After several years of going to Pender, regrettably, I have to change my positive rating to negative. The reasons - paying for an emergency appointment while having to wait an extended time for service, and lack of customer service for scheduling surgery. Last July I made an emergency appointment on a Saturday evening for one of my guinea pigs. I waited and waited and waited. They were busy, and priority cases were attended to first. The doctor finally assessed my pig and diagnosed her with a bladder stone that would require an operation asap based on its location and size. I paid over $400 for this emergency visit that included x-rays and medication. I opted to wait till Monday to have the surgery for it would be quite less expensive than emergency surgery on Sunday. Pender relayed they would call me Monday to come in for surgery. After not hearing from them I finally called Monday afternoon and left a message. I received two calls on Tuesday which was too late for my patience. I had been going to Pender since 2004, but now I have chosen another exotics veterinarian. I understand priority cases come first in emergencies, but why charge emergency fees to an existing customer who has to wait an extended period of time? Also, one would think there would be deeper customer appreciation for existing customers. read more

This place is the worst our bird got injured on his leg we called first to ask what to do they told us to bring him in it would only be $149 fee for the doctor to see him when we went there they scared my kids to tell them that they might have to amputate his leg if we don't do an x-ray which cost $200 after it's all said and done they scared the kids into a $500 vet fee Tell him that the poor bird might have to amputate his legs when the bird walked in he was just limping they said they told the children the worst case scenarios after the x-rays we found out there was no broken leg I explain to them that were in a very bad financial situation say the best we can do is credit care which is six months no interest credit instead of helping us with a little discount go somewhere else this place they love pets but not people read more

If I could give less than one star, I would. I have only ever had ONE decent experience with Pender. Other than that, they have only ever suggested I euthanize my pets (who go on to live many more happy years), manhandled my pets (they broke my hamster's leg!), or done absolutely nothing and just taken my money at the end. Last night takes the cake, as they said my pet went into cardiac arrest and proceeded to try to prod me into CPR, and when I demanded to see him first, then suddenly it had only been a fainting spell. They left me waiting for a full hour and a half after that for medicines and food formula. I live two hours away, and this is the closest emergency vet. From now on, I will make the drive a bit further. I don't know why I've given them so many chances - absolutely NOT worth it. 0 out of 5 stars. read more

*brace yourssssself for snek puns* Where do you take a 6-foot boa constrictor who needs a checkup when you're in a *bind* (pun 2)? Yeah - didn't expect myself to be asking that question either, but when we found Felisha up for adoption at a local pet store, my vocabulary reached new *lengths* (pun 3 - a *stretch* I know) Pender came recommended to us from a friend who worked there, and while I don't have much experience with vets, I do go to checkups, and I'll be honest - I wish MY doctor were as nice and caring as Felisha's. Special shout out to Mike - the exotic pet charmer and voluntary bite tester. He's as nice as he is good with *scales*. (I think his tarantula is older than my dad). Highly recommended exotic pets veterinarian within a 30-minute drive of most places in NoVA (except during rush hour where suddenly we're all 2 hours away from each other). Felisha says "Hi guyssssss" read more

Pender Veterinary Centre - Fairfax - Felisha feeling better - Veterinarians Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

This entire center has gone way downhill. If I could rate a zero I would. There is no follow up. You take your dog in / and bloodwork is done and you have to call and get a receptionist to email them to you - but the vet that took the blood never calls you back. This place is going down down down. Wtf..... read more

We recently had our American Bully's ears cropped because it is breed standard. Dr Johnson did a wonderful job. They gave us great instructions for aftercare and were available 24 hours a day to answer any questions that we had about the wound healing. I would highly suggest Dr Johnson if you need ears cropped. read more

