Reviews of Animal Specialty Group of Scottsdale (Veterinarian)

J Lund

Dr. Lirtzman and his staff showed more care and individual compassion for our German Shepherd than any veterinary specialist we’ve ever dealt with. For the rest of our lives, they will be the standard that we judge all other vets and specialists against. Thank you for taking such good care of our Daisy and her broken leg.

Amy Nothnagel

Went here to get a second opinion for my baby dog Tucker. We drove an hour to see the Doctor and very happy we did. Couldn’t be more happy with the quality and professionalism of all the staff. It truly is above and beyond. I called and the receptionist called my previous doctor and got all the previous X-rays and medical records for me. The Doctor reviewed our babies case before we even saw him! Everything was organized. The doctor even had a little drawing of my dogs leg when I arrived. Can’t say thank you enough and how appreciative I am of everyone! You all do amazing things and you made this Dog Mom so happy and blessed!

Joan Lang

We first met with Dr. Lurtzman when our old Shepard mix, Popcorn, blew out his ACL. He ended up having his other leg repaired as well.Then our puppy Taphi blew out her right ACL, followed by her left ACL a year and a half later. Our other dog, Otto, had his left ACL repaired as well. ( We are now at 5 repaired ACLs).. My dogs received the best care from the staff at ASG, as well as state of the art surgery. I would highly recommend ASG . All of my dogs recovered and were back to their normal rumble tumble lives within weeks after their surgery. ASG is AWSOME!!! 2015 was not a good year for us. Our sweet dog Taphi was diagnosed with bone cancer after breaking her leg. We took her to Dr. Lurtzman thinking that she could have her leg repaired, but it was not to be. Dr. Lurtzman did everything he could to help her, but we ended up having to send her over the Rainbow Bridge. The compassion from everyone at ASG, including their cleaning staff, was fantastic. I will recommend ASG to anyone They really are an awesome organization dedicated to caring for our pets.

Caroline Argo

We were so very happy with the results of our dogs surgery . It does take doing what he says on the follow up program but it pays off. Our darling 100 pound Boulder Boy not even two year old yellow lab is now playing again and chasing a ball a little and by summer will be as strong as ever. The entire staff was very kind and caring.

Helen Thomas

I canot say Thank You enough to Dr. Lirtzman and his professional staff. When my Beau a chow chow had a rear ACL leg injury per his local vet and needed ACL surgery I wanted the best possible care for him. We were fortunate enough too find Animal Specialty Group through our POW Dog Therapy Group. Dr. Lirtzman saved him from being totally crippled after his study of the x-rays showed he was not a candiate for ACL surgery due too his deformed bones in his leg. Dr. Lirtzman performed a Arthroscopy with Partial Medial Meniscectomy and with postoperative care per his recommendation's, Beau today is one healthy happy loving Therapy dog. Thank you God for Dr. Lirtzman and his caring staff that I so strongly recommend to anyone needing top professional care for their pet.

Jim Lord

AWESOME. Dakota is like a new dog after his knee surgery and Dr. Lirtzman is the best by far and a great guy as well! Now we have had our dog Moose for a new knee here too! Another great experience!

Merle Shewey

Thank you, Dr. Lirtzman, for your surgical expertise in the repair of Miss Bella,s, patella. The experience of care and treatment goes far beyond, exceeding all expectations from start to finish. We thank you and all of your staff for going the extra mile with my pet. I, will not hesitate to recommend your services to those in need of an orthopedic surgeon, and the quality of care which you have provided.

Myles Schneider

I would not use this Dr. I made an appointment for my dog to see this doctor two weeks ago upon the recommendation of my vet. I arrived early to fill out new patient paperwork. However, after waiting an hour, I walked out. Apparently, the Dr. was busy with other appointments to see my dog. If a specialty professional cannot manage his calendar competently, what does that say about his other skills. Moreover, it would have been nice if any of the three staff that was just sitting around would have provided a modicum of common courtesy and informed me of any special circumstances that existed causing the delay or to just plain thank me for being patient. When I walked out, all they could say was "sorry. As a professional, my time is just as valuable has his. In my profession, such lack of diligence is not only sanction-able it is considered disrespectful.

Lisa Collins

Dr. Julie is fantastic. My dog has benefited from her treatment tremendously!

Ashby Smith

I can't say enough awesome comments about Ross and ASG. Our vet referred us to Ross because my dog was limping. Since our initial referral, my poor dog has had three orthopedic surgeries. Ross spent an incredible amount of time with me explaining each procedure. Each visit, I felt comfortable and confident that I made an excellent choice. I live over two hours away from the practice, and Ross worked closely with my vet for follow up appointments, so I wouldn't have to come down after surgery. My dog is doing incredible, and he is able to live the life that I hoped for him after the procedures. He hikes, runs, and plays like a normal dog. AGS is truly an incredible practice! Meredith Smith

Jay M

We took our 3 months old puppy to Dr. Lirtzman because he had a damaged salivary gland that had to be removed. Because of the location of the surgery, a board certified surgeon was recommended by our regular vet. We had already met with several other surgeons and did not feel comfortable with them. During our initial consultation with Dr. Lirtzman he fully explained the procedure and we were impressed with him and all of his staff. We were able to view the surgery from home through Dr. Lirtzman's camera system and had constant contact with his staff through the recovery process. Dr. Lirtzman's staff followed up each week for two months to ensure there were no problems or complications. I would highly recommend Dr. Lirtzman to anyone needing surgery for the beloved pets.

