Muddy Branch Veterinary Center

Gaithersburg, United States

4.2

Open now

20 reviews

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 240-224-3102
Website:
www.mbvets.com
Address:
880 Muddy Branch Rd, Gaithersburg, MD, 20878
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
1.8 miRide-On Bus Stop
1.9 miUniversity of Maryland Shuttle Bus
2.2 miGaithersburg
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Today

Today 8:30 am – 2:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Gaithersburg) 09:01 Saturday, 12 July 2025

Business hours

Monday 7:30 am – 7:00 pm
Tuesday 7:30 am – 7:00 pm
Wednesday 7:30 am – 7:00 pm
Thursday 7:30 am – 7:00 pm
Friday 7:30 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday 8:30 am – 2:00 pm
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

Our practice has been open for 20 years and we have hundreds of satisfied clients. We offer a full range of therapeutic and preventive pet care, including standard vaccinations, nutritional advice, dentistry, acupuncture, laser therapy and geriatric medicine. With complete surgical and radiology facilities on site, we can also perform medical and surgical procedures, in-​house blood work, ultrasounds, as well as radiographs, on dogs and cats.

Our staff is led by Dr. Victor Katz, an excellent veterinarian who will work with you to determine the best course of action for your pet’s continued health. He truly cares about each individual patient that he encounters and does not hesitate to refer you to a specialist, if needed. He will also discuss health, feeding, and treatment issues with you in a non-​technical way so that you can actually understand what he is saying.

History

Established in 1994.

Dr. Victor Katz opened the Muddy Branch Veterinary Center in 1994. We then became an AAHA certified hospital, following stict standards of care. Four years ago we moved our entire practice to a brand new facility in the Muddy Branch Square Shopping Center. Dr. Katz along with Dr. Heather Lowenthal and Dr. Lisa Challberg take pride in the quality of medicine they practice. They are proud supporters of the Montgomery County Humane Society. We accept spay and neuter certificates, as well as dedicate specific time to treat shelter animals on their way to their new homes.

Please feel free to come by for a tour with a staff member at any time during business hours!

Meet the Business Owner

Dr. Victor K.

Business Owner

Dr. Katz grew up in Montgomery County, MD and graduated from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1989. He completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA in 1990.

Dr. Katz founded Muddy Branch Veterinary Center in Gaithersburg in August 1994. Dr. Katz really enjoys Internal Medicine, Dentistry and Surgery and has developed those interests extensively over the past 20 years.

Dr. Katz lives nearby in North Potomac, MD with his wife Melissa Crow and their two children, Lauren and Michael. You can often see Dr. Katz jogging around the neighborhood, biking or swimming. He is a voracious reader and loves to cook for his family and friends. His wife likes the fact that he makes a great house husband. Currently, he has a huge cat named Eli and a Flat Coated Retriever named Sierra. Sierra and Dr. Katz enjoy running and hiking together and you can visit her any time you stop by the office.

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Nearby

Near this location:
30
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Righttime Medical Care
882 Muddy Branch Rd
40
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Serenity Spa Wellness Center
878 Muddy Branch Rd
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Subway
876 Muddy Branch Rd
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RadioShack
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Sprint Store at RadioShack
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Muddy Branch Beer & Wine
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20 reviews of Muddy Branch Veterinary Center