Pender Veterinary Centre - Fairfax - Beautiful ears - Veterinarians Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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This place is so overpriced and it's REALLY not worth it. I went here with my first dog because I didn't know any better and neither did the friend who recommended this place. Thank gosh for Yelp nowadays!! I only went here because my best friend was going here and she only went here because she lived five minutes away. If you come in with a puppy, you'll walk out with a butt load of expenses for the exam itself, lab work for their poop, shots, and pills; and with puppies you'll need a series of shots so also factor that in. When I made my first appointment I asked for my vet's rate which they gave me over the phone, BUT during the visit itself, they recommend all these tests and meds and shots and it adds up! DO NOT BE SHY ABOUT ASKING FOR PRICES FOR EACH THING or else you'll have a heart attack when you walk out. Be empowered to say "no" to things that sound stupid or unnecessary. My first bill was almost $500. I was just so excited to have my first dog, but now I think about it and that was crazy!!! My best friend's dog needed to stay over night for observation cause he got sick and ONE night was $2000. That's ridiculous. I recommend reading reviews to find a vet somewhere else--find a place that only has 1-2 vets on staff so the attention is more personal. If you check their website, this place has like 100 vets (exaggeration, but not so much). I don't know why people still go here when there are so many other options in northern Virginia. I recommend trying more affordable cities, too, for example, Springfield rather than Fairfax, etc. NoVA is expensive, so if your dog needs surgery I actually recommend going into southern Virginia as an alternative--or even just an hour out (obviously this is for non-ER). PS Take some time to read the FILTERED reviews below. There are some nightmare stories there about this place. (Yelp filtered my first couple reviews too. It's not a big deal. I think they do it until you gain credibility with more postings.) read more

Pender completely mis-diagnosed our guinea pig and he died as a result. They missed a simple tooth problem and then botched the surgery to correct it. They don't care about anything but the money. Stay away from this butcher shop. read more

Hopefully if your pet is seriously ill you will not encounter Dr. DeMarco. My fur baby was in very critical condition and she had called me and said that I 3 choices. Euthanize him, transfer him or take him home. I opted for taking him home since she was not very compassionate in her approach. She then said I can't do that. When I got there to visit, she rushes up to me and talks to me like I am a 3rd grader asking me, "What do you think?" "What do you observe since yesterday?" I told her she is the doctor and I am hoping for an update from her, I already know what I think. She then starts talking about money and how much a blood transfusion costs and how she can print me a bill. I cannot tell you how disgusted I am with her. Also, my dog did not come in with heart problems and she had upped his dosage on fentanyl. So you can guess what the outcome was. None of the other problems took him out but he had cardiac arrest. BEWARE OF THIS VET. read more

The quality care my pup Peter receives here is always top notch. This is the only vet my Pete has ever voluntarily walked into! He loves every staff member here! Thank you pender for being here for us! read more

We recently got our kitten Lexi fixed and had a great experience! Excellent service and a very professional and friendly staff. They were up-front about the cost and even provided a detailed breakdown of the estimated price before we committed. It's also open on weekends and great if you have a busy schedule. We will now be going to Pender for all our veterinary needs. read more

I don't normally write reviews but feel the need after a recent "emergency" visit. I have a long history with Pender and had a bad incident about 12 years ago when my dog was misdiagnosed twice. The second time, I was told he had one year at most to live. I agonized for so long until another vet told me the diagnosis was wrong. Fast forward to several visits with my cat. Dr Adam Chung was amazing so that restored my faith in Pender until this past weekend at the emergency vet. I requested Dr. Chung but he was not available. I walked in and was not really greeted and was handed a resuscitation status form. The vet tech came out and interrupted me when I tried to give his symptoms and history which was not accurate when I spoke to the doctor and got the records. She also felt the need to tell me a dog came in that needed an amputation. The vet called and said that he examined my cat and we agreed on a treatment plan to include x-rays for his straining/constipation issue. After the first x-ray I was told he had an intestinal obstruction from eating plastic or a bottle cap (even though he can barely eat ground chicken) and he could need surgery. They wanted to do more x-rays but my cat tried to scratch a tech in the process so they wanted to sedate him. I said "no" since he is elderly and has kidney disease. I just decided to take him home and try to wait it out until Monday when he could see his regular vet. Then I recalled a previous visit to Pender 7 years ago with this cat and remember they took an abdominal x-ray at that visit. I got the records before I left to find that he had the same thing on his x-ray (an incidental finding of lipid mineralization) as today that they were calling a plastic obstruction. Do they not look at previous records within their own facility?? I just wanted my cat out of there asap and he will follow up with his vet on Monday. When I picked him up, the 2 receptionists were very rude to what appeared to be a new employee when she asked a question. Not ever going back. read more

If you love your animal don't take your pets here. My cat was a patient here for a very short time. She was diagnosed with something serious. We Took her to a new vet. The new vet said she's perfectly healthy. liars! please don't take your animals here. read more

