Seneca Hill Animal Hospital Resort And Spa

Nightmare experience at Seneca Hill.  Boarded my 4 month old, perfectly healthy puppy at Seneca Hill and got a call from Dr. Katherine Pepelko 2 days into my vacation that my dog had been bit on her ear by another dog (turned out to be the least of the problems!) and that when the staff walked my dog, that my dog's foot got stuck in an UNCOVERED DRAIN (while being walked on leash by kennel staff in a normal area that they walk dogs!).  Seneca Hill waited 2 DAYS after my dog was injured before having one of their veterinarians examine my dog, even though my dog was limping immediately after getting her foot stuck in the drain.  Dr. Pepelko said she thought my dog's foot was just sprained and she would be fine.  Every time I called to check on my dog that week Dr. Pepelko and the staff at Seneca Hill told me that her foot would be fine and that it was just sprained.  Then the day before I came back to town, the manager, Heather Gonzalez, called me and said that my dog's leg had not improved and now they thought she had a torn ACL and I needed to immediately take her to an emergency veterinary hospital when I picked her up.  Heather Gonzalez (manager of Seneca Hill) told me that Seneca Hill was very sorry for my dog's injuries and that Seneca Hill would pay for my dog's medical treatment.  THEY LIED!  When I took my dog immediately to the surgeon that Seneca Hill sent me to, the surgeon told me within 5 minutes that he suspected my dog actually had a BROKEN LEG!  He immediately took an x-ray that confirmed that my dog's leg had actually been broken when it got stuck in Seneca Hill's uncovered drain.  No veterinarian at Seneca Hill ever took an x-ray the whole week my dog was there showing no signs of improvement - they have an x-ray machine on-site and never took an x-ray when my dog limped the whole week!  The surgeon said my dog already had a lot of scar tissue from living with a broken leg for one week.  The nightmare has continued after my dog's emergency surgery.  My dog has permanent, life-long damage from her injuries.  She yelps and cries out in pain and we cannot let her run off-leash in our backyard because she will cry out and hold up injured leg.  Seneca Hill told both myself and the surgeon that Seneca Hill would pay for my dog's surgery.  THEY DID NOT PAY THE MEDICAL BILLS FOR MY DOG'S BROKEN LEG.  After Seneca Hill refused to pay the hospital bill that they had promised to pay, the hospital sent me the $3,500 bill!  Seneca Hill had an uncovered drain and walked my dog in the area with the uncovered drain, Seneca Hill misdiagnosed my dog's broken leg, Seneca Hill took 2 days to have one of their vets examine my dog after she was injured, Seneca Hill never took an x-ray of her damaged leg, Seneca Hill told me which surgeon they wanted me to go to, Seneca Hill booked the appointment with the surgeon, Seneca Hill promised to pay for the medical costs.  Seneca Hill has NOT PAID a dime for all of the damage to my dog that occurred at their kennel.  Seneca Hill EVEN CHARGED ME $480 for this kennel visit in which my dog got bit and Seneca Hill broke my dog's leg!  I called the owner of Seneca Hill, Dr. Janice Homan multiple times and wrote her a letter.  Never once has Dr. Janice Homan responded to my phone messages and letter.  My experiences with Seneca Hill are beyond a nightmare, just beyond.  I deeply regret trusting Seneca Hill with my dog's care. Read Less

We had an emergency while we were away requiring our dog to be brought here for boarding. These lovely people took a stressful situation and turned it into something positive. Our scared dog loved it there! The kind staff clearly love animals and made him comfortable and happy. Instead of cages, dogs have spacious areas with beds. For the first time when we were away, our dog wasn't frightened or exhausted when we got home. Will definitely use them from now on! Read Less

It is well worth the cost. I trust them with my baby. They are always informative, helpful, and willing to answer any question you might have. I take my cat here to be groomed and to see the vet, and my family took their dogs here too. I haven't boarded my cat but I did see the facilities when my mom brought our dogs. Read Less

