White Glove Service

General number (info & appointments): 717-599-6131
To check in ONLY: 717-599-4259

For the safety of our clients, patients, and nurses, we are currently operating 100% curbside. Our White Glove service provides the same excellent care to your pet. We are not allowing clients inside our building at this time. You WILL meet with the surgeon for any consultation and before any surgery. When you arrive at our practice, please call 717-599-4259 and our team will provide instructions for the next steps.

Success Stories

Here is what past pet owners and referring family vets have said about Dr. Zeltzman’s services.

We appreciate your feedback.

Thank you for trusting us with your pet’s care. Please click below to leave us a five-star review on Google or Facebook if you’re satisfied with our work. We’re grateful for you sharing your experience with us.

I FIND IT AMAZING THAT WE GOT A REFUND!

Jackson, a 5 year old Lab, had a TPLO to address a torn right ACL. Then another TPLO for the left ACL. After his 2nd surgery, his owner SC writes:

“Although it also happened on Jackson’s last surgery, I find it amazing that we get a refund! I can’t remember the last time, except for HRVSS, when I got a refund after approving an estimate. Virtually everyone in all businesses would just keep the amount approved. I commend your attention to detail and honesty. Bravo!”

MORE COMMUNICATION THAN EXPECTED FOR ROCKY

Rocky, a 10 month old German shepherd, was limping in a front leg. He had a lesion in the shoulder, called OCD.

His owner LB writes:

“The overall experience was great. Dr. Zeltzman and his team were fantastic! The communication I received before, during, and after surgery was more than I would have expected from a vet surgery center. I also loved the pictures of Rocky, and the fact that I could text with any questions before and after surgery if I needed to.”

SIMBA, BACK TO HIMSELF AFTER HIS TPLO

Simba, an 8-year-old German shepherd, needed TPLO surgery to address a torn ACL.

5 months after surgery, his owner SM writes:

“I just wanted to let you know that Simba is back to his old self. He walks with no limp, his gait is better, and overall great recovery. Thank you for everything!

I appreciate your help during Simba’s surgery and recovery. It means a lot to us all!”

AMAZING THANK YOU 10 YEARS AFTER A TPLO !!!

Jorja, a beautiful (then) 1 year old Golden, had TPLO surgery to address a torn ACL. 10 years after surgery, her super dedicated owner BA writes a simple thank you:

“Jorja is 11 years old. You did a TPLO almost 10 years ago on her. She is still running and taking 3 mile walks. No sign of arthritis. Thank you for giving her an active life.”

ROXY IS HAPPY AND ENERGETIC AFTER HER TPLO

Roxy, a 10 year old Retriever mix, had TPLO surgery to address a torn ACL. 4 months after surgery, her owner BP writes:

Thanks to Dr. Zeltzman’s expertise, his consultations with us and our veterinarian (and every bit of his advice was followed), and your kindness and care, we’ve gotten our happy, healthy, and energetic girl back, 4 months after her ACL surgery. We wanted to send a note with our sincere thanks and appreciation for all Dr. Zeltzman and the staff at LVRSS did for Roxy and us. Thank you!

LINK IS DOING FANTASTIC AFTER GALLBLADDER REMOVAL

Link, an 8 year old Doxie, was in serious trouble. He needed emergency surgery to have his (ruptured) gallbladder removed.

Almost a year after surgery, his owner RG writes:

“Hello Dr Zeltzman, I wanted to reach out and give an update on Link. He is doing fantastic, and I’m so grateful for what you did for him. Thank you again. I attached a video of him being himself, playing with his big sister Cookie.”

AMAZING COMPLIMENTS FROM A FAMILY VET ABOUT BUBBA, WHO HAD LARYNGEAL PARALYSIS

Bubba, a 14 year old Lab, was in very serious trouble when he arrived at HRVSS. He was literally suffocating. His diagnosis: laryngeal paralysis. He had surgery (a tie back), recovered well, and went home on the same day.
2 weeks later, his staples were removed by his family vet, who sent this very kind update:

“Bubba was in today for staple removal following his laryngeal tie back procedure. He is doing wonderfully postop – owner seeing a huge improvement in breathing and has not shown any complications. The surgery site looks great. The owner could not be happier with the results and was very complimentary of his treatment at your office.”