After not being happy with another vet (one connected to PetSmart) for sometime, I decided to give Pender a try. I am so glad I did. I was seen right away and I never waited for large amounts of time in the exam room. They were very respectful of my time. Dr. Simpkins was kind and genuinely concerned for my pug's well-being. She explained things to me and helped come up with a plan for my pug's treatment. She even gave me recommendations on holistic therapy and way to save money through medications I could purchase online. When reviewing test scores she left me a message and her cellphone number. She even told me that I could text her if I needed to. I am just blown away by both her and her staff's service. They certainly have a customer/patient for life. I will be bringing my frenchie in for any of his needs in the future too. read more

Pender Veterinary Centre - Fairfax - Veterinarians Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

A friend of mine has 2 guinea pigs that are basically her children. When one of them had an eye that looked like it wasn't doing well we looked up vets on Yelp! and discovered Pender. We made an appointment and was seen the next day. I had no idea guinea pigs were exotic but that's where we had to go. We checked in, waited a little, then was seen by a very friendly vet tech who took the animal's vitals and did a general check. Once that was done the doctor came and and took a look. She was extremely professional and also friendly. Did I mention this pet is my friend's baby? She had a zillion questions and wanted the doctor to know everything possible about the way she cares for these guinea pigs so the doctor would know the whole story. The doctor listened very patiently, asked questions, and basically had what felt like a peer discussion on the care of this guinea pig with my friend. There was no impatience, no talking down to, none of that sort of treatment. I was really impressed. Once the overall assessment was done the doctor suggested surgery to remove the eye. My friend thought about it overnight and then called to make the appointment. It was suggested the guinea pig be brought in again to see the surgeon, so we went in for another appointment. The surgeon was also amazing. Patient, friendly, professional. The appointment was worth it because she asked questions about the health of the animal that had to do with the surgery (vs. the initial appointment) and also because my friend could ask her zillion and one questions about what to do prior, after, what happened during surgery, etc. After that appointment my friend knew she was making the right decision and felt much better. The surgery went fine. My friend, being who she is, called them numerous times during the healing to ensure that she was doing everything perfectly and even took the guinea pig in a couple of times in-between when she was alarmed about something; and every time they met her with utmost concern and care for her baby and with more instruction and support. The guinea pig is fully recovered. I had read other people mentioning that they were set-up with unnecessary charges and procedures so I was looking out for that (it was actually why I kept going to the appointments as she wasn't in an emotional state to handle money decisions), but nothing like that surfaced or came even close. The doctors both mentioned less expensive options during their discussions and always left the choice to my friend. I'm sorry I don't remember the doctor's names. I think the initial doctor's name started with a J and the surgeon was Dr. Torres. Either way if I had pets I would most definitely bring them to Pender for care. I know they have a believer in my friend (and her guinea pig). read more

I have been waiting over 2 weeks to pick up Anubis, male Rottweiler, my Service Dog (for over 6 yrs) ashes & paw prints, since May 21, 2020. Why is no one contacting me? No one has responded to numerous emails sent to several Pender email addresses. It's hard enough when your dog gets untreatable cancer after turning 8 yrs old just days before. Cancer that can't be treated and can't!recover from. Paid $1,546.66 Vet bill to tell me he was sick & wouldn't make & put him to sleep. Right now I think I should have let him die at home or taken his body home with me. Paid For Return Ashes & Private Cremation after euthanized on May 21, 2020 for Anubis, male Rottweiler, my Service Dog. I want my Rottweilers all his medical records including blood tests and X-rays, not just shot history. Can't say anything good about this Vet hospital took my Rottweiler to them. Given wrong medication for heart worm. I was given 2 brands of heart worm medication instead of 2 different types of medications heart worm and flea and tick, in April 2019. If I had given it to dog, this could have killed him. Even during COVID19 animals and their owners need to be treated better then Pender is doing. Put in dirty side room to have dog put to sleep. I didn't want my dog there and I didn't want to be there. I am grieving and want my dogs ashes back!! This is just WRONG!! Careful taking a dog you really love here they just want money that's all. Not caring about animals or owners even in worse possible situations. read more

