The care by Dr. Puentes for my poodles ear problems was excellent. HOWEVER, I was sent home with a medication and chared $50.00. Its available on the internet for $21.00. I feel cheated by the corporation which bought out the privately owned Pender. Its now all about the money. read more

My guinea pig, Patches, was in bad shape. He had stopped eating, drinking, and he had big gas bubbles that were reflected in his x-ray. Things weren't looking so good, and I had to make some tough decisions. Do I keep him in the hospital possibly subjecting him to even more pain, or do I take him home and continue caring for him in an environment he knows and feels comfortable, or should I go down the dreaded and unthinkable path.....euthanasia. Dr. Shearer was so great! She took a lot of time with me going over the options and explaining the implications of each. I never felt rushed which allowed me to mull things over carefully. Micheal was also fantastic, and he too spent time talking me through the situation and the options. He is also an awesome teacher when it comes to giving medicine, and I got it the first time after his demonstration. I am now a pro! Pender was willing to support me in any decision even offering to put me on an affordable payment plan which allowed me to choose the amount & timeline of the payments. Devin explained this with clarity and compassion which brought me much relief. Ultimately, I decided to take Patches home to continue caring for him and giving him the medication prescribed by Dr. Shearer. Four days after the start of all of this, Patches is on the mend and doing great! I have been taking my pets to Pender Exotics for a couple of years now, and I have always had a good experience. From regular check-ups to emergency situations, I highly recommend Pender. read more

Pender Veterinary Centre - Fairfax - Patches on the mend and doing great! Thank you, Pender! Y'all are awesome! - Veterinarians Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Dr Hyatt and Pender Vet team are always amazing with my nervous rescue. they always go above and beyond . I've been coming to Pender for the last 30 years with all my animals. Pender veterinarian never disappoints. Dr. Peter Hyatt is so calm and really puts Rocko at ease. Thank you team for all you do. read more

Pender Veterinary Centre - Fairfax - Veterinarians Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Pender let my cat practically go untreated and die. My kitten had been to Pender around 6 times. Continued to be shrugged off and not checked throughly. They told me he would be fine and it's just a disease or upper respiratory infection, then shoved some antibiotics on him. My cat had FIP.. which is highly fatal in cats/kittens not starting treatment IMMEDIATELY. ONE vet here had found that, when it was too late of course. Pender placed an IV which they gave my cat fluids.. FLUIDS. When he had a swollen belly which inevitably swelled him more manifesting how rapidly he declined. Pender did not check (clearly) the part of my paperwork where I said you must TALK with me prior to any tests. They did not. I did not consent to everything they did as I selected I do NOT consent on the given paperwork that night. They then charged me about $2.3k for their unnecessary tests, an overnight stay they said I wouldn't be charged for if I came at a time which I did, and I had asked on the phone. One of the vets or assistants then decided to sit me down in the euthanasia room.. for a "visit" with my very alive but very sick cat. To discuss, not only euthanasia (which they were passively pushing for) and not immediately referring and sending me to a separate vet that treats FIP like they should have, but how to finance treatment. MIND YOU!! The treatment would have been cheaper than that singular day they pushed even more trauma onto my cat. If Pender had been truthful, and more attentive besides less ignorant.. perhaps. My cat would still be alive today, but he is not. I am fully convinced Pender killed my cat in a way. Of course my cat was sick, but there's no excuse for silly tests that did nothing, and blatant ignorance. And this is their emergency room. There is however two vets who were very great here. IF you want to be charged an ungodly amount of money, you enjoy blissful ignorance, and want to have your urgently sick animal shrugged off, sure come to Pender! But otherwise.. you're better off looking for a different primary. And I repeat their "urgent" emergency room, is clearly not urgent enough. Sorry not sorry Pender, I tried to love ya.. but we have been failed. read more

Pender in general and Dr. Voell specifically are the best of the best. I keep trying to break up with this practice because it's so far from my house but there just isn't any other vet that I've found that is comparable and I have tried many. Twice when my dogs have needed xrays I was told by other vets they would need to be sedated, which 1) is more expensive and 2) involves leaving the dog at the office. Both times I opted to go to Pender instead where they xrays were done without sedation. This is just one example of how this practice goes the extra mile. Recently, I adopted a dog who has a pretty serious heart condition. I wanted to understand the scope of the problem before finalizing the adoption but could not get a cardiology appointment for 6-8 weeks. Dr. Voell took us right away and did an echocardiogram and the very next day, after consulting with a cardiologist, he had a game plan for us. Invaluable. I give up, I won't ever leave here. As long as I have a pet, I will make the journey from DC to fairfax. read more

