Ballston Animal Hospital

Dr Collins was a wonderful vet for our fuzziest family member. Our dog was a rescue with behavioral and health issues, but Dr. Collins and his staff were always patient with our questions and helpful with their advice and services. He helped us tremendously through some very difficult times, and thanks to him we were able to share 11 wonderful years with our fuzzy buddy. Read Less

This has been our primary veterinarian for our dog for 3 years, since he was a puppy. All the care we've received has been great. The vets here walk through all options and inform us to make the best decision. From annual check-ups to more urgent stitches, they handle the pets with care and compassion. Even though we moved to Alexandria, Ballston Animal Hospital remains our primary vet. Read Less

Everyone here was super nice and patient. I got an appointment right away, for an emergency with my puppy. I was freaking out and they made time right away. Clean, organized. Enjoyed my experience here and they helped my puppy get better with the correct diagnosis. They called to check up on Maggie a few days later too. This will be my new vet for sure. Thanks! Read Less

Our cat was sick, she was puking and had diarrhea so we took them to this vet. The cat looked healthy but we wanted to make sure there was nothing serious. First off, the vet was like i cannot tell what is wrong without blood work which I thought was reasonable. $200. Then they said everything looked fine, just elevated white blood cells which could mean infection or sickness. She then said she would need an ultrasound ranging from $700- $2,000 dollars just to be sure the cat is fine. I received tons of pressure to make a decision right then and there and I just said lets do some meds if she doesn't improve we can do the ultra sound. I did not appreciate the strong arm sales approach. And guess what, the cat ended up being fine and I was going to be out the $2,000 dollars for nothing. Oh and I forget to mention they charged me $200 dollars for meds, so my total visit for my cat was $500. Alittle pricey to me! Read Less

Dr. Robarge is a miracle worker! I have a wonderful cat with terrible behavioral issues and I was ready to return her to the rescue service. Dr. Robarge patiently studied the issue, tried innovative ways for me to deal with Kiki and worked with me to solve the problem. Happily, Problem Solved! Dr. Robarge's skill, patience and research made the difference. Kiki and I will live happily together now.  Thank you Dr. Robarge!I have been coming to Ballston for many years with other pets and Dr. Collins has a great staff of caring vets. His front desk staff is courteous and responsive. If you seek the best for your pets (and who doesn't?), Ballston Animal Hospital offers the best in care.Pat M. Read Less

Ballston Animal Hospital is hands down the best experience I've ever had with any vet clinic. Dr. Snow and Dr. Collins are so thorough with my aging cat's needs and I appreciate their mindfulness about cost as well. All the staff from the receptionist area to the vet techs to the vets treat my little girl with the utmost respect and consideration. I'm lucky to have such a great team so close to us! Read Less

We previously took our babies to a commercial Vet. HUGE mistake! You never get the same Vet and your babies feel uneasy with a new stranger each time. We decided to go to Ballston Animal Hospital. BEST CHOICE EVER! We have a dedicated primary Vet who actually loves them. While she is conducting her examinations she speaks to them, holds them and even gives them kisses. They love that comfort and we appreciate it very much! Read Less

This place is really awful.  I wish I could select no stars.  I put my dog to sleep three years ago and they have aggressively solicited me for services every since.  I get monthly emails with my deceased dogs name in the subject line asking me if I'm interesting to purchase specials they are offering. I received notification asking me if I want to sign up for there app for my dead dog. I have received multiple phone calls from their office with SALES type people offering the same types of services and I've told them multiple times to remove my information from system and that my dog has not been alive for over three years now.  They just have complete disregard, it's  really awful and I can't believe with the nature of their business it's NOT something they seem to care about.  Dont go anywhere near this place, they just look at your pet as a pay check. Read Less

My pets have been patients at Ballston Animal Hospital for more than five years and I'd definitely recommend their services. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and organized, which makes things so much easier when you're dealing with your sick pet or new pet. I feel like I've gotten consistently good care here.In particular, I have to call out Dr. Scher, who is my regular vet. She's lovely and patient, and she was especially good with my new rescue dog, who was scared and nippy on his first visit. Months later we were still seeing her and my dog's fear had subsided dramatically.My only major tip is that there are several parking spots but the lot is small (this is North Arlington, folks), so be prepared to maneuver in. Read Less