Rocky likes it as much as he would like being anywhere except with us at home and that's high praise.They even noticed blood in his urine when we were in Europe last Spring, tested him and found that he had undetected bladder cancer, very sad but at least he was taken care of and he's still with us and seems to be doing well thanks to their detection and care in May.He's going back again for 5 days in a week and has been there several times since in his own room and loves the doggie play times, 4 walks a day, etc.They are very kind to him since he's an older gentleman now. Read Less

I cannot say enough about this vet.  I had taken two cats there for euthanasia and my dog to the spa for swimming.  For this recent cat:  There was a slight hickup when I scheduled to euthanize my cat, involving records from my normal vet.  I kept putting off euthanizing her out of guilt. She appeared so healthy, but we had litter box problems since I adopted her, now bad diarrhea and vomiting.  When my daughter and I went into Seneca, the vet met with us for about a half hour and reassured me that I had done everything for this cat and had been an amazing pet owner (see my previous experience with Great Falls Animal Hospital) she was so comforting and reassuring.  The room is this beautiful garden room, the assistants were also kind.  My cat died in my arms and the doctor gave both me and my daughter hugs after and told us to please call if we needed to talk.  I cannot begin to express how much her warmth and empathy were appreciated. Read Less

I have been bringing my dogs (5 of them now) and cats (2) here for 20 years. I have seen all the vets, all are wonderful and caring. Dr. Homan is like family! She has seen my dogs through puppyhood and been at my side when it was time to say goodbye (3 times now). I've gone from purebreeds with health issues now to rescues with social-emotional issues. The entire staff has endless patience and problem solving abilities! I'll never turn their care over to any other vet hospital. Seneca Hill is top notch care! Read Less

LOVE LOVE LOVE!! This team is wonderful. The doctors, technicians, and reception are caring and wonderful. The reception area is split for cats and dogs (thank you), Dr. Annie Welsh is my favorite, Dr. Ludwig is also great...so compassionate and very educated. The hospital is very good at following up after procedures or medicine changes. They're all so sweet, I love going here. I wouldn't go anywhere else. Read Less

They took care of my Lhasa Apso, both medical and boarding, for over 11 years,until her recent death.  Top-notch care, and a dedicated staff.  When she had her final illness, I received caring advice which helped me make the decision to put her to sleep.  When we did that, the staff's kindness and help, and their ability to make her passing as comfortable as possible,  was of great comfort.  I see some earlier ratings denigrate the boarding facility, which leaves me at a loss, because my dog enjoyed her time there, and I never saw an indication of any problems.  There may be less expensive veterinary and boarding care available, but I can't imagine there being any that are better. Read Less

Best pet resort and vet in the region!! The staff is excellent!!! They are very friendly and know what they are doing!! They truly care about each animal!! We bring our dog from Winchester and it is worth the drive!! Read Less

Dr. Ludwig and the staff were very kind and compassionate when I got to the hospital with my daughter's dog, Pishi. Her 4 Yrs. old dog wasn't breathing by the time I got to the Hospital, and they couldn't do anything to save him, but Dr. Ludwig, patiently explained and answered every question possible. He then agreed to wait for my daughter's arrival to give her the news rather than I, since she suffers sever anxiety and the dog was her source of tranquility. Losing a pet is one of the hardest experiences in life, but certainly the staff at the Hospital have managed to help us ease the pain as much as possible with their kindness and professionalism. Read Less

After we registered and paid for boarding, so we could go on vacation, they wouldn't accept our dog because they said there was no one who could handle him. Isn't this supposed to be a a place for dogs? We were of course shocked. They refunded our money, but our vacation was put in jeopardy due to these people. Awful experience! Read Less

the vet at this place is like no other they take the best care of our dog. every time we get there she takes off because she loves how nice the people are. she loves the vet especially because they are better then any other we have ever had. when we took are pooch to other places the dogs would pee on her. but here they get there own cage. and we loved it. Read Less