Took our dog in tonight. I thought she ate something funny. She was lethargic and incontinent. They wanted me to call Poison control and pay 90$ for that phone call..that should have been first clue. I refused, but took her in. They checked her vitals when we arrived a 2 mins later after exam said she likely had been exposed to THC and gave her 113$ anti nausea med and 200$ Iv fluids. The entire 10 minute visit cost me $469. What a scam. I would never go back. The vet looked like she was around 20 and staff in general seemed somewhat unprofessional. Go to Vienna emergency vet! It was a very expensive learning experience . read more

There are very limited options for exotics vets in the DMV, and Pender is clearly a well-known name that was recommended to me by multiple people. I appreciate the wide variety of urgent and emergent appointments that they offer outside of standard working hours. I was initially fine with the exam that my guinea pig had for a suspected eye infection, but I ended up needing follow up a week and a half later because the situation worsened. I went to a different exotics clinic in the region where I got what I realized was a far more comprehensive exam and medication regimen. I'm glad it exists as an option, and I know that its impossible to get every diagnosis right on the first try. I will only be returning if I need urgent care and other exotics clinics don't have availability. read more

Incredibly prompt, thoughtful, and professional care. Especially thankful for Dr. Sonichsen who correctly identified the problem with Bun, and Haley, who took extra time to demonstrate how to administer medication. Bill and conversations around cost were transparent. Thanks for taking great care of our rabbit in an emergency. read more

my 6 1/2 month old golden doodle got her post op pain meds from being spade open and ate 8 or 9 of them. induced vomiting, charcoal, IV fluid. We left a couple hours later with our happy tail wagging puppy. Everything explained in detail by Dr. Chey. Everything put into writing. Reminded that they are 24/7 if I got home and had more questions. Wonderful experience. read more

Brought my cat here for the first time to check on his gums. Normally at the vet he will hiss at someone new until he's made comfortable and then he becomes so loving since he's such a social affectionate cat. Normally he just needs two hands on him and he complies. The experience here was traumatizing. The technician (Tiffany D) pulled my cat out of his carrier, attempted to grab him immediately. He didn't like it. Naturally. She left and came back with the doctor and a towel, proceeded to wrap my cat aggressively and squeeze him down with half her body weight. He wasn't hissing anymore, he was crying. All to tell us at the end of the visit nothing was wrong with him. As soon as we left he was shaking and foaming at the mouth for one hour. We came to check on a healthy cat and left with a distraught and abused cat. I called and complained to a Dr. Oden who apologized and agreed this was unacceptable behavior. read more

As someone having had multiple previous "mediocre" to *just-plain-BAD* experiences with exotic vets in the past, I was nervous bringing my severely ill duck in to receive an exam. But the staff at Pender Veterinary MONUMENTALLY surpassed my expectations, and even my wildest hopes, providing fast, gentle, CARING, Effective, EXPERT care for my sweetheart. I could not believe how knowledgeable Dr. Carney and Mike the assistant were about the proper function, potential ailments, and treatment of the reproductive tract issues my duck was having (the former exotic vets I had seen didn't have the slightest CLUE about avians when it came to ANYTHING!). I am SO far beyond impressed with all of the staff at Pender veterinary clinic, and I will be continuing to bring my beloved ducks there over ANYWHERE else, even though the commute for me is a five-hour trip one way... It's worth it. Because my BABIES are worth it. THANK YOU SO MUCH, Pender Staff! Awesome job! read more

