Veterinary Specialists of CT originated in 1937 as a dairy farm, started by Dr. Doug Laitinen, Sr. He and his son, Dr. Doug Laitinen, Jr., successfully ran the dairy farm and started seeing patients out of the milking barn- which was converted into a building, and is now our beautiful general practice. In the late 1970’s, the Laitinen’s sold the cow pasture to the town of West Hartford, who built William Hall High School on the land. This is where our story begins.
In 1985, our founders, Drs. Berzon, Knaack, and Gustafson wanted the freedom to practice medicine of the highest quality. Their vision brought to life Vet Specs (Veterinary Specialists of CT), a practice established to meet your expectations as a pet owner, while providing your pets with the care, love, and special attention they deserve.
Over the past 30 years, Vet Specs has built a solid reputation as a hospital offering not only state of the art care, but a staff with a genuine passion for pets. Customers come from around the country because they know their furry family members will receive the best care possible. Whether that care is provided by one of our general practitioners, emergency veterinarians or board-certified specialists, you and your beloved pet will be treated as a member of our family.
We pride ourselves on the expert staff and advanced services we offer. With some of the world’s best primary, emergency and specialized care veterinarians, we can offer state of the art comprehensive medical, surgical, dental and rehabilitation/post-surgical care. Our broad spectrum of services includes diagnostic procedures, an in-hospital surgery suite, in-house digital x-ray and MRI capabilities, a dedicated physical therapy facility, and much more. Whether your pet is in need of a general wellness visit, emergency care attention, more intense diagnostics, or even water therapy, our family at Vet Specs promises to be here for you day or night, through the good and bad.
Here at Veterinary Specialists of CT, our home is about more than just top quality veterinary care. We are dedicated to working with you to keep your pets happy and healthy for many years.
We harness the scale and strength of our global network while acknowledging each individual's contribution. We work locally to improve the lives of all who interact with our brand.
Explore more below.
ASPCA Poison Control Center Hotline
The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is staffed 24 hours with veterinary health professionals who have been specially trained in veterinary toxicology. If you think that your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, call the ASPCA 24 hour emergency Animal Poison Control Center hotline at (888) 426-4435.
spcaLA
Society for the prevention of cruelty to animals Los Angeles.
Veterinary Care Foundation
he Veterinary Care Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable foundation created for the specific purpose of helping veterinary practices fund the discounted and no charge care they generously provide to hardship cases, rescue groups or as good Samaritans.
Unlike other veterinary charities, 100% of every contribution to the Veterinary Care Foundation and its member practices go directly to improving the quality of life of pets and their people.
We can support you with a number of options for accessing care.
Appointment Policies
For your convenience, we offer weekday, evening and Saturday appointments. Appointments can be arranged by calling our office at (860) 236-3273 during business hours. Except for emergencies, we operate on an appointment only basis. This allows ample time for all patients and scheduled surgical procedures. Emergency cases will always receive top priority, which is why occasional appointment delays occur. Please realize that we make a sincere attempt to see each client on time.
New clients, or existing clients adding a new pet to our practice, are required to complete a form for each chart. If you would like to do so ahead of time, please complete the form and bring it along with you to your first appointment. This form applies to all sections of our facility.
Consultations with our specialists are by appointment only, and a referral from your regular veterinarian is strongly recommended. Clients and their pets should plan on arriving 15 minutes early to complete registration paperwork. Please make sure we have all relevant medical records, lab results, and radiographs.
For the safety of all animals in our care, we require that all vaccinations be up to date. Even though we make every effort to make our patients feel comfortable during visits, they may be a little uneasy about new people, new surroundings and other pets. This is one of the reasons we require you to restrain your pet. We ask that your pet be on a leash or placed in pet carriers before entering the waiting room.
Payment Policies
We require full payment at the time that services are rendered. We will be glad to provide you with an estimate of charges related to your pet’s hospitalization. For your convenience, we accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Debit cards, cash and personal checks*. We also accept CareCredit. We require a deposit of 50% on all hospital admissions.
*We are unable to accept personal checks from new referral clients and first visit clients however we are able to accept cashiers check.
MRI Payment Policy: We know that credit for veterinary procedures has become increasingly hard to acquire, so a payment plan option for the MRI procedure only is available. This payment option requires a 50% down payment plus processing fee with the remaining payments collected via credit card withdrawal once a month for the following three months.
Pet Insurance may help your pet get the best veterinary care when they're sick or injured. There are many providers that offer plans that covers certain unexpected illnesses or injuries throughout your pet's life. Rest assured knowing your pet can receive the best veterinary care, without worrying about the cost.
Our hospital works with Trupanion and can assist you with your pet insurance claim filing needs. We accept Trupanion payment at checkout. To find out more about Trupanion’s insurance coverage and offerings, call 1-855-591-3100 or visit http://trupanion.com/vca.
We accept CareCredit, the pet, health and wellness credit card with flexible, budget-friendly financing options that allow you to pay over time for a range of treatments and services—including procedures, medication and more.*
To learn more about CareCredit, or to see if you prequalify, please visit us.
*Subject to credit approval.
Lionbridge provides over-the-phone and video interpretation services for non-English-speaking and American Sign Language (ASL) clients. In real time, veterinary providers can enlist an expert Lionbridge interpreter to facilitate a clear exchange of information between themselves and clients. Lionbridge’s on-demand, remote interpretation services enable effective and accurate communication with clients. This service empowers clients to be heard and spoken to in their own language, which in turn facilitates a deeper understanding of the care your pet needs.
Learn more about Lionbridge’s interpretation services: https://www.lionbridge.com/content-transformation-services/interpretation-services/.
Primary Care
Specialty Care
