The day I feared came for my boy Finn, a cardiac cat who had several years beyond what was expected, but did suffer the outcome one can never prepare for. Despite being advised to go to the ER, I declined knowing that would only lead to the ultimate outcome with trauma, and not the compassion, kindness, and skill I have learned in these situations, Alpine, and in particular, Dr. Reidelbach, do so well. Although she was not in until later in the day, Dr. Sartain fit me in and told me what I did not want to hear, but did it well and with compassion. Much of the afternoon was spent in my sunlit warm car with Finn on my lap, as he was made comfortable. I was grateful Dr. Reidelbach did arrive, as we have been through 3 other losses in the same years. She went above and beyond, but that is what I have grown to respect ..attunement to the situation, solid knowledge base, compassion, empathy. Simply bending to the situation that presents with the goal of the best outcome for all the focus. She delivered. The day will always be remembered with sadness as Finn was my heart, but she understood this, which will envelop the memory with the golden hue the sun delivered through the skylight on us all. read more

Alpine Veterinary Hospital - Veterinarians Near Me - Cabin John, Maryland

Alpine Veterinary Hospital has great, caring doctors and friendly, knowledgeable staff.

I've been taking my pets to Alpine for 40 years. The veterinarians have always been quite skilled as well as compassionate. The techs are well trained, knowledgeable, and friendly. They make clients feel welcome. read more

Our dog gets very nervous, but the veterinarians at Alpine Veterinary Hospital are so good at calming him down. We've been really happy with his care here, and it's really just a great place. read more

To whom it may concern, I am writing to express my gratitude to Alpine Veterinary Hospital for exemplary care for all of our pets over the course of more than 30 years. My mother first found them for her West HIghland White Terriers and Siamese Cats. When I relocated back to the area in 1998, they have looked after our three Golden Retrievers. Recently, Dr Ramachandran has been very thoughtful and helpful as we navigate the issues associated with various age-related infirmities of Golden Retriever #2. In all that time, I can't think of a single complaint. The staff at Alpine have been unfailingly professional and caring. I wish there was an option to grant more than 5 stars. read more

very caring and friendly have used them for over a decade with multiple cats and dogs - highly recommended

After posting on Nextdoor that I was searching for a vet for my new puppy in the Glover Park area, there was an overwhelming response for both Friendship and Alpine. I initially thought we'd go with Friendship because it was a little closer to home. While attempting to make our first appointment with Friendship, the phone immediately went to a busy signal, after numerous attempts and a 30 minute hold I was finally able to get an appointment scheduled. After speaking my communications concerns to my breeder, she let me know a dog from a previous litter goes to Alpine and they've been very happy. I called Alpine and immediately was connected to a very friendly receptionist and set up my puppy's first appointment. I then attempted to call Friendship back to cancel my appointment and was never able to get through. I eventually had to email them to request the appointment be cancelled. The simple fact that I can quickly and easily speak with someone at Alpine solidified this would be our vet. It was comforting to know I would be able to reach someone in a time of need. I can't imagine the feeling of hearing a busy signal while trying to contact your vet during an emergency. I had a few questions leading up to the appointment about the documents and samples needed, and each time I called they were so friendly and helpful. This is my first puppy and not being able to go inside (due to COVID) with my 11 week old puppy and meet/speak with our new vet definitely made me anxious at first. After pulling up and speaking with the vet tech I immediately felt at ease. She thoroughly explained how the whole appointment process would work and was very friendly and kind. Our vet, Dr. Sartain, was absolutely wonderful. She went over my puppy's health and extensively answered the numerous questions I had over the phone. I did not feel rushed through our conversation and could tell she truly cared. I was impressed with Alpine prior to the appointment, but after our visit I felt so lucky to find such a spectacular vet nearby. It is obvious that the staff truly cares about both the animals and their owners they see every day. I trust Alpine and know my puppy is in good hands with their staff! Thank you Alpine! read more

Came here many times as a kid to bring my dog Lady here. I don't understand how she knew at times she had to go to the Veterinarian, but she was scared. Me being with her helped calm her down. Veterinarians, Doctors and Dentists have that effect on us animals. I use the term Animals to classify both groups...don't take it personally. This place might have had a different name back in the 80's but I will call it the name it is today. If I am still correct, some still lives in part of the house that is in the back of the hospital. It looks like the finally finished the road that went down the hill of the veterinarian's hospital. read more