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Absolutely fantastic care! I had 1 emergency and 1 ongoing problems with 2 hamsters. There were no vet clinic nearby who had exotic animal vets available in 2 months. I called Pender and they scheduled an exam very next day and a surgery on the following day after the exam. The surgery went very well on such a tiny rodent patient, and they let me check on him over the phone at night as the night shift staff cared for the hospitalized animals all night. They also made time for the other hamster and offered lab test and management plan. The staff were so nice and professional, and explained treatment, meds, how to administer meds to me thoroughly for each of 2 hamsters. Best vet experience ever!!! ** I understand that the reviews for hospitals are very subjective and depend hugely on the health outcome, which might not be always as the result of the care they received but of the nature of the health condition itself and patient (whether human or animal)'s health level. So my review is based solely on the hospital staff's professionalism which includes clinical knowledge, skills, bedside manner, and all that they provide to make overall experience good. ((PLUS, the cost was even less than another 2-star exotic vet who charged $200+ more and did not seem tp care about the emergency situation and was very cold.)) read more

Pender Veterinary Centre - Fairfax - Veterinarians Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

I've gone back and forth whether or not to write this review. It's been almost 3 months since we were last there. If this facility was only made up of the doctors, we would give 5 stars without a second thought. It was our first visit there, and although it was short, Dr. Chang, Dr. Wong, and Dr. Lentz were all amazing, and you could tell they really care. They take the time to answer any and all questions and make you feel like they are there for you and your little one. This is especially important during these times with COVID and not being able to be with your pet in an emergency situation. It is comforting to know they are there closely watching over everything with their clinical team. The lower rating comes from a few occurrences that happened as we were there getting our dog treatment. Initially we called after hours for an emergency, and were told to come in. Once we got there, there were instructions posted outside saying to dial into a specific extension in order to get someone to come out (we figured out after that applied only to regular hours visitors, as that prompt was getting us nowhere). We tried MANY times and were outside for a good twenty minutes before we saw a team member getting off. We went to ask what we should do because we had been calling without any success- to which the response we were given took us aback- this particular staff member simply said she just got off and she isn't working anymore. NO help! (Obviously we are here for an emergency, it's after-hours. I understand that you are off, but you still represent this company). Anyway, we ended up trying all the prompts and finally got through. That was another thing, anytime we called during the next 5 days, we knew that we would most likely have to call back 50% of the time we tried. Unsure if there were phone issues, if they were short staffed, or if this is just a common occurrence (even during normal office hours, our calls weren't always picked up). Another issue that we came across is we were charged incorrectly. When we used our carecredit card, we made sure to specify that we wanted the maximum amount of time they offered for deferred interest. Because of covid, we had no papers to sign, and were made aware that we were charged incorrectly when we got our first bill. The way we were charged, we owed more than a few hundred in interest. I called back during normal hours, was put on hold for about 20 minutes and then eventually hung up on. I called back and then the same extension was saying that the office was now closed. So I left a message. My call was eventually returned later the next day, and I explained the situation about the incorrect charges. I also expressed my desire to speak with either a manager or the last treating doctor to let them know of an unfortunate situation, possibly due to either miscommunications or a lack of understanding about the transfer protocol of an emergency patient. I explained the situation to the front desk and it was never addressed again. Essentially what happened was, our dog was not in stable condition, and we needed to get her over to see an internist. The way to get in with the internist at another office is through the er, and then to an emergency spot for the internist. However, once we went through the entire process of transferring, we got to the other er to find out our dog wouldn't even be seen and needed to make the decision at that point to put her down. The history of care and current clinical status should've been discussed between the referring and referral doctor to come to a conclusion beforehand that we shouldn't even bother to deal with her transfer. And despite the information given to someone at the office about the situation, we never received a call back from anyone (doctor or manager) to get clarification. I'm assuming what I spoke to the front desk about simply died there, and nothing was spoken on the matter to anyone further. We just wanted to make sure the information was passed along so if something similar happened, another patient doesn't go through the same hassle for nothing. We just hope in putting these details out there that things are spoken about at the office, and nobody has to deal with these same issues. As I said, only speaking to the care our dog received, it was great. It was the other factors that make us hesitant to recommend this place to anyone. read more

Setting an appointment here was very easy and didn't have any problems getting a good time and date that worked with my busy schedule. My cat was the calmest I ever seen her around vets. Dr. Rutar was awesome because she taught me how to brush my cat and clip my cat's nails without my cat clawing my face off. Dr. Rutar gave me suggestion on how to help calm my cat down due to current stressful situations. Also I wasn't pushed here to buy certain things and was saved money since I thought I needed shots for my cat when I was told I didn't. Saving me money is always a fan read more

