The thought of the high bill you'll get when your beloved pet gets injured or sick during late-night/holiday/weekend hours always worries you. It even makes you wonder if your pet could possibly wait until normal hours. But I'm here to tell you to stop worrying and take your pet here. They are absolutely fantastic, from the front staff to the vets themselves. And the prices are fair and reasonable rather than making you feel like you're paying enough to buy a house or something. My dog unfortunately got bit by her doggie friend on a Sunday, and the puncture wound was rather large when I inspected it. My biggest concern was infection. So I brought her around 9pm or so on that same Sunday. They all loved on her and treated her like a spoiled little princess. Her wound was cleaned, a culture taken, and 6 staples applied. She was also given an antibiotic and 2 different pain meds. The vet also gave her an injection of a pain med in the morphine family, which honestly, I regret allowing that to happen. That medication was way too strong and my dog seemed much more miserable on the drug than before. Before with just the wound, she was pretty much herself. But when injected with the morphine-like pain drug, she was crying, could barely walk (which the vet said she would look like she was drunk), and 20 mins later had diarrhea. When she tried to squat and pee, she basically just sat and peed on herself. This drug affected her for almost a full 24 hours and during this time she was lethargic, would barely eat, and would only lay down/sleep. Yes, it was a decent sized puncture wound, but I still would not do that again to her. I also felt the prescribing of 2 different pain meds 2X per day for at least a week was a bit much (which we did not give her because it was unneeded and frankly, wasted money). Other than that tough lesson though, she was very well cared for, and healing wonderfully. The staff is all very pleasant and answers all your questions in a way that you can truly understand the reasoning behind it. read more

Just lost our cat. She was in rough condition at arrival but I am very confused with Dr. Kim's behavior overall. I am currently on active duty out of state, so my family member brought my cat in. She was admitted in the afternoon. Dr. Kim said that she was "mentally not there", and that she was going to die within 30-60 mins. My family urgently gathered together in the ER within this timeframe, but Dr. Kim never actually made his appearance to them. Instead he called me to say that there is a slight chance to save the pet if I agree to a blood transfusion for her, and a $3500-6000 bill. I did agree. My family was still there waiting. The blood transfusion takes time. My family finally left around 7 p.m. to get something to eat. Never having a chance to actually talk to this mysterious doctor in person. Dr. Kim kept mentioning to me that his shift ends at 11 pm. I was confused about why would I need this information but because he repeated it few times, I even memorized it. The closer we would get to 11 p.m., the more he started talking about euthanasia. I was under the impression that we were on some sort of timeframe we failed to meet. Guess who called me at almost midnight saying that my cat stopped breathing? Dr. Kim. I asked him straightforward why was he calling me if he was supposed to leave at 11? Where was his relief? I really wanted to talk a different doctor who wouldn't be in such a rush all the time, and not so eager to leave work. I told him I was not going to talk about euthanasia. He also called my daughter to tell her the same thing, that our cat was not breathing. My daughter was on her way back to the ER. Later, he'd say that she was actually just having trouble breathing, but never actually stopped. 10 minutes past midnight he called to tell me that my cat was "deceased" but also offered to continue doing CPR. I was very confused. I asked him "doctor, you just pronounced her deceased. Meanwhile you are asking me about CPR. Are you seriously going to perform CPR on a dead body? One can not be "a little bit dead". It's a yes or no question". He apologized for "confusing me". But honestly. I have a very bad taste in my mouth. I am under an impression that it was not just a coincidence that he was still there past his clock out time, making sure the case was "closed". It all looks like my cat died very conveniently for him. That he didn't want another doctor to take over (WHY?). His confusing language and a poor choice of words are the whole different story. If he calls me to tell me that I just lost a family member, he better be mindful about how he says it. When my daughter arrived, he didn't take time to sit and talk to her. She said he "ran in and out of the room" like he was in too much of a rush to bother with anything else. She is asking for the records right now, physically being in there. They are saying that there is a policy to do not give out notes "right away". Of course, so they have time to write whatever they want. And yes, up to this point nobody from the staff expressed any condolences to our family. I appreciate your time if you read to this point. I feel like something strange happened tonight. I don't want you to feel the same way. Don't go to this place. read more