Alpine Veterinary Hospital - Veterinarians Near Me - Cabin John, Maryland

We started taking our dogs to Alpine six years ago when we moved to Cabin John. At first, the visits consisted of annual check ups but when our older dog was diagnosed with cancer, the visits became more regular. The staff at Alpine were always so helpful over the phone and willing to squeeze in a last minute appointment when needed. Sadly, our older dog's health deteriorated quickly and we had to put her down in the middle of the night at an emergency animal hospital. I never followed up with Alpine to let them know what happened. Yesterday, we received a sympathy card with handwritten notes from the staff. My husband and I were both in tears at the thoughtfulness of this gesture. Thank you, Dr Sartain and all the Alpine staff for taking such good care of our furry family members. read more

Alpine Veterinary Hospital - Veterinarians Near Me - Cabin John, Maryland

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Great service but expensive My dog is usually nervous but the care was fantastic. They are great with sending reminders for shots and check-ups. read more

We moved to Bethesda in 2014 with our two dogs and a cat. It unfortunately took us three years and the same number of veterinarians before we found Alpine, but I'm so thankful we did. They are beyond wonderful. They provide excellent service and exude care in every interaction, from booking appointments to routine checkups to diagnosing and treating illnesses. I've never had to wait more than a few minutes for an appointment, which is generally not the case at other vets. We recently had to make the awful decision to put our 13-year-old dog to sleep. It was my first time having to do that and the staff at Alpine made it as painless and respectful as possible. They were so kind and compassionate with us and with our beloved dog. That was two weeks ago and today we received a sympathy card with a note from every staff member and a paw print they'd made from our dog. That level of care and attention is present in everything they do. You and your pets couldn't ask for a better vet than Alpine. read more

This is a review for Dr Ramachandra only. I had 4 pets, most of them rescued. I am using the past tense here because my last beloved rescue passed away not very long ago. I had found this dog in the streets of Puerto Rico and noticed he seemed to be sick. Brought him to a vet there and found out he had 2 fatal conditions, but decided to bring him to the US regardless that. Once back home, I brought him to Friendship Heights Animal Hospital and received the most awful service one can imagine: among other things, they wanted to charge me about $800 to repeat all over again the exact same exams I had already done in Puerto Rico a few days before. When finally a neighbor suggested me to try Alpine, I was delighted to meet Dr. Ramachandran, an experienced vet and a person with a heart. The case was complicated and she never hesitate to answer each one of my questions with detail, one can tell she loves what she does. He lived 5 months, but certainly much happier than the rest of his long miserable years in the streets. And that was exactly what I wanted: giving him a bit of hapiness before he left us. But I would never be able to do it without the help of a very knowledgeable vet. Dr R. was precise, careful, intuitive, and never pushed me to buy unnecessary services. An euthanasia moment is always a bad moment, but she made it peaceful, making sure the environment was quite and nothing would disturb him. A couple of days after Chico left us, I was amazed to have received a condolence note from her, written by hand. Dr. Ramachandra is the best vet I've met in the 6 years I' ve been living in the US. read more

Good practice but very expensive. An annual exam was billed at more than 4x the rate of a NoVa-based vet I used to go to, and because I was naive enough to buy meds here I left with an almost bill just shy of $1k. The people are great, just know that you are going to pay premium here. read more

Five Dogs- Yup, so we know a little about Vets. Each and everyone at Alpine is amazing The Docs know their stuff, the staff is organized and they try to be as reasonable with cost as they can. They seem to always try and find ways to save money. If there was ten stars I would give them ten stars in fact here ********** :o) I was NOT paid for this review and am an actual client Paul read more

The ONLY certified Fear Free vet practice in the DC area. It is SO worth it! The staff was super friendly on our visit and took amazing care of my two dogs (and I am super picky about them!). I was able to give my dogs treats throughout their exams, and the puppy even got a special treat of spray cheese - so amazing! Both my dogs had a great time, and were actually calm and happy at the vet for a change! It's a great feeling. I highly recommend them, they are great!! read more

Professional, kind , gentle, clean. I've taken my dogs here for the past 15 years and been satisfied. It is expensive. I have not checked out other Vet places in this area. I know friendship is even more expensive read more

I've been bringing my dog Lolly to Alpine since I got her 7 years ago and have had nothing but great experiences. I've never been to any other vet where everyone seems to so genuinely care about the pets. Lolly never minds a visit to Alpine cause she's always smothered with attention (and a few treats). They're also very accommodating and whenever there's been a bit of an emergency and I want her seen right away, there's never been a problem with that. I think the price is comparable to other places in the area but you really can't hope to find a better vet hospital! read more

