Boston Street Animal Hospital Llc

We have been going to Boston Street Animal Hospital since 2012 and we could not be happier with the service we receive. We have 2 rescue dogs and 1 foster dog who all see Dr. Burbelo. The quality and level of care we receive is fantastic. Everyone from the front desk staff to the vet techs are so caring and attentive. They really care about our pets and it shows! I have full confidence in Dr. Burbelo and appreciate his thoroughness and thoughtfulness during exams and when providing treatment plans. And to top it all off the location is so convenient and their hours and appointment availability are very accommodating. Today we had an emergency and they happily fit us into the schedule. We feel so lucky to have such a great vet right down the street. Thanks BSAH!

The vets give relatively good care here, but it is expensive. I don’t mind paying for the health of my pets, but I felt like I was charged for things I did not agree to. I took my kitten in for some vaccinations. I told the receptionist, vet tech, and vet that I wanted vaccinations. I was charged $ 220 for nail trimming, cat shampoo, an information packet, flea medicine, a wellness exam (I’ll let that one slide), oral dewormer, a second dewormer, and the few vaccinations I asked for. I was really annoyed because I am trained in animal care and can easily give dewormer, flea meds, nail trims, and so on myself. I just needed a vet to administer the vaccines that are not available over the counter… but I got stuck paying for an insane amount of things I did not ask for and was not expecting.

My cat Sebastian was in severe pain as a result of crystals in his bladder. I took him to several other places before here and they did not provide sufficient service. Dr. Barbelo and his team were all very kind and knowledgeable. They gave me exact care instructions and my cat is recovering well. They performed a procedure and the first day he returned home was a miracle. Sebastian was back to himself, odd considering everywhere else wanted to put him to sleep. My family is grateful for Dr. Barbelo and his team! I would definitely recommend to all my friends and family pet lovers!

The staff is very welcoming and seemingly caring. However, It’s not about smiles and small talk it’s about your pets health.
My experience at this hospital was expensive and left my dog in worse condition than when he went in. Upon following up the advice I was giving was to come in for a consultation for an additional cost. After paying a total of $ 800.00 I think I will keep my little $ 56.00 in my pocket. I would have never minded the prices (which are high) had they fully helped my pet.
If I could do it again, I would go to a different hospital. Stay far away if you want to avoid unnecessary charges that come from smilie faces with bold dollar signs as eyeballs.

