Wouldn't use any other vet. Diane Ferris is reasonably priced, explains everything, clearly loves her furry patients and is highly qualified. I've used Del Ray for almost 30 years. She doesn't attempt to sell unnecessary procedures. Wish I trusted my mechanic as much. Couldn't make a higher recommendation. Staff is lovely and knowledgeable. No frills office. It's not needed. Read Less

Knowledgeable, very caring. You can tell the Dr and staff love what they do, it’s not about looking pretty or over charging to make patients think they’re getting quality care, which can be typical around here-these guys are legit! Read Less

Been seeing Dr. Ferris for years, and she's always taken great care of our cats and two large dogs. When our rottweiler/labrador mix got sick and had to be put down she was a lifesaver - so supportive, gentle and made a horrible process as smooth as it could be. Highly recommend! Read Less

I have read some of the comments by other people and am completely baffled. I have taken my dogs (I currently have four) to Dr. Ferris at Del Ray animal hospital for 22 years and I continue to take them there even now that we have moved 1/2 hour away. Dr. Ferris and her staff have always provided excellent and compassionate care for my dogs, and even go above and beyond in many cases. Many is the time Dr. Ferris has squeezed me in despite not really having an opening because it was a quasi-emergency. Many is the time she has called me well after hours to check on how one of my dogs was doing or to answer a question I left with one of the staff earlier in the day. I have always found her to be patient and well-informed and self confident enough to be willing to engage in discussions about what the best approach might be, unlike many vets and doctors who get huffy when questioned. Over the years I have had four sad occasions where it was time to put an elderly dog down. Dr. Ferris was incredibly compassionate at those times. She is the one who first taught me to be brave for my dog's sake, but then she gives the family time and space to mourn with their pup. Her office is small and not fancy, but it is a signal that several of her vet techs have been with her for many years. If you are looking for a vet (and staff) who will really get to know and care about you and your dogs, you can do no better. If you are looking for glitz, go somewhere else. Read Less

Dr Ferris and her staff are excellent. Her office is in a bit of a strange location and the waiting room is tiny, but these things aren't relevant to me. What is remarkable is that the office is so busy yet so efficient. Dr Ferris's diagnoses have been spot on with my almost 13 year old pug. She is also very conservative and thorough. She is a less is more kind of vet, and I like that. I don't need to have unnecessary tests and treatments when life is busy enough, already.I highly recommend this practice Read Less

I've been bringing my dogs here for years. Dr. Ferris and her staff are always wonderful, and she always does what's best for the animal but not more. Would recommend anyone bring their animals to Del Ray. Read Less

Diane Ferris, vet in charge of Del Ray, is phenomenal. Our 10-year-old dog needed follow-up care after emergency surgery for three nasty wounds. Dr. Ferris made every effort to fit us in immediately for post-surgery care, diagnosing as well that our dog needed to be on a stronger antibiotic as her wounds weren't healing well. She had to delay removing drains because of this infection, ultimately seeing our pooch THREE times. She literally charged us for only ONE visit. Smart, compassionate, and professional--Dr. Ferris is the BEST. Read Less

Very good veterinarian. What really brings this review to 5 stars is that today in a follow check up after an infection, while checking the teeth of my cat, The Dr. just took the horrible build up tartar from the tooth of my cat with her own fingernails. Other places will take his tartar build up as a chance to overcharge you with unnecessary anesthesia and labs to clean that. Highly recommended. Read Less

So far, so good. I took my cat to see Dr. Ferris, as she was overdue for a check-up. Also, she'd been having some issues for years that other vets couldn't figure out. Dr. Ferris and her staff were friendly and informative during check-in and the exam. Dr. Ferris prescribed a medication for my cat, and after the 5 days of treatment her issues of daily regurgitation seem to be fixed! No other vet in 8 years has done that for us. When I called a couple times with questions or an update the woman who answered the phone was friendly and helpful. Hopefully my cat continues to do well and we can have a happy relationship with Del Ray Animal Hospital. Read Less

The good- the vet and her staff really care about animals and don't pad their bills. She also knows her stuff. After spending $1200 at another vet for recurring bladder infections, she looked at the test results, and found what the other vet missed - crystals in her urine.  She put my cat on a low magnesium diet and it's been 7+ years since her last infection.  She also told me her charges for the test would have been about half.  My almost 15 year old cat is now terminally ill and she has gone out of her way to help her and us. I can't tell you how grateful I am.The bad- yes, her waiting room is small and there is a very friendly cat walking around.  I keep my cat outside until her appointment (there is a small courtyard) and the other cat is removed when I come in. All I had to do is mention my cat hates other cats. I'm guessing that this small office is what helps her keep her costs reasonable. And yes, the vet can be a little gruff, but she can also be very warm as I have seen recently with my very sick cat.As to mistakes - I've taken my pets to a number of emergency and other vets over the years and quite frankly, have seen mistakes at all of them. That's not meant to excuse mistakes at Del Ray, just a reminder that they happen everywhere.Del Ray is not for everyone, but it is perfect for some of us. Read Less

