Ardmore Animal Hospital

In December I brought my 14 year old cat in for a senior wellness visit. During the visit Dr. Bianco found a lump on on his liver. He made a phone call and got me in the same day at the Veterinary Referral Clinic in Malvern for an ultrasound. My cat did indeed have a tumor on his liver, however, during the visit they found that he was in heart failure and made me an emergency appointment for the next morning with a cardiologist. I was informed that without having discovered the heart failure he may have only lived a few more days. With the proper medicine and a few more veterinary visits and phone calls, my cat lived another very happy and active 9 months. During the nine months every time I called Ardmore Animal Hospital I was received by a warm, caring nurse who always took the time to listen and empathize with me. Dr. Bianco continuously got back to me right away and I never felt rushed off the phone. In the end, when I called the office crying that it looked like he was taking a turn for the worse, the lovely woman who answered the phone gave me the number of a service (Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice) that sent a Vet out to my home. Several days after having to put my sweet cat down I received a beautiful card from Dr. Bianco. I can’t express how grateful I am for the compassionate, caring people at the Ardmore Animal Hospital.

I haven’t taken my cats to the vet in awhile as the last experience I had was so stressful for me and my cat. At home they are the most wonderful cats, they love everyone. However, when I took my cat to the vet a couple years ago for a check up he was insane. I’ve never seen anything like it. The vet only made things worse. At the time I thought it was just my cat, that nothing could be done about it. I have avoided the vet as I didn’t want to cause them that stress again.
I recently took my other cat to the Ardmore Animal Hospital and they were so great with her. They let her get acclimated with the room first and settle in before touching her. They had Kevlar gloves which with her you need as she is quite strong. They were able to examine her and get her somewhat calmed down. I was thoroughly impressed. Everyone there was so nice and they really took their time to allow my cat to get used to the room rather than dumping her on the examine table right off the bat. They were also great at talking me through what I needed to do for her and wrote down additional information.
If you have cats like mine who are not fans of the vet (which I imagine is the norm) I would highly recommend taking them to Ardmore Animal Hospital. I will be taking both my cats for their future check ups.
One negative I had was the price of the visit. It was $ 85 which I was not expecting at all. However, given how much time they spent speaking with me and the care they took with my cat, I would gladly pay that again so they have a better experience as opposed to somewhere cheaper that will just stress them out completely.

The staff is extremely friendly. However, the vets just want to make money. They didn’t listen to the customer who lives with the pet ²⁴⁄₇ to diagnose the animal. They felt the need to run unnecessary tests and ignore the real problem. Overpriced and a waste of time. Find a better vet who cares more about the animals and less about how much money they bring into the practice.

I grew up in the area, and even though my sister and I now both live in the city (different parts), we drive all the way to Ardmore to take our pets to the vet, because it’s that great. And our parents take their pets there as well.
We have been through cancer, tooth-​pulls, surgery, euthanasia, spay/​neuter, crazy bizarre infections, and just basic, normal stuff with the staff of this hospital for at least the past two decades. They are caring, understanding, knowledgeable, accommodating, and wonderful. If you are an established patient, you can call up and get advice on what’s happening with your pet and whether you «really» need to bring him or her into the office. You can tell the doctors that you’re concerned about cost, and they will give you cost-​sensitive estimates (like when my cat needed two teeth pulled, and geriatric bloodwork, which costs a lot more than regular bloodwork, but it wasn’t a hugely pressing matter…). They do not pressure you like other vets. If you are like me and you don’t like to subject your pets to unnecessary injections (e.g. the leukemia vaccine for an indoor cat with no chance of exposure) because they can cause tumors, you won’t get pushed.
Yes, the prices are high. Guess what — this is the Main Line, and everything is expensive! But if you ask a lot of questions and make sure that your pet needs everything that’s being prescribed/​recommended, and that you understand why, you will feel that it’s worth it. I feel that some of the reviews on here misrepresent the cost of care at Ardmore, but I do admit that I always compare the cost of taking my pets there to the cost of taking my rescues (I am an active rescuer of homeless animals) to the very capable no-​kill clinic in South Philly where I live. Yes, PAWS is cheaper. It’s also less personal. I love my pets enough to give them the best!