I was relatively new to the area (used to live in Ohio) and looking for a vet. My neighbors had recommended Alpine so I thought I'd give it a try when my dog got into the trash and had several episodes of vomiting. Overall, the staff and doctors are very caring and attentive and I would highly recommend them. Doctor: You can tell when a doctor really cares vs when she is just trying to get the job done and rush out the room. Dr. Ramachandran was so sweet and very professional. She sat on the ground with my 60 pound lab and examined him. She knew his belly was hurting so she was very gentle around this area. She is very practical with her advice and gives a couple different options on how to treat my excited vomiting dog. I liked that she didn't try and sell me on a ton of different tests but instead offered a step-wise treatment and testing option. Her exam was very thorough. She even called me the next day to see how my dog was doing. I've got call backs from the technicians before, but not vets... it's a nice touch. Support Staff: As soon as I walked through the door I was greeted by the friendly receptionist. She could see my dog was a little nervous and offered to come up and say hi to him. She had read the reason why I had come in and knew she couldn't offer him a cookie as a welcome gift (point for attention to detail). After the appointment, the technician went through all the go home instructions again just to make sure I understood everything. I found this very helpful to have both the doctor and technician go through this information. Hospital: The lobby and exam rooms are clean and comfortable. The hospital has a home-like feeling to it instead of a sterile hospital. Overall, great experience. read more

I definitely recommend going out of your way to bring your furry friends to Dr. Ramachandran - I go way out of my way. Despite living all the way in New York City now, I still go through the effort to schedule Penny's (my Schnauzer / Furry Bed Bug) regular check-ups for when I am driving down to Maryland to visit family. Dr. Ramachandran has the best bedside manner with Penny and it makes all the difference. I've seen veterinarians who treat pets like animals and it just makes me so upset (and I know I sound crazy when I say this to anyone who isn't a pet lover). But Dr. R talks to and plays with Penny to settle her down and she explains everything to me (because she knows I'm probably more anxious than Penny). As she's going through her expert routine, she let's me know when to distract Penny so that she doesn't pay to much attention to her shots (or a thermometer in her tush :( It's obvious Dr. R loves her job and that's what you want in a person who dedicates herself to helping others. When you see her at work you just think, wow, I wish I loved my job this much, I'm so jealous. But above all else, I will never forget that Dr. Ramachandran immediately took my call when I found a tick on Penny after a hike - I felt so guilty and she calmed me down and explained how to get them out, signs of trouble I should look out for, and what we should do to test her for tick related illnesses and the vaccine options that exist for limiting risk going forward. Everything turned out fine and Dr. R set me straight about applying Advantix every month and how to apply it correctly. Thank you! read more

We have experienced great care at Alpine. Dr. Rama has great bedside manner. I neve feel she is rushing though an exam. We've have had both routine and emergency visits. I've been in the area for many years and have tried several local vets. The office staff and medical team at Alpine is by far the best we've seen. Highly recommended. read more

I now have a new Shar-Pei puppy and will only take her here. They are a bit more expensive than my other vet, but I feel better about their knowledge of Shar-Pei. They are always happy to see my puppy and take good care of her. read more

Excellent 5+ star rating! We've been going to Alpine for many years with our Yorkies! Cannot speak more highly re the Staff, Vets & Techs. Our tiny Rescue "Morkie-Andy" about age 11 (unsure) had some special needs (he was abused and turned into a LA shelter and freaks/cannot be in a kennel situation) recently re extensive dental work. Doc Rama took the precautions seriously and with compassion & warmth. The dental surgery went very well, as good as we could hope for. They are uber smart & caring! Deb & Skip in Georgetown read more

Dr. Ramachandran is great! My dog got sick on a visit DC (probably ate something suspicious while we were playing in a park) and my friend recommended Alpine. We drove Jimmy there and had to wait a little- but Dr. R was able to fit us in. She was reassuring about the situation and gave us something to help his stomach. The office was clean and the staff were attentive. Real props for squeezing us in at the last minute and being kind to me even though I was super anxious about my vomiting dog. We got a call the next day to double check that everything was OK. The best service I've received at a vet's office in a long time. If I lived here, I'd make Dr. Ramachandran Jim's regular vet. read more

This veterinary practice is amazing. Their staff are true professionals. The care they take each and every time with us humans reflects so well in how they manage the animals. They are all wonderful at this practice. read more

This is a wonderful place. They are caring and knowledgable people. If you have an orthopedic or other specialty issue, they know enough but are also quick to recognize when a specilalist would be best. One Saturday, my puppy had an accident nearby so I drove there. They were closing but quickly acessed the situation. It was an emergency but not an immediate threat. They were unnecessarily apologetic for not stitching him up and sending me elsewhere. It looked worse than it was. Again, they are caring people. For anyone who thinks that their rates are high, I found them reasonable. The cost for that location -' with big exam rooms must be high. Although we moved, we have retuned a few times. Hopefully, our new choice will be comparable. read more