Jan Ayan

So pleased our primary vet recommended this practice for our dog's orthopedic issues. Although we had to wait quite a while past our appointment time in order to be seen, it was well worth it! The exam and explanation were extremely thorough, even using a white board for a visual. We were not rushed at all (which explains the appointments falling behind schedule) and would not consider taking either of our dogs to any other orthopedic practice. They get it right.

Lisa Hughes Etling

Brought home my Rottie/MinPin mix from his TPLO surgery yesterday. I can whole-heartedly say that I was impressed from the very first office visit and consultation. Dr. Lirtzman is an incredible surgeon, who took the time to explain every option, every pro and con, every expectation, and I left knowing exactly what I was going to do for my "Bug". From the front office to the techs, to all the staff behind the scenes, I felt 100% comfortable with Bauer's (Bug) surgical outcome. Today, he is putting weight on his foot, he is happy and smiling, and other than spending a lot of time resting as he should, I can see he is doing better every hour. Dr. Lirtzman is your best choice if your furbaby needs orthopedic surgery - I did the research, and after this experience, I wouldn't hesitate a millisecond to recommend him to anyone!

Tammy Rohde

We brought our Labrador in for a biopsy here because this Dr. "was the best" and we were told from another vet that he had a cancerous tumor on his ankle. We took him here to determine the type of cancer and possible options. After a $1,500 bill for the biopsy they were still unable to determine the type of cancer, but still the Dr. told us he had 5 months to live. That was over a year ago and our Dog, although still slightly hobbled by the mass on his ankle, shows no sign of passing anytime soon. Frustrating to go through that much expense and trouble to get no answer and find out even the prognosis was not even close.

Susan Zonge

I was very impressed with how much time Dr. Lirtzman took to explain all of the different knee surgery options for my dog. He made sure that I understood each procedure so that I could make the right decision for our active lifestyle. Everyone in his office has been very nice and helpful. I feel confident that I chose the right person to perform our pup's two upcoming surgeries. So confident, that I am willing to drive back and forth from Tucson for her various appointments.

Ashley C

We went to Dr Lirtzman for a second opinion and it was a very professional, impressive and enlightening visit. I was impressed that a surgeons first recommendation was NOT surgery. He has the animals best interest at heart and appears very knowledgeable in the field.

Jami V

Bailey, our 115lb Chocolate lab had 2 TPLO surgeries here. 1 in 2017 and 1 in 2018. The admin staff here are awesome, the Vet techs are awesome. After the surgeries we received frequent follow up texts with pictures, and calls on how he was doing. Dr. Lirtzman takes time to explain all options for surgery and is VERY personable. We wish he was our regular Vet. The outcomes of the surgeries are exactly as he explained and our dog is back to high activity with no problems. Highly recommended.

Melissa Topel

Dr. Lirtzman and his staff are patient and knowledgeable. They made this momma feel extremely at ease when she brought in her 4 month puppy with a broken leg. Thanks to Dr. L my little one is 100% healed. Thanks guys!

Mon McP

Love Love LOVE this place, Dr Lirtzman, Karen and all the staff! You totally helped Casey be the best dog she could be, not just once, but twice! I am so thankful my Vet referred me to you...and I have since sent people to you too. :) Thank you for making my love bug a priority, as she means the world to me! I am eternally grateful. <3

Barbara Cross

I was referred to ASG by my vet in Lake Havasu City and was totally pleased with the outcome for my Bernese Mountain Dog. She did NOT need surgery, as previously indicated, and is now running, playing and enjoying her life. Dr. L took lots of time with me, gave my dog an extensive exam, performed an ultrasound, made the diagnosis (which was absolutely 'spot on') and sent us home! What a great experience and I would not hesitate to recommend him and the facility.

Jill Thompson

We were raising a service dog, Kizmet, and he developed an on/off limp. After our primary vet took a couple x-rays he suspected that Kizmet had elbow dysplasia and referred us to Animal Specialty Group of Scottsdale. We were so impressed with the care Kizmet received at this practice. He went through orthoscopic surgery on both elbows. Because the surgery was orthoscopic he recovered very quickly. Only a few months post surgery and Kizmet was fully recovered. Now he runs, jumps and leaps around the yard with our other dogs. He also loves to take long walks and hikes. You would never know he ever had issues with his elbows. Thank you Dr. Lirtzman and to all your staff for helping Kizmet feel better and giving him a pain free life.

Trixiefrom theMidwest

Dr. Lirtzman was great. He spent as much time with me as I needed. I didn't feel rushed to leave. My questions got answered. He even drew me a picture of the dog foot. The staff was friendly. Thank you!

