DocSide Medical Center

If I could I would give them more stars! I adopted a dog from the shelter who woke up one day with what I thought was a bowel obstruction. It turns out that she had pneumonia and got very sick very quickly. The staff there was utterly amazing! Two days in a row we had to come in multiple times. Dr. Tierney was hands down the best vet I have ever had. She continued to check on my dog throughout the weekend even though she wasn’t in the office and was super comforting to me when I started crying. Dr. Klimentitis was also amazing, and the techs/​front desk staff were so kind. It was a really distressing few days but I also knew that we were in good hands. They all took exceptional care of my pet, and Dr. Tierney went above and beyond.
I am coming from California where everything is expensive so I have little comparison for the Baltimore area but I thought that the prices were fair. The level of care and attention we received was worth whatever cost!
I am telling all my friends they should take their pets to DocSide!

The people at Doc Side were absolutely amazing for me today when making the difficult and sudden decision to put my dog down

DocSide is amazing! Dr. Tierney took amazing care of our little dachshund when she had to have a tooth removed. During a regular check up visit, Dr. Tierney identified that our little dog had an issue with a tooth that needed some attention. So, we scheduled a dental cleaning, and during the cleaning, Dr. Tierney identified that our little dog had a shattereed tooth. We asked her to remove it, and Dr. Tierney did an amazing job. On top of this great experience, it is always so easy to get appointments at DocSide. For as long as we live in Baltimore, we will be loyal DocSide customers!

We love this office, our dog Jack always enters with his tail wagging. We brought him in this morning, he was pretty sick last night, they got us in right away. Met Dr. Tierney today and she was extremely informative and caring. Dr. Coughlin, like always, stopped to say hi to Jack as well. Our dog is now feeling much better, as are we. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a vet.

I highly recommend this Animal Hospital. The prices are reasonable. The employees are fantastic. Ill never go anywhere else!

I can’t speak highly enough about my entire experience at DocSide. I had taken my cat to an emergency room over the weekend with a recommendation to follow up with a vet. Having never seen a vet in Baltimore, I called around and DocSide was the only clinic I called that could do an ultrasound without having to call in a specialist (and thus be at the mercy of the specialists schedule…). The staff at the front desk was super helpful both with scheduling and understanding what I needed, the doctor’s support staff (in our case Allan) was fantastic, and Dr. Herling was (although I haven’t been to many vets) the best doctor I’ve ever seen for our cats. He took his time to make sure we understood absolutely everything about what was going on with our cat, what we was doing and was going to do, and he was very clear with what we should expect to do after our visit.
Additionally, I thought the prices were more than fair. We will from here on out be returning to DocSide with all four of our cats and can’t recommend it highly enough. Thanks!

We have had mixed experiences at Docside and have since moved on to another veterinary practice with which we are extremely satisfied. While cost is a factor (Docside is objectively more expensive than comparable practices), what really motivated our move was the attitude of staff. While the front desk staff was generally friendly, Dr. Klimentidis was not. When she diagnosed one of our dogs with a mast cell tumor, she notified us rather casually. The surgery was expensive, but we were happy to pay what was necessary to save our dog. The suture work was sloppy and caused more scarring than was necessary. The overall handling of our dogs was also rough. I did not get the impression that she especially liked my dogs, both of whom are friendly little pugs. Moreover, I got the impression that she did not like me, which combined with expensive, at times imperfect medical care for my pets, led me to request a different doctor at the practice. This request was not honored. We chose to move on rather than have awkward, unpleasant veterinary experiences.

We think that Docside is the best vet that our cat has ever had (she’s been moved around to a few cities so we have had some experience). We’ve been going to DocSide for over two years, and they have been so kind, thoughtful, and budget-​conscious. They may be baseline more expensive than other options, but they always mention treatment alternatives and give us the option for extra tests, explaining the benefits that those tests may show without forcing us to fee like we need to go down that road unless we want to. Dr. Tierney and all of the vets (we’ve seen almost all of them!) have gone above and beyond to help us manage our cat’s bowel issues. Support staff are always friendly and helpful and informative. It’s in our neighborhood, but even if it were not we would still come here.

I brought my cat, Luna, here to get a urinalysis and an abdominal ultrasound. I spoke with Dr. Klimentidis after and she was extremely helpful and caring. She suggested a few more tests and found that Luna had cancer. She spoke honestly with me, answered all of my questions, and helped me make the best decisions for Luna.
For those who are also money-​conscience, she checked prices of various tests and did her best to compare and try to save me money (without my even asking).

