Highland Park Animal Hospital

Your local neighborhood veterinarian serving the greater Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area.

Welcome to Highland Park Animal Hospital located in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. We are your local neighborhood veterinarian serving the needs of your loving fur companions.

610-352-2020

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OPERATING HOURS

Monday-Friday
9am-12pm
5pm-7pm

Wednesday
9am-12pm

Saturday-Sunday
Closed

LOCATION

137 South State Road Upper Darby, PA 19082

SERVICES

We believe in personalized service, which is not typical in multi-doctor practices where you cannot be sure which veterinarian you will see on each visit. We are a companion animal veterinary hospital, with main emphasis on dogs & cats, and occasional small mammals, and reptiles. We offer many services and capabilities listed below:

Services:

Dog and Cat Boarding
Spaying and neutering with electro-surgical equipment
Annual tooth scaling with high-speed dental equipment

Capabilities:

In-house blood testing equipment

EKG equipped for preoperative screening/monitoring and diagnostics
Ultrasound equipment
Digital radio-graphic equipment

ABOUT US

Highland Park Animal Hospital was originally established in 1946 by Dr. Robert Carlton under the name of Carlton Dog & Cat Hospital. Dr. Cleland took over the practice in January of 1986 and since then changed the name to Highland Park Animal Hospital to approximate its location.

Dr. Cleland received a Bachelor of Science degree from Bucknell University, a Master of Veterinary Science at The Pennsylvania State University, and a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from The University of Pennsylvania. In between his undergraduate and graduate studies, Dr. Cleland served on active duty with the US Navy, advancing to Patrol Plane Commander of the P-3 Orion Antisubmarine Warfare aircraft.

Our kennel attendants manage the boarding area 7 days a week and during the summer months, several work-study students from Upper Darby High School volunteer their services. We believe in the betterment of the neighborhood and encourage the youth to learn a hard work ethic at our practice. Our appointment schedule is varied during the week, allowing access to medical care for just about all hours between 9AM and 8PM weekdays, and appointment hours with the Dr. morning, afternoon, and evening. If situations occur beyond the scope of this practice, referrals to specialty veterinary care will be encouraged. We offer boarding of all small and exotic animal species. The facility is air-conditioned, and tended daily. We also have the luxury of a large 1500 sq ft grassy exercise yard for dogs, where each boarder is allowed to exercise individually 3 times daily. You will not find this feature in any of the veterinary facilities in the local area. All boarders are treated as if they are family members. We also offer bathing and grooming 5 days a week by appointment. Although our groomers are not board certified, they are very good, and will coordinate their efforts with your inputs and desires. Grooming of fractious, or unwilling pets is easily accomplished with professionally administered sedation.

FAQ

Do you offer grooming? How much is it and what does it include? When can I pick my pet up?

We offer grooming Monday through Friday by appointment, at an average cost of $55.00. Full shave downs or Lion cuts for cats run $65.00. Groomings include a bath, shave down or style, blow dry, nail clipping, ear cleaning, teeth cleaning, and anal sac expression for canines. You will drop your pet off between 9 and 10 am the morning of the scheduled groom, and pick him/her up between 5 and 7 pm that same night. Depending upon the day’s schedule, early releases before 3pm may be possible.

How many years have you been in business?

Dr. Cleland has been the owner and sole practitioner for 26+ years. The hospital was originally established on site in 1946 by Dr. Robert Carlton under the name Carlton Dog and Cat Hospital. The business was sold to Dr. Richard Baier in 1984, then to Dr Cleland in 1987.

I want to board my pet with you, what do I need?

We are so glad you chose our boarding facility! We know how difficult it is to leave behind your loved one, but here at Highland Park Animal Hospital it’s like you never left. Our kennel personnel are one of a kind, and take extra steps to make sure your pet is well taken care of and loved in your absence. Our kennel yard is one of the best in Delaware County, it’s fully fenced in so your pet gets 20 minutes of exercise one on one time with our staff at least 3 times a day, and our cat room is soundproof to keep your cat calm and happy. We do require vaccine records to prove that your pet has been vaccinated against Rabies, and Distemper, and Feline Leukemia (for cats) in the past year. In addition, a Bordatella vaccine (kennel cough) and intestinal parasite exam are required current in the past 6 months. If your pet needs one or all of these, we can provide these services for you while your pet is boarding, no need to rush around to get them all done while you have your own planning to do.

My pet is having surgery today, when can I pick them up?

We like to keep our patients over night after a major surgery to make sure they start eating, drinking, and eliminating normally, and that they come out of the anesthesia without problems. We suggest you pick up your pet anywhere between 5-7 the following evening. Discharges before 3pm the following day may be prearranged, as necessary.

What are your Opening Hours?

The office opens weekdays and every other Saturday at 9:00 AM. We are closed Sundays.

What do I need to bring in with me for my pets appointment?

If you haven’t been here before with your pet, or your pet received vaccines somewhere else, the most important things to bring with you are records of past vaccinations. Equally important is any available medical history that we can scan into our paperless business software. A stool sample is also important to bring with you so we can run an intestinal parasite test. Intestinal parasites are common and quite easy to catch, and early detection and elimination is essential for the ongoing health of your pet.

What makes your animal hospital different from all the others in our area?

Here at Highland Park Animal Hospital, we take a very proactive stance on your pet and your pets’ health. We have one veterinarian, so every time you come in Dr. Cleland will be the one to handle your pet with love and care every single time, and he will know the history of your pet. Our staff is friendly and knowledgeable, prepared to answer almost any questions you may have.
We consider follow up phone calls mandatory to make sure your pet is recovering properly, handling new medicine correctly, or having no adverse reactions to vaccinations or medications. We will call you with test results as soon as we receive them to capitalize on the information as early as possible.
We are also heading into the future here at Highland Park Animal Hospital, becoming paperless so we have more time to be hands on with your pet. The latest medical equipment is available, including digital radiology, ultrasound, ECG, high-speed dental equipment, and video-otoscopy.
Our 1500 square foot enclosed exercise yard is the only one in the area. Boarding dogs can be let out to run free during the exercise periods, and guess what? There is no extra charge for playing catch with the toys!.

What vaccines does my pet need?

There are quite a few vaccines for dogs and cats, and we offer all of them in our office. The most important vaccines are Rabies, Distemper, and Feline Leukemia (only for cats) and they are mandatory by policy to be given at any time a pet is here and due for them.