I had to take my Boy Grizzly here for an ER visit on June 16th. My dumb self was eating oatmeal with raisins and my pup Grizzly wanted some. And I let him eat a little that was left over. Then wonder if raisins were ok for dogs. Looked online and said not good for dogs. I was like freaking out. Can lead to kidney failure. I was searching how to make him vomit the raisins and I saw a vet video online which the vet guy said hydrogen peroxide and for his weight 3 Table spoons, and I tried to give him the Heimlich and stick my hand in his mouth to make him gag (come to find out from Pender vet that dogs do not have a gag reflex like humans do) but he would not throw up the raisins. Called the vets near us because Pender is an hour and something away from us. And I wanted a vet to look at them as soon as possible they informed me I should call poison control for the animals and I did and they said with the amount of raisins he ate he should be OK and time went by and he was still not acting himself and I was stressed and worried about him so I called Pender and got him in there, after talking to poison control again. Hew was still acting strange and they said if I wanted to take him to the vet that's fine. I paid for the animal poison control consultation over the phone and then I paid the vet emergency bill as well because I wanted my boy to be better and nothing was more important than making sure that he will get better.I let the vet know, he ate some raisins and I gave him hydrogen peroxide after watching that dumb video. ============== SO #1 RASINS ARE BAD FOR DOGS!!!! #2 DONT GIVE YOUR DOG Hydrogen peroxide!!!!! ==================================== He was not acting himself because of the hydrogen peroxide sick to his stomach and they took a blood test, and from the teatime results he was OK from the raisins but not to do it again they wanted me to come back and do another blood test the next day to make sure he was still OK which I did , and he was fine. But when we were there for the ER visit, they gave him a shot to help his upset stomach which helped him out a lot. I LOVE PENDER VETERINARIAN HOSPITAL SO MUCH! They ALWAYS TAKE CARE OF MY FAMILY. My Furry SON AND I, and animals we have had in the past. THIS PLACE IS WHERE ANGELS HELP OUR Fury Animal BABIES!!! They take fantastic care of us every single time! read more

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Thank you for helping our family for a peaceful passing over the rainbow bridge for our kitty. Our 15 year old cat was very sick with lung cancer and was having breathing issues so we contacted Pender over a holiday weekend about availability for euthanasia . This was a very difficult conversation and the receptionists were very patient and understanding (Dee and Valerie) to include all the details & pricing requested ahead of our appointment. After arriving at the Fairfax location, we were given the option to wait in the car or go into a private office room for us to wait. We decided to wait outside to have some quiet time with our kitty and keep him from getting anxious. A wonderful tech (Tiffany) came out to the car to go over details with us and ask if we had any questions. Once we got into the office, our kitty was very upset and anxious so the tech came in(after a few min) to give him oxygen and Dr McKinnon followed into the room to explain giving a sedative to help him calm down, breathe easier And understand a possible side effect. It worked quickly to help him breathe easier and calmly. The next step was "the shot" and they waited for me to be ready before they administered this to let him pass. This process was so dignified and peaceful. They all were so empathetic and understanding of our emotions the entire time my family was there in a small room . She even shook her head to note he had passed. They gave us as much time as we needed to stay with him for our goodbyes Once we were ready, Brie came into the room to wrap him up (like baby) in a soft blanket and told us they would bill me later and we could leave out the side door. The whole office understood how emotional we were and so very grateful for allowing our fur baby to pass peacefully and not in pain. They offer a service for a company to do private pet cremation and allow the family to be notified of where their baby is at all times ,until his ashes are returned back in an personalized urn and a clay paw print. Thank you to all the helpful staff for being so understanding, empathetic and careful taking care of our kitty! read more

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I brought my newly adopted shelter cat to Pender for a check up before integrating him into my household. The Doctor I met with missed his ringworm, performed no cultures or further examinations, instead telling me he had 'sensitive skin'. A month later the ringworm has spread to my other cat and is now all throughout my home, and has cost me multiple additional vet appointments and doubled medications/supplies. Pender has refused to provide any assistance, I'm incredibly disappointed and will be using any other vet service in the area. Editing to add that the offer of assistance they refer to below, was for me to come in and pay for a new exam and blood work. This is why I refer to it as a refusal, as asking me to pay for a duplicated service when I've already experienced financial hardship over this is not in any way helpful. read more

Pender Vet Centre provided the best care for my dog! I adopted Ralphie, a heartworm positive two-year-old beagle mix, from the Fairfax County Animal Shelter. The shelter funded Ralphie's treatment at Pender and Dr. Voell and the staff were amazing - going as far as to facetime me so I could see Ralphie when he had to stay overnight for treatment. Dr. Voell, very straightforward and called me multiple times to give me an update on Ralphie. Great experience with Pender and appreciate their amazing care for my dog. Highly recommend Pender and would certainly take my dogs there again. read more

