Metropolitan Animal Emergency and Specialty Center Rockville, Virginia

Last week our 15 year old Schnoodle’s health had deteriorated to the point where it was time to say goodbye. My spouse and I could not get an immediate appointment with our vet, so we went to Metropolitan. Luckily, it was not crowded and …

Metropolitan is there for emergencies, and that’s the kind of service you are to expect from an ER. I brought my disabled cat Princess in several times before an accident that led to her passing and Metropolitan was very considerate of my …

Everyone was so kind. The front desk, the techs, and the veterinarian. I was so stressed about my dog when I arrived but they spoke calmly and clearly with me. The wait and price was fair. They carried the doggies inside even the biggest ones.

My cat had what we suspected as a UTI and we were worried by her discomfort that we felt we couldn’t wait until the morning for her primary vet. Doctor Schreiner was incredibly thorough, helpful, and very compassionate towards our problem and our cat. She let us know the possibilities of what she was experiencing, and let us know our options for testing. With some of the reviews saying that they tried to scam for money, that was not the case at all for us, Doctor Schreiner was very honest about the pricing, and it was normal for an x-ray, urinalysis, kidney examination, antibiotic injection & anti-inflammatory meds. Over all, we are very happy we came, and that our cat can begin healing and feeling better. Thank you, Doctor Schreiner!

terrible service. I couldn’t afford to keep my cat and while i was trying they repeatedly were telling me to “just get a new cat.” ridiculous.

After calling around to all the emergency vets in NoVA, this place accepted us on a Friday evening. The staff were extremely, sweet, responsive and accommodating. Dr. Yeh was prompt, knowledgeable and explained everything to both myself and my wife in a difficult time. Unfortunately we had to euthanize our dog due to a rupture tumor but the Metropolitan Animal Emergency and Specialty Center made the experience as good as it could be.

My heart is broken I took my cat because he had a respiratory infection he couldn’t breath they took him in and they charged me $927 just because they took x-rays and gave him some medicine when I went to pick him up they said they didn’t know what he had then I asked them if they did a bloodwork which they didn’t do they charged me $487 more, they said they could keep my cat but they would charge me $3,000-5,000, but if I wanted to leave my cat I had to give the $3,000 up front so I decided to take him back home they sent my cat with the needles stuck in his leg the next day we couldn’t find any vets so I decided to take him back there, my worst decision then they said that they thought he had rabies I told them that he was up to date with his rabie shots so they said they were going to take him to Montgomery county, they charged me $187 more to put him down, these people are the worst they only care about the money, Montgomery county called and told me he didn’t have any rabies, please don’t take your animals to this place they don’t care about them they only see a way to get money out of your pocket.

I just went there with my dogs bloody cut ear. The receptionist with a manipulative voice by the name of Ashley I guess (if that is her name) said I had to wait 3 hours and would not even give me the Curtsey to see a tech. She was very prepared to refer me to other emergency vet services. I am appalled and if anything happens to my dog, I will hold you responsible!!

Called ahead in the early morning around 3 am for our puppy who was having diarrhea all evening, they told us to come by and call when we were there. They let us come in immediately when we got there, took the puppy immediately and followed up immediately. The doctor was friendly and informative, and gave us a rundown of our financial obligation ahead of time. Our puppy came home hydrated and with medicine. So grateful they were there for us in the wee hours of the morning when we needed them. Definitely recommend!

We recently visited MAEC as a last resort when all other emergency clinics in the DC area were at capacity. Based on our experience, this facility truly is a last resort. While the care my cat received for fluid in her chest cavity was good, the team at MAEC lost 8 ounces of fluid that needed to be used as a specimen for cancer screening. I only learned about this through a second clinic (CVCA cardiology, who was absolutely great) that had completed a heart scan to determine my cat's heart was not in failure after the fluid had been removed. With CVCA confirming heart failure was not the cause of the fluid buildup, it was critical that the fluid sample taken by MAEC be tested for cancer cells. I was encouraged to contact MAEC for clarification/confirmation about the potentially lost specimen, which I did more than once. Both times, I was told by staff at MAEC that someone would return my call with more information. That did not - and I anticipate will not - happen, since it has been nearly 24 hours since my last call to the clinic. The result of this lost specimen is uncertainty about what is causing a serious medical condition in my cat. I now must wait an additional 6 days to have a duplicative test completed due to capacity problems at other facilities, and likely more time for results to return. This will add additional stress, discomfort and risk for my cat, as well as increased financial burden for me (costs of duplicative fluid tapping, testing, transportation and lost work time). 48 hours after indicating they had lost the specimen to another clinic, Metropolitan finally called to inform me they had made a "big mistake" and the fluid was indeed lost.