We took our pitbull-​mix here for her yearly exam and vaccines, as we were looking for a vet closer to our Canton home. The space is small and cramped, and the staff didn’t make me or my dog feel welcome. In fact, Dr. Herling made an ignorant comment about our dog, based on her appearance. Owning a «bully breed» type dog, my boyfriend and I have seen others make stereotypical comments, and this place is no different. We’ve been back to our old vet since, and even though they are a good 40 minutes away, the staff/​vets are much friendlier and accommodating and create a much better experience than Doc-​Side. We will not be returning.

I’ve been coming here for the past two years with my cats (check ups, weird illnesses, dental work, neutering… everything!) The staff and vets are very friendly and knowledgeable. It’s never a problem to get a day of appointment, but expect to wait if that’s the case. They do not have separate waiting areas for dogs and cats, but at least I’m always brought into a room quickly when large dogs are around. The facility is also very clean and doesn’t have that vet smell. The prices are much more expensive than a vet in Baltimore County, but you’re paying for the location. Arrive early to find parking – they only have street parking and you can’t park directly in front of their building between 8am and 6pm Mon-​Sat. It’s easier to just park on Broadway, though it is metered.

The most expensive routine vaccinations I have ever paid for my dog were at Doc Side, and they insisted on unnecessary screenings/​diagnostics that would cost us thousands of dollar.

A friend recommended Doc Side vets when my dog started limping. I had been to other vets but didn’t really feel comfortable. I’m so glad that I followed her advice.
Sadly, my dog was diagnosed with bone cancer. Dr. Klimentidis was so kind in breaking the news to me. She talked with me on the phone for hours from her home over the weekend after diagnosis. With all the decisions I had to make, she assured me that she would help me with any decision I chose to make, and that she would not let me make a bad decision. It was such a relief to know that whatever I chose to do, she would help.
In the next week, Dr. Klimentidis arranged surgery for my dog at a time that was convenient to my schedule. She consulted with other doctors nationwide to be sure that her diagnosis and treatment were the best. I chose not to do chemo (the data doesn’t really support it) and even though most dogs only live about 6 months after diagnosis, he is alive and kicking 8 months after. He pulls me around the neighborhood and even into Doc Side medical center. He loves everyone there and has no bad memories or nervousness about going to the docs.
Thank you Doc Side for giving us the loving and effective care that my dog… and I… needed!

DO NOT TAKE YOUR PET HERE– THEY WILL KILL HIM/​HER! My two cats, brothers, were mis-​diagnosed and because of that I lost my Sammy (properly diagnosed @Metropolitan Cat Hospital in Owings Mills, MD) in November due to chronic fluids in the lungs which caused cardiac arrest, and renal failure in my Magic (properly diagnosed @/he is in ICU at Companion Animal Hospital, Phoenix, MD); I was told that if both of my cats had been properly diagnosed earlier their prognosis would not have been so acutely fatal. I PAID TWICE AS MUCH MONEY TO THIS VET AS I DID/​AM AT THE TWO other abovementioned vets and now because of said incompetence, I am losing my second baby, Magic. ALSO, after taking Sammy frequently, every couple weeks his last few months, the doctor never called to follow up to see if he was okay? She obviously is empathetic and didn’t even care STILL to find if he’s alive… the same re: Magic. A vet should love animals and be knowledgeable in caring for animals– Dr. Klimentidus-​Docside– lacks aforementioned. If you want to save your pets’ lives, and pay less in doing so– go to Companion Animal Hospital or Metropolitan Cat Hospital (both are Veterinarians and Pet ER)-Please!

My first 1-​star review was removed by Unilocal,so let’s try this. Please pay no attention to the number of starts and read this:
Combine a serious oversight, a history of overcharging/​over-​operating, and a snooty male receptionist/​assistant, and this place is a disaster. I followed Dr. Tierney when she left Eastern Animal Hospital and opened Doc Side. At the time, I had two cats and a dog. At every visit, I was dropping a lot of cash, but my pets were worth it. I started wondering, though, how many of those tests and procedures were necessary, especially after going in for something relatively simple and being pressured/​guilted into additional services. First it was teeth cleaning — it was like going to Jiffy Lube, where they always recommend an air filter and a PCV valve — then it was surgery to expand the nostrils on my senior brachycephalic dog, who wasn’t having any breathing problems. I noticed recently that my dog, now 11, was losing weight. She was bony. I took her into Doc Side, and the vet on duty didn’t address the weight loss at all, despite a graph on her computer screen indicating a steady trend for over a year and repeat urinalysis results indicating protein loss. Instead, she told me my dog had a heart murmur and recommended taking her to a cardiologist. Funny — after all these years and recent visits to another, more experienced vet at Doc Side, this was the first I’d heard of a murmur. So I got a second opinion from another local vet. My dog does not have a murmur. She is losing weight, but we’ve ruled out any pathological cause. We’re focusing on dietary changes. I had my doubts for a while, and now Doc Side has completely lost my trust. I’ll never go back.

