We have been using Hometown Vet for years, for several different dogs, big dogs and little dogs, and we love the care and treatment and concern and connections we've made there. It saddens me some folks have had such negative experiences as reported. I am sorry to hear about these experiences for them, but we have never experienced any of the problems reported. Dr. Carlson knows our dogs by name and provides loving, professional care each and every time we visit. We expect to be here for years to come. read more

I have been going to hometown vet clinic since my cats were 6 weeks old, and they are now 4 years old. They have always been an amazing team to rely on to make sure my girls are safe. We currently have been having issues with one of our cats and I couldn't be more thankful for all their help and support. Dr Carlson is amazing and truly understands this trade and treats my girls as they are her own and the front desk and techs are always great. Great vet definitely take your animals here they'll be treated with so much love. read more

It's hard to review a vet's office until your pet (unfortunately) gets really sick. Before then, I could very easily tell you that the front desk staff are always lovely, kind, and knowledgeable. I could also tell you that the vet techs are capable and loving. The vets seemed first class but it was hard to tell when it was just loving on my sweet-until-they-see-the-needle corgis and stabbing them with vaccines while they were distracted, receiving kisses immediately after. Pemberley got really sick though. We tried everything obvious, the vets fought hard to figure out her mystery illness and gave her first rate care. I was floored that the vets discussed her symptoms and treatment even when we weren't there. We even received a phone call that our vet had been thinking/researching during her weekend and came up with what was ultimately the cause. Pem is doing great, and I wholeheartedly give credit to this wonderful practice. read more

We have a very nervous, and very tall and strong, Pyrenees mix who's gone here for all appointments since she was a puppy. She's very anxious when she arrives but the whole staff and all of the vets handle her so well and are very accommodating. It's stressful for us bringing her to the vet but it always goes well thanks to this team. I've been nothing but impressed for the past 4 years and highly recommend them. read more

This clinic has always been professional, kind to my pets and affordable with their rates. The vets and techs are wonderful. They connect very well with pets that would prefer to be anywhere but the vet. read more

Lack of care and communication. We have been taking our dog her for 15 years. They have recently put his life in jeopardy due to being overbooked and unwilling to allow you to speak to the vet before or during your appointment. Front desk lady with gray hair is so rude and you feel like everything she does is an inconvenience for her. This place has gone down hill since Covid. So sad. read more

Hometown Veterinary Clinic is the best! Dr. Smith is the best! She genuinely cares about her patients and so do the staff. If needed, give Hometown a visit, I feel you will be pleased. read more

Hometown vet has been fantastic- I feel like they truly care, the pricing is reasonable, and they get things done quickly. When I call, it goes straight through to their front desk and a vet gets back to me about questions/meds usually same day. Dr. Pierce is warm and takes great care of my kitty. Highly recommend! read more

Amazing thoughtful staff here. We had two big dogs with big personalities and the team here always gets their issues taken care of very quickly and efficiently. One of our dogs took a sudden turn for the worse and the staff and doctors here were very accommodating in getting him seen and coming up with a care plan that day. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we had to put our dog down. The team was so accommodating and thoughtful. They were incredibly patient and let us have enough time to say goodbye and were very informative and kind during an incredibly hard time. They were flexible with the timing to make sure my sister would be able to make it in time to say goodbye. They have a candle out front that they light to let others know someone is saying goodbye to a pet, another testament to the extremely high level of care this practice has for its patients and their families. They went above and beyond. We received stamps of our dogs final paw prints along with a very kind card and some lovely flower seeds. Everyone here is kind and genuinely cares about what they do and it shows! read more

We have been using Hometown Vets for many years with two different dogs. We have always been more than satisfied with their service and their caring attitude. read more