Richard Vial

First off, waited an hour and 20 min past my appointment time....dog peed on the floor, which she never does at home. Cost $200 for x-rays to confirm my first vets diagnosis, which was correct....Dr Lirtzman thought it could possibly be her hip and said there was little movement at the knee. Then after the x-rays stated there WAS the knee and there was movement. So basically I spent $300 total to conform what my first vet had told me. Was considering the $2500 surgery for the acl...but with this $300 added to it, I can no longer afford that option....I'm a high school teacher....not a wealthy North Scottsdale-ite, which I believe most of the clientele here are.

FionaNBrian Lancaster-Oldham

Have a one year old Rottweiler with bad hips (poor breeding) She was so hobbled that we were contemplating having her put down, after much research, we contacted Dr. Lirtzman about having a full hip replacement done on her. His practice an personel were nothing short of amazing, Dr. Lirtzman spent all the time we needed discussing and walking us through the procedure and his staff was great on keeping us informed, his pricing model of one cost from start to finish made it much less stressful, no hidden costs or surprises. Would highly recommend Dr. Lirtzman and his staff to anyone. Great practice and very happy we chose Animal Specialty Group.

Linda Koshel

My Labradoodle had ACL surgery with Dr. Lirtzman in January. She is doing wonderfully. Everyone there was great, friendly, caring, and professional. Dr. Lirtzman even gave me his cell phone number to call if there were any complications. My dog had a bad reaction to the pain meds the night we brought her home. He was in California, but called me back within a half an hour. I highly recommend them.

Deborah Campbell

Dr. Lirtzman and his staff gave us back our puppy Pepper! We adopted our mini Australian cattle dog when she was about 4 months old. When she was 7 months old she started limping with her right rear leg. We took her to our normal vet and after X-rays they could not make a determination at the cause for her lameness. Our vet referred us to Dr. Lirtzman. After detailed X-rays, ASG was able to quickly determine the issue which was a fractured hip/ball joint (probably congenital). We had a lengthy consultation with Dr. Lirtzman who took the time to show us the X-rays and explained, in detail, our options for Pepper. We opted for the THR (total hip replacement ) which included a micro titanium hip. ASG was totally flexible with scheduling and follow up visits. The staff was friendly and referred to Pepper by name on all visits. It was comforting to be able to watch the actual procedure online. It has been 12 weeks post surgery and Pepper is running, jumping and playing as if she never had an issue with her hip. We couldn't be happier with the results and with communications both pre and post surgery. We have had numerous phone conversations with Dr. Lirtzman close to 30 minutes each time. We never felt like Dr. Lirtzman was rushing the conversation. He was happy to answer any questions about our girl.

Tony Mallaro

Took our pup here for acupuncture & physical therapy after cervical back issues. Great, caring staff...

Michael Smith

Excellent orthopedic facility at all levels: Dr. Lirtzman, staff, services, equipment, facility. Working in the allied health field for 42 years, and having a vetrinarian in the family, I was impressed with every aspect of our dogs care. Thank you Dr. Lirtzman and staff.

Bob Lilienthal

We have been very impressed by Dr. Lirtzman,as well as his staff, not only for the excellent care they gave Socrates,but for the; facilities, communication, and honesty in dealing with us. We felt confident at every step the way, and would not have trusted our baby to just anyone.

Adriane Stoller

I have had to use ASG several times for my dogs and find them among the most knowledgeable and experienced vets I have encountered. Dr. Lirtzman always explains in detail what the problem might be and the treatment options that are available. I highly recommend them!

Randy and Jennifer Denham

Amazing! Our pup was very sick and he went above and beyond. Our vet reached out to him and he got our pup in immediately. He personally called several times to check up on our pup and asked us to email pictures so he could see the swelling going down. Thank you for helping our pup!

Karen Ewing-Young

My regular veterinarian, Dr. Renshaw, referred me to this practice based upon my puppies tendency to bunny hop and some stiffness in one joint at 9 weeks of age. Before her referral, I had no idea that the effects of his dysplasia could be mitigated with early detection and relatively non-invasive treatment. The depth of knowledge and genuine compassion Dr. Lirtzman possesses is stunning. He explained everything in such clear terms during our Penn Hip Procedure consultation. Based upon his evaluation and guidance, we determined that the procedure was likely not necessary for my labradoodle pup, but if it had been I trust he would have been in good hands here. It was also a confidence builder that Dr. Lirtzman didn't push for the procedure but spent so much time determining if it was necessary. If any of my animals develop orthopedic issues this is where they will go.

Karen Stringer

Amazing staff! Great facility!