Starr, a super cute 6 month old Pug, had reconstructive surgery to repair a severe cleft palate. 4 months after surgery, her owner DS writes:

“I wanted to let you know that we just had Starr spayed this week and the vet’s office raved about how well her mouth looks! They said you did a fantastic job with her!!
Thanks again for helping our girl.”

EVERLY, A HAPPY STORY OF LARYNGEAL PARALYSIS

Everly, a 3 year old, 120 pound Saint Bernard, was in deep trouble. She couldn’t breathe because of laryngeal paralysis. She needed emergency surgery (a “tie back”). One year and 4 months after surgery, her owner PV writes:

“There weren’t any available appointments at the two practices that were recommended by the emergency clinic. I thankfully came across HRVSS’s website. I read the entire website, and I followed up with finding reviews and even read the blog and success stories. This made me feel like I was genuinely in the right place. I contacted them right away, and got Everly in very quickly. Time was of the essence with a breathing issue.

(…) I noticed an immediate difference when I picked her up after surgery. She was so quiet! She didn’t even snore at night anymore!

Now she is almost 5 years old, and she is doing very well! Hands down, if we ever had another issue, we would immediately go to HRVSS and see Dr. Zeltzman. The amount of time and care he took to not only save our girl, but to also call us personally and go over everything before and after her surgery, to give us his personal phone number to keep in touch and ask questions as they would arise was undeniably the best bedside manner for a veterinarian we have ever experienced! You are top notch, Dr. Zeltzman, and the love you have for our girl hasn’t gone unnoticed.”

HOW I KNEW THE NURSE CARED ABOUT THOR

Thor, a 2 year old, 100 lb Great Dane, needed his… penis to be removed (it’s a long story). His owner MP writes:

“When I first saw Thor, I cried. I even had the nurse in tears. That’s how I could tell she really cared. I honestly wish we would have never had to go through this in the first place. However, I am glad we had Dr. Zeltzman perform the surgery. He sent us a video to watch to understand what the process would be for Thor. Then he personally called to make sure we understood the process and ask about any questions we had. The staff was very friendly and answered any questions we had. The Doctor also personally called to explain how the surgery went and to follow up on Thor.”

STARR, BACK TO NORMAL AFTER CLEFT PALATE SURGERY

Starr, a 6 month old Pug, had surgery to repair a cleft palate. One month after surgery, her owner DS writes:

“It was a long 4 weeks of confinement for us and Starr after her surgery, but it was all worth it! She is now playing, eating, and drinking from a bowl like nothing ever happened to her. Her surgery was successful. We couldn’t be more grateful and are looking forward to loving Starr for many, many years.”

Creamer, from hopeless to wonderful

Creamer, a 2-year-old Lab, had a really messed up knee with very severe arthritis. He ended up having a TPLO and a kneecap dislocation repair to try to patch things up. His recovery was difficult, so imagine our happiness when we received this update from his owner, LTD:

“Creamer had a tplo/mpl plus reversal done… and has raging arthritis and much hope wasn’t given to a full recovery for him.

I’m so proud to say Creamer has been doing absolutely wonderful! He is running, playing, just like a lil kid again! He turns 4 years old on Dec 4th. Each birthday we get is truly a blessing.

But to see my boy thrive again, when so little hope was there due to his condition… I’m so proud and happy to be picked to be his momma!!

Thank you from our family for giving our boy his life back, even though he decided to take the extra long road to recovery.”

Gibbs and the giant booty mass

Gibbs, an 11-year-old Samoyed, had multiple large masses 360 degrees around his anus. His owner JM writes::

“After vetting, no pun intended, about half a dozen different veterinary surgeon offices, I felt you and your group were the best fit.

We are eternally grateful to you and your staff for not only the professionalism but the compassion you showed towards our furry family member Gibbs. Not only your procedures but the communication along the way has thus far proven to be wonderfully effective.

Thank you and your staff again for all the help you provided our Gibbs.”

A wonderful experience despite a smelly situation…

Oscar, a 10-year-old Old English Bulldog, had an itchy, smelly, painful problem in his backend: a screw tail.

His owner drove three hours, all the way from Southern Maryland, to find a solution at HRVSS.

Oscar needed a tail amputation.

6 weeks after surgery, his owner KG writes:

“We stayed at a hotel close to the surgery center. We called the evening Oscar stayed overnight to check on his progress and was very satisfied with the report the on-duty nurse gave. She said she was available all night if we wanted to call. She was awesome!