Initially chose this vet due to the great reviews, however after going to them for 6 months now I can say for sure that after today you should avoid this vet at all costs. While the staff is very knowledgeable, they lack empathy and employ vet techs that genuinely need more experience (not all, but most). I took my puppy in for a wellness check and asked that they clip his nails, pretty run of the mill procedures. Imagine how I felt when I got home from the vet following his appointment to find that my puppy's right front paw (the pinky) was bleeding profusely. One of the vet techs cut his nail way too short and cut a chunk out of his paw pad. There was blood all over my car, clothing, carpet and his fur (he's a white dog). After taking care of his wound I sent an email with pictures of the wounds and followed up with a phone call. The first issue was that the person who cut his nails clearly saw that he was bleeding and that they had injured him and failed to tell me anything and acted as if nothing had happened. The next was when I called they failed to take responsibility for the incident and said "are you sure he didn't catch it on anything while in the car on the ride home?" Absolutely astonishing... They didn't offer any sort of compensation or try to remedy the situation. They offered to have him come back in to take care of the wound (free of charge), but how could I trust them again after the condition they returned him in? And failed to tell me anything in the first place. I have lost my faith in this establishment and will not be returning. I felt there was no genuine concern regarding the situation nor was any real effort made to resolve the issue. I understand that my puppy can be difficult when it comes to cutting his nails, however if you can't do your job without hurting him then ask for help or don't do it at all! Shame on the vet tech who injured him and shame on them for not saying anything to me about it. It's unethical and shows that this place only cares about making money and less about your pet's wellbeing. I appreciate Amanda at the front desk for trying to take care of the situation, however beyond that it was very disappointing. Too expensive, unethical and lack of compassion (aside from Tammy and Amanda (the two ladies at the front desk) and Dr. Sholes)). FYI it's not easy to get blood out of fabric car seats and carpet. read more

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Although getting an "immediate" appointment may be frustrating, getting one with a "people doctor" is certainly more difficult, both Dr(s). Smith and Pierce have taken the time to provide more than just the basic information when seeing our pet(s). It is always difficult when trying to run a business, provide a service, and sufficiently satisfy the concerns of pet owners. As a professional who must similarly deal with clients in difficult times, it is easy for me to state both Doctors (and most of the staff) provide a balanced approach to all, especially for the ones who can't "speak for themselves." You truly can't ask for more . . . read more

Bottom line: I do not recommend this vet due to their prices, impersonal service, and pressure towards high-price treatments. We moved to Alexandria in May and chose Hometown Vet due to its nearly five star rating on Google, but the service has not been commensurate of that rating. Our first visit was to cure my dog's ear and foot infection. The techs were nice and their service was efficient. The vet, however, was impersonal and abrasive. She briskly walked into the room, did not bother to introduce herself or even make eye contact, and dove straight into a technical explanation of my dog's condition. She went far beyond my dog's immediate condition and pressured me into hundreds of dollars of treatments to include expensive, optional vaccinations. I succumbed to some of her recommendations, but left the office feeling unwelcome and had the slight feeling of having been swindled - whether that is true or not, perception is reality. My girlfriend took the dog for a checkup two weeks later for a follow-up, the vet was satisfied with his progress, and wrote a prescription which we could fill at our leisure without seeing the vet again and paying her fee. His ear infection came back recently with the same symptoms and I returned to Hometown Vet to refill the prescription. They required me to see the vet despite her instructions to refill the prescription, and told me that the dog needed approx. $150 in vaccinations. No dog should cost $100/month in vaccinations - that is ridiculous. Since Hometown Vet pressures me into hundreds of dollars in treatments per visit and has not attempted to make me feel welcome, I will no longer use their services. For those servicemembers in the Alexandria area, I visited the Ft. Belvoir veterinary clinic and their medication costs are literally half of what Hometown Vet charges. Belvoir does not accept walk-ins and usually requires a two-week appointment window, but I will use them from now on for routine veterinary services. read more

I rarely leave poor reviews, but I have to share how bad the reception desk is. Short and snobby both in person and on the phone.

I am new to the Alexandria area and selected Hometown for my pets mostly because they were the only place that would return my calls (the vet clinics in the area must be SLAMMED because they were the 5th on my list and only the 2nd to answer their darn phone, the first not taking new clients at the moment). The reviews were overall positive and my pets needed their annuals so I booked an appointment. First time clients are required to put a deposit on the visit of ~$45/dog, which was weird to me but it went directly to my bill so I wasn't too annoyed by it. My experience while there was mixed positive and negative I would say- the vets and vet techs were kind and the vet seemed very knowledgeable. This place is expensive though- make no mistake. I walked out spending twice as much as usual for annual exam and vaccines (and I didn't even need 2 vaccines as my pets are on a 3 year right now for some). Just wow! I came from out of state and expected a greater expense due to the area but not quite that much more. On top of that, the vet tried talking me into 3 news vaccines each for ~$60 per vaccine per pet and two of them required a double dose for first time vaccines. It was overwhelming. I have had my dogs for years and never have been encouraged to give my dogs these vaccines. I am stuck between understanding I am in a new geographical area with higher population (so sure, maybe that's why I was never offered these before) but also feeling like I was being talked into spending a lot more money. On top of that, the vet recommended a teeth cleaning for one of my dogs and told me in-office it would be ~$500 but then when I got the estimate in an email it was over $1000. Just annoyed- don't tell me a price and then double it. I am greatly considering putting in the effort to find a place that feels more affordable. At the end of the day, the staff were kind but persuading me so hard on expensive treatments and having high prices have me considering trying another clinic. I have seen reviews that say other clinics are more affordable so I am hopeful that is the case. read more

