North Shore Family Pet

Hands down the best vet ever. Dr. Bannow is honestly amazing and my puppy Chewie ADORES her. He always waits by the door with his tail wagging for her when we’re waiting in the room! The office is clean, up to date and the staff is extremely nice and helpful. I am very protective of my puppy and remember spending weeks researching vets and reading the reviews on Unilocal before I even got my dog. I am so glad I chose North Shore Family Pet. Dr. Bannow is knowledgable, personable and puts any doggy parent at ease. She explains everything thoroughly and does not believe in over vaccinating or giving unnecessary exams (like some other vets I know!)
I moved down to Naperville from Northbrook about two months ago but that didn’t stop me from driving an hour to come here. I have visited one other office down here and did not like how they treated Chewie, I just couldn’t stop comparing them to this vet. Another added bonus is that you can call in if you have any questions about your pet, actually they encourage you to which is so amazing. I cannot say enough good things about this place and will continue driving an hour to come here (that should really show you how much I trust this practice!) I recommend this place to anyone who is looking for an honest, professional, amazing practice. If I could give more than 5 stars I definitley would!

Routine checkup and vaccines for our kitties. Dr. Gardner was so sweet with both our animals as well as us. I’m so happy to have found her for our cats and I guarantee we’ll stay with her for a very long time! The office called the day after our appt to make sure the cats were doing ok after their vaccine and also checked in a few weeks later to be sure we didn’t have trouble (finally) registering their microchips. I was so impressed with everyone in the office. We’re now living in chicago but I’ll continue to this vet after having such a great experience.

Dr. Gardner and her staff helped our family through a tough time she was very compassionate and knowledgeable. Team members were all very caring and helpful. Thank you.

We recently moved to the area and switched to North Shore Family Pet Hospital. Shortly after our dog, Kira, came down with a terminal form of cancer that was largely untreatable. The onset was sudden and we only had a couple of hours to react. Dr. Gardner and the rest of the staff at North Shore Family Pet Hospital were incredibly understanding and compassionate and stayed after work hours so that we could get our whole family there before our dog passed away. They certainly made the experience less painful, and I would recommend this caring facility to any pet owner.

I was very impressed with the entire staff at North Shore… friendly, professional and really cared for my dog. We are making this our permanent Vet.

We have two dogs and recently switched to Northshore Family Vet within the past two months. We have had a very sick dog who is also up in age and we were very worried abut her condition. We began seeing Dr. Ben Schecter and I must say he is such a great Veternarian and person! He was very attentive to our dogs needs and condition as well as our concerns He called us everyday to check in to see how she was doing. That meant a lot to us! He has been available each time we have had a concern or question. He is patient and takes the time to explain the test results thoroughly to us in person so that we understand each result. I had to speak to Dr. Bannow on an occasion and she too was very nice and like Dr. Schecter was very thorough. Both project a very caring and compassionate nature when it comes to our pets. That is so important to us because one reason we left our previous vet was after many years it became more like a cold corporation and the compassion for the pets and lack of communication with us as well as being hard to reach became a place we no longer felt was best for our pets or us. So it was a breath of fresh air to find Dr. Schecter who is great at explaining things to us and can always be reached if and when we have an issue with our pets. The fact that he cares enough to call and see how our dog was doing was a fantastic bonus that really meant so much to us. Dr. Schecter is our Veternarian now and we are very pleased and happy to have found him and this office. The staff at the front desk as well as the technicians are also very friendly and welcoming. It is really nice to take our dogs into an office where everyone we encounter is very sweet to our pets and friendly and pleasant to us.
I highly recommend Northshore Family Pet!