Our experience was wonderful. We would trust any of our pups with Dr. Zeltzman with any special jobs that need to be done.”

” Phenomenal experience” with Eve, the lar par Lab

Eve, a 10-year-old Lab, had severe difficulty breathing. Her laryngeal paralysis was treated with a “tie back.” Two months after surgery, her owner PD writes:

“Our experience was phenomenal. Your instructions, genuine concern, and willingness to be available with our concerns was so great. Kat was also amazing. It was very comforting to know that you were only a call away.”

Your clinic came through with flying colors

Link, an 8 year old Doxie, was in trouble. He needed emergency surgery to have his gallbladder removed.

His owner RG remembers:

“We knew how serious his condition was because our family vet told us what the alternative to surgery was euthanasia. Our weekend was very sad as we thought we were going to have to euthanize him. We were just concerned because every place was closed or unaffordable.

Your clinic came through with flying colors. We will always be grateful for what you and your team did for Link. Again thank you so much.”

You can read Link’s full story here:

Gracie’s owner is happy after toe amputation

Gracie, a 4-year-old Lab mix, was obsessed with chewing her foot. I will spare you the detail, but in the end she needed to have 2 toes amputated.

A few weeks after surgery, her owner KY writes:

“Before meeting you, I was already stressed & worried from 2 weeks post injury. But the way you handled yourself, talked to me, gave your professional opinion…it really put me at ease with the process. I was still worried for Gracie of course… You can never predict what will happen under anesthesia or during surgery.

I would 1,000% recommend your office! Kat was absolutely wonderful, answered any questions I had, helped me get all the info you needed for her visits & got Gracie in as soon as possible! All of the other ladies that I interacted with during drop-off, phone calls to update me, etc. were incredibly sweet. You could tell they treat the animals like their own & truly care for them. And you were amazing! Every step of the way you talked us through it all, didn’t seem rushed, very kind & informative. We couldn’t be happier with the results & are so happy to have our crazy Gracie back to herself ❤️ “

To read Gracie’s story, click here: www.HRVSS.com/why-do-pets-mutilate-themselves

Best money I have ever spent

Edge, a 7 year old pitbull, had a TPLO to address a torn right ACL. Then another TPLO for the left ACL. After his recovery, his owner AN writes:

“Edge is doing great. He has no issues with walking, running, or anything else. He does however when just standing he lifts his right back leg up. I have no worries with that as he isn’t complaining or in pain anymore thankfully. I’m so grateful to you all for helping Edge. Best money I have ever spent. Thank you.”

Max, an 11 year old Maltese mix, was referred to remove a bleeding mass that was preventing food from going from the stomach to the intestine.

In surgery, the mass was deemed non-operable, and a “bypass” surgery was performed to allow food to go through.

A biopsy was taken during surgery, and sadly it was read as stomach cancer (leiomyosarcoma, cancer of the muscle of the stomach).

5 months after surgery, his owner MR writes:

“Max is doing great! Currently as I type this, he is rolling around and wrestling with our 90 lb Bernedoodle, Fozzee!

Recently, my boss brought over her 2 Bernese Mountain Dogs and Max chased all 3 dogs (including Fozzee) all over the yard and wore them out.

He is still King of our household and I’m thankful each and every day.

Thanks again!”

Note: incidentally, Max had a whole blog written about him:

https://hrvss.com/max-the-evil-stomach-cancer/

Jam – an endorsement by the Cornell vet school

Jam, a 4 year old field trial Lab, had a TPLO to address a torn ACL. 4 months after Jam recovered from surgery, his owner MK writes:

“Dr. Zeltzman, Thanks again for the great surgery. Jam is doing well, and we are continuing conditioning work to get back to competition. I also wanted you to know that the sports medicine veterinarians at Cornell all told me that you did an excellent surgery. I’m sure that’s not a surprise given your experience, but it is nice to hear. Thanks again.”

Remi’s owner says “I was very impressed”

Remi, an 11 year old Lab, had surgery to remove a tumor in her liver.

A couple of days after surgery, her owner, EP, writes:

“We are both doing well. I can’t thank you enough for all you have done for both of us. I was very impressed with both you and your staff. Thank you once again!”

Surprise bonus: the tumor everybody was convinced was cancer came back as… benign !!!

Stanley can finally sleep peacefully!