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Gaithersburg, MD
I was unhappy with my previous vet as they were not «pitbull» friendly. I was referred to MBVC by a friend who has a dog rescue. I have been more then happy with MBVC since I switched 3 or 4 years ago. They have always been accommodating when I have had a one off emergency and need one of my dogs to be seen ASAP. I had the unfortunate experience of needing to put my dog to sleep. Dr Katz made time for me at the end of his Saturday when the office would be quiet and I could spend as much time with her as I wanted. A couple days later I received a condolence card signed by the whole staff. The staff seems to really love animals and do not just go their for a pay check. The doctors all seem to be very knowledgeable and take the time to explain everything and answer my questions. I do not like over vaccinating my dogs and they are upfront and honest with what shots I «need» and what shots I could probably pass on. I also feed my dogs a RAW diet due to allergies. I have never felt judged, or talked to told «the horrors of raw»
Place rating: 5
Montgomery County, MD
I’ve ALWAYS had a positive experience with Dr. Katz and staff and never walked out of this office feeling like I just wasted money. Even when I lived in VA, I drove all the way here to have my dog see Dr. Katz.
I’ve been taking my sweet Rottweiler, Tyson, here since he was a puppy. I love that I can walk into the office and be greeted with «Hey Tyson!» almost immediately. Dr. Katz has always given us great, honest advice when it comes to my dog! Which I appreciate since he really cares about the well being of our pets versus trying to constantly sell us on things that we do not need.
Not sure where the negative reviews are coming from about Dr. Katz being rude, but I’ve never had this issue. He’s been genuine, kind, and very respectful. I trust my dog to be under his care!
Place rating: 5
San Jose, CA
Haven’t Unilocaled in a while. Today, we needed to take Mom’s cat in. Today ended up being his last day in earth.
I live on the other side of the country. Here to visit family. Glad that there is Unilocal.Everyone in the clinic were courteous and caring. They even were able to fit in a last minute, same day visit.
The clinic does the blood test onsite. Confirming why he wasn’t feeling well. with severe ulcer’s in the mouth, kidney failure, and liver going. It was sad to see him go.
Pickle, thank you for everything. Thank you for keeping Mom entertained. Thank you for being part of the family. We miss you.
Rest In Peace.
Thank you Doc and the other technician… I forgot you names. Not the time for me to remember names at the time. I felt that you cared so much. Even to a first time visit. Then again, Pickle has that effect on anyone around him. He is a great family.
Place rating: 1
Gaithersburg, MD
We had Lauren groom our Bichon 10 days ago. Lauren does EXCELLENT work. However, she nicked our dogs nail or toe somehow — as i noticed a very small blood spot on her paw when I picked her up. i did not think much about it. two days later — we left for a week long vacation and took our dog with us. During the entire week — she was continually licking that same exact paw which had bleed right after grooming. Today, our 1st business day back — my Wife calls the vet to see if they can see her. I brought her in this morning — they said the nail bed was infected, charged me $ 90.00 for the office visit, antibiotics and a cone. I stupidly paid for it at the counter — then thought about it and asked to speak with Dr. Katz. They said he was not available and would call us at home later. I took his call an hour later — he said he could not verify that the injury /​infection was caused by his groomer and would not negotiate any settlement in any way. He expressed no concern or understanding of your week vacation that caused us to bring in our dog 10 days after. We have have Dr. Katz take care of our dogs for 17 years. We have paid thousands of dallars to his office over almost 2 decades. To be treated like this was totally unreasonable and unprofessional. His blunt rudeness shocked me. So, for the others who rated this guy with 5 stars — keep your guard up. He basically insinuated that I was lying about my dog and trying to get over on him. I can well afford to pay for any needed dog care necessary. But, it was the principal that mattered to me. Karma eventually gets served to those who deserve it.
Rick M North Potomac, Md
Place rating: 5
Gaithersburg, MD
My cat, Kali, had been losing quite a bit of weight since we moved (and has a history of IBD and chronic respiratory issues, poor thing), so I wanted to bring her in for a checkup. We saw Dr. Challberg, who reviewed Kali’s past medical records that I had asked them to request from our old vet, and was very attentive in listening to my concerns about Kali. She took some blood and urine to run tests and did a thorough physical exam. The office emailed me a detailed report after our visit, which was great. When Kali’s lab results came in, Dr. Challberg called to discuss them with me in detail so we could decide how to proceed.
