Newtown Veterinary Specialists

Reviews

• LJ

  Laura J

  2 days ago
  5.0
  We are incredibly grateful to the team at Newtown Veterinary Clinic for the care they gave our senior cat during a family emergency. Everyone was kind, professional, and compassionate from start to finish. What we appreciated most was their honesty. They were realistic about his prognosis without giving up on him because of his age. While others were quick to suggest euthanasia, the team at Newtown Veterinary Clinic took the time to treat him as an individual and gave him a chance. Thanks to their expertise and dedication, they helped get him back on his feet and gave us more time together. We can't thank them enough and would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a veterinary team that truly cares.
• JR

  Julia Rushmore

  5 days ago
  5.0
  I can't find enough superlatives to describe Dr. Headrick. When my 3-year-old mixed Pit Bull needed TPLO surgery, I debated whether to take her to an orthopedic surgeon at The Animal Medical Center in NYC or the Newtown Veterinary Specialist. After receiving a glowing recommendation from our regular veterinarian, I decided to trust Dr. Headrick—and I'm so grateful I did. From the moment we met him, I knew we had made the right decision. Dr. Headrick was warm, compassionate, and genuinely caring. He took the time to explain the procedure thoroughly and answered all of our questions with patience and kindness. He has the best bedside manner, and I only wish all of my own doctors were like him! Throughout the entire process, Dr. Headrick went above and beyond to address every concern I had and was always available whenever I needed guidance or reassurance. His dedication and genuine care made a stressful experience so much easier. I also want to recognize his incredible team, especially Karen, who was absolutely wonderful. Everyone treated us with kindness, professionalism, and compassion. I wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Headrick and his team to anyone whose pet needs orthopedic care. They are truly exceptional!
• AC

  Andrew Cheng

  Jun 18, 2026
  1.0
  Beware of this place. My cat had vomitted twice and wasnt eating so I had brought her in to see if this was something serious. I spoke to three different technicians to explain the situation and what I thought was the issue (she had eaten a stink bug and possibly had an upset stomach). I had to repeat myself for each subsequent staff member (shouldn't they be sharing notes so I'm not re-telling everything?). Despite providing my feedback as to what I thought was the issue with my cat, they insisted as a precautionary measure to run multiple tests. I pushed back on the suggested imaging because that was excessive in my opinion (the fact that they jumped to those conclusions was a red flag). They seemed more hell bent on running as many tests rather than using reason and logic to deduce the issue and make a more educated decision. More tests means more money for them. Furthermore, isolating my cat (for nearly 3 hours) was adding to the stress the cat was likely experiencing, so I dont need staff to point out the cat had elevated levels of stress -- it's already understood, and should not have factored too much into the diagnosis. At the end of all of it they persuaded me to move forward with a blood test "just to be sure". The results were borderline normal, but leaning towards little concern. The report they generated did not conclusively identify the source of the issue, not even mention what I hypothesized it could be. This shows they clearly didnt care to listen and instead focused on pushing as many expensive testing procedures and treatment. They kept insisting on an IV treatment to which I declined because I explained my cat was drinking water wasnt in any fear of dehdration (even after vomitting twice over two days). After a hefty bill, there was really nothing beneficial from the visit outside the vet ruling out a few serious medical concerns. I do not recommend coming here unless absolutely needed, and if you do, make sure you proceed cautiously. They will try to "sell" you as much treatment as possible to run up the bill.
• SD

  Stephanie D.

