Suburban Animal Hospital

3.4
51 reviews
Write review
id: 28297232
marker

6879 Lee Hwy
Arlington, VA 22213

marker
(703) 539-5400
Incorrect info? Correct your listing
Main categories:

Animal Hospital

Related categories:

Other

Reviews
( 24 )
( 7 )
( 2 )
( 3 )
( 15 )

Best

I want to make 4 points:\r First, I think the front office staff has gotten much better, probably taking these reviews to heart. In the past they often seemed more interested in...

Worst

I have been going for years and finally decided to change today after one more time of being treated like a valueless customer. I would like to write a positive review because I ...

Great staff! Love this vet! 4/26/2010

I chose Suburban after moving to the area and surveying the reviews online. Despite some negative comments, I decided to find out for myself.\r -hours that fit a professional lifestyle (late and accommodating last-minute appointments).\r -CLEAN and happy clients everywhere\r -helpful and plentiful staff\r -play/walk outdoor area next to the vet\r -quick, to the point and will spend time to talk to you (I had a phone conversation with my vet after SHE called me back from a call- no costs involved, just great staff)\r \r overall- great place, great staff, reasonable prices (we are paying for our 'family' to visit the doctor's office here people..)\r \r cons:\r -it is at a difficult location to pull into\r -...that's the only con more
Reply | Report abuse |

Poor Customer Service 11/27/2009

I recently called Suburban Animal Hospital about my dog who had an open sore that wasn't healing. They wouldn't talk to me about it on the phone, and by the time I was able to get in for an appointment the sore had healed. I called to cancel and they said there was a $50 cancelation fee (an appointment is $76). I asked if there was any way it could be waived, since there's no point bringining in a dog that's not sick anymore. The rude receptionist responded that we had been coming there for a year and there are signs everywhere about the policy so I should have known better. In my opinion, the fact that we have been coming for a year is all the more reason for them to treat us with courtesy and respect. It seems this hospital is more interested in making money than providing good service. I told the receptionist I would be switching vets (not that she seemed to care). Also, every time we go there we see a different doctor, none of whom know our dog. The last time we went the more
Reply | Report abuse |

Suburban Animal Hospital is Fantastic 8/13/2009

I have been going to Suburban Animal hospital since being recommended by my old boss in 2002. I took my cat, Whitetoes there after her sickness had been ignored by another Vet. Suburban did their best to treat her and were able to make her comfortable in her last year. I was grateful for their kindness and caring. My cat President was diagnosed with diabetes and our vet Dr. Casper is amazing. She is so wonderful, always listens to my concerns, questions, etc. My other cat Ariana has always been treated well, and we recently saw Dr. Benham, because Dr. Casper was out and Dr. Benham is great too! I love the vets, the techs and all the staff, they are wonderful and I would recommend Suburban to anyone! more
Reply | Report abuse |

Suburban Animal Hospital is Fabulous 7/31/2009

Love these guys. My parent's used then for all our dogs when we were growing up and now my husband & I use Suburban. The girls behind the front desk have ALWAYS been very helpful and friendly to me. Every doctor that I've had any of our dogs see has been very compassionate and taken the time to explain things fully. These people CARE about your dog. I do agree that they are expensive, but they take such good care of our pets that I feel like I just have to deal with the costs. Oh, also their groomer, Carol, loves her job and all her clients. My dogs actually like to go to this Vet. more
Reply | Report abuse |

Simply Unprofessional 6/10/2009

There must be a time & place for the front desk employees to seek their gossip & personal issues, NOT at work & especially when it distracts them from waiting customers. This issue has happened every time I've been present. It seems like an easy fix, will someone retrain these people for proper etiquette?! Or at least keep the drama behind closed doors & off the work phone lines for us all to witness while waiting. I have also been mislead into taking my dying dog to a nearby hospital to only rediscover what I already knew. His demise was congenital heart disease, something i've known years prior & what I assumed was in his chart. Apparently not. When showing symptoms, they rushed us to the hospital to have them say there is nothing they can do with a SUPER sized bill on the way out the door, THANKS A LOT. Not only that, they charged me twice for the same tests at this clinic. Poor bed side manner taking advantage of grief stricken customers. I sure hope they've cleaned up t more
Reply | Report abuse |