We were referred here by our vet, Dr T at Light Street Animal Hospital after it was confirmed our boxer had torn her ACLs. She was only a year old at the time and while ACL surgery for a large dog is $$$, we didn't want her to limp or be in pain her whole life. Dr. Joseph Prostredny was a calming, authoritative force in a very scary, sad time for us. He helped us weigh the pros and cons of surgery so we could decide what was right for our family. He is a very calm, holistic doctor, with a slight hint of hippy in him! We decided to go with the TPLO surgery (both knees, one at a time). I was worried about the anesthesia (boxers are very sensitive to certain types of anesthesia), the recovery, pain, all of it. He listened to my worries and answered each question fully; I never felt rushed. He showed us her xrays and explained in great detail our options and how each surgery option would be performed as well as the expected outcomes of each. After her surgery he called us right away to let us know how it went and how she was doing. Recovery from TPLO surgery was a long and arduous 16 weeks but our puppy (now 5yrs) is a running fool! Each time we see her happily bounding away, we smile and think of how Dr. Prostredny helped it all be so. I can't say enough about Dr Prostredny and how he was so caring with our dog and how he was always available to answer questions, before, during, and after the surgeries. read more

Chesapeake Veterinary Surgical Specialists - Dr. Prostredny (photo from website) - Veterinarians Near Me - Columbia, Maryland

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Rude. Overpriced. They are pretending to care out COVID issues yet they come out to your car and stand within inches of you and take your dog out of your arms. They won't let you use their bathroom so they make you drive to Harris Teeter. And since you can't use thier bathroom I had to watch as a male client walked over to the dumpster and relieved himself. The doctor is supposed to consult for 60 minutes per their email. The doctor talked to me so fast I couldn't understand her and my "consult" lasted 17 minutes. I'm so disappointed. I drove so far to come here and can't even see the vet. Can't use the bathroom. And worse their phones aren't working so you go to the door and try to figure out how to call them and the techs walk by like you are scum and won't talk to you. They can clearly tell you don't know what's going on. I saw one poor elderly lady stand at the door while THREE techs raced by her. She tried to ask them questions and they acted like she was trash. The sign about the phones being out of order is on the bottom of the door in small print. Why make it noticeable when you can have your employees be rude. And be prepared for NO one to answer the phone. You have to call the ER vet to get thru to the specialist and they don't want to answer it seems. I called four times. I went to the door to ask a tech what was going on with my dog. She said "someone will answer". If I'm at the door telling you I called four times and no one answered they when exactly will they answer? Why doesnt the specialist have their own phone number? My dog is family to me. Is this was a persons child would they allow this? read more

They never answer their phone. My pet is there for surgery. No one answered the phone when we called to make the appointment - had to leave a message and wait two days for a call back. No one answered the phone when we called with questions prior to surgery - played phone tag for a while and then gave up. No answered the phone when I called multiple times today for a status update - nevermind that I shouldn't have had to call...you should have called me as soon as he was in recovery! I'm sure the doctors are very good, but their administrative personnel and process need some serious help. We're really going to have a problem if I have questions or concerns post-surgery. I have no patience to wait for a return call that may or may not come when my pet's health and welfare is at stake. There are many qualified surgeons in the DMV, folks. Find one that is responsive to their clients. read more

Our dog got hit by a car (she's fine) and we called probably five different vets and animal hospitals in the area. They were all booked solid and unwilling to see us. Finally, we called this office and they got us in right away. They were able to push us to the front of the line in case of internal injuries. We were worried that it would be a really expensive visit, but it was reasonably priced. They even advised us not to go for the more expensive X-Ray because our dog didn't seem like she needed it. I would absolutely go back for any animal emergency and recommend them wholeheartedly! read more

The best vet here BY FAR was the amazing Dr Greg Ferguson in cardiology . He made going there almost fun :(. ( RIP , we miss you terribly ). Best . Vet. Ever. I had to take my other cat to Internal Medicine last week and I found the staff and the dr to be robotic . I felt like a number and I bet my cat did too . They wouldn't let me go back with her for her ultrasound which really annoyed me . I wanted to be there with her because she gets really upset and the vet, but I was DE-NIED. After a bad diagnosis , the girl said she needed her $900. I think she could have waited until I regained my composure .. The problem is that this is the only referral center around here so I have to use them . read more

We were referred here by our regular vet Greater Annapolis Vets and I couldn't be more pleased with the caring, kind service we received from the entire staff and Dr. Prostredny. He is very calming, no nonsense and caring and kept us in the loop the entire time before/during and after surgery. He was always open and available to me when our Dora had major exploratory surgery there last fall. They were open to listening to any/all input, more than receptive to our coming in and spending time with Dora post surgery and just overall seem to put the needs of the dog and her owners as a priority. Not at all arrogant or dismissive of our needs/concerns. Each time we have been in I have been reassured that this is the place to go for our dogs when/if they need surgical care. read more

