Dr. Albano, Dr. Duffy, Robin, Lauren, and the entire staff, to include the receptionist (Cindy) who answers the phone, they all go out of their way to help. Cindy has the patience of a saint and will answer every question and concern thrown her way, no matter how long it takes. She listens and helps, easing my worries about treatments and cost. They all care and suggest the best options for the health of my dog. This place loves and treats my pet with loving care, the best veterinary care in the entire area. Highly recommend! Read Less

Finally a vet clinic that GETS IT and wants to help heal your dog rather than medicate it or kill it. We love this practice and are so thankful we have it. Seeing our dog healthier and happier after some adjustments the vet suggested makes it worth the drive from Virginia. The initial cost is steep but the follow-up care if aligned with what you would pay to see another vet who will pump your dog with drugs and vaccines he or she may not even need. Check this place out! Read Less

I just started going to this practice and am thrilled with the kindness, sensitivity and care.  Dr. Duffy is wonderful and her assistant Julie as well.  They were extremely patient with my recently recovering Doodle who is now 13 and VERY NERVOUS due to her age and more so following her recent illness with pancreatitis and hospitalization.  I was also impressed by the thoughtful recommendations and obviously well developed integrative approach.  Looking forward to starting my other dog there soon.Barbara D Read Less

Staff are cold, unfriendly and charged me a $50 no show fee when I had an emergency car problem with my steering, and no consideration was made either by expecting me to drag my poor sick kitty of 17 years out into the frosty cold just for an acupuncture appointment. Good management requires compassion, thoughtfulness and reasonableness in administering policies .... I have not been treated this badly in other clinics. Read Less

We have been going to this practice for over 15 years. I'm convinced our 3 dogs would not have lived as long as they had with purely conventional care. The office and exam rooms are carpeted, no antiseptic smells and it has a general feeling of calmness. The medical staff listens to your concerns. Truly a great experience! Read Less

Dr Albano and the whole team at VHC have been wonderful to my family over the course of many years and multiple pets. Always willing to take a call at any time of day/night, whether about something big or minor, Dr Albano has built a caring and sensitive team of veterinary professionals who are top notch! Read Less

I am not sure what else to say about their service and care that they offer today. The staff here has been extremely accommodating and offering us the latest techniques for our dog. Wouldn't think about using anyone else. Thanks Read Less

I just took my dog Nobia to see Dr. Albano yesterday. Nobia has a back injury in was in immense pain and was having trouble even walking. Dr. Albano recommended a massage from Robin, I figured it would help relax Nobia so she could actually rest while she healed...I must say I am in shock...after spending an hour with Robin yesterday Nobia doesn't seem to have any pain, can lower her head to eat out of her bowl, and is walking without problems. The improvement is stunning! Robin you are truly a miracle worker! Read Less

I am a new client of VHC, and I am totally a convert.  I LOVE the vet we have been seeing, but I wanted an opinion from someone who knows something about raw diets, as that is what I feed my cats.  I was initially annoyed that I had to go for an hour long first-time visit that is priced a bit higher than my other vet's regular fee.  This vet is a bit more expensive than my previous vet, but worth every penny.  Dr. Albano was so incredibly gentle and patient in his physical exam.  He took each step one at a time and gave a break after every step so that my kitten was not overwhelmed.  He did not have to be scruffed, and was even dozing off by the time they were looking at his ears.  I got great advice on his diet and behavior, and a conservative plan for preventative care.  Before I came for the initial appointment, I thought I would continue seeing my other vet for routine things, and just come here for a more holistic approach occasionally.  But I may very well transfer all of my care here, because it was worth the extra money for the vet trip to be a peaceful rather than stressful and traumatizing experience.This was a great balance.  They gave traditional western medication to treat my cat's parasitic infection, but recommended a more holistic dietary supplement to improve his nutrition.  I could not be happier. Read Less

The most wonderful care - across the board. VHC is no more expensive than mainstream vet hospitals, and for some services, it is less, but the VHC "tool box" is much bigger and also effective. The 2 vets and the staff are the best. For cancer patients in particular - this is the place to go. I have 2 senior dogs, and their lives have been enhanced due to the VHC care.Read Less