I see ownership of this facility changed since it excellently helped my last dog with multiple health problems and emergencies. I recently got my new dog neutered and gastropexied there with excellent, top notch veterinarians and expertise/care. The difficulty and issue came in because they insisted that a managing veterinarian had to answer my questions, not just any vet there, since the vet who did the surgeries was out of the office. Other vets on duty were not allowed, or declined, to help me with what turned into a post-surgery emergency for my dog. The managing vet went out for lunch, per the people answering the phones, and despite my making six calls in the course of the day, my concerns were initially minimized, and I was told to keep the dog on the medicine by a vet technician. I directly asked if I could pay to medically board the dog, since he was violently throwing himself into walls and charging around. Despite that, I did not fully understand that my dog was having what later amounted to a veterinary emergency. He weighs 60 pounds, and I could not catch him inside the house for a long time, once I got him out of the crate to try to take him out to pee. I explained to Pender staff that my dog was uncontrollable and hurting himself, by running into walls, and finally by 10 pm that day, I received calls back that someone helped by putting in a different medicine at a pharmacy local to me. I appreciated that, but by then, the damage was done. I drove the two hours for the two surgeries to Pender, based on the past excellent care my last dog received there. I am truly grateful for the high quality vet care on the surgeries still. The issue had something to do with the hierarchy of decision making and the way people told me, "you just called an hour ago, and we have no response back from the managing vet yet." The reason I kept calling was they initially told me to keep giving my dog Trazadone, when he was violent and literally bouncing off walls. He ran around uncontrollably, hitting walls, and I could not catch him inside the house. I have to give them credit because they did go the extra mile in getting a different medicine prescribed by night time. However, with smaller vet practices, I have been able to get quicker and better advice. This place has a hierarchy in which other vets were not allowed to be contacted for help, per the people answering the phones. The managing vet certainly must need to eat, etc., but I would have hoped another vet could have helped, if the vet that did my dog's surgery was out. I now understand my dog was having a medical emergency, which I did not realize the gravity of, from talking with the Pender staff (folks answering phones, and one vet tech). I managed to catch my dog after he had destroyed things in the house (unfortunately not my house, house is in probate), and got him in the car, still acting crazy, to a local VCA vet. The VCA hospital is now treating and medically boarding my dog for several days, since he injured himself (although he did not open the abdominal incision). He did get a seroma and could have busted the incision if I was not able to get him to VCA. The quality of care at Pender is excellent, but it is so busy and has some sort of hierarchy system now that is not necessarily compatible with getting swift advice. I called two emergency vets overnight and one staffer told me my dog could have been having seizures and might need to see a neurologist. I will see how he is after being treated at VCA and boarded to keep him calm. And FYI, it is not easy finding a facility to medically board in a situation like this. Pender gave me the name of one place that could not help. Pender itself said pets have to have "special needs" like diabetes to medically board at Pender after a surgery. My dog definitely had a severe reaction to medication and required more help than I could provide. VCA helped me, when Pender could not fully help, and now I know better than to ask Pender to medically board a dog in the future, but hope this never happens to my dog again. read more

We have taken our guinea pigs to Pender on numerous occasions and this is an outstanding veterinary practice because of exceptional veterinarians and staff. The depth of their understanding when it comes to the human-animal bond cannot be overstated and I sincerely appreciate their level of compassion. We had to rush Bruno there on a national holiday in May 2022 because he was abruptly losing large quantities of blood. He received top notch emergency care and was hospitalized overnight. Thankfully, he recovered and has been doing very well ever since. I had to rush Archie there in the middle of the night because he had a scheduled cystotomy performed at a local practice and was discharged in critical condition with organs protruding from his abdominal incision. Sadly, Archie was doomed but it gives me great consolation to know I took Archie to the best possible place in his final hours to give him the best chance at survival and maximum pain control. Equally as important is the fact that he was surrounded by veterinary professionals who deeply care about their patients' best interest and strive to keep that as the number one priority at all times. Our guinea pigs CoCo and Tucker have had routine appointments with Dr. Fedderly at Pender so we have non-emergency experiences there as well and, even though we live over an hour away, it has always been well worth the extra driving time. CoCo even had acupuncture treatment with Dr. Shearer to provide him with added comfort since he had inoperable cancerous tumours. I also left a review with several photos and more details on Google but wanted to send a special thank you to Dr. Eller, Dr. Fedderly, Dr. Fujimoto, Dr. Shearer, and Vet Tech Brian for their exceptional care and compassion. Receptionist Wendy is such a gem, too. Dr. Fedderly's outreach and support after Archie's death provided me with so much comfort especially since there was no outreach or compassion shown by the veterinarian who performed Archie's cystotomy that resulted in his need for emergency care. I was stunned and heartbroken on so many levels but Dr. Fedderly's genuine care and concern reminded me that profound compassion and accountability are the norm in veterinary medicine. Dr. Fedderly also sent a sweet and thoughtful card after I informed her that our CoCo's cancer had worsened and he needed to be humanely euthanized. I am so grateful for her heightened emotional sensitivity and thoughtfulness. She is such a beautiful example of an extraordinary veterinarian. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart and love how you truly exemplify, through your superior pet care and interpersonal skills, what it means to strive for excellence and protect the integrity of veterinary medicine. read more

