CityPaws Animal Hospital - Uptown Washington, DC, Virginia

Vet's are great, it's just unfortunate that the gatekeepers to vets aka staff are not great. Rude, unhelpful. Literally like pulling teeth to schedule an appointment. I called to make an appt for annual check up - voicemail says to email directly for quicker and more efficient scheduling. Staff responded to my email (apparently they weren't too busy to immediately respond to my email) and told me to call them to make an appointment. I email the vets with my general questions and they respond same day. If the doctors are able to respond in a timely manner I find it hard to believe that the staffers don't have time to respond to client emails. See other reviews below - I have had exactly the same experience as those individuals every time. Again, unfortunate because the vets are good but the lack of customer service and professionalism with the front staffers just caused the loss of another client.

Set an appointment, called to let them know I would be a few minutes late (not great, I know). Was told if I arrived within the 10 minute grace period, they would see me. This turned out to be incorrect; they refused to see me even though I did in fact arrive within 10 minutes. I told them I had called on the way to clarify that they would see me, this is why I called. But they went back on their word regardless. I also was frustrated that when I made this appointment, I requested extra time to discuss issues with my senior dog. I was more than happy to pay extra if that means receiving attentive care. They had only scheduled me for a 30 minute routine check up, it turns out. So I will be looking elsewhere for specialized, attentive care. I have emailed this vet before with no response, and it seems like there is zero desire to work in a more specialized manner. This vet is great if you just need a routine appointment for any pet, and don't want a more personal relationship and individualized care.

My pet was a Meel dog sad I have had her eight years and I’m gonna cry when she goes I have been to several vets so far this is the second one I like very expensive but worth a try if you have a pet that has been traumatized

This was my first time visiting an animal clinic in DC. I had a really good experience. Everyone was very friendly and warm and as soon as they saw me waiting outside in the cold with my cat, they took him inside and tried to set up a heater for me outside. They were pretty good in terms of Covid practices and I felt very comfortable. They also handled my cat really well, gave him his shots and check-up, and were very affectionate towards him. All in all, they put my mind at ease and were very helpful.

While my one visit with Dr. Heller proved that she is a great and kind vet, I’ve had multiple struggles with the CityPaws staff. It takes an incredibly long time to get an appointment, be it routine or an emergency. I called asking to be seen same day for my sick dog and was told they wouldn’t be able to see me for over a week. I find it very hard to trust a practice that isn’t able to fit in an emergency for over a week (especially when the owner is crying on the phone out of desperation). Going forward, I’ll be looking for a vet who is able to be more prompt and responsive to a dog’s needs.

I know businesses have to make measures in order to be flexible with the pandemic. But CityPaws is a pure example of how to do everything wrong. After a long wait outside waiting for my appointment, they want you to call from outside to the lady that's sitting right on the counter. Problem is, she's always on the phone and won't hang up to answer your call to get inside the appointment. A member of staff came out and I asked her if I really had to keep calling on the phone when the receptionist is evidently busy with something and I'm here with a proof of the appointment and she reprimands me saying that the have to do this because of COVID. I came here one time pre-covid and they were rude then as well, but this was definitely the straw that broke the camel's back. I've never written a negative review before, but this is one a genuine warning to people. They are absolutely terrible and not worth your time.

This is My babies hospital❤❤

Despite the circumstances with COVID-19, it was a very good experience with an already stressful cat and client! They took great care of my cat and knowing that she's in good hands in a difficult time is very reassuring and helpful. Will return!

Admittedly never actually went, but, long story short, when we called to schedule a new patient appointment the receptionist tried to charge us, claiming there was no sort of relevant deal/special for new patients (despite that being the entire reason we were directed to CityPaws in the first place.) After I declined to proceed and hung up, the receptionist (Andrew? Honestly can't remember) phoned back within minutes genuinely claiming that he "didn't realize I was a new customer" and thought I simply wanted a new customer discount without being a new customer (???). He asked if I wanted to go ahead and schedule now that there was a discount (lol) - the whole situation seemed shady and in line with a lot of these reviews, so we took our business elsewhere!

Really tired of all these DC vets hustling just because they can. Dog had an eye infection that wasn't getting better. Just needed to get drops. My partner took the dog and walked out with a $430 bill. Really tired of not wanting to take my pup in because I know I'll walk out with costly additional tests. It is like a murderous microcosm of our human healthcare system in the US. Guess we'll be driving to Maryland or Virginia to find vets not looking to take advantage of rich DCites.