Seneca Hill is by far the best vet in town. The entire staff is friendly and professional. The facility is dog and family friendly. There is never a long wait and I know my fur baby is getting the BEST care. I would 100% recommend this hospital and resort to anyone looking for a clean, safe, and caring place for their pet. Read Less

Our yellow lab was hit by a school bus....Seneca Hill gave us better care than I have ever received from any doctor's office or hospital, for that matter! The quality of care was superb! The ER hospital advised of possible future surgeries, due to the extent of the injuries. Seneca Hill gave us such comprehensive compassionate care, that I was truly amazed! Our dog ended up making a full recovery w/o further surgeries. They run a very organized KNOWLEDGE BASED practice!! I was amazed at the extent that Dr Holman went to keep our dog comfortable but properly cared for, while constantly communicating different options for improved care. I wish all humans could experience the care given at Seneca Hill! Read Less

Our yellow lab was hit by a school bus....Seneca Hill gave us better care than I have ever received from any doctor's office or hospital, for that matter! The quality of care was superb! The ER hospital advised of possible future surgeries, due to the extent of the injuries. Seneca Hill gave us such comprehensive compassionate care, that I was truly amazed! Our dog ended up making a full recovery w/o further surgeries. They run a very organized KNOWLEDGE BASED practice!! I was amazed at the extent that Dr Holman went to keep our dog comfortable but properly cared for, while constantly communicating different options for improved care. I wish all humans could experience the care given at Seneca Hill! Read Less

I can't say enough about the vets and technicians at Seneca Hill Animal Hospital. When we had to euthanize our older cat, the compassion and care was outstanding. Our current animals love our vets. Our dog gets so excited to see the dog swimming pool that she drags me down the hall. I never have trouble reaching a vet if I have a concern. Procedures and costs are explained ahead of time, and options provided. I have no doubt that all employees- vets, technicians and receptionists, of Seneca Hill love animals, and make the care and safety of all animals a priority. As long as I live in this area, I will remain a client of Seneca Hill! Read Less

As an integral part of the Great Falls landscape, Seneca Hill Animal Hospital has consistently provided all the necessary guidance and care to those we refer to as "our best friends." Not the simplest of assignments but with an experienced team of professionals who are all synchronized in their efforts to provide excellence in service, it becomes clear that this establishment deserves the continued respect and appreciation of its client population. Their commitment to give back to the community is wrapped in the many activities and events that they participate in. Read Less

Seneca Hill has always provided excellent care for all of my animals. They are up front about costs and options for treatment. I have never felt pressured about which options I chose and have never felt that I have done un- necessary procedures. My animals are happy and comfortable when in the care of the vets and the technicians. I have been a client for over 11 years and plan on staying a client as long as I live in this area. I love my vets! I would recommend this hospital to anyone! Read Less

I've been going to this vet since before they remodeled and were in that little house! They are the only ones I'd trust with my dogs, from beginning to the end. You know when you have a good vet when they shed the same tears you do when you have to make the most horrible of decisions. I have always received the best of care and advice - even calls and e-mails when they find out something that could help, whether it be cost effective treatment or a new therapy. Maci highly recommends the treats! Read Less

Disclaimer: I have no experience with the hospital side, this is about their "boutique" (it's a store - no need to get fancy).I called their "boutique" earlier this week because I was running low on cat food. I specifically asked if they sold Taste of the Wild cat food, and was told that they did. I showed up today to buy the food and saw that not only do they not have the specific product I was assured they sold, they had about 4 bags of cat food total in two varieties. This is compared to an entire Wall of dog food comprising of a dozen brands (including Taste of the Wild) and maybe a hundred bags of different sizes. Clearly this isn't a place for cats. Read Less

