Long Island Veterinary Specialists

I brought my dog to see Dr. Sapienza on the referral of my regular vet. Dr. S is very knowledgeable and explained his diagnosis thoroughly. The reason for 2 star off is because the 2 junior staff that would greet you in at the room and do the pre test (for example the eye stain test and pressure test) looked like they were just winging it. Both test required an item to touch the eyeball and of course my dog struggled a bit and maybe made it a bit difficult. The 2 staff tried a few times then it looked like they just gave up or accepted the non reading. They made it look like the 2 test was not important and maybe it wssnt because no mention about the results or the meaning of either test was ever mentioned or talked about by Dr. S or the junior staff… but guess what, just the 2 test was about $ 90 bucks! This is the 2^nd visit and 2^nd time testing. The first time (4 weeks prior) the 2 junior staff was way more competent and I’m certain they did get proper reading of the test. You have to be vigilant with what the junior staffs are doing and make sure they’re doing it and doing it right because you will be charged for it. I’m very happy to pay for dr, Sapieza’s expertise but I’m a bit unhappy about the 2 test done by the junior staff.

I have had experience with coming to quite a few Veterinary clinics before and this one is by far the WORST! If you have to bring your pet in anywhere stay as far away from here as possible !! They are unsanitary, the staff are RUDE and overall my experience and my pets experience was borderline ABUSIVE ! If you hit my pet I will have an issue with it and after seeing it done a few times I realized that under the pretty decorations inside this place is far from any standard. Not to mention the prices. Save your pet and yourself to he trouble and go elsewhere !! Or trust me you will regret it !

I have presented to this location twice in an emergency context with the most recent time being last week. Overall, the place is designed to make money first and service animals second. First, the reason for the presentation was that I was concerned that my dog had a serious, time-​sensitive issue due to his acute onset of symptoms. Upon presentation I was made to wait in spite of the nature of the complaint. I voiced my concern that any delay could have severe, adverse health effects to the dog. The young lady at the front desk told me to wait as the emergency room doctor was apparently unable to prioritize his work and address the emergencies that may require immediate consultation. Needless to say, this is unacceptable. The emergency room should, oh i dont know, address emergencies in an effective way. Had the dog ingested poison the procedure currently in place — first come first serve — would have resulted in adverse health effects and possibly even worse.
Without boring you with the details, the initial differential diagnosis was based on pure speculation. Even after a physical examination was performed, which was completed out of sight, the physician’s differential diagnosis remained unchanged. The examination, medical history, symptoms and the presumed ability and experience of the physician amazingly could not limit the differential diagnosis. Nope, apparently the only way to get to the bottom of the underlying issue was through more, you guessed it, costly tests. Surprise, surprise. It was clear that the MO was to provide me with speculation, without the benefit of a legitimate differential diagnosis or the expertise of a physician, in order to ultimately undergo the additional tests. Thankfully the final diagnosis was basically nothing — a disease that, based on the overall presentation, should have and could have been diagnosed without the need to undergo costly tests. However, it appears that the objective is to monetize each presentation. As a result, I walked out this place with my pockets emptied, a feeling that I received no value and a clear directive to find a new emergency care facility for my pets.

Day 7 of my dog not drinking her water on her own because of the unauthorized unnecessary inhumane tongue resection by the vet! He didn’t say anything about my dog’s tongue when he first called me. He knew I was concerned about her possible throat lesion. He didn’t ask for my consent to repeat her blood work either. Now I’ll still worry about her elevated liver function. However, my new trusted vet reassured me that her elevated liver function was likely due to stress and the medicines from the ER overnight stay. I would still want to recheck it at a later time though.
This nightmare is not over until my dog gets justice! The more the hospital tries to defend his inhumane procedure, the more I know my dog deserves justice! No amount of money will make this go away.
The first vet that obtained my consent said her tongue would heal with their antibiotics injection!!! She made me feel that my dog needed treatment right away, kept saying Sunday Sunday Sunday! My local vet was closed on Sunday, but was planning to see my dog on Monday for dental evaluation! I feel horrible for handing my dog over to her!
My love for my dog wanted her to be out of pain sooner, so I trusted this ER vet!!! Now she has the nerve to change her story by saying that it was up to the «discretion of the surgeon»!! Lies lies lies! So outraged! I know she is not to blame for the surgery, however there must be horrible communication between the vets!!!
Pets are not property, they’re family!

