Silver Spring Animal Hospital

I’ve been taking both my cats here for the past few years and I absolutely love Dr. Meadow. She is a wonderful vet and is very intelligent and thorough. My cats have numerous health problems and the costs are not exorbitant especially for follow-​up visits. The vet techs are also typically very good although some are better than others. The front desk staff isn’t the most pleasant and sometimes seem disorganized during checkout and on the phone they can be very short. The parking is also a problem as the lot is always either full or nearly full. Not much they can do about that but it can be difficult when you have to carry animals in carriers. I will keep coming back because I trust Dr. Meadow more than any other vet I’ve seen in the past 14 years that I’ve had my cat.

I love the attention we get at this veterinary clinic. Dr Krishna and Dr Meadow are thoughtful and caring. I feel the service and professional knowledge were tailored to my pet. Bella is an easy patient, but seems to have a reaction to everything in the environment. I’m happy with the staff and level of care for Bella.

I came here a couple of times with my my (3) cats. I liked Dr. Krishna, especially that she followed up with phone calls. I was especially looking for a vet with years of experience and i got that with Dr. K. The next 2 times i visited my cats were seen by a new vet (partner?) I was not told i was being switched to another vet and no one ever asked me if that was OK. I was unhappy about that — I thought it very strange to make an appt. with Dr. K and then saw this new person. Also, I had to make (2) trips in to the office from the parking lot across the busy street because I had 3 cat carriers with me. No one in the office even offered to hold the door open for me as I struggled. 2 trips in, 2 trips out. Additionally, the office seemed more oriented to dogs than cats. All this added up to me finding another vet.

Good luck making an appointment or talking to anybody about anything. You are immediately put on hold and their hold line is completely silent so you have to keep checking that you are still actually connected. Then when they get back on the line they hang up on you. When you finally speak to them after calling repeatedly for hours, being on hold for 15 minutes the most recent time, and then hung up on, you are told, «sorry we are closed now». This, just to make a friggin appointment.

We brought our puppy here for her second distemper shots. We were told to bring her in at 11 weeks, which we thought was early for her second shot. Turns out, the place just wanted to try to get our puppy four shots instead of three shots for the series. I was absolutely against this (and I’m not claiming that I know more than the vet about vaccinating a puppy but I would never agree to vaccinate my puppy more than necessary). And when I told them I only wanted the typical three shots, I was then told to bring her back in at 12 weeks. .. which meant I had accomplished nothing during the visit. Dr. Meadows was apologetic about this, but I still wasn’t too happy about the fact that the office made us come in early (and that we were being pushed additional vaccine shots).
Dr. Meadows also gave us heartworm and flea/​tick medication, which we told her we didn’t need because we had already given both to our puppy a couple of weeks ago, but she insisted that they give it to all new puppy owners. We suspected that our puppy would outgrow the meds by the time we would need to give her the new doses, but since we were led to believe that the meds were samples and would be free of charge, we didn’t object in the end. But we did end up getting charged, which pissed me off because we had told Dr. Meadows that we didn’t need the samples. They did fix this the second time we came in for the distemper shot, but we had to argue with them about the issue.
Some additional points that I didn’t really dock this place any stars for were: (1) small waiting area, (2) difficult parking in front, though there is a paid parking lot across the street from the place, and (3) having to wait both times at the end of our appointments to pay (because the lady up front was making phone calls). I would say that I’m not as disappointed with the care I’ve gotten from Dr. Meadows as the complete fail of their staff in having us come in early for our puppy’s distemper shots, having us pay for the heartworm and flea meds, and giving us attitude about stuff.

We’ve had nothing but great experiences here. Sure, the office is simple, and parking is limited, but the entire team knows us and is very knowledgable. We’ve appreciated followup calls after procedures, etc., and feel that our questions are always taken well. They truly show that they want what is best for the animals.
We’ve seen both Dr. Meadow & Dr. Krishna — both of whom have been GREAT with our dog who is normally very shy with people outside of our family.
As a small practice, they’re generally booked a week or two out, but when we’ve had extreme circumstances, they’ve squeezed us in and have never made us feel rushed.

Don’t be put off by the usually full parking lot or the old furniture in the waiting room. You can find nicer lobbies, with free gourmet and wifi, but you will never find a more caring, knowledgeable or concerned vet than Dr. Krishna — and the entire staff is wonderful. I’ve now been through two major health crisis — surgery on a cancerous tumor and a near-​death scare with pancreatitis. My furry baby received the very best medical care, but more than that — the team cares. For every physical visit I’ve had multiple phone calls, all of which Dr. Krishna returns. They answer every question, have trained me in follow up care at home and have reassured me when I’ve been concerned. About two weeks ago I though we had reached the end, and I went to her again for input and advice. The compassion she and her staff showed was amazing. I’m cautiously hopeful, but whatever happens I know that my furry babies will receive the very very best care at Silver Spring.

