The Village Vet

I’ve only been here after finding a lost dog, and learning from FALLS RD animal hospital this was where he was micro chipped. It seemed okay. to my knowledge no emergency services.

I’ve only had great experiences with all three vets my cat has seen here. Very caring, thorough, and gentle. I find the prices reasonable, and don’t feel they push unnecessary tests or charge excessive fees.
Not sure what other reviewers are referring to, but all the staff are great. I’m very grateful for them, and know my cat is in good hands. #overprotectivecatmama

Unfortunately there is a disconnect between a very competent veterinary care (Dr. Berry and Dr. Stump with both medical and surgical skills) and the business aspect of this practice. Hours are quite limited, but this was always true. The front desk staff is extremely variable, some very empathic to others who are uncaring. In general the vet techs are competent. Before the renovations and upgrades this was a very reasonable and fair practice. It seems like Dr. Berry is just tired of the hassles.

Do not send your pet here. We live in the area and took our cat when she seemed off. They ran a bunch of tests, told us they had no idea, charged us $ 600 and never followed up. We also took our dog here to get spayed only to find out years later they left part of her ovaries in her and it messed up her hormones. It required another surgery (from a different, much better vet) to completely remove her ovaries. We’ve just had terrible experiences with this vet and would recommend everyone to stay away!

I’ve been going to the village vet for about 10 years and it seems like they’re getting less focused. Last year, I attributed it to the renovation, but this year, I expected it to be running more smoothly. It was even more scattered this time around. I brought in my two pets, one because he’s old and constantly licking his front legs (I assumed arthritis or something along those lines) and the other because she had had a seizure and was still agitated a week after the event. The vet tech was super nice but she had to come in and out of the room several times, asking me questions and then going back to (I assume) the vet to ask what other history he wanted to learn. The vet I had during the visit was thorough. He had blood drawn for both dogs and walked me through the various treatment options (all depending on the blood results). I was to get a call the next day from a different vet with results and recommendations. So… the next evening I get a call with the report on blood work and the new vet talks to me like he never read the notes from my visit. He didn’t even know that the reason blood work was done on one dog was because of her seizure and strange behavior. Ok, we’ve all had busy days. I can forgive that. He tells me they’ll take another look at lab results and a third doctor will call me the next day. So the next afternoon, I get a call and its a repeat of the previous conversation, only this vet is really abrupt. Abrupt and not helpful. I have to directly ask her if the results mean I could put my older dog on pain relievers for his legs. And I had to prompt for a next steps with my skittish seizure dog. Basically left there $ 450 poorer and no wiser. I’m disappointed. I stuck with a smaller vet clinic for that more personal touch. But the personal touch is gone and yet I don’t get the efficiency of a larger practise.

Once again, a great experience. The entire staff really takes excellent care of my babies. I had my puppy in for his first full checkup since we rescued him. I would have thought that he would have been really nervous since he had been in and out of places. The techs were so great with him he cried when they left us in the room. And being a guy’s dog, you should have seen him with Dr.Berry. Even when he got his shots he was wiggling and happy. We have been coming to The Village Vet for 14 years and would never dream of changing. Whether it is a regular check up or an emergency visit, they are always there. Their knowledge and bedside manner add up to an amazing experience for me and for my fur babies!

I have brought my cats here a couple times since moving back to Baltimore, most recently for liver problems with my little one. Care for the animals has been fine, but their treatment with human animals needs work. The examination fee is reasonable, but don’t believe that quote when it comes to cost.
Speaking of cost quotes and estimates, if you have the desire for one, you will need to be the proverbial squeaky wheel. I’m pretty certain that shouldn’t have to be the case.
I have had mixed experiences and feelings with the doctors. Dr. Berry is clearly the staple, but he’s also in surgery or appointments all the time. He also was under the impression that «hemoglobin» is a totally foreign concept to the average person. Not so great relationship building there.
I was not happy with Dr. Lee. No return phone calls and she leaves immediately after appointments are over. While most of the techs I enjoy, a couple are likely to react as though you are bothering them. «Call you right back» or «about twenty minutes» will be a lie — just call again in 10. That part didn’t seem to matter who you were talking to, but it’s difficult over the phone. I do have a positive impression of Dr. Stump, which is probably an understatement seeing as she got to handle me when I first got the «this isn’t something simple» exam and then when we had to make the decision for euthanasia. I’m thankful for her.
Are they nice to my cats? Sure. But how hard is it to be sweet to a sick (well-​behaved) furball when you chose to work with animals for a living?

We live in Mt. Washington, so the Village Vet is convenient, but it is expensive. I found this out when I tried another vet and found that the quality of care was just as good, but the prices were almost half of the Village Vet.
The vets are respectable, especially Dr. Berry. Dr. Prestia is my least favorite — her bedside manner could be better.
I agree with other reviewers re: the front desk staff. They are not very attentive and seem not to want to be there.