Best Animal Hospital in the Area 5/11/2009

I never write reviews, but my experience with Suburban Animal hospital has been so extraordinarily positive in contrast to other vets in the area that I've been inspired to write this one. I have lived in the DC area for over 10 years and my two schnauzers and their cat have seen a number of vets over the years for various issues. When my first schnauzer was a puppy (she's now 9 1/2) we saw a vet in Georgetown. When we moved out to Arlington we started going to Arlington Animal Hospital where the vet was lovely (and still is), but the care was significantly more expensive and the facilities were also pretty outdated. I had one experience with Cherrydale when my cat had an abscess that cost so much money (unnecessarily I later learned) that I never went back although the facilities were nice. When we learned that my older schnauzer needed to have a bladder stone removed and we decided to spay my younger schnauzer, we went back to Arlington Animal hospital. They gave us an estimate for t more
Reply | Report abuse |

Very Nice People and Atmosphere 3/2/2009

I found the staff at Suburban Animal Hospital to be very friendly and very helpful. They were so attentive to me and my little ones. I have been to a number of animal hospitals before and I've never gotten that kind of a welcome. It's great to know that there are still nice people around who genuinely seem to care. I have seen three of the five (I think there are five) doctors and they are all very nice as well. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Suburban to anyone. They are truly real animal lovers and for us it's always a fun time! My dogs even love to go there too! more
Reply | Report abuse |

Not a good experience 2/15/2009

I would not recommend this veterinary hospital because there are better veterinary hospitals in the area with kinder staff. My experience was not good. more
Reply | Report abuse |

Very Positive Experiences 12/11/2008

We have four dogs and are at the clinic often. Dr. Shrader is our vet and he has been wonderful. He is very thorough in examining our dogs and explaining results to us. He performed surgery on my dog's leg which has allowed him to walk on it again. The front desk staff is pleasant, the clinic is clean and they are always able to see my dogs that day or the next if there is an illness. The cost is worth the quality treatment and care my dogs receive at Suburban Animal Hospital. more
Reply | Report abuse |

horrible. 11/14/2008

This place is not nice to new clients, the front desk practically ignored me when i walked in. They rush you to fill out your paperwork and then once the vet sees you they rush you out of the room and send you home with a HUGE bill. Overall not happy with my experience. more
Reply | Report abuse |

Been with Suburban since 1982 9/22/2008

For 26 years Suburban Animal Hospital has cared for four cats and three dogs that were part of our family. The vets have been great and provided excellent care for our animals, helping to educate us about their needs and conditions. We have never been treated rudely or impatiently by a vet. (In any case where that complaint is made, I'd like to hear the whole story.) Dr. Schroeder had to euthanize our ancient border collie mix about ten years ago, and was very compassionate. A few years ago one of the vets saved my seemingly paralyzed German Shepherd mix, now 15 year old, by diagnosing Lyme Disease and thyroid deficiency. Our dog is no longer paralyzed, really spry and enjoys a great quality of life.\r \r With a few exceptions, I haven't found the front desk to be hugely friendly or helpful, something that hasn't changed over the years. (Eye contact upon my arrival at the desk would go a long way.) But as long as the staff makes my appointments and writes up my bills correctly, I don't c more
Reply | Report abuse |

Great! 8/29/2008

Suburban Animal Hospital is the best animal hospital I've ever been to! The front staff is always welcoming and helpful! I have seen most of the doctors which work there, and I must say all of them are extremely friendly and intelligent. Every time I bring my animals there, to be groomed, boarded, or an annual visit every staff member seems to have a smile and be eager to help me. If your looking for a new vet please use suburban, you will be pleased! more
Reply | Report abuse |

Suburban Experience (or lack of) 8/26/2008

I was at Suburban last Thursday morning and the customer service was horrible. I was astonished to hear the bad language used by the girls at the front desk (I could hear it from where I was sitting). There was dog pee near one of the benches and when I went into the bathroom the toilet looked like it hadn't been cleaned. Dr. Benham was awesome but otherwise, a really unprofessional and bad experience altogether. more
Reply | Report abuse |

Front desk is difficult; vets have bad memories 8/8/2008

The front desk is difficult. They want to know in detail what your need is, for reasons that are not clear because the vets do not refer back to previously provided information. Subsequent visits or calls with vets are usually back at square one - they sometimes even contradict themselves. Maybe they are too busy to take the time to know their clients or that's just not their way. They also charge for missed appointments, but do not provide courtesy reminder calls. more
Reply | Report abuse |