We are very grateful and pleased to have found Ballston Animal Hospital. All of the staff with whom we interacted are very professional, compassionate and friendly. Unfortunately, during the exam of our pet, a broken tooth was discovered. So we can now rate based on both the exam and surgery. The surgery went well and our dog is now back to herself. After the surgery, the doctor called us to let us know how it went. And, we received a call the next day. Surprisingly, the bill was slightly lower than the initial estimate. We highly recommend Ballston Animal Hospital. Read Less

Everyone we encountered was kind, friendly and compassionate towards our sweet pup. Dr. Tripp was informative amdlistened closely. They answered our questions and were very caring and demonstrative with our dog. Highly recommend Ballston Animal Hospital. Read Less

By far, the best veterinary practice we've ever used! Recommended by a friend after we had a less-than-stellar experience at another service, we tried Ballston Animal Hospital a few years ago. We've stayed with them and wouldn't consider switching. Everyone at the practice is friendly, knowledgeable, and connects with our pet German Shepherd. And then, there's results - our guy suffered with a juvenile bone disease when younger, and suffered a lot of pain and limping. The medications Ballston Animal Hospital prescribed made the whole process much easier for our puppy and for us. We get great treatment and advice from a caring staff always. I can't say enough about Ballston Animal Hospital, except give them a try. You will be thrilled! Read Less

By far, the best veterinary practice we've ever used!Recommended by a friend after we had a less-than-stellar experience at another service, we tried Ballston Animal Hospital a few years ago. We've stayed with them and wouldn't consider switching. Everyone at the practice is friendly, knowledgeable, and connects with our pet German Shepherd. And then, there's results - our guy suffered with a juvenile bone disease when younger, and suffered a lot of pain and limping. The medications Ballston Animal Hospital prescribed made the whole process much easier for our puppy and for us.We get great treatment and advice from a caring staff always. I can't say enough about Ballston Animal Hospital, except give them a try. You will be thrilled! Read Less

We have been taking our pets here for several years since it is in our neighborhood. The receptionists are usually friendly and helpful. Anyhow, after the last visit, we won't be returning. Long story short, two female staff members (one a tech, not sure about the other since she wasn't wearing a white coat or tech attire) have zero bedside manners with pets and people. (I am still wondering the one's role there? I don't care to explore this topic because we won't be returning.) I found her and the other female (technician) to be condescending and just down right rude.  Why would anyone return to an "animal" business that treats pets and their owners with callousness? There are plenty of other animal services in the area with outstanding reviews. One more thing-they are expensive for surgery. See my other review for where to go for pet surgical procedures. Read Less

The staff at the front desk is very friendly here. Whenever I call they always help me find a good time to come in that works with my schedule. They also always email me doctor notes and my receipt so I can send it to my pet insurance company (you have to ask though). I've never waited in the waiting room for more than 5 minutes. I usually am taken to a room with my pet immediately and taken care of. They also call and check up on my pets to see how they are doing. Read Less

I'm visiting from out of town, and my dog split a nail. I took her into Ballston, and they were amazing. Very attentive, they communicated with me openly, giving me multiple options for treatment. They treated her and wrapped her paw in the most amazing bandage with a heart on it. I felt she was so taken care of and they treated her like she was one of their own. It was a stressful experience for both of us, but they were wonderful and made us feel better. I would highly recommend them!! Read Less

Pricing is in line with other clinics for the area. However, here, you and your pet are a number as they'll never remember names, be prepared to be placed on hold to make a simple appointment (regardless of time or day), and also be prepared to follow back up on any kind of testing, as they don't even let you know the results. I've consistently had to call back (and be placed on hold) after a few days to make sure my dog was actually okay and didn't need any kind of further treatment. Read Less

We've been visiting Ballston Animal Hospital for about three years. My dogs, Teddy and Auri usually see Dr. Scher and she is wonderful. She handles everything from Teddy's anxiety and arthritis to Auri eating a pack of gum, including wrappers. We've never had a bad experience. I love the front desk staff too - they're pleasant and professional! Read Less

Dr Tripp is the best. She has helped me manage my Lhasa Apso's multiple allergies. And, my other one had some elevated liver enzymes. I like working with her - she trusts me to know what I think is best - she will call with the test results and provides all the treatment options with the pros and cons and then we discuss the best way to move forward.Read Less

