Symphony Vet Center

I’ve been taking my 3 cats to Symphony Pet since they were adopted as kittens and have always been very satisfied. Today they really topped themselves! Last night I realized one of the cats has a lump under his skin which turned out to be an abscess, probably from play-​fighting with the other cats. We showed up there without an appointment and were immediately seen. The cat was clearly in pain and after he was taken out of his carrier, he went ballistic, trashed the exam room and attacked anyone who went anywhere near him. He is an orange tabby and has the mildest manner! I couldn’t believe my eyes.
Dr Chapman couldn’t be more gentle and professional with him. She gave the cat some time to cool down, and sedated him in a fraction of a second. His abscess was cleaned out and he was discharged after receiving pain meds and antibiotics.
Front desk and techs were also super supportive and efficient. My cat had an adverse reaction to anesthesia when he was getting neutered years ago, so one of the techs stayed with him and watched him after he got sedated to make sure he was ok. He’s now prancing around as if nothing has happened!

What an amazing vet center. We’ve dealt with two different vets at Symphony (Dr. Campbell and Dr. Chapman) and both are incredibly caring and patient with us and our pup, Beverly. When other vets we have used in the past never had time for us, never explained things to us, Symphony makes sure you feel like your pet is their most important patient. They return phone calls in a reasonable amount of time and take as much time as is needed explaining any condition your pet has or the best way to treat it.
We see Dr. Chapman and she is such a great vet. She always calms us whenever we bring our dog in and she has such a practical approach to treating pets. She doesn’t throw medicine and unnecessary tests at you. Her treatment of our pup has always been right and we didn’t have to do expensive tests or give her unnecessary meds for every condition we brought to Dr. Chapman’s attention.
You’d also think that since Symphony Vet is Dr. Campbell’s practice, she wouldn’t bother to make time to speak with people (especially new ones to the center). But she once spent 30 minutes on the phone with my wife going over a condition with our pup just to make sure we were at ease and to make sure we understood the best way to treat our pup. We can’t say enough about how appreciative we were for this.
The rest of the staff is also fantastic. Everyone is nice and respectful and you can tell they are all pet lovers. I didn’t want to use this forum to talk negatively about other vets but after some of the experiences we had, we are so incredibly thankful that Symphony exists.
With respect to cost, Symphony is on par with any other vet center. We don’t find them expensive (for the city) and they don’t do a ton of tests just for the sake of doing tests, so you don’t get high bills. You know that whatever you were billed for was truly necessary.
I can’t speak highly enough about our experience at Symphony. It’s a great vet center.

THANK GOD for Symphony Vet Center!!! They were able to see my baby Callisto who was yowling in pain when she urinated and went in and out of the litter box 10 times that morning. They have über convenient operating hours (until 7 PM on the weekdays and they are open on weekends).
I think I saw Dr. Campbell who immediately prescribed some penicillin for my girl since she is only 3 yrs old and I explained that I was aggressively wiping her diarrhea-​stained butthole a couple days ago. I took a picture of the red-​tinted pee (which happened to be in my bathtub) with my iPhone and Dr. Campbell was comfortable enough to diagnose her without layering a variety of diagnostic tests with their associated fees.
Overall the visit + meds was $ 110. So EXTREMELY affordable overall. The emergency availability booked by the front desk is PRICELESS. In contrast, Blue Pearl, which is the pet ER is $ 170 just for the visit. The lady who answered the call (Vicki?) was INCREDIBLY helpful. She encouraged me to get the records from Vinegar Hill Veterinary faxed over and to come prepared with a pee sample. She suggested I corner Callisto away from the litter box if possible. When I called later in the afternoon to confirm the visit, she asked how Callisto was doing and immediately updated me that they hadn’t received the records from Vinegar Hill and encouraged me to call them again. Super helpful, caring, alert, and not dismissive or too-​busy AT ALL.
One knock is that I found the actual checkup somewhat cursory or quick. Maybe it’s because the Dr. didn’t provide feedback on the temp and body weight (because there was nothing abnormal to report?). Lastly, they didn’t ask if I wanted to get her rabies shot up to date (which i knew was expired). But then again, she’s an indoor cat. Sometimes I question how useful a rabies shot is for a city cat who never goes outside. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a revenue-​incentive at play rather than it being a true necessity. Judge for yourself.