Our cat, Chardonnay, just passed away peacefully last night. Having the great services for our cat the last two years is the blessing to Chardonnay and her owners, cannot say enough 'THANK YOU' to Dr. Albano, Robin, Gena, Linda, Melanie, Lindsey and Julie. Read Less

I expected more for the money I spent here.  I liked Dr. Albano's bedside manner and he gave some decent advice about my cat's respiratory issues, but  given the amount of time he spent asking questions, he could have done so MUCH more.  It ended up costing $800 for 90 minutes for both of my cats to be seen.  The visits only totaled $350, but they charged for every incidental item, so the cost was exorbitant. Read Less

I feel compelled to counter all the negative reviews here. It is not fair. The price is high - ok I get it. But so is the location: Bethesda. How much cheaper can it be here? The service is superb, they take their time. Ok, people want to compare the to the traditional vet. Fine:maybe those are cheaper (where?) but they will also give stuff to your dogs that will make them sick, and in the end you will pay more with surgery and everything. We used to be in Kenwood Animal Hospital and elsewhere, while I do not want to say anything really bed about any of them, they missed for months to detect my dog's cancer, treated her arthrits, allergy and all totally useless expenses including tons of stupid vaccinations, did not do ultrasound, and when it was too late we were left with surgery which was a fortune. VHC would never go that avenue I can tell. Now, I cannot talk for all vets there, our DocVet is Dr Raichura at VHC, and she is gold. Not only is she competent, she also is very dedicated and she truly cares. I have nothing but praise for her, she is the best vet I ever came across. Again: if you are looking for a place to sustainably treat your dog for long life and good health, you are good here, and Dr Raichura is there for your pet. Read Less

My dog has been a client for 12 years and continues to thrive under VHC's care.  Dr. Maniet, and every other associate of her's have provided stellar care over the years.  Everything from nutrition to hard to diagnose allergies. They have saved my dog from very costly, dangerous and obviously unnecessary surgery twice.  If the situations had not been emergencies I would have gone to VHC first.If you want the root cause of the malady treated see a good Holistic Vet.  If you would like the symptoms treated and the inevitable return of them, see a conventional Vet and you will likely get a free sample of corn and meat byproducts (Science Diet).All healthcare is pricey.  A strategy one can use for keeping costs down is a healthy life style with optimum nutrition (you won't find this at the grocery store or Pet Smart) and PLENTY of exercise. Read Less

TOTAL RIPOFF!  I brought my pet in to help align her back. There was a 'specialist' for this who visited Dr. Maniet's practice on occassion.  I noticed that the area where this man was going to put my pet was filthy. The towel had fur all over it from another animal, AND worse too it had 2 sharp  needles on the towel and one underneath it. I requested that the towel be changed. Although there were plenty of clean towels in a drawer in that room, he neglected to care enough to change the one being used for my  animal. What if I had not seen them? My pet would have gotten stuck with a needle that was used on another animal! This doctor also smelled of body odor. Also, their dental hygienist who comes in twice a year does not change towels that she uses when she puts the animals on her lap and also I observed her using the same dental instruments from one animal to another! She keeps the door shut so the next parent of a pet could not observe this, but I 'peeked' because I was suspicious, as this hygienist did not appear to be clean. Never again would we go there..I had to personally observe this and was ready with my own towel and made sure that the instruments were from new packaging. The hygienist was surprised and only slightly embarrased that I noticed. Her prices for just a few minutes are much too high..another ripoff!Too many issues and confusion with doctors...the place seems to be all about $$$$$$$..what a shame!! (especially for people who are not as alert as I am) and just trust. Read Less

I first visited Monique Maniet years ago when I had an adult cat in renal failure.  That sweet kitty was too far gone to be saved, but Dr. Maniet turned his condition around for a while and helped keep him as healthy as possible until he passed.  Later, I returned to her with two baby kittens and she helped me get them off to a great start in life.  Thanks to her, a heart murmur in one of the kittens was diagnosed early and years later her nutritional supplement recommendations have kept him well.  Also, she was honest with me at a time when other vets were either not up-to-date or not forthcoming about vaccines that were injuring and killing cats.  All three of my cats were remarkably comfortable in Dr. Maniet's office and more so than in any other veterinary office.  The woman that screened me for adopting the kittens had also given high marks to Dr. Maniet for dealing with her dog's allergies that other vets had failed to treat successfully.  VHC is a bit expensive, but so is any quality specialty care and the quality care I have had there has been well worth it.  In the dog owner's case, she used VHC for specialty care she couldn't find elsewhere.  I and my cats have since moved across the country and we miss Dr. Maniet's good care.  Thank you, Dr. Maniet, for all the good care you gave my cats. Read Less