We’re impressed by care and compassion the staff and vets have for critters. When one of our cats became quite ill with unmanageable diabetes, the vet searched for and found a broad range of medications for us to try (we were not charged for these meds.) Rather than ‘fake it,’ when the vets were unable to diagnose or evaluate some of our critters, they gave us the names of several specialists. We’re also happy to have a vet who specializes in palliative care and pain management: Dr. Mengine is easy to contact and comfortable to talk to about our 14 year old German Shepherd. The only reason I am not giving them 5 stars is the pricing. It is **very** expensive. We have 5 cats and 3 dogs (all of whom are rescues). Despite my repeated requests, they will not provide a ‘volume’ discount :(With experience, I’ve come to pick and choose the exam and blood work frequency based upon my evaluation of our critters rather than strictly adhere to their pricey recommendations. On the upside, rather than charge outrageous amounts of money, they now recommend using specific online pharmacies to acquire the prescribed meds.

one of the better veterinary hospitals in the area, i trek here from germantown. i love that they have evening and weekend hours. the doctors here are very friendly and knowledgable, i especially enjoy being seen by dr. montgomery. i do feel that their prices are a little higher than average, but factoring in how convenient it is for me to get there, i don’t really mind.

I think they are the best. Very caring, friendly and knowledgeable (and long hours), but they are overpriced.
Some examples are:
Routine check up is $ 68 ($ 50 ave)
Rabies shot $ 30 ($ 18 ave)
Bordetella $ 43 ($ 18 ave)
Some things are up to twice the price. Can you imagine the prices for something serious? Anyway, I’ve been here a few times and really liked these guys but they’re pricey.

Love this place! I moved to the area a few years ago and needed to find a vet with a specialty in exotics (I have a guinea pig with a laundry list of medical problems). Dr. Mengine is wonderful! She took the time to do a little extra research instead of making guesses at treatments, has a fantastic memory, and was very accommodating about calling in a prescription for me on her day off a few months ago when my little guy got sick right before I was leaving town.
Yeah, it is a little pricy, but it’s the Main Line, everything costs more. And for the care they’ve shown my pet, the price is worth it!

This place is awesome. After months of useless treatment from another vet, we took our little rescue dog here and she was cured in a week. The staff is super nice and accommodating. The price is definitely worth it for the great care we’ve received.

Service is sub standard. My wife took our cat this morning and waited close to an hour after the appointment time. The Vet then did an X-​ray (without asking us), didn’t find anything in the x-​ray, then charged us $ 499. They then wanted to follow-​up with surgery with no Guarantee. What I object to is that the vet did not ask for permission before doing a $ 499 x-​ray. (I would of went elsewhere)
Their prices are far from competitive and their service is not the best.
They lost a customer

My spaniel mix has had recurring issues with his ears that were not being resolved by our usual vet. After watching him suffer for months and continually changing medications (which continually cost money), I took him to Ardmore. It’s only been 2 days since our visit and I already see a drastic improvement! He’s not scratching and whining! I was concerned about the price but when you realize you are going to a «cheaper» vet several times, the cost of that exceeds a one time visit to eradicate an illness plus your pet is much healthier for it! I highly recommend AAH. They were thorough and caring. They also go to the root of the problem instead of just treating symptoms. We should all have doctors that do this!

Love this place! Anytime I need to come in, they accommodate me. One time when one of my boys (a cat) was sick, a vet started their day early to see him. Everyone that I’ve come in contact with here has been nothing short of fabulous. Yes, they’re a bit pricey, but having pets isn’t cheap. When I mentioned the costs to a family member who works in the veterinary industry (out of state), she told me that «you’d probably fall over backwards if you saw your doctor /​hospital bills before insurance picked them up.» So I can’t fault them for the prices. Overall, I’d recommend AAH to anyone and am always pleased when I take my furry friends there!

We have been taking our fur child to Ardmore Animal Hospital for over a year now. We picked this location (which is actually quite far for us to drive since we live in East Falls) because our neighbor who has boarded dogs for over 20 years highly recommended AAH. She had nothing but praise for the place and I trust her word because her dogs and the dogs she boards get nothing but the best!
I have been so pleased with the service and care we receive each and every visit. Everyone knows Oakley by name and are genuinely excited to see us (and that’s not just because he’s an awesome Great Dane).
Yes the prices are a little high, but you pay for what you get. Every employee is super animal lovers who are pleased to serve you and your four legged companion.
They always call to remind you of appointments are are quick to call as soon as lab results come back in. This may be my first dog but I know that I will be returning to Ardmore Animal Hospital for as long as I own pets.

