Friendship Hospital For Animals

My dog was very sick last  Saturday It was late so I couldn't take her to her primary veterinarian so we went to friendship animal Hospital I have to say this was the best experience That had taken my dog to a vet the staff was as friendly as you can be the doctor was great all I have to say this is the best place that I will be taking my dog to now Read Less

Had to take my pup, Robin, here around 11pm when she was sick. Receptionist was very kind and I appreciated her giving some extra love to Robin. Vet was knowledgeable and to the point. I was nervous about going back in an Uber with Robin's upset tummy, so they let me hang out in the waiting room as long as I wanted after she received anti nausea medication. Yes, it is expensive, but with reason- it is open 24 hours and in DC, not Maryland. Would highly recommend as an emergency vet despite the high cost Read Less

I would stay away from this hospital if you love your pets. They are more about making money then assisting in giving the best care for your furbaby. Too many chances, too many fails. They will leave your pet in pain and make you continue to come back for monetary reasons. I wouldn't take my worst enemies pet here. Read Less

This is a thank you and recommendation for Dr. DeVine. While Friendship is insanely expensive (perhaps 20% more than my regular vet across town), I am eternally grateful for Dr. DeVine's smarts, talents and care of our dog. She was patient and always willing to answer questions. She was kind but straightforward and clearly knows her vet science. The front desk staff - while overwhelmed and slow as a result - was also positive and professional and helpful. My only negative experience at Friendship was with Amy, who is an Asst Care Coordinator with ER Staff. She seemed ready to throw staff under the bus as an explanation for confusion. That said, she did ultimately address our problem with billing. In sum, Dr. DeVine is outstanding. If she is representative of all the vets at Friendship, then that's a place I would confidently suggest friends with seriously ill animals take their pets. Read Less

When my baby(pit bull)  was super sick I had her sent there because it was a late Saturday night, and her symptoms were steadily getting worse. They diagnosed her with Pyometra, and when given the options of what to do they came with a large dollar sign I couldn't afford, and had to leave without giving her treatment, but I did purchase some antibiotics and was given some pads for her. Read Less

This was not the experience we have come to expect from friendship - not even close.Our little dog-ter went in recently for a tooth cleaning and repair.  she was dropped off at 7:40 (at the beginning of the window of 7:30-8:30 they gave us, so that her procedure would be done earlier - she hates going to the vet). I was told she'd be done around midday and they would call me with an update. I got none and called at 2:30pm to check on her. They told me she had just gone back for her procedure! At around 5, we were told she was done, everything had gone well, and we could pick her up. I was surprised when I picked her up. When she was returned to me, her bottom covered in poop and was wet (as if somebody had done a rush job cleaning her up after she'd laid in her poop!) The tech who returned who to me said that she was incontinent after the anesthesia. That's infuriating and just plain inaccurate - when we took her outside, she squatted and peed for nearly 20 seconds - far beyond her normal 6-8 seconds.  Our dog, 2 years old, hasn't had an accident since she was 6 months old.  I can reach no other conclusion than that the friendship team failed to take her for a reasonable number of bathroom breaks. She has also been limping since coming home. She wasn't limping before the surgery, but now she is having a really tough time standing on her back left leg. She isn't drinking anything and she has barely eaten anything.  She's crying a lot, which she never does. I called yesterday and communicated these same things to friendship and was told I'd get a call back last night. Never got one. Instead, I got an email follow up today asking how she's doing! WTF!!  Friendship should be ashamed of themselves!!! Read Less

Thank you so much for all your help I was in desperate need to get Help with my Benny a sweet beautiful shih tzu I came here not knowing what will happen to him due to limping and in flammation on his paw the staff and doctors was all so kind to me through such a hard time going on in my life I just wanted to tell everyone thank you so much for your help and treating Benny so kind Read Less

I would give Dr. Foster and the internal medicine staff 10 stars if I could. My husband and I often "joke" that we wish we could get the thorough and compassionate level of care from our doctors that our yorkie gets from them. Our experience with internal medicine included a consultation, a surgery, and follow up to deal with recurring bladder stone and kidney stone formation. When our primary care vet sent us to Friendship after the stones recurred, I was anxious and pessimistic. After meeting JD Foster, I walked out feeling thrilled and informed at the many options that were available for stone prevention and monitoring. He is just the smartest, nicest person and my dog LOVES him. Dr. Foster answered all our questions, never rushed us, and followed up when he said he would with any answers he couldn't provide on the spot. While my little guy did need surgery, his recovery time was a fraction of what it had been after his previous surgery, and came in significantly under their estimate. And we have a plan in place that should avoid future surgeries. As far as cost, while it is marginally higher, I find it appropriate for the sky-high level of care you receive. Finally, we did utilize their emergency services once when my dog had an acute pancreatitis attack in reaction to a new diet. I found the process smooth and professional - no complaints. Read Less

Charged $500 to wait in waiting room with extremely sick cat. Told they could not give ANY estimate of wait or when cat would actually be evaluated. Front desk person didn't even bother to walk 20 feet to back to ask wait.  Really terrible and non-compassionate demeanor.  Have to come for emergencies but would not come otherwise Read Less

We brought our dog here for a late night emergency visit when our primary vet was closed. Yes, the visit was twice the cost of our regular vet, but that's just the price you pay for after hours emergency care. The vet was very thorough and answered all of our questions, and she told us that our dog was probably OK to go home and ride this out rather than going straight to an ultrasound to determine if he had a blockage (he had no indications of blockage on his physical exam). I appreciated that she didn't immediately jump to the most costly solution, and I appreciated even more that if we were to come back within 24 hours, the exam fee would be waived. Given that, I was comfortable going home and watching our pup who ended up being fine. I would definitely come here again (though hope we never have to!) Read Less

Tonight was so sad for us because we chose to have our elderly kitty euthanized. I never imagined Dr. Smith and staff would make the experience as painless and smooth as it was. They were amazing and showed us all the respect and more compassion than we ever expected. I highly recommend this very caring facility for your beloved pets. Thank you, Dr. Smith. We truly appreciate your help through this tough experience. Read Less

Had a great experience here. Went for a first-time visit for our newly adopted cat. Dr. Matheson was amazing, as were Dr. Rosenberg and Carrie. They were gentle and kind with our cat, and we left feeling confident we had come to the right place. Look forward to going there again in the future! Read Less

The once recognized (historically) go-to veterinary hospital/clinic for the best care for your pet, Friendship Hospital has become a calculated, calculating money generating establishment. Unfortunate. Read Less

So I'll start this post by saying they get five stars because they literally saved my dogs life and I am forever grateful. That being said I will agree with what some other posters have shared that it is extremely expensive even for the area. If you cannot afford the treatment there are no payment plans or options for that so that is very difficult. They are very upfront about costs and will let you know what you are paying for. If your visit doesn't end up costing you too much though and your animal can be treated, the care they will receive is top notch. I called probably 6 times per day when my dog was hospitalized and they were patient and responsive every time. Read Less

So expensive. It's hard to justify footing a multi hundred dollar bill for a pet, especially when there are so many human injustices in the world, but it's even harder paying several thousand. An emergency appointment already sets you back $175 just to be seen. The first time I went, my cat had a cold and seemed to be choking. After spending more than 1.5 hours waiting, I was seen by a vet and dismissed without a course of treatment or medicine. The second time I went to friendship my cat was seen right away, and I was told she was gravely sick. Anxious, I agreed to all the tests the vet suggested. More than $2000 later, I researched these tests and found that many of them were unnecessary and there was a more efficient way of ruling out diseases. I will say that my cat was given great care (maybe too great) and all of the staff were nice; However I think it is slightly unethical to charge so much, especially when judgement is clouded by emotions and anxiety over a sick pet. Read Less

While the doctors and staff are very knowledgeable about animals, be aware that because this is DC, they charge significantly more than hospitals in Maryland. $175 to walk in, $175 for an examination so essentially it's  $350 just to walk in. Or maybe they thought my cat was dying. He wasn't. I went to my vet the day before and his bladder didn't feel hard or anything. They said it sounds like he has FLUTD and gave me medication but 0 antibiotics. Since 11/14 he's been medicated, not on antibiotics (got it from a second vet) and my cat has clearly had enough of this when he could've started his meds earlier. Next issue is how disorganized they are. I emailed them to send records to my vet(s) and when I went to my regular office, expecting my files to be transferred (it was a week) and my vet did not have anything. So they ripped me off and can't forward my medical records. Stick to Blue Pearl. Read Less

This is just the best vet I have found for cats. The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is the price. I recommend getting the pet insurance if you can afford it, that way you are covered if you have to make an emergency visit. It is just the only place either of my cats ever felt comfortable and safe at.  I believe it is because of the small size of the examining rooms. They can get out of the carrier and examine the room on their own before the Dr. comes in.  They don't mind the waiting room either.My lovely Maeve lived to be 13 yrs old even tho she was diagnosed with kidney disease at the age of 2.  She was on a special diet that I purchased at Friendship and she had to get yearly blood work done there.  My current rescue Siamese, Piwacket, hates the ride to Friendship but settles right down once we get there. Again, I use the pet insurance plan, so that I am covered in an emergency.  But I understand that not everyone can afford that.  I save up for it every year because I think it is important that my rescue cats get the best possible care and Friendship is it.I also like that you can take your cat in anytime for a nail clipping without an appointment. That cost $34.I like that I have been able to review my cats nutritional plan with the vet, and go over the ramifications of her past abuse, both physical and psychological. We have had to come up with feeding strategies to compensate for the fact that she still eats so fast that she immediately vomits, even after being safe in my home for 3 1/2 yrs.  At Friendship the Dr.'s care about each of their patients and give individual care Read Less

I am so glad I found Friendship hospital. They took excellent care of my cat who was Felv+ and developed lymphoma. Yes, we went through cat chemo, and the staff at Friendship was excellent, clearly knowledgeable, very patient, and nice. My cat has since passed, but I will always remember and appreciate the excellent care she received at Friendship and will continue to take all of my pets there. Read Less

I will no longer be using friendship after 3+ years of loyalty. Every time I call, I am now placed on hold for 5-10 minutes. Appointments are always late. "Walk-in" visits with technicians now take 30-45 minutes. And the charges are more and more absurd - the 30 seconds required to take blood pressure after a $89 wellness visit costs an additional $50.Front desk staff are clearly understaffed, tired and overworked. Drive 20 minutes away from NW DC and get the same care for half the price and wait time. This place has gone downhill and it is a shame. Read Less