Stay away!!!! 01/31/2015 I rushed my 11 wk old puppy to Seneca Hill Animal Hospital in Great Falls VA with symptoms of choking and gaging after eating. Vet J. Ludwig in presence of vet assistant Amy (they denied my legal right to know her last name as any person participating in my dog exam/treatment) did exam and xrays which showed no blockage of GI or any serious deformities or any other very serious issues, everything was pointing on regular stomach bug, especially considering the fact that my puppy got into digging and eating mulch/dirt a day before. Vet J. Ludwig admitted he does not see anything obvious very serious but started to demand for me to proceed with multi thousand$$$$ unnecessary exploratory surgery. I said no, of course, then they charged me $400, which I paid, for their services and denied my request to give me RX for any anti gas/acid, antibiotics or GI calming meds. I went home and put my poor puppy on meds I had left overs from previous cases of upset stomach in my other dogs/puppies. In 3 days the puppy got completely well. My permanent vet came back to work after weekend, I took xrays to his office and he confirmed that puppy did not need urgent exploratory surgery. Next I received un announced visit from animal control because Seneca Hill animal hospital called them with flat out lies that I caused cruel death of my puppy by not performing exploratory surgery. They stated to animal control they saw on xrays mulch and rocks blocking whole GI of my puppy and they are sure in this condition puppy died. I have to add that I heard that vet assistant Amy told other vet techs and assistants in a back she likes my puppy and wants him bad. Then she walked into exam room and told me she will take puppy ownership and do the surgery. Of course I told her no so she called animal control trying to confiscate my puppy and make my life miserable. Seneca Hill failed to provide me her last name, my puppy health records I requested from the hospital officials and I need to forward to Commonwealth of VA Board of Vet Medicine (I filed an official complaint against their license) ; their manager Mandy Q. promised owner of the hospital to contact me but they failed to do so. They did not even give me a receipt for $400 I paid to them, I only have my credit card statement showing it and CD with xrays they burned for me.Read Less

Skilled vets and staff, friendly, very concerned about your pet.I'm traveling from the US to Europe and they really helping me to find all the information and managing the stress.It's a little pricey but your pet deserves the best. Read Less

Seneca Hill Animal Hospital is amazing, genuinely concerned with animals, and dedicated to providing the best care possible. Recently our 14 month old dog became very ill and our vet could not determine the problem. Seeking more help we turned to Seneca Hill and met with Dr. Homan who focused her attention and considerable skills to finding out what was wrong. When she too found it challenging to make an accurate diagnosis she did not give up, she arranged for us to see a specialist in Vienna, VA that same day. Long story short, the specialist identified the problem, a rare genetic disease, and identified the procedure necessary to manage the illness and return our dog to good health. Seneca Hill, the entire staff, and Dr. Homan were instrumental in finding the cure and we are so grateful we turned to this wonderful animal hospital for help. I recommend Seneca Hill Animal Hospital without reservations and with full confidence, they will do everything for pets and offer fantastic facilities and compassionate care.Read Less

Wonderful vet, removed a tick from my cat's mouth area (he's a high stress cat) with alacrity and speed before he even realized something had happened. The whole experience from start to finish was painless and professional and friendly. Will definitely bring him back. And they saw me on short notice and without any fuss. Recommend. Read Less

thank you so, so much for taking such great care of my dogs. I live in Maryland, but it's such an easy drive (20 min door to door) and absolutely worth it for the care and love they receive. I highly recommend Seneca Hill. Read Less

We've been taking out pets to the Seneca Hill Animal Hospital since 2010 and have no plans to change (even though its now a 1 hour drive since we've moved)! My husbands parents have been taking their pets here several years before and that's why we tried it.You can't get any better when it comes to the staff and veterinarians here! They are ALWAYS friendly, ALWAYS polite and actually remember you and your pets when you come in for their checkups. We have two dogs that are typically very shy when it comes to people, but they just love the people that work here! Every time we've gone, either for a regular checkup or something out of the ordinary (warts, allergy symptoms especially!) they explain everything to you so clearly and do not over prescribe medicine or procedures that could really cost you. As one of our dogs gets older and into her senior years, they've really helped us be prepare and feel comfortable about the changes she goes through, such as having trouble walking, bladder control, etc. The veterinarians are so kind and appear to genuinely love helping animals. They enjoy the time in the room with our dogs (don't just rush in and rush out) and take the time to wait until the dogs are comfortable or say 'hi' before going ahead with the examination. They don't just drag the dogs onto the table or scale, which always bothered me. They'll get on the floor and let the dog check them out, give some pets, maybe some treats and magically the dogs aren't so scared of the scale!Too many good things to say! The only not-so-positive is the cost of care for animals, but this is the case at most if not all vets. Having pets is expensive! Also, never tried their boarding because of the cost, but their facilities look really nice. Read Less