Shannon Mini

I would highly recommend ASG to anyone that needs a specialty vet for any type of major surgery. Although I never ended up having to get surgery for my baby, my experience with ASG was incredible. I was finally referred to Dr.Lirtzman after I had spent thousands of dollars trying to figure out what was wrong with my 8 year old pit, Whiskey. This fur-baby was my life. Doctor after doctor ran tests and no one could give me a straight answer on why he was so ill. I was frustrated and confused and in pain watching my baby suffer. I was finally told after an emergency vet visit that my Whiskey had a defective kidney and it needed to be removed. That was when I was referred to ASG. When I walked into their offices I felt comfortable and calm. Dr.Lirtzman spent almost 2 hours with me and my Whiskey going through all of this files from other doctors to figure out what was going on and why he was so sick. He painted a picture of the possibilities on the white boards in the patient rooms of what could possibly be wrong with him. In that same visit after reading through everything.. he told me that, yes his kidney was defective, but there was more of a possibility that he had metastatic cancer and his body was most likely riddled with tumors. He said surgery at that point was not an option. In 1 office visit he told me the worst news possible, but at least it all stopped there. He took the time to talk to me about everything and why no one else had caught it. He consoled me and took time to share his personal stories. He gave me a time line on his care and what I would expect next. 2 months later, he also helped me put my baby to rest. I only wish that he was an every day vet as I now have a hard time trusting other vets now. God forbid anything were to ever happen to one of my new fur-babies and they needed surgery.. I would rush them to ASG. I have nothing but great things to say about Dr.Lirtzman and his staff. I can not thank them enough for making one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do, a little easier.

Adrienne Xagoraris

Dr. Lirtzman and Karen Lyons are wonderful. We have taken two pets to them for diagnosis and treatment, a great dane, and mini dachshund. Karen always greeted us with a huge smile and warm conversation. Dr. Lirtzman was extremely thorough, punctual (really no wait time) in examination and discussion of options. Exam rooms are very comfortable, both for pet and human complete with doggie beds. Results are discussed and reviewed on a Mac in a separate room, and copies of x-rays were always provided. Most importantly, Dr. Lirtzman was able to assess and come up with very innovative and comprehensive approaches to our issues. Highly recommend.

Cindy Daughhetee

Dr. Lirtzman is fantastic to work with. Over the years, I have had two different Ridgebacks tear their ACLs and needed to have surgery to repair them. Dr. Lirtzman took the time to explain the procedure very thoroughly, he answered all the questions I had before and after surgery and never made me feel like he was in a rush or that my questions were too basic for him to answer. The surgeries went great and he and his staff at ASG took excellent care of my dogs. We followed all the after-care instructions and we never had any problems during the recovery. Both dogs healed excellently and you would never even know that they had such a major surgery to look at them or watch them run!

Marti Kimball

The personal and professional attention you receive from this facility is unsurmountable. This is the only place I will take my animals for any type of specialized procedure. I have had nothing but success and positive results from the work that Dr. Ross has performed. I have recommended this facility to others and will continue to do so to anyone I know whose animal is in need of any type of specialized care.

Anne Minard

This place treated my dog (and me, and my other dog) SO well when she blew her ACL and had to have TPLO. The whole hospital was efficiently run, thorough and quiet. That last part matters when your pet is recovering from surgery! I was impressed at every stage - from Dr. Lirtzman's capable evaluation, to my ability to hang out all day in an exam room and watch my dog's surgery on screen, to the kind and attentive after-care she got following the procedure. The techs were so good to her. She especially loved the icewater compression technique, borrowed from the cutting edge of human sports medicine! True to form, she blew the other ACL within a year, after we had moved out of state. I had her second surgery done in our new city and the experience was like night and day -- a regrettable assembly line process that required much longer recovery time and made me wish I'd made the trip back to Arizona. If I ever have to, I'll go back to ASG in a heartbeat!

Cindy Bucci

We travelled from BC to have surgery performed on our 3 1/2 lb Chihuahua by Dr Ross Lirtzman, this man is so kind and gentle and a master at his work. We had previous surgeries done on our dog's legs that were unsuccessful, all was corrected at ASG. The whole staff are professional, state of the art equipment (we even got to watch the surgery on our computer at home in live time) and the complex was spotless clean. My dog is now running around, going for walks, and generally not depressed any more. I would not hesitate to use Dr Ross Lirtzman at ASG again if the need arose.

Kacie Ostermiller

I love how they take the time to really explain everything in depth and I feel super comfortable with getting my babies major surgery done here!! Thank you ASG

Kevin Holloran

We took our 175 lb, 3 year old Great Dane to 3 other Vets including a Neurologist over the course of 2 years and no-one was able to tell us why she could barely walk, we tried weekly injections, chiropractic care and acupuncture just to try and relieve some of her pain but she just got worse and could barely get up from her bed without help. Some Vets thought it was her hips or maybe even Wobblers syndrome. As a last resort I found Dr. Lirtzman here on yelp and scheduled an appt. It took him 1 look at her to tell me what was wrong, HE IS JUST THAT GOOD!!! This whole time it was her knees. She had blown out her ACL'S as a puppy at some point and had been compensating for a long time with anti-inflammatory medication until the pain from the secondary meniscus tears got to much. He was the only Vet that was able to do a thorough exam on her knee and without expensive testing and sedation, her knee popped and made the loudest click you have ever heard. He performed a laproscopic arthroscopy and partial meniscetomy on the first knee and she did incredibly well. 3 months later we opted to do the same on the other knee. What an amazing difference!! My 3 year old Great Dane who could barely get up and walk is acting like a puppy again! She runs and jumps and can't wait to swim in our pool every day. I never realized how depressed she was because of her pain. I am so thankful to Dr. Lirtzman and his amazing staff for all they have done in literally saving our Dog's life. My only regret is not finding Dr. Lirtzman earlier!! Thank you ASG staff from the bottom of our hearts. Krystina, Kevin and Nymeria

Sean Hesler

Dr. Julie is amazing. She has been helping our dog immensely with acupuncture, cold laser and an underwater treadmill to help his coordination!