Friendship Hospital for animals has saved my cat's life with their caring and knowledgeable practitioners, and their 24/7 availability. The staff are very polite and treat my cats with kindness and concern.That being said, services are expensive and there are sometimes delays in email communication.Overall I would highly recommend to those not constrained by a difficult budget. Read Less

My dog and I have seen multiple specialists at Friendship. Dr. Daniel in internal medicine, Dr. Kunder in dermatology, and Dr. Barbur in specialty surgery. Nothing but compassionate care and always plenty of time to answer my many questions -- even over phone and email. The staff here is top notch and they genuinely care about the animals they see. They provide the information you need to make informed decisions but do not push unnecessary procedures. Inexpensive? No. Excellent care? Yes. Read Less

I recently had the incredible experience of my dog being seen by oncology and dermatology specialists at Friendship. Not only did they save the life of my wonderful Golden, it was done with absolute  care and compassion from the front desk to every assistant, tech and vet. Dr. McKnight (oncology) went above and beyond, repeatedly, to be sure my dog was getting the best possible medical care, and followed up with me repeatedly to be sure I understood all I needed to make informed decisions. And when it became more of a cardiology issue, Dr Chloe Block literally saved his life and at the same time made sure I was ok, with honesty, kindness and complete control of what needed to be done. Every animal got alot of TLC from the front reception with Matt, and the follow up could not have been more thorough. Simply could not be better in any way! Read Less

The place is nice and the staff appear to really love animals. But, $4000 (which I was informed about because they wont do anything until you make a deposit) later my fur baby died and they couldn't tell me what was wrong. I took him in and it just seemed like he got sicker in a very short period of time. I almost feel like he may have reacted to something they gave him. My point for this review, however  is so others dont get blindsided by the bill that comes after the fact in which they hand write sorry for your loss across the bottom. Remember I said they give you a plan of care with a minimum and maximum up front. They neglected however to tell me the additional cost once he died. I was told there was nothing else I needed to do I could just leave. Wait for it... That's right I got a bill for an additional $880. The total ended up being $4880. It would have been nice to know up front all the additional cost. I'd suggest they explain the additional cost before you make final decision. And please save the sorry for your loss across a bill...it came across as disingenuous. Read Less

Con: expensive.Pros: where do I begin? The hospital is always clean and staff is super accommodating.  I'm especially impressed with Dr. Moore for her medical expertise, compassion and care during a super difficult time with our cat; She really cares about animals and customers! I was a lot so wowed by how well she treated us and helped us through the very difficult decision of having to euthanize our family cat. In the future, I will always continue to go to this hospital for animal needs and to Dr. Moore for primary care. Read Less

My family has been taking pets to Friendship since the 1970s. It is a much different experience than what I remember when we brought in my childhood dogs. Way more complicated and less personal. I remember being recognized by the front desk staff when I was a kid, chatting with them about our dogs, who they all knew, etc. Now, you're definitely a number in the waiting room. That said, so long as you are prepared to be an advocate for your pet (which is necessary for humans, too, in today's medical environment, frankly), you still receive excellent care at Friendship. I was not too thrilled with the first vet that examined my new rescue pup and the $400 price tag for that initial exam (no shots, only test was a fecal) nearly sent me to the hospital. Despite getting a clean bill of health after that exam, I was concerned about some stuff going on with my pup a few days later, and I brought him back. We saw Dr. McMurphy, and she is AWESOME.  She put together a great plan to help find out what might be causing the symptoms, prescribed some meds that have really helped him, and has been GREAT about returning my calls with questions, which is so important to me.  The only reason that I do not give 5 stars is the initial vet visit that I was not thrilled about (yet cost a fortune) and some hit-and-miss experiences with the front desk staff when I've called in with questions. Some calls would go much better if they would LISTEN to the caller explaining the issues before launching into seemingly scripted responses (seriously, folks - boiled chicken and rice is not a cure all and cannot be the response to every question). Read Less

I absolutely love the staff and Dr. Nicola Moore at Friendship. I have been taking my dogs to this hospital for years for routine check ups, shots and for emergency issues that we have had. We live about 30 mins from the hospital but would never take our pets anywhere else. Dr. Moore is extremely knowledgeable, professional and caring for all of her patients. She takes her time, listens to your concerns and will do what is necessary so your family member gets the best care possible. We strongly recommend Friendship and Dr. Moore to all of our family and friends that want the absolute best for their fur babies. Read Less

I had an emergency with my cat recently and they did a wonderful job of working with him, and me, to put him on a path to get well. He has not bitten anyone there which is a testimony to their patience (he hates most vets).  They did a great job coordinating with his two current vets (don't ask).I do not find them terribly more expensive than other vets. It is a hospital, so very busy most times. Really when your pet is sick you have to decide if a large vet bill will be worth it. I think in my case it was and I think they know what they are doing. Minor complaint - my current vet responds to email inquiries. They don't but should Read Less

Wow, five star service. The staff here are friendly and prompt and the vets are incredibly caring. I emailed the hospital on a Sunday afternoon after noticing strange behavior and frequent urination outside of the litter box from my cat. A vet was quick to respond, suggested a possible diagnosis, and provided an estimate of services and recommended course of action. When I decided later that night to bring her in, she was immediately seen and within a reasonable amount of time, the vet brought me back to discuss her situation. She was upfront with the price of each procedure/treatment option and I was in and out as soon as we were able to. I'm not lying, it's going to be expensive if you take your pet to urgent care, but the quality of service you receive (and peace of mind) is worth it. I hope I don't have to come back but if you need to come, come here! Read Less

I have had mostly positive experiences at Friendship over the years, with one negative experience many years ago. Most of the vets I've dealt with are competent and caring, and I've pretty much only been there for urgent or emergency care.  Without a lot of tests, I can get urgent care for about $250, which is a bargain as far as I'm concerned for unscheduled, immediate care.  It can be very busy, and it can be slow because it's very busy.  If you go for emergency or urgent care, plan to be there for at least a couple of hours.  However, they will take good care of your pet.  I would also suggest that you be a knowledgeable pet owner and that, for urgent care, you show up with as much information as possible about your pet's condition over the past few days.  The more you know, the better off you and your pet will be. Read Less

I LOVE FRIENDSHIP HOSPITAL!!! I have had nothing but positive and warm experiences here. I’ve been 5 times in the last week & a half trying to get my old Chihuahua’s breathing problems managed, and I have been met by nothing but warm staff members who made me feel as though they genuinely cared for both me and my pet. I’ve seen the cardiologist, Dr Bloch, and an internist, Dr Kelley, and I have full faith that we’re getting to the root of what ails him and are getting meds just right to fix him up. I have been in for emergent care a few times late at night, and ALL of the people that work the front have been so kind and warm. All of the docs he has seen have been so gentle and kind with him, and very knowledgeable and informative- I feel so much trust in them all! I am so glad to have found a place like this. I feel comfort when we walk through the doors...Thank you, Friendship!!!! Read Less

I LOVE FRIENDSHIP HOSPITAL!!! I have had nothing but positive and warm experiences here. I've been 5 times in the last week & a half trying to get my old Chihuahua's breathing problems managed, and I have been met by nothing but warm staff members who made me feel as though they genuinely cared for both me and my pet. I've seen the cardiologist, Dr Bloch, and an internist, Dr Kelley, and I have full faith that we're getting to the root of what ails him and are getting meds just right to fix him up. I have been in for emergent care a few times late at night, and ALL of the people that work the front have been so kind and warm. All of the docs he has seen have been so gentle and kind with him, and very knowledgeable and informative- I feel so much trust in them all! I am so glad to have found a place like this. I feel comfort when we walk through the doors...Thank you, Friendship!!!! Read Less

We have been going to Friendship since 1991 and can't say enough great things about it! The staff, the techs, the doctors all treat with total love and respect for animals. Everyone is very knowledgeable and takes the time to answer questions and deal with every concern, great and small. When dealing with the most difficult of decisions, Friendship has displayed empathy , understanding, and has cried along with us. I so recommend you take your precious family members to this caring place! Read Less

I brought my cat here for a second opinion after being scammed at a cat clinic in northern VA. I am happy that I did. The organization is effective, ethical, and diligent about caring for animals. The other place, in my opinion, defrauds its customers. The vet told me that the recommendations of the other clinic were unnecessary and academic. Thank you Friendship Hospital for taking such good care of my cat! Read Less

DO NOT GO HERE UNLESS ITS A LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION AND ITS THE ONLY PLACE OPEN!!!! This place lies and does not care for your pet. $2000 later they still don't know what's wrong with my dog and they handed her to me in a horrible state. They said they haven't given her any sedatives the last 24 hours but she was limp like a rag doll and was practically in a comatose state. You are the one calling them every day asking for updates on your pet and every day it's a new doctor and a new tech. They overdosed my dog with drugs just to tell me to try something new - the cost just kept adding up. They will do or say anything to take your money because they know what we will do to help our fur babies. My dog has improved just being at home and not locked in a cage drugged with god knows what they gave her but is still out of it and seems traumatized from being there. I swear I'm not just upset about the bill - I'm livid on how my dog was treated and how she was given back to me. If you have thousands of dollars to waste just for the answer, "we don't know what's wrong with her"... take her/him here. Read Less

I called today to Friendship because  my dog Lola was having seizures and a Lady called Dori answered the phone... what a horrible person is she! I have been a client for the past 8 years, my 3 dogs Pepe, Lola and Zeus all go to Friendship! This unprofessional, rude, insensitive Lady called Dori is  any pet owner worst nightmare!! I will never take my pets back! After her rude and racist remarks I asked to talk to the manager, Dori then said I will had to hold for A very long time. Needles to say that the manager Shinik was as bad! Read Less

