Silver Spring Animal Hospital

I just had a really great experience with Silver Spring Animal Hospital and they'll now be my dog's primary provider. I've struggled with vet care for my 4-year old pup because she's so fearful and resistant. I found this practice through the Fear Free website, because the vets are certified fear-free, which means they've received training on how to calm down fearful dogs. They worked with me to get a good dose of calming drugs before the visit and they allowed me to stay in the room with her which was really important to me (I want to know how my dog reacts and I know my presence makes her feel better even if she was still uncomfortable). Dr. Benton and all the staff I met were really great and everything was clearly explained to me and they took the time to address all my questions.

I am deeply disappointed with the care provided by Silver Spring Animal Hospital. My cat, Mafalda, has been treated by this group of vets for several years. She has been on Solensia for arthritis for over a year and recently underwent blood work to check liver, kidney, and thyroid function—everything came back normal. Despite this, she has been steadily losing weight for months. Dr. Benton’s only advice during this time was to "offer her more food," which was not helpful given her worsening condition. This past weekend, Mafalda stopped eating, and her health deteriorated rapidly. Concerned for her wellbeing, I called the office first thing Monday morning, hoping she could be evaluated. The receptionist was rude and dismissive, telling me to "take her to the ER" without offering any alternatives. After I pressed for more help, the call was transferred to Dr. Benton, who shockingly stated she would not see Mafalda because she was "busy" and didn’t have the "capability" to help her. This response was both heartbreaking and infuriating. Dr. Benton effectively abandoned my cat in her time of need, refusing to even attempt to provide care or guidance beyond redirecting me to the ER. It is clear that this clinic prioritizes profit over patient care. They are quick to charge for expensive medications but fail to be there when it truly matters. I trusted Silver Spring Animal Hospital with Mafalda’s health and was met with unprofessionalism, lack of compassion, and an unwillingness to help when my cat needed them most. I would strongly caution anyone considering this practice. -In response to the Silver Spring Animal Hospital response - I would like to clarify that, I was treated without any compassion or empathy, from the receptionist to the veterinarian. The first words the veterinarian said to me were, "Hurry up, I don’t have time to talk." I admit that I raised my voice, but this was out of desperation and despair due to the way I was treated. At no point did I act inappropriately—I was simply seeking help for Mafalda. Instead, I was told to take her to the ER without any effort to provide guidance or support. Compassion and understanding should be fundamental in veterinary care, and unfortunately, this was not my experience.

I had a very unpleasant experience today with whoever it was that answered the phone. Because my vet doesn't have any available appointments and my cat has been having diarrhea for four days, I asked if I could bring him in to be checked out. She said in a very snotty tone that they don't have any available appointments today and to take him into an emergency vet, started to hang up before I could even finish, and then proceeded to do so in a very angry, loud, and hostile way.

We have been taking our cats there for many years. Last week, we had our cat put to sleep, and they were especially gentle and caring!

I have complete confidence in Dr. Krishna, who has cared for three of my dogs, each of which has been at a different stage of life. She takes a holistic approach and describes in a clear, precise manner what my dogs' health issues are and how to address them. She is very thorough in her examinations of my dogs and takes appropriate steps to treat them with no waste of time. Her staff is well trained and kind and competent, as well. The facility is clean and bright. I highly recommend her and her staff, who have cared for my dogs for many years.