Dr. Rebecca Campbell has been looking after our 12+ year old miniature schnauzer — Carrie for over 8 years. Throughout that time she has been the most caring, understanding and helpful veterinarian that we have ever experienced in over 30 years of owning small animals in the USA & England.
She has always gone the extra mile for us with the utmost empathy & going above and beyond the requirements of her role. If we had paid for all the hours that Dr. Campbell had spent with us over the past 5 years in particular, then we would have been in the bankruptcy court. She is so knowledgeable and really concerned for your animals’ health, she has been available to call us hours after surgery has finished and to take up issues with our pet insurance company which she had no need to do. We think a 30 minute consultation is very unusual & the fee structure is more than fair.
Her advice has always been focused and relevant to the multitude of problems that our sweet dog has suffered with her gastro intestinal tract — spleen, liver, pancreas et. al. Despite our being prepared to consider giving up on our Carrie, Dr. Campbell has helped us through the worst times and thanks to her Carrie is still alive & fighting now.
Dr. Levinson has also been most helpful and knowledgeable about our dog’s condition in Dr. Campbell’s absence and we are most appreciative of that.
The office & veterinarian staff are always very pleasant, pass on messages promptly and do all they can for patients — human & animal.
Thanks goodness for Symphony Vet. Without them we would have lost our dog almost 3 years ago.
Les & Florence Poole

I took my rabbit here — not many vets will see rabbits — and the staff was really stellar. Dr. Levison was friendly, fast and professional, took care of my bunny and had me out of there in no time. I highly recommend them, especially if you have an animal other than a cat or dog that’s a bit hard to find vets for. They’re fantastic.

I have a confession: I don’t actually have any pets nor have I ever even been inside the vet center. I cannot speak to the quality of the services they offer or the care your animals might receive here.
I can, however, testify to the cuteness that is what I have fondly begun to refer to as «the kitten watching window.» I love, LOVE, that this vet center keeps adoptable kitties and cats inside an area view-​able by glass during the day to both market the cats available and put smiles on the faces of passersby. I have been late to work several times because I couldn’t help standing in front of the window (like a weirdo) and adoring the animals, imagining how much I too would love to own one (or four) and give it (or them) a forever home. 99% of the time when I pass, the cats appear happy, well-​adjusted, and as though they are having a great deal of fun playing with one another.
I grew up with many pets, and my family currently has five (3 cats, 2 dogs), but I unfortunately now live in a pet-​free building. Alas, my dreams of frolicking around my 600 sq. foot apartment with a gaggle of cats is delayed (for now). But I know when the much-​anticipated time does come, I hope to potentially adopt from Symphony, who brings true joy into my life every morning. For that, I thank you.

I’ve been taking my 14 year old dog here since I moved to the city over two years ago. The whole staff is always very welcoming, kind and accommodating. Thanks for always taking great care of my little Leo :)

Going to symphony vet with my pug buzo for 2 years. Very friendly staff and Dr Campbell is the best. Very knowledgeable and you can tell she genuinely cares for the animals. Leave all your worries to them.

HORRIBLE! My dog was unprovoked bitten 3x in CP. The other dog’s owner took responsibility (because I insisted & there were many witnesses). The 4 of us walked to his vet «symphany» together. They made my bleeding dog wait 15 minutes & then told me that although 2 doctors were in the back without patients, we had to wait 4 hours because the vets were making calls to patients while they were waiting for their appointments to arrive. They said they could see him in 4 hours when they had an opening. NO CLIENTS IN THE VET & & MY BLEEDING DOG HAD TO WAIT 4 hours BEFORE ANYONE WOULD LOOK AT HIM?! HORRIBLE VET!

I HIGHLY recommend Dr. Levinson. She had been tending to my cat for 12+ years (unfortunately my cat has recently passed due to illness and old age) but from the beginning Dr. Levinson has been helpful, thorough and supportive for this past decade– even until the very end when my cat became very ill. Even after the passing of my cat this past month, she was kind enough to send a note sending her condolences. I was touched by her personal card. She went really out of her way and I truly appreciate it! She is one of a kind– a true class act!

They over-​treated my beautiful cat who died prematurely of complications from diabetes treatment. The thousands of dollars I spent did nothing but cause more suffering. They also neglected to refer me to the feline diabetes specialist a few blocks away. I had to euthanize my best friend which, of course, cost several hundred more dollars.
I will never take another beloved pet to these cruel crooks.

Brought our rabbit here for a spay when she was of age, and again recently for a yearly checkup, and to examine a skin legion. Dr. Levison is really nice, and was great with handling our fiesty lil bunny. She was knowledgable and knew the right steps for us to take to keep her healty. The office staff is friendly and helpful, and the office is clean and comfortable. Most important was how well they treated our funny bunny, it left us feeling very confident in the Doctor and her staff. Thank you !

Symphony vet center is hands down the best place to take your pet in the whole of Manhattan. The staff is courteous, prompt, and BEYOND knowledgeable. Dr. Campbell is in a whole class of her own. She truly cares about her patients and she is dedicated to finding the best possible treatment for cats, dogs, even rabbits and chinchillas. Dr. Levison is equally as wonderful and has proved time and again to be a caring and talented vet for all the animals she works with.
If I could provide ⁶⁄₅ stars, I would. These ladies are the best.