They're too disorganized for what they charge, which leads to sloppy care at premium prices.  Unless you need emergency care, your pet may me better off elsewhere (except Banfield).  Our first exposure to Friendship came because we had to bring our pets in for emergency care in the middle of the night.  They may be the only pet hospital in DC open 24/7.  The care our pets got was very good, if pricey. We also appreciated that they would give us very clear, typed instructions on our way out.  We also had to hospitalize one pet and, price aside, she was well cared for.  We liked our initial experiences so much we decided to make them our primary care facility.  Appointments were seemingly easy to set up, and they do take you in exactly at your appointment time.  But as soon as we started coming here during the daytime, that's when things went sour.  - During a December visit our dogs were over vaccinated, meaning they were given a vaccine they did not need, because Friendship failed to contact their previous vet to request records, despite us asking them to and despite them telling us they would - During a later visit they *AGAIN* tried to give our dogs vaccines that were not necessary.  The tech insisted one of our dogs had never gotten a particular vaccine.  I asked her to check our records from a previous vet.  She said she did and he hadn't gotten the vaccine.  I went through the same thing with the doctor.  I pulled up the records on my phone and on the very first page there it was, the vaccination date.  It's impossible for me to trust the good faith of Friendship when its staff repeatedly tells you your dog needs a particular vaccine despite them having records that say otherwise on page 1. - After we got our latest rounds of vaccination taken care of, the bill for both pets was around $1000.  Friendship then tells us about their healthcare plans and how they include vaccines.  I asked them why didn't anyone mention these plans back in December, they would have saved us a bunch of money.  I guess I answered my own question.  I'm just pointing this out so you know Friendship will not go out of their way to keep care cost-effective.  - My dog had an allergic reaction the day after being vaccinated.  His first allergic reaction ever.  I brought him that evening.  Friendship still charged me urgent care prices (yes, my dog has an allergic reaction to their vaccine and we have to pay more money, and at a higher rate).  - I made follow-up appointments for our  pets for vaccines and dental care.  When I called close to the appointment date to confirm, they had only kept one appointment in their records, but not the other one.  Just more signs of them being disorganized.  - I asked to speak to a practice manager so I could relay the disappointment in how disorganized they are.  I was told she couldn't come to the phone and that if I wanted, I could try her later.  No effort was made to take my information and have her get in touch with me.  In short, you'll get great emergency care, sloppy and disorganized regular care, and they will bill you over and over and over and over, and you will spend *thousands of dollars* per pet.  Unless you have an emergency that can't wait, I just can't recommend this as a good value with organized care. Read Less

We had a cat with a lymphoma.  After being pretty aggressive with treatment, his quality of life really declined.  We talked with our regular vet who agreed that it was time to let him go.  When we brought him in, another vet was on duty.  He proceeded to tell us about available treatments for lymphoma that we could try.  He made us feel so guilty for wanting to euthanize our cat;  the cat was clearly miserable to anyone who knew him.  We were crying.  After he put our cat to sleep, the tech came in to get our cat.  The tech talked to us a little before taking our cat's body away.  The entire time he was talking to us, he was holding our cat upside down.  We will never go back.  It was heartless. Read Less

This place is amazing! Our puppy loves it here. While you and Fido wait, you can sip on coffee. Then the nurse or vet will take care of you and our puppy was just wagging the tail all the time. After that the vet took us on a tour and I must say, this place seems to be very well equiped. They are open 24/7 for emergencies, the staff is very friendly and before coming here we compared the prices with a bunch of other places closer to our place, but they were roughly the same and not all of them had 24/7 emergency service. Read Less

This past Sunday morning, I had to bring my nearly 16-year-old cat, Fenix, to Friendship to be euthanized. While I hated having to make that decision, it was the right one for Fenix. He had kidney disease and was not eating and unable to walk properly. My vet -- District Vet -- was closed and I'm actually still waiting for them to return my calls; it's been almost a week (that's another story and review). The staff at Friendship could not have been more kind and caring. Dr. Schildroth was wonderful. She walked me through every step of the process and gave us as much time as we needed with Fenix before and after the procedure. She, and everyone else at Friendship, was a great help during a difficult time. Read Less

I can't thank Friendship Hospital enough for the kindness and compassion they showed me and my 17-year-old cat on the hardest day of any pet or pet owner's life.Following an ultrasound, it was determined that he had a mass blocking his intestines that, given his age and circumstances, wouldn't be operable. Everyone was incredibly patient with me while I cried my face off, and we were able to ease my kitty's departure with all the comfort any human or animal companion could hope for.  I'll be grieving for a long time, but I'll always be incredibly grateful for my last day with my fuzzy baby thanks to the good people at Friendship. Read Less

I've been so impressed with this place, and so have my friends. But before I get to my good experiences, let's address the elephant in the...reviews.Friendship Hospital is not cheap. That means that it won't be right for everyone. Even as a self-proclaimed bargain hunter, though, I disagree with many reviewers and don't think that by itself is a reason to subtract a star. If there were another equal vet hospital a few blocks away with lower prices, that might be different. But what Friendship offers in location, convenience, and breadth of services makes them special.I've taken my dog to Friendship twice, and the service was outstanding. The first time was two days after getting him. As a baby rescue pup out of Smyth County VA, somewhere in the process of his strip to DC he contracted an illness. We took him to Friendship while fearing the worst (like Parvo). Fortunately, between some medications and an IV for fluids, he was acting like himself again within a day. To be able to call Friendship and get worked in for an eval and exam right away was a blessing. Yes, I walked away with an eye-popping vet bill for emergency services, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat.The second time was recently for a dermatology/allergy appointment. The amount of time that Dr. Kunder spent with us was simply out of this world. She shared a ton of knowledge, wrote it all up and emailed it afterward, and even followed up to check on us. I've rarely seen a specialist take that kind of time when dealing with my own health problems--let alone that for a dog. And I could tell they were busy that day, too.There are lots of good veterinary care options in the DC area. Friendship's prices may be outside many people's budgets. But I absolutely don't think you can wrong taking your pet there. They are prompt, thorough, and friendly, and they have plenty of different specialists if your pet's problem is more complicated. Read Less

As a first time pet owner, I was super nervous about choosing a vet. Dr Cohen & staff made my & Luna's 1st visit to the vet better than I could have ever hoped for. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. Dr Cohen & her assistant (I think Candace) did a great job explaining what immunizations Luna needed and what to expect during the first year as it relates to immunizations and well visits. I had a fair amount of questions & Dr Cohen was thorough in making sure I understood everything. When they gave Luna her shots, they let her eat a treat at the same time so she wouldn't be upset by the shot. It really worked- Luna acted like she didn't even mind the shot because her treat was so good :) I'm really impressed by how nice everyone is here. You can really tell that they care about the pets and enjoy what they do! Front desk staff was awesome, too! Overall A+ experience!! Read Less

As a first time pet owner, I was super nervous about choosing a vet. Dr Cohen & staff made my & Luna's 1st visit to the vet better than I could have ever hoped for. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. Dr Cohen & her assistant (I think Candace) did a great job explaining what immunizations Luna needed and what to expect during the first year as it relates to immunizations and well visits. I had a fair amount of questions & Dr Cohen was thorough in making sure I understood everything. When they gave Luna her shots, they let her eat a treat at the same time so she wouldn't be upset by the shot. It really worked- Luna acted like she didn't even mind the shot because her treat was so good :) I'm really impressed by how nice everyone is here. You can really tell that they care about the pets and enjoy what they do! Front desk staff was awesome, too! Overall A+ experience!! Read Less

The service here is phenomenal but you need to make six figures to be able to afford it. Since this is the only game in town, I've been forced to use it twice in the last year for a total of $6700. They charge $130 every 8 hours that they are holding your pet. Each time they check blood pressure is an additional $50. My pet was seen at the beginning of the week and they couldn't find anything wrong with him but I brought him back a few days later and I was charged all over again for an exam and bloodwork. They're great with the care but I think they're robbing people. Unfortunately, there's nowhere else to go. Read Less

What a great place! Very thankful to have a 24 hour vet in DC, and to the lovely techs and vet working the night shift tonight. If I didn't have such a great relationship with my current vet, I'd be happy to switch! Read Less

If I could only give more stars I would.  I brought my dog in on Saturday night as he rudely stole three corncobs practically from the mouth of babes.  I called to say I was bringing him in and upon arrival about a half hour later, I was asked "are you the person who just called?".  My lab - I'm sure you've already guessed the breed by the food stealing incident, was immediately taken in for examination and I, a hot mess at this point, was accompanied to a private exam room - basically so I did not ugly cry in public.  He was admitted and eventually had to go in for surgery.  He was released Wednesday afternoon.  His stay was four nights total.Every step of the way the vets clearly explained their assessment of his condition and possible treatment options.  Since he had eaten corncobs and apparently also raided the trashcan, it was impossible to clearly identify the contents of his stomach with a x-rays, so it was quite a process without a clear and obvious standard course of treatment. It was a waiting game in terms of having the stomach clear enough to clearly see, but not so long that the corncob(s) could move into the digestive tract thus exacerbating an already delicate situation. If the stomach cleared enough to ID the corncobs then a surgical option could be avoided and the contents removed via endoscopy. Unfortunately this did not workout and he had to go in for surgery, but all went well - thank you Dr. Glassman- and he is resting comfortably at home.As I said, every step of the way was a judgement call and the vets, Klippen, Schildroth and Zimmerman were all excellent at communicating their assessment of the situation and explaining the benefits and risks of each treatment option. They did so with clarity and compassion.A special shout out to Brittney the vet tech who took fantastic care of my pooch!  It was confirmed that he was in good hands when every time she would enter the visiting room he would lift his head and wag his tail.  Being happy to see the lady who pokes and prods you is a great sign!My experience at Friendship Hospital for Animals is one marked by excellent quality of care, kindness and compassion.  Thank you to the whole team! Read Less

We want to should out to DR. FOSTER (internal medicine) for being a WONDERFUL provider for our almost 5 year old cat, Leo.Two years ago when we lived in Philadelphia, Leo was in kidney failure and required rounds of dialysis, blood transfusions, two separate surgeries, and weeks of overnight care at the University of Pennsylvania. We were told (understandably) that more than likely, he would not survive. His case was very history oriented and required full knowledge to grasp the extent of his illness; he had a fantastic and empathetic team of doctors and staff who were overlooking him and were familiar with his case. One of whom which was Dr. Foster (before he started at Friendship).Leo miraculously recovered and we were moving soon to the DMV area and were worried about finding a provider and practice that not only was comfortable in kidney disease (and sPecifically SUB flushes/care), but also equipped with enough equipment and materials necessary that would eliminate the need to be referred elsewhere, and handle overnight care. Leo's future care, and medically history, we knew, was going to be extensive and wanted (needed) a long-term, trusting doctor-patient-pet relationship. We asked the lead vet overseeing Leo if there were any vets in the DMV area she would recommend, and by some crazy coincidence, she said Dr. Foster took a position at Friendship, which was only 30min from our new home.Not only did Dr. Foster remember Leo, he continued to treat us with warmth and sincerity. We/Leo has seen him every year since, and will absolutely continue to do do. He certainly has extensive knowledge of veterinary medicine, and delivers with great bedside manners. His recommendations (whether for medications, lifestyle, long term care plans) have always turned out informative and positive.Leo loves you Dr. Foster! You rock! Read Less

