Porter Square Veterinarian

I found this place after reading reviews on Unilocal.I want to say that overall the experience is good but it also varies depend on the vet. I agree with other reviewer that it would be nice if I can see the same vet all the time.
Sorry I am good at names but I had dealt with 4 different vet. The best one is the most recent experience with Dr. Champaign. My dog was breathing heavily and after several tests it turned out he has enlarge heart. Dr. Champaign was very patient at showing me the x-​ray and explain to me the problem and he doesn’t like recommend unnecessary medication or test.
I also encounter an Asian lady. I brought my dog in I think for teeth cleaning or something and she pointed out that my dog has allergy (in a way as I am not a good dog owner). I told her I know and we already did the allergy test and he is allergic to grass, nothing much we can do. And she said you can put him on steroid. My vet in California where I used to live told me that steroid should be the last resort if my dog is very uncomfortable because there are a lot side effects. It jus annoys me she suggested it the first thing without really asking how is my dog dealing with it or recommend other method.
I also encounter other two blond lady who both seem to be very busy and wants to get in and get out fast, doesn’t seem they care too much about my dog.
However after going to many vet, only if you are lucky to get an experienced vet like my old vet who sincerely cared about their dogs and runs his own practice, most of the vet hospitals are similar and porter is definitely a decent one.
I also had a small problem with the male front staff. One time this lady was checking out in front of me for her cat and she was crying uncontrollably. The male staff was checking her out and he didn’t say anything, just kind avoid eye contact with her. That woman was clearly in grieving! maybe they see it all the time? I went up to the woman and asked if everything is ok, she said her cat is dying. I mean just seem really cold to not even try to comfort her!
The price is not cheap but I been to many vet in my life, nothing really that different from other hospital.

Dr. Parker is really the reason I’m writing this review. Bear has had a plethora of health problems lately and through this Dr. Parker has been supportive, informative, and very helpful. Even with all of Bear’s problems that we came to him with, he was one of the most caring vets we have had, and knows cats very very well. I fully trusted him and felt supported throughout the many phone calls he took from me. Couldn’t thank him enough!

I think they provide high-​quality care overall. However, a veterinarian provided a service that I did not request and then insisted that I pay for it. I appealed to the owner and he did not budge. I’ve moved to another vet practice.

Great Vet. Been taking my pets here for years. Actually since they were in Porter Square. Never had a problem. Dr. Buljarski is an excellent vet. Prices are very reasonable especially considering the location. Highly recommend.