I used to drive past this little office all the time but never thought to bring my pets here until a bad experience at another more prominent animal hospital. Boy, we had been missing a real jewel. Homey and friendly with staff who are knowledgeable and ready with great advice. Dr. Rama is so kind and guided us through the last year of our cherished pup's life with compassion and insight. When it came time for us to let her go, Dr. Rama was right there with us, tears and all. The whole staff signed a condolences card. I feel really lucky to have found them and when we're ready to love again, Alpine will be our vet. read more

Great, friendly, competent and compassionate animal care. The whole fleet of dogs and cats has been seen by them for the last 14 years.

Poor communications. I brought my cat here twice, once to get him neutered and once to get him chipped. On both occasions, the staff failed to inform me of the full process until after the procedure. After neutering, my cat unexpectedly came home with a cone of shame he had to wear for 10 days, after which he had to return to get his stitches removed. The cone of shame was a major inconvenience for him, not something any of my prior cats needed after neutering, and all my other cats had returned with dissolving stitches so they would not have to return. It was not a happy experience, but I thought I would try this vet again. Before getting him chipped, I called and discussed the process over the phone so there would be no misunderstanding. However, after the procedure I was told it was $15 more than I had been quoted because I did not bring my own chip -- really??? Also after the procedure, I was told I would need to pay an annual subscription fee to keep my information on file -- really??? Why was none of this disclosed when I called in advance or before the procedure??? read more

So they have the bedside manner down fine. The staff is friendly and animal oriented. My cat suffered from his first distemper shot. I told the Vet, they noted it in their computer system and they gave him pain relievers and steroids the next time around. This solved the issue for my orange guy. First class Vets at a first class price. Worth it. read more

I'm sorry to say that after 10 years of using Alpine, and being happy with them for routine care, they sorely disappointed us when our sweet dog really got sick. We brought our dog in on a Thursday to Alpine because our dog was bleeding from his gums. The vet said it should go away. On Saturday we were concerned it was really bleeding a lot - a real lot - so we took him back and saw another vet. He said that our dog needed testing but he didn't want to do it because it was close to closing time. He told us to return on Monday. We were so concerned with what was happening to our dog that the same Saturday night we took him to MEAC, the emergency hospital Alpine recommends when they're closed. That vet was really awful - the doctor tried telling us he wasn't even bleeding. We left our dog at Alpine on Monday to be checked out. The vet called and told us he thought there was a tumor on his jaw. He stated our choice was to either put our dog to sleep or give him mouth surgery. He gave us the name of a mouth surgeon. The surgeon was really good and helpful. He wasn't sure about Alpine's diagnosis - he didn't necessarily feel there was a tumor - but said the most important first thing to do was to control the bleeding - the blood was not coagulating. He sent us to VCA animal hospital, which did a good job - I would recommend them. Our dog, just 10 years old, died within the week. I believe that if Alpine had checked our dog the Saturday we brought him in, instead of having us wait till Monday, maybe the bleeding could have gotten under control so that they could figure out the underlying condition. He could have even sent us to VCA then if the vet couldn't do the work himself then. Those 2 days could well have cost him our dog his life, as we were never able to get our dog's blood condition under control and we were fighting against time the whole week. This is bothering us also: after sending us to the dental surgeon, we never again heard from Alpine - at all - they never contacted us to check on what was happening with our dog. Nothing. They were getting updates from the doctors we were working with but never once checked on us or communicated with us at all. Not even after he died. If we brought our dog in for an ear infection they'd call us in a couple of days to see how he was doing. But with this, after 10 years of treating our dog, no call, nothing. Was it out of guilt? I don't know, but it sure was a disturbing aspect to a very sad experience. read more

I TRIED to take my dog here but was so put off in the lobby that I left and found another vet. I was a new client and when I showed up and checked in, I attempted to give the assistant at the front my dog's medical records. She said she didn't have time and told me to sit down. Just as I sat down, she said, "Oh I can take those now." I proceeded to wait for 40 minutes in the lobby, my dog being stressed out the whole time. I was never told why they were running so late, and they never apologized for not seeing me on time. Several people came in after me and were helped before I was. Not once during this time period did anyone on the staff acknowledge my dog, which I find really weird for a vet. Every other vet I've gone to has said hi, asked me his name, or given him a treat. The whole time the staff members had a scowl on their face. After waiting so long with no help, or acknowledgement for that matter, I got up and left. No one even said anything as I walked out the door. Morale of the story, I wouldn't trust them with my pet or my wallet. read more

