Douglas Hambright, VMD

**This review has also been posted to Nebel Street Animal Hospital on Unilocal.**
I’m so disappointed that at a time when I needed a professional to utilize their knowledge and years of training beyond the routine vaccinations and wellness exam, I was severely failed. Thankfully, no further damage has occurred as a result, but I will not be returning to the Nebel Street Animal Hospital or Dr. Hambright. I feel that this would have been a very obvious diagnosis to a semi-​conscious veterinarian. I can’t afford to leave my animals in the care of one so complacent.
Sept 1^st 2015, I took my 10 year old Mini Dachshund in for vaccinations and to address the strange behavior of random Unilocaling and guarding as if he had an injury by being very cautious about movement near him. I also explained that I noticed the dog had a lameness in his right hind leg (I thought it was a possible symptom of Lyme’s from a tick bite. Snap test was negative.) and seemed to be socially withdrawn. Dr. Hambright performed the most basic assessment of flexing the dogs neck from side to side and up (up only), but noted no reaction or pain from these manipulations, and said his Unilocaling must be a behavioral issue.
Noticing no changes or improvements in his strange behavior, attempting to entrust Dr. Hambright’s assessment, I allowed another month to go on until I decided to take my dog to a cardiologist for a persistent cough (possibly associated with a newly diagnosed murmur). Perhaps this may explain his other strange behaviors as well. The cardiologist did a standard (yet more indepth than Dr. Hambright’s) neurological test, putting the dogs snout down instead of up (dog immediately Unilocaled) and turning the feet over to show signs of «knuckling» (something I had noticed twice the month before, but didn’t know it was a sign of neuro-​deficit. I’m not a veterinarian!). The dog had no reaction and did not try to correct the placement of his paws. That same day, I took him to a neurologist who had concluded (without even needing XRays or MRIs) that my dog has a painful cervical disc rupture. Treatment options being strict cage restriction for 6 – 8 weeks with medications or MRI & surgery.
I feel that being presented with a TEN year old mini DACHSHUND (the poster dog for spinal issues) who is said to be UnilocalING and behaving as if he is GUARDING AN INJURY, should have been enough for Dr. Hambright to pay more attention than to sum it up as a «behavioral issue». I have seen 5 other veterinarians (cardiologist, neurologist, 2 generals and an internist/​acupuncturist) who have all done these basic standard assessments and have found it obvious that the dog had a spinal injury & is in pain. I see the look on their faces followed by the shaking of their heads in disapproval when I say «My dog has been behaving this way since late August, was seen by his regular vet in September and I was told nothing was wrong with him.» I feel that, because the dog wasn’t in excruciating pain presenting with blatant paralysis, Dr. Hambright did the minimal observation. I am a nurse, I am trained to observe, and understand medical lingo. My education in humans does not translate well to veterinary observations, but I am well informed and detailed. I have been to Dr. Hambright 3 times and 2 of those 3 visits I have felt that he was not truly interested in my concerns and was merely brushing off as a neurotic pet mom. Dr. Hambright may not have been able to do much more than refer me to the neurologist, but that could have saved my pet another month of pain and could have decreased a now prolonged recovery time.
As an owner, we are our dog’s advocate. We know their tendencies and behaviors. It is crucial that a veterinarian use your words as puzzle pieces to make a proper diagnosis. I need a veterinarian with a willingness to listen and the motivation to investigate the problems the owners are vocalizing.

I was nervous to find a new vet upon moving to the area, but the staff here has made me feel very welcome. They are kind, caring and knowledgeable, and immediately put my mind at ease when I saw them interacting with my fur babies. Their prices are fair and don’t prescribe anything you don’t need. Have been Recommending them to anyone in search of a new vet.

Thanks to Dr. H, I’m healthy and happy at 20yrs+. Ailing thyroid and kidneys should have stopped me but he stopped it. I will be enjoying this summer with comfortable care, loved ones and a perfect balance of meds. All a bonus granted me through Dr. H’s care since 1998… never one « Unilocal!»; he is precise, gentle. Good life & Dr.

Dr. Hambright and his colleagues are so professional and caring. We had to euthanize our beloved dog, Cofi, and everyone was so compassionate, patient and understanding. I called several times prior to making the appointment with so many questions and each time I was handled with so much care. Finally, just yesterday I received a card from the University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine indicating that Dr. Hambright’s office made a donation in our dog’s name. What a wonderful gesture; thank you so much!

