Veterinary Care Unlimited

Please DO NOT use this veterinarian! I brought my rabbit in when I read online that Dr. Paolini specialized in exotic animals. What the website didn't tell me is that she barely had any contact with rabbits before my visit. My rabbit has arthritis and I thought I was going to learn what I can do to help her with the pain of getting older. Every time I asked the doctor a question, she ran to the back to look it up on her computer. After the initial visit my rabbit got worse, I started Adequan shots. The shots require me to go in every 4-5 days for a total of 5 shots. The vet tech is supposed to handle this so I don't get charged a vet fee. On the third shot, the vet tech screwed up on the shot and told me she didn't think she got all of the medication in. The vet NEVER came out to make me feel more at ease and when I asked for her to assess the situation, I was told that she'd charge me extra for a vet appointment and that everything would be fine. FINE? What kind of care is that? I will NEVER go back to this vet and I hope nobody who has an exotic animal will either. more

My 10 year old cat was suffering from painful abscess and I have yet to find a new vet since moving to the area. I discovered this place through the PetAssure network. This place was a saving grace. After dealing with another 24/7 hospital the night before, in comparison to this place, the other clinic Dr. was more interested in ripping people off than caring for their patients, it was refreshing to be welcomed in a very professional manner like the staff here at VCU. Not only were they welcoming and friendly, they were personable and much more knowledgable and at fraction of the cost. If I hadn't found this office, I don't know what I or my cat would have done. The attention and care they showed us was amazing. I have now found my new vet and would refer anyone to give them a try. If you are wondering if you should give this place a chance, definitely do. more

After my reptile started having complications, I was looking for a vet that I could trust handling him. I've my pet for almost 4 years now, raised him since he was a baby. So he is just that, my baby. I was very adamant about not getting ripped off. I searched online for a place in my neighborhood, and I found Vet. Care Unlimited. Only about a 10 minute drive from my home. After his first visit, they really had me walk out feeling like I paid for what I got. Second time I brought him in was due to what looked like a broken leg. I brought him in and didn't have enough for the X Rays. Dr. Paoloni said she would only charge me half of the original cost. She understood that I didn't have much money to begin with. The staff are really understandable and they all love animals. They are also professional and friendly. I never had a problem with any one of them. Usually after 4:30/5 ish it does get alittle hectic since she is the only vet, sometimes making it take a while to see her. But all in all, I really like this place. I feel absolutely comfortable that when my reptile is sick, I can rely on them. Dr Paoloni also has her dogs behind the counter. :) more

After visiting all the Queens veterinarians, I found Veterinary Care Unlimited the most compassionate, professional and MOST knowledgeable Doctor. I've read comments about other hospitals ""having to put up with rude staff"" because the Doctors are soooo good. Are you kidding me? No one should have to put up with anything but the utter most respect. And that is what I got at Dr Paoloni's office. My very first phone call to her office was a pleasant experience. I wasn't rushed off the phone, I didn't feel like I was bothering them, in fact the young lady took her time with me. We spoke about the funny names my dogs have, I knew from that moment on I would be happy with my first visit and was I pleasantly surprised. From the moment I walked into the waiting room, I knew I had found it. People search for their soulmates, I found the perfect place for my furry babies! The front desk welcomed me on my first visit, actually SAID THOSE WORDS, they gave me a Welcome Package along with free gifts. They took pictures of my pets. The staff introduced themselves, acted like professionals and treated my babies with tenderness. The office looked and smelled clean. You could tell that everyone enjoyed their job and everyone loved the animals. Their was no rudenss or stressed out workers. Dr Paoloni in the first exam, diagnosed my dog's allergies when the other so called Doctors were stumped. They explained everything to me, they gave me an estimate or approximate idea of what the visit would cost me. They gave me options, they didn't pressure me or try to make me feel guilty because my pets had suffered under an incompetent vet. Dr Paoloni took her time with my neurotic self and answered all of my questions. She even took all the pictures that are hanging on the walls, they are all of her patients. They treated me and my babies with respect and compassion and I haven't felt this comfortable with this kind of Veterinarian since I moved to NYC from California 12 years ago. It is sad to think that anyone can write whatever they want on the internet and make up lies. I am old school and I will only tell the truth, so the truth is this place is rated 100 on a scale of 1 to 10. Go for yourself and you will be pleasantly surprised as I was. more