I will follow Dr. Gardner to the ends of the earth as long as she will keep seeing my dog. I have been with Dr. G through thick and thin, sick and sin with my pets and now we are on dog number 3 together. When I called her previous location to make sure she was going to be in that day to bring my new pup in, and they told me she no longer worked there, fear rang out through my heart like no one’s business!!! What if I couldn’t find her?! What if she moved out of the state?! Pure panic. After some online stalking, I was so relieved to find her just out in the burbs. No problem.
Dr. Gardner is the kindest, sweetest vet you will ever find. She is patient with you and your pet. She is smart and so complete in her exams with your pet. She has a heart of gold. She saw me through the heartache of losing two dogs to cancer-​one unexpectedly and one after a slow and steady decline. Both really tough. I have never met such a kind, loving, caring, professional soul in all my life. I wish I could see Dr. Gardner!!! For real… you can trust what she is telling you. And I love that she will always give you options for care and she never tries to take advantage of you or try to up sell you on services that you don’t need. She does not take advantage of the fact that you love your animal. She recognizes and respects it… and clearly she loves them, too.
The facilities are very clean and the staff are always courteous and professional. On our first visit, the staff took a picture of our dog. We figured it was for her profile in their system. Oh, no! When it was time for her checkup, we got a postcard in the mail of our dog’s face. Oh my God! It was hysterical and the best thing ever! We have never seen the other vet’s because we seriously love Dr. G so much, but in the event that she were to ever go on vacation and we needed to get in, we really would have no problem doing so. This place is really great. And Dr. Gardner is just amazing. We really just cannot say enough good things about her. Bring your pet in to see her and you will understand why we are so attached to this woman. Really! She is just the best vet ever!

North shore family pet hospital is amazing! I had to have my 17 year old cat put to sleep today. I knew the time had come but I didn’t have a regular veterinarian at the time. A friend referred me to them. I called today and even though they were fully booked they fit me in. Everyone there was super compassionate and made a very difficult time more bearable.

Ben Schecter, along with Karen Bannow, are wonderful people — gentle, caring and honest. His veterinary care of my two dogs is always excellent. Quiet and calming bedside manner. Supports his patients parents, too. We recommend North Shore Family Pet.

We have been going to North Shore Family Pet and have seen Dr. Schecter, Dr. Bannow, and now Dr. Gardner. They are all wonderful and committed to providing a thorough exam and discussion on treatment options based upon the problem. We have mainly worked with Dr. Bannow, but we have had great experiences with the other doctors as well. The technicians are also wonderful. Everyone seems happy to work there and genuinely interested in your pets. I tend to bring in both of my dogs (they like to be there to support one another) even when one is sick or being seen, and they always seem happy to have the pets around even if they aren’t there for a check-​up.
At the front desk, they are always great on the phone and seem to recognize my pets whenever I call. They can email you receipts, so less paperwork when checking out.
I am moving soon and I will definitely miss the great care we have been receiving!

The top veterinarian in the North Shore. Friendly staff. Honest and sensible in their approach to pet care. Dr Bannow is one of the best.

I cannot add a whole lot more to what has already been said by others about North Shore Family Pet. My one recent concern was the general over-​vaccination practice by many veterinary clinics but when I started bringing my animals here last year, I find that their treatment plans and recommended maintenance care are tailored to my cat and dog’s individual needs: activities, risks, lifestyle, etc. They are AAHA and American Association of Feline Practitioners accredited and has a designation for being a Cat Friendly Practice. I agree with the reviewer who said «the entire team at this practice is amazing» and with another who said «5 stars aren’t enough for this practice». I’m really glad to have found veterinarians and a vet clinic with which I can truly say I have comfort and full confidence in.

My last review was deleted and I have no idea why, so let’s try this again!
5 stars aren’t enough for this practice! Both Dr. Bannow and Dr. Shechter took care of my family’s pet for 10+ years, and now that I have a dog of my own, I drive all the way from the city to see them. Not only are Dr. Bannow and Dr. Shechter knowledgeable and helpful, but the entire team at this practice is amazing. As a new dog owner, I can be a little nervous and tend to call frequently with questions and concerns — no one at North Shore Family Pet has made me feel guilty for calling — in fact, they encourage you to call and ask questions if you’re worried about something. I can’t say enough good things about this practice!