Stanley, a 9 month old Pug with classic brachycephalic syndrome, had difficulty breathing by day and was snoring at night.
He had a “nose job” (to widen his nostrils), he had surgery to shorten his elongated soft palate, and his “saccules” were removed. And then he was neutered. 3 weeks after surgery, his owner LB writes:

“Stanley has been doing really well. The stitches in his nose are not quite gone, but I can tell that some of them are missing. Two nights ago I noticed that I could not hear him breathing. He was sleeping so peacefully. It was wonderful! I’m definitely an advocate for brachycephalic surgery and for your practice. I love the way you communicated about everything before, during, and after Stanley’s procedure.”

Milo is doing great after her amputation

Milo, a 1-year-old kitty, had an old fracture of the arm bone (humerus) after she was shot. After amputation, her owner AJ writes:

“Hello. Happy Holidays to everyone. Milo is doing great. Staples were removed last Monday and she is getting around wonderfully. She is very happy to have that cone off her head. The vet said everything is looking great and healing as expected. Milo and I Thank you for everything.”

Thorough explanations & reassuring care for Riley

Riley, a 6-year-old German shepherd mix, had a TPLO to address a torn ACL. After surgery, his owner NT writes:

“Dr. Zeltzman and his team took excellent care of my dog. Before surgery, he called to answer any question that we had, and we had a lot. He took time to thoroughly explain everything to us. It was very reassuring knowing he was going to take such great care of our fur baby. From all the updates on how our dog was doing during surgery, after surgery, and her overnight stay there, the whole team was so helpful and kind. After we got our dog home, they were awesome with answering all of the questions we had on caring for her postop. Our biggest thanks and appreciation to Dr. Zeltzman and his entire team!”

Jam, a high-stakes athlete.

It’s tough enough to get a family pet to chase a ball, jump in the car or run with their owner every day. It’s a whole different challenge with an athlete. Jam, a 4-year-old Lab, is a champion field trial dog who had a TPLO to address a torn ACL. After surgery, his owner MK writes:

“I am very pleased with the surgery and his recovery so far. You did an outstanding job, and the whole process is very efficient. Jam responded really well when the walks expanded from 5 to 10 minutes, and his limp went away in 2-3 days. I have expanded his walks so that we are doing 2, 20 minute walks now. The muscle on his leg is noticeably bigger over the last couple of weeks. We will continue to expand our walks and make him stronger. I really appreciate all you have done to help bring Jam back. Thanks again.”

Ladybug, a 10-year-old kitty, had a torn ACL and a dislocated kneecap. Ten months after surgery, her owner JK sent this comment:

“To think there was a time this year that I didn’t know if she would ever be able to walk normally again, let alone run!”

And she shared this fun video: https://youtu.be/DZA5zgFQuf0

Tobey, a 12-year-old lab, had surgery (“tie-back”) to address laryngeal paralysis, a condition that causes suffocation. Two months after surgery, his owner BB writes:

“Tobey hit the end of his rehab on July 4th. He has been doing well.

The heat takes a toll on him, so if the temperature is over 85º out, I normally just take him out for potty breaks and that’s it.

In the mornings or when it’s cooler, we are back to walking around our property like we would do in the mornings prior to surgery, about 25 minutes to half an hour.

In the heat, his back legs seem to get heavy, but I think that’s just due to it being hot and humid like it has been these last two heatwaves we’ve had.

Thanks again for everything.

It’s nice to see him outside and back to being himself again!”

BB

“Phil Zeltzman makes surgery look like an art. I’d send my patients to him any day!”

Amanda Sautner, DVM @ Healing Paws Veterinary Care & Pet Resort, Carlisle, PA

“Exceeded expectations” after Beretta’s TPLO

Beretta, a 4 year old Lab, had a TPLO to address a torn ACL. A few days after his surgery, his owner JP writes:

“Hi HRVSS Team,
Thank you for reaching out to check in on Beretta. His bandage is still attached and intact. He has tried to get at his incision twice now, so thank goodness for the plastic funnel cone! He hasn’t pooped since Sunday evening, so that is really my only concern at this time. I’m assuming once he gets a bit more comfortable, he will do so. Interestingly, when he lays down, he will sometimes lay on the leg that was operated on, which I’m so surprised by! I would have assumed that would be painful.

Thank you all for your dedication, thorough communication, and commitment to our boy. You have exceeded expectations and made this experience much more positive than we were anticipating. We would recommend your services to anyone who asked. We truly are so grateful.”

