Call Ahead Vet

We live in the neighborhood and wanted a regular Vet for our Frenchie. I have only good things to say about Dr. Novick and feel lucky that we found him for our girl.
We adopted her when she was 5 years old and when we looked at her medical records, we were nervous at first because her precious family took her to a pricy Vet about once a month for a skin condition. We took her to Dr. Novice for an initial exam and he quickly told us that her skin would get better if we changed her food. We did that and have never had to pay for another visit for her skin! Seems like the pricy/​fancy Vets didn’t know enough to suggest changing food and continued to charge her family for visits!
Today I came home from work and noticed a growth around her rear (anal glands) and immediately took her to see Dr. Novick (he took us just 15 min after we called him). He treated her, gave her a shot and sent us home with antibiotics. Yes, I did assist in the procedure by holding her down. But I can’t imagine a stranger holding her instead of me. It comforted me that in a time of discomfort, I was there with her. Like others have said, his office is old school, but his knowledge and love for animals compensates for that. He has a sense of humor and made me feel more relaxed at a time when my dog was in pain.
I love knowing that if my dog ever needs anything, he will see her and help her. Highly recommend!

Great vet took great care of my dog and price was great. Will go again and reffer anyone in need of a great vet with great prices.

I went to doctor Novick with my French Bulldog the dog was in need of a emergency C section. He was readily available he did the procedure the mother and pups are fine actually doing wonderfully. After reading some of the negative post i would definitely have to say i do not agree with them he did a procedure that i would say u need to be able to see and have a steady hand for.
Thanks Dr Novick

This is a one-​vet practice with no staff. You call, he answers the phone or returns your call quickly. The vet is available at odd hours and is good for emergencies. Quirky older guy has knowledge and experience. Dr. Novick focuses completely on your pet during the visit, and is a good diagnostician. He communicates with humans well and usually calls later to check up on your pet. The prices charged are very fair; and he sometimes includes medication in the fee. However, the office is dusty and cluttered and he may or may not keep files on your pet. He may or may not remember you a couple of weeks later. You may or may not be required to help him during the exam. Equipment and some methods are outdated, somewhat crude. Dr. Novick sometimes has trouble with his eyesight during procedures (giving shots, taking blood, etc.) Dr. Novick is likable, dedicated and extremely knowledgeable; but for my comfort I need a more thorough practice where I don’t have to worry about things falling through the cracks.

Dr Novick is a caring vet. I appreciated his honesty. Yes, he does slur, should wear glasses and his office is a mess. On the other hand, he has integrity, and truly cares about the well being of your pet. Also, he won’t rip you off with unnecessary diagnostics and steep fees. I recommend him over 5^th Avenue clinic (which was a joke, don’t go there).

After some consideration and some more experiences with Dr. Novick, I have to revise my review. The last time I came to him I had a bad experience. My dog had a puncture wound that became swollen and infected. Dr. Novick has treated this before with my dog but this time, he made a cut so deep, I’m worried if it will heal. So much puss and blood came out the wound and he barely had enough paper towels to clean it up. No gloves. Didn’t even tell me that it might’ve been a deep incision.
And after coming here a few times, I’ve noticed he does the same thing. Flip through his mess of a drawer trying to find your file and then says he cant find it. Take forever getting your info and then take forever getting your credit card to work.
Not coming back here again.

After trying a few other vets in the area my opinion is that you should bother going anywhere else. Period.
Dr Novick is very competent and patient. He has the heart of a teacher and explained in detail our Dog’s situation.
Where other vets in the area had advised on a much more extensive, expensive and risky procedure, he did solve the situation without putting our dog’s health at risk. He also showed us what to do regularly in order to prevent the issue form happening again. I cannot be more pleased with his services.
If you absolutely need to have the fancy office and the frills, this is not your vet. But don’t judge a book from its cover: if you want a reliable professional that does not charge you the moon and is very straightforward, do not bother calling anyone else.

Dr. Novick is a fantastic vet. I called in, he was flexible and took me in at the time I suggested and checked out my dog. I was worried because she had a bump/​lump and you just never know what it could be, especially as dogs age. He checked it out and knew it was a lipoma. He explained this to me in detail and I also had questions about her teeth and he brought out a canine tooth model to explain each thing. Amazing, how many vets take that much time to explain things… they are usually flying through appointments to make extra $$$.
Very satisfied with my visit. I did get her checked last year for a bump-​it was an infection, he treated it, gently and she recovered very quickly! He even called a few days later to check that she was doing okay.

Sketchy place from the front, cozy office on the inside. Dr. Novack is very smart, knowledgable, and has a great sense of humor. Brought our kitten in for neutering and we were assured that it was in the right hands. He is very grandfather-​like but in a cool way. Very easy to talk to and no beating around the bushes. Definitely will bring our kitten back to him if necessary. 5 STARS and recommended to others!

You walk into this place and you think, I’m skeptical. Don’t be fooled. Dr. Novack is great. He knows his stuff and is a super nice guy. He not only helped with the issues I can in for, but I was asking about some additional things for my dog as well and he convinced me it wasn’t needed, even though he would have made some extra money on it.
Competence — Check
Service — Check
Value — Check
Animal Lover — Check
What else do you want in a Vet?