I have been taking my cats to Veterinary Holistic Care since about 2006.  My cats have seen a number of veterinarians there, and they have all been amazing!  Before finding this practice, I was very disappointed in the care I found in other veterinary offices.  The care that VHC has provided my cats over the years has been phenomenal.  The doctors really take the time to assess the animals and seem to genuinely care about the animals.  My cat, turbo, was 16 when he passed away in 2008.  Not only was Dr. Raichura amazing with him, but with me as well.  She really helped me through this difficult loss.  There is also Robin who is amazing too!  She is very sweet and kind with the animals.  I could go on and on about my wonderful experiences with this practice.  My cats Bailey and Bentley get wonderful care here, and I wouldn't take them anywhere else.  I would like to address some of the cost comments I read in the other reviews.  While the prices at this practice may be a bit higher than at a traditional vet, it is well worth every penny.  For the level of care and kindness, price is not an issue.  I have so much peace of mind knowing that I am providing my cats with the best care, and that is not something that  I can't put a price on.  If you love your pets and want to give them great care, VHC is the place to bring them! Read Less

Hello,I have to say it has been over a year so I don't have the name of the vet in mind anymore (probably Dr. Raichura though from reading the other reviews) and the exact amount, but it was around $600, for a routine visit and a set of test/chip implant (and  she hurt my dog in this process!) to be ready to go to Hawaii.. it was way too much I believe but this is not my main complain even though this is very important... the Dr was I thought pretty rude and I felt like I was being interrogated by the dog police and given a whole bunch of "pooppie" for not feeding my sweetie raw meet, well we can't all afford that.. and she is getting natural healthy food without wheat or corn! anyways that being said and what just drove me to write this review is that it is not even the worse... my main reason to come to a holistic vet was to find alternative to flea/tick prevention and heartworm... all she suggested was to space out the treatment every 6 weeks instead of 4... and pushed away one of the thing I had read on line.. she mentioned some powder to be totally honest but saying it didn't really work and that she didn't use it on her own pets... yesterday I came across a few very good articles on line including this one that I really recommend reading, this is eye opening : thewholedog.org/heartwor… which really made me mad about the poor advise she was giving me and she wrote a prescription for heartgard which seems to be the worst one according to this article,... where did she get her license? I really wonder and won't trust her for anything that is for sure... oh one more thing, she almost seemed disappointed that my sweetie wasn't sick, so there was nothing to prescribe.. oh and she even gave me codeine for hitching skin.. while I am sure there are an array of plants that would work.... Read Less

Dr. Raichura is a phenomenal veterinarian. I was frustrated with my former vet's office, after spending huge amounts of money, and watching my cat's health deteriorate. So I decided to try a holistic approach through Veterinary Holistic Care.  Dr. Raichura shared a wealth of knowledge with me, including at-home remedies that enabled my cat's glucose levels to normalize and alleviate the need for insulin injections. My cat actually enjoyed going to her office! It has a pleasant, spa-like atmosphere where my cat felt safe, comfortable, and free from stress. Dr. Raichura has always given my cat at least an hour of one-on-one care every time I have brought him into the office. Her assistants and other staff members are extremely helpful and caring.  The cost of visits was less expensive than my previous vet.  Dr. Raichura has always demonstrated attentiveness, dedication, and availability to answer my questions. She is an amazing doctor who I highly recommend. Read Less

Dr. Raichura is a phenomenal veterinarian. I was frustrated with my former vet’s office, after spending huge amounts of money, and watching my cat’s health deteriorate. So I decided to try a holistic approach through Veterinary Holistic Care. Dr. Raichura shared a wealth of knowledge with me, including at-home remedies that enabled my cat’s glucose levels to normalize and alleviate the need for insulin injections. My cat actually enjoyed going to her office! It has a pleasant, spa-like atmosphere where my cat felt safe, comfortable, and free from stress. Dr. Raichura has always given my cat at least an hour of one-on-one care every time I have brought him into the office. Her assistants and other staff members are extremely helpful and caring. The cost of visits was less expensive than my previous vet. Dr. Raichura has always demonstrated attentiveness, dedication, and availability to answer my questions. She is an amazing doctor who I highly recommend. Read Less