Like many of the other reviews state, do not go here if you care about your pet. A lot of animal clinics are being bought out by corporations lately, this place is owned by a corp. Very shady and careless place. Took my 7-month old puppy who has very clear UTI symptoms there and this "vet" told me to stick a needle into his stomach for the "most accurate" results and also catheter for around $1,000...I refused to go along with this blatant attempt to rip me off and do unnecessary and invasive work on my puppy. After I went to another vet, I was advised I could just do a rapid test ($40), which took 10 minutes and was non-invasive. He tested positive for UTI and I was given a prescription. Imagine if I would have agreed to do the needle and catheter...VERY shady place, do not go here. You can tell by their waiting room as it was completely empty. Most of the other places in the area you go to are extremely busy with 4-5 hour waits.

I have been refused a visit from there by Allie. She said they were for her and Steffany are very rude on the phone to customers when they call. Stuff is not confidential employees hang up on you as well! I will never visit Metropolitan Animal Hospital again. Allie steals medicines and try's to take peoples animals she likes in for free. That place is super unprofessional too many clicks and all disorganized if you all could see the back where employees are and your animal you would never want your animal going there. Allie doesn't have any professional lisenses so you don't even need Certifications to work there which is very frightening. What do they teach themselves ? DONT TAKE YOUR ANIMAL HERE!

My Labrador retriever ate a bag of chocolate Halloween candy and was very sick. Our regular veterinarian (for 30 years) was too busy to see her, so we called around and were refused by two other vets. We found Meteopolitan online and called. They were so kind and sympathetic amd gave good info over the phone. When we decided to take our dog into the facility, they were extremely helpful. Everyone from the person behind the reception desk who explained all about the process and pricing, to Cassie the veteran animal whisperer whose guidance was invaluable, to Dr. Noelle Hunter whose expertise helped see us all through the crisis and immediately, admitted her to the hospital, ran diagnostics, and determined that she also had a serious underlying health issue that needed immediate attention in addition to her stomach distress from candy. We were able to take our beloved dog home after 24 hours of treatment. We left with thorough instructions and referrals for specialists should we need one in the future. I highly recommend Metropolitan!!! Couldn’t be happier with the care our dog received.

Metropolitan animal hospital was amazing! They answered our call right away and got us in to see a doctor quickly. Our dog got some tests and blood work that we were able to see results for within 30 minutes and the staff was friendly and respectful. We would definitely recommend them to anyone who needs emergency pet services

Charlie at the front desk and the whole team took excellent care of us in an emergency situation tonight. Your jobs must be impossibly hard, helping people and animals at times of greatest stress, and Charlie and Dr. Schreiner still helped us with care and efficiency. We hope to never need emergency services, but I’m very glad to know that you all are there when we do. Thanks to the team.

This location is excellent: They were excellent at not listening to me when I told them my cat appeared acutely and concerningly sick and sat me in the waiting room for 20 minutes before being seen. Once they evaluated him and came to the conclusion that he was concerningly sick themselves, they were excellent at asking for thousands of dollars of tests to find out what was wrong with him, and when I said I couldn't afford that, they were excellent at generating a bill for the euthanasia of my cat. When I asked how he could have gotten sick so quickly, the only theory I was given was a shoulder shrug and "sometimes these things happen". The admin was excellent at making sure my credit card was swiped before anything happened and had a nervous tic of laughing when she was uncomfortable. I was strangely laughed at as I decided if I should try to save the life of my cat, cope with the decision that I was going to have to euthanize my best furry friend, and again when I had to decide what to do with his body after he was put to sleep. The doctor was excellent at slamming the euthanasia drugs, quickly listening for a heartbeat, telling me "he's gone", and swiftly walking out of the room. At no point was there any compassion or understanding from any of the staff here. So yes, they are excellent at doing exactly what you pay them to do and nothing else. I guess caring is an upcharge at this place.

