Hope Advanced Veterinary Center

I avoid writing reviews but in the case of pets, I think helping others avoid bad experiences is important. I would not return here. The worst vet office experience I have had in this area. Unprofessional, disorganized, immature front desk staff, poor communication skills by the techs. Left to find another emergency provider.

Pacemaker implantation can be done at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg at the Veterinary Hospital for over half the cost. It is worth the extra drive if you can not afford the $ 6 to $ 7,000 they charge here. I highly recommend taking the drive if money is an issue.

It’s taken my 5 months to write this review, but I’m at a point now that I can look at the situation without crying — I brought my cat here and I learned he had a viral disease that was incurable and fatal. The vets kept him for one week in overnight care, and while I later learned that they talked with certainty about my cat having this virus with the vet techs and amongst themselves in private, no one told me that it was because there are only two things that can confirm the diagnosis — a specific PCR test in California and a biopsy. The PCR test was not ordered in a timely manner, so as we waited for results to come back from the other side of the country, my cat was away from home, in pain, and not eating for 2 week days and a weekend (during the latter of which, the lab was closed). During a surgical intervention, they punctured my cat’s lung during a chest tube procedure and did not communicate to me that it was caused by the procedure, but rather, it was described very passively that «when adjusting the tubes, air entered chest space.» I’ve actually stayed in the waiting room overnight a couple times, and I learned that while there are some very sweet vet techs there (to whom I will always be grateful for their love and attention to my kitty), veterinary care by a vet is usually minimal or they have a first year intern who isn’t very experienced, which is very scary.
At the end of my cat’s stay, and upon discharge, a vet tech happened to mentioned that my cat’s lung was permanently damaged, and when I inquired about that, she recanted her statement and said that she spoke out of line and she’s not a vet, so to please disregard it. I asked to speak to a vet, and when communicating it to me, the vet did not mention the condition of his lungs at all. When I inquired, she told me that «the tube irritated his lung.» When I started to ask more questions, the vet became very tight lipped, which began to look suspicious to me. Upon discharge, our total costs were approximately $ 10,000. I stayed up with my cat all night on his first night back, and as his breathing became more and more belabored and he couldn’t even support his weight anymore, I knew he was suffering. I took him to South Paws at 8am to put him down, which was one of the most heartbreaking experiences of my life.
I want to help others make the right decision for their beloved animals so that they don’t have to go through what I went through. I’m not interested in sharing my feedback with management (as I shared it with the vets and staff daily over the course of a week), which seems to be the cut-​and-​paste response to all comments that are less than stellar. Keep your standards high for veterinary transparency, logical progression of tests in a way that saves money for the pet owner, and responsible ownership of mistakes. Anything less is a disservice.

I wish that I had read these reviews before I took my dog there last night, but I panicked when she was not feeling better. As someone who has been dealing with a congenital problem in my dog for over 5 years now I know what to expect from a vet visit with her unfortunately. This place is ridiculous especially when compared to another emergency vet over in Merrifield who my dog has had to see before. Had they listened to me when I was there she would have felt better immediately but instead pushed for over the top hospitalization and talked about blood transfusions and then tried to SHAME me for not agreeing to a $ 3,000 overnight stay. A simple injection of an antibiotic would have perked her right up. They refused to give her an antibiotic injection when I said that I would prefer to take her home that night. After one dose of antibiotic and another med she is up and running around. This place is like visiting doomsday for your dog and even tried to imply that her regular vet would not be able to care for her. I compared her paperwork from this place and her visit was $ 200 more than the ER in Merrifield and the facility in Merrifield administered IV medicines and kept her for several hours.
I hope I never have a need for an emergency vet again, but if I do it will most certainly not be this place. Oh and they emailed me her «records» for her regular vet after I left. They did not send me her lab work, but instead sent me the vet’s write up which was all about the «owner» not wanting the hospitalization. These people should be ashamed trying to take advantage of pet parents when they are at their most vulnerable. They only care about worst case scenario and not the reality of being a dog parent.