We adopted a parakeet from the shelter & brought him in because he was plucking. Dr Eller did let us know he was a juvenile and not an adult--important info--but she didn't give any advice re: his anxiety and plucking. My husband could barely get a word in and got a generic handout on parakeets off the internet. Yes, it's hard during COVID. We asked the tech and said we didn't any the info we needed to help the bird. The tech said the dr would email us. She didn't. We emailed, no answer. It was a $200 appointment. It's 3 weeks later and we surrendered the parakeet because we couldn't stop him from harming himself. read more

Had to take my dog here one night due to her having a bloody paw and we couldn't figure out why it was bleeding. Darn dog had a danger zit! The staff was so nice and the nurse and Queen (my dog) became best friends. Due to Covid I had to wait in my car but they kept me updated the entire process. read more

We had a very unfortunate accident with our pet ferret, Slinky, and we rushed him into pender. The staff immediately took him in, figured out the paperwork with me as I was slightly hysterical, and kept me updated throughout there procedure. He is doing well, and is home and happy now. I think them for all that they did. They were quick, efficient, caring, and genuinely wanted to help him. read more

I've been to a ton of vets in the area when I first moved to nova and I did not like any of them. Other veterinary centers are dirty, often over medicate, and and the service is dismal. I was so happy to find Pender vet. Their facilities are clean, all of the doctors are super nice and helpful, and they always ask before vaccinating my pup. I've been going to Pender vet for 5 years now and will not go anywhere else. The only con is that they are noticbly pricier than other vets but I still give them a five star rating since their services are absolutely worth it. read more

Dr. Voell has been an absolute lifesaver for my Shih Tzu and our family during this challenging time. When my dog suffered a severe neck injury and spinal cord damage after jumping off the bed, we were devastated. The team at Pender diagnosed him and recommended that we transfer him to a neurologist and MRI center immediately. It was a rough time for us dealing with a new hospital and unfamiliar doctors and nurses, but Dr. Voell was there for us every step of the way. His support and guidance were invaluable as we navigated this difficult situation.It's been five days since the injury, and every day Dr. Voell has been there for us, ensuring that our baby is receiving the best care possible. His compassion, dedication and genuine concern for both our pet's well-being and our emotional state have been a tremendous source of comfort. It's rare to find a doctor who truly cares about their patients and goes above and beyond. Dr. Voell is a shining example of what a healthcare professional should be.We can't express enough gratitude for everything Dr. Voell has done for us. He's been a true blessing and I wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone in need of exceptional veterinary care. Thank you Dr. Voell for everything you do. read more

I had a difficult situation with my car (battery died in the parking lot) when picking up my dog from surgery and the staff was very patient and accommodating. MandiLynn and Mike jumped my car and held Archie until I could return with a new battery. They made a stressful situation much easier for me than it could have been. Great service, and GOOD, good people. They will always have my business. read more

Mandilynn was so incredible and level of customer service, care for my pet, and for me was just incredible. I was very nervous about my cat having had surgery and teeth removed and mandilynn spent so much time walking me through everything and even called me after to check in on things. She genuinely cared about me and my pet and that is priceless. One of the many reasons I love pender. They CARE and they are honest. Highly recommend ! read more

Updating from my previous experience. We sadly had to take our almost 11 year old lap/pit in for an emergency last night because we knew she was dying. The overnight staff was so kind and compassionate in handling the whole situation. Losing a pet is never easy, losing a pet during COVID when you can't be in the room with them is even harder. The vet was absolutely fantastic, she called me right after our sweet girl was taken in because her heart had stopped. The vet explained to me what was going on and what some options were and made sure that I was fully informed so I could make the decision on whether or not to try and resuscitate and what the procedure would be for my pup if we did. After talking through it with the vet, I know it was time to let her go. The staff immediately worked to get a room ready for me so that I could have whatever time I needed to say goodbye, and then to go over the next steps. They never pressured or rushed me and were so empathetic to the experience that I was now sharing with them. Due to the timing of all of this I couldn't have my wife or kids with me, but the staff made sure I didn't feel alone and I am extremely grateful. Special thank you to the overnight staff on 3/11/21 for your hard work, your kindness, and for how you handled a very sad and delicate situation. read more

