Union Veterinary Clinic

I've been bringing my pets to UVC for almost ten years and have always had a great experience (even in the worst of times). The front staff/receptionists have always been welcoming, while wait times have been minimal. The service and care that the doctors and vet techs provide has always been top notch!

So I am so shook because I didn't read any reviews till after I came here.
Y'all....I'm pretty damn picky. I grew up with a family full of nurse practitioners and physicians. So there are 2 things I give a damn about when going to a doctor....and I don't see human doctors any differently that animal doctors (vets).
1) bedside manner
2) you've gotta be a solid stick when drawing blood.

If either of those two things suck, my usual, very calm, very kind, mellow, very gentle energy will sharpen up.
I walked in and it's a teeeeny tiny waiting room. So there's not a lot of room, but my curvy self and tiny doggo fit just fine :)
I picked up real quickly on all the queer inclusive insignia. My eyes take note of that stuff. Seeing as I was dressed as the gayest femme lumberjack in the city, my queer ass appreciated that.
Now mind you....they ask for a stool sample when coming in...and I swear I had no idea how I was going to get Finch to shit on command ...but I a short walk away and thank goddess my pooch squeezed out the tiniest shit minutes before walking in the door. Praise be!
Now, Finch is a service dog. He is not an ESA. He goes to restaurants, museums, the barber shop...with me. Typically he doesn't engage with anyone. But it was really important to me that he felt loved and comfortable and like he was just greeting friends at this clinic. I don't want him to be scared of the vet. So, I let him greet people and wander around the patient room to say hi to whoever walked in. This dog was in JEAVEN because he NEVER gets to interact anywhere we go. And I think it definitely helped his energy.
I really, REALLY appreciated the staff here. Every single person--from the staff who checked me in, the folks who clipped his nails(thank you Aaron and Allison for that!), to Dr. Allison Gross who was his doctor ---were so lovely.
The Only time I almost sharpened up was when a tech was drawing blood from Finch and...there just isn't any way to say this other than...he was just not very good at the stick. I saw him push in and pull out the need about 3 times before he let Dr. gross do a butterfly stick on his leg. Like I said...I'm only very particular about a few things ...and drawing blood is a big one. However, the tech himself was really kind and so sweet.
I hadn't been able to take Finch to the vet last year. I had his full year of Heartworm/flea preventative--so I needed a prescription for his meds. It was a little strange that I got a photo of the hand written script'--i'm used to a typed digital prescription, but that's not a big deal.
I attached our receipt from our first visit so you can take a gander at the costs. There's an $87.50 doctor's visit charge that was waived since this was our first time in. But honestly, I don't really qualify this as super expensive. I pretty much expect it for a yearly visit.

Anyway, Finch was in heaven being able to actually get pets from people and interact with them and the staff was great. I recommend these folks.

I have been taking my dogs to Union Vet since I moved to Capitol Hill 20 years ago. They do a great job.

My most recent experience was having my Welsh terrier Lily's teeth cleaned yesterday. I was very happy with every aspect of the care.

In particular, I appreciated that Dr. Applebee updated me with 2 phone calls during the day that Lily was at the clinic, which included her having anesthesia. Lily is a very important part of our lives, & Dr. Applebee understands & respects that fact.

Misdiagnosed my dog. Then when she was dying because of mis-diagnosis, told me a vet was not available to put her out of her misery because office was closing at 6pm. Incompetent, cruel, and absolutely shocking service. If I had chosen a competent vet clinic, my dog would still be alive.

They are very nice especially the doctors, they are very thorough and examining the pets and they take their time explaining the medical condition, options of treatment, and the cost of the treatment upfront so what I tell you is how much it's going to cost No hidden fees or surprises.

I switched to this vet for convenience,
but really regretting it. The other day I had a "relief" vet and she was not only judgmental but she was not in the least bit warm to my dog. The price for some a osurina dose + exam was $213 and when I checked out they said the follow up (for the second dose) would be the same cost. I was shocked. Later someone called me to explain it was an error and would only be $25. So today I was shocked when they tried to charge me $50. It's a good thing I knew how much the dose was from my last appointment. Nonetheless the front desk staff I interacted with was so rude when I asked if there was a number or email for an office manager. I went as far as to say it had nothing to do with her but I've only had bad experiences there and would like to share. The front desk person gave me a strong eye roll which was completely unacceptable given I was neither rude or exercised.