Ballston Animal Hospital is amazing! My dog has been a patient here for almost two years. He's been seen by a few different doctors and each has been wonderful. Recently he saw Dr. Holder. She was very patient and informative, and not in an overbearing way. She had some great tips. I know my dog can be a pain in the butt sometimes. Everyone, including the veterinary technicians, do their best to make him comfortable and me feel less stressed.The office staff has also been nothing but kind! I've always has good experiences with them, and they always give my dog some extra love. The only reason I did not give BAH five stars is the prices. I feel that they are pretty expensive, BUT I will say that you are getting your money's worth.I highly recommend BAH! Read Less

I took my cat in after being a steady client with Banfield. The vet was great! She took the time to really look at my pet and assess his well being. The pricing is fair and I am now converted. It also helps they are in the neighborhood. Read Less

Ballston Animal Hospital (BAH) provides high quality, compassionate care. We moved to the area with our 3 wonderful dogs and initially started going to a different animal hospital. After spending a lot of time and money at the other hospital without any indications that our dog's illness was going away, we decided to try BAH. The veterinarian at BAH took a much more proactive approach to our dog's health. He started to improve immediately, and the illness was completely gone in a couple of weeks. My only regret is that we didn't go to BAH sooner. The entire staff at BAH is great. They always spend plenty of time thoroughly examining our dogs, and I've always been confident in their chosen course of action. They remember all of our dogs by name, which adds something special to the service at BAH.Read Less

Wonderful vet. We've taken 3 cats here.  Everyone we've seen has been patient and taken time to pat and quiet the little beasties before starting the exam.  The wonderful doctors exceed my expectations on making themselves available for questions about diagnoses and treatment options after the visit and I appreciate that they are very forthcoming about costs and other options for cheaper medication.  I highly recommend them. Read Less

If the front staff could be replaced by robots that would be great; the robots would be much better at servicing customers.  If the sweet young tech could not talk down to the experienced dog owner that would be great.  If the management could be up front about costs that would be great.  If Dr. Galitz would stop lecturing me about follow up visits and allow me to have my dogs blood work done prior to the visit so we could discuss it that would be great.  I've been a long time customer of BAH.  I'v had great care for many pets from Dr. Tripp and Dr. Morse (now retired).  But my recent visits over the last year have been exasperating at best.  I've moved on to another vet which treats my questions with respect and was very puzzled at why my dogs thyroid medication was increased based on normal lab values.  Bella (my sweet pittie) has lost 4 pounds in 4 months due to the increase.  That was the last straw.  I do love the older tech that loves and cares for Bella well.  I wish I knew his name.  Other than that I'd not recommend you taking your pet here.  It's all about the money for BAH. Read Less

I've been taking my dog to Ballston Animal Hospital for two years because it's so close to my house.  I missed an infected anal gland so she had to go in for a procedure.  They prescribed some expensive drugs for her and brought her out to me wearing a cheap "collar of shame" (cone). She would NOT move with it on, so I had to carry her to the car.  Then she just stood there and wouldn't move in the car, so I had to remove it.  And she never even attempted to lick herself.  So there went almost $20 down the drain!  Why didn't they check to see that she would not function with it on???  And the cone is so cheap and flimsy it wasn't even worth saving for use on another dog.    Then they didn't have all of the drugs she was prescribed so I was given the rest in a generic drug that was WAY cheaper than what they prescribed!  I understand they need to make money to pay the exorbitant cost of living in Arlington, but prescribing a costly drug when I'd already paid a lot for a procedure is what I consider slimy practice.  Lately I moved my care for her over to another animal hospital and got caught in the middle for a refill on her Heartguard.  BAH refused to approve the refill because I moved her care elsewhere, even though she had just had an exam and her tests came back negative!  And now the new hospital requires an office visit before they'll approve the refill.  UghI will say that BAH has a pleasant and sociable staff (they actually smile) in the front office who have been wonderful for the two years I'd been with them.  Bottom line is BAH is pricey, so if money is no issue, take your pets there.  For those of us who live on a fixed income, they are outside my price range. Read Less