This review is for the veterinary care. I have never had a bad experience with any of the vets or techs. I highly recommend them. They are skilled, caring and will always try and work with the owner. There's no pressure to run test after test after test just because. It is a really good balance between being practical and being preventative.  My dog and cats have seen Drs. Pepelko, Homan and Munizza for various issues from ibuprofen overdose to dental work to cuts and scratches. Always a positive experience. They are not what you would call "cheap", but you get what you pay for in my opinion...and my furrkids are worth it.On a side note, I rarely use the boarding at the spa. A bit overpriced in that department. Read Less

My dog was a patient of Dr. Homan for almost 12 years and I can't imagine a more compassionate, kind, smart, and trust-worthy vet.  Dr. Homan always listens to your concerns and works with you to come up with a solution that makes sense for you and your lifestyle.  If she doesn't have an immediate answer, she'll readily consult specialists without the pride of ownership.  She approaches testing and medication with common sense and is always sensitive to your budget.  I appreciate that she is open to eastern/holistic approach and never denigrates your choices.    My biggest concern about moving across the country (DC to WA) is that my old dog would not have Dr. Homan as his vet, especially in his advanced years.  I really did lose some sleep over that.  However Dr. Homan didn't let me down, even though my dog was no longer her patient.  When I called her in panic because my dog was having problems breathing, she calmed me down and spent a considerable time talking to my new vet about my dog's care.  And, this wasn't the first time she has held my hand and calmed down my anxiety about my dog's health across the state lines since my move.   Unfortunately, my dog passed away last month and I realized I have never sang her praises in a public forum.   I would like to let everyone know that it's been my honor and privilege to have known Dr. Homan.  She has helped me through some scary moments with professionalism, kindness and sensitivity.  I think every pet owner deserves Dr. Homan as their vet.  She has gone above and beyond in my dog's care and I am so thankful to have known her.  There will never be another vet like Dr. Homan.  Also, her long time technician/assistant Amy is super awesome!  She is so genuine and knowledgeable.  If you see Dr. Homan and Amy together during your visit, consider yourself lucky. Read Less

For as long as I live in NoVA, this will be our veterinarian. Dr. Pepelko was like the "House" of the veterinary world when she quickly diagnosed our dog with a condition (pancreatic insufficiency) typically seen in another breed. After starting her course of medication, the dog immediately improved, and has been doing reasonably well for the last four years. Dr. Pepelko and Dr. Homan have consulted on the various allergy, erm psychiatric and gastrointestinal issues from which our dog suffers to offer speedy resolution - and importantly, relief for our dog.For a dog that needs "Dog Whisperer" like attention, these folks are also very knowledgeable, sensitive and understanding. The dog recently acquiesced and allowed a vet tech (well, four working together) to trim her nails.Thanks to myriad health issues, our dog costs us a little more than a Range Rover payment every month. But, we love her. (We have, however, learned that "free" dogs are often the costliest)! Read Less

I just found this website and wanted to give a shout-out to Seneca Hill Animal Hospital for being such a great place.  I have taken my animals there for years and I just love the doctors and the staff is so friendly, it is like they know my animals on a personal level as if they see them every day.  My Dog gets so excited to see them all.  I have used the Boarding a time or two and have always found that to be great to...I love watching the dogs in the indoor pool, how kewl is that... its a great day to be an Animal at Seneca Hill.... Read Less