I took my 6 year old black lab to Ardmore Animal Hospital last Saturday to get her yearly bloodwork screening and vaccines. I am a veterinarian myself but don’t work in a small animal clinic, so it’s easier to take my dog to a vet who specializes in companion animals rather than buy all the vaccines and such myself as single doses. I am actually quite surprised by some of the previous reviews, as I have to say that I truly saw nothing at this practice to criticize. The only reason I’m giving 4 stars instead of 5 is that the prices were slightly high, but I would rather pay higher prices for a quality veterinary practice than pinch my pennies and go to a lower-​quality hospital.
I chose this practice based on the location and the fact that they are one of the few practices in the area that are AAHA accredited, and they have extensive and convenient weekend hours. I actually called on Friday morning and was able to get an appointment for the following afternoon.
The staff were all extremely friendly and professional. The girl at the front desk was efficient and handling phone calls and dealing with other clients as well, but whenever she had down time she was out in the waiting room hanging out with my dog and giving her cookies. The vet tech was also efficient, asked all the appropriate questions, and was friendly towards my dog. Dr. Montgomery did her exam, administered the vaccines, and rewarded my dog with more well-​deserved cookies.
I was in and out quickly, and the bloodwork results were faxed to me the following Monday as I had requested, along with a call from Dr. Montgomery to discuss the results. Despite the prices, I will certainly be returning to Ardmore Animal Hospital for any of my dog’s needs that I can’t address myself.

I will admit its a good vet hospital, at times they are a bit impersonal. The prices are extremely high and over priced. I think because they are close to the mainline area, the want to charge customers mainline prices. I don’t mind paying for my dog but gessh. I’m going to try companion pet hospital on S. 5^th st. I’ve heard a lot of good Unilocal reviews on them.

I have never in my life written a review before today but felt compelled after seeing that Dr. Gia Croce is practicing at Ardmore Animal Hospital. Beware! Here’s my story. 5 years ago I took my cat Finnagan to Havertown Animal Hospital which Croce owned and ran. I had been out of town the week prior due to my Mother passing away and upon my return noticed my cat was limping. I took him to Croce the next day and she told me to bring him in the next morning for an XRay and then said those fateful words that I would live to regret, «Your cat has major tartar build up. Why don’t we clean his teeth while he’s here getting the XRay?» I had never heard of cats getting their teeth cleaned, but trusting Croce knew best, I agreed. I asked her how much it cost and she said something like 400 – 500 dollars (can’t remember the exact amount) and I said fine. She never and I mean NEVER discussed risks associated with the procedure. It was presented to me like it was a standard operating procedure. I brought him in the next morning, signed some paperwork and left for work. Less than 2 hours later she called me on my cell and informed me that my beloved pet had «passed away» while receiving anesthesia for the teeth cleaning. I was bereft and devastated. First my mother passing away the week prior and now my little buddy Finnagan! I asked her how this could have happened? She said my cat was very overweight and his heart must have gave out.
OK…here’s the thing. Animal’s pass away. Things happen. I get that. What I don’t understand is how a Vet can suggest a service for a animal that she later states after the cat has died in her care that he was «too overweight» to handle the anesthesia. She had been treating him for the past few years and was fully aware of his weight. (He was a large tomcat at 22 pounds. Big head, feet and body). She understood or should have known the risks and never once verbally informed me that there was a chance he could die. She is the Vet! Now I am sure that paperwork I signed that morning had some fine print somewhere on it explaining the risks, etc., but I was in a hurry to get to work that morning (it was my first day back after my Mother’s funeral) and didn’t take the time to read it. I’ll own that. I should have read the fine print which I regret everyday. What I don’t accept is that she is the supposed professional and clearly decided to take a gamble that my overweight cat would survive the procedure so she could up sell me and increase her profit margin when I only came to her for an XRay due to his limp. I liken it to a Heart Surgeon suggesting to a Heart Bypass patient they undergo Breast Augmentation. She threw the dice and my cat Finnagan and I lost.
To add insult to injury, when I asked about my cat’s body she told me my options were to take him home and bury him myself (yeah right, like I have a shovel and a plot of land handy), have him disposed of by them (thrown away or mass cremated… who knows what that really means) or pay to have him cremated and given back to me. Of course the latter cost somewhere around $ 100.00. Naturally, I paid to have him cremated and given back to me. If Dr. Gia Croce had any class she would not have charged me for the cremation cost considering she suggested the procedure and her Vet Tech killed him.
It’s interesting that she ended up closing her practice in Havertown not too long after this all happened. It’s been over 5 years and I still get angry and upset when I speak of it. Finnagan was a once in a lifetime pet that can never be replaced. Don’t let your Vet up sell you on needless and dangerous procedures. I later learned that the risk of death to an animal, especially a cat, is extremely high while undergoing this procedure due to the use or misuse of anesthesia. I clearly do not recommend her.