I called 13 animal hospitals for an emergency with my dog, Beau. They all rushed me off of the phone and said they had no availability. When I called Metropolitan, the receptionist seemed genuinely concerned about my puppy and encouraged me to bring him in. She informed me of the longer than usual wait times but assured me that he would be seen as soon as possible. The entire staff was accommodating, understanding, and went above and beyond to make me and my puppy comfortable in the midst of our crisis. The vet was thorough with her assessment and treatment. The facility is also modern and clean. I am very grateful to have been seen by them!

I reached out very late on a Sunday evening after my 12 year old German Shepherd had been in distress for a few hours. We had been refused at BLUE PEARL Animal Hospital which is about 3 miles from my house. Metropolitan was very kind and accommodating and upon arrival immediately attended to my beautiful dog. Upon examination my beautiful dog was deemed terminal and we had to make a quick decision to put her down. The doctor was kind, frank and explained all options. It was a brutal decision but everyone at the hospital could not have been more humane and kind to us and my beloved pet. Today I received a beautiful card signed by everyone at the hospital with just heartfelt genuine sentiments. Thank you Metropolitan for making a traumatic situation smoother. I highly recommend this hospital for your furry best friend and family member.

Great response time! And very kind ppl. Thanks a lot guys

Excellent service. We brought our golden doodle pup for a persistent limping and none of the vets around had an opening. We were seen immediately and the vet began with a conservative regime and instructed us to return in a week if our pup continues to limp. The vet was professional, brief, straightforward, and pleasant. The COVID safety plans include cleaning the exam rooms between visitors.

There are no finer people in this World. Several times over many years I have taken stricken friends there when there was no other option and they have never failed to provide the very best diagnoses and treatment possible. Their compassion and efforts to solve the emergency are far beyond any reproach.

I would highly recommend Metropolitan Animal to all of my family and friends. We had to put our sweet, loving, beautiful Rylee down and everyone in the clinic was very professional and sympathetic. Dr Choset was very calm and assured we were making the right decision. When I got home today, there was a card in the mail from the staff at this facility and saying how sorry they were for our loss and they are thinking of us. The fact that there was a handwritten message from every employee in that card, says a lot about this facility. I would bypass every other emergency vet from my home (eastern shore, md) just to get to this place if I ever needed them again. After Rylee was put down, I cried and cried knowing I left her there on that blanket and she wasn’t coming home with me but I know that the staff here took care of my girl as she gained her wings. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!! ????????

I just want to start of by saying please listen to these reviews don’t make the same mistake I did by ignoring them because I was told by my vet to go. They took almost 3 hours to see my pet but they took her the minute I got there meaning she was probably just sitting in her carrier for hours. Then when they saw her the doctor would get an attitude if I asked questions. Also just the exam is $125, moral of the story is don’t go here just go somewhere else

The staff here was incredibly kind and compassionate when we brought our dog in on a Sunday for an emergency. Ultimately he had to be put down, and the vet and vet techs were patient and caring as they explained the process and gave us time to grieve. They even sent us a sympathy card, which was greatly appreciated. As others have said, yes, this location is pricey. However, we knew that bringing our dog on a Sunday to an ER vet would be more expensive. Overall, I am grateful that we brought our dog here and that we were able to say goodbye. Thank you to all the staff who helped us on such a difficult night making such a difficult decision.

The staff was so rude! Brought my dog here around 1:30am. I didn’t want to be there myself, I was exhausted and super concerned about my dog and the doctor I spoke to and one of the other staff members who handled check out and gave me dog back we’re so rude!! Totally dismissive of my concerns and acted as if I was stupid by giving me a snarky answer. Rude!!! Hopefully it’s just the night shift otherwise save your money and go else where.