I am a client of Veterinary Care Unlimited - walking through that door 15 years ago would be the best decision we would make for our pets. At that time our dog Shiloh was ill. I had been to see a number of veterinarians, but none to my satisfaction. When meeting with Dr. Paoloni for the first time, I realized that here was someone absolutely dedicated to her profession. After a thorough examination she explained her findings and treatment options were discussed. While her explanation was clinical in nature, her emotions were not. There was genuine empathy for Shiloh's condition and concern for our feelings as well. A bond of respect and trust was forged and would continue on, throughout the years. It's easy to see that the high standards, set forth by Dr. Paoloni and Ria Puma when Vet Care first opened its doors, carry through to today. This is a practice that has kept up with the ever changing field of veterinary care and technology. I know when I bring my pet in, be it for a regular check-up or treatment of a serious illness, I am secure in the knowledge that my pet is getting the very best of care. The hard work and dedication shown by the staff is testimony to the ideals and beliefs of Vet Care. Clients are warmly received and treated with respect. The staff quickly becomes familiar with your pet and its needs - this is their patient that they are responsible for, and they take that responsibility seriously. While there have been staffing changes over the years, there are still staff members who have been with them from the beginning; how comforting to a client to see that kind of continuity. One of our cats, Bogie, was discovered to have heart disease. Towards the later part of his life he was unable to overcome the effects of this disease, but he had ten wonderful years of love, caring, and the best of medical care. At the end, and with the utmost of compassion from the doctors and staff, he was released from pain into peace. Our other cat, CeCe, has just turned fourteen. Two years ago she was diagnosed with lymphoma. While this is a serious illness, her appearance and demeanor belie that fact. Dr. Paoloni, after extensive consultations with colleagues and specialists, discussed a chemotherapy regimen with us, and once embarked upon, helped bring CeCe to a state of remission and level of health I would not have anticipated had I not been a client of Veterinary Care Unlimited. more

My name is Ria Puma and I have been the hospital administrator for Veterinary Care Unlimited since 1990. Normally, I wouldn't respond to such blatant lies that have been written about Vet Care but since this is the World Wide Web, it is paramount that I defend our stellar reputation and set the record straight. I do not think it is a coincidence that a certain employee was terminated in March of 2008 and that the first of these malicious reviews appeared the very next month in April of 2008. All the negative reviews are from 2008 and appear to have been written by the same individual citing the same lies. This employee was fired when the individual blatantly jeopardized the safety of one of our patients. In the veterinary world, there is no room for error and neglect towards any animal is not tolerated at Vet Care. With that said, I would like to touch on a few of the negative comments. We still have 3 employees of our ""old timers"" who have been with us 8, 10 and 15 years and were part of our original ""Dream Team"". Not bad for a total staff of 7. Unfortunately, longevity of employees is rare in our field. As for employee turnover, yes we have made some changes and added new faces. This is due in part to the fact that working at our hospital is not for just ""anyone"". Our expectations are quite high and if a potential employee does not share our passion that the health, safety and welfare of every patient is our number one priority, then that person will not be employed at Veterinary Care Unlimited. We require of every staff member patience, professionalism and compassion at all times and if they do not possess these characteristics, well then, they will not be working here very long. We have been blessed to have had 10 years of a wonderful ""Dream Team"" that our ""old timers"" were part of. As we mark our 20th year serving the community, we are in the process of putting together our new dream team that will hopefully be with us for the next 20 years. Our hospital is immaculate and the first thing a potential employee is told is that cleaning is a major requirement of every staff member. As for patient safety, we will only allow an experienced licensed veterinary nurse to assist the doctors in surgery. The surgical patients are monitored from beginning to end by several state of the art precautionary machines along with an iv catheter. I feel privileged to live in a country where we have freedom of speech. Sadly, there are individuals that are hiding behind this right and feel the need to write malicious and slanderous lies on the internet to try and damage our reputation. Thankfully, the laws are changing and anonymous bloggers are being forced out to the open and brought up on charges. Freedom of speech is a wonderful American right but just as you can not scream fire in a crowd, it is illegal to write lies that could potentially ruin a person or business's reputation UNLESS you can prove it. To reiterate, it is apparent these negative reviews were all written by the same person citing the same untruths. This person certainly has a lot of knowledge and knows the lingo of the veterinary field, This person also has been privy to what is behind ""closed doors"" that were supposingly not open to the public, so it is concluded that this person is a disgruntled and vindictive ex-employee. In closing I would like to welcome anyone to visit our hospital and I will personally give you a tour of Veterinary Care Unlimited and I assure you that your visit with our compassionate staff and knowledgeable Doctors will meet or possibly exceed your expectations. Thank you for the opportunity to post this message and for taking the time to read this. more