Dr. Ferris and the staff at Del Ray are very wonderful and caring for both my dog and cat. They are down to earth people who are honest and helpful. They are also incredibly accommodating with schedules and flexibility. Would definitely recommend them!Read Less

After my cat was emergently treated at MEAC due to a urinary obstruction, he went to del ray for a follow up and was given iv fluids.  After taking him home, he had started acting very strange, neuro symptoms, falling over, unable to jump or walk straight.  Notified the  vet,she thought he was having a reaction to the pain Meds.  Got a call a day or two later and she said the other day she had given him a partially used bag of iv fluids.  She said she cultured the fluid in the bad and it came back positive for a certain bacteria.. So the neurologic symptoms were likely from a contaminated bag of fluids she should have never used to begin with.  She apologized and while I appreciate the honesty, she should never have used a bad of saline previously used on other animals  bad practice. Read Less

Took my dog here to get neutered and he came down with an infection that required antibiotics, painkillers, and about 2 weeks worth of recovery time. The vet blamed excessive licking - let's set aside the fact that dogs have licked their wounds since the beginning of time - but we were extremely vigilant with him, and this facility doesn't REMOTELY resemble a sterile environment. There are papers and junk piled up everywhere. During a painful follow-up procedure, there was a cat lounging in the corner and maintenance people walking in and out of the messy exam room, further scaring my dog. It also doesn't inspire confidence that he was there for 6 hours and it took at least 2 days to get the smell of cat urine to leave his coat. I have no problem whatsoever with gruff bedside manner or a disorganized reception area - but cleanliness in the operating/exam rooms should be industry standard!To add insult to injury, the procedure was $200-300 more expensive than downtown at a spay/neuter clinic. (I presumed better service at a pricey Bethesda animal hospital...) At least they were "kind enough" to include the antibiotics and pain medications needed for the painful recovery. The receptionists at the front desk are friendly - that is the one and only positive. I could continue on with the negatives. Maybe it's a cat place. But sort the yelp reviews by date and you'll see nothing positive written in the last 5 years. Stay far away. Read Less

One star is for the first few years of good treatment for my dog. In my view, this vet started out as a good practitioner, not pursuing unnecessary services or overcharging. But, subsequent experiences resulted in a different opinion.A year ago my dog's hair started thinning on her head but it wasn't mange. Bloodwork showed that she had hypothyroidism, and she went on meds until the hypothyroidism corrected itself (apparently, it can correct in dogs). A dog health journal I subscribe to contained an article that the blood analysis range for hypothyroidism had been revised by the veterinary field. When I mentioned this to the vet, she said she hadn't known about that. I brought her a copy of the article at my dog's re-check. Issues of far greater concern to me, however, occurred more recently.My dog needed a bladder aspiration as follow-up to a VCA surgeon having found crystals in her urine during preparation for surgical removal of a cyst in her anal tract. The day of her appointment with Del Ray Animal Hospital, I brought her directly from my home without allowing her to go #1 so that she'd have a full bladder...she made a quick #1 at 4:30 am, but at 10:30 am, appointment time 6 hours later, she certainly had a full bladder. The vet allegedly felt my dog's bladder to see if it was full and claimed it was empty -- despite my telling the vet that my dog hadn't yet emptied her bladder. The vet said it was necessary to to give my dog a diuretic and fluids. While waiting for her bladder to "fill up," during which she was desperately pulling to go outside, my 7-and-a-half-year-old, housebroken dog involuntarily emptied her overly-full bladder in the waiting room. The vet then said she had to check to see if there was enough urine left to test. While the vet tech held my dog up, the vet felt my dog's abdomen and said she couldn't find the bladder and then, after further feeling around, said she found it but that it was lower than normal on most dogs...?? She said there was still some urine and performed the aspiration.  In my opinion, the vet felt the wrong place on my dog's abdomen before giving her fluids/the diuretic; and that, coupled with the fact my dog hadn't gone #1 in 6 hours -- again, communicated to the vet during the bladder aspiration appointment and before she administered the fluids/diuretic -- my dog did not require fluids or a diuretic, which I paid for at the time of service but decided to question upon later receiving a bill for an additional, overlooked charge. I nicely communicated my concerns to the office manager via phone and inquired about the additional charge in light of my concerns and asked that she please have the vet call me. When the vet called back, I described everything to her in case the office manager skewed what I communicated, and, notably, the vet did NOT deny having said that she hadn't been able to locate my dog's bladder. In fact, she didn't address ANYTHING I said. Rather, she suggested I seek veterinary care elsewhere. The vet added that she does 20 of these procedures every week and that she has been practicing for 30 years, I assume to imply that she never makes any mistakes. She also mentioned that I had previously questioned her diagnosis of a cyst aspiration...more on that below.The vet took zero responsibility, and her reaction was, in my view, shocking and unprofessional. And, this wasn't the only recent occasion on which I had doubts: during an aspiration of a lump under my dog's armpit, the vet immediately pronounced that it was just a fatty cyst...she made the diagnosis by sight only, which I felt -- and which the VCA surgeon confirmed -- was improper practice. I had asked the vet whether she was going to have the extraction tested and she said "no." The VCA surgeon, however, stated that cytology must be performed to be certain there are no cancer cells. (I've had cysts aspirated myself, and if my human doctor simply looked at the needle to diagnose me without sending the contents out for analysis, I'd have reported him.) So, I brought my dog back to Del Ray for yet another aspiration of the same lump (for lab analysis) and explained to the vet what the surgeon said and that this was also for my own peace of mind. I honestly didn't want my dog poked and prodded more than absolutely necessary, but in this case it was necessary, and I stated this to the vet as well during our last phone call.  I feel that a client should be allowed to air a concern and have it addressed and resolved in a professional manner and that the appropriate response to an additional charge, in this case in connection with a highly likely unnecessary procedure -- fluids and diuretic -- should have been to dismiss that added charge...whether or not the vet could admit to fault. Both me and my dog deserve better treatment. I want the best care for my beloved pet and to be treated with respect and, therefore, we will not be returning to this veterinarian or practice. Read Less