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I adopted a cat back in 2022. Unfortunately, she had a severe allergy that took 4 doctors and 3 years to manage, but Pender was with us through it all. They really took the time to discuss options with us as we went through trial and error to best help our cat. We love Pender and everything they have done to help our cat be comfortable and happy! read more

Odum is rude and treats long time clients badly. Pender was bought out by a corporation years back and they need more oversight over who is running their clinic and the long time clients they are pushing out. read more

Unfortunately I lost my dog 2 weeks ago these people should've of made things easy instead they just made it harder for us we had to wait a week to get her remains and they call us saying they messed up the paperwork and had us wait longer on top of that the front desk lady act like they don't know what you are talking about and give attitude when explaining the situation and give you the items like they don't care. I will not be returning back to this place read more

Love the exotics department and great experience with emergency. Caring staff. You can tell they are passionate about what they do.

Oh pender when did you decide to do here. Why did this place go so downhill. Sad face. Used to love it and they took great care of our pets.

This morning I called Pender Emergency to ask a simple question regarding a diagnosis from their Manassas location: the diagnosis was called a "folded spleen". The tech who answered the phone said that their medical team that was on staff has never heard of a folded spleen yet the doctor from the Manassas Park location specifically called my dogs evaluation's "a folded spleen". When I asked if they could simply give me information on what they meant, the technician at the front said No we are unable to help you. Call another vet. I will be making a report to NVA regarding Pender Fairfax and their disregard for an emergency situation of an emotional service animal. read more

When Pender tells you that you must purchase your pet's compounded medication directly from them, on an ongoing basis, charging you more than double what you would pay if you got it directly from the compounding pharmacy (which is your right,) ask them about the following Virginia Law: "Veterinarians can dispense compounded drugs to their own patients, or to companion animals, in certain circumstances. These circumstances include: The animal is in an emergency There is no timely access to a compounding pharmacy The quantity dispensed is no more than a 72-hour supply" This is so you can get your pet started on the meds before you get the compounded medications from the pharmacy. What they are doing is deceiving you so that they can continue to gouge you indefinitely. Pender is no longer owned by the vets who work there, they are owned by a private equity firm called NVA. Look them up and see what they are doing to the veterinary world. It is all bad. Find a vet-owned hospital. It may be nearly impossible for an emergency hospital, but DON'T bring your pet to Pender for general care. read more

I've been taking my two cats to Pender Fairfax since 2007.  In August I had to say goodbye to my 16yo Zoey and was feeling torn because I'd only used South Paws to say goodbye to my previous 17yo cat. Lap of Love was also recommended by a friend.  Ultimately I chose Pender which ended up being the BEST decision.  After Dr. Yong consulted with me, I asked to hold Zoey for a bit. I was visibly distraught and overcome with emotion, so I walked out of the room & a sweet woman who was carrying a small special needs dog saw me and rushed right over to make sure I was okay.   To my surprise this was Pender's Business Manager, Carol Connell.   Even though it was late on a Friday she came into the room, sat with me, answered questions and even prayed with me!  Her presence with her dog Pearl was so calming and I felt so much better.  Carol went an extra step and insisted on walking me to my car, and then followed up via email to check on me on Monday!   I will absolutely never forget this. It was exactly what I needed to feel some closure and peace that evening.  Fast forward 6 weeks later I had to say goodbye to my 19yo Jake and Carol was the first person I called to see if she could sit with me at Pender as I said goodbye. She was there to support me, and I felt a profound peace I can't explain when I anticipated this being the hardest day.  Carol is such a gift to Pender and their clients. I can't even put into words how much it meant to me to feel so supported through such a sad time saying goodbye to Both of my cats in such a short time.    I also want to acknowledge the amazing responsive, compassionate and kind staff, especially Dr. Yong, Dr. Adesso, Dr. Brown, Hasham & Supervisor Meghan S -who I thought was a Vet herself because of her extensive knowledge! read more