From the very first visit, there have been signs of a lack of knowledge by the vet about herding dogs and uneducated staff. Mistakes in booking times, types of injections needed (duh, clearly in the record)!. Since I couldn't go in with my pup, I didn't discover the issues until dog had been treated. After 4 visits-issues with every visit-I went elsewhere! read more

The staff was wonderful and super friendly! We appreciate the military discount also! Thank you for making us feel so welcome and being so kind to our pup! You guys are awesome! read more

I have been taking my dogs to Dr. Smith for nearly twenty years. I needed a doctor who would understand the unusual physiology of basset hounds. Her kindness and compassion helped me through losing my first basset to bone cancer. She also helped my husband realize when it was time to let our 21-year old cat go, a decision he was reluctant to face. She gives the bad news straight and lays out all the options. She makes me a partner in considering the course of action. read more

Dr. Smith was nice and I was happy with the surgery she performed, but when they removed the drain tube my dog was bleeding and they didn't clean her up or bandage her so it got all over my car (I was not happy). I had a later appointment that required bloodwork. They messed up the bloodwork so I had to take her back (I don't live that close) to have it drawn again. Accidents happen so I didn't complain about that issue. A few months later (on a Sunday) she developed a UTI (peeing blood) so I went to the ER. They gave her antibiotics, but not enough. The ER faxed the notes to Hometown and Hometown called the next business day to check on her (which was nice). However, since she didn't get enough antibiotics from the ER to clear it up I asked Hometown for more. They required a urinalysis (which was fine) but would not give her anything in the meantime to treat her. I thought that was unreasonable because they knew what the ER records said from a few days prior. Furthermore, they recieved the results (the front desk confirmed this when I called trying to get the meds) and said the doctor would call by the end of the day. She didn't. It was the end of the following day before she called. I understand they're busy, but I felt it was very poor veterinary care to not give my pet something for her discomfort until they managed their inbox. I called my mom (in Texas) and asked if her vet would have given their dog medicine until the results came in and she said yes, definitely. Am I being unreasonable? read more

As a professional pet sitter, often when I enter a vet office they think I am trying to sell myself. From the first time I walked into Hometown Vets, (7 years ago) to this day, they are always welcoming and want my business as well as want to help promote quality pet businesses. The staff at Hometown is super friendly, courteous, kind and best of all patient. I have 4 Chihuahua's so can you imagine the commotion I bring in. Dr. Melanie Smith is an angel from heaven. Having one of my Chihuahuas 18 years, I have had many vets. Dr. Smith is the only one that has ever shown such love and compassion for my squirts. She will get right down on the floor, talk Chihuahua talk, (kinda like baby talk) love them through their attitudes. Amazing. I had to put one of my sweet babies down and didn't know how I was going to be able to do it. She lovingly brought a sheepskins blanket to have him lay on, touched my shoulder and said, "I will leave you to say your goodbyes, he needs to know it is OK to go on...."as hard as it was, she enabled me to do the humane thing for my boy. When she came in she hugged me tightly and consoled me. She even cried too... If you have not found a vet for your fur families, I would encourage you to give this hospital a try. You will be so glad you did. In honor of Trooper read more

I ended up here by chance after my dog was struck by a car. I was in panic mode and some friendly good Samaritans googled the closest vet and we arrived at Hometown. They were amazing with our dog and immediately began treating her. They called the emergency facility to let them know we were coming, and did the initial x-rays which saved us a ton of money. I know they were overwhelmed since they don't usually deal with emergencies, but they acted cool under pressure and absolutely gave us the best care imaginable. They emailed us the x-rays, gave the doctors at the emergency clinic a full run down, and stabilized our puppy so we could transport her. They even followed up a few days later to check on her. Fortunately our puppy only suffered some minor injuries overall, but I feel so fortunate to have gone straight to Hometown. We loved them so much, we may even transfer to them. Thank you for everything! read more

I'm a first time dog owner and I was completely lost when it came time to picking a vet. I decided to come here upon the suggestion of a friend who is a Vet Tech and it also happens to be just down the road from my house. I adopted my dog from the shelter and he came with some medical issues, but Dr. Murphree helped me get through all of them smoothly. She would also call a week after our appointment just to see how things were going. I had the feeling my dog was getting better health care than me! Which I am perfectly fine with, but it really goes to show how good the service is here. The staff is always very friendly as well. i would definitely recommend coming here! read more