I highly recommend Symphony Vet. Dr. Levison has taken wonderful care of my pets over the last 12 years. I have also seen Dr. Venezio and she was also very professional and caring. As others have said, the waiting room is a bit cold (literally!) and sterile, but there is almost never a wait. The whole clinic is immaculately clean, unlike some others I have patronized.
I seem to specialize in pets with unusual health problems. Dr. Levison is very thorough in doing her research, and whenever there is something that she doesn’t feel experienced in dealing with, she does not hesitate to say so and she will refer me to a specialist. She will spend as much time as you need answering questions and explaining things. She is very responsive to calls and emails, and recently even went out of her way to help me find a perfect new dog, which is not part of her job description!
She even did research on heartworm treatments for a dog I am fostering, even though that dog is not yet a client!
I put great importance on how vets handle my pets and whether the pets are comfortable. Both Dr. Levison and Dr. Venezio are very compassionate and have a caring touch, and all my animals are comfortable there.
I do agree that I wish they could do more simple procedures (blood draws etc) there in the room rather than always taking them to the back. There is something disconcerting for many clients about not being able to see what is going on.
Luckily I have great faith in the vets there and know that they will not hurt an animal unnecessarily.
As others have said, Symphony is very expensive. I always carry pet insurance (Petplan is great!), which helps with the expenses. Synphony even files the claims for me. I do agree that sometimes they tack on unnecessary charges, and the vets other than Dr. Campbell are not given room to approve and discounts or changes to their policies.
One policy which is problematic for me, since I travel a lot, is that they will not keep a credit card on file to use when you are away. I finally was able to negotiate an exception for a trip to Africa where I could not be reached, but if you travel this may be inconvenient for you. Be sure to talk to the office manager and Dr. Campbell if this happens to you!

I showed up there this morning with my 13 year old dog having injured his back. I was greeted by a most friendly staff and told I could have an appointment in 10 minutes! My appointment started on time and Dr. Venezia was fantastic! We were treated very well. I’m very happy with our new vet.

I’m going to predicate this review by saying that I realize it’s an outlier – and quite possibly the lowest rating ever posted here for Symphony. All I can say is that this was *my experience* and I gave them a fair shot – ten years in fact.
REASONS:
–They handled the terminal diagnosis of my late cat with insensitivity and in poor form.
–Dental work done there on my other cat over the course of several years was, as recent x-​rays established, done very poorly and contributed to a chronic gum condition.
–Their rates are, as most everyone says, out of line.
HISTORY: I was a client at Symphony since 2003, when I adopted my two cats. I left there in late 2013, when Eydie was diagnosed with an inoperable abdominal tumor. In between, I spared no expense on regular check-​ups, x-​rays and several dental procedures for both cats, on the premise that it’s never too much if it means they’re healthy and happy.
DR LEVISON: All in all, I found her to be pleasant and knowledgeable. However I was saddened and disappointed by her handling of Eydie’s terminal illness. The final results came back while she was on vacation, and a very sweet associate handled it. However Dr. Levison didn’t so much as send me an email of concern, let alone reach out with a phone call. Some may find this an unfair judgment, but I had been going there with Eydie for a decade. She was her only doctor. Wow.
WHY I LEFT: On the day of Eydie’s ultrasound and xray, I was required to pay a «75% deposit» before the procedure. That’s not only ludicrous, it’s tasteless and insulting, especially given my loyal patronage. What it tells me is that they want as much money upfront as possible, in case the news is bad and the client doesn’t want to pay. Once it was over and I was told she was going to die, I sat in the «bus station waiting room» for over 20 minutes, waiting for them to bring her out. Once I finally went to the desk, they said «Oh yes, you have a balance due.» Classy, kids, classy.
DENTAL INCOMPETENCE: Steve had several teeth removed in dental procedures over the years. Recently, when he was experiencing behavior issues with my new cat, I had him checked out. A dental x-​ray – quite possibly his first – established that there was a great deal of root matter left in his gums from previous extractions, and that it was causing great pain and discomfort, and retarding the reformation of the gum tissue. He had extensive surgery. Now he is once again happy, healthy and really well adjusted. At no point during those previous procedures was I shown an x-​ray, whereas at his current vet, I was given an entire printed report including photos and x-​rays, with explanations. That’s professional.
Both of my cats are now going to Gotham Vet Center, which was recommended to me several years ago by a close friend. It’s team, including Dr. Bonnie Brown, Dr. Kwan, and dentist Patricia Dominguez are not only experts, but also wonderful at working with their clients and patients. It’s a warm and welcoming atmosphere, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience for Steve during his dental surgery. I didn’t doubt them for a moment.
Again, it’s rare when I have a negative review of a business that’s in such a minority. But I felt I needed to put this one on the record.