Each time we have had an emergency they took very good care and were told every little detail of what was wrong with the family pets.  The doctors are great.  The nurses are awesome.  The customer care team is wonderful.  My baby, Precious, is gone to sleep and were very gentle with her. They will be seeing her siblings for everything from now on.  Thank you all! Read Less

The triage Dr on call committed what I would consider to be criminal and unethical acts to convince us to leave our dog overnight. When we checked in with her at 6 p.m. In the evening on day one, she stated that our dog still had a high fever and needed to stay overnight. The following day when I checked her chart, my dog's temperature was listed as stabilized at noon on day one. So 6 hours she was without a fever, the doctor said oh I just checked her chart, she has a fever. This was an obvious lie in a scam in order to get several extra $1,000 from us. The money means nothing to us. However, being scammed by a low-life Petty criminal is quite upsetting. I wish that I would have reported this to a municipal or District regulatory agency when it happened. Read Less

My partner and I had to bring our cat in around midnight after she ingested some string we were using to play with her (despite the common thinking, string is actually terrible for cats if they ingest it; always keep an eye on them if you use it for play!) We called and they told us to bring her in. They were able to quickly process and treat her. Throughout this stressful and late period they were kind, professional, and caring, not only with us, but with everyone and their animals who came through. They appear to be the only option in the DC area for 24 hour emergency vet service. Thank God they are a good one. Read Less

I took my sweet older cat to get euthanized today and the techs at Friendship were absolutely amazing. I called in to ask about an appointment and they said they could see me right away. When I got there, I didn't even have to check in but was ushered into a private room right away, no need to wait in the lobby with owners here for happier circumstances. The vet was incredibly kind and patient, affirmed my feelings about the suffering my kitty was experiencing, and did a heartfelt good job putting her to sleep. I could really tell that she cared about my pet and my experience. I'm grieving my loss today but so deeply grateful for the care that I received. Read Less

We've been going to Friendship Hospital since 2012. We have had three cats treated here and I firmly believe that the care they received extended their lifetimes. One of our cats lived to be 21 and in good shape till nearly the very end! Friendship is large and well run. They have the capacity to handle emergencies as well as routine wellness visits. I find the staff to be extremely caring and nurturing. They are also honest and straightforward. They don't recommend treatments just to pad their profit margin but at the same time they make you aware of the various options. The waiting room is comfortable and attractive. They off coffee tea and WiFi which makes longer waits bearable. They have on-site parking which is a godsend in this neighborhood. They also participate in local events hosting block parties and open houses. I find their prices reasonable considering the high level of service and I am therefore willing to drive across town. I do believe they have some home visit services and they do call in prescriptions to a local pharmacy that delivers.Convenient caring competent...I highly recommend Friendship! Read Less

The quality of care is very good, and this is the only hospital in DC that offers 24-7 service. In my case the latter actually saved my pet's life. At the same time, they will have no qualms about squeezing every single penny out of their patients with high bills and multiple referrals to specialists. After spending more than $8,000 this month to treat my cat, I called today with a very simple question. The answer: come in and make an appointment (e.g, spend another $200). Use these guys when you have an emergency or if you have good pet insurance -- otherwise look elsewhere! Read Less

I love Friendship and so do my dogs! They have the best staff in the area! You truly get what you pay for! You can call them day or night with a question and they are always helpful! I highly recommend them ! Read Less

Hands down the best vet experience I've ever had. They provided incredible love, comfort and treatment to some of the most special people in my family. It's very well together, efficient, compassionate and professional. Classic services plus emergency services are available 24 hours a day. This place really is special. Read Less

What a phenomenal practice!!!Of course, when my dogs decide to get sick, they plan it at the most convenient time which almost certainly means when my regular vet is closed. When all 3 of them were having horrible bloody diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, etc I knew we couldn't wait another day for my primary vet to be open. So on Sunday, we trekked over to the only 24 hour clinic in DC!Now, keep in mind that Friendship isn't JUST emergency care. They have regular clients with regular appointments as well. I knew that going into it so I was fully planning on being there all day. Thankfully, a friend came along with me to help me wrangle my 3 sick doggos. The facility itself is very nice and very clean, as expected. The front desk staff are very friendly and compassionate. I can't comment on any of the exam rooms because it was so packed that day that we did everything, including the exams, in the lobby. This was totally ok with me because Dr. White was able to just sit on the floor with my Italian Greyhound crew to do their exams (they do so much better with floor exams than scary table exams!) Dr. White was PHENOMENAL! I cannot sing her praises enough! She was extremely personable and made me feel more like I was talking to an old friend. She explained everything she was doing as well as the diagnosis and the medications in great detail. I definitely much prefer her approach of trying something first before doing all sorts of crazy tests and whatnot. And she gave us the diagnosis and meds I figured - with sensitive tummied IGs, I get used to them having gastrointestinal problems from time to time. I couldn't be happier with my experience with Dr. White!And here's something I guess that's a little surprising. I found all the other CLIENTS to be super friendly as well! I chatted to so many others in the waiting room about our dogs, what's wrong with them, our vets, blah blah blah. You gotta think, these people are there for similar reasons as you - sick furbabies, so it was nice to just converse and have some laughs while we waited.Overall, we were probably there for about 4 hours which is pretty much what I expected. An dire emergency came in while we were waiting so I was definitely understanding that that obviously took more precedence over my doggos. And bonus - the bill was cheaper than I expected!! That was a nice surprise. I also really liked that the front desk girl highlighted all the important points from our discharge papers. It made for a very nice cheat sheet for when I got home. And the notes that Dr. White left in the papers were so nice, I'm glad she enjoyed my dogs as much as we enjoyed her!Definitely glad to have Friendship as the DC emergency vet! Honestly, if they weren't so far from me (about half hour drive), I'd consider them as my primary care vet. But in the meantime, I'll have no issues making that trek for emergency or urgent care. Thanks so much for taking care of my crew!! Read Less

I took my dog here about 5 years ago for an emergency.after her spay surgery had complications. After two days, she recovered and I took her home.  Since then I have lived in Oahu and SF .... and now I have moved back to the DC area and was hoping to make a wellness appointment for her for routine vaccinations and thought I would try this place for primary vet services.  I also wanted to have her blood drawn for the the rabies tests HI requires because I may end up moving back to Oahu.  I've done this a few times already, so I know the drill.   I usually take my dogs to DuPont Vet while living in DC, but thought I'd try this place because it seemed nice and why not. Look, I'm a fairly friendly person.  I say things like  "hello" and "please" and "thank you". I called to make an appointment and the person that answered the phone - and I wish I knew her name - was not only extremely rude from the start, but when I mentioned that I needed vaccines and the FAVN blood test she literally started YELLING at me that I "needed to email Sophia" (whoever that is) for international moves and what is my move date and airline and angry words angry words. It was so strange.  I tried explaining that I am not moving yet, I just need to blood drawn and sent to the lab (the tests are good for 36 months).  I anticipate that I'll be moving and because It takes 120 days before my dog could even go to HI after the blood is drawn, I wanted to get that out of the way along with her routine vaccinations.  In any event, she continued to yell / talk angrily in a loud offensive manner, so I just said I would call somewhere else. I am honestly in shock at how this person talked to me and treated someone that wanted to give their place of employment business. PLUS, I was not rude to her, I actually tried to get her to calm down by saying "okay okay, please slow down" but it didn't work.  It was pretty crazy.  I guess  I'll go back to my old vet since they have given my dogs vaccinations and this blood test three times now, and have never yelled at me.  Grass is not greener I guess. Read Less

So poorly run!     Slow and expensive.   Literally the only reason to come here is because they are open 24/7.  Avoid if you are able.   Did I mention how slow they are? Slow slow slow slow slow slow slow slow.  They really need to revisit their staffing plan. Read Less

The staff are way more interested in money than they are in actually putting forth the best care for pets.  I took my cat to Friendship Animal Hospital.  He was there for less than 24 hours, and they charged me $5,000.00 for the services.  It was clear from the moment I took him in that he was dying.  Instead of offering euthanasia as an option, the vets kept pushing prolonging his life.  Never once did any vet even suggest euthanasia, which was in the best interest of my cat.  And that's because it was not in the best interest of their profit margin to keep him alive so that they could increase the billing.  It was absolutely outrageous. Read Less

These people are the SCUM of the earth. In particular the front desk staff. I called several times to speak to the vet that cares for my dog (whom i do like) but he was out of the office for several days. My dog has cancer and has been taking steroids for 2 months and the last 3 days or so I don't think he's been doing well. So I need to talk to a vet, tell them what I've been seeing and see if "its time". The dirtbag ladies (a receptionist and her supervisor - IF it was the supervisor) told me 1st that they cant transfer me to a doc with out knowing what my questions are, then they said I should book an oncology appointment. In the state that I am in right now - facing the possibility of losing my baby, I just don't want to talk to someone who knows NOTHING about veterinary care. They said no doctor would speak to me without knowing what I would ask and then they had the audacity to say that it against medical ethics for a doc to speak with me with out seeing my dog???? YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT A DOCTOR CANT LOOK AT A FILE AND ANSWER SIMPLE QUESTIONS? So what this tells me is that all they care about is their bottom line. Each visit costs $90+Oncology is $500+ just for the first consultation. My last visit where they x-rayed and ran some other tests was $575. If it is time for me to put my dog to sleep it would be $350+. Its not that all I care about is the money - I JUST NEED TO KNOW IF ITS TIME. This is a VERY HARD decision to make. These people don't care about you or your pet. They care about how much they can make you PAY. How CRUEL is it to treat customers that are already in a pretty emotional state in such a manner? What happened to being compassionate for parents and the pet that is suffering? Read Less

I cannot say enough positive things about Friendship Animal Hospital and I am so surprised to see some of the bad reviews. My dog was attacked by a loose dog while I was walking him home one afternoon and had several bite marks along his neck and a large laceration on his head. As soon as I arrived they took him in to be examined...it did take several hours because of some other emergencies, but they offered to keep him overnight at no charge. The staff up front was amazing; they were extremely attentive and sympathetic. Dr. Postler was upfront about costs and concerns that she had about his neck wounds healing. She asked me to send photos every few days so she could check his progress, and always responded within 24 hours. After his stitches were removed they called several days later to check in and see how he was doing. It is a tad pricey, but it's an emergency vet clinic and your pet will be treated right away by amazing veterinarians. I am so grateful to have found this animal hospital here in DC. It's a huge relief to know that my pup is in good hands if there is ever another emergency. Read Less