Doc Side is a wonderful vet and I am sad that I recently moved out of the city and had to find another place to take my dog. Not only did my vet at Doc Side now what she was doing, Doc Side has very reasonable prices and does not try to rip people off unlike some other well-​known places in the area. Every problem with my dog (there weren’t many) was diagnosed and treated correctly the first time and the vets actually call and follow up with you which is nice. They are also technologically advanced with online perscription ordering and online access to info on your pet. Definitely take your pet here.

I’m very happy with the experience I had at Doc-​Side. I took my cat, who is friendly but skittish and very shy, he hadn’t been outside the house in at least 3 years and had lived in a shelter for 4 before that so you can imagine how he felt about being tricked into a carrying case and brought to a strange room. Despite this, Dr. Tierney and her assistant were very understanding and accommodating, they never manhandled the poor kitty and tried hard to keep him as calm as possible. They were very professional and got his vitals and gave him his shots even though he didn’t make it easy for them. They answered all my questions and concerns and were very personable; I never felt like I was being talked down to or that they were being dismissive.
When it came time to move the little one, and he made it clear he wasn’t going quietly, Dr. Tierney was once again very accommodating and got us some sedatives and gave us all the information we needed to make the move as un-​traumatic and it worked! He’s happy in his new home and the move and drive down were pretty painless. DOC-​Side is a great facility and one I highly reccommend.

Been taking my dog there since he was a puppy and this is just a wonderful place. The staff and doctors are friendly and really care about your pet. Havent met anyone yet that hasn’t seemed to just love my little one.
Its in the city, so as most places in the city, parking is a bit rough, but they do have a few spots out front for drop off and pick up if you’re pet had to stay overnight for a procedure. This was quite convienient when my pup had been neutered.

I’m a little nuts about my dog, I treat her like my child, only feed her organic, corn-​free, super expensive dog food, and talk about her constantly. I am also very picky about who gives her medical care. I have seen three different vets at Docside and every one has been kind, spent time talking to me to discuss any questions I might have (from medical advice to training tips), and the office staff is extraordinarily friendly and knowledgable. They are also reasonably priced and have early and late hours making it very convenient to bring her by after work whenever she has an unexpected need to go. I can’t recommend Docside enough, it’s a really great veterinarian office.

Doc Side Vet is indeed more expensive than almost any other alternative around, but you do honestly pay for what you get (mostly). Dr Irvin Herling is always available, takes the time you need to answer all of your questions and often more in depth than you were looking for; a sign of someone who REALLY knows what they are doing. I’m «that dog owner» who comes in with a typed list of questions (especially before my dog’s surgery) and he sat with me for a long time and made sure I was comfortable with everything and that he answered all of my questions to my satisfaction.
I have also felt at times that they want to do more tests than might be necessary, but then it crossed my mind that A) I can refuse tests they suggest (they don’t force you at all) B) it is possible that other places are lackadaisical on their care of your pet and C) as vets, they probably know more than I do regarding the care of my pet. I feel that while I can afford it (I don’t have kids), why not ensure my pet gets the best care possible? The average cost for a visit has been around $ 70 (usually includes a test or flea/​tick medication).
Doc Side is THE premier place to have laparoscopic and other minimally invasive surgery for your pet. Dr. Herling, in addition to practicing Vet med for more than 35 years, used to work in the Department of Surgery at Sinai Hospital where he learned the laparoscopic techniques from the MDs while he was the main vet in charge of the animals (pigs) there. Dr. Herling performed a Lap Spay and a Lap Gastropexy (eliminates the risk of bloat) on my boxer and I could NOT be more happy with the results (total cost for a 50lb boxer, with no fat stores, extra anesthesia, and a bear hugger, was close to $ 800).