Alyssa Myers

Over the past year my husband and I have gone through a really rough time with our goldendoodle Layla, she tore her ACL and blew her meniscus. For a while we thought she was just limping because she had started to develop arthritis. We went to our normal vet and eventually he did a standard ACL surgery on Layla. After about 4 weeks, the surgery ended up failing and turned out to be the wrong solution for our dog. We then went to a new vet for a second opinion who referred us to a man named Dr. Ross Lirtzman. He owns an orthopedic practice called Arizona Specialty Group of Scottsdale, located in the north part of the valley. At our initial consult, Dr. Lirtzman spent over an hour and a half with us, explaining how this happened to Layla, why the first surgery was unsuccessful, and all of our options for getting Layla back to playing and swimming. We ended up deciding to have Dr. Lirtzman remove all of what was done during the first surgery, a full TPLO procedure, and repair her meniscus. Kevin and I didn’t want to take any chances that she would have to go under for a third time. On the day of her surgery, I dropped Layla off at 8am. The staff showed me where she would spend the day and the night after her procedure. We were provided with a link to watch the live stream of the surgery, and the staff called us to give us periodic updates throughout the day, including when she started and finished surgery. I was even more impressed, when my phone rang at 8:30pm, and it was Dr. Lirtzman himself calling us to explain his findings and exactly how the procedure went. The nurse who watched Layla all day and over night even sent me photos of Layla after she woke up, and would call us every few days in the weeks following to see how she was doing. The last 10 weeks after the surgery have been hard. Layla has been restricted to only walking for 10 minutes twice a day. She could not swim, or wrestle with Watson, or jump on the bed, or chase a ball. We have been in the bone healing and growth phase, which means that all activity has to be very restricted. Today we went in for our 2 month follow up appointment, which consisted of new X-rays and another consult with Dr. Lirtzman. He once again took time to explain to us exactly what he saw in the new X-rays and outline the final phase of Layla’s healing. I’m thrilled to say that Layla has been taken off the DL and has been cleared for play. We still have a strict rehab regime over the next couple months, but she is allowed to swim and play with Watson, and start to rebuild her leg muscles. The reason I’m writing this is because in the years of owning dogs, I have never met a vet as dedicated and caring as Dr. Ross Lirtzman. His passion for helping animals comes through in the way he interacts with the dogs and owners. And not to mention all of his staff are beyond amazing. All of this has set us back a little financially, but I have to say the experience we had with Dr. Lirtzman and his team was well worth every cent. Kevin and I very highly recommend that if anyone even suspects that your dog has any type of orthopedic issue, do not hesitate and take them to Dr. Lirtzman. You will not be disappointed with your experience.

Rich Bowden

I agree with many of the comments written praising Dr. Lirtzman and his staff taking care of their pets. No exception here...my Aussie had to have two TPLO surgeries on his rear legs to repair ACL injury and the outcome was great. If you need a specialist this is the place to go...very friendly and knowlegable.

Susan Rayman

I was referred to ASG by my vet. Everyone there was super nice and took great care of Diamond during both of her surgeries. We now call Diamond's leg her Bionic Leg and she is doing great. The hardest part was carrying her around for 10 weeks but in the end it was all worth it. I received weekly telephone calls for 3 months inquiring as to how Diamond was doing. I highly recommend Animal Specialty Group.

terry brown

We were referred to this office by our vet. Our West Highland Terrier had a malignant tumor of the urinary bladder. This dog meant the world to us and all the information that the Dr. gave us was accurate and professionally delivered. The dog had surgery, came through fine, and went on to live another 16 months. This was the best we could have hoped for with this very aggressive tumor. The Dr. and his staff were very kind and understanding to us as well as our dog. We would highly recommend Animal Specialty Group.

Teresa Rutherford

Absolutely great specialty vet office! They saved our Joey from a life of misery by repairing his patella, and have helped tremendously in his convalescence in his two hip replacements. Dr. Lirtzman is the most personable and wonderful vet, who takes his time explaining all the options for our Joey. Even when we decided to use Dr. Liska in Houston ( now Dallas) for Joeys hip replacements, he was so supportive as Liska is the gold standard vet for medium sized dogs needing hip replacements, and Lirtzman agreed. He was super helpful in getting us all set up with Liska and now takes care of Joey in his followups. No reservations whatsoever in having him take care of our dear boy.