By some rare twisted fate of events three years later, my dog's knee plate got infected... But, just like last time, Dr. Prostredny worked his magic and fixed her up. Just like last time, he tried to contact me on every phone number that I listed to update me immediately after surgery. And, just like last time, the staff was amazing. To top it all off, the cost was absolutely reasonable!! I love that this place exists. If I lived closer, I would want to work at CVRC because it seems like they have it all together here! My akita is up and running and playing without any more knee issues and I couldn't be happier for her state of health. I highly recommend this place! read more

2 months ago I lost my best friend (MORRIS). On Sunday night he slept with me and on Tuesday night he was gone. I had no idea he was sick, he was a beautiful orange Tabby, he would have been 14 in October. And was so proud of his orange fluffy tail. I miss him so much and still cry my eyes out, he left a big hole in my heart. I must say that everyone did such a wonderful job over at the Hospital, the Doctors kept me informed about every move and how much fluid they drained from around his heart and lungs. But all my prayers and having the best Doctors couldn't save him. At least he is in Heaven with my husband and not suffering trying to breathe. And his family Vet Dr. Stuart Caplan from the Pet Vet in Clarksville, Md. If I ever find just some one as great as Morris Dr. Caplan will be our Vet again. I miss you MORRIS and love you more then you will ever know, till we meet again. Love Mommy Cathy Putgenter read more

I don't doubt that the doctors here are good, but my experience has left me very disappointed with some of the telephone crew (on previous visits) and some of the techs. In the past I have also had great difficulty just getting someone to communicate with me about what was happening, what was planned and how long it would take. It's very frustrating. Tonight I dropped off my dog, and when I called to sign in, I mentioned that I had brought my dog's most recent labs. As it happens, I forgot to give them to the tech that took my dog. I noticed, however, after she had entered the building that she was right near the front door, weighing my boy, so I walked up and knocked on the window to try to get her attention. She was very adept at NOT seeing me, though it would have been impossible for her not to have. At that point, I noticed that she was being very rough with the way she was putting her thermometer in my dog's ear, and obviously hurt him once. I saw him jerk his head away in pain. As I had mentioned to the person who signed me in that he had recently had an ear infection, I would have expected her to be extra careful. The WHOLE time I was outside holding up my test papers and knocking on the window, I was being watched by the people manning the phones--none of whom seemed inclined to help, to see what I wanted, or to tell the--now TWO--techs near my dog that they might wish to help me. FINALLY, one of them came to the door, but was obviously irritated from the outset, hung onto the door like I was a door-to-door salesman trying to get in, and didn't say a word--just glared at me. I, in some irritation, said that I had been trying to get someone's attention for several minutes because I had paperwork that needed to go with my dog. Her irritable response: "Well we're very busy right now!" I responded that all the people at the phones had been watching me the whole time without lifting a finger to help, and she told me that they weren't allowed to leave the phones. (Never mind that I saw three of them leave their phones by the time I got back to my car). This girl was a right little snot and hollered after me, "You could have a little patience you know!" Recognizing the futility of any interaction with her, I ignored her. This is not the first time I've been treated rudely by the staff here, and I will in the future endeavor to go absolutely anywhere BUT here. I will also make a point to tell others how non-communicative and uncaring the staff is. It is very likely that the majority of people bringing their animals here are in some level of emotional distress before they ever make it to the parking lot, and it is unconscionable to me that I or anyone else should to have to deal with these attitudes on top of everything else. I had basically not slept at all the previous night while keeping my dog comfortable, cleaning up vomit and making trips outside in the dead of night for him. The snotty little girl had not a single thought or care for me or my dog and her attitude was unforgivable. As I am paying a lot of money to use the services of CVRC, surely it is not unreasonable to encounter a modicum of respect. read more

My cat and I recently traveled 2 hours to see Dr. McGregor (with Chesapeake Veterinary Cardiology Associates -- one of the specialty groups that are part of CVRC), and we were not disappointed. The waiting room is clean, airy and bright, and the reception staff are all very sweet. Because this is a bigger hospital, there really should be a separate waiting area for cats, but the lobby was not packed, and there were plenty of places to get away from dogs if needed. Dr. McGregor is awesome! He was so friendly with us and our kitty cat. He got down on the floor with our cat and took his time getting to know him. Dr. McGregor has state of the art equipment at his disposal to help make his diagnosis, and his treatment plan was very clear. He let us watch my cat's echo-cardiogram and walked us through everything he was seeing. Meanwhile, my cat lay there like a little angel (he's a very nice cat, but he did better than I expected). After the visit, Dr. McGregor's very gentle and knowledgeable technician set my kitty up in a "house" so my husband and I could go get some lunch before driving all the way back home. Prices for the first consultation are up there -- $550-$650. However, I feel that my cat received an excellent consultation from a cardiologist at the cutting edge of his profession using the best equipment available. I just wish CVRC was closer to where I live! read more