Beretta's Owner, JP

YOU ARE JUST WONDERFUL PEOPLE

Skeeter, a 10 year old Beagle, was diagnosed with a mass in the para-thyroid. It is (normally) a small gland attached to the thyroid gland. Its enlargement caused an increase in his calcium levels, which is not healthy. The biopsy revealed a benign tumor called an adenoma. A few months after surgery, his calcium was still back to normal, and he was still drinking and peeing normally.

Skeeter’s owner FW simply writes:

“Skeeter’s doing well. His activity level is roughly the same as it was before all of this took place. You are just wonderful people.”

GRATEFUL AFTER DOG’S BROKEN LEG REPAIR

Dog, a 10 year old kitty, had a broken tibia (shin bone). It was repaired with 1 pin, 2 wires, 1 metal plate and 10 screws! 2 months after surgery, his owner KS writes:

“He’s doing absolutely wonderful! He can walk, run and jump just like he used to. We’ve seen no discomfort from him at all with it. I truly can’t express how grateful we are to you all!”

ROCKY’S “WONDERFUL AFTERCARE”

Rocky, a cute 5-year-old Shih Tzu, only weighed 20 lbs, but he had a testicular tumor the size of a fist. After it was removed, his owner SS writes:

“You and your staff – what can I say!!! From the immediate response to Rocky’s needs, to Kat’s financial advice, to your Sunday night call, to the welcoming reception, to the text with his picture in recovery, his discharge package with personalized notes and his certificate, and Michelle explaining everything to me. Amazing. I have shared with everyone how well he has been looked after and the wonderful aftercare as well.”

I COULDN’T HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER TEAM

Kattegat, a 1 year old American Bulldog, had TPLO surgery to address a torn ACL.

18 months after surgery, her owner simply writes:

“Kattegat is doing so well since surgery. I couldn’t have asked for a better team.”

EXTREMELY PLEASED AFTER NUGGET’S TPLO

Nugget, a 4 year old Golden ball of energy, had a TPLO to address a torn ACL.

4 months after surgery, his owner JH writes:

A week later, her owner AS writes:

“Nugget is doing fantastic. You can certainly tell he’s back to his normal self. Very playful, energetic and happy. We have been typically walking about 1 1/2 miles at night when it is cooler and he’s normally full steam ahead with his walks. He never pauses while walking and is typically sniffing up a storm investigating smells like he used to. I’m extremely pleased with his progress and my goal was to give him the best and a happy pain free life.”

SKYLAR WAS “TREATED LIKE GOLD” DURING TPLO

Skylar, a 6 year old Border Collie, had TPLO surgery to address a torn ACL.

A week later, her owner AS writes:

“Phil Zeltzman is amazing. He did such a great job on my baby girl I couldn’t be more pleased. Thank you and all your lovely staff for treating my little girl like gold while in your care. She is on a good road of recovery!!!”

A NEW LEASE ON LIFE FOR BUBBA (LARYNGEAL PARALYSIS)

Bubba, a 14 year old Lab, was literally suffocating when he arrived at HRVSS. He had a tie back surgery to treat his laryngeal paralysis.

2 months later, his family vet sent an email update:

“Bubba was in today for his final evaluation following his laryngeal tie back procedure and I am happy to report that he is doing wonderfully. Absolutely no respiratory noise when I entered the exam room, breathing easily, gums pink and moist. Bubba looks fantastic – you have given him a new lease on life. Thank you!”

Dixon, a 12-year-old, 11 lb Terrier, had an amputation of the front leg because of bone cancer. 6 months after surgery, his owner KM writes:

“Before the surgery, we were worried about him just making it through the surgery OK. And we were worried about whether it would improve his quality of life for long enough to make it worth the pain of the surgery and post-op recovery.

Now, we are beyond pleased with our decision. He has adjusted so well, and he has had 6 pain-free months of happiness so far!”


THANK YOU FROM A VET FOR “LIFE-SAVING SURGERY”

Thor, a 2 year old, 100 lb Great Dane, had a little situation that required… amputation of his penis… His amazing family vet, Dr Catherine Claxton at 5th Avenue Animal Hospital in Lebanon, PA, writes:

“Dr. Zeltzman and his team have been nothing short of wonderful to work with! We recommend HRVSS to all of our surgical referrals. Our clients can’t say enough good things about them. I recently had a patient who needed urgent surgery. After being on the phone for 2 hours, calling every surgical referral in our area, Dr. Zeltzman was the only one willing to take on this case and provide the life-saving surgery he so desperately needed! We are so grateful to him and his team for their professionalism, efficiency, and excellent work.”