This is a GREAT service and location to have.
They are open ²⁴⁄₇.
Staff is very professional yet compassionate.
BUT, the big drawback is that this place is VERY EXPENSIVE!
Be forewarned!
Only use in an emergency!

Here’s a follow up to my previous review.
I guess I should have anticipated this based on my gut feel for the place.
My dog went in for «routine» cataracts surgery. They said to bring her in post op 3 days later. We called to say she was not able to really open her eyes and we brought her back to which they insisted on another $ 1200 to do laser surgery to relieve pressure on the optic nerve. Unfortunately, they should have told us to come in sooner based on the symptoms and now our dog is permanently blind. $ 6000 in total for a better quality of life and our 13 yr old cockatoo is now blind. Find another place.

My English bulldog, Bentley-​Drew, had a 50% torn cruciate ligament and was given great and expedited service. They were able to perform the surgery the same day and he was able to come home the next day. I was assigned a case representative who kept me informed prior to, during and after his surgery was done. Dr Grossbard was EXCELLENT! He called me right after the surgery was over to give me an update and called me the first thing the next morning after he finished his rounds. When I came to pick him up I was given great post-​op education. 3 days post-​op a physician called again to follow up on his recovery. He actually had developed swelling so the call was a warm welcome. The facilities are very clean and very nice. Staff were all very nice and pleasant. The have many specialties with physical therapy and also many advanced procedures and diagnostic imaging modalities available. Bentley-Drew’s scar is hardly even noticeable and at his 2 week follow up everyone was so surprised how well he was already doing.

So my poor bubba got into the soap again (because a certain boyfriend left the automatic dispenser on), and this morning I found her lethargic and frothing at the mouth. Of course in a panic to find a 24-​hour vet center, I completely missed the fact the there was a place in Farmingdale that was much closer to me. Anyway, I found LIVS after calling the Massapequa vet and being redirected here.
This place is right on the service road off the LIE. It’s huge, and the décor was modern and beautiful. They saw poor kitty right after directing me to call the poison center. After a shot of fluids and anti-​nausea medication, we were sent home. I like that the vet gave me a quote for both a simple treatment and an elaborate one, which included more diagnostic tests. I found it super honest that they didn’t push me to get unnecessary labs and xrays. Overall, LIVS isn’t the closest 24-​hour emergency center to me, so I probably won’t be going back if my kitty is in medical danger. However, I really appreciate all the professionalism from the staff and their care for my lovey!

You hope you never have to take your pet to a hospital for critical care, but if you do, this is the place to be. They diagnosed and treated my mastiff 3 years ago and this week my kitten almost died and they got her up and running and she’s doing great! I got to speak with a doctor every time I called and they always called me with updates. Great staff and great service. It also helps to have pet insurance.

Amazing doctors! Not only do they take the time to listen but they also are very thorough with your options and in informing you about your pets condition and care. The staff are very friendly warm and caring and they do a great job at making you and your pet feel comfortable. They even have visiting hours for your pet if they have to stay!!! The staff at the desk I will admit were not ver helpful and seemed to be clueless (. In my case I was referred to them by my vet because of an emergency surgery that potentially needed to be Done to safe my dogs life and when we arrived they didn’t seem to have a clue even though my vet had already communicated with staff there.). While the staff were very caring as others have said they do seem to be focused on the money aspect. Which seems to be a common theme I see so maybe it’s just veterinarians? For example when I visited my dog after the visit was over her care and the current balance was discussed and basically after the visit we were told we owed more money and we needed to pay before leaving. I would have rather this been taken care of at discharge not when I visited my dog for the first time after major surgery. I mean come on it’s emotional here I thought she was a goner and then I gain hope knowing there was surgery but still not without risk. I was glad she made it put of surgery ok and I just wanted to spend time with her not have a bill shoved in my face. Would waiting one or two days to be paid have really made a difference. Overall would totally recommend this place was such a blessing