Kelly Turner

Fantastic experience! We anticipated that our yellow lab would need a hip replacement for dysplasia for some time. Eventually he just couldnt maintain reasonable activity levels until it was addressed. We sought out Dr Lirtzman due to his credentials and training. We expected high quality and an amazing outcome. What we didnt specifically expect was the level of service and straight-forward financial arrangements. We had stellar interactions in every aspect of our experience. And best of all, the new hip has transformed our baby back into an energetic and happy adventure seeker. Thank you Dr Lirtzman and the entire ASG team.

Andrew Haley

Friendly staff, they make sure you fully understand what is needed and they give you the options to accomplish that goal. The surgery was a TPLO in both knees first one no problems until she messed up her other one, second one same thing no problems. Working now on getting her strength back. She is back to acting like a happy dog again. The surgeon made sure we understood what was going to happen and after the surgery showed us video clips and x-rays sharing what he did. He is very proud of the work he does, and is very happy to share his work. I would absolutely recommend using his services and would not hesitate to return again for any orthopedic procedure my dogs need.

Carmen Deese

We were referred to Dr Lewis from our dermatologist in Illinois. Thank you Dr Lewis for keeping my little girls (dog) allergies in check. Maggie is so happy when she is able to go out and enjoy her walks in the mornings.

Jay Murphy

We had a TPLO done on our dog about two years ago and were told prior to going through the expense that there was a good chance we would need to do the other leg in a year or so. Low and behold, almost a year to the day we were back to have the other leg done. While we were not excited about having to do the other leg we really appreciated the fact the doctor have us the heads-up ahead of time. This place is great from the Reception Staff, to the Vet Assistants to Dr. L himself. I have since referred two people there and will tell anyone that wants to listen that this is the place to go for top-notch service and expert care for their pets. From the moment you walk in the door to the end of the recovery process they are there to be sure you are happy with their service. I couldn't be happier with my experience here.

Healthy Smiles Dentistry

Dr Lirtzman is a very kind, caring, considerate and very knowledgeable doctor. We sing his praises, along with many of our friends. If you are looking for a Dr that will take the time to explain procedures and truly cares about you and your four-legged family, Dr Lirtzman and his office the Animal Specialty Group of Scottsdale is the place to go.

jon kopp

This place is fantastic. Dr. Lirtzman and his staff are the most loving, caring and compassionate team you will ever meet. If you pick this team and doctor to operate on your dog you struck the jackpot. Their are not enough words that my wife and I can say to express how lucky we are to have them perform a full hip replacement on our dog Peanut.

Betsy Tilton

My experience was amazing. I have never had a doctor, let alone a vet - spend as much time in a consultation. The whiteboard was a great touch. I realized right away that Dr. Lirtzman is compassionate, patient, knowledgeable, and loves what he does. I never felt rushed and I was given honest options for my yellow lab's torn ACL. The camera in the OR was proof of the transparency in Dr. Lirtzman's practice. I thought it was amazing to watch the team perform surgery to remove ACL, trim meniscus tear, and put in a metal plate. Now we are in recovery mode. My pup seems happy - a bit tentative and limping - but we are confident that he will be back to his normal playful active pain-free life in no time. I am 100% impressed with the doctor and the entire staff.

Lyz Starwalker

The pl ace is very nice, although the directions on the map may be a bit tricky because the entrance to different businesses are very close to each other and have no drive through from each other.

Candra Adams

Firstly, I was told here that my little chi would probably need knee surgery and extensive work to "reshape" her legs. I took her to two other vets for opinions (something I highly suggest doing) and they both disagreed. One suggested I just wait and see how she does (her patella was going in and out). Sure enough, she is now fine. The other said if she does need surgery (he's an orthopedic surgeon, too) it would be a simple procedure of deepening her groove. That's it. Secondly I would never have my dogs here because I've seen the techs walking dogs outside who are limping. They didn't know anyone was around because I was in my car getting ready to go in. They were extremely cold and callous to these dogs ("hurry up, why don't you?" "hurry up so we can go back inside") Uh, these dogs are doing their best. Much, MUCh different from how they act when they know people are watching them. However, I was coming primarily to see Dr. Mayer and not them, so... the last time i came to see Dr. Mayer I got confused about appt. dates. The front desk/tech girl named Nicky or something (she looks like Olive Oil) knew there was a confusion. Nevertheless she waited until 4:58 to tell me that she was locking the door in two minutes. My b/f had dropped me off and went shopping. I looked for my phone but didn't bring it. She was very snotty about letting me use their phone. I called and he said he'd be there in ten min's. I asked if I could wait for him to come as it was 110 degrees that day. She said no, she's locking the door right now, and I could either wait an hour in the lobby for Dr. Mayer with no way to contact my b/f or let him in ; or wait out in the heat. I hoped he would be there soon and went out into the heat. Now, she knew that my little Serene had two strokes and was having seizures and she felt perfectly fine doing this saying "I don't work for Dr. Mayer anyway, I work for Dr. Lirtzman, so it's not my problem". Well, can't you have a heart for animals no matter who you work for? And as a tech she would know that heat brings these problems on. That night my Serene had the worse grand mal seizure she's ever had from being in the heat, (although I finally found an open nearby office and asked if I could stand in there for a moment). The next day my b/f called the office mgr. and she said the same thing "we don't work for Dr. Mayer so it's her fault". Again, zero compassion. What really burned me up though is that this Olive Oil didn't actually leave the office until my b/f had arrived. She went out a side door, ten min's. after she kicked us out. I had been in those back areas before and could have easily waited in the cool lobby and then exited ten minutes later with everyone else. Trust me, they "care " about your pet when you're watching and they have their hands on your wallet. BTW, I saw that they want to sue someone else for daring to leave another honest review on them. Makes me wonder about the validity of the good ones. Well, one of my friends has been voted "top 100 lawyers in America" and I used to be a legal asst., so if you want to sue me for an honest review, bring it on.