We have used Dr. Ferris for over 20 years since she just opened her practice in Bethesda.  First our Australian Cattle Dog who lived a long 16 years under her care, and now most recently a rescue puppy.  She has always run a very professional practice with low wait times and excellent care.  She is an excellent diagnostician, friendly and employs a very caring staff.  I would recommend her to anyone. Read Less

I have been going to Dr. Ferris for years. She has seen 2 dogs and 1 cat through full and fruitful lives. I highly recommend her for aging pets. She has a no nonsense approach and doesn't run up the bill on you. She won't make up your mind for you but provides good solid advice for you the owner to make informed decisions, and when the hard day comes she guides you along. She is presently taking care of our shelter adopted kitten and all seems to be going well. Don't expect a fancy waiting room or classy settings, but the care is there in a no frills way. Educated, insightful and caring that is Diane Ferris and her staff.Read Less

Dr.ferris is amazing! after adopting a pit bull from the humane society, within 3months she got very,very sick. We were told by 4 other vets to put her down. Dr.Ferris took the time and care needed for our little girl! She found what the problem was and even let me be back with my dog during her surgery. this vet is truly a blessing and is an amazing person. Her staff are always so sweet and kind. Couldnt ask for a better vet. Read Less

My family and I both use this vet and are in love with her. She remembers us and our pets everytime and has always been very honest, fair, and reasonable when it comes prices and what services are actually needed/required. We've used her for many many years and have never had a problem. At one point our dog ate something bad and had to have surgery to have it removed from his stomach and she performed the surgery well with little recovery and a reasonable price (our comparison being when another one of our dogs had to have a similar surgery and we took her elsewhere and it cost almost twice as much for half the time!)Anyway, I highly reccomend it and its unfortunate that Bill D had a poor experience- I was quite surprised to read that. Read Less

If I could give this zero or negative stars, I would.  The veterinarian here is horrible.  I would recommend that you find a vet, any vet, in the area other than this one for any pet--cat, dog, iguana, elephant, whatever.First off, and most importantly, she is just plain incompetent.  She is not good at what she does, plain and simple.  Our pet was misdiagnosed and the problems were not resolved until we went to a different vet.  As soon as we went to a different vet, our pet got the proper care it needed and went on to become healthy again.  As for the other comments on this vet,her basement is her office, it's tiny and smells like cat/dog pee.  There a tiny waiting room which also doubles as a cubicle for the receptionist.   I could not care less about the vet's personality (which is gruff and generally unpleasant, as others have stated) if they were good.  She's not.  So you are going to someone who is unpleasant AND bad at their job.  Please, for the sake of your pets, do not go here! Read Less

I had great experiences with this Vet and her staff.  My older lab passed away but we are welcoming a new pup soon and I will certainly be going back to Del Ray.  I plan on being up front and asking about the negative review posted here.  I'll be sure to update my review based on her response.  As I mentioned though, my experiences, and those of friends nearby who also go to this animal hospital have only been positive. Read Less

I don't know how she is with cats, but do NOT take your dog here.  I had a horrible experience.  First, the office is in her cramped basement.  There is hardly room in the examining room for dog, owner, and vet.  The vet was pretty gruff about things and did not explain anything.  I took my dog in for an ear infection which required a recheck a week later.  I was going to be visiting my parents so I went to their vet for the recheck.   They completey disagreed with her treatment plan, saying it was only addressing the bacteria, but not the yeast problem.  What kind of vet doesn't know how to treat a common ear infection?  I returned to DC (and to a NEW vet).  They agreed with the previous vet that the Del Ray diagnosis was very poor.  Plus, the new DC price charged half as much, was friendly, patient, and thorough.  The Del Ray vet never even introduced herself, to me or my dog! Read Less