GRACE IS A THYROID CANCER SURVIVOR

Grace, a 12 year old Hound, a a double surgery.

She had her thyroid removed (the biopsy showed a type of cancer called carcinoma), then had belly surgery to remove her spleen (the biopsy showed benign masses).

Almost 2 years later, her family vet, the amazing Tracy Sands at Healing Paws Veterinary Care, writes:

“In March 2021, you removed the thyroid and the spleen. You implanted chemo beads around her thyroid. I just saw her and she’s still going strong at 14!

I see her multiple times a year to keep her happy, healthy and pain free. I think it’s a great partnership and a good reminder that “old age is not a disease”.

It’s good to save lives.”


THANK YOU FOR THE SURGICAL SKILL, RESPECT, AND CARE FOR CAESAR

Caesar, a 7-year-old Coonhound, had had ear infections for years. Since ear drops consistently failed, a TECA surgery (Total Ear Canal Ablation) was recommended. One week after surgery, his owner MD writes:

“I can’t express how grateful I am to everyone at HRVSS for the surgical skill, respect, and care for Caesar during this entire process (especially the aftercare.) The first night was rough, especially since I had to carry him into the house, but once the IV drugs wore off it was amazing to see Caesar’s happy and goofy personality come roaring back.

I hadn’t realized how much he was actually suffering with his ear until the heavy-duty drugs wore off. I can’t thank y’all enough for giving me my dog back, and we’re both looking forward to getting Caesar back into his search and rescue work. I can’t thank everyone enough.”

WONDERFUL CARE DURING DUKE’S TPLO

Duke, a 6 year old Golden, had a TPLO to address a torn surgery. His owner JC writes:

“Thank you for providing wonderful care to our dog Duke. We appreciate you guys for always answering our questions and reassuring us. Thank you again for your hard work! We wish you all a wonderful holiday.”

“We couldn’t be happier” despite stomach cancer

Max, an 11-year-old Maltese mix, had a “bypass” surgery because of cancer in his stomach. After surgery, his owner MR writes:

“Our experience at HRVSS was absolutely wonderful! Your entire team was caring, responsive and knowledgeable. The fact that someone is him the entire night following the surgery meant so much to us. I could actually sleep that night knowing that someone had an eye on him and that if he needed anything, he would be cared for. Also, I thought your price was reasonable given the situation and the type of surgery needed. While pet surgery is never cheap, it was lower than I anticipated.

We couldn’t be happier with the care you provided.”

You can read his story here: www.HRVSS.com/max-the-evil-stomach-cancer

Update on Max, a 7 month cancer survivor

Max, an 11 year old Maltese mix, was referred to remove a (bleeding) mass that was preventing food from going from the stomach to the intestine.

In surgery, the mass was deemed non-operable, and a “bypass” surgery was performed to allow food to go through.

A biopsy confirmed stomach cancer (leiomyosarcoma).

7 months after surgery, his owner MR writes:

“Yesterday, we celebrated Max’s 7th month with us after his surgery! He is still typical old Max, eating up a storm, begging for a French fry (…), playing with his stuffed animals, chasing Fozzee, our Bernedoodle around the yard, and most recently ruled the house when 2 GoldenDoodles came over to play with Fozzee!

He has great days, then he has good days. As you have said, every day is a gift and we treat it as such. 🙂 “

Jackson, “back to loving life” after 2 TPLOs

Jackson, a 5-year-old Lab, had a TPLO to address a torn ACL in 2021, then another one in 2022.
The amazing thing is that he lives 3 hours away from HRVSS, in far New Jersey!

His owner SC writes:

“Following up as we are 17+ weeks after Jackson’s last surgery. Happily reporting that we have all survived. This one was so much better/easier than the first one, even with the added complication of the hardware removal on ACL #1. Jackson is back to 100% – happily participating in (most) of the activities that he used to do before these surgical procedures. We again appreciate everyone’s abilities, kindness, and care to help Jackson get back to loving life. We were just in NC enjoying the ocean and I attached a photo of Jax on the right with his brother Cooper. Thank you all again for all that you do.”