I'm giving them a 3 instead of a 1 because of 18 years of taking care of our previous cats. We loved most of the vets there and even recommend them to my sister for her dog. The last few years were very hard for us since we lost 1 cat a year for four years in a row. Ballston helped us with a lot of choices and options for all of those losses. None of it Ballston's fault; all teenage cats, 2 close to 20 at the end. But they lost two stars this week. They stopped boarding and that's an essential service we only need rarely but when we need it, it has to be an option. With new kittens needing temporary shelter from toxic paint fumes on short notice, I was disappointed Ballston not only stopped boarding but also didn't have any suggestions for alternatives. (One recommendation they gave turned out to only take dogs.) We had no choice but to get a new vet. Every vet I checked with in N. Arlington only offers boarding for current clients. I don't know why they stopped boarding. I am flabbergasted they don't have options to recommend. But as a customer who has used the service more than once (and gladly paid high fees for it), I would have appreciated at least an e-mail telling me they were no longer doing it. I got off the phone and spent at least an hour googling and calling until I finally found a new vet that could meet our needs. So while I can recommend Ballston for care, I can't if you know you might need short term boarding some day. Read Less

I have nothing but wonderful things to say about Ballston Animal Hospital, I recently adopted a dog who is very fearful of going to the vet. After numerous failed attempts and uncomfortable appointments at another vet I decided to give this place a shot. Dr. Lynne Gallitz as well as the rest of the staff are WONDERFUL (seriously wonderful doesn't even cut it). Although my dog was still very fearful Dr. Gallitz was incredibly patient and took the time to make him comfortable. They answer all questions thoroughly and really care about your pet. They are always reachable and have a great pet portal online. If you are looking for a vet or have a dog that is very stressed when it comes vet visits this is absolutely the place to go! Read Less

We've been taking our dog to Ballston Animal hospital for a few years now and they've been good for the most part, even though the costs are high.  Recently we changed our minds about the costs, they are exorbitant.  Our dog is diagnosed with a condition that requires twice daily medication.  These pills are cheap online at about 8 cents per pill.  Ballston Animal Hospital charged us $20 for 10 pills!  That's $2 a pill or a 2,500% markup over online prices!?!If they grossly overcharge for generic pills what else are they excessively overcharging for?  We're looking for another vet. Read Less

Dr. Hall is great but I had a bad experience that will keep me from coming back.  My dog ingested gum (can be poisonous) and when I called for advice I was told to call human poison control. They told me to induce vomiting but they couldn't tell me how (...because it's human poison control) and suggested I call BAH back. When I called back I was told that everyone was busy and "nobody can help you." There was no offer of a callback and nobody checked back the next day.  I called animal poison control and they walked me through how to induce vomiting and my girl is just fine.  Three things - I was given bad advice to call human poison control, then I was told that nobody had time to talk to me, then nobody followed up.  It was clear that BAH staff didn't care.  Not cool.  Not going back. Read Less

I'm a bit puzzled at the previous reviews that claim the office staff is rude, and unpleasant in general. I had the opposite experience today - I was greeted by pretty much everyone in the building upon entering, and was attended to in a timely manner. The three women at the reception desk were extremely friendly and polite, and the vet tech was also fantastic. We saw Dr. Tripp for a routine exam and vaccine - the appointment was on time and to the point. Dr. Tripp seemed knowledgable and as though she truly enjoyed meeting and bonding with my dog. They're losing a star only because I found it very pricey, though I'm relocating from another city. The prices could be comparable to the area, but I had a bit of sticker shock at a $75 well exam fee! YIKES!! Otherwise, a very good experience here. Read Less

Even though I had moved and it was no longer especially convenient, we continued going to BAH for many years because we trusted the doctors.  Other reviews have pointed out that the staff is a mixed bag at best, and that was true - but we were willing to put up with it.  Until... My wife brought our diabetic cat in at opening time for a day of glucose monitoring, only to be told that they had to cancel the appointment because they didn't have enough testing strips, because a shipment hadn't come in the previous day.Excuse me?  The appointment was scheduled weeks in advance - why couldn't BAH plan to have the needed supplies before the last minute?  Why didn't BAH call us the prior evening, given that they knew our appointment was at opening time?  And does no one at BAH own a car or have a relationship with another vet, so they could quickly obtain a supply of strips and work out the details later - instead of making THEIR problem into OUR problem?I made it clear to the staff that this situation was absolutely unacceptable - and the stonewalling by the Practice Manager, Wanda Hudgins, began almost immediately.  She was defensive ("I think I know how to run a  veterinary practice" - obviously not, Ms. Hudgins, or you would keep basic supplies in stock).  I said that an appropriate gesture to rebuild trust would be to waive the (relatively small) fee for the appointment, whenever it was rescheduled.  She said she would have to think about it and call me back And when Hudgins called back ... her only thought was that since we were angry and had lost trust in BAH, we would be better off finding another vet (instead of, say, BAH taking responsibility for and fixing the problem in an effort to rebuild the trust).  I said I would like to speak directly to the practice owner, Dr. Collins.  Hudgins said that she had been delegated the task of speaking with us, and doubted that he wanted to do so.  I pointed out that since she was apparently part of the problem, one would think the practice owner should handle the matter himself.  (Dr. Collins never deemed us worthy of his time - apparently 10+ years of being a client meant nothing when we dared to suggest that BAH had screwed up and he needed to actually do something.)So we have found another vet, who understands how to run a practice - and doesn't hide behind a flunky.  I'm saddened to the extent that the problem isn't the vets at BAH - but maybe they'll now be motivated to tell Dr. Collins to get his head out of his [ahem], or they'll also be following the customers in heading for the exit. Read Less