First, I’ll just say that I don’t have pet insurance. If you don’t either, this story might apply to you. If you do, maybe this doesn’t apply to you as much. After this experience, I’ll certainly be researching where I can get the best deal for it.
It was after regular business hours, and I noticed my cat was dripping urine around the house, and appeared to be very uncomfortable. I called Hope Center, they told me this was life-​threatening and to bring him in immediately, so I did.
The doctor spent about ten minutes with my cat, and then I was given a bill for nearly $ 2,000 (advance payment required) and told the cat would need to stay overnight. I cringed and handed over the money. When they called me the next day asking for more money, and relayed that he would need to stay longer, I decided I would pick him up and move him to our regular vet.
When I arrived to pick him up, the technician warned us that leaving the cat without overnight monitoring while a catheter was in place created the risk that he might remove the catheter and bleed, and/​or become blocked and unable to urinate again, thus introducing another life-​threatening risk.
So, with this ominous warning, I called our regular vet to ask about these risks and was immediately told that they leave cats overnight with catheters often, and although she wouldn’t use the word «never,» she said it is extremely unlikely that any serious or life-​threatening problems would arise during the few hours overnight that he went without monitoring.
With that, I decided that the Hope center was poorly communicating the seriousness of his situation, and whether or not he could be treated by a non-​emergency vet, so we got him out of there before they slipped another month’s mortgage payment out of my wallet.
We ended up leaving him overnight with our regular vet for the next three nights, where he received excellent care. He ultimately received about 60 hours of treatment at our regular vet for $ 650. In comparison, 18 hours at the Hope Center brought a charge of nearly $ 2,000.
Additionally, a surgery the doctor at Hope Center had discussed with me was quoted to cost over $ 3,500. Fortunately our cat didn’t required the surgery (yet), but out of curiosity I asked our regular vet what they charged for the procedure. Her answer: $ 1,500.
The price markup is key to how Hope Center operates. It allows them to keep doctors on site 24 hours a day (even in blizzards) and that availability is great when it’s truly necessary, but in my case, I didn’t feel like they effectively communicated the degree of care required for my pet, plus they charged an astronomical fee.
I think Hope Center is probably fine if your pet has been hit by a car at 2 a.m. or suffered some other terrible trauma and needs immediate surgery — but if there are any doubts, check with your regular vet first.

Make sure you get a written estimate of charges. They also pull the overcharge then refund trick to make you feel better about how crazy expensive it is.

All they care here is how to get money out of you. Find another place especially if you plan to come to ER

This is a wonderful place to take your pet. We took our puppy here to the Ophthalmology Department when her eye was cloudy and swollen. They diagnosed it quickly and unlike other vets, made sure we were in the room with her when she was getting checked out. They gave a great explanation of the possible causes and treatments and it was clear we were in expert hands. Following our initial appointment, they voluntarily emailed us her medical records so we had a copy and then reached out again to see how she was doing before her scheduled follow-​up appointment. It is apparent that they really care and do great work.

The vet matched our dog’s brindle fur pattern when he stitched her gaping side back up!
We were Referred here for Emergency. The ER ‘premium’ added to regular vet visit cost was only $ 75, which I felt was very reasonable for 24÷7÷365 availability of emergency vets. On Saturday 17 October 2015, our 2-​yr old brindle puggle ran too close to a ladder we had laid on the ground that afternoon. She was slashed by one of the jagged ladder feet (the part that digs into the ground to steady an extension ladder). Her left side was cut clean through the subcutaneous tissue to the muscle (which was barely grazed thank goodness!). From the moment we arrived, through minor surgery, to discharge, the vet and staff were so calming and re-​assuring. The way they handled the situation and themselves inspired our confidence. Today is 23 November, and looking at our puggle’s fur, amazingly the brindle pattern is perfectly matched along the straight thin scar that is all that remains of her injury. The surgery only cost $ 150, plus the cost of drugs, surgical supplies, anesthesiology and nursing care. She had three layers of tissue sewed back together (including her hide), and about 20 stitches showing. Removal of the stitches later did not cost me extra (upon follow-​up w/​my regular vet). All in all, I felt the charges were very reasonable. And, bonus for the care they showed to stitch her up well, as the fur grows out, she is back to her beautiful little self !!!

This is a great place that does all it can to help your pet… costly, but it’s worth it if they save a pet’s life, and they did that for us after our 9 month old kitten ate half an Ibuprofen or something else, we’re not sure, but we are happy she is still with us. thank you HOPE Center!