Wonderful vet office. Toke my dog here after receiving a positive lab result. I called and got an appointment the following week. The lady on the phone was very pleasant, going through what I needed to bring and even asked the doctor how much treatments were going to be.
Upon entering, you find a small yet cozy office with just a small desk for check-​in/​out and a few places to sit and wait. We did not wait long and was directed to 1 of 2 exam rooms it looked like.
Dr. Meadows was very through and listened to all my concerns and observations. During the exam she would mention things she observed/​I needed to know and answered questions I had. At the end of the exam she went through the different options of treatment with me. She even wrote a little note for me for a product she mentioned during the exam. Great personable doctor. The nurse was wonderful as well.
Overall great experience. Would definitely come back. Very reasonable prices.

If you have adopted a pure bred puppy and are looking for a vet, I wouldn’t call Silver Spring Animal Hospital. They will refer you to another veterinarian and make it out like they are doing you a favor — because they cannot see you within the 48 hours listed in your new puppy contract. This is after I clearly said I was not concerned with the 48 hour time frame and wanted to schedule an appointment — even if was a week before they had an available appointment. I left feeling like whoever I spoke with had an issue with pure bred puppies, in fact I can quote her saying, «I’m just leery of pure breds.» I called my old vet who was happy to make an appointment to see us for a new puppy check, no questions asked. I’ll be sticking with them as they clearly want my business no matter where my puppy came from. I was very disappointed in the treatment I received when I called Silver Spring Animal Hospital since I had read great reviews and they are so close and convenient to my home.

Dr. Krishna and her staff are fantastic. My dog can get aggressive and frightened when given vaccinations, and the whole office is as patient as needed. Caring, professional, and no nonsense when needed. We’ve worked with Dr. Meadow before as well, and she is equally good. I wouldn’t go anywhere else at this point.

I went to this vet on the recommendation of a neighbor after having a bad experience elsewhere. I am so happy I switched vets! Dr. Meadow was very nice and spent time with me and my dog and answered any questions I had. And the price was VERY reasonable, particularly compared to other DC area vets. I mean, half the cost of other places. I am so happy to have switched!

I’ve been so pleased with our experience here. Our primary is Dr. Beth Meadow and she is fantastic — responsive to my animals and to me as well. She has been incredibly open minded and willing to work with us to care for our cats as naturally as possible while still supporting them appropriately with an allopathic approach. I’ve also spoken a few times with Dr. Krishna who is equally as wonderful. Our cats have had a rough year and throughout everyone at Silver Spring Animal Hospital has been very responsive and timely, and especially supportive of the emotional experience we have all had along with this. They have been gentle and respectful to have all of us feel safe and supported. I appreciate their commitment to our pets’ safety and overall wellbeing. It feels like a family practice, which I have not seen much of in my previous veterinary experiences. Highly recommend!

Reliable staff. That’s all I ask for vets and they have it. In addition, the service is quite good. It is pleasant to interact with any of those who work there so far and I’ve been visiting here for last few years whenever needed.
So far, I and my fiancé brought our cat for check-​ups, microchip, and consultation. Dr. Meadow was very helpful and she was very thorough in answering our questions!

I really can’t say enough about Dr. Krishna and the staff at Silver Spring Animal Hospital. My dog for the last year was battling a very aggressive form of cancer that was initially misdiagnosed at my previous vet. The care that Dr. Krishna and her team gave her was first rate, and what was greatly appreciated was the compassion she and her team shared for my dog’s condition. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this practice to anyone.

Brought my new puppy here on the recommendation of a friend who uses this vet for her dog. I’ve only been once, but I had a great first experience with Dr. Meadow! Yes, the parking situation sucks, and no, this is not a fancy-​schmancy place, but the entire staff was incredibly caring and excited to see and interact with my dog! Dr. Meadow spent a full hour with me and my pup going through everything I needed to know and answering all of my questions, which were many as this is my first dog. Pablo (my dog) was so comfortable throughout the experience that he basically fell asleep on the floor at the end. Add in convenient evening and weekend hours, and I’m glad I’ve found a vet for my dog!

