Takoma Park Animal Clinic Primary Care Non Emergency

I had an amazing experience at Takoma Park Animal Clinic.  My 4 year old Chihuahua (Sadie Mae) had become ill so I called and was able to get an appointment to come right in.   The office was clean and the staff was very friendly.  Dr. Decker was very friendly and careful with Sadie Mae who is a very timid dog.  She had her blood drawn and it only took about 10 minutes for her results.  Upon checking out I found the cost to be reasonable.  Dr. Decker also called me the next day to check on Sadie Mae who has made a full recovery.  Thank you Dr. Decker and staff for the kindness shown to Sadie Mae and I.  We will be returning. Read Less

Expensive however this is the only vet I know that can handle my hyper anxious Schnauzer. They genuinely care about their furry patients and I appreciate the fact that they aren't quick to push medication on you. Read Less

I am deaf new client for my cat to request for bath, haircut, rabies shot, trim nails. The front desk wasn't exactly friendly to me, I smiled the entire time. The hair cutter came to me and ask me what kind of haircut - I said please everything on her body, legs, arms etc. I left then when it's ready. I went and pick my cat up - I got charged for exam - I didn't ask for that so I arrived home. I didn't realize that the hair cutter didn't do her job. The picture show it - very clearly. Look at my cats leg - that's very unacceptable. My baby look like poodle. :/ they refuse to refund me. I recommend to not go there ever! Read Less

Have taken all of my animals here since I was young. Wonderful staff that I couldn't praise enough always there and adding us in when there is a emergency. The entire staff truly cares about animals and making sure that they're okay and that they stay healthy! Read Less

Great service by Dr. Hines and the lady technician that was working with him. I did not catch her name. They tried to figure out what is wrong with my dog and never gave up nor pushed her aside. I am truly impressed. She is slowly doing better and I give all the thanks and praise to that teamwork. Thank you!!! Read Less

Kicking myself a bit for not asking for the 15% new client discount when we checked out... Took my cats here today to see Dr. Carey and she was great!  She and the tech were so loving with them and both had great senses of humor.  I showed up early to the appointment and was in and out very quickly.  Yes, vet care is expensive (vets get basically the same training as human doctors!) but I felt the $80 per cat exam fee + plus vaccine and med costs were appropriate considering the high level of care that were provided Read Less

Was asked to bring dog in at 8 am and to sign papers and waivers. Asked to see vet - but s/he would not be in until 9 am or later. Very odd.When I picked animal up I was charged a fee of $50 (or more, it's been awhile) because she was kept at the vet from 8 am on.So I am told to do something, I do it and I get charged for doing it. Then I am asked to sign papers stating I know what is going on, things have been explained to me and when I asked to have them explained I am told the person who could do that won't be in for another hour. But not told I will be charged for arriving before the vet, as instructed.Will never go back and advise all to STAY AWAY. Read Less

Very personable service. The last time I took my dog in for an emergency visit, three doctors and an intern worked with him! They take the time to get to know your pet and treat him like the family member he is. We have been going there for almost 30 years. Terrific people with a great love of animals. Read Less

Love Takoma Park Animal Clinic.  They have cared for my dog for 8 years and at 11 he still looks and acts like a puppy.  The staff is wonderful and my dog loves coming here for his annual checkup.  I have always found the prices to be very reasonable for the DMV and the care much better than average.  Their hours and location are very convenient.  Drs. Decker, Carey, and Schuyler are very experienced in treating pets and in reassuring their anxious owners. Read Less

I'm not sure why there are so many bad reviews.  I started taking my dog here this year, after about 6 years at an expensive DC vet.  I've been happy with all the services I've received here and it was much more inexpensive than that other DC vet.  We are preparing for a move to Italy and Dr. Decker knows all the ins and outs about pet transportation internationally.  He even called me yesterday to confirm our date because the health certificate is only good for 10 days and he actually marked down the date we were leaving months ago.  My dog has also been dealing with an infection to his dew claw for years that I've spend thousands of dollars at the old vet.  The infection came and went numerous times but never went away.  Dr Decker spent some time diagnosing it and after about a month of treatment told me there's not much else we could do and recommended a dermatology specialist  (which the old vet never did).  The specialist figured out it was a MRSA infection.  My dog has been treated for a few months and his temperament has completely changed.  When we get back from abroad I will continue to use their services. Read Less