  Jun 17, 2026
  1.0
  I came in on a weekend when my regular vet was unavailable. My cat was experiencing GI distress, and I thought it best to visit NVS in case of a blockage or obstruction. When I arrived, the wait was at 4 hours. One of the people sitting in the waiting room had checked in two hours before me, and he was still waiting for updates on his pet. A tech introduced themselves, asked a few questions, and then took my cat. I didn’t see my pet for almost six hours. I received one update during that time, where the tech confused my cat with another patient. In the meantime, families remained in the waiting room for updates with almost no communication from anyone. At one point, the facility was at full capacity, with a wait time of 8-12 hours. When we were finally brought back, the staff was apologetic and explained they were especially busy. The vet consult was extremely brief—either we spend additional time and money on testing, or we return home with supportive care prescribed by NVS. The vet made a comment prior to introducing the first option, that “if money grew on trees,” it would be the ideal option. Respectfully, it’s unfair to assume what people are capable of paying. Furthermore, if the cost of care is prohibitive, then why not provide options to subsidize the cost instead of writing off the possibility of further care? I basically felt like I was being dismissed, and while I know there were cases that obviously took precedence that day, I’ve never felt more alone in that waiting room or across from that vet who simply didn’t seem to care. We were a checkbox on a long list, and it’s disheartening to know other people may have experienced such detachment during a period of crisis. When discharged, another tech made a comment that I had given pumpkin to my pet as treatment. I explained to the tech that they were again confusing us with another patient. I don’t think anyone knew who I was there or tried to cultivate any kind of relationship to better understand my pet or the circumstances that led to her visit. What bothered me the most was that the front of house staff had a food delivery brought to them during the extended wait time. Yes, everyone needs to eat, and I’m not implying that people can’t rely on convenience. But it’s in really poor taste to be cracking jokes about your Dunkin’ refresher when stressed people and pets are desperate for information after an extended wait. Why do I know more about what you ordered than I do about the status of my pet? It’s not funny or cute to go to the front door and update the wait to 12 hours, instead of redirecting people. Additionally, there were people who came in with a pets that passed or animals that needed to be put down. Imagine holding your dog or cat in your arms and being forced into a room full of people. The only option for privacy I saw was a side room. Wouldn’t you want a separate area or entrance/exit for people experiencing such distressing events, so they’re not confronted with a waiting room full of people? Why did no one step out from behind the desk and get to know the patients and people in the lobby? Why does a man have to yell for a vet in order to prove his animal is in distress? Why would you let people sit there and remain in the dark about the status of their pet? Talk to families. Be human. And staff your facility, or develop more responsive systems to prevent extensive waits. I saw a review before I came in from a family explaining they felt like they were ‘othered’ by staff. I have to echo that sentiment, because I wish I knew how I had to look or act or be for the staff to acknowledge me in a meaningful way. I didn’t feel welcome here—at all. I never want to come back here. It was a traumatic, expensive, and impersonal experience that ultimately may have further complicated my pet’s care.
• HS

  Helena Short

  Jun 13, 2026
  5.0
  I can't recommend this place any higher! From the initial call we were treated with kindness and respect by Jack who answered. He explained how their triage process worked & reassured me that while wait times could be long, patients were seen based on their condition. When we arrived, they took my 17-year-old cat back almost immediately. Within 20 minutes, we were brought into an exam room & updated that they already identified concerns about his low heart rate & possible jaundice. They recommended bloodwork & gave us privacy while we waited. Dr. Ball was absolutely wonderful. He took time to explain every part of the test & what the results potentially meant. He was honest about the seriousness of my cat's condition while still providing hope and realistic expectations. Most importantly, he made me feel informed rather than overwhelmed. He assured us that the hospital had true 24/7 emergency coverage & explained they would perform an ultrasound the next day. The following morning, Dr. Ravich called with the results & continued that same level of compassion and professionalism. He explained everything in a way that was easy to understand and promised to follow up later after medications had time to work. When my husband came home from work & we anxiously called before the scheduled update, Dr. Ravich was busy but called back almost immediately & asked how I was doing before discussing my cat & patiently answered every question we had. There was never any pressure to pursue treatments we were unsure about. Instead, he carefully explained our options & repeatedly made sure we understood everything. Later that evening, he even stayed beyond the end of his shift so he could meet with us in person. Sitting with him felt less like speaking to a veterinarian & more like speaking to an old friend who genuinely cared about our family. He was honest about the realities of my cat's condition while also sharing cautious optimism. During our visit, my cat surprised all of us by eating & drinking & Dr. Ravich shared in that excitement hopeful that another night of care would bring more improvement. I also must recognize the nursing staff. One nurse whose name we unfortunately didn't get, helped clean up a mess after my cat had an accident from all the IV fluids he was receiving. He reassured us that he would make sure our kitty was cleaned up & comfortable. That night, I woke up around 2 AM & called for an update because I couldn't shake a bad feeling. I spoke with Beatriz who reassured me that I wasn't bothering anyone by calling, updated me on my cat's condition, & even mentioned that his forewarned grumpy personality was returning as he hissed & growled at staff walking by. She also made sure to tell me he had been cleaned up & was comfortable! The next morning, when I became anxious waiting for an update & called again, the staff were just as understanding. Shortly afterward, Dr. Sousa called back to deliver news we had been desperately hoping for: my cat was stable enough to come home! She answered every question, discussed discharge plans, & even took the time to include instructions on how to monitor his respiratory rate at home so I could continue caring for him properly. Yes, this hospital may be a little pricier than others and yes, emergency hospitals can have wait times, but after watching every member of this team treat both my cat and my family with compassion, professionalism and endless patience, I can honestly say the care was worth every penny. Before coming to NVS, we had gone to an advertised 'emergency' clinic closer to our house that actually ended emergency care at 10pm & had suggested euthanasia almost immediately. Thanks to the caring, expertise, and kindness of the staff here, my cat was diagnosed with pancreatitis, treated appropriately, & is now home recovering, eating, drinking, walking around the house, enjoying life again. You didn't just treat my cat; you gave us more time with a beloved family member. For that, we will be forever grateful.

Frequently Asked Questions About Newtown Veterinary Specialists