Do not bring your dog here unless you have no other option. That was my situation because my dog had signs of kennel cough, but because we were headed out of town we wanted to make sure she had meds (and everyone was booked because it is Saturday). All the signs of kennel cough, barely coughing, no abnormal sounds in listening to breathing, and eating normally - quoted $1200 for “diagnostics”! Then was asked what my range to spend was… rather than just being realistic and offering options initially - the sale is more important than the animal here, clearly.

Unfortunately my experience with MEAC last weekend dovetails with others below - unclear and inconsistent policies and very high billings for my dog's care. (The good news is that he did survive but no ultrasound so it's unclear what precipitated the crisis.) When I tried to get to the bottom of the discrepancies - such as were they billing for hospitalized care at one set price or for a series of services (which appear to be $1,000 or more than the price range quoted initially) - it was being yelled at then hung up on by the same person cited in earlier reviews. The only option apparently is to go to the corporate parent.

Does this place have trained staff that will properly care for your pet in an emergecy? - Yes Will this place charge you every fee that they can think of to blow the consultation fee into something that you will have to take out a second mortgage on your house to pay off? - Yes

Dr. Joshua Woolsey attended to my foster dog's lacerated paw pad. Because he has a sensitive stomach Dr said he was giving me probiotics. They were out if stock - no probiotics. Told me that the $800 fee for a few stitches, light anesthesia & 2 week antibiotic Rx did NOT include a protective bootie for the dog's injured foot/paw. Really? Advised me to go to PetSmart nearby to buy booties there. I purchased the only brand they had for my dog's breed in stock. Thought everything would be ok. Nope. Read on. We were instructed by Dr. Woolsey and staff to remove the gauze bandaging after 24 hours and for the dog to wear the plastic- nylon-velcro bootie? Nothing else? Didn't make sense to me and now that the wound has re-opened in LESS THAN 48 hours I have very little confidence in this emergency animal hospital. I really knew this place did NOT care about my pet when the tech (young thin white woman with brown hair) brought my dog out to the parking lot and just stood there. She refused to place him in my car. I had the rear door open and ready for her. Yet she refused. I observed for over 1 hour every other pet being placed into their human companion's vehicle. No one else had to leave their vehicle to retrieve their pet and place into their car. No one except me. This uncompassionate and rude vet assistant even refused to help me lift up my 72 pound foster dog with injured paw into my car. She stood in the parking lot, 2 spaces away, and simply watched me struggling in my solo attempt to gently get him into the back seat. DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE. I'd give 0 stars if I could.

My puppy had what appeared to be a seizure at around 3am in the morning. This was a traumatizing situation for me being a first-time pet owner and considering that I, too, was unwell and had medical work recently. My financial situation was tight as I hadn't been paid the previous month as my company was making some payroll adjustments. I get paid pretty well in my career and I do a lot of consulting work on the side through my own business. I headed over to this emergency clinic because I needed to make sure my puppy was alright. Upon arrival they ran several tests, but I was not provided with much information regarding the results. They said she seemed decent, however, wanted to have her stay 12-24 hours for monitoring. I wanted to take this option, but they quoted me nearly $2000. I was afraid to bring home my puppy under the circumstances that I would not be able to endure if something were to happen to her. I live alone and she means the world to me. I have very supportive family and friends who would help me out with the expense as I never ask for favors and am usually the one they come to. However, it was in the middle of night and I couldn't get a hold of anyone. Around 7am, I was aggressively approached by the practice manager, Samantha Hsu, who provided the rudest, least cultural competent interaction that I have ever experienced. Looking at my disheveled appearance (I rushed out the house as soon as I can - taking a uber in the middle night and had been crying nonstop for hours), she made assumptions about the kind of person that I was. She rudely asked that I send my puppy to an animal shelter if I could not afford to take care of her. Amazing. Anyways, I asked that she leave and my sister, who had woke up, sent me some funds. I ended up just paying for the testing and $17 prescribed medicine which totaled around $450. The prescription did not last for the full dosage period. Thank you for demonstrating why it is so imperative that America improve the quality, costs, and accessibility of healthcare.