Riverside Veterinary Clinic

Introduction / Overview

For pet owners in Massachusetts, particularly within the Merrimack Valley region, selecting a veterinary clinic is a significant decision. Riverside Veterinary Clinic, located in Haverhill, MA, has been serving the community for over 30 years, aiming to provide comprehensive veterinary care. Their stated mission is to offer a high level of veterinary care in a friendly, affordable, and compassionate setting, treating each patient with the concern they would have for their own pets and each client with courtesy and respect. As a full-service animal hospital, they cater to a variety of pet health needs, from routine preventive care to more complex medical situations. However, recent public feedback indicates a disparity between their stated mission and certain client experiences, particularly concerning emergency care, communication, and financial practices. This article aims to provide a factual overview of Riverside Veterinary Clinic, based on both their publicly available information and customer reviews, to help Massachusetts residents make informed decisions about their pet's care.

Location and Accessibility

Riverside Veterinary Clinic is conveniently located at 664 Riverside Ave, Haverhill, MA 01830, USA. Riverside Avenue is a well-known thoroughfare in Haverhill, making the clinic relatively easy to find for residents within the city and from surrounding towns such as Groveland, Georgetown, and Boxford, as well as southern New Hampshire communities like Plaistow and Salem. The clinic maintains consistent operating hours: Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 7 PM, and Saturday from 8 AM to 2 PM, with the clinic closed on Sundays. While these hours cater to a broad range of schedules for routine appointments, it is important to note that they are not a 24-hour emergency facility. For urgent needs during regular business hours, clients are advised to call ahead. The accessibility of the location is generally good, situated in a commercial area of Haverhill, aiming to provide a practical option for local pet owners seeking veterinary services.

Services Offered

Riverside Veterinary Clinic presents itself as a full-service animal hospital providing a broad range of veterinary services for cats and dogs. Based on their published information, these services include:

• Preventative Care: Comprehensive wellness exams, tailored vaccination protocols (including rabies, parvovirus, etc.), and parasite prevention medications (flea, tick, heartworm).

• Diagnostics: Utilizing advanced diagnostic imaging such as digital X-rays (radiography) to examine internal body systems for illness or injury, and offering ultrasound services. They also provide in-house laboratory services for quick results on blood work, urinalysis, and fecal exams.

• Dental Care: Professional pet dental services including cleanings, extractions, and digital dental X-rays to prevent and treat oral health issues.

• Surgical Procedures: A range of surgical services, including spay/neuter operations and various soft tissue surgeries, with a focus on high-quality care in what they describe as a stress-free environment.

• Internal Medicine: Diagnosis and management of various complex medical conditions affecting internal organs and body systems.

• Pain Management: Strategies for managing acute and chronic pain in pets.

• Dietary Counseling: Guidance on proper nutrition and specialized diets for pets.

• Pet Behavior Counseling: Assistance in diagnosing and developing treatment plans for behavioral issues in pets.

• Hospice & End-of-Life Care: Providing compassionate support and care during a pet's final stages, treating pets with dignity and offering comfort to families.

• Microchipping: Permanent identification service to help reunite lost pets with their owners.

• Pharmacy & Pet Products: An in-house pharmacy for prescription medications, specialty foods, and preventive products.

• Urgent Care: Immediate veterinary care for cats and dogs during their regular office hours. They provide guidance for after-hours emergency pet care.

Features / Highlights

Riverside Veterinary Clinic's publicly stated features include a commitment to high-quality, friendly, affordable, and compassionate care. They highlight their status as "Haverhill's Best" veterinarian by some measures, and their long history of serving the community. They also emphasize treating each patient and client with respect and care, aiming to foster the human-animal bond.

However, it is crucial to present a balanced view by incorporating recent customer reviews, which reveal significant concerns and paint a different picture of certain operational aspects:

• Compassionate Care (Contradicted by some reviews): While the clinic states a mission of compassionate care, a prominent review alleges a lack of consideration for senior dogs and their well-being, specifically citing a traumatic experience with end-of-life care where a client felt "guilted... into getting an ultrasound that costed $1500 before letting her put her sick and dying dog down." The review also states "No compassion and so MONEY HUNGRY." This direct feedback contrasts sharply with the clinic's stated compassionate approach.

• Emergency Care (Serious Concerns): The same review strongly advises against relying on them for emergencies: "If you have any emergency with your pet FORGET ABOUT IT." This is a significant point of concern for Massachusetts residents, as prompt emergency care is critical.

• Wait Times: A specific complaint about long wait times, even with a senior dog, indicates potential issues with scheduling or patient flow: "Then when they get you there, they make you wait forever and a day with that senior dog."

• Communication and Record Keeping Issues: The reviewer highlights conflicting information ("told by staff that our dog hadn't been there in 2 years. Your response says she was there less than a year ago!") and a general lack of organization ("Your vet told us she had cancer and they couldnt put her under because she wouldn't come out of it! What do they need to see????? A stressed out sick dog? Both of us called to see if we could do this any other way then bring her down. I even told them she might die on the ride there. They DID NOT CARE. Then we were told by the vet that she was confused about our dogs notes and things weren't adding up? Like what??? Get your stuff together."). This indicates serious internal communication and record management challenges that directly impact patient care and client trust.

• Financial Practices: The accusation of being "MONEY HUNGRY" and the specific instance of a $1500 ultrasound being reportedly demanded for a dying pet before euthanasia raises serious questions about their ethical approach to billing and treatment recommendations, particularly in sensitive situations.

• Response to Criticism: The client's assertion that the clinic "emailed us a letter with all of our dogs info because of my review here. Clear as day this place is just out for money," suggests a potentially problematic reaction to negative feedback, possibly prioritizing reputation management over client privacy and empathy.

• Medication Concerns (Separate Review): Another review mentions a negative experience with a specific medication, Convenia injection, leading to a cat's decline and eventual passing. While the reviewer explicitly states "not blaming riverside vets," they urge others to "look and ask for options on different meds," highlighting a need for clients to be proactive in discussing treatment choices.

Contact Information

Address: 664 Riverside Ave, Haverhill, MA 01830, USA

Phone: (978) 373-6456

Mobile Phone: +1 978-373-6456

Conclusion: Why this place is suitable for locals

For pet owners in Massachusetts, particularly within Haverhill and the surrounding Merrimack Valley communities, choosing a veterinary care provider is a decision that impacts the health and well-being of their cherished family members. Riverside Veterinary Clinic, with its long-standing presence and stated commitment to comprehensive care, might initially appear as a viable option. They offer a full range of services, from preventative medicine and diagnostics to surgery and end-of-life care, and their location on Riverside Avenue provides general accessibility. However, it is imperative for Massachusetts locals to carefully consider the significant and serious concerns raised by recent customer feedback. Accounts describing a lack of compassion, particularly during sensitive end-of-life situations, alleged financial opportunism, severe issues with emergency responsiveness, extended wait times, and conflicting communication regarding patient records, strongly suggest that the actual client experience may diverge considerably from the clinic's stated mission. While some historical and other reviews may paint a positive picture, the highly critical recent feedback regarding ethical practices and patient care in critical moments cannot be overlooked. Therefore, while Riverside Veterinary Clinic offers a broad array of services, Massachusetts residents seeking a veterinary partner for their pets, especially for emergent needs or sensitive situations like euthanasia, should approach with caution and conduct thorough independent research, perhaps seeking personal referrals or consulting other highly-rated clinics in the area, to ensure they find a practice that consistently aligns with their expectations for compassionate, transparent, and reliable veterinary care.

Riverside Veterinary Clinic

664 Riverside Ave, Haverhill, MA 01830, USA