He is an expert very nice & funny person my dog had an ear problem & yes he cured her i was really worried about my dog but now i see her happy thanks alot i really recommend this place he is simply the best vet

Dr. Norvick is a very compassionate and honest veterinarian. He is an old fashion vet, this is true. He doesn’t have a fancy office or modern equipment, but he has the knowledge, skills, the adequate equipment and most importantly a big heart needed to treat animals. He is not a lier and money oriented like most of the vets with fancy offices and staff in this city. He really cares about the well being of your pet.
I can best describe this place as having Godiva chocolates wrapped in a cheap box. Dr. Norvick is the good quality chocolate and the box is the appearance of his office. It would be nice if doctor Norvick makes his office more appealing to everybody, so skeptical people can trust him better. However, never judge a book by its cover! Dr. Norvick is the best vet in town, period!
* I am not giving him 5 starts because he needs to make his office more presentable. :)

Went in for a last minute appointment because I couldn’t get in at my normal vet or anywhere else. All of the 24 hour emergency clinics wouldn’t do general practice, and all I needed was a health certificate and a sedative for my dog to travel on a plane. This was the only general practitioner that I could find open 24 hours.
In short, I agree with most of the reviewers. This guy is OLD school. Same procedure as described by others… jotted down our info on a piece of computer paper and did a quick examination that didn’t seem very thorough (looked in her ears, felt her abdomen, checked her teeth and pronounced her healthy). I’m not even really sure what drug he gave her but I’ll just google it to make sure it’s nothing fishy.
Overall, the visit was completely satisfactory for what I needed. He does slur as others have mentioned, but he used to be a boxer (as is evidenced by the punching bag in the exam room) and he said that it messed up his speech. I DO NOT believe that he was under the influence of any drugs or alcohol… just an old man with an old fashioned veterinary practice.
Unless I need something on short notice again I will not be returning, namely because I live in Williamsburg and it’s completely out of the way, but also because I prefer a more modern and organized practice. He was easy on the purse strings, though, and was pleasant to speak with.

Dr. Novick is very nice, friendly, knowledgeable, helpful, funny & has the best prices you can find anywhere!
Unfortunately, my poor Bruno had a tick and our vet had left for the evening. I used Unilocal to find an emergency vet and found Call Ahead Vet. We met Dr. Novick and he was available right away. We took a chance and headed there right away. First off, don’t be turned off by the appearance of the location because the place is old school, which did not bother me after I met Dr. Novick.
He was funny and made us feel better. He took care of Bruno removed the tick promptly and effectively. He treated him with an anti-​allergen & antibiotic. He was very informative and knowledgeable. My boyfriend and I are very grateful to have met Dr. Novick because we were able to see him at a late hour and right away. He did not overprice us either. His prices are much more reasonable than any other emergency Vet service (which we called one by Flatbush Ave & they told us $ 350). I would go back to Dr. Novick but hopefully I won’t have to and my dog will continue to be in good health.
Hope my review helps!

So far so good, Called DR. Novick at around 8PM left a voicemail and got a call back in about 15 minutes. Told him the situation I’m having with my puppy (Cherry Eye both eyes) asked him for a quote on a price for corrective surgery and got it over the phone. Set up an appointment on a call back which took about 10 minutes and looking forward to having my puppy back to normal with DR. Novick’s help. Got a great price much lower than what the «fancy vets» were charging.
Will update after we see DR. Novick this upcoming week.

I was a little skeptical about taking my feline to the «Call Ahead Vet», but once there and I met Dr. Novick I was glad I took my cat here. Definitely from the Old School and kind of hip in his «Out of Africa» animal printed shirt. He is very lay back, relaxed, friendly and knowledgeable.
My cat was diagnosed with a bladder infection and was given an antibiotic shot and some pills, though the first time the needle malfunction and my cat ended up getting puncture twice but other than that the visit went well. Dr. Novick was very courteous and went on explained and even drew a crude diagram (granted he is no Rembrandt but more a Picasso) of the bladder and how it got infected. Overall, if you could get pass the physical appearances of the place and the antiquated equipment give Dr. Novick a try, I can honestly say I have taken my cats to higher end clinics and fancy pet hospitals and had to shelter out big $$$$$ because they performed all kinds of unnecessary tests and blood works just so they can get more $$$$$$ and my cats ended traumatized.
I appreciated a good old Vet that gives your pet what is needed to cure and end their suffering and not take advantage of a distraught customer. Dr. Novick is 5 stars and not 5 $$$$$.
And thank you fellow Unilocalers for sharing your reviews, it’s because of people like you that help me find the right Vet.