I had to take my darling Ginger here at 3 am. Unfortunately, I was taking her in to be euthanized. This place was wonderful. They were gentle and understanding and let me and my daughter and her friend sit with our pet and have all the time we needed. We ordered the private cremation and got a lovely box with Gingers name and we had a good as experience as I guess we could. They were kind and nice and that’s ultimately what we needed.

We (and our dog) love Dr. Hambright! We’ve been taking the pooch here since he was a puppy. Dr. Hambright has wonderful bedside manners with our dog and always takes the time to examine him thoroughly, discuss any concerns we might have, and educate us on any preventative measures we should be taking. Our dog never seems to mind getting shots because Dr. Hambright does such a great job of putting him at ease.

Dr Hambright is the best veterinary. He’s extremely experienced and patient. He explained in detailed regarding vaccinations. We definitely recommend him. I wish I could rate 10stars!

I moved to DC and did the usual – Friendship Hospital for Animals. While they were fine (and verrrrrrrrrrrry expensive) I moved out of the city recently. I wanted a vet that was more affordable, closer to my new house, and most importantly, supportive of my cat’s raw food diet. While Dr. Fromberg isn’t a raw food specialist, she also didn’t give me the stink eye and simply ensured that the food I am giving my cat is nutritionally balanced and healthy for her. That I appreciated enormously.
The diet FHA put my cat on started an allergic reaction that has been spiraling out of control in recent months. After two visits to FHA and a round of oral steroids, she was still tearing her fur out in swaths; almost a quarter of her back was bald from it. She gave herself hot spots and we couldn’t touch anything past her shoulders without her skin flinching. I simply couldn’t afford to bring her back to FHA and wanted to go to someone who would be more understanding of my position. Unilocal told me to try here, so I did.
Dr. Fromberg came directly out to get me. Not a vet tech, I didn’t have to explain myself or the problem to three different people, she was the only person I interacted with in this regard. It was really great.
She was patient with my cat’s terror, kind and understanding to me, and was able to determine by *feel* that Kitty had developed an infection under her skin. She tested it and it came back right away with the result. She warned that her treatment would take care of the infection but probably not the allergic reaction and advised I consider seeking a feline dermatologist. She was helpful, kind, and understanding of everything I was coming from. And that’s just a people side! She was very gentle with Kitty and that is always greatly appreciated. She also let me know when it was OK to let her hide, as is Kitty’s nature.
When I went to pay, I was expecting FHA prices… y’know, $ 180 just for walking in the door? Nope. Three medications, the testing, and the consultation for *less than that.*

I’ve had my share of pets, mostly dogs, all of whom have lived to be very senior fellas. Gotta say, Dr. Hambright is far and away the best, kindest, most compassionate vet I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.
Not long after Dr, Hambright opened his practice, my beloved 17 year old mutt was suddenly failing, right before my eyes. I had no time to call to find an appointment with a vet, but just loaded him into the car and dashed to Nebel Street. Although I arrived unannounced, my dog’s distress was clear, and staff called Dr. Hambright, who came in to work to help, which meant the whole world to me. He was with me as my dog died, and he was absolutely wonderful.
In the years since, I’ve had to go to other practices due to various complicating factors, but have never found one that compares. Dr. Hambright is just supreme, in my experience. You really can’t ask for a better vet.

We used Dr. Hambright and Nebel Street Hospital for our dog and cats for a couple of years. At first, we were pleased, but over time, we found the quality of care mixed and became increasingly disappointed. While the facility is nice and clean, the medical care varies dramatically depending on the expertise of the professional. When they made a major mistake with one of our pets, they tried to cover it up instead of admitting it. I would not recommend this practice unless you are looking for more than the veneer of a good vet. There are much better practices available in the area for the same or lower prices. My sense is that the practice has declined in quality over time, which is unfortunate.

I took my two boxers to Dr. Hambright this week – a 7 year old and a young puppy. After being less than pleased with our previous vet, I’m very pleased with the level of care and service provided to our dogs. Dr. Hambright is knowledgable and compassionate. The vet techs and receptionists are attentive and professional. The charges were no more than what was reasonably needed, very reasonable prices, unlike our last vet that seemed to find every way possible to pad the bill. I suspect we’ll be taking our dogs to Nebel Street Animal Hospital for years to come.