Absolutely horrible! If your have to bring your pet in for an emergency GO SOMEWHERE ELSE! It makes me sick to see any clearly paid commercials about this place having great care after the horrible two weeks my dog spent there! Not only are none of the vets on the same page but neither is anyone else there! They are ALL about the money and not about the absolute best care for your pet. If your animal is not getting better on their own they don’t do anything to help things along unless they just want you to spend more money! My dog was a beautiful healthy dog until she ate a pit and had a blockage we were told it would be okay and they did surgery which she made it through we brought special food for her to eat because she liked her special food however since there are so many different people there all on different pages she was continued to be fed or NOT FED the food she didn’t like even though we had brought her own food there which she ate when we gave it to her! The doctors would tell us she didn’t eat and told us they knew nothing about what we brought her and the worst of this visit is that she was picked up by her stomach where she had internal stitches by some retards causing her stitch to pop and an infection to form this was done in front of us where we heard her Unilocaling and crying in pain that we could do nothing about the thought breaks my heart these girls who picked her up clearly knew nothing this incident/​infection caused her to pass. What I’ve mentioned isn’t even everything yet horrible!!! This place is the last place Id ever bring a pet I cared about! Lost two pets here BEWARE!!!

DON’T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID!
Read this thoroughly though it may be lengthy.
Why the rating is 4.5 stars is because it is based on 4 reviews. Pay attention to the reviews that are not posted. You have to click on the button that says something about reading reviews that weren’t verified or something. I don’t understand what that means because had I read those reviews before coming here, I would have refrained! Those are the reviews I could relate to!
Where I had failed before bringing my dog here for an emergency respiratory issue, is NOT having done my research on EXCELLENT veterinary surgeon facilities.
I do not want to rehash my horrible experience watching my dog suffer with his respiratory condition, so I will give you the breakdown:
After 3 procedures and over $ 17,000 later in 3 months (supposedly that is with discounts!), I was given false hopes and watched my dog suffer the entire time. I kept asking them to be honest in what I really should expect because I do not want to have him suffer, but I feel I was given false hopes. They made it seem like his symptoms were normal for this condition, meanwhile every time I questioned his symptoms because they seemed to be much worse than what they were telling me to expect. I still kept getting the same responses: basically this is what to expect. I’m not a vet, but I knew something was just not right. Yet, procedure after procedure, I watched him worsen. His progression rapidly worsened the last time I brought him back (mind you he was in and out numerous times for three months). Deep in my heart I truly feel they overlooked the severity of what was going on earlier and it just developed into a condition that took him out immediately. I can’t express how torturous it was when I had to go in to say goodbye. Seeing him like that, then fade away… That was hell and a memory I cannot shake from my head no matter what,
I do not like how the main surgeon handles concerns. He didn’t seem sincere or compassionate from day one. I am not saying there aren’t caring doctors there, just beware of going there for serious conditions. Don’t be fooled by the ambiance of the office either. With all the money you will spend, you wouldn’t expect less.
Money was not an issue when it came to my baby. They knew it.
I’ve come to find out a few weeks later that a close friend of the family brought their dog there in an emergency and he experienced the same thing: our dogs ended up worse and not making it either. False hopes lead to prolonging animal suffering and high vet bills for nothing. I still don’t understand where all that money went towards, but it’s over now. All I can do is hope that I can inform others so they don’t go through the same thing. Money is never an option when coming to my pets.
But this is not what I expected and I am at a loss of words and very, very upset when I think about all that has transpired since I went there.
Research all options before you are forced to go there in an emergency. That is the best advice I can provide. Good luck.

If you think your cavvy might have SM, COME HERE NOW! Yes — it’s an awful condition. But, if you go to the right place (ahem — HERE!), you can likely save your Cavvy’s life AND quality of life.
These vets (along with AMCNY) are the Mercedes-​Benz of veterinarians. In other words, top of the line. They diagnosed my little cavvy girl with SM (as I had suspected and came in here for an MRI, which is the only way to diagnose it). We tried meds at first, but that didn’t work. Then they strongly recommended surgery to relieve the pressure on her spinal cord. Scary? — Hell, yes! Good choice? — Heavens, yes!
I had them do the surgery on her and it actually, literally, saved her life. She was 3 years old and about 11 months when she got the surgery. They said if she didn’t get it, she would likely have less than a year to live. If she had the surgery, there was a high likelihood that she could survive and THRIVE. So — I had no choice: surgery it was! Best decision ever. The SM symptoms were nearly reversed about a year after surgery. She didn’t even have to take meds again.
Unfortunately, her symptoms started acting up a bit after she was receiving cancer treatment at the young age of 8, but that was simply a result of her being handled so much for her radiation treatments. Otherwise, I’m almost certain that she would not have had any issues with her SM again.
The doctors here are the ultimate professionals, scientists, and caregivers. You will be hard pressed to find such incredible care for such sensitive health conditions elsewhere.
Probably don’t bring your pet here for routine shots, etc., but if you have an emergency or need life-​savings procedures, come here if you are in Long Island. Also, they are open ²⁴⁄₇.