We started using this location 18 months ago for our new puppy. We chose them due to the proximity to our house and decent online reviews. While expensive, the convenience factor made this choice seem worthwhile.
The first year was full of routine visits for vaccines and one or two visits for minor GI distress… and during those visits I was given the distinct impression that cost was always a consideration for all aspects of their business model.
This week there is a minor outbreak of ‘kennel cough’ in the area. Our daycare was sending dogs home if they had symptoms. Unfortunately when I went to pick up my dog last night at 6pm he had developed a classic ‘kennel cough’. I ran over to BSAH to try and catch them before they closed at 6pm but they had left. My dog seemed OK so we watched him at home. He woke up at 3am and started coughing up clear mucus.
So this morning my wife went to work at 7am and I called my work and told them I would be late… I waiting out front until they opened at 8am. The secretary/​tech who arrived informed me that they had a policy of not writing prescriptions without seeing the dog and there would not be a vet in until 930am. I explained I could not be that late to work, but she offered no alternative.
We called twice from work, once to speak to another clerk and make the earliest appointment possible (saturday) and finally I was able to get Dana, the associate vet, on the phone on the second phone call.
I explained the situation, that I and my wife work from 7am until 7pm and didn’t want to wait until saturday to get the antibiotics.
She was extremely condescending on the phone. Despite my multiple attempts to explain that I was bringing the dog in on saturday but wanted to start the antibiotic today she refused. Her explanation was as follows:
1) Kennel cough is a virus. Antiobiotics don’t help.
2) When I asked about Bordetella, a bacterial agent which can also cause kennel cough, she stated ‘yes… it’s a virus.’ (It’s not — its a bacteria but I let this one go).
3) When I then asked what she recommended, she stated, «probioics, narcotics for cough, and an ANTIBIOTIC»
4) When I asked why an antibiotic if it was a virus, she stated, the antibiotic has antiviral properties. (They don’t. not the way she means)
5) When I then asked why she couldn’t have me pick that up, she stated that it was ‘illegal’ for her to write prescriptions without seeing the dog (it’s not)
6) When I challenged her on this, and explained that another vet we spoke too said that if our dog was a client of his he COULD write for antibiotics without seeing him, she said that person was either lying or engaging in illegal behavior.
7) When I asked her what I should do, she said to ‘take him to an ER’
8) When I stated that I, as a doctor, am aware that prescriptions CAN be called in without a face-​to-​face visit, she yelled at me that she wouldn’t ‘write for a narcotic over the phone’
9) When I calmly explained I did not want the narcotic, I wanted the antibiotic, she started yelling that the narcotic was needed to help the dog sleep
10) When I explained, AGAIN, that I would come in on saturday for the narcotic and whatever else she wanted if she would just write for the antibiotic now so my dog’s infection would not get worse she became incoherent and yelled for quite a while at me.
11) I finally lost my temper at this point and yelled back at her… not my proudest moment but I am human too.
So I will be firing these jerks at once, and am already setting up an appointment at another vet for transferal of my dog’s routine care. I will have to leave work early to take my dog to a pet ER.
I can accept BSAH being expensive. I can accept not every employee (Dana) is as smart or informed as I would like, but the level of rigid/​inflexible thinking and practice is too much. Your policies are clearly not about pet safety and care, but about maximizing your bottom line by making people spend a lot of money everytime they have a problem. I could even accept that, if you would give the NEEDED antibiotic medications that YOU STATED are needed over the phone… But to refuse this shows you don’t care if my dog is sick, you just want to follow your rules and make your money.
You won’t get any more of mine.

I’ve been taking my Malamute, Poe, here for close to 3 years now and everyone has been very caring and friendly. Recently Poe contracted limes disease and the vet was able to prescribe antibiotics that helped him recover very quickly. The office is very clean and pristine and I never have to wait long at all for service.
In addition to all of this the office fills out my veterinary claim forms for me and submits them to my provider so that I don’t have to hassle with the paperwork. This saves me a lot of valuable time in my day. I certainly trust Boston Street Animal Hospital with my Dog.

I have been coming here since I moved to Baltimore and couldn’t be happier. My cat became very ill upon moving here. Dr Danna was beyond compassionate, caring, and understanding as I sobbed uncontrollably in the exam room (I was not expecting them to say the cat probably wouldn’t live the 30 min drive to the ICU). The cat had surgery. They called me every few days to see how I was doing, as well as the cat. They were great with post-​op care – giving meds only if really necessary, having holistic treatment options, and not doing unnecessary tests that wouldn’t change the course of treatment. Eventually the cat recovered.
We came back for vaccines a year later and she remembered everything about the visit – down to why I moved here in the first place. It was nice to not feel like some random visitor in the office. Everyone is always so welcoming and kind. Customer service is out of this world from everyone across the board. I dread the day we have to leave Baltimore.

I brought my 15 year old cat to Boston Street Animal Hospital for a check-​up and had a great experience. We didn’t have to wait long to get into an examination room, and even better, the vet came in very quickly. She pointed out the signs that my cat was healthy and made a few suggestions regarding grain-​free food and a medicine for her arthritis, but she didn’t try to push drugs with harsh side effects or go overboard on blood tests as a previous vet has done. Everyone was very friendly and the office had a relaxed and comfortable feel that made my cat more calm than she usually is at the vet. We will definitely be coming back for her next visit.

I received an estimate on my dog for a minor surgery (neuter) and teeth work it was 3 grand. Went 10 minutes away (Erdman Animal Hospital) where I spent $ 465.00. Absurd difference! Boston St might be convenient, but they are extremely expensive. You might get the sense that they are very focused on purging your bank account. Take your pet to Erdman and then schedule a nice vacation with the disparity in price!