I have been bringing my Cocker Spaniel to Vetcare for over 12 years now. On September 10, 2010 at 3:30 AM I had to bring my dog to the Emergency Vet because he was panting and would not settle down. He has an enlarged heart and I knew he was in distress. While at the Emergency Vet I called Vetcare Unlimited to leave a message for Dr. Paoloni that my dog ""Baby"" was in an oxygen cage because of difficulty breathing and I was told he may not be able to survive outside oxygen cage and if this is true I would have no choice but to put my Baby to sleep.. After Vetcare got my message they called the Emergency Vet and discussed Baby's history. Plus they discussed his test that the emergency vet took. Thanks to both the Emergency Vet, and Dr. Paoloni and Dr. Miglorino for calling the Emergency Vet they decided to try two medications that they thought may help him, they put him on medication and instead of putting my dog to sleep he was released the next day. Both Veternairian's office is the reason why my dog is still with me. But most importantly the fact that Dr. Paolini and her staff stayed in touch with Emergency Vet and spoke to me whenever I called, my dog is still with me. I have always had excellant care for my dog. My dog loves the staff at Vetcare and even when they have to do tests, he is comfortable there.. Thank you Vetcare Unlimited for you continued caring of my dog and always being there when we need your help. more

I am a former client who experienced drastic employee turnover at this practice and know that all the caring old-timers are gone. If you are a client of this clinic or want to check it out, do yourself a favor and simply ask their vet techs how long they have been licensed. You will find out that they are barely out of school or are not licensed at all. I did!! Only the vet is knowledgeable in this practice, yet 95% of the time you leave your pets in the hands of incompetent staff and management. Another thing, ask where their surgery room is (they won't show it to you!) but it is downstairs where no trained staff monitors your pets before and after procedures. Pros: none anymore Cons: too many to mention more

Avoid this clinic like the plague!\r \r There has been a rash of mysterious death of pets at this clinic. They take on more than they can possibly care for so the pets in their care are either abandoned or neglected quality care. The Doctors are too busy to talk and spend time with you and your pet.\r Avoid this clinic if you care and love your pet.\r \r MS Pros: Understaffed and overbooked more

I live in the neighborhood and usually accompanied friends and their pets to this vet office. The staff is nice but the manager (I think her name is Ria? Rhea?sp) can be very mean to the staff and abrupt with clients who complain about the long wait and poor service. The receptionists are trained to be very aggressive in selling additional products and procedures, which i'm sure is not their place bec. they are not vetrinarians or vet tech. There is a bad odor in the waiting area where i spent many hours waiting for neighbors, i think it's taken for granted and the staff cannot smell it anymore? Inside the decor was old and dirty and facilities could be improved/updated. The techs are sweet but very young and inexperienced, i met a few decent technicians/asst but somehow i think this place cannot keep good employees 'coz of the work conditions and manager's constant yelling (you can hear it through the doors!). It's funny but it's sad for the animals and the owners of the pet's because they think they are paying for good service but it's not very nice. I would never bring my pet here, but that's just my opinion and everyone is welcome to try it out and form there own. BR Pros: staff is nice but young and inexperienced Cons: manager yells all the time, good employees never last more

If you are ever going to bring your pet to this place, ASK TO SEE BEHIND THE CLOSED DOORS (especially the basement boarding area...ewww gross and smelly!). This place is filthy, unkempt and outdated, with incompetent staff and crazy management. Don't take my word for it -- see for yourself!!! Pros: Doctor Polani is nice Cons: outdated, dirty facility, rude mgmt -- very expensive for low quality more