In the late afternoon my Pitbull, Nala, was stung by several bees. We called 2 vets in our area (Woodbridge) that had 3-6 hour wait times. She was extremely swollen in her face and body and had sharp breathing so we were obviously panicked. This was the first time we've had anything like this happen so all we could think about was getting our sweet girl some help. We call Pender and the person I was speaking to on the phone was so calm and talked me through what the process would look like while I was panicking. As soon as we get there, two of the (I assume they were) vet techs were at the front waiting for us and immediately took Nala back. Everyone was so helpful, patient, and kind. I would come back here over and over again for my girl to get the help that she did tonight. Picture of a happy, healthy pittie! read more

Pender Veterinary Centre - Fairfax - Veterinarians Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

We adopted a puppy through Fancy Cats and Dogs. The foster mom took her 5 times for severe diarrhea and was dewormed 5 times, and given "prescription " food for diarrhea which contains corn and wheat in the first 3 ingredients. Could no one consider a grain intolerance ?? The final 3 times the foster mom tried to contact their office, she never got a callback, even to this day. So this is a failing grade not only for Dr. Voell but the staff who ignored calls about a serious situation in a small puppy, not to mention unacceptable client curtesy. read more

I took my chameleon in since he was having issues I was there for a simple checkup and they took 4 hours just to not do anything but try to convince me to surrender him then over charge me for fixes. This was night shift. read more

The emergency vet on duty the morning of the 24th of November provided clear detailed information for us to make decisions about our ailing 16 year old cat, Tom. All of the staff were kind and supportive. read more

12 years since my last review and boy has Pender changed. Still struggling with my feelings from about a year ago, when they turned us away when our precious baby needed to be put out of her misery. We were left to find a different vet with emergency hours that we had never been too. While we continue to take our remaining senior baby to Pender, once he has passed we would not consider going back here. Additionally they have instances where they are careless with prescription counts, and it is difficult to get an appointment. read more

Wow. Wow. Wow. What a vet clinic here in Fairfax VA. Dr Flanary (DVM) is the exception not the rule. His thorough approach to my baby Boston terriers skin issues were so intricate and thought out with the blood panel issued, amongst many other things he helped me understand about her. She is one year old and seen 5 vets... to no avail until now. I am truly speechless in the way he handled my Juliet with such care and concern. Highly recommended. Like seriously. On a side note, Hailey at the front desk is a gem. If you need any kind of payment plans ask her to tell you your options. It may be expensive, but your babies are worth it, and remember there are options for your wallet, not your pets health. read more

TL;DR at bottom. Following up on my issue of having to get a second surgery for my dog in a ten-day span when I had asked for them to "two birds, one stone" it at the first surgery: the doctor did end up working with me on the price. Even though it was originally estimated to be almost $900, he heard me out about my complaints regarding having to come in twice for something that could have been taken care of the first time around, and got the costs down to $400. There was nothing he could do about the anesthetic price as I believe that's a controlled substance, and the prices can't be altered. Very fair, and supports the idea that they are here out of a love for animals, not just for money. When I came for the follow-up to get her stitches out, the vet tech skillfully and quickly was able to take my dog's sutures out right there in the parking lot after letting me know she could indeed just do it then and there instead of taking my dog all the way inside. I do still have grievances about operations--I had an appointment today at 11/30 at 2:20pm, called from the parking lot, and the phone rang for 8+ minutes without anyone picking up. In fact, someone from Pender called me (not from reception) to ask if I was still coming in at about 2:30. I let her know I'd been on the line for almost 10 minutes waiting for someone to pick up and she mentioned that she could indeed hear phones ringing upstairs constantly. No one came to get my dog until 2:51pm. I don't understand the point of appointments if they can't be kept. Pender either needs to stop overbooking appointments or hire more people. The latter is certainly the case for the administrative staff, as phone calls and emails go unanswered and check-in takes ridiculously long. Every time I come here, the parking lot is almost packed, and I think they're biting off more than they can chew. My statement still stands from the previous review regarding their high turnover and subsequent always-in-training staff. Pender is a nice facility and has very qualified doctors and staff who clearly care a lot about your pets--but logistically, it's frustrating on the customers side. Not everyone is perfect, of course. In fact, today, the vet tech who brought my dog back to me called him a "brat" because he apparently snapped at her when she was trying to clean his ears (he has a severe ear infection and is in pain...). I thought that was an unnecessary comment. TL;DR - they will listen to your concerns about costs. They need to work on appointment logistics to make sure they don't end up overbooking and subsequently causing delays in appointments; be prepared to stay on hold on the phone for 10+ minutes and wait in the parking lot for 20+. They need to work on staff hiring and retention to make sure that they aren't constantly training new people (as this makes for inconsistent or uncertain information given to customers due to lack of knowledge). It's a good facility with caring staff. Doctors are very thorough. Some surgical procedures, you can likely get done for cheaper at Anicira in Manassas. read more