Simon Misrac

everything about my interaction with asg was top drawer. my dog needed his acl repaired, which was done ten days ago. by all indications from his actions the surgery has been a total success. i am visiting from chicago and could have waited until i returned home to have the surgery performed, but my surgeon in chicago, who had performed this surgery on one of my other dogs, recommended not to wait. i was referred to doctor lirtzman by the scottsdale animal ranch and i was very impressed with doctor lirtzman, his staff, and the facility. the price for the surgery was comparable to what i would have paid in chicago and it was nice to know it was an inclusive fee. whatever follow up that would have been necessary would have been without additional charge. even if a problem developed. doctor lirtzman spent seventy five minutes with me at the initial consultation and another thirty minutes with me going through every step of the surgery including showing me slides of the surgery. his staff was very patient and clear with explanation of the care to be administered at home post op. my dogs are part of my family and doctor lirtzman and his staff cared for my little guy as well as any doctor has cared for my children. a great experience.

Sarah Proctor

We simply cannot say enough good things about ASG! From the very first call we made, through every step of the process, the surgery, and now with post-surgery care every single soul that we spoke with, observed, or corresponded with was kind, respectful, appreciative, caring, and highly knowledgeable. Dr. Lirtzman, Jade, Beth, Mary, Nic... all incredibly patient and smart and wonderful! We were sad to have to surgery for our dog's injury but we felt 100% confident in leaving our baby with ASG of Scottsdale! High quality everyone and everything! I only wish my human doctors and staff were this amazing!!!

Irene Hammond

I was referred from my vet's office when my 5 ½lb Italian Greyhound broke her leg. They not only did an amazing job on her surgery, but had better care and followup than I got from a surgery I had. My IG is fully healed and you would never know she had a plate in her leg. She gained full mobility and is back to her happy jumping self again. I hope I never need surgical services for my dogs, but if I do this is where I will bring them!

Random Person

Unfortunately our dog Coco had severe hip dysplasia (was born with it). His right hip dislocated and there was no way to get it back in due to the advanced arthritis in the joint. Doctor Lirtzman did a full hip-replacement on Coco, and it's been wonderful. They also suggested we use supplements (like chondroitin, fish oil, etc.) to help the other hip. Dr. Lirtzman was very caring and compassionate, and a skilled surgeon too. Coco is better than ever. I would highly recommend Dr. Lirtzman. He is not the cheapest, but he is one of the best!

Donna Nardi

Oh my gosh! Best experience ever! Two days out of surgery and my Basset is doing his happy dance. It's going to be a challenge keeping him quiet for several weeks. Dr. Lirtzman explained the anatomy, what the surgery entailed then, post-op, showed me the video of what he did. I know more about dog knee anatomy than human anatomy. The staff is stellar as well. I hope my dog doesn't need surgery again but if he does, I will not hesitate to schedule him at the Animal Special Group again.

David Scheven

Our ten year old Australian Shepherd had three surgeries on his right front paw over the last fifteen months. The surgeon that completed the 3rd surgery told us that our dog had a bone infection and needed to have his toe amputated. We were referred to Animal Specialty Group by a friend and we went to Dr. Lirtzman on 5/11/15 for a second opinion. Dr. Lirtzman was very thorough and stated that he did not believe there was a bone infection and recommended a course of antibiotics. After consulting with my wife we decided to have Dr. Lirtzman take over the care for our dog. We sent all of our dog's medical records to Dr. Lirtzman and on 5/15/15 he e-mailed me to tell me he was on his way to Ohio but would get back to me with his antibiotic recommendation. I never heard from Dr. Lirtzman again. He never responded to multiple e-mails and calls to his office. I spoke directly with his receptionist and asked if he was sick or had a death in the family and she said no, that he is very busy, and that she would give him my message. After nearly three weeks trying to reach Dr. Lirtzman we finally gave up and moved on to another surgeon. I typically do not write these type of reviews however I received an e-mail this evening from Animal Specialty Group asking me to review them on Google so here it is.

Nicholas Flores

thorough exam, informative

Diane Denard-Leiter

My Carmella, a Cocker Spaniel, had two bad knees. Trying to figure out her problem took two months and $2,000 before I saw Dr L. at Animal Specialty Group. The care Carmella received was that of a first class hospital. The doctor was able to repair and brace Carmella's knees. That was two months ago. She is back to being her old self, jumping up on the sofa and bed. To everyone at the Animal Specialty Group in Scottsdale, thank you, thank you, thank you, for everything!