We brought our 11 year old lab in on an emergency a couple of Sundays ago. We saw dr Clark who I strongly advise you to avoid!!! She was completely un compassionate and showed zero interest in even talking with us. She told us our lab needed to have a mri of her spine. We were distraught over watching our dog deteriorate at such a fast pace and agreed to have the mri. We kept asking dr Clark what her prognosis would be if they proceeded with spine surgery which was what dr Clark was pushing for. Dr Clark told us our dog would have a 90% chance of a full recovery. Before we could even wipe our tears, dr Clark sent someone in the room with a bill for over 7000 $ for possible spine surgery. We weren’t even sure she needed that but they made us pay in full JUST IN CASE! We left the hospital and before they even started the mri the 7000 $ was charged to our credit card. The rest is just too upsetting to get into detail. She didn’t need the surgery (which we knew) and she spent one night and we put her to sleep the next day. She never regained her mental abilities after. My husband called the hospital the next day and asked for an itemized bill explaining what we were paying for and what we were getting reimbursed. Here we are over 2 and ½ weeks later and still no bill. Yet they had no problem keeping all but 2000 $ of our money. We have called several times asking for a bill but have yet to receive it. NEVER WILL I GO HERE AGAIN. Watch out. I have been telling everyone of my experience here and heard many similar stories of over charging and unnecessary testing etc…

Our family wants to thank you for taking such AMAZING care of Hamilton and keeping us informed every step of the way.
All of the staff was very helpful and prompt. Dr. Grossbard was honest and informative and caring.
We set up a page called Help Hamilton the Shih Tzu to raise awareness about his battle with cancer and to help fund his procedures.
«Help Hamilton the Shih Tzu»
If you could pass it along it would mean so much to us!
Thank you again :)
Alison, Paulo, Hamilton, Clementine, Easton, and Ellie (the shih tzu crew!)

I brought my senior beagle Roscoe here a couple of weeks ago to see the ophthalmologist. The waiting room is really big, so you don’t have to worry about being near other animals if you want some seclusion. The staff here was amazing– they fussed over Roscoe, kissed him, pet him and generally made him feel loved when he wasn’t feeling well. I really appreciated the care he got here.

Went here for the final word/​third opinion on our pup who was paralyzed and had to be euthanized at 2am. Staff was friendly and sent a follow-​up sympathy card.

They saved our cat’s life! We brought him in on a weekend night around midnight because he wasn’t feeling well and they quickly discovered he was dangerously anemic and gave him blood transfusions immediately to save his life that horrible night. They let us visit with him the next day, which helped him feel better. The staff were great and knowledgable and assured me they’d take good care of him (needed that assurance leaving him overnight!). Don’t know what’s we would’ve done without LIVS! It was expensive, but its 24-​hour veterinary care with emergency services — not many places can do a transfusion right away. Well worth the price for their genuine veterinary HOSPITAL.

The service was good there, the only complaint was they made me bring my 6lb yorkie in early in the morning for a proceedure that was scheduled to be before noon. he fasted from 10pm the night before and the proceedore didnt take place till 6pm that day. picked our little guy up the next day 8oz. lighter. Their prices are higher then the average compared to other places. not having a choice thats where we had to go, They did bathe him though. good to here Kristy had a great experiance there

Amazing, amazing, amazing.
I can’t say enough good things about this place. My dog recently got hit by a car so we brought her here (they ONLY deal with trauma/​emergencies. they do NOT do regular check-​ups). They have every kind of specialist you can imagine, the staff is super friendly, and there are about a dozen exam rooms when you step inside.
They are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They also have a physical rehab center next door. They take really good care of your pets (and as an animal lover, this is important to me). Great place.