We went in for a wellness visit. Our aging Lab was previously diagnosed with laryngeal paralysis. Knowing that it is an advancing condition we were trying to be proactive. Wanting to make sure that he was healthy enough for the surgery we made an appointment for a once over with one of their Internal medicine vets. 6 hours later we were leaving the clinic with our lab being supported by slings. To get the proper xrays they said they would need to give him a sedative like «valium or Xanax» which we understood and approved. However without telling us they also gave him a tranquilizer that completely knocked him out. After several hours without our dog I began to ask questions. A lab tech, not a vet or intern, came out and said that our Lab «liked his drugs and just didn’t want to get up». He was laying on a towel in the middle of the floor in the back and she thought we could leave in about 15 more minutes. We left 4 hours later. The knowledge that I got about my dog was by calling my regular vet and telling him what was listed as medications on our bill. He told me that they had administered a very powerful tranquilizer and we should not expect our dog to walk around for as much as 8 hours. Never in a million years would I go back to Hope Advanced Veterinary Center. Nothing serious happened to my pet. What did happen was treatment that was not authorized or even discussed. A lack of concern by the Veterinarians that could clearly see a dog in the middle of the floor knocked out that was in for a wellness visit 4 hours earlier. The vet actually said to me, «I had no idea that you were concerned.» As the charges for this wellness visit climbed their lack of concern for my dog, myself and my husband diminished. I can only imagine if this visit had been trauma related how they could feed on fears, create panic and make higher profits.

At the outset, let me say that yes, the Hope Center is expensive. They are very proactive in providing written cost estimates at the start of and during treatment. My rescue sheltie went into CHF very suddenly, and taking him to the Hope Center allowed him to be cared for emergently _​and_​seen during the day by his cardiologist from CVCA (upstairs). The staff — vets, techs, and front desk — were uniformly professional and compassionate, and were available by phone throughout the night, able to provide detailed updates on his condition and prognosis. I only wish this kind of care were available to everyone with a beloved companion animal.

My dog got a scratch on one of his eye which later got swollen really bad the next day. I took him to this vet because it was the only place open during the time (9:30PM). The staffs were nice and informative on the things that they were going to do to my dog and they also wanted me to keep him over night so the eye doctor can examine it in the morning. I agreed that what they told is in best interest for my dogs health (mind you they never mentioned the price for any of the procedures). When I got back to the front desk I get an invoice total estimate of $ 1,300 for over night stay and four medication that they «prescribed». There was no payment plan and they wanted the invoice to be paid up front. Noticing the ridiculous price I decided to take my dog back home and wait the next day to go to a different hospital. I was still charged $ 500 for the emergency fee, and the medicines they used for my dog. If money wasn’t the problem, this place would have been a great place. But like most corrupted vets, they use the pet owner’s emotion to throw in any medication they can get money off from.

I couldn’t be more grateful to this clinic. My dog has had knee issues for years and about a year ago it seemed to get much worse. His normal vet said he seemed fine and didn’t see anything wrong. I took him here for a second opinion and his knee cap was completely gone from the socket and he had torn some of the connective tissues surrounding the knee! It was obvious to me that he was in a lot of pain and wasn’t himself. They got him in for surgery right away and then we did physical therapy in their wonderful facility for a few months. I was very pleased with the whole process and the level of service we received. Everyone on staff was helpful and professional. My dog healed beautifully and is playing fetch and taking long walks again. It was on the pricey side (about $ 4K when all was said and done) but worth it.

Everything about out experience was excellent. All the staff were friendly and responsive. Our dog had a mass on his eyelid that was starting to grow and ooze. Dr. Adkins explained that it was too large to cut out completely, but cut out most and froze the remainder. Wearing an E-​collar is hard on a dog, but the week passed. He looks much better and the eye is not bothering him at all. I was really impressed by everyone we dealt with.
If you need a vet specialist (and I hope you don’t), this is a very good choice.

Dr. Adkins treats my bichon for glaucoma, and she and the support staff are phenomenal. He had a complex evisceration procedure this year with extremely positive outcomes. Dr. Adkins and staff also have a great rapport with clients.
My dog’s initial onset happened on a weekend, and the emergency staff were also wonderful, getting his symptoms under control and keeping me updated.