Our two dogs have been going to the Village Vet for about 5 years now. We recently moved out of the area and, unfortunately, can’t go there anymore, but Dr. Berry and the staff are excellent. While other docs/​vet offices kept giving us very expensive and unnecessary treatments for our itchy lab, Dr. Berry’s approach was to treat the condition the least expensive way with decent results — enough to keep our lab at ease. He was crucial during one of dog’s tumor diagnosis, surgery and recovery. He is trustworthy, thorough and reliable.
We have taken our dogs to other vets in his practice with so-​so results, so I’d stick with Dr. Berry if you need a vet.

They are nice but the doctor and administrative staff are incompetent. They aren’t clear, they have told me conflicting and confusing information about the vaccinations my cat needed, and were completely passive about ensuring I knew what I needed. I was pulling teeth just to find out how many boosters my cat needed and I’m a fairly responsible and loving owner. My 1 year old cat was given to me by someone who had no records on him so I went in to find out what his annual boosters needed to be. He had his initial appointment and got his rabies and distemper. I was very clear in asking the the vet about what else he may need since I am in the process of moving across the country. Over a month after getting his shots I found out he was suppose to get a second booster for the distemper vaccine through an email saying my cat was a month overdue on his next vaccine that had never been scheduled or explained to me. Awesome job Village Vet #1. When I called in they explained he would have to start the whole vaccine process over since he was so overdue. Awesome job Village Vet #2. The woman I spoke to was kind enough to talk to the Doc about if he could still stay on the booster plan he was on since I was leaving (which I had to reexplain to them). They said he could. Once I went in for his second booster I found out he needed a third one (only after me asking…) so I went out of my way to make the appointment myself before leaving that day. The woman behind the front desk seemed confused when I asked about making another appointment and told me «she guessed» I could do that. Awesome job Village Vet #3. A few hours later I got a call from the Vet saying my cat didn’t need to get a third one because the Doc said he was up to date so they cancelled it. Then today I get a reminder call about the appointment they said they had cancelled. When I called back the woman who answered the phone said she had no note in the system about my cat not needing the third booster and told me he definitely needed it. Awesome job Village Vet #4. When I explained that I was leaving and wouldn’t be able to do it she told me she would talk to the Doc who had given him his shots. I explained my distress and frustration with their team and she apologized profusely but still, get your shit together people. Don’t go here. They are terrible.

I just called to get an idea on what it would cost to have my dog’s vaccinations up to date. The young lady on the phone was rude and acted as if I was bothering her. When I asked for clarification on some things, her attitude became even worse. The price quotes were insane. I hear you get what you pay for but their prices were double that of other vets I have called. I am guessing that they pay the same price for the vaccinations and am not sure of the reason or the extreme mark up. I will be going elsewhere.

I have been a client with 2 dogs for several years. Prior to a recent tooth extraction an «additional» $ 600 dollars in exams was done to «check for why the heart rate is high». Well it was because the «dog was nervous». Okay, so I think, better safe than sorry. (But hey their redecorating and fancy VW vet car sure do look good).
On my most recent visit, Chris, an extremely rude receptionist, handed me an estimate for boarding two dogs. I might add she wasn’t paying the least attention to the customer in front of her. I had asked for a total. The estimate had two shots for flu, two baths and boarding. $ 99– 127 dollars. Note it said «two»!). On my return to pick up the dogs I was given a bill for $ 250 dollars and told, «I told you it was only for one». A flat out lie and contrary to what the estimate implied by stating «two» of the line items. On bringing my concerns to the Staff I was told a business manager would contact me. They didn’t. I had to call Dr. Lee. Then the business manager says she has to talk to Dr. Barry. No call. I had to text Dr. Lee again. Finally a call to say «No». we talked to the receptionist and she says she told you it was for one. What can I say… if you want inattentive, deceptive and overpriced care: this is your place. Did I mention my dog had a GI infection after her stay in their kennel. Go up the street to Falls rd. vet if you care about your animal and wallet. I did.

I cannot say enough about the kindness and service we receieved the moment we walked in the door. Both vets were professional and thorough, took the time to explain exactly what was going on, including all tests and inteventions, and showed incredible compassion while guiding us through the difficult decision to put our sweet old cat to sleep. The same courtesy and compassion were shown by every member of staff we encountered. The prices were also quite reasonable… having just moved from a rural area in Virginia we were prepared for sticker shock, but our estimates were extremely reasonable.