Called Xmas evening due to the fact that my dog needed insulin, as a Chewy delivery never made it to my house. Pender was great to deal with, even more astonishing because they were not my ordinary vet practice, and were a referral of a referral. Within the hour, they had the medicine available and we avoided a potential medical crisis. Also, the building and practice appears to be a first rate operation. This 24 hour clinic even has an entire wing dedicated to reptiles -- one of two in the general DC metro area. While Fair Oaks May be a schlep for some, I will consider using them for future needs. read more

What a fantastic facility with such wonderful and caring people! My daughter's Bearded Dragon was having major issues breathing. We tried to find a place in Fredericksburg, but there is only one place with an exotic vet and he was booked all day. We found Pender Vet Centre, made the call and they told us to bring her in as soon as we could. We made the trek north, and got her seen by a vet within minutes of pulling into the parking lot. She was seen by Dr Carroll, and she was absolutely phenomenal. You can tell (even over the phone) how much she loves her work. Thank you Dr Carroll for just being so awesome!! Thank you Pender Vet Centre, for being available to take a patient in such distress! You are truly wonderful!!! read more

I recently adopted 2 8 week old kittens directly from the place where they are euthanized. After owning them for 2 weeks I began to see that they were both sick. They were really sick. Something was wrong. Thankfully I found Pender Veterinary Centre. They were able to schedule a last minute appointment for both kittens even though they were completely booked and only had 1 opening. They saved my kittens lives. And the fact that they are open all hours really saved me. And after we left, the very next day, the doctor called me to check up on the kittens. I am so happy about the care that this Veterinary has showed me. I would definitely recommend this Pet Hospital to anyone who is searching. They are a step beyond other places. I am planning to stick with them throughout Lucy and Tux's lives. I look forward to the bond that they will develop with each other. It's a life-time. read more

I want to thank Dr. Andrew Voell for saving my cats life. My cat had severe mouth disease and Dr. Voell went above and beyond to save my cats life. My cat is a completely different cat now. She was nothing but bones because she was not eating and now she cleans her plate and is finally gaining weight. All she did before was sleep and now she is more active and she gives me affection and of course she is now eating like crazy. I have two other cats and two dogs and I'm switching all of them to Pender due to an amazing experience I had with Pender. Dr Voell if you read this review I want to thank you again! read more

We've taken our cats here since rescuing them from Fairfax Animal shelter 4 years ago great caring professional doctors & associates always on time appointments & efficient read more

So I experience something weird when I went back to Pender. First the Vet asked me where my husband was that came with me the last time. I said that I am not married that there was a black couple beside me when I picked up my puppy. He was like oh your racist... I was like what... Even the nurse was shocked... Then he said " im just playing.. Im so sick of all this black and white stuff that's going on...."I was totally thrown.. Felt so uncomfortable and it must have showed on my face because he changed the subject back to my puppy, but what did he mean by that I dont know. I thought their service was great until he started talking about he's sick of the what's going on in the world today... what did that mean? I will not be going back there. read more

AVOID -- the exotics department almost killed my parrot. Even though we warned them that she gets scared of strangers, and they knew she was flighted, they insisted on taking her to a back room without us (red flag!) to take her blood. She then got loose and flew straight into a window. The room where they tried to take her blood had a FULL WALL OF WINDOWS -- not frosted glass or glass with decals, as any halfway decent avian expert would require, but CLEAR UNCOVERED GLASS. There were blinds, but they were pulled up. Ditto for the exam room, but since we were with her in there, we drew the blinds ourselves before letting her out of her container. Simply put, the exotics space is not properly outfitted to handle flighted birds. The staff should have known better as well, but they should not have to think about restructuring their work environments when they are seeing patients. Shameful. If my bird had died due to their neglect, they would be hearing from my lawyer. On the bright side, they didn't even attempt to charge us for anything. But I wouldn't have paid if they tried. The staff seemed genuinely apologetic as well, which helped me control my absolute fury at the whole mess. Oh, and it turns out that initially our bird just had a mild stomach upset from eating too much mature chard the night before. Pender had wanted to run a bunch of tests, start injecting fluids in her, and keep her overnight (even after the accident) -- which all speaks to this place focusing on profits over wellness, a common theme in the negative reviews here. Importantly, it is a theme that has been privately echoed by people on Pender's very own staff. Bottom line: go to SEAVS in Fairfax for normal care of your exotic animals. For after-hours emergencies, go to Blue Ridge in Purcellville if at all possible. Read the other one-star reviews of Pender -- we count ourselves among the lucky! read more