I LOVE Alpine Vet! I drive all the way from Alexandria, VA to have Alpine take care of our dog. We have a 3 legged Golden Lab & the Dr. always goes out of her way to do a full exam...even getting on the floor & feeling every inch of our dog's body. The staff (everyone) is very friendly & helpful. They really make you feel like family...not just a customer. They also love animals & you can tell the animals they treat are their top priority. Alpine has been wonderful in emergency situations as well as for the routine check ups. I would recommend Alpine Vet to anyone & everyone!!! read more

We were lucky finding this veterinary practice for my puppy. Over the years, he received professional and thoughtful care with each vet and staff person encounter. The advice and recommendations proved knowledgeable and realistic. It was only when he became lame, did I realized just how special and unique this practice is. Dr. R gently explained the situation and counseled me. The medical staff and team did everything above and beyond to allow my family time with our dog at home and carefully planned for his final trip back to the practice. I have been through loss of humans and other animals, Alpine Vet ensured this was the most compassionate and kindest of all the good-byes. read more

They took great care of my cat while going through her illness. They are wonderful with my shy dog

Excellent. We've been taking our dogs to Alpine for almost 16 years. The staff knows our dog by name and Is very responsive to answering questions and /or making sure the vet calls back by the EOD. W e don't feel that the dog has been subjected to any unnecessary tests or procedures. read more

I brought my cat in here because she's been having urinary issues. I felt that they were unnecessarily cruel when they were handling her. They were forcing her head down onto the table and a couple times I heard her head hitting the table. When I asked if they could be a little more gentle, they dismissed my concerns and took her out of the room saying "We'll see what we can do." More than half an hour passed where I was sitting in the room with no idea what was going on. I could only hear my cat crying in the next room, and I also heard somebody at the front desk say "...evil cat..." When they finally came back, they told me they had taken a blood test and x-ray. They had mentioned it as a possible treatment before they left the room, but I never agreed to it. Especially since they never told me the cost of it. I initially brought her in for a procedure they told me would cost $20.60 (to take urine from the bladder) and was surprised to be stuck with a $248 bill. When I questioned the line item costs, the technician/receptionist was rather unpleasant about it and said that I had to pay it since it was already done. It seems borderline unethical to me to do procedures without confirming with the customer that 1) they want it done and 2) telling them the cost. The questionable ethics and their horrible bedside manner with animals makes me definitely want to find another vet. read more

I am a first time Alpine client and am very happy with my experience. Dr. Ramachandran was very caring and thorough. She diagnosed my dog with diabetes after the first visit and spent so much time explaining the disease. I felt bad because I called several times after with questions but she was always happy to take my call. Great service and the staff treated our dog just like it was their own. read more

We have been clients of Alpine for 14 years now. They are all really caring and friendly. Our dog jumps out of the car and walks himself to the door with his tail wagging. If that is not a recommendation, I don't know what is. read more

We finally brought home our new tiny puppy and after a few days his health began to decline and we wasn't sure why. We went to the first vet and they did an exam without us present, and tried to say he had parvo, charged me $100 and sent us to the Emergency veterinarian who then tried to say he had parvo but can't test for it because they ran out of test, they completed the exam without me present and had him in a back room where i couldn't see him. They told me they needed to keep him overnight and monitor him that would cost me over $2,500, they drew blood and never ran the test. I ended up leaving and called Alpine who where extremely pleasant, was able to get me in for an appointment within a few hours. All the staff were extremely nice and the doctor was phenomenal, she conducted the full exam in front of me and took the time to explain everything to me and show me how to check certain things at home. they ran full test right there in the clinic and had results within 10 mins. The doctor went over all the results and gave me a treatment plan and the cost was way more reasonable. Today our puppy is recovering very well and doing much better. So glad I found Alpine and this will be our little guys forever home vet. read more

I cannot say enough good things about this practice. I had had enough bad advice and excessive charging after just a few cursory (and mostly phone) interactions with Friendship Animal Hospital, and with my dog continuing to become more and more ill, decided to go to Alpine, based on these reviews. It was the best decision I could have made. The nurse who attended us had the same breed of dog that I have (rather uncommon in this area). Dr. Sartain was absolutely wonderful, caring and empathetic. She completed a full examination on my dog, discovering things that were completely overlooked at Friendship. She was engaged, knowledgeable, and wholly competent. After giving my dog medications that should have been prescribed by Friendship, a special diet during the period of illness, and a promise to call the next day with lab results, I paid fully HALF of what I paid at Friendship. No need to say that I will be sticking with Alpine from now on. read more