Our experience with VHA was wonderful. Our German Shephard was diagnosed with megaesophogus at the age of 9. Traditional medicine had told us there was nothing they could do. That's how I found Dr Riachura. She gave us alternative treatment options including changing her diet. Under Dr Riachura's care, our dog rebounded from 2 or 3 bouts of pneumonia and we just lost her at 12.5 years, a good, long life. We did spend a lot of money with VHA, but the choices were always ours. We didn't choose to do every treatment option, but they told us about them so we could make informed decisions. Dr Riachura and Robin cared deeply for Addie. They always made time for us in the schedule, even at the last minute. Dr Riachra even gave us her cell phone number and followed up after treatments to see how she was doing. I've never found a vet so involved in my animal's care. The entire office staff is friendly and kind. They all knew us and our dog. I agree with the reviewer that asks how much is your pet worth to you. For us, they were worth it. They gave us extra time with our beloved and gave us comfort in feeling we were doing what we could for her. If you are really not open to alternative treatments (or skeptical of) this is probably not the vet for you. If you want the very best for your pet and understand that this is not necessarily what is mainstream marketing and medicine, you should definitely make an appointment. Read Less

Should be able to give a 0 stars for this frightening excuse for a vet office. They injured our dog while she was being groomed and then charged us over 200 dollars when we brought her back to be seen by the "vet." STAY AWAY IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR PET Read Less

Veterinary Holistic Care has been fantastic in the care of our aging German Shepard.  Diagnosed with Mega-esophogus, traditional medicine was out of ideas of how to help her.  VHA has a loving and knowledgeable staff who has given their best to support us in this journey.  Dr Riachura is wonderful. Read Less

Worst care ever! Dr. Maniet insisted I make an appointment for an hour, and charged me $150. I was actually there for only 30 minutes, and she barely looked at my poor sweet cat, who mostly hid in a corner on the floor. She gave me a bunch of pages on diet that I could have gotten off the internet. She failed to diagnose my cat's apparently mysterious problem - FLEAS. Complete ripoff, and when I complained, nothing but defensiveness and martyrdom ("I'm so BUSY, wah wah wah!"). I was totally disgusted, and out a lot of money. The Better Business Bureau made her give me half back, which still left her way ahead since she kept $75 for 30 minutes, and I had to diagnose my cat myself. Read Less

Yikes, I just got off the phone with the office manager of this office.  I am new to the area and just bought a 2 year old Pomeranian.  I AM NOT new to vets however!  I had two beautiful beige labs for over 14 years under the care of Doc Cunningham is Howard County.  My goal in speaking with this office was to schedule a wellness/intro visit so the doc and I would be prepared in case of emergencies.  I also wanted to learn about vet insurance.  I was quoted $195 - $295 for this visit!  I was told that holistic vet medicine would take a long time to explain, etc, etc.  This seems like a real scam, a doctor claiming that holistic vet. medicine should be sooooo much more expensive.  The office manager tried to compare their costs to a "normal" vet who charges about $60 per hour to do the came thing.  IIF you user her comparison you would have to be with the vet for a minimum of THREE HOURS!  Is there really that much information to be dispersed???bummer! Read Less