My husband and I recently took our dog here for the first time after he ingested something. I will start with the positives and say that the staff were all very knowledgable and nice, especially one of the girls at the front desk, who really helped me throughout the process (I wish I could remember her name. She had dark hair– she was great). I liked the doctor and surgeon as well. However, without going into details about exact amounts, our final bill came out to be almost $ 2,000 over what we were initially estimated. I understand an estimate is only that, but you do expect that it will stay in this range, plus or minus a few hundred. There were no serious complications that occurred to cause this influx in price. We were already quoted at a very high price in my opinion, and for it to exceed by the amount it did was a shock to us. I may have been more understanding if the communication were better, however we were kept out of the loop. The surgeon did call us a couple of times with updates but never knew or was able to tell us any differences in price. They always stated that it wasn’t much, and I always personally had to call (several times) to find out what exactly was going on and to figure out changes in our bill. Again, I understand things happen, and I don’t expect a call for every little thing– but when charges are being tacked on in that amount, over a 24 hour period– there should be communication and there wasn’t. I was even informed when I went to pick him up, that the surgical staff had moved our dog upstairs for the day, which was completely unnecessary, and added on additional charges. When we dropped him off, it was in the afternoon and although they did not begin surgery until 8:00 that night, I was told by TWO staff members that I was «lucky» because the surgeon was still on site from another surgery and would not be charged the additional emergency fees. These were also not on my estimate. When I went to pick up our dog on the final day, they decided they had made a mistake by not adding that, and tacked it on. Which wasn’t a small amount. It was honestly just frustrating. I was compensated a small amount back at the end, which a couple of people in the veterinary center really helped me with, and I do really appreciate them. The concern is more towards the Surgical Center team than the actual veterinary center itself. We used to go to Woodbridge Animal Hospital (which I love), but I was really hoping to find something closer once we moved, especially for emergencies. However, I really am not sure I would return because of this. I am apprehensive now and when our dog fell ill again a week ago late at night, we chose to make the drive down to Woodbridge.
This is not everyone’s experience, and I think there are many positive things to say about this place as well. I was just deeply upset about this incident and don’t feel we were compensated back the amount we should have been.

I’ve read many of the lower-​starred reviews on the Hope Clinic — and yes, the place is incredibly expensive… unfortunately that just goes with the territory of emergency vet services. As the owner of a rescue dog who had a slew of previous health conditions and for whom I could not get great pet insurance — I was generally pretty mentally and emotionally prepared for the estimates… but yes it still hurts… and yes I had to call my bank and explain that my credit card was not in fact stolen.
Here’s the thing — when your fur ball/​fur baby starts having a horrible seizure in the middle of the night — you want to go to a place that is (a) full of knowledgeable, kind staff and (b) clean and comfortable — trust me, we spent several hours there in the middle of the night recently — clean and comfortable is key.
I think perhaps what has most impressed me about the clinic is that — despite having taken my dog in one time for emergency care — they have still provided expert over-​the-​phone advice when I’ve had to call in the middle of the night (4 or 5 times now) on whether or not I need to bring in my dog and ways to help him get through a tough night.
And lastly — a quick shout out to Dr. Pugh who was amazing. My dog loved her — and she took great care of him, calling to give me an update before her shift was over.

This place is heaven sent. Gave me comfort when I needed it most. Excellent customer service, courteous and professional. The doctor was very patient in explaining the diagnosis, treatment options, plan of care, and outcomes to me. I wasn’t rushed and provided opportunities for me to ask questions.
Highly recommended.

I took my two miniature dachshunds in on Friday night when I came home to discover they had gotten in to a package tat I didn’t realize had two large bars of dark chocolate in it.
They got both girls taken care of quickly and set up. I was shocked when I saw the estimate of services at over $ 2,200 for the night and that they wanted payment upfront for the estimate. (I’ve never paid upfront at our normal vet). While I expected they would both be ok as they had thrown up just about everything I signed the estimate and turned over a credit card. I got to the center around 930pm and it was around 1230am before I left to go home.
When I woke up the following morning I was I pressed that I had an email with a progress report. One of my girls is horrible at the vet and they were unable to even get her blood pressure and the other was doing well. I called to find out if I could take them early as keeping them a full 24 hours seemed unnecessary (and expensive) when they were so stressed. They called me back 5 minutes later and said they were getting them ready to go and to come over at anytime. I live less than a mile away and was there quickly so I expected a wait. I was there for over an hour waiting to be discharged. Luckily, taking them out early saved me quite a bit though their less than 12 hours there it was nearly $ 1,700.
Over all the staff was great and communication was outstanding which is why I will give them 3 stars. But they are slow when you are there and very pricey. (My parents dogs had to go to the emergency hospital a few years ago with a pet sitter and for very similar treatment and a longer stay it was $ 500 less)