This is my second visit to City Paws Uptown. The vet has been great. The front desk staff, one female in particular, has not. She was rude both times I was there. The first time, as a new customer, she asked me to move further away from the outside front window of the office. She didn’t say hello or thank you. I was already six feet away and had been waiting more than 15 minutes outside after my scheduled appointment to get a call. I understand we cannot come inside due to covid, but I don’t understand why you ask patients to arrive 5-10 minutes early, and then you end up waiting an additional 15-20 minutes to be called. Parking is available, but City Paws only validates for 30 minutes. Between waiting to be called, and your pet’s visit, that is more than 30 minutes so you end up having to pay for parking. The owners should really try to work something out to validate for one hour. Additionally, the same rude tech/front desk person saw me exit my car and came outside to try and insist that I remain in my car because the nearby Target doesn’t have cell phone reception according to her. How did she even know where I was going? I told her I had to make a return and would be back in five minutes. She tried to insist that I remain in my car. I also needed to use the bathroom. She was fairly rude, just as she had been the previous time. Again, the vet was wonderful, but the front desk needs some additional training.

They canceled my dogs surgery 2 days before the procedure. The only time offered for rescheduling is 2 MONTHS from now.

The veteranerian is very good.

We've been taking our dogs to this location since it opened, and have had varied quality of care. The reason we stuck with them as long as we did is that one of the Drs had good bedside manner with our very anxious dog, but at this point the other issues are too much. The front desk has always been difficult, and scheduling/basic phone skills seem to be an issue. My partner and I have been given different information on more than one occasion. At one point I was called back, to make an appointment, and after the person on the phone spent a few minutes trying to pull up their calendar (remember, they called ME to make an appointment), she seemed surprised to see that they didn't have any availability. Seems like a thing worth checking in advance. We never actually got a call back for that scheduling, but through phone persistence, found a gap by calling back. The final straw was an attempt to get our dog's leg examined. We reached out multiple times for an appointment and made it clear what the purpose of the appointment was. Despite that, when I arrived I was told they'd have to reschedule her for an appointment where they could actually look at it, but they'd take care of the other issues. I called right back (4 min) to tell them not to and that I'd just take her to another vet. When they brought her outside, they told me that in that four minutes she's gotten her annual exam and two shots that I'd need to pay for... and apparently trimmed her nails (though I can't see that they did that). I obviously can't prove they didn't do those things, but can't believe it could have been done in the 4 minutes between my receiving their call and calling them back. I asked the technician when the exam was done and how long it took and she said, 'I don't have to tell you that.' So, in short: they make a lot of mistakes and will make sure you get billed for them. Not big into acknowledging their mistakes or having a conversation, though. Oh, when I said I wouldn't pay for services I didn't agree to, but I'd be happy to pay for what was rendered, I was told they wouldn't validate my parking. Classy. Two other customers loudly agreed with me outside, so I know I'm not the only one having these issues. Anyhow: avoid. avoid. avoid. I'm sure there are people working here that are great, but it's clear that it's not run well and has some customer service issues to deal with. No reason to pay these kind of prices for that.

They're doing a great job managing Covid. We waited outside until they were ready for our dog and they came out and got them. They don't have clients entering the office which is a great strategy. They do an excellent job with our dog who's very resistant to his nails being trimmed.

I have been to three vets in the area and this is my favorite one by a mile. Dr Brenda Vail is so kind and caring and I feel she truly cares for the dogs she sees. Andrew at the front desk has been extraordinarily helpful and I am always so relieved when he answers the phone. Thanks, CityPaws!

Andrew who works at their front desk is an incredible person and the reason we have stuck with City Paws. He is super helpful and always follows through on finding a solution for us. Dr Brenda Vail is also a great vet who has been very responsive.

Im satisfied. No issues, safety, considerate. Take time to explain, works with my dog well

Amazing care for your pets! I stopped by with Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice and could tell right away this clinic is compassionate and professional.