If you have a lot of expendable income, then Porter Square might be the place for you. My husband and I moved to the area 3 years ago and brought our 2 cats and dog to Porter Square. Our complaints are pretty similar to some of the others on here — they misdiagnosed and therefore treated incorrectly, they charged you for every possible thing they could, and when they did something wrong they said their policy didn’t allow for refunds or free follow-​ups. Let me explain 2 of my bad experiences below.
Our cat was very ill and we couldn’t figure out what was wrong with her. She was vomiting and having diarrhea for over a year. Porter Square had us try multiple things including: new expensive food, a few medicines that we read up about and have potentially very hazardous side effects, anesthesia and an ultra sound, multiple follow-​up visits and the last recommendation we got was exploratory surgery to see what they could find. My husband and I were at our wits end. We decided to take her off everything the vet had given us, and we switched her to boiled chicken and rice for 2 weeks. Just like that, she was having solid bowel movements again. I could not believe how much money we spent at Porter Square, only to solve the problem on our own. It literally made us ill. However, we figured maybe it was just the one vet, and we continued to go to them and saw different vets.
Similar to what other people have said, we rarely have the ability to even see the same vet anymore.
The last straw was something that happened recently with our dog. Our dog had a bad injury that required surgery on her leg while we were on vacation. We called Porter once we got back to ask if they could recommend a soft tissue specialist and a place where they do hyperbaric chamber treatments and they were of absolutely no help and said we should try looking online. Once we got the treatment she needed, she had a splint and a bandage put on and we needed to go get the bandage rewrapped every 2 weeks. Yesterday we brought our dog to get her first bandage change at Porter. They ended up charging us $ 140, because they said they had to do their own exam (which the vet said involved just looking at the wound to make sure it wasn’t infected when they rewrapped it). Then, they replaced the splint and said the other vets had put too much padding on it. I was skeptical, but figured they were the experts. Within 8 hours the splint had broke (my dog’s previous splint lasted more than 2 weeks). I called the vet and they said I could bring her in and they’d rewrap it… for $ 104. No acknowledgment that they may have wrapped it wrong, nothing. They said it probably broke because my dog was anxious. My dog is the most calm/​docile dog in the world and had been in a small apartment and not been outside when the splint broke. I asked if they’d consider doing it again for free, and I’d pay for a better splint, and they said their policy didn’t allow that and that they didn’t have stronger splints and I should go to another vet that did.
We brought our dog immediately to emergency care (the medical center Porter had recommended!) where they said the splint didn’t have enough padding and wasn’t strong enough for our dog. We had to pay another $ 250 to repair the work Porter had done less than 12 hours earlier.
My conversation with Porter ended with me asking them to send me all of my pets records and that I would not be coming back to them.
I do not recommend Porter to anyone. They are overpriced and give bad diagnoses and milk you for services wherever they can, even when they are the wrong service. Let me know if you want more details to anyone looking to go there. I would be happy to give more information. I originally went there because of the reviews on Unilocal.Well Unilocal has seriously let me down… and the decision cost me a lot of money AND put my animals at risk.

I have been going to Porter Square Veterinarian since I adopted my adult cat 15 years ago. We have been seeing Dr. Parker since shortly after he joined the staff many years ago. He has consistently been thoughtful, thorough, and kind. As my cat’s health problems grew, he explored options and answered my many questions in person; always called me back when I called with questions or concerns; and fit us in for emergency appointments when warranted. After my cat recently died, he sent a sympathy card with a lovely handwritten note. I cannot speak to the other vets on staff, but I cannot recommend Dr. Parker highly enough.

Great service, no issues. Despite the name, this Clinic is really in Davis Square or maybe right on the border?
I have an older cat that needs annual dentals and found the care here very consistent and competent. Prices are average I think or on the higher end of average.
Always have plenty of Hills Prescription diets as well when Petsmart can barely keep it in stock…
Metered street parking is always available.

TOO SUCCESSFUL FOR ITS OWN (AND ITS PATIENTS) GOOD.
After 8 years, we are calling it quits with Porter Square Vet. It was a good run while our dog was healthy and we simply needed annual check ups. We didn’t mind the fact that we rarely saw the same vet or that we had to book months in advance to get an appointment.
But that changed when our dog recently tore her ACL and we became acutely aware that a very busy vet practice doesn’t necessarily bode well for animals that actually need care. We called several times asking them to squeeze us in but they didn’t deem it an emergency so we waited 3 days for an available appointment. They explained it was a holiday weekend so they were short staffed and their schedule was booked.
When we arrived for our appointment, they were running late so we spent 45 minutes waiting to see the vet. He finally arrived and spent 5 minutes with us to confirm it was a torn ACL and referred us to a vet hospital. Thanks… a…lot.
Congrats to Porter Square for their success — they are clearly a very busy practice and almost everyone we know with pets in the Cambridge or Somerville area takes their animals there.
But from my experience, they need to make a choice between business growth and customer service. They’re not equipped to do both well and their level of care is suffering for it.
We found a more responsive and caring vet practice and we couldn’t be more pleased we made the switch.

I can deal with the booking an appointment 2 weeks out, but I can’t deal with the fact that I call 30 minutes in advance that I’m in traffic and that they’ll «note it» and show up 10 – 15 minutes late and are told after waiting another 15 minutes that «I’ll have to reschedule». Why note it if that means nothing.