Not the typical vet office you’ll expect to see. My 12 year old cat wasn’t feeling her regular self, and it got to the point where her eyes were yellow, and pus with blood was visible. I took her to the vet in Warren St. in Brooklyn which charged me about 200 just to give me a diagnose of pyometra. In need of a rapid surgery that would run me 3000 not including Additional changes. I was devastated because it was surgery there and then or she would die. I call Dr. Novick he gave me a fair price way cheaper than that and took my cat in. He kept my cat under his watch for 4 days and when he returned home she looked better and after normal despite her stitches. Till this day she’s alive thanks to him !
Yes I know it’s not the most modern office practice but he’s old fashion, more affordable and explains what’s the situation. Will be visiting him soon with my cat. DONT JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER

Like the one star reviewer pointed out if you’re not from Brooklyn or are not lucky enough to have been/​are married to a Brooklynite this vet may scare you off.
This.Dude.Is.Old-School.Brooklyn.
The glass of the front door is cracked. The office waiting room has those old wooden chairs back when decent wood was cheap. He was dressed in adidas windbreaker pants and a hawaiian button up shirt. He had no computer and wrote everything down on a badly cut out piece of paper. Like I said old school.
Once you get past that or if you’re like me if you love that vibe you can talk to him about regulations and biology and he does know what he’s talking about.
I took a stray to him to have him neutered and he pushed me to get the vaccines (as any good vet should) and checked him out for flees and other infections.
This guy’s prices are like nothing I’ve ever heard of in this city. Animal Kind (our regular vet) was going to charge [to best of my recollection] $ 500 for neuter and shots. He is letting us get away with $ 250. (Though Animal kind was going to do more bloodwork for that price, he says it’s not necessary.). Williamsburg Vet clinic was charging [to best of my recollection] $ 300 something.
If you want ambiance and your expectations of a contemporary vet met go to those guys. If you can put up with a little weirdness about no computer system and him being the only staff and some eccentricity see him. He’s a great guy and will pop a few jokes with you. I get the sense from talking with him he knows what’s going on. He may lose customers due to his bed side manner but that sort of thing was just a thing back in the day. I went to a human doctor just like him.
I’m going back to pick my cat up at 6 and will let you know how he’s doing by updating this review.
Got him back from neutering and Dr Novick even was kind enough to call the next morning to check up on him, which doesn’t take much but it shows he cares and/​or is good at his job.
Most importantly for us he doesn’t nickel and dime you for walking into the door. He gives you what you really need. When I go to the vet it’s like going to the mechanic where they’ll usually sign you up with so much stuff that you don’t need, and they know you don’t have the expertise. Anyway good guy
This guy is aces in my book but I recommend that he learn how to use a computer and learn how to use a credit card machine. I was there for 20 mins plus trying to straighten out a transaction and learning about credit card ‘batching’ and calling my bank etc. His demeanor might also scare off some people but I’m fine with it.
I will be going back most definitely.

Dr. Novick got a panicked call from us last night about our sick dog and told us we could bring him in anytime we want as he lives right there and would make himself available. FYI, all the other vets in the area are closed on Sunday and were closed at 7 pm on a Saturday as well. HUGE brownie points, doc! We found easy parking at the vet and strolled on in. He’s quite casual, friendly, amusing (he can crack some good jokes), and down to earth. Even better, he charged a fair price and was very affordable. He spent a long time with our dog, gave him a few shots, prescribed a few meds and otherwise handled him. What we took him was a much happier dog.
How’s the office? Plain and vanilla and quite clean. We were the only patients, so, I really felt special. It was the first Vet office I had ventured into that didn’t smell like Animal House.
Anyhow, thanks Doc. You’re a winner in my book and Colt’s (the happy dog who is no longer Unilocaling).

I’m a new cat owner about 7 years new. My first cat was an adult and she trained me. So when I got 2 brothers after her death, I found out first hand how hard it is to train cats. (Yeah, I know some of you are laughing at me!)
I noticed one of my boys wasn’t moving like he used to. He was trying to use the litter box and couldn’t. I decided to see if it was just a bug in his system that would work it’s self out but after the second day where he wasn’t moving at all I got really scared.
I called Dr. Novick at midnight on a Friday night. After describing his symptoms he told me that my boy was blocked and he need to become unblocked. He did not lie to me and told me that it was quite expensive. After such honesty I brought my boy to him the that morning.
He immediately identified the problem. He quoted me a price and I agreed. With high hopes I left my boy there. That was at 11:30a at 1pm I got a call telling me that the procedure was successful. Dr. Novick wanted to keep him overnight to monitor his progress. Unfortunately he became blocked again. Thus began a terrible cycle for the next 5 days.
I was faced with a decision that no pet lover wants to make. Dr. Novick pleaded with me to give it another day. I had given up hope. I was too emotionally wrung out from the past 4 days but I reluctantly agreed. I did not want to play God this week. Wouldn’t you know it his faith was rewarded. My hope was renewed. My boy took a turn for the better.
Dr. Novick went above and beyond his call of duty. I could ask no more of professional. He is the kind of person you want working on your pet especially in an emergency. I agree with the others about the office. Dr. Novick has not embraced the computer age. Do not let that deter you. Dr. Novick is worth it! You want someone who cares more than you will about your pet. He will give you honest advise and give you realistic expectations. You will not be nickeled and dimed for walking in the door. You will receive great care for your pet. You will not be asked to keep coming back just to be charged for every visit. (One reason I will not go back to another pet clinic)
I can not recommend Dr. Novick highly enough! If I could I’d double the rating!