I'd read some of the negative reviews on this page before bringing my female tabby in. At first, I continued to bring Zoe to my usual vet (far away, but familiar). But when Zoe appeared to have a really bad UTI, I decided it was worth giving the local vet a try. We walked in without an appointment, first-thing on a Saturday morning - not a strategy I'd suggest, but I didn't have much choice that weekend. The receptionist was understanding, and she explained that I might have to wait awhile before the vet had a chance to see my kitty.After 45 minutes, the waiting room had filed with loud pups and who can blame them? Someone noticed my building anxiety and suggest that a tech place Zoe and I in an exam room. We didn't wait long to see the vet. Dr. Decker was kind, professional and efficient. At first, Zoe yowled bloody murder but the doctor was unperturbed. She reacted accordingly. Dr. Decker took time to explain his recommendations and got us out of there as quickly as possible. He followed up with us by phone and e-mail.The reasons why TPAC gets one star off is that the waiting room is super-smelly. I've been to lots of vets and this waiting room is the smelliest. Perhaps I'm being too harsh, but I found it disconcerting and I imagine it might be worse for pets. Aside from this detail, I'm happy to find a competent vet in the neighborhood and will go back. Read Less

While they do provide good care the prices are OUTRAGEOUS!!! I was charged $100 for a rabies shot when other places charged $10. They charge $550 for spaying a dog (doesn't include medication) when other places charge $10.  Again, the service and care here is good, but it isn't worth paying 10 times extra. I will not be back. Read Less

My experience here was great! I got prompt service, the staff was very friendly, and they knew what they were talking about! Five out of five for me! The prices are a bit high, but the service was spectacular! Read Less

Took my 60 lbs Greyhound to Takoma Park Animal Clinic for the first time last week. Looking for a new vet for my baby dog after Hillandale Animal Hospital unfortunately closed. The location in Takoma is great, there was metered street parking available for me about 4pm. The building seems a little old, but the staff were wonderfully sweet and helpful and the vets were on top of things and smart. The vet talked about the full spectrum of options before us and didn't just try to sell us everything and the kitchen sink but also was ready to treat. The doctor got back to me within three business days about the results of our blood tests. Also, they have pretty long hours and weekend hours. It was only my first time, but I am very satisfied so far! Read Less

Just awesome! They scheduled us last minute (for a slight emergency) even though we had never been there, they helped get my cat better and charged us half - $700 less - than the other place we got an estimate from. What more could you want? Read Less

I really like this place and Dr. Decker is really great with my dogs. He is very upfront about the cost of certain tests and treatments and is fun to watch when he interacts with animals. I enjoy talking to him. The facility is a little worn looking, but it processes dogs all day, so I get it. The only issue I have is with the receptionist in that it took 5 separate phone calls for me to get her to submit documents to my pet's health insurance company. Also, a few times I have called to make an appointment or request information and there's rap music in the background so I cannot hear what she's saying. She's also hung up on me before which is annoying. I recommend this place for the doctors and the care my pets have received. The clinic is great -- the receptionist is not. Read Less

I have been going to Takoma Park Animal Clinic for over twenty years I find Dr Carey and her staff to be very professional. I would not go to any other Dog Clinic .Dr Carey is very personal as if it is her dog she is taking care of. Her staff is well informed there is nothing like Takoma Park Animal Clinic. Read Less

I had brought my cat to the clinic to have her euthanized. It was a very sad day for me, and I found the staff helpful and sympathetic. I appreciated their compassion and understanding. Also, Dr. Kyle Decker has been absolutely great in the past with my dog, a 90-pound pitiful/Mastiff. Dr. Decker obviously loves dogs and is great with them! I will continue to go to the Takoma Park Animal Clinic with my animals -- cats and dogs. Read Less

Dr. Carey, Dr. Malachi, the few other vets I've seen here, the animal care technicians, and every single staff member are so kind and responsive and helpful. They were even the epitome of professionalism when I was so upset about one of my pet's health that I was the absolute worst version of myself. Phone calls are returned, records are well maintained, medications and prescription foods are always in stock, and your pets' health needs come first. I am so grateful for this clinic. My dog and cat have received phenomenal care here. I highly recommend this place! Read Less