Worst vet car possible. They attempt to work on animals without sedation. If I had not walked into the back room they would of attempted dental surgery without any sedation. Dr. Jardayna Werlin is the vet who started crying when I voiced my concern.
They then attempted to charge me 80 dollars for an emergent visit when I was quoted 60 over the phone.
Their practice manager just makes excuses for all the vets and staff. There is a huge lack of empathy for animals and their humans
When trying to inquire about who owned the office. I was told by the receptionist that is wasn’t worth my time reaching out to John G, Bujalski DVM… He doesn’t return calls about negative comments. Not worth my time. Better to just visit another vets office.
Please take your animal any where else.

my company works with Dr. Bujalski all of the time but I had never needed to visit the office with my Pets since they never had major scares but that changed when my cat was having some serious issues. he and his staff were excellent and i would not hesitate bringing my guy back there if anything arises in the future

Just brought my dog Katie in for her first appointment at Porter Square Veterinarian and it went great! We moved to MA from CA this Summer so that meant a change in veterinarian for Katie. Katie was always a nervous wreck at our last vet and hated being there. The vet techs were always nervous which in turn made Katie want to head for the hills! Dr. Parker was so kind and patient with nervous Katie, he had a steady stream of treats and made sure to keep the visit calm and upbeat to keep Katie calm. He was also very knowledgeable and took the time to answer my questions about different medications for fleas, ticks, heartworm. We will definitely be stopping by often to get Katie used to going in to this new vet (and for cookies!). Thank you so much for putting me (and Katie) at ease.

The doctors are OK but the wait time is always bad. If you’re 4 minutes late, they use that against you and keep you waiting for 20 minutes. Last time I was 2 minutes early, they still kept me for 20 minutes with a simple apology. So they keep you waiting here anyway!

We’ve been going to Dr. Champagne since we got our first dog in March 2015. From the day one, he has been a wonderful veterinarian who cares about our pet and us. He is friendly, humble and he takes time to explain everything to you. Most importantly he is trustworthy and very good at his job.
Definitely recommend him.

I’ve been going to Porter Square Vet for a few years now. My wife and I bring our cat there once a year and the cat, although doesn’t like the car ride over there, seems to feel right at home when he walks in. The hours are usually good for those who work the 9 – 5.
Recently, we adopted a dog and are happy to call Porter Square Vet his vet as well.
I have been to a few places around town and I have always been happy with Porter Square Vet.

Gah! Finding a decent vet who cares about your family member and isn’t trying to screw you with all sorts of unnecessary purchases is kind of impossible. I’ve been working in animal rescue for years and so have spent many a time with many a vet. If you find a good one, spread the word!!! My recent experience with Dr. Werlin was just AWFUL.
First off — Dr. Werlin definitely comes off as cold, cold, cold. I think we spent just a few minutes with her in total as she was extremely rushed. My 9-​year-​old dog had been sick for nearly a week with an upset stomach and we had already tried everything. To begin, Dr. Werlin said that «nothing you’ve Googled is wrong with him» which is really weird considering she hadn’t even examined him yet and had never met me before. Also, bringing your dog to the vet isn’t something I take lightly. Besides being expensive, it’s a lot of stress on the dog and the least you can do is have contact with someone who listens to what you’re saying, instead of diagnosing immediately.
The examination was so brief that I was tempted to make a scene — no temperature/​BP was taken, didn’t look him over thoroughly, she never asked about his appetite or any basic questions about his behavior/​energy levels, it was truly ODD. She basically mocked me for giving my dog priobiotics («Why would you do THAT?») and then a few minutes later prescribed the probiotic brand she sells there as well as some special food, antibiotic, etc, etc.
One of my major pet peeves is a condescending vet. The office experience itself is fine, but that’s hardly why I’m at the vet. To top it off, we recently relocated from out of state and when Dr. Werlin said she didn’t see my dog’s rabies vaccine on file, her last effort was to set him up for that vaccine. He’s already covered for 2 more years, but it was almost as if she didn’t believe me.
Very pushy, aggressive, and generally unpleasant experience. Will find a new vet!