We were very shocked when our perfectly healthy, five year old Yellow Lab was diagnosed with a heart murmur at a routine Vet visit early in 2010. At the referral of our Vet, we went to CVCA, and saw Dr. Rosenthal. Going in, besides being a nervous wreck with what we were dealing with, I also worried about how our dog would behave (or not) for the echocardiogram. Regardless of being friendly, she is a Lab, and has a lot of energy. She especially likes meeting new people. I thought for sure they'd need to sedate her. Upon our entering, the waiting room was very clean and bright. The front desk staff greeted us immediately, and were very kind. Once back in the exam room, the technician had our dog basically being an angel by her soothing and calm manner. When Dr. Rosenthal came in, he continued this, and spoke with my husband and I at length about heart problems in dogs. During the echocardiogram, we were in a dimly lit and relaxing room, so much so that my dog laid like an angel on the table during the whole thing. Dr. Rosenthal explained everything he was doing, and what he saw, and was so incredibly helpful. At checkout, the price ended up being $100 less than we had been quoted. Talk about a nice surprise! Several months later, a chest x-ray at my own Vet showed what looked like a lot of fluid in our dog's lungs, which was not a good sign. Our Vet sent the x-rays to Dr. Rosenthal, and he quickly called back to give his assessment (which was that it was scar tissue and not heart related, sigh of relief), but again, we were so thrilled with his caring manner in doing so. I can't recommend CVCA enough, and am so thankful for them in dealing with a horrible situation. read more

My pug needed surgery. These people were straight up with us, the staff was super nice and knowledgeable. They fixed my puppy's leg and now he is living an awesome and fulfilled life. read more

We were referred here after our vet realized that the needs of our dog were out of her scope of practice. She had recently tried to treat a cut that had ended up infected after she placed stitches...$2000 later and very upset owners we were sent to Dr. Burgess. Needless to say, because our vet was not able to treat our dog, we were more than upset when we were sent away. Dr. Burgess was so incredibly professional and knowledgeable we finally felt at ease when we came here. He described exactly how our dog would be treated and answered all of our never ending questions. In the end he healed our dogs large wound and he is healthier than ever. Big plus, they actually tell you the cost of treatment before they do it. 4 starts because...I do appreciate that this vet offers drop off appointments where you can drop them off at 7:30-8 and then pick them up later in the day, and the vet will call you with their findings, but I feel like my dog was just locked up in a kennel for hours without any water or attention. Every time I picked him he was crazy attached, hey maybe he just missed me, but when we got home he would drink 2 large filled bowls of water. I guess they don't give them water so they don't have to go to the bathroom? I just don't think I would be comfortable if they were watching him for 5+ hours or over night. Either way, I would not hesitate to refer anyone here. I would just make sure that if you do drop your pet off, make sure they are not there for a long period of time. read more

This is a very professional, ethical, and caring practice. The office staff, the technicians, and doctors are all compassionate and patience. Everyone takes all the time needed to answer all those seemly frightening questions when your pet needs surgery. One day I voluntarily sat in their waiting room for two hours. I was amazed how they treated each person as if their question was unique even though they had just been asked by someone else. They tailored the answer so it could be heard given the stress level of the individual. It was very impressive. This practice goes above and beyond the guidelines dictated by the AMVA and the requirements of the Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners. In addition, I took my dog for a several second opinions. I found that Dr. Burgress is respected by his peers. One Surgeon told me Dr. Burgress was better qualified to do the needed surgery for my dog. I highly recommend this practice. read more

Took my cat to see Dr. Hickey today. To make a long story short, I ended up in the ER with her the night before and the vet thought she had heart disease. Even though it was an expensive visit, they accommodated me with a quick appointment (literally an hour after I called) and saw me RIGHT ON TIME. Surprised? So was I. Dr. Hickey, and his assistant, were very caring. I cried for almost half of the visit and they were extremely caring and understanding. He didn't seem rushed- answered all of my questions and spent an hour or so with me and my cat. In the end, he is unsure what is wrong with her, but gave me an rx and referred me elsewhere. He will followup after I get more tests and he speaks with his team to decide what is wrong, and what to do next. Money worth spent on a compassionate, caring practice! read more

