I was from out of town, and had an emergency with my older Yorkie at night. We rushed her there and the staff was great. Unfortunately it was her time, I knew it would be coming sooner or later but always hoped later. They really were super, the hospital is very nice. It's such a tough situation to have to go through, especially when you are out of town. Read Less

Took my dog to Veterinary Referral Associates and dog was seen by Ann Bolek, DVM for treatment which included stitches. Am grateful for the great service she provided. Also, the facility is very clean and has a big fish tank with lots of tropical fish. John also put my mind at ease when I called the facility--that my dog would be in good hands. Read Less

I just came back from taking my 7 months old Cavalier King Charles spaniel to emergency here since he keeps losing his balance, he can’t walk, he’s very disoriented, and does not want to eat. First of all, the nurse started right off by saying she can have him stabilized before the doctor even sees him and that this would cost me from $500-$700 I said no and that I would wait for the doctor. The doctor was so unprofessional and not helpful. After a supposedly “check up” the doctor said my pup was fine and that this is completely normal and even good to see in a puppy when this is not true. How in the world would these symptoms be good?! Then they took my pup to the back to run some blood test, but they kept him in the back from longer than needed. This seems very shady to me, specially after reading the reviews. My puppy actually seems worse now than before we took him. If anything happens to my dog I’m blaming this place! So unprofessional! I do not recommend! Read Less

I don't know what these people did to my dog in the back but ever since she has been petrified to go to her regular vet. I will never take her back here again. I heard stories about this place but it was an emergency so I took her. Now I fully regret it! Read Less

My pet Jeremy had to have emergency surgery due to a kidney stone lodged in the urethra. Service was excellent, Dr. Kidder and staff was excellent. I received updates before and after surgery. I received a 1 day postop call to followup after the surgery. I work in a trauma center so I was impressed with the cleanliness of this facility. Also, I was impressed with the surgical site. Beautiful work performed by the surgeons. So far no complications. Karen 4/14/2017 Read Less

My dog has been to the Emergency Room at VCA three times and I've been pretty impressed with the vets and staff. Each time we see a tech immediately and a vet within 10-15 minutes of arrival. My dog is extremely anxious and when I took him to a different emergency vet, they just told me to contact his behaviorist as there was nothing wrong with him. The vets at VCA really listened when I told them something was wrong and described my dog's symptoms. He got the medication he needed that improved his condition within 24 hours. Follow-up on test results is timely and a vet called a few days later to see how my dog was doing. Emergency care is always expensive and VCA prices are about what other emergency vets in the area charge. The vet did provide a cost estimate as well as different options from treating his symptoms to doing additional testing to determine the exact cause of his problems. I would recommend the VCA emergency clinic. While I hope I don't have a sick dog again, I would not hesitate to bring my dog back if needed. Read Less

EDIT/UPDATE: My Australian Shepherd has been a patient at VCA VRA for about 6 months. I've worked with two of the doctors and several of the vet techs in an effort to resolve his hind limb lambness. They've used therapeutic laser, B-12 injections, acupuncture, stretching/manipulation, and various exercises, but unfortunately nothing has really worked. However, that's just sort of the nature of the business, especially with this sort of injury: there's simply no guarantee of success. I've had a few bad experiences with the practice's Chief of Staff, Steve Steinberg. Perhaps I'm the exception to the rule, but I always sensed a defiant and dismissive attitude from Dr. Steinberg whenever I would raise concerns about my dog's lack of improvement, or inform him when my dog would have a relapse following a vigorous P.T. session at VCA VRA. His response was NEVER, "oh no, I'm so sorry; let's get your dog in here right away to see what went wrong and explore what we can do." Instead, he jumped immediately to, "well, you don't seem happy, I think you should take your dog somewhere else." It's like he doesn't want to hear that your pet isn't doing better; if you're not seeing immediate results, then his solution is to show you the door, not redouble his efforts to find a solution. Personally, I find that attitude to be unacceptable in any health care provider. The rest of the staff, however, seems to be top notch. When I first posted my concerns re: Dr. Steinberg, I was invited to come in for a complimentary follow-up consult with one of the orthopedic surgeons. I truly appreciated this act of customer service, and my experience with Dr. Gauthier was very positive. Furthermore, the veterinary techs and support staff are all very good, especially Robin P.; I can tell that they care about their patients and they try their best to help. I wouldn't discourage other pet owners from giving VCA VRA Gaithersburg a shot. Read Less

While they did a very good job in breaking his seizure clusters and while he was there. I tried to contact them afterwards as my pup wasn't eating as he should, i.e. instead of eating a meal in 5 to 10 minutes, he was taking an hour to an hour and a half to finish his meal. Of course, I was very bothered by this and the fact that his appetite wasn't coming back. I was happy when I called, as the Doctor who saw us when we checked in was there, Dr. Dustin Beauchamp. When he didn't return my call in over 2 hours, I called back. The receptionist told me that Dr. Dustin Beauchamp said that I should contact my own Vet instead of calling them. I couldn't believe their attitude, especially as they were the cause of this problem. So they are fine while they have your money, but once you're gone, they lose interest in you! I WILL NEVER GO TO VCA AGAIN!!!! Read Less

