Middletown Vet is awesome. The staff is friendly and very helpful. They are really good with my dog, Rose. She used to get very nervous at the vet but not so much at Middletown Vet. Dr Owen is also very good with her. We love the way he treats her. He also takes the time to educate us when he examines Rose and fully explains any concerns. We Love Middletown Vet!
I live in PG county but have brought my guinea pigs here multiple times now. They got me in for a last minute appointment and Dr. Owen even waived the fee. Previously, they have accommodated my schedule when other exotic vets have not had slots, and the prices are good.
Dr.Owens and his wonderfully caring staff guided us thru our precious boy, Winston's difficult health journey. Although we lost our sweet boy, we appreciate the kindness and excellent care by Dr.Owens, Jasmine and staff. We also want a to extend a special thank you to Dani. Her thoughtful explanations, and guidance helped us to navigate one of our most painful moments while showing our precious Winston the utmost love and respect. 5 Stars???- NO- THIS PRACTICE DESERVES A MILLION STARS!
Do Not Trust This Clinic With Your Pet's Care — Discriminatory, Unprofessional, and Dishonest
1. Blatant Profiling Around Affordability
We came in for an emergency evaluation after my dog was injured. We called ahead, explained the situation, requested X-rays, and asked for an estimate. When the doctor got to discussing treatment options, he did not simply lay them out and let us decide. Instead, unprompted, he repeatedly said "if you can't afford it... if you can't afford it... if you can't afford it," even though we never indicated cost was a concern. NOTE: I WAS ON THE PHONE AT THE TIME AND HEARD THESE COMMENTS DIRECTLY. We had already made clear we wanted repair over amputation if possible, yet the comments persisted. A provider who assumes a client can't afford care, and says so repeatedly and unprompted, is making a judgment call he would not make about every client. This was flat-out profiling, and no pet owner should have to sit through it while trying to get their injured animal help.
2. Broken Promises, Zero Accountability, and Abandonment of an Urgent Case
We asked for medical notes, X-rays, and a treatment estimate to move forward with surgery quickly. Every deadline they gave us was missed — noon the next day, then "by the end of the weekend," then a closed office on Sunday despite promising otherwise. By Monday we still had nothing and had to call ourselves. The receptionist apologized for the delay; the doctor's excuse was a "SYSTEM GLITCH" that was "NOT OUR FAULT," and he got angry that his own employee had apologized on his behalf. My partner, who works overnight shifts and set an alarm specifically to catch this call, woke up to a voicemail from the doctor refusing to treat our injured dog. When my partner called back, the doctor talked over him, threatened to report us to the Humane Society if surgery wasn't done within 7 days, then hung up. He set that 7-day ultimatum himself, acknowledging the urgency, yet CUT OFF CARE entirely with NO REFERRAL to another provider or emergency clinic. Walking away from an active, urgent case with nowhere for us to turn is not poor service — it's ABANDONMENT, by the same doctor who caused every delay and then punished us for following up on what his own clinic promised.
3. Failure to Perform Promised Services, Then Withholding Records
The doctor also told us, both over the phone and in person, that our dog needed a specific service performed. That service was never actually completed. When we asked for vaccination records to confirm this, he claimed the dog "did not get vaccinated" and told us to stop contacting them. We then asked for an itemized invoice to verify we weren't charged for services never rendered. He refused, and hung up on us repeatedly when we tried to follow up. The Sheriff's Department got involved and were the ones who finally retrieved the records we'd been requesting all along. It is absurd that it took police involvement just to get basic medical and financial documentation from a facility we paid out of pocket.
Bottom Line: This practice showed apparent bias around affordability, zero accountability, failure to deliver services promised, and a doctor who behaved unprofessionally and vindictively abandoning an injured animal mid-treatment, withholding records, and requiring police involvement just to get basic documentation. If Dr. Owen were genuinely concerned about our dog's welfare, that would have looked like urgency and cooperation, not refusal to treat, stonewalling, and threats. We were the ones trying, at every turn, to get our dog proper care. He was the one standing in the way.
This will be reported to the Maryland State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners. This dog is fun-loving and well cared for. We're lifelong pet lovers with other animals in our home, and recently took him in from a family member who could no longer care for him. I am APPALLED.
I am extremely disappointed with my experience at Middletown Veterinary Clinic, specifically with Dr. Owen. I am not sure if I was treated this way because I am a black guy, but I will never recommend this clinic to any pet owner.
I brought my dog, Nochi, to the clinic on a Friday afternoon to have his injured leg evaluated. After reviewing the X-rays, Dr. Owen explained that my dog would either need a leg amputation or fracture repair. I requested estimates for both options. I was given an estimate for the amputation that day, but Dr. Owen said he was too busy to prepare the fracture repair estimate and promised I would receive it over the weekend.
During our conversation, he repeatedly emphasized how expensive fracture repair would be and how much more affordable amputation was, despite my interest in pursuing the fracture repair option. The repeated focus on cost made me uncomfortable and left me feeling as though assumptions were being made about my ability to afford treatment.
Before leaving the clinic, I also requested copies of my dog's X-rays, available surgery dates, and an estimated timeline for when I would receive the treatment estimates.
On Saturday, I called to follow up and was told by the receptionist that I would definitely receive the estimates by Saturday evening or Sunday morning. Sunday came and went, and I received nothing. When I attempted to call, I discovered the clinic was closed.
After working a 13-hour overnight shift, I called again Monday morning. At that point, the receptionist was able to see the estimates and emailed them to me immediately. However, I still did not receive the X-rays or available surgery dates that I had requested days earlier.
After I took a short nap, I called back and the receptionist apologized for the delays and explained that the clinic had been experiencing issues with its email portal. Shortly afterward, I received a voicemail from Dr. Owen questioning why the receptionist was apologizing to me and why I would be upset.
I returned his call in hopes of explaining my concerns. Unfortunately, the conversation quickly became confrontational. Each time I attempted to explain the timeline and why I was following up, I was interrupted. I simply wanted the information that had been promised to me so I could move forward with treatment for my dog's injured leg.
When I explained that I never received the email he claimed was sent Sunday morning, he acknowledged that the clinic had been having portal issues but insisted the problem was not his fault. I again explained that I was still waiting for my dog's X-rays and surgery scheduling information.
At that point, Dr. Owen informed me that he was closing my dog's account, would no longer treat him, and that I needed to report back within one week proving my dog had received treatment elsewhere or he would contact the Humane Society. I was shocked by this response, especially since I had not been rude or disrespectful to anyone at the clinic. I was simply following up on information that had been promised and trying to obtain treatment for my dog as quickly as possible.
What concerns me most is that there seemed to be very little urgency when it came to providing the estimates, X-rays, or surgery dates for an injured dog. However, once I questioned the delays and communication issues, I was suddenly told my dog needed treatment within one week or I would be reported to the Humane Society.
My complaint is specifically about the way my concerns were handled by Dr. Owen. As a pet owner dealing with a serious injury, I expected compassion, professionalism, timely communication, and respect. Unfortunately, that was not my experience.