Just moved to the area I have a BIG dog with two scoped knees on perscription food, suppliments and flea/tick & heartworm meds. Found some reviews and thought I'd give this place a try. Had my dogs records faxed up and talked with the doc about all the 'scripts my pup's on. 1. The doc we got seemed a bit nervous around my dog, especially for someone who spends all day around animals. 2. When we talked about my dog's needs the knee surgeries in the past seemed like a complete shock considering she had a big stack of records in our brand new folder. 3. The doc never mentioned that they don't stock the 'script food she eats even when I specifically mentioned what I purchase. We were early for our appt but weren't seen until late. I get that we were late in the evening so things tend to run late. Thought I'd give it another chance We needed heartworm meds. Called to see if I could pick some up. The receptionist said sure they had it. I got there around 5:45 entered with a couple w/ 2cats and a dog. We all waited while a receptionist checked out another customer. She made several trips to the back. Another admin type was up and back to the counter a few times. The couple with the 6p appt finally had to ask for their paperwork at about 6:15 they finished it. The other customer left. And no one from the desk picked up the paper work. Took me about 30mins just to pick up an order I already called in, and then it wasn't even our usual script. The couple with the multi pet appt was still waiting to be seen when I left. Called to see if I could pick up some food. Was told they don't stock it. They also can't board a dog bigger than 50lbs, so that makes me wonder how they'll ever be able to do anything for my dog which requires her to be knocked out (teeth cleaning, x-rays, etc) I mean -- where will they put her? We're going elsewhere. read more

I have taken my 14 year old tabby cat, Haley, to 4 vet clinics in her life. This one is probably my favorite since moving from Ohio. My cat has a loose tooth and I needed to get in fairly quickly (but it was not an "emergency"). I called on Wednesday evening, they had appointments for Thursday and Friday. I took the Friday. First impressions were that it was run by true animal lovers. The front desk staff eased my fears and they really took great care during the intake. Once we were back in the examination room, they let Haley run around in the room and explore. They gave her treats to ease her worries (she just sniffed them out) and were very calming and spoke softly with her. I saw Dr. Murphree who was wonderful with her. I was surprised how well Haley took to her! She really calmed her down during the exam and really put her at ease (and me too). Hometown is not as expensive as other clinics in the area, but the amount of care and attention that you get - I almost wish they saw human patients!! :-) read more

After we rescued our dog, this place was recommended to me by another guy walking his dog, and I couldn't be more grateful. Dr Smith has not only been consistently professional, but she's been great with me, and even better for my big furry kid. She takes the time to explain to me the issue that he's having and make recommendations for courses of action along with the associated costs. I never feel pressured one way or the other. If she notices stuff that I didn't come in for, she's not too busy to investigate that, and again offer a thorough explanation of what she's seeing and options for me to choose from. My dog LOVES going there, loves all the people there, and I feel good about taking him there and any treatment decisions we make. Thank GOODNESS for the random guy in the street about three years ago that I never saw again! read more

I've only known this vet for just over a year, but I can't explain how much the Doctor and staff are extremely attentive and respectful. I had to make uncomfortable visits, but the staff went above and beyond in every way. read more

I just found my new vet! Called at 3:30 pm trying to get 3 cats vaccinated, was told to come on in that day. They weren't judgmental about the duct tape holding together one of the carriers (it had just imploded while getting everyone ready to go) or about my youngest cat who is ferociously anti-vet (so sorry again, guys). Quick, efficient, friendly, overall great experience! We'll be back! (But not too soon) read more

Been coming here for years and we love Dr. Smith. Two of my dogs were seen here for for 7 and 9 years respectively. Both were lab mixes, both 70+ pounds. Dr. Smith always loved on my girls. Always gave the best of care. When we first starting coming here, I would arrive with my two labs and my double stroller with my two young children (hubbie was deployed; no family here). Im sure we looked like a crazy family. The staff was always very helpful. I had to put my 15 year old lab down last year and Dr. Smith was amazing. Very patient and caring. My husband was deployed at the time and Dr. Smith was very understanding while I tried to get my husband on Facetime. When it was over, she was crying with me. We now have a GSD that will be my sons' Service Dog. Dr. Smith took care of her spay recently. She is 13 months and 73 pounds. Everything went fine. Dr. Smith called me when it was over to give me an update. When I came in to pick her up, Dr. Smith helped me carry her out. She could have easily called a tech, but she didn't. To me, that & everything else she does, shows she cares. They recently opened a new boarding facility. Cant wait to try that out. read more