I'm on the fence with Ballston Animal Hospital. On one hand - and most important, I think the doctors we've seen there are really great. Drs. Bidwell, Tripp and Collins (the owner) have taken such great care of my dog. They spend time with him, they give him hugs and pets - they're great. They go out of their way to make sure they find out what's wrong with him when he's sick (even though he's thrown them a few curve balls). Dr. Collins even sat down with me and walked me through a 3-page blood test result and explained every single result to me. Dr. Bidwell brought back notes from a conference because he immediately thought of Shadow when they were talking about a specific ailment. They're also connected to South Paws - the 24-hour ER pet hospital in the area. We had to take Shadow one night and Dr. Bidwell called the next day with information from South Paws that had been sent over checking to make sure Shadow was okay and wanted to know if there was anything he could do. We hadn't alerted Ballston Animal Hospital that we'd gone to South Paws, so it was a nice surprise to have him calling to follow up. On the other hand - the front desk staff makes is nearly impossible to get to these wonderful doctors. At times they have been rude, have no compassion for a sick animal or a worried pet parent. I called once with fears of something that may be an emergency, and the front desk person put me on hold not once, but twice. When she did it the first time, I thought she was getting the doctor, but she came back and acted like she didn't remember I'd even called in the first place and I had to explain myself again. On several other occasions when I've had a question (normally follow up to a treatment the doctor prescribed), I've been dumped into a doctor's voicemail (and not heard back from the doctor until the end of the day), or worse, told that doctor is out that day and they'll get back to you tomorrow. With all the doctors there, one would think you could be told another doctor can follow up with you (which Dr. Collins always does when I press to speak with someone else). Worst of all, the front desk and pet techs have given us the wrong prescriptions on multiple occasions. Poor Shadow spent an extra week being sick because he was given the wrong prescription and was taking a lower dose of medicine (it had his name on it, so I had no idea they'd given him the wrong strength). On another occasion, we went to pick up some stuff to sprinkle on his food and we were handed medicine for a cat. A third time - the wrong type of food was ordered for Shadow (he  has a funky tummy so the doctor put him on a prescription food) and we were told by the front desk "oh they're all the same - he'll be fine." He was not fine. That's not to say there aren't front desk and pet techs that are great with Shadow, but on a whole, getting to any of the doctors is just a process I dread. I dread picking up the phone and calling. Also, compared to other vets I've seen (granted, outside of the DC Metro Area) - the cost seems pretty high. Even for a standard visit. It's a lot of money. We've since moved out of the area, but if we ever moved back - despite the five-star service of the doctors, I think I'll need to look elsewhere for a vet. Read Less

I am very impressed with the staff at Ballston Animal Hospital, most especially Dr. Collins who not only has an awesome name ;) but my dogs also happen to love him to death. Every time we visit, and we've been going there for several years, we are greeted by friendly, professional people and great veterinary care. We would never go anywhere else and just wanted to spread the word about what we consider the best vet hospital in Northern Virginia. Thanks for all your help over the years from the 'pack'! Read Less

Horrible staff, rude employees, dont care about your animals. They prescribed my dog an antibotic he was allergic to, then tried to charge me more money for meds to fix the flare up they caused. Classless and clueless. If you care for your dog/cat/pet go anywhere else. Plenty of vets in the local area. DO NOT USE THIS ONE Read Less