Brought my cat here for years and was relatively satisfied, except how expensive they seemed. Last October, I brought her in for her semi annual check up. Sent home with a perfect bill of health. In January, I brought her back with a persistent cough and some breathing difficulty. Dr. Burbelo was dismissive at first but agreed to do a chest x-​ray, the result of which looked like someone had stuffed my cat’s lungs with cotton balls. The vet diagnosed lung cancer, told me it had likely been there for years and had likely started as a different kind of cancer (he did not explain how he, as her vet of four years, had missed this). He sent us home with a steroid and told us to come back in April. She was dead before then. I had not heard a thing from the vet’s office — no calls, asking about her or why we did not attend the April appointment, nothing. Until yesterday, when I received a voicemail from their office informing me that we missed my dead cat’s annual check up and she was due for a battery of shots. Do not take your pet here, they do not care about you or your pet. They are negligent and focused only on the money.

Never made it in the door. I was running late because I miscalculated the distance (my fault, sure). When I called ahead to warn them I was very flatly told that if I was more than five minutes late the appointment was off. The tone was that of a fancy nightclub bouncer. I was about ten minutes away.
Unless the location is just too good to pass up for you, try somewhere that actually wants your business. I gave two stars because at least they have Saturday hours.

The ASSOCIATE VET Dana is incredibly pushy and downright rude. Will not use her ever again.

I’m usually a loyal customer of Light Street Animal Hospital but I recently needed to find a vet for my cat ASAP. An injury of hers had gotten infected and she was lethargic and feverish so I was going to take her to any reputable vet that would see her that morning. I called around and Boston Street Animal Hospital said they could get her in in an hour.
From the moment I first called BSAH the staff was very friendly and professional. Once I got there I only had to wait a few minutes before being taken upstairs to an exam room. We saw Dr. Burbelo, he seemed like a really nice guy and he also tried to be as reassuring about the situation as possible. My cat was in rough shape but it was nothing that antibiotics and some fluids couldn’t fix. The bill for treatment was reasonable, especially considering that they had to sedate my cat to treat her. I was pleasantly surprised that BSAH wasn’t exorbitantly expensive since their facility is quite nice and conveniently located. The waiting room is large and comfortable and everything looks extremely clean.
I do have one very big reservation about this practice. When I got home I looked through the bill and googled the medications that my cat had been given out of curiosity. There were antibiotics and fluids which were perfectly legit but the vet also mentioned she’d been given an anti-​inflammatory. That sounded reasonable as well until I looked up Traumeel, the drug that she’d been given. It turned out that it’s actually a homeopathic «remedy» that is almost certainly worthless. Being charged $ 50 for homeopathic garbage does not amuse me.
In addition to the fake medicine that my cat was given I also noticed brochures for some sort of laser treatment that looked like it was based on rather dubious science. On BSAH’s website I saw a number of references to «alternative,» «holistic» and «integrative» treatments. These are all buzzwords for quackery.
I don’t mean to sound overly harsh because my overall experience at Boston Street Animal Hospital was very good. As I said the staff was great, Dr. Burbelo seemed like a compassionate vet and it’s not like he didn’t treat my cat effectively. Having my bill padded with homeopathic nonsense was not cool though and I wish this practice didn’t seem so big on «alternative» pseudo-​medicine.

My dog had been having some pretty epic/​painful diarrhea for the past 48 hours so we acted accordingly and took him in.
I literally couldn’t tell the difference between the tech and the DVM I saw. Not only did the Doc not formerly introduce herself to me, she had absolutely no bedside manner and did the EXACT same exam as the tech and asked the EXACT same questions. She also GOOGLED another problem my dog was having and the possible treatments in front of me. Can’t make this shit up.
They did follow up on the stool sample the next morning and checked on my dog which was nice.