Had a great experience here last week with my new puppy. Everyone was super friendly, the place is spotlessly clean. I definitely recommend for anyone with a pet in the area! I’ve only come on weekdays, but parking has been super easy with the metered parking out front!

These are the kinds of ratings I have trouble with. On one hand, Porter Square Vet is significantly more expensive (perhaps by 30%, although from what I’ve heard, cheaper than Union Square Vet) than most other veterinary clinics. On the other hand, you get what you pay for here — they are consistently the best vet I’ve been to.
Staff members remember me and my cats when we come in, it’s easy to make appointments, they’re extremely thorough with checkups. The last couple visits the vet saw and treated conditions I hadn’t noticed at all, and consider myself to be pretty observant when it comes to my pets! They really went above and beyond («I’d like to keep an eye on this…», «let me know if she…», they asked lots of questions about home life and environment to make sure they understood possible risk factors, etc) They’re gentle with the animals, and take lots of care to make sure they’re not overly frightened or uncomfortable (a difficult task when, say, irrigating a cat’s ear canal)
Vets don’t seem rushed, everyone’s extremely helpful and knowledgable. They also, like me, think that my cats are the best cats in the world (which they are, obviously) and gush over them whenever they visit. Simply, everything you could want in a vet. Yes, they’re expensive, but I’ve found the extra cost to be very worth it so far.

I love this vet’s office. The regular check up appointments are quick but informative and all of the staff are super friendly and helpful. We haven’t had to come here for a last minute appointment, but FYI they charge you extra for an «emergency» same day appointment.

Not sure I have good experience there. I have transferred to another vet now. I got a puppy 2 months ago and I searched on Unilocal and found this place. Dr Parker was my puppy’s vet. Everything went well for the first visit. I was asked to do a stool test for my puppy and found there were warms. I got treatment from Dr Parker, and did a second stool test when I took my puppy to do the second vaccine. I got negative result from the second stool test.
BUT, I saw warms coming out of my puppy’s anus the next day… I got nervous and I made 4 calls in 3 days to this place, I always got the message, Dr Parker is going to call me back… But I heard nothing back in 3 days. Finally I got back from Dr Parker, he said it is tape warms without asking me questions and he asked me to pick the medicine…
That is not the worst.
I went to this place to pick up the medicine, and I was wondering to see if I could talk to Dr Parker and ask a few questions, because my puppy has been sleeping on our bed, and I have a few general questions to ask. I saw him step out of his office and talked to the lady who has been searching from internet and answering our questions. I thought he would come and talk to us, since we asked that lady to see if we could talk to him. BUT HE didn’t …
I always wonder one thing, and not sure if it happens to everyone. I took my puppy there 3 times, first time I request to do an annual exam, so I paid the examination fee; and the following 2 times, I just went to do vaccine, but I was also charged examination fee… and they explained this as the cost of the doctor’s time. Whatever…
SO, my conclusion is «I transferred to another vet.»

My first visit here after moving from the South Shore to Somerville.
I am positively impressed, the Office is clean and bright, lots of places to sit down with Dogs or cats, and even a little secluded place, separated with a little wall, where you can still talk at the counter, but separate your pet from others who aremwaiting. Thats superb.
The waiting time to get an appointment is crazy. 3 – 4 weeks in average. So thats a down, but if you have time, come for regular visit or a special non-​urgent case (in my case international shipping /​vaccination of my Siamese buddy Maurice), thats all good.
The pricing is very fair. I got a rabies vaccination and physical exam for my tomcat at paid about 93 $. No complaints.
I was dealing with Dr. Champagne, he was courteous, friendly, had a good hand for Maurice and was knowledgeble and supportive. Thanks.
This veterinarian place has accredited veterinarians who can get you the vaccinations and paperwork done for international travels, very good.
In summary, my cat and I both liked the place and will come back.