We have been taking our cats to the Pender Fairfax campus for several years now, and have always received excellent, very competent care during every aspect of our visit. From the front desk staff, to the techs, to the pharmacy, to the doctors- all are kind, professional, caring, and know their stuff. We're always seen promptly and have never had any billing errors. I can't recommend Pender enough. As pet owners, it's so reassuring to know that we can call whenever we need to and there will be someone there to answer the call and address our concerns with compassion. Pender goes above and beyond. read more

I had to do the hardest thing with a pet and the staff here was amazing. My little ferret Falcor needed to be taken out of pain at the end of her life and I couldn't have asked for better measured assistance in this very tough decision. These people care and the world is better for their compassion. From the front desk to the dr and his staff and the tall guy who helped me out the back door and left me with kind words of compassion and love. Thank you and god bless. read more

I had to take my dog in for an emergency visit on 2/18 which unfortunately resulted in my 14 year old pupcake, Brutus, transitioning to his eternal rest. I want to thank the Dr. DeMarco and the other staff (sorry, I did not get their names) for being EXTREMELY patient with me (I was a mess, naturally). This is not the first time I have lost a pet, but the first I have been in the room during euthanasia. Dr. Demarco took her time and told me what I could possibly expect during the procedure. My pupcake had shredded chicken (sorry if that was someone's lunch ) and LOTs of Hershey kisses before it was time. I'm sure they have to deal with this often, but I felt their empathy for me was genuine and Dr. DeMarco confirming that I was making an unselfish decision helps a little with the regret of deciding to euthanize. Again, thank you Pender Team soooo very much read more

Pender Veterinary Centre - Fairfax - Veterinarians Near Me - Fairfax, Virginia

Initially I was pleased with a visit here, leading me to bring my dog back when he was suffering from an unknown issue. He threw up, then his gums began turning white (which is a sign of extreme distress). In addition to that he was very lethargic and could barely stand, so I knew something was very seriously wrong. This visit was bad from the start. The two overnight ER vet techs tried to turn me away when we arrived in the morning, stating he was able to stand, and his gums weren't pale enough so he was not suffering from an emergency. I pushed to let him stay, even though they said it could be a few hours before he was seen. I'm glad I did because he was suffering from anaphylaxis and it was severe enough that he needed a plasma transfusion to get him back on the path to good health. The other issue I had with the clinic, was that their communication was rather poor. I was told the price would be about 2k-3k which was later updated to 4K to include the plasma. When I was there to pick him up, I was told it would be $5,772.00 for the total visit of 1 day in the ER vet and no one was able to explain why the cost was $1,800.00 more than I was quoted over the phone. The service manager came out and told me she would remove a test that hadn't been sent out and wasn't necessary (why was I billed for this in the first place?) and one of the IV Bags (reason below). I came to bring by food, daily meds, a stuffed animal and visit my dog while he was there. When I was visiting the LVT hooked up the plasma IV, but apparently the Vet didn't check to make sure his current IV wouldn't react with the plasma in the line (like WTF?!) so the IV fluid had to be changed. The old IV fluid was just dumped (a full bag) into the sink and I was still charged for it!! I just don't trust this vet clinic. It appears they make errors and charge their customers for them. They aren't transparent with pricing over the phone. And if the cost is higher, they're unable to explain why, which makes me feel like they're charging for things they didn't do. They also don't have an overnight vet currently, just two vet technicians, so I'm not really sure why the overnight cost is so high. read more