Dr. Audrey Billhymer was great!  We had to take our senior cat to the emergency room in April (our only experience at Friendship). Unfortunately he had to be put to sleep. The doctor couldn't have been better and more supportive in our time of crisis. She was very helpful in making this difficult decision. She even sent us a note the week after about our loss. What a class act!  We will go back to see her when we get another fur baby. Read Less

If you have a sick pet there is no place better to take him or her.  The vets are wonderful and compassionate and excellent doctors too.  In the interest of full disclosure, it is expensive but when you need top notch treatment, this is the place to be.  When my dog got sick this winter they brought in the sonogram technician on Sunday morning to diagnose him.  Acute pancreatitis - he probably would not have survived anywhere else so I am grateful for the expertise at Friendship.  Dr. Spencer, who we saw during the emergency treatment, is great and our regular doctor, Dr. Cohen, is fantastic. It would be nice if Friendship could find a better way to collect payments though - the billing people are right on you even when you are in grief and stress mode. Read Less

I only write reviews when it seems absolutely necessary to share (and usually that means it's good news), but sadly that's not the case here. They quickly diagnosed my dog with advanced cancer telling me she could die at any moment, strongly insisted she should stay there over night rather than return home with me and that I should strongly consider euthanizing her as it may be the most loving thing I can do... my gut told me something was off so I went against their recommendations, took her home and quickly found a new vet. My dog shortly recovered from a small intestinal infection that they clearly didn't diagnose and is perfectly healthy. We swim, go on long strenuous hikes, you name it. (For context, they recommended euthanizing her 6 months ago.) Thank goodness I followed my own heart rather than their strong suggestion of putting my dog down...my dog would have been gone for no reason. They're nice, but unfortunately I wouldn't take their medical advice. I've also by happenstance crossed paths with 4 other people having the exact same experience as myself. :( Read Less

They give the worst-case scenario, even if the proceedures they do is not in the best interest- or even necessary- for the animal. For example, they said that 3 one-inch square pieces of 35% milk chocolate would be enough to "potentially" kill a 10-12 lb yorkie, making the owner spend around $600 to pump the poor dog's stomach. Being doctors, there is a lack of liability. And Sales. Sales. And more sales. Read Less

I came here for a cat with a tumor.  I found this place a lot more interested in getting its money than caring for me and my animal.  It is quite expensive for everything, needlessly bureaucratic and worst of all not very compassionate or caring.  The doctor I saw (Dr. Mallett) spent almost no time talking with me and seemed not to have even gotten the full info I asked for.  This was a terrible place and I'm glad I found a better one. Read Less

I could not be more pleased with the quality of care I received.  My cat was very sick 9 months ago and I brought her in.  She stayed for 2 days and left a new girl.  With prescriptions and regular check ins from the vet, she was with me until last week.  I cannot say enough about Dr. Cowburn.  She was sympathetic, thoughtful and explained the options to us with great care and detail.  They have a nice private area where you can spend your last time with your pet to say goodbye.  It was a very difficult day, but they treat you and your pet with the utmost dignity, care and compassion.  Dr. Cowburn went above and beyond her role as an emergency doctor to help us. Read Less

I wouldn't take my animal here...EVER. The care my dog got on Sunday was so poor & expensive. Now because they did not wrap her sling properly, she is in worse condition & now they are holding her hostage for $1200 more and she is there for the same issue!!!! I am appalled that they don't admit they didn't wrap her right & just fix it. This is a very pitiful situation I cannot even give 1/2 a star Read Less

Overpriced and inadequate services. I went in for an Annual Wellness Exam, but also let them know that my dog was experiencing some vomiting. It wasn't anything too serious since he acted fine otherwise. I expected it to be a food allergy or something similar. The doctors here decided to perform 4-5 tests, even knowing that most of them weren't needed. They didn't even check for routine wellness services. $500 later and still no answers. We will not be going back. Read Less

I came to a Friendship Hospital for Animals on an emergency trip with my senior dog who had collapsed during a walk. The doctors were very kind and helped him the best they could, but determined very quickly that he would have to be euthanized due to a ruptured mass on his spleen. They did everything to make him comfortable in his last moments, and I am grateful for that. After he had passed they took me into a back room and let me sit with him to say my last goodbye. As I was sitting in the back, sobbing because I had just had to put my dog down a guy from the front desk came in looking for payment, fortunately I had a friend with me who ushered the guy away from me. I was astounded by how unprofessional they were, and couldn't believe that they would not just mail me the invoice instead of demanding payment while I was literally sitting next to my dead dogs body.If I thought things couldn't get worse after the trauma of having to put my dog down I was wrong. A little over a week later I came home to a notice from UPS that I had missed a package. I contacted them and made arrangements to pick it up from their service center in Hyattsville. When I received the package much to my horror it was a box containing my dogs remains. Yes, THEY SENT MY DEAD DOGS REMAINS TO ME IN THE MAIL!!!!!After having a total emotional meltdown I decided to contact the Friendship Hospital for Animals to complain about them sending my dogs remains to me in the mail, and they told me it was standard procedure, and that someone should have told me. When I addressed the fact that I was asked for payment while I was saying my last goodbyes they informed me this was also standard procedure. Overall the doctors are very nice and professional but the staff is not. If you have your pet cremated by them they will send your beloved friends remains to you in the mail. I would not recommend this Hospital to anyone unless it was a dire emergency. Read Less

If you want pet care that is personalized and caring do not visit Friendship Animal Hospital.  I have brought my indoor/outdoor cat Ikabod there a few times over the years for emergency care, and generally they had been sufficient and helpful. This last visit turned out not to be so and I think it's important to share my experience. I think they have gotten too big for their britches and unfortunately it is your pet that will suffer.I had brought Ikabod in because he was straining to pee, leaving little turds and poo drops in his wake. He seemed in a lot of pain and I was worried of potential blockage. A few days before this, he had gotten into something outside and had a couple small gashes on his leg that I had been tending to and healing. They were pretty much scabbed over and on the path to a quick recovery. I let both the front desk and Dr. Gross know about this injury. Dr. Gross looked at it when we went in to the exam room and commented on how good it looked, saying it was healing nicely. She checks Ikabod out and suggests we give him some medication to see if he will relax and go to the bathroom on his own. After 3 hours he does, to my relief that it is not a blockage, and she tells me he should be fine and suggests some medication to go home with, one of which is a stool softener (which I though odd since he had no trouble pooping) so I declined that one. I realize later when I am looking at my take home notes that she had written that his stools were firmer than normal, which is the opposite of what I told her. I chalk this up to the doctor being very busy. Still, I want someone who is able to focus on my pet if I am paying $169 for the emergency visit.When they bring Ikabod out, the tech is going on and on about how angry he is and that I should be careful when I get home because she didn't want me to get the brunt of his anger towards them, as if I don't know my own cat. She also mentioned that she tried to take the cone off his head, but he wouldn't let her, so he still had it on. I thought that strange that they would be taking it off since he had the wound on his paw that was still healing. When we got home and I let him out his carrier, I see why he had been so mad. His leg wound was totally gashed open and bleeding. Clearly it had not be communicated to the techs that this cat had a wound on his leg, and somewhere along the way of handling him, probably when they were trying get him in his carrier, it opened up and no one noticed it! Now the wound is worse off then it was before. When I tried to call the office I got put in hold for 5 minutes because they are so busy. I hung up and got in touch via their online chat feature and demanded that a supervisor call me back asap. When the supervisor, Brian, did call me 10 minutes later, I relayed my story. His response, 'I'm sorry that you feel your cat was mistreated here', I cut him off and said 'I don't feel anything, my cat WAS mistreated there'. He offered no apology and proceeded to argue with me that I cut him off. Of course I'm angry when that's his response! This is a huge concern if you ask me and should be to them, it's a gross miscommunication. I relayed to him that I was concerned that since it was obviously not communicated to the tech staff that my cat had a wound, did they keep him in a sterile environment the whole time, or away from other pets with possible infection? He seemed unconcerned. Nothing was offered, not even to have my cat come back in to make sure he was ok (he said I could bring the cat in but I would be charged for the visit). Bottom line, if you want a sterile place where they don't care about you or your cat and seemingly no one is paying attention, take your cat to Friendship Animal Hospital. They have allowed themselves to get too busy and they clearly don't have enough staff to handle it. It seems making money is more important to them than helping animals. Read Less

Class act through and through. My experience with this hospital was above and beyond expectations. My companion animal Simon had an emergency surgery for cancer. He showed no signs of illness until it was too late and unfortunately did not make it through surgery. Although this was the worst possible outcome and a heartbreaking situation I feel confident he received the best possible care around. Every person I dealt with was caring, professional, and informative. About a week after he passed I received a card in the mail noting a donation was made in Simon's name to help patients receive treatment they would not be able to afford otherwise. Today I receive a call from the hospital to tell me I overpaid and they credited my card that amount. Very unexpected. Rest in power Simon. You were my best friend. I'm happy in your final hours you were in such good hands. Read Less

While I am grateful that there is a 24/7 hospital I can go to in an emergency, I didn't have the greatest experience here. Over the weekend, I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of my cat throwing up. Even though she's never once thrown up in her 6-year-old life, I wasn't terribly worried, but when she kept doing it multiple times, I called Friendship. They immediately told me that it was an emergency and to bring her in right away. I was a little surprised by this, but decided to trust the hospital. We arrived 20 minutes later, and when we walked in, all 4 people standing behind the counter looked up, didn't say a word, and looked back down at what they were doing without acknowledging me. Finally, one of them called me over to her station, where I filled out paperwork and was told to have a seat. The waiting room was empty when we walked in, but at least 5 dogs walked in after us and were seen right away during the time we waited. It was about 7am on a Saturday, so I'm assuming they didn't have scheduled appointments.  After 40 minutes - remember, the woman on the phone told me that my cat needed to be brought in immediately, yet they made us wait for 40 minutes while many other animals were seen - a vet tech finally came out to take my cat back for her vitals, and wouldn't let me go with her. I'm not sure if that's normal for Friendship, but at my regular vet, I've never been separated from my cat. After the vet tech brought her back out, we waited another 30 minutes for the actual vet to see her - again, with multiple pets being seen in the meantime.The one thing I have no complaints about is the vet we saw, Dr. Hauser. She explained some possibilities of what was going on with my cat and laid out our options. I wasn't sure which option was best, so she explained it further until I felt confident in what to do. She did a great job of putting both my cat and me at ease. Then we got our bill, including the steep emergency fee. I was too exhausted to fight it at that point, but thought it was pretty ridiculous to be charged the emergency fee when it took over an hour to see an actual vet - plus, I think my cat would've been perfectly fine if we hadn't gone in at all, even though the woman on the phone insisted it was an emergency. Read Less

i would give zero stars if it were an option. Charged 1200 for overnight stay and and pain meds for a dog that was knocked by a car. Wanted another 2700 to perform a procedure. Took the dog to Petworth Animal Hospital who did the same procedure for 900, wish i would have gone there first. Dr. Thornburg is the best! Read Less