As a bonus, the compounding pharmacy that Muddy Branch uses is far cheaper than the one I had previously been using – and they even ship the medication to my house!
Place rating: 1
Northern, VA
*This review is for grooming only**
We take our pet there for Veterinary services and always have a great experience with Dr. Katz, so we decided to try the grooming services; bad idea. We have a poodle mix; for our first visit they cut his body perfectly but really cut his face too short. We decided to give them another try and thought with specific instruction on what we wanted the cut would be perfect. Well, unfortunately that wasn’t so. Our dog was shaved so low he’s unrecognizable and further they didn’t listen to anything I said after i took care to show exactly how low to cut him. It’s like they are on autopilot and give every dog the same cut. We will be getting our dog groomed somewhere else.
Place rating: 5
Naples, FL
Heather loewenthal it’s an exelent veterinarian, very personal, explained everything about my (bello) Yorkie dental procedure and now the both of us can finally move to Naples florida to his grandmother’s house with no procedures pending or any pains, we leave this area happy for a new life but sad that at the end we found a great vet. The price was reasonable and I won’t think twice to do it again.
Place rating: 1
Derwood, MD
Horrible customer service!
We called to schedule an anal gland cleaning and were quoted a price of $ 13 over the phone. After arriving and receiving the service we were charged $ 27. The receptionist was rude and claimed it was impossible that someone quoted us that price because they always charge $ 27 for anal gland cleaning.
We came home and checked with my mother who recommended this place. She had receipts of past visits showing anal gland cleaning for $ 16. My mother then called and spoke with a supervisor who was rude and confrontational. She insisted there was only one price for anal gland cleaning until my mother said she had receipts showing a lower price. The supervisor then said the difference in price can happen depending on how full the anal glands are. So basically they charge you more if they feel like it. Obviously you only take your dog to get the anal glands cleaned when they are full. My mother had been going to this vet for years and this was never explained until today. In addition she spoke to Dr. Katz and he was not the least bit sympathetic to our situation, nor did he care about the rudeness of his staff other than saying «I’ll look into it»
After the ambiguity in pricing and the rudeness of the staff we will never go back to this vet. In addition my mother has decided to switch vets as well after the treatment she received. After being a loyal customer for years she never expected to be treated so rudely.
Customer satisfaction is definitely not a priority at the Muddy Branch Veterinary Center and I recommend you take your pet elsewhere.
Place rating: 5
Gaithersburg, MD
Drs Challberg & Lowenthal are amazing. (Dr. Katz is great too, Wyatt just doesn’t see him as often.) My dog is super lucky that we moved close to this practice (and the CVCA!) and they take wonderful care of him each and every visit. Challberg and Lowenthal are both nice and knowledgeable — and make both Wyatt and I feel comfortable. I take Wyatt here for any boarding and grooming needs too. Thanks Muddy Branch Vet Center!
Place rating: 5
Gaithersburg, MD
Dr Lisa Challberg is an excellent diagnostician. She correctly diagnosed my dog’s renal disease very quickly. Unfortunately it was too late to save him. Too much damage was done. She walked me through the process of putting him down and was very sensitive and loving towards my beloved dog.
The staff is very friendly and helpful.
Place rating: 5
Gaithersburg, MD
Muddy Branch Vet/​Dr. Katz has been my vet since I moved to MD in 1995, I can not say enough good things about this practice; I would strongly recommend them to anyone. Staff is friendly, knowledgable and dedicated to their clients. They have been extremely supportive and honest through all of the best and most challenging times of pet ownership. They have also always been fair and reasonable with their prices. We’ve rescued a number of dogs with some significant medical needs and they take the time to inform you so you can optimize your pets quality of life. My dogs always leave feeling like superstars because of the reception and attention they get from MBV staff.
Another important thing to note is that Muddy Branch does a lot of really great things to support local rescue groups and give back to the community.
This is a great place to place your trust for comprehensive care of you beloved pets.