This level of excellence and integrity is hard to find 7/8/2008

All of my experiences with Dr. Shrader and his staff over the past 8 years have been far and away outstanding, and can't even compare to other vets I've tried previously. I know him to set very high standards for himself and all of his staff in terms of level of pet care and respectful interaction with pet owners, and it shows. I do believe that he is such a decent and committed man, that if there were any problems with his practice, he would want to know and would act immediately to fix them. He is gentle, compassionate, and extremely knowledgable, and he spends whatever time is needed with each appointment, carefully explaining everything and answering all questions, while never being condescending or hurried. Three important examples of his care:\r \r 1. After having my dog vaccinated at another vet, she developed large lumps on her back. I feared a fast growing cancer and was beside myself with anxiety. I found Suburban in the phone book and they took me in as a brand new walk-i more
Reply | Report abuse |

Wonderful Experiences There 7/5/2008

Dr. Shrader and his staff of doctors, technicians and administrative assistants are very knowledgeable, caring and helpful. They have been taking care of my two chihuahuas for four years now and are doing a fine job with their care. I would recommend this hospital to anyone. more
Reply | Report abuse |

Not a lot to compare to but pretty good 6/27/2008

I've been going to Suburban Animal Hospital for 5 years since I got my dog. They are rather expensive, but I could shop around for better prices if I was really interested. They've always been sweet to my dog, the space and parking is better now that it's renovated. We rarely need to see a vet since she's pretty healthy, but when we do they never suggest procedures just to suggest them (ex: I asked about dental care and they examined her and said she'd be fine for another 1-2 years with tooth-brushing). I also like their grooming service, the price for that is the cheapest around. more
Reply | Report abuse |

Only Had Good Experiences Here 6/11/2008

I'm surprised at some of the more negative experiences people have had here (not that I doubt them- those things can happen anywhere). We've been taking our dog to Suburban for 5+ years, and have had only good, sometimes lifesaving, experiences. The most important one was when one of the vets correctly diagnosed our dog with a life-threatening condition from pretty vague symptoms. They whisked her off to surgery in minutes, prevented a rupture, and saved her life. When she chewed on a poison ant trap and I panicked, they did quick research, called the manufacturer, and within 30 minutes called back, told me what to do, and reassured me all would be well. Same happened when she ate some chocolate. When my dog recently developed some benign growths the vet spent quite a bit of time with me discussing options and giving unpressured, nonjudgmental advice. Every time our dog has had blood work done, the vet has called back as soon as the results were in, usually well before we expected them more
Reply | Report abuse |

Used to Work There 5/24/2008

I actually used to work at Suburban Animal Hospital and can absolutely agree with several of the reviews that I read. While the hospital is a short distance from my house, I would not recommend their services as a general rule. The fees, even for a check-up, are through the roof, and scheduling is frequently a nightmare. They are not usually open on Sundays, so you should definitely have a back-up hospital for emergencies. They are not welcoming to walk-ins, particularly to new clients, which is another reason to have the number for a emergency vet as an alternative. The doctors and techs are knowledgeable but often not personable, which is something to be prepared for. Additionally, because they have so many clients, test results and the concerns of pet-owners are often overlooked. If you want a response or test result, you will without a doubt have to call the office multiple times in order to get a concrete answer. Do not be afraid to leave messages. When your pet's health is at sta more
Reply | Report abuse |

Killed our dog 5/10/2008

Do not send your animals to Suburban Animal Hospital! We used Dr. Schrader for our pets for a few years until he killed our dog. \r \r Last year we brought our dog to Suburban because he seemed to be losing his appetite and energy. Dr. Schrader told us the dog had Lyme disease that had damaged his kidneys irreparably. The worst part was that SUBURBAN KNEW HE HAD LYME FOR A WHOLE YEAR and never bothered to contact us. \r \r We were told after tests two years ago that we would be ?contacted immediately" if the tests came back positive. Well, the test was positive and they never called or sent a letter. If we had known two years ago that our dog was having suffering from Lyme, we could have given him antibiotics and started him on a diet that could have kept his kidneys in better condition.\r \r Our dog had to be euthanized (at a different veterinary office!) and I miss him every day. I hope no other person and their dog will be put into the hands of this veterinary office. We got no more
Reply | Report abuse |
< Previous 1 2 3 Next >
Owner Message

  • Suburban Animal Hospital welcomes you. At our animal-centered veterinary facility, your pets health and well being is our number one concern. Our love for animals is our top priority, and excellent client care is also very important to us. We invite you to stop by and see us. We are so glad to welcome you to Suburban Animal Hospital in Arlington.

Additional information
  • Neighborhoods: East Falls Church
badge