I recently found and decided to adopt two budgies. After a couple months of owning them, my fiance and I decided to take them to a vet to make sure they're in good shape and see how we can best take care of them. Their exotic pet office staff was all great! They were patient with us for being late (we were driving from East Falls Church over to their office in Fairfax during rush hour... oops). The technician/assistant in particular was enthusiastic about his job, really knowledgeable, and overall made a great first impression in the exam room. And our veterinarian was also great - she examined the birds and didn't even try to make us run any additional tests because we were cost-conscious and everything looked normal otherwise. We got food samples for them with lots of instructions. Everyone treated the birds well. I definitely felt like we got a decent exam and education for our money. read more

Dr. Simpkins and the staff at Pender are the best vets we have ever had the pleasure to deal with. We have been using Pender for over 20 years to care for our cats (having had cats for over 30 years). The End. But, wait...there is more if you care to go in-depth. On May 8th, Kamir, died at the ripe old age of 20. He had kidney disease for the last 5 years of his life. If not for Dr. Simpkins and her commitment to helping him live as long as he wanted, we would have lost him far earlier. I can't belittle our commitment to Kamir. We immediately put him on a low phosphate diet. The last year of his life my husband gave him daily SubQ treatments. When it was time, Dr. Padte was so caring and compassionate. He and his staff made the inevitable bearable. Cut to: June 3rd We rescued 2 feral kittens from a "flipper". One had projectile diarrhea. We took them both to the ER the night we got them. Dr. Lentz was wonderful. She gave SubQ and antibiotics. Loooooong story short. We almost lost Maximus to Corona Virus. Dr. Simpkins thought out of the box. She sent us home with injectable antibiotics on Max's 4th visit. She had exhausted her "bag of tricks" as she put it. 10 days later, Max was finally out of the woods. 4 weeks after we rescued him he was a healthy kitten. There is still a chance that either Max or Zane will develop FIP. We will cross that bridge if it comes. Knowing that we have Dr. Simpkins on our side, we're good! read more

I have been taking my 3 dogs and 2 cats to Pender Veterinary Centre for the last 2 years. At first, I thought they were helpful, with records regarding my dogs and cats shots and emails to remind me to get them in for physicals etc. What I discovered was that real follow up when you have a chronically ill pet does not exist. My cat, due to my diligence, was brought in for a CBC. They found high glucose and took care of him for 3 days with a whopping bill of over $3k. They never tested for pancreatitis, the underlying cause most likely of his high BG. No one ever called; I had to continually follow-up with his care and BG curves. When one vet went on vacation, the follow up was on vacation as well. I finally took my precious cat to a Cats Only clinic where they tested for pancreatitis and had a plan for the care of my cat. I have had follow up calls from the new vet. His disease requires follow up and knowledgeable vet care. I am underwhelmed by the Pender practice. One of vets called me with a. a know it all attitude. His apology was practically not there. I would say he talked down to me. My cat deserves better! As do you! read more

After a bad experience at another vet, we came here. Dr. Rachelson was amazing with our sweet cat when she was sick. She was able to get blood work done on our cat quickly and easily, without sedation like another vet had told us was necessary. She gave us options for treatment and never pushed us to do more testing than we were comfortable with. So far, the at home treatment she recommended has been working great. Dr. Rachelson has kept in contact with us via phone and email and has been available to us any time of day. I don't see us using another vet after this amazing experience. Thank you Pender and Dr. Rachelson for your great and amazing care. read more

Pender Veterinary Centre - Fairfax - Our sweet Priscilla acting more like herself after a few days of treatment recommended by Dr. Rachelson. - Veterinarians Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

My 13 year old dog was a patient for so many years. Every time I call Pender, I am put on hold or transferred to several people that don't seem to know what is going on. When I finally made the decision to put my boy down, I was subjected to an even more extended wait time, transferred to others that blew me off and said, "we are really busy. You need to keep calling every so often to see if we have time." NOT ACCEPTABLE!!! The agonizing decision was finally made and since it was not profitable, I pretty much got the finger. This place is not training their staff, have deplorable empathy and communication. I found Chantilly Animal Hospital. They MADE time for me same day. It was a really hard experience, but they made it so much better. read more

The staff there always do a great job, especially Dr. Rutar who is always on top of her game and makes sure things are done right. They are always accommodating, even for last minute appointments. I have full confidence in their entire team! read more

Pender Veterinary Centre - Fairfax - Veterinarians Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

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