We took our dog here after vising a different vet to confirm whether or not she was spayed. The doctor was nice, and seemed to know her stuff. She gave our dog plenty of treats and answered all of our questions.
The reason I’m giving this place two stars is for three reasons:
1. The prices were *outrageous.* They gave us an estimate of $ 600-​$ 800 to spay our dog. The reason they gave us for the high cost was because she was a year and 8 months old and things «harden up» after a certain point, making the surgery more difficult. My stepfather owned an animal clinic for over 30 years (now retired) and my mother worked with him as a vet. tech for over 10 years. I remember when I was younger sitting in on surgeries myself because I thought that I wanted to be a vet when I grew up. Anyway, when I told my mom how much they quoted me she could barely control her outrage. Needless to say, we went elsewhere to get the procedure done.
2. Another reason I’m giving this place two stars is we had gotten vaccines that required a follow-​up visit. I sent my husband in with the dog for her shots on the day they told us to come back and they claimed that we didn’t have an appointment. I was so irritated I tore my house up looking for the appointment card that THEY gave us, and I ultimately found it. I still have it, actually. Anyway — that *really* irritated me. They were rude to him and acted like HE was the idiot, and they obviously don’t keep very good records.
3. The last reason I’m giving this place 2 stars is because the only reason I’d give it 3 was because of the doctor, but apparently about 3 weeks after we brought our dog in she ended up leaving the practice. So, in my opinion, there’s no reason to come back here.

As a life-​long animal lover, I’ve owned both cats and dogs, pure breds and shelter animals and as such, I have patronized more veterinarians over the last 20 years than me and my pocketbook care to remember. One unavoidable fact is that veterinary care is expensive. Another unavoidable fact is that quality high care service is not a guarantee. Ardmore Animal Hospital has exceeded my expectations time and time again. The veterinarians demonstrate compassion, pragmatic judgment, and desire to achieve high quality care.
I recently brought my terminally ill cat in for an exam, and instead of ordering a battery of tests which would be expensive and unnecessary, Dr. Montgomery made a diagnosis based on a thorough physical exam. After determining that my cat was not in pain, she sent us both home and told me that I was welcome to come back whenever I thought it was her time. Fortunately, my cat passed peacefully in her sleep, and was spared unnecessary and expensive diagnostics that would not have altered the final outcome.
I would recommend this establishment without reservations to any dedicated pet lover.

Hands-​down the best vet office I’ve ever been to.
I have never known any vet to be as thorough and sweet as those at AAH. This would have been enough for me, but no… they had to go and make sure the locations are very comfortable and very clean. Plus, the staff is very helpful, very knowledgable, and EXTREMELY reliable. When they say they are going to call with results at a certain time, they do.
I have a small crush on this place.
And although it’s in the ‘burbs, I don’t even mind because it gives me a chance to stop at some of my favorite Ardmore shops.

Ardmore Animal Hospital provides superior care and service. My wife and I have the highest regard for the staff and doctors. 3 years ago our dog, blew out her knee (it’s called a luxating patella) and Dr. Bianco gave the proper diagnosis and sent us to a highly skilled surgeon who we were thrilled with at the Veterinary Referral Center in Malvern. Our dog made a full recovery to the extent that she was able to return to running 2 – 3 miles a day with me on the trails in our local woods.
When we take our dog for annual vaccination’s or sick visits, we have always been open to seeing which ever doctor is available. They are all pleasant, well educated, very thorough and have provided exceptional care.
Recently, we had to make an extremely tough decision to euthanize our dog. I can’t say enough good things about the compassion and heartfelt understanding Dr. Peters and the staff shared with my wife and I. If you choose to use AAH you can rest easy that you will be providing your pet with some of the best veterinary care in our area.