I cannot tell you how beyond great my experience at this Pet Hospital was today and last night. We brought our pup Mickey in profusely bleeding from a paw injury. They took care of him right away and kept me updated on how things were going throughout our stay. Both the vet and the front desk staff were super professional and thoughtful, even grabbing some apple juice for my daughter. They provided great care to our pup and super clear post-care instructions for me. Once I got home and removed Mickey's outdoor cover for his bandage, I was greeted with a drawing of a smiling Mickey Mouse on his cast, something my two year old will super appreciate. Could not be more grateful for this experience or recommend this place more. Read Less

They are very expensive, but most vets are. Sometimes you have to wait a long time and remind them you are waiting. Those things aside, they are professional and kind and our sweet cat was treated with dignity. We moved here and our cat has been sick all year. They helped us to do everything they could to help our cat and worked with our previous vet to obtain her records. Dr. Spencer in internal medicine was particularly supportive; he communicated with me via email and phone to brainstorm what to do to try to help our failing cat. Sadly, she did not make it but even when we had to say goodbye to her (sobbing) they were kind, treated her and us with dignity and it made a huge difference. It was a horrible thing for us to say goodbye to our best friend of 11 years but they helped us do it in the most kind way possible. I am grateful for them and their support of us over the last several months. Read Less

I love Friendship and the entire staff. Everyone is very friendly and knowledgeable. Our pets have been patients there for the passed 20 years and will continue especially after their recent expansion. Jazzies. Read Less

I have no co.plainta as far as the care for my pets which is why I give I give 5 stars. They have an unbelievable staff and successfully treated my dog who developed cancer a few years back. I can't say enough. My appointments have been lost before but who cares when your pets are so well cared for. Read Less

A 24 hour vet?! Too good to be true? No! Even better.Atmosphere: When you first walk in, you KNOW you are in a great place. It is impeccably clean, the layout of the waiting area is great for nervous animals, and there is covered parking in the back!Service:  Someone is always at the desk to greet me and my pup with a smile. I have never had to wait for more than 5 minutes for an appointment, and they are SO understanding even when I have been late (but try not to be!). My dog has received excellent care while she has been with them. While she has only had check-ups, shots, and a dental cleaning, they have always gone above and beyond to keep her healthy and me informed.Dr. Kuehn knew my pup was a little nervous on her first visit, and had no issue hanging out on the floor and playing with her to calm her down. Dr. Dugan was great, as well. I have never felt like they are trying to rush on to to the next patient. Also, they are literally. open. always. This makes it very easy to schedule appointments that fit with my schedule.Quality: They have primary care doctors, specialty doctors, rotating doctors, and state of the art equipment. If you want the best for your animal, this is the place to go--day or night.Cost: Expense is all relative. I knew having an animal would be a financial responsility and waited until I felt like I had the finances to support one. Sure, I could go to a different vet and probably pay less, but I am SO thrilled with the thorough and high quality service I receive.If you have questions, talk with them before. There have never been hidden fees nor have I felt like they were trying to up-charge me.Shout Outs: Katie the Vet Assistant 110% has shaped my positive experience. I was a nervous pet owner at first and took her up on her offer to email her. I went back and forth for a few days (and several dozen emails) about a problem and she was SO responsive. She always makes an effort to check in on my pup when she comes in, even if Katie wasn't assigned to her service. She. Is. A. Rockstar.If you really do want above and beyond service for the animal family member in your life, go to Friendship. You won't regret it.Thanks Friendship for all you do and keep up the great work! Read Less

A few years ago I took my French Bulldog to be seen because he was mysteriously losing weight. They could not determine the cause , but they prescribed a drug for him (Buprinex) for pain (even though he didn't appear to be any pain. On the drive home, He was panting unusually heavy. By the time I got home (approximately 20 minutes) His tongue was blue and he collapsed. I rushed him back to the hospital and told the doctor I think he had an adverse reaction to the medication. She dismissed the idea and said it was probably the heat ( It was a pleasant late afternoon in October). They had to keep him for hours to stabilize him and I had to return home to take care of my other dogs and cats. I looked up the drug , Buprinex, and I found out that dogs with respiratory issues (French Bulldogs have smashed faces ) should never be given this drug. They continued to deny their mal-practice and nearly killed my Stanley. I not only paid for the visit (several hundred dollars) where he was given the nearly lethal injection, but I also had to pay several hundred dollars for his overnight stay. it was one of the worst experiences that I have ever had to deal with. I at least hope they learned from that experience what not to give certain breeds. Read Less

Worst vet clinic ever. I took my dog in for an emergency. They tried to charge me for unnecessary tests for my dog (confirmed after I talked to my vet) and to add insult to injury they charged me incorrectly over $100 when I was checking out which luckily I caught.To top it off, my dog was in pain and taken from me and apparently nipped at one of the tech's. This is a very normal response for any animal in pain that is afraid. I spoke with the tech who was very nice and the nip did NOT break the skin.However, they proceeded to file a charge against my very sweet dog who has had no past aggression at this clinic (I had been a normal client before the emergency visit) with animal control. This has been the absolute WORST experience of my life.DO NOT use this clinic. Absolutely horrendous. Read Less

Horrendous experience. I was dogsitting for a dog that tore her paw pads while hiking. They seemed to be really bothering her, but her normal vet was closed on the weekend. I took a chance on Friendship, and wish I'd just waited the 24 hours for her normal vet to open. I was told that she needed to have her wounds cleaned and wrapped, and that she might need doggy painkillers. Because doggy painkillers can affect liver function, they also ran a blood test. I was told to wait 2-4 hours for the procedure. 4 hours passed. Then 5. Then 6. I called multiple times but was told the doctor hadn't gotten to dressing the wounds yet. After 8 hours I decided just to show up and demand my dog. Astoundingly, they had not found time to dress her rather simple wounds. They still charged me $280 for the exam and blood work. I am furious, anxious and frustrated. I am writing this from my phone in the lobby where, amazingly, they have still not returned my dog. It's great to know doggy ERs are as inefficient as human ERs. Read Less

Yesterday, I brought my dog to the hospital as she ingested something she wasn't supposed to. Upon my arrival, the vet tech and the doctor were both very nice and explained my options. The initial estimate of $1300 was a bit steep for what they would be doing. Simply put, they needed to monitor her for 12 hours. No tests were going to be completed. Magically, that estimate was reduced to $647. I agreed to pay this, as I wanted to be sure that my dog didn't get worse. My major problem began when I went to get my dog. The first thing is that I found out that my invoice was actually only $383, not the $647 I was quoted. I got a refund for this amount. However, when my dog came out, her neck was covered in chunks of vomit and she reeked. I pointed this out to the vet tech, Vince, who said that he hadn't noticed and took her back. I presumed he was going to wash her. Instead, he simply took a wet wipe to her neck. As a person who just paid nearly $700 for what turned out to be a glorified kennel service, I was extremely upset. I explained that this was unacceptable and she needed a bath. He actually fought me on this point and became very defensive and rude. As a professional, your number one job is to ensure the comfort of the precious cargo we entrust you with. If I hadn't demanded that she be bathed, she would have come home smelling like vomit. Vince told me I would need to come back in 2-3 hours in order to pick her up - mind you, this was at 1am. I told him that I would wait in the lobby. Miraculously, she was done with her bath in about 20 minutes. I will not be returning for a number of reasons. For one, I do not like feeling like I'm being manipulated into paying more. The fact that the quote could go from $1200 to nearly half that is insane. It's important to present your customers with all of their options on the low, medium and high end. I was just presented with the medium and high end options. Secondly, I feel sickened that my dog, who was likely already scared, had to be covered in her own vomit for any amount of time. I do not care if she was only covered in vomit for 5 minutes. This is unacceptable on every level. I really hope to find another urgent care option in the area that really cares about their patients- new and recurring.Read Less

After relocating my mom's Maine raised cat to DC, he started having terrible sneezing fits that wouldn't stop. One night the sneezing fits were so bad that afraid we regrettably took him to "Friendship" where he was isolated for 3 days and was "treated." Our encounter which included no invasive procedures resulted in a $3,000 bill reduced by about $300 for administering an unneeded dose of something they told us they'd given him in error AND we left with no diagnosis! We had to take out an on-site loan for $1,000 JUST to take him home again WITH NO DIAGNOSIS. Our cat's allergic reactions to his new DC area have continued. I don't recommend "Friendship" for anyone who doesn't have thousands of dollars available for what we found to be questionable care. Read Less

Friendship Hospital is awesome! The staff is THE best! My little man, Bertie, was not feeling well, I took him over last night & he was immediately taken back to be examined. Dr Diaz & her assistant were so nice & thorough with their exam. This morning, Bertie is back to being Mr Happy-Go-Lucky & that makes me happy! Thanks Friendship! Read Less