Dr. Campbell at Symphony Vet has been caring for our dog Otis, a Boston Terrier, for almost 10 years now. Otis receives wonderful care from Dr. Campbell, and when she is not available, Dr. Levinson, who is equally professional. The vets respect our time and follow up quickly to our e-​mails and phone calls.
This year, Otis was diagnosed with Lymphoma and then quickly after that, diabetes. The care and concern for our dog at Symphony Vet has been exemplary. Otis’ Lymphoma is being managed with chemotherapy treatments and they are controlling his diabetes by prescribing insulin shots and glucose monitoring. And we understand as responsible pet owners, it’s our job to follow through with the treatments, monitoring and medication — and they help that management with their quick follow up to questions and guidance. I completely trust their expertise and knowledge in both these areas. So for anything from regular vet visits to teeth cleaning to diabetes management or to chemotherapy, I highly recommend the doctors and staff at Symphony Vet.

Anyone who has a bunny knows how important it is to find a rabbit-​savvy vet who understands how to identify and treat medical conditions that rabbits are especially susceptible to. I found Dr. Campbell through the House Rabbit Society seven years ago, and I am so happy I did.
Dr. Campbell is extremely knowledgeable and straightforward, and she takes time during the visit not only to diagnose the problem, but also to explain how the condition develops and the options for treatment. Several months ago, when I brought my bun, Jimmy, in for a sinus infection, she pulled out a model of a rabbit skull to show me how the structure of rabbit sinuses makes them particularly vulnerable to chronic infection. She also worked closely with me to find the most effective treatment possible. On one of our first visits, she made a list of things I should have on hand in the event of gastrointestinal stasis, another potentially fatal condition that is fairly common in rabbits. This list has come in handy on several occasions over the years, helping me relieve Jimmy’s distress, get the blockage moving, and possibly save his life.
On a couple occasions when Dr. Campbell wasn’t available, we have seen Dr. Levison, another excellent rabbit-​savvy vet. Just last week, I brought JImmy in with an unusually stubborn case of stasis. Dr. Levison came in, asked how his sinuses were doing, having clearly reviewed his medical history, and proceeded to quickly determine a course of action. It had been a stressful day, but her friendly, confident approach and obvious awareness of Jimmy’s medical history and age, made me (and ultimately Jimmy) feel much better.
As for the center in general, the facilities are clean and current, and the appointments start on time. The cost of services seems to be about average for NYC, but entirely fair considering the quality of care and resulting peace of mind. And, honestly, when my rabbit needs help, the bill is the last thing I’m worried about.
When your animal is in distress, it is especially important to feel that the doctors and staff are knowledgeable, competent and compassionate. In my experience with Symphony Vet Center, everyone — from the front desk to the vet techs to the doctors — has been friendly, welcoming, patient and exceedingly proficient at his or her job. I recommend Symphony Vet Center at every opportunity.

I just got back from this place and was hesitant to take my cat to the vet for fear they would say he needed a slew of vaccines and treatments that he didn’t really need. This place wasn’t like that at all. The
Facility was lovely and the women at the front desk were so kind you could tell they really cared. The doctor I saw gently examined my cat and showed me how to clean his ears and just walked me through everything. It wasn’t overly expensive and an overall pleasant experience. I will definitely be taking my cat here again and just feel so relieved that I found a vet I can confidently use.

My rescue dog Marcy has been seeing Dr Levison for the past 7 months and I could not be happier with her, and the entire Symphony Vet team. We’ve been through a lot together: from a skin infection, a botched spay (she was a rescue and did not get the best care prior to her rescue) and a host of other issues. A few months ago Marcy was diagnosed with a cancerous mast cell tumor, which is super rare in a young dog (she is 3). The professionalism and care that she and the entire team exhibited to both my dog and me was just short of amazing.
When she delivered the news that the tumor was cancerous, she consoled me as I cried on the phone, and repeated herself several times to make sure I understood that 1) it wasn’t a death sentence and 2) the treatment recommendation. She is an awesome vet and genuinely cares about my dog, I wish I could find a GP for myself who is just like her!
Why I love Symphony Vet: Dr L. has never subjected my dog to unnecessary tests (no inflated vet bills, unlike another place I went to.) yet is incredibly thorough; she is an AMAZING VET when she performed the surgery to remove my dog’s tumor, she did an awesome job and was able to get a VERY wide margin, on a very tricky area; she answers her emails promptly and has answered a myriad of questions from the mundane like «is it safe for me to jog with my dog» to whether I should bring my dog into her office. Her entire office is caring and knowledgeable from the receptionist, to the vet techs, to Dr. L!
Symphony Vet (and Dr. L) are just awesome! And Marcy is currently cancer free :) I seriously adore Dr L and the entire office. If you are in the market for a vet I cannot recommend them enough!