Razor “is doing wonderful” after his TPLO

Razor is an 18 month old Bulldog who weighs… 115 lbs!

4 months after a TPLO to address a torn ACL, his owner PK writes:

“I wanted to follow up with you and your team on Razor. We believe he is all back to normal for a year and a half old puppy. (…)

He has no limping, scar looks clean and almost non-recognizable when he walks or if we allow him to run a little. We have a few steps in our home and he has zero issues up or down.

We allow him with close supervision off leash in our fence yard and he keeps close and calm with us. He is doing wonderful and we are very grateful for your team.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr Zeltzman, the surgical team and whoever else that was involved with his case.

You have been very professional, patient and above all compassionate with us during this experience. You are the best!”

Brewster, an 8 year old Pitbull, had a TPLO to address a torn ACL.

4 months after surgery, his owner CB writes:

“He is feeling great! It was definitely a long recovery period but we are so happy with how well he is doing! Thank you so much for everything! We cannot tell you how grateful we are!”

Majic, a 9 year old Beagle, had a huge mass removed from the left thigh in January, and another one from the right thigh in December. This is very unusual, but fortunately both biopsy reports came back as a benign fatty tumor (inter-muscular lipoma).

His owner MB writes:

“It’s amazing how that tumor came out in one enormous piece! Thanks for being able to make Majic comfortable again! He’s doing well! So far there’s no sign of another fatty tumor. Keeping our fingers crossed that we won’t ever see another sign! He seems happy, comfortable, and active!! Thanks again!!”

You can watch his story in this GRAPHIC video (this is not for the faint of heart !!!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjlQFpvW3h4

After 2 TPLOs, Toby is ready for more adventures

Toby, a 6 year old Lab, had 2 TPLOs to address his torn ACLs. After his recovery and rehab, his owner LG writes:

“Toby appears to be doing very well. He now comes upstairs with us at night. We have been increasing our walks and he has been enjoying himself. Our walks include many stops to smell things. He has a really nice strut when out in our yard. We are so grateful to have our boy back. We even love his bare back and butt. So soft and fuzzy. Slow and steady. Looking forward to more adventures with him this spring and summer. Grateful to you all.”

Oscar is doing great after his amputation

Oscar, a 2-year-old kitty, had an old fracture of the forearm and a sore from trying to use the leg. After amputation, his owner MK writes:

“Oscar is doing well (…) He is really enjoying recovery as he has an iPad that plays videos of cats and soothing relaxing music. He has been purring and likes being brushed. The wound is healing well, no issues there at all. Thank you all again. We are so glad we found this place. He has received such great care. It is much appreciated.”

Higgins’s story: kindness, concern, and expertise.

Higgins, a very cute 8-year-old Pom Pom, had a mass on his lip. It was suspicious for cancer. After it was removed, his recovery was not exactly smooth…

Yet after lots of TLC from his dedicated owner JR, Higgins recovered. She writes:

“Higgins is doing well. (…) I think he looks good, is happy and loving, still a bit needier than before but that is absolutely fine with me and he is licking much less (…). I want to thank Kat and Dr. Zeltzman for your kindness, concern, and expertise in caring for Higgins. Dr. Zeltzman, your entire surgical team was excellent and caring and I much appreciated my interactions with them.”

Bonus: the mass turned out to be benign!

An older Lady runs straighter than before her 2 TPLOs!

Lady, an 11-year-old Beagle mix, had both ACL torn, and a TPLO to address them. Nine and 5 months after surgery, her owner CM writes:

“Lady is totally sound, going for many runs a day, often a couple of miles. Before her surgeries, she always ran (trot and canter) with haunches into the right. She now moves much straighter at all three gaits.”

And she sent this nice video of one happy Lady: https://youtu.be/VCvaopqU9qY

Ethel, a 4-year-old kitty, would not stop chewing at her tail. Since neither medical treatment nor cutting the tip of the tail had worked, we recommended sacrificing the entire tail. A big leap of faith… which thankfully worked! Her owner EB writes:

“Ethel is back to her normal self, and I don’t think that she even realizes that she has no tail anymore. Since her surgery, she has no new compulsions and has no new injuries caused by licking or biting.

My experience at Harrisburg Regional was amazing. You and your staff took the time to explain everything to me and answered all my questions and concerns both before and after Ethel’s surgery.