So, on 10/26/16 i received an email from Takoma Park Animal Clinic saying that if I leave a review on Yelp, the clinic will give me a $5 Starbucks card if i show them my review. The email did prompt me me to write a review ... But NOT for the Starbucks card. Quite the opposite. I have no intention of cashing in. I do think that my experiences over the years here though is important.The GOOD:Our first visits were pleasant for the most part. We were seen by a younger female vet originally from Great Britain. We really liked her and we could tell she really cared about our dog. No muzzle, she listened and understood our dogs past vet trauma. Our dog responded to her patience and techniques.The prices she charged us also were reasonable. She also gave us a discount because our dog was a legit service dog. The BAD:The last time we were seen, we saw Dr. Patricia Kriemelmeyer. The visit was just to get a USDA paper signed for international travel. We have 2 requirements - proving rabies are up to date and an anti-parasite treatment. Since we do this so frequently, our dog is almost always up to date on this and within her time limits so its just a matter of filling in our info and stamping it. I normally pay $50-85 at other vet clinics for this service. This vet charged me $285! I actually called her out to ask:  What was she charging me for because she saw us for less than 5 minutes, gave us no meds and her office help filled out the paperwork (got it wrong - I fixed it) and all she did was sign and stamp it!On top of it, she INSISTED my SERVICE DOG be muzzled! My dog was originally perfecly calm. Dr K was not patient and by the time they put the muzzle on my dog, they had her so stressed out and freaked out that her eyes were bugging out. It caused her cherry eye to pop out on both eyes (causing me another vet visit elsewhere to get her eye drops!)I wanted a prescription for heartworm meds as what they have in their office is so expensive. They told me that even though i was already paying out almost $300, they wanted me to pay to get a written prescription!  OMG Seriously???I just about flipped!I also asked the vet about giving a discount for my service dog and she claimed that they never give discounts for service dogs and she had never heard of such a thing .... Nor could she afford to give such discounts!I am going to mention their front desk staff here too. I actually had one off their staff members snap their fingers at my dog to get her attention. Obviously, more training is needed with staff before having them working and interacting with animals. They seem to not have a high comprehension level either. My service dog weras a vest. It says "DO NOT PET . DO NOT DISTRACT" ... Not only do I have a male front desk staff bothering my dog, but he comes up directly in front of her, reaches out and directly OVER HER HEAD to pet her!!!!  Dog handling 101: Never ever touch a dog you don't know ... Esp over the top of the head!  He's lucky she didnt bite his hand off. Overall, if they still had the same original vet we were seeing - we may still be going there. I do not recommend this vet clinic. They are over-priced and have a high over turn of staff. My dog had vet trauma from this vet office after the last visit. Read Less

I always have a wonderful experience with the veterinarians and the veterinary technicians. Today we saw Dr. Decker and Adis. Both were phenomenal. Dr. Decker listened attentively to my concerns and gave me all the treatment options and did not push me towards the most expensive one. Adis was able to get my cat to eat after he had refused food all day.Read Less

The GOOD: I just moved to Takoma Park from the Baltimore area and have yet to find a regular vet for my dog. I chose this clinic after my dog ran into the wall, giving herself a corneal ulcer. After having read the Yelp reviews, I was hesitant and had spoken to other vets in the area who were either booked up or could not take us immediately. This vet was within walking distance and they were able to squeeze us in on the spot, so we went.  THE BAD: During the exam, the vet and techs were particularly rough on my 10lb dog. I will say, that my dog is hyper. She loves new people and it takes some soothing to keep her still around strangers. I insisted that I keep her on my lap during the exam to keep her quiet (like at my regular vet), but was shown a sign that indicated that only the vet staff could handle the animals during the exams. Anyhow, the vet went to inspect her eye and she kept moving, so their solution was to muzzle her. I have never muzzled my dog a day in her life, and she has never bitten anyone. My 5 year old brother is frequently putting his hands in her mouth, so she learned pretty early on. So of course, not being used to it, she was frantically trying to break free and I ended up putting it on her myself. Eventually, they examined her eye and diagnosed the ulcer. She had had one before so I had already known what it was prior to admitting her.  Since I was already there, I decided to get her nails trimmed, which again, they unnecessarily muzzled her for. And even with the muzzle, they felt that it was necessary that one tech needed to hold her body down during the nail clipping. My dog is a Shih Tzu. She has a lot of hair and has been to many professional groomers, AND I groom her myself, and again, there was never a need for any restraints. Anyhow, we were prescribed meds one of which were eye drops. I asked the vet if he could put some in at that moment, and he responded that she seemed irritated so he didn't think it'd be a good idea. At that moment, I literally sat down, placed her on my lap, opened the cap, and placed a drop in her eye ... her tail wagging the entire time. He then asked if I lived alone and whether I'd need help, and if so to come back and they could put the drops in. Needless to say, I was more than annoyed. I understand that we were new clients and that they were not familiar with my dog BUT as a veterinary facility, they should be able to handle all dogs with all types of temperaments WITHOUT restraints. My dog did not growl, she did not snap at anyone, and did not show any signs of aggression. She merely kept moving from the excitement of being around new people. In any event, we will not be back. The medication seems to be working and the appearance of her eye has improved, but I will be taking her elsewhere for her follow up appointment. Read Less

