the wound, but this morning it looked a little worse than usual so I took him to his vet. The staff were very friendly and the lobby comfortable, but the doctor that saw my pet was convinced that the sore on my dog's nose was a tumor. The doctor asked if it was okay to take my dog back to a colleague for a second opinion. I told the doctor that I felt uncomfortable with letting my dog see someone else without my presence, but the doctor insisted that I was not able to join him and his colleague somewhere else in the clinic. I again protested and told them that my dog sometimes gets uncomfortable without me, but the doctor insisted he would just muzzle my dog if necessary (also despite the fact that the wound was on my dog's snout. He tried to write me a few prescriptions for some pain medicine, but I told him that my dog was in no immediate pain (this was also the third time I had mentioned my dog was in no pain....just uncomfortable). I eventually decided to have him take my dog because I felt that his diagnosis was so far from correct that it could not possibly be true. The doctor returned after a few minutes with a microscope slide containing what he claimed was a 'sample'. He said the sample was inconclusive, but offered to do a biopsy for a test. I once again asked him whether this could simply be a bite or a scratch and he was unable to rule those possibilities out either. He mentioned that the mysterious colleague also thought it was a tumor. The doctor never once offered to do a blood or parasite test to see if it was infected. Ultimately, I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THIS VET OFFICE TO ANYONE I KNOW.

I was pleased with the medical service my dog received until I got the bill and realized I was overcharged. I was charged for 2 days worth of intensive care when my dog was in less than 24 hrs. When I spoke with their billing department, the were rigid and did not want to hear me. Be advised, your pet will get great care but you will feel cheated after leaving. Props to my doc for helping my Lula.

I never boarded my dogs here, so I cannot comment on how the boarding situation is. I do, however, bring my dogs here to get their shots and for any emergencies. So far I have had a pleasant experience. We are usually in and out, its only a long wait on a busy day, which is understandable. The staff loves animals and they always treat my dogs great. It is pricier than some other vet hospitals but I will gladly pay a little extra to have my dogs feel comfortable there, and for them to be taken care by professional and knowledgeable staff.

Boarded my Springer Spaniel for a week, while I was out of town. They ignored my very specific instructions for administering her meds, and for feeding. They performed an unnecessary procedure. They took in a happy, energetic, healthy dog, and returned to me, today, 6/26/10, a weak, shaky, exhausted, ten-pounds-lighter dog. It's going to take a while to nurse her back to good health. Don't board your dog here!

My pet would be dead if I took their advice. Thankfully, he's doing well now. My first and hopefully only experience with MSAH was with only one vet, Joe Vaccarro. I hope he is not accurate representation of the whole facility. I brought my sick cat, Toby, to Nola Animal Clinic (he no longer belonged to me but I took over his care as soon as I saw he was ill). He was so ill they recommended hospitalization at MSAH. I arrived there, upset and crying, and my Toby had the misfortune of being a potential victim of Dr. Joe Vacarro. He very matter-of-factly informed me, BEFORE tests were run, that the best thing would be to euthanize him. When he returned he told me Toby was diabetic, anemic, and had "high values" in his kidneys and liver, and he was very underweight. He then told me he had an opening for a euthanization the next morning, and he could LEAVE THE PORT/CATHETER IN so it would be easier for him to administer the death medicine! I told him I needed more than one day to think. He said Toby would probably crash if I waited too long, but he would call to check on him that Monday. ALTHOUGH HE PROMISED TO CALL, HE NEVER DID BECAUSE HE DIDN'T GIVE A DAMN. That was fine, though. I love Toby. I took him home, hand fed him and watched him. I had his results faxed over to the NOLA Clinic. One of their caring, knowledgeable doctors noticed from the results that he was probably not in kidney failure as Joe previously stated. They scheduled him for a full day's observation. Toby was prescribed insulin and vitamins, and I switched his diet to meat-based, low carb wet food (essential for diabetic felines, btw). They also diagnosed and treated a UTI, which MSAH should have picked up. Two weeks later, after another observation, Dr. Melanie at Nola advised that he NO LONGER NEEDS INSULIN! He is gaining weight, getting his strength back and playing again. This is two weeks, people! This is not a cat who should have been euthanized. I thank God I didn't listen to Joe Vaccarro every day. His saving grace is that he has only been a veterinarian for a few months, and he can still become a decent vet if he wants to, beginningn with putting the animal first, which he didn't do here. I hope that no one has taken his euthanization advice without first seeking a second or third opinion. As for Dr. Joe, please read and follow the prayer in your office, and I wish your patients and personal pets a better vet than you were to Toby.