I also have been taking my dogs to Senica Hill when it was a little farm house.  Janice and John Holman are the owners and some of the most loving people I know.  Janice (vet) has taken good car of my dogs for the last 12 years.  Recently, I had to put down my little chihuahua CIndy.  The staff was there to help me immediately, made sure my experience was peaceful and loving to my little girl. It was very sad but the staff made a really bad experience really nice.  I am forever greatful to them. Read Less

This review is for the Seneca Hill spa and resort.  Simply put, the place is poorly run.A few years ago, I signed up for the dog training at Seneca Hill and it was a complete and total waste of money.  I related my bad experience to a staff member and was told that I might be able to get some of the money back because of so many complaints about the training.  I placed a number of calls to the manager but never  got a call back.  The place is close to me so I've tried to use the spa for grooming services several times but it's always so complicated to just make an appointment that it never worked out.   A staff member asked me to email my pet's medical records to the info email address posted on their website.  I learned from another staff member that this email account is checked every once and a while by the owner and the spa staff does not have access to it.   The owner does not give them access to an info email account?  Unfortunately, the spa staff is abrasive and does not seem interested in selling grooming services or any other spa services and not sure that's an environment for my best friend.  They must have a thriving vet practice because the groomer is never busy and the spa always seems quiet. Read Less

Just picked up my dogs today after boarding them for 10 days while on vacation.  My dogs came home very very happy and a little tired.  Several members of the staff even came over to say goodbye to them.  This is about the 10th time I have used them for boarding and wouldn't use anyone else!  It is a little pricey, but my dogs are like my family so I really want to ensure they are well cared for.  I really like that when you get there they let you come back to the room with them to say goodbye, there are no hidden charges for adding medications, and my dogs even get cottage cheese or yogurt added to their food at no extra cost.  They have extra services that you can choose to add beyond the 3 walks a day and 1 play time.  The facility is extremely clean and well kept.  Staff is always very friendly and even knows my digs by name.I also feel much more comfortable boarding them there since there us a vet right next door.  One of my dogs got a cut on his paw while boarding there.  The vet called me right away to let me know what had happened, and when I got there the next day to pick them up the same vet camevout to talk with me and explained that he got a small cut on his paw while playing with his group, it was only superficial, but the cliped, cleaned, and wraped his paw.  They even put tape on the bottom of the wrap like no slip strips.  Oh and they didn't charge me anything for his vet care.  If I can't take my dogs away with me this is the only place I trust to care for them. Read Less

This is a review ONLY for the spa (grooming) side of the business.  I took my cats there on an on-going basis for over a year and despite the usual difficulties with scheduling, I always ended up not getting the cut I requested on one of my cats.  It was so poorly done the second to last time I went, I was told the next time would be complimentary.  When I brought the cat back for the one that was allegedly complimentary and went to pick him up, I was told that by the receptionist that she was new, she needed to check with her boss and that they would call back that day.  It never happened and the charge was never reversed.  I drove 40 min each way to bring my cats their because it was recommended and they had more availability than the groomer at Old Dominion.  As a result of my poor experience with the spa, I have transferred the vet part to another vet office closer to my home.  Note, I never had a bad experience with any aspect of vet care, scheduling or payment. Read Less

Arrived with my dog for boarding. Had a reservation, paid deposit, all shots were current. Only to be turned away because my male dog is intact. He's a show dog, he has to be intact in order to compete. No mention on their website, or any of their brochures, nor did the person on the phone taking my boarding reservation tell me they only take neutered dogs. Completely unprofessional and showed no concern that I was was left with no where to Board my dog on the day I was leaving on a trip. They didn't even apologize for their mistake and offered me no help with finding alternative boarding. Read Less

Unusually poor people skills. Left our dog without boarding the day our flight was leaving even though we reserved a spot and she was up to date w/ shots. Said we could leave her for $100 a day for their suite. They treat YOUR money like its no object. Read Less