Thoughtful, comprehensive, and local. The collaborative work between Dr. Krishna, Dr. Irish, and the team (Rhoda– at the desk and Victoria– our vet tech) Gracie and I are sold! The parking lot is a bit of a challenge, the space isn’t beautiful but the care and consideration is all that matters! Dr. Irish took her time to carefully examine Gracie, explain her diagnosis, possible causes, and treatment plan. She is genuine, kind, and friendly. I admire people who love what they do, it truly shows in the care they provide. She minimized my anxiety, needless to say, we have a new vet! As far as the price, reference James T. If you’re in Silver Spring– support a local business! This one is definitely worth it!

I appreciate Silver Spring Animal Hospital’s accessible and no-​frills approach to pet care. Every time I walk into their (somewhat shabby) waiting room, I’m glad I’m not paying extra for frosted glass doors and high-​grade leather seats.
We’ve mostly seen Dr. Irish for our two kitties, and she’s been great. She makes our treatment options and trade-​offs very clear, and doesn’t push expensive tests. She’s also INCREDIBLY responsive. If she says she’ll call at X time on Y day, she will. After my fiancé took our kitten in for her first appointment and started scrambling to write everything Dr. Irish said down so I’d have the info, Dr. Irish offered to just email us a write up. And she did, a 6 paragraph email with all the next steps for our kitten. I can’t say enough about how helpful she’s been.
Lastly, our kitties seem very comfortable at SS– I think because the staff let them sniff around the exam rooms and climb wherever they want (instead of having to cower on a stainless steel table.)
My parents have been bringing their cats here for many years, so I’ve no doubt our good experiences will continue. 100% recommend.

I’m not going to repeat the praise that other fans have detailed here. It’s just the best vet I’ve been to in the DC area. I did want to comment on the criticisms, though.
One seems to be their price. I can’t help but wondering of those who find SS to be pricey have ever been to another vet in the DC area? Try getting out of Friendship for less than $ 300 for, well, pretty much anything. An emergency visit there will probably cost you $ 750 after they pressure you into all those tests that you REALLY should do if you’re not a bad person before you can say «what?» Now, Friendship certainly is at the top of the chercher pile. But SS’s pricing is on the average-​to-​slightly-​low side for the area, while their quality of service is among the best.
Most routine visits I’ve had at SS are under $ 100 which is, frankly, a miracle around here. They have also been very accommodating for appointments on short notice, which I certainly do not expect, and that saves hundreds over an unscheduled (e.g. emergency) visit to Friendship or another emergency facility.
I think that they do charge an initial examination fee for any new clients. Perhaps this is what people are reacting to? This is also not unusual, nor did I find it excessive at the time.
The other criticism that I read is the shabbiness of the waiting area and exam rooms. Personally, I find this wonderful. The thing that always irked me so much about Friendship was shelling out four figures at a time while watching frequent renovations of their facility over the decades. If you prefer that your animal care dollar go towards new tile, then Friendship is your place! Personally, I would rather that the money went towards salaries of the care providers than Ethan Allen furniture in the waiting room.
Anyway — I’ve had nothing but wonderful experiences there in the almost 3 years we’ve been taking our 2 dogs and 2 cats there.

I love the drs at this vet clinic. I have only been in the area for a short while when my 14 y/​o dog became acutely ill. They worked me into the schedule even as a new patient. Dr Irish was amazing and my dog was completely at ease with her and the assistants.
Dr Irish said she would call with lab results the next day and she did… first thing so there was no anxious waiting all day. The news was bad and she laid out all the options. Based on all the info she provided it was determined that it was best to let my baby go to keep her from enduring lots of pain with an unknown idea of whether any treatment would work at all. Because my husband lives out of town Dr Irish arranged for us to let our baby go the next day so my hubby could have plenty of time to say goodbye. But she also allowed us to come in for additional fluids and meds to keep her comfy overnight at home.
Dr Krishna actually was the one that helped our baby cross the Rainbow Bridge and I was just amazed at her compassion and consideration. We discussed again the possibility of treatments and still realized that we were doing the right thing by our little girl. She helped us get Allie comfortable so we could both hold on to her as she passed. Then told us to take as long as we needed and left us with our baby.
The entire staff was so kind and compassionate during this horrible time. I have already filled out the paperwork for our other dog for her check ups and any other treatment she might need in the future. They are fantastic and I hope to be a long time customer!!!

We’ve been going here for years.
No other vet will do.
Just the mention of Dr. Krishna, and my dogs ears perk up,
and she gets excited.
Very happy with her services.