Hopefully, none of my other animals will ever need surgery, but if they did, I would come back to you and your team without a doubt.”

Tali, a 9-year-old retriever mix, had a TPLO to address a torn ACL. Her owner AZ writes:

Absolutely wonderful experience

Tali is doing well. She’s been resting comfortably and seems very happy to be home. The medications are managing her pain and keeping her calm. (…) The little “get well soon” notes (and other) little touches brought a lot of joy to us when we were feeling sad and nervous about Tali’s recovery. Our experience with you guys has been absolutely wonderful! Thank you for taking such good care of her.

Amazing comments from Dr. Comalli, a long-time referring vet

I have known Dr. Phil Zeltzman for over 10 years. I have known him well as a colleague, a speaker, an educator, a board-certified veterinary surgeon, and an entrepreneur. Phil always strives to help his colleagues improve their skills so that they can help not only themselves but others. In this respect, Phil is second to none.

As a veterinary surgeon, Phil uses a no-nonsense, practical, approach. His goal is always to achieve the best possible outcome for the best quality of life for his patients.

Many of my patients have benefited greatly from his skill and guidance. I have found his advice and recommendations to always be well thought out and very helpful. I respect his opinions and surgical skills immensely.

For a first or a second opinion on surgical issues, I highly recommend Dr. Phil Zeltzman.

Dr. Michael Comalli, Conrad Weiser Animal Hospital, Womelsdorf, PA

Pepper is still doing great 5 years after his gallbladder removal

Hello, Dr. Zeltzman. In 2015, you saved my husky’s life with surgery. I just wanted to thank you.

He’s doing great after you removed his gallbladder. He has been doing pretty great! He’s 13 years old now but still well. Only some liver disease, but we manage it.

For the longest time, no one could find out why he was so sick. Took him to many vet offices in that area. You figured it all out; I’m eternally grateful!

Thank you for all you did for my Pepper.

Sarah Donlin, Reading, PA

Teeko is having fun after his 2 TPLOs

The center of my world is Teeko, a 6-year-old European Golden Retriever. He had to have surgery on his knees (TPLOs) 6 months apart. I did my research for a doctor and will save you the time. Dr. Phil Zeltzman is very passionate and only wants the best results for his patients. He will thoroughly explain the surgery and postop care. He was timely to respond to any questions. He is also on the cutting edge of new techniques. Stop searching and call him. Teeko is very happy playing in the stream and collecting rocks.

Laura Flores, New Cumberland, PA (near Harrisburg)

Winston is happy and comfy after two TPLOs

Dr. Zeltzman is an amazing surgeon. He has done surgery on my golden retriever twice – two TPLO surgeries. We were blessed to come upon him through our veterinarian hospital. He just cleared my Winston today, it was a long four months, but so well worth every minute. And my baby thanks him, no more limping, no pain. He even has helped him with his diet, and it is going well. I will recommend this surgeon to anyone, and I have a lot of “fur baby” friends! We thank you from the bottom of our hearts! You are “The Best”!

Bonnie Cowling, Reading, PA

Monty is back to his old self after his TPLO

Monty, my 120 lb, almost 4-year-old English Mastiff, needed a TPLO for a torn ACL and meniscus. Once I found Dr. Zeltzman and discussed his unique practice that travels to specific clinics, but allows my own personal veterinary clinic to perform all the follow-up, I knew I had found the perfect fit for myself and Monty.

I couldn’t have made a better choice. Dr. Zeltzman and Kat provided me step by step information on what the surgery entailed, from the price to the process and the length of time for surgery and recovery. They provided a detailed outline of when Monty would need to be taken back for X-rays, suggested supplements and restrictions as well as rehab when the time was ready.

It was difficult to know who to trust as Monty is the only one I have left at home so we’re in this together, whatever we had decided. Other than my own veterinary clinic, I reached out to family friends in the “vet” business for recommendations. Although no one had recommended Dr. Zeltzman, I have since recommended him to anyone that has animals that could ever need his services. My own veterinary clinic has been happy with Monty’s progress and now has Dr. Zeltzman’s information in case anyone else runs into this issue, they now have someone to recommend and have been able to work with him to provide x-rays, rehab information, etc.

I’m extremely happy to report that Monty is almost finished with rehab and is back to his old self.

Teri Aunspach, Duncannon, PA (near Harrisburg)