We recently moved to the Baltimore area and were looking for a reputable vet for our 4 year old cat, Moose. When we walked in, we were greeted by the receptionist as well as a friendly feline. The reception area was very clean, not cluttered and the waiting area was very comfortable. We were taken into the exam room on time and warmly greeted by a technician. She was extremely friendly and really made the effort to engage with our cat. You could tell that she LOVES animals. She was very gentle with our cat, and even let our cat roam the room on her own to help her feel more at ease. (Especially after taking her temperature!). A few moments later, the vet greeted us and was also very kind. We appreciated that he took the time to explain some options (our cat has a stuffed nasal passage and needed antibiotics) and we never felt rushed. In fact, we really enjoyed our conversation with him and it was apparent that he cares about animals and their parents, too. The exam rooms are also very clean and uncluttered. The entire office space is very comfortable with large windows, exposed brick and friendly people. Very happy to have found this place and we plan on coming back.

convenient location and knowledgable, courteous staff. I appreciate that I can usually get an appointment the same day.

After my first puppy, i knew i wouldn’t want anyone else to take care of my pets. Dr. Burbelo and staff were helpful and checked up on the health of my dog periodically. He explained all of the things he was going as well as my options. Unlike other vets, he didn’t try to shove unnecessary expenses and products down my throat.

Returning to Baltimore, we needed a new vet. The location of BSAH was ideal. After a few visits, we found the staff to be friendly but a bit lax and the in-​house tests were pretty expensive.
Three visits in, we found we left each time with incomplete or inaccurate information. What will they miss next time?
Changing vets.

These guys are real money grubbers. I became increasingly uncomfortable w/​Dr. Burbelo’s repeated questions (including a call during work hours for no other reason) on how much I was paying for a medication for my dog’s chronic condition through an online vendor & further concerned that neither he nor his staff calling realized they could obtain this info themselves directly by adding it to their online cart. He later re-​structured his price to be $ 2 over the competing vendor’s. In the meantime, when the online vendor’s delivery came a day late due to the holiday, Dr. Burbelo gave me an unreasonable choice on continuing the med cycle uninterrupted — which he boasts as «working w/​me»: either leave my credit card info — complete w/​expiration date on a sticky note at the front desk which I did, although he had this info in my records due to hundreds of dollars of visits in a timeframe of a few months, or re-​purchase the entire box of medicine from him. Had his price been reasonable to begin with, I would have purchased the med. through him originally. My question is: you could offer your patients a medication that will be required for a patient’s lifetime (we’re talking thousands of dollars over the haul w/​any luck) at a significantly lower rate and you won’t do so until they find it elsewhere at half price and the customer is the one that is not to be trusted? The last straw was when I was trying to order my dog’s heartworm preventative & next box of Cushings pills through the same online vendor and Dr. Burbelo refused to verify that the dog’s records were current (which they are) so that I could order the Interceptor to be mailed in time for administration after her blood & fecal exams due mid-​month. The receptionist informed me that «I’ll have to check w/​Dr. Burbelo to see if we can coordinate with Fosters & Smith». This is standard record-​forwarding procedure. I did not anticipate the refusal I got and explained to the receptionist — & later Dr Burbelo — that, while I did not plan on skipping the exams, the logic is irrational and they are putting my dog at risk by not allowing me to order the medication to keep her on schedule. Apparently the concern was not that I would give a dog w/​heartworm a heartworm preventative, but rather that the clinic was missing a sales opportunity (in addition to wanting the exam fees), I was reminded that — although Boston St. does not sell Interceptor & they understand their refusal to forward the records meant I would not be able to receive it in time from Fosters & Smith — they conveniently do make their own pest & parasite preventative. How convenient for me that they are my only recourse! After informing them that I am not comfortable adding a new variable to my dog’s recently highly adapted medicine régime — especially one that is not made in a certified facility — we ended our relationship at an impasse. Don’t go to this facility. I have paid thousands of dollars this year alone in medical fees and would continue to do anything I can do to keep my dog healthy (they could smell it on me) but I won’t be extorted and neither should you.

Dr Burbelo and the staff are really great to work with. They are always punctual and thorough, and really take their time with their patients to explain things.
We brought our pet in for the first time and Dr Burbelo recommended several monthly medication alternatives that worked just as well and saved us quite a bit of money.