Place rating: 5
Ocean City, MD
Had our first appointment for our pug Bijoux here today and they were phenomenal! The staff is so friendly and very welcoming. Dr. Katz was very nice and also informative. He explained all the vaccines that were required and then also told me about some optional ones. He definitely wasn’t pushy about trying to get me to buy additional stuff and even gave me good advice about food options that could save us some money. Their prices are very reasonable as well. We definitely had a very pleasant experience here!!!
Place rating: 5
Gaithersburg, MD
I still stand by my previous review, but I am updating to five stars because of the care and attention Muddy Branch Vet gave my dog in the last few weeks of her life.
Each vet she ever saw treated her with care and compassion. They truly enjoy working with pets. The staff was always friendly and helpful. They would comfort me when I was stressed.
Sadly, my sweet dog passed away a few days ago. The emergency vet took care of notifying her «primary» vet. Dr. Katz called me to express his condolences. This simple gesture meant so much to me. He and the other vets saw me and my dog on numerous occasions. To take the time to call and let me know they were sorry to hear what happened speaks volumes of the staff. They truly care about each and every animal they see. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a vet.
I know whenever the time comes for me to have another dog, I’ll be back at Muddy Branch for all their veterinary needs.
Place rating: 5
Gaithersburg, MD
Wow! I brought my puppy in yesterday for the first time and was blown away by the kindness of the staff! Dr. Lisa, Jennifer, and all of the technicians were so sweet! I could tell they have a lot of love for animals and will give my dog the best care possible in the future! As a new puppy owner they offered me plenty of advice and really took the time to answer all of my questions! Highly recommended, especially to someone who really wants to feel comfortable in trusting a new vet!!!
Place rating: 4
Arlington, VA
Dr Katz and everyone here is wonderful. They have done a great job with vaccinations and surgeries for my pet (surgeries which have been complicated). The prices are reasonable, they LOVE the animals they take care of, and their boarding service is fantastic. Nikki, Lauren, and Jennifer have taken excellent care of my dachshund, Isabelle. I am delighted to recommend this vet to anyone, and still use them despite the fact that I have moved 45 minutes away.
Place rating: 5
Gaithersburg, MD
This place is the best! Early drop off, super friendly and kind staff. I did the «Spa» Grooming… Price was extremely fair, my dog had the absolute best time, didn’t want to leave when I picked him up.
Place rating: 5
Gaithersburg, MD
I have been bringing all of my pets here since they were in Festival Shopping Center. All of the staff there is amazing and I trust Dr. Katz and Lowenthal with anything. They have always done everything they can for my pets and when my cat had surgery, Dr. Katz took him home with him to keep an eye on him. Everyone at the facility is very nice and welcoming. My dog also does to Lauren for grooming and she does an amazing job!
Place rating: 5
Gaithersburg, MD
If there were more stars I would give them all to Muddy Branch! We have been clients for 18 years with both cats and dogs and the vets, staff and groomer could not be better people or better professionals. I am always offered the truth about my pet’s condition and provided with all available options so I make very informed decisions about my pets and their treatments. No matter what the situation. We also board here and while I am a nervous mommy I am able to relax on my trips knowing my pets are in the best and most dedicated hands possible.
Place rating: 2
Durham, NC
I used to love this vet. Love. I was never rushed or talked down to or had unnecessary treatments pressed on me. I always used to see Dr. Katz. As they grew, I never saw him again. It would be a revolving door of vets. I do not have a lot of money and my dog as my child. Dr Lowenthal, in my opinion, talks down to people, assumes everyone can just pop in and pay a $ 600 bill and be thrilled with it, and drive a black Mercedes. She used fear tactics to basically get me to have my dogs teeth clean. Her bedside manner with humans is awful, she comes off as elitist and becomes angry when questioned to explain why she is making the decisions she’s making. I’ve requested my pet’s medical records and will go ANYWHERE else. I feel my dog was put under anesthetic, intubated, etc. for no reason. And that is unacceptable.
Place rating: 5
Derwood, MD
Dr. Katz did a free ultrasound for my dog to rule out stomach ulcer when we didn’t have the money for the procedure. Fortunately, she didn’t have that. She felt better after taking the meds for a few days. Great service and staff!