My dog needed emergency hip surgery and the surgical department required a cardiology consult. The Cardiology department was very rude and acted like they were doing me a favor by fitting me in for $600. They wouldn't allow me to attend the appointment. I lett and went to VOSM and Dr. Canapp. Dr. Canapp did not think an emergency cardiology consult was necessary prior to surgery, but recommended that I schedule an appointment. I will never use this practice. Lisa read more

We were blown away by our experience with CVCA in Towson and are so thankful our primary care veterinarian referred us. CVCA took the time to diagnose our dog in a thorough manner, answer all of our questions, and sent us home with a detailed, written care plan. Our first visit was over an hour long, and involved us being in the room with our dog, the doctor, and a vet tech, while an echocardiogram and ECG were performed on our dog, who was in a dire condition. As Dr. Jacob took pictures of our dog's heart during the echocardiogram she explained what we were seeing and why it was making our dog sick. We were not rushed and it seemed that she and Heather, our vet tech, had nowhere else to be besides with us during our appointment. In addition to prescribing several medications (which they took the time to tell us which pharmacies were the cheapest in our area for these particular drugs), it was recommended that our dog be hospitalized. After already spending over $1000 at our primary vet the day before, we were not able to afford this option. Dr. Jacob and Heather were compassionate and did not make us feel judged, and we smoothly transitioned into discussing how to best take care of our dog at home. They even let us rent a neat device that turns an iPhone into an ECG so that we could check our dog's heart ourselves. Two days later, my husband took our dog back in for a check up with Dr. Hickey. My husband liked Dr. Hickey equally as much, and he also sent us home with written instructions to update our care plan. CVCA is amazing. Their front desk staff will go out of their way to help you understand the large volume of information you are suddenly faced with. Everyone is SO kind and compassionate during what can be a stressful and grief-filled time. Thank you CVCA! read more

Dr. Keats is an amazing surgeon! This is a long overdue review I've been meaning to write for him and his staff! I don't know where to start. We took our dog, Achilles, to his location in Columbia Md, although we live roughly an hour and a half away, becuase he is that great! He performed Achilles' surgery for his torn ACL, this was the first time I have ever left Achilles overnight at a facility without being there with him, and it was also the first time in many years he had been under any anaesthesia, so I was really worried about it at first, but from the very beginning until the end, Dr. Keats took amazing care if my pup, personally called me to check in and update me on his progress and status, and was very patient and informative, friendly, honest, and thorough throughout the entire process, all the way to Achilles' very last follow up! I can honestly say that I completely trust Dr. Keats to take care of my Achilles and I trust in his judgment and recommendations for all and any care for Achilles. It's really comforting to be able to trust someone to take care of your dog, especially when, like it was for myself, it's a big change and a first time having to leave him somewhere and not be there with him. I highly recommend Dr. Keats for the care of your dog, also, the staff there at the front desk were always so friendly and outgoing! It really made us feel at ease during a process that we were initiallly pretty worried and nervous about. I highly recommend Dr. Keats and the staff at this facility! I honestly want to keep taking Achilles back there for any other needs of his that I can, even though I live pretty far away, in Virginia. read more

After paying $4000 for our 1st tplo surgery our dog needed a 2nd surgery. My husband was injured and out of work we had get it from our sons debit acct and at 8 in the morning since the bank did not recognize the charge they denied it. Instead of them taking my dog and just waiting for the bank to open - they made an issue of it and would not even take her back. With them it is all about the money..... they are almost $1000 higher than other centers..... other surgeons also said would have given a discount because we had to have both legs done..... read more

I was completely shocked and scared when my 7 year old Pit/Lab mix Isabell Marie was found to have a heart murmur. I have had her since she was 5 weeks old and had always been overtly energetic and in good health. I work as a vet tech and the doctor suggested I take an xray to see the heart and upon veiwing it, she thought it looked larger than it should be. I was urged to go to CVCA to have a consult and see what the problem (if any, sometimes it can just be a very low grade murmur) is. Walking into the waiting room, my dog went NUTS! she is very talkative and was basically screaming to get attention, I was embarassed to say the least, not to mention I was having a very difficult time filling out paperwork while she was yanking on the leash. One of the staff members offered to hold her while I finished writing. Then I heard it....Silence. I didn't hear my crazy dog, and scanned the room. She was behind the reception desk sitting on a rolly chair and happy as can be! Spoiled everywhere she goes. My appointment was with Dr. Ferguson. He was amazing. His tech Jamie came in to get a history and take vitals on Isabell. Dr. Ferguson came in and had already reviewed my xrays and Isabells medical history. I was able to be present for the echo cardiogram and he explained everything to me. I was not expecting to hear that my dog had PDA, which is a heart defect she apparently had been born with, and it is typically repaired as a puppy, she was 7 years old! I began crying and then Dr. Ferguson assured me that Isabell seemed like a very healthy and happy girl despite the recent diagnosis. He said that i should have her rechecked in 3-5 months so they can access the numbers and difference to see if surgery was to be needed. I rechecked her and they said that she was doing great! Working in the animal feild, I was expecting to hear the worse, I was also expecting to do any type of surgery to help her, I was so grateful for the good news, kindness of all the staff, and mostly the professional mixed with animal loving care given by Dr. Ferguson. I am very sad to hear about the passing away of Dr. Ferguson as he was such wonderful doctor. I will continue to take my darling Isabell Marie to CVCA for the remainder of her rechecks and heart monitoring as she ages. I'm happy to report she is getting ready to turn 9 and is crazy as ever! THANK YOU CVCA!!!! read more