They love pit bulls!
I have read some of the reviews and understand the mixed results. I guess it depends on which vet sees your pet. Our experience has been good.
One of our rescued pit bulls had Babesia (a disease that seems to make its way through the pit bulls and greyhounds, through blood exchange). It causes severe anemia and can be deadly. The Village Vet sent the blood to an outside lab (pretty sure North Carolina). Results came quickly. The medicine can be extremely costly (an anti-​malaria medication) but they searched for the least expensive and found it. I had read anywhere from about 400. to 1000 bucks and they got it for around 400.
Aside from the front desk, the staff (lab techs, vets, etc.) seem to sincerely love animals and have good people skills too.
I read one comment that didn’t particularly care for their renovating thinking that this is perhaps the reason they are ‘expensive’. Hey, it is a business. The employees need to make a living… and just like we renovate our homes with our hard earned money as do they with their hard earned money renovate their place of business… making it more inviting, more workable, etc. I see nothing wrong with this. The wait is never long… they are never hurried… and give full attention to human and pet. If they were that awful or that greedy, there would be a long wait… no time for listening or rubbing the animal behind the ear or even taking a moment to chat with human.
Why is it that no one seems to be allowed to make money except for the people complaining about those who want to make money.
Additionally, they are located on prime real estate and cater to surrounding communities who also live on prime real estate.

We’ve been taking our two dogs to the Village Vet for a few years. Overall, we’ve been happy. They take calls with concerns/​questions about your pet, when many vets will say «bring them in.» The few complaints I do have is that the staff isn’t always very friendly, specifically the front desk. I can recall just standing there waiting at the front desk with no response unless I’ve spoken up. There is a lot of turnover in vets. Since we’ve been going there with our dogs, I think we’ve seen 4 or 5 vets.
Also, the medications are ridiculously high. They work with an online vendor for meds and it confuses me why I can get the same medication for a lot less online, but I pay almost twice as much when I am forced to buy it directly from the practice. As some of had said in reviews, they have been known to push the dental cleaning thing. It’s kinda annoying.
I have noticed that they recently bought a fancy, painted VW Bug and have been doing a lot of renovations to their office. It makes me wonder if they are one of the more pricier vets given all of these improvements and additions. We have been thinking about comparing their pricing with another vet.

I have been taking my pets to Dr. Berry for over 15 years (since before he was in Mt. Washington). He, and his staff, have always provided the best care. He is genuinely concerned for each of my dogs. He takes his time and his exam is very thorough. One time, he operated on my dog who had breast cancer. She was 8 years old. She lived until she was 15 with the cancer never returning. The operation was very invasive. But, Dr. Berry worked closely with her throughout her recovery to make sure everything was OK. Even when I have had to have my dogs put down, the staff and doctors were very accommodating and sympathetic. They saved the very last appointment time so there wouldn’t be lots of other patients there at the time. I can’t say enough great things about this vet.

The Village Vet is a great choice. The staff is friendly and extremely helpful and they genuinely seem to care about your pets. I’ve taken 2 cats and 1 dog there and every time it’s been a good experience. Recently one of my cats started experiencing UTI-​like symptoms and we ended up taking him to Falls Road Animal Hospital because it was an emergency (UTIs can be fatal to male cats if not treated quickly). We explained his history and what his symptoms were. They saw him without me for a few minutes which annoyed me because I wasn’t able to see what exactly they were doing with him and when they did bring me back they diagnosed stress-​induced systitis without running any kind of test. Granted the diagnosis is probably correct but the cat was in pain and I was feeling like they rushed the exam. They told us there was nothing they could do — just wait it out.
We took the cat to the Village Vet as soon as we could for a second opinion. They diagnosed the same thing — the difference was that they ordered a urinalysis test and prescribed some pain meds to make the cat more comfortable. They also listened to everything we had to say and answered all our questions very patiently. They thoroughly explained what we could do to avoid this in the future and generally made us feel much less anxious about his condition.
Everyone else I know who takes their animals there also reports having a wonderful experience.

My first dog was diagnosed with cancer when he was 11. Apparently he had it for a while, but the vet never knew what was wrong with him until that point. We had to put him down less then a year later.
Not the best, but not the worst. I won’t go back just because my first dog had to be put down there. The staff is also really un-​friendly, so good luck.

Vets are just one of those things you don’t want to mess around with – you want someone you’re 100% confident in and happy with. This is the place to go if you’re looking for compassionate and skillful veterinary care in Baltimore.
Dr. Papke treated both of my cats – one of whom is very old and therefore whose health threatens to be fragile. She was incredibly thorough, informative, and patient with me. During our first visit she spent so much time talking me through how to treat my cats for an illness they had contracted and a chronic condition in my older cat that we were the last to leave the clinic. She’s wonderful.
I never felt pressured into unnecessary procedures or tests. They were very considerate of the fact that I couldn’t afford to spend a million dollars on veterinary care.
The staff are very knowledgeable. I had a medication mishap and called the clinic panicking, and the staff member who answered the phone was very helpful and quickly got the information I needed to handle the situation.
Visits are easy to get at relatively short notice. Visit and medication prices are not unreasonable, which is a relief in a field where there tends to be a lot of gouging.

I’ve been quite happy with the care my cat has received here. It’s clean, friendly, and I’ve never had to wait very long. The technicians and vets both are very respectful to the animals. The exams are thorough, but efficient and deftly conducted, so my cat doesn’t get terribly upset.
The only thing is– they’re really big on pet dental care here. I don’t know if that’s a scam, some kind of new-​fangled thing, or if I’ve just been neglecting my pets over the years, but I’ve never done it.