Dr Carey is a great veterinarian and equally thoughtful of her patients and their owners. She takes the time to meet the goals for your pets health and provide clients educated choices in healthcare for your pet. Read Less

The back staff are friendly and personable, Dr. K. is very good and supportive, the front desk staff however are like 'talk to the hand". My first time there they completely ignored me as I stood in waiting area with my pet. After 5 min I inquired and they said "your suppose to sign-in". WOW, how was I to know, if 1st impressions mean anything I would never have gone back, their tone is a turn off. However, my partner liked the Dr.'s so we just lower our front office customer service expectations. What gives, it usually takes them another 15-20 minutes for us to check out when done with Dr. visit so we plan accordingly...with patience. We have also had to repeatedly ask for copies of lab records. I get that its just a desk position and young people need jobs too, but they are just in the wrong field. Simply, pet owners want an inviting happy atmosphere even if you have to fake it. Read Less

We had to put our beloved member of our family down, Snowey our dog and Dr.Kriemelmeyer and her staff Assistant Lewis Johnson and Teresa made the experience so warm and comforting for Snowey our Dog. She was loved by all there at this wonderful Animal clinic. two thumbs up and heart full of warmth! Read Less

We are thoroughly and totally pleased with all the Veterinarians, Vet Techs, and staff at Takoma Park Animal Clinic!! We have been taking our dear companions to them for years and it is very clear that everyone really cares for them, and are engaged in loving and nurturing them. The best endorsement is when your companion happily wags a tail when they see any of the staff and get excited that they get to see one of their friends at TPAC. Dr. Pat Kriemelmeyer ("Dr. K") and all her associates and staff have always shown expert loving care for our companions, and especially our female Rottie, Trixie, seeing her from the time she came home to us as a puppy, throughout her life, and until the very end. Takoma Park Animal Clinic folks are part of our family and we hope they will be part of yours. Read Less

Tremendous treatment for our border collie. We were visiting friends in Takoma Park and our border collie was limping after playing ball. When she didn't get better, we called and they were able to squeeze us in. Even though we had not had an appointment, Dr. Levitsky took plenty of time with us and thoroughly explained the medical issues. The staff was very professional. I have read the other reviews and I did not find any of the issues that were mentioned. Yes, it is more expensive than our vet in rural North Carolina who works without staff. I would recommend the practice to anyone. Read Less

I moved to Silver Spring from North Carolina in March 2010, and have been in search of a competent, caring, trustworthy vet since my arrival. My previous vet in Carolina was like no other, so finding a new vet was a daunting task, as I am extraordinarily selective in who I let treat my babies. I did extensive on-line research, and went to about a dozen different vet offices in ths area. I have two dogs, both with special needs, and two cats. One of my cats was seen by several vets, and I was absolutely dismayed with each one! After 5 months of "trial and error" experiences, I got lucky. Not until I met Dr. Hanson did I find the traits I so diligently sought. She took the time to get to "know" my kitty, then my 12 year old Akita, created a bond of trust with them before she did any kind of exam. She treated us like we were the only patients she had! She is warm, gentle, and so caring. She spoke to me in terms that I easily understood, and gave recommendations that proved correct. Not only is she knowledgable, but she's personable.**The "clincher" is the fact that Dr. Hanson herself, made FOLLOW-UP calls to me regarding each of my babies! Who does that???? Not even my beloved vet in Carolina went that extra mile, and I held her in the highest of regards.** I can't speak of the other vets in that office, as I am 100% satisfied with Dr. Hanson, and SHE is my vet now! She is a credit to her profession, and I can honestly, and enthusiastically recommend her to anyone! I would be remiss not to also mention Louis, the technician. Very impressed with his bedside manner, and personality. He obviously loves his work! The staff is equally impressive! Courteous, polite, and professional with a "human touch". What a wonderful group of people. Read Less

There are very few things in life I feel passionate enough about to put in print. In fact this is my first review. But I have had such an exceptional experience at Tacoma Park Animal Clinic; I want to get the word out. I don?t want anyone to go through what I went through. I moved to Maryland 2 years ago, and I have had one horrible experience after another trying to find a vet. I found what I was missing here at Tacoma Park, I found people who love your animal the way you love your animal. People who treat what you came in for and don?t try to sell you the undercoating treatment. Here in Dr. Hines I found my vet after a 2 year search. What a relief. I am driving further to get to this vet, but I am happy, and my dog is happy. It feels like an All State commercial, but I know we are in good hands at Tacoma Park. Read Less