Veterinary Care of Ithaca

I have been taking my pets to Dr. Pate and Veterinary Care of Ithaca for several years. While I have no way of evaluating the experiences of others, I can say that my family?s interactions with Dr. Pate have been great. She has been the lead vet for all the pets in our household for several years and we only have extremely positive things to say about her. In addition to regular care, she has also proved to be extremely competent and helpful in several very difficult circumstances. In one case she showed herself to be an excellent diagnostician and in the other showed a kindness and sensitivity that I wish I could see in more people doctors. In the first case, we brought our 2 cats into see Dr. Pate because they seemed lethargic and not quite ?themselves?. Dr. Pate spent quite a lot of time with us, asking questions and determining all the symptoms (fever, dehydration, lack of appetite, etc) to determine a course of action. She put both cats on antibiotics and gave them fluid injections which had them both on the rebound quickly and probably saved their lives. She also called us several times following discharge to make sure her actions had the desired effect and letting us know that we could bring them back in at a moment?s notice should they relapse in anyway. Fortunately they never did and are in perfect health today. In the second case, Dr. Pate helped us negotiate the very difficult last few weeks of our 17 year old terrier. Not only did she provide excellent end of life care that kept him as comfortable as possible, she painstakingly showed and taught us how to perform all of the at home care that needed to be done. She also supported us when the last days came and made those final moments as easy for us (and him) as they could have been. Dr. Pate helped us manage the many issues that this old dog had faced in his final years and we believe that she was a big part of why he was still running and playing until just before his last month. As a pet owner for over 30 years, I can give Dr. Pate and Veterinary Care of Ithaca my highest recommendation. I have been completely satisfied with the care my animals have received there and believe that that will be the experience for most pet owners. more

I am giving this review on behalf of my mom. She made an appt to have her dog, Zuzu, seen because she was barely eating and lethargic and wanted bloodwork done to see if there was an underlying problem. The vet she saw, Dr. Pate, was extremely rude, barely examined Zu, and acted as if her time was being wasted. She told my mom that no bloodwork needed to be done, that Zu was fine. $70 charged for the ""exam"" and for a fecal exam (which my mom insisted be done at least). Two days passed and Zu did not get any better. She puked up foam and blood suddenly and was rushed to Cornell Animal Hospital, where the friendly and thorough staff told my mom that Zuzu was extremely dehydrated and sick. Zu is now being held overnight for bloodwork -we are afraid to say. Avoid a situation like we were put through- avoid this vet AT ALL COSTS! It may cost your pet's life. We pray Zuzu will make it through. more

I have been very pleased with the care my dogs have received at Veterinary Care of Ithaca. Dr. Meixell and Dr. Barnes have both taken the time to sit down and listen to my concerns so that they can offer the best possible care and advice. I appreciate that the staff always gets down on the floor with the dogs to help put them at ease. They have been extraordinarily kind and gentle during difficult times, and fun and upbeat during wellness visits. Their prices are very reasonable, particularly in comparison to other vets I have been to, and they always explain exactly what the costs will be so that there are no surprises. Best of all, they have given helpful information and genuinely have the dogs? best interests at heart. more

I have taken my cats to Dr. Meixell for many years. She is thorough, knowledgable, and very professional. I trust her to give me the information I need to make the best decisions about my cats' care. She believes in doing the least intrusive action first, which is reassuring. My cats have had chronic medical conditions, and Dr. Meixell has helped keep them healthy and comfortable for a long time. Recently I had to have my 18-year-old cat put to sleep. She was very sick and was suffering. It was a very very difficult decision, but Dr. Meixell helped me every step of the way. She was able to put my cat to sleep and my cat felt no pain and no fear.. I will always be tremendously grateful to Dr. Meixell and her wonderful staff. more

I think these people need to get a life! The staff at veterinary care of ithaca are the best! My pets have all gone there for years and have recieved the BEST care by far, of any other vet i have been to! The staff all are all very knowledgeable and very friendly!! I would recoment this place to anyone who is a responsible owner and WANTS to do the best for there pet! more

just an awful experience. Michelle the technician was rude, uncaring and patronizing. I tried to explain to her what i thought was wrong with my dog and the symptoms I noticed and she said something along the lines ""we will be able to tell whats wrong with your dog, u cannot know or tell us anything before we examine it"". I live with the animal! of course i cud have said something relevant.. the doctor didnt spend more than 5 minutes with my dog and cudnt wait to get me out of there. I will not return to this place! EDUCATE UR STAFF IF U WANT CLIENTS more

I have never felt more taken adavntage of than going to this place. Here is my story: more