I had my girl here for about a month receiving critical care. They kept saying she would pull through (she was only 6yrs). They would not let me visit with her very long - which I think is a huge mistake when your family member is critical. They need your emotional support. They never were able to diagnose her condition and had the nerve to berate me when she was no longer rallying, and in an O2 tent, to give me grief about taking her home for euthanasia. On my way out with her - they had the nerve to ask me if I would consider a necropsy so they could learn from her case. Hell no. They failed her. There is a much better facility near Leesburg, VA. Read Less

I have had to take my Golden Retriever here several times. The first time was in 2009 when he ended up having bloat, and had to have emergency surgery. The staff is amazing! That night, someone actually stayed in the space with Brody, so he wasn't left alone. Ever since then, this is our "go-to" for emergencies, since it is much closer than his primary vet. My pup is super special, with lots of issues, and every time we take him in, we have a great experience. They are all fantastic! Read Less

I will never forget the comfort we were provided by an outstanding veterinarian; Dr. Lindsay Vega. Though continually and effectively tending to so many issues, her ability to concentrate on our baby Zoey was extraordinary. We lost Zoey (she reached the end of a long life as a Golden Retriever); but Dr. Vega was precise, communicative, and compassionate. My wife, daughter and I were all there in Zoey's passing; and truly. Dr. Vega made a very painful experience so valuable in retrospect. She exhibits greatly what I wish all humans possessed in some part. Read Less

This place is way over priced and sneaky, i had taken my 12 week old puppy because he was vomiting and they diagnosed that he had intussusception, basically one intestine going into another, they said they had professionals that do this surgery. I went to see my dog and they said he was doing ok but needed to stay another day, cost me like $1700 for the surgery and i thought i would be picking him up the next day. The next day comes and i get a call saying the surgery didnt go well and they would have to do another surgery and it would cost another $1700 oh and the price to stay last night was $400. I couldnt believe they would charge me again and ontop of that they said he would have to stay in intensive care being watched by a vet all night and that would cost $800 a night. I couldnt believe it now i was looking at $4500 bill to go thru all this and thats just 4 weeks after i got the puppy. I decided to get him euthanized instead and ended up paying a little over $2000 because i decided not to go thru the same surgery that they didnt do right the first time. Before they put him to sleep they asked me if i wanted them to test him to see what cost him the sickness and for a second i wanted to so i can let the breeder know and then the VCA told me that would cost me like $600 for the results, i was shocked. That place is all about money first and more money second. Read Less

We came in the evening bc we found a tick on our pup and could not get it off! Carl was so helpful and came right out to get it off...it was nice that they were so attentive and fast. So glad to know this is so close by when we need them! Read Less

We were overwhelmed by the love and caring shown to us and the expert, professional care given to our Buddy. I would not hesitate to recommend VCA for veterinary care for your pet. At every step, they kept us informed of his condition and gave us wonderful advice and supported us in our decision to end Buddy's suffering. Read Less

Tina Conway DVM, DACVIM (SAIM) MA Internal Medicine VCA Veterinary Referral Associates 500 Perry Parkway Gaithersburg, MD 20877 The purpose of this letter is twofold. First, Mattie and I want to send along the happiest of birthday wishes on your special day. We hope that it is fun filled and continue to wish you the very best in all of your future endeavors. Additionally I want to take this opportunity to thank you for saving Matties life. As you are well aware, my Lab Mattie was in bad shape when I first brought her to you. Her esophagus had been severely burned and left unattended for days which exacerbated her condition, she was coughing, drooling, could barely swallow, vomited everything she tried to eat and was extremely underweight. I was devastated; the situation looked dire. Yet despite her severe and adverse condition, you were kind, empathetic and hopeful. From the very beginning and without hesitation you accurately diagnosed Matties condition and carefully and confidently created a detailed and strategic plan providing her with the best chance for a good recovery with a functional esophagus. And now, although she cannot swallow big chunks of food as before, I can say without hesitation that she is a happy, happy dog with an endlessly wagging tail. She thoroughly enjoys eating, playing and taking long walks. Her brother is happy, I am happy and even her little friend Ponki is happy that shes home. In summary, Dr. Conway, I must write that it were not for your constant concern, diligent care and impeccable skill as a doctor my beloved dogs ashes would have been in an urn on my fireplace mantel. You are an extremely talented doctor and an extraordinary woman. I feel extremely lucky to have ended up on your doorstep and your company is very fortunate to have such a talented, dedicated and skilled doctor as yourself in their practice. I am eternally grateful. Sincerely Angie Liberty Read Less

This review is for service received about 4 years ago. Unknown to us one of our cats swallowed a piece of plastic and was vomitting every few minutes. We took her to VCA Referral in Gaithersburg because it was the middle of the night. They examined her and determined that she had the piece of plastic lodged deep in her digestive system and that immediate surgery would be needed to remove it. The doctor took plenty of time to explain their diagnosis and why surgery was needed. They did the surgery that night and everything went great. Our cat fully recovered. We were very happy with the service we received from them on this occasion. The facility is very large, modern, and clean. It looks like they are able to utilize many of the latest tools and techniques. They also have board certified specialists such as veterinary internists and oncologists on staff They do not do wellness care (i.e. checkups and vacinations). This incident cost us about $5000.00 so they are not cheap. Luckily we had pet insurance that covered it all. If you have a real emergency they are the place to go but you will definitely pay top dollar for the service. Our cats are our children so for us it was well worth it. If you are going there to see specialist it may take a long time to get an appointment. We had another cat who needed to see a specialist on short notice and they told us it would be at least a week before they could schedule that. We ended up taking that cat to a different animal hospital for that reason. Read Less