I took my 14 year old Cocker to see Dr. Bannow for the first time in February. What a great clinic. The front desk employees are knowledgeable and very friendly. There is always a vet tech in the room with your dog, Dr. Bannow and you. I love the fact that my dog was examined while I was in the room. Dr. Bannow is really just the best and not pushy about doing a lot of tests my dog didn’t really need. I felt he got a great physical and Dr. Bannow spent a lot of time examining him and explaining what she was doing to me. I would strongly recommend this clinic to anyone who is looking for quality competent medical care. They are my go to vets for my dogs in the future.

FANTASTIC first visit to NSFP this past Sat. Dr Schecter could not have been better. My 7yr old cat has liver disease and this is new to me … he wrote lots of notes for me to take home, and was very patient and detailed in explaining the situation. The office called me on Sunday to see if all was OK from the rabies shot. On Monday Dr Schecter called to see how the new food was going. And, today (Tuesday) he called with the final test results. In addition to calling, he sent a detailed email with everything he went thru on the phone. Amazing vet!!!

We followed Dr. Tamara Gardner from her last practice that was located in the city of Chicago to North Shore Family Pet because she is just that darn good! We are happy to take the drive all the way out to Skokie to see her. She is the best vet I’ve had experience with and I grew up with dogs as a child.
I always feel at ease when visiting her with our two dogs. One of them had some lumps on his body which we were very worried about. Dr. Gardner took some samples and to my surprise they have a lab on-​site! So NO waiting for results! The lumps turned out to be just fine.
The facility is top notch too. Very luxurious waiting room and also the examination rooms are quite nice too. Kudos to everyone at this practice. If you’re look for a great vet and an even better person check out Dr. Tamara Gardner at North Shore Family Pet. You’re the best Tammy!

We moved to the area from overseas (with FOUR dogs!) about a year and a half ago and initially I chose North Shore Family Pet because I saw positive reviews and it’s a really short drive from our home — it turns out that out of sheer luck I happened across an amazing practice– every single one of the staff are kind, patient and extremely competent. They are really well organized and wait time has never exceeded a few minutes if any, they are welcoming even though I have to bring my toddler with me for any visit– there’s even a little area for kids with a little table, coloring books, and crayons– and biggest boon of all they are wonderful with our dogs.
I’m sitting down to write this review with a heavy heart because we had to put one of our beloved furry babes down just over a week ago– she had very aggressive bone cancer and we did everything we could but the time came to say goodbye and she let us know. Dr. Shechter agreed to come to our house to do it– and I think it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do– yet because of Dr. Shechter and the tech Janina it was done such that my sweet dog was comfy, in my arms, in our home, in the spot that she most loved to sit— I can’t begin to explain what a difference it made to me and I know for her.
Dr. Shechter’s compassion seems to know no bounds– and it shows in his interactions with both pet and owner…
I even received a sympathy card in the mail from them with personal notes written from both Dr. Shechter and Janina.
I can’t say enough positive things about these people.

My dog seems to like eating socks as much as I like eating chocolate. And for some reason she has a special affinity for 12 – 24 months socks. Or perhaps there’s a certain 12– 24 month old in my household who tends to leave his socks in places the dog can get them. Typically the socks go in one end and out the other and our biggest concern is that I’m constantly buying my little one new socks.
A few weeks ago our pup wasn’t feeling so good so we took her to our trusty vet, Dr. Schecter at North Shore Family Pet. Dr. Schecter wasn’t in that day, but another vet helped us out. And while her name escapes me I was impressed with the way she handled our pup and took the time to explain possible issues. One day and $ 600 later they discovered there was lots of fabric in her stomach and she needed to get major stomach surgery. The surgery itself took place at BluePearl* and 2 weeks and $ 5000 later (these pups are expensive!) she’s doing great.
Fortunately my dog hasn’t had to go to the vet too many times in the 1+ years we’ve lived in the North Shore, but on occasions like the sock disaster it’s great to have a vet we trust nearby. I’ve only met Dr. Schecter himself once and was impressed, but my husband has mentioned several times how much he likes him. He even called once late at night to check on our dog when she was having stomach issues.
The office itself is also really nice. The few times I’ve picked up my dog they’ve kept me waiting a bit for the vet, but I guess that seems to be the case with most medical professionals.
For the sake of my pup and bank accountI’m hoping we don’t have to pay Dr. Schecter a visit anytime soon. My kids will not be wearing socks until the dog gets over addition. Good thing spring has finally arrived!