I am very pleased to say that after filing a complaint with the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, the board determined that Chesapeake Veterinary Surgical Specialists, where Dr Daren Roa is one the of responsible veterinarians, violated Code of Maryland Regulations in the treatment of my bulldog Bentley, and issued a civil Penalty. While it will not bring back my beloved pet who died so traumatically and unnecessarily, i hope that my efforts will help someone else realize that this establishment should NOT be the place to take your pet for surgery. read more

Requested a refill of dog's cardiac meds at 10am on Fri. At 2pm, received a VM saying they were calling meds in to pharmacy. Pharmacy received only the cover page - no Rx. Office closed on the weekend. Emergency office refusing to give us even a weekend refill because they have no access to his records. Suggest we "bring him in for an emergency visit to get a refill." Absolutely ridiculous to have untrained staff fielding calls - you're really going to withhold cardiac meds from a dog??? Better hope the office is open and that their fax goes through completely if you're coming here. read more

If you want your pet's life saved, go here, 24-7. Our beloved Sphynx cat Ed developed septic peritonitis from a perforated stomach due to eating a flower(which the referring vet thought was cancer.) The staff at AAVEC was top notch with intake and assessment and daily competence and kindness. Dr. Rich Burgess is extraordinary, in communication, surgical skills(he saved Ed's life when he was in very dire condition) and follow up. Ed was in the hospital for nine days with the infection. The entire staff from front desk to treatment vets and support techs were incredible, skilled, thorough, loving to Ed, particularly his special friend Megan Cooke. Because of them all, a cat who easily could not have survived pulled through and Ed is recovering more every day. They saved him. To have a place of this quality in a community is an incredible gift. read more

I hate to give this place 1 star because the staff is truly competent, caring, and knowledgeable. The reason why I gave them one star is because they are WAY OVERPRICED AND REFUSE to give an itemized estimate of costs prior to service (that's a little shady). My dog has a mast cell cancer tumor the size of a dime in the skin of his rear right thigh. They quoted me TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS to remove the tumor. No chemo, no subsequent follow up, just the lumpectomy. When my husband asked them for the itemized cost estimate before agreeing to the surgery, he was told that their policy is not to do that. Why not? The following week, we went to Sykesville Veterinary clinic and got a second opinion. For the exact same procedure, the cost is $950. Plus, Sykesville gives an itemized list of costs prior to the service as a matter of good business. read more

This review is concerning Dr. Frederic Jacob at the Atlantic Veterinary Internal Medicine in Towson. Bringing my cat to this office for treatment was unquestionably the worst decision of my entire life. My cat has recently died as a direct consequence of maltreatment by this vet. The list of offences and abuses committed by this vet and one of his techs over a 6 month period is too numerous and painful to recount here. Suffice it is to say that despite his fancy degrees, he is unquestionably incompetant; ( incorrectly interprets bloodwork and xrays, prescribes toxic meds even when they are not clearly indicated), exploitive; will recommend unecessary and non indicated diagnostic tests and treatments in order to rake in more visits and money, a very poor diagnostician, arrogant, condescending,uncaring, disrespectful, insensitive, and unkind to both animals and their humans . I was at one point chastised that I"should not cry in their office"(mind you this was as a result of having moist eyes when speaking with the tech about my very ill cat. There were many more rude and disrespectful statements too numerous to report here. I stayed with this vet for the sake of my cat, as I believed he was at least a skilled practitioner. and additionally his prescribed treatments were so damaging to my cat - (as well as his alarmist statements), that a snowball effect was being created in terms of her overall health and wellbeing; ultimately resulting in our continuing need for office visits. .My cat was severely injured during a bloodraw and developed a hematoma in her neck the size of a golfball which took a year to diminish -the technician "couldn't remember what happened" the next day after this incident. When he was on vacation my cat became gravely ill as a direct result of the meds he had prescribed- (severe diarhea with profuse bleeding).I was told by his tech to "go see our previous vet", This did not make sense to me as they had all her records and had been treating her in this office, so when I asked to see another vet on their staff , she informed me that I would need to pay a new patient fee for this just to walk in the door- (as I recall about 400$) When I hesitated as ,she remarked sarcastically wll then "you obviously don't care about your cat". I spent a total of probaly 5,000 over the course of 6 months for my cat to be misdiagnosed, maltreated, to get much sicker, and ultimately die as a result of "treatment" by this vet. All in an atmoshere of disrespect, condensation and lack of compassion. Do not be fooled by this vet's German pedigree and advanced degrees- he is incompetent, exploitive, abusive, and inscrupulous fraud. While I am certain I have enough evidence to support a lawsuit, I am too tired and traumatized by the experience to pursue it. The least I can do in honor of my beloved cat, is to save other pets and their owners from abuse by this vet. read more