Deborah Bash

My 9 year old Aussie was diagnosed with severe hip dysplasia when she was 7 1/2. Dr. Lirztman advised to start with conservative treatment (medication) and told me that my dog would let me know when it was time for a hip replacement. I was so impressed that he didn't push me into surgery. Just after her 8th birthday and a long winter of limping, Cedar had her hip replacement at Animal Specialty Group of Scottsdale. A year later, she now runs again with me every morning, chases bunnies, chase her ball, and thinks she is a 3 month old puppy! Although it was a difficult recovery for both my dog and me (who wants to see their dog in pain....) the reward has been HUGE and my dog is happy and healthy. The care she received was outstanding, and I am very grateful.

Dave Sandkuhl

We were referred to ASG by Dr. Brown at the Scottsdale Ranch Animal Hospital when our 65 lb. German Shorthair Pointer/Australian Shepherd mix tore what would be the human equivalent of his ACL. Using a procedure called TPLO, Dr. Lirtzman did a terrific job repairing Griffin's leg and also cleaned up his MCL for good measure. Griffin has been nearly back to 100% since the surgery and couple months of recovery. Nearly 1.5 years later, he still takes me on his "power walks" and he still acts like a 3 year old at the dog park. I highly recommend ASG for similar surgical needs.

Rosemary Davis

Our 1 yr. old Australian Shepherd, Cash had a limp since we got him at 6 months. Our regular Vet couldn't figure out what was wrong so she referred us to Dr Lirtzman. He diagnosed a shoulder defect with one xray and took him to surgery the next day. It has been about 3 months and he is doing so well! No limp and he is as active as ever. I highly recommend Dr. Lirtzman-he and his staff are very attentive, accessible and very caring. If your dog is in the care of ASG--you don't have to worry about a thing.

Kira Schlesinger

I found Dr. Lirtzman after another specialist had given us some questionable information. I went to Animal Specialty Group for a second opinion. The difference between Dr. Lirtzman and the first doctor was amazing. Dr. Lirtzman took a lot of time, even using a whiteboard, to explain exactly what was going on with our toy dog's ACL. He listened to my husband and me, and took our explanation of events into account, along with a thorough examination and x-rays, in forming his diagnosis. We had him repair her ACL, and were able to watch the surgery on a live stream. Dr. Lirtzman has been attentive to follow up. My girl has now regained her full movement, and it is a delight to see her run and play again. I cannot recommend this clinic enough. Wonderful care by Dr. Lirtzman and a very courteous staff. Thanks all!

Jim Keller

This review is being posted as it was solicited by the practice. Scheduled a consultation for THR surgery. Was informed that the fee was to be $120 and would include include a specialized treadmill diagnostic test. Typical consultation fees are about $50. I believe Dr. Lirtzman to be a skilled and competent surgeon and was prepared to schedule the procedure. However, at checkout, I was charged $210 and Dr. Lirtzman began to argue about fees. This was very unprofessional and quickly changed my mind about the practice. Further, the results of the treadmill test were never delivered as promised. E mail inquiry was ignored. By the doctors own statements in another review, he appears far to busy to provide the level of service that a $14,000 professional fee demands. Perhaps additional staff or a lighter workload would be in order. The THR surgery was successfully performed at another board certified specialty practice that provided both clinical expertise and excellent service. Plus the fee was $4000 lower. The office looks more like a Beverly Hills day spa than a veterinary practice. Although this is a nice touch, I personally prefer a conventional setting without surprises, conflict, broken promises and exorbitant fees.

Kerry Stutzman

I was referred to ASG by my vet, Mike Lee, who is superb. My husband, dog and I met with Dr. Ross Lirtzman and he immediately put us at ease and spent considerable time answering questions and explaining the proposed procedure, the TPLO. I wish my doctors spent this kind of time with me! Dr. Lirtzman is well-qualified and experienced. I am a registered nurse and I reviewed Dr. Lirtzman's credentials and all the info on the procedure and was very impressed and comfortable with going forward. I watched the surgery on my computer and it was just like human surgery, it was amazing. I was less anxious with being able to observe the surgery in live time. Post-op care was excellent, again much time provided to us explaining care. My dog has done beautifully, she jumps, runs and plays just as before surgery, no complications. We feel so blessed to have had such an incredible surgeon (and his entire team) available for our Sahara. Dr. Lirtzman gave her back a normal life. I would highly recommend ASG!

Brittany Drake

Dr Ross gave us our dog back! Our dog Dexter loved to run and play frisbee and go for walks. He somehow tore his ACL and needed surgery to repair it. He could barely make it around the block without limping later that night. Dr was so throrough on what needed to be done and why. Although it was a costly procedure it was worth it and if we were going to fix his leg we were going to do it right because you get what you pay for. I felt safe leaving him in his care and loved that I was able to watch the surgery online. After the surgery and he was there overnight the staff was very nice and called us and even sent us pictures to know that he's ok. I can't recommend them enough. Dexter can now run and play and not limp anymore.