We had a very bad experience here now twice. Here's what happened most recently when our dog had blood in his stool on a Sunday. Generally we would just take him to our vet at City Paws (but they're closed on Sunday) or VCA (which is a far superior emergency vet), but were tempted by the convenience for Friendship. Never again. Here's what transpired:1.) We arrive and check-in with no appointment. We expected to wait because it's like any emergency room - if you go for something that isn't an urgent issue, you're going to wait.2.) We watched as other dogs were seen for about 2 hours. When we checked in to see our progress, they said that the doctor is waiting to see how he is doing. This confused us since the doctor hadn't seen him yet. Turns out they confused our dog with another dog by the same name. This may or may not have been the reason we had to wait for so long, but either way, that's kind of scary.3.) When we were finally seen by a doctor, we saw Dr. LaVelle. After giving him a very brief exam she started listing all of thing things that could be wrong with him, seemingly starting with the worst case scenario first and suggesting we may want to keep him overnight. Amongst the list was Addison's Disease, which we later looked up and saw was incredibly rare. 4.) After scaring the bejeezus out of us, talking very quickly about the specific medical issues he may or may not have, we were in a bit of a panic and ready to approve whatever she recommended we do to make sure he was okay. 5.) At that point she gave us her recommendations which included two tests that in retrospect seemed overly conservative. They concerned testing his hydration levels and giving him a shot of saline that would prevent him from dehydrating and going into a related condition which could be fatal.6.) She told us that she would give us a call when the results came in in a couple of days. 7.) We had to call her to find out what the results were. Turns out that he just had giardia! This is a very common parasite and very easily treated. Overall, we felt like the doctor had very bad bed side manner, and was very overly conservative with treatment. While I can understand that they want to make sure to cover their bases, we have had a lot of experience with vets (both emergency vets and general practice) and have never felt this anxious after an exam. There is such a thing as too much information!I called to complain about our experience and ask that they just deduct the two tests she recommended that we felt were overly conservative and that we approved only because she had made us feel so concerned about our dog. This was a total of $60. We were told that these type of tests were common practice and that any of the other vets would have recommended the same thing. This of course didn't make me want to ever return to this place.Next time we'll take the extra drive and go to VCA. Read Less

completely overpriced. Just really really expensive.Front desk staff completely clueless. I am not sure they know much about veterinary health at all. One time I was running five minutes late and called to let them know and they said there was a 10 minute grace period and was like great. Then I pull up to the hospital and there is a 20 foot hole and construction zone and detour outside their door. I called them to tell them that i was going to be another 5 minuted because of the tour out their front door and they said just drive safely. I was rerouted and ended up being 12 minutes late and when i walked in they tried to tell me that i was too late. I told them I had just called and talked to them twice to which I got a thousand yard stare.  Then they make me wait 25 minutes for my dog to get his stitches removed. My puppy was neutered ($1200) there and a week after his surgery his glands(down there) were swollen and I was concerned. Called them and they said he needed emergency care. Went there and when the doctor came into the room and I told her exactly what I said in the phone she said that was completely normal. that was 260 for nothing. Also my puppy has a bump on his muzzle which turned out to be a Mass Cell Tumor. Which we instructed for them to remove during his neuter but they refused. She told me that it would be malpractice if she removed it. Which I now know that it means SHE JUST DINDT KNOW HOW TO PERFORM THE SURGERY. So she shouldn't have been doing the surgery in the first place. So they referred me to their oncology center which just to talk to someone about the tumor (which they told me nothing new after a google search) was another $260 just for a talk. Then they wanted to take him and do an X ray and ultra sound for $1300. WTF. then they gave me the estimate for the surgery which was $5000!! OH and after all that chemotherapy. I didn't even ask for that estimate.Overpriced. These are just some of the bills and estimates that came from them. I have pet insurance but these prices are still just ridiculous. when I told people at the dog park they all looked at me like I was crazy to have been still going to this place and immediately referred me to their vets. The doctors are all very nice for the most part, but come on... Read Less

I am a 33 yr old homeless man. My beautiful 11 mth old German Shepard was hit by a car at 80 lbs. a Good Samaritan couple drove me to friendship since the driver didn't stop. He died a few blocks away. I didn't know what I was supposed to do. I carried my dead dog through the door in bear hug. Some guy took him from me. I said " he is already dead. " the worker said okay they to the dog into the back. 2 minutes of cpr and there was no heartbeat. I said I know it is dead. The woman tried to explain that she had a 10% chance he could be brought back for 5k. No heart beat means DEAD. Then they hit me for 565.00 for the 2 minutes of CPR. AMONG OTHER CHARGES. 192.50 a minute to a homeless person. They said they would knock 100 bucks off if I disposed of the animal myself. The asked my friend to pay the bill. The Good Samaritans offered to pay something and they told them they had to talk to me? They treated my dog with out consent then injected my dog with euthanasia. Why inject a dead dog with drugs? I asked them about a fund they have for the poor. And they told me that money wasn't available. I am fucking HOMELESSRead Less

I can't say enough good things about Friendship Hospital for Animals. I took my 20-yr old cat there Sat. night after returning home and finding her only minimally responsive and in distress from straining to pass a large stool. The Urgent Care team rushed her back the minute we arrived and immediately got her going on IV fluids. They worked very hard to get her blood pressure and temperature, which were dangerously low, back up, and after stabilizing her, the values started declining again after a couple hours, so they moved her to ICU for the night to monitor her closely and treat as necessary. The next morning, she was much better, stable, but still not totally herself and they continued to monitor and treat her throughout the day. By the afternoon, she was back to her old self, eating and drinking well on her own and was much more responsive. They let me spend hours with her in ICU and said I could visit anytime I wanted for as long as I wanted. They set us up in a little private room with sofa and chair and portable IV so it was just us and we were very comfortable. I actually loved being there and looked forward to my time there with her and the staff. Every single staff member that cared for her and interacted with me, including everyone at the front reception, was top notch, very compassionate and knowledgable and was great to work with. Her care was very streamlined, professional and right on target for her issues, with no guessing or wasted effort. I expected to pay a fortune, having had experience with other 24/7 emergency hospitals, but to my surprise the bill was very reasonable for 36 hours in ICU with constant monitoring and care. Dr. Hart, Kristen and Gloria, especially, deserve mention for being fantastic with Gracie and me. From feeling like I was losing my little love to taking her home fully recovered in less than two days with a very detailed and well thought out treatment plan to care for her at home, words can't adequately express how impressed and grateful I am. I can't recommend Friendship highly enough. They are now my new primary care practice!Read Less

While we were out of town my son took one of our cats that he was caring for to Friendship. The cat was 14 years old, and in very poor health. Her breathing stopped when he arrived at Friendship. Friendship managed essentially to charge almost $1000 to treat a dead cat. My son was on a guilt trip because he believed the cat died while he was caring for her and had little idea of the costs of the procedures before being presented with a bill. I believe that a responsible vet would have both explained that there was little hope of reviving the cat and more firmly mentioned the charges before performing extreme measures. According to Friendship my son agreed to spend up to $500 to try to revive the cat. I don't dispute this, but I still believe a responsible vet would have more strongly emphasized both the futility and costs of such extreme efforts. Read over the other reviews of this animal hospital. There are a good number of complaints about excessive charges and a focus on running up bills. There are also reports of good service and happy clients. While veterinary care can be expensive and if you care about your pet you may be willing to pay the charges, I believe there are better animal hospitals in this area that will provide more consistent services at better rates. I believe that Friendship Hospital for Animals should be avoided. Read Less

I recently got gastropexy done for both my dogs and neutering for one. The Friendship estimate was between $2500-3000 and I compared with a few other places and got all three procedures done for $1200 at Union Animal Clinic near Union Station. Also, Union was wonderful, caring, clean, and very efficient. Read Less

We took our dog Duke to Friendship Heights Animal Hospital back in December for diarrea. The staff did a good job of examining him and running some blood and fecal tests. They prescribed some antibiotics that fixed the problem and we did a follow-up visit with them. Three months later, we were going to board our dog for two nights at a shelter in New York and they required proof of vaccination of Leptospirosis. We called Friendship and asked if they could give the shot and they said "yes" and they said the cost would be $43.00. A short time later, they called back and said they would need to do an exam and that would cost an additional $80. We canceled the appointment and took our dog to Petco for the shot at a fraction of the cost of Friendship. Friendship provides good service, but they are very expensive. Read Less

I worked with a vet at this hospital who helped me with my dachshund after suffering from IVDD. He had neck surgery. I have no qualms with the vet. She was young, but did what she could do. I ended up spending close to $10,000 for the surgery (the most expensive out of anywhere in the country for this surgery) and the surgery was not successful in helping my dog from his paralysis. I realize not all surgeries are successful, but I was hoping at least the admin staff there would be sympathetic and help me reduce the cost (it was almost $600 a day to keep him in the hospital, once I realized, I took him myself to care for him). It is now 6 months later. My dog is still handicap and I'm weighing the option of putting him down. The one star is not for the vet who did what she could, but for the lack of empathy and the financial hardship they put on someone they were able to do anything for. Reducing the cost for me would have been the right thing considering they were twice as expensive as most other hospitals in the nation that did the same procedure. Unfortunately I didn't know this at the time. Hindsight is 20/20. I wouldn't bring my pet here for anything else. Read Less

I am 100% happy with the emergency treatment my dog received today. She was in triage within 5 minutes of walking in. The Drs were great and explained everything, they explained every outcome and option. Very loving and caring atmosphere,even those at the front desk were amazing. They to answered any questions I had. Granted the surgery option was fairly expensive ( which the Dr told me upfront ) everything else was of reasonable price. but you can not put a price on how much care and love my dog and I was shown,. Thank you Friendship Hospital for your hospitality. update : After we left the Hospital Late Saturday Night Che ( my dog ) was comfortable and on pain meds. The Next Morning she tried to walk which was great. Dr McGill called Sunday morning to check on her which was so nice and also to inform me that the hospital offered to pay the remaining balance for my dog to get the surgery on her spine! I almost cried very thankful. Monday morning we checked her in and talked to the neurologist Dr.Boozer she went and explained everything and to make sure i knew of the pros and cons , and went on with the procedure. The nurses and Dr Boozer called after tests and xrays and MRI's were done, she called after the surgery with updates which helps ease your mind i love love love hoe much love and compassion these people show it really makes you feel comfortable. yes the procedure is expensive but considering what was done and the hospital stay for some days its worth it. We pay thousands on trips for vacations . right now my dog is on vacation she has a nice hotel with meals included , someone to clean after her plus all the affection she needs. This was worth it!Read Less

I owe a lot to the staff and owners of Friendship. My dog came down with Pneumonia right before the blizzard hit. I was terrified to bring him home since we could have potentially lost power and the last thing I wanted was a dog recovering from pneumonia in a freezing house. If his condition were to decline I would have had no way to bring him back in. I wont go into details, but they were incredibly compassionate and helpful. They understood my concerns about my dogs health, boarding costs and the storm and worked with me throughout the whole process. I truly believe that these are people of conscience who care about the animals and owners who enlist their help. They not only saved my dogs life, but helped put my mind at ease so I could worry about myself and family throughout the storm. THANK YOU FRIENDSHIP!!! Read Less

