Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Trust your pet's care to Dr. Johnson

"We like Dr. Johnson, even if he pokes us with needles
every time we see him."
If you're looking for a veterinarian, look no further than Dr. Lew Johnson at East Beach Veterinary Service on Old Post Road. 

Moving is always a hassle, especially when you're moving out of state. The usual bureaucratic hassles of changing utility companies, banks, etc., were just that, bureaucratic; we didn't feel any emotional attachment to any of the companies we did business with in Maryland. Our biggest concern when we moved back here to RI was having to give up our Maryland veterinarian, who'd been caring for our dogs since they were puppies. She didn't know any RI vets and wasn't able to recommend anyone here, so we were on our own. 


We shopped around for a bit but didn't find anyone we felt we "clicked" with, and then Lisa Dennen at Hungry Haven told us about Dr. Johnson at East Beach Veterinary Service on Old Post Road. She couldn't say enough good things about him. So when our dogs were due for their next vaccinations, we called his office to make an appointment, and we've been very happy with our choice.

In addition to being knowledgeable and thorough—you can tell from his answers to questions that he stays current on the latest research—Dr. Johnson is an all-around nice guy and very personable. He's willing to give phone consults on minor matters and suggests home treatments when appropriate. He even answers his own phone when his assistant Carly is out to lunch rather than just let the machine pick it up.

And he doesn't try to sell you all the latest products, though of course he does keep the routine stuff like heartworm medication, etc., in stock and at reasonable prices, comparable to what you'd see at 1-800-PetMeds. Plus whenever you buy the heartworm medication, Carly gives you a rebate form to send in to get $5 back on your purchase. It's the little things like that that I really appreciate.

Again, if you're in need of a vet, give Dr. Johnson a call. Here's the contact info:
4259 Old Post Rd. Apt. 1
Charlestown, RI 02813
(401) 364-6630

And in case you're wondering, Dr. Johnson does not know I'm writing this. It's a completely unsolicited testimonial. That's been the case for every review I've written here on Progressive Charlestown.