After personal recommendations from friends and neighbors, we decided to check out City Paws. What a disappointment. From incorrect information from the entirety of the staff to miscommunications and rudeness, City Paws has it all. As a homeowner in the neighborhood, I am appalled at how this business is operating so close to home. I needed a new vet closer to home as I did not want to drive into the burbs anymore. On my first visit, I brought both of my dogs for checkups and to ensure all vaccines are up to date. After long waiting, apologies from the staff because they were having an "emergency" and dirty exam rooms combined with a total wait of 3 hours, I finally was checking out. The vet tech on this visit was very nice as well as was Dr. Vail. My oldest dog needed a lepto vaccine. He got the first dose and needed his second after 2 weeks. He also received a rabies vaccine at this visit. A week later, he has a lump in his right hind leg, so I call City Paws and they say to come in and see a doctor. They told me in my first visit, to of course come back for any adverse reactions in a follow up, and I will not be charged. I was charged for this visit, and was very confused as to why. I was told to come back if any issues arose, and an issue arose, so I did as asked and was still charged, when you administered the vaccine behind closed doors and told me to come back for a non-charged follow up???? I paid the money for the visit and decided I probably won't be back as I do not like to conduct business with companies who operate this way. But, I needed to come one more time for my oldest pup's second Lepto dose so it will have full effect as it was already paid for.... so I thought. I was told that when he needed his second dose, I would not have to make an appointment, it would be a 5 minute walk in, walk out situation and it would be administered by a tech and there was no charge. So, I thought, do what's best for the pup and finish his already paid for vaccine. I returned, it took longer than they said, but I'm patient. They took my pup to the back and administered the final dose. The tech brings him back and says everything is good and to have a nice day and so on, so I cordially smile, thank her, and walk out. Ring goes the phone, "Um sir, we need to charge you for the visit.... and the booster...." Was I having a horrible flashback? YUP! Here they are again, saying I am to be charged after the doctor initially told me no charge. I told them that I was not to be charged per the DOCTOR, so then they have a different staff member call asking for money.... First off... why was I not told to check out, why was nothing said as I was walking out???? Why are you so disorganized? I told the new money hungry staffer to speak to Dr. Vail and to not bother me again. I will not be back to this place, ever. I will be asking my neighbor who recommended me, why in the world do they go here.... Please take your pets somewhere that treats them like part of your family, instead of using them as a way to nickel and dime you for money.

The medical care for our puppies is great. However, $25 for 45 minutes in their parking lot on July 9 means it's time to find a new Vet.

I've been very happy with the service and care at CityPaws, I definitely recommend it!

We had a horrible experience with this location last week. My wife and I were in Guatemala for a vacation and had left our dog with my father-in-law, who lives approximately 6 hours away in southern West Virginia. While we were away, we received a message from him that our dog was not feeling well and apparently had a UTI--needing to go outside incessantly, dribbling a little in the house, etc. Our dog has a history of UTI's, and we thought it would be no problem to have City Paws Uptown call in a prescription that my father-in-law could pick up locally. However, when he called City Paws, they refused to do so and said that they would only provide a prescription if our dog came in for an appointment. My wife then called City Paws (from Guatemala) and reiterated the request, explaining that we were long-time customers of City Paws, that our dog had a history of this condition, that we were in Guatemala, and that my father-in-law was six hours away and could not come in for a visit. City Paws again refused. As a result, my father-in-law (who is a dentist and runs his own practice) had to cancel patients he had scheduled for that afternoon so that he could make an appointment locally with a vet, before he could finally obtain a prescription for our dog. We will not be returning to this office.

Great experience. The prices are reasonable for the area and getting an appointment is not difficult. Most importantly, I do not feel like they are taking advantage of me. I've brought my dog here several times and they never tried to upsell the visit.

We've taken our cats to CityPaws several times. The vets there have always been super helpful and professional, and have spent sufficient time with us in the office to understand what's going on. I was also very happy to get a followup call from Dr. Sarah. We live close and couldn't be happier. Thanks!!