I've been taking my little chihuahua there for a few years now and I would definitely recommend them! The staff is very helpful and nice and Dr. Melanie Smith is an amazing vet who really cares! read more

I've been going there for eighteen years now through a variety of good things and bad with my pets. They have always reassured, taken the best care of, and loved my beasties! I can't say enough good things about them. read more

We have been going here for 4 years. Something happened this past year and we have not been happy with the service. They stopped sending us reminder cards and claimed that they sent them out when I confronted them about it (since it's happened twice this year already). The techs seem to not really care. The vet mentioned my dog's blood pressure was very high but then left it at that. I could tell they had trouble taking the blood pressure as my dog was scared but still she said it was high despite that. I was thinking she would suggest monitoring it more or trying to take it again but nothing. Also, they always make me stand by the register for several minutes before acknowledging me when I just want to pay and go. Also, they (this is the third time) printed out an incorrect vaccination certificate. I always have to go back to them and request a corrected one....this really irritated me and my dog couldn't go to daycare due to their negligence. They are not bad but I can get better service closer to my home so I'm switching. read more

Friendly service with good care for pets. When my cat was brought in just before closing hour and the determination was made that he was in horrific pain (with no hope of improvement), I made the tough decision to put him to sleep. I did not realize it until much later, but the Vet and Vet Techs stayed working well beyond the normal duty hours in order to ensure that the needs of my pet (and me) were ahead of their own. They made my pet's final hours on earth as peaceful as possible. read more

Dr. Smith and her staff are excellent. I never have to wait long in the waiting room, everyone is very nice and warm, and the doctor is very friendly and knowledgable. I was also amazed that this place was much cheaper than some of the much worse vets I've been to. Highly recommend! read more

Hometown Vet s a home away from home for you furry friend. The Doctors are excellent and highly educated. Extremely personable and down to earth. They just built a huge boarding facility in the back and its BEAUTIFUL. They have a doggy day care program and excellent grooming facility as well. Jesse is the groomer she is outstanding. Hometown Vet is a great place to have all aspects of your pet cared for. Stop by and see Dr. Smith! read more

I highly recommend Dr. Smith. She is very through in her assessment of your pet ! Love her kindness towards the patient and owner

Dr smith is a caring and great vet! She did everything she could to try to help save my very sick dog. I would recommend this place to anyone. read more

Was talked into removing benign tumor from my dog instead of getting it tested because " it could agitate the cancer and cause it to spread" My dog died 1 month afterwards.... the place has been open for years, used to be the vet for President Bush, but this place only has 30 reviews. Stay away from this place, don't let them kill your dog. read more

We were getting our dog spayed. I called 3 times to verify that 1. she would be microchipped at the same time and 2. that the growth on her paw would be biopsied during the spaying, as stated by the vet who saw her when we brought her in for the growth. Neither of these things happened. When we asked why, the young woman on the phone blamed us for not filling out the proper form the night before when we dropped the dog off at the boarding facility. The boarding facility clerk was the one who told us what forms to fill out - and we specifically mentioned the dog was going in for these things. So they blamed us for their mistakes. As a result, we now have to find a vet who will actually perform the requested services. We've also found out that they are more expensive than other vets in the area. Don't know why. I really wanted to like this place as it was very convenient, but if they don't care enough to do what you ask, I can't recommend them. read more

I take my pets to the Ft. Belvoir clinic for routine stuff, but when my older cat needed some dental work, I had to locate another local vet. After seeing the other review, & realizing how close they were, I set up an appointment w/ Hometown. Everyone I've spoken to was quite helpful & professional, when I had to reschedule due to the snowstorm, it wasn't a problem (as a matter of fact, I believe they extended their 'feline dental discount' through the first week of March, due to the weather). We had Dr. Murphree for the initial exam & she did a great, thorough job, even detecting an unusual heart rate in my cat that hadn't been picked up on before. The dental work went smoothly & I think the price were quite fair. I've had to use 2 other local vets before (I won't name them, because it's been several years), but I wasn't totally satisfied with their services. This is different-Hometown Veterinary Clinic is a place I can recommend without hesitation! read more

Hometown Vet is the place to go with your pets. We've been customers for over 20 years and I would never think of taking my dogs anywhere else. Dr. Smith is top-notch! If you need a vet - this is the place to go!!! read more