This place rocks. They are super accommodating. My new German Shepard puppy was not feeling well and we had just gotten her. We had NO appointment and they were very busy when we called BUT they squeezed us in to see her.
Even on a follow up visit with a different doctor, the same stunning service. Our puppy had eaten some «inanimate objects» and We had to go to blue pearl emergency for her to be given antibiotics, fluids and x-​rayed. Well on our follow up visit they knew everything and had even called after our ER visit to ask how she was. BETTER service than my own human doctor.

I cannot speak highly enough about the entire staff of North Shore Family Pet Hospital. I had never been there before and called them a half hour before they were set to close for the New Year’s weekend. I looked on Unilocal for a place near Highland Park and Dr. Schechter got great reviews.
I had a sick kitty and they took her at last minute as a new patient. The people on the phone were totally nice and professional. The vet techs all were great with the kitty. And Dr. Schechter was very thorough, informative, and caring about both pet and owner.
They even called me a few days later to check on the kitty. It turned out, I did have to bring her back in today, because she needed further testing and some antibiotics. I felt completely in good hands. Usually, I would be «worried» about a sick pet, but Dr. Shechter is so reassuring that we are supported in her diagnosis and hopeful recovery.
Also, the facility is nice, new, clean, and not much of a wait.

We recently had to euthanize our poodle, Lola. Here is the hand written note we received from Ben Schechter, the doctor who patiently sat with my wife before, during and after:
Dear ***** and family,
Our deepest sympathy on Lola’s passing. She had a great life with you. I was happy to hear how she was running and playing just the day before. She was loved and I know she treasured her life with you.
Ben
I think that says it all.

Dr. Bannow is the bomb. The shizzle. Absolutely Dope.
Okay. Really, she is an awesome vet who is as gentle with her patients as she is with their owners.
I have been going to Dr. Karen Bannow for my lovely Boston Terrier. And when she opened her own clinic with a colleague — Dr. Ben Shechter — I knew I had to follow her wherever she went. Well, it turns out she’s just off the highway so it’s an easy drive and convenient.
When I first started going to Dr. Bannow, I was surprised to suddenly find out I had a lot of friends who also go to her. Who knew she was the most popular girl on the block? (Get your mind out of the gutter!!!)
The North Shore Pet Family Hospital is a clean, spacious practice that they had custom built for themselves. Awesome details like separate waiting areas in case you have the dog that must greet and lick everyone she sees (guilty!) or have a feline who doesn’t want to get her fur messed up by those ‘slobbering canines.’ The lobby has a beautiful coffee machine for us owners.
The receptionists are unbelievably friendly and genuine. You can really tell they love pets themselves. They’re willing to explain all of the paperwork to other fastidious people (not me – wink wink nudge nudge). And honestly, it’s a pleasure just chatting with them if they have a moment.
The vet assistants are also very caring and relaxed, which puts my Lucy in a relaxed mood. It’s a great trick I hope to master one day. Until then, my dog is a bouncing ball of energy. But that’s why I love her.
I got a behind the scenes peak just when they were just opening. The surgery room is crazy impressive. When I saw it it finally hit me that there is some serious surgery going on. Not sure what I expected. Just hadn’t thought about it. They are state of the art equipped so you’re pet is in great hands.
And let me not forget to mention that it’s easy to call in for any drug refills for your pet — like heart worm pills and other sexy things like that — and pick them up on your way by. Oh. And they don’t mark up the prices. Love that!
So if I need to make it any more obvious, I’m a big fan of North Shore Family Pet Hospital. The only one who likes it better? My dog Lucy because she gets treated like a queen.