It's hard for me to know where to start. Like many of the other reviewers, we chose to take our dog here because it is conveniently located near where we live, but we will definitely not be bringing our dog back after having numerous issues in the past year and a half. Our first appointment was with Dr. Durney, who as it has been noted in other reviews, prioritizes costly exams and testing over the wellness of the animal. Our dog has an extremely common problem - female urinary incontinence - for which Dr. Durney recommended hundreds of dollars in testing and scans, which we did not do. The internet ended up providing us with better information than we were getting from the vet. More recently, we saw Dr. Zepp who was extremely disrespectful and rude. She shamed us because our dog had gained some weight and concluded that weight gain = overweight, despite the fact that our dog is still at a healthy weight and was underweight when we adopted her. She shamed us for the condition of her teeth and said that she would very likely need numerous teeth extracted, which was not accurate. When we told her that we had found a natural solution to stop our dog's incontinence problem, she became hostile and refused to believe that we could be right. When I asked if she had a dog food she would recommend, she condescendingly said that she comes from a "science perspective" (speaking to 2 individuals who do research for a living) and recommended purina pro which we ended up getting for our dog. Dr. Zepp then informed us that our dog tested positive for Lyme disease, at which point I asked for her full medical records and discovered that she had tested positive for Lyme a full year earlier when we saw Dr. Durney but Dr. Durney had not noticed it on her lab results or mentioned it to us. The negligence was stunning especially for something like Lyme disease for which early treatment can be critical. During this time, we had decided to give Dr. Zepp's food choice a try and for the first time in over a year, our dog started showing symptoms from the Lyme disease, likely because the food was contributing to inflammation since it's loaded with unhealthy fillers, not to mention nutrients/minerals that cannot even be properly absorbed by dogs. I'll also add that every time we needed a flea/tick or heartworm medication refilled that our prescriptions were held hostage by the office - they didn't want to give us a 6 month supply to ensure that we would come back in for annual testing, which is ridiculous and unethical and they eventually relented both times that they tried to do that. I also have concerns about the lab that they contract with for blood work as this lab has developed and pushed tests that do not have any scientific support aside from the corporation/labs' own evaluations and if believed, would have most pet owners stuck in a cycle of constant testing and retesting.

After years of schlepping down to Burke, Virginia from upper northwest DC to take my cats to Dr. Alt at Burke Vet Clinic, who has been the preferred vet for my entire family for more than 20 years and who is WONDERFUL, I finally decided to give City Paws a try because the drive just became too much. I have been very happy with my experience so far, across the board. The staff has been efficient and courteous, it has been easy to make appointments and get records transferred, Drs. Zepp and Knight have been wonderful about explaining things to me clearly, outlining options, and sensitive to my budgetary concerns. I've only been using them since mid-December when one of my cats became ill and was diagnosed with pancreatitis, but if my experience continues along the lines it has, I will be happpy that I finally made the change.

My overall experience at CityPaws was wonderful and we are looking forward to being regulars. We had previously been clients at UnionVet in DC which seemed adequate, but pretty expensive and not as personal as I am accustomed to at a vet. I took my 90lb black lab to see Dr. Zepp for some sudden leg/back pain and weakness. I can't say enough positive things. The front desk was wonderful, welcoming and courteous. Dr. Zepp and the tech did a really through exam and were so patient with my stubborn boy. Based on other reviews I was worried they would push unnecessary tests, but they felt they got everything for just a thorough exam and told me what to keep an eye out for and were so helpful with all my questions. I was expecting double the price from what it was (maybe just because of my experience at UnionVet). Vet's in DC are expensive in general but I really found this one to be about what I would have paid in NC as well. Excited to have a wonderful vet so close and with great parking in front.

They're very capable with cats and dogs. But I felt like I was at a car dealership, being upsold all kinds of scans, treatments, preventatives, etc. It was supposed to be an in & out quick rabies shot and it ballooned to a not-requested exam, the rabies shot I originally asked for (quoted "30-50"$ not sure why there was a range, it was not his first visit they have his weight and dosage on file), an fvrp shot (unknown cost, they said his previous 3yr shot was not valid and to do 1yr again), and over 8 requests for a fecal analysis (unknown cost). I had 3 of the 4 people I interacted with repeatedly request I do the fecal exam, totaling over 8 requests. I know the neighborhood is expensive and they have to make their money somewhere, but those kinds of sales tactics were very unexpected. Total cost was $100 more than I expected today. They're nice and capable, but the whole non-transparent pricing and repetitive upselling will lead me to not return.

The technicians and vets are super. Our rescue pup came to us with a long list of problems with people. Staff got it and they worked with us to make sure he felt secure. The care is excellent. Very individual feeling care. The vets and staff are happy to take the extra time to answer all your questions. Place is spotless. The phone can be wild. It's nice to have access and reminders via the web. Easy to re order prescription medicine.