I have tried several times to get an appointment with this clinic but couldn't wait for a month or two before seeing someone. This time, there was no urgency. I just wanted my 11 year old Labrador Retriever to try acupuncture for arthritis in his knees. I did not get an appointment with Dr. Maniet, but with another vet. They told me the deal over the phone: $195.00 for an hour and half. If it goes beyond that, it would be $295.00. They ask for a credit card which made me uneasy, but went on with the request. I also asked what was included in this visit, and the answer was "everything except blood tests or anything sent to a laboratory". Fair enough. Do not get me wrong with this review. I spend thousands of dollars on my lab. Right now, he is getting a Reiki massage every week. Money was not the issue. What was the issue is the way money issues were handled.I went there, and the people were friendly. I brought some Xrays and the last blood test for the vet to check as well as their questionaire filled out.When the vet came to the room, she told me "He is what, 14?". It was all over the paperwork that he was 11. She checked him out, and then did some acupuncture after checking her watch to see if there was time. Half of the needles did not stay because he was moving around. Anyway, after a while, maybe 15 min, she removed everything, and here I went to pay the bill.They told me it was $ 495.00 and asked me if I wanted an itemized bill! Of course, I did. I paid, took everything and left. Then, I studied the invoice, and was quite outraged:$ 45.00 to read the records, and she did not even know how old he was???? I have been to many many places, nobody ever charged me to read his records! When I called to complaint, the answer was that I paid "in anticipation" of further records.$ 5.00 to disgard the needles? Everything seems to be blown out of proportion. One of the meds they gave me was 120% more expensive than on the net.I went back there to return the med and asked as well for a refund of the $ 45.00 for the Records review. I was denied it because the vet had already taken the time to see the Xrays! Whatever.This is probably a good holistic clinic - but they are not the only ones around - but my problem with them is that if one day my lab has a major problem, how would I know if they do the best for him, or the best for their wallet?I know this review is long, but I tried to be as accurate as possible. I had by the way a friend called the clinic to set up a initial consult, and she was told what I was told when I called.Since then, my lab is getting acupuncture by someone else, has the same VIP treatment with music, comfy rug, and care, but I do not feel used when I pay the bill, like I did there. Sad to take advantage of people who care about their animals. Read Less

When money supersedes care....I have tried several times to get an appointment with this clinic but couldn't wait for a month or two before seeing someone. This time, there was no urgency. I just wanted my 11 year old Labrador Retriever to try acupuncture for arthritis in his knees. I did not get an appointment with Dr. Maniet, but with another vet. They told me the deal over the phone: $195.00 for an hour and half. If it goes beyond that, it would be $295.00. They ask for a credit card which made me uneasy, but went on with the request. I also asked what was included in this visit, and the answer was "everything except blood tests or anything sent to a laboratory". Fair enough. Do not get me wrong with this review. I spend thousands of dollars on my lab. Right now, he is getting a Reiki massage every week. Money was not the issue. What was the issue is the way money issues were handled. I went there, and the people were friendly. I brought some Xrays and the last blood test for the vet to check as well as their questionaire filled out. When the vet came to the room, she told me "He is what, 14?". It was all over the paperwork that he was 11. She checked him out, and then did some acupuncture after checking her watch to see if there was time. Half of the needles did not stay because he was moving around. Anyway, after a while, maybe 15 min, she removed everything, and here I went to pay the bill. They told me it was $ 495.00 and asked me if I wanted an itemized bill! Of course, I did. I paid, took everything and left. Then, I studied the invoice, and was quite outraged: $ 45.00 to read the records, and she did not even know how old he was???? I have been to many many places, nobody ever charged me to read his records! When I called to complaint, the answer was that I paid "in anticipation" of further records. $ 5.00 to disgard the needles? Everything seems to be blown out of proportion. One of the meds they gave me was 120% more expensive than on the net. I went back there to return the med and asked as well for a refund of the $ 45.00 for the Records review. I was denied it because the vet had already taken the time to see the Xrays! Whatever. This is probably a good holistic clinic - but they are not the only ones around - but my problem with them is that if one day my lab has a major problem, how would I know if they do the best for him, or the best for their wallet? I know this review is long, but I tried to be as accurate as possible. I had by the way a friend called the clinic to set up a initial consult, and she was told what I was told when I called. Since then, my lab is getting acupuncture by someone else, has the same VIP treatment with music, comfy rug, and care, but I do not feel used when I pay the bill, like I did there. Sad to take advantage of people who care about their animals. Read Less

Veterinary Holistic Care in Bethesda, MD, is a holistic veterinary clinic specializing in acupuncture, Chinese herbs, Bach flowers, nutrition, homeopathy and western herbs. Conventional treatment is provided when necessary.They also perform minor surgeries (spays/neuter/lump removal)I love Dr. Maniet. She's a huge proponent of the raw food diet and really knows what she's talking about. Appointments are very hard to get with her specifically.. her waiting list is a couple weeks long, but I'm sure any other vet that belongs to her practice has to know what they're talking about, too. Read Less