Tick, tick, tick...BOOM!For me, "boom" means "time to freak out." The tick, tick, tick? That's what brought me here.Typically, I'm a seasoned pro at applying Vectra to my dog monthly to ensure that any unsightly bastards of the insect variety stay far, far away from my little Tego. But, in the midst of travel and re-ordering a supply, I think there may have been about a week or so that my dog may not have been protected fully from ticks. But unfortunately, that's all in took for one of these hitch hikers to hold on tight for a ride on my dog. So I did what I always do when I melodramatically freak out about my dog's health. I call my sister who is a vet but lives in NYC. I had a local vet that I went to for the first couple of years of my dog's life, but after a really poor call made on steps to take on a condition my dog didn't even had, I retreated. Now, I'm approaching the one year mark, when my dog will need his annual physical and have been meaning to find a new hospital home for my dog.Luckily, my sister has a former colleague that she really respects that works here so she made the recommendation to inquire with their tick removal policy and to try to establish a relationship with her rec there. Unfortunately, he was out for the next two days, but I was pleased to learn that tick removals can be taken as walk-ins, 24 hours a day!!So I skipped the rush hour traffic and rolled up there around 9pm, when there was lots of free parking in front of the well lit hospital. The vet tech that helped me was so nice and my dog was seen within 10 mins of arriving. In just a few minutes, my dog was back in my possession and tick free for a fee of $39.99. Considering how freaked out ticks make me and how stubborn and angry he got at my attempts to remove it myself, I consider that a solid investment on my dog, his health and our relationship.Additionally, I was so pleased I'm definitely planning on returning for more care of my dog, but now with even more confidence.Thanks, Friendship! Read Less

I have been bringing my pets to Friendship for about 3 years now. I have had dentals done on my 2 cats and 2 small dogs, one of my cats saw the internal medicine doctor, and I have had to come in for emergency visits a couple of times. All of my experience with this animal hospital has been great. I feel their prices are justified. Having emergency, specialty, and general care in one great location is well worth it to me. As far as animal hospitals go, their staff is very friendly and seem to really enjoy what they do. I think it is easy to have a bad experience when you are stessed because your pet is sick and vet care is expensive, but I will definitely continue to use Friendship for my pets Read Less

This is where I take my girls for everything. They are so conscientious and friendly, ha hence the name. Millie and Maggie are no fan of the vet, but they are less stressed here than they have ever been at any other vets office. Yeah for all dugalugs!!! and pupalups!!!! Read Less

Yes, its pricey... but I'll pay top dollar if they're taking good care of my pup. I mean, someone has to pay for their beautiful facilities, right? I recently took my puppy Lucy to get spayed here. I was hesitant after reading several posts here and talking to other dog owners at various parks in the District. Everyone agreed that Friendship is a great 24-hr option for emergencies, however many looked at me funny for even considering to use them for a planned surgery. Well, Lucy and I are living proof that Friendship rocked the hizzy. The staff was informative, friendly, and treated Lucy with warm care -- one of the techs even offered to watch her whenever I go out of town! Her doctor was meticulous, friendly, and gorgeous -- yes, gorgeous! Bygones. Needless to say, Lucy's spay went without complication and she's doing great! I will not hesitate to use FAH again in the future... and sincerely think its worth the extra buck. I highly recommend these folks to everyone. Read Less

After a traumatic evening looking for Nancy Regan (my cat) and eventually finding her a complete mess with a broken, bloody, leg, and several additional injuries, we called Friendship Hospital and they told us exactly what to do, upon arrival the staff and the doctors could not have been more wonderful, particularly given how upset we were. They were the only place available on a Sunday as well. Yes they are expensive, but if you believe as I do that pets are a full-fledged member of the family, I will do whatever I need to do to get them well. I feel completely assured that she is getting the best treatment possible. Read Less

This is truly as good as it gets. If you have any type of pet related issue I would highly recommend Friendship Hospital for Animals. They are located right past Steak and Egg Kitchen. They are professional, thorough, informative, courteous, and helpful. They do not put you threw the ringer. If there is a problem, they solve it, it is as simple as that. Thank you Friendship Animal Hospital, if I need one of my pets cared for I know who to call. Read Less

Been coming here for years and always had great service from caring customer friendly staff who love my beast almost as much as I love him. The service just gets better with each visit. Vets aren't cheap in general, but the prices are cheaper than I would expect for a 24 hour place in a nice neighborhood. In my previous incarnation on Yelp, I wrote a much longer review detailing a problem I had once there. Since that visit, when I returned with the pup, I explained my old concern to the vet of the day, and they were very accomodating to my request to keep the dog with me while they did their thing. We also took in another stray pup for a short time over the holidays, and got her treated here before taking her home... They gave us a discount on her treatment because of the situation... and the treatment was appropriate and thorough. They do train newbies here, but the ones I've met were great. Also, the front desk staff is surprisingly attentive, letting you know they've seen you, and helping to carry dog food to the car. Read Less

We followed a vet here from another animal hospital. Altho he has since left, we have used Friendship for almost a decade and been very pleased with it. We have gone through the full spectrum of experience - puppies, emergency care, elderly dogs, and death. The full experience has been positive. We are pleased that our 24 hour vet doctor has the same records as our regular check up vet. We put several dogs to sleep thru Friendship, and they are most courteous and patient - giving us plenty of time to morn. Recently we had to have hip surgery done - Friendship did an excellent diagnosis - and then recommended South Paws as a better facility to do the surgery. (South Paws is set up for Surgery). We appreciated this good advice. Their diagnosis of our dogs have always been very good. We have taken at least 5 different dogs to this hospital. Read Less

My experience with this hospital was somewhat out of the ordinary. I had to fly out two days after the first snow storm this past winter and did not have ANY of my dogs papers ( the previous owners assured me that all of her shots were up to date but never sent me the papers or gave the vet's name) and I needed those to fly with her. I called and they told me I could come in. The waiting room was FULL, I was surprised because the streets were still snowy but they still managed to call my name not even 10 minutes after I got there. The vet who saw us Jennifer, was AMAZING, the dog behaved throughout the whole visit, mind you my dog has trust issues and is scared of most people. I am a first time dog owner so I was naturally nervous, but Jennifer was very patient and answered every question I had. I think our whole visit was 30 minutes ( my dog is 4.6 lbs) shots and nail trimming included. I even had to call back and ask how much Benadryl I should give the dog for the flight and they were courteous over the phone. I am sad now that I am moving and have to find a new vet closer to my location. Read Less

I move a lot, and my two dogs have been to five different vets including three different emergency vets, and on both counts Friendship is the best around. First, the ER. A friend of mine was watching my dog and his dog when one of them got into a large box of chocolate (his dog, as it turned out). We called the vet and let them know we were coming. When we got there a team of 8-10 people were waiting. The vets had both dogs on IVs and vomiting within minutes. People at the best ERs don't get that kind of service. For regular checkups, I appreciate the bedside manner of the vets. They listen, they don't rush, you feel like you get your $80 worth. Read Less

This place is GREAT. I have nothing but good things to say. I'm now living in another state and even when my friends have possible emergencies with their pets, I recommend that they call Friendship Hospital (to get advice before deciding whether to go to the emergency animal clinic or not). The staff at Friendship always give me good advice and ensures that my pet receives good care. One night (in the middle of the night), I was about to hop into the car to bring my pet to see them and they reassured me that she would be alright if I waited until the morning. They said that if I used their emergency (middle of the night) services, I would be charged a lot more. This sort of honesty and concern for the pet AND its owner was really surprising - in a good way. Read Less

I will never take my cats anywhere else. First, there is the emergency service. Thankfully, we've only had to use that sparingly (yes, it is expensive - but then again, it's pretty expensive when I need to go the ER as a human too) but when we have needed to; the quick care and concern for my pets (cats - three over the years that I've taken to friendship) was fantastic. Regular care isn't cheap here - this is not your run of the mill place. There's nothing ultimately wrong with somebody being concerned about cost; but that doesn't make this a bad place. When you've paid several hundred dollars for a purebred pet that has special needs - then spending more for their care is part and parcel of the responsibility that I feel I owe my cat(s). If you cannot afford it - paying that much makes you grumpy - go elsewhere. But don't equate that to the quality of care you get here. Dr. Kuehn and Boone in particular are my two favorites. You could not ask for more compassionate and honest vets. When I had to finally put down a beloved cat earlier this fall; I don't know how I would have had the strength to do the right thing without Dr. Boone. When another pet became very ill following a surgical procedure, Dr. Kuehn came in on her day off to see him and worked with us to find an out of the box treatment - which worked. Not to mention, she didn't charge us for that appointment - which is just insanely nice. See that's what I really can't figure out with some of the reviews. While I've had some enormous bills at Friendship, for sure; I've also been many times for follow ups where the hospital has discounted or waived the appointment fee (charging me on occasion only for the meds or bloodwork). Usually when I bring in multiple pets, they end up only charging me for one appointment. It's not a guarantee, but I do feel that they make an effort to be cognizant of the high costs and help where they can. And to the person that thought it was insane that her pet needed dental surgery and that this meant friendship was overcharging and a bad hospital? Your teeth and your dogs teeth are not the same thing. Broken teeth that have cracked at the root or possibly absessed can be susceptible to infections which can KILL your pet. Since your dog can't talk, you can't make that judgment. Your dog doesn't get a daily routine with a toothbrush, toothpase and mouthwash let alone regular dental care. Taking care of your pets teeth, when they need to be taken care of, is one of the most expensive items you'll ever need to deal with. But it's a heck of a lot better than your pet dying because you decided you knew more than the veterinarian. Bottom line? This place is the gold standard of veterinary care, as far as I'm concerned. Read Less

I've been bringing both my cats here for their regular checkups, and the service is always so thorough and compassionate. The FHA staff are genuine animal lovers and it shows. One of my cats has a chronic condition, and Dr. Jones consults with her specialist and calls me personally to follow up (just as Dr. Phillip did when my cat needed emergency care). FHA is great and I recommend them to all my friends with pets. Their prices are comparable to other DC vets and the availability of 24-hour emergency care is invaluable. Read Less

""I brought my cat here early on a Monday morning when I noticed she was disoriented and her pupils were dilated. They rushed her back to their triage area and asked me questions about her condition and began treating her immediately. I waited about half an hour and the doctor (Dr. Phillip) came to speak to me and we were able to determine that she'd ingested some human medication. She had to stay in the clinic three days, and they provided top-rate care and stayed in touch with me several times a day. I was able to visit her as often as I wanted and while visiting her I observed the doctors and technicians treating other animals in the triage area, and they were caring and compassionate and seemed to provide top-rate care to all their patients. I would highly recommend Friendship to anyone whose pet needs emergency care. I thought their prices were reasonable, but veterinary care is expensive, especially in emergency situations.They also provide regular veterinary care, and have a large staff of interns and residents supervised by experienced vets. "" Read Less

Both of my cats have needed surgery this year, and as usual, the vets at Friendship did a great job. They stayed within the cost estimates and called to give me updates. Most importantly, they took great care of my cats. Read Less