My dog Bug came in on emergency about two weeks ago, we were recommended by clocktower because they were a "more affordable" ER option (my local friends later informed me that there are other much cheaper ER vets but I didn't have time to research). Immediately my dog was taken in and attended to and I knew she was in good caring hands. The first doctor I met with was incredibly empathetic and patient with me. I was visibly upset as the symptoms my dog was experiencing were much worse than usual and I was concerned about being able to pay for her bill. He couldnt have been more kind and did an excellent job explaining his thought process. I usually wouldn't blink at a vet bill for my dog but I happened to be in my 14 day window I couldn't file a claim because I had just switched dog insurance and I recently moved across the country. I made it clear I didn't want an ultrasound or x ray done without explicit permission and a full conversation first- we have done many in the past when this has happened to find nothing. When I got my bill, I discovered an ultrasound was done anyways against my word. I had also made it clear we've been through this before with my dog and the only thing that could stop her bleeding was anti diarrheas and a pro biotic. My dog was never given anti diarrheas per the report I got, which made me feel like no one was listening to me about my dog. It seemed odd as one of her main symptoms was diarrhea, but I'm sure they had a reason that was just never explained to me. After two days I picked up my dog and my bill was in the middle of the estimate I had signed for. I picked thru my bill and was absolutely furious about the ultrasound - I emailed and they tried to justify by it being a "quick scan" over a full ultra sound, but it was still VERY MUCH done against my consent. I was told they would talk to the doctor about it two times and have still never heard back. I also discoverer $20 for a few days worth of benadryl I had them take back, and there were two extra blood pressure checks at $68/ea - I have never in my past experiences been charged $68 every two hours for a blood pressure screening, BUT I understand that my dogs blood pressure was a concern. I looked up all the meds I was given at her discharge and they are all a great deal cheaper online, but of course we needed them same day. This was definitely a more expensive option for our emergency, and I am still absolutely livid about the ultrasound being done against permission. All of that being said, you get what you pay for. I am so grateful my dog was in loving hands. All the techs and the vets were incredibly kind and helpful during a very scary time. As long as my dogs are insured, I would likely be back for any potential future emergencies. read more

Lately, it's been a terrible experience here. When I started coming to Pender a few years ago they were good. Pricey, but worth it for the quality of care and fairly quick turnaround. Especially loved Dr. Shearer. Something has gone wrong here lately. I brought my dog in for his annual physical; sub par and the attending vet (not one I knew) seemed distracted and grouchy. Ok, we all have off days, no big deal. But then I brought my dog in for an emergency visit. Called as I was on my way, and was told they could take him. Was NOT told any kind of wait time, and didn't even think about it as they are usually quick. Arrived and was led to a freezing cold 'isolation' room. After my dog's initial vitals were done, proceeded to then wait for 3 hours - no updates on when the vet would visit, no water for my dog, just complete neglect. Could see employees repeatedly walk by the room (it has glass walls) and no one even bothered to poke their head in to give an update. I had to call the ER desk to find out what was going on. Each time was told it'd be a 'little bit more of a wait' because other pets with emergencies came in. ?!?! Finally, after three hours with no sign of any treatment coming, just left and took my dog to another place. Either way, unacceptable. Will not be going here anymore, and recommend others looks elsewhere too. Especially if it's an emergency. Your pet deserves better. read more

I've been taking my dogs to Pender for years - decades - and have found them to be about the best veterinarian service in northern Virginia. Very professional, reliable, and great to deal with. So why only four stars? Because recently they've developed this really, really annoying and silly habit of referring to my dogs as my "babies," me as their "dad," and all of us together as a "family." It's not just one vet who does this, but all of them, and affects their email and text messages, notices on their bulletin board ("One family on the elevator at at time, please"), etc. I've asked them to please stop, that my dogs are not children and I'm not their father, but to no avail. Yes, this seems minor issue, but it's all of a piece with the general weirdness of the modern world, and it's enough to make me think about finding another vet. read more

They saw my turtle and were able to schedule her in quickly. They were running a little behind schedule when I arrived. The tall male was full of information about different types of reptiles, I think it is great to see people working with a passion! He deserves a raise! read more