I will be going back to City paws where they are less expensive, very transparent about pricing and they all have nice dispositions.

If you care at all about your animal DON'T bring them here!!! I thought that paying twice the amount as other places for my dogs neutering ($490 with microchip) would ensure a great experience, but sadly I was wrong. When I brought my dog home after his surgery, he was whining in pain the whole ride home. Once I got into the house, I realized they LEFT THE CATHETER IN his arm from the surgery. I called Union Vet Clinic and told them... to the response of "oh shit". They said I shouldn't take it out at home and that he should be brought back to the office. (Mind you I live in NW DC and it's over 30 minutes one way.) I check the time and ask if they will still be there in 30 mins which they said they would be. I arrived about 10 minutes before their 8pm closing time. The tech took my dog to remove the catheter, and I asked to speak to the Vet about what happened. I wanted to have my dog checked over once more by the Vet since the Tech's negligence caused me to have to come back. I also had some follow up questions about his medication and about some redness I observed on the area. Being a concerned first time pet mom, I wanted to be certain he was checked after being under anesthesia.

On top of this, the front end staff was extremely rude and unprofessional. They told me that the Vet was on the phone and could not come down to assess my pets condition. (Outside due to Covid restrictions) They told me to leave and he would call in 20 minutes. I reminded them that the only reason I was there was due to their mistake, and that I wanted the Vet to look him over before I drove another 30 minutes home. The staff turned all the lights in the business off and locked the door. After calling multiple times and insisting that I speck with a Veterinarian one finally came outside around 8:15pm, (25 minutes after I arrived)

I spoke with the Office Manager the next day who
offered me a $75 credit "in case I should return for an appointment". NO THANK YOU! I wouldn't put my pet into harms way for $75.

Couldn't be more disappointed - not only in the business and unnecessary money/time/energy spent that day, but in the LACK OF COMPASSION the staff at Union Veterinary Clinic had for me or my dog.

#dobetter

It is so hard to find a vet you can trust which we all know. One of the biggest gripe everyone ALWAYS has with vets are their costs. No matter where you go, every single place is expensive! We know this! I truly don't think it's fair to expect anywhere in DC in general to be anything close to affordable BUT quality is the concern here. I have a six pound chiweenie mix who has been seen here multiple times and I have yet to have a bad experience. The staff is kind, they always answer my questions and they truly listen to me when I have concerns. I brought my dog in for a dental cleaning and his teeth look outstanding. I have called them who knows how many times with food questions, every time my dog pukes and so much more. They always work with you to get your dog seen ASAP if needed. I think they are great - yes spendy but overall great.

I've taken my cat to Union for 5 years now and they have been great. She's been healthy through that time but definitely feel comfortable there and confident they would also be great in an emergency. All the staff is super friendly and there has never been a push for extra, unnecessary services.

This is a review I need to start by saying that I am clearly a fool for going here for so long. It is not worth being loyal to this vet, as long-term customers are not a priority anyway.

Most recently, my dog was sick and I tried to get a last minute appointment. I was told to call at 7 AM the next day to get a same-day appointment. I did. While on the phone the admin kept saying oops, no, it's ok, etc.. and sad I was good for a time. Then one last time she says, I am sorry, please hold. She gets back on the phone and says, yeah, the other person was scheduling at the same time, so you can't have the time I just told you was good. I can charge you an extra 30.00 to drop your dog off and we will fit him in. I declined and will find another vet (probably P St.).

Moral: This place will nickel and dime you to death. This is not a unique situation.

There are always upsells and recommendations for costly tests. This vet is more than most anyway, and you don't really get what you pay for.

On another recent visit we were uphold a vaccine that had two shots. Both my dogs were so lethargic and out fo sorts for days after, we never went back for the second shot. A little research showed these two condo living city dogs were very unlikely to encounter the disease the vaccine was for anyway.

There are other vets, including P St. Pet Practice (which I recently discovered) that are much more affordable and personable.

In the case one Union Vet, beware of the image they are trying to portray. It will cost you and you will not get what you pay for.