Very Dissapointed. First they are the big company. Towson refers you to Annapolis who sometimes transfers you back to Towson. OK. Finally made an appointment to see Dr. McDonald.By the time we got to see him our dog was doing better, but we still kept the appointment. When the doctor saw us and dog he threw pieces of cotton on the floor. The dog didnt even look. I thought this was a bit odd. The doctor said he would follow up with a letter and prescription recommendation via email. After several days we had to call and remind the office. We did not get the Prescription recommendation and the generic(not personel) letter said to confine the dog in a 3" x 3" pen for 6-8 weeks, even though she was feeling better. Then the letter said that we refused the operation(why operate ona dog that is getting better). I called to follow up and was told the doctor would call me back. That was Thursday. He didnt call. Shocker(not really). Friday I called them again. He was out of the office that day and couldnt be reached(shocker again). I recommend you go somewhere else and not waste the $195 dollars for nothing. I dont mind paying but expect expert advice, not generic letters and partial information. Very Dissapointed. read more

These guys are the best. I can sing Dr. McGregor's praises everywhere. Everyone at the hospital was especially kind and caring to both me and I cat. - even a woman in the waiting room. I did not feel rushed. They were very thorough in their explanation and by the time I walked out I knew what was going on. I have a very rowdy Maine Coon but the doctor and his tech had him laying peacefully but fully awake - I swear they are some kind of cat whisperer. I can't recommend these people more highly! read more

Our primary vet referred us to CVCA when he discovered our cat had a heart murmur. They did a great job explaining each step as they examined him, taking care not to spook him more than necessary (he is a VERY skittish cat!). I'm grateful for the reminders they send to make sure he gets the best care from both his vet and CVCA. read more

Two days of total lethargy in our Maltese prompted two vet visits. Seeing no change, we made a trip to the hospital which revealed that our little nine-year old Spunky, had cardiomyopathy and pleural effusion. The hospital referred us to Chesapeake. They were not close to our home but we didn't care. When we arrived, there was a sign welcoming our dog.. Dr. McGregor and the staff treated us and our dog like celebrities. Everything was explained to us. We were shown charts and were involved in every step of his treatment. Every medication was explained and we were offered names of pharmacies and health stores. We had no clue where to get pet medicine. The next day they checked on him. We can't predict his future for sure, but the doctor assured us that he will never suffer. Spunky is living up to his name again and we are grateful to Chesapeake.. read more

We were referred here for liver problems with my dog. We saw Dr. Petrus, who was amazing at explaining the possible issues with her, the testing options and everything. We are scheduled for an MRI tomorrow, they got us scheduled right away. Dr. Petrus is so nice and knowledgeable. We have been searching for answers for her for two years now. We finally feel that we will know what is wrong with her and that we are in very good hands. I can't express enough how at ease Dr. Petrus made me feel in this scary situation, he is extremely compassionate. read more

We took our cat, Myrddin, to the Towson location after he came very close to losing his life with an illness that our local vet hospital could not diagnose. They not only diagnosed him with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia--which is more common in dogs than cats, apparently--they got him a blood transfusion, and got him on the road to recovery. I am happy to report that Myrddin is doing fantastically well, and if it wasn't for Dr. Petrus and the great staff here and at Pet ER, I don't know if we'd have our furry little guy with us today. read more

