Business Details
21 Years
experience
Emergency
services
Trusted Veterinary Care in Pittsburgh
Founded in 2005 by Dr. Aileen Ruiz, The Big Easy Animal Hospital brings compassionate veterinary care to Pittsburgh with a unique New Orleans-inspired approach. Our hospital combines modern medical technology with personalized service, offering comprehensive care including vaccinations, dentistry, surgeries, and urgent care. We prioritize preventative health and senior pet wellness, emphasizing early disease detection and tailored treatment plans.Our team provides doggy daycare, boarding, and grooming services, fostering a community where pets are treated as family. With bilingual staff and a commitment to affordability, we serve Pittsburgh's pet owners while maintaining strong ties to New Orleans through our heritage and mission.
Services
Veterinary Care
Pet Boarding
Grooming Services
Vaccinations
Senior Pet Wellness
Urgent Care
Dental Care
Surgical Procedures
Diagnostic Testing
Pet Euthanasia
Details
- Year established: 2005
Highlights and features
- We offer 24/7 emergency pet care referrals through Blue Pearl partners
- Our bilingual staff serves Pittsburgh's diverse pet-owning community
- We provide comprehensive preventative care programs for senior pets
- Our hospital combines modern diagnostics with personalized treatment plans
- We offer integrated pet services including daycare, boarding, and grooming
What people say
Compassionate staff
24/7 emergency referrals
Bilingual services
Senior pet programs
Integrated pet services
Services
Veterinary Care
Our comprehensive veterinary services include routine exams, vaccinations, and preventative care tailored to each pet's needs. We follow AVMA guidelines for immunizations and provide heartworm/flea prevention education. Our team emphasizes early disease detection through regular check-ups and diagnostic testing.
Senior Pet Wellness
Specialized programs for pets over seven years old include dietary guidance, arthritis management, and bi-annual health screenings. We offer blood work baselines and monitoring for diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Our staff educates owners on recognizing early signs of age-related conditions.
Urgent Care
Available during business hours, our urgent care handles critical situations with resuscitation equipment and immediate intervention protocols. For after-hours emergencies, we partner with Blue Pearl facilities while maintaining treatment continuity. Staff trained in ABC life support protocols prioritize rapid response.
Dental Care
We provide professional cleanings, extractions, and periodontal disease prevention. Services include polishing to reduce tartar buildup and education on home dental care. Our team addresses oral infections that could impact systemic health through bacterial spread.
Pet Boarding
Our Dog Daze & Cafe facility offers doggy daycare, cat condo boarding, and grooming services. The space combines comfortable accommodations with socialization opportunities while maintaining health protocols. Clients receive regular updates during pet stays.
People
Dr. Aileen Ruiz
Veterinarian/Owner
Dr. Ruiz founded The Big Easy Animal Hospital in 2005 after relocating from New Orleans post-Katrina. A Florida International University graduate with veterinary training from Ross University, she specializes in emergency care and internal medicine. She maintains memberships in multiple veterinary associations.
Questions
What services does Big Easy Animal Hospital offer?
We provide veterinary care, pet boarding, grooming, vaccinations, senior pet wellness programs, urgent care, dental services, and surgical procedures.
Are emergency services available after hours?
For after-hour emergencies, we recommend Blue Pearl North (412-366-3400) or Blue Pearl South (724-809-2009) partners while maintaining treatment continuity.
What payment methods are accepted?
We accept cash, checks (with ID), Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Debit cards, and CareCredit financing options.
Is the hospital accessible for senior pet care?
Yes, we offer specialized programs including bi-annual exams, dietary guidance, and chronic condition management for pets over seven years old.
Are Saturday appointments available?
Technician appointments are available Saturdays 9:00am-2:00pm, though doctor availability varies due to rotating schedules.
What makes Big Easy unique?
As Pittsburgh's only Hispanic-owned veterinary hospital, we combine New Orleans heritage with bilingual services and integrated pet care solutions.
Videos
Reviews (6)
Brianne Behnen
Jan 02, 2022
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Sorry to say whoever is working the front desk should probably seek a different profession outside of customer service. She was so unbelievably rude and shamed me on the phone. I am not upset about the information given, it was the way it was delivered, even after stating I wasn't trying to be combative, she met me with the rudest attitude and ended up shaming me because I haven't brought my pet in in some time. WELL FIRST OFF, I WONT BE COMING BACK, secondly, I have had to outsource to other vets in the meantime because it is very hard to book an appointment (they say they'll call back, and never
Pens Fan
Dec 29, 2021
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I had a pet emergency on New Year's Eve. Since it was a holiday almost every emergency vet was closed and it was so hard to find someone to look at my kitty. Big Easy was more than willing to have us come in and they treated my kitty with such compassion. While the wait was long due to the holiday and half of the normal staff they did a fantastic job. The treated my cat like he had been coming for years. They took the time with us and gave him a through exam and ended up giving him some fluids and medicine. Our cat has bounced back and is doing much better. I can not say enough about how nice the
Abbey Rideout
Dec 21, 2021
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My dog had a fall over Christmas weekend and started showing symptoms of severe pain in one of her hind legs. While I have a regular vet, Big Easy walk-in seemed a faster and more viable option because of a backstock of holiday weekend visits at our regular vet. We waited in an exam room for nearly an hour before seeing the vet. At about the half hour mark I asked for a blanket or something soft for my injured dog to rest on as well as a time check, and was told I needed to be more patient as there were actually still 3 animals ahead of me. When the vet did come in, she informed me that she had
Pro Photographer Don Orkoskey
Nov 16, 2021
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I've taken my pets here since they opened. I love the Big Easy! They're are and have always been great with my pets even my very frightened ones. I have had to go elsewhere due to scheduling issues or specialization needs but there isn't anywhere else in Pittsburgh that I trust more.
Steven Dearth
Nov 16, 2021
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They care not to diagnose a pet, even if your pet has serious symptoms. Poor customer service no matter the type of phone call, appointment. Inability to let patients know when their facilities are not equipped to handle pretty much anything vet hospital related. Even before the pandemic, appointments were never on time. I gave this place a chance for 2 years since we are neighbors due to a referral, but now my dog is dead too early since the vets I interacted with across months and years just would not try to be a real doctor. Do not take your pets here if you want them to be healthy. I wouldnt
Joshua Hamaker
Sep 15, 2021
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The past year has been difficult on the scheduling, but the staff has always been as helpful as they can be and very kind to me everytime I brought my dog in. I have been going for years now, right up until I had to put my pet down a few weeks ago. Dr. Ruiz remembered my pet and her medical issues and provided me the best care available and I'm forever grateful of the many years of service from them. Thank you