My 2 year old pup has received the best care with Dr. Fromberg and all of the vet techs. We adopted him about a year ago and he’s incredibly uncomfortable with shots or «inspecting» of any kind. They put him at ease and always do what’s in his best interest. I trust their recommendations and know that he’s in good hands.
Top reasons I’d recommend them:
1. Friendly, attentive, trustworthy. You know your pet will be well taken of.
2. Flexible hours and ease of getting an appt.
3. Nebel St. Animal Hospital is attached and open 24 hours.
4. If you need to, they have early drop off hours, which is perfect for busy parents.
5. Dr. Fromberg thoroughly explains how your pet is doing, next steps, etc.
6. Wait time is usually prompt, and if not, reasonable. Nothing like the doctor or dentist for us humans.
P. S. I was reading other reviews and didn’t experience any problems with check out. My service has always been prompt and the front desk is really friendly. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that this stays true!

We have been using Dr. Hambright and Nebel Street Animal Hospital since we got our dog Riley 8 years ago. I give them the highest recommendation. They know their stuff, they take good care of our dog. The service is excellent, the receptionists/​assistants are knowledgeable and caring and friendly. The pricing is reasonable. We not only have had no problems, we also are confident in the care and veterinary skill of the doctors and staff.

I’ve had dogs my entire life and I’ve had lots of different vets. Dr. Hambright and the staff of Nebel Street Animal Hospital are simply the best! Dr Hambright is very thorough in his examinations and genuinely cares about his patients.
Kelly, at the front desk, has a professional, yet warm demeanor and greets everyone with smile.
Daniel is one of the techs. He is incredibly skillful and so gentle with the dogs that all three of my dogs love to come see him.
Others have complained about the smallish parking lot. It is true, the lot is small, but there is plenty of on street parking available too (an extra 15 – 20 feet away).
It’s hard to find a veterinarian that has not only excellent clinical skills but also genuinely cares about all the animals he treats. If this is what you’re looking for in a vet, look no further; go to Nebel Street Animal Hospital.

Dr. Hambright is better than Dr. Doolittle. He is passionate about caring for your pets and treats them as if they were his own. This passion is shared with his entire staff. I have asked other Vets about Doug and they shared that he is the best they know of and I agree

Dr. Fromberg is excellent and the staff are friendly and communicative. I appreciate that they not only board cats, but also have a morning drop off for working «parents» whose pets need a visit during the day.
I would recommend NSAH to anyone in the Rockville area needing a knowledgeable, reliable, and attentive veterinary experience.

Overall experience was fine. The walls were a little thin in the exam rooms and they were shaking and you could hear through them — this scared my pet quite a bit! Dr. Framburg did an excellent job with my pet and she was very nice and easy to talk to. Front office staff was slow and didn’t do a great job with greeting or acknowledging people who were waiting for service. At one point there were four or five people standing out front that worked there and not one acknowledged a customer. The longest part of our appointment was waiting for the staff to acknowledge us and give us our bill, when it really should have been the service for my pet. Definitely an area for improvement. There also isn’t a lot of parking and the small lot was crowded.

We’ve been taking our dog and two cats there for a couple years now. We’re very happy w/​the whole office and staff. A few years ago, Dr. H diagnosed our very old dog with cancer and gave her only a couple days to live. He was there when we put our her to sleep and was so kind and empathetic. He said and did all the right things to make a horrible moment less painful. I will never forget his kindness. In addition, to the important things, their prices seem competitive, and they seem to schedule well so you aren’t waiting long. The vets and techs are very nice and really go above and beyond.

Probably the best vet in the area. The staff is helpful, Dr. Hambright is not only a great diagnostician, but has a great bedside manner. I never feel rushed and he takes the time to answer questions that I may have. I have been to other vets in the area over the years and have never been happier. Dr Fromberg and Dr Weiss are also top notch. Kelly, his office manager, has always gone above and beyond to follow up and accommodate us. I cannot recommend this practice enough. A+++

Absolutely the best! My buddy has been going here since I adopted him in 2001. Dr. Hambright is very caring and never rushes you through an appointment. He is gentle with the animals even though my guy cowers in the corner and can’t wait to leave, but can you blame him? Nobody likes shots!
The prices for services are reasonable, and I believe slightly cheaper than most vets. Prices have gone up a few dollars each year, but they are still a lot less than Friendship Animal Hospital. The only thing is, I would recommend buying your pet’s meds online as office prices are very high. Dr. Hambright has no problem faxing RXs to an online site for you.
Dr. Hambright’s office is called Nebel Street Animal Hospital, but it is not affiliated with the24 hour emergency animal clinic (Metropolitan) next door. However, Dr. Hambright has various hours to accommodate us working folks.