I had seen some negative reviews so I was a bit concerned. I had nothing to be concerned about. On a Tuesday we received news from our regular vet that our 9 year old mix had a tumor in her neck region and we needed to schedule with a surgeon/oncologist. We called Towson and Annapolis and the earliest we could get a consult was one and a half weeks away. We called Columbia and they got us in the next day. From the moment we walked in we were treated so well. Helen was incredible and Dr. Keats was wonderful. A CT scan the next day (Thursday) and surgery scheduled for Monday. Our dog came home on Wednesday and the recovery is going very well. I am so grateful for everyone at this place that treated my dog and us with the utmost of respect and kindness. We could not have had a better experience, especially knowing how serious the situation was. We look forward to continuing to work with them. read more

If you have a straightforward pet issue - they are expensive, but OK. But it is a nightmare for those with more complex health issues and they put you on a spending treadmill that can break you. You make an appt. with one specialist, like Oncology, it is $195. If your dog needs surgery, you then need to meet with the surgeon - another $195. Meanwhile, tests, xrays and more start racking up charges. These charges are almost double what a local vet's office would charge. While the vets themselves are very good - their referral setup just does not work - these departments are all separate businesses with separate charges and they will charge you over $100 to transfer your pet from one to the other. I had to walk away with my second pet that was being treated for cancer. Luckily I found a nearby specialist - the charges were about 30% less, the surgery was done quickly and the vet spent quite a bit of time with me and with my pet. I highly recommend that you consider alternatives to this facility. read more

CVCA was amazing for my Megan. She was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis and I was devastated, but also determined to make her as happy and comfortable as possible before the inevitable came to pass. Dr. Hickey and Dr. Cober were amazing. They were informative, communicative and compassionate, as were Sara, Karen and the staff. When Megan and I came here the first time, they had her name on the whiteboard with a welcome message. It's a small thing, but it made me feel so welcome and as if Megan would be cared for. I was not disappointed at all. I highly recommend CVCA for any cardiologic issues for a pet, and they have many great locations in the DC area. They are expensive, but they were up-front about the costs before I brought my Megan in, and her first appointment was less than they had quoted because they decided that there was no value in the additional tests that were originally planned once they saw the evidence of Megan's condition. read more

CVSS saved my dog's life. He was admitted to Anne Arundel Veterinary Emergency Clinic (AAVEC - see my review for them--very excellent care) on a Saturday afternoon for a major fever/infection. Dr. Minihan consulted with the AAVEC doctors on Sunday and my dog was officially transferred from emergency to the CVSS side of the clinic on Monday morning. I was lucky enough to get Dr. Minihan. My dog's infection was in an extremely rare place (my vet told me he has only heard of an occurrence of an infection like that once). Dr. Minihan was able to figure out what was happening. She went above and beyond in every area. She called to give me updates, spoke on the phone extensively with my dog's regular vet a number of times, drove lab work for delivery herself so she could be sure she would have the results by the next morning, and came in on the first day of her vacation (same day my dog was being discharged) to check on him one more time. I know the other surgeons there stayed involved as well. I feel Dr. Minihan's diagnostic abilities are a rare find, and I'm so glad my dog lucked into being in her care. She's both brilliant and caring--the best combination. In addition to the doctors, the tech staff and front desk staff were amazing. They functioned on the same precision level of an intensive care unit in a hospital--actually, they could teach many hospital units a thing or two. I was able to observe them as they allow visitation. Each tech treated all animals with love and kindness. They knew every patient's condition and took their job seriously at all times. I truly believe my dog is alive today because of the initial efforts on the emergency side and Dr. Minihan's expert care, along with the support of an amazing staff. I can't thank them enough. read more

This is our 2nd time to have the AMAZING Dr Rich Burgess perform surgery on our dog Barnabus. With 3 other unhealthy dogs-we have spent our share of seeing different vets and vet hospitals. NO ONE compares to Dr Burgess. He is brilliant yet patiently explains on my level of understanding the complications, risks, outcomes and treatment, He is extremely thoughtful, kind and compassionate. He kept us updated on his time off during the Big Jonas snow weekend-what other vet does that? He answered every silly question with patience & understanding knowing that we were in shock, grieving and confused. He gave me daily personal updates by phone during the week and is currently coordinating our dog's further care. As a medical person myself(pharmacist)-I know the difference between a truly caring professional and one who is just doing a job. Dr Rich Burgess is the ultimate professional who really cares about our animals and us as evidenced by his demeanor and dedication to excellence. read more

this place is amazing. period. the staff is caring, friendly, and gets me in and out quickly (i have a 45 minute trek to get there so time is of the essence)...Dr P has been incredible with my Daisy. He's friendly, informative and one helluva surgeon!! My dog had TPLO surgery and thanks to him and the amazing staff she is better than ever. I will always recommend CVSS! read more